vintage paper/collage art – Page 41

The Blue Bird of Happiness flew in with 3 giveaways for February!

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

By Karla Nathan / February 3, 2008

Has any one seen this One World One Heart giveaway? It is a group effort by Lisa Ocean Dreamer and she has linked a ton of bloggers who will be giving away gifts on Valentines Day.

I haven’t had a chance to enter more than a couple of drawings yet. I want to wait until I have time to sit back, relax and browse through all the wonderful new blogs that I haven’t seen yet, plus visit some old friends I haven’t been by to see in a while.

I’d like to offer this large altered tag as my giftie for the event.

It features hand painted roses, old wallpaper, glitter, and vintage jewelry- all my faves!

That makes THREE GIVEAWAYS for February for me!

Here is the list and the rules to enter my 3 drawings:

1. One World One Heart-leave a comment on THIS post only to enter

2. One Year Blog Anniversary on Valentines Day- leave a comment on any post up till the 13th, all are entered.

3. My regular monthly drawing– leave a comment any time all month, any post, all are entered.

I have been enjoying myself, playing with wallpaper all weekend. I have a bad cold, terrible cough and a fever that comes and goes, so in my delirium, who knows what I might end up creating?

Maybe I should just go to bed and rest, but I seem to be on a roll and very productive right now. Plus, if I lay down, I feel like I am drowning in my own snot (well, I guess that goes without saying, I sure wouldn’t want to be drowning in someone else’s snot).

So, I have stayed in my studio slicing and dicing wallpaper, mostly making books.

I felt like experimenting with the binder I bought. I might take it back, but I am not sure yet. I kind of liked using it to make these wallpaper journals, or scrapbooks. What ever they are.

Each page is a different vintage paper, ready for embellishments. I think these will be the perfect backgrounds for some one who wants to make a unique book, or a special photo album, and who loves old wallpaper!

I purposely left a lot of space for adding goodies. The pages are fit loosely into the binder, and there is room to expand.

I know that when I work on a scrapbook, I tend to make it so thick it won’t close anymore. Hopefully the way I assembled these will help out with that problem.

Plus, I was feverish and didn’t want to make anything complicated. I simply was cutting and gluing and binding. And I LOVE the collections of old papers. Yum. Or as Sugarwings says now, "Numms"

I did make a few other things too, when my fever abated and I was feeling like trying something more creative than cutting out pages.

I also spent some time listing things on Etsy.

This box is something I had made in the past and used to keep some supplies in. I thought it deserved a better life, instead of being stuck in a drawer full of magnets, like I had it. So, I listed it in my shop.

I also listed some paper doll dresses.

This one is a tutu.

I also decided to make another magic wand to send to Somerset Life. (The editor did like the photos of my last ones and asked to have them sent in, but that doesn’t guarantee that they will be used.) Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I just had to make this one. The stuff spread out on my messy work table practically assembled itself!

Don’t you love it when all the odds and ends in the craft room seem to just belong together? My Sissy sent the silk ribbon and rose with her book pages for our swap. The ribbon looked so beautiful with the flocked wallpaper I had just cut a book cover out of.

The crowns and wooden cut out birds were left laying on the table from making recipe swap book covers. And the wand itself? I finally packed away the Christmas decor from my studio (yay!) and had broken the handle off of a sleigh. It was laying in the pile of debris that I work out of.

Sometimes, being messy pays! All of these things that had been tossed aside, just called out to me from the chaos and like I said, practically made them selves. That is magic, huh??

She is the Blue Bird of Happiness and is ready to grant happy wishes to all.

I just wish she’d make my cold go away.

I’m off to make more wallpaper books, and watch the PBS marathon of the Jane Austen movies. They are starting in a couple minutes, so my spell checking might not be as good as usual. Blame the delirium from the fever too, if this is illegible.

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!

Can a dumpster diving, midwestern artist with trailer trash roots survive a resort spa get away in Palm Springs????

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, holiday decor, Travel, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 23, 2008

I should be doing so many things.

