Books – Page 9 – Karla's Cottage

Some Journalling tips and a day with Jay Pryor Coaching

By Karla Nathan / April 2, 2014

Recently, I attended a Life Coaching seminar with some friends. I wanted to take notes that I knew I'd keep, not lose track of or toss. So I took my journal, a black marker, and a couple of metallic sparkle pens, and used those to write down what I heard that day.

It was an interesting day, and Jay had a lot of good things to say. I'd never been to anything like this, or read a self help book before, and was surprised at how many of these ideas were already a part of me. I mentioned in my previous post how much I'd needed a day to myself, and that mindlessly sewing crepe paper was almost meditative.

Jay suggests meditation, which I don't do, but I think that creative time, or gardening, even a boring task that takes no thought, like endlessly sewing strip after strip of crepe paper, is an excellent time to be alone with yourself and empty your mind.

Another bite of knowledge from Jay was to let go of negative thinking and be grateful. I know this one works too. If I have to call a repairman for a broken appliance, or pay for a replacement of something that fell apart, I find myself starting to grumble about the expense. But then, I stop, reconsider and tell myself that I am damn lucky to be able to afford that repair, or that I even own one of those thingies that broke down.

It does help.

The conversation was full of tidbits of how to refocus your thoughts to put you in a better space. I know I'll be flipping through my pages as a reminder of the day and re-reading the highlights when I need a refresher.

I'm glad I wrote them in a way that will be permanent, and I hope to add more to this journal as I go along.

Do you journal? I guess I kind of have been doing it for a few years now with my blog. World's best way to keep a diary! But, I've never taken an art journaling class. I've played around with pages, and made a few journals myself. Here are some tips I've picked up as I figured it out, in case you'd like to take some notes that are "keepers" or just feel out your thoughts on paper.

Use a variety of pens and markers. Different sized tips, and colors. I didn't want anything distracting, so stuck with gold, silver and black, but the black was fine point, the gold wide tip, and the silver had a nice shimmer.
Start with the main words or phrases, write them larger and spaced out on the page. Fill in with smaller thoughts or background words.
Have your hand drawn fonts fit the words. I wrote "bigger" BIG. Don't write something hopeful and loving in a dark or heavy way.
Between words, doodle. And be repetitive, using the same types of doodling styles around the page to tie it all together. My tie ins on these pages? Slashes and vines are repeated amidst the dots, scrolls, hearts, and other scribblies.
Use a variety of shades or tones. See how I've filled in the leaves, not just drawn them? That gives the page some pop by having darker areas. You will need some light, some medium,and some dark areas.
Use a variety of styles. Some heavy lines, some light lines. Some BIG words and some little words. Curved words, straight words, boxy words, softly flowing words.
Use a variety of angles. Straight across, diagonal, etc.
You can add pictures, drawn or cut from other paper. Since I wasn't in a crafting atmosphere, I had to stick with drawing. No scissors and glue were available.
Write or draw as you feel, don't bother to sketch or plan, let it flow. In the past, if I haven't been happy with something I've added (often to do with bad handwriting) I've glued something over it. On this day, I'd misspelled something. That turned into the black and silver bar all down the right hand side of the page. Yes, there is such a thing as screwing up, but there is always a fix. Be free with your ink and if you find you really messed up an area, just cover it with something else. Keep on going!
Along the lines of "keep going", enjoy your work. Usually a journal is a personal thing, not something you are doing for resale. So, make it your own, pour out your thoughts in doodles, make it mean something to you, and "don't worry if it's not good enough for anyone else" (excuse the Sesamee Street quote there, please, but it did seem to fit).

When I make pages, I wish my handwriting was better. But hey, it's me. That is how I write, even when I try to make it nicer. It just isn't.

