collections – Page 6 – Karla's Cottage

A mini office redo for a mini office

By Karla Nathan / January 24, 2010

Wallpaper packs are ready!! Man, it feels like such an accomplishment for me, because that job drug on all week.

But, its not like I was slaving away for 12 hours a day getting them done… Its such a boring job that I came up with all sorts of little excuses to do something else and not finish.

Trying to get through that stack of paper was like reading a book that wasn't exactly a page turner, but still plugging away with it. When I am reading a so-so book, I can take forever to get to the end, and don't want to start another book till that one is done. So, I'll pick up a magazine, read blogs, or watch TV to procrastinate going back to that book. I don't know why I won't give up on a book like that and start another… I'm a finisher, I guess.

So, while piles of cut and to-be-cut wallpaper filled up my studio, I felt too guilty to do any artwork out there. I was saving a fun creative job as my reward for finishing. But, I did let myself get side tracked by cleaning out Sugarwing's art supply cabinet, and redoing my office area a bit.

Since cleaning isn't all that fun either, it didn't feel like cheating. I must really hate to chop wallpaper, if I'd rather redo all my office drawers and sort paper work. But at least I didn't get so desperate that I worked on taxes!! That little treat is still waiting for me.

My office is a section of my studio, walled off by room dividers I've put together with vintage doors, and a mini gazebo creation thing made of porch posts, two by fours, and iron brackets. Yesterday, while Sugarwings played with her doll house (of course there is a doll house by the computer!), my son, helped me switch out desks and rearrange all the wires so they weren't as obnoxious.

The area feels much more functional, this desk is just a tad bit more comfy than the previous one.

And doing it was a welcome break from cutting and ironing…

The cabinets in the office are all filled with shipping supplies and things listed to sell in the shop. The area could probably be prettied up with better storage (yes that is a Walmart bag on the shelf), but it is a working area, and everything is usually buried under papers and packages anyway.

(the rug is a floor mat that I painted on vinyl floor covering)

The wallpaper couldn't be avoided forever though. And I got a good jump on it today, all packs are made up and photos are done on quite a few. Some are actually for sale now! The Boutique at Karla's Cottage is well stocked for now, and if I can bolster the courage to add more, I have a few more stacks to list there.

Thank you, for all your requests for pretty papers. Its so wonderful to work with, I'm glad to know that lots of you guys love it too. I am so looking forward to sitting down to my worktable and cutting and gluing a bunch of it into something! Tuesday is craft day, with some friends coming over, so I plan on delving into a big pile of scraps then as my reward for chopping and ironing all week.

While I was avoiding my chores, I also spent some time playing online. Do you RMS?

Rate My Space is a site by HGTV where you upload photos of your home and people either say mean things or compliments about it. And rate your rooms. I show my home on my blog all the time, but people who read my blog, usually "get" my style and like the look. On RMS, you never know who is looking or what they'll say.

Its kind of fun. You can rate my kitchen here if you&
#39;d like. Then, have some fun looking through. The pictures run the gamut of people asking for advice, to magazine worthy rooms. Its a great way to kill time while trying to avoid work!

And for more fun while avoiding work:

Jen over at Sanctuary Arts is having a redo party, and I have linked this post to hers. Check out the other links there for some good ideas about prettying up your home.

Feathered Friends and a forgotton giveaway

collections, give away, redos, Sugarwings, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage

By Karla Nathan / January 19, 2010

Beth and I finally got together today, we've been trying since Christmas Day! She and her husband were supposed to have Christmas dinner with us, but got snowed in. Between bad weather, and many other little issues, we hadn't had a chance to hang out since.

Today, she was able to come here and we worked away in the studio making things and talking for what seemed like a few minutes, but was really hours. When she left, I begged her to come back tomorrow, it was so nice to have a day to relax, chat, and catch up while creating things.

We also exchanged gifts, a few weeks late. Here is what she brought me. I hated to open it, the wrapping was so flowery and gorgeous, but was glad I did! I got a sharp, pink kitchen knife and cutting board (everyone HATES my kitchen utensil situation when they come over, and I really needed this upgrade), as well as a stack of especially pretty post cards and a floral box.

I'd made her a Christmas tree (yes, kind of late to enjoy that one!!) and placed it into a lidded glass jar that I decorated with her initial. I figured she could pack away the tree and use the jar in her studio for supplies. I also gave her a coffee travel mug that I fixed up, but forgot to take a picture of. I did a similar one for myself, so I'll show that with some how to's another day.

