Karla's Cottage – Page 202

How To Alter a Book Cover with vintage pretties

flowers, how to's, Tutorials, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 23, 2011

Here is an altered book I made this week. I thought I'd do a simple, quickie tutorial about the cover.

The wallpaper covered cardstock is attached by gluing ribbon to the edge of the front cover and to the back also. Leave the center of the ribbon alone, not glued to anything, that leaves space for the cover to open and close.
The pages can be stitched together and sewn to the center of the binding ribbon. Use a heavy duty ribbon, like the velvet one I chose.
I cut girl from a hand tinted, old photo, and added it slightly off center to a medallion cut from wallpaper. At the bottom of the medallion, I used my Exacto blade to cut a slit to slide the photo under, so she looks like she is framed in the oval.
I glued down the oval/medallion, and the photo of the girl.
With a dark marker, I outlined the girl, and also the OUTSIDE rim of the oval, for shadows and depth.
Leaving the outside ring of the oval "frame" alone, I spread crackle glaze (from Tim Holtz) over the entire center of the medallion and over the girl too.
After drying, I topped it off with a bouquet of flowers and ribbons at the bottom and lined smaller flowers along the top of the frame.

Packing it up

flowers, Tutorials, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 22, 2011

The April Showers bring May Flowers sale is still going on in the Boutique and Etsy. I've added a few more packs of millinery flowers, and you'll get free shipping for the month of May for all flowers (USA only, sorry)

For the boutique, pay as usual, and I'll send a refund. For Etsy shipping is already marked free.

I've also been busy packing some up to sell at Paper Cowgirls next month. Lisa and I are sharing one table, so I'm trying to be smart about my space and what I'm packing to take along. Beth is good at figuring what items pack the most punch for the space they take up and I'm listening to her advice.

I tend to think that I can just take it all, and that isn't so smart. So this trip, I am trying to FOCUS on a few items that look well together, pack easily, and are affordable, but still worth my time to take.

This is my first Paper Cowgirls event, but Lisa has given me some tips on what the shoppers might like on vendor night too.

Here's what I have so far, some little Charlotte dolls (I have a few hundred more ordered, I hope I get them in time. If not, it will be a small basketful tagging along on this trip)

Lately I've been experimenting with paper clay fairies too, so I might bring those. On the other hand, they might be too hard to pack, since they are fragile… I'll only have one tub to fill, Beth and I are driving and neither of us have a big car. I have all the kits for my class that I need to take too. Beth is vending and will have a full table to fill, so space is limited.

And I think that some of my class kits for making dress forms is a good idea.

(by the way, I am making up extras to sell in the Boutique too. Along with an online tutorial.) I'll let you know when I have them ready to go.

Yesterday I made up some foofed journals to take along to sell. This one is an old diary, with a locking clasp.

These two are tiny little bank books I've given make overs to.

I'll probably have room for a few more little books. I wonder if that is a good idea? Any of it is a gamble, you just never know any time you plan to sell things.

But I'm going for the pure joy of being there, I've heard such wonderful things about Paper Cowgirls. Anything I sell is just icing on the cake!

We are over 80 participants in the Birdsong tag book swap, but I've got room for more. If you want to join us, details are in my blog post about it. You can get there by clicking on the button on my sidebar.

Hope to hear from you!

Down but not out, maybe spoiled a bit, but still grateful

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), yorkies

By Karla Nathan / May 20, 2011

Tuesday was a good day. Mary, the other Karla, and Beth came for a craft day, and of course, Button tagged along. Agnes Rosebud's ears perk up every time she hears the name Button, so she was thrilled to see him.

Beth brought along this tulle slip to cut up and make into something and changed her mind, so I bought it from her for $5 and am going to give it to Sugarwings for her dress up closet. Of course, that is after I use it for a background for dog photos.

Wednesday was not such a good day, nothing horrid, just one of those down days that happen sometimes where a few little things dampen my spirits.

It started off with some cancellations for the Paper Cowgirls class I am teaching, and then a bit of disappointment at Best Buy. I jauntily walked in, thinking I was going to buy myself an IPad with my birthday cash and some savings.

Well, those aparently aren't that easy to come by! Best Buy says they haven't had any for weeks, neither has Walmart or Target. Uhm, did I mention that while I was shopping, I looked down and noticed that there was poo all over the leg of my jeans? (I'd done some babysitting earlier and didn't realize I carried a memento with me)

I've been told that I can go to the Apple Store to get one (in KC) or order one online.

