swaps – Page 14 – Karla's Cottage

12 hours, 3 trips to Office Depot, one to Hancocks, some dried out salmon, and a box of cookies later….

Books, give away, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / February 2, 2008

We made it! Our Sweet Treats and Roses Recipe Swap books are DONE.

Not that it was easy. We started with a Cropadile and ribbon, thinking that would be fine.

It wasn’t.

After an hour, we had two books done!

I thought I’d resort to the binding machine. The box said that the binder would hold up to 90 pages, and we had 42, but they were thick, so the binder was too small.

So- off I run to Office Depot to get larger binders. And they didn’t fit my binding machine!

At that point, we took a lunch break. I made marinated salmon, Kansas City strip steaks, sweet potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes and salad with pears and pecans.

I was side tracked too much and the food was dried out. I should have paid more attention.

But we came up with a plan while eating! So, off I go again to Office Depot, this time to get a 2 hole punch and then to Hancock Fabrics for BIG needles.

Jen (one of my friends who is in the swap with us and who helped today) said to try a big needle to get the ribbons through the holes.

Perfect! We got going on a roll and just a few hours later (well maybe about 6 hours) we had all the books assembled.

The participants took so much time and care with their pages! All were lovely as can be.

My Silver Bella Pal, Heather Bullard even sent her postage money beautifully wrapped! As well as including Starbucks gift cards for Beth and I.

Our swappers inundated us with treats! Rachael provided much needed carmel chocolate cookies from New Zealand that gave us the energy to keep punching holes and threading ribbons! And gracious Mrs. Staggs sent the prettily wrapped rose patterned cup and saucer filled with chocolate kisses! I could just KISS her ! (I am quite devoted to chocolate)

I have already shown you some of the gifts that people sent earlier, including Karlas’ fairy doll and puppy dog for Sugarwings. Well, she also sent along these Valentines that she made! Sugarwings for me and Milo for Beth.

I think I will add mine to my scrap book. It will make a lovely page.

I am totally and completely overwhelmed and surprised by the gifts we received along with the recipe cards! As Sugarwings says all the time, "OH MY"!

I don’t even know where to start. Tags, candles, candies, silk ribbons, ephemera, hand made soap, sachets, note cards, lotions, treats, wallpaper, and more.

Double "OH MY"!!

Look at how beautiful it all is together too.

I’ll be using all the tags in my scrapbook filled with pictures of the fairy grand baby. And I’ll be gobbling down that candy!

Thanks so much, Sandy, Jennifer, Joy, Lena, Karen, Heather B., Karin, Amy, Sissy, Deb, Heather K., Terri, Rachael, Amy W., Kathy, Ele, Sarah, Jessi, Tamy, Lee, Mahala, and Betty. Oh man, I hope I didn’t leave anyone out, everything is sooooooo lovely. And over the top. I feel like it is Christmas again!

A complete list of all the participants in our swap is on this post.

And please visit the Flickr site that has pictures of pages and covers to see more. I will be adding to it later on.

This pretty pile of loot is all from that friendly and fun, Jessi. She went in for surgery today, if you get a chance, go by and wish her well.

I met her at Silver Bella,and I can tell you, that girl is a bundle of energy, I doubt if she will be kept down long!

Here they are, FORTY TWO hand made books. And they only took about 12 hours. Well, for our part today, at least. So many people worked so hard to do their share to make these beauties and I appreciate it all so much.

No two are alike, each one is a joy to flip through.

My own book has a cover by Beth and a tag by Mrs. Staggs.

This page is by my friend, Jen, who came up with the brilliant idea to use a big needle to get the freaking ribbon through all the holes instead of us cussing as we tried to pinch it through by hand.

I was so pleased to see the variety that came in, but to also see how well they all fit together when assembled.

The book has a nice flow to it.

Some people did the backs of the pages too. Some embellished each page by hand. There was a nice mix of styles and designs, to all pull together for a unique and lovely finished product.

Yes, I know I am gushing! But I really am thrilled with it.

Thanks so much to everyone who created part of this. I can’t wait for the next swap! I thought I was hooked on swaps before, now I am hooked on hosting them! What a blast!

ps- my January giveaway winner is:

Cheryl

Thank you all for your comments, each was entered. Today starts a new giveaway!

Abracadabra

Etsy Goodies, fairies, swaps

By Karla Nathan / January 22, 2008

We had a slight break in the cold, yesterday the temperature zooooomed all the way up to 32 and that was enough to thaw my fingers out and get the crafty juices flowing again.

