Karla's Cottage – Page 268

By Karla Nathan / May 11, 2008

Remember my big plans to have a catered party for my 50th? Well, with the spur of the moment idea to go to DC, I ran out of time to plan a big shindig and decided to change it to a mini party, kind of a girls night at my house.

I wore my ballerina fairy tiara and my jammies. I think that now that I am 50, I can be eccentric. Or at least be excused for being eccentric.

I kept the food simple, lots of Costco ready to go appetizers. Here is the menu:

Crab Cakes

Quiche

Cheesecake

Cream puffs

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Olive Tampanade and bruschetta

veggies and fruits and dips

My flower beds are full of viburnum, so I picked a couple vases full of those, and added a rusty chandelier with tea light candles for the centerpiece.

Beth and I found this light fixture at the flea market last week for $4, I think I might just keep it on the table for a while. I like the simplicity of it.

Maybe I had my new camera out a bit too much???

You know your friends care about you when you get all your favorite obsessions, I mean collectibles, as gifts!

My friend, Shanna, who is a stained glass artist, tumbled some glass for me to use to make stepping stones. Plus filled a cute pink tote with craft supplies, treats and GLITTER.

They all chipped in on a generous gift certificate to the garden center, along with seed packs and these cement flower markers.

For each of them, I made some party favors. Pretty little bottles (Beth had bought a few hundred in a box lot last week at an auction and gave me a ton of them to use) decorated up and filled with a note. Each note granted them the help of a guardian fairy.

I like to wrap up quotes cut from books, or write a little snippet of something to tuck into presents, and have done that before. I’ve also made a lot of decorated bottles over the years too.

Joy was making similar bottles, hers were filled with fortunes wrapped in sheet music. I hope I haven’t offended her by making these bottles as gifts for my party. I put my own twist on them and changed the look.

Blogs are so full of inspiration and beauty, I hope that all of us learn tricks from each other and that our readers pull ideas for their own lives from the projects we show.

For all of my bottles, I used Vintage Workshop images, burlap, and various charms and doodads I had in my stash of vintage goodness.

I hope all of you are having a lovely Mother’s Day weekend, and that fairies are watching over you too!

Here are the guardian fairies that Beth and I came up with to stuff the bottles. Some of them, you have seen before, but the list expanded, so I thought I’d reprint it:

· “Pinkie Sugar Fly” will guard your windows from bugs flying in through tears in the screens

· “Kitty Flitter Flower” watches over you during cat naps to bring you sweet dreams

· “Tootsie Twinkle Tulip” is always ready to touch up your toe nail polish before you even notice it was chipped.

· “Blue Bird Buttercup” sprinkles cookie crumbs for a trail to lead the blue bird of happiness to your door

· “May Belle Lina” watches out for smudged mascara under your eyes.

· “Flossy Flutterby” picks spinach or other goobers out of your teeth after meals.

· “Pearly Pear” keeps an eye out for an earring that is about to slip off your ear, then tucks it back before it drops.

· “Splenderina” This sparkling little yellow fairy touches your coffee with her magic wand to make it sweet and tasty without any calories

· “Sweet Pea Tee Pea” checks the bottom of your shoes for trailing toilet paper when you walk out of a public stall.

· “Blissa Expressa ” will speed you through the checkout stands at the grocery stores by magically opening up an extra cashier line for you to be first in.

· “Dee Essella Delight” always keeps your Internet connection fast.

· “Zippy Zooma Zella” will watch out for radar speed traps and whisper to your toes to lighten up on the gas pedal before you are caught speeding

“Spamicka Sparkle Sparrow” keeps the junk cleaned out of your email inbox and full of sweet messages from people you love to hear from instead.

Karkie or Karla?? And 7.1 vs 12.1, does it make a differance?

By Karla Nathan / May 9, 2008

Amy Barickman of the Vintage Workshop and Indygo Junction gave me some cool papers to play with and some blank board books by Create & Treasure to use them on.

The papers were canvas and fabric textured and it was fun to experiment with those along with using different settings on my editing software to print Vintage Workshop images in multiple sizes. I also love the trick I learned from Beth, to change the papers to sepia for a romantic and neutral background.