That evening, I found a bloody, dead mole tucked neatly into my fresh bedding. By Twinkle, I'm guessing. She seemed very possessive of it, and had actually unmade the bed and buried it in my sheets. Maybe that left me more grossed out than sad, but it seemed fitting with the rest of the day. A few other glitches here and there, and some other things I won't go into, just had me droopy.

Finding gore in my bed when I was tired and sleepy, and expecting fresh sheets right from the dryer didn't help.

(this is what Mary was working on for craft day, she is the queen of glue books)

Now, it would be really whiny and sound spoiled of me to be depressed about not getting what I want when I want it, and pouting about not getting my expensive new Ipad.

But still, I couldn't help being a bit let down to not get my new toy right then and there. But, I'm looking on the bright side- hey, I'm getting an IPad!!! How exciting is that??? Of course I want it NOW, but I'll be thrilled just to get one.

And the people who dropped the classes at Paper Cowgirl sound okay with getting kits in place of a refund. I'm packing up some detailed kits, so I think they'll like them.

And the gorey, gooey, bloody, dead thing? One less mole hill to try to rake over when I clean up the yard next time. Yay, Twinkle! Kill them ALL, they tear up my yard pretty bad.

At least my house didn't burn down. When I feel bad, its good to put it all in perspective. If all I have to be upset about is a delayed fun purchase and some creepy goo among some other little grievances, then I'm a pretty, durn lucky person!

My friend, Julie had a big fire at her house. She lost her beloved pets as well as her entire craft room. So, today, I'm packing up a big box full of supplies and vintage goodies for her and mailing them off.

My motto is, if you are having a bad day- make it better. Do something nice for someone else, think about the bright side of what has happened, do something to cheer yourself up. I'm on my way to get some baby snuggles in after I mail that box to Julie. I'm already feeling pretty happy just thinking about that chubby little sweetie (the baby, not Julie).

Yep, a day is what you make it. So make it good.

Going nutty

family

By Karla Nathan / May 19, 2011

Have I showed you Creature yet? He is a baby squirrel rescued by Mayara's biggest brother and that little baby is fascinated by him. I was over there yesterday and the squirrel was sitting on her head in her baby swing and she was laughing like it was the funniest thing that ever happened in her entire 6 months of life.

Now, that is a good reason to start carrying a video camera with me, at all times, huh? Baby belly laughs are a treasure.

This little squirrel climbed up me and tried to burrow into my pocket, he's a friendly guy.

A Springtime tea party

fairies, family, flowers, Food and Drink, Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / May 16, 2011

The weather around here has been weird, which means, its a typical Kansas Spring. The air conditioner was in use on Monday and by the end of the week we had the furnace back on again.

Sugarwings spent some of the weekend with me and we were both sick of the cold weather, so we cheered ourselves up with a Fairy Tea Party. A big part of the fun was setting her table and planning treats that our guests would like.

We made cupcakes together, then I put her to work making cherry tomato and cheese kabobs on colorful toothpicks. (she preferred to make her tomatoes connected with multiple picks, and her platter of snacks looked more like an erector set than kabobs)

I let her pick the flowers for the centerpiece and she chose all yellow, which is odd for her, she loves pink even more than I do. But I think she made a good choice for the table cloth and the teapot that she chose.

Our guests were Pixie Pie and Lola (which means Grandmother in Filipino, Lola is Grandpa Ardell's widow). All day, while getting ready for them, Sugarwings refused to call them by their names, she would only refer to them as "our guests".

And after they left, she set and re-set her table for guests to come again.

The goodies went over well. I don't have a single photo where someone isn't chewing. Everyone was pretty engrossed in the meal. (that is Sparkle in the background waiting patiently to clean up the floor under the table after the meal is over, Agnes Rosebud and Twinkle aren't that patient, they are under the table already.)

The girls might think that tea parties are all about the food, but I am sneakily teaching manners as we chow down. They learn about passing the food around, pouring their own cream, and sharing food, but not sharing the spoons or double dipping. As well as polite conversation and asking each person how their day was.

There might have been a little bit too much sugar in the tea, so we bundled up and went outside to run some of the energy off. It sure looks like Spring with all the iris in bloom, but it was too chilly for me.

Promising them a bubble bath got the two little girls to come inside again so I could get warm They were happy running full speed through the garden trails while I shivered, but a chance to play in the big tub convinced them.

And a warm bubble bath was good for them too, they were cold and sticky.

Thanks for all of your sign ups for my Birdsong Tag Book Swap!

And there is room for more. Scroll down to the previous post for details if interested.

