celebrations – Page 29 – Karla's Cottage

Merriest of Christmases to you!

By Karla Nathan / December 25, 2009

We've had a lovely day here for Christmas Eve, despite the fierce blizzard outdoors. Due to the snow, I didn't get out today to finish my shopping, but honestly, the few items weren't missed. We all had each other, and after losing Sugarwing's other grandmother this week, that is even more important.

We've stayed warm and enjoyed each other's company with a day of good food. (vegetarian gravy and biscuits for breakfast and Pad Thai for dinner) The food was especially wonderful today, since I didn't have to cook! My son and his girlfriend took care of all the meals today. I'm fixing a big meal for dinner tomorrow and we have a large group of family and friends coming (if the blizzard lets up!) so I was happy to have today off.

We're not sure how many are coming Christmas Day. I'll fix a Honey Baked ham, chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, corn (frozen fresh from last summer's farmer's market) green bean casserole, and others will bring side dishes too.

So, tomorrow's meal will be very traditional.

Due to the weather, Sugarwing's hippy chick mommy couldn't make it to Kansas City today to see family, so we picked her up in the 4 wheel drive and have her here with us to stay over night. We'll brave the bad roads tomorrow to get her and Sugarwings to be with the loved ones they missed seeing tonight, but for now, I am greedily enjoying having a full house and my girls being here with me.

Although, I've not spent the whole day with everyone, I've been at the computer off and on scanning photos of Nanny's life and editing them for a slide show to play at the memorial service. Its a relief to have something to do to help.

We didn't know we'd have Sugarwings and her mommy in the morning, so we creatively had Santa come during her nap today. But at three years old, I doubt if she'll be wondering why there is nothing under the tree in the morning. She's had her fill of gifts today! And when they both get to Kansas City after the storm lets up, I think there will probably be a few pressies waiting for her there too.

Its been an odd, and unconventional holiday so far. But a loving one. I hope yours is warm and cozy and full of love too!

Christmas Eve

celebrations, holiday decor, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / December 24, 2009

We are certainly having a white Christmas here! An ice storm is brewing, and lots of snow is expected over that. The house is rattling and shaking with the storm, but we are warm an snug inside with the fire blazing and the oven filled with pies baking.

Janice has found a home, we had quite a few calls from my Craigslist ad. Someone who lost an elderly pet just this week wanted a cuddle bug of an older dog to try to fill the void for them.

Pixie Pie and Sugarwings have been a big help in the kitchen getting ready for Christmas. We've still not told our Fairy Baby about the loss of her Nanny. The service will be on Monday, so we are letting her have a happy holiday for now, since plenty of sadness will be coming her way after the weekend.

Thank you all for your thoughtful messages, and I will pass along all the hugs you offered.

Zipping around

celebrations, fairies, family, holiday decor, Moving to DC, paintings

By Karla Nathan / December 21, 2009

This guy has been zipping around our house all afternoon, racing from one wall into another, never giving up and never slowing down. That's kind of how I've felt this week getting ready for Christmas! Not only did I have the regular, shopping, wrapping, baking, etc, we had the added pleasures of unpacking a 14 foot U-Haul trailer.

My husband gave up his apartment in Virginia, he will still office there, but will hopefully be home more, and only have hotel rooms a few days a month out that way. So, we had to make space for all the things he brought back home. Just as I was enjoying my pretty holiday decorations and thinking how peaceful and nice it all looked, he brought in boxes and bags and 2 extra TVs and extra mattresses and who all knows what.

So much for tranquil and pretty!

He works for a golf course company, and every year I paint a Christmas card for him to send out. In between unloading boxes, and wrapping gifts, I whipped up this little snowman and elf for him to use this season.

While I had my paints out, I painted this long sleeve tee shirt for Pixie Pie. I hope to paint a matching one for her cousin and buddy, Sugarwings.

The cartoon of the two of them together tickled me so much, I repainted it onto an ornament to mail to their great grandma.

Then, I painted on of Sugarwings alone for her special ball for 2009.

This is the one that I made for myself. I have a fondness for little pink putz houses and wanted one that felt like those.

For my brother Randy and his husband, Kevin, I painted their 3 dogs playing in the snow.

Max got a tree frog.

Addie's is a princess kitten.

It was nice to sit down and paint for a couple of hours while I watched the Survivor finale. There hasn't been a lot of sitting around lately! Today I shipped packages to family far away, and tonight, Sugarwings and I are making candy. Tomorrow is a big party, a craft day with friends, so after candy making, I need to clean the studio.

I'd better be racing off and get busy!

