bird song art event – Page 7

Craft day with friends

By Karla Nathan / March 4, 2015

Three very talented and interesting friends came to join me for a craft day in the studio. Lesa Dailey is going to teach at Birdsong, and it was nice to get a chance to catch up on details about the upcoming party. Although, it was hard to fit in business talk when Carol and Debbie have such fun stories to hear, it's always fascinating to hear what is going on in their world of design and vintage goods.

I asked Carol to get a snap of Lesa and I together for the Birdsong blog, but I'm afraid, besides that, I didn't have my camera out for much of the day.

I just took a couple of photos. Debbie brought jewelry to work on, while Carol and Lesa did some coloring.

I've been making "doodle pages" for Birdsong 5, to include with the journal kits filled with old papers, and vintagey goodness. My friends were kind enough to try them out for me.

I've colored in a few myself too.

I've made a few of these, some are examples of ideas on how to make one yourself, along with some tips on elements you can use on your own page. Others are completed pages, ready to color, to get the feel of making one.

And really, just because it is fun to color. How often do you get to do that as an adult??

I had to force myself to step away from the markers, after a point, because I was putting way too much time into these pages and could have sat at the kitchen table and colored away for weeks. I did spend an entire single week doing it, before I came to my senses and was able to move on.

But I still feel the draw of the markers, and would love to sit and doodle away….

So, I was extremely pleased to see that my friends understood the lure of the markers too and had a good time coloring themselves.

These ladies also brought presents!!!!!! Lesa made this hanky/brooch bracelet and the glittered basket.

Pretty, isn't it? And such a simple and sweet idea.

Deb brought gifts from her store, which is a wonderful shop. And an even bigger gift, she has offered to be a Birdsong 5 sponsor, with a gift for each of our ladies who come to visit her at Top Hat Mercantile. It is in the Old West Bottoms Antique District.

And while about half of the shops will be closed on the Sunday of Birdsong weekend (our classes are Friday June 5th and Saturday June 6th), Deb's store is one that is open. And to tell the truth, there are SO MANY shops there now that I usually can only make it to half anyway.

So, if you are planning on coming to Birdsong (by the way, I have a couple spots left), you might want to plan on spending Sunday in KC. The shopping is pretty durn good there!

Carol brought me a hyacinth, in the same pink as the tulip I had on the table. What a perfect pairing!

And what thoughtful gifts. You know what the best part of getting little hostess gifties is? After my friends are gone, I have these momentos of the fun day.

PS- If you'd like to be a Birdsong Sponsor, please contact me for details. My "Birdsong Ladies" (as Sugarwings calls them) would love to have your gifts in the goodie bags, otherwise known as "Tweet Bags" or as a door prize.

Vintage Valentine Images

bird song art event, free images, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / February 12, 2015

While getting ready for a Valentine Craft Day with friends and family, I scanned a few old cards to print for the group.

If you'd like to use them too, just click on the picture to open in a larger window, save it to your computer from there to print.

Here is a page of labels that I'd made for a Valentine journal class a while back. I don't know if I shared them before, but thought I'd do it again if I already have.

The treat cabinet got a sprucing up while getting the room set for our party. I taped up some vintage rose wallpaper, right over the old, green toile roses already glued to the inside of the cabinet. I'm sick to death of, ready for a change from the green, but didn't want to go to too much work. This is far from perfect, but I like the idea of being able to switch it out. And the toile roses make a nice background to the pink roses.

Like the new beverage dispensers? I splurged at Victorian Trading Co. because I couldn't resist this floral pottery one. Pink roses???? Well, of course, I NEEDED IT!!

Then, I saw the cut glass one. Elegant and timeless.

What to do???

Well, Birdsong 5 is coming up, so I bought them both. I think they will be delightfully useful. And it felt good to not be so cheap, like I tend to be. Well, they were on clearance….

