September 2024 – Karla's Cottage

A Nightmare Before Christmas combo with a few turkeys thrown in

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / September 30, 2024

Yep, it’s that time again.

I am all set up and ready for First Friday Weekend in the Old West Bottoms of KC.

And for October, many dealers have taken on a range of holidays. We are still featuring Halloween, and autumn, and there is some Thanksgiving decor here and there too.

And for everyone who thinks it’s too early for Halloween, here’s a lil bit of Christmas for ya. It seems way too early for me too, but in the past couple of years, I did not get on board with early Yule tide wares and my October sales were lacking. I don’t know why I didn’t just go whole hog holiday, xmas is my absolute fave and I have a ton ready to go.

Fall is not my best theme, well excluding Halloween, that is

I love the Romantic Gothic, spooky stuff. So I have a combo booth with a different theme on each wall.

Plus my regular jewelry set up and some pretties to go along with that.

These are some of my witch’s brooms. I still have a big selection of those. Actually even though my Halloween sales last month were good, there is plenty left of it. I tend to go way over the top when creating for the seasons. In my mind, as I’m crafting and collecting, my booth must be full sized, not a tiny little half space.

It can look a little crowded, with so much inventory in an 8 1/2’ area. I’d love to have more space!

But knowing me, I’d just overcrowd that too.

Come and see us if you can, like I said, this month- there is a little bit of everything on top of our regular wares and vintage goods. Say hi and wish me a Merry Halloween if you come by.

Details matter

Uncategorized

By Karla Nathan / September 27, 2024

To be ready for Christmas crafting, I ordered 50 mini deer. Preferably, I’d like to use vintage, but for how I use them the cost is just too high. And I doubt my shoppers would notice if they were old or not.

The order came and the little guys were pretty cute, just what I needed. But I did think the color was a little flat.

So I got out the warm, brown Stays On ink and rubbed some on with an old brush. I felt like that helped give them some dimension.

Most ended up coated with glue and a fine, snow-like glitter, so I didn’t replace the white spots. I’m pleased with how they turned out, it was an easy fix, and so far I’ve used lots of them in my projects. Yep, I’m full speed on Santa Season decor and have already been building up the sparkly inventory.

Pictures to come, and boy, will there be tons of them.

A garden wedding in the Appalachians

family, flowers, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 23, 2024

Where can I find a chandelier crystal this size? I was mesmerized by it.

Although that exceedingly large, rainbow filled, spectacular prism of light was not the only detail that caught my eye at this old, Victorian home.

The gardens were charming, too and made an ideal location for the wedding of the homeowners. Both of their personalities shone through each design choice.

Especially the sentimentality and love for family that they both share.

One corner of the dining room was filled with photos of the couples’ families. This is the bride’s great grandmother.

The bracelet the bride wore was also worn in that portrait. And her ring? It is two wedding rings from their parents melted down and recreated into this new piece by her mother, a metal smith.

Constant reminders of the pair’s love of art, are sprinkled through the house and grounds. Paintings from professional artists who are family members and friends, collections of hand crafted coolness, and creative DYIs done in preparation for the wedding and to fix up the home.

Their dedication to an artful life stood out to me in the small things too. Like placing star shapes around the picnic table as a resist before power washing it, leaving a two toned, star sprinkled table afterward.

Hydrangea booms tied together into heart shapes lined the driveway.

Centerpieces were constructed of bowls of moss with figurines perched on top.

At the lovebird’s table, the moss was topped with- lovebirds. Tiny, and subtle, but fitting in with the theme of the night.

And did I mention that she made her skirt? It had major sparkles going on, with 3D flowers that don’t show up well in my photos, but sure did in person.

While I was busy oohing and ahhing over the multitude of great ideas, sweet details, and artwork that caught my eye, I still noticed one big thing that stood out more than anything else.

Happiness.

It was a crowd full of people that loved Mark and Allie, people who were so happy for them.

The chickens made some friends and my mushrooms went to a new home

celebrations, cottage, Food and Drink, mushrooms

By Karla Nathan / September 20, 2024

My friend, Mindy, came by to purchase some mushrooms for her online shop, Myrtle and Mo.

Since I believe that most occasions should be parties whenever possible, I told her to bring the kids with her for a spooky cocoa party.

Instead of having the inventory packed up in the studio, I used it as a centerpiece, and Sugarwings set the table with our Halloween themed cups and teapot.

We were ready to welcome a couple of adorable guests.

Dessert was scary cherry pies.

