antiques/junking – Page 24

A little too smug?

antiques/junking, fairies, Miss Frenchie's, Moving to DC, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 28, 2009

Oops, I spoke too soon. Remember my smug bragging about being set up for the big sale 3 weeks early, before I leave for my trip? Well, that self imposed, fake deadline didn't fool me. I know that I have 3 weeks and every pore of my being is telling me that I have plenty of time…. go ahead, have some fun, the stuff can get packed later!!

Practice Table #1 is tagged and boxed and ready to go, so I am not a complete slacker. Practice Table #2 is set up in a dry run display waiting for tags and packing.

But, we are having an ice storm, with snow forecast, and my packing tubs are in the detached garage.

Who am I kidding! This second table is not packed up yet because tags and packing are BORING.

So, I took Sugarwings to a movie (Monsters vs Aliens, very fun!), baked and played in the kitchen (had to have fresh, homemade organic granola bars for the trip), surfed blogs (I'm going to miss visiting while I am away!), and finished some projects for the sale.

I also learned a new trick. I am enamored with sewn paper ruffles now! As much as I hate sewing, it just might be worth doing, to get more of these.

They are vintage pattern tissue, and I love the dimension they add to a piece.

Some of the tissue ruffle is used on the bottom of this ATC too. (yes, another side track, I took some cutting and gluing time off to make this)

The card is made of vintage wallpaper, with a cut out of a girl from an old greeting card. I've added glitter ink and white ink details to her, and made 3-D butterfly wings from a page of text from an old book and markers. When I found these words on some sheet music, I just had to draw a teacup in the little fairy's hand!

Then, I added an old German die cut and the ruffly tissue I love so much, topped off with a millinery posey.

In the midst of all the crap I was doing to avoid tagging bagging, I also made some slide shows. I saw one on Carol's blog and had to give it a try.

One, of Twinkle's pups, is on the lower left hand side bar of my blog.

If you'd like to see a larger version, or one of Sugarwings, you can click on the slide show and it will take you to the home site.

We leave for Virginia on Monday and will be going to see a friend's art opening. Here are details if you are in the area:

Constance Ehrlich will be showing her work from April 3-24 at the Arts Club of Washington in DC. The opening reception is Friday April 3, 6:30 – 9 pm.

Headquartered in the James Monroe House, a National Historic Landmark, the Arts Club of Washington was founded in 1916 and is the oldest non-profit arts organization in the city. Its programs and activities focus on promoting public appreciation of, study, and participation in the arts through ongoing educational and cultural programs.

In the show Constance will be displaying 17 paintings that document the fun-filled adventures of a group of friends as they visit famous museums around the world. During these travels, each character poses in front of their favorite masterpiece creating a perfect Kodak moment.

The winning comment for March's Giveaway, of a hand made Spring inspired necklace, will be drawn and announced from Virginia. You still have time to enter, the winner will be announced on Tuesday.

Meet Miss Pansy, that is, if you can stand listening to my smugness about being prepared for the show 3 weeks early!

antiques/junking, Miss Frenchie's

By Karla Nathan / March 25, 2009

With Miss Frenchie's show still a full three weeks away, I'm pretty proud of myself for getting ready early! But since I will be out of town for a full week, and finishing up taxes after that, this is the only way I could leave on vacation and get any sleep at all while I am away.

My plan is to set up my tables and figure out my displays, get all my lights and cords and bags together now. Then, I am making price tags and packing things up as the tags go on.

If all goes as planned, I'll have the goods packed up and stacked by the door by this weekend before I leave on the trip. I'll sleep like a baby, and enjoy my trip knowing that I am set and ready to go for the sale when the time comes!

Tomorrow, I am meeting some friends for coffee, and will bring a bucket of jewels to tag while we chat. That should finish up the wares on table #1. It feels really really really good to be on schedule. And -that is with playing hooky to hang out with Sugarwings, too! She's been here some extra time this week, so I have to be productive when I get the chance. Although, my work table has been very tempting…. I'd much rather be creating than tagging and planning a sale.