1- packing

2- cleaning my house

3- mailing my packages

4- straightening out the crazy mess my quarterly sales taxes got into (by the way, never send the state of Kansas your own hand written forms, they really, really, really prefer that you use THEIR forms. I sent the money in and apparently, that doesn’t count if you send your own improvised forms with it.)

Instead of doing what is on my list, I got a little side tracked and worked on this old doll clothes collage I had done months ago. I thought it needed MORE.

So, I added a little hand painted border of posies, the little girl image from an old greeting card and a banner made of silk wallpaper with a word cut out of an old book, that says "Dolly".

Oh, and a ruffle at the bottom, from a vintage children’s book.

I am infatuated with ruffles and banners right now. And little hand painted embellishments.

I have listed this piece on Etsy if you are interested.

In the last month, I have successfully avoided my lingering Christmas decorations by hanging out in my studio or running around and being social.

But yesterday, I had the baby all day and we were in the living room, surrounded by all the dusty, over powering holiday things. My skin started to crawl and I got itchy and antsy and couldn’t take it any more, those decorations were driving me up the walls!

Maybe having a 15 month old help pack away Christmas decorations isn’t the best idea.

Not a lot got packed away and the room ended up worse than before we started. Only two ornaments broke and no one was cut, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

My husband has been gone almost three weeks now and will be coming back this weekend after our Palm Springs trip.

I really should do something about this room, it isn’t much of a welcome home, is it?

After Sugarwings went home.I skipped out and went to a movie instead of finishing the pack up.

I saw Juneau- it was really sweet and witty. I also saw Cloverfield this week, and was enthralled by it. Plus all my running around, with art openings and parties and coffees, and shopping, and of course, the start of American Idol, and the book club books I have to read, and making magic wands and book covers—-I have simply stayed out of the living room for a long time. But today, I face up to the empty boxes and fill them with holiday memories.

Or at least, that is the plan. I will make this room habitable while Project Runway is on tonight, then pack my bags and head off to sunny California!

This is me in my more natural environment. (the picture is from last summer)

Which might explain why I am living with my house looking like something out of a dumpster right now?

But tomorrow, I am off to Palm Springs, to be pampered at a spa!

I bought a dress to wear to the Country Club we will be dining at. I had hoped for something springlike and floral, but this is Kansas in January, that doesn’t exist here and now. I did find this dress on clearance, and don’t think it looks too wintry, at least I hope not.

I do worry that it might be a bit young for me??

So, I pulled out a couple of jackets to try with it.

Frumpy?

Too much?

I am not a polka dot person, but these dots are more random and I felt that suited me.

Plus I loved the vintage looking buckle! (it gives the illusion of a waist too)

My husband is a sweetheart, he said, take a few hundred dollars and buy a dress. Now, that is sweet, but silly—does he know who he is dealing with here?

I spent $22 on clearance, at Dillards (a classy department store, so don’t worry that I went to KMart, or found it in a dumpster)

Not only did I find dress up sandals, I got a pair of silver beaded thongs too. I am set for a resort get away. A trip to the clearance section of J Jill filled my suitcase with pastel long sleeve tees at bargain prices and the cutest blush colored light weight sweater I’ve ever seen.

So, I have the costumes ready to go. Think I can fool everyone into thinking I fit in?

ps- my Sissy says to stop calling myself trailer trash. And since it is her birthday this weekend, I will explain that SHE is NOT trailer trash!! Just me.

Actually, our family had a real solid foundation home (even with a pool in the backyard) till I was 11, then mom and I lived in trailers for a while, Sissy and Bobbie Sue didn’t, they were off and married by then.

And thanks to everyone who is warning me about the CA cold spell! I repacked and added socks and jackets to my suitcase. Close call, there. Thank goodness for blog friends all over the country!!

Cold hands, warm NOTHING- I’m a popsicle and Twinkle is a pupsicle

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, fairies, I do tend to run on, don't I?, paintings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 20, 2008

Beth is now a contributer to The Vintage Workshop. Her how to projects will be in upcoming newsletters. Sign up HERE for a free newsletter and learn all of her crafty tricks!