Which leads me to one of the things Jay told us, "Let it go". (Which, brought to my mind another kid's song, this time from Frozen. I seem to have a lot of kid's songs in my head on a regular basis)

In art, as well as in life, you just need to Let It Go sometimes. Yep, my hand writing kinda sucks. But overall, the pages look pretty and they mean something to me. A lot of artists focus on perfection and think what they do isn't good enough if it isn't perfect. I say, Let It Go. Nothing is perfect, enjoy what you do, embrace the imperfections and Just Keep Swimming (oops, another kid's show quote there)

If I'd been aiming at perfection, I'd never have got any notes taken.

This page shows making the words I draw fit the feeling they express.

Jay had us write out our issues, then write "I Am" statements that were positive and could help deal with the issues we needed to work on.

I wrote the first in metallic silver ink, that was kind of hard to read because I wanted the negative aspect of it to fade away. I wrote the positive statements in black ink, right over the silver. The positive takes over, and the negative is covered up.

This page isn't as pretty because I wasn't exactly following the guidelines I usually use on a journal page. See how the ink lines are all just about the same size and tone? Not enough variety. If I were to go over it and darken some areas for contrast, it would look nicer, but you know what? I think I'll just let it go. For what it is, it is just fine.

If you ever get a chance to work with Jay, I highly recommend him. He made a lot of good points that day. Another one that I try to use daily is "Be Present". Which to me means to try to notice what is going on around me NOW.

I do believe that planning ahead is completely nesseccary, just like learning from the past is too. But I need to take both of those places and use them in the present, and "be present" not worried about what I'm doing next or fretting about what has already happened.

I believe that you have to own the past and be prepared for the future. My husband thinks I worry, but I'm really just working it out in my head, getting ready for the next thing coming up. But while I'm doing that, I do try to enjoy what the NOW is too.

Always good advice. Thanks, Jay!

How to make a Hocus Pocus/ Practical Magic/ Grimmerie/ Evil Dead/ Evil Eye/ whatever you want to call it, magic spell book

Books, how-to projects, Tutorials

By Karla Nathan / October 20, 2013

My sisses came to see me last week and we were able to squeeze in a craft day between all of our runnings around. One trip out was to the Victorian Trading Co. outlet store in KC, and Bobbie saw something there that she had wanted to order, but was glad she did because it wasn't as cool in person.

It was an evil eye, magic spell book. Kind of like the Hocus Pocus book. I decided we could make our own and use better materials instead of the resin that fake book was made of. Plus, our books are functional, Bobbie is using hers as a photo album for our trip.

One of mine is actually a faux book that opens up as a trinket box. I've got three books listed on Etsy if you are interested in buying one.

Or if you'd rather make your own, here are some quick how-to's.

This eye, is made of paper clay and hand painted, but if you aren't a painter, I have a short cut for you.

You can use a doll eye from the craft store.

On this one, I cut the back off so it had a lower profile.

The eyelids are made of paperclay.

Simply surround it with a couple of snake rolls.

Then smoosh them out and add wrinkles with a toothpick or clay tool.

I used some modelling paste over the old paper I added to the cover, and a piece of lace to texture it all. You could also use a thin layer of paper clay, but it is more expensive and heavier, I found the modelling compound easier to use for an all over dragon skin look.

I won't go into details about finishing my books, the decor is a personal choice and you can embellish your book however you like now that you know how to make the evil eye.

What was important to me while making them, was that I kept the covers pretty even while they were spooky.

Lots of rhinestones, ribbons, and Victorian lace.

The Good Stuff.

I also thought a key hole and key were a good touch.

And don't neglect the insides! These pages are inked and edged to look old. The inside covers are sheathed in vintage wallpaper.

I even found some "nice" spells in an old fairy tale.

"Weave your Joy

Sing your Spells

Wave your Charms"

It seemed to me, with an eye that creepy on the front, the books all needed an extra wallop of pretty to counter balance that.

Plus, who wants an evil witch book around?

I much prefer good witches. This cover reads:

"As good and kind as you are fair"

An altered book, Fairy Tale style, or Fun with Trophies

Books, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 15, 2013

This year, I've made a lot of class kits that needed book covers. Therefore, I had a LOT of naked books. Most of them, I recycled, but a few I saved to play with.

