Karla's Cottage – Page 162

Bird collage pendants

bird song art event, fairies, family, jewelry, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 10, 2013

I did it! Not only did I finally figure out what my second class was going to be for Birdsong, I got lots of samples made and packed every single kit up and have them tucked away ready to go when my peeps arrive!

Beth, Mary, and Karla came over on Tuesday to participate in a practice class, here are a couple of their pieces. The book they are lying on is filled with little bird images and was published in the 1800s. I've used these old birdies in the kits, so of course, no two will be alike. In case someone gets a bird they don't care for, there are plenty of extras to chose from so the artist can find just the right little creature to put on her collage.

This is the actual pendant we will be working on, it's a large one, so we have space to play with the collage.

Now, I just need to get the bird cage kits packed up for my other class. All of the elements are prepped and ready, I just need to get them wrapped up.

If you would like to make a bird cage/wire cloche, I have spent weeks working out the best way to make them and have made a tutorial with step by step illustrated instructions, along with downloadable images to make fairies to keep in the cages once you get them made.

I've come up with a way to make the cages that I've not seen anywhere else. My son helped me come up with some great ideas that simplifies the process and keeps the wires from springing out every which way and driving you crazy.

He really deserves a lot of the credit, the boy is great with wire, and is a talented jewelry maker. This bracelet that we collaborated on will be featured in Jewelry Affaire. I'm thrilled to be doing an article with my son!

And greatly appreciate his input on the birdcage problems I was having.

A Book of Enchantments

Books, Hand painted, jewelry, parties, Snow White, vintage paper/collage art, wallpaper, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 8, 2013

The weekend in CA at An Enchanted Affaire was filled with fun and friendship-from so many nice people…

People like Charlotte, who I've known a long time through blogs…

And my husband's sister, Terry, who came along to her first big art weekend…

And goofy gals who I am lucky to meet up with again at various getaways like this…

And tables full of new people to get to know.

Teaching at one of these is the best way to meet people, I was flitting from one end of the room to the other, pausing to talk to everyone at the tables.

Here is part of my table. I took classes as well as teaching this time, and asked to have "newbies" sit with me if they wanted. It was fun to get to know some different people. At most events, I sit with my same friends every time (and really LOVE that) but I realized that I'd met them all at these kind of places and I should open myself up to meeting some more new friends.

Good idea!!

This is another one from the class I taught. Being up and moving around during class made for a good time to get photos of everyone at work. Normally, during class, I'm so involved with the project, I don't get to see what everyone else is doing.

Hopefully, the ladies enjoyed the class. The first half of it was pretty much busy work, tons of gluing paper to card stock to create the background of the book.

After making the pages, we crafted the cover and assembled the book.

It looked like most people at least got that much done, not many were able to start decorating, though.

But I provided an overflowing kit full of goodies, so they had plenty to play with later when they were ready to start embellishing.

If I teach this again, I think it would be better in an all day class, so we can do the decorating of the interior of the book too.

There were lots of examples for interiors, and many ladies took photos inside of my own books for later on when they finish theirs.

Here are some completed covers by the students.

Here is another.

When they started working, I'd told them that it was absolutely impossible for any two of them to have the same book when they finished, even if they tried their durndest.

With vintage supplies, and a big page of collage images to chose from, the completed books were bound to be filled with variety!

Since my book was titled, " A Book of Enchantments" I decided that I needed a few enchantment spells to add to it. So, I wrote 4 little poems about finding joy, happy dreams, a true prince, and hope. They are printed on vellum and are part of the embellishment package.

(by the way, I made extra kits, if you want to buy one for $65, there are a few left. Many ladies bought a second while there, so I think that means they liked them)

EDIT: my email is down, if you could leave a comment or contact me on FB, I'll check those to see if anyone is ordering kits. They are selling, but there is still a few left.

Kim had asked all the teachers to provide a prize for the drawings, so I brought this assemblage.

It was won by my pal, Natalie, another teacher.

I LOVED HER CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used a smokey quartz and ruby on my own creation.

I'll leave you with a few more photos from my class, and still have some more pictures of the event to show you later.

My Snow White Weekend

paintings, parties, Snow White, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 6, 2013

Kim's big bash was so much fun! And everywhere I turned, there was some form of my artwork.