Thanks for all the nice comments about the pictures of my home in the snow. Here is a photo of the front of the house. Like I said, it is a weird one, we have added on so many times, it is a conglomeration of different shapes and styles stuck together!

It is still FREEZING here. I can’t get warm, no matter how many pairs of socks I wear or shirts I layer on. The part of the house that is about to turn 100 is drafty, the new part is on a cement slab. No where is warm when it is this cold outside!

My studio/office has a cement floor and Twinks refuses to stay down there. I can’t keep her off of my lap for anything. It isn’t that easy to type with her helping me, but painting is even worse.

So, I put away the brushes and decided to work on more recipe book covers for the swap.

Some are going way over the top.

I wonder, is my resolution to use my ‘good’ supplies making my work a bit too much?

This one is a little bit more restrained, but uses some of my favorite things.

I covered this 25 cent wooden cut out from Michaels in old, pink wallpaper, then painted her up a bit, and added a glitzy necklace with a heart charm. (it dangles)

Isn’t the image I used wonderful??? Sissy found a website and emailed it to me.

It is a blog run by a generous person who posts vintage pictures and ephemera to share!

Check it out, the Graphics Fairy has a lot of great pics to offer!

(I drew the crown onto this lovely lady that I downloaded from her)

After I finished this cover, I realized- it had no roses!

Maybe I will add a rose to the hair of one of the ballerinas. hey- wait, it looks like their dresses already are garlanded in roses! That qualifies!!

I liked tying tidbits to the bottom of it, a rusty key, a heart charm with a red stone, and the last tassel from the pillow that Twinkle chewed up.(waste not- want not)

And how beautiful is this??

Last night, I went to an art opening that some of my friends were a part of.

I was delirious about this beaded piece! Laurie said she worked on it for a YEAR. The time she put into it certainly shows.

I would love to own it, but it is slightly (ha) out of my budget. (but worth every penny of the $6,000 price tag)

Laurie offered to custom make a single square for me at an extremely reasonable price and I almost teared up.

She asked me to pick a style I liked. So, I pointed out about a dozen that I loved most, and told her that I liked the soft colors, and to surprise me with one.

It was hard to choose, I just couldn’t. I loved them all.

Here is our group of art appreciators in front of one of Linda Baranski’s paintings. (I am the one with the spinach between my front teeth- the food was great there!)

I wore two shirts and a big heavy furry lined sweater. I cannot get warm this week.

I wish that it would warm up even just to NORMAL winter cold. This single digit stuff is creeping into my poor old bones and starting to get me down.

It is so cold, I haven’t gotten done nearly what I wanted to this week. I should work out in the studio till midnight or so, but I am giving up and going in to sit by the fire and shiver. I’d go and rent a movie to watch, but that would involve going outdoors.

This is a box I had made previously, but to make myself feel productive, I listed it on Etsy. I didn’t make anything to sell today, but I felt better having listed something.

SOLD-THANKS!

I am nearing the end of the book covers.

Soon, soon, I will be done with them. I have loved making each and every one, but it has been a big job!

Of course, I am already trying to think of a good idea for a new swap with Beth, we have loved hosting this one so much!

But before I do, there are some projects I want to make, and things I want to create to sell on Etsy.

Hopefully, there will be photos coming in the next week or so!

Box full of Fun

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

By Karla Nathan / January 16, 2008

Beth and I had a great afternoon working on covers yesterday for our Swap. We really got a lot done, it is fun to work together on them, she is always full of great advice, when I hold up a piece and say "what is this missing???"

I had a little scrap of my favorite pink flocked paper and used it on this one, with a hand painted cupcake and golden flourishes.

The tassel on the bottom of the card is one that Twinkle removed from a pillow for me. She is good at things like that.

This is some great, old red flocked wallpaper. I added a watercolor painting of a rose wreath to it and think it needs some sparkly stuff somewhere too. But I think Beth has laid claim to this one as the cover for her copy of the book, and she likes it as is. If she wants more on it, she will be sure to let me know!

I thought that this old wallpaper was wonderful. It needed a chocolate cupcake added to it.

This one, I did with Sissy in mind, and then she emailed me that it was one of her favorites!