And guess what? While shopping at the one and only, Victoria Trading outlet store, based in KC, I talked to the manager about being a Birdsong sponsor. She offered to have a gift for each attendee who stopped at the store that week before Birdsong. How nice of her! And my Peeps usually drop by to visit the shop while in KC on their way to Lawrence , so I think they will like it, don't you?

If you'd like to join us, we still have seats. Info can be found here.

Lori’s Pocket full of Posies at Birdsong 5

bird song art event

By Karla Nathan / February 4, 2015

There was some squealing when I opened the text that Lori Oles sent to me and I saw this.

First of all, yes, everything she makes is just wonderful and it is hard to pick a favorite. But I just might have done it. This has to be a fave. I love it. And am so thrilled that she is teaching this project at Birdsong 5.

Layers and layers of fabric, ephemera, and lace, with a pretty (pre-sewn) pocket filled with natural elements.

****Sigh****

I'm very much looking forward to making this one. If you'd like to make one too, please check out the Birdsong info page here.

Andrea will be showing a jewelry piece (photos to come), I'll make a journal from scratch, then have a second class to fill it up, with Hope and Beth popping in to help with the interior ideas.

Craft day doodles with Beth and another Birdsong teacher announcement!

bird song art event, Books, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 26, 2015

Last week, I grabbed my journal along with a handful of pens and markers and headed to Beth's house for craft day.

Her space is jammed beyond imagining with the BEST stuff. Oh my goodness, I love peeking in the cabinets there.

I knew I didn't have to bring much with me, she has anything I'd need. ( I always check out the trash can too. Including when she comes to craft day at my house. The stuff she tosses can be really nice)

And I scored in the trash can. She'd thrown away a very nice, old book. I tore a page out of it to glue into my journal, and started doodling on it.

She also had been telling me about this book that she'd received for Christmas, and after hearing her talk about it and then seeing my friend, Laurie mention it on her blog, I was intrigued.

Here is what Beth had been working on from the book.

Well, I'm all about doodles and could use a dab of Zen in my life so I started drawing. I think we were laughing and having too much fun for me to reach a Zen state, and I didn't exactly pay mich attention to the book, but it was a nice little push for me to create a page.

It was a little different than what I usually do, I normally doodle around words. But with words or without, you can't go wrong with an afternoon of drawing when you are visiting with a friend.

Here is one I did previously, with words. It was a coloring sheet for the Nature's Blessing Journal swap. You can see the style isn't much different than my zentangle attempt. I like to get inspiration from the lessons of others, but still make a project my own. And when I teach a class, I always hope the students will do the same, so I provide options for them to try. This page was copied before I added the color and included in every book, so that the artists could each color their own page however they liked.

Hmmm, I think I'll make a page for the journal I'm teaching at Birdsong….

I love an excuse to do more doodling!

And guess what???? I already told you that my BFF Beth is going to be a co-teacher for my journaling class at Birdsong 5, right? Now, I've got more news.

Hope is going to co-teach too!

Yep, I've got art journaling royalty coming to show us some tricks. And boy, is she tricky. That girl has some smooth moves. I can't wait to see what both of them have to offer.

Yippee! I'm beyond thrilled with the line up of talented friends coming to share their knoweledge at Birdsong.

Using the GOOD STUFF to make an Art Journal, and my Birdsong project

antiques/junking, bird song art event, Books, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 23, 2015

Beth and I finally had a chance last week to have a play date and exchange Christmas gifts. Here is what I made for her.

She is as much of a journal junkie as I am, so I figured I could indulge my own love of making books by creating this one for her.

I bought this little framed photo of best friends when I was at a flea market with Beth, so I thought it was fitting to add to the cover.

These laces are both cut from the curtains in my house. I have very old lace curtains at the window and they got a bit shredded on the ends from blowing around when the window was open, so I had to chop them a little shorter.

The interior of the book is lined with canvas drop cloth, and the pages are card stock.

The "latch" is cut from an old necklace.

The exterior is remnants from the slip cover I made for my couch.

