friends – Karla's Cottage

Wallpaper heart table covering

By Karla Nathan / March 9, 2026

Before going in for rotator cuff surgery mid February , I wanted a big night with friends to fill up my fun-o-meter.

Rich had been gifted this giant, dbl magnum of one of his favorite wines and that was a good excuse to invite people over. There was no way we could’ve finished off that ginormous bottle on our own before it went stale on us.

And sharing a bottle of good wine with friends over dinner was just what I needed.

Our get together was on Valentine Eve, so I went all out on the reds, pinks, and roses. I used the great big, vintage wall paper hearts I’d made or hang from the ceiling at Good Juju as my tablecloth.

After setting the table, I realized that I didn’t have a center piece. So, I scattered dried roses (from a bouquet I’d gotten back at Christmas) down the middle of the table and gathered all of the votives I could find for a glow. The wine decanters acted as decor too, since the wine was the star of the show.

The weather was strangely perfect for grilling (in February?!) so we had some juicy steaks along with the wine. But the best part?

So much laughter. What a great night.

At the Elms

friends

By Karla Nathan / October 23, 2025

A special friend having a birthday.

So we made slightly impulsive, sorta expensive, but worth every penny, reservation at the Elms Spa in Excelsior Springs.

We treated ourselves to an afternoon in the Grotto, then relaxed with tea in the spa lounge, where they had a heart shaped piece of wood on the wall. My kind of place.

It’s an historical hotel, with gorgeous details throughout. And ghosts! We took a ghost tour and learned about the spirits haunting different rooms. My buddy even heard a ghostly party in the rooms above her overnight.

I was jealous.

After our refreshenings at the spa, we got dressed up and went out to dinner. Since I’d just had a facial, I wasn’t going to mess it up with makeup. But I did put on nice clothes, which is a big deal for me that late at night. 8pm is way past jammy time for this old gal.

I even wore fancy shoes. It is very unlike me to be out and on the town at night, and even more bizarre to not be in my spongy, sift, Oofo sandals. These babies even had a bit of a heel.

Yep, it was a fancy excursion and a wonderful getaway.

Surprise!

Food and Drink, friends

By Karla Nathan / August 24, 2025

My good buddy, Jen, had a birthday surprise party planned by another great pal, Shanna. She came up with the idea of making a donut tower and adding flags consisting of pictures of Jen’s artwork on picks to hold the treats in place.

Shan rents studio space at a venue that allows members to make use of a communal area when needed (we meet up there for a weekly mosaic club).

The room is already filled with tables and chairs, plus there is bright colored art all around. We brought in vintage tablecloths and banners to hang. And I’d just redone my booth at Good Juju for Halloween, so I’d packed up all the paper roses and white wisteria that I’d used in it previously.

I brought two bags full of flowers to spread around the room adding a rosy splash color.

The meal was scrumptious, you gotta love a pitch in dinner. They remind me of the annual family reunions we had in southern Indiana. Everyone goes all out to make that one, special dish to share, so you get the best of the best recipes, right?

Well, sometimes. I’m afraid my contribution was a bit simple. But the dip did include fresh tomatoes from our garden and was in a pretty compote.

The birthday girl was properly surprised (she thought she was running an errand for the Art Guild, then going out to dinner), the meal everyone shared was great, I got to see people I hadn’t talked to in ages, and we had a blast decorating together before guests arrived. It could not have been a better evening.

Around the neighborhood in the Old West Bottoms of KC

friends, Good JuJu, Travel

By Karla Nathan / August 16, 2025

Typically, when I go to the West Bottoms, I’m working at Good Juju.

Or popping quickly into another open shop during First Friday weekend. And that is rare. But the other day, Beth and I decided to check out a restaurant nearby and do a bit of exploration after a crew meeting.

The old buildings covered in graffiti and chippy paint have an allure that made us want to take some equally alluring photos of ourselves, making use of the gritty, textured backdrops.

I see photo shoots going on in the area all the time for senior pics, engagements, or just for fun. And after walking around the neighborhood, not just driving by, I can feel the attraction to the ambience of the weathered paints.

See, doesn’t the background make us look like tik tok beauty influencers?

One thought that kept recurring to me, was how did anyone reach some of these areas with their spray paints?

Some of the graffiti was arty, some fun, all interesting. But over all, I prefer the natural wear and tear that time provides on the surfaces.

The local businesses had some interesting details that they added too.
Like this restaurant we chose, called The Ship, with a whole ocean/cow town theme.

Yep, ocean/cow town.

Sounds oddly random, like the owners threw a bunch of themes written on slips of paper into a hat and plucked two out, then said, okay, this is it.

The place was hopping, with a live country band and 20-30 yr olds dressed up in their best cowgirl outfits whooping it up on the dance floor.

I'm afraid we were more sightseers than patrons. At my age, a loud bar is interesting to peek at, but not where I want to sit and talk during dinner. Maybe we can go back on a night when there isn’t live music. I did mention my age, right? Ha! Getting me to stay out after dark in Kansas City is a rare occurrence. I enjoyed our night out (we drive to a tapas place, and I didn’t get home til after ELEVEN PM), but the odds of dining out at night in KC again soon aren’t great.

Jammy time in front of the tv calls out to me pretty early on most evenings. But it’s good for the soul to get out and explore sometimes. I recommend a walk through the Bottoms to get out of your own rut if you’re in one as deeply as I am.

Celebrating each other

Food and Drink, friends

By Karla Nathan / July 9, 2025

Beth, Angie and I threw ourselves a party.

Their birthdays are only a week apart, while mine is a month earlier. But all are springtime, so meld together nicely as a reason to celebrate with each other.

While I don’t think you ever actually need an excuse to have a party, when I see one, I’ll nab it.