I’ve used a copy of an old French post card that I painted fairy wings onto. She loves fairies as much as I do. Probably more, if that is possible.

This one features a German die cut of a rose basket.

This is the gaudiest of them all! Beth had this great paint, that is two toned, gold and pink- it shimmers and changes depending upon the light. I went a bit wild with it, swirls and leaves all over this cover!

It might be a bit much…

Here is the backside of some of mine.

And Beth’s backside. Well, that doesn’t sound right, does it? She probably doesn’t want her backside plastered all over the web.

Beth was so sweet, to keep the packages of recipe pages that are arriving for the swap all wrapped up so I can open them and have fun too.

These were in some of the bags- presents from Ele and Tammi.

Thanks! I love them! (I don’t have a photo of what is in Tammi’s little brown tissue package, but it is pretty. )

What a nice surprise!

Here is a list of all the bloggers in our swap, if you’d like to visit them. There is lots of talent in that group! Also, some of the cards coming in from non-bloggers seem to be from a talented bunch. I’ll be showing them here and on our Flickr Site.

http://www.123lavenderlollipoplane.blogspot.com/

bethleintz.typepad.com

http://shessewpretty.typepad.com/

http://raisedincotton.typepad.com/raised_in_cotton/

http://catieanscorner.blogspot.com/

fromthepines.blogspot.com

http://paisleydragonfly.wordpress.com/

http://pinkpomegranate.typepad.com

http://www.abitofpinkheaven.blogspot.com

http://www.prettypetalsboutique.blogspot.com

http://heatherbullard.typepad.com/heather_bullard_collectio/

http://jennifer-acharminglife.blogspot.com/

http://www.scrappyjessi.blogspot.com

http://thejoyof.blogspot.com/

http://bluemuf.blogspot.com/

http://creativechaos.typepad.com/creative_chaos/

http://madrekarin.blogspot.com

http://sugarbeardesigns.blogspot.com

karlascottage.typepad.com

http://countrychintz.blogspot.com

http://adelinecountrycottage.blogspot.com

http://webersworld.blogsome.com

http://ahappymiscellany.typepad.com/a_happy_miscellany/

http://room206-liisamannery.blogspot.com/

lollysnestegg.blogspot.com

http://simplysage.blogspot.com

http://theroseroomnz.blogspot.com/

http://rhondisrosecoloredglasses.blogspot.com/

http://dreamcreateinspire.blogspot.com

http//:gypsymermaidlife.blogspot.com

http://www.simplymein.typepad.com

http://shabbyinthecity.blogspot.com

Boxes_and_ducks_004 Look what Beth made for my fairy grand baby! Isn’t it beautiful??

The colors are perfect in her room, and it is soft and cozy.

I am borrowing it to cover up with when she isn’t here visiting.

The cute sweater Sugarwings has on was a gift

from my other sis, Bobbie Sue. Boxes_and_ducks_008

Yesterday was a

funBeth Day,

today was a fun

Sugarwings Day.

We played in her

room a while. Boxes_and_ducks_009_2

Then, we sat in the

bathroom in the

dark and

played with her

light up ducky. Boxes_and_ducks_022

It is snowy and cold here, so we built a fire.

Our box of starter logs was empty

and we decided to

have fun with the box.

It was a great place to play hide and seek with a friend. Boxes_and_ducks_019

Or to sit on while performing a concert. Boxes_and_ducks_030

Or to wrestle in.

We also sat close together and put it over all three

of our heads and told stories.

Green Eggs and Ham is a good story to tell

when you have a dog that can be the fox and

you are actually in a box. Too bad we didn’t

have a goat or a boat.

Tomorrow will be back to work, no Beth or

Sugarwings to play with.

Maybe I’ll get that Christmas tree down…..

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??

A Fairy Princess and a Weird Old Lady

Etsy Goodies, fairies, give away, I've been tagged, magazine pictures or articles, paintings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 11, 2008

I had a wonderful day, a Sugarwings day. That is the best kind. She cuddled up on my lap and watched a whole movie with me, while we played with Twinkle’s soft ears.

