vintage paper/collage art – Page 37

A housefull of crafting bloggers

By Karla Nathan / July 11, 2008

Craft day was such fun! We laughed and talked and played for about 8 hours and the day flew by like it was no time at all.

And I actually got the studio cleaned up!

The tables were all cleared for work space and I just sat out some wallpaper pieces and the tags for each person to mark their spots.

It didn’t take long for all the tables to turn into this! Everyone brought such interesting piles of goodies it was a day long adventure just to check out everyone’s stash of stuff.

Especially our new pal, Gwen. She is a reader who answered my blog invitation to come by and play.

I’m so glad she did, what a fascinating and fun person. She was an FBI agent, stationed in France for years and brought back the BEST French ephemera.

Gwen gifted all of us with French book pages, and Shawn brought her Cuddlbug. We were rolling papers through it and embossing everything in sight.

I kept wanting to put pasta through it and make embossed noodles for lunch.

I actually got very little made today. This is a 100% French papered background for a tag, I will add a picture to the center later.

I was busy Cuddlebugging a lifetime supply of papers to use later, and scanning all the cool old Frenchie things that Gwen brought!

We all made books too, here is one by Marilyn. I had my binder out and she used some Cuddled papers, post cards, and sheet music to create this.

Since I met Marilyn and Shawn through our Birds and Bonnets Swap, I thought it was appropriate to use the screen from that swap as part of my centerpiece for lunch.

Shawn’s daughter, Bethany had a good time sipping out of a tiny teacup at lunchtime. She was adorable all day, one cute thing after another.

Lunch itself was pretty great, everyone brought a dish, and all were tasty! Shawn even brought each of us a bag full of home made marshmallows. I was going to arrange them on a pretty plate and take a photo, but I ate them. Sorry.

I know this isn’t the best picture of Beth, but she is only looking worried because I threatened to knock her over and steal her hat.

She taunted me all day with this rose encrusted gem of a hat that she bought for $5, and that I couldn’t take my jealous, little, beady eyes off of.

Gwen is a reader that has never left a comment, and I hadn’t met her before. I’m so glad she took me up on the invitation and came out today, along with our other blog friends.

Sometimes I wonder who is out there reading this, and it was very nice to meet one of "silent majority" who is on the other end of the blog, but I never hear from.

I’m sure she won’t mind if I share this with you, it is an old ad from a magazine she brought today. I scanned it to print and use for backgrounds. Please feel free to use it for your own work too, just click and save. I’d love to see what you do with it, if you make anything from this ad.

And thanks again to Beth, and Shawn, and Marilyn too for the fun time!

ooops, another one frittered away and gone

family, parties, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / July 9, 2008

There is a party here tomorrow. A craft day with blog friends, that I am really looking forward to. But, somehow, today got away from me, and I haven’t got my craft room picked up yet.

I might just be saying, "Welcome, kick some crap out of your way and make yourselves at home!"

I did make little giftys for the crafters coming. B for Beth.

(why it is such a wintry tag, I don’t know, maybe I had the air conditioner too high today and was chilly??)

And an M for Marilyn.

S for Shawn.

And Gwen gets a G. I haven’t met Gwen yet, she is an antique dealer at the mall I used to be at. Beth has a spot there too, so they have met. I am looking forward to meeting her, Ive seen some stuff she has made and love what she does!

My speakers are finished, covered with wallpaper and neatly tucked under the new cabinet. I was afraid they might look cheesy, but I think they will be fine. I also painted the cords so they disapear too.

The rest of the day was put into making a scrap book for Sugarwings.

Have you seen this site on flickr where you can make your name in a variety of letters? I did that for the fairy grand baby, then wrote something about her for each letter.

Too bad there are no C’s in her name, because she is very Cuddly and Cute.

This photo of her hard at work on her painting is mounted onto the artwork she did that day.

I found this cool Wizard of Oz paper and couldn’t wait to use it to back Sugarwings in her Halloween Dorothy costume.

(the opposite photo of her with Twinkles, says "every Dorothy needs her Toto".

Aren’t these papers fun?

I used a close up of the baby’s ruby slippers on the first page, then inside the card on the second page, is another picture of her in her costume.

Am I obsessed or what? Here I am cutting out pictures of the baby all day instead of getting ready for my craft party!

Oh, but isn’t she cute and cuddly???? Do you blame me at all? Looking at her photos was a beautiful way to fritter away a day.