Of course, I woke up to 5 degrees this morning and news that the temps would be in the teens and twenties all week.

But yesterday, I was able to stay put in my studio and made magic. Well, magic wands!

Jenny Doh at Somerset Life sent me a list of topics that they are featuring in July to see if I wanted to send something in to them.

"Magic Wands" was the one that leaped off the page at me!

Now, of course, this doesn’t mean she will like them or even want to use them, my wands might not be what they had in mind at all.

But I wouldn’t mind. I could use a wand or two anyway. Who couldn’t?

Wish me luck, please. Or maybe I should swish one of them around and wish for luck myself?

And, sadly- I finished all my book covers for the swap. I am going to miss this project.

Here are the backs of the ones I did yesterday.

They range from way, way over the top-

To simple and sweet.

I was thrilled to see that this necklace formed a heart shape when fussed around with and glued down.

I don’t have all of my cards ready yet, for my own page in the book, and of course, Beth and I need to assemble the books themselves. But I already am missing the swap, it was such a joy to make all of these! I am not sure how many I made. Too many, but we’ll be able to pick and chose as we assemble.

This one that I showed you previously, got a re-do yesterday. I decided it was too heavy with the key on it. We are trying to keep the shipping costs down.

So, it became this. I won’t use it for the swap, I will list it on Etsy later today. After Sugarwings goes home, there is no way I will have time to do that with that little bundle of energy around!

I have added quite a bit more to this piece, including the banner, "Flow’rs and Dreams at the Dance" on silk brocade wallpaper.

The background got treated to some robin’s egg blue paint, behind the ballerinas as well as on the back ground of the grey wallpaper, and as a swirling border around the edges of the piece.

I am enjoying my resolution to add hand painted touches to my collage work.

I glued German die cuts around the page too. One little butterfly is on the vintage playing card, and flowers form a garland that looks like it goes under the center medallion.

I am trying to not let the cold get to me too much. Today, I will build up the wood stove and will keep warm by chasing that fairy grand baby from one end of the house to the other. That is, when she will let me put her down. She is of the opinion that Grandmama Karkie is supposed to carry her everywhere when she comes to visit. And I really don’t mind. She is so tiny and cuddly, but won’t be like this forever. I need to take advantage of it while I can.

Maybe she can help me pack for my trip to sunny California. I had no luck finding a spring dress, but did find a black and white one on clearance that wasn’t too wintry. I just hope it isn’t too young for me…. I might try it on today and ask Sugarwings what she thinks.

And remember my worries about finding sandals in Kansas in winter, that actually fit my Fred Flintstone feet?

I desperately searched one end of Kansas City to another.

Just when I was about to give up, I decided to bite the bullet and go in Nordstroms, and not even look at price tags, just see if they could help me.

The sales lady took one look at my feet and said "YOUR TOES ARE ALL THE SAME LENGTH!!!!"

Then, she went into the back and came out with the prettiest little bronze strappy sandals with a small heel and a square toe that fit me like I was Cinderella. And only $39. At first I thought they said $399, some sandals are that high there. Wow, my lucky day. And that was before I got a magic wand!

I’m off to fetch that baby. Talk about lucky– the rest of my day is going to be wonderful!!

I can’t say NO

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, give away, paintings, Sugarwings, swaps

By Karla Nathan / January 18, 2008

Can you restrain your self when you see a bargain?? Apparently I can’t.

I’d never tried Bath and Body Works shampoo and conditioner before, but it was on clearance for $3 a bottle. I figured, for that price it would make my little Dorkies smell good if I didn’t like it for myself.

Well, I tried it and decided it was the best shampoo I’d ever tried! My hair felt so soft and smelled so good. I am not wasting this stuff on the dogs!

I went back and bought a couple more…. but I am not hoarding it- I am giving sets to all my friends. (This photo is after I have already packed up a couple sets for buddies. )

NOT HOARDING is my goal for this year. I have adored working on the Sweet Treats book covers and using my favorite things on them, no holding back and saving bits and pieces for "something better"!

See, look at this rose!! I have been hanging on to this waiting for a good excuse to use it. But today, I just plucked it out of the pile of flowers and glued it right down with no second thoughts.

And it made me smile!

This card was one of the first I made when Beth and I planned the swap.

It was a prototype, and we decided we needed heavier cardboard for the covers, this was too flimsy.

