Sugarwings – Page 45 – Karla's Cottage

Romantic Country, Toasty Trees, and enough tiny trees to fill a country

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, give away, holiday decor, how-to projects, I do tend to run on, don't I?, magazine pictures or articles, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / December 15, 2007

I have news- my latest story is out!! Romantic Country is on the stands now, I picked up this issue at Borders.

I had dealt directly with the managing editor, Phyllis, for the whole article and didn’t even know that our fantastic blogging friend, Fifi was the guest editor!!!

If you don’t read her blog, you should get right over there, it is full of great how to’s for beautiful projects and sneak peeks into her lovely life.

I wish I had gotten to work with Fifi, she seems like a fun person and everyone who knows her says such wonderful things about her.

The issue is 100% gorgeous, and I am thrilled with the whole magazine.

The titles to my story, that Fifi added, are cute as a button and add so much to the article, I wish I could take credit for them.

Here is a tiny snippet from one of the photos by my good friend, the talented, Diane Guthrie. Diane and I had worked together on an article for Romantic Homes a couple of years ago, and it was such a great time. She is a buddy and we get together regularly for coffee and hanging out.

Diane is the one on the ladder in the photo on this posting, and there are also photos from our collaboration for Romantic Homes on that post too.

And now for more news- the winners of my drawing are:

Lori Oles– Vintage Flair (blogger winner)

Gail Sell (non blogger winner)

Gail has entered the Sweet Treats and Roses Recipe Swap that Beth and I are doing. I know that Gail LOVES roses as much as I do, and can’t wait to see what she comes up with. We still have a few spots left if you are interested in joining in too.

The two winners get to chose either a pair of earrings I made from vintage pieces, or a copy of The Crown and Tiara book (great ideas in it, and so pretty!!) First come, first serve, email me with your choices, I only have one book to send.

Remember, there is still the monthly drawing that you can win too. I’ll draw that the beginning of Jan.

We’ve had a fun morning here, yesterday was a Sugarwings sleepover night.

She helped cook breakfast.

A favorite around here is "Egg in the Hole"

You cut a hole in bread with a glass, biscuit cutter- or even better, holiday cookie cutter, then drop an egg into the hole and fry it up together.

Of course, the best part of egg in the hole is the little piece that you cut out, that you cook in butter too, then add jelly to.

Sugarwings liked the jelly covered Christmas tree shape, but notice that under her high chair, Twinkle is having the rest of the meal. I think Twinks gets more food than the baby does at mealtimes.

Well, I never have to mop after I feed the baby.

Sugarwings was fascinated by the Christmas tree project I did too, but I had to keep her back from the bleach and the dye. She isn’t quite ready yet to be a hands on helper with these kind of things.

I found the directions to this on Clarice‘s site.

I am crazy about the results!! Vintage looking, beautiful bottle brush trees from brand new ugly ones!

First you soak them a few minutes in bleach and hot water, and rinse well.

They already look great once they are bleached, but if you want you can dye them any color.

I used professional quality fiber reactive dyes, just because I had them, but am sure that Rit would be fine too.

Of course, I should have changed clothes. I should have done this in my studio. But no, I was too excited and wanted to play with the colors, so did it in my kitchen sink. There is a perfect, made for projects, sink in the studio. But, heck, it is only dye, I bleached it out of the sink when I was done. I think the sink might return to white again………

I left the dye in the trees for about 10 minutes.

And since I hate to let anything go to waste, I used the left over pink dye that was in the bowl to dye some shirts for my fairy grand baby.

Once the dye is washed out, the trees are perfectly vintage looking!!

These trees are on sale at Michaels right now for 25% off, plus they are pretty cheap to start with, a big bag full of all sizes for $14.

My little helper was pretty impressed with the results too.

Thanks for the tip, Clarice!!

And thanks to Fifi and Phyllis for making my article look so good in Romantic Country!

And thanks to Sugarwings for making my morning such fun with her giggles and all her help.

And thanks to Beth for being such a fine administrator for our swap and for being such a buddy.

And thanks to Diane for being such a pal and for her great photos.

And thanks to everyone who participated in our "What do you LOVE about your Holiday Home?" party

I must be feeling very thankful today. Just extra happy and exuberant, I guess. I need someone to start playing the music that tells me it is time to shut up, like they have at acceptance speeches at the Oscars.

