guncles – Page 4 – Karla's Cottage

Once Upon an Easter

celebrations, Food and Drink, friends, guncles, holiday decor, parties, Travel, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / April 18, 2019

Jenn Hayslip’s bunny bash was every bit as special as I knew it would be.

It was great to catch up with old friends…

Meet some new friends…

Learn some entertaining tricks..

Attend a tea party with my baby bro…

Make Eastery foofiness in fun classes…

Eat wonderful food in fancy settings with fun people…

Teach a class…

Go to an Easter egg hunt…

Play dress up…

Eat more great food…

And more…

I even got to decorate an Easter tree and do some other sprucing up before things started.

Thank you, Jenn, it was lovely!

Bunnies in the Land of Guncles

Food and Drink, guncles, holiday decor, Travel

By Karla Nathan / April 15, 2019

In the last few years, I’ve been lucky enough to see Guncleland at Christmas and Halloween.

This is my first trip there for the burst of Springtime that blooms in their home.

It is adorable!

I think the key word to describe it all is Whimsical.

Or should I go with Colorful?

Abundance works too.

But wait, I think what I’m looking for is Delightful.

No, the perfect word has to be, Delicious!

(Have you ever had fresh from the ocean, trigger fish? It is my new favorite meal in the whole world. Especially when prepared Guncle Kevin style.)

No matter the season or decor, Hospitality always describes this home.

Hospitality heavily seasoned with Love and Warmth.

Thank you, bros!

I miss you and your Adorable, Whimsical, Colorful, Abundant, Delightful, Delicious, Hospitable home, filled with Love and Warmth!

Ghoulish Guncle Goofiness, and some bootiful Halloween decor

celebrations, family, guncles, holiday decor, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 29, 2018

During our Sister Trip to Florida, we took a jaunt up north to Jax and the Land of Guncles.

Where we were met with the typical Guncle charm and hospitality, and an added dose of creepiness.

We were greeted by this sign.

Their welcoming home was in its full, Fall glory.

With ghouls, goblins, witches, and more.

So, we decided we needed to fit in with our surroundings and got out the face paints.

I went Pink.

Sissy got some purple witchiness going on.

While Guncle Randy embraced his inner warlock and went full on, goblin green.

Lovely Lily didn't need to change colors, she has a pretty, autumn glow year round with her auburn hair.

The guys had the house foofed up to the hilt.

It is always an honor to see my artwork making it into some of their displays.

Randy's art was prominent too.

Here are pages from a Romantic Gothic Ghost art journal he did.

The house was creepy, cool, and very well done.

Our pal, Regina, made this banner.

No detail was neglected.

I'll leave you with a few more pics from our fun night there.

Crown Crafting with the Crew

friends, guncles, Travel, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 13, 2018

Besides junking, sipping wine, sitting by a bonfire, playing with piglets, and eating too much like I was a piglet myself (thanks for the great food, Tracy!!), we did some crafting on Labor Day weekend when i was with my buddies at the hunting cabin.

Royal Style!

Tami brought enough supplies to top off the entire British monarchy.

And we loved every bit and bauble she brought.

Here is a Gatsby-esque one that she gifted to Karen.

And here is a heart shaped, nature inspired, Fairy Crown that I made for Sugarwings.

She placed it on our lamp when she took it off, I kind of like it there.

This is the woodland example that Tami brought.

Angie is modelling the Ice Queen crown.

I made one similar to it.

I'm also creating a Raven crown, from a beaded flapper dress I found at a flea market. It is still in progress, I'm thinking it will require some black feathers and maybe even a feathery bird. I'll be wearing it with my raven dress to a fairyland ball that my sis, Terry, is throwing next summer. It is never too early to plan ahead, is it? This will be a big occasion, so Guncle Randy and I both worked on our headpieces.

Here is the beginning of the base of his. He ringed it with more stones, and we aged it with two colors of Rub-n-buff when we got home.

He will also add vines and sprigs to fairy it up.

They all looked great together.

Thanks for the beautiful project, Tami!

(I only wish we'd thought of posing some of these onto the mounted deer and turkeys around the house!)

I will be away from my desk, enjoying Sister Time in Florida til the 22nd. All orders from the Boutique will ship on the 24th. Thanks!

Kansas Sunflowers

family, flowers, guncles

By Karla Nathan / September 23, 2018

While Guncle Randy was here, I took him sightseeing, Kansas Style.

I am not a native Kansan, but have embraced it as my home. And I adore the endless vistas of fields of sunflowers in the late summer, or pumpkins when fall arrives.

This year, the drought slowed down the sunflowers, but there were enough in bloom to show my Floridian, baby bro the Kansas scenery that I love.

We almost didn't stop, it was a little bit out of the way on our trip home from the flea market.

But I am so glad we made the effort, it was a fun side trip, and well worth the short drive.

Florida Friends with Flowing Paint and eating from field to fork

Books, celebrations, dogs, family, Food and Drink, guncles, paintings

By Karla Nathan / September 20, 2018

While Karen, Regina, and Randy were here from Florida, we got together at the Cottage for some flow painting. I showed them how to make an ocean scene.

And we made some book covers.

They all got messy with me, and we poured paints in the garage.

This is a "swipe" technique. The colors go on over black paint, then more black paint is drizzled over it, and swiped across to make a pretty design. The paint needs to dry for a while, when it is done, I'll assemble the books, and show you how it turned out.

Here is Guncle Randy's other painting.

WOW.

I love it.

I wonder if he will notice if it isn't in the box I am mailing to him when the paint dries….

