vintage paper/collage art – Page 8

Custom Downton Abbey Journal for Sissy

By Karla Nathan / June 1, 2016

My sister and Randy both joined in the journal swap, but for work reasons, did not have a chance to make pages yet, so had to drop out of the main trading. We will be exchanging sets later on when they get caught up.

I decided to give Sissy a head start on her journal by adding some trims and backgrounds, as well as making the cover in her favorite color, aqua blue. Although, the vintage, flocked wallpaper I had to work with was more blue than aqua, it came close enough.

I used aqua in all of its shades, from more greenish to deeper bluish.

This is a background page for her, made of old, old, old netting with sequin trim over wallpaper then trimmed in hand dyed velvet ribbon topped with 4 MOP buttons. The buttons were then foofed up with ancient, ribbon roses.

All she has to do is glue down a picture or whatever she wants and this page is finished.

Here is a completed layout, with wallpaper background, and a photo of the three of us under a hole cut into a postcard from 1910.

There is another picture of us at the bottom of the post card.

While we aren't exactly the Crawley sisters, we are wearing their hats. I cut the hats right off of Sybil, Mary, and Edith from this photo and glued them onto our own heads and embellished them.

Each book in the swap, got two coloring pages. I gave Sissy the two to do herself, but also colored the three sisters on one of them and cut it out from the rest of the page to glue onto decorative paper for her to use in the book.

Her cover is slightly different than the rest, I added the flowers to the front instead of tying them to the ribbons. I'm not sure which style I liked best, both turned out pretty.

And her book has a colorful rhinestone instead of clear ones on the "clasp".

A few more of my own Downton Abbey swap pages and a little swap ettiquette

swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 22, 2016

This is what things have been looking like in my studio lately. Now, all the covers are done and ready for the pages that come in. A few boxes have already arrived, and I'm waiting to open them until I'm ready to start stacking and sorting. It is safer to keep them packaged up until I can get organized and have a space to spread them out and my check lists ready to go.

I've been working on a few pages of my own to trade with swappin' buddies. And I am DYING to see what the swappers have sent in to trade for their own books. But, like I said, I'm biding my time til I can do it right. If I started peeking into boxes, I could mix the pages up and have a real heckova nightmare set up when it is time to make the books.

Proper swap etiquette means I have to treat those pieces of art like they are precious, and of course they are. So, I need to be patient till the end of the month when the rest of the boxes have made their way to my doorstep before I begin opening them up.

Speaking of swap etiquette, I know that things come up, and people can't always meet the commitment they have made in the excitement of the moment. When the deadline to send in your art is months ahead , it is easy to think, "of course I'll have plenty of time to make those."

Then reality hits and life gets in the way, and sometimes you simply do not have the time you need to create, even if you have the desire.

Which is the beauty of a collaborative swap. If someone drops out, others are not left partnerless. This is a group thing, so there are plenty of pages to go around, you send in a number, you get that number back.

But, in the meantime- I have spent time making a book cover for each person, whether they had time to make the pages or not…

So, as one kind swapper has done when she was forced to drop out, please #1- let me know so that I can keep my count correct and so that I'm not waiting on your pages.

And #2, consider purchasing the book that I have made for you. You can fill it with art at your leisure later on. It would be much appreciated by me, and I'm sure you wouldn't have joined if you didn't have interest in the subject and a desire to have a book in this theme, right?

A few more tips in swapping- please sign each set of pages, the new owners love to know who created something so special for them.

And remember, kindness matters. We all have different skill sets and tastes, but we all put in a lot of time and care to send our work out in the world to share.

So, please know that while every page that you get back might not be your very favorite thing in the whole world, a lot of love went into making it for you. And since it is a collaborative swap, hopefully there will be some favorites in your book too?

I try to put the pages together for each book with some flow in the colors and styles. I do my best, but please forgive me and understand that all were done by different individuals and that the pages will vary quite a bit.

Which is of course, exactly why we love doing swaps so much, right????

We want the variety of styles and to share our art with each other.

With that in mind, I hope everyone enjoys their books and appreciates the care that went into them.

