We’re having a party – Page 2

Glass ornaments as mini carafes

celebrations, cottage, Food and Drink, friends, holiday decor, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / December 20, 2022

We had our annual holiday bookclub dinner at the cottage last week.

As I usually do, I set the table with a hodge podge of mismatched pieces, but with kind of a theme. And I tried a cute trick I’d seen at another party, using a clear glass ball as a mini carafe.

The way I’d seen it done was at a wine tasting and they used small, plastic ornaments. I really don’t know if those are food safe. So, I bought the big glass ones (at Hobby Lobby on clearance for 60% off), washed them well, and glued on roses that I’d painted onto old sheet music.

At our party, I make the food and friends bring the wine, so I couldn’t pre-fill the balls with wine like the previous way I’d seen them used. So I decided to use them for water, sitting on a glass of ice.

Before everyone arrived, I poured one into a cup, to see if it really was a good idea or was just messy.

Well, so so.

I had over filled the balls, and when pouring the water over the ice I realized that there was just too much in them. And no where to set the balls down except right back on top of the glass, or they would roll away and flood the table.

Oops!

I quickly poured some water out of each ball, leaving just the right amount for the glass. Ha, I’m glad I checked!

After dinner, the ornaments were party favors to take home.

I should’ve made everyone take food home too, I made way, way too much. As usual. I ended up putting this pie in the freezer for when the family comes home for Christmas. And I served some of the cupcakes at another party. Oh, and I did manage to take care of the rest of the extra cupcakes.

Somebody had to, right?

A few days after the book club bash, I was hosting a craft day get together. And the day after that, Sugarwings was supposed to have a cocoa party, but it was cancelled due to an ear infection, poor kid.

Typically, I like to have all of my parties in the same week, so I only have to clean the house once. And as I take plates out of the dishwasher, I reset the table so it’s ready to go for the next event. The cottage has a festive feel all week when it is party time.

For the craft day party, I did use wine in the Christmas balls.

Which, come to think of it, probably makes them harder to rinse out if they are meant to be keepsakes. I am not sure if I’ll do this party trick again or not. I enjoyed it, and thought it made the table festive. I hope the guests enjoyed it too.

Have a Lovely Thanksgiving!

holiday decor, Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / November 23, 2022

Sugarwings and I jumped ahead into Christmas celebrations before Turkey Time.

Again.

We have a Thanksgiving celebration planned with most of the family, after some twists and turns to accommodate my husband’s schedule (he took a consulting job) and travel plans for part of our North Carolina group.

Before all of that, the Grandfairy and I had our first cocoa party of the season and did some crafting too. This is Sugarwings’ clever take on a gingerbread house storage box. We will keep our Nutty Buddies in it.

And why on earth do we consider Nutty Buddies a Christmas treat? Well, they are named after Buddy the Elf, of course.

At least in our minds.

Red and Green aren’t my typical colors, but when it comes to cocoa parties, I’m all for the shades of a traditional Xmas. The teapot was my mom’s, the tray was one my boys set out with cookies for Santa on it, and the tablecloth has been around since I splurged on it at Kmart in the 1980s. Back when we were on a tight budget and most things I decorated with were handmade.

I remember the turmoil of the purchase. This was back when I’d put toys on layaway at Kmart and pay on them for months before Santa swung by to pick them up. Buying a tablecloth was not in the budget.

Sometimes you gotta do something special for yourself, and this bit of floral fabric was a major indulgence that I treasured. And still do.

(By the way, Spray N’ Wash is great at getting cocoa stains out of so called “family heirlooms.”)

The Beauty at Bridgerton

friends, Lori's Class, Travel, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / October 14, 2022

I am home from a varied and jam packed full of fun trip.

And speaking of jam packed- you should have seen my luggage!

I started my journey flying to Asheville, then hiking with my baby boy, then off to Charleston in a rental car for Jenn Hayslip’s Bridgerton event. I had one bag filled with kits to teach a class.

Plus my normal supplies to take my pal, Lori Oles’ class, as well as a selection of items to sell, and even more supplies for projects to work on at the beach.

Siesta Key was the final flight of my trip, off to see my sissies.

My two, overly stuffed, giant pieces of luggage and equally bulging carryon had to include warm clothes for the mountains, dress up things for the art event, and beachy outfits. Along with kits, supplies, wares for the market, and little gifties.

All I can say is thank goodness that suitcases have wheels. Even if they don’t like thresholds and rolling onto elevators , those wheels made the juggling of all those bags possible.

Still, even with all that packing, I screwed up. I didn’t pack proper attire for the big party. I brought a dress, but it wasn’t fancy enough. So, the kind hostess, who also has multiple, amazing, to die for closets full of gorgeousness, had me try on her clothing until we found something that could work on a grandma attending a ball.

