Karla Nathan – Page 280 – Karla's Cottage

Tranquility

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, fairies, give away, magazine pictures or articles, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 21, 2007

Christmas is still under construction here at the cottage. Almost there….

Today, I made a few hand painted ornaments while the baby played with her Aunt Sandy and her Pop Pop.

I didn’t do as many as I would’ve liked, maybe a dozen.

I’ll do a few more before Monday, then I have until November to get more done to sell. I usually do a few dozen every Christmas. I give tons away, and sell a few here and there.

When I was a single mother working as a waitress, I financed all my little boy’s Christmas gifts by painting ornaments and selling them. Back then, they went for $3 a piece. Now I sell them from $12.

I do take special orders, by the way………

This morning I gave my $8 garage sale mirror a tan glaze so it will look better above my mantel/headboard.

I am keeping the holiday decor simple in the bedroom, 2 white trees, and 2 feather wreaths.

Here is a dilemma I sure could use help with-

Where do I find a PRETTY electric alarm clock??? I’d love to have one and have searched online, estate sales, department stores, all over!!! What does your alarm clock look like??

Today’s "What I LOVE about my home" is my tranquil bedroom. The colors are so peaceful and the room is a quiet retreat in a household that can get a bit crazed at times.

Reminders:

Romantic country party on Tues. the 25th!!

Leave a comment/enter the drawing for a Romantic Country magazine, and for my Sept. giveaway prize.

Family Chaos and a Jingly Bed Plus MORE Christmas In September

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, family, holiday decor, magazine pictures or articles, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 20, 2007

My SIL, Sandy, is visiting from Tennessee and the whole family came by tonight to see her.

We hadn’t made any plans and next thing I know I am trying to figure out how 4 salmon fillets will feed 11 people, while trying to convince Sugarwings not to wrestle on the stairs with Twinkle or put spoons in the potty.

We played with babies and laughed a lot, and found a turkey tenderloin to go on the grill with the salmon and everyone pitched in chopping up potatoes and making salads and brownies.

What do I love about my home today? Not a color choice or an item, it is the fact that everyone feels at home and comfortable at my cottage and can show up at any time knowing that they will be fed and we’ll have a good time.

Before the dinner rush, Sister Sandy and I went out shopping this afternoon. Tuesday Morning has 50% all clearance items and I found this throw for the day bed in the baby’s room.

Its pink on one side and pink and ivory flowered on the other and seems to look right at home with the other floral quilts and pillows.

I bought these silver metal letters on clearance at Restoration Hardware last year at the after Christmas sale, and have added glitter to them (of course) and hung them from sheer pink ribbons to the day bed to spell Leandra’s nickname, Lee Lee.

She is too little to sleep in this bed yet, but I know she will love it when she is older. The letters clink a little against the metal frame and it sounds like wind chimes when the bed moves. When she comes to stay all night with me and have tea parties, I will ask her if she wants to sleep in her jingley bed, and give it a little shake when I tuck her in, to make the letters tinkle against the bars.

Sugarwings will be able to lay in her jingly bed and look up at the sky her grandmama painted just for her. I will make up fairy stories to tell her at bedtime and have her be the heroine of all tales about the sparkling fairies playing in the forest together.

Yes, I love my home, quite a bit and love the things in it, I have gathered them or made them with a lot of thought and care. But the family that is in the home gets a big chunk of love from me too.

I am looking forward to seeing photos of what other bloggers love about their homes during our Romantic Country Party on the 25th. The magazine was supposed to be out today, but I couldn’t find it yet. If anyone sees it, will you let me know?

And now, some Christmas in September – how wrong is that????

I have plans to make some hand painted ornaments to hang up for the pictures on Monday, but haven’t seemed to have time to get it done yet…..

These are some that I collaged with vintage papers. I also glittered up vintage birdies and added them to mini wreaths with old millinery flowers.

Vitnage doll parts are on display on white iron with some charm jewelry I make from old pieces.

