holiday decor – Page 30 – Karla's Cottage

A teacup-raven-thingy

antiques/junking, Books, holiday decor, Romantic Gothic Ghosts, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / July 29, 2012

Its been very nice to see the interest in our Romantic Gothic Ghosts day in the studio on October the 6th! We have a lucky 13 signed up so far, before we have shown our projects for the day. I hope that showing them now doesn't spook our guests away…

My class is inspired by this stack of old Edgar Allen Poe books from a garage sale ($1 each), They are tatteringly wonderful.

You'd think that maybe, these would make me think of teaching a book of some kind???

Well, it would make sense to use the pages in art journals. But instead, I was intrigued by using just one section, the poem about the Raven.

I cut the poem into 1-3 line quotes to use as banners on a teacup-raven-thingy.

(no name for the creation yet, I hope I can come up with something better than that eventually)

The two quotes I used for my examples are some of the less interesting lines, I wanted to save the best ones for the students.

Our projects will be Halloween Holiday Decor pieces, that have a romantic feel.

NO purple!

NO orange!

Garish Halloweens, Nevermore!

I've bought some white and gray teacups, we will fill them with vintage paper nests and add a raven made from felted sweaters.

I wish we could do the felting itself that day, but it has to be ready ahead of time. So, I bought a couple of men's 100% wool sweaters at the Goodwill (geez, when did GW prices go so sky high??? $5 each for a crappy, worn out sweater???)

I boiled them in a big pot with liquid Rit dye to turn them a deep, rich black.

Then, drew a raven pattern, cut it out and stitched it up.

I AM NOT A SEWER. If you aren't either, don't be scared!

But- this was fast and easy. Black thread on a black bird doesn't have to be perfect, it hardly shows.

She is trimmed out with pretty black feathers, lace and glitter, then topped with a crown that we will make from antique brass window screening, and decorate with rhinestones. We'll make a strand of pearls for her neck, create the nest, and the arch with the banner and cover it in old millinery blooms.

And of course, the stack of books that the teacup rests on is included. We'll bundle up stacked pages (pre-coffee stained) and tie them with lace and ribbons to use as a stage for our teacup-raven-thingy.

Beth is busy whipping up her class idea too, and from what I saw Friday, its going to be really nice. Hers is a Gypsy fortune teller's guide book of some sort. To be used an art journal. And I gave her one of my Poe books to take apart so she could share the pages with everyone. So, the garage sale books do get to be in an art journal after all.

For details about coming to the class with us in my studio, please scroll down to the previous post, or click on the button on my side bar.

Now, that I have told you that I don't do orange and purple, I'm going to try to sell you a bundle of traditional Halloween colored millinery.

Well, just because I don't use the colors much, doesn't mean they aren't just right for someone's project. And these are nice, old flowers that deserve a good project to be included in.

And this might be way off season, but here is something new in the Boutique too.

Lots of old Valentines!

I'll leave you with some pictures of whats new in the shop.

Romantic Gothic Ghosts Workshop at Karla’s Studio

bird song art event, holiday decor, parties, Romantic Gothic Ghosts, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / July 25, 2012

Beth and I are planning some classes at my studio, a one day event, a bit more casual than Birdsong was. She'll teach in the morning while I get lunch ready, then its my turn to have an afternoon class. Both will be very much in tune with the online Romantic Gothic Ghost online projects we did a couple of years ago.

That online class is still available for $25 or you can get it free when you come to our classes at my home.

Projects for the day are still to be announced, we are in the midst of prototypes. I can promise that they are going to be moody and romantic, a lovely piece to decorate your home with for Halloween, with no garish purple or orange to be seen.

Lunch, complete kits full of vintage goodness, dessert, and drinks will be included, as well as the bonus online class. And we'll schedule some time for coffee and muffins before the work day begins so everyone can get acquainted.

Saturday Oct. 6, 2012 from 9am-6pm

Cost is $100

Email me if you'd like to pay by check, or click here, and scroll to the bottom of the post to get to the pay pal button.

Classes at my home are very casual, tee shirt and jeans type things, not dressy at all. But feel free to be a little witchy for Halloween if you'd like. My Sissy is coming and she will be all witchied-up. I might be too.

Also, I've got to warn you, that we will be surrounded by werewolves. 1-2 lb ones, though, so not as dangerous as most. Twinkle's puppies will be at the age where they will be scampering about underfoot all day. Feel free to snuggle one on your lap while you work if it looks like its getting tired. Sometimes little werewolf cubs need more rest than they think, and should be encouraged to nap.

