December 2015 – Page 2 – Karla's Cottage

A fairy and dove

By Karla Nathan / December 8, 2015

I've had some time to create recently, and am thrilled because this is my favorite season to make things. I should have a year round Christmas shop and I'd be a pretty happy crafter.

This teensy, antique doll sits upon a vintage dove, on top of a old box. They are all foofed and Christmassed up, with glitter, lace, and other pretties.

And the box is functional, too. Here is a pic of it open.

I've also been dying trees and love these soft, pale tones.

I used this color of dye on a shirt while I had it out, I liked it so much. I ended up dying a pile of shirts in pretty, holiday colors.

It is hard for me to pass up these little, wooden ornies when I see them at garage sales. I always feel the need to save them. They are the wooden ones, garishly and badly painted. Usually with crooked faces and holding a bright colored wooden shape, that you have to guess about what it is. A present? A tree? Hmm, just an odd shape.

Anyway, I love repainted and revamping them into something a little sweeter.

And more sparkly too, of course.

Here are a few more goodies available here and here.

A hair brained scheme, or pure brilliance? Making the boat fit into the garage

cottage

By Karla Nathan / December 6, 2015

Lots of glittery new pretties are filling up the Boutique and my Etsy shop.

And while I've been busy painting, dying, glittering, and sparkling stuff up, my husband was trying to come up with a solution on where to put his new boat. A friend's barn, that we had used for years was no longer available. So, my husband decided to put the boat in our garage.

Which looked pretty much impossible to me.

But he called a contractor friend, and our son, who is handy with a saw and asked them to make the doorway opening bigger.

But the garage was still too small, that wouldn't solve the problem.

So, the guys build a little addition off the back of the garage, just big enough for the motor on the back of the boat to fit into.

In a very snug manner.

We could only go back a certain amount due to other things in the way outside of the garage. Also, we weren't adding a foundation, or pouring concrete, this addition couldn't support any weight. It is only a niche to slide the motor into.

But the boat trailer was still a bit too big. We thought we'd just leave the door off of the garage.

Then, they thought of this scheme. A custom cut to fit around the trailer tongue!

You might think it looks odd, and most people wouldn't really care for this at their home. But, we tend to do weird things here when we remodel. I have a feeling we will never be able to sell this house… it is all very suited to our own personal needs.

There are only a few inches of clearance on each side of the boat to get it in and out of the garage. But we only put it in once a year, then leave it til spring when it goes out onto the lake and stays at the marina.

It takes 3 people to guide the boat into the space, but it fits.

And best of all? Our builder buddies were free to start right away. It was a quick job, those guys whipped it out in a couple days. The whole thing was just an oddball idea that we were considering last week, and now it is finished, all for under $1,500. We won't have to pay for storage, our boat will stay covered, and hopefully, no one will trip on the hitch that sticks out.

It really isn't in the way, but I plan on tying a flag to it just in case. And I'll be waiting for better weather to repaint the garage, it will be two toned til Spring.

I'll leave you with some pictures of prettier things. Although, my husband thinks the new garage redo is one of the prettiest things he has seen. He loves looking out the window at the peek-a-boo trailer and the new, giant door.

I think the garage looks like it is "sticking its tongue out at us". Ha!

Our first cocoa party of the season

By Karla Nathan / December 5, 2015

While plotting our holiday decor, Sugarwings and I also daydreamed of our first cocoa party of the year. Traditionally, we wait til the tree is lit.

We really wanted a cup during Thanksgiving week, but we remembered our rally cry of "Respect the Turkey" and held off on our Christmas fun till after the bird was gone and that holiday was over.

This year, we had the added bonus of a great-grandmother guest. Which made the party even more special.

The important part of the party isn't the cocoa, although that stuff is durn tasty.

It is the ceremony. And making it all very special by using good dishes (whether they match or not) and good manners.

I found this glittered,snowflake chiffon to drape the grand fairies' chairs (Dewdrop will be back with us SOON), and we thought that added a nice touch to the festivities.

The lights are turned off, and we dine by the twinkling tree lights. Warmed milk is served in a teapot, and silver tongs are used to pluck marshmallows from a rose patterned bowl.

A crystal dish holds a few Ghirardelli chocolate chips, and a sundae cup is just right for our candy canes that we use to stir the cocoa with.

Sometimes we set a small table up in front of a Christmas special on TV, or by the girls' tiny, pink tree. We change out the goodies we serve, too.

But the JOY never changes. These are the moments that last forever.

A simple grapevine wreath for the season

cottage, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / December 3, 2015

For years, I've wanted a wreath on my front door. I have no idea why it took me so long to act on that.

I also knew I wanted it to be kind of an all-winter wreath not just for Christmas.

Here it is on the patio for Thanksgiving, with the pumpkins in the planters. And the falling leaves on the ground.

And here it is with Christmas trees in the pots and leaves still on the ground. (If you think this is a lot of leaves, you should see the yard- it is never ending around here)

I wanted glitter on the simple, grapevine wreath, but I was afraid the weather would wear it away. So, I sprayed it generously with glitter spray paint, and while wet, I doused it with glitter and mica flakes, then did that again. Hopefully, some of it will hang out through the winter storms.

I've wired on some tiny red ornaments to look like berries, and blue ones to look like eggs in the nest. The birds are vintage ones, painted white and clipped on. I'm not sure if they will withstand the ice and snow or now. I guess I'll see, huh?

PS- Lots of newbie Christmas goodies are coming into the Boutique and the Etsy shop!

A pinterest fail? Pancake art that isn’t all that arty

Food and Drink

By Karla Nathan / December 2, 2015

Have you seen the photos or videos of people doing pancake art? Sugarwings asked for a Rudolf pancake and I thought I'd tackle it.

I think my first mistake was cutting too large of a hole in the nozzle of the squeeze bottle I put the batter into.

You draw the outline with the batter, then fill it in after. My second mistake was that maybe either my pan was too hot or I was too slow because it all got too dark on me. This Santa looks more like Blackbeard.

With crazy zombie eyes.

Here is one with the heat turned down, but he looks more like a ghost than a snowman.

Notice that there are not any pics of Rudolf? He looked like Scooby Doo with boogers hanging out of his nose.

Well, it was fun to try. I'm going to buy another squeeze bottle and hopefully not cut the hole too big, and give it another try.

Maybe at Halloween. I've mastered the crazy, scary eye thing, which doesn't go as well with Christmas as it would the witchy season. Or maybe I'll be able to handle hearts at Valentine's day.

I plan on staying away from Rudolfs!