This is my idea of "Using the Good Stuff". Although, to some people, the ingredients might sound like trash. Trimmed pieces of torn curtains? A broken necklace? Scraps from a slipcover?

What makes supplies "GOOD STUFF" isn't what you pay for them. It's an item with a lush feel, something special, or sentimental. Maybe something old that you found at a flea market. They can be one of a kind, or just your very favorite kind of thing.

Now, some GOOD STUFF, can certainly be brand new and from a hobby store, of course. It can be any supply that you just plain old adore.

My idea of using the GOOD STUFF, is delving into supplies that I really love and feel like they need a special project for.

And then NOT saving them for something special. Anything you use them on becomes special by using the best supplies. I feel like any project worth my time is worth my best goodies.

But when I am making something for someone extra special, I'll use a double dose of goodies for her. This book is loaded, layered, and piled up with pretties. I hope she enjoys using it, half as much as I enjoyed making it.

I have not yet got my prototype put together for Birdsong. But I do know what I am making. And I promise, the kit will be over flowing with GOOD STUFF!

Last year, I couldn't stop making books. And I am still loving the process and making more and more. So, I simply have to do a book for Birdsong 5. How could I not? I'm more than a little bit obsessed with art journals lately.

So, my 1st class will be creating a journal, and embellishing it with lace, rhinestones, and millinery flowers. We will make it from the ground up, step by step.

My 2nd class will be about filling the book up. I'll provide a big, ole, scrap pack of fun and inspiration,, along with guidance from myself, and tips from Beth about designing pages. You'll get two for one teachers for the second day, Beth and I will teach together!

It's wonderful to have such talented friends. Class project pictures from Lori and Andrea will be coming soon. I can't wait to see what they have designed for us to do.

If you'd like to come to our classes, we'd love to see you here. And I know that you will just love these talented friends of mine, too!!

Will we be seeing you at Birdsong 5?

bird song art event

By Karla Nathan / January 14, 2015

Wow, five years??? How lucky am I to have such a great group of friends come to Kansas each spring to visit me and be a part of Birdsong?

We will be having 2 classes, plus lunch on Friday June 5th, with dinner, wine, shopping and swapping that night. On Saturday, there will be two more classes, with lunch. Coffee, tea, and plenty of goodies will be served throughout.

At Birdsong, you are a guest in my cottage, it is relaxed, casual, and homey. No dress codes, (heck, I've sometimes forgot to change out of my slippers for the day), we just hang out in the studio and on the patio with friends, creating and laughing.

Class kits will provide 100% of everything you need to create something lovely, you just bring the suggested tools. And they will be taught by my delightful buddies, Lori Oles and Andrea Singarella. as well as myself.

4bs

Cost is $395 and can be broken up into 3 payments.

Registration is now open to anyone who has attended any of the workshops in my home or has donated to the goodie bags for Birdsong. It is so meaningful to me that many past attendees want to return each year. Thank you so much!

I'll open it up to new friends after our buddies have had a chance to enroll. If you are interested, please contact me for an invoice at:

karlanathan@sbcglobal.net

I hope to see you here!

The Circus School and getting my act together

bird song art event, Travel

By Karla Nathan / January 6, 2015

A couple weeks ago, we attended a school performance by teachers and students at the Last Carnival.

It was during the holidays and the kiddos were dressed up like little elves.

It was an interesting night out, and I was thinking about how lucky we were to live in a town with such a variety of things to do. I tend to be quite a homebody, but part of my quest to soak up every aspect of Christmas, had me saying yes to unique experiences. And I was glad that I did.

Of course, now that I've said I'm a homebody, and my last post was about just getting back from Texas, I have to mention that I'll be in Florida visiting Guncle Randy for a few days. Lately I've been on a roll. Like the rolling stone too busy to gather any moss, huh?

Or the artist too busy to start advertising Birdsong.

I haven't gotten my act together on that yet.

But I hope to soon. Sometimes I feel like I'm hanging upside down and spinning through the air like this lady. But I have a feeling she is in complete control and knows what she is doing. I'm just spinning.