But only if you are strong willed enough to ignore the tempting price tags tied around their necks. Yep, puppies will be for sale…..

It did my heart good to have some Birdsong friends sign up as soon as I announced this on Facebook Tuesday!! It matters a lot to me that people who have been here before are looking forward to coming back.

This class will have limited seating, and will one day only. If you are coming in town for it, its a great weekend to be in the KC area. The Old West Bottoms area of Kansas City is opened up with tons of once a month junk and antique stores, and the Renfest is going on too. I LOVE both. (Our class is on a Saturday, and I plan on being at Bottoms Up on Friday, and the Renfest on Sunday myself.) more info about both can be found here
All food served will be homemade, with fresh ingredients. I usually cook pretty healthy and low fat, but I make up for the calorie savings with some decadent desserts.

Beth and I would love to see you there. Hope we do!

Mother’s Day Chaos and Joy

holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / May 15, 2012

Mother's Day this year was not what I had planned. But some days just rolling with the changes and seeing what happens is the best way to go. You never know what little surprises await you.

We thought we'd do a girls day, the Hippie Chick, Gypsy and I. But nursing school finals were looming, the Gypsy was feeling ill, and KU graduation was going on, so between the KU crowds and Mother's Day, no tables were to be had at restaurants around Lawrence. So, I ran to the store to get dinner to cook at home, we tucked our Gypsy in on the sofa to rest, and we rolled with it.

My husband and Sugarwings mowed an "I heart MOM" into the grass and lined it with white flowers. When he called me outside to see their creation, I was in the middle of one of the many crisises of the day (spilled syrup in the fridge- into every drawer, with broken glass every where/ a whole set of tea cups knocked over and broken/ baby pee to steam clean out of the new mattress/ trying to create a spur of the moment meal for 8/ as well as a few more stressors along the way) and I maybe wasn't as impressed as I should have been.

For one thing, it said "mom", so I figured it was for Sugarwing's Mommy. He meant it for all the moms in the house, But I didn't realize that at the time. I said it was nice and the flowers were pretty and went back to my kitchen problems.

The day was not the Girl's Day Out that I had planned and there were lots of glitches throughout the afternoon. But I tell you what, it was still a beautiful day, somehow.

The hour cutting fruit and veggies at the sink with my son while we talked about nothing in particular
The early morning arrival of our new flock of chickens and watching the grand fairies play with them
All of us telling stories about our own moms over dinner
Seeing the happy faces of our grand daughter's moms, who we now consider our own daughters, as they opened the gifts we picked out for them
Looking around the room and feeling the love of this woven together group who became a family

All of those heart warming moments, as well as the chaotic, messy ones made the day memorable. And thinking about the trouble my husband went to, and the thoughtfulness of his mown message made me smile, and wish I'd acted a little more appreciative at the time when he showed it to me.

It really was a sweet thing to do.

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail, Hopping down the Fairy Trail

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

By Karla Nathan / April 8, 2012

Happy Easter! We celebrated ours early by hosting an egg hunt on the Fairy Berry Trail in the woods behind our house. Our Gypsy and Dewdrop had foofed it up beautifully, and lined the whole trail with pinwheels (from the Dollar Store).

We started out letting the baby have a few minutes to gather some eggs for her basket at the top of the trail, then the race was on.

Sugarwings was ready to hit the trail in high speed as soon as she got the go-ahead to race away.

She might have been in a hurry to fill her own basket, but took time to stop and help her little sister when her eggs fell out of her basket.

The trail really looks good, better than it ever has. What a gorgeous spring we are having!

Since Sugarwings was going to be at her aunt's for Easter Sunday, she and Fin wrote the bunny a note and asked if he would hide eggs early, and left it out in the woods with a carrot as a bribe. Fin is older and knew that (spoiler alert- if you are a kid, or just a kid at heart, don't read this!) that the Easter Bunny isn't the guy who does all the eggs himself, but he got behind the idea and seemed to forget about that.

Dewdrop was pretty pleased with her first Egg Hunt too. I don't really think that the whole "give the baby a few minutes to find eggs first" was needed. She held her own with the big kids.

