February 2021 – Karla's Cottage

A memorial journal for Judy

By Karla Nathan / February 28, 2021

A very close, supportive, and caring friend recently lost her mother.

She had been there for me when my Ryan died, and had a suggestion that helped me tremendously to cope with not having him by my side.

Her suggestion was to write to him. And I did, repeatedly.

Long, tear stained letters.

Quick funny notes about something that had happened and I knew that he’d enjoy laughing at with me.

A jotted down memory.

Stories of what I’d done that day, or how many steps I got, what we had for dinner.

A simple, “I miss you.”

Maybe writing to her mother could help my friend with her own grief. So I made a book for that holds pockets and envelopes to place writings or mementos, little stacks of note paper, pages to write in or add photos to.

The book is a planner from Michaels that had mostly blank pages, but also some printed ones with prompts for journaling. On this page, I wrote words about Judy that her daughter used when talking about her in a memorial she had written about her love of family.

I printed the paragraphs out and placed them in the book too.

Then I found Facebook photos to print and added a few to some pages. Not too many, the book is mostly blank for her to use as she’d like.

My friend is a stained glass artist with a bright, bohemian style, so I tried to make the journal in cheerful colors she would like.

The front cover is one of my pour paintings, cut up and glued on.

After seeing how kind everyone was to me after my son died, I pledged to be a better friend. Honestly, there is nothing anyone can do to make things better when you lose a loved one. But showing that they care and reaching out does ease the pain. So I wanted to do this for my pal, and I hope that writing to her mom helps her get through this.

The life cycle of a pumpkin

Goldendoodle Puppies, Hens, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / February 24, 2021

Last fall, we took a trip to the pumpkin patch, after an extremely LONG time of no regular outings. The grand fairies and I typically had a schedule of getting out and exploring on a regular basis. In the summer, it was the pool, park, zoo, and more. In the fall, we'd go to the pumpkin patch multiple times and host pumpkin craft parties after.

2020? not quite the same. But we masked up, and social distanced our way through the punkin patch, and made the most of a day out. We were pretty happy to be there, too, even with the restrictions and changes that had to be implemented.

We probably bought way too many pumpkins, hoping to have a carving party with Fin and Clover, but the weather didn't cooperate, and we couldn't get together outside, so I made use of the gourds as best as I could.

When the pups were tiny, I liked to do photo shoots with them for their new families, so these were great to use as props for posing puppies.

After Halloween, I spray painted some of them white and added a touch of glitter to the tops, and placed them into flower pots in front of the house. Others got turned into pies.

(The white pumpkins make the best pies, uhm, not the painted white ones, the REAL white ones.)

Now, it is time to clean up the front porch and get rid of the pumpkins who have seen better days. They are squishy and wrinkled, but instead of tossing them out, they went to the hens. The birds don't eat the rind, so didn't even bother with the painted exterior. They went right for the tasty seeds inside.

I guess I didn't have too many pumpkins after all! At least the chickens didn't think so. We have been giving them a couple a week and they are pretty happy with the treats.

A little cabin in the woods

Corona virus, cottage, Current Affairs, dogs, family

By Karla Nathan / February 21, 2021

It has been a long, cold week here in Kansas, as it has been in a large part of the country. We were only without power for a few hours, and our pipes froze up until we (meaning Rich) tucked a tarp around the bushes in front of where the pump goes into the basement.

My heart goes out to the Texans who went through much worse.

We built a big fire, piled our dogs and blankets on our laps and were just fine. When we heard the weather forecast of bone chilling cold and about the possibility of rolling black outs to protect the grid, we did what we could to protect ourselves and pets.

I charged all of our devices and extra power packs, filled the bath tubs with water to use for flushing, and Rich brought some five gallon water bottles in from the garage. We had plans in place if things got worse, but never needed to start hanging tarps up in the hearth room or lighting candles in terra cotta pots for extra warmth.