I’d like to have time to make more paper doll dresses to hang on the trees too.

I’ve been hanging tags onto the trees and made a garland of them to hang over the window. Karen. I added a vintage butterfly spray that I glittered up.

And of course, there are tussie mussies all over the place! The tree topper is a bouquet of flowers from my first ever swap and were given to me by

Speaking of glitter, I should be making something sparkle. the house is quiet the guests are settled, the babies have gone home. Late at night might be the only time this old granny has time to get any glittering done, so I am off to work!

Let’s see, what do I love about my home today? Well,today it isn’t a thing or a decor choice, it is the fact that everyone feels at home here, and likes to gather here.

Studio Transformation in Progress (with a little help from a friend)

holiday decor, jewelry, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 19, 2007

I am getting a lot of response for our upcoming party on the 25! Thanks!

Also, thanks to Beth for helping today with my art studio’s transformation into Christmas gift shop.

Beth came by today to help unpack boxes of ornaments and arrange things. She’ll also be a part of the sale in Dec. and will bring antiques and art to sell that weekend.

If you are wondering how I can do without my studio for a few months, I won’t be. The other half of the room, is ART CHAOS and will stay that way till the week before the sale. I’ll shove all of this into boxes and set out the things that will be for sale.

Decorating for Christmas so early has been weird for me. On Sunday I went to every store in town looking for ornament hooks and I am sooooo early, that Wal-Mart didn’t even have any out yet!! I finally got some at Hobby Lobby on Monday, but they aren’t open on Sundays, so I was out of luck that day.

There are some corners I really like in the room, but I am not sold on the over all look yet. I have until Monday for the photographer to come (there will be an article in a local magazine about the Holiday Homes Tour).

I really like the silver chandelier covered in vintage gold and silver ornaments. Not easy to sell ornaments off of, but I will have big bowls of balls set out for sale too, and people can shop from those first.

This part of the room is all gold and silver with touches of neutral tones and a splash of aqua.

I’ve set out some of the jewelry I made as part of the display.

And this area is PINK!

Last night, I painted this desk/vanity white and added pink roses and vines, and today we piled it up with bunches of pinky goodness.

These lights are from Walgreens, they have pink bulbs (well you might have noticed that already) AND a pink cord!!

I will be painting a few dozen ornaments too. But for now, hung up tussie mussies, tags, and these collage ornaments that I made with old papers and glitter.

Beth and I "tag team" baby sat for Sugarwings while doing all this decorating today.

Which brings me to today’s photo of "What I LOVE About My Home"

Well, Sugarwings, that is a given. But, I am also crazy about her highchair. Its an old one that is all chippy and you can see the previous colors of paint through the pink top layer.

I can just picture the young mother repainting the high chair for each baby she had. It started yellow, then green, blue, and finally the perfect pink. I sanded and cleaned it,to make sure no paint would flake off for my fairy grand baby to snack on, then gave it a spray clear coat to keep it safe for her.

Don’t forget about our Romantic Country Party a week from today (Tuesday).

And remember that each comment enters you in the Sept. drawing for a Cottage Collage Kit or something made from one- your choice!

Procrastinating and Nit Picking

Etsy Goodies, Hand Painted Furniture, holiday decor, housework, I do tend to run on, don't I?, jewelry, magazine pictures or articles, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 17, 2007

These cute little peat pots are on Etsy now for $9 a pair. They have portions of a poem I cut out of a Victorian book tucked into the flowers, and a pansy picture from the same book on the front.

Now, why would I be listing on Etsy instead of working on my upcoming photo shoot? I listed a few things this morning,even though my shop is well stocked.

Maybe I am avoiding this?

And this? Both of these rooms have to be cleaned up and Christmassed up by one week from today.

Its more fun to fine tune the decorating I already started in Sugarwings room.

Playing with her pretty little pink things and fussing around with rearranging and adding to it, is so much better than taking a shovel to the studio and the library to clean them up!