Their mom was a good sport about all of the sweet treats before dinner time. We also had fruit skewered onto witch leg picks, and a cauldron full of guacamole to dip pretzels in. So, maybe that counter acted some of the decadence.

The tarts were in silicone teacups made to bake in, lined with crust, cherry pie filling, then topped with a circle of pie dough that I cut faces into with a knife. I added noses and eyebrows from the trimmings.

But the big hit of the party was the henhouse.

The ladies are some of the sweetest chickens we have ever had, and seemed happy with the attention.

There was plenty of snuggles to go around, and those birds got lots of attention.

Mindy went home with kids filled up with sweets, tired from chasing chickens, and a nice selection of mushrooms.

If you are one of the people who have been asking me to list schroomies in my poor, neglected boutique to sell online, uhm, you might be better off checking out my pal’s store. I do not seem to be filling that shop up, am I?

It’s still open, and I’m paying fees for it, although I sure haven’t used it much this year. But Mindy has a full shop, with a few dozen mushrooms along with her fantastic vintage goods.

You can find her (and my velvet mushie creations) here:

https://www.myrtleandmo.com/shop-1/artist-spotlight/karla-nathan

Sometimes ya gotta break a few rules

cottage, family, Food and Drink, games, Halloween treats

By Karla Nathan / September 17, 2024

Sugarwings and I have a strict rule.

You can drink cocoa any time at all. But you cannot have a cocoa party unless you sit in front of a glowing Christmas tree.

Then I saw this teapot at Homegoods, and our rule loosened up.

It inspired a Halloween themed cocoa display.

Complete with a glass cauldron to hold our spoons and rat poison additives for deliciousness. (We did not use the jar to hold any foodstuffs, it’s just for fun)

We got some skelly cups to drink our potions from.

With skelly napkins to mop up drips of blood. I mean, chocolate.

We invited a little witch to join us.

Then added some mood lighting.

The new rule, in addition to the Christmas tree rule, is that cocoa parties can only be held with the proper ambient lighting, ghostly paraphernalia, and a scary movie on the tv.

Skeleton fairies at the cottage

cottage, Halloween treats, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / September 14, 2024

This fall, I hadn’t planned on going full tilt Halloween around the house.

But I’d enjoyed spookifying my Good Juju booth so much, and I had family coming, so I indulged in ghoulishing up a few corners of my cottage.

Most is pretty simple, white pumpkins and crowns, a few glass pumpkins with lighting.

But we have some skellies too. This fairy skeleton is glittered and perched onto a poison toadstool. Her wings were harvested from a cicada and then laminated I think they have a bit of a skeletal look themselves.

I have a good time making decorations for any holiday, but I have to admit that I seriously LOVE the lit, glass punkins from Homegoods I only allowed myself a couple. I’d love to have a roomful.

Of course, you always need witches too.

And funky witch boots.

I’ve sprinkled some glittered crows around too.

This candle was from a garage sale. It isn’t my style exactly, but I liked it. So I guess that means it is my style for spooky season?

Talk about a change of looks for me- get ahold of that shower curtain.

My first seasonal curtain switch, ever. My sister, Bobbie, changed hers out for each holiday. Things like that made her happy, and she had collections for all seasons. On her birthday this year, I decided to honor her tradition by starting one of my own. Typically, I prefer vintage fabric, but I have to admit this makes a statement. And is a lot of fun.

I just might find myself shopping for a Xmas one too.

It looks good in person, you never know for sure when shopping online, but I really like it.

Angels made with vintage half dolls

collections, cottage, fairies, guncles

By Karla Nathan / September 11, 2024

Last winter, I’d made a tree topper fairy for Guncle Randy, using a pin cushion doll. He had a collection of those and brought them to share with me and make some more.

Some we crafted onto empty tp rolls covered in vintage paper to make into tree toppers again, the rest were simply built to hang. Probably on a tree at the holidays?

But not necessarily. We took our bounty of beauties and hung them onto my chandelier to decorate for a birthday luncheon. They aren’t exactly Christmas ornies, they’d just look exquisite on a tree at the holidays.

This one, this queen of all pin cushion royalty, she would rule wherever she was placed. Oh my, what a gorgeous doll she is, no matter what I do with her or how she got jazzed up.

The day before, I’d found this onyx lamp base at a garage sale, it cost under a dollar. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, til Randy sat this woman onto the top of the stone.

Oh my, she found her home!

I started to deck her out for the holidays, but soon realized she needed to be a daily part of my life, so no golden tinsel or shiny brites got added after all.

Thank you, baby bro, I love her!