Our dogs were very excited to see that the hens came to live in the basement for about a week or so during the coldest stretch. And the cats were happy to be tucked into the hen house with all of the warmers and heated water out there, plus a cozy, insulated little box full of cushions to snuggle up in. While I was not quite as happy about chickens as house pets with hay tracked all over the kitchen from Rich’s boots and the dog’s feet, I was glad to know they were safe.

And that they didn’t really smell that bad. Just a tad of a whiff now and then.

But I did enjoy hearing their chatter and singing coming up through the vents.

We did just fine, and I hope you are okay too? Days like that can sure make you appreciate what you have, huh? And remind me that I am blessed.

That we have a cute long cabin just for fun, and not as our actual shelter.

Well, it is fun to have it now. It was not an easy thing to build. Maybe emotionally as much as physically for Rich.

Chopping, hauling, and stacking the logs, coming up with the design and crafting the building throughout a long, hot summer was his way of working through the pain of losing our son. I think a lot of tears mixed with the sweat of the hard work.

The project was mostly completed before winter came. He still needs to gather fieldstone to enclose the chimney and is waiting for the logs to settle before chinking between them.
The fireplace is functional, but not usable yet because of all the gaps between logs, the draft pulls too much smoke through the interior.

See what I mean about drafts?

For now, it is a little garage for our mower. Later on, he will build a table from some wood leftover out of our grandfather tree (a special oak that he used to tell stories to the grandfairies beneath. It fell over and was used to make our dining room table and dog crate) and add a hammock too.

I froze my watch off

Corona virus, cottage, Current Affairs, dogs

By Karla Nathan / February 17, 2021

The dogs are so happy with their new, furry, chair protecting, throw that they do not seem to notice the cold. This weather is scary cold, and the rolling blackouts make it a crap shoot for keeping warm. We woke up to no power on Tuesday, with minus 16 degrees outside.

It was only three hours for us, and we have a good fireplace with a heat blower on it, indoors, the temp only dropped to 56. Other parts of our land aren’t doing as well, I hope that these temporary blackouts stop the problem from getting even worse!

Last week, I volunteered a second time at the Covid vaccine drive through and it was only 14 degrees at the highest point of the day. This weather has gone beyond “cold snap” to “frozen smashed and broken”. Or something like that.

I hate cold with a passion and my family knows that I am a cowering mess of fear when I think the swimming pool water might be a tiny bit more chilly than I like.

Yes, quite the wimp.

I really didn’t think I could take being outdoors in that weather for six hours, but it is a cause that means a lot to me and I was so proud of myself for doing it.

It took:

3 pair of Cuddleduds leggings
2 Cuddleduds shirts
a fleece vet
a jersey lined, long lace skirt (because I could’t fit another pair of pants on)
wool socks
Ugg boots
a fleece gaitor/hood
fur lined hat
fleece scarf
lots of Toasty Toe warmers
fleece gloves (I had mittens to wear over them, but was handling paperwork and couldn’t use the mits, dang)
puffy jacket
Pretty mask

Did I mention, LOTS of warmers? I stuck them all over me.

I knew that all would show was my eyes, so I wore a ton of eye makeup. But didn’t realize that the fleece gaitor would cause my mask to steam up and I’d have a wet, red, icy nose all day. And that it would cause my mascara to melt into puddles that not only ran down my cheeks, but smeared in ragged half circles and froze above my eyes.

As if I had drunkenly drawn on weird eyebrows with a black sharpie.

And no one told me that I looked demented, as I greeted hundreds of drivers.

The cold was so bad, that my poor Apple Watch couldn’t take it. I had it buckled to my vest, because I couldn’t get to my wrist through all of my layers. The frigid air shut the watch down.

After dealing with freezing my watch off outdoors as a volunteer, a few hours in front of a fireplace, under a blanket with the power off didn’t seem so bad.

My next volunteer date is supposed to have temperatures way up to a balmy 21, so I am looking forward to the heat wave!

Hopefully you are warm, safe, and healthy. If you are, please turn down your heat a tad, turn off extra appliances and lights, and conserve what you can so that the grid doesn’t crash and the power stays off a while. Take care out there!