I have tons of appreciation for the artwork, thought, time, resources, money, and creativity that each person puts into the parcels of art they entrust to me to turn into books.

As well as for the trust that is given to me, to give each treasure sent in, the proper respect and treatment it deserves.

Thank you, to all who are in this swap, and to those who have been in past swaps (and perhaps in some future ones?)

Farewell to Downton Abby art journal pages, using the good stuff

Books, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 12, 2016

This week, I made some time to do a few pages for the art journal swap. And of course, I used The Good Stuff!

The era and the show is sooooo lush and luxe, that I had to use only the best supplies to meet the quality of the subject. Of course, I love using the Good Stuff on a regular basis, but this was a fantastic excuse to pull out things I'd been saving for something special, like this ancient, beaded trim.

The finished journals are supposed to be functional for their new owners, so some pages are meant to be finished or used by the person who receives them. To fulfill that function, I've added some blank stationery, tied in with a pretty bow and accented with that beaded trim I'd been saving.

Other pages are supposed to be completed as art journal pages.

This picture is from an old fairy tale book, and is meant to be a princess, but it reminded me of Lady Mary waiting for breakfast in bed. I've trimmed it out with velvety flowers and ribbon, along with a sheer lace. You can't tell in this photo, but the picture is accented with clear glitter ink, too.

Here is another page that can be used by the book's owner. I've lined a very old envelope with card stock to fortify it, then opened one side to make a folder before gluing it down. It ties shut to hold in special items tucked away inside by whoever gets it in their book.

The show has so many themes that can be explored, from the era, the gowns, the people, the occupations, and on and on. One of the storylines I loved was about Mary becoming a hog farmer.

And she did it without losing her elegance.

I tried to show that in this, by using all the frills, flowers, and gems along with the pig pictures. Although, Lady Mary never looked as sweet as the girl I cut out of an old book, did she? Still, it had a slight resemblance to her, so I thought it would work.

For this "Women in Business" page, I used an actual photo of Lady Edith that I'd got online and printed.

The text is covered in old, lace netting, then I've snipped ads from a magazine with work opportunities for women of that era, and glued them over the netting along with some gilt trim, and a bit of beaded lace, in metallic gold.

Here is another pocket page, with the storage created from a very, very vintage wallpaper, and decorated with velvet, gold trim, and a sparkly top hat over a picture of ladies at the hunt.

The covers are about finished and ready to add the pages after the swap boxes fly in. All are cut out, this stack is the last few that need trimmed up. The other supplies to finish them are ready to go, all the pictures are printed, frames are painted, and the lace is sorted. More "Good Stuff" for me to play with and enjoy working on!

Goodbye, Downton Abbey- sob, sob, boo hoo, argh!

Books, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / March 6, 2016

Tonight is the LAST night for Downton Abbey. I find that painful to say. The show was in its 3rd season when I discovered it, so I was late to join, but fixed that quickly with a little Netflix bingeing and was soon enamoured of it all.

The show touched many of us, not just for the glorious sets and costumes, but the stories too. Last week, while I was in Coronado Island, I attended my THIRD Downton Abbey art retreat. It was a popular theme, wasn't it?

For this event, we stayed at a 1930s era mansion and I took advantage of the lovely interiors to get some photos of my Farewell to Downton art journal. Some of the pages I'd made there were for the swap, some for my personal book. Beth and I spread supplies out on a dining room table, and I worked on the book for a big chunk of the weekend.

Most mornings, I was at my work area before anyone else even came down for breakfast.

The theme has so many opportunities to explore, I never got bored with it. And want to do more, too.

Also, having a big space to spread out, and leave our things for 5 days was hard to resist. There were other projects for the retreat classes (photos soon), but our time there was pretty laid back, we were free to work on our own projects, explore the house, beach, or the nearby town, and hang out with new friends.

But if you know anything about me, you'd guess that I was constantly drawn to my pile of goodies and bottle of glue.

So, here is a big stack of pages to show you, as examples for your own books if you are joining the swap.

I've mentioned that the book should be a "working journal". Artists will be completing some pages, and leaving some for the new owner to work on. Like this page lying on the desk, it is a piece of stationery with plenty of room for the person who gets the journal it goes into to use for photos, doodles, notes, anything she'd like.