Flocked Finery and hot dogs

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), fairies, family, magazine pictures or articles, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / July 7, 2008

I got some of the best new (old) wallpaper! I had to make something with it right away, so put together this card with one of my painted cupcakes and some other vintagey pretties.

The same flocked paper is used as a background for this tag.

Sissy sent me these ballerinas, and I made one into a fairy to tie to the cover of the photo album I am sending to her.

All three new papers are wonderful, but I haven’t had a chance to use the other two yet.

If I would stop buying wallpaper, I could probably afford the good camera I whine about wanting.

I really like my camera, but I sure do drool over photos taken by Carol and Sara. Both of them use Canon Rebels, and their pictures are always so good. Of course, both of them are great stylists too, that sure helps!

Speaking of Sara, she has added my two latest magazines to the list to the side of my blog.

She is always so fast when I ask for something to be done and I am still thrilled with the blog design she has done for me! I hope to have some extras added some day when I have time. I’d like to have a seperate page with my blog roll and "about". But, I seem to always have other things to do. Someday I will get that blog roll revamped and more blogs added to it.

I am such a blog addict, I read so many more than what I have listed there!!

Sara isn’t the only person I need to thank today. LOOK AT WHAT BETH MADE!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t knit and never will, but I love to look at yarn shops and day dream about the gorgeous colors. I bought a specialty ball of yarn and Beth whipped up this scarf for me out of it.
Its even prettier in person, soft and sweet and lighter than air.

This came in the mail from my friend, Shawn. The first thing I noticed about it, besides how cute it is, of course, is that the name "Nathan" is in the sheet music on Twinkle’s wings!

Shawn is coming to my blogger’s craft day this Thursday. If you are a KC or Topeka area blogger and like to do paper crafts, let me know if you’d like to come too.

Amy is the winner of my June Garage Sailing Giveaway Prize Pack, and since her blog is titled
"Bunny Rose Cottage" I added this cute enameled bunny charm to her gift.

I haven’t decided what my July prize will be yet. But all comments on all posts count for the month, whether the prize has been announced or not.

Looks like July is finally here, it has turned hot! The poor dorkies didn’t even want to work in the garden with me this morning, I came in and they were lounging on the bench in the breezeway out of the sun.

Twinkle’s new dress

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, give away, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / June 23, 2008

Today I took 3 dogs and a baby to the vet’s office. The Dr. said I was the bravest person since the lady who brought 4 dogs and 3 cats in at the same time.

Actually, they were all very well behaved. Sugarwings insisted that Twinkle wear her new dress and that the naked baby doll came along too, which seemed a little backwards to me. We were quite the site as we came in.

Twinkle seems happy with the new dress, of course, anything that involves her Sugarwings is fine with her. If you’d like to see a video of Sugarwings and Twinkle, go HERE, but please ignore my messy flower beds and weeds in the driveway.

Twinks doesn’t quite get the idea of being a lady when she wears a dress, though. She was in and out of the wading pool most of the day with it on.

While the fairy grand baby spent time pushing her dolly around in the toy stroller, I did a little yard work and redecorating.

This area is the back door of my studio, and I added the big,antique, metal grate (found leaning by a dumpster in an alley) as a welcome mat to the entrance.

Then I set out a couple of folding chairs that I picked up while junking. They are metal, but have a caning pattern to their backs, and are nice, old solid and HEAVY chairs. I got them for $12 each.

I am a fan of white on white, but I think next summer I will repaint this set a cheerful color. You know, I thought the area looked cute this afternoon, but in the photos it seems blah.

This sign I painted is hanging by the door, that helps a bit. Maybe if the chairs and table were the rosey pink of the flowers?

I got the prettiest gift in the mail today, from Jeanne. Just in time for my trip! I like to keep a little notebook in my purse on vacation, to jot down thoughts here and there, or keep track of places I particularly liked.

This palm sized journal will be just perfect, and so stylish!

Thanks, Jeanne!!

In the very few minutes I had today without a fairy grand baby in my arms or at my feet, I listed a few things on Etsy.

This sold right away! I certainly appreciate all of you who shop with me. I will be away for a few days and all purchases made while I am gone, will go out next Tuesday the 31st.

Thanks for your patience!

I doubt if I will get a chance to post again before next Tuesday. I still have things to do before my trip.

When I get back, I will announce the winner of my June Garage Sailing Giveaway Prize Pack, after hopefully adding to it this week in Florida. My brother-in-law is an antique dealer and knows all the best places to shop in Jacksonville.

So far, the prize pack includes all of this…

plus these. Leave a comment on any post if you want to enter.