Cherishing

celebrations, Corona virus, cottage, family

By Karla Nathan / February 14, 2021

Do you have plans for this special day? I typically go all out, with gifts for everyone in the family, Galentine craft days, and decorations everywhere.

This is the anniversary of the day my husband adopted our boys and we have celebrated it as a family, instead of the usual couple date. Last year, we were in Florida, so had our family night early, but our son, Adam met us there to be together. The weather turned cold and rainy, our little Dewdrop had a bad cough, but we made our time fun and we were so happy to have them with us for a few days.

Here is a photo from one of my best Valentine’s, the grand fairies and I put glitter and confetti on the ceiling fan blades and had everyone gather in a circle. This is a capture still from the little video. It was such a jolt of pleasure to see a snippet of Ryan laughing when the video memory popped up on Facebook.

This season, our holiday is on the quiet side. The weather is unbearably cold today, with a high of two degrees, because of Covid we aren’t going to restaurants or gathering with friends for a craft day. Our pipes are frozen, so having a big dinner here, even with just half of us would be difficult. Sugarwings’ mama is working herself to exhaustion in finishing her clinical for her midwife’s degree and is too busy to get together. Adam and Dewdrop are far away in North Carolina.

And my Ryan is gone.

Life goes on, changes keep on coming. While we will never get over losing Ry, the arctic wind has stirred up his wind chimes and they are making a pretty song that I can hear in my studio today.

Adam loves his life in the mountains and has found a job where he can express his creativity, I love seeing photos of his carpentry projects, knowing he is using his art skills. I was blessed to have both of my sons close by and with me as adults for as long as I did.

Our Hippy Chick’s years of hard work are close to paying off and she will be starting her new career soon.

The years when I had my little fairy babies were filled with magic. But so is watching them grow and become become strong women with endless possibilities ahead of them.

Having family move on, grow, and flourish can feel like I have been left behind, if I let it. But I prefer to feel gratitude and pride for what they are doing with their lives.

When we get together, whether in small groups, or as a big ole, bundle, I can count my blessings and know that I am surrounded by love from near and far.

You can’t stop change, no matter if it is heart wrenching or heartfelt. Valentine’s Day is also Twinkle’s birthday. Today she is 14, and no longer the frisky pup she once was. But she still knows her name and likes when I repeat it to her, it’s her favorite thing. I’ll be cherishing her for as long as I can.

For New Year’s, I choose a word to honor for the upcoming year. 2021 has “Cherish”.

I’ll cherish the time I get with my true love, as our family goes through changes and we have time to travel and be together, just the two of us.

I’ll cherish my memories, my family and their dreams for the future.

I’ll cherish my friends and the fun they bring to my life. Even through social distancing we have remained close in our hearts.

I’ll cherish my house full of dogs and let them know they are loved, whether they are a puppy in their first year, or an aging baby like Twinks who might be in her last.

(a card from my pal, Angie)

Today might not be a typical Valentine’s Day for me, but I will cherish what I have and be thankful for the love I have been shown.

A small addition and a bit of an escape

collections, Corona virus, cottage

By Karla Nathan / February 10, 2021

Sometimes adding a little knick knack brightens a mood. Especially in these days where, if you are anything like me, you don’t get out much. After looking at the same sameness all the time, even a tiny twerk in home decor cheers me, so finding a nice treasure to add to my countertop and getting out to shop made for double the good time.

The other day I just needed to go SOMEWHERE. Do you get those feelings? Or are you already out and about? I’d been hearing about a new antique mall for months and months, and figured that if I wore a mask plus shield and didn’t linger, I should be fine.

And I was. Plus, I had such a great time. And I wanted everything I saw.

My main purchase was this chippy, old cigar stand that seemed perfect for my kitchen window.

Just what I needed to hold some greenery. I wish I could fill the window with herbs, but there isn’t enough sun. Instead, I use low light plants and cut flowers. Because plants add so much life to a home, don’t they?

I am not exactly a recluse, I do get out. These aqua appliances are from Hobby Lobby. Shopping there and at Michaels are just as essential as the grocery store in my mind.