Then, this evening, I had time to do this watercolor sketch after making a pot of homemade turkey noodle soup.

Not a bad day at all, a cuddly baby, a dog with soft ears, homemade soup, and time to paint!

This little painting is a cartoon of my friend Rachael’s little Princess. I am going to send it to her as her prize for my December Giveaway.

I like to figure out what the prize for my monthly giveaway will be AFTER I draw the name, that way I can do something custom.

This isn’t a perfect likeness, only a quick caricature done while I watched an episode of What Not To Wear. Do you see Stacey London’s influence here? The little fairy is wearing an empire waisted dress. Stacey is always pushing those.

I’m so glad that Rachael won last month, I have been wanting to paint her beautiful daughter for a long time, and this was a great excuse to finally do it.

Now for another thing that makes me happy -7 weird things! I was quite addicted to that rage when it went through blog world before, and read them all, from one list to another to another. I’d get lost in all the stories and insights into my fellow bloggers. Now, the game seems to be going around again and I’ve been tagged another time myself, this time by Michelle. Here is the last one I did, at the end of this (typically) long and rambling post: http://karlascottage.typepad.com/karlascottage/2007/09/beth-birdies-be.html

I LOVE the weird lists. Whether I know the blogger or not, I can’t stop reading all of them. I’ve done this a few times myself, but feel like I have enough weirdness to fill a few lists
On my trip home from apartment furnishing out East, I brought home a suitcase full of bubble wrap and cardboard that our new purchases came wrapped in. How could I waste all that wonderful, precious bubble wrap???
I had 2 suitcases on that trip, and weirdly enough, I filled the gym type bag without wheels full of clothes and heavy stuff, while the nice wheeled piece of luggage was filled with bubble wrap. I don’t know what I was thinking.
My wallpaper addiction is becoming serious. I am forcing myself to cut it up, use it, sell it, enjoy it, not just hoard the stuff.

These 3 drawers are full of rolls, and that is just the tip of it all.

Here are a few sample books, I love working with these, so easy, no ironing like the rolls!

I save every little scrap, you never know when that little strip of old paper will be the PERFECT touch to finish an artwork!

There is more, it is taking over my studio. I am thinking of papering one wall in it, but small bits, like a crazy quilt. So I can stare at it and enjoy it all. See, weird. It is an obsession.

5. I keep one of Sugarwings sockies on my bedside table when she isn’t here, because it is so tiny and cute and reminds me of her. I snuck a pair of her little pink sockies into my husband’s bag so he would find them when he unpacks at his apartment.

We are both smitten with her.

6. I wear my paint clothes all the time. I am a slob. My family is used to it and I used to get strange looks from people sometimes, but don’t so much anymore. My theory is that people don’t notice middle aged women much. We are invisible.

7. I can’t get enough popcorn. Sometimes I go to movies I don’t even care about just to eat the popcorn. I love to go to late movies all alone and get a bucket of crunchy, salty goodness and relax. Its not the same at home, no matter what brand of microwave corn I buy, the stuff at the theater is the best.

I met Orville Redenbacher at the Indiana State Fair when I was 12 or so, and it was before he was famous, he was giving out samples of his new popcorn (pre-microwave days) and I always remembered that funny man, and recognized him when I saw the commercials later. I just love Orville and am glad they brought him back from the dead to do his commercials again, even though it is slightly freaky.

Thanks Michelle, that was fun!

I finally picked up a copy of the new Somerset Life. What a gorgeous issue! But all of their magazines are wonderful, I love them all.

This one has an article about kits and they have featured one of my kits for sale on Etsy.

Its an honor to be a part of such an interesting and well done publication!

I hope to spend some time tomorrow making some more collage kits to list on Etsy. I have a few up right now, but I have some ideas for more.

But I also need to work on those swap recipe book covers, my year end quarterly taxes, and did I mention that my Christmas tree is still up, as well as my whole house is still decorated for the holidays???? I might just need to add some pink and red hearts to the trees and forget about it till after February!

So much to do. I think I’ll go to a late night movie! I need to RUN so I don’t miss the last show, I hear that bucket of popcorn calling my name!

