Travel – Page 11 – Karla's Cottage

Omaha Zoo

By Karla Nathan / October 21, 2018

We took Sugarwings to the Omaha Zoo to gather info for a science project.

The subject was cats, and she took the day pretty seriously. Our mini photographer took photos of all of the large cats, as well as all of the information signs about them.

It is a VERY large and wonderful zoo, I've never seen the entire place in the one day we usually have to spend there.

In the past, I've gone with either a larger group, or two preschoolers who were happy to be watching bugs on the sidewalk instead of conquering the whole park.

This time, we were concentrating on the science project, and getting the photos she needed. But we did stop for rides and lunch. While she might be getting slightly too big for the carousel (but still loves it), we discovered that she is no longer frightened by the skyride. We floated above the park a couple of times, and could've done more trips if we'd had time.

We missed Dewdrop, but I will make myself feel better about that by using it as an excuse to go back again when she can tag along. She went with us to the Topeka Zoo a few times over the summer, but we never made it up to Nebraska to go to this zoo with her before she left to spend the year with her mom in North Carolina.

By the way, I've discovered that my Topeka Zoo membership, which is only $50 annually for a family of four, gets us into other zoos at a discount. In Omaha, it was 50% off, which helped a great deal. In Sarasota, the Mote aquarium was free with a Topeka membership.

Also, it is sure nice to have the card to drop by the Topeka zoo whenever we feel like it, even if we only have an hour. If we were paying full price to get in each time, I'd make sure I had enough hours to "get my money's worth" out of the trip. With a membership, that isn't an issue, and there were quite a few short trips that we enjoyed, but wouldn't have made if didn't have that card.

I will be away from my desk, enjoying Sister Time in Florida til the 22nd. All orders from the Boutique will ship on the 24th. Thanks!

Crown Crafting with the Crew

friends, guncles, Travel, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 13, 2018

Besides junking, sipping wine, sitting by a bonfire, playing with piglets, and eating too much like I was a piglet myself (thanks for the great food, Tracy!!), we did some crafting on Labor Day weekend when i was with my buddies at the hunting cabin.

Royal Style!

Tami brought enough supplies to top off the entire British monarchy.

And we loved every bit and bauble she brought.

Here is a Gatsby-esque one that she gifted to Karen.

And here is a heart shaped, nature inspired, Fairy Crown that I made for Sugarwings.

She placed it on our lamp when she took it off, I kind of like it there.

This is the woodland example that Tami brought.

Angie is modelling the Ice Queen crown.

I made one similar to it.

I'm also creating a Raven crown, from a beaded flapper dress I found at a flea market. It is still in progress, I'm thinking it will require some black feathers and maybe even a feathery bird. I'll be wearing it with my raven dress to a fairyland ball that my sis, Terry, is throwing next summer. It is never too early to plan ahead, is it? This will be a big occasion, so Guncle Randy and I both worked on our headpieces.

Here is the beginning of the base of his. He ringed it with more stones, and we aged it with two colors of Rub-n-buff when we got home.

He will also add vines and sprigs to fairy it up.

They all looked great together.

Thanks for the beautiful project, Tami!

(I only wish we'd thought of posing some of these onto the mounted deer and turkeys around the house!)

I will be away from my desk, enjoying Sister Time in Florida til the 22nd. All orders from the Boutique will ship on the 24th. Thanks!

Our Annual Sister Trip is Starting with Some Disney Magic!

celebrations, family, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 11, 2018

This morning, I'll be meeting my sisses in Orlando for the beginning of our annual Sister Trip to Florida. This year, we are doing something different, instead of visiting Sarasota, (home of our late grandmother).

We are going to Disney World!

Bobbie and I are thrilled. Sissy is being open to the idea and I hope we win her over and she enjoys it as much as we do.

And yes, I do Love, Love, Love going to the amusement parks. If you are counting, this is my 3rd trip this year… And I am definitely an adult (sorta). This is the second sister trip this year, I went with Terry for my birthday, and then with the grandfairies after our Disney cruise, also, uhm, for my birthday.

60 is shaping up to be a good year for indulging in trips and visiting the Mouse.

ps- I'll be away for a good, long time, this is a ten day trip (only a couple to the parks) Anything ordered from my Bootique or Etsy shop will be mailed on the 24th. Thank you for your patience.