That is just why artists are rarely wealthy.

Sugarwings and I dropped into the antique mall while playing hooky and I snagged a slightly dirty dress form. Her cloth was all smudgy, plus her ta-tas were in not so great shape. I'd have photographed that, but it was a bit scandalous, it looked like she might have been drug across the floor face down, and the fabric was worn off on the two highest points, if you get my drift. But not quite evenly. Poor girl had a slightly lopsided look to her with the highlighted spots off kilter.

Here is a partial photo of her before state. What would have really been an interesting photo, is me trying to carry Miss Ta Ta and Sugarwings both back to the car.

The nude toned stretchy nylon was pretty ugly even if it had been unsmudged all over and unscuffed in those two strategic spots. As I was contemplating what to glue over the support stocking fabric, I noticed that there was this cool, cotton knit cloth underneath! So, I snipped off the nylon and she was a whole new gal.

I hope to trim out her neckline with something a little tidier. But if I don't have time, a blooming plant in a small pot would be pretty there. Pansies are nice this time of year and always say "Spring" to me. Plus, it would give me a reason to change her name, Pansy sounds much nicer than Miss Ta Ta.

I’m a Flower Fairy!!!

antiques/junking, Etsy Goodies, flowers, paintings

By Karla Nathan / March 18, 2009

I'm a Flower Fairy!!

Have you seen this yet??!! Wowee! I am so excited to be going to it! Jenn Hayslip has invited us to stay at her Southern Belle's Palace (that is how I picture her home and I am pretty sure that I am correct about that). Here is the site with details, the event looks like it will be amazing.

There is a button for this on my left side bar.

And did you notice this button on the right hand side bar? Along with the hand painted knobs?

I've decided to add these links to my tutorials, so you have a short cut to them if you ever need the info. Hopefully, I'll be able to add some more as time goes by.

For now, there is: How to Paint a Chadelier and How to Paint a Nest

This hodge podgey post is meandering around, huh?

Luckily, I heard the whisper of these flowers calling to me this weekend and followed it to this jackpot! Well, some were a gift from a friend (who knows me VERY well) and some are the ones I had to hunt down. I KNEW there were flowers waiting for me downtown at a store that I used to find some in all the time. That shop hadn't had any new (old) hats in months and months, but I felt like I needed to run downtown and check.

Yep, the Hat Whisperer strikes again! I found a gold mine of flowers.

Here is a bit of the detail from one of those murals that kicked my butt yesterday. I'm glad I kept at it and got them all done, today is chilly and wet. It was worth the exhaustion to get them finished while the sun was shining.

These two will be the backdrop of my booth at Miss Frenchie'ssale on April 17th. I am still tired today from the job, and very discouraged at how exhausted these two paintings made me! They measure about 5' x 6' and really weren't that complicated to do. I don't know why the job did me in so much.

After all your encouragement in the comments about not being old and that 50 is the new 30, I guess I will stop blaming my age and blame the sun! I am not old, I had heat stroke. There, that sounds better.

I also went to the beauty shop and got my hair done today. That helped too. My hair has not looked so good for a while and that doesn't do much for the old (oops, I'm not going to use that word) self esteem. I was telling Beth that my hair was looking like June Allison's. And not in the days when she was a pixie like star in films with Van Johnson, but when she was doing adult diaper commercials. Not a good look.

Further meandering around, here is something I listed on Etsy today after getting back from having my new do done. This vintage doll dress in a vintage frame on vintage wallpaper, is decked out with vintage jewels and vintage lace and was made by vintage me. (sorry, I am still feeling OLD, no matter what I say about heat stroke and exhaustion, and how un-June Allison-like my new hair style is, I am feeling OLD)

Last night, I soaked in the jacuzzi and then crawled into bed to fall asleep while watching Australia. I was pretty tired, but that movie could have put me to sleep, even if I wasn't. Today, I'd better perk up, because Sugarwings is coming over and I'll need to start chasing her around.