Jenn’s wardrobe is suitable for being the bell of the ball every day of her life and it was a joy to be invited to play in those closets! Here is what she wore. And the dress she loaned to Lori. Neither one of us packed right.

Everyone else brought their finest gowns! Oh my, the dresses were lovely.

Looked at this beauty! Wow!

Jenn’s adorable husband got it right and was a great sport while looking cute as can be.

Jennifer does not miss one detail when it comes to making every aspect of her events perfect.

So I felt bad about letting her down with my lack of fabulousness.

But that kind hearted lady was gracious and generous about finding a fix for my attire.

I felt very pampered instead of embarrassed by the way she handled my faux pas.

Everything about being in this luxurious home was pampering.

And beautiful.

Simply, delightfully, beautiful.

I could’ve just wandered around and gawked all day, the home was that pretty. Lori and I wanted to play a drinking game, where every time we heard someone say the word PRETTY, we would take a shot. But, since I am a very bad drinker and have never done a shot in my life, I’d have lost quickly. I’m more of a wine sipper.

Every city that I visited and all the people I saw, made for such a lovely adventure. I’ll leave you more pictures of Jenn’s perfectly detailed and pretty, pretty, pretty party for now, and will have more about the rest of my travels later.

Cheers!

Scenes from the reunion and one from the past

family, games, Ryan, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / July 26, 2022

Before our big reunion began, I decided to go through old albums and pull out Nathan, Neibaur, and Nichols photos that I could slip quickly into another album to pass around. Not my typical style, usually I love making pretty albums. But I was in a hurry because it was a last minute plan. And a single, edited book was much better than stacks and stacks of books filled miscellaneous photos the guests wouldn’t be familiar with, like the kids’ old friends or our neighbors of the past.

I came across this oldie from our home in Arkansas. I don’t know the occasion, or who took it, but I felt it like a jab in the heart. It’s not a good photo, but it is a great picture. Adam is a blur because like his daughter, he is in constant motion. Ryan is wearing his tee shirt from his army man Halloween costume and has the “Footloose” haircut that he always insisted on. I have on a matching tee and shorts that my mom sewed for me, the wallpaper behind us was some my sister helped hang in this very first house we ever bought.

So many memories in one snapshot.

And so much love, too.

I love this photo and will never tuck it away in the dark again, this one goes on display. But it also started the reunion on a shaky note for me. The people coming to visit were all favorites of Ryan, he enjoyed hanging out with this group, and I sure felt his absence when I was with them.

Also, Ry died at 42, and was my good buddy, we had such fun together. But this picture reminded me- he was my baby. My little guy. The majority of my grief is about daily things I miss about my grown up son and best friend. When it hits me that I lost my baby, it’s a death blow to my heart, so I don’t dwell on that aspect of it.

When people started arriving to the party, my sister-in-law wanted to sit with me in Ryan’s apartment and reminisce about him. I have to admit, that was the highlight of the week for me. It means so much when people honor my Ry that way.

He is not forgotten.

Rainbows and Fire Dancing for Pride Night

celebrations, family, guncles, Sacred Circus, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / July 22, 2022

On Randy and Kevin’s night to cook for the family reunion, they wanted a Pride Night theme.

They had rainbow everything to go with the grilled chicken and salads. I don’t know why I didn’t get more pictures, it was quite the festival and the decorations were bright and fun.

Our Hippie Chick brought rainbow, glitter face paint and many partiers got all sparkled up.

There was even a fire dancing show.

Featuring our professionals.

And crowd members could take a quick lesson too.

There was a great view from the balcony. These two were on the lighting committee and did a spectacular job with it.

The night ended with a few 1am stragglers sticking their forks directly into the rainbow cake.

We had different events throughout the weekend, but I think pride night was the best.

I am going to leave all of those lights strung across the courtyard, and possibly add more as I find them at garage sales for a very pretty reminder. Thanks, Guncles!

Playing with ceramic underglazes

friends, Hand painted, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / April 17, 2022

I was lucky enough to have not one but THREE craft days in one week! My friend, the stained glass artist has us over on Thursdays to do mosaics in her studio.

Then I had some Peeps over for Easter crafting. And my ceramic artist buddy invited a group to her studio to make ceramic mosaic tiles and paint them in underglazes. Can a week get any more crafty-riffic?!

Melissa had slabs rolled for each of us and provided all of the materials. She will then fire them, and glaze the bisque to fire again. She is being quite generous with her time, I can tell that all the little, tiny pieces will be a lot of work.