Beth gave my fairy grand baby this little angel night light.

I haven’t decorated her doll house yet- just a little bit of decking the halls so far. I am waiting till she is older and we can do it together.

A peek-a-boo angel is in a window.

A pink and white reindeer is on the roof, and that is enough for now.

I added a few more ornaments to her tree.

And I did a bit of rearranging in the guest room too. Just added a few little details to the room.

I moved a few of the things that I’d brought in yesterday after looking at the photos I took.

I like to take snapshots of a room when I have rearranged it, then look at those to critique and see what needs changing. The photos never look as good as the room does in "real life" and are a great tool in getting it right!

(can you see the glitter in the paint on the walls?)

I only made a few small changes and added a couple of things, but I am happier. What do you think compared to yesterday’s pictures?

I added more decorations to Grandma Nathan’s foil tree too.

I made a star for the top of it, with an old photo of my mom.

I got the idea from Beth who made

this star for part of her Silver Bella Swap.

These sheet music Victorian boots are from a couple of years ago and I found them when I attempted to get started cleaning my studio. So, I used that as a good excuse to stop cleaning and took the boots over to the guest room and fussed around with them.

I put another under the glass tray top of this side table, with old post cards over a piece of rose patterned gift wrap.

Here is a close up of my Wilton Cake Decor crowns with old jewelry on this tiny tree. I bought a big box of mixed cake toppers for $5, and even if these 6 crowns are all I use out of it, I am happy with the box!!

I think I might be procrastinating a bit right now.

But I do see things that need changed in some of these photos, maybe I should go back up to the guest room and futz about again!

I don’t want to deal with THIS!! It is something I DON’T love about my home, the way the library becomes a catch all and books never get put away.

But, I’d better get to it, that mess won’t clean itself, and there are cameras on their way here in a week.

Thanks to all of you who are interested in participating in my Romantic Country Party on the 25th and will be showing photos of your homes that day too!

ps- Phyllis has a blog anniversery coming up, lets all wish her a happy birthday!

Christmas Comes Early-way too early- and a visit from Dusty

Etsy Goodies, fairies, Hand Painted Furniture, holiday decor, I do tend to run on, don't I?, magazine pictures or articles, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 16, 2007

Thanks for all the people who are letting me know that they will be part of the party!!

Here are the rules again, since there have been questions-

For fellow bloggers:

1- Take photos of something you love about your home.

2- Comment on my blog about your post Tuesday Sept. 25th and I will list all the participating blogs and link to them, so our party guests can mingle.

3- If you’d like to let people know that you will be at the party, you can add the button invitation to your side bar

4- All participants will be entered to win a copy of Romantic Country

For readers:

1- Leave a comment the 25th about something you love in your own home and you will be entered to win a copy of Romantic Country

Thanks! I can’t wait to Party Hop from blog to blog and see your homes!! And don’t forget, that every comment you leave throughout the month, enters you in my Sept. giveaway drawing, for either a Cottage Collage Kit with old wallpapers, or something made by myself from one of the kits.

What do I love about my home?? Well, love and care goes into every inch here at the cottage and I love it all. That is, until I get tired of it and have to make a change!

Right now, I am prepping for a photo shoot.

I am decorating the guest room for Christmas, and will just leave it up for the Holiday Homes Tour first weekend of Dec.

Its not done yet, these are the in progess pictures.

I’m trying to keep this room Romantic and lush, with gold, silver and roses.

I’m adding some angels, and vintage postcards of lovely ladies.

I found this tiny tree at a garage sale this summer for a nickel. I added vintage Wilton cake decorating plastic crowns that I sparkled up, and some old jewelry.

I’m also decorating Sugarwing’s room.

I spent part of today making tags and paper doll dresses to hang on her little pink tree.

They were fun to make, since I had rolls and rolls and rolls of new -old- wallpaper to play with!

I also am hanging vintage ornaments in pink, aqua, and soft green.