And the page on the easel? It is an example of a decorated page with a pocket that can be filled with whatever momentos the artist would like.

My plan was to do half and half of completed artwork, like the collage on the left, and pretty pages that could be used by the next artist, like the one on the right. That one is old ledger paper with a pocket that has a tag tucked into it.

Hopefully the pages where we leave space for further work, will be lovely as is, while being an inspiration for the artist to fill and finish.

These pages all leave workspace. The one on the left is a decorated pocket page, the middle is a collage of pretty papers to use as a background, and the front section is stationary paper with a die cut rose and lace trim.

Notice that the pages I have done have trim or lace or flowers on different edges? It makes for a more interesting finished book if there are tidbits peeking out from all sides.

The one in front is for my own book, it is the finished version of the coloring page that comes with the journals. And the buttons? That is a necklace! From one of our workshops.

This page is pretty simple, old rose wallpaper, a cut out lady from a vintage magazine who has been glitzed up with some rhinestones, lace, millinery, and velvet ribbon, then some tatting trim at the edges of the paper.

A layout doesn't need to be elaborate to be eye catching.

And the Downton theme can mean so many things. I went with a lot of the fashion of the era.

Here are ladies from an old fashion magazine layered over netting and a map of the British Isles, then blinged up.

Here are two more pocket pages,both have two pockets to fill up.

You are welcome to be more direct in your own interpretation of the show. I plan on having more examples of the themes to show later on.

If you are going to miss this show as much as I will, maybe you'd like to join the swap? Creating pages will give us something to fill the hole left by this beautiful program.

And the book itself can be a treasured memento to look through and reminisce.

I have been getting some questions about the swap details, and hope that these pictures help answer them. If you have any, please feel free to contact me at:

karlanathan@sbcglobal.net

And here is a communication I had with a swapper, with her statements answered in red:

1) We get 6- 81/2 x 11 pages of card stock. yes

2) We fold them in half which will make our pages in the book… yes

3) We are to decorate each side of the pages not leaving any blank.yes

4) We are to add laces, trim or ribbons to the edges of the pages. please do, it makes a pretty book with that peeking out the sides

5) Are all the pages to be the same, but are only getting one back as the others will go to other swapper's. you DO NOT have to do all the pages the same, decorate them as you'd like, they go to 5 different people plus yourself.

6) Can we tea dye the pages? Or do they have to stay white? the artistic touches and color palette are up to you

7) We can add envelopes, lined paper , and so one. Are we to glue them to the page or send them in separate? again, up to your own design choices

8) Are all five of my pages going to one person or will they be divided between five other people? you get five different artists work back and your work goes to five different artists

9) How do you want the $38.00. In cash , a check, paypal. What ever works for you, but please do not send it til you send your pages

10) When you say we can purchase a blank journal. It is the cover and the six blank pages along with your three. If you could give me info on that.. The blank journal will be a complete cover, same as the swap books, with 9 interior pages ready for you to embellish as you'd like.

A year in photos through my art journal

Books, celebrations, family, photography, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / January 1, 2016

What better way to look back over the past year than through photos?

I take pictures almost daily, and while many are blogged and I can look back at them that way, I still prefer having books to leaf through and enjoy.

Most of my favorite photos get pasted into one of my art journals. A physical copy of a photo is very meaningful. And I always worry that digital pictures are only a dirty, cruel virus, or a silly mistake away from disappearing forever.

Plus, it just feels good to look through a book of memories.

I include some artwork, and other tidbits. Like the schedule I printed for Birdsong last spring.

And a painting that I'd done years ago and found in the bottom of a drawer. (It is mounted on paper that was dyed when I used it as drainage for some other hand dyed project.)

My books are a little of this, a little of that, and a LOT of grand fairies.

Here, I saved the tiny paintings I made to create the buttons on my blog. Next to it, is Dewdrop, snuggling a kitty both on vintage papers and tied together with ruffled ribbon.

While my books are quite a hodge podge, I do try to have adjoining pages look nice together, either by theme or color.

And I like to have different sized or shaped photos to add.

