Karla Nathan – Page 218 – Karla's Cottage

A furry transformation

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), holiday decor, vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / September 10, 2010

Little Agnes Rosebud got her first hair cut this week. All Yorkies are born black and as they grow, their puppy hair gets fuzzy and matted over the new silky, adult hair underneath. And I mean matted. Her hair was so bad, that when I tried to just snip off a bit, I realized it was all one big, connected mass. Ugh. So, I slid my tiny scissors beneath the knots and started to snip.

It all came off in one hunk. Like a pelt. Or like a little old lady's wiglet. You know the ones that you see in every closet at an estate sale?

Yea, gross. I'd rather think of it as her cocoon. She emerged from it as a beautiful butterfly. It certainly is a transformation. Her brother, Button and sister, Lili Bella, got theirs cut this week too. Teresea has cute before and after pictures of Lilli, I didn't since my hair cutting was unplanned. I just snipped a bit away and realized I was trapped and couldn't stop.

I don't think this poor dog has two hairs the same length on her entire body. Maybe I should stick to using my scissors on old paper…. but she still manages to be pretty durn cute.

We spent some time doing yard work over the 3 day weekend, and I planted some late summer to fall blooming hydrangeas. For about a decade, I couldn't get a hydrangea to grow for anything. I could have just as easily been planting dollars in the ground instead, it had the same result.

But I seemed to have found the secret to keeping them alive and now can't get enough of them.

And of course, I can never get enough of old jewelry. Beth and I spent last Friday at one of my favorite places in the world, Sparks Flea Market. Its always good for a big bag of jewels!

I've yet to go through my pile of goodies to sort and see what I bought. Hopefully, later today, I'll get a chance. I'm making cuff bracelets today, and will need to at least pull some blingers out of the pile for those, even if I don't get to sort them completely.

When I buy piles of jewelry, I sort it into these categories:

Too Nice- add to Boutique
needs minor repair
broken, missing stones, not worth repair but great for crafting (some to keep, some to sale)
single earrings
suitable for making jewelry

Then there are sub-categories:

clear rhinestones
colored rhinestones
flowers
shapes/figures
cameos
buckles
lockets
pearls

See why it takes a while? Plus, its so fun, I feel like the King in his counting house while I play with it all. So, I don't like to be rushed.

One of the new brooches from the flea has already found a home on this wall hanging that I made for Romantic Gothic Ghosts. I thought this would be nice on a door, in place of a wreath. Its a quickie, and simple to make.

Its a BONUS tutorial! I've added it to the end of the class. I've had so much fun with the class, that its hard to stop, I had to make another piece for it! We've included lots of extras in the class, videos, giveaways, lots of images, and decor tips.

The tutorial blog will be up for as long as I have a Typepad account, and many of the ideas can be used for more than just Halloween. But, if you want to enter the giveaways, you need to play along in "real time", because they will end this Sept.

If you'd like to see what some of our artists have made with their take on the class, you can look here.

And if you'd like to win one of the projects I've made, please leave a comment. Sandy at Quill Cottage is giving away one of hers too!

Oh, you are NOT going to paint THAT are you???????????? Yep, and here is how.

Hand Painted Furniture, holiday decor, how to's, how-to projects, redos, show and tell, Tutorials, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / September 8, 2010

Thanks for all the compliments about my pretty little fairy baby at the Renfest! I have to agree, she's a cutey.

We had her most of the holiday weekend, along with my mother-in-law here for a few days from Green River, WY. Chasing Sugarwings kept me busy most of the time, but after she left, I had a day to spend with my husband's mother. She sat at the dining table and embroidered and at first I was up and down doing little chores here and there, and tidying up the place (after Hurricane Sugarwings has blown through, there is a lot of picking up to do).

But I did spend a bit of time sitting at the table and the more I sat, the more I stared at the buffet and the painting above it. The buffet had been maple finish and I painted it gray with a cream glaze over it last spring. And the picture was one that I have loved for years but always thought about lightening up.

For the last few years, EVERYONE told me not to paint it. And I rarely leave things as is, but I knew that this frame was worth money the way it was.

But honestly, was I ever going to sell it? No, I've had it for a long time and always plan on keeping it. I figure that I deserve to look at it and enjoy it, without debating whether or not it should be painted.

I know, there will be gasps of horror. But I'm glad I did it. And I didn't just slap some white on it, I took my time and made the frame look old. Well, "took my time" is all relative, I guess. I paint fast, I had the buffet, the small mirror frame, and the large, antique frame done in about 3 hours while I chatted with my mother-in-law.