She keeps me young! It takes some energy to run after that little flitting fairy.

Don't forget, you still have the rest of the month to enter my March Giveaway for this springtime floral necklace! All comments, all month count.

My friend, Gretchen is having a giveaway too. I've been lucky enough to get one of her necklaces, and know you would love one too. Please tell her I said hi, when you go to enter her drawing.

Gifts of Affection and the March Giveaway

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), give away, paintings, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 11, 2009

Now, Beth might have just happened to include this sentimental bit of ephemera in with the gift pack she brought me, but in my mind, she added it with true affection! I know I just love her to pieces.

With affectionate thougths of my own, I'm offering this necklace as my prize for the March Giveaway.

This is the one I chose, because it is filled with rosebud and posy charms and seems to be just right for welcoming Springtime!

All you need to do is leave a comment to enter. As always, all comments, all month count.

Beth came over yesterday to finish up our sewing projects started last week, and as much as we both dislike sewing, sometimes you just gotta do it. Unless you have unlimited funds and can have hire a seamstress, of course. Which we don't.

And she showed up with gifts!! Well, she always does. Beth is a hunter/gatherer and is always on the prowl for goods for resale. While she is out, she picks up tid bits she knows I'd like too and since she knows me so well, they are always perfect!

Great stuff, huh?

But we didn't spend the whole day opening gifts and eating scones, we got some work accomplished too. The tablecloths are DONE. whew. And for some silly reason, who knows why (since neither of us enjoy sewing), we both started making bags from some vintage scrappy stuff we had around. Hers is from a quilt and mine is old curtains and doilies.

The bag I made is far from perfect, but looks OK as long as you don't examine any stitches or look too closely. I made up the pattern as I went along, to fit the doily I wanted to use. I think the bag would be better with a bit more embellishing, but I quit. While Beth was here, it was going OK, because we were at that slap happy stage, the one where no matter what you say or do, it makes you have a giggle fit. None of it would be in the least bit funny if I tried to tell you today what we were saying, but in the moment, we were hilarious to each other.

The tablecloth I'm using on my studio table now is a gift from Beth too. She brought it to cut up and I said, NO WAY, its too nice. So she gave it to me! Apart from it being really pretty, I love it because my great grandma made one very similar that I don't like to use, because ~~my family is a bunch of pigs~~ I don't want to ruin it. I call this one my "stunt double" table cloth, I can use it and be reminded of the one I have from my great grandma.

Some of you were asking about this bench I have made new pillow shams for. It was a Victorian heard board that I got at a garage sale, in bad shape. Sugarwing's Daddy is an accomplished carpenter and he made the headboard into a bench, and I painted the flowers on it.

Today, while avoiding putting away all the sewing paraphernalia, I cleaned up my Boutique a bit and deleted some SOLD items, added a few new ones.

As tempting as it is to hang out at the computer and list more things, I need to get back to work. That sewing machine and all the mess that accompanies it needs to be stashed away, hopefully I won't be getting it out again for a long, long time!

Deep thoughts and chicks partying

antiques/junking, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / March 6, 2009

Its been NICE around here! 80s yesterday, 70s today. So, spring fever had me opening all the windows and setting out a springy table display.

Easter is about a month away, I might have jumped the gun a bit by setting out all of the bunnies and eggs.

But it was fun to do and Sugarwings seems to appreciate it all. I try to provide a little something she is allowed to touch and play with to apease her and keep her out of the rest of my stuff. A typical conversation around here starts with me saying, "Now, is that Grammy's stuff or your stuff?" and often there is a little bit of bickering over the fine points of just what she can touch and what she can't. But we hug it out and make it work. ( I really watch too much TV, those were Entourage and Runway catch phrases)

Our family says just pack up all the junk till the baby is older. Oh no, I just can't. I love my stuff, it is what makes my home, MY home. Plus, don't you think that toddlers need to learn? And really, none of it is exactly priceless. I decorate with garage sale goods and have pennies invested, not thousands of dollars.

