holiday decor – Page 22 – Karla's Cottage

Romantic Cottage Christmas,extra Kits, and Using the Good Stuff!

cottage, fairies, holiday decor, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / December 7, 2014

As you can see from this winter wonderland of fairies, when I plan a class, I make a TON of the pieces before I teach them. These fairies are from Birdsong 4. And not only was I trying to work out the kinks in the project before sharing the steps, I got hooked. I loved making them.

There were also plenty of sprites to add to the silver tree on the kitchen buffet. (on the right)

I tend to go over board with kit making too.

I whipped up dozens of holiday ornament kits for our small gathering, knowing that they would be great for gift giving and for adding to my online shops.

Our day in the studio was so much fun! I enjoyed having a reason to get the room into its full on holiday glory and then to spend time out there with nice people, listening to Christmas music, and making sparkly creations for our trees.

Here is one of the projects we made that day. If you'd like to make any of these ornies or fairies, the kits are available here and here.

We also made these stuffed, felted stocking with vintage lace.

These are from Shan and Rebecca.

Laurie's was Tiffany Blue. She was my inspiration for making up kits in that color too. (I also had red, white, and pink)

Beth added glittered ballerinas to hers and made one for each of her little nieces.

The kits contain everything you need to make the pretties, but I also had a big table full of extras.

With lots of little embellishments, wallpaper, ribbons, and lace.

Once we had finished the three kits, and had some lunch, we spent the afternoon "freestylin"

Everyone had plenty of supplies and inspiratins to make all sorts of pieces.

From tags, to garlands, to embellished little trees.

(once the glue dries on this one, it will be a glittery masterpiece)

I like the way Rebecca made this paper mache ornie into a mosaic of sparkling papers.

The third project for the day was, "On Gilded Wings" this angel on the left. ( Her skirt is netting I tore from a 1940s bride gown, included in all of the kits.)

One thing we talked about while we glued and glittered, was one of my favorite topics. No, not the grand fairies, although I probably blathered on too much about them, too.

No, we talked about Using the Good Stuff.

I can't emphathize enough, that a project worth your time is worth your best materials. Why save them for something better? Just by using the vintage bridal gown lace, or the soft, old flowers, you have made THIS project better.

I am a big believer in using the good stuff in every day life too. And that doesn't mean it is top of the line expensive stuff either. My china is from an auction for $10. My vintage napkins are from a toss away bag of stuff Beth didn't want. The vases are from garage sales.

And the layered tablecloths (which don't really show here) were hand made by my Great Aunt Caroline and my Great Grandma Nellie. Why keep those things in a drawer, never to be seen? I like to get them out and use them. I added sheet music and a vintage, new stock doily under each plate to protect the cloths, but I figured if they get spilled on, I can always soak out a stain. Or set a vase over the spot next time if can't get the spot out.

But stuck away in a drawer, never being enjoyed and used? That would be too sad.

I feel the same way about my stash of vintage supplies. Why would I buy them to use as supplies if I just decide to hoard them away and not enjoy them???

That is why the tiny crystals on the Santa hats I made for my guests are vintage old stock from the 30s. And the felted wool is hand dyed. The trim is wool roving, not just dacron, and all of those ingredients make the piece just a little more special, even though it is a simple little, silly thing.

Another way to look at it, is that Using the Good Stuff is a gift to ourselves. Women tend to think of everyone else during the holidays. Maybe you need to stop and think of yourself, take the time to open your stash of special items, and make something wonderful for yourself or as a gift. The act of just using the Good Stuff is such a happy feeling, and making presents with your beloved goodies is even better.

This is the season to thing about sharing the bounty.

Don't be a Scrooge, hoarding it all away! Take that special button out of the glass jar, or cut away a hunk from the back of an old gown, or slice into that butter soft velvet and USE IT!

A personal holiday tradition

holiday decor, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / December 6, 2014

Typically, I'm not a red or a green person.

But for the whole month of December, I wear red and green stones for Christmas.

I've had this ring for – aack! a LOT of years! – since my twelfth birthday. It was a gift from my sister, Bobbie Sue.

And these emerald earrings were a gift from my pal, Shanna.

The peridots were my Great Aunt Caroline's. And the ruby was my Mom's. It's a sentimental time of year, so it is extra nice to have Christmas colored jewelry that reminds me of family.

Or fun days out with friends. The garnet and diamond ring in the back is from a flea market buddy trip. the very vintage rose gold one in front was from a garage sailing day with friends, and was only $4.

I think any of the pendants go wonderfully with the pearl necklace Sissy made for me from Great Grandma Nellie's pearls. (Notice that I cropped my wattle out of the photo?)

