Workshops – Page 9 – Karla's Cottage

Beth’s Gypsy Song and Spell book for Romantic Gothic Ghosts

Books, holiday decor, Romantic Gothic Ghosts, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / August 9, 2012

Beth's project for our Romantic Gothic Ghost workshop at the studio on October 6th is unique Halloween crafting at its most interesting!

She is making a gypsy spell book from felted wool.

She has been printing vintage images and gypsies onto fabric and gathering up lace and doodads for everyone to embellish their own book.

She will have a lot of sample pages for ideas and will show you how to make pockets, trim out pages, and assemble the book itself. NO SEWING- its tied and glued.

Not only that, she will teach us how to make our own faux tintypes!

Now, that is a handy skill to have.

Beth will provide everything you need to make your own Gypsy Song and Spell book.

If you prefer Halloween without bright orange and purple, maybe you'd like to join us here at my home for a day of fun and creating?

Details HERE

Big heads and little crowns, pretty packages and groody fingers

Romantic Gothic Ghosts, Round Robin Book Swap, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / July 31, 2012

The prettiest of pretties arrived from Sandra, one of my round robin partners.

She sent her last page for my book. I'll miss these pages coming in the mail and the exchange of boxes each month.

Our books are now with Stampington, so when we get them back, it will be like discovering them all over again. I'm curious to see which pages will be used in which magazines. They are being divided up as individual creations, not shown as full books.

Sandra sent a boxful of goodies, too, what a sweet surprise that was!

And she made this gorgeous cuff!

Although, my hands aren't quite as gorgeous as the cuff. They are actually kind of disgusting.

I've been gluing and dying today. They say you can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes, I think you can tell just as much from hands.

Mine say, "I love my job and am too excited to stop and put on gloves when I decide to dye something"

Today's batch of dyed goods is full of cheesecloth, ribbons, and lace. I dipped it in what I thought was leftover, cold coffee, not knowing that my sister, Sandy, had made a fresh pot until I stuck my hands in it.

The coffee was a good start, but I wanted more depth to the color, so I spritzed it with Tim Holtz Esspresso stain, then more spritzing with Glimmer Mist in pale pink, metallic gold and silver for some shimmer.

I'm making this up for the Romantic Gothic Ghost workshop at my home in October. So, I wanted it spooky, but still prettty, hence the spritzes of sparkles.

I've also been reworking the Raven for my class. I decided to draw some different patterns, and I think I like this one best. Although, now that the bird's head is a little bigger, the crown looks too small…

Yes, I do think I'll need to draw a larger crown pattern too.

Speaking of crowns, this vintage barrette, is now in the Boutique.

Along with a few other little tidbits.

A teacup-raven-thingy

antiques/junking, Books, holiday decor, Romantic Gothic Ghosts, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / July 29, 2012

Its been very nice to see the interest in our Romantic Gothic Ghosts day in the studio on October the 6th! We have a lucky 13 signed up so far, before we have shown our projects for the day. I hope that showing them now doesn't spook our guests away…

My class is inspired by this stack of old Edgar Allen Poe books from a garage sale ($1 each), They are tatteringly wonderful.

You'd think that maybe, these would make me think of teaching a book of some kind???

Well, it would make sense to use the pages in art journals. But instead, I was intrigued by using just one section, the poem about the Raven.

I cut the poem into 1-3 line quotes to use as banners on a teacup-raven-thingy.

(no name for the creation yet, I hope I can come up with something better than that eventually)

The two quotes I used for my examples are some of the less interesting lines, I wanted to save the best ones for the students.

Our projects will be Halloween Holiday Decor pieces, that have a romantic feel.

NO purple!

NO orange!

Garish Halloweens, Nevermore!

I've bought some white and gray teacups, we will fill them with vintage paper nests and add a raven made from felted sweaters.

I wish we could do the felting itself that day, but it has to be ready ahead of time. So, I bought a couple of men's 100% wool sweaters at the Goodwill (geez, when did GW prices go so sky high??? $5 each for a crappy, worn out sweater???)

I boiled them in a big pot with liquid Rit dye to turn them a deep, rich black.

Then, drew a raven pattern, cut it out and stitched it up.

I AM NOT A SEWER. If you aren't either, don't be scared!

But- this was fast and easy. Black thread on a black bird doesn't have to be perfect, it hardly shows.

She is trimmed out with pretty black feathers, lace and glitter, then topped with a crown that we will make from antique brass window screening, and decorate with rhinestones. We'll make a strand of pearls for her neck, create the nest, and the arch with the banner and cover it in old millinery blooms.