So, along with my "waste not want not" New Years resolution and my Not Hoarding resolution, I decided to add a bunch of stuff to it and make it into something else.

Same with this cover, it wasn’t heavy enough for a book. So, I foofed and painted and added goodies to it.

Both of these are available in my Etsy Shop. I have been listing some things today and hope to add more tomorrow., unless of course I get sidetracked, which happens around here a lot.

Yesterday I got NOTHING done at all.

I started the day with great intentions.

It is snowy and cold, and I planned to stay in and work all day. I have 8 more book covers to make and a few more of my own recipe pages to finish gluing on.

(this photo is of my art studio, garage, and my husband’s office, the main part of the old house is hidden by the trees. The house is L shaped. Its an oddly built home)

Ryan had my wheelbarrow full of firewood, and like I said, I had plenty of good intentions to hunker down for the day, keep warm and keep working.

Then, my friend, Jen called and invited me to coffee. Well, that sounded like fun. (I took her some shampoo)

Then my son called and he and Sugarwings wanted to go out to lunch. How could I turn down dining with a fairy baby????

Well, after that, I came home to work, and of course, the phone rang. Sharon was asking if I’d meet her at the gym. Well, I’d gone out for breakfast and lunch, I thought maybe I could use some treadmill time.

I thought I was done gallivanting for the day, but the phone rang again.

Angie called and wanted to go out for a glass of wine at the Eldridge, a beautiful Civil War era hotel, downtown Lawrence.

We have a great time together and laugh our selves silly, so I had to go!! ( I took her some shampoo too)

She is ready to start dating, and somehow, I doubt she’ll have trouble finding a guy- look at her! I need to hang out with her now while I can, as soon as men in this town hear she is ready to date, she will never have time to see me.

If the men in my family are any example, guys get a little goofy and dreamy when she walks in a room.

My husband and sons both sigh after saying her name and talk about her all evening after she has been to visit us. (I wish I had a better photo to show you) Plus she is so sweet and kind hearted, she doesn’t realize she is beautiful.

So, not one bit of work got done yesterday. I am trying to make up for it today, Sunday is the 20th, the deadline for our swap cards to be in. I need to be ready to put these covers on and get the books into the mail. I hope it works out, the deadline is a Sunday and then Monday is MLK Day and no mail. Looks like Tuesday at the earliest is when we can put our books together. But we should wait till the afternoon mail on Tuesday…. well, maybe I do have a few more days to get my covers done!

Just in case, I am NOT answering the phone today. I am staying put at my desk!

The recipe packs are rolling in, it has been exciting. Most go to Beth’s house, but a couple are coming here. This one is from the other Karla, sugarbear. Such pretty wrappings, it was like a box full of sherbet.

And look what she sent along, a pink puppy and a fairy doll for my Sugarwings!!! There is a surprise for Beth and I in there too, but I am waiting for her so we can open them together.

(isn’t that rose tag yummy?? Or as Sugarwings says instead, Nummy)

Did I show you the back of Sissy’s recipe yet? A ballerina rose!

I just checked and I am at 5392 comments right now, and by the way THIS is my 250th post!!

Remember, the person who happens to be comment #5558 (my birthday) gets a special surprise. (I don’t know what yet…)

And every comment you leave gets entered into my monthly giveaway. Details Here.

Waste not want not, and some belated resolutions

Etsy Goodies, fairies, jewelry, paintings, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 15, 2008

I can’t let anything go to waste! This recipe page was too cute to not re-use some how, and the swap book will already have a copy of it inside, so I turned it into a Fairy picture to hang on a wall.

After taking advantage of the big sale at the UPS store on copies (29cents, not 19, but still good!) I had copies of my fairy painting done.

I used an exacto knife to cut around the hand painted roses and the wallpaper hearts over the recipe, and made a slit to slide in the portrait that was cut to fit.

Then, I made a new banner, with the word "Fairy" cut out of and old fairy tale book and added a ruffle and a sheer organza ribbon to hang it from.

It is now listed on Etsy, but I wonder if I should have kept it and hung it in my studio? I do have a thing for that fairy tale wallpaper I used and have to get over the miser in me who wants to keep my greedy paws on every scrap! SOLD

I also changed one of my book covers yesterday. I had to add this German foil crown that I got in the mail from Speckled Egg. I ordered a bunch of pretty things from her, some brass heart charms, die cuts, more crowns.