If a kid can't learn to enjoy her home without messing it up and breaking things, how can you expect to take her out in public, anyway? And I do believe that a child's soul is nurtured by living in a home that is lovely and that people love living in.

Which might be a little bit of a self important sentence after showing you pictures of bunnies and of chicks in party hats!

This is the post to comment on for the 500th giveaway prize (yea, I know, not a very clever title, but it did get your attention, right?)

antiques/junking, celebrations, Etsy Goodies, give away, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 1, 2009

Wow, what an outpouring of caring and sympathy from everyone about the last pup going on to her new life. Thanks so much, to all of you. I think we will all miss those little furry sweethearts, won't we?

Sugarwings got a little extra attention, although it is hard to give her any extra attention, when she already gets it ALL. I took her to Toddler Tumbling for the morning and my handsome husband splashed with her at the indoor pool for the afternoon. She played hard and wore herself out, I think that helped her cope with losing the puppy. I'm trying the same thing with Twinkle. She is still searching everywhere for the babies, so we've spent a lot of time throwing the squeaky toys for her to chase and be distracted.

Me too! I'm keeping busy myself. I actually had some studio time, which I have really missed. Today, I made this pedestal from a hankie box, a salvaged bit of a chair leg, some trim, wallpaper, millinery blooms and fringed trim.

The lingerie box in the first photo was from a flea market I went to yesterday. Today, I plucked some blooms from my hat garden and foofed it up a bit. I might line the interior with wallpapers, but am not sure yet. I just love the old rose printed cotton fabric on the top of it.

There was a tiny bit of trim from the pedestal left, so of course I couldn't waste it! So I edged out the bottom of an 8" shipping tag with it and then started decking it out. This is listed in my Boutique right now for $9 and has lots of vintage goodies in its makeup!

Remember last week when I bought the boxes of tid bits from an assemblage artist's sale? The curly-que metal bracket on the top of this wallpapered covered box is from that. I started this box before Christmas at a craft day with friends, and didn't feel inspired to finish it, until I found that metal piece in my goodie box last week. My craft pals were coming back out to visit, so this was the perfect time to pull it out and get it done.

The little doll was a gift from my friend, Jenn, and I turned it into a fairy princess with a millinery flower petal skirt, and an old rhinestone earring made into a crown. Oh, and of course, some wings. These are a pair of feathered wings from Michael's that I cut down to fit this teeny baby. She is hanging from a fishing line to a screw I added to the top of the box. The screw is hidden under an old button.

And what would be the best thing to make a nest for the fairy to sleep in, but an old corsage with some shredded paper! If I was a fairy, I'd want to sleep there.

Speaking of Jenn, she sent this elf to me, just out of the blue after I gave her a little painting advice! How sweet was that?

This surprise arrived in the mail too, from Coddy, who I met in Virginia for a flea market day last fall. My pal, Robinwas there too and Coddy sent her a similar bracelet. It sounds like Coddy, is planning to start a blog, I'll let you know if she does! She makes these bracelets from seashells, and it looks pretty intricately done. Sugarwings saw it and called it a Mermaid bracelet, I think that is a good description!

Isn't this a pretty find? I've discovered that a lot of you love old brooches as much as I do, and I am filling the shop up with a variety of them. This one is only about 1" long and is extremely delicate, yet still sturdy enough to wear.

The next post will be my 500TH!!!!!!! Geez, how did so many go by so fast? Probably because I never shut up….So, I'll have a special giveaway for that. Not these earrings, they belong to:

Kerryanne as the winner of the February giveaway!

