celebrations – Page 22 – Karla's Cottage

Happy Birthday Rich

celebrations, family, Food and Drink, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / June 7, 2011

My husband had a birthday this week and Sugarwings helped me bake him an ultra healthy, low fat cake to celebrate. He has high cholesterol and really works hard at keeping the numbers down, but he also has a sweet tooth. So I came up with a guilt free cake for him. Well, semi-guilt free, at least, healthier than a double fudge chocolate cake anyway.

We took fat free, cranberry/orange muffin mix, and added 1/2 cup of applesauce, 1 cup of blueberries, 1/4 cup of ground, golden flaxseed, 1/2 cup of shelled and finely chopped pistachios, 3/4 cup of chopped pecans, and 3/4 cup of toasted coconut, then about 1/2 cup of water.

While it was in the oven, we cleaned and sliced strawberries. Then, I covered them with 2 spoonfuls of organic brown sugar and a 1/4 cup of lime juice.

After the cake was cooled we poked holes all over it and topped it with the strawberries and lime juice. (It was an ooey, gooey, moist cake!)

Over that, we added this mix, which is what really made it yuumy:

1 cup of Dannon Greek 0 fat plain yogurt- That stuff is so thick and rich, you'd never know it was low fat!!
1 block of low fat cream cheese
1 cup of fat free sour cream
1 tsp real vanilla
1/4 cup organic powdered sugar
splash of lime juice

That was fluffed with the blender and dolloped over the berry covered cake, then spread. To top it off, we served it with low fat Cool Whip.

Sguarwings had 3 pieces and shared a bite of hers with the birthday boy. I didn't feel bad about her eating so much cake since it was mostly fruit, nuts, and yogurt.

She also shared some messy kisses.

And thought it was funny to wipe the cream cheese topping off of his face afterwards.

Maybe all three pieces didn't make it into her tummy, she looked like she was wearing quite a bit of the dessert, so went right into the tub after.

Ps- all of the bird cage charms I listed in the Boutique sold out right away, so I have replenished the supply. If you are in the Bird Song Tag Book Swap, don't worry, I have plenty of pretties to adorn the books with! I've ordered more charms to paint too.

By the way, we are at about 120 swappers. I have room for a FEW more, since I haven't started making the covers yet. Email me if you are interested. Details HERE.

(I will be away, so please forgive me if I don't get right back to you)

New traditions

celebrations, family, flowers, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 9, 2011

How was your Mother's Day? Mine started off a bit weepy, thinking about my mom, but it turned around real quick when my girls arrived for a day of fun. My husband took Sugarwings for the day and was happy to do it. I think it was his happiest Mother's Day of all time. No pressure, just fun with the apple of his eye.

She rode on his shoulders while in line to buy tickets to see a kid flick. He says that she turned around to everyone in line and said, "This is my Pop Pop."

Then, she added, "And I am a Princess".

And then turned one more time to tell the crowd behind her, "Because my Pop Pop says I am!"

Yes, she knows that in her Pop Pop's eyes, she's pure royalty and just eats it up.

My Mother's Day was not bad at all, either. Typically, my sons and husband help me with a big job in the yard as a gift. It always turns into the most exhausting day of the entire year, with all of us working till we drop. (me too)

They are sweet to do it, and for non-shopping guys, it was pretty good. But I've decided to change the way things are done for the next generation of moms in the family. No more hard labor on Mom's Day!

Our plan for this year was to have a girly day out.

The littlest fairy wanted to be with her mom for the day, so she got to tag along. And since all she does is nurse, sleep, laugh and smile, she was a welcome guest.

We went out for seafood and steaks with bellinis for lunch then went to Liberty Hall, our local theater that has been around since Civil War days and started as an Opera House. Its always beautiful to see a movie there, and you can sip wine while you watch a show. We chose Jane Eyre, great for a girl's day.

I can see a tradition beginning, this was the best Mother's Day ever. Relaxation, conversation, a cuddly baby, and wine!!

And did I mention NO hauling mulch???? NO digging holes?? Yay!!!

It was a weekend of celebration, with friends over on Saturday night to share some good wine and sit by the bonfire. As if that is not enough, we also had Sugarwings for 3 nights in a row. Yep, it wasn't just a good Mother's Day, it was a GREAT Mother's Day weekend.

I'm feeling pretty lucky right now.

Its time that I pull a name for the winner of a Birdsong souvenir. I promised last week, and then forgot to do it. The present goes to:

Kim Allen

Today I've been taking photos of some flowers to list online for my April Showers Bring May Flowers sale.