Antiquing, on the other hand, isn’t something I’ve done much of.

And I’ve missed it!

There is no rush for me, though. There is a light shining brightly through the gloom, a beacon of hope that makes me feel like we can soon get back to a “new” normal.

The other day, I volunteered at a Covid vaccine drive through. It was very moving to be a part of, even if all I did was a Vanna White point to the exit. (I tried to make pointing and waving as fun as I could).

With a few, well a lot, more of these dates under our belts, there is a plan for getting out safely.

And I see a lot of antiquing around the corner!

A bowl full of sweetness

dogs, Goldendoodle Puppies, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / February 7, 2021

No matter how many dog beds I have strewn around the studio, every pup I have had wants to curl up in these bowls.

Back when I stored lace in the bowls, Twinkle decided that it was really meant for her instead.

Once she had her own pups, she showed them just how cozy a hard, ceramic bowl was.

Dorothy and Albie have spent their lifetime sleeping in bowls, so eventually I gave up on trying to get them to use doggie beds and put pillows in the dishes.

And I provided a second one for them. Twin beds.

I doubt if Molly will fit hers for very long. She is already 30 lbs and according to her DNA results, has another 25 to go.

My favorite part about seeing Molly share bowl beds with Dorothy, is that it shows how well all the dogs get along. When we first got Honey, war broke out between the Bigs and Littles.

It was ugly.

Then, Honey had her babies and we kept Sugar. I worked with Honey extensively on resource guarding, but the Littles were still leery of her. Sugar adored them and wanted to play, but they didn’t trust her for a long time. It started to get better.

War had ended, but there wasn’t much love between the two factions.

And now there is Molly. Sweet, gentle, Molasses, who could resist her?

After years of adjusting, or maybe just finally giving up? The individuals are now a pack. Littles and Bigs snuggle together, whether in side by side vintage bowls, in the dog beds, or on the sofa where I tell the Bigs they aren’t allowed.

Trying to be creative

Corona virus, cottage, dogs, family, Painting with thread, Ryan

By Karla Nathan / February 4, 2021

The malaise of 2020 is spilling over into 2021 for me. I have made efforts to be creative and busy, but haven’t had any project consume me, like they have in the past.

Lots of embroidery happened, because it’s kind of a mindless task, just to keep my hands busy in front of the TV.

I’ve had some studio time, but it is all a lot of simple projects, like doodling on this tag.

Or trying to make my own dog tags. I have also painted a lot of things, repaired and reorganized. But most were “one of”. Nothing prolific, as I have always been in the past. Typically, if I make something, I can’t stop and next thing you know, there are twenty of them.

I made a scrapbook for Ryan, fairy wings with the grand fairies, and added a vinyl floor to the closet/laundry room.

That was a long delayed job, and has made the floor much warmer.

I even decided that I’d start grooming the dogs myself.

At least the little dogs.

So, I’ve kept busy. I’ve gone for long walks, had socially distant visits with friends, and stayed active. I think the unease and uncertainty in the world because of the virus, and the unimaginable loss of my son who was also one of my best friends has dampened my drive.

We have a camper trip planned, and I hope to clear my mind and refresh my soul with some sea air. When I get back, I’d like to work on reopening my shop. It’s not exactly closed, but it is ignored right now. It would be good for me to revamp and restock for spring.

It has been important to me that I don’t lose myself to the sadness, that I keep crafting, creating, contributing. And while nothing will ever be the same, I am slowly trying to rebuild my world.

Just an after, I forgot to take a before

redos

By Karla Nathan / February 1, 2021

Yep, I shoulda snapped a picture of this trophy-ish thing before I painted it. It was slightly vintage, not antique, kind of a fake, green brass color on a wooden block.

I dry brushed some white chalk paint over it, leaving some of the dark tones to peep through in crevices.

The wooden base was painted too, but the end result was sort of blah. So, I covered it in text, added an old clock face, a text pom pom, and rhinestone.

It’s much better now.
I guess you’ll have to take my word for that since you have nothing to compare it to.