swaps – Page 7 – Karla's Cottage

I’m not in Kansas anymore

By Karla Nathan / August 28, 2010

Are you signed up to play along with our Dorothy Tag Book Swap? 6 tags need to be made by Sept. 30th and sent to me. I'll make up a book with 6 tags sent in, plus a cover by me and an Ozzish charm of some kind on it.

Details can be found by clicking on the swap button on the side bar of my blog. The one with Sugarwings' ruby slippers and my witchy socks.

I've pre-written this post to pop up while I'm away and my suitcase is filled with tags to work on while I'm gone. I'll be traveling with my husband, who will be on a business trip. So, while he's working, I'll be back at the hotel sprinkling ruby red glitter everywhere.

I'd better plan on tipping the house keepers.

All of my swap tags are finished, but I still have to complete the book covers by the end of September.

That shouldn't be a problem. I plan on getting them all done this week on the road. The swap is still open, I'm making up lots of covers, there should be plenty.

If you want to join us, please email me. I'll add you to the list and send a confirmation after my trip.

I'm still not done with the charms to tie on the books, though. I had a good start on the lollipops I was making, but then someone tried to help me with them…..

My husband was in the backyard when Sugarwings got dropped off to stay for a bit. He thought I was in the studio and sent her in to surprise me. But, nope! I'd gone through the front door of the house and was in the kitchen. It wasn't until about 10 minutes later that I came outside and he asked me where Sugarwings was.

That kid has spent her entire life waiting for the moment when she is turned loose in my studio without me watching her. She thinks MY stuff is so much more interesting than HER stuff. She dreams of delving into my supplies with no supervision.

She got her wish. Not for long, but 10 minutes was long enough for her to repaint all my lollipops bright red.

I might be switching to magic wands on the tags instead of repainting the lollies.

Usually, when I host a swap, I excitedly open each and every package the minute the mail lady drops it off. But this time, I can't, due to space. I'm stacking up all the boxes to inventory and open after September 18th. That weekend, I have other hostess duties and will need every inch of my studio, so I can't have three tables covered in tags the way I like to pile them up to play with.

I've invited all the local Bellas to come over for a get acquainted- get inspired- get ready for Silver Bella play date. If you are attending Silver Bella, and are kind of local to the Kansas City area and have not heard from me, please contact me. I hope to get a studio full of fun going on that day.

In the meantime, its going to just kill me to see all those swap packages coming in and piling up without opening them!! But I have a feeling that Sept. 19th is going to feel like the biggest Christmas morning, ever! I'll be ripping into them with pent up anticipation.

Hopefully, the swappers will add their photos to the Flickr group, so I can get a glimpse of the goodness coming my way. Please check it out, there are already some nice ones up!

Also, I'd love to have you join Beth and I in our online classes. We're doing step by step instructions with all images provided to print and use to create a series of "Romantic Gothic Ghosts".

Silver

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / August 10, 2010

Today was special, its my 25th wedding anniversary! But my true love had to be out of town. That's okay, we celebrated for a week in California last month, it was quite the trip.

Yep, 25 pounds ago, I mean years, my buddy and I got married. We are very different people,He is a businessman and I am an artist. We look at the world from opposite viewpoints, but share a love of laughing and of family and of each other. What more do you need?

I'm pretty lucky.

I thought I'd celebrate by playing dress up with the pup. She turned out much cuter than me.

These little tiaras didn't stay in their silky hair for very long, so I put it in my summer-time frizz bomb of a hair do and it stayed just fine.

See why I call my Yorkshire Terriers "Dorkies"? What goofy looks they get on their little faces. They have the funniest personalities, and are such dorks.

Today I saw that I've done my 800th post! Wow, I do seem to think I have a lot to say, huh?

Also today, I had my 25,900th comment! On the 800th post. I figured that was worth a prize, so I will come up with a little giftie to send to #25,9000, Vivian.

Since this is my silver anniversary, I'll have to send her something silver colored. Or silver itself. I'll look through my jewelry creations and see what I can come up with.

I'm also still flying high on my zone day yesterday. There is nothing like a day of NO interruptions whatsoever in the studio!! I finished up this vintage wallpaper journal (its in the Boutique now)

But mostly I made tags for the Dorothy tag book swap. I only needed 6 plus a cover, but made about 20, both sides.