Fall family and farm stuff

cottage, family, Food and Drink, guncles

By Karla Nathan / September 8, 2024

We had such a nice time with the Guncles! Randy and I even got a full day in the studio together to make angels with the pin cushion dolls he brought to use.

We had a couple of dog walks, enjoying the mellow weather that came with the beginning of September.

Terry and Dale swang by on the way home from their long Florida to Canada drive. It was almost becoming an accidental family reunion. At least a mini one, Rich has a huge family.

We hadn’t planned it out this way, it just luckily happened that Terry and Dale were driving through while Guncles were visiting.

Little Dorothy got plenty of snuggles. She loves it when these guys come to town.

The visit wasnt all just about strolling around, chatting, and cutting up old lace, though. Stuff got done! Rich and Kevin cleaned the chicken coop, then picked apples and green beans from the garden. We peeled until late into the night, cooking and freezing apples for pie.

Rich brought in the honey comb from the hives and we got it bottled up. There wasn’t a big harvest this year, but that doesn’t change the amount of cleanup afterwards. Whether you get one gallon or five, you are still left with a kitchen full of sticky equipment. But also delicious honey to share, so all is good. I made up a charcuterie board that included a bowl of gooey honey comb that was worth all of the wiping down with warm soapy water that the kitchen required.

Speaking of honeycomb, check out this sky we were treated to after finishing the bee job! A sky filled with glowing honeycomb.

We might not be in Florida with fresh seafood, but the Guncles still worked their butts off feeding us great meals. One night was Kevin’s famous grilled turkey burgers, next was Randy’s signature lemon chicken, and then on my night to cook, Kevin took over and made fresh marinara sauce with chicken parm. All I did while they were here was a little bit of bread.

On our final night, Sugarwings hosted a Hocus Pocus cocoa party.

Complete with eyeballs on the cobbler made with the apples from our tree. I might not enjoy the time it takes to cut up all of that fruit, but it was made easier by so many hands, and I loved having loved ones here to share “the fruits of our labor” with.

These two couples who came to see us might technically be Rich’s family, but they each own huge chunks of real estate in my heart and I consider them my sibs too. Thanks for the visit, everyone!

Part Three of the Fall Display

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, Halloween treats

By Karla Nathan / September 4, 2024

Here is part three of my spooky corner at Good Juju, a little less scary than the creepy doll parts, skellies, and poison toadstools.

This side is full of sparkly crows wearing crowns.

And a few traditional fall colors.

Hmm, I think I forgot the price tag on this black metal planter. There are always a few things that slip through.

I brought in my hand painted clothing too.

And a couple of banners.

As always, it’s jammed in pretty tightly.

The entryway features my previously floral umbrellas and white wisteria. Both got spritzed with black spray paint and hung up high along with some witchy hats.

After it was done, I looked up at it and pondered what was missing. Then added a “haunted” sign to the Karla’s Cottage. It’s only on a piece of paper, and not quite where I wanted it, its as high as I could reach from my ladder.

But it made me smile..

The creepiest of the items I have to offer for First Friday weekend at Good Juju

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, Halloween treats

By Karla Nathan / September 1, 2024

Doesn’t this baby has a look on its face that says he is a bit shocked to have become a bat?

But I think this ballerina bat seems joyful to keep dancing even after they thought they were done.

All the skellies in my booth got some foofing up.

Including the bride.

I think those owls might actually be love birds, huh?

In honor of the season, I no longer have mushrooms, they are all Poison Toadstools.

They are offered up in a variety of colors and styles.

Some are being used as perches for glittering, crowned crows.

And some are stowed away in apothecary jars for when you need just a pinch of toodstool for your potion.

These genuine stone ones are on leather cords to wear around your neck. I am sure they can be used to ward off some sort of evil.

Or if you are more into growing your own patch of toodstools, maybe you need a plant stake to stick in the dirt with them? Sugarwings and I made up some spooky season inspired stakes that can also double as magic wands.

All year, I have been gathering up creepy goods and making haunting crafts for this sale. I was thrilled to find these very vintage doll eyes.

And a concrete gargoyle to watch over a haunted mansion. (I won’t be too disappointed if he doesn’t sell, I think he’d enjoy staying with me at the cottage).

I’ve made up zombie brooches and bags of body parts, and have bits of dolls.

If you have a poltergeist infestation, who ya gonna call? Well, I don’t know if KC has any ghost busters around, but here is the ideal phone to use if there are.

Oh, and if you happen to have a young vampire in your home, maybe toddler aged, here is a tiny tux for your creature of the night to look his best in.