I'd always wanted to try making one of these folded page thingies with a story book theme. For this one, I chose Cinderella because Beth gave me a ballroom dancing trophy that reminded me of a prince charming and his true love.

I primed and painted the trophy, then took it apart, it was easier to paint the topper while it was attached. Her dress got a sugary coat of glitter, I added some crowns, and set it aside.

The fun part was adding the storybook elements. This broken, old cameo looked like Cinderella to me, so was perfect for the front of the piece.

In my kitchen, I had a pile of white, paper clay, pumpkins in a dish to set out for fall decorating, and stole one of those to use as a pre-carriage.

There was a big pile of old, old, Cinderella books all piled up on my booksheft to sift through for ideas. But I decided to keep this diorama cohesive by using illustrations from the same book. This one was published in the 1800s.

All the figures that I cut out, got backed with cardstock from Bingo cards. Tabs were made on the feet so I'd have something to glob glue on and slide between the pages to make the people stand up.

When I cut out pages to make the opening for the scene, I didn't do a very good job, it was pretty uneven and ragged. I'd say a dremel tool would be the way to go. To cover up my choppy mess, I covered it in flocked wallpaper, which I thought looked appropriately royal.

At the top of the cut out opening, I covered up the badly cut pages with a ruffle of crepe paper. I'm all about making it work, somehow or another. After all that work of ripping that dang book apart, I wasn't going to dump it because I'd done it so poorly. I just hid the mistakes behind layers.

I would do dozens and dozens of these if there wasn't that pesky part about folding the hundreds of pages and cutting out the opening.

Tedious times ten.

But worth it. Maybe I'll fold pages some evening in front of the TV. I really did enjoy the creative part of the project.

This trophy got a more simple makeover. The topper was glittered, added to a big spool, then sat on a box lid covered in sheet music.

Layers of crepe paper, and some German foil, a magic wand, a couple bits-o-bling, and ta dah.

And doesn't everything look better under glass?

Journalling

Books, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / September 21, 2013

Beth gave me a hand made journal to doodle or glue in and I've enjoyed playing with it. I've glued in pictures like this that I really liked and wanted to save, as well as just messed around with layering stuff simply for the sheer joy of doing it.

This page is a vintage photo printed on a transparency, over old paper, with a phrase tucked underneath.

Not having a goal or deadline or even a reason to work in the book, besides just wanting to, has been good for me. It's been a long, odd, summer for me, without a lot of creating. I've tended the fairy grands, and did some long needed chores and fix ups around the house. I've had trips, a fried computer, broken appliances, illnesses, family issues, and done a LOT of weed pulling and gardening. I've been a chaufer, and a cook, and a babysitter, but not much of an artist.

A few little things got made here and there, but not my typical, nonstop creating. There have been long stretches of days when I don't go to the studio at all.

And when I did, I had the little ones with me. Sugarwings made this page in my journal. We used the bubble paper that we made with food coloring, here.

Piddling around with theses pages and making some charms has been good for me. Hopefully, I'll get back into gear soon. At least it's a start. I need to re-find myself as an artist. Taking a summer off to help with the girls was something I'll cherish, and I know how lucky I was to be able to do it, but by not spending much time in my studio, I've gotten away from some very important parts of myself.

Or I could just be depressed because of all the strife we have faced the last few months.

I think I'll go make another page now, that would be good for me.

Fairies and friends will always cheer you up

Books, fairies, Tutorials, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / August 29, 2013

I've been fairying it up around here. I draw these little girls onto plain paper, then cut them out to use as patterns to use on vintage text and wallpaper. After they are assembled and glued to a background, I embellish them with some millinery flowers.

This one is in a very old metal frame.

This one lives in a painted and distressed,wooden frame that I lined with rose patterned wallpaper.

At the bottom of the frame, I glued a branch of little blooms and used that to hang some butterfly charms on.

