Sugarwings – Page 11 – Karla's Cottage

A bounty of blossoms

bird song art event, flowers, Food and Drink, parties, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / June 26, 2015

If Beth and I look slightly delirious with joy, it is because we most certainly were. And Sugarwings was here to capture the moment.

We had a very good reason to be soooooo happy. Our pal, Carol had posted a photo years ago of some beautiful, gorgeous, dreamy, scrumptious, silk flowers and it was one of those pictures that stayed with me. Then, for some crazy reason, but lucky for me, she posted that she was selling them all! In one big, giant lump of unbelievable beauty.

Beth messaged me when she saw it, and I had a little stab of jealousy, but then was happy for my friend. Then, she said she was waffling and I asked it if would help to split it.

Yep! She shared the bounty! And I contacted Carol before the treasures were scooped up and we missed out.

Carol lives just down the road, and dropped it in the mail box, by Priority, that afternoon. The next day, Beth and Sugarwings were here for craft day and the box arrived. Perfect flowers and perfect timing!

See why we squealed??? This is new, old stock. Never used. Here is how Carol described them on her blog. And she also says she has more goods to sell in the next couple months, so if you are wanting some very special things, keep an eye out for what she'll be offering!!

Over the Summer, I’m going to be offering for sale a select few of my very special and very vintage stash of goods.

To start will be my collection of Vintage Millinery Flowers and Trims that I’ve kept tucked away for several years. This amazing old store stock, is from the Emery, Bird, Thayer Department Store of Kansas City, Missouri. Handmade of vintage fabrics, ribbons and some velvets including many flat appliqués and trims in gorgeous muted shades of color. A few still have the original EBT sale tags. There are over 100 pieces to this collection, some range from very delicate petite to large size flowers and trims. If you’re a collector or crafter of vintage millinery, you know how rare it is to find a grouping of embellishments such as these.

There was bag after bag after bag of these beauties in our box of delights. Plus some cool trims. They were easy to share, too. We opened one bag at a time, and between the, "Oh my gosh, look at this one" and the "Oooh"s and "Oh my goodness"es, we managed to take turns picking out what we wanted, one piece at a time, till the piles were gone.

Then, we found a bag that had slipped off the table and landed on the floor, and the squealing resumed.

Sugarwings took a thousand or so photos, which took her away from her own work, but she was having fun watching the old ladies be silly.

She wasn't allowed to touch our blooms. She was deep into her own Project Runway style creations and had a tad of paint and glitter on her hands.

Earlier, we'd hosted a Birthday Luncheon for Beth and Angie, with Sugarwings as my co-hostess. She decorated all the cupcakes, and set the table using her favorite trick. Here is what she does-

Make an a-okay sign with both hands.

Notice that the left hand looks like a "b"

The right hand looks like a "d"

The "b" stands for bread plate and goes to the left, the "d" stands for drink and goes to the right.

That is a quick way for a kid to learn about where things go at a table setting, and she enjoys doing it so much, she makes the a-okay sign each time she sets the items down, even though, she already knows where to put them.

The day was so much fun. And while I am supposed to be getting caught up after Birdsong, and trying to put the studio and garage back to normal, while also selling leftover kits (first offered to sponsors and past attendees, soon to the rest of our friends), it was nice to have a day just to laugh. All day long. And that is what we did.

Sugarwings was glad I didn't have the studio back to normal yet. I still had the big tables up, her small ones weren't back out yet, and the larger ones were still covered in paper.

Instead of doing a project on the table, she made the paper covered table her actual piece. It was a fashion themed day for her, and she had previously drawn dozens of gowns in chalk on the patio, side walks and breezeway floors, for us to take a walk through her "fashion museum".

Then, the table cover became a full length ball gown, covered in red glitter and embellished with sparkling tape.

Afterwards, she cut it out, and we hung it up in the studio. I love to see her creativity run amok. She was into this for hours.

My project for craft day was working on Lesa's kit. I'd already made one of them, and someone gave me their kit to finish, and I was happy to do it, I love these little birds. And again, perfect timing for the flowers to arrive, just when I needed them to make this special birdie, extra, extra special!

Thank you for parting with the blossoms, Carol, and thank you, Beth for sharing with me.

All of Lesa's kits are sold now. I have a couple of Lori's and I made quite a few extras of my own. I'll be marketing them as soon as all the Birdsong Peeps have had a chance to get first pick at them. So please do check back if you are interested in one. I'll also have some posts about Birdsong coming up soon.