And of course, the stack of books that the teacup rests on is included. We'll bundle up stacked pages (pre-coffee stained) and tie them with lace and ribbons to use as a stage for our teacup-raven-thingy.

Beth is busy whipping up her class idea too, and from what I saw Friday, its going to be really nice. Hers is a Gypsy fortune teller's guide book of some sort. To be used an art journal. And I gave her one of my Poe books to take apart so she could share the pages with everyone. So, the garage sale books do get to be in an art journal after all.

For details about coming to the class with us in my studio, please scroll down to the previous post, or click on the button on my side bar.

Now, that I have told you that I don't do orange and purple, I'm going to try to sell you a bundle of traditional Halloween colored millinery.

Well, just because I don't use the colors much, doesn't mean they aren't just right for someone's project. And these are nice, old flowers that deserve a good project to be included in.

And this might be way off season, but here is something new in the Boutique too.

Lots of old Valentines!

I'll leave you with some pictures of whats new in the shop.

Romantic Gothic Ghosts Workshop at Karla’s Studio

bird song art event, holiday decor, parties, Romantic Gothic Ghosts, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / July 25, 2012

Beth and I are planning some classes at my studio, a one day event, a bit more casual than Birdsong was. She'll teach in the morning while I get lunch ready, then its my turn to have an afternoon class. Both will be very much in tune with the online Romantic Gothic Ghost online projects we did a couple of years ago.

That online class is still available for $25 or you can get it free when you come to our classes at my home.

Projects for the day are still to be announced, we are in the midst of prototypes. I can promise that they are going to be moody and romantic, a lovely piece to decorate your home with for Halloween, with no garish purple or orange to be seen.

Lunch, complete kits full of vintage goodness, dessert, and drinks will be included, as well as the bonus online class. And we'll schedule some time for coffee and muffins before the work day begins so everyone can get acquainted.

Saturday Oct. 6, 2012 from 9am-6pm

Cost is $100

Email me if you'd like to pay by check, or click here, and scroll to the bottom of the post to get to the pay pal button.

Classes at my home are very casual, tee shirt and jeans type things, not dressy at all. But feel free to be a little witchy for Halloween if you'd like. My Sissy is coming and she will be all witchied-up. I might be too.

Also, I've got to warn you, that we will be surrounded by werewolves. 1-2 lb ones, though, so not as dangerous as most. Twinkle's puppies will be at the age where they will be scampering about underfoot all day. Feel free to snuggle one on your lap while you work if it looks like its getting tired. Sometimes little werewolf cubs need more rest than they think, and should be encouraged to nap.

But only if you are strong willed enough to ignore the tempting price tags tied around their necks. Yep, puppies will be for sale…..

It did my heart good to have some Birdsong friends sign up as soon as I announced this on Facebook Tuesday!! It matters a lot to me that people who have been here before are looking forward to coming back.

This class will have limited seating, and will one day only. If you are coming in town for it, its a great weekend to be in the KC area. The Old West Bottoms area of Kansas City is opened up with tons of once a month junk and antique stores, and the Renfest is going on too. I LOVE both. (Our class is on a Saturday, and I plan on being at Bottoms Up on Friday, and the Renfest on Sunday myself.) more info about both can be found here
All food served will be homemade, with fresh ingredients. I usually cook pretty healthy and low fat, but I make up for the calorie savings with some decadent desserts.

Beth and I would love to see you there. Hope we do!

My own thoughts on blogging and Making a project my own

Dew Drop, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 29, 2012

Thanks again for all your comprehensive and thoughtful comments on blogs and the changing blogworld. My theory is that our nitch of blog friends is going to keep on enjoying the blogs and pals they have come to know, as well as exploring new ones they meet through links and mentions on their present faves.

Maybe blogging is not as big as it was, but it did grow with a BOOM when it took off!

And maybe Its not growing like it was, people tire of writing, lose purpose or move onto bigger and better things.

Also, younger groups of tech savy net surfers might not have the patience to visit and read blogs. Maybe for their group, tweeitng and pinning gives them the quick fix they need.

But it looks to me like my peeps, the ladies who "get" each other and have found each other online are not looking to lose contact. I think that there is still plenty of blog love to be shared between us.

Maybe we don't always stop to comment, like we did when we first became involved with blogging, but when there is a sad incident, or a reason to congratulate, or a subject that will make you think, our blog buddies are there to share it and do step in to leave their thoughts. I might have 2,000 plus hits on my blog in one day (not including the people who read it through facebook, google reader, etc.) and still only get 3 or 4 comments. But, when my dog died, and I was heartbroken (still am) so many of you came by to ease my pain.