Here is what I did:

Primer, good bonding primer. I just tucked some wax paper behind the frame and painted it on the wall right where it hung. The wax paper protected the wall from my brush.
A coat of ivory/bisque eggshell paint
Thick coat of porcelain crackle finish (I worked on the buffet while this dried)
Next, I brushed on and wiped off coffee with cream colored glaze
After that dried, I lightly sanded all raised areas. I was careful to do this lightly with a sanding sponge, because much of the ornamentation was plaster. I wanted to get down to the gold paint, not the white plaster.
I added another layer of crackle glaze.
As the crackle glaze dried, it had a chemical reaction with the exposed gold paint and turned a greenish tint, like a copper patina. (this is a trick I discovered accidentally a while back and love to use. Its unpredictable but pretty)
Over this, I brushed on and rubbed off an ivory glaze and a sepia glaze, randomly putting them over the frame, some over lapping, some spots one color, some spots no glaze.
After it all dried, it was a little too green, so I dry brushed the ivory/bisque colored base paint over the areas that were too vivid.
Then a little more sanding to bring out the dark wood and more of the gold paint underneath.

This was a lot of steps, but I think they paid off, the frame looks like it was out in someone's shed being stored away for years.

The main trick is to not be too perfect. Nature doesn't age things perfectly. Sometimes the trick to a good faux finish is to be messy.

I did NOT cover this with clear coat. If I had, there might have been another chemical reaction with the newly sanded spots with gold paint showing through. It would have turned more green after the clear coat dried.

The buffet got a very similar treatment, with a creamy white painted streakily over the existing gray, so the gray showed through.

Then, crackle glaze, and sepia brushed on and wiped off over the crackle, after it dried.

I used the sepia very heavy in corners and edges.

When it was all dry, I used an acrylic clear coat over the entire piece.

I love crackle. Its tricky and unpredictable, but wow, when it comes out nice, it is really something. Don't ever use too much, use it selectively in spots. Not on every single inch of the piece. And feel free to add another coat or two if needed, and you're not thrilled with the first. (this only applies to porcelain crackle, weathered crackle is a different product. Read your labels!!)

After repainting, I re-foofed the top of the buffet, using some of the projects that I made in the Romantic Gothic Ghosts class. This cone was done from Beth's images and tutorial. I didn't have a cone handy, so I used an upside down party hat.

I'm so glad that I have the class pretties to display in my "new" dining room for fall! The moody, wistful shades (with NO orange!!) are just what this room needs to look festive and still look like "my" house- not the Halloween party store.

We are adding some little videos, giveaways, and decorating tips to the Gothic Ghost blog. The posts will be left up as long as I have a Typepad account (and I don't see me leaving any time soon), so you can take the classes at your leisure. But if you want to win any of the prizes, those are time sensitive. There are still three to give away.

Often, I see the beautiful posts up for White Wednesday, but I'm never in time to enter. Well, today seems to be a good fit and timely too. So, I'll be linking with Faded Charm.

As much as I love whites, I really should make more of an effort to be a part of it regularly!!

There are so many link parties now a days… Here are more that I joined. I usually don't get around to it, but they are always fun when I do!

Power of Paint

Transformation Thursday

A mini Cinderella

celebrations, family, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / September 5, 2010

I hope everyone is having a good Labor Day weekend! Ours is jam packed with lots of Sugarwings time. Her poor Hippy Chick Mommy has strep throat, so she is staying with us. It works out well, because we have my sweet little mother-in-law here for a few days and these two have become buddies.

Yesterday, we spent the day at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. That place is beyond charming. Its tucked away into a hilly, shaded area that is a permanent location for the event, so lots of time and money have gone into the quaint little buildings. You really feel like you are in a fairy tale village when you go there.

And where else do you get to mingle with royalty?

There are stages all over the park with silly plays going on throughout the day. Sugarwings was picked from the audience to participate in one, and after that, she seemed to think that she was meant to be a star. That kid has some ham in her.

But at the end of the day, when I asked her what her favorite part of the festival was, she said, the play ground. There is a kid's area set up with a pirate ship, jungle gym, and lots of crafts. She would have sat and made magic wands all day if that had been an option.

Another favorite for both us us was this tent. It was such a simple thing, a floaty, diaphanous tent that hung from a tree. When you darted in and out of it, the whole thing would sway.