I will also have photos of my Great Aunt Caroline’s 100th birthday party! I will give the 100 cards to her in a pretty bag (that I have yet to make). I don’t know if she will open them all at the party, or take her time and go through them once everyone is gone for the day. But I will take a photo of her receiving them, and I will make up copies of the flickr address to pass out to all of the guests at the party who might want to look at the photos of the creations there.

I will also draw names for gifts to send out to some of the people who created the cards for Caroline.

All of the cards are on our flickr group page and the names of the artists are listed there.

If you don’t see your name by your card on the flickr site, please, please add it or any other info you would like to have there. Just leave a comment under your card.

I will leave you with a few cards to look at here. When I took the pictures, I tried to use a different vintage wallpaper under each one. They were all so special, they deserved special treatment, and of course, to me, vintage wallpaper is about as special as it gets! See you next week!

Seeing some more reds and getting an eyeful at the Wakarusa Fest

antiques/junking, Books, family, give away, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / June 7, 2008

I’m still seeing red! This time, it is tie dye and wild, hippy reds!!

We went to the Wakarusa music festival yesterday, not camping out for 4 days like most festival goers, we just bought a one day pass and took our fairy grand baby out for some good music, sunshine, hula hooping, and dancing. Oh, and FOOD!

I discovered that snow cones are her favorite food on the planet and that she can determinedly try scooping them it with the long plastic straw/spoon, long after the ice has melted away into a puddle of syrup.

Sugarwings traveled in style, in her canopied red wagon, complete with fairy wings on the back.

Sugarwing’s Hippy Chick mommy was one of my favorite things to watch at the fair, she was so graceful and pretty while doing her hula hoop dance.

Can anyone give me an idea on how to load a short video of Sugarwings dancing at the concert?

In the meantime, here is a link to the video on Flickr- its very short if you’d like to watch it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/karlascottage/2561653016/

I’m not a huge concert fan, myself. I typically listen to National Public Radio instead of music, but this festival was more "event" than concert for me and I had a great time.

The lead singer of the Flaming Lips arrived in a giant hamster ball and crowd surfed while bubbles and confetti were shot out from the rainbow colored stage. And for some reason, giant Tele Tubbies danced away on the stage to every song. During one song, naked women from the audience joined in and danced with the Tele Tubbies. Now that isn’t something you see everyday!

Another thing you don’t see very often is me out garage sailing and forgetting to take my purse!

I didn’t realize until I got all the way across town this morning, that I didn’t have it with me. I guess I was beat from the late night at the Wakarusa fest and wasn’t thinking clearly.

So, I dug into my ashtray where I keep my emergency frozen custard money, and challenged myself to a morning of garage sailing on $8.75.

Not only did I do fine with a limited budget, I came home with change!

Not enough to stop for frozen custard, though.

I bought:

*3 hand made lawn baby gowns

* a delicate embroidered baby’s pillow case

* sweet little pink booties

* a small, old bottle with a glass stopper

* a tiny wooden doll to fix up for Bethany’s art show

* and this cute little child’s toy hutch to fix up for Sugarwings.

I promised that my June giveaway would be garage sale finds that I get this month. So, here is the first of the batch, one of the lovely, old baby gowns I picked up today.

Check back to see what gets added as the month goes by!

And leave a comment, on any post all month to enter, as often as you’d wish.

One more red, and some thank yous- Sarah, thanks for the "Seeing Red" week, it was a fun challenge.

Thanks to Rhondi for belatedly adding me to her porch party. I had been left off the links and thought I must smell bad or something, because I seem to be getting left off of party links lately!! She was kind enough to add me in to the party today. Even though, everyone was showing beautiful porch pics and all I had was a burr covered dog in a gazebo.

And thanks to everyone who inquired about my Friday Flea Market items in the last post, and to those of you who bought some pretties!

The table cloth and some hand made vintage wallpaper books are still available.

Here is what the covers look like, I was feeling Flocky when I made them!

Red Rover, Red Rover

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, fairies, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / June 5, 2008

Sadie Olive’s idea to post our reds has got me looking around. There does seem to be touches of red throughout my studio and yard. I’d take pictures of some things in the house too, but the place is trashed right now. You DO NOT want to see that!

I’ve had the fairy grandbaby stay all night a few nights this week, plus worked on the Romantic Coutnry photo shoot with Carol for Fifi, and my house is beyond neglected right now.

If I manage to get a shovel and clean up the place, maybe I can add some interiors reds for the next installment, but for today, lets stick to the studio, it is safer.