This first book is all neutral with splashes of color from rose pictures.

This book is more colorful, I was going for the pop of some spring pastels with it.

And look how generous I was with my sprays of old velvet flowers! I am so happy with my commitment to my New Years resolution to "use my good stuff and not hoard it"!

This little one is a tag book, I’d never made one before, and really enjoyed the concept. The shape is cute and since it is so small, it was an easy one to pull together.

The background papers we have for our Birds and Bonnets Swap are a big favorite of mine and I used them on this book too.

The framed picture on the front of the book and the cut out one of the kids on this page are both printed on canvas paper.

On my way to Kansas City to visit Amy to take her these samples that I made, (and also to repaint Beth’s antique mall booth yesterday,) I stopped at a garage sale and picked up this little cutey. (it is now listed on my Etsy shop)

At the same sale I bought the pink velvet earring display (complete with vintage clip on earrings) I found these two plates for $1.

But my best purchase of the day was at a trip to Costco. I bought a new camera!

Isn’t this clear and sharp? The two photos of my garage sale finds are on the new camera (Cannon Power Shot SD950 IS 12.1MP)

The other photos posted today are taken with my old Cannon that was a 7.1 MP. Can you tell a difference?

This photo of Beth’s booth is from the older camera too. It really wasn’t a bad camera, but I just wanted a bit sharper image.

Isn’t the color we painted her walls perfect? We spent a long time discussing what she wanted. We decided that "ish" was what she needed. One of those colors you aren’t sure what it is. Greenish, bluish, grayish, depending on how you look at it.

I’m still searching for the color I want to paint my bedroom and I think, this just might be it.

See, this old camera didn’t do closeups too badly.

After we painted the walls the perfect "ish" color, we got to decorate and redo her booth.

She had been inspired by all the photos in blogland of Round Top and was collecting items to fit the look that we were calling "Texas Chic".

The big difference is in the prices, though! Beth’s things are bargains. By the way, she had tons of cabinet cards in her booth for $1 and under.

She does have cool stuff.

A newish blogger friend who Beth discovered was her neighbor, came by to visit as we were finishing up too. Another Carla, she is the one on the right.

I’ve never met so many Karlas and Carlas as I have since I started blogging. I am considering changing my blog name (but not the URL, you’ll still be able to find it)

My family calls me Karkie and I think maybe I should switch this over to "Karkie’s Cottage"

What do you think? Too confusing? Doesn’t matter? Good idea?

That chandelier in Beth’s booth was a job to hang. It involved both of us on a giant ladder, with lots of giggles and reminded us of the scene in Friends with Joey and Ross trapped on the fire escape.

I know, I know, I have run on for too long again. But I wanted to see more photos with my new camera! These millinery blooms are shot with the Macro setting. (they are for sell on Etsy too)

I had been looking at EXPENSIVE cameras and settled on this pocket sized digital one instead. I have 30 days to return it if I decide it isn’t sharp enough, then I can move on to the bigger and better (and bank account busting) camera.

But I think this one might be good enough for me. Hmmm. Will you all help me decide over the next couple of weeks?

Here is another comparison for you. The flowers and fairy bear are the new camera.

The last two of the necklace and package are the old camera.

This is the package I sent out to the winner of my Birthday Giveaway.

Don’t forget that there is a special giveaway in May too. You can enter by leaving any comment on any post all month.

Garden helpers and purple posies

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, flowers, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 7, 2008

Another beautiful Spring day around here. I am spending it in the studio working on a project for Vintage Workshop. (but with all the windows and doors open to enjoy the day!)

I downloaded images from Vintage Workshop last night. Once I got started, I got a bit carried away and ended up spending hours playing around with different sizes, color settings, etc. I now have such a big stack of images to use, I could fill 3 books instead of the one I planned on making!

I also got some jewelry listed on Etsy. Did I mention that when I packed up for the art show I was in last weekend, I forgot to pack up all the new jewelry I had made just for the show???