First of all, the giant mural filled a whole wall at the back of the room-

but also Kim had blown up images from the background of the smaller painting I'd done that she was using for the event button. (this is one that I kept for myself, Kim sold the rest. She also gave me the large poster from the lobby)

This one was my favorite one.

She hung banners from the ceiling, for a very royal feel. Here is the room set up for vendor night before everyone arrived.

For my vendor table, I made tags from the images on my mural. I like them so much that I'll use them for Birdsong too.

My Snow White painting was plastered on everything from the chocolate lollipops, the itinerary, to a lot of swap projects or tags. I was a little overwhelmed by her. But it was a good kind of overwhelmed.

Kim never misses a detail, and our work tables were beyond beautiful. Everyone got a bevelled glass "casket" with a velvet heart, and a matching crowned frame. All were extra good quality items, and pieces I will treasure forever, not just little party favors.

And look at the centerpieces!!!! Gosh, they were something. What a pretty view we had while working.

My Snow was on the back of every chair, in a frame we were each to keep. Along with a goodie bag stuffed with treats. The bag itself was a heavy canvas, yet again, another Kim trademark. Her gifts are high quality items that will last and so nice that you'll be glad they did. No cheesy, cheapy things that are just for show for the day.

And look at how lush the fabrics are the she drapes the room in.

The weekend truly was enchanting. I'm so impressed with Kim's talent and eye for beauty, plus her gracious style of hostessing.

Thanks for another memorable weekend, Kim!

(and I'm soooo looking forward to next year, the theme of Downton Abby will be delightful- that is if all the characters are not killed off by then)

It’s always good to be home!

Dew Drop, family, Nathan Family Fairy Food Forest, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 4, 2013

It's great to be home from my trip! I always miss my family when I am away, no matter how much fun I am having.

I'll have some photos of my time in fairy tale land as soon as I get them edited. Tomorrow is my 55th birthday, so I doubt if I'll get to them for a couple of days. I'd like to think that I'll be too busy celebrating… hint, hint, family!!!

These pics are a few of my favorite bright spots from this long, never ending cold spring that had a hard time sprunging itself out of winter.

Along with this video of my son explaining a little bit about companion planting out in the Nathan Family Fairy Food Forest:

Waiting for Spring

family, Hens, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 3, 2013

Hope you had a happy May Day! It's one of my favorite days of the year. As a kid, it meant it was almost my birthday. So, that is always nice, but it also means SPRING! At least it should, but this year, I don't know if Spring will ever get here.

Before going out of town, my husband and I had nice day out at the Topeka Zoo with Sugarwing's class. It was soooo chilly, we had to bundle up in lots of layers. I thought I'd be peeling off layers throughout the day, but instead, I was wishing I'd piled on a few more.

We also made a trip out to the country to pick up some new ladies to join the Coop Group.

We aren't sure what kind of hens they are, only that they produce a pink, a brown and a blue egg. And that they are very pretty chickens.

Yes, I did say PINK!!!!!!!!

One of those new ladies is laying pink eggs. What a delightful surprise! We also picked up 6 little red hens who lay brown eggs. It's a full coop now.

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I've been working on this wire birdcage tutorial, and now have it ready to send to you! You can get the details here.

Collage filled lockets for Snow White

Dew Drop, jewelry, Snow White, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 1, 2013

Earlier I showed you these lockets from Victorian Trading Co. that I foofed up with some Snow White themed collages inside. I didn't mention what they were for though. These were packed to take to CA with me to use as table mate gifts. They can be added to a ribbon or chain to wear, or tied to the journal we are making.

I made one for myself too, using a copy of the image I had painted for the event.

The little door lockets came with a key on a chain, but I changed that and added a few more trinkets.

Then tied it to a red silk ribbon. While working with the locket and trying to bend a crooked door, I broke the door in half. ( Hence, me keeping one for myself) I tried to repair it with metal glue, but honestly, I don't trust the stuff. I hope it holds. I added a mini strand of rhinestones to help keep it together too.

It's been a bit of a locket kick for me lately. I also joined the swap hostessed by Terry Frias. I made one of the door pieces up as a hostess gift for her.

