July 2015 – Karla's Cottage

Pet pics and what is new in the Boutique

dogs, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), kitties, photography, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage

By Karla Nathan / July 31, 2015

Honey is fitting in better than I had expected. She pees on command, fetches, knows to go into her kennel when told, and has stolen everyone's hearts.

She is even learning to pose, but isn't the best at it. This photo is a fluke, she isn't very patient with the camera like Twinkle is. Of course, Twinkle sees a camera in my hand and thinks all photos are of her. She jumped right up in the chair next to her blonde nemesis to make sure she got her share of camera time too.

Actually, they are getting along pretty good. Twinkle has her jealous moments, but as long as Honey remembers that Tinks is alpha dog, they seem to enjoy each other's company. Albie isn't happy with her at all, though. He takes every opportunity he gets to nip at her tail.

I don't know if Twinkle likes being around her, or is just making sure that the new dog doesn't get more time with me than she does.

These guys are champion posers. The puppeesh are almost as talented at modelling as their mom. Although they do it just to please me, they don't care about being in a photo. Twinkle likes to think that the camera is always pointed her way. Sometimes, I have to agree to take her photo to get on with my business of snapping what I had meant to in the first place.

Honey doesn't get the point. Most pics of her look like this.

Or this.

I have to act fast to get all four of them together. I'm going to keep trying. It will be fun to have a record of how big she gets in comparison to her peers. I'll try to get a weekly update of the group as she sprouts up.

Even if Honey can't keep her eyes open in the shots. Poor dog, I know what it is like.

Not everyone can pose like Twinkle, of course. Pumpkin's kittens can be elusive. And this one, Gourdie, always has RBF (Resting B**ch Face). She is a perfectly nice cat, she just looks cranky.

PS- I've added quite a few ephemera packs to the Boutique.

Wallpaper scrap packs, ephemera, paper dolls…

Fairy book kits, and more.

Oh, did I mention wallpaper? I loaded a few packs of that too.

Plus, a completed Fairy book over at the Etsy shop.

As well as an art journal with an included ephemera pack, ready for you to fill up and create in.

Big Birdsong Thank Yous!

bird song art event

By Karla Nathan / July 29, 2015

Did you think I'd finished gushing about how much I loved hosting Birdsong 5? Nope, I still have some pictures to share. These are the thoughtful, generous gifts that my Peeps gave to me.

This pic is of some ephemera that has a perfect sentiment for how the weekend went.

I was overwhelmed with the gifts I received. Everything was thought out, with a birdie, fairy, or romantic cottage theme. Everyone seemed to know just what I'd love. The vintage powder box from Linda was immediately put to use as a temporary tooth soaker.

Yep, I'm still dealing with toothlessness issues and had a "flipper" that had to be left in water while not wearing it. This pretty powder box was an ideal solution for where to keep it. The ugly box from the dentist was a depressing looking blah thing that was just a reminder of the whole sad, ugly situation. This little box was a cheerful replacement!

The soaps, lotions, and other treats in the basket were wonderful too! I am trying to hoard them away til next year's event to use then, but… those bottles sure are purdy, and the soap smells soooo good. I might not be able to resist using them now.

These bluebird measuring cups from Shelli sure made me do a happy dance when I opened them. Birdie shaped? With a PINK ROSEBUD wing?? Perfect for my glass canisters in the kitchen!!

Not only was this vintage book a beautiful gift on its own, Jenn and her little Vivvie had made a set of cards to go along with it, and tied them up with soft, silky ribbons.

Tami blew me away with her fairy garden creation.

And Cheri's pink heart garland fits my studio window like she designed it for that spot.

See what I mean? These Peeps were so kind to shower me with loveliness!

Tins, tidbits, doodads, old stuff, hand made stuff, specialty coffees, teas, soaps, and more. Thoughtfulness at its most thoughtful!

Goodies galore!

All of it was above and beyond.

I can't wait to make something with these tiny, satin shoes.

And how perfect is this tin tea set from Jane?

Dewdrop and I made up some tasty playdough sandwiches to serve on it.