And of course, I hung all of the sugar coated fairies I made (from inspiration by Holly.)

They are so dainty and sweet.

Here are some of my great new wallpapers! I spent a huge chunk of my day yesterday ironing and cutting and packing the papers up for Etsy.

As much as I love it all, no one could use that much, even me!! So I am making up packs of it, since I also spent a huge chunk of money for it all.

I also made up specialty packs, like this chocolate and roses pack. I only had enough of the right colors to make two of these.

And since I am in the throes of Christmas, while every one else is enjoying fall, I made up some vintage Holiday packs.

My friend Becca bought one of these Cottage Collage Kits of my pretty wallpapers, and I made a blue bird tag for her in honor of her blog name "Bluebirds and Roses".

And speaking of friends,look who came to see me, Dusty. His mother, Lady, used to be one of the horses we boarded for a few years. She lived with us while pregnant, but her family built a barn for her right before Dusty was born. I almost felt like I was his grandma, or at least his great aunt. It was so nice to see him.

Maybe I have run on long enough now??

Beths’s Button and what I love (besides loving Beth for bailing me out)

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, give away, Hand Painted Furniture, magazine pictures or articles, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 14, 2007

URGGHG!!

That sums it up. I struggled over and over trying to make a button for the Romantic Country Party on the 25th, I must have loaded it (incorrectly) 20 times or more. Then I gave up, and posted my blog for the day, those long rambly, take my time, things that I do, and as I hit save, Twinkle (or shall I call her STINKLE) stepped on the power strip and turned off the computer.

I have forgiven Stinkle and Beth created the button for me, so I am off to re-do my post for the day.

If you want to put the party invitation button on your sidebar so people will know you are showing photos of what you love in your home on the 25th, please do. If you need help, you can try to ask me, but I might have to send you to Beth!

I thought I’d start showing some things that I love about my house, maybe a few with each post till the party (I love everything about my house!!)

This pitcher is from one of my first trips to the annual flea market Beth and I go to. It was only $5 and I use it to keep my remote controls in.

This little side table that I painted is another favorite thing. It was part of a set of 2 night stands, 2 twin beds (gorgeous with curved foot boards) and a dresser with big mirror that I got at an auction for $140 all together. I painted them up and sold them one at a time, but kept this as a living room table, its narrow shape makes a perfect fit in a small room.

Sometimes, it is the little things that can make a room. I LOVE my curtains and tie backs. I usually change my curtains with the seasons, but these Shabby Chic (Target) drapes have been up for over a year and I am not tired of them at all.

I tied them back with white velvet ribbon edged in pearls and held that in place with a vintage buckle.

The interior of my home is done in soft and calming colors, but the breezeway rocks! I love to walk in the doors and be welcomed by this cheerful green color.

The azalea pink and black accents really make the colors pop. I doubt if I’d be comfortable with these shades to live in, but as an entry way, it always makes me smile walking through.

And there is big LOVE for this piece. My son took this old table I had in the shed (garage sale $10) and made it into a sink for me.

I’m looking forward to seeing all the things my blogger friends love about their homes too, during our Romantic Country Party. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave comments and tell us what makes you smile in your home!

What have I been up to today besides pulling my hair out over computer woes?

Glitter up to my eyebrows.

Hobby Lobby has theirs on sale half price this week and I bought a bagful.

I’ve been making all of my vintage cake toppers into Christmas decor and at my cottage, that requires a bagful of glitter!

Did I mention I have to have part of my house decorated for Xmas by Sept. 24th for a photo shoot???? And that I have a sweet house guest this week? I think I’ll put her to work stringing lights!

Today I turned little peat pots into ornaments by filling them with vintage yarn nests, little angels, millinery flowers, buttons and GLITTER, GLITTER, GLITTER.

My flock of red flocked birds are now sugar coated and ready to grace holiday decor.

I feel even more like it is Christmas, because not only have I made a few dozen decorations today, I have a gift! These are from Michelle, I won her give away and she geared the gifts towards what she knew I would like- yep, she was right, I LOVE them!