Anyway, it is now available on Etsy. I’ll be listing more as the week goes on, so far there are two necklaces and one bracelet.

Why does listing seem like more work than making the item to start with??

Today, I might be indoors working, but yesterday, I had a perfectly beautiful afternoon outside planting flowers with all my little helpers.

We planted a lot of purple, I have an upcoming photo shoot with Carol for Fifi at Romantic Country in a few weeks and will need fresh flowers to pick.

The article we will be doing is supposed to be for fall, but it will be shot outdoors in the spring.

So, I planted a lot of cool season flowers that bloom Spring and Fall both: Pansies, stock, violets, and ornamental cabbage.

Being the thrifty soul that I am, I know it is much cheaper to pick your own flowers then to buy an arrangement.

And the smaller the plant you start with the cheaper it is. So, I bought flats of annuals, and set them out now. They have time to grow and will be ready to pick and arrange when it is time for the pictures in a few weeks. Right now it all looks a bit spindly, but with a little sunshine and some time, these will be perfect for our theme.

Sugarwings and I took a ride on the John Deere out on our 10acres, scouting out a good spot for the photos. (Twinkle ran along behind us the whole way)

I am thinking this is a lovely spot for an outdoor picnic. Do you think it will be picturesque enough, once Carol does her magic and brings all of her tables and props?

April Showers Bring May Flowers

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, give away, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / May 6, 2008

Thanks so much for all your birthday well wishes!! I even got cards in the mail from blog readers and friends, how sweet is that???

My pal, Jen, baked this carrot cake and brought it over as a surprise. And by the way, it is even tastier than it looks.

She has a way with baked goods that is not quite human, we think she has some sort of magical powers with butter and sugar. Whenever there is an event of any kind, everyone begs for a "Jen Cake".

The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful for my 50th birthday, and I got to spend the day doing things I love best, working in the garden and flower beds, taking a relaxing nap, playing with Sugarwings, then having a special family dinner topped off by Jen Cake.

Sugarwing’s Daddy slow smoked a prime rib roast all day with cherry and persimmon woods and we had a pot of roasted veggies (including fresh asparagus from my garden) along with it. Luckily I started the first day of my next 50 years by going to the gym in the morning!

My special day was just that, extra special. And the celebration goes on, I have a coffee with friends this week, and a party on Sat. night. Also, my buddy, Beth, is letting me paint her antique mall booth for her (how kind of her).

Actually, we’ll have a fun day hanging out and playing decorator with all of her junk, then meeting up with Amy Barickman of Vintage Workshop about some design ideas.

In the meantime, here are a few necklaces for the winner of my Birthday Giveaway to chose from.

Oops, you want to know who won, don’t you?

Nancy

(Nancy, if you don’t care for a necklace, I can send you a bracelet or earrings instead.)

Thanks to all of you who entered by leaving a comment. All the comments count toward the May Giveaway prize too.

I will be adding to the goodies that go out in May, already there is a white leather Brighton coin purse and a gold band from the flea market in the prize pack. Maybe some millinery flowers?? And more! May is my favorite month of the year and I just have to share my happiness with everyone!! Leave a comment, any post all month to enter.

As soon as I list a couple pieces of jewelry on Etsy, Sugarwings, Twinkle and I are going to go and plant a few more flowers. I have to get outside and enjoy that gorgeous May weather.

50 tiny dancers for 50 years of dancing through life

fairies, flowers, hand painted signs, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / May 4, 2008

Oh no, is Karla going to make us look at 10,000 flowers she just bought??? Is that all this blog is about anymore???

Nope, I won’t do that to you. I just wanted to show you the pretty posies on the top of the birthday present Beth brought to me today.

How perfect is this package for me? Old wallpaper and millinery flowers that are soft and floppy with age topping a hat box!

Even more fun, look inside! Amongst some other trinkets that I love, (Italian rose dish, a vintage millinery catalog, old seam binding, and other pretties) was FIFTY BALLERINAS.

Only Beth would think of something that perfect for my 50th birthday!

She came to help out and keep me company today at Art in the Park.