Edited note: These trees really are not my own idea, I saw it on other blogs!! here is another one with them, http://mamanjackjack.blogspot.com/

and here is a flickr site to see everyone’s!! http://www.flickr.com/groups/563828@N24/

They are so fun to make, and so easy. Nothing like a simple project at this hectic time of year!

And speaking of passing along project ideas, Dona has used my lamp/coat rack idea and tweaked it into her own. Mine is featured in the Romantic Country magazine article that I wrote.

Macho Decor and close quarters

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, family, give away, Hand Painted Furniture, hand painted signs, holiday decor, Moving to DC, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / December 9, 2007

We are home from our relocation trip. I didn’t see much of DC at all, we were in the burbs the whole time apartment and furniture shopping.

At first, I thought it looked like Anytown, USA with all the chain restaurants, apartment buildings and strip malls, but then realized, that the East is very different.

Burbs in Kansas City or St Louis SPRAWL. Outside of DC, they build UP not OUT. The buildings are high and all the people stack up and squeeze in.

I got a bit homesick for the spaciousness of Kansas, but will learn to live with the high paced, jammed in life style there.

We got a bit homesick for the fairy grand baby too, and went immediately to pick her up when we got back from the airport to take her out to lunch. Of course, we’d been out to eat for every meal since Thursday, but there was no food in the house and it is always a good excuse to go pick up Sugarwings and her family and take them out to eat.

We find ourselves coming up with so many of those little bribes, I mean excuses, to see her.

OK, this doesn’t look like my style, but I took my husband into consideration while furnishing the new place. At first we were going to go with rental stuff. then used, but decided to buy some decent pieces for his place because it is going to have to be his home away from home for a long time.

I got a slate top dining table and matching living room tables for the apartment. All the colors are earthy and the look is slightly rustic. No girly roses at the East Coast Bachelor pad.

I shopped like a woman possessed trying to find the cheapest, yet still stylish things I could find in just a day. It will all be delivered on Jan. 2nd when we go back to get settled in.

Do you have any idea what kind of pain it caused me to buy brand new things from a furniture store and have it delivered???? I just don’t do that. I buy the things no one wants and fix them up.

I know that I could have gotten a sofa table for $3- $20 at a garage sale in Kansas instead of $159 there. Really painful.

But here were my concerns:

no time
no truck
no tools

Of course, also my husband wants it all simple and easy to care for and doesn’t give a durn about Pretty.

He doesn’t notice stuff like in this photo of our Kansas living room, a cabinet from a junk shop ($35) repainted and set on top of a small table from a garage sale ($15) that was painted to match.

Or the mirror from the dumpster above it. Or the free lamp given to me by Beth. I foofed its lampshade and painted it, then set it next to some old chippy paint finials that are serving as candle holders ($5).

So- I know how cheaply I can find things and what can be done.

I am still in pain from going to a furniture store and decking out most of the apartment in one swoop.

Oh well, it will work out. It is stuff he likes and will make him comfy there.

Now on to something more interesting. Joy and Roses!!

I’ve decided what to send the winner of my November drawing, Joy. I know I am a bit late, but with the trip and the open house, she was very understanding about it.

I am also behind on Etsy shipping, but will get all of it caught up and in the mail tomorrow. Thanks so much to everyone who shopped there and thanks also for your patience.

I am sending Joy a JOY sign. It is made from the end of a magazine rack that came from the same dumpster that mirror in the earlier photo did.

She seems to be a person who enjoys salvage and sees the possibilities in a discarded piece herself and I thought she might like this hand painted wreath on something rescued. If you’ve read her blog, you know she has a great eye for redoing things herself.

Don’t forget that we will have more gifts during the What do you LOVE about your Holiday Home? party on Wed. the 12th and that all comments are entered into the giveaway for December too. I love to try to match the gift to the winner instead of just naming something that will be given away at the end of the month. Joy will also receive a little pack of ephemera and doodads for projects.

I had sent Natasha some vintage and hand painted ornaments as well as a Noel banner made up of vintage papers for our trade in the Deck the Halls Swap hosted by Monica. I love the way Natasha has displayed the ornaments on a springlike vine to complement the Australian weather at Christmas.

But wait till you see what she sent to me!!