For me, today was birdie day. I had some red birds, that were a nice, vintage cotton fiber, but honestly, I just am not a red person. So, I thought I'd try painting them. I used a combination of acrylic paint, then crackle paint, then glitter and was pretty happy with the results.

These two are in love.

They are all love birds now, instead of cardinals. Some have already been used in projects and will be lovely Valentine displays, that can carry on into Spring time since there are no hearts or other blatant signs of Valentine's – just a feeling of it.

Others are individual birds that are ready for you to use in your own projects, or to simply enjoy as is.

If you'd like one, they are listed in my Boutique.

I've got big plans brewing for beefing the Boutique back up, its a bit emptied out after the holidays.

I've already listed a few packs of Heavenly Wallpapers (sorry, they are already sold!) but am still chopping and will be adding more soon as I get all the slicing and dicing done.

There will be an announcement when they are ready to sell. I've got 11 x 14 and 8 x 10 in about 15 styles so far, but want to cut more up and get a full restock done. Since I've got over 200 rolls of wallpaper, I can't cut them all without spending a lifetime doing nothing else, but I at least want a BIG assortment ready to share with you. I hope to have at least 25- 30 patterns cut and ironed and photographed by the end of the week.

There will be some new millinery packs coming too.

Its a lot of work to pluck the blooms, but at least I have a helper!

I forgot all about the January Giveaway!! How about a bird? I made an army of them today, the ones pictured here are just a few. If you'd like a foofed and glittered bird, please leave a comment on any post, all month.

Inspirations

antiques/junking, Chandeliers, collections

By Karla Nathan / January 14, 2010

When I finally escaped from being trapped at home by the cold spell, I got really lucky on my shopping trips. I'm always looking for millinery flowers, and my hat whispering skills were in fine form this week. Not only did I find old hats, look at this sweet little parasol purse that I found!

Too bad I can't go to Jenn's event in April, it would be the perfect purse to carry there.

And did I mention the hats??? FOURTEEN hats this week, all flowery and vintagey, some nice and velvety.

There were bargains out there waiting for me, the prices ranged from $1- $17, and some are just loaded to the brim (pun) with flowers. I'll be making up some pink, red, and white packs for Valentine's Day. Unless of course, I am too late. I might have missed out on getting supplies to you for Valentine's. I feel like I am never quite caught up… so much that I want to do, no time to do it.

While I was in Kansas City, my pal, Carol, gave me a sneak peek of her farm house, dream house. It was hard to be happy for her, when I was turning so green with envy that I was about to froth at the mouth.

Her new home will be amazing. It already is, but when she adds her special Spinski touches, it will be amazing-er.

And I had mentioned going to Curious Sofa to look for rugs, here is a picture of Debbie's stunning decor. See why I felt like I needed to de-flower my kitchen? Hanging around with Carol and Debbie has made me bump up my style to a more sophisticated palette. These two ladies were certainly an inspiration for my kitchen redo.

Beth too. She has that sepia thing going on too.

This chandelier is in her booth. Notice the NFS tag??? Durn. I'm wanting it.

The whole drive into KC yesterday, was a wet and muddy one from melting snow. But everywhere I went, there were rainbows! (Yes, I was driving and taking photos at the same time, but hey, I was not about to pass up a rainbow photo op!)

On my way to the antique mall, I came across this. Notice the "Income TAX" sign? This place inspires trust, doesn't it? Makes you want to bring your shoe box full of receipts right in and dump it on the plywood desk.

Extreme Cabin Fever and MORE Zero Dollar Decorating

antiques/junking, collections, fairies, housework, how to's, paintings

By Karla Nathan / January 7, 2010

The weather just keeps getting worse. Luckily, I escaped for an afternoon on Tuesday to go see my pal Carol, of Raised in Cotton. If I hadn't gotten a little break from being housebound, I'd be bouncing off the walls instead of just repainting them!

Its colder and there has been more snow, so even though it was cold on Tuesday, it was the best day to get out. I couldn't go anywhere today no matter how much I might want to. So, I've been working away on my Zero Dollar Decorating to stay sane. I touched up all the paint on the dining room walls, and repainted the base boards with a quick brush of glossy white.

Then, I brightened the room up with a wall of mirrors that I shopped for from the bedroom and studio. The picture in the glorious gold frame went into the bedroom to replace the large mirror.

