family – Page 74 – Karla's Cottage

Lots of reasons to say thank you

Etsy Goodies, fairies, family, flowers, give away

By Karla Nathan / May 14, 2008

I have added some of my paintings to my Etsy shop this week. These are reproductions of floral watercolors I did, that I have adhered to canvas boards and then crackled and aged.

These prints are $25 each and are 8" x 10", so are ready to pop into a standard frame, or can be leaned on a shelf, or set on an easel as they are.

The hydrangea print is sold, but since these are reproductions, I can print more up if you are interested, let me know and I will make up more. The crackle comes out a little differently on each one, that stuff has a mind of its own.

In this summer’s Romantic Country, I will have a "how to" article on doing this technique if you’d like to give it a try yourself.

The 100 cards for my Great Aunt Caroline’s 100th birthday are still coming in and I will soon catch up and photograph them all and do a whole post showing the latest ones.

This one is from my pal, Lili in the Netherlands. Can you imagine what my aunt will think when she sees 100 cards from all over the world? Thanks again, to everyone who is participating and helping Caroline celebrate this milestone.

Another thank you I have to add is to Vicki. I won her giveaway and she sent a bonanza of goodies for me to craft with! (this doesn’t show them all) Thanks Vicki!

The hat box in the picture is one that I found while at the antique mall with my little Mini Hat Whisperer. It was $6 and in pretty good shape. I can’t ever have too many of these for storage!

Do you remember that I said I would add to my May Giveaway Prize pack every week?

I changed my mind and added MORE today!

To the white leather Brighton coin purse, the gold band and satin hanger with the millinery flower, I added a vintage ballerina cake topper, a vintage greeting card and a sweet little pearl pin.

You have to love the faces of those old ballerinas. Oh my.

Were the painters drunk? Those painted on lips remind me of little old ladies putting on their red lipstick with tremors. Or me putting on lipstick with no mirror.

My Sissy can put on lipstick without a mirror anytime, and I can’t for the life of me. I showed her once how bad I was at it at Applebees when we went out for a glass of wine after sitting by our mom’s bedside in the hospital.

It became a joke for all of us, that we would close our eyes and apply lipstick all over our mouths (yes, in public) and laugh like 6 year olds. Here is a photo of Sissy, Bobbie Sue, and me, Karkie Jo looking festive at Sissy’s 60th birthday slumber party.

Sissy made us into fairies and turned the photo into a birthday card for my 50th. (notice that even when she tries to put her lipstick on badly, Sissy’s still looks pretty good! Well, at least compared to me, or do I just have a really big mouth?.)

I know you are all tired of my blathering on about my birthday, but one more story-

Yesterday, Sugarwings and I were at the grocery store and saw that the Mother’s Day flowers were marked down to $1.99 a bundle. So, we bought an arm load (I should have had a cart, imagine me carrying all these bunches of roses and a wriggling baby through the store).

I made up bouquets and dropped them off to my friends who had come to my birthday party as a thank you.

It was like a belated May day, I set the flowers on doorsteps, rang the bell and left them as a surprise as I drove away.

And thank you also to Paula Kay for the cute little bag! I just wish you lived close enough for me to drop some flowers off on your porch as a thanks!

The Hat Whisperer’s skills have been passed on! And an addition to the May Giveaway prize pack

antiques/junking, family, give away, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 13, 2008

I think it is genetic. My fairy grand baby seems to have inherited my millinery flower finding skills!

We were downtown enjoying being out doors and shopping for a gift for her little Hippy Chic mommy on Mother’s Day, when Sugarwings turned to me and said, "Hats!"

Since we were near the antique mall, I thought it would be smart to pop in and see if she had heard a specific flower calling to her and yes, she did!

This child is a gifted hat whisperer. She found one circled with a dozen of these pretty peachy blooms for only ONE DOLLAR!

We also found this purse. It is much too nice to tear apart for its flowers, I plan on actually using it, even though Sugarwing’s Daddy was horrified at the thought of me carrying it. He was reassured when I told him that I would most likely keep tiny flowers in it on my desk in my studio, not carry it when we go out to lunch downtown like we do every Thursday.