In past years, we have gone with big groups to the Ren Fest. This year, it was just my husband, his mom, our fairy baby, and me. We mostly followed the little one around and let her explore as she pleased. So, we were happy to sit and talk while she made friends with kids playing in the tent. She spent at about a half hour just hanging out there.

We've been to the park numerous times, so didn't feel the need to press on and fit the whole thing into the after noon. We paused to enjoy the little things and took our time watching a dragon fountain splashing against the rocks and contemplating some eggs that might just hatch into baby dragons.

The gown that she wore was just beautiful. It was a gift from a friend who shops estate and garage sales and found it for a couple dollars. The dress is vintage, and very nicely hand made, but since there wasn't a huge investment in it, I was comfortable in letting her run and play and get as dirty as she wanted.

Plus, why have nice things if you can't use and enjoy them?? "Use the good stuff" is my motto in life as well as in the studio with my supplies.

The festival has a different theme each year, this year it is Cinderella, so that is who Sugarwings pretended to be all day. And this gown was just perfect for it! Tiny girls all wanted to stop her and meet her, I think she made them think she was a real princess. She was Queen of the Toddlers that day.

Just the same way that she believed all the royalty that she met there was real.

This woman is my favorite, every year she has the most elaborate costume, and is so good natured and friendly to the little kids. For the Cinderella theme, she is playing Fairy Godmother this year, and is ideal for the part.

There are lots of games to play, too, including putting for unicorns. My husband works for a golf course company, but I'm afraid that Sugarwings and I just are not the Country Club types. I've never played a round in my life. But if we could find some courses that had horned Pan creatures as caddies and everyone dressed up like princesses, I might be able to get into the game.

And especially if country clubs awarded good putts with unicorns!

If you have a little princess or pirate in your life and live anywhere near KC, you really need to take them to this place. It goes on for 8 weekends every fall, and is $18.99 for adults, $9.99 for kids. But if you bring 5 canned goods to donate to a homeless shelter, you can buy one get one free.

The place is just too charming for words. Of course, you wouldn't know by these pictures, all I've shown you is my little obsession grandchild. The site is picturesque, and there is a lot to do besides follow a 4 year old around with a camera. There is jousting, games, elephant and camel rides, great food (beer and wine too), parades, fairy dances, shows, plays, comedians and magicians. You can be as silly as you want and dress up, or just go as yourself and enjoy seeing all the other people's crazy costumes. (wear comfy shoes, no matter how dressed up you get!!)

Older, wiser, more tired

fairies, holiday decor, paintings, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / September 2, 2010

Today, I've been working on a little fairy picture. So far, so good, but now I've run out of time. Its always so hard for me to stop a project midway…. but as I get older, I get wiser. Or more tired? Maybe that is it. Once upon a time, I'd have stayed up all night to finish it. Now, I know that I need some sleep because tomorrow is a big day.

The best kind of day, a flea market!

But I did finish this- its Beth's first project for Romantic Gothic Ghosts. She made this mini journal easy for us, you have the option of following the directions and making it step by step, or just downloading the cover as is and embellishing it! That was my choice. Quick and easy!!

I copied and printed it exactly as she made it, then added inks and marker. After that, I used "Paper Glaze" on the girl for a bit of a shine and to make her stand out, then I gave her a crown.

There was a mouse on her shoulder in Beth's version, and I turned it into a more 3-D look by printing the same mouse picture, ( provided in our image collection), and gluing it directly over the other mouse with a bit of folded cardboard underneath to raise it up. It's eye is a little black crystal and its tail is a bit of twine.

After that, I added a key. One of the images that I scanned and provided was a cool, gothic style key, but I had a bunch of keys on my work table so I used one of those.

It was easy to finish, I printed some of the papers we had in the collection onto cardstock and cut them out with Beth's pattern.

Beth's tutorial for the book starts Friday. Then, over the weekend, we have some Halloween decorating tips coming up. Information to join the 12 days of classes (including tips, giveaways, and LOTS of good images) can be found here.

This book is in the mail now, to the winner of my August giveaway, Debbie. I'll offer another one of our projects from the class to the September winner. If you are interested, just leave a comment!

Last week while shopping my way across Ohio, I found another old Wizard of Oz book. Not as old as the first one, and not as many illustrations, but hey, it was only $2! And its pages will be great for wrapping up the Dorothy tag books as I make them up and package them to send out to everyone.