Mulberry season

bird song art event, cottage, Dew Drop, family, Food and Drink, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / June 5, 2015

It's mulberry season here at the cottage. Which means that Sugarwings spends hours up on a ladder snacking away, and filling bowls up, just to spill onto the ground and start over again.

With dozens upon dozens of mulberry trees (which is how the Fairy Berry Trail got its name), there are plenty to go around, so if a few spill, no one worries about it. The chickens are actually pretty happy about that when it happens.

Dewdrop has a ladder of her own, but prefers being down on the ground.

Especially if there is anything soft around to cuddle. I'm always surprised at just how silky, soft a hen is. they are so nice to pet. Sadly, only a few of our ladies are friendly. The dozen we bought this spring still act like we are only entering the coop to murder them, not to feed, pet, or gather eggs. But there are still some older gals around who don't lay eggs anymore, but who are very sweet, little pets.

We had a nice family evening, watching Sugarwings drag her ladder from one tree to the next and eat her weight in berries. I popped her into the bath before dinner, and as soon as she was done eating her grilled shrimp, she was back outside and climbing up the steps again, this time way, out in the woods- with no bug spray on. I had to toss her right back in the tub again before she left with her day, so she wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night, itching and scratching from chigger bites. (if you use soap after being out in the woods, you wash away those pesky things)

We managed to get one bowl filled with enough mulberries (thanks to her daddy) to make a cobbler. I used about 6 stalks of rhubarb and a pint of strawberries in it too, since mulberries are a little bit bland.

This was far from bland, and I had a big dish full for breakfast this morning. Now, that is the way to start a day. I'd love to make more for my Birdsong peeps who are arriving soon, but I have a feeling, time is too short. I need to bake bread, cupcakes, and a few other treats yet. And this cobbler isn't going to last long enough to feed it to my guests this weekend, although I do know someone who is up to the task of picking enough to make another one.

A home for the fairies in the garden

Dew Drop, fairies, flowers, Garden, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 28, 2015

We've done a little yard work recently, and the yard is looking happy and bright. Roses are blooming, iris are straight, tall, and majestic, and the peonies put on a great show this spring. It's wonderful to have established gardens and perennials to depend on for color, even if maintenance is still a lot of work, in keeping things slightly tidy… very slightly…. At least there are hard working favorites popping up out of the ground all on their own with no effort from me.

I clean up the beds a bit, and fill the pots with annuals (this year a lot reseeded itself!), and we are set for springtime. This season, Sugarwings has wanted to help, so I gave her a tiny garden of her own to tend.

I had a low, wide, cement pot that was just the right size to turn into a fairy garden for my own little fairy to work in. I placed 4 mini plants in it, made a garden arch from wrapped wire and let her figure out the rest. We had this iron fairy, and she debated using it, because this garden was for REAL fairies not pretend ones. She ended up putting it on display there as a "statue" for the young fairies to look up to.

After it was planted, she watered it with a little teacup.

After getting to this point, she decided it needed a bit more. Like some signs, and a swing. So, she dutifully ate up a popsicle, to get a stick she could paint to turn into a swing. Her thoughts were that the youngest fairies would like a swing hung from the arbor more than just a plain old arch to look at.

So a pink, popsicle stick swing now hangs from the arch with blue ribbons. And the iron fairy statue has been removed to make space for a tea party area. I have a feeling that these are the first of many changes. This garden will probably be the focus of quite a few redesigns.

For the tea table, Sugarwings painted a large spool pink, and we glued a playdough can lid to it. The painted spool stools and table all have straws glued inside, so they can be poked into the ground to solve the problem of them toppling over and spilling the tea.

Dewdrop offered to blow bubbles for the fairies.

Earth Day

cottage, flowers, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 29, 2015

Around here, school gets out at 1:30 on Wednesdays. And if I'm lucky, that is my day to play hooky from work in the afternoon and pick Sugarwings up. Since this Wednesday was Earth Day, we decided to plant something in honor of our planet. And what better to plant than some poppies along the Yellow Brick Road that we had been fixing up?

Sugarwings was excited to see the Lily of the Valley crowding its way out of the ground, she thought it looked like mini cornstalks and decided that when we got our Scarecrow made, it should go right there in the midst of the lilies.

She also had some ideas about getting yard art gnomes to use as munchkins, which sounds do-able. But when she started in on some sort of idea about big emerald gates, I told her it might be out of our reach. I was answered with, "You are an artist, you can make it work, just think about it."

hmmmmm……

This tutu was $2 at a garage sale recently, it is actually a dance costume for a much older girl, but with a few safety pins, it made a lovely Glenda gown for my little sprite.

