We’re having a party – Page 8

Serendipi-TEA at The Whitmore Ranch Retreat classes

jewelry, sewing?, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / May 16, 2015

Classes at our Downton retreat in TX were just as fun as the rest of the weekend. Cassandra offered a velvet purse kit in pink or tan, I chose tan, and packed a lot of old lace to add to my creation. (including the salvage I'd trimmed off my kitchen curtains when they got torn while blowing around on a very windy day)

I was slightly dreading the production, because of- ick!- sewing- but once I got going, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Cassandra had the bag and liner pre-stitched, we embellished the bag, put them together, sewed on the clasp. It was sewing optional in a lot of areas, we could use glue on some parts. But, I dove in with needle and thread, and conquered my fears.

My skill level is not high, and I didn't change that. But, when I dropped a camera and phone into the finished bag, they didn't fall through, so I guess I did okay.

She had great supplies for us to use, but I had an idea about how I wanted it to look.

This is her example. Lovely as can be, isn't it?

And while I tried the embroidery and beading, I knew I'd never master it that fast, so I stuck with what I knew.

My first step was placing different lacy bits on the bag to see what I liked, and then it grew from there.

One trick I did pick up was making a ribbon rose. I want to make more of these!

And I did just a little bit of embroidery, using some vintage metallic thread, and I added a few crystal beads from a necklace I'd bought at Canton Flea Market.

You can see I didn't do much of that. I discovered that embroidery is hard enough, but throwing in old, metallic thread, was crazy. It kinks, twists, and it was trouble. Still, I was pretty dang proud that I actually stitched something.

We had 24 hour access to the craft room, so Guncle Randy and I took advantage of that. We hung out til late every night. I made not only Cassandra's bag and our other pretty project from Molly, but TWO snippet rolls and a little make and take from Waxahachie.

This is a teensy, plastic trophy, and we were given paints to tarnish it up.

Guncle Randy had been wanting to make a steam punk bird like the one in this picture, for quite a while. I made the base of it for him one night after I finished my purse, and he found a cool, old bit of some sort of twisty metal to turn into a base next time we are together.

And that isn't all I got done! We had a second project for the Downton theme. Molly's necklace is a lace collar. Here is her example. Lovely, huh? It was also a glue/stitching optional project.

I chose glue.

Both pieces were a nice challenge, not my typical style. I wanted to be able to make them look like I made them, but still be true to the theme, since the projects were so pretty and well thought out.

For this one, I darkened the cameo with markers and paint to age it a bit. And added some sequin trim from a shredding flapper dress, that Sissy shared with me.

Basically, the rest of the layout was the same as Molly's. She had hand dyed the lace for us, and it is the prettiest pink. I might foof mine up a bit more, like hers is, I liked the pink fluffy flowers she had added.

Here is a little bit of one of the snippet rolls I made. I'll have more pictures of it after our swap in June at Birdsong 5. The rest of it is a surprise for its intended owner.

Serendipi-TEA at The Whitmore Ranch Retreat

Food and Drink, Travel, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / May 10, 2015

(photo by Cassandra)

The Downton Abby themed, "Serendipi-Tea" that Stacy Seely hosted for Karen, was filled with beauty. Of course, anything Karen touches is beyond FAB, and Stacy has a lovely setting to throw a party in. The Whitworth Ranch Retreat is cottagey cute, and when it is gussied up with a Downton Theme to compliment Stacy's skills in whipping up British cuisine, you can't beat it.

Stacy, her mom, and crew worked their bottoms off to create this atmosphere for us to play dress up in, and we sure took advantage of the stage they set for us.

Guncle Randy, handsome as ever, wore this steam punk crystal pendant that my son had made for him, along with a debonaire, linen suit. He looked so suave, I told him that I couldn't refer to him as just "Randy". He was his full name, Randall Paul to me all day.

See what I mean?

That boy cleans up well. As does his partner in fabulousity, Karen.

Part of the group dressed for the current season of Downton, and were all flapper-y and sassy like Cousin Rose.

