Karla's Cottage – Page 239

A meandering non-career

By Karla Nathan / September 9, 2009

The house seemed empty after all my campers packed up and left, and I dropped my husband off at the airport for his business trip. But luckily, I had plans with my regular crafting group, Shawn, Marilyn, Beth and Mary. They came over to liven up my empty house and we laughed and chatted while we each worked on our own projects.

Mary brought a giant box of book covers and offered them to us to use. I picked out a couple, not wanting to be greedy, but there really was a LOT of them and she kept telling us to take more, so I got a hefty stack to use. I was inspired to make something with them right then and there, so I used two of the covers, layered with French dictionary paper, a calling card, a vintage cameo brooch, a little bloom from one of my hats, and a photo (also from Mary).

The collage is $14, please email me if you are interested.

These book covers make an excellent back drop for a collage and I can't wait to make more. One book was Alice in Wonderland and I am daydreaming about making a whole art journal with Alice themed pictures inside that cover.

The collage was a quickie piece of work, the rest of the afternoon, I put together crowns. (available in the Boutique at Karla's Cottage) Now, don't ask me why, it isn't on my list of things I am behind on, and that I desperately NEED to get done. (lets not talk about the pile of receipts on my desk, the listings I need to do for Etsy, or just the packages of stuff to make up for Silver Bella!)

This time last year, I was making crowns too. Back then, the article that Carol and I did together for Romantic Country was just coming out on the stands. She and I set up a garden party in my back field to photograph and she made some crown votive holders and I had written up a how-to for the story.

Carol is a sweetie and didn't mind me making some of my own up. Our styles are very different, plus why would you do a tutorial and not expect people to make some themselves? She meant for the directions to be shared. Any way, I still had some of the wire cut and painted from last year's crown making marathon, so I thought I'd whip a few out while avoiding my real work that needed to be done.

And I guess Romantic Country had been on my mind lately. I had mentioned in a posting last winter that I was scheduled to write an article about Jenn's home. Well, it didn't happen. Seems like in the magazine business that sort of thing happens a lot. Things get planned, plans get changed.

The article that Diane Guthrie and I did about my bedroom still hasn't been published. I think I'd told you that it was on its way too. Somerset Life has said they were using some of my wallpaper journals and that hasn't shown up yet either. Jo Packham talked to me about shooting my studio for Where Women Create, had to reschedule, but then it never got shot. Lets, see, what else? Hmm, seems like I've had a string of near misses lately.

Maybe I shouldn't talk about upcoming stories until I actually see them in print?

You might have noticed that I don't really think things out or plan what I write in these posts, I just kind of ramble on about what is going on in my life or is on the tip of my tongue at the moment. I guess I should be more careful about announcing things, because after years of doing magazine articles here and there, I know how the business fluctuates and changes. Plus, for me, its just a hobby, not a job, so some years I won't have a single story printed, other years I might have 4 or 5. I don't really pursue it much, I just kind of do what comes along.

Sometimes I wonder what I could have accomplished with my life if I'd actually tried…Instead of just doing what comes along or feels like fun that day? If I had gone after a career or stuck with one thing????

But on the other hand, I know how durn lucky I am to have the odd ball, do what I want-when I want,
no career-career that I am plopped into right now.

But I still wonder.

Cousins

family

By Karla Nathan / September 8, 2009

Even Twinkle enjoyed meeting cousins at the reunion. You can tell by the blur of her tail in motion that she was glad to have Boomer come and stay.

She and Elphie didn't get along so well, though. Maybe she was just jealous because Elphie was too durn cute?

Except for the Elphie/Twinkle feud, and one little minor meltdown that I had while trying to hurry home from an afternoon on the lake, run to the grocery for more food, and get dinner started before all the hungry kids got back from the boat (not so pretty while it lasted, sorry, family!!), the camp out was a success. At least it was on my end, but then, I was sleeping in my own soft bed, not out in the yard….

If you can measure happiness by bags of empty marshmallows, we had a 4 star (bag) weekend. The bonfire pit got a workout and became the gathering area we spent the most time at. Lots of s'mores were consumed.

Along with some other junk.