I think this was the first time I'd ever seen her give up the role of Dorothy to play another part when she is imagining Oz. It didn't last long, though. Soon, the story became that Glenda (or Ga-linda if you are a Wicked fan) gave Dorothy a magical gown, and Sugarwings was back playing the starring role, just not in blue gingham.

Refurbishing the Yellow Brick Road

cottage, family, Sugarwings, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / April 10, 2015

Sugarwings got her love of all things Oz from her mom and Nanny. I've always been a fan myself and have done my share of encouraging her interests. When she was little, we'd go to this sidewalk at a nearby shopping center to do some skipping and pretending.

She enjoyed that so much, that I painted our flower bed's stepping stones yellow so she would have a trail here to play on.

And over the years, she has spent a lot of time along this short path.

Dewdrop loves dressing up as Dorothy too. (her mother sent this to me from her new home, looks like she is pretty happy and having a wonderful time there!)

Seasons of harsh weather has taken its toll on the pathway, our yellow bricks faded out and returned to the blah red bricks they started out as. I'd used latex house paint on them before, I think. Or was it craft paint? It has been awhile. I doubt if there are many paints that would hold up to Kansas weather, especially on bricks.

Sugarwings and I decided to give them a make over. This might not last much longer than the other paint did, but redoing is fun, so we won't mind freshening it up again if needed. This time, we worked in tandem, I sprayed them yellow ahead of time, then used a gold glitter spray over that after it dried. Sugarwings got the bottles of glitter ready to sprinkle over that as it was still wet.

We tried different shades of sparkle, but I really didn't care for the red or green as much, so we layered over it.

Sugarwings also helped out by running in to get her ruby slippers to try out the path, and by arranging our Toto yard art nearby.

Although, we have our own, live yard art Toto/Twinkle that worked just fine.

Sugarwings thinks we should add a scarecrow. Maybe. What we really need is some blooming plants. Spring is here, but not in this little corner of the yard yet, it's still pretty dull, even with the bright yellow paint.

But not in her mind. She sees the whole land of Oz ahead of her.

Arabella Cinderella Day

celebrations, Dew Drop, family, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 6, 2015

Around here, it doesn't take much to turn a simple trip to the movie theater into a big event.

The Hippie Chick and I had been impatiently waiting for the new Cinderella movie.

(the theater had big screens for previews in the lobby, how nice!)

When I saw these dresses from the Cinderella collection on sale at Kohls (plus 30% off with my coupon) I almost bought them, but fought the urge. (I'm very, very cheap).

But, on another trip to Kohls to snap up more the 70-80% off clearance items while taking another 30% off with my coupon and filling up my cart with school clothes for next year, I couldn't be strong enough to say no to these dresses a second time.

I figured I'd saved enough on the other stuff to make up for the splurge on these little confections. (That little white jacket Dewdrop is wearing was on sale for under $2. That beats Goodwill prices! )

Since Sugarwings and her mommy weren't able to join Dewdrop and I at the Fairy Tale village when we went a few weeks ago, we decided to make a day of it and bring them back with us to see Crown Center, the fairy tale land, Kaleidoscope, and the new movie.

The make believe village was a bit more crowded than when were were here on a weekday, this was a Saturday during spring break, and the whole place was packed.

Sugarwings was a tad overwhelmed, but I kept telling her that we had plenty of time, and weren't rushing through it. We had a three hours to hang out, and I was happy to stick around.

So, we played a while, and then took breaks to ride the escalators up and down a bit, or go sit and color in the Crayola store.

We also took snack breaks, and walked around.

And spent a half hour session at Kaleidoscope. I'd hoped to go to two sessions, but it was pretty busy. We were lucky that my son was there early to get us passes for this session. It's free, but can fill up. Going early to reserve a spot on busy days is a good idea.

We get plenty of craft time at home, but not in surroundings like this. I probably like the place as much as the grand fairies do.

Dewdrop's name is Mayara, I call her Ara, and that has sometimes morphed into Arabella Cinderella. We decided to name the day after her. Everyone needs a day of their own sometime, don't they? We also made this day her going away party for her big trip out East.