Sissy gifted me with the ideal apron. I've always had trouble with aprons, finding one comfy to wear, but still functional. This one feels weightless around my neck, has two big pockets, and it is just plain old, beautiful. I think I'd be comfortable wearing it daily, but I'd hate to ruin it. At least I can enjoy seeing it daily, hung on my bedroom door.

And isn't it pretty with the silk rose she had given to me earlier?

And do you believe this??? Wow! Another Lori Oles original for my collection. She is my favorite jewelry making artist. And one of my favorite people, too.

Lesa gifted me with this angel, which will go on my holiday tree this year, along with a few other goodies I've bought from her over the years. I have a nice Lesa Daily collection going too.

Both of these treasures came from Betti.

Thank you, to everyone for being such a delight to have in my home, that was gift enough. I know that vacation time and dollars are a tight stretch with all the things we want to do. So, it means the world to me that my Peeps join me here in Kansas for Birdsong. The true gift is the creative energy they all share while here.

But honestly? I'm loving these lil pressies too!! Thank you, Peeps!

A spur of the moment trip to Chicago

dogs, Travel

By Karla Nathan / July 27, 2015

My husband has been in Chicago quite a bit for business. The other day, he asked if I wanted to join him, but last minute plane tickets were too high, so we decided against it. Then, the next day, I got to thinking that I should just drive up. Within about an hour, I was packed and out the door.

Too bad I didn't think of that the night before, I wouldn't have stayed up til 1 am getting caught up on "Unreal."

Stopping at a few antique shops and doing a little hat whispering on the side kept me alert during the drive. I didn't shop much at all, mostly I was stretching my legs and waking up.

Instead of going straight to Chicago, I stopped over night in Indiana to stay with Bobbie.

Sissy took the morning off and came to visit, as well as her two daughters. We had a nice breakfast, then I continued to Chicago, where I was meeting my husband DOWNTOWN at about 5pm.

uhmm, I'm a bit of a wimp about downtowns and traffic.

I can drive cross country all by myself with no worries, (as long as I have a book to listen to and stay on interstates) but get me into a city I don't know…. a big city… with people who honk (there isn't much honking where I live), I slightly freak out.

Well, maybe I freak out a lot. But I just cry a little. And drive around blocks forever trying to find the address, even though the GPS is clear, I have trouble with making the correct turns with traffic downtown. And there was a lot of that. I spent 45 minutes with the GPS saying I was ten minutes away from the hotel, til I finally made it into the parking garage.

We had a beautiful, king suite at the Trump Tower over looking the city. While I am not, and never have been a fan of Donald Trump, but I have to admit, he has a spectacular hotel. Luxurious, and detail oriented. With the world's best sheets and most comfy pillows.

I was a little too overwhelmed by my traffic dilemma to take photos, though. I did snap this one. See the black square in the mirror? It's a TV screen! That hotel is a pampering palace, with a magnificent view.

Especially from the outdoor terrace bar, way up above the city. Where we heard a helicopter going by, and I of course, looked up, like you do when you hear one close. But it was railing height, not up above us and I missed seeing it right there at our level,

We went to a friend's restaurant for dinner, and when the taxi pulled up, I kind of wondered if this was correct.

No worries, once we stepped inside, it was an urban, hip, wonderland.

With a bar made of old suitcases.

Funky art.

And even a resident artist who paints in the dining room.

After a beautiful walk through the city, back to our hotel and up to the bar with a view, we talked about trying to find a puppy while in that part of the country. I'd looked within a couple hundred miles of Lawrence, and had no luck.

So when we saw a post on Craigslist about a horse ranch an hour out of Chicago that had 8 week old pups, we gave them a call to see if we could take a look on our way home. But the rancher had to deliver a horse that day. My husband really wanted a puppy and this one sounded exactly like what we were looking for.

We had another night booked at this fab place, and reservations at The Mid America Club for dinner, which I was very excited about.

But, a puppy was waiting for us….

You know what we chose.

Luxury and pampering don't hold a candle to snuggling a fuzzy, new friend with puppy breath. We checked out a day early, cut our trip short and headed out to the farm to get this little girl and take her home.

Honey

dogs

By Karla Nathan / July 24, 2015

We have a new baby, her name is Honey.