My swap partner was my husband's sister, Terry Neibaur.

We had a questionnaire to fill out about styles and preferences. Terry said her birthstone was garnet, and she liked gems but not bright colors, and wanted something more delicate, but steam punk or fantasy.

I was able to find garnet beads in some pretty colors of green and gold, and a teensy locket. The larger beads on it are bronze colored pearls which I thought would be pretty with her red hair.

This photo (taken earlier) shows a key, but it was only temporary till I could find something steampunky or fairyish.

Here it is after I fantasied it up. And added a gear with a rhinestone to the center of the pendant. I'm not a steampunker normally, but I think the gear is at least a nod to the genre.

Terry's favorite princess fairy tale is Sleeping Beauty, and even once named her shop, Briar Rose. When I found this page in a vintage storybook, I knew I had to save it to make something for her. Terry even has the same hair as the lovely princess on the page.

So, I created this box to wrap her necklace in. The text on the outside is from the Sleeping Beauty story, and the inside is covered in vintage velvet.

Hope she likes it!

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I've been working on this wire birdcage tutorial, and now have it ready to send to you! You can get the details here.

An Enchanted Forest painting and some deep (for me) thoughts on aging and time (but no math)

hand painted signs, Snow White, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / April 28, 2013

I thought I'd show you some steps to the Enchanted Mural I did for Kim's event. I posted a few beginning photos here and there while I was working on it, but as it progressed and started to look like something, we wanted to save the "reveal" as a surprise for the Fair Maidens attending the party.

It measures 8-1/2' x 16'. Too big for my garage wall! I had to bunch it up under the soffit, and move it down to paint the top after I was done with the rest of the picture.

The first step was background color, blue sky, brown ground. I didn't bother to prime it this time. I also forgot to cover my wall with plastic.

Oops.

Which would be fine, if the whole mural had seeped through, would be kind of impressionistic and fun. But no, just blobs of blue and brown.

Next, I painted the horizon and hills off in the distance, all in faded tones. After that, the grass. And I sketched the trees in chalk for the trunks, then blocked in the dark leaves at the top.

I was going for a look of standing at the edge of a dark forest, looking out into a meadow and off into the distance. I thought a road leading to a castle far away was appropriate for the Snow White story.

Here are a couple of "during" shots as I tweaked the sunlight. You can see that my background behind the pink tree on the left changes. I did a lot of re-dos on that area. But hey, it's only paint, you can change as much as you'd like. And I was making it up as I went along, so some things didn't work as well as others. There was a lot of painting over.

This is the final effort for that same spot under the pink tree. Deeper shadows and some yellow splotches of sunlight.

The whole thing is done in layers. I felt like I really got to know that forest.

Like the fact that there are more pink trees far away to the right. They got covered by trees in the foreground. If I had done a drawing first, maybe that little issue wouldn't have come up, huh?

Here is it is, filled in a bit more. Notice the shadow across the road under the trees?

I added little surprises out in the woods too. (early version)

(Completed version)

This is where Snow White lived with her stumpy buddies.

Her friends, the deer are in the woods too.

As well as a bunny and some butterflies.

I added a couple mushrooms. I wanted to do a whole fairy ring of them, complete with dancing fairies, but I actually was able to stop myself in time.

This mural is meant as a photo backdrop. No one will see the tiny goings on in the background for the photos. But I was so involved with my own day dreams, I got carried away and spent way too much time on the far away details. They made me happy.

But they really took too much time away from my real life. I spent so much time wandering around the woods in my make believe life that I got nothing else done. I've not added any new things to the shops, I've had no income. That is why they call us starving artists. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in creating that we don't care about selling.

But I am far from starving. I tend to snack as I paint. Not a good thing for the waistline. I figure this mural cost me $1000 in sales online and added 5 lbs to my belly.

Oh, but I sure loved being in this fantasy world!

Years ago, I did murals for a real job, but have gotten away from it. I used to be super fast, because I did so many. But with this I really zapped my time.

I was wondering if it has something to do with getting older? (I'll be 55 in a couple weeks) I seem to do everything slower as time swoops by me so fast.