But now that I am 50 and officially eccentric, why not carry it? It is a lovely bag. I just don’t want to tear it up. From the looks of it, it has never been used, and is so perfectly pretty.

I’ve been making use of some of my stash of vintagey blossoms.

These old satin hangers each have a fluffy pink flower and some vintage seam binding added to them and are for sale for $10 each if you are interested, comment or email me and let me know.

I will add one of these embellished old hangers to my May prize pack along with the white leather Brighton coin purse and simple gold band.

Each week of May, I will add another prize for the giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment, any post, as often as you wish, all comments are entered.

I hope everyone had a nice Mothers Day? My family did my favorite things, they pitched in and helped me with stuff that needed done.

Sugarwing’s Daddy repaired my falling down gazebo while she helped me plant some seeds in the garden and Ryan fixed dinner.

Not a bad day at all. Have I mentioned lately how lucky I am??? I never forget it.

Some indulgent reminiscing at a half century milestone and the April giveaway winner

family, give away

By Karla Nathan / May 1, 2008

My Silver Bella friend, Jessi, is asking us to remember our child hood toys today. There is a lack of photos of myold toys, but that didn’t slow down my reminiscing. Her topic brought up lots of happy memories for me.

One of the best toys I had was this teeter totter. I’m sure that in today’s age it wouldn’t get past safety codes. We were always smashing and pinching our fingers under the rails of this thing.

(I’m the one on the left)

When neighbors weren’t around to balance it, I’d tip the thing on its side and pretend it was a pirate ship or a castle.

Another love was bags full of little plastic horsies. I could play with those for hours. I’d paint them too, because I loved to change them all to have white manes and tails.

When I came across a photo of my husband with a toy horse from his child hood, I had to frame it to display with a picture of me with my toy horses.

On the same shelf, I set out a photo of our "real" horses, Scooty and Fairybelle.

When I was little, I had severe asthma and couldn’t own the pets I desperately wanted. I made up for it with piles of stuffed animals and a vivid imagination.

After "outgrowing" my allergies, I made the most of having lots of pets, and loved filling up this big old falling down barn on our property. (it has since fallen down)

You can see Faiybelle to the right of the barn in this painting I did.

Remember saying this?

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight"

My wish, every single time I looked up at the stars was to have a pony. I loved to crane my neck and look out of the back window of the car (pre-car seat days!) waiting for that first star of the night to show itself so I could wish for my horse.

Finally, as an adult, my wish came true. I had Scooty, the Shetland. He was a baby when I got him, and followed me around the yard like a puppy. (of course, the horse I wished for had wings, but Scooty didn’t)

As much as I loved my Barbies and dolls, when I look back at my childhood, the strongest memories are of wishing for a pet, and pretending my toys were alive and could love me back as much as I loved them.

I’ve collected some of these thoughts and memories about my childhood and made a little scrapbook about myself to read with Sugarwings.

I put in lots of pop ups with pictures underneath, and little snippets of stories about my wishes and hopes as a little girl so I can share them with my own little girl as she grows.

And now here I am, turning 50. I can remember making those wishes on a star, and the feelings that went with it, as if those longings and dreams are as real today as they were nearly a half a century ago.

Thanks, Amy Wald for the sparkling card!

And thanks, Jessi, for this subject. It was a timely one for me. Birthday milestones are a good time to look back and remember the child that is still inside.

I hope to never lose the imagination that I had back then, when I’d paint a plastic horse and see myself riding it across the skies with its beautiful white tail flying behind us. And when I’d tip over a teeter totter and it would become a castle where I was the princess.

Happy May Day everyone! My birthday (which I am sure you are so tired of hearing about) is May 5th and I will have a special gift to go out then. All comments count toward that as well as toward my regular monthly drawing.

And who wins for the April Drawing?

Clarice

And what is the prize?

she gets a choice of one of these prizes:

1- a pair of earrings made by me, with vintage pieces

2- a May Day tussie mussie

3- a Birds and Bonnets Vintage Workshop images tag

4- a Cottage Collage Kit with vintage wallpaper and millinery flowers

I have added more millinery flowers to my etsy shop, since I had such a good response for the ones I listed yesterday (5 bundles sold in an hour or so!)