And was very fond of the organic jelly beans and gummi bears I'd put into the 150 eggs out in the woods. (I didn't want the parents mad at me for handing out too much candy, but had to put something in the eggs, so settled on a couple organic jelly beans in each, and made sure to have some healthy after school snacks for everyone before we cracked open the eggs and hit the sugar!)

I loved watching the different approaches to finding the eggs. Seems like the bigger you are, the faster you go.

The smallest kids ended up finding the most eggs, because they lingered.

And Dew Drop was happy just playing with the eggs themselves, but when she realized there was stuff in them, it got even more exciting.

Sugarwings must have been watching some old movies, because she was certain that white gloves were required with Easter dresses, and kept hers on the whole time.

but didn't necessarily keep them white…

This gown has been in her dress up closet, along with the garland Aunt Sissy made for her, for years and is one of her faves. Its good to have a piece in your wardrobe that is so versatile and can be worn for tea parties and fairy walks, as well as egg hunts.

I'm looking forward to garage sale season so I can replenish her dress stock. Most of them are 2nd hand to start with and are starting to show it after years of dress up play.

One thing I've noticed over the years, is that as much as the kids like princess gowns, that are meant for dress up, they seem to prefer pretty dressy-dresses. And of course, those are much sturdier than the clothes sold in the toy department too.

And Dewdrop seems to be enjoying dressing up.

In the past, she has been irritated by Grammie trying to put her in fairy clothes, but I have a feeling that its growing on her now.

Not only did our Gypsy add pretties to the trail this spring, I started some plantings out there. Around the fairy tree house, I planted some Virginia Creeper, which I hope with cover the over hanging branches eventually and make it feel more enclosed.

I also planted some variegated and plain vinca, and some ivy. We'd spent a day edging the flower beds up by the house, pulling up vines that were growing beyond their borders and straighting the rocks that lined the beds before we had new gravel delivered. Instead of tossing all those vines, I filled two wheelbarrows up with them and took them down to the Fairy Berry trail to line the walkways.

It feels good to have fresh gravel everywhere! We did the driveway and sidewalks too. And we PAID someone else to do it all. In the past, I've spent weeks with my wheelbarrow and shovel spreading gravel from the pile we had delivered. But I discovered that the labor cost of having it spread was only $250.

Seriously?

I spent weeks of back breaking labor to save $250? I know I'm cheap, but I am NOT that cheap. Its not worth my time (or back) when two guys with rakes and a bobcat can do it in one day!!

And now, everything looks so fresh and clean, like the ground does after a new snow. Of course, it will be a matter of days before weeds peek through, and I noticed this morning that we already have a gopher mound.

I hope your Easter is a blessed one and that your basket is over filled with chocolates!

Easter Eggs

flowers, holiday decor, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 22, 2012

Ahhhh, Spring!

The Bridal Wreath Spirea is blooming like crazy in front of my house. Sugarwings and I took advantage of it and picked armfuls to bring in the house.

For most of the year, they are not the prettiest of shrubs, but for a few weeks, these bushes are heart stopping.

We are also getting all Eastery around here.

I've been covering paper mache eggs in vintage papers and old flowers. This paper is over 100 years old and is gold leaf.

This little egg is wrapped in a pearl finish gift wrap, then sugared.

This one really is prettier in person, its wonderfully gaudy with lots of gold trim and tons of flowers over one of my favorite rose pattern wall papers.

I wanted to list it for sale in the Boutique, but I think I need to get better photos first.

Beth found a big bag full of paper mache eggs at an estate sale and gave them to me, knowing that I'd love covering them. Some are egg shaped boxes like this one others are just plain eggs. I've been making some for Birdsong, where I 'll use them for decor and drawing prizes, but a few just shout Easter, so those I'll go ahead and sell now, or as soon as I get better pictures that is.

Some are listed now, if you are interested.

Somerset Apprentice

holiday decor, magazine pictures or articles

By Karla Nathan / March 6, 2012

In the Boutique

As I was making up kits to pack for Paper Cowgirls, I realized that I'll be in Texas for St. Patrick's Day. Not that I'm a fan of green beer, or that I go out on the town, but I am fond of all holidays. Even more since I became a Grammy, Sugarwings loves any reason to celebrate.

And my sister is a dedicated geneologist who has traced the "Downey" side of our family (my maiden name) back to Ireland and County Downs. So, I should at least slap some green on for the day!