This one is an old envelope that has a flap I tie shut with ribbons. It has a flying monkey theme, and inside is a Wicked Witch of the West tag.

Honestly, I thought I'd be making pretty tags. Like Glenda and Dorothy and ruby slippers, all just lovely and sweet. But I surprised myself and got really interested in all of the old illustrations in the book that I had, even though the pictures were far from lovely.

Most were in black and white with maybe one color, so I tinted them with markers and ink. It was like being a kid and coloring again. Maybe that is why I was able to ignore all my obligations and play at my desk all day, I was being very juvenile!

The illustrations are very different than the movie. Hollywood varies quite a bit from literature, doesn't it? Even True Blood, my favorite TV show is veering away from the book series quite a bit. But I still think its successful in keeping the characters and emotions in the story accurate, so that's okay.

I'm expecting a range of tag styles from all of the entrants. They don't have to be just Dorothy, of course, I think the whole Oz theme will be explored.

The twister was especially fun to do. I drew it in 3 metallic inks, then used glittery silver Stickles over it. At first, I tried making one with wire. Notice that you aren't seeing pictures of that one?

This buckle is new in the shop.

Now that I am done, and overly done, with 20 tags created instead of 6, I'm a bit sad. I was just getting on a roll with these!!! And in one day, I'm finished. Its a bit of a let down.

Oh well, I'll start having a blast when all of your tags start filling my mail box. I just can't wait, its so exciting to check the mail everyday.

And please remember, if you haven't signed up yet, its not too late. I look forward to seeing what you make!

Plus, Beth and I are working on a little sumpthin-sumpthin together for you. I'll get my fill of lovely and moody and romantic with that one. Plus GHOSTLY-hint hint. More details when we get them…

That elusive ZONE

celebrations, paintings, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / August 9, 2010

Today, I was in The Zone. I was at my desk for about 12 hours with no interruptions and nothing to do but make stuff. While still in my jammies. Dogs at my feet, a box of Cliff bars nearby, a stack of ephemera to sift through and create with, what could be better?

These kind of days don't come along often. The kind where you think you might need to get up to turn down the air conditioner and never get around to it. The kind of day when you think that maybe you need to get up for a glass of water, and two hours later realize that you forgot and are thirsty enough to drink glue. The kind of day when you know you have a million errands to run and that you figure you'll make just one more thing before you do them…. and a few hours later, you just admit that the chores are going to wait till tomorrow.

These are the kind of days that I treasure because I know they are rare. Usually life gets in the way of slipping into the zone, dinner needs to be fixed, or laundry folded, appointments kept. Not today.

Today, I made stuff.

I felt like I sat down to work about 3 hours ago, not 12. That is what The Zone is all about. Losing yourself in your work. It doesn't matter what you make, its just making it.

Tonight, I'm stiff and tired and I think I might stink (remember the air conditioner that I never turned down?). But what a day!!

Its the Process that Counts

antiques/junking, celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, Hand Painted Furniture, magazine pictures or articles, Sugarwings, swaps, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / August 7, 2010

Lately, one of Sugarwing's favorite games is playing bride. Today I was lucky to find a vintage dress up bridal gown at a flea market, still in its original box! She spied it in the studio immediately and had to marry her puppy as soon as she could shimmy into the dress.

The dress is about 10 sizes too big for her, and kind of fragile. I'm not sure if its the right outfit for my little wild child to play in. Plus, now that she and the dog are already married, she doesn't really need to wear it anymore. It was a quick ceremony, but lovely and heartfelt, so the dress has had its use.

And we have the wedding photos from the day. Of course, she might want to save the gown, hoping that her daughter (or puppy?) will someday want to wear it, but it seems to me that most daughters want to pick out their own gown, and rarely wear mom's.

I might hang on to it for a while, to see if she asks about it again. If she's forgotten about it in a week or so, I have a feeling it will end up in the Boutique.

Another game we had fun with today, was "Find the Picture". My copy of Somerset Home has arrived, and it has the article about my home in it (with photos by Carol Spinski). Sugarwings looked at the pictures in the book and then found the spot in the house where they were taken.