For the last few years, I've also worn this red velvet coat from Victoria Trading Co. during December, along with this pretty scarf that Jenn Hayslip gave to me for teaching at one of her events.

The coat could be considered a bit much. I either look like I am wandering about in my bath robe, or am Mrs. Claus escaped from the North Pole. I've heard Red Riding Hood too.

But when I put it on, I feel festive. It's warm, it's soft, and I don't think looking like Mrs. Claus is such a bad thing this time of year.

Do you have a personal tradition that makes you feel all Christmassy?

Letting down the kiddos

Dew Drop, family, holiday decor, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / December 3, 2014

We have the sweetest, most forgiving, grand fairies. I let them down, big time, by forgetting an important item on our Holiday To Do List.

We have BIG plans for the holiday season this year. I want to do something special every week of December with them. (these gold flecked sugarplum dresses will be getting a workout for this month)

Between holiday crafts, gingerbread house building, and cocoa parties, we are also going to Breakfast with Santa at Lionsgate Country Club, to the Lawrence Community Theater's showing of Mary Poppins, and to see Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer at the Coterie Theater in Crown Center, plus the Festive of Trees, and some other fun outings.

One item on the list that I'm really looking forward to is following a map of holiday lights around town.

But, do to a major effing-up on my part, our schedule of fun events didn't get off to a smooth start. The girls and I talked all week about going to see Rudolf. Then the night before we planned to go, I discovered that my tickets were for that day,not the next.

Yep, missed it.

But see Dewdrop's sad face? That isn't about the play. She simply gets tired of too many hugs sometimes… and Sugarwings is a full on, heavy duty, non stop hugger.

Those girls were soooooooo sweet when I explained that I'd made a huge mistake on the date and we missed the show we were looking forward to. I didn't hear one single complaint, and no tears fell down cheeks. I was so pleased and proud to know how understanding and appreciative they are. We do a lot of fun activities together, but if I thought they were acting like spoiled brats over these outings, we sure wouldn't be doing them.

It is good to see that my grands are big hearted and that they felt bad for me because I was sad about mixing up the dates. Neither of them felt bad for themselves. (So of course, I felt even worse about my major mistake!)

So, we decided to find some fun out there some where and headed to Kansas City, even though we were not visiting with our favorite ruby nosed deer.

Those little fairy girls didn't care where we went, they were thrilled to wear their new gowns (from Ross Dress for Less for only $18 each) and hang with the old folks for the day. Especially hanging with ole Mr. Claus.

He is set up at Crown Center in Crayola''s Santaland, with lots of giant crayons to climb on.

And a little crayon house to twirl in.

We went out to lunch, walked around the mall, (where neither one even asked for a toy) and did crafts at the Crayola store. Then, later a movie. All in all, a fantastic day.

( this is the photo before doctoring on picmonkey, where I used bokah stars to lighten it, wrinkle remover to take out the background, eye tint to remove the last bit of fuscia from Sugarwings' hair, eye tint to soften the banner and the red lights, plus some snow.)

Making a package as special as the gift inside

holiday decor, how-to projects, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / December 1, 2014

It's that time of year, when gifting is on our minds. Sometimes, the wrapping just about does me in. One year, I did the smartest thing, I used ONE GIFT BAG for the whole family!!

It really was a lifesaver that hectic year. I made a pile of pressies for each person, in the room right next to the tree. Then, I took a large gift bag back there, put one present in it, and brought it out to be opened. Then I went back and refilled it, with something for the next person. It was funny, and we had a great time, with me playing Santa one bag at a time.

But if you are not rushed, and would like some special presentations, here is an idea.

I love these plain, wooden or paper mache boxes from Michael's and Hobby Lobby. They are great to decorate and fill.

One issue I have with them, though, is if you try to decoupage them, the lids don't always fit right. I've learned that it best to paint the area under where the lip of the lid will fit on. You can goober up the sides as much as you want, but stop your ornamentation right up to where the edge of the lid will be.

And don't forget to decorate the interior too. I usually paint the inside of the bottom part, and then do something unexpected inside the lid. (Do be careful not to have your embellishments get in the way of the lid closing, though)

This whole thing was pretty quick and simple. And nice to take the time on for wrapping notable gifts. The majority of my giving will be done in paper bags, but I do like to whip up a few extra nice packages here and there. The small boxes are only about a dollar each, and the decorations can be done with scraps, a little bit of paint, and glitter, plus an embellishment or two.