I have NO plans on leaving. Like I mentioned in my post about this subject, I made time to sit and write my posts, even when I was not back in the swing of real work after so much time away. Blogging isn't work to me, its become a big part of my life. A daily journal almost.

I'll be posting away long after all the readers are gone. My pal Laurie and I were saying that when we are in nursing homes, we'll be writing about making necklaces out of leftover macaroni from lunch, and how to dye things with our chocolate pudding.

Our classes at the event in CA were useful and pretty. I've already got mine in use. Kecia gave us a lamp shade frame and some goodies to foof it up, then turned us loose. I brought some extras from home to add to mine, since I had a spot in mind for it in my living room and wanted a certain look.

And my pal, Lori was ready to share too. She gave me this teensy crocheted basket to tie onto the lace. I glued a button with an "N" on it for Nathan, and filled it with crystal beads.

The fun of the design is adding all the little tidbits here and there to the trailing lace. I brought chandy crystals and backed them with floral wallpaper, and a few other things, like this tiny wooden egg.

And of course, I needed a fairy.

Kecia had a series of shades she had done herself as examples, I wish I'd taken some photos of hers. She is one of the most talented artists I've met in a while and I really enjoyed her booth on Vendor night.

She is also an adventurer and is taking a few weeks to travel from her NJ home to CA and back for Tiffany's. Looks like she'll be able to stop and visit Kansas on her return trip, and I look forward to having her here.

Another class from the event got a slight alteration from me too. I tend to rework the classes with all of my own supplies, and this one was a big change. I had the watercolor sketch for the banner backdrop with me and wanted it to be featured instead of a picture of Audrey on the scrapbook we made, so I turned the book horizontal to make it fit, and changed the color scheme up a bit.

Knowing that we were making a scrapbook, I packed photos of my loved ones, and lots of vintage papers.

The scrap book papers were all black and cream, I covered some of them in my own colors, but still using the shapes and sizes provided, and tying in some of the blacks when I could.

The flowers behind Dewdrop were part of the kit.

And I really liked the shape of this paper. I used the provided piece, and covered the left side of it, added the photo and flowers, then let the rest of the original paper peek out on the right.

There were two other projects over the weekend, I'll show those later. For now, I'll leave you with more scrappy pages from this class.

I was diligent about getting my book done, I knew that I wouldn't get back to it once I got home and it had been way too long since I'd made a grandchild photo album. And yes, it was finished before the weekend ended! While swap night was going on, I sat at my table spot to cut and glue away the evening.

Tiffany Blue

hand painted signs, Travel, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 17, 2012

The best part of going to these art events, like Tiffanys, is the people.

Great people, great friends. I might only see them randomly at various arty weekends, but we pick right up where we left off and continue the fun that started at the last party.

I've met some people who I consider very close friends, not just acquaintances or work friends at these places.

I have great memories of this latest trip, and many pretty pictures to show you. But since the people I meet there mean so much to me, this post has not come easy.

I share more than laughs with these ladies. I care about them. And I cherish our times together.

So I don't want to be flip and go on and on about how wonderful it all was.

Believe me, it was WONDERFUL, Kim is an over the top, talented hostess who attends to every detail. The teachers and classes were lovely. The decor amazing. The women were the best.

But there was also heart break this time.

My long time, Bella buddy lost her husband in an accident while we were there.

I'm glad she was surrounded by some of her closest friends when she got the news. The ladies she was with that day were good people who had sturdy shoulders to cry on, and strong hearts to offer support.

I do have more pictures to show you, and it was a lovely weekend. But my heart aches for her now.

She should be proud and thankful that the night before her husband's accident, she was saying very nice things about him and not complaining as many of us tend to do when we are idly talking about our husbands. Not a negative word left her mouth when she talked about the two of them restoring a cabin together and about his job as a fireman.

Lots of us might (me included) might throw in a snide or complaining comment about a husband's design choices, forgetfulness, or who knows what when talking about doing a project like that together or be crabby about the long hours he works at his job.

She spoke with pride about his work and with happiness talking about their project.

The minute I heard the news about her loss, I had to call my own loved one right away and tell him how much I appreciated him. You never know when it could be too late. Or when your last conversation about someone was not a flattering one.

Cartons, Kidneys, and Kits

paper cowgirl, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / March 1, 2012

This week, I've been knee deep in ephemera scraps, covering these boxes in bits of old paper, with a flower and bird theme.

After they got foofed, I started filling them up with goodies to make the wire wreath for the class at Paper Cowgirls. I've not got very far on the kits themselves yet, I came down with a kidney infection and being on my feet was starting to get to me, so after making the boxes, I quit for the day.