I can’t imagine a nicer day for it. Sunny, with a slight whispering breeze that was just enough to keep us comfy, not so much that our things blew over or we had to take turns holding onto the tent leg so it wouldn’t blow over.

My greeting cards were my biggest seller today, with Mother’s Day next week, that was to be expected. I also sold china shard jewelry and earrings.

Mostly we spent the day soaking up some springtime. And giggling. Inspired by Joy’s fortune bottles, I decided to decorate bottles as party favors for the birthday party I am throwing for myself. I will add a special fairy note to each one, assigning guests a personal guardian fairy to watch over them.

So, Beth and I spent a big part of the day coming up with helpful fairies and naming them. Here are a few:

“Pinkie Sugar Fly” will guard your windows from bugs flying in through tears in the screens
“Kitty Flitter Flower” watches over you during cat naps to bring you sweet dreams
“Tootsie Twinkle Tulip”is always ready to touch up your toe nail polish before you even know it is chipped.
“Blue Bird Buttercup” sprinkles cookie crumbs for a trail to lead the blue bird of happiness to your door
“May Belle Lina” watches out for smudged mascara under your eyes.
“Flossy Flutterby” picks the spinach out of your teeth before anyone notices it.
“Pearly Pear” keeps an eye out for an earring that is about to slip off your ear.

My pal, Pam sent me this birthday card. I love the sentiment, wouldn’t it be wonderful to be granted 3 wishes? Although, today all I would ask for is that Sugarwings would feel better. My poor fairy grandbaby has a fever and sore throat and I hate to see her sad and down.

Don’t forget, a giveaway will be drawn on the 5th and I have an extra special May giveaway with lots of gifts this month!

The crazy hat lady strikes again

antiques/junking, flowers, jewelry, Silver Bella, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 3, 2008

You’ll never guess what I bought at the flea market yesterday.

Millinery flowers! Beth asked me how I was going to display my hats, and I told her "I don’t like hats" and that just struck our funny bones, considering I’d just bought 15 of them!

Honestly, I don’t care for the hats themselves, I only buy them for their blooms.

At first, I didn’t think it was going to be a good hat day, but then, I heard the whispers of them calling to me from a large booth of vintage clothing.

The dealer had just returned from Round Top . Her prices were sky high too, $38 for a flowery bonnet?? Yep, those are big time flea market prices, not Kansas prices!

So, I asked her nicely if she had a volume price. I bought 8 hats including the one previously marked $38 for only $64 total. And I didn’t stop there, I found pairs of hats here and there throughout the market for an average of $2.50 each. Which is why I ended up with a pile of FIFTEEN flowering beauties!

I was worse with old photos. I told Beth that she had to steer me away from any more, it wasn’t funny at that point. I didn’t think I could stop, but she was able to help me and I got through the rest of the day avoiding the photo bargains.

Most pictures were $1 each and when I’d gather an armful of ten or so, the dealer would usually name a price averaging about 50-75 cents each.

Which is how I ended up with THIRTY NINE photos.

Sparkling old jewels were priced about the same as the photos at so many tables we stopped at. Of course, if they were priced higher than that we didn’t stop.

I don’t know how many pieces of rhinestone jewelry I ended up with, but with paired earrings at under $1, I might have bought a couple…..

This photo? A drop in the bucket.

And look at the "Princess" jewel box! It was only $4 and I have plans to foof and jazz it up on the exterior. The inside is lovely just as it is! (the pretty as a picture alarm clock is a birthday gift from Beth- lucky me!)

I bought $1 dolls to fix up too. The bust (Marie?) was only $1 and I might paint it white.

The pink skirted tiny dancer is actually a music box that plays "Always" (the song my parents played at the their wedding). Consider this a "before" photo of her, I have big plans for a transformation to come.

French, German, and other old books were only $1 each

Clear Lucite containers were how much? $1 a piece (wish I’d bought more)

26 Vintage ballerina cake toppers were how much? $1 each

Keys? 2 for $1

Vintage scalloped edge stationery? $1 a box

But of all the things I bought, what is the best? This $4 dotted Swiss dress for Sugarwings.