Next, I tackled the corner cabinet in the kitchen. It had been painted pink inside like the other cabinets that I redid earlier. Plus, I hadn't rearranged anything in it for years. It looked pretty cute when I set it up, ages ago, but over time, it got cluttery and too much as I'd stick treasures in here and there after hitting garage sales.

My kitchen is getting a de-rose-ing. I told Beth I was deflowering it and she said that maybe that wasn't the best term to use.

I still LOVE roses and all my little pretties, so this is more of a shuffle, some went to the dining room, and some to the studio, and some will be listed to sell in the Boutique, if I ever get back to work.

This weather has affected me mentally. I seem to be in some weird limbo, waiting for my real life to get back on track. Extreme cold weather always sets me off like that. Its an odd sort of cabin fever, I start hating staring at the same walls and want to change them and everything inside them. Combine that with the post Christmas let down, and weeks of these horrid temperatures, instead of just days of it, like we are used to in Kansas, and I have gone berserk from it!

(Or berserker,if you are a Kevin Smith fan)

Sorry, didn't mean to run on with my weather complaints. Back to the photos….

Here is the after.

It is still nice and rosy, but is toned down and cleaned up. The sides are covered in the tone on tone silk wallpaper that I had in my stash. Funny, it is the first vintage wallpaper I have ever bought, and I got it 20 years ago to cover the walls of my dining room and never used it. I'd stuck it away in the closet and found it a couple years ago when I realized that old wallpaper was a wonderful art supply. And now, here it is, used on my home after all.

I like to mix my china cabinet shelves up a bit and display more than just china. A framed old print (that I tried to sale at Miss Frenchies and Silverbella, but no one wanted! I'm glad now- sometimes I think that my home is full of nothing but things that I bought to sell and got stuck with), an old Haeger pot filled with silverware, ready to set out for a buffet, a collage I did at Silver Bella, and of course, some fairies and birdies.

For me, fairies and flowers in with the dishes makes for a much more interesting look.

The wallpaper is stapled up, instead of glued. Because I know that I am fickle. It doesn't look perfect, but with so much in the cabinet, who can tell?

Its just background. A nice, neutral, but pretty background!

The plates in the back corner are on a stair shaped stand, which is just what I need for my love of layering. I also like to hang things on the cabinet walls, pictures, cherubs, plates, etc.

Adding cake stands helps with layering too. I try for a variety of heights, and make lots of groupings instead of just lining up a matching set of plates. When my mom died, my sister got her set of Wild Rose dishes, and instead of keeping it for herself, she broke up the set and gave each of us a place setting. Mine is on this shelf, with a lot of other pale pink rosey dishes.

I went for an over all sense of "white", even though other colors were used as accents.

The lamp on that shelf was a quick project. I got it for 50% off of $5 at one of my favorite antiquing joints a while back and it was out in my studio waiting to see what it would become. Well, it didn't take much to transform it. In under 5 minutes, it had a whole new look.

1- switched the shade to an older one that I'd picked up at a garage sale a few years back.

2- pinned a rhinestone brooch to the shade

3- cut a page from a vintage French text book to fit the body of the lamp

4- drizzled glue on the book page, then rolled it around the lamp and burnished it down with my fingers

I really doubt that it took more than 2 or 3 minutes to do.

After the corner cabinet, I tacked the cabinet tops. Over the years, I'd collected tea pots, and over the years, as my tastes have changed, I edited the collection. My last redo had mostly rose patterned tea pots lined up on the cabinets. This time, I got rid of most of them, except a few plain white ones (I guess you can't see them in this photo, they are at the other end). I wanted to go very neutral and have much less up above. Now you can see the vines I'd painted on the wall years ago. I'd had so much crap up there, those were hidden.

They were also hidden by filth. Ugh, it was NASTY up there. All pottery got popped into the dishwasher, and I tried to clean the walls, and ceiling (yes, I told you I was going stir crazy with cabin fever- I WAS WASHING CEILINGS!!) but the greasy, dusty coating that was on everything was too awful to come off with my environmentally safe Windex. I had to use elbow grease and baking soda with a pot scrubber. And we are not people who fry much of anything. Where does all that grease come from???

That grease was another reason to put much, much less junk up there!

In this photo you can see a couple of the white pots that made the cut. I redid the narrow shelves between the cabinets too. I'd had decorated bottles, rosy shakers, and green depression glass there before.

Well, I could run on and on and on, telling you about my shuffling and reshuffling. I've been at it nonstop. You know how you take something from one room to another, then you have to redo to cover the hole that you made when you first moved that piece? Yep, that is the vortex that I have fallen into.