I'd planned a lunch for us and was happy to have a chance to use the fall tablecloth that I found at the flea market we all shopped at.

We had beef pot pie with puff pastry, salad, and rosemary garlic bread fresh from the oven.

With "paint pour" cupcakes for dessert.

But that wasn't it for the day…

Karen started her morning at 4am, dove hunting at the camp we had been visiting.

She brought them along to clean and gifted us with a whole flock.

It is not something I've ever done before, but intriguing. There is definitely a bonus to a meal that you have hand crafted, whether from garden to table or from field to fork.

And well worth it, those doves were tender and delicious! We soaked them in salt water for 24 hours, before marinating in Italian dressing.

While the dove breasts soaked up the flavors, we took a Labor Day spin out on the lake.

After boating, I wrapped the breasts in bacon, and my husband slow cooked them on the grill. We served it with a cauliflower mash, asparagus, fresh made bread, and a salad featuring tomatoes just picked from the garden.

Thanks, for being such a great shot, Karen! And for sharing your bounty!

Good friends, good lodgings, and goofiness

family, friends, games, guncles, Travel

By Karla Nathan / September 9, 2018

Foofy, gorgeous, girly, Karen, is also an avid hunter and outdoors woman. She turkey hunts at Rawhide Camp Outfitters

It is in a beautiful setting, on a bluff overlooking a bend in the Missouri River.

And it just so happens to be a hop, skip, and a mini jump, down the road from my favorite flea, at Sparks, KS.

Since flea market season and hunting season do not coincide, she stays at the camp in August to go shopping, and is kind to invite some friends along for the trip. This is my second year there with her and I hope, not the last.

Some Birdsong friends, local and from far away, gathered to enjoy the hospitality of the home. We were all spoiled by Tracy's cooking, did some crafting, some shopping, lots of laughing, and maybe drank a bit of wine…

Angie gifted us with a vintage craft pack, and Beth made up a Flea Market Survival Kit, with wet wipes, mints, and tissues.

The home is owned by a super nice family, some of whom came by to visit.

The rooms are filled with trophies, and has a distinct hunting theme.

There are "sheds" everywhere. I was going to say hundreds, but I'll bet it is more like thousands.

This guy was our crating, buddy and watched over the table we worked at.

You can tell by the surroundings that the place is probably more used to Turkey and Deer Hunters than Vintage Junk Hunters.

I thought it was pretty clever, to use one of their empties for a soap dispenser. And to top off the popcorn with a light bulb when there was no lid for the jar.

And yes, there were plenty of empties…. NO, these were NOT ours. Like I said, we were daintily sipping wine.

And honestly, not that much wine…. goofiness sometimes just occurs when the opportunity arises.

And then it escalates a little bit.

Well, maybe more than a little.

See?

This is the room that Guncle Randy and I shared. I am lucky enough to have been a guest in the Crown Royal Suite two years in a row. I felt like a princess.

The views were dreamy.

I had a feeling that I wasn't in Kansas anymore.

It was the best!! Thank you Karen, and thank you to the Whetstines for hosting this fun filled getaway!!

The Pet Butler at the Flea Market

dogs, family, guncles

By Karla Nathan / September 6, 2018

Any place I go with Guncle Randy, he makes friends. He has always been so charming and interested in people that they are irresistibly drawn to him.

At the Sparks Flea Market he was visiting his brand new best friends more than he was looking at the goods for sale.

It isn't only humans that gravitate to his presence, all the 4 legged shoppers wanted to visit too.

As well as the 3 legged ones.

I can see why his business, Randy the Pet Butler, has grown since he began it not that long ago. He loves all the furry friends that he comes across.

He has been known to pet sit more than just dogs, of course, but I don't know if he has taken on piggies yet.

Although, if he did, it looks like they would welcome his care.

These piglets were for sale at the flea market, and we spent as much time squealing over their cuteness as we did shopping. I was sooooooo tempted to bring one back with me.

But, as sweet as Sugar is, I doubt if she would be all that nice to a new pig brother or sister. Or would appreciate the motto on the sign with the pigs for sale,

"Pigs are for LOVIN, not for the oven."

She was head over heels for her Guncle, and slept with him every night that he was here. When he left, she was searching everywhere for him at bedtime. He affects everyone that way, whether they have 2, 3, or 4 legs. We all want some Randy time!

I miss him too, Shuggie.

More guncle-riffic-ness

guncles

By Karla Nathan / April 28, 2018

The interior of the Guncles' home is quite wonderful, but it doesn't stop there! Out in the lush, tropical, Florida garden, tucked into the corner, is a rather plain looking, tent covered, metal gazebo.

If you open the flaps and peek inside, you will find that the outside is deceptive. Inside, is a dining wonderland, whose theme changes every time I visit. It is a charming, herb themed set up now, and this chandy is simply breathtaking.

Lovely!

In the Land of Guncles

family, guncles

By Karla Nathan / April 25, 2018

While in Florida to celebrate our 60th birthdays with my life long buddies, I thought I should take advantage of my plane tickets and extend my trip to visit family.

First, I spent some time with Terry at Disney, then the two of us headed up to Jax to revel in the hospitality of the Guncles.

As always, the table was set with style and flair. This time, nodding to our sister trip to Animal Kingdom with a jungle setting. I should have gotten a photo of the food, but I was way, way too busy shoving it into my face as fast as I could.

Oh my goodness!

Lobster tails, BBQ Shrimp, Fish Tacos!!!

Oh my!

After my couple of days there, I felt like I waddled out, stuffed to the brim with some of the best meals I'd ever had the pleasure of being served.