Thanks so much for supporting my Etsy shop and for taking the time to visit me here in blogworld.

Girls Day Out and a birthday giveaway

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, jewelry, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 22, 2008

The sun was shining and today was about as springy as a day can be.

Sugarwings and I decided to have a girly day together. We started with a little shopping spree. She picked out glittery pink shoes at Target ( I wish they had them in my size!)

And a stop at the antique mall turned up the perfect grandma hat for me. (only $6!!! And it has FIVE large pink roses on it) Of course, I wore it the rest of the day.

When we saw these matching dresses for toddlers and their dolls on sale for only $10 at TJMaxx, , we had to snap them up and find a dolly to fit the dress.

Those dresses simply couldn’t stay in the bag, not when they went so perfectly with the new shoes! We changed "the girl’s" clothes in the car before going downtown to stroll in the springtime sunlight and show off our new finery.

Since it was Girls Day Out, the three of us treated ourselves to a ladies luncheon. Over our BBQ (hey, we are Midwesterners, not dainty girls- we like MEAT) we tried to come up with a name for the new baby.

"Baby" and "Good Girl" were the names Sugarwings suggested. Scraps_417

I voted for "Miss Daisy" because after our trip, we decided to go for a ride in the little pink car. I drove Miss Sugarwings and Miss Daisy all over the neighborhood.

These two best friends wanted to make a stop in the park for a bit.

Twinkle was jealous of Sugarwing’s new friend and reminded her who her true best friend really was.

How can a day be more perfect than this???? Well it gets even better!

Ryan surprised us and had dinner cooked and ready when we came home from our spring fling! Chicken, rice and ice cream cones topped off our spring fling! And I didn’t have to cook.

Then, once the fairy grand baby went to bed for the night, I was able to make a little more jewelry.

This bracelet and matching earrings are assembled from vintage religious medallions.

The necklace is a variety of chain sizes, beads and aqua rhinestones, with a pendant of old keys.

And is my day over yet? Nope, now I get to go watch a tivo-ed American Idol featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber. (Don’t even ask me how many times I have been to see Phantom, you don’t want to hear me sing the whole thing either).

And not only that, Cloverfield is out on video, so Ryan and I are having a horror movie night. What a perfect way to end a perfect Girls Day Out!

You know, my birthday is just around the corner. I can’t imagine any party I plan being more fun than today!

I’d like to share my special day with you guys and give away a piece of the jewelry I have been making on my 50th birthday, May 5th.

Any comment between now and Monday May 5th goes into the drawing.

And don’t forget that ALL comments this month are entered into my monthly giveaway.

Hmmm, what will I be sending as a present for April??? hmmm, let me think. I have been on an endless tag marathon lately, maybe a tag?

Or a tussie mussie! In time for May Day flowers?!

I know, I will give the winner a choice!

On Wed. April 30th, I’ll draw a winner for a choice of one of these prizes:

1- a pair of earrings

2- a May Day tussie mussie

3- a Birds and Bonnets Vintage Workshop images tag

4- a Cottage Collage Kit with vintage wallpaper and millinery flowers

Buttons, Blossoms, and Beauties

family, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 15, 2008

Thanks to all of you generous souls who signed up to make a card for my Great Aunt’s 100th birthday.

I am close to getting enough cards, but could still use a few more to make up 100. And it wouldn’t hurt to have a few extras in case someone isn’t able to after all.

This is the one I made for her. I copied her photo, and added color with pastels, then glued it to a vintage card with roses.

After that, I cut out a cake from another old card, glued it down and sugared it up with glitter.

To add some sparkle to her lace dress, I used a Gelly Roll Stardust pen to highlight the scrolls and flowers in the lace.

Aunt Caroline is in wonderful health, even for a much younger woman.

Here is a photo of her at 91 in her home in front of a painting I did for her.

She is sharp as a tack and will really be tickled by all these cards. As a person who has made hand crafted things all of her life, she will appreciate the work that is going into this bonanza of mail for her.

She told me once that she lives by this motto, and it has always stuck with me and I try to live by it as well, "Think Right, Live Right, and Do Right".