She is a happy, little, calm, ball of fluff. So far, she seems to have a mellow personality.

She is about Yorkie sized today. Probably only today. By tomorrow, I'll bet she will already be larger than they are. It has been ages since I've had a big dog. I wasn't quite sure I was ever going to be ready to have another large dog again, but my husband was. After a year or so of discussion, I relented. At first I tried to convince him to get a Golden Doodle since they don't shed. But, he had his heart set on a lab or a golden, and this is HIS dog, not mine.

Out here on the farm, over the last 20 some years, we have taken in lost dogs, dogs needing homes, or just adopted adult dogs. We have never, ever had success with any of them. It might just be us and our training skills, or it could be the wrong fit with the dogs, but we decided we had to start with a puppy, not adopt a full grown, big dog.

We wanted her to grow up in the fences and accept them, not look at them seeking a way out. We live on two highways, and a dog who digs out of or climbs over a fence isn't destined to be here long.

And we love to have puppies around.

So, please don't lecture me about a rescue dog. We've done that. And we do a LOT of nice things for others, we aren't evil just because we adore puppies.

With a yard full of cats, small dogs, and chickens, we wanted to start from the beginning with a baby, too. Plus, this might not be a good thing to acknowledge, but it was hard for me to taken on a large dog. After having little bitty ones around, I honestly didn't like the idea of a big guy. I had a feeling that if we took on a full grown dog, I would be resentful.

Yes, an ugly thing to admit but the truth.

I knew I needed a baby to bond with and get used to it small before it gradually became an 80 lb shedding machine.

And it is working. She has my heart. What a sweetie she is. I think she is going to be a good fit for our family.

The kittens aren't quite sure about her yet.

Twinkle is bossy, but not mean, and she doesn't really care for dogs much. Albie is terrified, and Dorothy is worried but intrigued.

Sugarwings, Dewdrop, and my husband are smitten.

I might be too.

Visiting Lori’s House

antiques/junking, friends

By Karla Nathan / July 21, 2015

My friend, Lori's husband, a KU professor of illustration, was teaching in Italy for a few weeks and her son was away at camp. She decided to use this break from menfolk in the house to do a redecorating project to surprise her husband when he got back. She called our friend, Jen Unekis, an artist who also dabbles in design, to help her update, brighten and lighten, but still keep the arty feel of her old home.

Jen is an expert in arty-ness with a touch of funky, all done with the eye of a talented abstract painter.

Lori and Jen not only chose new wall colors, had the drywall and the ceiling patched, they took lots of shopping trips to pick out all new curtains, pillows and accessories, as well as repurposing furniture pieces that were already in the house and giving them all a shuffling around, or a coat of paint.

The kitchen went from a deep, brick red, to this centering shade of gray, and the color continues into the entry hall, which had been kind of a dark olive before this. The woodwork in the hall was painted to match the kitchen too. Matching up the two connecting areas, opened up the space visually and made it feel larger.

All of the rooms open into each other, so the colors had to flow, and Jen really found a good balance with the warm woods and the sunny gold with the soft grays.

The twig style chandy fits well with the eclectic art collection.

And Jen turned a storage problem into art, by hanging the instruments on the wall.

This room hasn't been painted yet, it is currently khaki, and the color is a bit washed out when compared with all the fresh tones around the house. Lori was asking for our advice on color when she invited us over for coffee.

Mine was to use the same gray that was used on the kitchen and entryway walls throughout the room, then use the sunny golden dining room color behind the chest and up the stairs. The room is small (I know what that is like, my house is of the same era) and my thinking was that continuity would make the space look bigger, while the gold color as an accent would brighten it up.

I've noticed that with my small rooms, an accent wall seems to give the illusion of more space, maybe because it takes away the boxy feeling of four walls the same color? And a darker shade for the accent wall tends to make the wall "step back" from the lighter walls.

I'm also big on using the same color from room to room, but choosing a shade lighter or darker, from the same swatch. I wondered if one shade of gray lighter than the kitchen might be nice.

What do you think?

