Sugarwings – Page 46 – Karla's Cottage

TWO HUNDRED posts!

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, fairies, family, give away, I do tend to run on, don't I?, Sugarwings, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 22, 2007

Today is my 200th post! Wow, who knew when I started doing this I would LOVE blogging so much and have such a great time with it?

Before I started writing a blog, I didn’t even really read them. I didn’t know the wealth of friendship, entertainment, and creativity out there.

If I had, I would have come up with a more creative name, or at least I’d like to think that! I would have at least used "Karkie" instead of "Karla", that is what my family calls me. My business name was "Comfort and Joy" that might have been better. Oh well, too hard to change at this point!!

Maybe I’ll list 200 reasons why I love writing my blog?! I am known for long and rambling posts….

Well, here are a few at least-

I’ve met the most generous and fun people. Like the blogger friend who sent little Sugarwings this dress as a gift, but doesn’t want me to tell anyone who she is.

I always say that bloggers are the most generous souls I’ve ever met.

I’ve gotten to know some other artists, whose works I’d never have seen, like my friend, Bethany who drew this for her 200th post and let me "borrow" it because I just thought it was the cutest sketch ever.

I get to have fun with my Sis, by she and I participating in challenges and swaps together.

Beachy is having a challenge now to use an old photo and show what you have done. This is Sissy’s result!! Wow!!

Here is mine, from the same vintage photo. Not as fanciful as Sis’s, but what could be, hers is so wonderfully fun!

I combined the challenge with making a card for Carole who is a kind hearted blogging friend who is having a rough time with her back surgery.

Mary Lou is gathering up cards to send to Carole. See, didn’t I say that bloggers were giving people?

I’ve shown this photo before, it is of my Sissy. Can you see why her challenge photo turned into a flock of fairies? She IS a fairy. Sugarwings takes after her Great Aunt Sissy.

I love that my blog keeps me in touch with my family and friends. I live far away from most of them and this just makes me feel a bit more connected. Maybe they can feel like they are more of a part of my life when they see Sugarwings and the rest of us and read about what we are up to.

And of course, I have been able to sell my work from the blog, and connect it to my Etsy Shop, which I’d never even heard of before seeing it pop up on so many other blogs.

Now, Phyllis will be having a virtual craft show, yet another fun way to meet more bloggers and do some mingling and shopping.

I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to show some of my artwork too. What artist doesn’t need a venue to be seen in?

And I have been encourage and inspired to try different things and branch out by other bloggers and the things I see them do.

My buddy, Beth and I like to make projects together and gossip about what we’ve read and who is doing what. We feel like these blogs we read are written by neighbors and friends. Each one is like getting a post card full of news from a pal.

(by the way- there is a FLEA MARKET on Beth’s site right now, time for more shopping!)

Also, I get to share my experiences and talk about where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing.

Like the party I went to on Saturday. An artist friend,Louis Copt, has "CoptOberFest" every fall at his home.

Louis and Phyllis have the coolest, artiest home ever and I just feel like I HAVE to have a place to show photos of it! How many people do you know that build a kitchen around a wood fired pizza oven?

This is in Louis’ studio, with his Kansas landscapes on the walls behind Jen and Diane (more art friends).

Louis doesn’t just paint Kansas, he travels the world and does scenes from all over, he has taken groups on painting tours of France and Italy through the local art center. Someday, I hope to join one, but it will take a while to save up for it!

I took a class from Louis, and this is one of the paintings I did in it.

Which brings me to another reason I love blogging- tea parties!! Wasn’t Karis tea party fun? And I was so thrilled that I had so many ‘guests’ at my Romantic Country publication celebration, showing what they LOVED about their own homes.

I look forward to the "What do you Love about your Holiday Home" party. It will be on Wednesday Dec. 12th. PLEASE NOTE, THAT THIS IS A CHANGE- TOO MANY PEOPLE DON’T HAVE THEIR HOMES READY BY THE 5TH AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED!

I hope to meet many more new friends at that party. I hope you can all attend and tell your friends to come too.

I always am inspired by the generosity of bloggers, and want to thank Angelina’s cards for featuring me in her hightlighted artist segment.

And have I mentioned swaps and giveaways yet?? How fun are those? I just won these pretties from Dena, and will have tea party with my fairy grand baby with them soon.

I also love having giveaways myself. For my 200th post, all comments on #199 and today’s 200th will be entered to win this book and hand made book mark.

I will announce the winner on Wed. so everyone has time to enter.

Plus all comments through out the month are entered into my monthly drawing.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to look at my pictures and read my ramblings and to the people who have taken the time to leave me over 3,500 comments! I try to answer each and everyone, but sometimes, for some weird reason, Typepad kicks the responses back to me, and the emails don’t go through. If you didn’t hear an answer from me, it wasn’t because I didn’t try.

Thanks again!

198 and Counting and Sugarwings serves Tea

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, paintings, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 18, 2007

Will you be irritated with me if I complain about not getting much done again? I work fast, but I seem to have LIFE get in the way of getting artwork done.

Yesterday all I was able to do was this painting of roses, in an embellished frame, and a few more button jars.

I’ve really enjoyed making these jars, and they are selling as fast as I list them! That is a nice (and rare)feeling.

The pink one, filled with all pink buttons is my favorite. I hope to list it today. Yesterday my Internet went down, it was going off and on, unpredictably, and I would get kicked off just as I was in the middle of downloading a photo.