And some of us were making the most of the style of the earlier seasons.

I was so glad that my Sissy came along! We had the best laughs together. It was good to have a carefree weekend to relax and be totally pampered.

Speaking of being pampered, Stacy made these apple roses I'd been dying to try myself after seeing them on Pinterest. She'd posted a photo of them on FB, Sissy saw it and casually said she wanted some too, but without cinnamon (it causes a migraine for her), not knowing that Stacy was making them for our upcoming party.

And guess what? There they were, in all of their rosy goodness, waiting for us at our tea party. And a special plate of them with no cinnamon was on our table.

I was so excited to see these in person. Oh my, they were so pretty and so tasty!!

It was such a special treat to be fed so well, and to be treated so special. And to hang out with such a nice bunch of friends, old and new. This was at our High Tea.

Then we had a second opportunity to dress up for our formal dinner.

And we had the perfect spot for posing, courtesy of Stacy.

Sara surprised us with this below stairs costume she whipped up.

Cute, isn't it?

Oh, there was LOTS of cuteness! Here is my new friend, Molly. She was one of the teachers, I'll show some pictures of her pretty project later.

My pal, Linda made this for the night. I always think of her as a rainbow artist, she is very boho, and loves bright colors, I often wish I had her skill for creating with color. And now, I have to be jealous of her touch with the neutrals too!

Everyone was just beautiful!

With this beautiful scenery behind us.

Info about the ranch is in my previous post, along with a nugget of an idea about concocting a get away to Texas. Contact me if you'd like to attend and we'll see about setting it up.

Of course, we won't be all Downton-ed up, but I'll bet we can throw on a cowgirl hat and some boots for a Texas style wingding!

May Day Blessings to you

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

By Karla Nathan / May 1, 2015

When I realized I'd be in Texas on May Day, I knew I had to make up some baskets for all of the guests at the Whitworth Ranch Retreat. Dewdrop and I had just been discussing May baskets and I was very happy to have a reason to whip some up.

These are all made from painted peat pots, (I can't get enough peat pot crafting) with a wire handle, and some old lace with a Downton-esque picture. (Our party at the B&B has a Downton theme.)

I lined them with lace cut from an old curtain, and Sissy is going to fill them up with goodies before we pass them out to our friends.

Top Hat Mercantile posted this photo and I knew it would be perfect for Guncle Randy's May basket. I layered the picture over a legal document from 1917 that was the perfect shade of blue.

The scraps from that document were used to line the pot in place of the lace I used for the girly baskets for the others.

Sissy and I are co-gifters of the baskets, but I had to make a special one just for her.

It means a lot to me that I get to spend this weekend with my sis and with friends, old and new. Many of our Birdsong Peeps will be at the art retreat, I'm so looking forward to seeing them all. I'm pretty busy at Birdsong, zipping around doing 30 things at once, so I'm happy to have an arty weekend with friends and family where I can relax and enjoy hanging out.

Thank you, Karen and Stacy for the invitation to this event!

And happy May Day to you all.

Life’s little parties

Dew Drop, Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / March 21, 2015

I've been soaking up the grand fairy fun for the last few weeks before Dewdrop took her cross country adventure. Sleepovers, play dates, parties, and hikes.

One highlight was the Nutrition Festival at the library. There was a performance by the Last Carnival Circus School.

Two of my good friends were part of the show.

Impressive, huh?

There was an interactive show by the Hoop Mamas.

Which my fairies loved.

Some exercises, some jumping.

Well, lots of jumping…

And lots of booths with learning games.

With healthy treats. And all free. You might have noticed, if there is a free kid's event around, we are THERE. I've always done things like that with my own kids,and now with these babes. My boys were raised to love to attend a grand opening of any business to partake in free hot dogs and popcorn.

For me it wasn't just the free stuff, it was the party attitude. We were very poor when the boys were tiny and free was all I could afford. I'll never forget the joy on my young son's face when he spun the wheel of fortune at a grocery store opening and won a giant jug of ketchup. It didn't matter that his prize was ketchup, it was a PRIZE and it was fun to win it. Sounds weird, but it sure was a good day for us.