Was I inspired by thinking of reds to add touches of the shade to Zack’s wings? Could be.

This is my brother-in-law, Randy’s dog and I painted it as a gift for when I go visit him down in Jacksonville soon. My sisses and I are going to my Great Aunt Caroline’s 100th birthday party (and thanks so much for all the cards, they are still pouring in, I’ll count and photo graph soon!–plus give away the prizes).

While visiting our aunt in Florida for her 100th birthday, we will swing by and visit Randy and his enchanted fairy garden too.

It will be Randy’s birthday while we are there too, so I whipped up this watercolor for him.

I’ve added gold glitter pen swirls in the sky and accents to the wings.

Maybe you can tell in the close up, but not very well, I guess. In real life, it has a nice sparkle to it.

There was also some red lurking on my desk in the midst of all the clutter.

Last night I made wallpaper journals, so had lots of vintage wallpaper scraps spread out.

I haven’t used the red flocked piece yet, but it is in line for the next book cover.

I usually sell these booklets on Etsy and will list them soon. But we can have a little flea market Friday if you want one today. (the one on the right is spoken for)

These are all vintage paper, ready for you to embellish as an art journal, photo album, scrapbook, what ever you’d like to use it for. I’ve bound them with a white spiral ring binder, and the front and back covers are flocked paper. All the pages are nicely coordinated and the books are cute as can be.

$30 each (includes postage) if you’d like one. I’ll include some wallpaper scraps for you to adorn your books however you’d like.

While we are shopping, here is something pretty (and RED). This postcard album isn’t in the best of shape, it is a cover with just a few pages left in it. But- wouldn’t it be a great starting point for a project?

Or pretty as is on a table?

$6 includes postage Milo_zack_024 sold thanks!

There is a front porch party going on today over at Rhondi‘s. This is my gazebo, not my front porch, but hey, anywhere Twinkle goes, there is bound to be some fun. She’s always the life of any party.

The vintage applique table cloth underneath the book and on the table in the gazebo is for sale too. Its square, has pretty edging and is hand made. Not perfect, but close. A couple of tiny spots are on it.

$6 includes postage for this one too.

Funny, I did find some red in my studio, but here I am trying to get rid of it!

These are pretty things, but like I said, I just don’t use much in the way of red.

So, here is one more:

A pair of pillow cases with red roses cross stitched onto them, and edged in hand crocheted trim.

I’ll stick to $6 including postage for this too. sold, thanks!

These prices all include shipping within the US. If you are elsewhere, I’ll have to charge a couple dollars. Let me know if you are interested in added a splash of red to your life (and helping me clean out the cabinet in my studio!)

This bench that my son made from an old head board, and I painted flowers onto, is a red that I won’t be trying to get rid of.

As far as the partied-out little dog in the red rose kercheif, I don’t think I’ll sell her either, unless of course, she keeps getting so full of burrs when she is out chasing bunnies that it becomes a full time job keeping her picked clean.

Did anyone else win any prizes during the Cottage Charm Giveaways? I won these from Inis Lovely and have just the perfect place to use them.

On Tuesday, Becca is driving through Lawrence and is stopping to visit. I am trying to round up some local bloggers and people who have participated in the swaps Beth and I have done to see if they want to come by for a little tea party and meet her.

If you are in the KC/Lawrence/Topeka area and are a blogger or blog friend, please contact me.

Swap Central

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

By Karla Nathan / May 23, 2008

In honor of the generosity of our Birds and Bonnets Vintage Workshop Swap, I’ve added more prizes to my May giveaway.

A little round tag that I made using Vintage Workshop images (from the flower girls collections), then tied up with a snippet from a vintage hankie, and a sprig of old millinery flowers are now included with the other prizes.

(don’t forget there is a solid gold vintage band in the presents!)

Speaking of flower girls, look who was in a wedding! Sugarwings walked down the aisle picking up the petals her cousin was tossing down.

During the rehearsal, she remembered her turn and curtsey, but got a little distracted by trying to pick up all the petals to do it for the actual ceremony.

On Thursday, Beth and I had a great time sorting and tagging the panels for our swap. Even though I was late, at my own house!

I left the door unlocked in case Beth got here before I made it back from picking my husband up at the airport. Good thing I did, his flight was delayed and I was waiting for him for a couple of hours. Beth knew to let her self in, grab a can of pop, turn on the TV and start working on the tags without me. Isn’t it nice to have friends that can make themselves at home and are as much family as a friend?