I have spent the better part of the morning talking to a tech person on the phone, but I think I have the computer back up and running. Or at least I hope so. Maybe I should make this a fast post instead of my typical ramblings, so I don’t lose it all?

The other reason I didn’t get work much done? I was doing better things!

Sugarwings and I had our first tea party together. She was excited to put on her party dress over her regular clothes and actually played with the tea cups and spoon as they were meant to be. She is growing up so fast.

She spent a lot of time pretending to feed Twinkle and the teddy bears. But Twinks was more interested in eating the crayons we’d been using instead.

OK, this is classic Karla here– notice the bright orange Goodwill tag still on the shoulder of the pretty dress? Yep, I take special "First Tea Party" photos for the scrapbook and the baby is wearing a Goodwill tag.

My fairy grand baby stayed over night and most of both days, so we got a lot of playing done and not much else.

We both woke up with the same bed-head hairstyle. Somehow,it is cuter on her….

Sugarwings went with me to run errands, I had to drop off some packages. I’d run out of poster board to wrap wallpaper in, and had to use the poster that I had as display for face painting last week.

When there is a baby around, you have to make do with what you have, it isn’t easy to drop everything and run to the store for poster board to wrap a package.

By the way, the going rate around here for a pumpkin or a butterfly on the side of your child’s face is $2.

This is fun- Beachy is having a challenge. She wants us to use this photo any way we want and then show the results. I plan on making a get well card for Carole of Scoundrels and Rogues, who is having a rough time with back surgery. I’ve had quite a few back surgeries myself and know what it is like. I spent a couple of years practically bed ridden and still have some nerve loss in my left leg.

If you want to send Carole a card, I can give you the info on where to send it. Marylou is putting a box together for her. I promise to add the link tomorrow, but am having computer issues today and can’t seem to do it.

Today is post #198, remember on my 200th, I will be giving away this beautiful book and a hand painted book mark to keep track of your place in it.

Also, leaving any comment at all, any time this month enters you in the regular drawing I have. Do you get sick of me explaining that every time? I should make up a button or something to keep displayed so I don’t say it over and over!

EDIT: here is the info for Carole

Hello Gal blogger friends! Our dear sweet friend Carole of Click here: Scoundrels And Rogues is having a very hard time of it. She’s had 2 back surgeries in the last 10 days. When she called me last Saturday she was in so much pain. I felt so bad for her…She’s in for a long slow recovery. She told me it will be 1 to 2 years until she will be able to walk again on her own again.

Marylou from Click here: Marylou’s Thoughts & Other Critical Matter:) has started the project "Cards for Carole" to help cheer Carole up. She would like you to all send Carole a get well card..Please. Click on Marylou’s blog to find out more of what’s going on. Or you can email Marylou at maryloudalcino@sbcglobal.net. I’m trying to get the word out for Marylou. Thanks so very much!! You and Marylou are just the best group of Gals there is out there in blogging land. Lets all show Carole how much we care about her…

Bless your hearts! ~Mary~ IsabellasCloset

I have a screw loose

antiques/junking, Etsy Goodies, paintings, redos, Sugarwings, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 14, 2007

Last night, I embellished old jars that I had filled with vintage buttons.

I used wallpaper on the lid and the label of this one, then added hand drawn swirls onto it in that translucent gold pen I like to use.

It shows up a bit here in the close up of the lid, but really is prettier in person. (I just got an email, the first jar sold on Etsy, but I will list more)

Everything I used on these jars is from my stash of old stuff. I have tons of scrap booking paper and supplies from Michaels and Hobby Lobby, but when I do my art projects, I prefer vintage materials.

I also finished up my Silver Bella ATCs. They have trim at the bottom and a ribbon to hang from, so I don’t know if that breaks any ATC rules, or not. But the swap is at the holiday time, so I thought they’d make nice ornaments.

They are all basically made the same, but no two are exactly alike.

Today, I haven’t done much of any thing but piddle around here and there. I listed a button jar on Etsy and those beautiful, old French illustrations on Ebay.

I’ve been struggling to get this crib together for Sugarwings for months now. I’ve asked everyone to help and no one could figure it out!

The friend who loaned it to me came by and we got it together, but of course, I am missing one screw. As always in any project!

It looked kind of plain so, I added an old table cloth as a skirt. My mother made the quilt years ago, the rosebuds are perfect for this room.

Now the fairy grand baby can actually sleep in her special room, instead of a portable bed downstairs.

(the bed has wheels and I will roll it away from the wall and cords before I let her sleep in it, don’t worry!!)

This chair used to be in the corner of her room, but I moved it into the library to make space for the crib.I added an old slipcover I had made for the chair when it was previously in the living room. For a heavy chair, it sure gets moved from room to room a lot.

The old log cabin style doll house was at a garage sale for $8. I painted it ivory and took the removable roof off to use it at a book rack for the baby’s favorite stories.

This is one of those catch all rooms that a lot of people seem to have. Where all the odds and ends go and you try to make them fit. (this room will need a LOT of work before people tour the cottage!)

This garage sale wicker desk needs repainted, but for now, I just laid two hankies on the top and covered them with a piece of glass from a dresser top.

I’m getting ready for a holiday home tour, so will stick with red and green for this room, and bring in my funky knee-hugger elves and other kitschy things.

The library is a room we added in the attic, this is the little room in the main part of the house that serves as an entry way to the space.