Any chance you get to have an afternoon with friends, especially if you also get wine and chocolate, you should take it.

Add in some cupcakes, lots of laughs, and who cares if it’s a birthday today, a month ago, or no where near one at all.

When I count my blessings, days that my buddies come out to spend an afternoon with me ant the cottage are way up there.

Patriotic art for the 4th

friends

By Karla Nathan / July 4, 2025

Last week, I went to another mosaic art opening.

This one also featured two of my pals, author and artist, Dr. Margie Carr and artist and teacher, Shanna Wagner.

Margie has been making her glass flags with meaningful quotes imbedded and Shan uses her lyrical skills with glass to lure you in with beauty then show you some ugly truths.

I am doubly impressed by both of them, that they create such lovely pieces with so much to say.

And I was impressed with myself for actually getting out of the house and going to not one, but two Art openings in a week. I tend to be a bit of a recluse of an evening. But when I have such talented friends with stunning work, of course I had to make the effort to haul myself out in public to see it.

I’m glad I got out to see the show. Great job, Shan and Margie!

Talented friends

collections, friends

By Karla Nathan / June 24, 2025

My friend, Shanna, started sharing her mosaic studio and supplies with friends a few years back and it has grown into full fledged club with a large group of members who come together and chat while we create.

Typically, each does an individual project on their own, but sometimes there is a technique they learn together like this “flying carpet” type piece that Lynn has in the show.

I don’t go as much as I’d like, there are often other things going on and I don’t get to join in weekly. And when I do, I sometimes bring another sort of project and treat it as a craft day, since I’m not exactly a mosaic artist. I’ve done a few pieces, but didn’t really have anything I wanted to enter into the show. So I went to support the group and enjoy the art. They were kind to include me in the photos and speeches.

In a roundabout way, I was part of the show. Shan used my painting and Kim Brook’s ceramic flowers as part of a collaboration in this creation. I love the mix of textures with the broken plates, buttons, and glass.

This work from Melissa has an interesting mix too, with the millefiori glass and the idea of using the grout itself as a design element, not just a filler.

And Margie’s? She has incorporated that flying carpet trick to craft a waving flag and added a meaningful quote in alphabet beads. I just love all of her work.

After seeing pieces in various stages of completion, it was striking to see a roomful of finished, professional art on display. I often take the gatherings for granted, as just an opportunity to hang out with friends and get a few hours of creative time. But this group show reminds me of the talent I’m surrounded by and I was properly impressed by what they have all done.

One person’s trash, was thoughtfully shared with someone who think its treasures. That someone was luckily me!

flowers, friends

By Karla Nathan / May 19, 2025

A couple of friends came by to enjoy the exquisite spring weather and have some chicken salad on fresh baked bread with me in my courtyard.

Both brought bags of stuff they had around and wondered if I could use.

Jen’s husband had bought a case of air spray cans meant for cleaning a key board and she asked if I wanted a couple since they’d never use up that many. She’d remembered me complaining about how dusty Good Juju was and that I was worried that my sun catchers would soon become dirt collectors.

It wouldn’t have occurred to me to try spraying the crystals with an air can, but once she mentioned it, I was thrilled with the idea. There are so many things there that could be so much simpler to keep tidy this way.

Shanna had a couple of sacks with her and seemed almost apologetic to offer them. She said they were things her grandma had for years and were in pretty bad shape. My ears pricked up with those words and my heart might’ve skipped a couple beats.

One package was stuffed with pieces of vintage fur, ideal for crafting Santas at Christmas. The other contained all of these millinery floral bunches. One of my favorite things in the world.

See why? These are all perfectly faded and tattered. I see many exciting craft projects ahead for me, as well as clean chandeliers in my booth. Thanks to my pals!

A big surprise

celebrations, friends

By Karla Nathan / May 15, 2025

My birthday was a thoughtful one. My husband planned a surprise party and a bestie offered to host it at her house.

She even baked her mom’s special Italian Cream Cake for me. And it was even better than it looks. My buddies knew about this for a couple months and all kept the secret. I almost blew it by doing yard work all day til 5, then begging for Rich to go pick up a pizza so I could stay home and eat in my Jammie’s instead of going to a dinner reservation at 6.

ooops

Shan’s home has a screened in porch where we took in the perfect, May weather while eating dinner. Then I was surprised again by being showered with bouquets and plants, as well as a bag of vintage goodies from Angie, and a hand made friendship scrapbook compiled of over twenty years worth of photos of people I love.

It was a lovely evening, always is when I spend time with friends.

One more surprise was seeing this painted tin I’d done decades ago for my pal’s mom. It’s now hanging in her own home and I don’t remember the last time I saw it. I was pleasantly pleased to see I still liked it. (Sometimes art of the past can cause remorse.)

There were even balloons! And a banner! Both are happily on display at the cottage. I don’t think I’ve gotten either since I was a kid.

Thank you, Rich, and to all my friends. It was kind of you to do this for me.

In appreciation of a generous friend

Books, friends, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 8, 2025

A while back, Beth gifted me a bagful of vintage paper scraps, odds and ends, plus a pile of delicious, old linens.

Inside the bag of goodies was a book cover she had started but never finished.

There was wonderful ephemera, original and printed along with pages of cardstock she had stamped too.

And the lace!

Oh! The lace!

I see fairiy dresses galore in my future. So many great bits and bobs to craft with.

As a thank you, I finished putting her book cover together into a junk journal she could embellish. The only item I used that wasn’t part of her de-stash, was this Charlotte tag.

I decorated the cover with a sweet button card that was in the pile of never ending, vintage goodness and used the two remaining buttons on it as a clasp to wrap a string around as a closure. It was hard for me to stop at that point. I adore crafting a book, but I wanted her to have fun adding tidbits to the interior.

Thanks, Beth!