This is another angle of the living room. All is redone and ready to go, but the walls are waiting for a color choice. The khaki changes with the light, and here it even looks greenish-gold, doesn't it? In the previous photo it is creamier, but that is just an illusion of the light. I think a warm gray is a good choice, that is what Lori has in the kitchen, a gray with a mushroom undertone.

Kind of like Sammy, here. All Lori needs to do is take the kitty to Home Depot and match up the paint chip colors to the cat's fur.

Here is the view from the dining room into the kitchen and living room. You would see the stairway wall from there. I doubt if a shade lighter would work with the gold, it would turn buttery. A shade darker for the accent wall in the living room could work, though.

If not the exact same color…

Or she should just listen to Jen, because whatever she decides is going to be done with a lot of thought and care. Plus, Jen really knows what she is doing.

I love what she has done with the rest of the downstairs.

Coloring Pages for adults, fairy tales and birds

drawing, Etsy Goodies, Hand painted, paintings

By Karla Nathan / July 19, 2015

I've been hearing a lot about coloring pages for adults lately. And last week, in the Parade magazine was this article about them.

Over the last few years, I've been doing what I call "doodle pages" and including them with journal classes and swaps. Most of mine are done over collaged, vintage text pages, and some are actual pages of tips and how to's on how to make your own. I still have a couple of those kits left here. I also have that info and the pages to download in my online, "Creating an Art Journal" class.

When I was working on these pages for my Birdsong 5 kits, I was enamoured with coloring and had to stop myself from staying at the kitchen table and coloring one page after another, over and over again. I told myself that I was making "examples" for the class…

Yea, right.

I was hooked on the markers and ink. I was an avid color-er as a kid and apparently, that is not something that you outgrow.

I figure I can't be the only one, and have heard friends talking about coloring pages, listened to a story on NPR about it, then when I saw it in Parade, I knew it was as addictive and fun for others as it is for me.

So, I've added a pair of the collage background, bird themed pages to Etsy.

And I reworked the sketch for this painting to make it "coloring friendly". Which involved printing the sketch, and removing all the shading, redrawing the black outlines sharper, and using white ink to cover up some areas, then scanning it again, printing it over, and doing that same process again, until all of my lines were the way I wanted them to be and were easy to follow for anyone to fill in.

I probably should have just started over from scratch instead of spending so much time redoing this page, but this picture of Snow White has a special place in my heart. And honestly, I wanted to color one myself….

So far, I haven't had a chance to do that. Things have been busy around the cottage. Just a typical stuff, like a roof caving in at my son's house, and all of his belongings covered in black mold spores, so that he had to move out and move here temporarily. It has been rough on his family, but I'm glad that we have plenty of space for them here while they are unsettled and have no roof.

And lucky too, that we have an extra garage that we don't need to park in for summertime so they can store their stuff in it, as well as a big yard to spread out a tarp and let all of their belongings bleach in the sunshine. They spritzed it all with vinegar and let the sun cure the mold spores. And are now waiting to see if the landlord will release them from their lease.

Dewdrop is coming back this week, and Sugarwings was very worried that she would be upset when she heard about what happened to her bedroom. It was sweet of her to think of her sister's reaction.

On the other hand, it was a bit selfish of me to be thinking, "Oh goody, we get all the little girls here, living with us again!!"

But back to coloring…if you like coloring too, I have two fairy tale themed coloring sheets available as well as the birdie ones- right here. Each pair is $3, and a digital download that you save to your computer and can print out at 5×7" or 8×10" as many times as you'd like.

If you are anything like me, you'll be printing out multiples and coloring them over and over again, because you never get the same result twice, and it is a relaxing, creative little hobby.

I hope to have more added in the next few weeks. These are fun to make, as well as to color!

Birdsong FIVE- My Peeps

bird song art event, family, guncles, studio tour, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / July 17, 2015

Do you know what I love best about Birdsong? My peeps, of course!

It's a special time with old friends and new, plus a few family members who come along to be a part of it, and to help out.

Gail, Nora, Beth, and Tami have been to every Birdsong (plus many of the smaller workshops we have throughout the year- and by the way, I've got a Halloween idea in the works…)

To commemorate their 5th year, I made up special ribbons for them to wear, and added little birdie pins to their name tags.

Most of us gathered for dinner the night before our party began.