Over the top? Of course!

celebrations, collections, holiday decor, paintings

By Karla Nathan / December 19, 2009

Can you believe that Christmas is less than a week away???? I am loving my white lights and decorations so much, I'm already sad thinking about having to take them all down. Next year, I am getting my glitz on earlier, so I can enjoy it for longer!

I went with a much smaller tree this year, a little silver one that I think might be just the right size. It sets on a table top and below that, I've set a display of little trees and a bird cage full of lights.

For a tree skirt, I used the table cloth that I got from my Great Aunt Caroline's home. Her mom, my great grandmother, made it with squares cut from a WW1 silk parachute and hand crocheted squares.

The silver tree has so much sparkle to it, that I know I will never do a green one again! I've loved the white tree that I used in the past, but this one is even better. And since it is so small, I can overload it like crazy!

The table it sits on is in front of a mirror, so that the back of the tree shows. I used plenty of decorations on that side too. Which saved me from a problem I have had in the past, a front heavy tree from so many things loaded only where they can be seen on the front side! One year, the big old tree came crashing down because of that! I have always had to tie my tree to the curtain rod with fishing line so that never happened again.

That won't be a problem this year, since the tree is so balanced! The mirror idea worked out so well, that next year, I will hang an even bigger mirror behind the tree. Or maybe a wall filled with mirrors?

My ornaments are a little of everything. Lots of clear glass balls, vintage gold and silver balls, hand made things, bits and pieces of jewelry, keys, and sentimental things from the past. I have birds on the tree that were mine when I was a kid, and also a couple boxes of Martha Stewart clip on gold and silver birds that look old, but are actually from KMart, two years ago.

The little lamp shades are from a friend's shop. They clip right onto a light bulb.

There are boxes of ornaments that didn't get unpacked this year, my precious hand painted ones for each family member are still packed away. I will add to the collection again, I paint and date one for all of us every Christmas. But this year, I thought maybe Sugarwings was still a bit grabby and was worried about breakage. But she has not bothered the silver tree one single time, since she has her very own little pink tree to work on to her heart's content.

If you would like to make some of the sheet music stars, I have a how-to from last year HERE.

By having neutral furniture and walls, I can change the room to any color scheme by switching out curtains, pillows and accessories. For the holidays, I went with all white. But there is a big splash of color in the painting that I brought in.

For my antique sales in the past, I had cut an 8'x4' sheet of ply wood into an arch shape and painted a winter mural on it. I used to sell vintage ornaments off of hooks that I put onto the painted tree. But for now, I thought I'd haul it into the living room for the season.

Yes, its over the top. But that's kind of what I like about it!

PS- the Somerset Life issue that I showed you in my last post won't be out until January.
This copy is an advance one. I still haven't had a chance to look at it, and I can hear it calling my name to relax and sip eggnog by the fire and read it….

New neighbors and starchy snowflakes

Books, celebrations, collections, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), holiday decor, magazine pictures or articles

By Karla Nathan / December 17, 2009

What a nice surprise yesterday when I started getting emails congratulating me on my article in Somerset Life! I've been so busy with Sugarwings while her Daddy and my husband were out of town, that I hadn't even got the mail in yet. So when I heard that this was out, I had to trot down to the end of the drive and take a peek in the mailbox. Yep, it was here! Now, I just need some time to curl up by the fire and read through it….

Looks like its a interesting issue, and I've glimpsed through and saw lots of friends in it too, so can't wait to have a good look!

What's keeping me so busy? Well, things like this. While Sugarwings is a school today, I dug out this book that was my sons' favorite when they were little. I'm going to surprise her after school with this sleepy bear in her dolly bed and a few Christmas bears in her doll house.

Years ago, we'd buy a new bear to add to the collection every year. But since my boys have grown up, I kind of stopped getting the bears out. My Christmas palette has changed to pastels, gold, and silver. But with the fairy grand baby 3 now and loving all things Christmas, I think she'll be very excited to see all these furry guys in red and green waiting in her doll house after school today.

My own house has more of a snowy color theme this year. I'm glad the cheery and bright bears are finding a home in Sugarwing's room. I've missed them, and will be happy to see them out and about this year celebrating the season with us.

While the guys have been gone and its just been girl's week around here, (actually, its only on the 3rd day, but it kind of feels like a week. Three year olds need a whole family to help with them, not just one, poor, old, Grammy by herself!!) we've gone to see Princess and the Frog (GREAT!!) and made 6 batches of fudge, plus some glittered snow flakes.

