Karla Nathan – Page 191 – Karla's Cottage

Fairytale highlights

By Karla Nathan / October 21, 2011

Once Upon a Dream was just plain dreamy! What a perfect event. I'll have more photos soon, so far, I've barely had time to glance at them. When I got back from my trip, Sugarwings and I started decorating for our big Halloween bash that we've been planning. Every time I talked to her on the phone while I was away, she told me her latest plan for our decor, and it made me so happy to know that she thinks like I do. There are always some sort of decorating ideas flopping around in my head too.

There are great photos of Jenn's event all over the blogworld and on facebook right now. And I have some more to edit and post too, but for now, I thought I'd show you a few of my highlights.

The view was spectacular and there were so many scenic spots for photos, this tractor was a fun one. If you could balance on it, that is. Honestly, the thing was not moving, I don't know why I am riding it like it is a rodeo bull.

Doesn't look like I had much better luck with this tractor at the Biltmore Estates. The guy behind me seemed to get a kick out of watching me try to not fall off while I pretended to be elegant. The elegance eluded me.

It was such fun to get to help make Jenn's vision come true and do some of the set up.

And I was thrilled with how my booth went over! There was hardly anything left to take home.

Hopefully, the fairies liked my class, I know I enjoyed teaching it. The night before, I drew instructions in the bar over drinks, I'm glad I did. The acoustics in the room weren't the best for teaching, and written instructions helped.

There were lots of new friends to meet.

And beautiful views. This was my view from my spot at the table on our work day.

There was shopping too. I bought this Magnolia Pearl lace top at vendor night (actually, I bartered frozen Charlotte dolls for it, or I'd have been too cheap to buy it)

This light up magic wand is a gift for Sugarwings, but I didn't think she'd mind me using it to facilitate hosting the crown swap.

Did I mention that we got to be FAERIES ALL WEEKEND LONG??????????!!!!!!!!!!!

Even though I was wearing so many layers of skirts that I felt like Ralphie in a Christmas Story bundled up to go play in the snow, it was a blast to get to be a grown up fairy out in public, day after day. I think I'll wear this for our Halloween gathering tomorrow night, I already miss being all fairied up.

After the party, I'll have some more pics of the fairytale event. And some party pictures too, as well as the final kitchen photos, along with the 'before' pics of the room too. Oh, and I junked a lot on the trip, and have those snaps to show you.

Now, back to hanging witches and ghosts on the wall for the big to-do. Have a great weekend!

Uncategorized

By Karla Nathan / October 19, 2011

Altimount Illinois has the coolest old junk/antique store! I need to go dig some more before I hit the road.

Uncategorized

By Karla Nathan / October 19, 2011

Well my vacation is ending. Today I am driving back to Kansas and back to work. I eased the transition between being with all my fairy friends in Asheville by stopping to see my sisses in Indiana.

And the best part there? Craft day! We made Halloween creatures, witches, goblins, and spiders.

Here is Sissy’s hat and spider along with my spider.

Her witchy hat is made of sparkly felt over which she sewed vintage beaded chiffon trim she found on our junking day.

Our spiders are from the same box of vintage goodness her piece of trim came out of. Mother of pearl and rhinestone buttons with wires twisted thru the shank on the back. We then Slid jet beads (from her same box of treats) onto the wires and bent the ends. The heads are a flat bead with two old rhinestones added.

Well, time to hit the road. If I can find some good antique malls along the way home I’ll post from there too.

Patsy the Monarch Butterfly

celebrations, family, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / October 19, 2011

Lawrence is a great place to live. We love it here for so many reasons. One is Pendleton's Farm, where you can spend an entire afternoon playing with butterflies, petting horses, going on a hayride, and tagging and releasing Monarch Butterflies. All for FREE.

(there is great shopping too, we always buy some fresh veggies, or local made jams while there so they can stay in business and we can keep coming back)

There is a butterfly garden that is nurtured all summer, then the flittery little bugs are tagged by guests, and taken outdoors to float away. Sugarwings met a butterfly named Patsy that she released into the wild.

There is a lot of fun, farmy activities there, like a corn bin to waller in, a tricycle dirt bike track (yes, I raced a trike too), a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, and other stuff we didn't even get to because the corn was so much fun.

A local winery was doing tastings and there were samples of fresh goat cheese too.

Yes, I tried the wines. But that isn't why I jumped in the corn bin.

I'm just a giddy grammy, wine or not.

A humming bird moth

flowers

By Karla Nathan / October 18, 2011

My cleome patch is both my best and worst flower bed ever. I love the way it looks when the flowers are tall and in full bloom. But I hate waiting all year for that couple of months of beauty. The rest of the year, it is a patch of dirt. Right in front of the house. I should plant something shrubby and more year round there, but I just love those two months of beauty so much, that I never do.

Plus they attract hummingbird moths. These little pretties are such fun to watch. The first time I saw one, I was sure it was really a hummer. They come out after dark and their wings are in constant motion just like the bird it is named after.

When I saw that I could get inches away from it and not scare it off, I realized it was a bug, not a bird.

Aren't they pretty?

EDIT- This post was written ahead of time, before I left on my trip. I'll have new posts all week while I am away, but might not get to answer all comments or emails, but I will be reading and enjoying them on my Ipad. Thanks for coming by! I hope to add some "Live" posts from the road too.

Fairy crossing

hand painted signs, paintings

By Karla Nathan / October 16, 2011

I was honored when Jenn asked me to help with the decor for her big to-do in Asheville. Her fairy event will be over the top fantastic, as everything she does always is.