The library walls were textured, by adding joint compound to the paint.

The entryway is the same color of paint, but no texture. I painted leaves onto the wall with acrylic craft paints thinned with glaze, in a slightly darker green. (I just love the fabric on the old chair! It used to be curtains)

We walled of the end of the room to build a linen closet. To give the tiny room some interest, I cut up a broken Victorian foot board to hang above the closet doors.

I have a few of my watercolors hanging in this alcove area.

Sugarwing’s room and our guest room (also part of the attic) are upstairs also.

This is the door that was on the front of our old farmhouse when we bought it.I wanted to keep it, but really had no where practical for it, so here it is at the top of the stairs.

Some one had irritatingly painted over all the glass! I stripped those down to discover that some of the colored glass had been replaced with clear. So I used stained glass paint from Hobby Lobby to fill in. (the fakes are the purple panes)

My last piddling around project this morning was hanging the old print I had added fairy wings to, and above it, the portrait I painted of Sugarwings, back when she was 5 months old. (seems like ages ago that she was a tiny baby!)

These are in her room now and I think I am completely done in there and ready for the Holiday Home Tour!! The baby’s room and the guest room are set to go. Well, except for that one missing screw to the crib……

I’m off to go paint something. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway drawing.

Step by Steps and a peek into the crazy mind of a serial redecorator

Etsy Goodies, fairies, how to's, how-to projects, I do tend to run on, don't I?, magazine pictures or articles, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 9, 2007

The slipcovers are done! And in use, you can see them here under my little fairy grand baby. Her dad has dislocated his elbow -ouch- and it looks like I will be seeing a lot of her this week. He is in bad shape, and can’t use his arm, so he can’t pick up his baby. I’ll be helping out till he is better.

We are hoping rest will do the trick, the poor guy has no health insurance and can’t afford time off work, or doctor bills.

Since I know I will be busy with the baby this week, I kicked it into over drive to finish the slipcovers and the wall behind the couch.

I decided to use a mix of books for a varied look on the wall. First I removed all these cool illustrations to use for projects or to sell on Etsy for someone else to use. Aren’t they beautiful???

I have 2 French books in different sizes, and one slightly more aged looking plus a book about roses with black and white illustrations.

I was so pleased to see how easily the textured wallpaper came down. Just a bit of peeling and patience and it was done.

If you know me at all, you know that I don’t waste anything. The wallpaper I pulled down was cut up into craftable sizes and saved for future projects. Some of it was used already to wrap up some Etsy purchases tonight. It made really cute wrapping paper.

I used all three books, with the pages turned upside down, sideways, all topsy turvey, with no real pattern or plan.

Wallpaper paste was rolled onto the wall and I added the pages to the glued wall, then rolled over the top again with glue.

The first part of the wall was dry by the time I finished the last part, so I started right away on the metallic glazes. Gold, bronze and umber glazes all went into the pan together.

To apply, all three were used on the rag at the same time.

It gets glopped on with the rag.

When you first start to smear it around, you think, "oh no, what have I done???"

But just a little blending and it starts to look good.

I wish you could see the metallic sheen this has, it is a nice effect, but doesn’t show up well in the photos.

I like the aged colors of the paper and the golden sheen over the top kind of blends the papers all together. The only color on the wall is this one page with the tiny word "Paris" in red.

Ta da! New slipcovers in one afternoon (it helps to not measure or be too picky, just go for it!) and a wall stripped of its old wallpaper and re-papered in vintage book pages in about 3-4 hours the next day.

One thing I really like about the slipcovers, besides the fact that they are washable and I have a houseful of dogs and a baby- is that I made the backs of the pillows all out of velvet. When you lay on the couch, it will feel good to flip the pillows over to the soft side to get comfy.

This is what I started with, and was ready for something more neutral.

(I found this brand new couch at a sale for $285!)

I’d used dark slipcovers for last winter,but it was way too much color for me and I got tired of it fast.

And before that, we had this couch that I gave to my son when he got his own place. He stripped off all the pillows and the cover that I made for it and likes it plain tan velvet.

Here is another version of that sofa.

Both of these photos were used in magazine shoots and were taken by Bill Mathews and styled by Gloria Gale.

And way way before that, we had this look. This was in Country Almanac, and was done by Bill and Gloria too.

And don’t ask me how long I will keep the new look I did tonight. Chances aren’t good that it will last!!!

Don’t forget about the giveaway, leave a comment to enter, I have two drawings this month!!

The Writing is on the Wall

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), hand painted signs, jewelry, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / October 5, 2007

I finally found some charms that are exactly what I was looking for to paint on! These come in a pack of 3 at Jo Ann’s and I only bought a few packs to try them out.

Now that I know how much I like painting them, I’ll need to get more! I’ve listed 3 on Etsy today, at $12 each, if you are interested.

They are dainty, about the size of a postage stamp. It takes a teeny brush to get the details in.

Its funny that I was painting such tiny things last night, because I had just taken Sugarwings for a walk and we happened to walk by a school where I had done some mural work, the opposite of the teeny little pictures.

We popped in to look at the mural so I could take a photo. (Yes, these are my normal clothes, I am always covered in paint!)

What is cool about this large wall, is that over the faux finish, I added words naming qualities to strive for as an inspiration wall for the students (this is in the study room).