When I have a houseful, I'm not constantly picking up. Piles accumulate and I don't worry about it. So this is the view of one corner of my kitchen for most of the weekend. With that many people around, its easier just to go with it and enjoy the company, I can enjoy a tidy kitchen when I am home alone and have nothing better to do. But while family is here to play, I want to be playing too, not clearing messes!

And all the important stuff gets done, with plenty of help!

I made sure I had plenty of time for neice cuddling, this is my nephew, Aubrey's daughter, and she was as snuggly as can be. Her dad is in the military and has served a few tours in Iraq. It breaks my heart to pieces to imagine him having to leave her to go overseas, but he is being sent back again in October.

FOR A YEAR.

He is a braver person than I am. I couldn't do it. Not just the war and the danger, but leaving behind his two babies, who are some of the sweetest kids ever.

We are lucky to have guys like this that are there for all of us. Aubrey has grown up to be a great guy and I am so proud of him and so lucky to have him and his sweet babies and wife as part of my family.

And Twinkle is thrilled to count their dog, Boomer as her cousin too.

We had perfect weather all weekend, with just a few drops of rain at the Renfest on Saturday (I'll have photos from there later) So, we were able to eat most meals outdoors. It could have been a disaster if we'd had rain all weekend!

I hope the rest of the group loved our tent city as much as I did, and will come back to set it up again. The yard seems empty with everyone all packed up and gone.

PS- I had to add codes to the comment log, sorry, I hate that. I like it to be easy for you to leave comments, but all of a sudden, I was inundated with hundreds of bizarre and BAD language robotic comments and needed to block them. I'm sorry if this makes it take more time for you to comment, but you really wouldn't want to see those….

Also, please remember, all comments all month count toward the giveaway, which I'll look around the studio and scrounge up a little giftie for this week.

Too much fun

family

By Karla Nathan / September 5, 2009

The Camp-or-ama weekend is going great! Here is a corner of my yard…

But after all the bonfire and Renfest excitement, we are all feeling a bit like Sugarwings does in this picture. I'm off to bed to rest up for another day packed with fun.

Hope your weekend is great too!

Welcome!!

family

By Karla Nathan / September 4, 2009

Have you ever seen the Once Upon a Time scrap book paper?  Its so pretty, and has the perfect mood for a Renaissance Festival scrapbook.  
 

The pages are filled with fairies, mermaids, knights, castles, all tipped off with hints of glitter.  
 

Normally, I'm all vintage, all the time. But I love this stuff and it is soooo right for these albums to commemorate the family reunion.  I  made a cover from glitter paper (cool stuff too, but it "sheds" so I spritzed it with clear poly spray) and drew up a label, made color copies of it and added some glitz and sparkle to each one to make them all a bit unique.
My sissy is coming with her four kids and all of their families, so I created 5 books for them.  All are pretty simple, and ready to add photos of the weekend to.  I foofed only a few pages in each book, with pockets, and other little touches. When you use this paper, its so cool, you don't want to do too much to it.  
Its great as is.
The tag on the page in the photo is only glued down on 2 sides, so it is a pocket to slip ticket stubs or other mementos into.
 

I tied a golden photo mat inked up with sepia to age it, and filled with a fairy picture of my Sis to the albums.  To that, I added a little pewter dragon charm.
Now, I am wishing I'd made one for myself too….  
  

There will be lots of photo ops this weekend!  One of my nephews is a professional photographer, I'm hoping to get some good family group shots from him.

Today, I am doing last minute spot cleaning to be ready for everyone.  The yard is cleaned up, floors are mopped, laundry is done.
 
The bonfire pit is being cleaned out and a fresh load of logs will be laid out and ready for the campers.  Yep, we'll have a tent city in the yard, at least 4 or 5 tents will be set up for the party.  Looks like the weather will hold too, we got lucky.  Now, I just need to get to the grocery store and getting chopping and dicing and cooking to have the house filled with food and treats when they arrive.
 
I can't wait!

A bonus giveaway to share the joy

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, flowers, give away, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / September 2, 2009

Yesterday was such a good day! One for the record books.

* Lovely weather

* Family helping with yard work, getting things trimmed and tidied, and enjoying being outside together

* A bonus of a few extra, unexpected hours to play with Sugarwings

* The look of joy on my fairy grand baby's face when she saw the new additions to the Fairy Berry Trail

* A thoughtful, surprise gift in the mail from a reader (thank you, Susan!!)