Maybe my little grand-leprechauns and I can do something special for it when I get back. When my kids were little, they got green food coloring in their cookies and milk and whatever else I could find to tint for them. Now-a-days, I avoid food coloring for the girls.

I need to find some good organic food colors to use, because I miss pink icing. And green milk is just too much fun to have for St. Pats!

We are even celebrating Sadie Hawkins Day this year. There isn't much we don't turn into a party here at the cottage. Sugarwings and Dewdrop have been staying here quite a bit lately and it seems like every morning is a party when they come trouping down the stairs with their big grins, bed heads, and happy voices, ready to start their day.

Here is something else I have to celebrate, I got my advance copy of Somerset Apprentice in the mail.

At a glance, I can see its a wonderful issue, and am honored to be featured as a "Pro".

I can't wait to get time to kick back and relax to read it cover to cover. Not only for the pretty pictures, but I saw that there are lots of wonderful tips and tricks to learn.

Its always an honor to be in any of Stampington's magazines, but this one really meant a lot to me. Sometimes, my so called job is a bit iffy. Am I an artist? Or a crafter? Or just a shop keeper? Sometimes I think that maybe I'm simply a babysitter and housekeeper.

But hey, somebody out there thinks I'm a PRO and actually printed that belief.

Yep, that means a lot. Thanks, Somerset Apprentice!

PS- notice the Google Friend Connector is missing from my side bar? Yep, they are no longer working on Typepad blogs as of March 1st. If you want more information on how to follow a blog, Marianne has done some homework and explains it all very well here.

She also has a good tutorial on using Google Reader here

and here.

I have asked Hope, who designed my blog, to add a connect button for all of these various blog following sites for me. She'll be doing that soon.

A little late update

celebrations, holiday decor, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage

By Karla Nathan / February 11, 2012

Three days before Valentines Day, I finally updated my shop with a few heart, pink, and red themed items. I took the photos a while back and had them all ready to add, and then… well, I guess I just got too busy with other things.

Poor little Sugarwings had a rough week and needed some Grammy time. Not to mention, we threw a Valentine Bash this week too.

The poor kid had a UTI with high fever, got on antibiotics just in time to feel better for getting her cast off. All is well with the arm, but its delicate and she needed some babying afterwards. And I'm always looking for an excuse for a Movie and Cuddling Day.

Then, as she was ready to go back to school, another high fever came on. She'd gotten an ear infection while still on antibiotics for the UTI.

Back home at Daddy's house, Little Dew Drop came down with a double ear infection along with buckets of snot that could be flung much further in one tiny little sneeze than you could ever imagine.

Its been a rough week for those girls, so Sugarwings has spent some time over here with me and of course that means my heart wasn't into working on the Boutique and adding inventory.

Today I finally had some time to work but almost ditched adding these things because they are not very timely for a holiday that is coming in a couple of days.

Still, not all of the things were purely Valentine. Yes, there are lots of hearts, and most of the items are pink or red, but they are still lovely for use anytime. Even the 1961 Valentine Ideals book is full of images that would be pretty to use year round.

Any way, its not like they will be dated after February 2012. I don't exactly order things from a wholesale company just for the upcoming holidays.

Its all vintage, and just gets older for each holiday that passes it by!

Plus, I have categories in the shop for different holidays and my plan has always been to keep them stocked year round, and just haven't quite got around to keeping them all full yet. This is a start!

So, I'm choosing to not look at this as a failure to get my work completed on time. I'm looking at it as one thing crossed off the list, no matter when it got done, hey, its DONE.

And the way things have been going around here lately, that is impressive. I'm still lagging in everything.

Now, both little girls are on antibiotics for their little ears and I hope are feeling better by now. We are having our family Valentine celebration on Sunday, and it would be nice to see them back to their old, bouncy, happy selves by then.

Valentine's Day is the anniversary of my husband adopting our boys, so we always have a family party for it. This year its also my 5 year blog anniversary, so I am having a giveaway to celebrate that too.

This box is covered in ephemera and topped with chalk board paint. If you'd like a chance to win it, please leave a comment on my previous post.

Valentine celebrations and a giveaway

celebrations, free images, give away, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / February 10, 2012

This week Sugarwings and I threw a little Valentine making party for our friends. I set out lots of supplies for card making and for decorating gift boxes, plus had a few examples for ideas. The treat cabinet was filled up, and we made sure to have some healthy after school snacks out too, to make the parents happy as well as the kids.