And to Sugarwings too. Of course, Twinkle thinks everything that the baby gets is half hers.

There is a possibility that Twinks will be wearing this cute little crown that is meant to hang on the tree as a gift to the fairy baby. Either one of them would be adorable wearing it!

And look what else she got- a Santa on a Kangaroo! She thought it was hilarious. That kid has a sense of humor that makes her have deep belly laughs when she sees something funny, and this little santa really struck her funny bone.

She was also given a book about Santa’s summer Christmas, so much fun to read to her and tell her about Christmas in other parts of the world.

Natasha had everything wrapped up so sweetly. And yes, I saved every pink rosebud!

She made a wonderful wooden banner with a matching snowman in glitter, the pink rose bud "cookie", and the 3 little glitter framed wallpaper pictures to go on to the tree.

And she sent Tim Tams. Which we discovered are the world’s best cookie. And I cant find any more around here, I was hoping World Market wold carry them.

And thats not all. A blown glass angel ornament that I immediately hung on my white and gold tree.

Thanks, Natasha! and Thanks to Monica for hosting. What a fun swap. I made out like a bandit on this one. But I do say that bloggers are the most generous people around and if you get a chance to swap with one- DO IT!!

Little Miss Maddy Cat came by to have her Christmas photos taken at my house to use the painted bench as a back drop. I had some trouble with the red eye on this one, but as cute as she is, it didn’t matter.

She and Sugarwings are starting to interact now that Miss Maddy Cat is getting bigger. Sugarwings leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek and it looks like they are about ready to plan a cousins play date together.

Wow, I’ve ran on long enough. I’d better go and mail those packages. Thanks again to all of the shoppers who went to my Etsy Shop and to Natasha!

A List a mile long

Etsy Goodies, holiday decor, I do tend to run on, don't I?, paintings, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / December 4, 2007

I spent as much of yesterday as I could listing on Etsy!

I got quite a few things up (at lower prices so they will disappear) until about mid-day. Then, I had a break and when I went to go back to listing more, the light was gone and I couldn’t get any more good photos.

Natural light makes such a difference in a photo. Like this one of a hand dyed vintage linen bag. Isn’t it pretty how the sun comes in the window from the left side?

I try to never use flash in my pictures of my art work or shop listings.

This bag was done with fiber reactive dyes, I have a huge set of dye colors. Before Sugarwings was born, we had a baby shower that was a tie dye party in the garden. Everyone brought something white and we dipped and dyed all after noon. She has a whole wardrobe full of tie dye clothing, which is perfect for her since her mom is a hippie chick.

Our fairy grandbaby came home from the hospital in a tie dyed ensemble.

I get the dyes out and make something every once in a while. I like to dye my t-shirts that get a coffee stain on the front so I can still wear them.

Today, I am taking all my photos first, then listing throughout the evening. Its a Sugarwings sleepover night, so I can’t say how much I’ll get done…….

My afternoon break was from some shoppers who called and asked if they could come over to look around. They verified my guess that the reason my sales were down on Sunday was because it was too crowded.

All of them said that they just couldn’t see to shop and wanted to come back and look without the crowds.

I have more people coming in the next couple of days, but I did warn them it wasn’t set up as pretty as before. Actually, the studio kind of looks like a bar the day after New Year’s Eve.

At least my house is still clean! But the baby isn’t here yet. Give it a couple of hours and it will be looking quite lived in.

Which reminds me, I walked into my house from the studio during the home tour to find someone going through my kitchen drawers!!! She was telling her husband that real people did live in the house. Well, what did she think it was?? So, I said, yep, this is MY house and she turned red and walked away. Really funny, I was laughing and thinking maybe I should have cleaned out drawers too??

After the whole thing was over, I saw that the shower curtain had been pulled back too. I guess that means, I should have cleaned the shower. Geez, who would have though that people would be peeking in places like that???? There were hosts around to keep an eye on that kind of thing.

Oh well, they got an eyeful of mess is what they got. I only cleaned what I thought was going to show!! I hope they enjoyed the view of the pile of wash rags and an empty shampoo bottle on the floor of the shower. Did I mention that there were tiny little, muddy dog foot prints on the shower floor? Twinkle loves to play in there.

These photos I am showing are of what I did get listed yesterday. Some have sold already! thanks!

All are listed at lower prices than I have had on similar items before.