My birthday is in May and my mom always used to tell me that little rhyme and tell me I was a May Flower. So I decided to have a sale in the Boutique and Etsy with FREE shipping on all millinery for the month of May.

On Etsy, the shipping is already marked FREE. In the Boutique, you'll need to pay for the shipping and I will send you a refund for the postage you paid. (USA only, sorry)

Right now, I'm in the middle of adding flowers. Etsy has some new ones, the Boutique will soon. Thanks for looking!

Marty Jo

celebrations, family

By Karla Nathan / May 8, 2011

Today, I'm missing my mom. So, I got out the photo album I made of her to take some time to think of her on Mother's Day.

This is my favorite picture of the two of us. I spent a lot of time on her lap, being spoiled and cuddled and no matter how old I get, I won't forget that feeling. There is nothing like a warm, comforting lap to make you feel wonderful. I'm all the time trying to get anyone sad to sit on my lap for a hug. I tried to convince Beth, just the other day when she was feeling emotional.

In the library, I keep a display of photos of my mom and grandma. This is another favorite, of us with my sisters at my wedding. I think it is the only photo I have of all of us together.

No, maybe THIS is my favorite! It was such a fun day. But then, any day with my sisses and mom was a blast. We'd go junking, out to lunch, or just sit and talk and drink coffee around the kitchen table. And laugh. My mom loved being silly and laughing.

She was the kind of mom who would bake fresh apple dumplings while I was in school so that when I got home, I'd walk into a house that smelled like cinnamon.

She could sew anything. If I pointed to a dress in a magazine, she could whip it up with no pattern. Plus make a matching dress for my Barbie. Of course, her matching skills could get carried away. I remember one time when mom made matching blue gingham dresses for herself, me, my doll and a shirt to go with it for my dad.

She was an amazing quilter. But I think that her favorite part of making them was the math and the skill involved, not as much as the beauty of the creation. She was a perfectionist with her needles and took great pride in what she did. The artistic part was just a by-product of her work. I don't even know if she realized how gorgeous they were, she was so interested in the tiny stitches in the "ditch".

(This is a watercolor I did of her. The background is a pink and white log cabin quilt that she made for me, and she is wearing a necklace that I made for her. After she died, I hung the necklace on the frame)

She was a carpenter too. When I was in my twenties and homeless, she took me and the boys in to live with her. One weekend while we were away, she built an entire play fort for the kids as a surprise. We got home to see this giant, wooden structure that she handcrafted in TWO days with no plans. She had a sunning deck on the top for me, and a slide and swing for the boys. We all used the slide together, and it was super fast because she topped it with a floor vinyl scrap sprayed with silicone.

I got my love of horror movies from her. We'd stay up till midnight every Friday to watch the late night scary shows and she'd always jump up and scare me at the most tense moments. But I knew that it was just fun, not real and we'd laugh about it. This is a lesson that has kept me brave all my life, knowing that you need to look for the fun or the happiness that is hidden in any situation, no matter how frightening it may seem.

My love of laughter came from her too. She wasn't always appropriate or politically correct, and I'm not either. We both like to see things from an irreverent angle.

Mom wasn't perfect, and went through some rough spells. She didn't always have the best taste in men and we had our arguments over the years. But who wants perfect? My mom was interesting, warm, funny, slightly crazy, very talented, and a hard, hard worker. And loved her daughters more than anything in the whole world.

And I miss my mommy. And I always will.

Happy birthday happy birthday – cha cha cha (as Sugarwings sings it)

celebrations, flowers, Food and Drink, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 6, 2011

What a great birthday I had yesterday! Carol and Debbie treated me to lunch at Julian's in Brookside, owned and operated by one of the cheftestants on Top Chef Masters. And I am such a TV junkie, that I'll eat up anything served by someone on one of my "stories".

Luckily, this place was cute as a button and over the top delicious.

Friendly, casual, and affordable too. Celina Tio, from the show (and formerly on Iron Chef) greets everyone at the door and is nice as can be. Pretty too. The TV show doesn't do her justice, she's much cuter in person.

I had some things to deliver to Carol and Debbie and we decided to meet for lunch. I said, why not Thursday, since it was my birthday, so the poor girls might have got a party ambush. But I love birthdays and am upfront about telling everyone its my day.

Thanks for all the happy birthday wishes! I had some prime baby holding time too, so it was a good day.

I'll leave you with some photos of what's new in Boutique. I've added a few millinery blooms, and have photos taken of more to add.

For the whole month of May, I'm giving you free shipping (United States) for all millinery. Pay as normal, and when I pack up and ship the item, I'll refund your shipping fees.