In the same booth, I found a close match for her baby doll.

I think I’ll ask her to wear them for my birthday party on Monday. (which is my actual birthday, even though I have been celebrating for weeks.)

I’ll draw a name on May 6th for a winner of a birthday gift from me. All comments count towards that and toward my May giveaway, which I think will have to be extra special this month.

In one $5 bag of jewels from the flea market, there was a dainty gold band. I think I will include it with my May prize. Along with the gold band is a white leather Brighton coin purse.

I’ll be adding to the May Prize Pack throughout the month, so stay tuned and keep entering! Any comment, any post.

April’s winner, Clarice had a choice of prizes. She chose a Cottage Collage Kit with vintage wallpaper. She has two daughters that she makes great craft projects with, so I included some extras for them all to have fun with.

Some indulgent reminiscing at a half century milestone and the April giveaway winner

family, give away

By Karla Nathan / May 1, 2008

My Silver Bella friend, Jessi, is asking us to remember our child hood toys today. There is a lack of photos of myold toys, but that didn’t slow down my reminiscing. Her topic brought up lots of happy memories for me.

One of the best toys I had was this teeter totter. I’m sure that in today’s age it wouldn’t get past safety codes. We were always smashing and pinching our fingers under the rails of this thing.

(I’m the one on the left)

When neighbors weren’t around to balance it, I’d tip the thing on its side and pretend it was a pirate ship or a castle.

Another love was bags full of little plastic horsies. I could play with those for hours. I’d paint them too, because I loved to change them all to have white manes and tails.

When I came across a photo of my husband with a toy horse from his child hood, I had to frame it to display with a picture of me with my toy horses.

On the same shelf, I set out a photo of our "real" horses, Scooty and Fairybelle.

When I was little, I had severe asthma and couldn’t own the pets I desperately wanted. I made up for it with piles of stuffed animals and a vivid imagination.

After "outgrowing" my allergies, I made the most of having lots of pets, and loved filling up this big old falling down barn on our property. (it has since fallen down)

You can see Faiybelle to the right of the barn in this painting I did.

Remember saying this?

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight"

My wish, every single time I looked up at the stars was to have a pony. I loved to crane my neck and look out of the back window of the car (pre-car seat days!) waiting for that first star of the night to show itself so I could wish for my horse.

Finally, as an adult, my wish came true. I had Scooty, the Shetland. He was a baby when I got him, and followed me around the yard like a puppy. (of course, the horse I wished for had wings, but Scooty didn’t)

As much as I loved my Barbies and dolls, when I look back at my childhood, the strongest memories are of wishing for a pet, and pretending my toys were alive and could love me back as much as I loved them.

I’ve collected some of these thoughts and memories about my childhood and made a little scrapbook about myself to read with Sugarwings.

I put in lots of pop ups with pictures underneath, and little snippets of stories about my wishes and hopes as a little girl so I can share them with my own little girl as she grows.

And now here I am, turning 50. I can remember making those wishes on a star, and the feelings that went with it, as if those longings and dreams are as real today as they were nearly a half a century ago.

Thanks, Amy Wald for the sparkling card!

And thanks, Jessi, for this subject. It was a timely one for me. Birthday milestones are a good time to look back and remember the child that is still inside.

I hope to never lose the imagination that I had back then, when I’d paint a plastic horse and see myself riding it across the skies with its beautiful white tail flying behind us. And when I’d tip over a teeter totter and it would become a castle where I was the princess.

Happy May Day everyone! My birthday (which I am sure you are so tired of hearing about) is May 5th and I will have a special gift to go out then. All comments count toward that as well as toward my regular monthly drawing.

And who wins for the April Drawing?

Clarice

And what is the prize?

she gets a choice of one of these prizes:

1- a pair of earrings made by me, with vintage pieces

2- a May Day tussie mussie

3- a Birds and Bonnets Vintage Workshop images tag

4- a Cottage Collage Kit with vintage wallpaper and millinery flowers

I have added more millinery flowers to my etsy shop, since I had such a good response for the ones I listed yesterday (5 bundles sold in an hour or so!)