This is another photo of some of Beth’s contributions to the shop.

I’m not sure how much of these she sold. I do remember ringing up the little pink angels. The weekend really was pretty non-stop crazy.

Beth and I figured out what was weird about Sunday- with all those crowds, we didn’t get our giggle and gossip time.

Usually if you aren’t selling much, you are all alone at a sale, no crowds. So we hang out and talk and usually have so much fun, we don’t care about sales. But with hordes of people walking through we never got to relax and kick back. It was just weird. But I would do it again, I enjoyed my weekend and sales weren’t bad. And I am donating $500 of the sales to the charity that sponsored the open house tour. They are a free clinic that helps people with no health insurance, and that is a great cause to me. When my son broke his elbow, they were great. He has no insurance, much like many young people his age.

Now, I need to go Christmas shop from my pile of leftovers to find presents for my blog giveaways and for my family.

The rest I need to photograph before we go out of town, we have a trip to DC coming up this week.

So, I’m off to shop in my own studio, then list more things before the baby comes to play. Nothing gets done while she is here, except some tickling, hide and seek, and made up stories about fairies in the woods.

When she is older, I will write some down and illustrate them for her, so she will have books of her adventures in the forest as a fairy with sugar pink wings.

Favorite Things

hand painted signs, holiday decor, paintings, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / November 28, 2007

I am making headway! Things are coming together for my sale. I even had time to embellish another photo album. This is covered in a great, old wallpaper, ruffles of sheet music and an handpainted oval of anaglyta wallpaper that I did for it.

None of these items are newly done, but I have them hung and priced! That feels like an accomplishment right there.

I had painted the wreath onto my closet door and decorate it for the seasons. Right now, it just is sporting clearance junk I want to get rid of, nothing too special.

I had painted these two bright little pictures and the flower polka frames for an article I wrote, and they really aren’t my style. But the story was about using a round sponge brush to paint the flowers on the frame and I was told to use BRIGHT colors.

These are more my style. I painted all of these last night.

And all of these- too. The ones on the floor still need hooks and wire on the backs. That is the time consuming part. I can paint like a fiend, it is the grunt work that gets me.

Ready for a parade of signs?

Sugarwings stayed all night, so I had to do get these done after she went to bed.

I snuck out to the studio to paint while her Pop Pop was playing with her for a bit, then went in to take my shift of chasing her energetic little body around the house.

Can you see what happened to her clothes when I gave her a hug?? She’d better get used to it. Everyone around me ends up getting smeared with paint sooner or later!

Back to work. Sorry about the photo quality. did I mention I am in a rush to get ready? You can tell by the reflection in that mirror that my studio is a bit of a mess and not finished yet.

Plus there are a few more things that could use a sparkling of Fairy Dust glitter on them yet. I’m sure little Sugarwings will go home with a few sparkles on her to match the paint.

Craft Sale day, get out your list for Santa!

Etsy Goodies, holiday decor, jewelry, paintings, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 23, 2007

Phyllis is hosting an online craft fair today!

Here is my plan for the day:

I’m going to show a few photos of ornaments to start with and all are $10 each, a special price for Phyllis’s craft fair.( Plus shipping. )

Shipping for ornaments will be $5 for the first item, all others free.

I will be painting ornaments all day and will add them to this post as I finish them, or you can email special requests from me. check back later today for more to see!

All the ornaments can be personalized for free. Names and dates can be painted onto to the ball for you. Free personalization and custom order offer is good only Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th.

Sale prices and shipping specials are good all week

ROSE BUSH IN TERRA COTTA POT AND SNOWMAN SOLD

I make all of my earrings from vintage beads and findings.

The French hooks are always either sterling or 14ktgf.

For today, all these sparklies are SALE priced at $10 a pair, Shipping will be $3 or free with other purchases. GREEN EARRINGS TO THE RIGHT, BLUE EARRINGS SOLD

This vintage wallpaper star features old sheet music (a Christmas carol in green ink!) and an old millinery flower. (4 1/2 x 4")

$5 plus $2 shipping if alone (free shipping if included with another purchase) STAR SOLD

These sweet little peat pots are filled with glittered up vintage figures and millinery flowers and hung with old trim, then embellished with old buttons.