There will be more blooms added next week too.

I'm just out of time today, we get Sugarwings tonight. So, no more working, time to play!

Happy Easter!

celebrations, family, holiday decor, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 24, 2011

We are having a quiet Easter this year. Well, quiet meaning that we aren't having a big family gathering and dinner for dozens this time. Sugarwings spent the weekend and that isn't exactly quiet.

Saturday morning started with egg coloring. And I guess you'd have to say that she and I aren't what you'd call tong users when it comes to dying eggs. We prefer getting our fingers in the colors instead of using the dippers that come with the kit, and we like to use paint brushes to spiff up the shells.

Not just the eggs get colored either. When you have all those lovely dyes in front of you, and only a couple dozen eggs to dip, it hurts to waste it all. So we did some experimenting and found that the egg dye is beautiful on the unfinished wood of a bird house. (We had picked up this princess castle bird house at Michaels)

And it makes stuffed rabbits pretty too.

Not to mention Dorky heads. Yep, little Agnes Rosebud started it. She jumped up on my lap and put her nose in the dye to see what it was. Of course, how could we resist painting the top of her head with a paint brush dipped in purple?

Hope your holiday is a Hoppy one too.

Sorry I won't be answering emails or comments, but I will be taking time to read them. And I'll chose a name from commenters to give a Birdsong memento to later on.

When the heck is Easter anyway?

celebrations, Chandeliers, collections, flowers, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / April 19, 2011

My Easter decor has been up way too long, already. And when is Easter even coming? Its late this year, and I got all geared up for it way too early, back in March.

Mid March even.

Every year, I'm excited to pull out the fluffy bunnies and pastel pretties to welcome Spring. Its kind of a spring cleaning ritual for me, and I like to decorate my chandelier for the season, as I wipe down the crystals on it.

Its always a fresh, clean, exciting feeling to have all the decorations out, but this year, I think it was a bit soon for all this fluff and I'm tired of it before the bunny has even come to hide his eggs.

Most of it is stuff I love, and more springlike than Easterish.

Usually I use my springy decor for the whole season, and just add the vintage bunnies, lambs, chicks, etc to it for the holiday itself. But I guess I didn't realize I was more than a month early for all the bunnies and their pals, and added the pastel guys way too soon.

Why is it that I adore having Christmas decorations up for as long as possible but not Easter? And last fall I had pumpkins (white glittered ones) every where for months and loved it. I never got tired of either.

But I'm ready to rip the ears right off the rabbits by now.

Yet, at this point, I need to just ride it out. Easter is finally just around the corner.

Plus, Sugarwings loves it all so much. She wouldn't like seeing Grammie go postal on the holiday decor.

One thing I really am enjoying is Picnik's "bunny tone" editing tool. Pretty, huh? I loved this photo of Sugarwings and my handsome husband, but it was blurry and dark. Using Picnik turned it into a keeper.

I have a feeling that when I get to fill Sugarwing's basket and hide her eggs, that my Easter Joy will return. But for right now, its a struggle to not gag when I see a china lamb.

Maybe I need some Cadbury eggs therapy. Nothing like an infusion of that elusive, annual treat to make a person appreciate Easter time!

Please pardon me for not visiting with you. I'm busy as an early bird chasing worms trying to get ready for my Birdsong art workshop coming up.

Happy birthday Dorkie babies! (and Diane too!)

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Food and Drink, holiday decor, how to's, parties

By Karla Nathan / April 12, 2011

Today is Agnes Rosebud and Button's first birthday, so I invited Beth and some friends over for a craft day and birthday cake.

The four legged guests had a very special treat- left over grilled trout covered in homemade organic yogurt. I made up "cupcakes" of fish in festive papers, then iced them in the yogurt and added a colorful pick.

(I wish I could remember who gave me the cute vintage puppy image to use- its on the hats and the cupcake picks)

Spring is finally here! I spent a giant, achy chunk of the weekend working in the yard, doing clean up and planting flowers. So, since the patio was looking spiffy, all of us sat outside on the porch to have our pitch in lunch between craft projects. (and between working on taxes- its great to have two accountant friends come by and help out when tax time rolls around!)

While it looks like I might have had a totally frivolous day, making party hats and fish cakes for dogs, we got a lot accomplished too. Taxes got filed for my son, Ryan, The Other Karla learned how to knit, Beth made book covers, Connie and Diane made cards, Shanna made an Easter Basket, and I finished a swap for Birdsong.

Plus, it was a beautiful Spring day to spend with friends, so the work didn't even feel like work, it was just plain fun.