Here is how I figure it:

When you are a kid time drags. Remember waiting for your birthday?? Those months seemed to take forever to go by. But compared to the amount of time you'd been on the earth, it was a pretty large percentage of your years. Lets say you are almost 5, maybe about 58 months old. So those two months till your 5th birthday are………

Wait a minute, I don't do math or percentages, what am I thinking???? My point is that two months of your life as a child is a huge chunk of time. Two months of your life as a 50 something adult is nothing. You've lived through 600 some months. Time goes by faster due to your frame of reference.

That is what I am blaming on my slow down. I take forever to get anything done and I used to be lightening fast. I think it is because time is slipping by so quickly that I don't register how long I've spent on a task. All afternoon at my desk feels like an hour or so.

Plus, as I said before, I got a little carried away on this project while living in the imaginary forest.

Case in point, this castle? I spent two hours on it.

(the blue birds and leaves are just blocked in at this point, no details)

And you can barely see it. I wanted it to look very far away, and it does, but did I need two hours of detail to do that? Oh well, I love the castle, so I'm glad that I did.

Another thought on aging:

As I get older, I care more about details. I wonder how many more big projects I'll be doing? They seem to matter more to me, so I put more into them. Not that I plan on kicking the bucket any time soon, or that I expect to be too creaky at 60 to get anything done. But I'm just more aware of the remaining years and how precious they are.

Okay, back to the painting?

While I wanted the forest to seem dark, to emphasize the light in the break in the trees, I didn't want it to seem scary. The shadows are a pretty blue, and while there are bushes and grasses, it's not over grown and tangled. It's a friendly forest. And since it is a photo back drop, I had to watch out for hot spots. No glaring whites or brights, all are faded or toned down. Which gives it a dreamy look, I think.

I'm afraid I can't get a photo of the complete thing while it is in my garage, there is no space to hang it up all stretched out. When I lowered it to paint the top, I had to roll up the bottom few inches.

Curtains will cover a foot at the top and 6" at the bottom will have to be rolled under to make it fit. Curtains will also cover 2 feet on each side. I didn't know this till it was 90% done, so I went in and brought the leaves down lower and darkened them to keep the effect of a dark forest. If the leaves were mostly covered at the top, it would change the look of the design.

This is a nest I added and wasn't happy with.

This is what it needed!

Much better!

If you want directions on painting a nest, I have a free tutorial here.

I'd have added more blue birds, but was afraid that they were so bright that they might stand out too much in photos. And they could look like they were sitting on the head of someone standing in front of them in the photos.

And I think one of them will be cut out by the curtains, but maybe the tie backs will save it.

Sadly, it is also too big to hang anywhere at my house. I donated my time (not planning that I'd spend ALL my time on it,) not the mural itself, so I get it back after the party.

I'd thought about selling it, but I have grown attached. I might cut it up in sections and wallpaper the grand fairies' room with it. I'm not sure yet.

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I've been working on this wire birdcage tutorial, and now have it ready to send to you! You can get the details here.

Jewelry-o-rama in front of the TV

family, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / April 25, 2013

My son and I have both been making some jewelry. He does wire wrap and crystals, more of a new age look. But I thought one of his amethyst crystal pieces would be perfect for me to wear to Snow White.

He does a silver wire base, adds crystals to it, puts it into a mold and pours epoxy over it all. Or something like that.

Then, he added the strip of violet suede to make a bracelet. I had some gemstone beads, in ruby, garnet, amethyst, and laborite that I made chains out of for the sides.

These beads aren't my typical colors, but I loved the stones. And the bracelet Mr. Zen created. So, I added some of the gems to my pendant from Victorian Trading Co.

It's been jewelry-o-rama around here lately. A friend of mine and Guncle Randy's, Regina, gave me a bag of gemstone beads and I can't stop playing with them. Last week, I was meeting friends for a little birthday celebration at our traditional hang out. (we do happy hour appetizers and half price wine at a place called 715 when one of us has a special occasion)

So, I whipped up a few pair of earrings with stuff laying around on my desk to take as party favors.

Besides making jewelry, I've been puttering, getting things set for Snow White and Birdsong mostly. And watching too much tv. What's on the DVR that I've been getting caught up on? Loads!