I switched the dining room picture with the mirror from the bedroom, and then had to dig around and find a different bedspread that matched better in there. Lots of those kinds of problems came up. But I am getting a new look with the same old stuff from other rooms, closets, or out in the studio, and keeping myself semi-safe from the ravages of cabin fever.

And I am getting lots of little problems solved. Like this ceiling tin that was covering the bad patch job. It has new screws, is up tightly, and now I've got it faux finished to match the ceiling.

At this rate, my New Years's resolution for 2010 will be completed before January is even over. And not in the typical way, where you give up. I'll run out of things to fix or redo around the house!!

There is more I want to do while I am trapped here in the house, but I think I am at the end of what I can do with with I have, and keep it Zero Dollar. I need a gallon of paint and some hardware before I go any further, and both cars and all three trucks are stuck in the driveway.

But today, I have Sugarwings. We've been climbing up and down the ladder that is in the kitchen and sitting in the dark closet playing with flashlights.

Now, its time to go and bake muffins, so I'd better run.

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.

Do you want a copy of Hankie Style by Amy?

antiques/junking, Books, collections, give away, Miss Frenchie's, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / December 1, 2009

Time for a winner! This bundle of vintage trims, wrapped up in an embroidered doily, and topped with a millinery rose goes to:

SUZY

Which is really cool, because she is a sewer! I'm sure she'll whip up something wonderful with the old lace.

Notice the sweet little white tree I tied onto the ribbon? I just love those. I bleached, dyed, and glittered a bunch of them to sell, but have kept them all to tie onto packages this holiday.

Wrapping up packages in special ways probably has become my main hobby now. I have such fun digging through my goodies to make the things I send out look nice.

This tag goes to a friend, and it was made with little scraps of my Heavenly Papers.

Personally, I prefer using bits and pieces of old papers instead of cutting into a big piece if I am doing a small project. Plus, its all so dear to me that I can't waste an inch of prettiness!!!

So, I wrapped up the trimmings from my wallpaper cutting this week and listed 3 bags full in the boutique.

I HOPE, that I will have time to list more larger pieces, man those went fast!! Thanks again, its good to see that my obsession is shared by so many of you. After Miss Frenchie's I'll try to wrap some more up for the shop, I appreciate all your inquiries.

Packing is going slow for Miss Frenchie's. I might be doing a last minute crunch to be ready. Not my style at all!! I like to be ready a week early so I can relax. But this time, life got in the way.

We had a couple of bonus Sugarwings days (always worth postponing work for!)and Saturday the weather was so beautiful, Sugarwings, my husband, and I just had to clean out the garage and pick up the garden a bit. We had a big bonfire going as I ruthlessly pitched stuff, burning lots of useless crap. What a good feeling, to have an uncluttered garage.

But not such a good feeling today. I only have half a tub ready to take!

Believe it or not, I am ready for the new giveaway and it is only the first day of the month. Usually I have to ponder on the piles I have accumulated to see what I want to put up for the drawing. But this time, a friend offered her newest book.

Its written by a local Kansas City gal,

Amy Barickman

who runs Indygo Junction and Vintage Workshop, and is full of great ideas and style. Just another reason why I'm proud to be in the KC area! Its great to have such talented women around- Amy, Carol, and Debbie, are just a few of the locals whose sense of vintage style I admire.

Amy is also generously giving the winner a $25 gift certificate for vintage image downloads!! Yahoo!

Since the book was about hankies (which I just adore, and hoarde collect) I found a couple that matched the picture on the cover to include, in case you wanted to make that pattern with them. You can also purchase downloads of vintage hankie prints here:

http://www.thevintageworkshop.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1&keywords=hankies&x=9&y=10

(or use your winning $25 gift certificate!)

If you don't win you can buy a copy of the book here: http://www.indygojunctioninc.com/store/

All comments, all month count.

If you are anywhere close to Kansas City, or can get there, come to see some of the great goods that we have to offer around here this weekend. Its our 3rd Miss Frenchie's sale and it promises to be a good one!

Traveling, again??? How can she afford that???

collections, Moving to DC, Travel, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 22, 2009

If you were interested in doing my Paper Doll tutorial from Artist Class but didn't have time to sign up for all 12 classes, Mary is now offering individual classes for sale. You can purchase one, two, or more tutorials HERE.

Years ago, I used to have a sign by my front door that read,

"Creative Minds are Seldom Tidy"

Maybe I should dig that out and hang it back up… Lately, I've been going from one complete mess to another.