She is much better at that game than my husband is. One time, when his mom was visiting from out of state, he was proudly showing her an article that I had written for Country Victorian and talking about the house and how these photos were of the room upstairs, and those were of the kitchen before we remodeled. I looked over his shoulder and saw that the article wasn't even mine.

The photos weren't even of our own house.

That is why I can do anything at all to my cottage and foof it up any old way I please. My husband doesn't even notice! He could live in a pink cotton candy explosion of a doll house and not know the difference. That gives me full license to foof!

Of course, over the years, there have been a lot of changes and I can't blame him for not being able to keep up with what our house looks like. When I was in the furniture painting and antique biz, the look would change weekly sometimes. If I found something wonderful at a garage sale, it would go right into the house and the piece it replaced would go to the mall.

Now that I don't sell furniture, the revolving door has slowed down. But I do like a change now and then, and mostly get it by repainting and rearranging.

This photo is of my studio a few years back. I've added it and a few more pictures to the Where Bloggers Create Studio Tour (hosted by Karen Valentine) post I did a while back, and added a button to my side bar with a link to that posting, if anyone wants to see some of the past looks I've had in the room.

As a matter of fact, while out junking and scrounging today, I found a new glass door cabinet to fill with supplies, so my studio is getting another mini redo this week too. I'll have some more pictures to add in the next couple of days.

Since I don't have the antique business anymore, I try to keep myself entertained with smaller foofing projects. Gift wrapping has become a big hobby of mine. This is a package sent out this week, it was a Bible Quotes booklet, so I wrapped it in hymnal sheet music and tied a little cross to the ribbon.

No matter how big or small the project is, its "the process that counts". Beth and I quote Jenny Doh to each other with that line a lot since we heard her speak at Kim's event in California. That phrase struck us both, as good words to live by. As an artist, its not always the end product that counts, its the process and the love of creating.

So, if I can't remake a room on a monthly basis anymore (yes, I was pretty bad, Beth called me a serial painter), I can get my fix in the little things I do and love the process, no matter what I am spending my time on.

Simply being creative brings joy. To paraphrase Horton the Elephant, "A project's a project, no matter how small."

If you feel like being creative with me, I hope you'll join us for a small project. 6 tags with a Dorothy theme in a collaborative tag book swap. Email me if you want to join! Just click on the button on my sidebar for more info.

We have 40 some people entered to swap so far, and room for YOU too!

Dorothy Tag Book Swap plus free images

swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / August 4, 2010

We're on! I've had plenty of interest in doing a Dorothy Tag Book Swap, so I hope that

you will join us and play along!

Here is a button that you can add to your blog to show that you are participating.

Please EMAIL ME here: karlanathan@sbcglobal.net, if you are joining and include:

1- your name

2- your email address

3- your blog address (if you have one)

If you write all this out for me, I just have to copy it and add it to my list. I'd like to publish the list of participant's blogs, if you do not want me to publish yours, please say so.

We are quite Oz crazy around here at the cottage, so this is right up my alley. Please join me in celebrating the 71st anniversary of this magical movie by making a collaborative tag book with other Wizard of Oz loving artists!

I'll have some images and text from my 1903 edition of the book if you'd like to use them, as well as some sheet music that could be of use for you.

To use the images from this old book, just click on the links at the end of this post. One PDF is to be printed full size, another PDF is set to print 4" x 6", and the last is set at wallet size.

Please help your self! Even if you are not in the swap, you are welcome to use the images for your artwork.

Guidelines for the Dorothy Tag Book Swap:

For this swap, you will create SIX tags with the theme of "Dorothy". Your tags can be inspired by Frank L. Baum's original book, or from the 1939 movie.

Please make your tags approximately 4-1/2 x 2-1/2". You don't have to be exact, variety of size and shape is nice. But please stay about that size, an inch or so either way will work.

Also, feel free to cut your tag from any material you chose, fabric, card stock, metal, chipboard, etc.

You have the option of finishing both sides of the tags as elaborately as you'd like, or leaving the back side blank.

PLEASE SIGN YOUR TAG!! If you have a blog, please include the address. You DO NOT need to be a blogger to join.