Thanks so much for supporting my Etsy shop and for taking the time to visit me here in blogworld.

Plucking some blooms

antiques/junking, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, swaps

By Karla Nathan / April 30, 2008

Thanks for all of your kind birthday wishes!

I am soaking up all the birthday goodness I can get and enjoying every minute of it.

This cute card is from Robin, as if the clock/frame she made wasn’t enough?!

The picture is so cute. It reminds me of Sugarwings, I am teaching her how to cook, and of course, the beaters are her favorite part of the process!

My suitcase is still sitting in my studio, filled with vintagey purchases from my trip. I am trying to focus on getting ready for Art in the Park on Sunday and ignoring the other stuff piling up around me.

But I just HAD to pull some of it out to play with.

All the photos and birds are from the Cottage and were only $1 each. The cute bird collage is from an artist there too, look at how she has used the snap for an eye!

The hymn book was $2 from Lucketts and the old toy mirrors were $1 each at the thrift store Robin took me to.

The first three hats on the back left are from my trip to Virginia, but the rest are from a day out with Sugarwings yesterday. She and I did a bit of junking and I bought these four floral beauties for $30!

Look at the load of red velvet roses on the middle one in the bottom row- jackpot!

And even though I know I need to get ready for the art show this weekend, I spent the hour I watched American Idol last night sorting flowers.

(Our local Kansas City boy, and my favorite, David Cook is still blowing them all away on Idol, and I think he has a good shot at winning)

The blooms are sorted into boxes by color then I put them into my big storage box that is covered with old wallpaper.

I even made a separate box of an assortment of posies to keep by my worktable, ready to grab when needed.

Getting ALL the flowers pulled off of hats and sorted felt like a major accomplishment, till I turned around and realized I still had a table top full of flowers I was using as a center piece.

I’m starting to think I might have a few too many. Maybe.

Lori and I had been talking about a mini- swap like I did with Lili last week.

But since she sent me that sweet collage of my fairy grand baby, I told her that was already way too much.

So, I bundled up a few pretties and have them ready to send to her.

Still had more than I could use. What to do with all these hats and flowers???

I put Twinkle in one, but she is a little too big. Unless I get some smaller dogs, this isn’t going to be a good use for my hats.

So, I made 5 packets of pink and white to sell on Etsy. It isn’t even a drop in the bucket. I think that once I get past this art show, and the rest of my upcoming 50th birthday parties, I will wrap up some more to list and sell. edit: only two left, these are selling fast

edit: oops, those sold too! I added more to the shop, thank you all so much for stopping by and snapping those flowers up so quickly!

Twinkle was relieved that I decided to sell some.

Today is the last day to enter my April Giveaway, but you still have 5 more days to enter my birthday giveaway.

Any comment, on any post gets entered.

Sugarwing Themed gifts (the best kind of sweetness!)

antiques/junking, Books, Moving to DC, Sugarwings, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 28, 2008

I just got home from our East coast apartment, and look what was waiting for me in the giant, overflowing basket of mail that came while I was away!

Talented Miss Lori Karla sent this along with her Card for Caroline as a random act of kindness.

Isn’t it the cutest? Such a perfect collage for this picture of my fairy grand baby.

And lucky me, how scrumptious is this???

My Centreville, VA blog pal, Robin made this frame from an old clock for my birthday.

We met up for coffee, the she offered to take me to own of her thrift store faves. (well, maybe I coerced her a bit)

I bought a cart load of goods for $13.90, between that trip and my Leesburg shopping adventure, I completely filled an extra suitcase for the trip home.

These two ladies’ creations sure are special to me. Not only do they involve pictures of my sweet little Sugarwings, they are such thoughtful and talent filled works of art.

I just love ’em to pieces!

Not everything is unpacked yet from my trip. Instead of putting away suitcases, I went through the cards for Caroline that came in the mail, and I have to tell you, there are some beauties there!

I’ll get organized and photograph them soon, and have a whole post devoted to just that, along with the list of updated names.