Sometimes, one photo is all I'll put on a page.

Other times, I'll fill the page up.

Often, I'll add cards that I was given during the year, and have pictures inside the card to see when it is opened up too.

And I'll add danglies, I love danglies. This heart was a "to-from" tag off of a gift given to me by my sissy.

This is the picture inside the card, along with lace and old images.

Sometimes I'll use inks or paints behind the photos. And on this page, is a tag given to me at Birdsong.

On this page, I've cut the people out of the photos.

Here too.

And here.

Doodle pages always add interest.

Throughout the year, I'll toss little items I like into a journal box and save it up for a day when I feel like sitting down to make a page.

Not all pages are elaborate. This is torn pieces of old paper, with two photos on it. I've outlined the pictures with a marker.

But other times, I feel like doing more. Like these branches drawn onto the page and the "hinged" mat. When the mat opens up like a door, the branches are drawn underneath to continue on the full page too.

Some pages are just for fun. But they still hold memories for me.

Not only do I love having these completed books to linger over, and sometimes pass around at family gatherings, I dearly LOVE making them.

And they really are never quite finished. It isn't uncommon to go back and add a little charm or doodad years after the book was supposedly finished!

And they aren't usually chronological, either. This is a picture from the year before that slipped into this book.

The important part of the books I make, is the love that goes into them. Yea, I know very corny. But true. I adore working on them, and have to stop myself from obsessing over making journals.

I thought maybe my New Year's resolution should be to not spend soooo much time doing books, when I should be making things to sell….

Nope.

I'll still have these books to pass down to great grand fairies someday. But if I made something to sell instead, I'd have spent the money on some little token and it would be gone by then.

So, maybe my resolution should be to not beat myself up over the time I take away from work to make books for myself?

These do bring me a lot of joy. And I am such a workaholic, I get plenty of other stuff done too.

Sugarwings has started her own art journal, plus is kind enough to make things for me to add to mine. Maybe I'll resolve to help her get her own journal habit going more this year.

As far as resolutions, those aren't bad. They are probably pretty doable.

I don't take resolutions lightly. The list's improvements for the year ahead are something I think about and try to uphold.

Last year, I worked hard on being more patient, and nicer. I think that helped, and I stayed aware of the issues I had to deal with. By doing that, I think it honestly made a difference in my attitude.

Vowing to enjoy the work in front of me, and not being impatient with myself for making what I want to make instead of what I think I should make, kind of echoes last year's resolutions. It is me being patient with myself, and not annoyed. Last year, I vowed not to get so annoyed with others.

It worked.

And I felt the benefits of it, personally and emotionally. I guess anytime you work on being nicer to others, it comes back to being nicer to yourself too.

I think I'll also resolve not to keep apologizing for other people's perceived notions of what I meant when I said something as opposed to what I really meant.

That is a hard one.

All I can do is explain what I meant, apologize for possibly being misleading, but assure that person that I didn't mean it unkindly.

I can't be sorry for what someone THINKS that I thought if that is NOT what I thought, right?

Sounds simple, but this is a trap I've been caught in.

So, as long as I know my intentions are clear, I can't feel bad about how upset a person gets with me. I will do my best to be a nice guy, if another doesn't see that in me, then….. well, not my problem!

We can only control our own reactions, not other's reactions.

Ooh, that one really is hard.

So, here is my list for 2016:

1- Keep trying to be patient and kind, and be true to my own emotions, do not let others perceived notions effect me if they are not correct. Of course, part two of that means, looking deeply into part one to make sure that I have not been hurtful.

2- Enjoy the work in front of me, whether it is personal, or profitable. This kind of goes along with my life motto of "Use the Good Stuff"- if it is worth my time, it is worth using the best materials. The work is also worth using my best outlook too, right? If I'm going to do it, I'm going to let myself go, and let the guilt go too.

So, 2016 looks like a year with some effort ahead for me.

And some enjoyment.

I hope that your year holds some improvements, surprises, many blessings,and lots of enjoyable, creative moments.