$4 each

plus $5 shipping (free shipping with other purchases)

6 PEAT POTS SOLD, BUT I HAVE a few more MORE email me if you are interested.

Also for sale today-

Any of the albums from this post: http://karlascottage.typepad.com/karlascottage/2007/11/twinkly-sparkly.html If you’d like to see more photos close up, please just ask.

These are prepurchased albums, that are made with really pretty papers inside. I have embellished them with vintagey goodness and lots of old wallpaper!THE PINK AND YELLOW ROSES ALBUM BEHIND THE BABY ONE IS SOLD

$35 each, plus shipping of $9

(I’m sorry, they can’t be shipped with the hand painted glass balls or the peat pot pretties, but anything else you purchase can be added to the box at no charge.

Hand painted charms with vintage beads are available today also.

$15 each, with $3 shipping

These can be shipped free with other purchases

BLUE BIRD SOLD

Thanks for shopping with me today, and make sure you check out the other locations that Phyllis will have listed. My friend, Beth, has some great stuff to check out too.

We all appreciate you buying HANDMADE!!

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving yesterday, like I did. We had a wonderful family day, and I didn’t have to cook it!! I made fudge (my specialty) and noodles, then brought the wine and pop. How easy is that????? A first for me, and I could easily make it a habit.

Aren’t Sugarwings and her Hippie Chick mom some of the prettiest things you’ve ever seen? My son is a lucky man to have them as his family. I’m thankful he has added them to our family.

OK, I am off to go paint ornaments. I’ll add some soon. This will be a loooong post.You’re used to that from me!

(Don’t forget about the party on the 12th.)

LATER: I have been painting a few ornaments in my breaks from making price tags for my upcoming sale here in the studio. Here are the newest, still wet ornaments.

Well, not the prettiest display to show them on, is it?

Upside down egg cartons work well for a drying rack .

I just painted 3 balls with butterflies and 7 mini ones with a tiny rose.

The small ones are only $5 each, but I’m afraid the same shipping applies.

But remember, the shipping is discounted with mulitple orders!

I’m off to paint more and will add them when they are done.

MORE!

Here are a few more ornaments. 3 rose topiaries and one rose bouquet.

What am I working on now? Cupcakes! But they are still wet and arent’ glittered yet.

UPDATE:

I’ve had a nice day. Made some pasta, watched some Tivo (30 Rock and House, not a bad way to spend an hour) and then painted a few more balls.

I’ve had some special orders to fill, which I enjoy, and got a few ornies painted for my gift shop this week.

All of these will be available until my gift shop opens on Friday. If you see one you need, let me know. I can do special orders on Saturday too, but after that, I won’t have time till my sale and open house are over.

Thanks, Phyllis, this was fun!

Twinkly, Sparkly Gifts and LOTS to be thankful for

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, holiday decor, how to's, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 21, 2007

Its not even Thanksgiving yet, and I am getting Christmas presents!

Earlier, a reader, Kathryn, played secret Santa and sent a box chocked full of goodness.

Now, my "brother from another mother" Barbara (we have the same birthday, plus a lot of other similarities) has sent these sweet silvery snowflakes to me.

With my dorkies’ names on them!!

I thought maybe they’d make great dog tags, but Twinkle didn’t agree and wouldn’t pose. Sparkle will do anything if I tell her she looks pretty. (a girl can get into trouble leading her life that way)

Thanks, Barb!!!

Another ‘kind of’ gift was some cards from Amy who through in a few extras with my order.

I can never get enough vintage cards.

The card addiction isn’t as strong as the wallpaper one, though. I’ve been battling the urge to buy more wallpaper, I wonder if there is a 12 step program for that?

But, I can rationalize my purchases of vintage paper, since I really do use it, and lots of it.

I covered these photo albums with some the other night.

I took new albums made with handmade papers, (on clearance from Tuesday Morning) and embellished the fronts of 8 of them.

At first, I was covering the backs too.

And inside the front covers.

Then, about midnight, when I did these two, I started only adding a tag to the inside cover.

And then, only a bow and some vintage posies.

But then, by 2am, they were only getting the fronts decorated!

They were made with such lovely papers to start with, that I think this is enough, my additions to these two were pretty ornate anyway. Or am I simply justifying my decision to go to bed instead of doing more to them??

These are laying on my faux brick floor in the studio. I painted the bricks with a kitchen sponge, torn to a brick shape (always tear sponges you paint with, it makes a more attractive edge).