The Kansas City Renfest- I’ve missed you!!

fairies, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 6, 2018

In 2017, we did not make it to the Renfest for the first time in forever.

We were very happy to get back to it this season!

Ki Ki is putting her artistic skills to good use by doing Henna tattoos there. I see a big future for that girl, she has done well for a kid with paying jobs that use her creativity.

Heck, she has done better than most adults working as artists. Good for her!

And Sugarwings was glad to be rejoining her fairy tribe.

Since she was a tiny little sprite, she has always walked right up to the Fay at the Renfest and joined in, just like she knew she belonged there with them.

She always fits right in.

Here she is years ago, making friends.

And now, look how grown up she is.

Oh my.

No matter how big she gets, she never loses her adventurous spirit.

Or stops throwing herself full force into an activity, no matter what others are doing.

I love it that she sees the magic around her.

And believes in the magic within herself.

She's a fun fairy to hang out with, and I had a great day.

Yep, we both enjoyed being there and being together.

I doubt we will let this much time go between visits. I'll be back next season for sure.

ps- I just wanted to comment, that after complaining about a few details that weren't as sharp as they used to be at the Renfest, I found out that they are under new management. I still loved going there, but have to admit that it is not ran quite as good as it used to be. It has lost some of the individuality and creativity that used to be there. I still recommend going, but I certainly preferred the way it used to be.

Good friends, good lodgings, and goofiness

family, friends, games, guncles, Travel

By Karla Nathan / September 9, 2018

Foofy, gorgeous, girly, Karen, is also an avid hunter and outdoors woman. She turkey hunts at Rawhide Camp Outfitters

It is in a beautiful setting, on a bluff overlooking a bend in the Missouri River.

And it just so happens to be a hop, skip, and a mini jump, down the road from my favorite flea, at Sparks, KS.

Since flea market season and hunting season do not coincide, she stays at the camp in August to go shopping, and is kind to invite some friends along for the trip. This is my second year there with her and I hope, not the last.

Some Birdsong friends, local and from far away, gathered to enjoy the hospitality of the home. We were all spoiled by Tracy's cooking, did some crafting, some shopping, lots of laughing, and maybe drank a bit of wine…

Angie gifted us with a vintage craft pack, and Beth made up a Flea Market Survival Kit, with wet wipes, mints, and tissues.

The home is owned by a super nice family, some of whom came by to visit.

The rooms are filled with trophies, and has a distinct hunting theme.

There are "sheds" everywhere. I was going to say hundreds, but I'll bet it is more like thousands.

This guy was our crating, buddy and watched over the table we worked at.

You can tell by the surroundings that the place is probably more used to Turkey and Deer Hunters than Vintage Junk Hunters.

I thought it was pretty clever, to use one of their empties for a soap dispenser. And to top off the popcorn with a light bulb when there was no lid for the jar.

And yes, there were plenty of empties…. NO, these were NOT ours. Like I said, we were daintily sipping wine.

And honestly, not that much wine…. goofiness sometimes just occurs when the opportunity arises.

And then it escalates a little bit.

Well, maybe more than a little.

See?

This is the room that Guncle Randy and I shared. I am lucky enough to have been a guest in the Crown Royal Suite two years in a row. I felt like a princess.

The views were dreamy.

I had a feeling that I wasn't in Kansas anymore.

It was the best!! Thank you Karen, and thank you to the Whetstines for hosting this fun filled getaway!!

Part two of my business trip to Florida and a Cocoa Beach Sea Shell Fairy

fairies, sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / August 8, 2018

I know, not my best fairy so far, but I had every bit as much fun making it as any of the others!

(Although I am a little sad about the dark, heavy wing that the poor thing has. I don't know how high a guy can fly with a wing like that)

My trip to Cocoa Beach was more of a pit stop than a visit. After leaving our luggage in Ft Lauderdale and having to drive from Orlando to fetch it, and right back again, I thought I needed to treat myself to a view of the ocean, no matter how quick the stop was.

These are shells that I gathered up in a few minutes while taking a break from the drive. It was only a slight detour, and worth the added time in the car. Anytime I can wriggle my toes in the salt water, I'm pretty dang happy.