I will be having a drawing for a prize to give one of the 100 card creators before I pack up the cards to take to her in Florida this June.

This Vintage Workshop clutch is covered in in a printable fabric and I will give it as a thank you gift to the winner. I just wish I had 100 of them to give, I really appreciate all your work and help with this surprise!

I will also be giving a 2nd purse to a drawing winner from the swappers in the Birds and Bonnets Vintage Workshop Swap that Beth and I are co- hosting.

We have a good number signed up already, but there is room for more! The more that sign up, the more presents we’ll offer for the drawing. So far we are up to 10 gifts.

Speaking of swaps, I am in a mini swap with my friend, Lili in The Netherlands. She said she has a hard time finding millinery flowers where she lives, so I am sending her a few.

Living here, deep in the Bible Belt of the Midwest, I am in millinery heaven. My theory is that there wasn’t a single, good God fearing woman in the state back in the good old days, who didn’t own a flowery hat to wear to church every week. And since Midwesterners also believe in "waste not want not", most of those hats were saved.

So, this bunch of blossoms is on its way across the ocean right now, hope you like them, Lili! Thanks for swapping with me. (I can’t wait to see what she surprises me with, she has exquisite taste!)

And while on the subject of millinery flowers, Jenny Doh of Somerset Life asked me if she could use this photo in an upcoming issue. I was happy to have it in there, of course!

If you would like to post this button about Aunt Caroline’s 100 cards for her 100th birthday, feel free to do so. I’ve also got a flickr site for it, if you want to make a card and upload it there.

I plan on loading the photos myself when the cards arrive too. Here is the site for Aunt Caroline’s cards:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/679216@N25/ (and people have already added some cards to it!)

And here is the site for our Birds and Bonnets swap:http://www.flickr.com/groups/702816@N20/

Remember to sign up for the swap!

Here is the list I have so far for the Cards for Caroline Creators. If you have signed up and missed you on the list, would you please let me know? (or if you see any other mistakes, I do tend to make some)

Thanks. And thanks for the help, she will be so pleased!

EDIT- I have 100!! But, if anyone would still like to send one, I’m sure she would love to get it. I will add another prize to the drawing since I am now over 100 people. Thanks so much for helping me do this fun surprise for Aunt Caroline!!