I'll chose another pair of earrings for the anniversary giveaway. So, now onto the 500th post giveaway, if you'd like the yet to be determined pair of earrings.

I'm going to do this a bit different than my usual way. For this you have to:

Leave a comment on THIS POST. I'll let you know who the winner is on the actual 500th post itself.

Chasing Sugarwings

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / February 20, 2009

Whats better than hugging a fuzzy puppy on a sun shiny day?

How about a whole armload of them?

Yep, not much is better than snuggly puppies.

These guys are becoming such fun, and I am losing them! We are just getting to the good part, where they come running at the sound of our voices and want to play. Even though Sugarwings tends to be a little rough (she's only 1-1/2), these babies were still following her every move when we took them all outside to play today. They are either really brave, or really stupid, because they keep coming back for one more, too-tight squeeze from her.

Two more girls leave on Sunday, then I will only have one until the 28th when her new family arrives to get her. Trouble is, she is my favorite, and a week alone with just her is going to make it even harder to give her up!!

Well, once all the girls are gone, I will have more time for actual work. Right now, a lot of my studio time is spent playing with pups.

I did sort out more of the loot from yesterday and make a couple of little crowns.

One box had a bunch of these old metal trim pieces, and I can see all sorts of tiaras being formed with these!

Soon, everyone in the studio will be sporting their own crown. Hmm, I still have a couple of days to make puppy crowns, don't I? Or as Sugarwings calls them, "corns".

This is some more of the loot that I am keeping for projects myself. I'm not sure what I'll make, these bits and pieces are all great materials, though!

And thanks to all of you who filled up shopping carts at Etsy!

This is another collage/assembly kit that I added to Etsy today.

Details, of the kit.

I hope to add more of the vintage loot packs to Etsy, but right now, I hear Sugarwings getting up from her nap.

She's worn me to a frazzle today, too bad the nap wasn't a little bit longer, I've enjoyed my little break in front of the computer. That is one BUSY kid!!

Salvaged goods

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / February 19, 2009

Like Mother, like daughter?

These pups are everywhere, following every move that Twinkle and I make! Remember the movie, Gremlins? Now, that these remaining babies are so rambunctious, I feel like I have a house full of Mogwai that are taking over. I'd better not feed them after midnight…

Today,Beth and I went to a great sale. A Friend, who is a magnificent assemblage artist was clearing out before a move.

We loaded up on her fun bits and pieces.

When I got home, I started playing with them all right away. I made a crown from some salvage metal trim (photos later, its not quite done yet), then I organized my purchases. And realized I bought more than I can use…

See what I mean? Cool stuff. But this is only a fraction of the boxes and boxes I snapped up.

So, I started listing small lots for Etsy. Then, I got bored with listing and packaging and describing it all, knowing that Thursday is the most glorious TV night of the week, and I had SHOWS to go watch soon! So I lumped a bunch of vintage delights into one big listing to finish up.

I still have a couple more things to add, but tonight is good TV and tomorrow is a Sugarwings Day, so it won't be till this weekend that I get more up. I have some goodie packs with ephemera included too.

A lot of you have asked about the knobs I showed photos of yesterday. Thanks so much for asking. I will probably list some and take the rest to Miss Frenchies. I'll keep you posted.

And now, it is time for Survivor, I have to run. I'll leave you with more shameless huckstering. Here are photos of the latest goodies listed in my Boutique.

I’ve lightened up

antiques/junking, Chandeliers, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Sugarwings, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / February 11, 2009

Typepad just ate my post. A LONG rambling post, like I tend to do, and with LINKS. Lots of links that took me an hour to do. I'm so sorry I don't have time to replace them, but I will show the photos with apologies to the artists who contributed.

This is the book I made for myself from the tags, and cards I got as gifts in the swap. Robin did this one, and it has a "K" stick pin on it, how cute.

Many people made extra tags for me, and I really enjoyed collecting them into a bundle. This one is from Susan Goffman.