At first, I'd made the heads from text too, but I missed having a facial expression, so I cut out new heads from the border of the text and used markers to add a sweet, little face.

Both of these will be added to the Boutique. That is, if I ever get around to adding anything to that poor, neglected little shop again…. If you are interested in either for $35, you can send me an email at: Karlanathan@sbcglobal.net

This sprite is one that I am keeping for myself, I've added her to a book that Beth made for me.

Don't you love the binding on it? She knew I was having some personal troubles and made the journal for me to fill up as a distraction. Plus, she listens to my complaints. Now, that is a friend.

Between poor Ry losing his job (rather unfairly) and the hours I've spent trying to help him find another, worries about this and that, as well as feeling crappy, I'm afraid I've been a bit cranky. I don't even know why she is still my friend, all she ever hears from me are complaints.

Ry has some interviews, I've been to the Dr. and have treatment now for esophagitis (from swallowing a heavy, string wrapped around a grilled tenderloin and scratching my throat, I thought it was gristle and tried to be polite by not spitting it out, since we were at a friend's house for a dinner party), and the other problems? Well, things work out somehow, don't they?

It's going to be fun filling up this journal with doodles, and doodads, and dwaddles. Getting creative again has made me feel better already!

One of the patterns I'd made for these kids was lying on my desk and it reminded me of a shadow, so I added it to the next page of the journal.

This fairy is a new creation too.

She and this angel have been added to the Mini Dress Form tutorial, with some simple how tos to embellish the basic forms that are taught there. If you have already purchased the class, these are a bonus and you will find them under "fairy" and "angel" in the category list on the side bar of the blog.

If you'd like to join the class, you can do that here.

PS-Leave a comment on this post, if you would like to enter my two giveaways. I'm away at the moment, but will draw names after Labor Day weekend

Two Giveaways, one really cool, big deal one and a little one too

Books

By Karla Nathan / August 22, 2013

My Buddy, Carol Spinski, is taking part in Jeanne Oliver's Home for the Holidays online workshop. I don't know what all is in it, but am very interested to find out! For certain, it will be packed with interesting and helpful posts.

You can get details here

Or if you'd like a chance to win a free entry? Just leave a comment on this post and let me know you are interested.

And I thought I'd also give this book away. It was a fun, quick read for me on the beach and I saw that it will soon be a movie directed (or produced? can't remember, but I tend to only remember highlights of what I've heard and not a lot of detail) by Stephenie Meyers of Twilight fame.

I enjoyed it too much not to share. Of course, I'm fond of anything Austen. And even though it isn't one of Jane's, it's about a true fan of her work.

If you'd like to read the book, and don't mind that there might be a smidgen of sand in it… please leave a comment on this post also. And let me know if you are interested in the book, the class, or both.

A Book of Enchantments

Books, Hand painted, jewelry, parties, Snow White, vintage paper/collage art, wallpaper, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 8, 2013

The weekend in CA at An Enchanted Affaire was filled with fun and friendship-from so many nice people…

People like Charlotte, who I've known a long time through blogs…

And my husband's sister, Terry, who came along to her first big art weekend…

And goofy gals who I am lucky to meet up with again at various getaways like this…

And tables full of new people to get to know.

Teaching at one of these is the best way to meet people, I was flitting from one end of the room to the other, pausing to talk to everyone at the tables.

Here is part of my table. I took classes as well as teaching this time, and asked to have "newbies" sit with me if they wanted. It was fun to get to know some different people. At most events, I sit with my same friends every time (and really LOVE that) but I realized that I'd met them all at these kind of places and I should open myself up to meeting some more new friends.

Good idea!!

This is another one from the class I taught. Being up and moving around during class made for a good time to get photos of everyone at work. Normally, during class, I'm so involved with the project, I don't get to see what everyone else is doing.

Hopefully, the ladies enjoyed the class. The first half of it was pretty much busy work, tons of gluing paper to card stock to create the background of the book.

After making the pages, we crafted the cover and assembled the book.