In the flash of the camera, many of the words show up, but they are painted in a way, that you have to move around to see them, they only show as the light hits them just right. I used transparent, metallic paints and it is a really interesting effect.

I liked to think that this wall symbolized need to strive to attain goals, and that these traits represented by this text had to be earned, they weren’t that simple to grasp.

Plus, I thought it was a pretty way to do it!

On the way home from my son’s house after dropping off the little Fairy Grand baby, I stopped at a garage sale.

Junker Jo sets up a beautiful sale, and it is all great stuff at good prices.

I bought a couple things. This English pitcher was only $3 and so was the salvage piece. I plan on painting it, it will make a great sign.

Today I did get a few signs painted for my holiday show.

Although, I seemed to be having writers block on good phrases to use. Maybe I’ve made so many signs over the years, that I am feeling repetitive.

Any body know any French phrases that would make a pretty sign? Keep in mind I don’t speak French, and it wouldn’t be funny to trick me into writing dirty words on the signs, the Holiday Sale is for charity!!!

We are having unseasonably warm weather around here. So I took advantage of it by going out to the lake with Sugarwings and Sparkle today while I babysat.

The wind made the water a bit choppy, so we didn’t stay out on the boat long, but we had a great time with the wagon up by the Marina. Sugarwings got to break in her new $1 garage sale life jacket, and wasn’t too happy about the bulkiness of it.

I had some people inquiring about the desk in my newly rearrange office that I showed a few days ago. It is buried in my Etsy listed inventory. but sure is a pretty piece, isn’t it? It is the original blue that I got it in, but I did add a touch of white wash to make the roses show up more.

Tomorrow I am face painting at a fair in a nearby town that is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

I did some practicing on Sugarwing’s cheek this afternoon. If this is an example of the work I’m going to be producing, I shouldn’t be charging for it!

Hopefully, I’ll have some less wiggly kids to paint up tomorrow. Or I am in trouble.

Well, the baby is gone for the day and I am exhausted. Grandmama needs a nap.

What do you LOVE about your Home?? And a kitchen evolution.

antiques/junking, give away, Hand Painted Furniture, I do tend to run on, don't I?, magazine pictures or articles, parties, redos, Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 25, 2007

t Welcome to the Romantic Country Party! You are all invited to show or tell us what you LOVE about your home.

If you are a fellow blogger, leave a comment to tell me you have posted pictures or stories about what you LOVE about your own home. I will add links throughout the day Tuesday so we can all visit each of the party sites.

If you are a reader, please share stories of what you LOVE about your home in the comment section too. I will be drawing names of a blogger and of a blog-supporter for prizes to be given out on Wednesday.

What do I LOVE about my home?

It makes me smile to have an eclectic mix and a never ending, always changing menagerie of possessions. To find bargains at thrifts, garage sales, auctions, in dumpsters, places where I can spy a diamond in the rough.

This photo of my gazebo was in Victorian Country a few years ago and you can see from it, that I like to use pieces that go together, but that aren’t matching sets.

Right now, some rooms from my home are in Romantic Country along with a short article I have written.

Here is the kitchen scanned from the magazine.

I like to redecorate, but they have gone even further and completely renovated and given me a mirror image of my actual space! How fun is that?? Perfect for me, I love changes and with this one, I didn’t have to do a thing!!

To give you an idea of some of the changes my kitchen has been through, here are some older magazine shots.These have all been taken by Bill Mathews and styled by Gloria Gale for Harris Publications (Country Victorian and Country Almanac).

This one was taken by Diane Guthrie for a local magazine. She took this after we replaced the original farm house cabinets with new ones my son custom built for us.

I repainted a bit since then, this is the latest incarnation.

And from the other angle.

When we remodeled, I saved money by repainting my old fridge to match the cabinets, in the same paint and glaze I used on them (oil based french vanilla color with a mocha glaze)

One small addition to the kitchen was made this weekend, I found a toy stove/fridge for Sugarwings at a garage sale for $1. Now she can help me fix dinner.

If you are new to my blog, (as I know a lot of the party crowd is), you’ll see I tend to run on and on and my posts can be long winded.

I’m afraid this one will be a record breaker by the time I add all the party invitations to other blogs!

I look forward to visiting each and every one of the listed parties, and hope everyone else enjoys mingling and party hopping too.

I’ll check throughout the day and add links as I receive them. If you don’t see yourself listed, please email me and let me know I have missed you!

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR HOME?

PARTY LINKS:

My buddy Beth has already started and is showing some of her art as well as her great junk hunting loot.

Here is a taste of what she has to show. Also, she is my tech adviser, every time I have issues with my lack of computer skills. She is also great with adjectives and lists, so offered some advice on party invitations. Here are some she sent to me:

Take a gander at Beth’s beautiful home
Feast your eyes on Beth’s beautiful home
Ogle Beth’s beautiful home
Behold Beth’s beautiful home
Check out Beth’s beautiful home
Wander on over to Beth’s beautiful home
Follow the path to Beth’s beautiful home
Hop on over to Beth’s beautiful home

Actually, she meant for me to sub other names in, but I couldn’t resist posting it like this, it is cute!!

Jessica of Wild Rose Stamper, has a rosy room to show us and instructions for making a tussie mussie.

Yellow Rose Arbor has a gorgeous swag that she has made for her romantic bedroom, and scroll down to see all the yellow roses!

Becca always has beautiful things to show us and her party pictures are no exception!