Here are the steps I followed:

Paint the inside, and outside of the box metallic silver.
Paint the outside rim of the lid also. And the bottom of the box.
Brush glue onto the top of the lid, adhere and burnish decorative paper (I used vintage wallpaper)
Buff the edges of the paper with a sanding block to make it smooth. I then ran a metallic silver ink pad along the edge.
Brush Elmer's glue along the bottom of the box, about half way up, and over the entire top of the lid, then sprinkle with crystal clear, fine glitter. I like Martha Stewart's glitter for this, it is very sheer.
When the lid dried, I drizzled glue on the inside of it, and laid two layers of ruffled wallpaper into the glue and added a flat millinery bloom to the center. (You could use lace, or other ruffles, and a sparkling, old gem for the same effect)
For the top of the lid, I simply added a millinery bloom from my garden of floral hats. You can decorate the top as ornate or simple as you like.
Run a bead of glue around the bottom of the box and press a ribbon or trim into it, cut to fit. I added a second layer too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

celebrations, Dew Drop, fairies, family, holiday decor, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / November 27, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm hoping that as you read this, my house is all decked and my turkey is roasting in the oven. But for now (I write these posts ahead of time) I can just day dream of juicy turkey and all the trimmings while thinking about what I'm thankful for. And hoping to get time to get the tree out and the 6 overflowing boxes of sparkling goodies piled onto it….

While the furniture is moved around to make space for the upcoming tree, we decided to take advantage of the space and have a dance party. I looped a strand of rope lights around the room, gathered up the grand fairies, and hit the button on what my husband thinks is the world's most annoying toy.

It's loud, it's obnoxious, and WE LOVE IT. That is, the girls and I. Not so much their grandfather. But he will dance with us. I bought it for half price and with a 30% coupon off that price at Kohls. And I think the ten bucks is a much better investment than the two year gym membership that I bought. This little machine is a big workout.

We are learning to dance, "North Pole Style." Here I am shovelling snow. We also get to chase snowflakes and catch them on our tongue, go ice fishing, jiggle like Santa's tummy, and plenty more cool dance moves.

(I bought these slinky,fuzzy jammies at the same 50% off, then 30% off sale at Kohls, and have been very popular with Dewdrop when I wear them. She thinks I am some sort of a human stuffed animal and won't stop petting me.)

I think she is pretty snuggly too.

Enjoy your turkey and your thanking. I know I have a lot of things to be thankful for.

And if you are in the mood to get ready for the holidays, I have some kits available (with more to come).

I'm calling these Tart Tin Tassels.

Both kits are available in the Boutique.

Along with these fairy kits from Birdsong. Wouldn't they make adorable Elves on Shelves???

I'm doing that with one of them this year.

I'm also planning to fill a silver tree with them.

Or if you'd prefer to buy something ready to go instead of making it, I've got one ornie listed in the Etsy shop and hope to get more up soon.

Also, I have seats left in my Romantic White Christmas workshop at the studio on Friday Dec. 5. Maybe I'll see you in Lawrence??

A Romantic White Christmas at the Cottage, two days of classes

holiday decor, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / November 10, 2014

Any body want to come and play?

I'm planning two play dates in my cottage studio for Christmas. These will be two different sessions, and you would be welcome to sign up for either, or (even more fun!), for both.

On Friday, December 5th, we will make 3 ornaments from kits, and with the remainder of the day, hang out and make as many paper doll dress ornies as you'd like to while we relax and enjoy some holiday treats. Or continue working on the three class decorations, if you'd rather spend more time on those.

Both days will include lunch, coffee, tea, and Christmas cookies.

Both days will also include everything you need to create the Romantic White Christmas pieces we will be making, plus a table of extras to chose from for personalization.

Although, of course, since we will be using vintage items, no two artists will end up with the same exact finished products. (but it wouldn't be Karla's Cottage without extras! And it will be "The Good Stuff")

And on Saturday Dec. 6th?

We will turn a vintage cabinet card folder into…

… a lush, art journal, covered in white velvet and trimmed in tons of lace.

And of course, millinery blooms and rhinestones.

The book will have an angel theme, with this Heavenly Charlotte doll on the cover (perfect year round, or used as a holiday book).

I'll have a very, very old, very, very tattered wedding gown to cut up for trimming the books. Feel free to chop away at it, to layer and foof your journal.

This book is a no sew class, except for adding the button to the cover.

We will make the book from scratch, fill it with blank pages ready to hold your holiday memories, or to record your blessings, musings, and day dreams year round.

If you finish the book early, I'll have some vintagey goodies out for you to start working on the interior pages, if you'd like. If you don't have time to make some pages, I'll pack up a to-go bag for you with some ephemera to work with when you get home, so you can get started there.