Not everyone finished, so I offered my place to use up the leftovers and then got the painted shapes to Melissa later. I ended up doing my own, plus a few for a couple other friends, and one person came by to work on hers.

I found the process addicting and sat at my table painting for six solid hours, only quitting when there wasn’t any paint left.

At Melissa’s studio, we all had puddles of paint on takeout lids as pallets and the remnants couldn’t go back into the jars, so I thought I might as well pack up the ones everyone left behind and paint to the last drop. I discovered that my friends really like orange.
Almost every pallet had orange on it. A lot had purple. So as I got to the dregs, I ended up making pumpkins and fall leaves.

There was an abundance of orange in the flowers and butterflies too.

I have no idea how they will turn out. The clay is charcoal, but fires white, so everything that looks gray will not be later on. I haven’t worked with this kind of paint, so who knows if I did it correctly. The seasoned ceramic artist told us to use the paint more like royal icing on a cookie, but I kept going back to my own style of painting, even though I tried really hard to remember how opaque the paint was. So, we will see after they are fired.

Whether they turn out as desired or not, I sure had a great time! Thank you Melissa! And thank you, Shanna for the mosaic days in your studio where we will be using these on future projects.

Peeps Day

celebrations, cottage, drawing, Food and Drink, friends, holiday decor, wallpaper, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / April 14, 2022

We had a little get together for a Peeps craft day at the cottage. Angie brought a cookie display that was so pretty, it had to immediately become the center piece for our luncheon.

Sadly, three people had other things come up and couldn’t make it. Beth offered to bring a salad at the last minute so I wouldn’t have find a side dish for the quiche and homemade bread I’d prepared, which was very helpful of her.

She always makes the best salads, too.

I’d tried my hand at making brioche bread, and while it’s a lot of extra work compared to the kind I typically whip up, I think it is way worth it. But- there is almost a whole stick of butter in it opposed to the tablespoon of heart healthy oil I usually use, so maybe I won’t make a habit of this decadent bread that feels more like a pastry than a slice of bread.

The remainder of the loaf home was sent with the gal pals, thinking I would save myself from all that butter. But then, Nora left some of her cream pie tarts, Angie left cookies, and well, here I am having both for breakfast and feeling pretty happy to have them.

Lunch was only a little part of the day, the main event for me is always the projects.

We had vintage album mats and little girls images to make Easter wall hangings. This one is mine, and since I’d previously made a yellow daffodil one, I wanted a different style, but this might be too dark to be springy. I also don’t like the green pattern in the brown wallpaper and might peel up the girl to add another layer beneath her. Maybe some blue ledger paper…

This one is Nora’s next to her cute picnic basket that came full of tarts and fruity, sparkly wine.

(It did not leave full)

Everyone got a hand drawn placemat. Well, since only half of the group could come, they each got two.

I might make a habit of these. When I host real events, not just get togethers, I usually draw on tablecloths. But lately, instead of plastic table cloths that tickle your legs, and are pretty flimsy anyway, I’ve been covering my work tables in poster board and using large scrap book paper as place markers.

While these quick cartoons aren’t exactly major pieces of art, they are a little different. Plus, I really like drawing, so, yep, I think it might become something I’ll be doing more of.

Although the square size isn’t ideal for dining room placemats, a rectangle would be better.

Once we finished our Easter pictures, everyone had something else they’d brought to do. I made some little people to use on something else some day. Just because I love making little people. It reminds me of all the hours of playing I spent with paper dolls as a kid.

After the last couple of years that we have had, days like this mean more to me than ever. It was the best!

A Bridgerton Art Event!

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

By Karla Nathan / February 11, 2022

I am sooooooooo excited to announce this tidbit of wonderful news.

I’ve known about it for a few weeks and felt like Lady Whistledown hanging on to a juicy morsel. No wait, she doesn’t keep secrets does she? She is the opposite.

Recently hearing that the second season of Bridgerton was coming in the not too distant future, I was already pumped. Then this news? Woo hool!

The first season of this racy, period piece had to be the very most beautiful show on tv. I could watch it over and over just for the fabrics alone. Then, the scenery? Masterfully done, mesmerizing sets that are so lovely, who cares that there is a plot?

But then again, there is a plot, and such a fun one that I immediately read every book in the series including the prequels. Did you know that each novel was amended to add a chapter that visits the couple years after the story? I loved that part.

Having seen the series first, I could picture the beauty of the gowns and houses as I read the books. The visuals in the show were pure perfection. And who else do we know that can accomplish that level of gorgeousness? My beautiful buddy, Jenn Hayslip, who leaves a trail of beauty in her wake every where she goes. Like King Midas and the gold, her touch magically turns anything into scrumptiousness. If anyone can bring a Bridgerton event into fruition and do it justice, it is her.