Birdsong Tag Book Swap, open to everyone

bird song art event, swaps

By Karla Nathan / May 13, 2011

Since all the hoohah of getting ready for Birdsong is over, and the flock has all flown away, its been lonely around here! I know I've got to get ready for Paper Cowgirls and I am so glad to have that to look forward to, but I am having an empty nest feeling right now.

So, I'm throwing a swap.

And while keeping it bird themed, we'll even keep the Birdsong name.

If you want to enter, please email me. karlanathan@sbcglobal.net

And here are the rules:

Theme: Birds
Size: approximately 2-1/2 x 5" but not limited to that. I was just going by a standard shipping tag size, but you don't have to use those, something in that area of size range is good.
Materials: ANYTHING you want. cloth, cardstock, chipboard, tin, plastic, hundred dollar bills, gold coins, ephemera (ephemera is as good as gold to me, you know) You can finish the back or not, as you wish. People do it both ways, but do SIGN the back. If you have a blog include the address.
STYLE: Up to you! all the same, different- does not matter, they go to 7 different people, please just include something about a bird anywhere on the tags. And you DO NOT have to use the images I provided, of course. Those were just in case you need some, for this or to use in something else.
Due: Mail by July 15 I will start assembling the 21st
Amount: 7, you send in 7 and get 7 other tags back, I'll make one for a cover to each book that I assemble -so that makes 8 total. (you MIGHT get one of your tags back, you might not)
Cost: $6 US for postage and materials – $8 elsewhere
Include: Your name and address on a seperate piece of paper, your SIGNED tags, the $6

Send to:

Karla Nathan

1754 E 1200 rd

Lawrence, KS 66049

Here are some sheet music pages with a bird theme if you'd like to use them as backgrounds. I'll be scanning and posting some bird images as well later on, if that is helpful.

To use these, click on the images, open in a larger window, then save that to your computer and print it from there. It will be a clearer copy that way.

Here is a button you can use if you'd like.

I drew a bird with markers, scanned it, and digitally layered it over some of the bird sheet music. Then, (and this part was fun) I drew branches for the bird to sit on with the doodle tool on Picnik. After that, I faded the branches and added the text. It is sized to 200, so should fit as is onto your blog side bar.

Join the Flickr group here.

All of my past posts mentioning swaps can be found HERE if you'd like to see some of the past tag book swaps. I've hosted Dorothy, Alice,and Puppy Love among other swaps. Just scroll down to see them in various stages and different swaps.

Flea bitten

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / May 13, 2011

Tomorrow, I'm having Beth and a couple other friends over for a craft day. Thinking about that, made me realize that I never posted any photos of the last day that we got to hang out together, which was at our favorite flea, Sparks and White Cloud.

We go every Spring and Fall, and have for years. No matter how many times I go, I never get over the oddness of the towns. Is there anything there when the flea mkt is not set up? I see a few houses in Sparks and even more in White Cloud, but it still has that air of abandonment.

This old place makes me think of Kansas back in the days of the wild West. I always want to go in and order a sasperilla, except saspirilla tastes nasty when its fresh anyway, I'd hate to sip a 150 year old glass of the stuff and it looks like its been that long since this business was open.

Some of the old structures are used for store fronts for the weekend, the rest just sit empty. To me, there is an over all ghostly feel to the towns.

This window has looked like this for years. I don't know if the previous shopkeeper was trying to send a message with this array, or if he just walked away and this inventory happened to be left over.

Could he be asking Jesus to raise his business from the dead?

I know that people do live in White Cloud, because of the pets that are roaming the streets. This is Fred, the 3 legged dog.

Maybe he is 3 legged because he lives in a town with no leash laws and he loves running in the streets?

These towns are lovable to me because of all their oddities, but its really the junk that I go for. The dealers have great prices and stuff that I love.

You never know what you'll find there. Or what new friends you'll meet.

Hmm, I think Elsie the cow is checking out my rack.

Its always a party! Where else can you find a cool, $1, faded, pink lampshade and feel perfectly comfortable wearing it on your head?

I heard someone saying that this flea has made it to the top of some list about the best bargain flea mkt in the country. I don't know where the list was or who made it though. Could just be some old coots talking around the funnel cake stand making up lists. But I do think that the prices are durn good there and I'm always happy with my finds.

Especially what I get on the dollar tables. There was one dollar table that I spent over 50 bucks at.

Even if I don't buy a ton of stuff, I'm kept entertained all day by the ambiance of the place.

By the way, just a reminder that I'm having a sale in the Boutique and on Etsy- FREE shipping on all millinery for the month of May!