One end of my studio is still torn up from moving furniture around, and redoing the Treat Cabinet for Thanksgiving. The Silver Bella goodies have not all be unpacked and I am still trying to get ready for Miss Frenchie's.

I have wallpaper to iron, cut, and sell, (people are waiting for me and asking about my pretty new (old) papers!!), I seem to be knee deep in bottle brush trees, and I am leaving to go out of town again!

I do seem to travel a LOT. Almost as much as my friend, Jessi, she amazes me with all of her trips. Thing is, even though each trip I took this year was wonderful and I wouldn't give any of them up, I am such a homebody,that I hate to leave.

Once I get where I am going, I'm fine. Its the leaving that hurts.

(this is my journal project from Rebecca Sower's class at Silver Bella)

Here is where I've been this year:

4 trips to DC (including one for Beth's birthday to meet up with blogfriends)

1 trip to Florida with my sisses and to go to Aunt Caroline's funeral the day after her 101st birthday

1 trip to Florida to play with Sugarwings on the beach and go to Aunt Caroline's home one last time

Macon to Jenn Hayslip's home for En Le Jardin ( She is the ultitmate in Southern hospitality!!! There are spots still available for her next event, too.)

Indiana for my sister's 60th birthday party

Chicago to see Lucinda Williams and eat at Art Smith's restaurant

2 trips to Omaha to take Sugarwings to the fantastic zoo there and to hang out at the Holiday Inn's indoor water park

Sioux City to see Grandma Joan

Outer Banks for a mini getaway on the beach

Charlotte for a nephew's wedding

Omaha for Silver Bella

Geesh, I'm tired just writing these!!

(this is my project from Anna Corba's class)

And now, another trip out to Virginia, just for the weekend. No, I am NOT independently wealthy! My husband travels all the time, and racks up lots of points. He flew on Southwest so much this year that I received a Buddy Pass and could fly free any place that he was going.

When I travel with him, its usually business and he already has a room booked, so I just have to pay for own meals. And often breakfast is free at many hotels, if not, I keep granola bars in my suitcase.

Other times, we use Holiday Inn Priority Club points for buy a night get a night free, or other deals, and I have shared rooms with my sisses or friends to save on costs.

(here is my project from Denise Sharp's class)

Another trick for cheap travel is my Southwest Airlines Visa card. I get free flights from using it for everything I buy. I mean everything. Any where that takes a credit card, I pay with Visa. We get about 6 free flights a year that way, on top of all the other free flights.

If you do that, just make sure that you pay your bill in total at the end of every month, or your interest rates will beat out the savings you'd get in free tickets.

This bird is one of the hardest things I 've ever had to make at Silver Bella. I'm not much of a pattern follower, and this came with a gazillion steps to follow, and dozens of little tiny pieces to cut out.

Even though it was HARD to do, I'm glad I made myself do it, and got it done. I'm thrilled with the outcome. (and got a very nice compliment from Anna Corba on it!!)

I've named her Rosamund and she lives in my china cabinet now. Safe behind glass from tiny little Sugarwing fingers.

As I've looked around my house, I see a lot of neglect, since I've traveled so much this last year. Normally, I spend time on lots of little redos, or big redos, too. This year, its all been ignored, including touch ups that need attending.

My plan, after this last trip of the year, is to dedicate some time to pulling my home back together. I miss puttering and fixing and repainting. So hope to get some decor repairs done, and deck the halls big time for the Holidays.

I'm ready to settle into my nest for the winter and be cozy!

You still have plenty of time to enter the November Giveaway by leaving a comment. I'm sorry if I'm not responding to all comments that have been left, life has been a bit hectic lately, but I do read and enjoy each and every single one.

When I am not on the go, and Sugarwings is not here, I'm often alone for days on end, since my husband travels. Your comments are great company for me, and I treasure getting them. Thanks for being my buddies!

(this was pre-posted before I left)

Tending to my Christmas tree farm

collections, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), holiday decor, redos, vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / October 20, 2009

Progress is being made on the Christmas trees. All are bleached, dyed, and glittered, and a few are foofed.

This year, I am trying something new with the glitter. I used a high gloss poly spray to mist each tree, then rolled it in a snowy glitter. After that, I spritzed it with a spray can of silver glitter/poly, hoping that would seal it.

Now, some of the glitter always flakes off no matter how you put it on, so there will be some molting, but it seems to be working very well.

The cold weather snap is over and yesterday was beautifully fallish. I had the doors and windows open, and sat outside in the rocks to spray trees. Is it ironic that I was enjoying the warm weather so much that I started on a Christmas project?