My lollipop charms are done and ready to tie onto the tag books. I made them with paper clay, stuck them onto vintage stir sticks, then painted and sugared them.

Some are better than others, no two are quite the same. They are far from perfect, but I think they'll be fun to have on the tag books, some books will get lollipops, some will get ruby slippers.

I'm also looking for "emeralds" to foof some up with. I found these two pins at the same store I found the book, and they were only $1. Heck, I couldn't go to Hobby Lobby and buy charms for that. And these are nice, old rhinestoney bits.

Here are some images from the Oz book I just got in case you still need pictures for your tags. Or just like Oz images, help yourself! Click on the images to open the pop up window and save that one to your computer to print, it will be a larger version and print more clearly.

And here is a site with free Oz images to use too. Amy reccomended it to me.

Falling for pastels and the August giveaway winner

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), give away, holiday decor, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, Tutorials, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / September 1, 2010

Beth and I had the best day on Tuesday with our craft day/photo day. We sat up a few displays using the finished products we made in Romantic Gothic Ghosts so we could add some posts with Halloween decorating tips. Orange-FREE tips!

We also made a few little instructional videos, and it took a bit longer than planned because we had to scrap most of them due to giggle fits. After that, I was able to work on one of Beth's first projects, and she made it easy for all of us. Not only did she include how-to's, she provided the entire collage as a finished piece. I printed it as it was and just embellished the piece.

Some of the classmates are posting their projects on Flickr if you'd like to take a peek. If you want to join the class, please do! Its open indefinitely, but all the giveaways end when we post the last set of instructions. To win the prizes, you need to be enrolled during the "live" part of the class. (The millinery pack is just one of our presents to be offered during the class)

Today I was able to get around to adding some things to the Boutique as promised.

Maybe because I've spent so much time working with the warm tones and sepias of the Romantic Gothic Ghost class, I've been especially drawn to pastels and sweetness.

As I was flipping through my stash of things that needed to be photographed for the shop, I kept going back over and over to florally pastels.

And cutie pie baby things.

Like this 1940s baby book.

The can of Mennen baby powder still smells so fresh, like the top of a new born's head. Funny how long that powder scent lasts.

And can't you imagine this pillow being under a tiny baby's head years and years ago?

In honor of fall, I did list some more neutral tones too.

Can you believe its September???? Sugarwings is back in school and doing well. I think that for her, the Montessouri school is a better fit than the Waldorf. She seems happier there.

And since Sept. is here, I need to announce the winner of the August giveaway-

Debbie Berracha!!

I'll be sending her one of the projects I completed for our Ghost class. I think I'll do the same thing for September. If you'd like to win one of my Romantic Gothic Ghost Halloween decorations, just leave a comment on any post all month. I'll get some pictures soon.

Here are Button and Agnes Rosebud, enjoying yesterday's play date while Beth and I set the table for a fake dinner party to take pictures of it. But we didn't mind, we got to eat the chocolates afterwards. And the dogs had fun watching us!

Some pretties

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), give away, holiday decor, Tutorials, vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / August 31, 2010

Did I mention how wonderful it was to be home with little Agnes Rosebud? She is the sweetest pup, ever. Cuddly, devoted, and always right next to me. Here she is only a few months old, and calm enough to be a model for my pictures. She is helping me out with selling this vintage pillow. I've been getting photos ready to do a major list-a-thon of new products in my Boutique.

I'll let you know when I get them up for sale. In the meantime, there is too much other excitement going on.

Beth is coming over today with Button for a play date with Aggie Rose. Which means that Beth and I get a play date too.

We are going to foof around with our Romantic Gothic Ghost projects and come up with some ideas for Halloween decor that is moody but won't scare the socks off of you when you see your lovely home all decked out in garish orange. That's right, we are lobbying for an Orange Free Halloween this year.

As part of our online tutorial, we want to offer decor tips and little videos too. We'll be posting a few between classes.

As well as a few giveaways. I thought it would be nice to offer some of my favorite supplies to participants. For the Banner class, I'm giving away my extreme fave, these Stardust Gelly Roll clear sparkle pens.

Next, a selection of old velvets and blooms that would be great to use in any of the projects we are doing.

After that, I'll probably do some rhinestoney things. None are big giveaways, but just little sweet treats to aid in finishing the projects. I figured it would be more fun for the people who have signed up to have lots of little door prizes, instead of one big one. Beth has plans for goodies too.

And while I am on the subject of goodies- here are some extra good ones! My pal, Heather whipped up this bracelet and hand stitched the bag for it, especially for me before our lunch last week.