* Giant mums in bloom, on sale for only $5.99 (I bought 6!)

* A delicious meal whipped up from our garden, by my son

* The happy anticipation of getting ready for the big family reunion this weekend

* A furry friend, who is always happy even when I have to pick tons of burrs from her silky hair.

* Time to spend in the studio making up some pretties

It was one of those days that make me happy and grateful for my life.

It was such a good day, that I wanted to share some of my good luck, and draw two names for the August giveaway instead of just one. Plus, I realized it was my SIX HUNDREDTH post.

So, here are the two winners, each get one of these hand painted charms.

And the second winner is:

Gabrielle

Bur dog 115

Yep, yesterday was a beautiful day, and you know, today is starting off pretty good too. Hope yours is also!

Not that I have anything against Canadians

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), fairies, family, paintings

By Karla Nathan / August 31, 2009

Button mania!  I've stuffed my overflowing buttons into some old jam jars and decked them out with lots of tiny millinery blooms.
 

Buttons and something to fill up with them has become my latest obsession. Well, that and my DVR.  I got all caught up on the shows I had missed while traveling.  DVRs are magic, what a brilliant invention, for a TV junkie like me. 
Did anyone see all the big, blooming hats on Mad Men last night!!!??? I couldn't even pay attention to the story, I was so overwhelmed with the millinery at the Derby party.  
 

The styles and clothes on that show always grab my attention, I'd watch it even if it didn't feature such good writing.  
(These jewels are available in my Boutique and the jam jars are on Etsy)
  

Twinkle and I have been working in the yard to get ready for the family reunion camp out in my yard coming up this weekend. I decided to mow paths through the grass in the fields for walking trails that connect to the Fairy Berry Trail.

I've been enjoying going out for walks on them myself. But while out there, I noticed the Canadian Thistle had gone a bit crazy. I know that thistle is considered an noxious weed, but I've always loved it. This drawing, is one that I did at age 15 for a biology class. Its the drawing that made me realize that I wanted to be an artist.

To this day, I keep this ink drawing out on display. You don't want to do the math to know how long that has been.

But as much as I enjoy the thistle plant, I know they have to go. So, as I started to chop them down to burn (the only way to dispose of them without spreading the seeds), it dawned on me that I had two adult sons who live here with me and one of them should do it all instead of me! So I went to fetch Ryan and set him on the chore.  
Why don't I think of that more often? I am finally gaining the wisdom that comes with age (or getting lazy).
 

So, while Ryan cleared the field of thistles, I was free to foof the Fairy Berry Trail!
Ace Hardware had some clearance garden decor that was just right for out there. Wind chimes with doe-doe birds, and bright metal flowers on stakes.  Sugarwings will be excited when she comes home on Tuesday (she spends a few days with her Hippy Chick Mommy and other grandma every week)  I love to surprise her with new additions to the trail, she always notices right away when we go for our walks along the path.
 
And how perfect was this? Its a gift from a buddy who knew I'd love it for the trail. And it is very fitting now, my handsome husband has been expanding the trail, so that now it goes up the hill from the valley it was first made in.  He and Sugarwing's Daddy took a chain saw out there and cleared a path through the brush.  (We'd do anything and everything for that fairy baby)
So, I've nailed this plaque to a tree at the top of the hill, at the beginning of the walkway.
Sugarwings can't read, but we will both stop and read it together every time we go into the woods.

Getting my ducks in a row

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / August 28, 2009

Today is one of those days I look forward to all year. Beth and I never miss Sparks and White Cloud flea markets, and according to the website, White Cloud was supposed to be today.  Well, that is what is said at least.
 After getting up at 6am (not typical for me at all) and driving over 2 hours, this is what we found. A ghost town!
Usually White Cloud is the last weekend of August and Sparks is Labor Day and some years they don't match up. So, this year, they changed the dates and aligned the shows BUT they didn't remember to change the info on the website!!!!!!
Next weekend is the Ginormous Nathan Camp-o-rama with 20 relatives coming to pitch tents in my yard, so no flea market for me this fall.  I might have pitched a fit about missing it, but Beth took me shopping at The Rusty Chandelier  
and that helped ease my disappointment.  We  ate a butter drenched lunch at Red Lobster and that wasn't so bad either.