I covered this table top with vintage wallpaper too.

It had bad veneer, cracking and peeling up. This isn’t a perfect fix, but makes it usable. After the glue dried, I put a coat of water based poly over it, so it should be durable.

I also sprayed all of the fronts and backs of the photo albums with poly to protect them. Of course, I did it AFTER I had added rhinestones and flowers, so had to cover those up. I’d say if you were doing this, spray BEFORE you doodad them up.

I will have these albums available for sale on Friday during Phyllis’ online craft sale.

I plan on working on some projects throughout the day and adding the pictures as I finish pieces. I’ll have special prices that day for people who want to shop at home for handmade pretties instead of fighting the crowds at the mall!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I know what I am thankful for.

I’m lucky enough to have great blessings in my life, and lots of love.

Life hasn’t been easy, getting to this point.But the struggles were all worth it.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

A whole new Me

give away, holiday decor, parties, Silver Bella, Sugarwings, swaps

By Karla Nathan / November 16, 2007

I am so thrilled with my new little home here! Sadie Olive Designs (Sara) has done such a beautiful job of using my original paintings in her design and making the blog still feel like "me" but be cleaned up and professionally designed.

Did you see how she turned my rose painting vertical and made it look like antique wallpaper???? I LOVE vintage wallpaper!!!

And I have my Sugarwings picture, roses, sparkling old rhinestones jewelry, scalloped old paper— it is all my favorite things!!! I don’t think there can be enough exclamation points to describe how happy I am!!!!!!

Plus, the poor woman was so patient and kind. I don’t think I was an easy job for her…….

I almost hate to write on this, it is so new and clean and pretty. Its a bit sad to start using it.

Kind of the way I felt after cleaning house for the photo shoot yesterday and had the house all perfectly sparkling and TIDY. Then, I heard that my son and Sugarwings were coming over. Now, I love them and loved having them here, but I knew that the small window of time that my house was clean was over.

And I was right. She did her best to wreck the place. And is really good at that. Toys, toys everywhere. Till she was worn out and fell asleep watching the Jay Hawks in her Pop Pop’s arms.

Yep, it looks ‘normal’ again. A big, ugly portable crib with a garage sale sticker on it, puppy chew toys and baby toys all over. The dog’s water dish spilled, ahhh, home sweet home.

My photo shoot went well. Or at least I think it did. I’ll have to see the program to know how much babbling and stuttering I did. This is the hostess, Lori Carson.

And this sweet guy, Neil, the co-producer/cameraman has offered to make a dvd copy for me that I can post on my blog!

I hope to have it pod casted by the "What do you LOVE about your Holiday Home" party!

(unless of course, I really sounded like an idiot, which I tend to do when I get on TV or the radio. I am a born babbler)

I still don’t have all my Silver Bella goodies out and unpacked! But here is a special pretty from Carol. She and I did a side swap. Ithink I got the good end of the deal on this one!

Carol made this little snow princess from an old watch box. I have it on my bathroom shelf and use it to put my rhinestone pin into when I unclasp it from my jacket.

This princess banner that is on Sugarwing’s doll house in the fabulous button that Sara made for our upcoming party, is also from Silver Bella.

I bought the banner at vendor night. It was done by Kathy and it is so cute and just perfect for the doll house!!

Speaking of parties, Natasha is having a PROM!!! I’m going.

And one more mystery to solve. A sweet and kind person, named Katherine, sent a goodie box to Sugarwings and I!! It included this pretty floral dish, old trims, ornaments, a cute ATC she made, a book for the baby, and this great doily.

I love it, but I don’t remember winning a giveaway. Isn’t that terrible? I know it isn’t either one of my holiday swaps. I enter every contest I see, they are always so generous and fun. But I don’t remember this one. And I don’t have a last name or a blog name with this gift so I can thank the person for the pretties.

Here is what I did with one of my Silver Bella projects. I hung the tussie mussie from a wall sconce.

I’ll be getting all the gifts, swaps, and purchases out soon, now that my photo shoot is done.

Although, I still have that sale to get ready for and it looks like I will have to clean my house all over again for the holiday tour! (I was smart and rolled up the newly washed rugs before someone could spill on them or twinkle could tinkle them up)

Part Three of Silver Bella, and my car still isn’t all unloaded yet, so I guess there is more to come!