She has recently opened an Etsy shop if you are wishing you had one of these… she makes the prettiest jewelry.

The hat whisperer doesn’t even need any skills in PA,OH, and IN!!!

celebrations, family, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / August 29, 2010

What a wonderful trip! Its good to be home and we're exhausted from cramming so much into less than a week, but wow. It was the best. And not just because I return home with a bounty of blooms, it was all around, just a nice experience. We flew out to DC to pick up the car that my husband has had out there for a couple of years and drove it back, visiting friends and family along the way while my husband did some business here and there.

The states between Kansas and Virginia are so durned packed with pink and white hat bargains, that I had to be really picky about what I was buying or there wouldn't have been space in the car. There are BILLIONS of floral hat deals in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.

By the time I stopped in Missouri at an antique mall along I70, I was plain old burnt out and not even looking at hats any more.

At one little shop in Akron, I found boxes full of corsages. They were marked more per piece than I sell flowers for myself. So, I politely asked the store owner what her best price on a dozen would be and I was flabbergasted when she quoted me a little over a dollar each. I picked out some of the prettiest pink and white roses, some that still have the original tags on them.

While my husband worked a bit in each state we visited, I killed time at nearby antique malls, unless we were already checked into a hotel. If so, I sat in the room and glittered my Dorothy tags.

I also got in a lot of high quality nap time, plus got to visit my buddy, Heather while in the Pittsburgh area.

Since I had a few days to shop, I had to be really cheap to make my $150 last all week. And that part of the country seems to be THE place for stretching a dollar, I found some lovely things beyond the hats too.

For me, there is no better vacation than one where I get to visit people I care about, score deals on beautiful things, take naps, eat gourmet foods, PLUS get a load of work done. Ideal! Of course, I didn't get to turn on the TV at all this week and am wondering what happened on Top Chef and Runway, but hey, life was pretty close to perfect, so I am not complaining.

The highlight of the trip was our romantic dinner on Lake Eerie at the Shoreby Club. This Victorian stone mansion has been renovated and is now a dinner club with a spectacular view of the lake at sunset.

While sipping our wine and watching the sun sink into the lake, we misquoted Gordon Lightfoot and sang the Edmund Fitzgerald song. We didn't realize until afterward that the song was about Lake Superior, not Eerie.

We also discussed how much we missed Sugarwings. That is one of the reasons why we cut our trip short a day. No matter how great time away is, its still time away from Sugarwings too.

We are pathetic. We are so smitten by this little one, we couldn't stand to be away any longer.

So, bright and early on Sunday morning we scooped her up, and had a boating picnic on the lake.

There's no place like home….

Work was a secondary reason for getting back. Romantic Gothic Ghosts starts at midnight Sunday! I wanted to tweak some things and make it just right for you.

The first lesson is for 2 collages of my banner. The finish on this lady's portrait is one of the tips I'll be giving out on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday will be finishing the banner, and then Beth does one of her projects later in the week.

She and I are planning some extras too. A few giveaways of vintage supplies, some videos, etc.

We'll be working on some unique Halloween decor ideas, and ways to display some of the art you'll be making in our class.

The classes are $25 and will be left up as long as I have a Typepad blog. And I don't see an end to blogging anytime soon…

And don't forget- you can still enter the August Giveaway for one of my completed Romantic Ghost projects.

I’m not in Kansas anymore

Books, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / August 28, 2010

Are you signed up to play along with our Dorothy Tag Book Swap? 6 tags need to be made by Sept. 30th and sent to me. I'll make up a book with 6 tags sent in, plus a cover by me and an Ozzish charm of some kind on it.

Details can be found by clicking on the swap button on the side bar of my blog. The one with Sugarwings' ruby slippers and my witchy socks.

I've pre-written this post to pop up while I'm away and my suitcase is filled with tags to work on while I'm gone. I'll be traveling with my husband, who will be on a business trip. So, while he's working, I'll be back at the hotel sprinkling ruby red glitter everywhere.

I'd better plan on tipping the house keepers.

All of my swap tags are finished, but I still have to complete the book covers by the end of September.

That shouldn't be a problem. I plan on getting them all done this week on the road. The swap is still open, I'm making up lots of covers, there should be plenty.

If you want to join us, please email me. I'll add you to the list and send a confirmation after my trip.

I'm still not done with the charms to tie on the books, though. I had a good start on the lollipops I was making, but then someone tried to help me with them…..