Stephanie has a unique green mirror that makes me drool and turn green with envy.

Rachael from the other side of the world has gotten a jump start on us and is opening the champagne!

Katrina is hosting her party from her warm and wonderful kitchen.

Jennifer has some of the sweetest eye candy around! Look at this baby girl’s shadow box- wow!!!

There is a rosy glow in the sky over the party at Betty’s house.

Clarice is sharing Autumn Bliss with us at the Story Book Woods.

Jennifer‘s old painted cottage is on the cover of this issue of Romantic Country!

And Kari‘s artwork can be seen on page 70. This issue has the blogworld well represented!

Our Bejeweld friend is sipping hot cocoa on her new patio and is waiting for you to join her.

Sherri has her guest room done up in the prettiest pink ready for a grandbaby to come and stay over.

Something old, something new is on show at Corinna’s home.

All the way over in Sweden, Linnea-Maria is sharing what she loves about her home. Her blog is in Swedish, but she has left a comment on my blog in English to explain.

Kitty is throwing some light on the subject of what she loves in her home.

Joy has the welcome mat out for us.

Ginny has invited us over seas to England!

Jennifer has a montage to show us what she loves at her home.

While you are out globe hopping, drop in to visit Aukje.

And who doesn’t LOVE everything about Kim’s Daisy Cottage?

Julie has invited us to visit her too.

Jennalee is ready for guests at her lovely home.

Terri has a family heirloom to share, and if you scroll down, there is some home made bread that I am sure she’ll offer a slice of!

Rosie has a wonderful porch for us to sit and relax on.

Felicia has invited some cute little friends over to enjoy the party with us.

There are Super Heros to visit at Meg’s.

When you visit Louisa‘s party, make sure you scroll down to see her water color roses from a previous post too!

Isabella’s cozy cottage is somewhere you’ll want to linger for a while.

Susan’s home is all decked out in cheerful fall colors for her guests.

suzy has gorgeous pictures of her home ready to share. (this one was re-done later, it had not been a connecting link earlier, please go back to visit her, you’ll love her place!)

Karen has the air filled with the scent of pumpkin spice at her party.

I love Tami’s mantles too, and so will you.

Crystal has stories of what she loves about her old farmhouse. Scroll down to see some tiny little people who are showing off what they love about thier cute cottages too!

Cindy has a fantastic studio (wish mine was that tidy!) with a beautiful faux treatment on the walls.

Karla was one of my first blogging friends. She is always a wonderful person to visit with and she has invited us all over for espresso and home made bread. Check out the gorgeous blue of her walls while you are there.

Natasha has asked us all to come to Australia to see her romantic cottage, and to help her celebrate her 100th post, coming up very soon.

Debra is all decked out for Halloween at her place, and she is the master of that holiday (hence the "boo" in her blog title)

Phyllis has invited us over to enjoy the sunset and sit back in some cool old twig furniture.

Look what came in the mail yesterday from Phyllis- a section of old greeting cards and crafting papers. Thanks, buddy.

My good friend, Heather is making me just way too jealous with the photos of her house. I might not be able to be her friend anymore.

Pattie has been out thrifting and has new finds to show us.

Brenda asks us to join her in her vintage country kitchen.

Julia shows us what she loves about her home in a collage.

A fellow Silver Bella, Natalea, is offering us views of the lake outside and some lush and rich color and textures inside her home. Plus an invitatioin to play the "Name Game". I love to play those silly tag games, and have already done this one at the end of this posting, but my middle name is JO, so it was a short one!!

Catiean has the most amazing wall treatment, you have to see these!

http://violetladyathome.blogspot.com/ has her favorites on display for us.

I have another Silver Bella coming to the party- Jessi has her house decked out for the holidays!

Home is Where the Heart is among the sweet little rose buds at Barbara’s

Blanc and Daisy have invited us over to visit.

Who could resist dipping into the fairy dust over at The Glitter Fairy’s

Studio???

Cathy has a green thumb and a set of kitchen cabinets that are making me turn green with envy again. I swear, all these homes are just making me so jealous.

Another featured home in Romantic Country for this issue belongs to Dawn. This issue is filled with bloggers! (Her photo is on page 71, near Kari’s on page 70)

Bethany has a collage of pictures to show us, and make sure you look through her blog at some of her artwork! I love her sketches, here is one she did of my little sweety, Twinkle.

Mary Allison has given us a peek into "the Kingdom". I just want to steal that name for my studio now too!!!

Angelina has a piece from one of my favorite artists, Holly, on her site. As well as some of her favortie holiday decor.

Elizabeth is up at night dreaming about paint colors. ( I know what that is like! When the paint chip fairy comes to visit, you just give up and start looking through colors, YOU MUST REPAINT)

Michelle has some favorites highlighted in her home for us today.

With a name like Flea Market Queen, you know she’ll have good stuff to show us!

Our friend, Marie Elena has wonderful style and lots of talent that she has put to use remodeling her Chilean home.

June not only invited us to see what she loves about her home, but gives us a list of resources to help find what we need for decorating our own homes!

Stacy has invited us to see the magic in her home.

More globe trotting! Time to experiance autumn in Germany with Regina

Vintage Flair has some romantic and sentimental photos to share, and don’t miss the very last one, with the old wallpaper and trims. She has made a lovely display!

Becky has a beautiful home and I am crazy about the little green dresser she has as part of a table scape. Be sure to read both of her posts today, Blogspot only allows 5 pictures per post so she had to post twice. Stingy Blogspot!