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Silver Bella, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 14, 2007

Ready for more project pictures? I am excited about this one from Charlotte Lyon’s class. It started out as a cereal box!

Since I don’t eat cereal, and Beth’s husband eats almost as much cereal as Jerry Seinfeld, she provided the boxes for both of us.

But what is exciting about this project is that Ms Lyons has a picture of it on her blog right now. (Beth’s too). Beth says that is like getting an "A" in class!

Country Living was there covering the event (to be published next fall) and photos were taken of my project. That sure would be cool, if mine made it into the magazine! They took tons of pictures, so chances are slim that mine made the cut.

Great supplies and papers were provided, but I chose to add my own embellishments, like the vintage velvet flowers and the hand drawn vines at the top, with glitter accents. And I am quite enamored with sheet music ruffles lately, so added one to the top.

In Rebbecca Sower‘s class, she provided bags full of goodies to foof up 6 wall hangings. I added my own ideas and pretties, but she had such a nice selection, I did use a lot of hers.

She made copies of old postcards for us to use, I loved that.

Out of the six provided, I only finished 3. I usually work fast and cockily brought side projects to do, thinking I’d zip through and be bored.

I learned quickly that these class projects didn’t go quickly.

On this Turn up the Twinkle (which I liked to call the Turnip class) I really really sucked. It was my first class there and my hopes of zipping through were dashed.

I didn’t even get this little so and so close to done.

I used the provided back ground paper from Melissa Frances. Our teacher, Caroline Peeler is a designer for them. Over that I used some wallpaper that I had brought with me.

The Country Living photographer also liked my hand painted craft bucket and borrowed it to take photos.

My sparkly "K" tag tied to the bucket was a gift from Holly and the apron was made by Beth. I thought I looked properly crafty for the weekend with my stylish supplies, I hope the editors at Country Living agree!

I guess we’ll see this time next year when the magazine is out. Better get your Silver Bella tickets early, because once that event gets a full spread in Country Living, we’ll never be able to get in, it already sells out quick!

I’m still not 100% unpacked from the trip yet. I did manage to pull out a few bags. And found things Beth bought, not me. Oops, the bags got switched.

But this purchase was definitely mine. I’m not sure what it is, I think old newsprint stamps for ads.

Back in the dark ages, before computers I used to do ads for the local JC Penny’s. Sometimes they would put a dress on special and not have a photo from the home office to use in the advertisements. So, they would call me to sketch it for them and my drawing would run in the Sunday paper. These metal plates remind me of those dresses, but I do think these are from an earlier date.

We found a new antique mall in Missouri on the way home from Omaha, and I bought enough old jewelry to last me a while, or at least until I come across another bargain jewelry find and buy it all out too.

This is just a handful of the 2 shopping bags FULL of sparklies that I bought.

The vintage bottle brush tree is a music box. It has little deer on its base, and the whole thing turns when it is wound up and the music plays. But I think it is from the island of misfit toys, because the deer face backwards when it turns.

I bought a few bottles to glue some of that old jewelry to. And an Eiffel tower. I wasn’t going to get one, but Heather Bullard insisted. And when THE Heather (as I call her) the West Coast style expert tells you to buy something, maybe you should listen!!

She also advised me to get a blog makeover and recommended Sadie Olive for the job. Sara, of Sadie Olive is ready to go and should have something done for the big "What do you LOVE about your Holiday Home?" virtual party on Wed. Dec. 12th.

So, I’ll have a decorated house and a decorated blog to show you!

(Heather has pink and white Eiffel towers on her blog right now, they are sweet.) I will paint and glitter mine up, as I was instructed to by my new style guru.

Friends that I met at Silver Bella, Carol and Jennifer also used Sara’s blog design service and have beautiful sites. Take a look and see. Oh, and so does Joy. All of them are so pretty. I’m excited about the new look!

I will try to unpack the rest of the loot from my weekend tomorrow. Today, we had a house guest. Sugarwings is spending the night.

Twinkle is always thrilled when the fairy grandbaby is here.

You know what happened next don’t you? It involved a lot of splashing and giggling and a very wet dog.

What Is Lurking out in the Pet Cemetery behind my cottage????

family, Food and Drink, I've been tagged, Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / October 31, 2007

Ghouls just wanna have fun!