My husband was in the backyard when Sugarwings got dropped off to stay for a bit. He thought I was in the studio and sent her in to surprise me. But, nope! I'd gone through the front door of the house and was in the kitchen. It wasn't until about 10 minutes later that I came outside and he asked me where Sugarwings was.

That kid has spent her entire life waiting for the moment when she is turned loose in my studio without me watching her. She thinks MY stuff is so much more interesting than HER stuff. She dreams of delving into my supplies with no supervision.

She got her wish. Not for long, but 10 minutes was long enough for her to repaint all my lollipops bright red.

I might be switching to magic wands on the tags instead of repainting the lollies.

Usually, when I host a swap, I excitedly open each and every package the minute the mail lady drops it off. But this time, I can't, due to space. I'm stacking up all the boxes to inventory and open after September 18th. That weekend, I have other hostess duties and will need every inch of my studio, so I can't have three tables covered in tags the way I like to pile them up to play with.

I've invited all the local Bellas to come over for a get acquainted- get inspired- get ready for Silver Bella play date. If you are attending Silver Bella, and are kind of local to the Kansas City area and have not heard from me, please contact me. I hope to get a studio full of fun going on that day.

In the meantime, its going to just kill me to see all those swap packages coming in and piling up without opening them!! But I have a feeling that Sept. 19th is going to feel like the biggest Christmas morning, ever! I'll be ripping into them with pent up anticipation.

Hopefully, the swappers will add their photos to the Flickr group, so I can get a glimpse of the goodness coming my way. Please check it out, there are already some nice ones up!

Also, I'd love to have you join Beth and I in our online classes. We're doing step by step instructions with all images provided to print and use to create a series of "Romantic Gothic Ghosts".

Around the studio

collections, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / August 26, 2010

Recently, I posted a picture of this hutch that got repainted. A reader asked me for close ups to see how it was decorated inside. Well, its a bit of a jumble inside, no real decorating plan went into it, I'm afraid.

Since it is in the studio, its more storage than anything else. It holds things that I've made, or stuff that I want to make into something else.

It houses my Sugarwings Themed Art Obsession Collection too.

As well as all things Dorky. I like vintage dog things, and Yorkies are hard to find, so there are a few Scotties in the collection that I pretend are little Dorkies.

There is a large section that is crown related too. Mostly just stuff i like. Things that make me smile.

This cabinet is also in my studio, its my newest piece. I got it pretty cheap, and just love to have glass doors on a cabinet. If I don't see what I have, I forget its there. Especially with supplies in the studio.

Its important to me that my studio is pretty, a place I want to visit, not just to work, but just to be happy in. I'm always adding and changing things here and there. And decorating for the seasons, too. Here is the banner I made for "Romantic Gothic Ghosts".

If you'd like to make one yourself, (all images and directions are provided) please check out the class!

Romantic Gothic Ghosts- a beautiful and mysterious Halloween

Tutorials

By Karla Nathan / August 24, 2010

Beth and I are hosting an online class to teach you a number of projects, all with a dark and mysterious Halloween theme. A romantically beautiful Halloween filled with broken hearted ghosts. All done in sepia, neutrals, black, and white. Not a bit of orange to be seen.

These will be subtle Halloween decorations. Like this burlap tote made by Beth. The image is of Edgar Allen Poe's sister, not a ghoul with fangs, or a cheery orange pumpkin. We are going for a Halloween season filled with the kind of images we remember from watching Dark Shadows and reading Jane Eyre.

I even found sheet music for a song called "Dark Shadows" and used it as a background for this Gothic arch that is part of a banner.

All of our projects come with step by step instructions, photos, and ALL of the images that we used, for you to print and use yourself. Plus many, many more images, all with a romantic, dark theme.

After sifting through my collection of vintage images, I found a good selection of ladies to scan for you. Each is presented two ways, one is as she appears in the ephemera. A second way, has been edited for a more glowing, ghostly look.

Many of the backgrounds I am providing are offered to you in sepia, or black and white. There will be extra images and options so that you can branch out and make the creations just your own, or detailed instructions are included if you want to recreate them just as they are. Either way, you'll have plenty of extra images to play with and use in other projects too!

We will offer a variety of projects, with 12 days of instructions, lots of pictures, a few quick videos, short cuts, tips and tricks. What's Halloween without a few tricks? But don't worry, these projects will be a real treat to the eyes.

I hope you'll join us!

Author name: Karla Nathan