Oh well, grab the fun when you can, say yes to adventure, and go for it. There is always a cozy chair, good book, or TV show to watch later when the spinning stops. Or maybe after the spinning stops, and I get my work done, then I can sit back and zone out in front of the TV? I do need to plan Birdsong, huh?

Will you be attending this year??

How to make a champagne cork cage chair

bird song art event, how-to projects, jewelry, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / July 9, 2014

My good pal, Hope, was a Birdsong newbie this year, and a very welcome addition. She is fond of bubbly, but had never opened a champagne bottle before.

My youth was spent as a single mom who waited tables or bartended to raise my kids. I've opened a few champagne bottles in my time, so I gave her a lesson.

My tip is to cover the cork with a towel, and then wiggle it side to side. The cork slips out and the towel stops it from putting your eye or your light fixture out.

Hope is a skilled and avid journaler. She documents everything, so she took pictures of the lesson.

Since I knew she was sentimental, I saved the cork cage for her. And turned it into a chair.

I had a charm thingie that was part of a necklace I'd made in a class last year, but it was a bit large for me, so I took it off the chain, and wired it to the back of the cage, and the squirted in some glue and clamped it together over night.

Of course, I remade the necklace so I could wear it without the larger charm I stole from it.

I then glued old paper to the "seat" of the chair, and added a bit of ruffled crepe paper as a skirt, and topped that with tatting.

There is a hole at the top, that was once used to suspend it from the chain. I left it as is, in case Hope wants to hang the chair from her journal.

If you wanted to make one, you could use a brooch as the chair back, fabric or paper to cover the seat, and lace or ribbon for the skirt. I should drink more champagne, it would be fun to have a collection of these chairs!

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ps- I'm having a Summer Clearance sale in the Boutique. I've neglected that poor little shoppette too long, I need to clean up, clear out, and refresh it all. You are welcome to soak up some summertime savings and help me get a fresh start, by using this link and getting 50% off everything in the store:

http://www.karlascottage.com/?code=Summersale

(You must use that address to get the special price. Going to the regular address does NOT take you to the 50% discount)

Some thoughtful gifts for me and 50% off in the Boutique for you

bird song art event

By Karla Nathan / July 1, 2014

The guests who came to see me at Birdsong were very thoughtful. Treats, gifties, hugs, lots of sharing!

The "Iowa Girls" even brought presents for the hens!

They filled this wonderful, chicken shaped pot with dried herbs to freshen the coop. (The charming hand vase next to it is from my pal, Suzanne.)

We have recently switched to pine chip bedding for the coop, and it is a pretty, fresh look with the chips and the herbs. The building was just cleaned out yesterday and smells much better than our typical hay bedding. I think we'll stick with this combo!

The ladies seem happy with it.

Our weekend was pretty hectic, so after the students left, a group of us opened all the presents together and it felt kinda like a baby shower with all of us in a circle, oohing and ahhing over each package as it was opened.

There were some very sweet details in the pile of pretties.

I'll enjoy the gifts, and will be remembering Birdsong each time I use one.

And remembering the nice group of people who came to see me here at the Cottage!

Thank you to all who attended.

And for the generous gifts!

As well as to the sponsors who gifted my guests too.

You notice this cute fairy hook has nothing on it yet?

This is the area that I hang all of my completed swap books from. So, I guess this means I need to host another swap so I can fill this hook? It was one of my New Year's resolutions, after all. I want to do a swap book again this year, I skipped one in 2013.

A theme is in mind…. I've just got to create the painting for the cover. Details to come, I hope you will join in.

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http://www.karlascottage.com/?code=Summersale

(You must use that address to get the special price. This is NOT a coupon, it is the actual address of the sale site. Going to the regular address does NOT take you to the 50% discount)

Meanwhile back at Birdsong- yep, here comes MORE

bird song art event, Food and Drink, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / June 25, 2014

Yes, I know, I'm still blathering on about our party. It is a huge deal for me, and I love every minute of it. Plus,( just ask my family), it takes over my world for quite a while, so it is hard to let it go when it ends.