Welcome to the Halloween Blog Party!! It is sponsored by a group here and they have their scary tunes going, I have them playing in the back ground while I write to get me in the mood.

My niece, Shelli, made this ghostly cake. Enjoy a piece while you mingle at the party!

And Sissy has been crafting again! Look at this creation, I just want to move right into this cottage.

There is even a crystal ball waiting for me on the table. Have I ever mentioned my fortune telling hobby? I call myself Madame Karkina and wrap the nearest table cloth around my shoulders like a shawl and pretend to read palms. (It is usually after a couple of glasses of wine.)

That is a picture of Sissy as a witch next to the black cat.

And speaking of familiars- oops, I mean pets-

did I ever mention this?

Yep, I have a pet cemetery on my 10 acres, right along I70. It used to be a bit of a land mark around here, but as it rusts and the trees grow up around it, you don’t notice it along the highway any more.

Yesterday was such a pretty fall day that Sugarwings and I got dressed up and went back to the punkin patch for another visit.

I went as a princess and she was a pink butterfly. (I am wearing big sunglasses to hide from the paparazzi and trying to teach her the princess wave- also known as the beauty queen wave: ELBOW ELBOW WRIST WRIST WRIST).

Her grandfather didn’t wear a costume. As usual, he just dressed as a handsome husband.

Aren’t they so cute together? This might be my favorite photo of the two of them.

Tonight for trick or treat, she will be dressed as Dorothy and Twinkle will be Toto. I have a feeling I will be posting photos…. Sweet2btreat2bread

I was tagged by Michelle to name 3 blogs I like to read. That is HARD to do, I am a blog-aholic and love to peruse the boundless bounty of blogs.

So, I’ll just list who I looked at this morning, these are some good ones:

Bethany has hand made felt goodie bags for Halloween

Heather always has some of the prettiest photos around, and she is showing some Silver Bella themed kits she will be selling

the queen always has great photos too, and right now there is a wonderful vintage Halloween masked ball print to see.

And of course, I always check out my buddy, Beth to see what wry and witty things she has to say or what fab finds she got at the last estate sale. Right now, she has an infestation of creatures creeping around her place and hiding in all the nooks and crannies.

One last Halloween Witch, looking really really scary before I remind you this is the last day of the

October Drawing. I will wait till the 2nd to announce the winner so you can leave comments on THIS POST till then. (COMMENTS FROM ALL MONTH COUNT TOO)

The prize is a Cottage College Kit with vintage wallpaper OR a hand made item from one of my kits.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Of course, you know what that means tomorrow is?? The biggest candy bargain day of the year! I will fill my shopping cart with 75% off chocolate and start the count down to Christmas weight gain early.

Following the wrong path and enjoying the surprises along the way

fairies, family, paintings, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / October 26, 2007

I’ve had one of those weeks, where no matter how earnest and sincere my plan to stick to a schedule is, those plans just disappear into something totally unplanned.

Today was supposedly a work day. It turned into a ride to Kansas City to buy a used truck for my son. That turned into a trek with the entire family to find a Cracker Barrel, which should have been simple, but somehow wasn’t. The search was worth it, have you tried the carrot cake there? But the hour and a half trip to get the truck so I could get back to work was now 3 1/2 hours at this point.

And what did I drive by on the way home? A sign for a pumpkin patch. I HAD to stop and take Sugarwings.

Pumpkins as far as the eye can see, and in Kansas, you can see pretty far into the horizon!

She picked out a ghost and a tiny pumpkin that was just her size.

Notice I have my work clothes on? I certainly had good intentions of running a quick errand and getting right back to work.

Then, at home, I was packing up my watercolors to take to the Ozarks for the weekend. Instead of getting them ready, and then working on my hand painted signs that I need to finish up, I hit another sidetrack.

And ended up with this painting of Sugarwings. I’m going to use it for our Christmas cards this year and maybe work it into a blog banner for the holidays.

So, even though this day was far from what I had planned, it was a great day- Carrot cake, family time, a first visit to the pumpkin farm, then a surprise painting. Much more fun, (although less productive) than sticking to a schedule and working all day.

I’m lucky to be able to let the day lead me where it wants to. Not a bad life, huh?

Now I am off to the Ozarks for 3 days. See you later!