I'm so glad it worked out to meet for a Pre-Birdsong dinner, because by that time, I'm very impatient to get the party started.

And you know what else is special about Birdsong to me? Family members who want to be a part of the gathering. While this is my busiest time of the entire year, and I don't always have much extra time, I'm happy to have them nearby and share the experience with me.

There is a lot of fluttering and flitting from one thing to another, but we manage to squeeze in a few good conversations here and there. Especially while prepping in the kitchen. But it does go by fast, and then all of a sudden, everyone is leaving and I'm wondering how days slipped by without getting around to topics I wanted to talk about. When Terry and her husband pulled out of the driveway to head back to Utah, I found myself teary eyed to see them go, thinking that we barely scratched the surface of all we wanted to talk about, and knowing it would be months before I saw her again.

That is how I feel about all of my Peeps, when the weekend starts, it seems like there is so much time to talk, play, and create, then all of a sudden, it is over. And I miss them all.

This year, Sissy brought her daughter, Shelli. It was a first time for her, and I hope she comes back for another one.

Especially when she looks so cute in her outfit that matches my fly strip…. Ha!! (I did take the strip down before guests arrived, even though it was a very stylish pattern)

This year, there were a lot of weddings, graduations, and family events that prevented some of our regulars from attending, so we got to add some new Peeps to the group. (sign ups are offered first to previous attendees or sponsors)

Along with some favorite friends who come back every time.

Terry once again offered neck massages for hard working crafters. I think some of my friends attend just for her magic touch!

And my baby bro, Guncle Randy, is our official parking guide. (Or as he calls himself, the "Parking B*#ch")

It is surprising how many cars we can fit into our driveway,when properly coordinated, and he has the pattern down pat after years of guiding the way.

Birdsong is a highlight of my year, and it means a lot to me that so many people join in and make it special for us all.

It's a lovely group, and I'm happy to call them friends.

If you are interested, Birdsong kits are available here.

ps-If you are here for the studio tour, you can find it here.

A magical day in Topeka. Yep, Topeka.

family, flowers, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / July 14, 2015

Last week, Sugarwings and I made a trip to Gage Park in Topeka. We've often gone to the zoo and the Discovery Center, but this was our first stop at the gardens.

Many times, we have ridden the train around the park, and I always say, "I'd like to go walk across that pretty bridge someday," but till now, we have never taken the time. We usually hang at the zoo, playground, or carousel, and since I don't go there without grand fairies, I stick to things they prefer. But this time, I figured Sugarwings was old enough to do some exploring with me.

She can now walk by a fountain, without having to be pulled out of it. At least on a most days….

And she was happy to take a detour through the rose gardens on our way to the Discovery Center. I don't think she was just humoring me, it seemed like she enjoyed the flowers as much as I did.

Of course, the bridge was an attraction for her too.

And the pond is so pretty. But the best part was watching a school of tiny, black fish as they twisted and turned in the water, they almost seemed to be trying to spell something out for us. And I swear, at one point, they all joined in to form a heart shape as they swam by.

Anywhere that I go with this girl is a magical place.

Through her eyes and imagination, I see all the possibilities of magic being real in a public park in Topeka, Kansas. We could have been over the rainbow and it wouldn't have been any more special than it was right here in the midwest on an ordinary, overcast Tuesday.

You can find magic anywhere if you keep your eyes open. Not only were the fishies making heart shapes for us, I came across a mossy heart in the cracks of the pavement too.

We looked around, took photos, talked about flowers, watched the fish. It was a simple kind of entertainment, aren't those often the best?

She offered to take my picture too.

And, like usual, my eyes were closed in each one.

We did some of our regular kid activities too. She rode the merry go round a few times ($1 a ride, no lines, no crowds), we played in the black light room at the Discovery Zone a couple of hours, until my eyes were crossed, and we had lunch at the zoo.

After years of riding by the pretty, little, stone bridge, I was so glad that we stopped and explored the park. It was such a small thing, such an easy thing to do, but such a big adventure for the two of us.

ps- here are some newbies to my Boutique. And if you are here for the studio tour, you can find it here.