Don’t forget I am having a few giveaways that you can enter by leaving a comment:
One is my regular monthly giveaway and the prize is your choice of a Cottage Collage Kit or a piece I have made from my vintagey stash of goodies.

.The second is a copy of Romantic Country magazine to a blogger who participates in the party and a copy to a non-blogging reader

And now for a mini parade of tussie mussies that I made today from my new toys- vintage wallpapers I ordered!

A Party Invitation – what do you love about your home?

We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 13, 2007

You are invited to a Virtual Party!!

In honor of my latest magazine article coming out in Romantic Country (on the stands Sept. 20th but the party will be the 25th), I’d like to host a party to celebrate.

After attending Kari‘s (who has a piece in the magazine too!) springtime tea party and her fun Artful Blogger’s crafting party, then going to another elegant get together this week at Make Mine Pink, I decided it was time for me to throw a party of my own.

All you have to do is leavea comment on my site on the day of the party, SEPTEMBER 25TH, and post photos of what you LOVE about your own home on your site. I will list links to all the participants. I will have an invitation button made up that you can display too. IF YOU ARE IN THE MAGAZINE, PLEASE SAY WHAT PAGE NUMBER!!

No matter what your style is, don’t you have something in your home that has that Romantic feel? Whether you do a whole room (or your whole house??) in rich warm colors, or sweet pink and white with roses, or just have an item that adds that special touch such as a cozy throw that you keep over your favorite chair to curl up under while relaxing- we all need a bit of Romantic style in our lives!

The kind editor of Romantic Country, Mary, is sending me some extra copies, so I will share them. I’ll have two drawings on September 25th, one magazine will go to a blogger who has linked to the party and the other to a reader who has joined in to visit and mingle with us. Hope to see you there!

Seconds, anyone? Plus another Party Announcement, a Giveaway Announcement, and a parade of tussie mussies in honor of my wallpaper addiction

Etsy Goodies, Food and Drink, give away, I do tend to run on, don't I?, magazine pictures or articles, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 12, 2007

Thanks for coming to my tea party on Monday- ready for another cup?

Also, I’d like to throw a celebration of another kind and am inviting you to join in. The issue of Romantic Country with my home in it will be out soon,and I’d like to invite my fellow blogging friends to show everyone what they LOVE about their own home. I will design a button to use as an invitation, and you can link to me on that date with pictures posted of your own lovely homes.

The date will be TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25th.

I will give away one magazine to a participating blogger and one to a non-blogging party goer.

Make Mine Pink is hosting a tea party all week, so I thought I’d play along and have another day of tea sipping. Its better than finishing my book for book club tonight, I really am not into it and have given up. I’d rather have a party!

(The Power and the Glory by Grahm Green- not my cuppa tea)

Thanks for all of your kind comments, out of the 39 that were left for Monday’s party, I drew Maria Ellena’s name for the present. Maria, please send me your address and I will mail you this refrigerator magnet.

Many people were asking about the embellishments on these cabinets my son built for my kitchen. They are from a company called "Elements" and can be ordered online, the company is in Chicago. They are made of glue, and you simply steam them and stick them on to the surface. I’ve also seen these type of things advertised in the backs of many home decor magazines.

Today’s party is in my breakfast nook, in the sunny corner of my kitchen.

Of course, I had to invite some pixies!

These guys are sitting on a wooden tray I found at a garage sale for 50 cents and painted with roses and stripes.

And I made a trip to the $1.99 clearance floral area of my grocery store for some posies. I was delighted to see they were selling dyed Queen Anne’s Lace! I used to pick these as a kid and put the stems in glasses of water tinted with food coloring. Shasta Daisies were fun to do that way too.