But I've learned over the years that it isn't the price that matters, it is getting out there and doing something festive with your family. And with the right attitude even hot dogs in a parking lot for a used car lot grand opening can be exciting.

PS- thank you for your concerns and worries about me missing my little Dewdrop. Heck, I miss her when I don't see her daily, but I know how lucky I am to have my grand fairies on a regular basis, and how most grandparents don't have that luxury. Also, I know that it is going to be very hard for her parents to be away from her, but have to say I am quite proud of the way they are handling it and making it work. That little girl gets to spend time with all the people who love her and that is what is important.

She is going to be one happy little miniature gypsy!

Craft day with friends

bird song art event, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / March 4, 2015

Three very talented and interesting friends came to join me for a craft day in the studio. Lesa Dailey is going to teach at Birdsong, and it was nice to get a chance to catch up on details about the upcoming party. Although, it was hard to fit in business talk when Carol and Debbie have such fun stories to hear, it's always fascinating to hear what is going on in their world of design and vintage goods.

I asked Carol to get a snap of Lesa and I together for the Birdsong blog, but I'm afraid, besides that, I didn't have my camera out for much of the day.

I just took a couple of photos. Debbie brought jewelry to work on, while Carol and Lesa did some coloring.

I've been making "doodle pages" for Birdsong 5, to include with the journal kits filled with old papers, and vintagey goodness. My friends were kind enough to try them out for me.

I've colored in a few myself too.

I've made a few of these, some are examples of ideas on how to make one yourself, along with some tips on elements you can use on your own page. Others are completed pages, ready to color, to get the feel of making one.

And really, just because it is fun to color. How often do you get to do that as an adult??

I had to force myself to step away from the markers, after a point, because I was putting way too much time into these pages and could have sat at the kitchen table and colored away for weeks. I did spend an entire single week doing it, before I came to my senses and was able to move on.

But I still feel the draw of the markers, and would love to sit and doodle away….

So, I was extremely pleased to see that my friends understood the lure of the markers too and had a good time coloring themselves.

These ladies also brought presents!!!!!! Lesa made this hanky/brooch bracelet and the glittered basket.

Pretty, isn't it? And such a simple and sweet idea.

Deb brought gifts from her store, which is a wonderful shop. And an even bigger gift, she has offered to be a Birdsong 5 sponsor, with a gift for each of our ladies who come to visit her at Top Hat Mercantile. It is in the Old West Bottoms Antique District.

And while about half of the shops will be closed on the Sunday of Birdsong weekend (our classes are Friday June 5th and Saturday June 6th), Deb's store is one that is open. And to tell the truth, there are SO MANY shops there now that I usually can only make it to half anyway.

So, if you are planning on coming to Birdsong (by the way, I have a couple spots left), you might want to plan on spending Sunday in KC. The shopping is pretty durn good there!

Carol brought me a hyacinth, in the same pink as the tulip I had on the table. What a perfect pairing!

And what thoughtful gifts. You know what the best part of getting little hostess gifties is? After my friends are gone, I have these momentos of the fun day.

PS- If you'd like to be a Birdsong Sponsor, please contact me for details. My "Birdsong Ladies" (as Sugarwings calls them) would love to have your gifts in the goodie bags, otherwise known as "Tweet Bags" or as a door prize.

A little luncheon for friends

cottage, Food and Drink, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / March 2, 2015

One of my favorite things is a day in the studio. Throw in friends and the day is ideal! It isn't always easy to get everyone together, with all of their busy schedules, so when we do, it is even more special.

I went out to the coop and gathered up some very fresh eggs to whip up little mini quiches (because any food looks more special when baked in individual pans), baked some rosemary garlic rolls (because rosemary makes anything seem fancier), and set the table with my favorite old dishes (because, DURH! Birdies!!!).

For the quiche, I tried something a little different and used puff pastry instead of pie crust. I liked it, and it was even better for leftovers, sometimes quiche pie crust can be soggy on the second day.