Wanda is bidding a farewell to summer with photos of her swimming pool and lovely garden spots. Plus look at how dramatic the red wall is!

Lolly shares her therory on "more is more" which is mine too!

We have unique aquarium pets and one of my favorite sofas, ever at Vickie’s

Debbie has invited a collection of furry freinds to stay in her cozy room for her grandsons.

Cindy has taken a fantastic photo of her lavender room reflected in the mirror, you have to see it.

Kelley has hired a cherub to serve us crystals as party favors in her newly done dining room.

The lovely Ele is inviting us to her lovely dining room.

Melissa just found out about the party and will be posting some home pictures soon. In the meantime, you can click on "home" on her site to see some of what she loves.

You can see the love that goes into all details of Mary‘s life when you visit her place!

Sharon, another Silver Bella, has some of her pretty mosaic goods on display for us to see.

Mary is joining our party, and has such a warm and welcoming home!

Kim is moving and has shown us what she will be missing when she leaves this home, scroll down past the Sinister crafts to see it!

Jenn has a pretty pink kitchen to share

And The Queen has a lovely wreath on the door to welcome us.

Vanessa Valencia the Fanciest of Them All always has her place filled with fun, magic, and exciting happenings. Have you ever been to see her? If you go once, you’ll never want to leave her fanciful world.

Andie has a blue and white treat for us.

Lisa really does have a thing for roses, just like the title of her blog says!

Katie has whipped up some fall baking for us to snack on.

You’ll have to visit the whimsical delight that is at Cherry’s

Kristi has some lovely textiles in her kitchen.

Romantic Homes, the competitor of Romantic Country magazine (that inspired our party),, has featured this unbelievably beautiful house, not once, but twice! You have to visit Jennifer to see for yourself.

Andrea has not only shown us her own home, but a cute little red house for her birdie friends!

Everyone’s friend, Carole has joined in on the party and has some hula dancing entertainment for us and craft supplies out for us to make some pretty things with her!

the Contessa is inviting us to join her at the tea table she has all set up.

Heidi has gifts from fellow blogger friends to show us. Aren’t the gifts we get from all the generous people out there, so thoughtful???

Watch out, Amy’s decor could put a spell on you!

Barbara, my birthday twinner, has a hand stitched sentiment to share.

Any time you go to visit Jody you see all the love that goes into her life and her family.

Sara has a striking home in black and white you can’t miss.

Michelle has an old farm house that is a work in progress (as most farmhouses are, I know mine is!) That garden and porch are so inviting. After a long day of trying to list all these blogs and not mess up the links (only a couple needed tweaking!!) I’m ready to go and visit Michelle and relax on that wicker seat.

Jen has started a blog and today is her very first post, so this party is a bit of a house warming for her! Please drop in and welcome her to the blog community so she’ll see first hand what a friendly bunch she is joining!

Britt has things sparkling at her place!

Romance is in the air at this romantic cottage of Linda’s

Heather has invited us to visit her home and meet a dainty little witch.

Nature Girl finds joy in spending time in her gardens.

Leelee_and_cake_2

Thank you all so much for joining in this party today! I’ve had a wonderful time mingling, meeting new friends, and seeing the creative and loving touches you have added to your homes.

I think that this subject is a meaningful one for many of us and I have been asked to host more parties like this in the future. How about a "What do you LOVE about your Holiday Home?" Mid December?

Sugarwings and I are all partied out at this point and we need to call it a night!

THANKS!!!!!!!

Wednesday morning note- I think I went to bed too early, sorry I missed some of you! but hey, I am a Granny! I can’t stay up all night partying like I used to years ago. I am going to add the rest of the emails I got after I went off to my pillow at 11pm last night:

Lorraine‘s cottage is celebrating its new floors.

Fairies dance across the mantle at Gayla’s

Dana has some amazing flea market deals in her beautiful cottage

Shabby Chic treasure and pretty pastels at on view at Joy’s

And Cerris is one of my very favorite places to go on Etsy, her home is just as wonderful!!

You just have to go across the pond to see Mary!!!! You’ll be glad you visited

Erin has a thing for red and you will see why. Her cottage is such a cheerful place!

Come out into the yard and play at Jeanne’s

Sophie’s home is an absolutely can’t miss!

Check out the painted geraniums on the wall at seeb’s

Joy talks about her love of autumn and her ‘joy’ of preparing for the holidays.

Cindy is shabby-chic-a-riffic!! She is late getting to the party, but sometimes it is good to save some sweets for later, isn’t it?

Cheryl loves the beautiful, Canadian countryside where she lives.

Don’t we all love to visit Holly??

And Lidy has autumn decorating tips for us all.

The party is just getting started at Gayla’s

Kathee doesn’t have a blog but has posted home pictures on Photo Bucket for us.

More updates- a few days later- Dayami has been scouting out pretty white serving pieces to serve goodies by her pool!

Family Chaos and a Jingly Bed Plus MORE Christmas In September

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, family, holiday decor, magazine pictures or articles, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 20, 2007

My SIL, Sandy, is visiting from Tennessee and the whole family came by tonight to see her.

We hadn’t made any plans and next thing I know I am trying to figure out how 4 salmon fillets will feed 11 people, while trying to convince Sugarwings not to wrestle on the stairs with Twinkle or put spoons in the potty.