100cards

Karin http://madrekarin.blogspot.com
Michelle http://www.ginghamworld.blogspot.com
Pam http://blogcabinfever.typepad.com
Lesa Farmer
Robin~ thrifty_misspriss@yahoo.com
Robin Foster
Lori http://faeriewindow.blogspot.com
Kathy http://www.kathyscottage.blogspot.com:
http://oodlesandoodles.typepad.com/
Carol Spinsky RaisedInCotton@aol.com
http://soinspired.blogspot.com
Lori http://pinkfadedroses.blogspot.com
Janine http://angelgurl.wordpress.com/
http://emmaspaperpatch.blogspot.com
Liane Tatum
http://bluemuf.blogspot.com Karen
http://simplysage.blogspot.com Mahala
Beth http://bethleintz.typepad.com
Debbie Doughty http://queendebbee.blogspot.com/
Alice Wingerden http://www.paintedwhite.com
Karoline http://www.cherishedvintage.blogspot.com
Joyce Rodli
Lili http://lilimsadventures.blogspot.com
Mandy Blake
*Heidi* http://journals.aol.com/hwoodred/everyday-cookies/
http://www.bonoramamama.blogspot.com
Kirstie http://adelinecountrycottage.blogspot.com
Phyllis http://shabbyinthecity.blogspot.com
Sherry (Edie Marie’s Attic)
Pinkie Denise
Marilyn http://marilynbutler.blogspot.com
Melissa http://melissaburford.typepad.com
Lisa Russell
Crystal http://www.fariebees.blogspot.com
Janice Rehmeyer
Meredith http://www.thevictorianlady.blogspot.com
Nancy ~ Fete et Fleur http://feteetfleur.blogspot.com
Jessi http://www.scrappyjessi.blogspot.com
Donell
Jenn~ http://whinenroses.blogspot.com/
Lolly http://lollysnestegg.blogspot.com
Gail Sell
Kathy http://www.vintagesnapsandscraps.com
Barbara http://smith411.typepad.com
crchaffee@cox.net
Edie Marie http://ediemariesattic.blogspot.com
María Elena
Kelley http://www.junqueygal.blogspot.com/
Kelley: http://teacupmosaics.blogspot.com
Carlene http://carlenefederer.blogspot.com/
Barb http://www.123lavenderlollipoplane.blogspot.com
Louisa http://beachyscapecodcupboard.blogspot.com
Jen http://Sanctuaryarts.blogspot.com
Sandy Babb
Colleen Cavanaugh http://cc-creativeramblings.blogspot.com
Rachael http://theroseroomnz.blogspot.com/
Valerie http://Queenschocolate.blogspot.com
Joy http://www.thejoyof.blogspot.com
Sheri Ingrande http://www.pawshpoodle.com
Mary Isabella
Natasha Burns http://www.natashaburns.blogspot.com
Di Ann Sheps
Pat
Cami http://www.camillefano.typepad.com
3rdEyeMuse http://3rdEyeMuse.blogspot.com
M.Kate http://www.melialissa.blogspot.com
DELIA http://brooksidecottage.blogspot.com/
Joyce
Kathy
Samantha
Karen http://karenharveycox.blogspot.com
Sarah Lee (Adelaide’s Country Cottage)
Louise http://pinkgate.blogspot.com/
Betty http://shessewpretty.typepad.com/
Amy Wald
Tera http://Stampqueen.blogspot.com
Kari and Kijsa http://www.kariandkijsa.blogspot.com
Kathy Jacobson kathyjacobson.typepad.com
Vickie http://www.whisperofinspiration.blogspot.net
Amy P http://www.rubymoonart.blogspot.com
Shannon J http://www.faithandchocolate.blogspot.com
Gail http://boutiqueginabeana.blogspot.com/
Cindy http://yappingcatstudio.typepad.com/my_weblog
Rhonda http://rhondamum.blogspot.com
Irma http://irmasrosecottage.blogspot.com
Rhonda RhondaMum.blogspot.com
Alison Gibbs
Paula Kay
Jeanette http://scrapnchick-keepmeinstitches.blogspot.com/

Jeanie http://www.themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com

Whitney Johnson http://www.kindredjoy.blogspot.com

Corina http://corinaj.wordpress.com

Lisa Lee l-lee@sbcglobal.net

Sammy don@stafney.com http://sammystuff.blogspot.com/

Rachael’s Princess

Rachael’s Mum

Sissy

sonya http://www.loveofyellowroses.blogspot.com

Beverly http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Holly Abston >http://www.hollydoodledesigns.com
Adla http://www.vintagedelights.blogspot.com

A favor from you, please

collections, family

By Karla Nathan / April 9, 2008

Sugarwings has gone back home now and my house seems way too quiet after having her for two nights.

When she left, I took a much needed, 2 hour nap (that little pixie is very busy and wears me out!) and then I decided to hang the plates I bought at the auction last week.

I think I’d like them even more if the wall was a pale robin’s egg blue…. One simple change can sure spark ideas for more changes! But I am restraining myself. I have too many other things planned to take time to paint a ceiling- I’d have to move a ton of stuff out of the way and I just redid that room!

After hanging plates, I planted a few more pansies. The pink window box seemed a little sparse, since it is so early in the season and the pansies are still small yet.

To fill it in, I added some pink (90% off at Target) Easter grass and planted a couple plates there too.

Many of you agreed with me yesterday during Lori’s Doll Day party, that I could count my fairy figurines as dolls because the fairy grandbaby and I play with them.

So, I thought I’d show a few more of them today.

This handsome devil was made by my Great Aunt Caroline. She is about to turn 100 this summer. Which brings me to a favor I’d like to ask of you.

Caroline has always been creative and appreciates hand made things.

She would be so thrilled with handmade birthday cards. (well, who wouldn’t be?)

My idea, and the favor I’d like to ask of you, is to try to get 100 hand made birthday cards for her 100th birthday June 26th.