One of my favorite parts of the weekend is the party night. We drink some wine, eat dinner, shop in the garage, and hang out. I try to keep it all pretty laid back, and fun for me too. So I cook ahead of time, making up huge pans of food in advance, to have frozen and waiting to go into the oven that night, and have the other vendors in charge of shopping.

This year was just a little more complicated when I started to set up the vendor space, because I forgot to use plastic on the walls when I hung a canvas up to paint a banner there this spring. (the wall was a tad bit, uhmm, colorful) I had to repaint before I could fix the garage up and turn it into a store.

I painted the wall a pretty sky blue (leftover from that banner), and wrote "peeps" in Xmas lights on it, then covered it all in a huge piece of lace. After carrying out typical garage junk, and bringing in some rugs, I set up tables with white cloths on them and we filled the room up with vintage goodness.

I'm afraid I didn't get any photos during the sale! These are from set up before the room is done.

But here is a picture of what I bought there. This is a necklace from Lori.

And here are the necklaces that Lori and Andrea gave to me. I've always adored cameos. And when Andrea told me to chose a necklace from her vendor table, I had to go for the one with the large bird that matched the bracelet kits she had.

I've been very inspired by both of them, and have been on a jewelry binge since they left. Here is a necklace I made from Andrea's kit.

She included some very nice pieces, and I had some beads that matched nicely, and was able to add a bit more chain and doo dads to make it longer.

Weeks before our weekend kicks off, I start baking and filling the freezer with treats. I try to be very prepped in advance, so I can have fun once the party starts.

Do you know how hard it is to live in a home that has a freezer full to the brim with treats???? Sometimes, when my husband would be out of town, and I'd still be up late in an empty home, watching TV or reading, I could hear the sound of those cookies calling my name from the freezer in the garage.

Cookies can be very loud after midnight. They never shut up, when they know you are home alone and it is late at night.

Believe it or not, there were still cookies left in the freezer when the guests arrived. I don't know how they survived, but some did.

These were made with alphabet stamps I found at TJ Max. I didn't notice till I was half done making them that I'd loaded "PEFPS" instead of "PEEPS" into the cookie cutters. I was able to transform that F into an E with a knife point for some cookies, but many were already baked, so got served as "pefps".

We ended up with way too much food. Besides the misspelled cookies, I made what Suzanne called a "bird bath full of apple deliciousness". I had kind of a huge bowl of it to serve. Part of the problem, was that there was a storm right before I went grocery shopping, and the power was out! I had to push an over loaded 500lb cart in the darkness and browse by the light of my cell phone flashlight ap.

I wasn't as careful of a shopper as I could have been. But I think it's better to have extra than not enough.

And boy did we have extra.

One thing that people seemed to like was the corn. I'd fixed chicken pasta, and needed a side dish. And I wanted something fresh, easy to make, and kind of Italian.

Here is what I did:

I cut the corn off of two dozen ears the day before, and stored it in ziplock bags in the fridge to save space. When you are feeding 35 plus people for multiple meals, fridge space is a big issue.

My son chopped a bag of carrots in the food processor while my sis sauteed 3 diced red peppers in olive oil. Then the carrots were sauteed. All of that went into a bag in the fridge too.

The next day, I emptied all the bags into a giant pot (I made way too much, thinking that 24 ears of corn for 35 people was okay, but I probably only needed half that much), added butter, sea salt, white pepper, and fresh thyme.

Then, I had anyone who walked through the kitchen taste it. We all kept thinking, more thyme, more thyme, more thyme, maybe more salt? By the time we all added thyme, it was pretty durn tasty.

And wasn't I lucky that making something up on the fly worked out? I'd never tried carrots with corn and thyme, but we all loved it. If it had sucked, I'd have been in trouble, since I had a vat of it and a bunch of hungry crafters!!