One of my belated New Years resolutions is to use more hand painted elements in my paper collage work. Here are the backs of the covers I have done so far. I am finishing the backs of all of them, I do think that is important. If it is pretty wallpaper, I am leaving it, but if it s more simple, I am adding some flourishes.

I painted a few lockets too.

Some I am going to tie to the recipe covers.

The rest, I am using for other projects like this button jar. SOLD

I just listed it on Etsy too.

I thought I had more of the heart lockets, but I could only find a handful to paint. I am trying to be productive and work on what is in FRONT of me (another resolution!) instead of spending all my time hunting around in my stashes for something I think I just Have To Have.

Another resolution I made, just this morning (yes, very belated) is to only use my fabric scissors for fabric. No paper, I want to keep them sharp.

And along those lines, I will not use my regular scissors for cardboard or WIRE. Only for paper. That might be the hardest to keep.

I also resolve to take down my Christmas Tree before Valentines Day. Or at least I sure hope to. I am beginning to avoid my own home and just hide out in the studio to avoid all the dusty, holiday decor. Of course, there are Xmas trees out there too, but I am used to that room being a mess.

This last cover that I made yesterday is a bit different. My friend, Jen, who is in the swap too, came over. We were going to work on the project, but her time was shorter than she planned, so we ate chocolate cake, had coffee and hung out.

I dropped my piece of cake on the floor and broke a favorite plate. But I do that sort of thing a lot, being a klutz. The thing is, I always feel like no one will believe that I didn’t actually eat the whole cake, or the last piece of lasagna or what ever, that I really dropped it. That sounds like such an excuse- like something I’d make up to cover up finishing off the whole thing myself. (I was glad to have a witness!)

Anyway, she did have time to go through my stuff and pick out what she wanted me to put on her cover. I hope she likes it.

Well, now I am off to Beth’s, we are going to work on covers for the swap today, then I am going to do my dreaded shoe shopping while I am in the big city.

Oh- guess what!! Lucky, Lucky me- I won the contest from Remember my Childhood

and won a hand sewn skirt for Sugarwings!! Here is a photo of one of the skirts from her website.

I told her that I’d be happy with any skirt that had pink flowers on it and she could chose one and surprise me with it.

Thanks, Clarice for hosting this giveaway! The fairy grand baby and I will have a dress up tea party and she will wear her new skirt and her pink wings from Carol, and I will of course take tons of photos of her, because I can’t help myself.

Aren’t digital cameras great? You can take all the photos you want, plus you don’t have to have the camera right up to your eye, you can still be a part of what is going on.

Ok, I’d better pack my glue and my sparkly things, I need to go make pretties with Beth! This will be a great day!

Sweet Treats and Roses plus a Sweet Invitation

celebrations, fairies, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 14, 2008

Have you ever had a project that almost defeats you? Beth was asking on a post the other day, if you :

1-gave up on a piece that was going badly

2-set it aside and got back to it later with a fresh eye

3-do as Tim Gun says and "make it work"

I am a "make it work" type. I don’t give up, but on the other hand, I also normally work pretty fast and don’t dwell on any one piece too much.

This one, my recipe page for our Sweet Treats and Roses Recipe Swap just about did me in today!

The problem was trying to copy it. Since I used 3D items it wouldn’t scan well and most photos I took of it made huge shadows.

I must have photographed it 200 times or more, trying to get a copy where you could actually read the recipe! This is as good as I’ll get it, I guess. I should have used a larger font, that might have helped.

I’ve emailed this image of it to the UPS Store, they have a 19 cent color copy special right now. Which helps if you are making 42! (actually 21, with two per page)

I got a few covers for the recipe books done today, but not as many as I would have liked, since my recipe ate up most of the day and I refused to let it beat me down!

One of our swappers, Sarah Huckman, included some pretty scraps and bits and pieces for Beth and I to play with when she sent in her pages. I used some of them on this one, over the back ground of vintage wallpaper.

This one includes a great old, floral playing card that Beth gave me to use (sorry about the glare, but after hours of trying to get a good picture of the recipe, I was willing to let this one go as is!).

The Victorian scrap art bird was from Beth too. The bird is wearing a crystal heart necklace attached with a millinery flower.

There is another of those pretty playing cards on this one. Beth left a few for me and I plan on using them all, I love the way they work on these covers.

The pink rhinestones are actually a pair of earrings, that I cut the back off of. My darling niece, JoRenda (yes, that is really her name, it was taken from a fairy tale about JoRenda and JoRingle. We are glad our JoJo wasn’t a twin, because you know what her twin would be named! Which might be a bit much, if there were two of them, but JoRenda is the perfect name for this girl and it suits her.)