She was a bit young for the movie though. The only parts she was really into were the ones with magic or mice. Sugarwings, her mom and I loved every second of it. My husband decided to stay home and watch the KU game instead (I have to admit, it was a play off, and he is pretty into that stuff, I certainly understood- March happens), so my son used his movie ticket at the last minute and came along to help keep the little one entertained when the parts she didn't care for came on.

I had a feeling, that I would need back up so I wouldn't have to miss any of the show.

As part of the special day, we went to a theater in KC where you have recliners to lounge in, and a great menu to order from. They have a wine bar upstairs and if you request it, you can order a full dinner from that menu, not just movie theater food. And you pick your seat in advance, so we chose back row by the door, and brought an iPad, (on mute with the lights turned down) for our Arabella Cinderella to play with after she was done eating.

It was a long day for her with no nap, and lots of activity. The big day was a lot for our other princess too, so there were some moments far from perfection. But, that is part of doing things with kids, and you have to know when it is time to go look at the fountains, or twirl in the lobby, and get away from the hustle bustle for a bit.

Over all it was a very special day out. And I love having these photos to look at while I'm impatiently waiting for tiny Arabella Cinderella to return to Kansas from her time with her mommy out east.

Life’s little parties

Dew Drop, Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / March 21, 2015

I've been soaking up the grand fairy fun for the last few weeks before Dewdrop took her cross country adventure. Sleepovers, play dates, parties, and hikes.

One highlight was the Nutrition Festival at the library. There was a performance by the Last Carnival Circus School.

Two of my good friends were part of the show.

Impressive, huh?

There was an interactive show by the Hoop Mamas.

Which my fairies loved.

Some exercises, some jumping.

Well, lots of jumping…

And lots of booths with learning games.

With healthy treats. And all free. You might have noticed, if there is a free kid's event around, we are THERE. I've always done things like that with my own kids,and now with these babes. My boys were raised to love to attend a grand opening of any business to partake in free hot dogs and popcorn.

For me it wasn't just the free stuff, it was the party attitude. We were very poor when the boys were tiny and free was all I could afford. I'll never forget the joy on my young son's face when he spun the wheel of fortune at a grocery store opening and won a giant jug of ketchup. It didn't matter that his prize was ketchup, it was a PRIZE and it was fun to win it. Sounds weird, but it sure was a good day for us.

But I've learned over the years that it isn't the price that matters, it is getting out there and doing something festive with your family. And with the right attitude even hot dogs in a parking lot for a used car lot grand opening can be exciting.

PS- thank you for your concerns and worries about me missing my little Dewdrop. Heck, I miss her when I don't see her daily, but I know how lucky I am to have my grand fairies on a regular basis, and how most grandparents don't have that luxury. Also, I know that it is going to be very hard for her parents to be away from her, but have to say I am quite proud of the way they are handling it and making it work. That little girl gets to spend time with all the people who love her and that is what is important.

She is going to be one happy little miniature gypsy!

A Sweet Valentine Gathering

celebrations, cottage, Dew Drop, family, holiday decor, Sugarwings, Valentine's Day, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / February 14, 2015

One of my favorite things is to have a studio full of friends, whether it is at Birdsong, a craft day, or a kid's holiday party.

I don't always get to host a bash for every holiday, but love it when the timing works out to have everyone over.

Sugarwings and Dewdrop went to Michaels with me to fill a cart with pink and red heart supplies, I nabbed a few Dollar Store tablecloths and balloons, and we were set to go.

We made faux cupcakes by gluing a styrofoam ball into a cupcake paper, smearing it with modelling compound icing, and glitter.

Lots of glitter.

Besides that, the projects weren't organized, it was every artist on their own.

Valentine cards for loved ones were a popular choice.

Dewdrop completed this one for her mommy.

Lizele made lots of colorful hearts. She is a prolific crafter.

Besides the cart full of stickers from Michaels, I had vintagey goods out too. And had saved empty valentine candy boxes to be redone.

Sugarwings and her mommy made a mail box for her upcoming class party.

The littlest workers got a bit burned out and turned to coloring books full of ponies, then decided to work with playdough. That is always a hit with Dewdrop.

The older kids had already headed out to the creek and woods behind the house when I got my camera out. They usually make a few nice things, then head outside, not caring that it was horridly cold out there. Of course, someone always slips into the creek and needs dry clothes, but it never stops them.

I really should plan more summer time craft days, where they can get out there and enjoy the woods when the weather is better.

Before the party, Sugarwings and I made chocolate dipped strawberries to serve, and I saved the plastic containers that the berries came in. Those were ideal for sending wet modelling compound cupcakes home in. Cars might have been muddy from the creek on the way home, but at least they didn't have any pink, fake icing all over them.