I thought I'd try to make a flourless chocolate cake too. It really fell apart pretty bad when I took it out of the pan (the trick is to have the right kind of pan, instead of just a cake pan, I think). So, I drizzled it with lots of dark chocolate syrup, dusted it with powdered sugar, and sprinkled a few chopped choc. chips over it. That did some camouflage work. Plus, no matter how crookedy a cake is, placing it under a glass dome works miracles.

Beth taught me years ago when we shared an antique booth, that anything looks better under glass. She could set the oddest bit of junk under a cloche in the middle of a pretty display, and it would be the first thing to sell every time.

We still had some Valentine decor up. Around here, holidays linger.

Since I had company coming, it was a good reason to spiff up around the cottage. And to take some photos, because I don't think the place has been cleaned up much since I put away all the previous holiday decor.

The trapeze like swags of cobwebs even got wiped away. Those are the one downfall I've come across from the tin ceiling. The uneven surface tends to attract cobwebs. And I end up not noticing them until there are enough for a full fledge circus performance overhead.

But I discovered the perfect way to get rid of them! A quick brush with the cinnamon broom that I got at Trader Joe's over the holidays snags each little web easily.

My tables are always a mismatch of pieces. I've given up on silverware. Who knows where the forks disappear to???? sigh

I've discovered that I can replace cutlery for 10 cents a piece at Goodwill, so I just don't worry about it anymore. Most of my house is a hodge podge, why should my table settings be any different?

Mostly, I was just happy to have a break from my house looking like this. I love a reason to clean up, because if I don't have one, this is how it stays.

But messy or clean, there is no place like home! And I love having company come to join me here.

A Sweet Valentine Gathering

celebrations, cottage, Dew Drop, family, holiday decor, Sugarwings, Valentine's Day, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / February 14, 2015

One of my favorite things is to have a studio full of friends, whether it is at Birdsong, a craft day, or a kid's holiday party.

I don't always get to host a bash for every holiday, but love it when the timing works out to have everyone over.

Sugarwings and Dewdrop went to Michaels with me to fill a cart with pink and red heart supplies, I nabbed a few Dollar Store tablecloths and balloons, and we were set to go.

We made faux cupcakes by gluing a styrofoam ball into a cupcake paper, smearing it with modelling compound icing, and glitter.

Lots of glitter.

Besides that, the projects weren't organized, it was every artist on their own.

Valentine cards for loved ones were a popular choice.

Dewdrop completed this one for her mommy.

Lizele made lots of colorful hearts. She is a prolific crafter.

Besides the cart full of stickers from Michaels, I had vintagey goods out too. And had saved empty valentine candy boxes to be redone.

Sugarwings and her mommy made a mail box for her upcoming class party.

The littlest workers got a bit burned out and turned to coloring books full of ponies, then decided to work with playdough. That is always a hit with Dewdrop.

The older kids had already headed out to the creek and woods behind the house when I got my camera out. They usually make a few nice things, then head outside, not caring that it was horridly cold out there. Of course, someone always slips into the creek and needs dry clothes, but it never stops them.

I really should plan more summer time craft days, where they can get out there and enjoy the woods when the weather is better.

Before the party, Sugarwings and I made chocolate dipped strawberries to serve, and I saved the plastic containers that the berries came in. Those were ideal for sending wet modelling compound cupcakes home in. Cars might have been muddy from the creek on the way home, but at least they didn't have any pink, fake icing all over them.

I can't say there wasn't any glitter drizzled into the seats, though…

My new water jug from Victorian Trading was ideal! I filled it with ice, poured cold water over it, and it was still chilly the next day.

The pottery really keeps the water cold.

For punch in the cut glass dispenser, I mixed white cranberry/strawberry juice with a couple cans of Sierra Mist. The night before, I froze cranberries in juice to make a giant, floating ice cube to slip into the punch. Very pretty, and tasty, but so easy to make.

I'm already looking forward to the next party.