I cannot wait to see what she does. And I am so honored to be a part of it! If I wasn’t teaching, I’d have been the first to buy a ticket.

It will be October 6th – 9th, 2022 in Charleston, SC (And what a beautiful city to spend time in.)

The event will be smaller and more intimate in size. It will take place in Jenn Hayslip’s home,

The Chantilly Rose House

(And oh my gosh, I can’t wait to see that palace!)

Jenn says-

“A full weekend event will include workshop classes, tea luncheon, shopping, formal dress evening soiree kick off party, giveaways, and much more!

I have two incredible artist Karla Nathan, and Lori Oles whom will be teaching beautiful elegant

regency themed projects.

Details and registration coming very soon!

Who is ready to dress up, sip tea, create, and discuss Lady Whistledown’s latest social gossip?

All the wonderful fanciful details and registration will be shared very soon!

Happy Creating Friends!”

A little dinner party

cottage, friends, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / January 16, 2022

After all of the holiday entertaining, January was feeling a little flat without any. Plus, while we had some gorgeous days here and there, I was busy repainting a couple of rooms and missed going for walks. When it got cold again, I was done with the big jobs, and I really needed to get moving, the city’s activity center was closed due to the shortages of staff that everyone is suffering from now. I couldn’t go for an indoor walk when I was ready to.

So, I was feeling a tad down.

A party was just what I needed to beat the January doldrums!

To be extra festive, I made place cards . Not that I cared where anyone sat, I just thought it would be fun to do.

Rich and Jim are both beekeepers, so theirs got honeybees.

I made a peach pie and marinated grouper fillets that Rich caught in Key West in some Caesar yogurt and breaded them with panko, flour, salt and pepper. Then sautéed the fish in avocado oil and butter.

As I was cooking them, I thought it looked like it needed something more, so I whipped up a lemon, white wine and caper sauce to go over it. My first taste of it puckered my throat, it was so lemony, so I quickly added some chicken broth and milk.

It turned out okay, but for a few minutes I thought my typical, making stuff up on the fly way of cooking might backfire on me, as my friends were eating their salads and waiting for the fish to be ready.

I did screw up the pie. My glass pie pan broke, and I had to use a metal one. I don’t typically time things, I cook til they look done. But I was used to being able to peek through the glass to see if the crust was browned.

It was a bit doughy since I couldn’t visually check it. I might need to become a cookbook/timer person if I keep making mistakes. But I don’t take cooking very seriously, so maybe not.

The evening really was just what I needed, it is hard to feel gloomy with a roomful of best buds!

A book club party with bookish party favors

antiques/junking, Books, celebrations, collections, cottage, holiday decor, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / December 20, 2021

The annual holiday party for our book club was at my house, well, I have to admit that it always is at my house. I tend to hog the date because I love parties so much.

And I love party favors! I decorated the table with the book page/paper ornies that I’d made and sent one home with each person. You can’t see it in this pic, but each ball has a tiny, book charm dangling from it.

Here is the table before my friends arrived.

I have been collecting 49 cent Christmas plates from Goodwill all year, there are a few different patterns, but I like the mix.

It’s all a bit of a mix match. The water glasses almost all are the same, but the silverware, wine glasses, napkins, and plates are all over the place. The placemats are pages from the Grand fairies’ outgrown Christmas books.

Here is what I have learned about hosting a party:

NO ONE CARES IF IT MATCHES!

But they do appreciate an effort to make things pretty for them. I doubt if they cared that the plates were only 49 cents each and were various patterns. Or that to have enough wine glasses, I had to use a very non traditional, purple one.

They might have cared that the pie was a little dry.

Durn it. I used frozen blueberries, but made it the same as I usually do with fresh ones. That just isn’t the same, I love the juiciness of the fresh ones. Frozen requires more sugar, liquid and some lemon, I think.

The peach pie was better. I used pecan flour, eggs, some juice from the canned peaches, cinnamon and brown sugar in it.

This was my first time using Aldi’s crust (I never make my own crust). It was so-so. Not very flakey, and a little dry. I’ll stick with Sprouts, their crust is always ideal. Plus it is vegan, which is good when I am feeding my family.

Also, this might not be the prettiest place to set out desserts, but it worked.

I found some “Vintage Tinsel Sprinkles” at Homegoods and happily glittered all the treats. I love them so much that I had some glittery, festive-ness on my peanut butter toast today. Using my holiday plates.

One very nice thing about my big stack of thrift store plates is that I don’t have to be gentle with them. They are special, but they aren’t worth anything, so we have been using them daily since Thanksgiving.

Dishes are breakable, so I never want to own any that I am afraid of using. I like plates that I can enjoy.