When I do kits, I spread everything out and take up a few table tops. As soon as my antibiotics kick in, I need to get this finished so that I can have use of the room again. Beth is coming over to help me assemble our Round Robin Swap books to mail to Somerset and I need the space.

Really, I'm not that sick. I went to see my Dr. as soon as I started to feel bad. I'm old enough and wise enough (finally, something good about getting old! Learning from the past) now that I don't wait till I'm so sick I can't get out of bed to go to the doctor, if I feel a twinge of something coming on, I get an appointment that afternoon and start feeling better fast. In my youth, I would wait and wait, thinking whatever I had would soon get better, but instead I'd just end up more and more sick.

The boxes started out not really all that bad in the first place, but they were too shiny and new looking for me. I found them for $1 each, and liked the size and shape, so I bought a whole carton full of them. 20 cute boxes for $20 is not bad. I saw something kind of like them at Tuesday Morning for $8 each.

Here they are with a coat of tan spray paint misted over them. I used it to tone down the apple green interior so I wouldn't have to cover it too, and also to soften the bright colors so they wouldn't show through the old paper I was covering them with.

While I was papering them, I started to feel crappy, and thought it was the lingering smell of the spray paint, and didn't realize I was getting a fever and a kidney infection until later.

No two are alike, but that is how things go when you use vintage goodies. And I'd get bored if I had to make a stack of clones, anyway.

Each one is covered in a similar manner, then tied shut with ribbon and a bird cage charm.

My class didn't come close to filling. But its not in my nature to do just a few of something…. And these boxes were fun to make, so it was hard for me to stop. After Paper Cowgirls, I'll have some kits left over if anyone is interested. Each will come with the new tutorial that I am doing now too.

It includes the wreath (with supplies in the kit), a nest, and a crown, all made of twisted and twining wires.

PS- notice the Google Friend Connector is missing from my side bar? Yep, they are no longer working on Typepad blogs as of March 1st. If you want more information on how to follow a blog, Marianne has done some homework and explains it all very well here.

She also has a good tutorial on using Google Reader here

and here.

I have asked Hope, who designed my blog, to add a connect button for all of these for me. She'll be doing that soon.

No sanding, no stripping, no paint, custom painted furniture, plus a sale and another upcoming class

Hand Painted Furniture, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / January 6, 2012

The sale in the Boutique and on Etsy is still on!

Use this link

and type in the code:

2012

then hit recalculate, and save 40% in the boutique!

for Etsy, type in the code:

happy2012

to receive 50% off!

Thanks for all the clearance shopping you have done with me! I've been boxing, packaging and shipping all week. Now, I'll be cleaning up and deleting all the "sold" items, rethinking some items, and restocking soon. In the meantime, you still have time to take advantage of these prices!

My visit to California to stay with my pal, Kim, was such fun. Did I mention what a PERFECT hostess she is?? Her family made me feel very welcome. Their house is beyond pretty, but is also comfortable and homey too.

I'm the kind of person who likes to be doing stuff, so when I stay with someone, I'm always happy when they let me play with paint and redo something in their house. Once while visiting the Guncles, they let me repaint all their kitchen cabinets, and on a trip to Indiana, Sissy let me redo her bathroom. I enjoy the process and like to see the changes, and when the host or hostess works along side me, its good chatting/bonding time.

Kim's bedroom was filled with a set that she'd had since she was a little girl and it was sentimental to her, but needed an upgrade.

While I was there, we had two classes for all the ladies who attended her day long gathering, one was a wire wrapped wreath with a nesting bird.

I'll be teaching this one again at Paper Cowgirls in Texas if you are interested- or please email me if you'd like to come to my studio to make a Valentines Day version on Sat. Jan 28th, I'll do a class here in my studio for the afternoon- $65 includes all materials, lunch and dessert. It will start at 10am, and everything needed to create the wire wreath with two nesting love birds will be included.

After we finish the wreath, we'll make some Valentine cards, I'll have some collage sheets made up for you to cut and paste.

And you know me, it will be the Good Stuff! All filled with vintage goodness.

The other class we did in California was a faux finish and paint technique lesson that I showed on a small box.

Kim and I used the same ideas from the painted box lesson to redo the nightstands in her bedroom.

No sanding, no stripping, no paint!

Yep, NO PAINTING

We had Glidden Gripper, a water based, bonding primer tinted to a color she liked (Martha Stewart's "glass of milk"), and painted two coats of it onto the pieces. Right over the hardware and knobs.

Then, we scuffed it up with sandpaper to distress the corners and edges.