Once the tags arrive at my cottage, by September 30th- I'll sort them into piles that look cute together and assemble the books with a cover that I make myself, along with some sort of charm (I've been eying some ruby slippers…or maybe Totos?) and pretty ribbons.

You might get your own tag back in your book.

Please send the tags to:

Karla Nathan

1754 E 1200 Road

Lawrence, KS 66049

by September 30 and include $6 for postage, packaging and supplies. $8 for overseas, $7 for Canada

Include a separate piece of paper with your address on it.

Please add photos of your tags to our Flickr Group for everyone to see.

I've scanned some images for you from the book, available HERE

Plus in these PDF files:

Download 4 x 6 in Dorothy Images

Download Full page Dorothy images

Download Wallet size Dorothy images

3 Dorothys

antiques/junking, Books, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), give away, swaps, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, vintage paper/collage art, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / August 2, 2010

What a nice weekend we had. Of course, any weekend when Sugarwings comes to stay is a good one. We spent as much of it as possible out on the lake, and I have no pictures from there because my pocket camera is MISSING. I've turned the house and studio upside down searching for it.

I bought the handy little thing so I could take it with me to places where I don't want to haul out the big guns. That Rebel is wonderful, but heavy and I also don't want to get it wet on the boat or beach. I always kept the little Cannon (seems like they have the best lenses for a small camera) in my bag so I could always be ready to snap a shot if something interesting popped up.

I miss it!

And since Sugarwings was mostly naked while we were at home, I didn't take any pictures of her with the big camera. She seems to be in a stage where it is awfully hard to keep her dressed. But the weather is so hot, that I really don't blame her.

When she is here, she is either outside being filthy dirty in the mud and dirt and jumping in the little pool or sprinkler, or else smearing paint and clay all over herself. Not exactly a dainty girl. So naked isn't bad for her, it sure saves on laundry. But I don't think I should post pics of a little muddy girl smeared with neon orange paint running around in her panties.

So here is a dog picture instead!

And here is a naked dog picture.

This is Twinkle's pup, Dorothy. Her name is Josie now, I gave her to my niece and Josie is named after my mom, Martha Josephine.

All yorkies are born black and then start to change colors as the puppy fur grows out. The baby fur is so fine, that it gets all matted up and nasty, and has to be shaved off to let the silky adult fur grow in.

I haven't shaved my little Agnes Rosebud yet, because I'll miss that fuzzy, floppy puppy look. But after seeing how silvery and pretty her sis is, I just might get out the clippers.

This morning, I have been adding goodies to the Boutique.

At a recent flea market, I was lucky enough to find a big box of old flowers. ALL ROSES!

Yes, these are the flowers that the puppy has been laying on in the big bowl.

One more tidbit about Yorky fur, these guys don't shed. So the flowers aren't hairy.

What do you think of this one? Its lovely, but is it old? It seems so perfect. I usually buy hats to take apart, so can date the flowers by the hat itself. These flowers were mostly corsages and single flowers, all in a big box. The others were old, but I'm iffy on this one. Either way, its nice!

I've been going through some of my jewelry supplies too, and bagged up some vintage glass beads and findings to add to the shop.

Along with an assortment of some other fun stuff.

I'll show you some pictures of what's new (well, old- but new in the Boutique) while I ask you about something else.

At the flea where I found the flowers, I also picked up a ragged Wizard of Oz book from 1920. This year is the 75th anniversary of the movie, and the story is a big favorite around my house.

Am I the only Dorothy fan, or would any of you be interested in doing a tag swap similar to the Alice tag book swap that we did earlier this year?

If there is enough interest, I'd enjoy putting one together and scanning some pages from the book for you to use, like I did with the old Alice in Wonderland book that I had.

There are just soooooo many ideas that could be cute tags with a Dorothy theme!! Witches, picnic baskets, Toto, slippers –ruby or silver like the original-, rainbows, gingham, greens, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my- I could go on and on.

What do you think?

I hope there are enough of you who would enjoy making Dorothy tags as much as I would! Let me know, and I'll come up with guidelines and some scans of the book.