After getting the name tags attached, (which Beth did 90% of, since I was late) we spent a lot of time compiling groups of panels that seemed to go well together.

While everyone had the same 3 sets of images to use, there was a wide variety of styles and themes that were used by the artists.

Instead of just picking up four random panels to put together, we thought it would be much better to coordinate the artwork to 4 complimentary panels per screen.

So, the piles are grouped according to which ones we think will flow well together. These 3 photos are of a few of our groupings that we will use to assemble the screens.

I put one together to see how it would look, here is one side.

And here is the other. I can’t say front or back, everyone did such a detailed and beautiful job finishing both sides!

And I have to thank everyone for their generosity in taking such time to create the panels and participate in our swap! Also, there were some wonderful artworks, gifts, doodads, treats, and tidbits included with the packages- just look at these!

It was quite overwhelming to open all the packages and see the thougthful hostess gifts!

Can you believe all of this???

THANKS!!!!!!!!

We could have spent all day, just playing with our new toys.

We had fun going through them all, and I think I managed to get everything in the photos.

We also had a great time looking through each of the panels as we put the name tags on them.

It was so impressive to see the range of styles and imagination that went into the creations.

I am going to try to get photos of a few more completed screens this week, then next Thursday, Beth and I will get together again and start hole punching and assembling.

Luckily, I have a large studio, because this is all laid out in it till next week!

Two dining tables and a card table full of pretty panels waiting to be put together, packed up and sent to their new homes.

Don’t forget, that I have TWO Giveaways going on right now, not just the May prize pack I showed at the top of the post.

I’m also offering this vintage wallpaper covered bird house as part of the Cottage Charm giveaway. Click on the button in my side bar to find other blogs giving away cottagey gifts on May 31st.

The crazy hat lady strikes again

antiques/junking, flowers, jewelry, Silver Bella, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 3, 2008

You’ll never guess what I bought at the flea market yesterday.

Millinery flowers! Beth asked me how I was going to display my hats, and I told her "I don’t like hats" and that just struck our funny bones, considering I’d just bought 15 of them!

Honestly, I don’t care for the hats themselves, I only buy them for their blooms.

At first, I didn’t think it was going to be a good hat day, but then, I heard the whispers of them calling to me from a large booth of vintage clothing.

The dealer had just returned from Round Top . Her prices were sky high too, $38 for a flowery bonnet?? Yep, those are big time flea market prices, not Kansas prices!

So, I asked her nicely if she had a volume price. I bought 8 hats including the one previously marked $38 for only $64 total. And I didn’t stop there, I found pairs of hats here and there throughout the market for an average of $2.50 each. Which is why I ended up with a pile of FIFTEEN flowering beauties!

I was worse with old photos. I told Beth that she had to steer me away from any more, it wasn’t funny at that point. I didn’t think I could stop, but she was able to help me and I got through the rest of the day avoiding the photo bargains.

Most pictures were $1 each and when I’d gather an armful of ten or so, the dealer would usually name a price averaging about 50-75 cents each.

Which is how I ended up with THIRTY NINE photos.

Sparkling old jewels were priced about the same as the photos at so many tables we stopped at. Of course, if they were priced higher than that we didn’t stop.

I don’t know how many pieces of rhinestone jewelry I ended up with, but with paired earrings at under $1, I might have bought a couple…..

This photo? A drop in the bucket.

And look at the "Princess" jewel box! It was only $4 and I have plans to foof and jazz it up on the exterior. The inside is lovely just as it is! (the pretty as a picture alarm clock is a birthday gift from Beth- lucky me!)

I bought $1 dolls to fix up too. The bust (Marie?) was only $1 and I might paint it white.

The pink skirted tiny dancer is actually a music box that plays "Always" (the song my parents played at the their wedding). Consider this a "before" photo of her, I have big plans for a transformation to come.

French, German, and other old books were only $1 each

Clear Lucite containers were how much? $1 a piece (wish I’d bought more)

26 Vintage ballerina cake toppers were how much? $1 each

Keys? 2 for $1

Vintage scalloped edge stationery? $1 a box

But of all the things I bought, what is the best? This $4 dotted Swiss dress for Sugarwings.

In the same booth, I found a close match for her baby doll.

I think I’ll ask her to wear them for my birthday party on Monday. (which is my actual birthday, even though I have been celebrating for weeks.)

I’ll draw a name on May 6th for a winner of a birthday gift from me. All comments count towards that and toward my May giveaway, which I think will have to be extra special this month.