I parked at Beach Place resort, to check it out. My sisters and I are going to stay there in October and I wanted to see it in person to make sure it was where we wanted to be.

Great choice!! It is lovely. The manager was kind enough to let me hang out for a while and walk around to explore, then traipse along their beach. I wasn't there long, we had dinner reservations in Orlando and now that I had the lost luggage, I was determined to put on some clean clothes and some makeup before going out.

We were dining at the Citrus Club, downtown Orlando and there was no way I was going to be late for a fancy night on the town!

The next morning, my husband had to be in Tampa, so we headed out nice and early. I was trying to plan what to do with my day while he worked, when it occurred to me that Weeki Wachee Springs was not that far away from where he would be.

And I'd been in the car so much already that I was in road trip mode anyway, what's another two hours?

So, I dropped him off and drove myself up north and went to watch the sirens of the seas.

When I was about six years old, we visited here and I've tried to get back to see it again since then, but it has never worked out.

I had time to watch one performance, and it just so happened to be "The Little Mermaid" which is a favorite story of mine, and of Sugarwings. I really missed her that day. I was having a great time being a tourist on my own, but she sure would have been a wonderful traveling companion that day.

This is a state park, it is $13 to get in, and once you are in, the boat rides, water park, and show are free. The water park is spring fed, crystal clear water and I was wishing I had time to dive in and play mermaid myself.

Before the performance started, they showed old movies of early shows from the 40s and 50s. The place has not changed much at all. The mermaids might dress a little different, but it is basically what I remember. Not that I was there in the 40s or 50s! My trip was probably about 1964.

I have to admit, I got a little teary watching it. Thinking about going there with my mom and dad, and how magical I thought it was as a child. I didn't realize just how much this show had influenced my life, until being there brought it all back. I'm a big believer in magic and mermaids, because as kiddo, I was shown that they are REAL. I spent a life time pretending to be a mermaid under water, every time I'd go for a swim, I'd try a few fancy moves.

And that hasn't changed. I still love swimming like a mermaid in swimming pools with my grand kids.

A stroll along the Ft Lauderdale Riverwalk and a River Bank Fairy

sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / August 5, 2018

Recently, my husband had some business to do in Florida and I invited myself to tag along. In my mind, I would be knee deep in waves and walking along the beach the whole visit. But, that isn't quite how a work trip goes. I needed to fit my schedule to his and he was downtown most of the time. I had the morning to myself while he slaved away, and since I've never been much for cities, and I decided to hop over to the ocean for a short visit.

But as I talked to the hotel valet, I noticed a sign that said Riverwalk and was intrigued.

So I thought I'd treat myself to a bit of culture instead of my typical beach bum style tourism, and I explored the area. Surprisingly, it was shady and there was a nice breeze. Not at all what I expected from downtown in a large, Floridian city.

And even though I was dressed for a walk on the sand, I was glad that I'd changed my mind at the last minute.

It was a pleasant change of pace for me, and I was feeling quite urban as I appreciated the views.

I fit nicely into upscale settings.

But I was starting to feel a missed opportunity to make a beach sprite.

Then, I saw a twisted bit of bark that reminded me of a fairy jumping for joy on the sidewalk, and right next to it, a bundle of pink blossoms. I thought those flowers would make a fine, little dress, and sat my 60 year old butt right down in the middle of that schmancy, urban walkway and made myself happy by turing that bit of bark into a fey creature.

All she needed was some leaves as wings and a head, which were pretty quick to find. My only problem was wind, this girl wanted to float off on the breeze, a problem that I've never had with shells.

I love making little sprites out of nature and when I do, I feel like I am showing appreciation for the beauty around me. It has almost become a compulsion to make these, I don't feel like I am on vacation without leaving one as a thank you.

Afterwards, did more city strolling and stopped at some shops. The area was more high dollar than I am used to, but these sandals were 90% off and just waiting for me to slip them on. Aren't they gorgeously gaudy? Yum.

Our hotel was on the Riverwalk, and was such a pretty place to stay. It was an old, Spanish style place and we had a big corner suite with a balcony overlooking the shopping district. I could get used to such nice accommodations, even without the beach view that I usually go for on trips!