To jazz the nightstands up, she covered the tops in vintage sheet music. To decoupage ripple free, we painted the glue onto the table top, then dipped the paper into water to soften it, laid it into the glue, and then did a coat of glue over the top.

In the front corners of the table tops, we hand painted some sweet little vines for a special touch.

So, at this point, its primed, distressed, and decoupaged.

Over that, we brushed on a creamy brown glaze, and wiped it off. We glazed over the sheet music too.

Apply the tinted glaze heavily in corners and around the edges of the piece, and wipe away toward the centers. You want to leave the corners, cevices, and edges darker than the flat, smooth parts and centers of the doors, top, and sides.

The last step was Minwax Polycryllic, a clear, water based topcoat.

For more short cut furniture painting tips, look under "tutorials" on my side bar.

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(you can click on this, open it in a larger window, save it to your computer, then print it)

This Sunday, sign ups are open for Birdsong! We filled up halfway this week, but still have room for new friends to come and play with us here at my cottage studio.

If I don't see you then, maybe I'll see you for the Valentine Wreath party? I do love company!

Song Of Love Wreath workshop for Valentines Day

bird song art event, flowers, holiday decor, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / January 3, 2012

Well, I have had some feedback on the Song Of Love, Valentine wreath class that I am offering. Ladies are worried that the date is too close to Christmas and that they had too little warning to make plans. After the holidays,all of us (and our bank books!) seem to be recovering from the hectic times.

So, I decided to switch the date to later in the month.

Saturday January 28th from 10 till 5.

And to lower the cost a bit. $65 instead of $75.

But I'm not lowering the value! I'll still be providing lots of vintage goodness to embellish the wire wrapped and beaded wreath with two ephemera covered, nesting love birds.

We will spend the day together, creating in my studio with lots of pretties and vintagey supplies.

Lunch, beverages, and dessert are included.

It will be a small group, and seating will be limited.

No two finished projects will be the same, you'll get everything you need to complete a wreath, plus fun piles to dig through to personalize your own piece. If you get finished early, plan on hanging out for the rest of the afternoon and making Valentines with us.

I'll have plenty of supplies out for you to play with.

All you will need to bring is a basic tool kit, everything else will be waiting for you.

And if you are one of the people who were considering coming on January 14th, and that date works out better for you, please let me know, I'd be happy to have you then if your plans are already set.

And if you'd like to come for an entire weekend this spring, Birdsong Two signups are open now for previous guests. This weekend we will open registration to new friends.

Plus, don't forget, there is a sale in the boutique and in my Etsy shop. Thanks to all of you who keep Sugarwings and Dewdrop supplied in fairy wings and glitter by supporting my stores!

Use this link

and type in the code:

2012

then hit recalculate, and save 40% in the boutique!

for Etsy, type in the code:

happy2012

to receive 50% off!

Generous and talented friends

swaps, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / January 2, 2012

The sale in the Boutique and on Etsy has gone so well that I am amping it up for the new year!

Use this link

and type in the code:

2012

then hit recalculate, and save 40% in the boutique!

for Etsy, type in the code:

happy2012

to receive 50% off!

When I was out in California at Kim's house for her holiday gathering, I had a lovely surprise. All of the attendees treated me to swap gifts even though I hadn't joined in on the swaps myself!

One of the ideas for a swap was really unique, I think it was called the Smelly Swap. It really is better than it sounds. Everyone creatively packaged up either a home made or a favorite store bought cream/lotion/bath salt type item.

What a beautiful variety of sweet smelling potions!

II was also given one of each of the ornies from the silver/pink/tourquiose ornament swap. After seeing Kim's own tree decked out in swap pretties from years past, I was extra thrilled to get my own!

Everytime I go to an art event, I tell myself that I don't have time to be in swaps, then I kick myself during the exchange when I see what I missed out on. So, lately, I've tried to do one swap per event no matter how busy I am. But for this one, I just couldn't swing them and was already sorry before I even saw what everyone was bringing.

It was so touching to be included after all!! I'll treasure these beauties forever.

And the gifts just kept on coming! There were three swaps, and I was given presents for all of them! This will be my holiday necklace for 2012, I can't wait to jingle as I strut around in my pink and blue, jingle bell, snowman, chrystal, charm necklace.

Thanks ladies, I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!

**********************************************************************************************

And if you'd like to make a Valentines Day's Love bird version of the wreath class I taught in California, you are invited to an afternoon workshop in the studio on Saturday Jan. 14th to make a wire wrapped wreath with two ephemera covered, nesting love birds for Valentine's Day. Email me for details, it will be $75 for all materials, and lunch included.

EDIT: The date and price for the class has changed to Saturday January 28th for $65