This was an easy project for the two of us. We dipped these hand crocheted circles (made by my Great Aunt Caroline) into starch. Sugarwings dumped most of a bottle We sprinkled glitter into the bowl of starch before dipping the snow flakes in it, and then flattened them out onto a cookie sheet. Now that they have dried over night, I tied ribbons to them to hang some on the tree. The glitter looks better in person, than it does in the photos.

While she has been in school, I've tried to add to the shop, but really haven't got much done. I've got two sets of these place setting markers. You can write the names on with dry erase markers, or with crayons like I did here. I can also see them used in craft projects. Pretty, huh?

I've also made some attempts to do my own Christmas shopping, but all I seem to buy are clothes for you know who. My current obsession is that Gap commercial with all the little girls chanting "I love my comfy sweater, how cute are these boots?" and I just keep finding colorful, comfy, cute clothes for Sugarwings instead of shopping for the stuff I should be buying!

That Gap commercial just sticks in my head…

Hey, don't forget that Amy Barickman has given me this book PLUS a $25 gift certificate to download images at Vintage Workshop as a prize for my December giveaway. I'm also including a two sweet hankies to use when you make a project from the Hankie Style book.

Candy for breakfast

celebrations, family, Food and Drink, holiday decor, Sugarwings, wallpaper

By Karla Nathan / December 15, 2009

Over the weekend, we took Sugarwings to have breakfast with Santa. Our normally exuberant pixie was a bit subdued and couldn't take her eyes off the old guy while she was participating in the craft projects offered for all the kids. We thought that maybe, she was trying so hard to be good that she almost forgot to have fun.

She was distracted and quiet till she got her turn going to sit on his lap.

Her request from him? A candy cane. Come to find out, the stares all morning had been for the candy that the kids were getting from Santa, not Santa himself. All she could think about was getting her hands on a big hunk of sweetness, knowing that candy before breakfast was a big deal and she didn't really trust that she was going to get any until it was gripped tightly in her fist!

As soon as her candy cane was safely in her tiny little hands, she was all smiles, hugs, and happiness. Back to her normal, over the top with excitement, self.

I know just how she feels, I'm usually pretty obsessed with holiday fudge!

Also, when I've stepped into a flea market that looks especially great, I need to concentrate on getting to my favorite things before I can relax and have fun.

I always have to do a quick double check for millinery or wallpaper if it looks possible that I'll find some!

Which is why I am so happy to see that so many of you love old wallpaper as much as I do. Man, that last batch in the Boutique went FAST! Today, I made up 3 packs of what I already had cut, each is different, not multiples like I listed the other day, but the same papers.

I might get more cut soon, but still have gifts to wrap, (and buy!) presents to make, and all that other holiday fun to enjoy. So, this might be it for a bit.

The Grumpy Fairy books are restocked in the Boutique, so there are plenty of those and time to order one before Christmas if you are still doing your holiday shopping too. Thanks again for for coming to my shop for the holidays! I'm still sending a vintage greeting card with each purchase as a thank you.

Now, I'm off to get my little fairy grand baby so we can see the new Princess and the Frog movie together. We've been waiting very impatiently for that to come out!

Just heavenly

celebrations, family, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, wallpaper

By Karla Nathan / December 14, 2009

My email is fixed!! Weird thing, it was the clock on my computer some how set incorrectly that was messing up my messages. Apparently, some computers thought I was some robot from the future trying to contact them and wouldn't allow my messages to go through. I finally just picked up the phone and called AT&T, and the nice guy there fixed it in a flash.

What a relief. I was having a heck of a time contacting anyone. Some of you had asked me to let you know when I listed more Heavenly Wallpaper. Hopefully, those emails made it through.

I've only listed a very few packets, but HOPE to gather up some more this week.

Before heading out the door to do some Christmas shopping (I'm getting a very late start this year!) I took some photos of wallpaper to list tomorrow when I have more time. This certainly is a hectic time of year, just too much fun going on. Last night, we went to a birthday party and Sugarwings got to play with her cousin, Pixie Pie. This blurry photo pretty much represents the whole evening, those girls were in constant motion, and no photos of them turned out!

Here they are jumping on the bed in Pixie Pie's cute room at her grandparent's home.

She has the best vintage pictures on the wall of her pastel room. Feel free to download and print them for your own projects, they are adorable!

See what I mean? How sweet!

This is my favorite. I'm going to go to the Art Center today and sign Sugarwings up for Ballet class. So, I'll print this one to make the tag for her present that will go under the tree, her very first ballet slippers!!! I'm so excited. Little girls are such fun to have around!!