A festive season

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

By Karla Nathan / December 22, 2014

I've been going full speed into Christmas this year. I always love the season, and this year even more. I've arranged one activity, party, or gathering one after another.

It has been glorious! (that word should always be spoken the way Will Farrell says it in "Old School")

Last weekend was Breakfast with Santa at Lion's Gate country club. They have the BEST Santy Claus.

Sadly, Dewdrop was ill and couldn't make it. So, we will be taking her to see the jolly old elf at the community pool for a Santa Swim party.

I've bought tickets to plays, gone to craft parties, thrown craft days, arranged luncheons, attended gatherings, hosted gatherings, and have had so much going on that there has been something exciting almost every single day.

If there wasn't a special activity going on, Sugarwings and I would make one up. We'd turn an ordinary day into an event. We'd dye trees (our Christmas version of doing eggs at Easter), set up a fancy table with good dishes in front of the Christmas tree and have a cocoa party, draw up a list of holiday lit homes in town and go on an adventure hunt to follow a map and find all the brightly lit up neighborhoods, or just snuggle up and watch some holiday specials on TV.

I've thrown a few parties this season. I like to have my friends over for an annual ornament making party with their kids, and this year, with my husband's travel schedule for work, it didn't look like we were going to be able to have our big bash.

So, instead of my usual weekend dinner party with a bonfire and beers for guys and crafting for anyone who wanted to hang out in the studio, I switched it to a luncheon for some of my friends and ornament making afterwards.

I wanted to try making these tarts, they are thinly sliced veggies, rolled into spirals and baked in a pie crust lined with ricotta cheese. And I also wanted my friends to know that they are special to me and I wanted to create a treat for them, so I set the table pretty and had them over.

But we didn't stop there. After school, their kids joined us for more crafting and a few other friends were able to come by to make ornaments too.

We turned it into a whole evening, ordered some pizzas, drank some wine, and had a cocoa party for the kiddos.

I set out thermoses of hot milk, a big bowl of marshmallows, organic candy canes, chocolate syrup, and some cocoa powder and let them serve themselves from the treat cabinet.

We also broke up candy canes and put those in the cotton candy maker and that was a hit too. Although, at times, the cotton candy maker was left on unattended, and big fluffs of spun sugar would float across the room.

I was ready to chase those puffs down and try to catch them with my tongue like snowflakes.

(and was glad that I'd covered up my vintage wallpaper with a curtain before setting the cotton candy maker next to it)

It is always fun to see what everyone comes up with, when presented with a table full of supplies and left on their own.

Lots of different styles of crafts get churned out.

But the best part is the laughing. It was a fun evening.

I've not finished my shopping or wrapped any gifts yet. I'll make that work out somehow. Gift cards for the big kids and a few toys under the tree for kids, probably. This year, I've tried to make the season about the people, not the presents.

And to have the holiday spirit of sharing and togetherness for the whole month.

And of course, soak up the joy every single day!

How to make miniature book Christmas ornaments

holiday decor, how to's, how-to projects, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / December 20, 2014

As promised, here is the mini lesson on making mini book ornies.

I used paper cut from vintage Christmas cards glued over chipboard for my covers, and card stock for the pages. If your old holiday cards are sturdy enough, you could probably cut the covers directly from them and skip the whole gluing process.

First step- cut out the cover material, fold in half. Cut out three pieces of card stock slightly smaller than the cover, fold in half. (Any size you want to use works fine, most of mine are under 2", this one made from a card is larger)

Glue decorative paper to the cover. The backside of mine was white, but if yours isn't, cover both sides. This is a good time of year to save up chipboard,some pieces that I used were folded up inside a new shirt. Stores often use it chipboard to hold the shape of folded garments. So, as you are opening gifts, don't forget to salvage the packaging materials! (you could also cut up a cereal box)

Add glitter, ink, etc, to your taste. Don't add any 3D elements yet, though, embellish to your heart's content after the book is assembled.

To make the folded and decorated chipboard look like a real book, a piece of decorative tape, as faux binding can be pretty.