So, I was so pleased to be a part of such a pretty gathering. The setting for the event looks beautiful in the photos, but Jenn is going to fairy it up even more. I made a few signs to display at the venue.

When I make my signs, I like to use old wood. One of these is a small table top, the others are panels from salvaged doors.

I love it when I can use the existing paint with its chippy patina. I just give it a light sanding so my acrylic paint will hold, and then a good cleaning, and when I am done, a clear coat.

These were done earlier in the summer, and it was nice to day dream about seeing my arty friends and playing fairy, even though the date seemed so far in the future. But now its here, and I'm on my way as you are reading this. I'll have a few pre-written posts for while I am gone, so please come on by while I am gone.

When the event is over, two of the signs will be for sale. I told Jenn to pick one to keep as a gift from me.

If you are interested, check back when I return from NC, and I'll let you know which two are for sale.

A Fairy Queen laurel

Once upon a dream, swaps

By Karla Nathan / October 15, 2011

For Once Upon A Dream, I offered to host a swap. I love doing swaps, but normally do collaborative ones. This is my first one on one swap to host and I hope it goes well. And that I do it right.

My swap mate was very open to ideas and gave me lots of free reign on what to make for her. I came up with this crown/laurel covered in neutral and white millinery.

There was an open loop at the top that I thought would be great for dangling a crystal. But I wanted it to be a special one, so I cut out a lovely fairy girl, and glued a tiny blossom to her hand, and added the words "fairy queen" and glued those to the backside of the crystal, and then hung it from the top of the loop.

So that it looks as pretty from the back as it does from the front, I glued a soft, flowey, flower to the backside of the crystal.

The basis of the whole wreath is raffia covered wire in a deep, natural brown. I sprayed it with bronze glitter and wrapped it up in long, trailing, pure white silk ribbons.

When I get back from my trip, I'll have photos of all the swap crowns. I am so excited to see what everyone makes!

How to dye crepe paper

how to's, how-to projects, Once upon a dream, Tutorials, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / October 13, 2011

For the welcome night class I am teaching at Once Upon a Dream, I needed a pretty ruffle to top off my Prize Ribbon Sprite brooch. Plain crepe paper was nice, but I thought it would be better with tinted edges.

My first step was to dunk the top and bottom of a whole roll of crepe paper into a bowl of water. I didn't immerse the entire roll, just about 1/4 on each side.

While it was wet, I spritzed the damp edges with Glimmer Mist and let it bleed down into the paper.

On one side of the roll, I rubbed dark brown ink over the Glimmer Mist for a two toned effect. (Glimmer Mist has a nice sparkle to it!)

Then, I sat the roll of crepe paper outside on a sunny, breezy day to let it dry. It had to be completely dried out before I could make up my kits.

I'm happy with the way it turned out. I folded a section of the streamer lengthwise and glued it onto the back of the wallpaper medallion to make the ruffle.

The kits each have a teensy weensy Frozen Charlotte doll, a mini flower for the bodice of her dress, and flower petals for her skirt. The wings are ephemera, and all hand cut. Each flower petal skirt was trimmed up just to fit the little Charlotte it would be glued to.

Each prize ribbon has a banner with a fairy name on it too. No two kits are just the same. They took me ages to put together since I was matching the dyed ribbons and lace to the flower petals and wallpaper. Plus trimming all the little petals to fit the dolls. Its a quick class, about an hour. I knew the guests wouldn't have a lot of time to fuss with the project, so I had to make it simple to piece together.

I'll be making up samples of the finished pieces for the class, and when I get home from my wonderful trip, I'll have them for sale in the Boutique.

I hope all the care I put into the kits shows and that the students enjoy them!

Mushroom Fairy Rings

fairies, Once upon a dream, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 12, 2011

Lately, I've been obsessed with making paper mache mushrooms.

These are all for Jenn's fairy event in NC. She sent fairy themed ephemera for me to cover them in, and I created them with aluminum screen and duct tape covered in newspaper before adding her pretty papers.

Over that, I rubbed ink pads in a mushroom color, brown, white, and moss colors.

Next came glitters.

I had bronze, crystal, silver glitters as well as mica flakes.

Each of the caps is finished underneath too. Some with multiple layers of crepe paper, some with lace or ribbon.

No two came out the same. Even if I tried, I probably couldn't have focused on making two dozen clones. And of course, mushrooms all pop up from the ground with such unique forms, that I thought it was fitting that my fungi were all individuals too.

I'm so excited to see my glittery fungi gracing Jenn's magnificent decor!

Cuff bracelets

jewelry

By Karla Nathan / October 10, 2011

Before I left for Asheville and the Prairie Fairyland getaway, I felt the need to make something. Anything!- I just HAD to be creative for a while. After working on the kitchen redo for so long, I was aching to get into the studio.

So, I snuck out for an afternoon to play hooky from the remodelling projects and whipped up a few cuff bracelets.

This is one of my faves, it features a very old, carved cameo.

No two are alike. What fun would it be to make them assembly line style?

But all feature foofs, fluffs, and pretties from my stash of vintage goodness.

Some are all flowery with millinery blooms.

Some are dripping in rhinestones.

Others are wrapped in lace. All were pure joy to create!

I'd like to experiment with some ephemera covered ones when I get back, too.

Each of these were made with vintage ribbons in satin and velvet. I'm also thinking about doing a tutorial for these. Now that I have the hang of it. Once you get the basics on how to cover the cuff they are simple to do. It would be a low cost tute, probably about 5 or 6 bucks if you are interested, I'll be posting about it when I return from my adventure.

Author name: Karla Nathan