In one $5 bag of jewels from the flea market, there was a dainty gold band. I think I will include it with my May prize. Along with the gold band is a white leather Brighton coin purse.

I’ll be adding to the May Prize Pack throughout the month, so stay tuned and keep entering! Any comment, any post.

April’s winner, Clarice had a choice of prizes. She chose a Cottage Collage Kit with vintage wallpaper. She has two daughters that she makes great craft projects with, so I included some extras for them all to have fun with.

Sugarwing Themed gifts (the best kind of sweetness!)

antiques/junking, Books, Moving to DC, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 28, 2008

I just got home from our East coast apartment, and look what was waiting for me in the giant, overflowing basket of mail that came while I was away!

Talented Miss Lori Karla sent this along with her Card for Caroline as a random act of kindness.

Isn’t it the cutest? Such a perfect collage for this picture of my fairy grand baby.

And lucky me, how scrumptious is this???

My Centreville, VA blog pal, Robin made this frame from an old clock for my birthday.

We met up for coffee, the she offered to take me to own of her thrift store faves. (well, maybe I coerced her a bit)

I bought a cart load of goods for $13.90, between that trip and my Leesburg shopping adventure, I completely filled an extra suitcase for the trip home.

These two ladies’ creations sure are special to me. Not only do they involve pictures of my sweet little Sugarwings, they are such thoughtful and talent filled works of art.

I just love ’em to pieces!

Not everything is unpacked yet from my trip. Instead of putting away suitcases, I went through the cards for Caroline that came in the mail, and I have to tell you, there are some beauties there!

I’ll get organized and photograph them soon, and have a whole post devoted to just that, along with the list of updated names.

For now, I’ll show you a couple of pictures of the book I made in Debbie Shue’s class on Saturday.

The flowers on the cover are from some of my souvenir hats I purchased on my shopping day with Debbie.

She furnished rub ons and stickers, but I ended up doing doodles and added glitter instead of using them.

Debbie had a great kit with all the papers cut and ready to go. The whole book was assembled in the 2 hour class (that is impressive, that she can time it so perfectly and know just what to show everyone)

I changed mine a bit, and tried to make it part art journal/part scrapbook. I also purchased some Glimmer Mist and tried that for the first time.

I have to tell you, that stuff is FUN! I bought Robin’s Egg and Pineapple and plan on getting a lot more colors.

Don’t forget you can still enter my giveaway for this month.

EVERY COMMENT IS ENTERED for the entire month.

And all comments until May 5th are entered into my special 50th birthday celebration giveaway.

Vintage Bling- Day Two and the pliers are flying through the pile of scrap

jewelry, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 21, 2008

Spring might actually be here! It hit 70 today and I worked with the studio doors open. I love this time of year before the flies come, when there is a slight breeze to open the house up to have all the winter blahs blown out the doors.

While enjoying the fresh air and listening to Twinkle run in and out of the house to chase bunnies, I worked my way through a desktop of jewels and made quite a bit for "Art in the Park" on May 4th.

Lots of charm bracelets and earrings today, and a one necklace (the cameo one pictured).

Then, the mail lady knocked on my door with an arm load of bundled mail and I was done being productive, it was time to play!

Lili sent a package filled with delight from The Netherlands, for our mini swap. All I sent to her was millinery flowers and a few post cards. She went wild and filled a bag with wonderful European goodies for me!

Look at these book pages, won’t they be fantastic collage backgrounds? and these teeny little aqua bows are so dainty and sweet, they remind me of baby butterflies.

Did I mention Rose Wallpaper?????

Everything, every single thing, was delicious and fun and I can’t wait to dig in and create lots of somethings with it all!

Thanks, Lili!

Cards for Caroline’s 100th birthday arrived in the giant bundle of mail too. Cindy sent this cute as a bug one. I like the way she layers and embellishes, don’t you?

Jessica created this iris card, and I wish you could see the detail in person, this little purple flower should be framed. My mom always called iris "flags." I don’t hear that any more. Its a nice, old fashioned term.

Soon, the swap screens will be coming in too. Of course, they are going to Beth’s house, but I will run over to visit and check them all out. I can’t wait!

You can still join if you hurry. Lots of free download images to use, door prizes (well kind of, I guess that is what you’d call them) and great artists in the swap already!

I’m off to flickr to post photos of the cards. Come by and look if you get a chance. http://www.flickr.com/groups/679216@N25/

Artists have been loading their cards there as they make them too, so I always get a surprise when I go to check out the site, new things are added daily.