Gifts Galore, The Antique Store, and whining no more

Food and Drink, give away, I do tend to run on, don't I?, Moving to DC, parties, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 10, 2008

What a lovely day I had!!

Carol and Beth came over to play. Carol worked on a cute book she was making out of envelopes- great idea. I want to try one too. Beth and I worked on our Sweet Treats and Roses Swap recipe book covers.

But first, we had a light lunch. I made a salad and some prime rib stew (well maybe not so light, huh?) with ruby gold potatoes and a crusty bread from the bakery downtown that uses a wood fired oven.

I took all 3 leaves out of the dining table so it would be cozy, and moved around some of my centerpiece stuff left over from Christmas to give it a new look (Christmas is still not put away yet around here, will it ever be????)

Just in time for the lunch, I received this cute as a button, wire cloche from Crystal as a giveaway prize from her blog!! I always say that every thing looks more important under glass, but now have to revise that to under a "cloche"- it doesn’t have to be a glass one! I also used the wallpaper book that Beth made for me as part of the display, it would dress up any vignette.

So, I have my gift of a new cloche and this great book Beth for made at Christmas. I am feeling pretty special to have gotten such nice presents. Then– Beth and Carol both brought stuff for me!!!!

Beth picked up this candelabra at our favorite auction house last night. (I used to raise peacocks, and love anything with a peafowl on it- but never had a pink one before)

She thinks it is gaudy and apparently everyone else did too, she says no one bid on it. She knew it would be just gaudy enough for me to love.

Carol brought this royal bar of soap (available on her blog, if you want some- it is hand made and smells wonderful!) and these rhinestone embellished white gloves.

Just my style!

But that is not all! Our swap members are sending in the pages of recipes for the Sweet Treats books and a couple of them came with GIFTS for Beth and I. Kathy senrt us the tags and the "Beauty" collage, is from Sarah and it came with a pretty painted card.

The other side of it says:

Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old (Kafka)

I think I will keep this as my motto for my 5oth year celebration that is beginning now and going till my birthday in May. It is quite appropriate for me.

Remember, there is a gift for comment # 5,558 (my birthday, May 5, 1958) I also have my one year blog anniversary coming up on Valentines Day. I will need to do something special for that, too. I get so many things, I want to share the good fortune. I love presents, don’t you????

Blog giveaways are so generous. Here is one you should check into if, you have a little person in your life. A choice of hand made pants or a skirt. I think my little Sugarwings would be cute as pie in either! (by the way, thanks for all your input on her photos, #4 was the big winner)

You can enter at Clarice’s and while you are there, wish her pretty young lady a happy birthday. You can also enter a great giveaway at KJ’s, she is throwing herself a surprise 50th birthday party and has presents for us!

Carol, Beth, and I did a lot of chatting, but we did manage to get some work done too. I made a few covers for the swap recipe books. (take a peek at the recipes in so far, here on our flickr page)

This one is from a copy of a De Longpre rose.

And this one is from some floral vintage wallpaper that Beth brought.

Why is it so much more fun to use someone else’s supplies than your own??

This one is on some old shelf liner paper I found in my garage last night when I was searching for supplies to make a magic wand ( pictures later!).

I also prepped a lot of covers, with some vintage wallpapers, ready to embellish and foof up.

Nice, cheerful Valentine reds on these.

Pretty pinks and chocolates here.

And some romantic neutrals with a touch of roses (the lavender one will be going to my pal who shares my 5-5-58 birthday, Barb , who is found on Lavender Lollipop Lane.

Remember how I have been whining about all the shopping I have had to do to set up our apartment outside of DC?

Yesterday, I actually got to pop in to the local antique mall and take a deep breath of that glorious musty antique store aroma and it was heaven! I didn’t buy much, but a few little OLD doo dads sure made me happy after the time I had to put in at retail shops and discount stores and mattress outlets!

But- I think I owe all of you an apology. I did whine a LOT last week about having to shop so much.