So, here is a recap of the details:

Friday, December 5th- A COLLECTION OF ORNAMENTS

including:

1- "Angel Pie" a tart tin tassel with a mini frozen Charlotte

2- "On Gilded Wings"- a glitter winged cherub, with flowing lace gown, to hang or turn into a tree topper

3- "Lady's Lacey Stocking"- a felted wool stocking, stuffed, glittered, and filled with vintage pretties

Saturday, December 6th- ANGEL THEMED ART JOURNAL

"Heavenly Charlotte"- a cabinet card folder, re-envisioned as a book, covered in lace and velvet

Both classes will be limited space. And are going to be very laid back and homey. We'll hang out in the studio, have lunch in the dining room where the halls will be decked, listen to some Christmas music, and play with pretties.

If you are coming in from out of town, and just attending one day of class, you might also want to go to Kansas City for the West Bottoms antique district, that will be the weekend it is open for business.

Cost per day $120

If you attend both, you will receive a package discount of $15 each day for a total of only $210.

Please email me if you are interested and I can send an invoice.

karlanathan@sbcglobal.net

Both days include lunch, beverages, treats and full kits to completely finish all of the projects. All you need to bring is your basic tool kit. We will start at 9:30 am and play till 5pm. With Saturday's class, you also will receive my online tutorial, Creating an Art Journal.

A Fall Wedding in New Hampshire

celebrations, family, flowers, Food and Drink, guncles, holiday decor, Travel, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / November 8, 2014

What a perfect place for a wedding! The guncles have been together for a long time and had a commitment ceremony 17 years ago, but now that they can be legally married, we gathered in NH to celebrate with them.

We had a rehearsal dinner the night before the event at Ipswich Country Club. And oh my! It was something!

Great appetisers.

Exceptional food.

Wonderful company. (this is just some of us, I don't have a group shot)

And a serenade from Carol Swarbrick Dries (Aunt Carol). She sang a song that had tears in all of our eyes. We begged for an encore the next day at the wedding.

The air was crisp, the leaves were colorful, and the site for the wedding luncheon and ceremony was ideal for the occasion.

And did I mention that there was carrot cake? My fave! And so pretty with the fall colors. There wasn't a cake stand, but I slipped a couple of box lids from our centerpieces under it and that made a quick but cute, make shift stand.

I was so pleased that the boxes we worked on together to make centerpieces looked so festive in the room.

We also glittered and sponge painted some packages of tissue paper leaves from the dollar bin at Target to sprinkle around the table. And Randy framed a picture of each guest to create name cards for the seating.

17 years ago, we had to take apart two bride and groom cake toppers to get two grooms. Now, the guncles had plenty of toppers to choose from with two grooms. All this one needed was some highlights in one groom's hair and it was ready to adorn the carrot cake.

I was honored to be in the ceremony. The whole time I was up there, I watched Kevin's face and was moved by the emotions he showed.

That man is a treasure and we are lucky to have him in our family, and seeing the love and happiness in his eyes that day, moved me to my core.

I spent the entire day with red, weepy eyes, but a huge grin on my face at the same time.

Lawrence Zombie Walk

holiday decor, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / October 31, 2014

The Lawrence Zombie Walk seems to get bigger every year. This season, there were about 1,000 ghouls lose on the sidewalks downtown. Each dead guy pays a fee to get all gorey and join in the march of the corpses, and the money goes to help the Humane Society.

This year, the weather wasn't the best. We like to eat dinner somewhere with outdoor seating and watch the show as the hoard takes over the sidewalks.

But, as we ordered our food, the first drop of rain fell on our heads, so we moved indoors to enjoy our meal. It worked out well, there was live music in the restaurant from Mustard, of one of Sugarwing's favorite bands, Dumptruck Butterlips.

So, we took our time, relaxed, enjoyed the music and the meal, then took a stroll with the walking dead.

We didn't see all 1,000 corpses, but what we saw was plenty spooky.

Some of them had been dead for a very long time.

Here are a couple of blog posts from past Zombie Walks, 2011 and 2012.

There are plenty of zombie families on parade. And lots of strollers. Sugarwings was wishing she was in it. Maybe next year. I enjoy watching it so much, I don't think I'd enjoy being in it as much as being a bystander.

The walk of the dead is earlier in Oct. but I thought I'd save the photos for Halloween. Spooky, huh? Hope you have a spooktacular holiday!

A Fabulous Fall

Dew Drop, family, holiday decor, Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / October 28, 2014

Around our house, princess frocks and fairy get ups are daily clothes. But the grand fairies still wanted to wear their pink ball gowns to some Halloween parties.