We played with babies and laughed a lot, and found a turkey tenderloin to go on the grill with the salmon and everyone pitched in chopping up potatoes and making salads and brownies.

What do I love about my home today? Not a color choice or an item, it is the fact that everyone feels at home and comfortable at my cottage and can show up at any time knowing that they will be fed and we’ll have a good time.

Before the dinner rush, Sister Sandy and I went out shopping this afternoon. Tuesday Morning has 50% all clearance items and I found this throw for the day bed in the baby’s room.

Its pink on one side and pink and ivory flowered on the other and seems to look right at home with the other floral quilts and pillows.

I bought these silver metal letters on clearance at Restoration Hardware last year at the after Christmas sale, and have added glitter to them (of course) and hung them from sheer pink ribbons to the day bed to spell Leandra’s nickname, Lee Lee.

She is too little to sleep in this bed yet, but I know she will love it when she is older. The letters clink a little against the metal frame and it sounds like wind chimes when the bed moves. When she comes to stay all night with me and have tea parties, I will ask her if she wants to sleep in her jingley bed, and give it a little shake when I tuck her in, to make the letters tinkle against the bars.

Sugarwings will be able to lay in her jingly bed and look up at the sky her grandmama painted just for her. I will make up fairy stories to tell her at bedtime and have her be the heroine of all tales about the sparkling fairies playing in the forest together.

Yes, I love my home, quite a bit and love the things in it, I have gathered them or made them with a lot of thought and care. But the family that is in the home gets a big chunk of love from me too.

I am looking forward to seeing photos of what other bloggers love about their homes during our Romantic Country Party on the 25th. The magazine was supposed to be out today, but I couldn’t find it yet. If anyone sees it, will you let me know?

And now, some Christmas in September – how wrong is that????

I have plans to make some hand painted ornaments to hang up for the pictures on Monday, but haven’t seemed to have time to get it done yet…..

These are some that I collaged with vintage papers. I also glittered up vintage birdies and added them to mini wreaths with old millinery flowers.

Vitnage doll parts are on display on white iron with some charm jewelry I make from old pieces.

I’d like to have time to make more paper doll dresses to hang on the trees too.

I’ve been hanging tags onto the trees and made a garland of them to hang over the window. Karen. I added a vintage butterfly spray that I glittered up.

And of course, there are tussie mussies all over the place! The tree topper is a bouquet of flowers from my first ever swap and were given to me by

Speaking of glitter, I should be making something sparkle. the house is quiet the guests are settled, the babies have gone home. Late at night might be the only time this old granny has time to get any glittering done, so I am off to work!

Let’s see, what do I love about my home today? Well,today it isn’t a thing or a decor choice, it is the fact that everyone feels at home here, and likes to gather here.

Studio Transformation in Progress (with a little help from a friend)

holiday decor, jewelry, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 19, 2007

I am getting a lot of response for our upcoming party on the 25! Thanks!

Also, thanks to Beth for helping today with my art studio’s transformation into Christmas gift shop.

Beth came by today to help unpack boxes of ornaments and arrange things. She’ll also be a part of the sale in Dec. and will bring antiques and art to sell that weekend.

If you are wondering how I can do without my studio for a few months, I won’t be. The other half of the room, is ART CHAOS and will stay that way till the week before the sale. I’ll shove all of this into boxes and set out the things that will be for sale.

Decorating for Christmas so early has been weird for me. On Sunday I went to every store in town looking for ornament hooks and I am sooooo early, that Wal-Mart didn’t even have any out yet!! I finally got some at Hobby Lobby on Monday, but they aren’t open on Sundays, so I was out of luck that day.

There are some corners I really like in the room, but I am not sold on the over all look yet. I have until Monday for the photographer to come (there will be an article in a local magazine about the Holiday Homes Tour).

I really like the silver chandelier covered in vintage gold and silver ornaments. Not easy to sell ornaments off of, but I will have big bowls of balls set out for sale too, and people can shop from those first.

This part of the room is all gold and silver with touches of neutral tones and a splash of aqua.

I’ve set out some of the jewelry I made as part of the display.

And this area is PINK!

Last night, I painted this desk/vanity white and added pink roses and vines, and today we piled it up with bunches of pinky goodness.

These lights are from Walgreens, they have pink bulbs (well you might have noticed that already) AND a pink cord!!

I will be painting a few dozen ornaments too. But for now, hung up tussie mussies, tags, and these collage ornaments that I made with old papers and glitter.

Beth and I "tag team" baby sat for Sugarwings while doing all this decorating today.

Which brings me to today’s photo of "What I LOVE About My Home"

Well, Sugarwings, that is a given. But, I am also crazy about her highchair. Its an old one that is all chippy and you can see the previous colors of paint through the pink top layer.

I can just picture the young mother repainting the high chair for each baby she had. It started yellow, then green, blue, and finally the perfect pink. I sanded and cleaned it,to make sure no paint would flake off for my fairy grand baby to snack on, then gave it a spray clear coat to keep it safe for her.

Don’t forget about our Romantic Country Party a week from today (Tuesday).

And remember that each comment enters you in the Sept. drawing for a Cottage Collage Kit or something made from one- your choice!

Procrastinating and Nit Picking

Etsy Goodies, Hand Painted Furniture, holiday decor, housework, I do tend to run on, don't I?, jewelry, magazine pictures or articles, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / September 17, 2007

These cute little peat pots are on Etsy now for $9 a pair. They have portions of a poem I cut out of a Victorian book tucked into the flowers, and a pansy picture from the same book on the front.