Jumping with JOY about the new curtains!

celebrations, magazine pictures or articles, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / December 7, 2009

I love these curtains!

Right now, they are just draped over the tension rod, but I think they deserve better than that. I've got some better ideas for hanging them, later when I get time.

Today was spent decking the halls, I still haven't unpacked from Miss Frenchie's sale. There are more photos from that event to show but I just had to post about my dream curtains first!

When Carol and I did an article for Romantic Country, she brought similar curtains for us to use to style the photos. I fell head over heels in love with them, and since then have been looking for some of my own.

Here is one of Carol's curtains, that we draped over a garden chair. This is the back of the chair, tied up with flowers and a vintage bag.

At the time, I didn't know that these panels were called "French netting" but I knew I wanted some.

I'm thrilled to get a set for my kitchen, plus one extra panel that went into the bedroom.

Right now, I am surrounded by boxes of Christmas pretties and am trying to get my home all decorated for the holidays before some buddies come over tomorrow for a holiday/birthday brunch. I'd have been ready, but had a little side track this afternoon, Sugarwings dropped by and wanted to help with the decorating project. She's cute, but her home decor skills need work.

So, I've gotten a bit behind. Oh well, it will get done. Whats up is up, what isn't will get shoved back into the closet to set up later.

I almost missed book club tonight to stay home and finish my hall decking after Sugarwings left with her Daddy. But then, I realized how silly that was! My home is about my happiness, and shouldn't be about slaving away to make it perfect! The friends coming over tomorrow will enjoy their breakfast just fine with only one Christmas tree decorated. I have a feeling that they won't even know the difference.

So, I went to book club, had a fun evening, laughing with friends and sipping wine and now will make up some fruit salad and an egg casserole for the morning. Then, I'll see what decorating I can finish up, and like I said, the rest of the opened boxes of decorations gets slid right back into the closet. If I don't have a chance to get any more done, then so what? I had a beautiful time with Sugarwings, and such fun at book club.

Those are the memories I'll keep, not the ones about how great my tablescape looked this year.

Hey, I'm not saying that pretty doesn't matter. It matters a LOT to me. And its worth the extra time to make things nice. But- not worth stressing out about or missing out on other fun times. So, I'll pretty up and do it with joy. When it becomes work instead of fun, that is when I know I need to step back and take a break.

Two of my favorite words at the holiday are Joy and Merry. Words to live by!

I made this banner from vintage album mats, bits of lace hand chrocheted by my Great Aunt Caroline, and French alphabet cards (although, what does it matter if they are French, if they are only a letter, not a word?? Who knows??)

The rhinestone baubles I added reminded me of the letters on each card. What do you think? In the close ups, can you see the shapes of the letters in the jeweled pieces?

OK, I'm off to make fruit salad for brunch.

Cold toes, warm heart

antiques/junking, celebrations, holiday decor, Miss Frenchie's

By Karla Nathan / December 6, 2009

What an event! Miss Frenchie's was once again, a beautiful place to be! The barn was magically transformed into a winter wonderland of treasures.

Sadly, our friend, Elizabeth wasn't able to set up for the sale, but she did drive in from St. Louis to visit and shop. Her over the top, brilliant displays were missed, but we were glad to see her. Willow's Nest stepped in to fill the barn annex where Elizabeth was before, and I have to tell you, they were amazing. My chair was situated so that I had a view of their wares and GORGEOUS set up the whole weekend, and it was all I could do to stay in my own booth. I felt drawn back to their space to wander around and drool on things.

I certainly hope that for our next Miss Frenchie's event, we get both Elizabeth and Willow's Nest! Wouldn't that be something magnificent???

Why, oh why, did I not buy one of Linda's sweet vintage coin purses with a millinery rose tucked in, so I could hang it on my own tree?? She only had a few of them and they were really reasonable ($10). I'd be kicking myself if my feet weren't still so cold. I'm afraid a toe would snap off if I tried to kick anything.

Once my feet get cold, they just don't warm up, no matter what I do. I slipped my gloves onto them, and borrowed a rug from the entry way to keep off the cold cement, but did not dip them into my hot coffee like I really wanted to.

Debbie, of Curious Sofa, was serving delicious soup that warmed me up from the inside out, that helped. And we were so busy, that most of the time I forgot how cold my toes were.

Carol, of Raised in Cotton, was my near neighbor and her spot was a joy to the eyes too. Plus, she is always ready for a laugh or a story. Its always fun to be near Carol.

Near us was Angela, of Angel Court, who brought sparkly beauties that matched her outgoing, and sparkling personality.