Sugarplum Fairy Banners

collections, Etsy Goodies, fairies, holiday decor, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 20, 2015

It is hard to make up my mind, sometimes "JOY" is my favorite word for the season, other times it is "Merry". I can't go wrong either way, both are full of holiday cheer. Of course, with Thanksgiving coming up, "Thankful" is another one that is on my mind.

Well, I'm feeling them all.

I am Thankful that I've had some Merry time in the studio creating these Joyful banners!

There is nothing I enjoy creating more than Christmassy, glittery, foofy, merry, and joyful decorations!

Especially with all of my favorite supplies. Like the soft pink, hand dyed wool roving on this little lady's Santa hat. And velvet. Oh, and MICA flakes! Flocked Wallpaper!! And lace, yes, lots of lace and netting!

Throw in a few Sugarplum Fairies and I'm a happy little elf.

I know, I know, it isn't quite Thanksgiving yet…

But Christmas is coming. And I adore making things for it.

I've been lucky to have a couple of uninterrupted days to play with my favorite supplies and whip all of these up, along with the Sugarplum Fairy Kits I posted about last time.

If you are ready for some festive pretties too, you can find some trees in my Etsy shop. The Sugarplum Fairy Kits and banners are in the Boutique.

If things go as I hope they do… more will be coming too. My heart is all a twitter just thinking about stuffing tiny little stockings with vintage cuteness, and oh, the tart tins! I haven't unpacked the tart tins yet. Those are such fun to fill up with pretties…

Sugarplum Fairy Kits

fairies, holiday decor, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 19, 2015

Two of my favorite things in the whole world? Fairies and Christmas! (that includes grand fairies, too, of course)

I'd started out making angels, but as I worked on them, they became Sugarplum Fairies. Although, if you look at them right, they make sweet little cherubs too.

Something else that I love- THE GOOD STUFF!

I do not believe in saving my best supplies for something better. As I always say, if a project is worth my time, it is worth the BEST supplies. And I figure you'll agree with me, that these sparkly sprites deserve to don their best for the holiday season, right?

Kits are $18-$22 (Mercy is a bit more, she has a larger tree and the flocked wallpaper)

Each girl gets a very, very vintage silk ribbon flower from my stash of prized pretties.

The pictures I used are all old sepia ones that I edited, sized, and printed on high quality photo paper.

And all of the mercury glass beads for the little trees are authentic.

There will be shiny rhinestones, some of my favorite old wallpapers, and lots of other pretty things to work with, including hand illustrated instructions to follow. I've done a basic set of instructions, then listed each of the girls separate. The sprite that you order will be circled on the instructions, but you can also look through the directions for the other girls in case that gives you some ideas for creating your lil fairy.

Each kit offers the choice of making a magic wand for your Sugarplum Fairy to hold, or a mini tree instead. If you don't want to put the tree into her hand, you can sit it on the little gift that you'll wrap in vintage paper.

The kits come with trees too. You have the option to decorate a spool for the tree to set on, or use it as is with the white base, like here.

I've included a spoonful of mica flakes to add some snowy sparkly too.

(the bottle brush trees are already mica-ed up for you)

The girls all have white feather wings to honor all the Christmas angels watching over us.

(you could add a touch of glitter to them if you'd like)

This girl, Constance Joy, comes in ivory or pink, but on both, I've provided some gorgeous, gold metallic wallpaper to use on her base.

While Mercy stands on plush, pink, flocked paper.

You will back them with card stock that I have printed with Jingle Bells sheet music.

Because it is important for a project to look just as good from all angles, right?

My studio is filled with these darlings right now. I've loved making them, even more that I did the little Witchy Girls I had whipped up for Halloween. I probably enjoyed making them a little too much, by the looks of this room… I might have to list some finished ones to sell too.

Or just keep them and love them.

Sugarplum fairies flitting in, soon

fairies, holiday decor, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / November 15, 2015

Do you remember my little witch friends, Leitha and Rowena? Well, those girls have twin sisters! This is Merry, she is a Sugarplum fairy, her sis is Leitha the little Witchy Girl.

Rowena has a twin named Constance, who is also a fairy. I'm working on getting these fairies, some angels and other girls gathered together to make kits for the holidays in case you'd like a flock of fairies around your own home for holiday decor.