Plus, we had a second birthday to celebrate, it was Diane's special day too. I whipped up a double duty gift for her, this tussie mussie is used as the wrap for the roses I gave to her and also works as a birthday hat.

To make it, I printed a pretty page of French text on card stock, curled it up into a cone, stapled it in place and trimmed the edges off straight. Then, I inked the opening with black ink, and punched a hole in each side to pull a ribbon through to use as a chin strap or a hanger.

After that, I added rose that I cut out in a oval shape to the front center of the cone, and pulled some pretty lace through the cone, so that it dangled out the small hole at the point. Then, I glued that into place, and wrapped the point in ribbons and lace.

Before the party went to the dogs, we had ice cream cake for the two legged guests. I experimented with making an ice cream cake, and boy, was it fast, easy and delicious!

Here's how:

In a round casserole dish, I simply layered thin slices of strawberry pound cake with Breyer's Vanilla Bean ice cream and fresh pureed strawberries.

Then, I smooshed it down into the pan, covered it, and froze it over night.

To get it out of the pan today, I sat it in a shallow bowl of hot water, till it loosened from the casserole dish, then plopped it over upside down onto a cake stand and sprayed canned whipped cream all over it and added sprinkles.

I think I might make this in lots of different ways. Think of all the goodies you could layer in ice cream and freeze. This summer, I'll keep my eyes open at garage sales to find a nice shaped mold to make these in too.

Aren't birthdays the best days?

Hello Dollies!

antiques/junking, bird song art event, celebrations, parties, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 7, 2011

On Saturday, we had a create-a-thon in the studio.

They helped me work out kinks in my upcoming class for Paper Cowgirls.

Pictured are the creations of:

Me * Suzanne * Andrea * Jenn * Heather * Lori

For my dressform, I wanted to experiment with wallpaper instead of text. It was a little harder to do (stiffer paper) but I like how it turned out. I also kept mine simple, using only things that will be given to the students in the kits.

Its very frustrating to take a class and find that the teacher's example can't be made with what she gives you, isn't it?

While I was in the grips of decopauge fever, I covered this little bird too. It was just a white bird from the craft store, and Agnes Rosebud had eaten its head half off, so I did a bit of a redo on the poor little guy.

A room full of pros is a wonderful thing when you are figuring out ideas. And with this bunch, I wasn't exactly "teaching" them, it was more like all of us working on the same thing at the same time. I just gave them a few directions and they took off.

Those ladies gave me as many ideas as I gave them. I find that is true of any artful gathering. You get as much info from your tablemates as from any instructor.

Lori showed us how to make some wax paper flowers that were recently featured in Somerset Life. See how different they all turned out too?

The flowers are in a "vase" that I bought at Bottom's Up for $10. Its just some salvage bit of part of something else, but that is one of my favorite kinds of purchases. I'll use it a lot.

Beth spent the day working on the covers for her journal swap for Bird Song, but did get to make a flower too.

She got quite a few covers done, and no two were alike.

The group not only gave me good tips for my Paper Cowgirls class, they had lots of good ideas for the seating and studio arrangement for Bird Song.

I'd kind of oversold the event and was trying to figure out how to seat everyone. Suzanne had a wonderful idea and I've already rearanged the furniture as she suggested. I did that as soon as I got back from taking them to the airport.

Since I had more requests even after the class was overstuffed, I talked to the teachers, Carol, Lisa, and Debbie, and all of them agreed to give up their seats to students. So, now, I've gone from too full, to having a couple extra spaces.

Interested? Please let me know.

Now my studio seems lonely after having such a fun bunch here. I've packed up and mailed the last batch of purchases too big to fit in my guest's suitcases, and got those in the mail. Can you guess whose box this is? Yep, Jenn Hayslip, bunny queen. She scored big time on the bunny front while here. (by the way, she has spaces available for her romantic, prairie fairy tale if you'd like to get away on an arty adventure. We'll all be there too!)

And I was thrilled that everyone shopped my studio too. It was nice of them, and I know it is never easy to randomly shop around with stuff not priced. It was sweet that they made the effort.

Treats and sweets

celebrations, Food and Drink

By Karla Nathan / April 6, 2011

Before everyone arrived last weekend, I stocked the Treat Cabinet up. And then, Lori and Andrea both brought goodies, so we were set for sweets. Aren't these petite fours from Lori so pretty? I saved one for Sugarwings and she was properly impressed.

I love having the Treat Cabinet in my studio. It makes everything look even tastier, plus its great storage. Its just a big wardrobe that I put two small tables inside, and covered with table cloths. Under the tables, I can keep extra cups, plates, refills, etc.