Still, every once in  while, we'd turn to each other and say, "I feel sad".  We both love that flea market!
 
We also went downtown St. Joe, MO to Hatfield's, a junk shop/gun store.  We didn't see many rifles that we couldn't live without, but I found a few bags of old cupcake toppers and a bagful of hats. 
   
Cute, huh? I'll be using some in my own work, but there were so many, I listed quite a few in the Boutique.
 
I especially liked the chickens.  I'm saving a couple to decorate cakes with Sugarwings, she needs to learn a bit more about farm animals.  When she sang Old MacDonald to me tonight, she didn't mention cows, chickens, or pigs. Instead, her farm had unicorns and sharks.
 
Her Daddy bought her this vintage dotted Swiss nightgown for under a quarter.  I couldn't decide if she looked like an angel, a Victorian doll baby, or Tammy Wynette in it.
 
We'll go with angel.
 
While filling beakers with buttons yesterday, I also tossed some into old ink jars.  The "labels" are made of a page cut out from a 1931 Needlecraft magazine (I thought that was fitting) and the ribbons are hand dyed silk.  I decorated the jars with really nice mother-of-pearl buttons along with sparkles and flowers.
These are also for sale in my Boutique for $14 each.
Someday, I need to get some things added to my Etsy shop, I'm down to only FIVE items in there.  What happened to my grandiose plans of keeping 50 things listed there? Between trips and company and everything else, that resolution kind of slipped by me.
Also, I am behind on my TV watching because of the trips.  I'd much rather get caught up on Top Chef, Runway, Mad Men, and True Blood than listing things. I'd better get busy on that!  So, I'm off to sit in front of the DVR for the evening.  Its about as full as my google reader log.
 
Remember, you still have a few days to enter the August giveaway by leaving a comment.

Buttons and beakers

antiques/junking, family, redos

By Karla Nathan / August 26, 2009

Man, it felt good to get the glue out today!  I've had a busy summer, but today, I was all on my own, just me, the glue, and the studio.  It seems odd to have Sugarwings gone all day at school, but it does make a difference in my productivity.  After making her some Care Bear toast (sunflower seed, whole grain bread cut with a teddy bear shaped cookie cutter after toasting), I sent her on her way and went to work.
 

So what did I do? Just simple projects, adding wallpaper to a jewelry box, and sorting buttons into interesting vessels and foofing those up to sale at Silver Bella.
 

These vintage test tubes were fun to fill and foof.  I had to run to Hobby Lobby to buy some corks for them, but everything else used is all vintage. Little squares of wallpaper make the label, and it is tied up with old ribbon and topped with a millinery bloom.  Then, the corks each got a pretty button to spruce them up.
I only had 10 of them, I wish I had more. That is the trouble with using vintage things, I can't just order more when I need them. I just kind of use what I find when I go out treasure hunting.  
 

Earlier this summer, I found a boxful of these old jam jars.  These three are pretty as is, so I just filled them with buttons and that's it.  The rest have lost the details on their lids, so I'll get to play with them a bit more.
 

At my last garage sailing trip, a lady gave me this jewelry box. It was marked a dime, but she said she wanted to get rid of stuff, so she gave it to me, along with an armload of beautiful, plum colored velvet bedding! (that I gave to a friend who was redecorating)
 

The box was not that attractive, but I saw some possibilities. First, I primed and glazed it, with the technique in my sidebar.
Then, I glued down three coordinating wallpapers that were a birthday gift from Beth.
  
I'm not sure if I'll do more to it or not… I could put another paper on the top and do something to the front of the door, but I kind of like it as is.

The door of the jewelry box could never be as pretty as Sissy's front door. As the sun flows through the window, it hits all the prisms she has hanging there and creates light birdies that fly all around the room.
   

And onto the dog.
 

Isn't she a cutey? This is Elphie, my little cock-a-poo niece.  She'll be coming to visit next week when I have the Nathan Campgrounds open for business (20 relatives camping in our yard!!)  I just hope that bossy little Twinks plays nice with her.  They are just about the same size, but Twinkle thinks she's bigger than she really is.
 