Where was I? Oh, yes, JoRenda gave me a big bag of prom style crystal and rhinestone jewelry that had been on clearance at Claires. I have been chopping it up and gluing it like crazy. Sparkly things to glue on stuff?? How sweet of her, I am thrilled with it.

This is my favorite cover so far, I am in love with this pink and brown flocked wallpaper. I only had a little piece of it, and it was just enough to make two covers. I hope the person who gets this appreciates old wallpapers as much as I do and understands the sacrifice of using this stuff instead of hoarding it!

Oh-oh, more glare on this one too. I used up my entire quotient of editing patience today on the recipe page. Sorry.

This one is pretty simple, I used the old, pretty paper with just the added heart made of German text and another wallpaper. Then, I drew vines and leaves all over the background in gold ink.

I might add some rhinestones and crystals. But I do like the simplicity of this one.

I didn’t get as much done as I would have liked, due to the copy problems and the fact that I had to go shoe shopping.

And not only just regular shoes, I need SANDALS for a trip I am going on. That isn’t easy to find in Kansas in January. Especially when my feet are shaped like Fred Flintstone’s. That limits my choices.

I don’t enjoy shoe shopping and tend to wear shoes until they fall apart, because they are so hard to replace. I can usually find something in the little girl’s department, my feet are short and fat. But I am going to a ritzy place and think that child’s shoes won’t be appropriate. I need glamor! I need big girl shoes!! I need -oh no- high heels!! I have to wear a dress too. This will be hard for me too. Did I mention that I had Barney Rubble legs to go with the Fred feet?

We are going to Palm Springs and it is with the new company my husband works for, so I can’t show up with kid’s sneakers on with jeans.

Ironically, I was invited to a Romantic Homes launch party for their new book, Vintage Vavoom, next week in California! How often does a Midwesterner just happen to be in CA?? I was really tempted to go to this, since I will (hopefully) own a new pair of shoes and a DRESS. But, the timing wasn’t quite right, plus, going to a country club and spa will be enough of a stretch for me for one week.

It would be interesting though, wouldn’t it??

Sweet Treats and Roses- a Valentine’s Swap coming up

Books, Food and Drink, holiday decor, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / December 14, 2007

Thank you all so much, for participating in our "What do you LOVE about your holiday home?" party!!

Wow, it was quite the tour of homes. I loved getting a peek into the creative and colorful as well as the traditional and charming decor that you all shared.

I am blown away by the beauty and the response for the get together!

I’ll continue to link as many people who want to join until Christmas. So keep checking back, and take your time looking through a few particpant’s homes here and there for a taste of holiday cheer throughout the season!

I’ll announce my drawing winners tomorrow- for today I have a special announcement.

As Beth and I were hanging out and making things yesterday ( I made this banner), we decided to host a swap!

I LOVE blog swaps!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!

So, what would be more fitting than hosting one that is full of Valentine LOVE?

Yes, I know it is really early, to be thinking about, it isn’t even Christmas yet! Am I as bad as Wal-Mart, having the next holiday out on display before this one is even over??

There’s no hurry, sign up is until Jan. 2, 200EIGHT.

We were just too excited about our idea to wait till later to tell you about it.

These photos are a hint of what is to come.

The swap involves you making photo copies of a decorated dessert recipe and Beth and I making covers for them and assembling the cook books.

So, yesterday, we made up a few sample covers to show you.

These first two are mine. All will have a rose theme, but no two will be alike.

All will be made with lots of vintagey goodness to go along with your yummy recipes.

Here is one that Beth made.

How pretty is that???

We will ask that along with your copies (color on card stock) of your treats, you send in a rose themed decorated tag, (one original) that we will tie onto another swapper’s cook book after we add the cover and assemble it.

And look at this one from Beth! I am looking forward to getting one of her covers, that is for sure.

I will be in DC setting up my part time apartment there after the holidays, so please RSVP to Beth at her blog, Gathering Dust.

She and I will be sharing hostessing duties, and you are lucky about that, because she is very organized and I am not. She’ll make sure that the books all get the right amount of pages and get mailed to the right addresses. And are on time.

So, please contact the detail oriented one of our group to sign up.