And above, I keep wallpaper. Delicious, delightful, wallpaper!

I plan on decorating the cabinet in a birdie theme at the end of the month for Bird Song. The room will be full to the brim, so I'm not doing centerpieces. I've got lots of birdie type things, tho, so they will go into the cabinet and on our buffet in the kitchen.

The glittered fairies should probably come down, to be replaced with birds, but I sure like them hanging there, so I don't know. My problem is always editing. I tend to have everything out at once, and show no restraint. And I know its cluttery and tacky and over the top, but man, it sure is ME. The tacky, cluttery, gaudy, glittery, fairy decorator.

What a mess.

After reading "Romantic Prairie Style" and also visiting Carol's serene home, I'm feeling even gaudier. The book inspired me to redo my bathroom, and I started painting it last night. My goal was to go all white on white.

Well, it didn't happen. I'll show you photos later this week. The project kinda morphed into gaudiness.

And I'll have project photos tomorrow.

For now I need to announce the winner of my Moulin Rouge Souvenir from my trip to LA. I forgot to tell you before, because I was having too much fun with my buddies visiting.

Ruth Flowers (what a pretty name!)

today, I'm linking to Amy Carver's "Whatever Wednesday"

Friends from far away coming to stay

antiques/junking, celebrations, Food and Drink, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / April 5, 2011

A quick note- due to some shuffling, I have extra spaces available for Bird Song. If you'd like to sign up, please contact me.

We had the best time over the weekend! What a great group of friends, I was honored that they would travel so far just to come and hang out in Kansas.

Pictured is:

* Heather * Suzanne * Lori * me * Jenn * Andrea *

On Thursday, we just hung out, chatted and got caught up on each others happenings. Then on Friday, we took off to KC to go to Bottom's Up and some other sales, then over to visit Carol. I foofed up bags for each of us, and filled them with bottled water, treats, gum, and lip gloss so we'd be set for the day's adventures.

We all piled in the borrowed van (from Sugarwing's Daddy) and then just sat there. Apparently, the key comes out of the ignition when the car is still set on "auxiliary" and I left it on all night draining the battery.

So, after unsuccessfully hunting in every nook and cranny for our jumper cables, my son, Ryan, volunteered to run to the store to pick up another set. He soon had the van jumped and running so we could hit the road.

Bottoms Up is once a month and located is the West Bottoms district in KC, MO. (someone walking by us said we looked glamorous!! Now that is something I don't hear very often about myself. And from my pigeon toed stance in this photo, I don't think I'll be hearing much in the future either)

There are several shops with monthly sales in this old warehouse area, and its pretty cool to see.

And to shop at!

Gwen of French By Design has some very drool worthy goods. The vendors range from ultra classy and elegant to fun junk. So there is something for everyone. I know we found plenty.

Did you know that Victorian Trading Co. is based in KC? After hitting Beth's booth at Mission Road Antique mall, we went next door to shop at the outlet store for this catalog shop. There are only two brick and mortar stores for this company and both are right here in Kansas City.

The clothes there are so durn gorgeous. The girls were buying some perfect outfits for Jenn's romantic event in NC this fall. I tried on quite a few, then decided that I was 10 years and 10 lbs off to fit into the dresses right. Not to mention that I am too short. But I loved looking at them and seeing what everyone else picked out.

Then, I bought a shower curtain. (photos later, I'm dying it, and repainting my bathroom to match it)

Carol had us over for dinner, and if you think her home looks like it was right out of a book, you are right. She's in Romantic Prairie Style (and oooooooohhhhh, what a pretty book!)

Carol is not only a talented photographer and decorator, she is a hostess with a huge heart.

And a good cook!

Every single detail, every where you looked, her house is perfect. Just perfect. I feel like I am in the pages of a decorating book when I am there.

So, I was really touched to see something I made for her out on display.

She served some local made honey flavored wine over dinner, and it was a good thing I was driving, or I'd have drank way too much of it. I could go Winnie the Pooh all over this honey nectar! Man, it was good.

Carol just had this fire place built in her backyard. It was a lovely evening to curl up by the fire and tell ghost stories. Even though the others didn't like ghost stories much. We quickly moved on to more fun stories and had a lot of laughs. If you've ever spent an evening with Carol, you know there will be lots of laughter.

Here is the back of her home, near the fireplace.

This is the tree that Carol is teaching for Bird Song. Pretty, huh?

I'll have more photos later of our studio day. After that day with all the creative types in my studio, I am even more pumped about Bird Song. I can't wait to fill the room back up with arty friends and see them in action!