Remember I said "I don’t do Red, White, and Blue"? I guess I don’t do Autumn colors well either.
Since my blog has opened slowly for a lot of people, it was suggested that my banner was too big. I thought I’d try a fall colored one, but my colors are always more springy that fallish!
First step was a watercolor background with details in brown marker. Next, I cut out a cute Sugarwings picture, of her curled up in a booster seat.
Before I glued down her photo, and painted her fairy nest with acrylic craft paints, I wrote the title in blue paint with a liner brush.
That way, her photo looks like it is in the foreground, because it over laps the words.
With a fine tip glue pen, I added sheer glitter to the blue words. I gave Sugarwings a magic wand by gluing down a vintage lapel pen with a star design. 
For the script, I cut out a vintage calling card that my sis had copied for me. I wrote my info with the fine tip brown marker, then took a gold glitter gel pen to add some sparkle, and for even more sparkle, I glued on some crystals.
Now that the easy part was done, I spent HOURS trying to get the photos of the banner to look right when I loaded them into Typepad.
How frustrating! I still think it looks shadowy and dark, even after photographing it outside in the sunlight. Oh well. This day has been eaten up by trying and trying to edit this and I think I have made a valiant effort for a non-techie person.
I appreciate all your input on how this loads. I’m sorry my blog seems slower than some other people’s. I’ve resized all the pictures and now have a smaller banner. I hope that helps, and I sure appreciate the effort you have gone through to read this, when it has been slow!
There are about 8 days left to enter my August drawing.
I will have 2 prizes, and you can choose between as Cottage Collage Kit with old papers, 
like some of these papers and goodies.
Or, if you are not an artist and would like the old papers made into a finished product, let me know and I’ll make a present for you instead!
I do appreciate all your comments and try to answer them all. And I appreciate your continued visits, so will most likely be starting another giveaway for September as soon as I draw the name for this one!
I’ve never had a problem with your pages, and I love the new banner! It looks so pretty against the background color you have chosen 🙂
Hi Karla, I like the new banner but its loading slowly again. Yesterday it had sped up. But . . . dosen’t worry me as your posts are worth waiting for!
Have a good day
Take Care
Rachaelx
I love your new banner, so fun to change things isn’t it? I love the little blue sparkle flowers at the top! Are they from old jewelry?
I loved your old banner but I like this one even better! And I noticed it did load faster although it didn’t bother me that much before–good things come to those who wait!
Oh, and the quality is still just great here!
I love the new banner. It was alittle slow but not as bad as it was. I would love to enter the giveaway, the papers are fab.
I like the new banner, and it loaded just fine for me also. I’m just now getting around to seeing sugarwings party pics..cute, cute, cute!!
The new banner looks great. It still has a fallish flair to it.
Nice banner….. might be a tad faster loading…..
Your blog/photos are always worth waiting for anyway!!
🙂
Terrific banner and I enjoyed reading your process. Thanks for sharing!
I love your new banner and it loaded super fast!
Although, your other banner loaded slowly, I could always read your posts, first, so it wasn’t really a problem for me.
~elaine~
Oh my gosh I love this banner!!!! It’s so beautiful! And I love how you took us through the steps to create it. You really do think outside the square, with the wand for Sugarwings, how unique!!!!
Now it loaded fast. Very beautiful your work, thanks for the steps to do it. I would like to enter the giveaway.
OH girl you pulled out all the stops today! This is such a creative and beautiful project!!! I don’t have any complaints thats for sure. It didn’t have to load for me it was instantly there 🙂
Love your new banner–especially your springy fall colors–just my taste in fall colors, too! 🙂
I enjoyed reading the steps you took in creating the banner–I’ve been visiting craft blogs for almost a year now and wow am I overwhelmed with ideas–I’m fixing up a corner of my spare room for “creating”!
Have a lovely day!
Love the new banner, Sugar Wings is adorable! Can’t say as I had noticed your blog being slow to load.
i think your new banner is absolutely beautiful. you are so talented and make painting look so easy.
Your blog loaded quicker for me today! I love your banner design… I have no idea how to change mine in Blogger and I hate how plain it is!!! Is Typepad easier to figure out? I may change. How does a non-techy figure out this html design stuff??