Before I go get to work for the day, I need to announce the winner of the July giveaway. The pearl earrings go all the way across the ocean to another Dorothy- Dorthe.

Sirens of the Sea Swapping Sisters

celebrations, swaps, Travel, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / July 17, 2010

Swaps always sound like fun, but I always run out of time and rarely enter them. At Silver Bella, I usually feel left out because I didn't join in. So, for my trip to CA and Kim's siren of the seas adventure, I made sure to join up for one, and told my roomie, Beth the same thing. It can be sad and lonely on swap night to have no presents to trade with a friend!

When I saw that my buddy, Jessi was hosting a swap with decorated bottles, I knew I'd found the right one for me.

I made the mermaid from one of those china half dolls, and added a tail made of paper clay that I glittered and glued on after it dried.

Then, my buddy, Jenn was paired with me to swap bottles with and I knew I could make something extra foofed and she'd love it. She's even more foof-a-fied than I am, and that is a hard thing to be.

Isn't that chandelier drop a unique shape? Beth had some in her booth at the antique mall, so I bought a handful of them to make into charms. I glued a vintage bathing beauty picture to the back for this one.

The charm is hanging from a silk ribbon that I have tied to a message tucked into the bottle.

Part of the swap was to slip a recipe for a cocktail into the bottle, but I did something a little different. Have you seen Jenn? She is GORGEOUS. And I know that she is fond of champagne. So, I wrote this note for her and glued it to the back of an old add for champagne.

I've got the world's worst hand writing, I should have done the note on the computer- It says:

"Jenn- you are much too pretty to mix your own drinks! Bat those eyelashes and some handsome guy will bring you some bubbly!"

As a hostess gift for Miss Jessi, I made another bottle with a 1" Frozen Charlotte sporting a tail made from paper clay.

No recipe for cocktails in it, either. I filled it with pretty little shells, crystals, and pearls instead.

I want to make more of these girls!!

The first couple that I made were for the soap box challenge Lisa hosted. I'm big on being efficient when I can be, so I killed two birds with one stone by making the challenge into a gift for my pal, Kim for hosting the mermaid event.

Hopefully, the mermaids will travel well. I've got them all wrapped tightly in bubble wrap and tucked into lidded plastic containers in my suitcase. I packed the gift wrap separate so that I can pretty the packages up there after checking to make sure the presents arrived safely.

In all the trips I've taken, I've never had my luggage lost or damaged. But I have had it rifled through by inspectors, but no problems from that. So, I figured these will be okay in the checked bags instead of the carry ons.

I'll "see you" when I'm done gallivanting around the beach with the mermaids. Please forgive me if I can't answer emails, or comments till I get back. All purchases from the shop will be sent out after I return too.

But please do feel free to leave a comment, I enjoy them, and will be able to read them from my new Iphone toy, I just haven't figured out how to answer them from it yet… And each comment is entered into the drawing for the July Giveaway, these pearl earrings.

The Tiniest Dancers

antiques/junking, celebrations, fairies, family, parties, Sugarwings, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 23, 2010

When I found these teeny little ballerinas, I was just charmed by them. At barely an inch, they are just as dainty and sweet as can be. I didn't get many of them, just a few to add to the shop along with some of their big sisses, and a few for me to use too.

It was a girly day for the Boutique. I added fairies, ballerinas, Charlottes and Alices.

Don't you just love the badly painted faces of the OLD cake topper ballerinas? So ugly they are cute.

This shipment of Charlottes is of all eensy weensy little girls. Each is every bit as dainty as that tiny ballerina, at about 1 inch long.

I scrubbed at a couple to see if the dirt comes off, and most of it will. But I am leaving it on, in case the new owner likes "patina" as much as I do.

They are just so tiny and sweet.

Kind of like these two, the sweetest little dancers ever.

We had a little tea party so Pixie Pie and Sugarwings could open the gifts that were sent to them by Debra Ganas. They loved them!! Thanks, Debra!!

Sugarwings loves her cuddly dog. But I made a mistake in my Swap Book notes and only wrote down that there was a gift for Sugarwings next to the giver's name, not what it was, because it wasn't open at the time. So, I won't know what is from who!

How rude of me. I'm sorry.