The Voice- Blake and Adam are adorable
The Following- thrilling
The Americans- well made
Game of Thrones!!! – I'm a huge fan of the books too, why can't he write faster?
Shameless- Smart kids trying despite bad surroundings, and don't you think that Lip looks like a young Robert Mitchum? (oh my, that shows my age, and also makes me feel like a pervy old lady to be eying that kiddo)
Girls- annoying people, but interesting writing
Modern Family- best comedy on TV
Once Upon A Time- well dur, it's a fairy tale
Idol and Survivor ( I'm not as enthusiastic, but can't quit them)
I haven't gotten to Bates Motel or Hannibal yet, I heard they were good
The Middle- Sue Heck is my hero, she never gives up
Mad Men- John Hamm? Swoon! I wish he'd do more comedy too.
Sofia the First- Sugarwings and I love her to pieces and she looks like my little girl
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic- Dewdrop and I end up watching this while I work at my desk and she paints at her little table so her parents can work in the garden, and I have become a fan against my will.

My list is actually much longer than this, but I'm embarrassed to let you know just how much TV I watch. It's pretty bad.

I've also been reading the Walking Dead graphic novels since I am having withdrawals from the show. Trouble is, they are eight bucks a piece on my Kindle Reader app, and the books only last an hour or so. It looks to me like I could spend a small fortune in a day or two, so I stopped at #5. That took some will power!

I've been working on this wire birdcage tutorial, and now have it ready to send to you! You can get the details here.

Fairy Play Area

Dew Drop, Nathan Family Fairy Food Forest

By Karla Nathan / April 23, 2013

Dewdrop comes along to help her parents while they work on the Fairy Food Forest. But she gets bored and tends to wander off, so they built a baby cage Fairy Play Area for her.

Complete with a sturdy fence, and stumps to use for a tea party table, or to climb on, what ever mood she is in.

We plan on adding a chalk board on the outside wall of the chicken coop, but for now, the kids have a giant cardboard box to draw on. And use for a club house. Or nap time retreat, as Dewdrop does.

We had bought a slide too, then realized that kids would slam into the fence at the end of it. So we took it back and got a swing instead.

There has already been a couple of tea parties out here. I think that helped her get used to being penned up. I wanted her to have happy thoughts about the cage Fairy Play Area from the beginning.

I think it helped, she has been spending a lot of time playing away in there while her parents work on the other side of the fence. And it doesn't hurt that her Daddy made it such a fun place to be.

Karla paints a table for Karla

Hand painted, Hand Painted Furniture, redos

By Karla Nathan / April 21, 2013

While I had the paints out and my work clothes on to work on the giant mural/banner, I finally painted this little table for Karla. Last year, she helped with my Pay Pal sorting for tax time, like Beth did for me this year. It's a good thing to have accountant friends!

So, about 6 months ago, she dropped off this little white table and said I could return the favor and paint a rose on it.

Here is what I did:

First, using a large, flat brush, I dry brushed toast color across the whole table top, over the white paint that was there.
Next, I took a kitchen sponge dipped in white and sponged the center of the table, leaving the toasty color heavier around the rim.
With a one inch flat brush, I dry brushed a hint of white from the very edge over the toast toward the center of the table, but only about 2" or so away from the edge.
With the sponge, I wiped on a green around the routered edge.
Where the toasty color was left as is, I painted a swirly design all around the table top.
Last, I plopped a rose in the center.

I was happy to do it, but it took me forever to get around to it. I just don't paint furniture on a regular basis like I did in the past and it took some gearing up. When I started painting roses on the banner, it occurred to me that it would be a good time to get out the much delayed project and slap a rose on it too.

(Twinkle insisted that I take her photo too)

Hope the pink is the right tone. It's been so long since she showed me the pillow sham she wanted to match, i can't remember what it looked like. ooops

Here is a table I found for myself, to use in the garden. Only $5 at the West Bottoms in KC. I paid that much for the bag of kettle corn on top of it.

And here is a mini redo that I did for myself. Years ago, I'd given my Great Aunt Caroline's clock a coat of white paint and then distressed it. But it was still dark inside. So, I leaned a page from a vintage bird book in it, and added a rim of lace (held by a couple dots of glue) to the frame under the clock face.

It only took a couple of moments and I think it added a lot.