It looked like most people at least got that much done, not many were able to start decorating, though.

But I provided an overflowing kit full of goodies, so they had plenty to play with later when they were ready to start embellishing.

If I teach this again, I think it would be better in an all day class, so we can do the decorating of the interior of the book too.

There were lots of examples for interiors, and many ladies took photos inside of my own books for later on when they finish theirs.

Here are some completed covers by the students.

Here is another.

When they started working, I'd told them that it was absolutely impossible for any two of them to have the same book when they finished, even if they tried their durndest.

With vintage supplies, and a big page of collage images to chose from, the completed books were bound to be filled with variety!

Since my book was titled, " A Book of Enchantments" I decided that I needed a few enchantment spells to add to it. So, I wrote 4 little poems about finding joy, happy dreams, a true prince, and hope. They are printed on vellum and are part of the embellishment package.

(by the way, I made extra kits, if you want to buy one for $65, there are a few left. Many ladies bought a second while there, so I think that means they liked them)

EDIT: my email is down, if you could leave a comment or contact me on FB, I'll check those to see if anyone is ordering kits. They are selling, but there is still a few left.

Kim had asked all the teachers to provide a prize for the drawings, so I brought this assemblage.

It was won by my pal, Natalie, another teacher.

I LOVED HER CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used a smokey quartz and ruby on my own creation.

I'll leave you with a few more photos from my class, and still have some more pictures of the event to show you later.

Gloating in my Early Birdness

Books, Snow White, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / March 28, 2013

Well, I still don't have the piles of extra wallpaper photographed and listed for sale in my Boutique. But the KITS ARE DONE!!!

As I was cutting up hundreds upon hundreds of pages, I thought it was going to seriously deplete my supply. But, I think I'm safe there… (I have two more storage places for papers too)

The fairy tale books that I have been buying went up on top of the Treat Cabinet for storage. I like having them separate from my other hoarded piles of old books, so that I don't accidentally use the pages for wrapping paper. These are special!

My poor, poor studio, still has not recovered from kit making for an Enchanted Affaire. But look! The kits are DONE. Two giant boxes are filled up and ready to mail when the time comes. What a nice feeling to have it all packed up a month early.

Well, mostly all of it. I still have to box up examples, extras, etc to take along. I'll probably add those to my suitcase. These boxes are heavy… what makes me decide to make such elaborate, complicated, heavy kits to ship all the way across the country??? I tend to get carried away by what would be exciting to do, not by what is practical to do.

The kits are wrapped in papers and ribbons that can be used when creating the project. And what is fun about these packets of goodies, is that no two are just alike. It would be impossible for two people to make the same book. And they are chock full of The Good Stuff. Yummy!

There is only so much time in the day, so I try to make the most of it!

Books, Dew Drop, fairies, family, Snow White, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / March 7, 2013

There is not much new around here, I'm still wading through piles of Snow White books and items to stuff into the kits.

See what I mean? Every table in the studio is heaped up with carefully sorted (even though it doesn't look like it) goodies to do with the kits. I even set up two extra tables, and also filled tubs.

But hey, there is HOPE! Look at the stack of wrapped kits on the far table, in front of the window. Yep, the packaging is almost done. The rest of the room is just littered with the detritis of making the kits.

Those stacks of cut wallpaper on the table? Some of those are sorted into piles, ready to photograph and add to the shop. My son and I got just a tad carried away on those chopping and ironing days we had.

But the truth about why nothing else is happening around here, is that I am soooo hooked on the books themselves. I've made up four examples for the class, including one that I'm am keeping for myself and personalizing with family fairy tale photos.

On this page, I've taken a page from one of the children's story books, and cut Black Beauty from it, with another page behind the horse as I cut it out so that I ended up with a second animal shape. (it was an accident, but one that I am glad that I did!) I added a unicorn horn to each, flipped one over, layered them on the paper, and tinted them with glitter markers.