I know that you don’t know her personally, but she is really quite wonderful. She is in pretty good health for someone 99 and 3/4, loves to laugh, read, follow baseball, she liked to try her hand at lots of types of crafts.

Anyone who can help me out with a card for her, please email me and I’ll start a list of names.

All the cards can be sent to me, I will take pictures of them, start a flickr group of the cards and feature them on my blog as they arrive.

I will also draw a name from the participants and I will make a special gift to send to the winner.

Then, in June, I am going to Mt. Dora, FL for the birthday bash and I will bring the box of (hopefully) 100 cards with me to surprise her.

Can’t you just picture her face when she sees them all???

And what a lovely face she has! This is her in her youth.

(I want that dress!)

She has given me a strand of pearl beads, and I really think that they are the ones in this photo. Her father strung them for her mother.

Doesn’t it look like the same strand?

You all have been so generous, making Sugarwings the most spoiled little sprite in blogland, with all the sweet gifts you have sent to her.

Can you please help me spoil a wonderful lady who is about to celebrate a full century?

I Heart Lawrence, KS

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, flowers, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 5, 2008

Sunshine! Wow, I had almost forgotten what it felt like. What a long and rough winter we’ve had. I don’t think it is quite done with us yet, but I am taking advantage of today’s nice weather and planting some pansies.

There was no way I was going to wait any longer. The grocery store has their pansies out on the sidewalk and I can’t pass by them to go in for a gallon of milk and a case of Coke Vanilla Zero without stopping to daydream about warm weather.

Then, Target had garden tools with pink handles in thier Dollar Spot. How could I resist?

Pansies are pretty hardy, they should do well. And their little faces sure do brighten my own every time I walk by them planted by my front door.

Yesterday was delightful also. I went downtown (Lawrence, KS has a lively, active and entertaining downtown area with lots going on) and we went to visit one of the big Jayhawks that I painted and mosaic-ed with another artist a couple years back.

I could possibly be the only person in this entire town who isn’t planning on watching the big KU game tonight. The downtown atmosphere was pulsing with excitement.

I may not be a basketball fan, but I do love my town and know how important the game is to it.

My husband is a HUGE fan, and is in DC right now, so I bought Sugarwings a KU shirt (pink, of course) and took some photos to send to him before the game.

When I got the pictures back, she was so cute, I had to make some scrap book pages.

As a non-typical fan, I couldn’t just do a sporty page. I used vintage wallpaper, some old sheet music (one song about basketball, the other about the state flower of Kansas, the sunflower).

And since I am a lazy scrap booker, I made a pocket on one page to put multiple photos into, instead of trying to think up ideas for using all of them on the pages.

I used KU colors, of red, blue and yellow, but had to do it in flowers and ribbon.

When I make scrapbook pages, I tend to not worry too much about making it perfect. Edges are a bit crooked and things aren’t lined up exact. Mostly, I just want to get the photos into the book and get something attractive on the pages with them.

If I worried too much about it, I’d never get them in the books, and having fun memories in the albums is the main goal.

And anyway, that baby is so cute, no one notices what I do to the page, people who look at albums are more interested in the pictures of her, and the backgrounds are just that- backgrounds.

I’m off to enjoy more of this pretty day and walk out in our woods with the dogs. Of course, that means I will probably be picking cockle burrs off of them this evening but hey, I wasn’t planning on watching the big game on TV tonight anyway!

A winner, A feature, A first auction, and A redo

family, give away, I do tend to run on, don't I?, parties, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 30, 2008

First of all, I want to thank everyone who came to the "What do you LOVE about your Birdie’s Home" party that Beth and I had on Thursday. What a fun turnout, lots of blinged out birdhouses to see! Wow, thanks so much for coming by and for creating such palaces for us to enjoy.

I had forgotten to show this one that I made, it is a music box, jewelry box, and used to be a Swiss Chalet. I faked the birdhouse part, by adding this tiny blown glass bird and the piece of black onyx jewelry to represent a hole and a perch.