Luckily, I have a whole troupe of fairies to pitch in and help, I'm pretty far behind for the season.

I've barely even started on the tree dying. No glitter or color has been applied yet. There are a few trees listed on Etsy, but very, very few compared to my regular November schedule.

Now, while October was one of the most fun months I've ever had, with non-stop travel, parties and fun, November has turned into a serious catch up time. Well, at least it should be… I'm afraid that I haven't gotten much catching up done yet and the month is half over…

I feel very much like that irresponsible grasshopper that the ant has to lecture about not being prepared.

But you know what? I kinda liked being the grasshopper, for a change! Bouncing around from trip to trip and having fun with people I love. It was very hard for me to get back into worker ant mode when I returned. I played with grand fairies, did yard work to take advantage of the brilliant and uncommon November weather we have had, and then worked in my souvenir style art journals.

I love making mementos of my trips while the memories are still fresh, and once I get going on a journal it is hard to stop, and I also created a whole album for the rest of the year. I filled the vintage photo album journal that Beth taught me how to make, leaving just a few pages for the holiday season to be added later.

(I'll have some journal pages to show you too)

Both journals are done for now, even though I'm tempted to keep adding and adding little tidbits (are art journals ever really done?) They are still nearby on my desk and if I find something interesting in my stash, or an idea pops into my head, the journals get fiddled with again and I take a break from my belated Christmas crafts.

But lookee here! I got some wings made. These are now in the Boutique. I also whipped up a few banners and am designing that flock of fairies that I'd mentioned.

Soooo, I'm trying to get in gear. Now that I've got most of the journal compulsion under control, I've enjoyed sliding into my mica flake/glitter obsession. The things that I make this time of year are usually a few of my favorite things. (and in my Christmas loving mind, that was sung to the tune of, well, you know the song).

I'm not going to beat myself up about being behind, I'm going to throw myself into making those things that I adore and let the carols blast away in the background as I work.

Also, I want to thank all of you who buy my sparkly pretties each year, and let you know how much I love making them all. November is a time for gratitude (well, every month should be, but at Thanksgiving, the thoughts are more prevalent, aren't they?) And I want to express gratitude for the ability to travel, and for the flexibility of being able work on journals and get caught up with family activities when I return even if it puts me behind in my sales for the season. And that I have someone who will buy my pretties when I do get them made.

I know I'm lucky.

Thanks!

Another Halloween Banner

holiday decor, Sugarwings, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 16, 2015

Thanks for all of the banner and witchy love! I've enjoyed making these and have kept on making more as all of them sell.

Sometimes I sell so many kits for others to create with that I don't think about selling my own pieces. It is a good feeling to be encouraged to keep making these, I've loved doing each one.

The haunted houses too.

No two of any of my witches, banners, or haunted houses have been the same, but all are made from the luscious pile of goodies on my table that never quite gets put away.

Maybe when I run out of wonderful, old, black flowers, I'll be done?

It's time to switch focus to (yes seriously, it really is time for this) CHRISTMAS. Wow, already? Well, yep. If I want to sell hand dyed trees and little angel kits, and vintagey tree decorations, it is getting late for me to get them all made and ready to go.

But can you blame me for still being in a spooky mode? Heck, it is only mid October!

We are still knee deep in zombies and gore around here. Last night was the annual Zombie Walk, and my darling, little princess got infected with zombie fever. I'll have more pics from the parade later on. For now, I guess I'd better be starting in on some angels.

I hope I don't accidentally add a pumpkin or some cobwebs to them…

More Halloween Goodies-“Trouble”

holiday decor, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 15, 2015

Oh my, when I say I like to use the "good stuff", this is an excellent example of that! Vintage lace, old cabinet cards, millinery, silk ribbon flowers, rhinestones, old text, and more.

This banner consists of 5, 5" traingles of chipboard covered with vintage paper, front and back. The witches are cut directly from cabinet cards, glittered up with details, and each person has been witch-i-fied.

From the center piece, hangs a collaged charm that I made, with a little witch, a rhinestone, and the word "trouble" under a clear glaze.

Available here.