We made it to the beach for a fresh seafood lunch before driving to the next stop on his schedule, Orlando. I hated to leave Ft. Lauderdale so soon, but was glad to have some time to explore some things I might not have gone looking for normally.

Little did I know that I would be right back in Ft Lauderdale again the very next day!

I'm afraid that when the valet at the hotel loaded our car, we missed a bag.

After a whirlwind trip to Macy's to find my husband more work clothes for the next day, we went out for dinner with some of his business colleagues even though I was still dressed for my interrupted trip to the beach that morning. No makeup, shorts, and hat hair.

And in the morning, I drove back south, gathered up the bag, and then headed north again, taking the scenic route back (7 hours of car time). It was a long, but interesting day. Not the day I thought I'd have, but a good one never the less.

Going for a stroll

Travel

By Karla Nathan / July 9, 2018

The other day I had some waiting to do. My husband was having an MRI on both sore shoulders, two separate procedures. I sat in the waiting room a while, read a bit, flipped through magazines, and of course, visited the candy machine.

But I got cold. And bored. Although, I’m not really allowed to use that word. I tell the grand fairies that only boring people get bored.

So I took the advice I offer to them, and found something to do. Even though temps were hovering near 100, I went for a walk. To avoid the worst of the heat, I traipsed through a neighborhood where there was some shade.

I passed a buiseness with a pretty, AQUA, stone wall. I’d driven by it for years, but had never walked up to see just how magical that color of stone looked up close.

This isn’t something you see very often. Not only does this home have a spiderweb fence made out of twine, the fence posts are skulls. ALL THE WAY AROUND THE YARD. That is either commitment to their design aesthetic, or over exuberant Halloween decorators who ran out of juice after all of the festivities were over and decided just to leave it up for next year.

Either way, I admired the look. Especially since this fence seems to be holding in a lion. See it roaring in the bushes?

This iron fence is more mainstream.

Along the block, I saw an gateway to nowhere. Not only does a pile of rock block the entrance, a fence stops you from walking through.

At that point, the heat was starting to get to me, so I staggered back to the boring waiting room to cool off. It was a nice, much needed break. But I was ready for an air conditioned space and letting myself be bored. Please do not tell Sugarwings or Dewdrop that I said that.

Swimming with sharks? More pictures from the Disney Cruise

celebrations, Travel

By Karla Nathan / May 31, 2018

One of the highlights of our trip on my 60th birthday was a day trip to Atlantis. We splurged (big time! Geez) for the water park package during our Bahamas day in port.

There was an underground aquarium, beaches, and endless pools to explore.

All surrounded by beautiful architecture.

But the coolest part? The waterslides ended in the shark tank.

Actually, the flue that the inner tubes leisurely floated through at the end of the slide went through the sharks.

It looks like this is my last birthday post. I am afraid that I am all out of parties. I might have had more than my fair share, and I loved every minute of them and of the time I spent with the people I care about, celebrating together!

An early morning Cocoa Beach Sea Shell Fairy

celebrations, fairies, sea shell fairies, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / May 23, 2018

We arrived in Cocoa Beach the night before our cruise with big plans for an afternoon on the beach, which got changed by a late flight and lost luggage…. But that is a whole other story.

Our flight was late, yet still in time for a sunset dinner on the pier, and a quick trip to the touristy, swimsuit store nearby. Then my husband took the girls swimming while I ran to Target before it closed, to nab some underwear and toiletries.

Sugarwings woke up Friday morning to see the sunrise, and the two of us snuck out for an early walk along the water while the others slept in.

She was just too excited to waste a moment of beach time. And I was antsy about the lost luggage, and wanted to check on it.

Yep, it was there! It was delivered to the front desk of the hotel at 5am. Whew, what a relief, I'd only got enough at Target to get us through the morning, not enough for a 3 day cruise.

Plus, it contained our Pirate costumes! How could we go on the ship without those???

There is something very special about being out on the shore early before the crowds. And the shells were plentiful. Often, it takes me a full week's vacation to find the right pieces to leave a sprite on the beach, but we were lucky in finding all we needed in mere minutes at Coco.

Fairies are even more meaningful to me, when I have Sugarwings as a helper.

It was a beautiful start to a beautiful weekend!