A Studio Tour from Birdsong 5

bird song art event, studio tour

By Karla Nathan / July 10, 2015

This photo is from the night before Birdsong 5 in June. I'm just getting around to posting all the pictures of the event, and the timing is perfect to also be a part of Karen's Where Bloggers Create Tour.

I've participated in her studio tours every year and it is a treat to click through the links and visit the other spaces. And I've also been featured in the actual, Where Women Create magazine from being chosen out of this annual event Karen hosts. You can see some of the studio pics from the magazine here. And here are some photos from the shoot for the story.

I always look forward to Karen's gathering of blog workspaces, it's fun to click through and see so many great storage and desk ideas in one place. If you'd like to see how my studio has changed over the years, you can find past tours here.

Since I have shown pics of the studio every year for the blog tour, I figured I wouldn't have anything new to offer this year. But the tour just happened to cross over with me finally getting around to posting the Birdsong set up in the studio, so I thought I'd link to the party after all. These views are a little different than my usual arrangement of the space.

And the room is spruced up for a party, anyway!

Most of these shots were taken at night, before all the guests arrive on Friday morning. Here is the view out of the room's back door, with the LED lights glowing on the new fence that my son built last fall. I keep the lights on a timer, from dusk to dawn, year round, even though I'd first put them up just for Christmas. I like the twinkles and it makes me smile to see them from my bedroom window, or from the studio on nights I work late.

Normally, this is the spot where I have my own work area. For Birdsong, I pack up my personal supplies, shift tables around, set up more tables, and bring out the folding chairs (with their backs covered in cut down vintage pillow cases). The room is right around 1,000 sq ft, and I am constantly trying to streamline the supply cabinets to make more space for people and parties.

The room has changed a lot over the years, mostly in filling the space with better storage solutions and slight shifts that make it a little more functional each time. Here is a link to a recent change in storage, and here is another one about trying to eek out a few more inches here and there. The room is pretty big for just me to work in, but when you consider all the crap lovingly collected supplies that I have, and the fact that sometimes I invite 30 plus friends over to play with me, an inch here or there is important.

The theme for Birdsong is "nature inspired", which can mean a lot of things. And of course, includes a lot of sweet, little birdies. I don't go all out with decor, I just tweak (or tweet?) the existing set up and add some birds here and there. Like these vintage bird brooches on my dress form. I also spritzed her angel wings with Glimmer Mist to turn them into bluebird of happiness wings instead.

Previous years' projects, like this 'nest' banner above the bench, and the birdcage on the dress form add atmosphere.

The collage is from Beth's class a couple of years ago.

The fairies were one of last year's classes, and since we were working on art journals this year, I set many of mine out around the room for guests to flip through for ideas.

I did the same thing in the dining room of the house, I thought that as everyone sat down to eat, they might want to look at my journals before they started on their own books.

Oh- but back to the studio-

I have some favorite vintage wallpapers on the wall in old frames painted white. I like to add some birds torn from aged books to the frames. Usually, just stuck into the edges, sometimes anchored with stick pins.

Changing out the pictures is an easy way to update the room for different holidays or themes without going to any expense or much time at all.

The banners in the front window are from various classes or swaps, and I added "nest" from playing cards for the weekend.

And of course, having art work from the teachers on display is great too! This is what Lori Oles was teaching this June.

Over the years, I have gathered lots of birdsong type decorations, like this 'sing' banner from a swap our first year. And many of my guests gift little birdie tidbits to me, that I can set out in the spring before everyone arrives.

As much as I enjoy all the feathered friends around the room, I try to keep all of the pieces special by tucking them away in the fall. It's nice to have a change for seasons, and when spring comes around again, I love pulling out all of the treasures to sit out around the room.

The tables get covered in white paper (I use gift wrap from Dollar Tree, it is very affordable compared to white craft paper), I toss a curtain over the TV, and hang some pretties from branches wired to the ceiling and from the chandeliers. The branches are permanent, the tied on danglies change a few times a year. I hang shiny brites at Christmas, hearts at Valentines, and sometimes some ghosts at Halloween. I'm not always on top of the changes…. it isn't unheard of to have ghosts swaying above my head at Thanksgiving or hearts still there for Easter…

The birdcages are from a previous class too. I like having the decor up above the work tables as opposed to on them. Once the ladies start getting kits open, and setting out their supplies, helping themselves to a plate of cookies and a cup of coffee, anything else on the table is just a nuisance, no matter how pretty it is. I try to keep the table tops limited to paper towels, wash wipe packets, or lamps and stick to decorating above, not on, the tables.