Its almost time for Sugarwings to get home from school, so productive time is about over.  I'll leave you with a few photos of my Sissy's sparkles, then I need to squeeze out a bit more work from this last half hour of time that I have.
 

Isn't everything colorful and pretty at Sissy's house?
 
Don't forget you have a few more days to enter the August Giveaway by leaving a comment.

Sisterhood Magic

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

By Karla Nathan / August 25, 2009

My sister's birthday party and sleepover was even more fun than I had hoped.  The invitation said to come as a fairy, or dress witchy and magical, or be comfy cozy.  I made myself a witch hat, but couldn't resist being a fairy.  Sissy, who is about as wide as a stick of gum, had this skirt for me to borrow (she wears it with LOTS of safety pins).  

Cousin Paula fair-ied it up too. She found the hair extensions at her local dollar store on clearance for 11 cents!!!  We added some wings to her from Sissy's collection. I thought Sugarwings had a lot of sparkly wings and dress up clothes, but my sister has her beat.
 

Everything is magical at Sissy's house.  Everywhere you look, there is something that sparkles.  
 

Her home was the perfect location for  a magical birthday party. We only had to gather up pretties that were already in the house to decorate with. 
 

There were enough crystal balls to start her own magic shop…
  

Of course, we had to add some edible glitter to the pink cupcakes!
 

Plus confetti on the counter tops. And on the table tops. And on the floor. And on each other….  Sissy will be vacuuming those up for weeks.
 

We each lit a candle and made a wish for Bobbie for the upcoming year.
  

The weekend didn't last nearly long enough, but was one big slumber party the whole time. We stayed at Sissy's, had the big event for Bobbie on Friday, then on Saturday, we honored our Mother on the anniversary of her death.  
We decided to do things she loved to do with us. We went to Goodwill to shop, saw a scary movie and at popcorn at the theater, then went out to a restaurant she enjoyed (and one that we had a coupon for, to save money!)
Mom would have loved it.  And the fairy party too, you are never too old to enjoy laughing and being silly with people you love.

Fairies for all ages

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

By Karla Nathan / August 23, 2009

Fairy parties aren't just for kids!  When my Sissy turned 60, she threw herself a fairy themed slumber party.  Now, my sister, Bobbie Sue is turning 60 this week and Sissy is having us all to her home for another sleepover, BYOFW (bring your own fairy wings)
While I am in Indiana for Bobbie's celebration, I thought I'd leave you with some pictures from the earlier event.

Sissy's home is a perfect location for a fairy gathering, she collects sparkling objects, glittery trinkets, and crystal balls. Things like that are everywhere, like the ones hanging in the window behind this year's birthday girl, Bobbie Sue.
(yes, I am wearing Tinker Bell jammies, with a sparkly tuxedo jacket)
 
I had some stick on crystals on my nose, but after seeing this, that might have been a mistake, they look more like growths…
My husband's brother came to the sleep over, he's pretty close to Sissy.  Having a gay brother is almost like having a 3rd sister. Plus, he lets me draw on his face.
 
And he knows how to dress up for the occasion, too!
 

Connie is a life long friend of Sissy's and is also practically one of the sisters. She conducted a ceremony in honor of the birthday.
 

Candles and fresh flowers were just as important in the decor as all the glitter and crystal balls.

Each of us had something to say about the honoree, then about a woman in our lives who had been meaningful to us.

I convinced Bobbie Sue to let me teach her how to belly dance. Of course, I had no idea how to myself, and I dance about as graceful as a hippo. But there is something to be said for not caring how the dance looks and just going for it anyway!
 
Did I ever mention that I used to raise peafowl?  I have a lot of peacock feathers from Percy (our papa bird) and have been making fans from them with vintage millinery and ribbon added.  I thought one of the feathers would be just right to make a magic wand for Bobbie's Birthday.  
It has hot pink, curly feathers from an old hat, some silk ribbon, and a millinery bloom topped off with a jewel pried from a broken vintage brooch.
Now, for a dash of fairy dust to get the magic kicked in gear, and its ready to wrap up and give to her at the party. I can't wait!! (maybe there will be more dancing..)