One of my examples was a pop up card, with instructions next to a couple of finished ones. Its a very simple version, that even the kids could do. Here are the instructions, if you want to whip one up. The part you can't read, behind the pop up just says to make sure not to glue the paper you cover the outside of the card with to the part that folds up.

The kids all seemed to get into the projects and worked away on them for a couple of hours. Its good to see little ones be creative and stick to something like that, to not have to get up and run around or go play with toys. It was refreshing to see them all involved with making their boxes and exploring all the different supplies there was to dig into.

They all kept me pretty busy, I didn't really get to sit down to make something myself. But before the group arrived, I had made up these. Isn't the chalk board top perfect for writing a sweet note to your Valentine to read before opening it up to see the treats inside?

Its been a while since I've done a giveaway. And I was reminded while reading Beth's blog that our 5 year anniversary is here! Hers was the 9th, mine is actually on Valentine's Day itself.

Thanks again, Beth, for getting me started!!!

So it seems appropriate for me to offer a Valentine to you as a giveaway prize to celebrate!

Just leave a comment on this post, and I'll draw a name Monday, for this sweet little giveaway.

And if you are still cutting, pasting, and creating your own valentines, here is the back cover of that candy box I have on my dining table. A friend asked to see a close up of it, to see if the music was acutally playable. So, I'm posting it here for her. Its a cool graphic, and if you wanted to use it in your art, you can click on this to open in a larger window, save it to your computer, print it and cut out the heart.

That music note, heart shaped border is a pretty one to use. I might try to make something out if it myself.

Only 4 more days till Valentine's Day! I hope you have some sweetness planned for your holiday too.

A little home rehab for a very little home

holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / January 27, 2012

after

Maybe I've mentioned that I am behind? Well, its been so bad that I didn't give my buddy, Angie, her Christmas gift! Christmas is long gone at this point, but there are still hints of it here and there in my home. I keep stumbling across a bauble that I missed packing away, or a bit of broken ornament peeking out from under a dresser.

Every year, I break quite a few Shiny Brites. I used to wonder what on Earth my family was going to do with all the holiday crap I have once I am gone.

But after breaking so many every year, I realized that by the time I am dead, they will be all gone.

before

Anyway, I had made this Christmas box for my friend, but its a bit late to give her a Christmas themed gift.

So, last week, I re-foofed it for the next holiday, by adding some Valentiney stuff.

after

The little angel by the door now holds a heart cut out of a red sequin, and the front sports a frosted glass heart with old rose wallpaper behind it, and some crepe paper.

And it isn't Valentine's Day without roses, of course.

Hopefully, her belated gift will have an extended shelf life now, so she can enjoy it awhile.

Song Of Love Wreath workshop for Valentines Day

bird song art event, flowers, holiday decor, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / January 3, 2012

Well, I have had some feedback on the Song Of Love, Valentine wreath class that I am offering. Ladies are worried that the date is too close to Christmas and that they had too little warning to make plans. After the holidays,all of us (and our bank books!) seem to be recovering from the hectic times.

So, I decided to switch the date to later in the month.

Saturday January 28th from 10 till 5.

And to lower the cost a bit. $65 instead of $75.

But I'm not lowering the value! I'll still be providing lots of vintage goodness to embellish the wire wrapped and beaded wreath with two ephemera covered, nesting love birds.

We will spend the day together, creating in my studio with lots of pretties and vintagey supplies.

Lunch, beverages, and dessert are included.

It will be a small group, and seating will be limited.

No two finished projects will be the same, you'll get everything you need to complete a wreath, plus fun piles to dig through to personalize your own piece. If you get finished early, plan on hanging out for the rest of the afternoon and making Valentines with us.

I'll have plenty of supplies out for you to play with.

All you will need to bring is a basic tool kit, everything else will be waiting for you.

And if you are one of the people who were considering coming on January 14th, and that date works out better for you, please let me know, I'd be happy to have you then if your plans are already set.

And if you'd like to come for an entire weekend this spring, Birdsong Two signups are open now for previous guests. This weekend we will open registration to new friends.

Plus, don't forget, there is a sale in the boutique and in my Etsy shop. Thanks to all of you who keep Sugarwings and Dewdrop supplied in fairy wings and glitter by supporting my stores!

Use this link

and type in the code:

2012

then hit recalculate, and save 40% in the boutique!

for Etsy, type in the code:

happy2012

to receive 50% off!