And speaking of details, here is what she wrote up for us- the Swap Rules are:

Karla & Beth’s Roses and Sweet Treat

Cook Book Recipe Swap

Put your favorite sweet treat recipe on a 5 ½” x 8 ½” piece of paper turned vertically, and decorate the page. (5 ½” x 8 ½” is half a regular sheet of paper.)

Make as many copies as there are swap participants- we’ll let you know the number when the sign ups are complete.

Also make a tag (approx 2” x 4”) decorated in some way with roses.

Send to Karla and Beth. They will assemble the recipes into a “Sweet Treats” Cookbook. Each cookbook will have a unique cover, handmade by Karla or Beth, and a tag decorated by another swap player.

The Details

Recipe Card– 5 ¼” x 8” with the recipe vertical. The books will be bound on the top, so leave at least a 1” margin for binding. The copies should be well made, in color and on card stock.

Sign Up Date- Sign up by emailing Beth, using the email link on the upper left side of her blog. The deadline is Jan 2. We’ll limit the number of players to 40.

On Jan 3, we’ll send a confirmation email to all participants letting them know how many copies to make. (To save on copy costs, you can print 2 per page, and cut the paper in half before sending to us.)

Receive by Date – We’ll need to RECEIVE your copies by January 20^th so we have time to make the covers and assemble them.

Cost- The cost for a padded envelope, mailing and materials is $5. Please include the $5 with your copies and tag.

What You’ll Get

A Sweet Treat Recipe Book with a one of a kind handmade rose themed cover created by Karla or Beth, decorated with a tag from another player. We’ll mail the books by Feb 7, so you’ll have them in time to make sweet treats for Valentine’s Day.

Can you imagine how cool the individual pages will be from all those great artistic crafters out there in blog land?????? I can’t wait to see what you all send in for this!

Here is the button for the swap:

PS- thanks for your interest, we are full now! And we have GREAT players!! thanks to all of them, can’t wait to see what they make!

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)

Presents, packages, and procrastination- a look at my October giveaway prize

Etsy Goodies, give away, paintings, swaps, Travel, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 6, 2007

Am I making any progress on the studio before the fairy grand baby gets here and I have to stop? Well, kind of.

I packed up my swaps and am taking them to the PO today. This ornament goes to Shirley, as my part of the swap that my Pretty Romantic Homes group on Ebay is having.

And my package, all wrapped up in vintage wallpaper, is ready to go to Natasha in Australia for the Deck the Halls swap hosted by Monica at:

monicaanderson.blogspot.com/

I won’t show Natasha’s gifts yet, so she’ll be surprised, but here is something I am sending to her son, Leroy. I doubt if he reads my blog.

KU is undefeated so far this year (that is a very big deal to my husband). Natasha is a football fan, so I thought it would be nice to send Leroy a football. Now my husband tells my that "Australian Rules" football is a different ball. Oh well, little boys have a good time with throwing balls around, so I’m sure he’ll enjoy it anyway.

I have a side swap at Silver Bella with Julie. Its funny, I listed 3 mini wallpaper,ephemera packs with an ATC as side swaps and Julie took me up on it.

The trouble is, that she was already in my ATC swap and I was including that same pack as part of it!!

So I told her I would bundle up some big pieces of wallpaper as a swap so she wouldn’t get the same thing twice.

I am hoping someone else takes me up on these ATC/ephemera packs. It would be sad to offer to trade and get no takers!!

I also made a gift for the winner of my OCTOBER GIVEAWAY– Jessi

She happens to be a Bella too, so I am taking the gift to her there.

You know you can enter my November drawing for a custom Christmas gift by leaving a comment, right? Any comment, any time , all month.

Lets see, what else did I do yesterday while avoiding cleaning the studio?

Well, as I did attempt to clean my work table, I came across a few things I wanted to finish, like this piece.

And I made up 6 of these little vintage ballerinas, so they could be fairies.

They are sweet little things. I guess you have to be pretty sweet when you have a face like that.

(oops, that was catty- but really, look at that face!)

I also framed this watercolor, but I just don’t like the vintage frame gold, it will have to be painted white. Well, I tried to get by with not painting it.

So, I am packed up and ready for Silver Bella at least, and all my swaps are done and ready to go to the PO, as well as all my Etsy sales for this week.

I am lucky to have 2 boxes to Australia and 2 to Canada on the same day! One trip to the PO for all, instead of going back for each. Out of country boxes have to go through the main PO here, I can’t just drop them off at the grocery store like most parcels.

OK, enough procrastinating. I have to go and clean the studio. Or I could go pick Sugarwings up early today……

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!

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.