Our Hippy Chick and I both fancied up too. I was a white witch, she was a pixie.

My costume makes more sense with the hat, right?

We headed to the annual Ghost and Giggles party at Lions Gate Country Club.

Where Sugarwings was chosen from the audience to be Lulu the Clown's helper, and insisted that her baby sister come along.

It made my night to see her share the props for the magic trick. Since Dewdrop wasn't officially part of the show, there weren't enough glasses to go around.

It;s good to have a big sis to watch out for you and share.

We had a hay rack ride, games, a clown show, with balloon animals, and of course, great food. I always love the menus at Lions Gate.

It has been the most lovely fall. My flowers are blooming like crazy, tomatoes are still ripening on the vines, and we've had one party after another.

The city of Lawrence sponsored an Enchanted Forest at the nature center with woodland characters along a trail through the woods, and ponies to pet when your walk ended.

It was only $3 to attend and everything there was as cute as can be.

This was one of my favorite characters, a bald eagle in a giant nest, who had a bucket for kids throw stuffed fish into. There was also a Big Bad Wolf roaming the trails, challenging all the kids to a howling contest.

I think I might have won. Dewdrop and I both had a pretty good howl, though.

Afterwards, we had a little gathering to watch the Royals. I'm not a sports fan myself, but my husband sure is.

When I arrived in Florida for my sister trip, the shuttle driver who took me to my rental car asked where I'd flown in from. I told him, and he said, "Kansas City! That is HOT right now" I told, him, no, it was warmer in Florida. He spent the rest of the drive lecturing me on having some pride in my local team.

So, on the shuttle ride back to the airport at the end of my trip, when I ended up with the same shuttle driver and he asked where I was going, I went along with Kansas City being HOT and didn't bother to mention I hadn't noticed.

My husband sure noticed. He is loving the Royals. So, I fixed him a special meal, for his little get together and even wrote "K C R" on the pastry wrapped, rosemary brie, with rosemary leaves.

While I'm loving every minute of the fall parties, perfect weather, and cute costumes, I'll leave the sports watching to him.

But I did eat my share of the baked brie.

I hope that your Halloween week is an enchanting one too.

With lots of laughs.

Plenty of silliness.

And time to slow down and enjoy watching the leaves float down from the trees before you have to start raking them all up.

Easter at the cottage

family, holiday decor, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 21, 2014

I hope you had a good Easter? Ours was so nice, it was great to have wonderful weather and to be outside enjoying it.

Sugarwings takes after me and doesn't bother with the silly, wire egg dipper. We both end up with dyed fingers, even more colorful than our eggs.

Sugarwings had a friend over to dye and hunt for eggs. Around here, we use dress up clothes instead of aprons for messy work, so the girls dug through the princess dresses to find something festive and to keep the dye off their regular clothes.

I should have put on a royal costume too, because my brand new, pale blue jeans ended up with more than a few smatterings of purple on them.

I love the snow boots with the pink dress! She chose those because they are the boots she was shopping for the day she met her best friend at Famous Footwear. They have been buddies since then.

Lee Lee and La La, forever friends.

After the eggs were dipped, we moved on to decorating cupcakes. Normally, we are very careful to keep food coloring out of Sugarwing's diet, but we figured a few sprinkles on a holiday wasn't going to hurt. I did bake gluten and dairy free cupcakes, otherwise known as bricks, and purchase organic, natural colored jelly beans to fill the plastic eggs.

Oh my god, those were the most expensive jelly beans I've ever seen! I filled a bag at the bulk food aisle, and am still in sticker shock at the price tag. My bagful of beans was over $20. And to think of all of those bags of regular jelly beans going on sale the day after Easter for a quarter, really puts it into perspective.

But when your little one has difficulties, any price or amount of trouble is, of course, worth it to help them.

I would spend my last penny to see this smile.

Sadly, we didn't have a crowd this year for our annual egg hunt. We are doing a bit of out door remodelling and our patio is ripped out, and the yard is a wreck, so we didn't have a big party. Dewdrop was with her other siblings and mom for the day and they weren't able to attend.

We were glad that her friend was able to spend the day with us, and even more special was that this was La La's first ever, egg hunt. She'd never dyed eggs either.

Sugarwings also got to meet up with an old friend at the egg hunt the nursing home her mom works at held on Saturday.

Many of the residents delighted were by the party.

This bunny's face might seem a bit creepy, but I can promise the kids loved her! It was a cute event at the nursing home. I'm all about cute, I possibly enjoyed the day even more than the kids.

I was just kind of wishing I had my own bunny costume. And I'd probably rather have vintage one that was slightly creepy. I love this one.