With all of the real problems in the world, that isn’t such a big one, really, is it?? Poor me, I had to buy 2 brand new flat screen TVs, 3 rooms full of brand new furniture, and all new kitchen stuff. What a bitch I am!!! Sorry.

But I just like old, or hand made things, and it was hard to get excited about filling a place with new stuff, plus it had to be done so fast, it was a marathon of never ending discount stores, plus, I was sad about my husband and I having to be apart so much.

Oh no, here I go again, whining. Sorry. I know I am LUCKY and I do appreciate what I have. I hope I didn’t offend anyone by my weasly whines.

Its starting to look like Christmas!

fairies, family, holiday decor, how to's, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / December 22, 2007

The view from my studio window is a blizzardy one today.

But the view inside is improving!

I actually got the studio cleaned and HALF of it is set up for my 3 big Christmas party meals coming up.

Did you notice the amazing painting on the wall??? A gift from my sister-in-law’s family.

She commissioned an oil painting of her mom and had copies on canvas framed for everyone in the family.

Look at this detail!!!! Right down to the hearing aide in Little Joan’s ear and the nub of the eraser on her mechanical pencil.

The artist is Lynn Lupetti, and I was so impressed with this portrait, I had to look her up online.

Apparently, I am not the only one impressed with her, she has paintings hanging at the Smithsonian, The Vatican, and the White House!

Now, I am stunned by this gift. Not only does it capture the sweet nature and kind face of our Little Joan, it is from a renowned artist. I loved it before I had any idea who did it.

I’m sure it was expensive and so is the frame, but do you think anyone would care if I painted the frame white?? You know it is going to happen. Maybe more of an ivory.

I placed the painting in my studio for now, so we can all enjoy it during the holiday meals I have planned for out there.

I have this side of the room set up and ready to go, and the other side is close.

I got side tracked and made some Christmas cards while trying to set up the unfinished side of the room.

I’d already had Sugarwing’s painting copied into four per page, and cut them out, some around the body, but others, just as a rectangle. All of the cards are different.

I buy note cards on clearance to use as background, this one was a teddy bear design thank you card.

I glued a piece of vintage styled scrapbook paper over the teddy, and across the back of the card to cover the writing on it. Then, I added snowflake stickers, some swirls of black glitter ink (I thought I had a silver pen, oops! but black is OK, at least it is glittery)

Then, I glued a sepia toned copy of Sugarwings onto it- and was done.

These are being kept extremely simple. I did a couple dozen this morning and now will stop and add addresses those before I do any more. I want to be sure I can get some mailed to relatives and not get carried away with cutting and gluing and having too much fun, then not have time to address or mail them. (The vintage wrapping paper is from Beth ‘s stash)

This one is on old wallpaper that has a star pattern in gold. The paper wraps the back of the card too, so you can appreciate the vintagey goodness of the print, and so it will cover the writing, since I am using premade note cards and don’t want that to show.

I cut a snippet of holiday ribbon to glue down and embellish with a brass snowflake and that is it on this one.

I keep wanting to do MORE to them, but figure that friends and family would rather get one like this, than nothing at all. And if I spend too much time on them, I wouldn’t get any out.

Plus, I really need to get back to work on the studio/dining room and get it set up completely. Looks like I will have 22-27 on Christmas Day and this side of the room is only set for 12.

The bleached and dyed bottle brush trees didn’t go as far for a centerpiece as I would have liked.

I added sugared birds, reindeer, cake plates and compotes, as well as some candle holders. Lots of clear glass and tea cups with millinery flowers or tea lights in them.

I always serve all my meals as buffets, so I can fill the center of the table with pretties and have the food set up in the kitchen where it is convenient to clean up and put away afterwords.

I don’t know how I will decorate the other side yet. Funny, that 4 packages of 21 bottle brush trees only fills one table. But they are so tiny, they need to be clustered for any impact.

See there is progress on this part too! When I finish my Christmas cards, I will stash all the supplies behind the screens and arrange them to hide the messes, foof up the tables, scrounge around the house for chairs, and as Tim Gunn says, "make it work". I might need another table squeezed in somewhere……

Hope your holiday preparations are going well too!