Now, why would I be listing on Etsy instead of working on my upcoming photo shoot? I listed a few things this morning,even though my shop is well stocked.

Maybe I am avoiding this?

And this? Both of these rooms have to be cleaned up and Christmassed up by one week from today.

Its more fun to fine tune the decorating I already started in Sugarwings room.

Playing with her pretty little pink things and fussing around with rearranging and adding to it, is so much better than taking a shovel to the studio and the library to clean them up!

Beth gave my fairy grand baby this little angel night light.

I haven’t decorated her doll house yet- just a little bit of decking the halls so far. I am waiting till she is older and we can do it together.

A peek-a-boo angel is in a window.

A pink and white reindeer is on the roof, and that is enough for now.

I added a few more ornaments to her tree.

And I did a bit of rearranging in the guest room too. Just added a few little details to the room.

I moved a few of the things that I’d brought in yesterday after looking at the photos I took.

I like to take snapshots of a room when I have rearranged it, then look at those to critique and see what needs changing. The photos never look as good as the room does in "real life" and are a great tool in getting it right!

(can you see the glitter in the paint on the walls?)

I only made a few small changes and added a couple of things, but I am happier. What do you think compared to yesterday’s pictures?

I added more decorations to Grandma Nathan’s foil tree too.

I made a star for the top of it, with an old photo of my mom.

I got the idea from Beth who made

this star for part of her Silver Bella Swap.

These sheet music Victorian boots are from a couple of years ago and I found them when I attempted to get started cleaning my studio. So, I used that as a good excuse to stop cleaning and took the boots over to the guest room and fussed around with them.

I put another under the glass tray top of this side table, with old post cards over a piece of rose patterned gift wrap.

Here is a close up of my Wilton Cake Decor crowns with old jewelry on this tiny tree. I bought a big box of mixed cake toppers for $5, and even if these 6 crowns are all I use out of it, I am happy with the box!!

I think I might be procrastinating a bit right now.

But I do see things that need changed in some of these photos, maybe I should go back up to the guest room and futz about again!

I don’t want to deal with THIS!! It is something I DON’T love about my home, the way the library becomes a catch all and books never get put away.

But, I’d better get to it, that mess won’t clean itself, and there are cameras on their way here in a week.

Thanks to all of you who are interested in participating in my Romantic Country Party on the 25th and will be showing photos of your homes that day too!

ps- Phyllis has a blog anniversery coming up, lets all wish her a happy birthday!

I want to be the Fairy Queen!!!

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), fairies, family, flowers, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / September 8, 2007

After sleeping most of the week away, with that killer flu bug I had, and having my first cup of coffee for the week yesterday- I found myself up at 2am unable to drift off. I had IDEAS. So, at 2:30, I gave up and went to the studio and made fairy wings for Twinkle and fairy princess headbands for the rest of the group going to the Renaissance Festival today.

Trouble is, Twinks hated the wings and really isn’t very good on a leash anyway. Sparkle was extremely jealous, and kept trying to get me to put the wings on her. She does like to dress up.

So, Sparkle came along with us instead, but she is older, easily worn out, and fat (hey, being middle aged isn’t easy for some of us ladies!). So she ended up in Sugarwings stroller most of the day. I am not allowed to post photos of my husband pushing the stroller with the Dorky in fairy wings riding along like a queen.

Our little fairy grand baby had better things to do than sit in a stroller and be pushed around! There were crystal balls to gaze into, and new friends to meet.

Yes, we put that tiny little sprite up on a giant elephant.

I decided what I want to be when I grow up now- look at this fairy queen! Can you see me in my 70’s on the RenFest circuit, traveling the country and dressed up like a fairy royalty? I sure can. When my eyes get too bad to paint any more and my arthritis too bad to make jewelry or do collage, I plan on joining the Rennies and being a fairy queen.

The Kansas City Renaissance Festival is for 8 weekends every fall. It is set in a lush, wooded acreage and when you visit, it feels like stepping back in time.

I have always enjoyed going to the festival, but it is so much more fun to go with Sugarwings.

The costumes are to die for.

And the hairstyles aren’t bad either!

Next year, instead of just flowers, I want a bird in my hair!

For this year, I made a little wreath from paper roses and wired ivy vine and clipped on two vintage earrings and a matching brooch. Simple and fast, but no bird.

I think Sparkle got as much attention today as the real fairies that were there.

Everywhere we went, people asked if they could take her picture.

She loved every minute of it, too, and spent a lot of time posing with some of her fairy friends.

The fair is very dog friendly, but not as many people bring their dogs as they did in the past. Now, dogs need to buy a ticket! Only five bucks, but it is a good idea, because you have to show proof of shots to buy the pass for your dogs.

I am already looking forward to next year (when I will be wearing a bird in my hair) because little Madison will be old enough to go and we’ll have double the fun with two little fairy babies. (I hope she doesn’t mind sharing her stroller with dorkies.)

Hey, there really is a give away for Sept. Keep leaving comments to enter and I promise I’ll come up with a prize!

PS- I am attending a Tea Party on Monday and would like you to come by. I heard about it from Sweet Rememberance and here is the link for more info. I have a cute little "Tea for Two" refridgerator magnet that I will be giving away that day.