While I was feeling the holiday spirit, I started on a few putz house remodeling projects too.

It involved repainting some of the more garish colors, adding wallpaper, glitter, fake snow, and some of my teeniest dyed trees. Also, some little vintage characters, snowmen and deer that I glittered up.

These houses are now ready to display as is, or for me to use on some ephemera covered boxes I want to get started on.

My table is looking like Santa's Workshop!

Of course, I don't have any of that cheap elf labor, its all me doing the glittering and gluing. The only helper I know that would work for candy canes is Sugarwings and she has a bit of a heavy hand with the glue… I've known her to use a half a bottle on one bird house, so I doubt if I'll let that little pixie be my assistant on this.

Beth did help me out, though, she GAVE me a lot of the boxes that I will be covering with ephemera and topping with houses, plus a ton of the old bead garlands!!

Normally, I collect those old mercury bead garlands all year at garage sales, flea markets, etc, but this year was a bit of a dud. Not much luck on the strings of beads, no matter where I looked. (at a decent price, at least)

There were some left from last year and I did buy 4 strands, but I go through quite a bit of them at the holidays. So, Beth was a great help, but then, she always is.

By the way, Beth is having a wallpaper giveaway, you should go visit her!

She is owed a lunch for her generosity, at least, huh? I think I need to treat her to our favorite place, Pei Wei, on Friday when we hang out together. She is always giving me the best stuff.

We are planning on estate sailing on Friday in Kansas City, then crafting at her house, but it all depends on how this little guy is doing. This is Bookie, you rarely see photos of him, because he is old and likes to spend his days sitting on the porch all alone, or laying on his pillow.

The poor little guy has been attacked, by something, I have no idea what, or when. He is such a loner in his old age, that some days, I hardly see him, he is like a shadow around the house. We have a doggie door and a fenced yard, so he comes and goes as he pleases. So, I'm not sure when he was hurt. I know he was fine on Saturday when I gave him a treat.

But on Monday, I noticed he was covered in blood and was ill!! I rushed him to the vet, and was told that something had bitten his head and that it was infected pretty bad. He had a fever, and his head was horribly swollen. He might have a broken leg too, but was in too bad of shape to be put under for an X-ray.

What could have done this to him?? A possum? A raccoon? Our mean farm cat? That cat hates Bookie, it could be. It has to be something that could get over the fence. It terrifies me to think that there is a creature out there on my property that is attacking my mild mannered, sweet, little, guy.

Altered muffins/ altered dolls

collections, flowers, Food and Drink

By Karla Nathan / October 14, 2009

Today, I had a mini craft day with my friend, Angie. I'd made some muffins for us, and we talked for hours, while we worked. It sure brightened up our gray, cold, rainy afternoon!

I used a box mix for the treats, but changed it up a bit:

One box of cinnamon muffin mix

2 eggs

1-1/2 cup organic cinnamon applesauce

1 cup of dried mix fruits (blueberry, cranberry, cherry)

1 cup of roasted sunflower seeds

3/4 cup milled flax seed

Angie had brought some old French postcards, that we scanned, printed, and glued to some little wooden plaques that I spray painted cream. They have a touch of glitter to them too, but it doesn't show much in the photo.

And look at the vintage glitter that she gave to me!!! I love the can it comes in, too. She says she also has a giant vat of OLD german silver glitter that she will bring over next week. Can you hear me squealing with joy??

My job today was dollie do-overs.

(Isn't the lamp fab?)

Over the last couple of years, I have been collecting neglected, old, washed up beauties to rejuvenate.

Don't you think that the girl in the back probably resents the one in the front? If they were sisters, she'd be the big boned, "handsome" one who watched her flirty little sis attract all the men.

I really should have gotten a before pic of this bride. She was so spooky looking, that I was tempted to use her as a Halloween decoration as she was.

I did get a before of one of the pink dolls, and wrote up a step by step how to for the makeovers. I'll post that Friday if you are interested.

Also, geez, here it is mid October and I haven't announced the OCTOBER GIVEAWAY yet!!

Don't worry, I thought of something fun for you. Remember, all comments, all month count, there is always a monthly giveaway. I was just so busy with other stuff, I forgot. But I have it figured out, how about one of my GRUMPY FAIRY books?

I've figured out the printing problems and will have some ready to sell soon. As thanks for all your inquiries and interest (and patience!) I'll give one away in October to a commenter.