Linda, of Willow's Nest, is an astounding individual with a sense of style like no one else. Even when dressed like a Snow Queen, she has a warm personality that draws you near. And a wealth of information about antique shows!

I really enjoyed being her neighbor for the day and seeing her creations. She was a Silver Bella vendor too, but I didn't get a chance to talk to her then, so was really glad to be set up near her for this show.

Another new friend from this show, was Joyce. I've bought things from her at my favorite antique mall in the world, Rusty Chandelier, but had never met her before.

And yes, she sold me the curtains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've already hung them up, it was the first thing I did when I got home last night. I still had my coat on, and was climbing up on a chair to play with the fabulous, old, French netting before I even said hello to Twinkle. I'll have photos of my new kitchen look soon.

Beth was my next door neighbor on the other side, but the way our booths were set up, we really didn't get much of a chance to hang out. We'll have to schedule a craft day for some catch up time.

Her booth was a hit, she not only makes cool stuff, she searches out and finds the coolest, old things imaginable by attending every single auction and estate sale that she can find in the greater Kansas City area. Then she marks it up about 2 or 3 cents over what she paid for it and people swarm in to buy it!

(she's a brilliant accountant, so I'm sure she is making a profit somehow, but man, her prices are so good, it doesn't seem like she could be!)

Here is another view I had from my spot. Barbara Farmer's rich colored, sequin fruit was a splash of vibrancy that kept drawing my eye all day.

And what on Earth is wrong with me, that I didn't snap up one of Lesa Daily's birds???????

She makes the most magical creations. As soon as my feet warm up, I'll need to give myself a kick for missing those too.

Here is a bit of French by Design's goodies brought back from their European sprees. I don't think I can show you my booth today, after all these exquisite treasures.

Mine are all from rural Kansas garage sales, not world class antiques….

Have I mentioned how LUCKY I am to be a part of such a great show? Its not just the event itself (which is quite wonderful, beautiful, and lucrative!!), its the atmosphere of being around such talented and giving women that make the weekend so special for me.

No matter how cold my toes are.

Being Thankful

celebrations, family, Food and Drink

By Karla Nathan / November 25, 2009

Today, Sugarwings and I spent a few hours in the kitchen, working on getting goodies made up to fill the treat cabinet for our guests.

We made 2 pumpkin pies, a pumpkin cheesecake, brownies, pecan cheesecake, fudge, and pralines.

This recipe, torn from a 1933 magazine has been on my desk taunting me for weeks. I don't typically make food from recipes, I make up my own, but this, well, this one looked special. Plus, I loved the idea of recreating something from 70 some years ago.

Also, my favorite candy store in the world, Savannah Sweets in St. Augustine, FL has pralines that look just like these and I adore those yummy, rich, pecan treats!

Not owning a candy thermometer didn't stop me. I like doing the "soft ball" test. I kept a glass of ice water by the stove to check for the right temp. But honestly, if you've ever made fudge from scratch, this is similar and you can about tell by looking at the bubbling goo to see if it is ready to remove from the stove or not.

One thing I changed from the original recipe was to add Belguin chocolate chips.

Another change was to use this silicon pan instead of buttered aluminum foil or wax paper. I got this one at Target for $9 and use it like crazy. Nothing sticks, and all the desserts or muffins look so pretty when they come out.

See? Nice little squares. I dropped the brown sugar mixture over the chocolate chips and pecans that were waiting in the sprayed pan, and pushed it all down into the squares. The recipe said it only made 9 servings, but using mine ended up filling two of these pans. I used more nuts, broken up instead of 3 big ones per piece of candy.

And I'm glad I added the chocolate. Wow, these are good!!!

I hope you all have a sweet holiday, with plenty to be thankful for.

I know what I am thankful for. I'm extremely lucky that my life has turned out the way it is, with healthy, happy sons, a husband who makes me laugh, and Sugarwings to snuggle with.

Life wasn't always this good, we've seen some major bad times.

I've broken my back and didn't know if I'd ever over come chronic pain. I've lost both parents in recent years, and I thought I'd lost my son to addiction. My husband and I have lost jobs, beloved dogs, and savings accounts, but have never lost each other.

Yep, I'm VERY grateful.

Plus, I got my studio clean and am ready for guests!!!

I'm really thankful that is behind me. I'll leave you with a few pictures of the cleanup and of the dinner table. I used white bottle brush trees down the center of the table along with all the other things I am taking to sell at Miss Frenchie's next week. After the holiday, I'll just stick price tags on it all, pack it up and I'm ready to go.