A friend gave me a zucchini the size of a baseball bat, and I sauteed some of it for supper last night, and the rest I chopped up to freeze and to make muffins. I didn’t have a recipe for that, so here is what I made up:

2 1/2 cups zucchini
1/2 stick butter (melted)
1 cup applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1 t Cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup flax seed
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 buttermilk powder
whole bag of milk chocolate chips to counteract the healthy stuff I added

Mix it up together and pour it into paper muffin cups and bake it at 375 till the tops crack. Place on a dainty plate and garnish with a china flower.

For something a little different and totally impractical, but still cute, I used tussie mussies to hold the napkins and silverware.

I spent yesterday making the tussies from my new wallpaper stash. So far I have made tags and tussies from each type of paper, but I still have 6 new rolls that I ordered that aren’t here yet! And tomorrow, Beth is coming over to share some of her new (old) wallpapers, and we will do a swap.

OK, now time for the parade of cones.

Most have a Christmas theme, but not all.

I love adding special little details to them.

Everything on them is vintage, except of course, the glue and the glitter.

No two are ever alike, or I would be bored making them!

Aren’t these some of the prettiest wallpapers you have ever seen???

Especially this paper, how lovely!! I am crazy about this flocked green vintage paper, and not only is it pretty, it was a gift! From Sandy , plus she added some other cute goodies to the box.

Now that the month is half over, I have decided what my giveaway for Sept. should be. Not too original, but how about the same as last month?? Your choice of a Cottage Collage Kit, or a hand made something or other that I have made with the vintage paper kits.

To enter, just leave a comment. All comments left this month are already entered.

I will be listing cones on my Etsy Shop for $20-$25 each, depending on how elaborate they are. I won’t have all listed, but if you see one of these that you like, you can order them directly from me, through comment or email.

Teaparties, A Gift for YOU, Fairies and a sprinkling of Dust to top it off

a lapse of memory again, or am I just careless?, antiques/junking, collections, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, fairies, family, give away, I do tend to run on, don't I?, I've been tagged, paintings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / September 10, 2007

Welcome to the Tea Party! It is being hosted by those pretty pink people who make everything so nice and everyone is invited to join. The teaparty will go on all week, so you can return for seconds on scones and tea!

Tomorrow is my day to have Sugarwings, so she can’t be here for this party today. She’s still a bit young, but I can see that very soon, she and Grandmama will be playing fairy tea party together.

And Twinkle is up for any party, any time.

These are the hand painted doors to the closet in Sugarwing’s room here at her grandparent’s cottage. Inside, are all the dress up clothes I am starting to collect for her from garage sales for her to wear at future tea parties.

And of course, I have started to collect some fairies to invite as guests to our upcoming events.

The itty bitty ballerina fairy was a gift from Holly, who always has the cutest stuff.

This pretty cobalt teapot was my mom’s. The blue framed photo in front is of her, wasn’t she pretty too?

The little rose covered book was made by Beth.

Yes, I see the dust too. Don’t you know that a person who owns this much junk also owns a lot of dust???

I used to have a larger collection of teapots, but edited it down to rose-themed, matte white or tarnished silver and threw in some tea cups to match.

My son built these kitchen cabinets for me, and I had him make sure there was plenty of teapot space on top.

The little pot in front, is my Grandma Smith’s. She would pack it up in her suitcase and bring it every time she came up to Indiana to visit us from Florida.

Grandma Smith’s is what got me started on the collection.

Here is a watercolor I did of her silver teapot years ago when I was into quilts and dried flowers. Now, I just have the painting in the closet of my studio. I should ask my family if anyone wants it.

Nieces? Sisters? Any of you read this? If you want this painting, let me know.

There is a teeny little self portrait in the reflection of the silver

Here is another sentimental thing for me, my mom’s tea cup (it is under the cake plate and has china roses in it.)

When mom died 5 years ago (it still feels like just yesterday sometimes) Sissy was sweet and divided up mom’s beautiful rose dishes so that we each had 2 place settings to display. I have built up a collection of matching dishes, well in color and style, if not in pattern, and keep them all on this shelf in my kitchen with fairies, angels and elves. And probably more dust.