Thanks also to everyone who bought a birdhouse from me! If you buy one from that post, it is only $15 each. I will be listing them on Etsy for slightly more later on.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that one goes as a gift to a commenter during the party? The winner is:

Denise

And on Tuesday the 1st, I will draw a name for the monthly prize, so you still have time to enter that. The prize is a secret. (Because I haven’t picked out a gift to send yet)

I also want to thank the group at the Snooty Women’s Club (they really do seem nice, not snooty as their name implies!) for featuring me this week. Thanks, ladies! Good luck with your new site!

It has been a bit hectic around here, Sugarwing’s poor little Hippy Chick mommy had her gallbladder out this week, so I have had the baby staying with me.

We went up to see her mommy in the hospital a few times, went for walks in the park, played with Twinkle, had tea parties, mostly just stayed very busy so she wouldn’t be asking where Mommy was too much.

I even took her to her first auction! Here she is with Beth, we just popped in to visit and eat her pretzels. Beth got a ton of great stuff and I was a bit jealous, but staying to bid wasn’t really an option with my little helper along.

While at the hospital, my son pointed out one of my paintings hanging in the office!

I didn’t even know that the hospital owned it, they had purchased it at a benefit auction I had donated to a couple years ago.

What a nice surprise to see it hanging there.

Look at what I have been doing while the baby napped or after she went to slept at night! Organizing, big time!

I’ve taken every single piece of paper in my studio and FILED or stored it!

Tuesday Morning had all these pretty desk organizers on sale and it inspired me to try to pull the whole room together.

I hung all my past blog banners on the wall along with my business card template and a photo of my grandma and some rosey plates.

Well, that lead to repainting my furniture so that the pieces matched each other, and looked more pulled together, then rearranging it all.

I made used of all my old wallpaper storage items, and turned this vintage shoe rack on its side, then used it to file scrapbook goods into.

I didn’t repaint the black and white cabinets with the roses on the door, thinking I might like the contrast, but now am not sure. I might paint it lighter (but leaving the roses on the doors).

When I didn’t have enough storage containers, I made some by covering Girl Scout cookie boxes in old wallpaper. Don’t ask why I had so many boxes….

I moved some rolls of vintage wallpaper close to my desk and stored them in this old trash can holder. I think it was meant for a park, to keep animals out of the trash. I found it at an antique store and have been using it for bubble wrap, but I like the rolls of paper in it.

The front part of the room got a clean up too.

There is only so much I can do with this room, it isn’t easy to tidy. I keep so much out there and it has so many uses, that even with about 1000 square feet, it is jammed full.

And no matter how much I tidy up there will always be a card table set up full of junk to be sorted, mailed, put away, or made into something, etc.

Just like, I think I am going to write a post that is tidy and everything looks pretty together, and next thing you know, I have done this- run on and on and on about a dozen different things and then the posting is all messy and run together.

My life tends to be like that, lots going on at once, and all the pretty things jammed in with the clutter and mess of it all.

But I love it that way, there are some sweet little details jumbled up in that mess and they are worth sifting through it all to get to!

Over the top? Why of course!

fairies, family, how to's, magazine pictures or articles, paintings

By Karla Nathan / March 26, 2008

So many people were asking me about the mural I did on my baby B-I-L, Randy’s, floor, that I thought I would post more photos.

Here are a couple of snaps of it that I have in my scrap book.

This little fishy is drawn in the scrapbook too. He is a reminder of the one painted by the threshold in Randy’s craft room, kind of like a Walmart greeter, for everyone who comes in. We named him "Wallerford" after the Walmart greeter and the beautiful crystal Waterford glasses we were sipping our champagne from while we painted. Randy does know how to treat his guests right!

Here is Wallerford in person. Please ignore the twig laying on him, and by the way, it is a good idea to sweep the floor before photographing it, if you don’t want sticks in the picture.

Last year, I did a how-to on painting a concrete floor. If you’d like to read it, you can find it here.

Randy’s craft room was painted in stages. One night, years ago, we started painting family and friends on his wall as fairies.

It became a tradition, every time I’d go to Jacksonville to visit him that we would listen to show tunes (we both love Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, and Dreamgirls), drink champagne, and add more paintings to the room.

Now, two walls are a fairy forest, this is what the rest of the room looks like, a garden wall and sky.

Little whimsical details are everywhere. Like this frog chatting with a dragonfly while holding a champagne glass.