It's always so festive to have the space set up for a party! Planning an event is also a hefty reason to keep the room reasonably tidy. Working on big projects, shipping things from my Boutique, doing swaps, can all cause major trashing of the studio, but knowing that I have a group coming to visit in the not so far future keeps me inline and helps stop any hoarding tendencies from getting the best of me.

When it is all over, I miss everyone, and the place seems very empty.

It's a very special feeling to have the room filled with creative souls.

And smiling faces!

If you are here from the studio tour, thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy all the fascinating spaces offered on Karen's links. And I hope to see you here again sometime.

If anyone has interest in Birdsong 6, or for the Romantic Gothic Ghost workshop this fall, please email mail me at: Karlanathan@sbcglobal.net and I'll add you to the mailing list for info.

If you'd like extra project kits for Birdsong 5, you can find mine here.

A quiet 4th of July

cottage, family, flowers, Garden, kitties, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / July 8, 2015

We had quite a nice holiday weekend. Not at all typical for us, no parties, no people, no fireworks, no trips.

The weekend started on Friday with a performance at Theatre Lawrence, from the workshop Sugarwings had attended there.

It was very impressive to see how the teachers could corral all of these little ones and get them to understand the workings of being in a play, learning lines, songs, and choreography in just one week. And it is great for the kids to have a chance to be on the fancy stage.

Sugarwings is very serious up on stage, but does sneak looks up to where family is sitting, to make sure we are watching her. And at one point, she broke out in an impromptu, improvised tap routine that had nothing to do with the show.

Maybe tap lessons should be the next class she takes…

Her favorite part seemed to be the way her sparkling cape could swirl with some twirling in the lobby.

The rest of the weekend was pretty laid back. My husband and I did some hiking at the lake each morning, then spent the rest of the days doing yard work around the cottage.

Now, my husband isn't exactly a yard work kind of guy. At least as far as flower beds go. He is more of a chainsaw type, but when I mentioned that my rose bushes had become so overgrown that they weren't blooming the way they should and were more like thorn bushes than flowers, he was right there with a chain to wrap around them and pull them out with the John Deere Gator.

The roses were planted in bad places, that seemed fine when the plants were little. One was by the patio of the studio, and three were along the side walk to the front door. As they grew, they needed major trimming to stop their thorns from snagging unsuspecting people walking by.

I've not got a lot of experience with roses, but it seems to me, that the more you trim them, the woodier they become, and the less they bloom. These were turning into giant thorn trees with woody trunks, not green bushes with flowers. So, out they went, and the one by the studio was replaced with a hydrangea instead.

For the sidewalk area, I purchased 2 azaleas and a topiary. But the topiary wouldn't work, because there is a bedrock of gravel under the bed, and we couldn't dig through it. The base of the topiary was just too large, but the smaller pots of azaleas were just fine. So, the tree is in a temporary basket for now, and I'll set it in a pot when I find one later (it's time for some good 75% off sales at the greenhouses!)

We also dug out mulch and added a row of gravel along the foundation, due to some termite issues we are having. My husband got to fill his Gator with gravel and use the dump truck function to fill the trench he'd dug.

We also worked in the veggie garden, and had to pull some vines down from the walls. A vine covered cottage is a beautiful thing, if you don't care about termites and damage to your siding. If I could let them go, I sure would. Especially since they just start climbing on their own, it looks so charming and natural. But, nope, they had to be ripped away.

Lots of hard work got accomplished, and we had a good time doing it. I really can't remember the last time the two of us were on our own, and hung out together all weekend. We tend to have a lot of separate interests and many other people that take our attention from each other. This was nice.

I hope your weekend was a memorable one too. I thought I'd work in the studio and add some things to the Boutique, but didn't get around to it til Monday.

And I didn't mind at all.

Here are a few things that I listed.