She has a couple more to open, and tomorrow is my Sugarwings Day, so she and I will spend some time enjoying the thoughtfulness of the givers.

You know that feeling after a holiday, or big event when all of a sudden, its over and you wonder what you are going to do with your time? That is kind of how I am feeling right now, I miss the Alice Tag Book Swap!

So, today I made up a book of my own tags, plus a few kits if anyone would like to make a book.

Thanks!

fairies, Sugarwings, swaps

By Karla Nathan / March 19, 2010

Thanks for all of your well wishes. I tried to return a few emails, but the typing is making my arm ache. I am enjoying reading them, and hope to visit soon.

So, for a few days, I'm going to try to keep myself out of the studio and away from the keyboard. NOT EASY!

I'm glad everyone is enjoying the tag books they received, didn't people send in some beauties? OK, I'm off to rest up some more. Its kind of nice, lots of movies, TV, and Sugarwings! Not bad. But I do miss my studio and computer.

Drink Me

Books, magazine pictures or articles, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 14, 2010

There was another little glitch with the tag books. I think these bottles are too fragile just to tie on the books! So, I spent time wrapping each one up in bubble wrap, then in pretty paper. I'll slip them into the bubble mailers with the books, and I'm afraid all the swappers will need to tie them on their own books. Its just safer that way.

It has been such fun making the books! I made up most of them yesterday. Today and tomorrow is the packing and labeling. Trouble is, they are so pretty, that I have to stop and look at each one again and again as I wrap them. Of course no two are alike, that is what makes it so interesting. I just wish you could see all the books together.

Some of the tags still haven't arrived in the mail yet, so what I'll do is finish the ones that are here and the latecomers will all be swapped with each other.

So this first "wave" of books will be sent out tomorrow. More the next few days. I simply don't have the concentration level to do all the packing, then all the mailing, so I need to break it up. I'm doing about 20 packages at a time, then starting on the next 20. I'll get to the PO each day to drop off a boxful, instead of waiting till all are done.

Feel free to go ahead and post photos on your blog (plus flickr) if yours comes early! We all want to see the finished books.

As promised, here are a few photos of the house from the day Carol was here. Now, her pictures are top of the line, done with a camera that costs more than a whole roomful of my furniture (of course, everything I own is from garage sales, so lets make that a couple roomsful of furniture at least!)

These photos are from my camera, which I love to pieces, but it sure doesn't compare with hers.

They are for Somerset Home. Hopefully. I hate to jinx myself, because you never know with a magazine until the type is set!

For the shoot and for the baby shower we had last week, I "made" a new table cloth. There was so much going on in the table settings, that I wanted something a bit more toned down.

So, I cut a square of burlap a bit smaller than a vintage crocheted cloth that I usually use. No sewing, I just layered the two.First, I put the burlap in the dryer with a wet cloth and a fabric softener sheet, to take the stiffness out. All I had to do after that was pull a few threads to fringe the edges and layer the burlap over the lacy cloth.

We did photos in the living room, dining room, and kitchen, and I focused the story on using ephemera in your home.The article should be out in August.

But like I said, you never know until you see it in print if it is a go or not!! I've got a few articles dangling around out there still unpublished. One is of my bedroom and another was done at Christmas a few years back at a Victorian mansion. Maybe they'll turn up someday, maybe not.

Ooops, I lied. This little metal table is not 2nd hand! I got it at a garden center on 75% clearance at the end of the season.

Everything here but the Gothic arch window are from garage sales. The alabaster lamp was only a few bucks and the chairs were $100. The arch is from my favorite antique store Rusty Chandelier and was a major splurge at $150. More than I paid for the couch.

Another non junk store or garage sale purchase in the room is my TV cabinet. Sorry, no picture. It was a scratch and dent piece from a furniture store that I repainted once I got it home.So yes, Carol's camera is worth a lot more than this room full of furniture and the dining room as well (that table and chairs was $600 from a friend's consignment shop)

Twinkle was hilarious all day while Carol was there. That dog never gave up on posing as long as Carol had the camera out.

We humored her and took a few pictures of her. Carol has a good one on her blog now. You can see what I mean about how good her camera is! And not just the camera, she's got mad skills.