Also, I'm missing all the commotion and excitement of Birdsong and was wondering if a swap would cheer me up… anyone interested in a Birdsong Tag Book Swap?

How Cheesy

flowers, the Boutique at Karla's Cottage

By Karla Nathan / May 11, 2011

Time is running out to sign up for Paper Cowgirls! I think the final day is May 15th.

There are lots of fun swaps going on there this year, but I didn't sign up for any. I'll be kicking myself on swap night!

But I did enter the Velveeta Challenge. Yep, Velveeta. I hadn't bought the stuff in ten years, but picked some up this week just for the box. I made up a queso dip for company on Saturday night with the big yellow/orange block and a can of Rot-el, along with a block of cream cheese. I have to admit that it wasn't bad…

But I'm going right back to my anti-processed cheese stance now that it is all gone.

My arteries will thank me.

The challenge is to transform the empty box into something not so cheesy. Then, they will be auctioned off for a good cause.

These pictures are sneak peeks of my redo, but I'm not showing the whole thing, just a few little glimpses. (the pocket watch isn't part of the project, it is something new in the Boutique)

I went with what I always think of as Texas colors, all neutrals, some rust and white. And I used the Best of the Best of the Good Stuff.

This box metamorphosis really was a challenge to me. For one thing, it was pretty flimsy and had to be reinforced. But I sure enjoyed working on it. I could use more stretches out of my comfort zone. That is what can be really wonderful about doing a challenge or swap, its good to try something different.

I hope the Texas girls like it, and someone bids on it.

Speaking of Texas girls, when my pal Lisa came to Birdsong to teach, she brought me the most gorgeous "bridal"bed spread. I had it over my pale blue bedding for a week or so and loved using it, but was really afraid that the dogs would ruin it. And of course, since the bed belongs to Twinkle (or so she insists) and she just lets me sleep in it with her, I had to consider her feelings.

Not that she ever considers mine, that dog is a bed hog.

So, instead it is hanging in my living room window now, safely away from dog toe nails and muddy paws.

I have a double window and on the other half I hung a French net table cloth that I recently found at an estate sale. Of course, the two don't match, but I like it this way. They have a similar feel, so I think it works.

Aren't these cake toppers sweet as pie? Or as cake, I guess. I bought a big bag of them, and had to save some for Sugarwings, she's really into giraffes. The rest are in the Boutique if you've got a birthday party coming up and could use a few on your special little person's cake.

In my stash, I've had a roll of silk ribbon for years and never used it. It was just tooooo glaring white. So, I dipped it in coffee. Didn't like it. Then I spritzed it with some dye made from boiled avocado skins (for a perfect pink) and some walnut dye, too, and rinsed it out and this is what I got. The walnuts kind of faded to a soft green.

Now, don't ask me why I did 10 yards of it at once, with experimental dyes. I could have ruined the whole piece if the colors didn't turn out pretty. I had no idea what I was getting, I sure didn't think walnuts would make it green. This is kind of like when I made a vat of chicken salad for my Birdsong guests and thought it might be tasty to add some poultry seasoning. I've never made chicken salad with poultry seasoning in it, and should have tested it on a small bowlful instead of on 12 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts all chopped up and mixed with the other ingredients already.

But I got lucky with that too, and I really liked the flavor.

I'll leave you with a few more photos of what's new in the Boutique and Etsy.

And please remember, that for the month of May, all millinery flowers have free shipping.

On Etsy, the shipping is already marked, but in the Boutique, you need to pay as normal, and I'll send a refund to you.

New traditions

celebrations, family, flowers, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 9, 2011

How was your Mother's Day? Mine started off a bit weepy, thinking about my mom, but it turned around real quick when my girls arrived for a day of fun. My husband took Sugarwings for the day and was happy to do it. I think it was his happiest Mother's Day of all time. No pressure, just fun with the apple of his eye.

She rode on his shoulders while in line to buy tickets to see a kid flick. He says that she turned around to everyone in line and said, "This is my Pop Pop."

Then, she added, "And I am a Princess".

And then turned one more time to tell the crowd behind her, "Because my Pop Pop says I am!"

Yes, she knows that in her Pop Pop's eyes, she's pure royalty and just eats it up.

My Mother's Day was not bad at all, either. Typically, my sons and husband help me with a big job in the yard as a gift. It always turns into the most exhausting day of the entire year, with all of us working till we drop. (me too)

They are sweet to do it, and for non-shopping guys, it was pretty good. But I've decided to change the way things are done for the next generation of moms in the family. No more hard labor on Mom's Day!