Put your three card stock pieces inside your cover, line them up, and punch two holes along the fold.

Tie the pages into the cover with whatever you think looks nice. Here, I've used vintage ribbon.

For a festive look, I like to use metallic pipe cleaners too. But first, I vintage them up a bit.

Give them a haircut and rub the newly styled piece onto a brown ink pad for a tarnished finish.

Next, add a hook (to whatever you tied the book together with) and hang it up.

I used these as favors and to decorate with for my book club holiday party. I think it would be fun to start a tradition of passing around a tiny book at Christmas dinner to have each person write a small message, or just sign their names. Date it, and hang it on the tree each year.

If you'd like to make some bigger books in different styles, I have a tutorial available here.

I'll leave you with some photos of what is new in the Etsy shop, it has been a busy Christmas tree season for me. I just now got around to adding some decorated ones.

Normally, I do get them out earlier…. But it has been quite a holiday season for me. Very fun, very busy!

I have some extra bright trees this year, thanks to Sugarwings. She and I had a dying party the other day.

And we got creative with our colors.

A Holiday Party for my Bookclub and some JOY

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

By Karla Nathan / December 16, 2014

"Merry" used to be my favorite word this time of year.

But now, I kind of like "JOY."

It is this silly elf's middle name and that has made it my favorite seasonal word.

Plus, we could all use all the joy we can get.

I hadn't planned on Sugarwings being here for book club, but her daddy had a chance to go camping with his buddies. (Even though it was going to be EIGHTEEN DEGREES THAT NIGHT!!!!!!)

So, I picked her up after school, and we ran some errands, then came home to foof up the house for the party. She was glad to help, but I was worried about her being on her own all evening while I entertained.

She had no problem with it and was excited to dress up like an elf to greet the guests (she is all about the costume, no matter what the occasion is)

I set up a table of crafts in my bedroom in front of a TV full of holiday shows to watch on the DVR. First of all, she never gets to craft in the bedroom in front of the TV, and take food in there too. Double forbidden fun.

Of course, there was some hot cocoa spilled on the chair, but hey, why use slip covers if you don't plan on pulling them off to wash them?

I guess these photos are pretty similar to the previous post, showing the dining room all set up for a party. But since this is an evening gathering and that was a luncheon, maybe they are different enough to show?

I love to use lots of twinkly lights when I have a party. The ones on the table are wrapped on gold branches and are battery operated. (bought on clearance after Christmas last year, 75% off)

I've added lots of layers of table clothes, and some lights under the table too. This time, I have vintage curtains as a table skirt and the string of lights show more. Usually, I have a regular table cloth draped to the floor, and get a softer glow. But this look is kind of fun too.

I chose the wine for the pretty labels. And it was good, too, and very affordable. It's nice to find a tasty wine under ten bucks.

I kept the food simple, like brie sprinkled with rosemary and wrapped in puff pastry, with a side of fig jelly and crackers. That is one of the easiest things to ever make, but sure looks special.

Another trick I have for elevating an ordinary dish is to, well, elevate the dish.

Here, I've set a compote of chicken salad on a plate, and set that on a cake plate, making three levels.

This compote full of dip makes this veggie tray more interesting than it would've been if I'd had it served on an actual tray. And lining the bowl with ruffly kale made it prettier too.

The three vases of flowers (left over from my last party) are also on different levels. I turned a bowl upside down to set one vase on to lift it up.

The cheesecake is a regular cheesecake, but I added a hand full of chopped pecans to the graham cracker crust, and then mixed in some of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Carmel Sauce into the batter. When it was done baking, I drizzled a little more on top.

One thing I should have done was to take some leaves out of the table, but I can't do it by myself and my husband was out of town. There is too much space between the dishes. since it was a small gathering, I didn't have a ton of food out, and it was spread out a bit too much to look its best. But that is just nit picking, huh? I doubt if my friends were gossiping about how much space I'd left between bowls…

For party favors, I made tiny, glittered books out of vintage papers. I'll have a mini how-to coming up soon if you want to make some yourself.