Did I mention that I love teapots? I’ve tied mini ones from my kitchen chandelier too.

I bought new vintage wallpaper this week and had a wonderful time making tags, tons and tons of tags. Here is a sample.

And since you have been such nice guests at my tea party today, and no one complained about the dust on their teacups, I have a present for you.

I made this refrigerator magnet with some of my new-old wallpaper and brass charms I bought at the flea market last week.

I will give it away today as a gift to a commenter. And remember, I have a giveaway for the month of September, you just have to leave a comment. The comments to win the magnent will count toward that too.

I was tagged by MJ and a couple other people (sorry I lost the emails) for the Thoughtful bloggers award, back when I was coming home from my vacation and never got around to posting about it, I was so behind on everything. I want to thank them and apologize for not noting it. I was also tagged for the name game by Priscilla and by —- oh my— I lost that email too. I’m sorry. I’ll find it later so I can thank them.

Anyway, my middle name is JO so, this will be short (even from me, the QUEEN OF RAMBLING)

J– Junk!! I Just love Junk!

O– Oh my gosh, I Just love Junk!

I want to be the Fairy Queen!!!

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), fairies, family, flowers, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / September 8, 2007

After sleeping most of the week away, with that killer flu bug I had, and having my first cup of coffee for the week yesterday- I found myself up at 2am unable to drift off. I had IDEAS. So, at 2:30, I gave up and went to the studio and made fairy wings for Twinkle and fairy princess headbands for the rest of the group going to the Renaissance Festival today.

Trouble is, Twinks hated the wings and really isn’t very good on a leash anyway. Sparkle was extremely jealous, and kept trying to get me to put the wings on her. She does like to dress up.

So, Sparkle came along with us instead, but she is older, easily worn out, and fat (hey, being middle aged isn’t easy for some of us ladies!). So she ended up in Sugarwings stroller most of the day. I am not allowed to post photos of my husband pushing the stroller with the Dorky in fairy wings riding along like a queen.

Our little fairy grand baby had better things to do than sit in a stroller and be pushed around! There were crystal balls to gaze into, and new friends to meet.

Yes, we put that tiny little sprite up on a giant elephant.

I decided what I want to be when I grow up now- look at this fairy queen! Can you see me in my 70’s on the RenFest circuit, traveling the country and dressed up like a fairy royalty? I sure can. When my eyes get too bad to paint any more and my arthritis too bad to make jewelry or do collage, I plan on joining the Rennies and being a fairy queen.

The Kansas City Renaissance Festival is for 8 weekends every fall. It is set in a lush, wooded acreage and when you visit, it feels like stepping back in time.

I have always enjoyed going to the festival, but it is so much more fun to go with Sugarwings.

The costumes are to die for.

And the hairstyles aren’t bad either!

Next year, instead of just flowers, I want a bird in my hair!

For this year, I made a little wreath from paper roses and wired ivy vine and clipped on two vintage earrings and a matching brooch. Simple and fast, but no bird.

I think Sparkle got as much attention today as the real fairies that were there.

Everywhere we went, people asked if they could take her picture.

She loved every minute of it, too, and spent a lot of time posing with some of her fairy friends.

The fair is very dog friendly, but not as many people bring their dogs as they did in the past. Now, dogs need to buy a ticket! Only five bucks, but it is a good idea, because you have to show proof of shots to buy the pass for your dogs.

I am already looking forward to next year (when I will be wearing a bird in my hair) because little Madison will be old enough to go and we’ll have double the fun with two little fairy babies. (I hope she doesn’t mind sharing her stroller with dorkies.)

Hey, there really is a give away for Sept. Keep leaving comments to enter and I promise I’ll come up with a prize!

PS- I am attending a Tea Party on Monday and would like you to come by. I heard about it from Sweet Rememberance and here is the link for more info. I have a cute little "Tea for Two" refridgerator magnet that I will be giving away that day.

Author name: Karla Nathan