I can't say there wasn't any glitter drizzled into the seats, though…

My new water jug from Victorian Trading was ideal! I filled it with ice, poured cold water over it, and it was still chilly the next day.

The pottery really keeps the water cold.

For punch in the cut glass dispenser, I mixed white cranberry/strawberry juice with a couple cans of Sierra Mist. The night before, I froze cranberries in juice to make a giant, floating ice cube to slip into the punch. Very pretty, and tasty, but so easy to make.

I'm already looking forward to the next party.

A Recycled Gingerbread House Tradition, and a Home for the Fairies

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), fairies, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / January 21, 2015

We've had some nice weather this week. And Sugarwings has been here with me to share it. We took advantage of the break in the cold to deliver our Gingerbread house to the Fairy Berry trail.

It is now a home for the woodland fairies that live out in the woods behind the cottage.

Lucky little fay!

The dogs were happy to get out and explore too. You can hardly see them, they are as grey and brown as Kansas is in winter.

This week long break in the winter has been exactly what I needed. That and having my buddy around a lot, Sugarwings and I have had quite a bit of girl time. Nothing beats the January blahs like a ray of sunshine and a dose of little girl smiles.

I've also started some redos around the house. My son ripped up the carpet in the guest room and I gave the walls a fresh coat of sunny day blue. He will be laying a dark hickory floor for me, and then I get to fill the space back up, after shifting furniture from room to room and figuring out where I want to place what.

There is something about January that makes me want to shuffle my belongings and brighten up the house. I guess, at other times of the year, I'm outdoors a lot more. Being cooped up in January during the cold spells, after all the sparkle of the holidays is packed away, lends itself to redos.

Although, I do need to get into the studio… I've got to make prototypes for my Birdsong classes. If you'd like to come visit the Fairy Berry Trail yourself (when the grey days of winter are gone, and spring makes the woods inviting again), there are spaces available for Birdsong 5.

Project pics from me will be coming soon.

Cottage Garden Fence

cottage, Dew Drop, family, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / January 11, 2015

Way, way back, before the cold snap hit here in November, my son built us a new fence.

I had some very specific needs for it:

*The gate had to be on a spring, and swing closed so the grand fairies didn't let the dorkies out.*

*The gate had to be very lightweight, and it had to open easily, so those fairies could get in and out by themselves.*

*IT HAD TO BE PRETTY!!!!!!!!!! And if it looked like it belonged on a fairy tale cottage, that would be a big plus.*

The gate is under the deck off my husband's office, right outside my studio door. Here is a photo in process, where my son started wrapping vines around the posts. The top photo shows all the vines twisted into place. I plan on planting Clematis at the base of it, to fill in even more.

The metal filigree panel at the very top, under the deck, is a vintage one I had hanging around. The ones built into the fence and gate are from Hobby Lobby, and were on sale for 50% off. I love my son's idea for building them in.

The area outside of my studio is where the girls play most of the time. So, their Daddy made the fence feel like a play area instead of a barrier. He cut hearts into the wood so they could peek through.

And he drilled holes to pound marbles into, to give the space some sparkle. There are plans to add a lot more marbles later on, but while finishing up the fence, we were hit by a huge wave of cold air.

It was the weirdest thing, one minute, it was a beautiful fall day…. the next, a huge whirlwind of leaves blew over us, bringing temperatures about 10 degrees lower. From one minute to the next, the temps dropped. And then kept dropping. So, we were done working outdoors for a while.

At first, I was worried about the kitties, and wondered if a new fence would pen them in. Nope, they love it and spend a good part of the day running around on the top of it.

And now, our entire courtyard is fenced in. The place looks like a maze, with so many partitions and gates, but the dogs and chickens love it. There is a fence in the front yard, with a doggie door for the little fuzzballs. Then, there is a huge chicken run. And the side yard is fenced. Now the courtyard. All the gates can be opened to connect them, or only select areas can be left closed off. And then, there are extra gates big enough to drive a truck or 4 wheeler through if jobs need to be done in that part of the yard. And a gate that can connect our yard to the neighbor's yard so their dogs can come and play with our dogs.

It's kind of weird. But that is how my whole house is built too. All customized just to fit our needs. We will never be able to sell this odd conglomeration of mazes, doors, hallways, gates, fences. We are stuck here forever.

We don't mind though. We all kind of like it here.