Our plan for this year was to have a girly day out.

The littlest fairy wanted to be with her mom for the day, so she got to tag along. And since all she does is nurse, sleep, laugh and smile, she was a welcome guest.

We went out for seafood and steaks with bellinis for lunch then went to Liberty Hall, our local theater that has been around since Civil War days and started as an Opera House. Its always beautiful to see a movie there, and you can sip wine while you watch a show. We chose Jane Eyre, great for a girl's day.

I can see a tradition beginning, this was the best Mother's Day ever. Relaxation, conversation, a cuddly baby, and wine!!

And did I mention NO hauling mulch???? NO digging holes?? Yay!!!

It was a weekend of celebration, with friends over on Saturday night to share some good wine and sit by the bonfire. As if that is not enough, we also had Sugarwings for 3 nights in a row. Yep, it wasn't just a good Mother's Day, it was a GREAT Mother's Day weekend.

I'm feeling pretty lucky right now.

Its time that I pull a name for the winner of a Birdsong souvenir. I promised last week, and then forgot to do it. The present goes to:

Kim Allen

Today I've been taking photos of some flowers to list online for my April Showers Bring May Flowers sale.

My birthday is in May and my mom always used to tell me that little rhyme and tell me I was a May Flower. So I decided to have a sale in the Boutique and Etsy with FREE shipping on all millinery for the month of May.

On Etsy, the shipping is already marked FREE. In the Boutique, you'll need to pay for the shipping and I will send you a refund for the postage you paid. (USA only, sorry)

Right now, I'm in the middle of adding flowers. Etsy has some new ones, the Boutique will soon. Thanks for looking!

Marty Jo

celebrations, family

By Karla Nathan / May 8, 2011

Today, I'm missing my mom. So, I got out the photo album I made of her to take some time to think of her on Mother's Day.

This is my favorite picture of the two of us. I spent a lot of time on her lap, being spoiled and cuddled and no matter how old I get, I won't forget that feeling. There is nothing like a warm, comforting lap to make you feel wonderful. I'm all the time trying to get anyone sad to sit on my lap for a hug. I tried to convince Beth, just the other day when she was feeling emotional.

In the library, I keep a display of photos of my mom and grandma. This is another favorite, of us with my sisters at my wedding. I think it is the only photo I have of all of us together.

No, maybe THIS is my favorite! It was such a fun day. But then, any day with my sisses and mom was a blast. We'd go junking, out to lunch, or just sit and talk and drink coffee around the kitchen table. And laugh. My mom loved being silly and laughing.

She was the kind of mom who would bake fresh apple dumplings while I was in school so that when I got home, I'd walk into a house that smelled like cinnamon.

She could sew anything. If I pointed to a dress in a magazine, she could whip it up with no pattern. Plus make a matching dress for my Barbie. Of course, her matching skills could get carried away. I remember one time when mom made matching blue gingham dresses for herself, me, my doll and a shirt to go with it for my dad.

She was an amazing quilter. But I think that her favorite part of making them was the math and the skill involved, not as much as the beauty of the creation. She was a perfectionist with her needles and took great pride in what she did. The artistic part was just a by-product of her work. I don't even know if she realized how gorgeous they were, she was so interested in the tiny stitches in the "ditch".

(This is a watercolor I did of her. The background is a pink and white log cabin quilt that she made for me, and she is wearing a necklace that I made for her. After she died, I hung the necklace on the frame)

She was a carpenter too. When I was in my twenties and homeless, she took me and the boys in to live with her. One weekend while we were away, she built an entire play fort for the kids as a surprise. We got home to see this giant, wooden structure that she handcrafted in TWO days with no plans. She had a sunning deck on the top for me, and a slide and swing for the boys. We all used the slide together, and it was super fast because she topped it with a floor vinyl scrap sprayed with silicone.

I got my love of horror movies from her. We'd stay up till midnight every Friday to watch the late night scary shows and she'd always jump up and scare me at the most tense moments. But I knew that it was just fun, not real and we'd laugh about it. This is a lesson that has kept me brave all my life, knowing that you need to look for the fun or the happiness that is hidden in any situation, no matter how frightening it may seem.

My love of laughter came from her too. She wasn't always appropriate or politically correct, and I'm not either. We both like to see things from an irreverent angle.

Mom wasn't perfect, and went through some rough spells. She didn't always have the best taste in men and we had our arguments over the years. But who wants perfect? My mom was interesting, warm, funny, slightly crazy, very talented, and a hard, hard worker. And loved her daughters more than anything in the whole world.

And I miss my mommy. And I always will.