And one trip to visit was spent making the ceiling a sky.

After that, he HAD to pull up the carpet and turn the floor into a pond. What kind of magical, fairyland garden is carpeted??

Now, every inch of that room is all muralled up. I still add characters when I go now, there will always be room for a flying puppy, or Randy’s best friend as an elf somewhere in the gardens.

While I had my photo album out to get these pictures of Randy’s craft room, I came across these pics of "Jayhawks on Parade" and with the Kansas Jayhawks doing well in March madness, I thought I’d show you some of the work I did on the giant Jayhawk sculptures that were on display in Lawrence, KS a couple years ago.

This peacock represented team pride and was commissioned by the Art Center. It is painted in iridescent colors and features stained glass mosaic.

The "Marvelous Mosaic Floral Fantasy Joyous Jewelhawk" is the gaudiest thing ever! And you know I love gaudy.

Hand painted flowers, mosaics, beads, old jewelry, and more- this creature is one blinged up baby.

Over the top? Well, yep, just the way I like things.

Speaking of Blinged up, tomorrow (Thursday March 27) is our Bling your birdhouse day.

Hope to see you there!

Remember, I will be giving away one gaudy home for birds to someone who leaves a comment on the party post.

Oh, and GO Jayhawks!!

What are you hoppy about this year?

Etsy Goodies, fairies, family, holiday decor, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / March 22, 2008

My studio is semi- cleaned up and the tables are set for our family Easter dinner tomorrow.

Every holiday, we go around the table and take turns saying what we are grateful for this year. At Christmas, I ask what they are "Merry" about.

And at Easter, I ask what they are "Hoppy" about.

Everyone rolls their eyes and makes a protest, but they all go along with it to humor me, and I think, that they really do enjoy it, since it is such a tradition at this point.

As far as setting the table, I don’t go to a lot of trouble. All I do is the center pieces, the food stays right on the stove and everyone serves themselves buffet style.

But look at my pretty pan for tomorrow! A PINK skillet from TJ Max. The Easter Bunny brought it by to me a little early so I could whip up something tasty in it for guests.

I line the center of the table with some pretties, usually my latest projects. This year, I have teacup nests and lots of birdhouses.

And of course, a fairy or two! This one is listed for sale on Etsy right now.

(oops, I just realized it is not listed yet! If you are interested for $18, email me)

I’ll put out some fresh flowers and probably fill the center of the table with even more pretties I have made. I like it to be full and have something interesting in front of each dinner guest.

There will be more birdhouse pictures on Thursday for the party Beth and I are having, "Bling your Birdhouse Day" or "What do you LOVE about your Birdie’s Home?"

I will be giving away one of these birdhouses that day, leave a comment to enter the drawing.

I have my Easter bonnets all ready to wear. I think I might try this new blue one, I got it today for $6 and it is abundantly full of blooms!

It was a lucky flower day, I got the little white flowered hat for $5 and the roses, carnation, and little velvet posies were a gift from a friend. Now that is a good friend! She knows what I like.

Since I knew that Easter would be busy, with turkey basting, egg hunting, and all the visiting, we got the littlest Nathans together early and took photos in their fancy dresses.

One of Sugarwing’s photos is already framed, so I can surprise my husband with it as his Easter treat.

Another copy of that picture has been added to my scrapbook. I cut out around the baby’s picture, then cut a slit into the rose cart with an exacto knife, following the outline of the roses. The portrait was then slipped into the slit and glued down, then the whole thing was glued to some vintage wallpaper.

hmm, I should add some fairy wings to this….

Little Madison was a much better poser than my Sugarwings. She is still too little to get away from the camera!

My fairy grand baby was too much of a moving target, running up and down the stairs, and dumping out the baskets full of grass and bunnies.

Most of her photos are of her diapered backside as she scoots up the steps again for the 50th time.

Her dainty dress and her tidily fixed hair didn’t last long either. This little wild child was having too much fun to care about pictures.

And to me, this shot of my pixie is even more precious than the perfectly groomed and posed ones we had hoped to get.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday with your own cherished loved ones. I can’t wait to see mine tomorrow!