I think you should write a children’s book! Your illustrations are so much fun! And those micropens are my absolute favorite.
karla, i never had a problem with you coming up! Today I read your entire post before the new banner showed up, weird huh? Actually typepad for me is much quicker to pull up then blogspot. One question… who are the fussy people who say your banners big! I think its you either way! Hugs, Lori
I love the new banner! I don’t think it looks dark and I do think it looks like autumn esp. with the leaves around the house. It did load a lot faster for me today.
Karla
SO CUTE! And not slow to load at all!
I love the fall banner with Sugarwings and the cottage behind the fall trees. I really have never had trouble with your blog loading. I think that the load time has more to do with each person’s computer and internet provider.
Just my opinion. ;o)
Fall or Spring, your banner is still gorgeous and uploaded quickly for me. I love the colors. Maybe someday some tech-savvy person will come up with a faster way of editing photos. It’s my least favorite thing to do for my blog!
I especially love the bookmarks 🙂
Awesome new banner! I love the Cottage Collage kit.
I’ve already said that I love the new banner. … I don’t just comment to win your giveaways….BUT! I really really really hope I win. I would LOVE to get all the scrapbooking items. LIke I said, I don’t JUST comment for that. I really do love all your work! Just out of curiosity, did you ever check out my moms site? Have a lovely lovely day!( it’s rainy and nasty here 😛 )
Gret blog! Disagree that your header is too big! Think it’s great. It is hard to step out of your comfort zone with color isn’t it? Been there, done that!
It’s loading more quickly for me (though I didn’t mind it before), and the blog is as beautiful as ever. I hope that helps your “renovation” process 🙂
Have a good week – from Kathryn
Your banner is very beautiful as is your blog.
Karla,
Much faster for me as well. I think resizing the pics made a big difference and the new banner is so pretty!
Cheryl
Karla, It seems to load a little quicker and I like the new header as well as the old one. Mind you I didn’t have to wait very long for the old one to load.
Karen
Looks awesome. I have been away for several days and came back to read your blog. You have some fabulous stuff. I am so into this vintage stuff now it is not funny. I am finally getting my very own scrap room and I am getting to decorate it however I want. I have been buying vintage stuff to decorate my room. Love the stuff you have found. Love all your work. Hope I am one of the lucky winners. Jennie
Thanks for the explanation of all the steps (and all the pictures)! I love the “backstory” on things. The banner is beautiful!
Love your new banner…loads real quick. But like others have said I didn’t mind waiting before because your blog was worth the wait!
Priscilla
I had no problems opening your site!
Simply fabulous!
Possible giveaway!?!?!? Count me in
Thanks for the mini tutorial…
Have a greate week!!
I love your banner as wellas your blog spot.So many good ideas and beautiful things.
Wow .. what a difference in the speed opening today! And what a lovely surprise to see your new banner. I really like what you have done with it and it seems to ‘float’ on your page top as it looks much lighter than the previous one – it must be the magic in Sugarwings’ fairy wings!
Karla:
The banner is lovely; Sugar Wings is always delightful to look upon : )I really enjoyed seeing how you put it all together!!!
I am like everyone else wanting to win : )
Take care
carole
Love, love, love your banner and it looks fall to me !!!!! Love Clarice
Hi Karla, I like the new banner and I think it loads faster than before. I don’t mind waiting a couple of minutes because you always have such fun posts. Is the picture of bookmarks? If so very nice and if not still very nice. Have a fun day!
hey karla. Remember I was telling you I was making cards. I finally listed a bunch of them on my etsy. Check them out and let me know what you think. please and thank you.
Beautiful Cottage Karla. I liked my visit to your etsy shop as well. Very creative.
your new banner is so pretty! love your goodies, the collage kits are great, they sure sold out fast!
Beautiful new banner, Karla! I won one from Mary at Isabella’s Closet, so I can sympathize with your problems sizing it. Mine was a nightmare, had it posted here, there & everywhere til Connie fixed it for me. Thank goodness for friends!Computer savvy, I ain’t!
Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
Not only do I love your new banner, I love all the little paper doll dresses you and your sister have been creating! You inspire me! I would just love to be placed in your drawing; maybe I’ll win and get a picture of those 3 crones to turn into something clever!