Some were vintage tags tied to the packages, others were extras from the swap.

Then others were made up special as a gift! Like this one from Marilyn.

This is from Brenda.

For the swap, we were each meant to make 6 tags to share. I added my six to various books, (plus I made the 65 covers). So, I picked out 6 tags from the group to keep for my own book. but one of them, I kept out to tie to the key for my new cabinet. I saw this one from Andrea and scooped it up immediately!

Once, again, I am sorry that Typepad erased all my work in adding links to artists who made all of these. Tell you what- if you were in the swap, have a blog and are going to show photos of your books- please send me a link to the post and I will post the list of them all together so everyone can come and visit each other and see their work spread out into all these little tag books.

All of the tag books are assembled and sent! So, my table is now cleared, but here is the view I had for a few days, tags and booklets everywhere.

That is my new cabinet, found last weekend at my favorite second hand store for only $150. I'd love to redo the whole studio with "fancy" furniture.

Especially pieces like this that are so functional.

Plus, this one has space for display too.

This chandelier ($130) is from the same store. I'd had my eye on it for a while, and finally went back to get it, and the cabinet had just been brought in. So, I ended up with both. Happily!

The best thing about it, isn't the bouquet of porcelain roses, it is that it has SIX bulbs, and makes a huge difference in the lighting above my desk!! I can see!!!

Now the swap is over, the studio is illuminated and all cleaned up. I'll be excited about getting back to work. I've neglected my Boutique and Etsy shop while working on the tag swap. As soon as I get them re-stocked, I'll let you know.

But Sugarwings comes tonight, and we will need to do some coloring, that has to come first! She got the cutest crayon carry all from Ele. This weekend, we'll be playing with all the art supplies she received in the swap, thanks again, everyone!

That is, when we can get a break from these guys!

Here is a link for a short puppy video on Flickr. You know how I say, that Twinkle thinks the camera is always out just for her? Here you can see what I mean. And please ignore the dirty floor….

Also, all swappers are welcome to add any puppy love photos to our flickr group and everyone is welcome to look through the photos. I might have added more than a few myself…. I hope others add also!

The January Giveaway (finally)- you still have time to enter

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, fairies, swaps, vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / January 26, 2009

The babies have moved into their new home and are now my studio buddies during the day.

When I go to work, they will come with me and play in the "Puppy Pond". So far, they are just barely contemplating the idea of running and playing, they still prefer their nest. At least they have the option now! In a few days, they will be glad to attempt to wander out and have some fun.

There is already a difference in their expressions. I can see some recognition when they look at me. And some interest in people, not just in their Mommy.

Fun times are ahead! I'm ready for them to come running to the edge of the Puppy Pond every time they hear me coming. Its such a wonderful feeling!

The movie date with my sweetheart was nice, but the movie should have been a rental instead. It wasn't exactly the best of the "Underworld" series. My husband didn't care for it much, he only goes to see these vampire movies with me because of Kate Beckinsale and she wasn't in this one.

I made time this morning to list this Valentine's Bird on Etsy, and also had a chance to create some thing, even with the distraction of puppies in the studio!

I bought two of these little jewel boxes on my last junking trip, knowing they would be perfect for foofing up as a Valentine piece.

This one is topped with a little Fairy painting I did a while back. The inside is pale pink and I dooded it up too, with old wallpaper, millinery and a glittered crown. I'd show you, but the glue is still wet and if I open it, it would fall apart.

When it dries, I'll get some pictures and list it in my boutique.

While I am on a Valentine's kick, I thought I'd offer this tussy mussy full of treats as my January giveaway.

The image on the front is a gift from one of the Puppy Love Tag Book swappers, Ruth. Thanks for the thoughtful gifts, Ruth, I'm already making use of them!

All comments from the first of the month are entered. All comments, all month long. (that is the easiest way for me to handle it!!)

Curious puppy not included…