Dewdrop adores "honies" above all things. She is a "My Little Pony" addict, and calls them honies. So, this page is for her.

There are other things I could be doing, but this is more fun. Plus, I thought the students might appreciate having samples in different stages to look through. This one will be almost complete, but I am saving space in it to add pictures from the event itself.

There has also been some Birdsong3 behind the scenes details to tend to. It's funny how much time such things take up, even when the event in months away. Oh, but how worth it! I'm really excited to know that I have both of these fun weekends to look forward to.

Hopefully, once I get all of these kits boxed and ready to mail, I can concentrate on making Birdsong projects and kits. And selling that pile of wallpaper. And doing my taxes (Beth offered to help!! Yay, there is nothing better than having an accountant buddy at tax time. And all I have to do for her is redo her antique mall booth. Heck, that is a pleasure to do, not a hair pulling, tear inducing, fork in the eye, task like tax prep).

There are also extra kits from last year's Birdsong that I forgot about. And need to add to the Boutique. I'd planned on listing them last year and haven't yet. I also found a stack of surplus Fairy Book covers that I'd planned to sell too.

But there is only so much time in the day. You know what I have noticed? I can keep going full tilt and workiing my backside off (not really, it actually seems to grow, not diminish) and never really get ahead. Because there is always more to do, and only so much time in a day.

I've noticed that my income seems to level out, no matter what I am working on, because nothing is "extra", it ends up taking the place of something else. So, if I do shows, I am ignoring my shop. If I concentrate on the shops, I am not having time to make things. And on and on.

You just can't do it all. At least not at the same time. But that is what is such fun about my so called job.

I can switch it up, go from classes, events, creating, selling, shows, one to the next. It certainly never gets boring! When I focus on one area, it does very well, especially the Boutique. But my life would be very dull if all I did was photograph and list and ship every day. So, I'm glad I can stretch out and try different venues and take breaks from the online shop. It's still there, still selling, but not as much when I'm not adding to it reguarly.

Yes, changing my focus might not be getting me ahead financially, but it sure keeps me hopping and happy!

The Love keeps going after Valentines Day!

Books, Valentine's Day, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / February 19, 2013

My Valentine Journal is still under construction. What is fun about these books, is that you can just keep adding and layering as much as you'd like.

When the postman delivered some beyond beautiful mail to me, I saw that all the cards that came were perfect additions to my book.

This heart shaped collage was from my pal, Lori. It's meant to hang, and I had it hanging up till the holiday was over, then I decided to glue it into my journal as a pocket. The slight over hang to the side is nice, because she has used pretty papers on the back of the heart too and I'm glad that they peek out.

I've always admired Lori's work and am excited to have a special example of it in my Book of Love.

What's in the pocket? Love notes from Sugarwings. She wanted her artwork included in the book too, so she made some hearts and notes for me to slip into pockets and envelopes.

Guncle Randy made this card for me. He is a thoughtful guy who whips up cards for every occasion to send to everyone he loves. That, plus working 60-70 hours a week as an award winning, top salesman for his employer. And taking care of his family of 4 pooches, cultivating a floral fairy garden, and making gourmet dinners with his husband, Guncle Kevin.

He is a guy who seems to be able to do it all. And who always thinks“ of surprising others with special treats in the little spare time he has. Which makes the cards he sends even more special.

Hope sent me a card from her company, Paper Relics, and after gluing it onto a page, I added the words:

Hope

Love

Faith

All three of these sweet cards came from friends who I don't see nearly often enough, and that I enjoy so much when I do. My Valentine Journal started out as a love note to my husband, but as I worked on it, the pages became filled with family and friends. And puppies. Even a chicken. There is just toooo much love out there to limit the pages.

Its good to know that there is room for the book to grow too. When I think its done and full, there is still space for more heartfelt sentiments, the more I layer and add, the better it looks and the more meaningful it becomes.

ps- if you are into journalling and are sometimes stumped for the ideal quote to add to your pages, Hope has an app for that now!! I purchased it and it's a fun one.