For now, I’ll show you a couple of pictures of the book I made in Debbie Shue’s class on Saturday.

The flowers on the cover are from some of my souvenir hats I purchased on my shopping day with Debbie.

She furnished rub ons and stickers, but I ended up doing doodles and added glitter instead of using them.

Debbie had a great kit with all the papers cut and ready to go. The whole book was assembled in the 2 hour class (that is impressive, that she can time it so perfectly and know just what to show everyone)

I changed mine a bit, and tried to make it part art journal/part scrapbook. I also purchased some Glimmer Mist and tried that for the first time.

I have to tell you, that stuff is FUN! I bought Robin’s Egg and Pineapple and plan on getting a lot more colors.

Don’t forget you can still enter my giveaway for this month.

EVERY COMMENT IS ENTERED for the entire month.

And all comments until May 5th are entered into my special 50th birthday celebration giveaway.

Is it a SMALL world? Or a GIANT blogosphere!?

antiques/junking, celebrations, Food and Drink, Moving to DC, parties, Silver Bella

By Karla Nathan / April 26, 2008

How weird is this???

While I am here in Virginia, I spent a free afternoon in Leesburg to shop and check out The Cottage, a store I’d heard about but never been to, its about 30 minutes from our apartment.

While I was chatting with the co-owner, Ann, Pam walked in and she recognized me. Behind her was Debbie Shue who was in town from NY to teach classes at the scrapbook store where Pam works.

Now, what are the odds that we would run into each other? Pam and Debbie both went to Silver Bella last year, and I know them through that and through blogs. (sorry about the blurry picture, but also, what are the odds that we take dozens of photos and none of the ones with all of us are any good?)

I am from Kansas, Debbie is from New York, none of us were staying in Leesburg, we just all decided to go to a store there at the same time.

If I had stopped for lunch first, or if they had gone to Lucketts before The Cottage, we’d never have met up.

Lucky that we did! Not only was this a cute and cottagey shop that I fell in love with and had a great time browsing through (I’ll post my beautiful bargain finds later), Pam, Debbie, and their pal, Kitty, invited me to hang out with them for the day.

We spent quite a while in The Cottage, and all found fun things to purchase. We visited with Ann, who was nice as could be and seemed to enjoy the coincidence of our meeting as much as we did.

Istn’t this store so pretty? I could have just moved into any of these cozy displays she has set up.

After the Cottage, the three gals asked me to go to lunch with them, and on to some other antiquing.

While out shopping, I came across some of the prettiest hats I’d ever seen, with tons of dainty flowers on each. But- they were a LOT more expensive than what I usually buy. ($15- $28, but LOADED with blossoms)

I decided that the rule about not spending more than $7 on a hat doesn’t apply on vacation or during my birthday week.

Not only did I find a new store I absolutely love and 3 flowery hats that I couldn’t resist, I had a fun day full of laughs, shopping, and lunch, PLUS, Debbie was able to squeeze me into the class she was teaching the next day.

And my new pal, Kitty offered to lend me supplies, since I didn’t have any with me.

I thought I was borrowing scissors and glue, but she showed up with the fullest, most professional scrapbboking kit I’d ever seen. It was a joy just to poke through it all.

Shopping, crafting, great food, fun people, romantic dinners with my husband, I may never go back to Kansas! I love it here!!

My husband surprised me with one of the fanciest schmanciest dinners ever at a private dining club. The Tower Club at Tyson’s Corner.

The service there is so outstanding and detailed, they even had our name on the mints at our place settings!

We were greeted with complimentary champagne for my birthday. I had the Maryland crab appetizer (you just have to order that when you are in this part of the country) and as gourmet-licious as the whole dinner was, my favorite part of the meal was the white chocolate and lemon surprise birthday cake.

"Happy Birthday" was written in dark chocolate on a sheet of white chocolate and the whole cake was covered in curled bits of the white.

A tray of tiny desserts came out with the coffee along with a goodie assortment of coffee mix-ins. Orange peels, cinnamon sticks, real whipped cream and shaved cocoa.

I was so impressed, I almost couldn’t eat it, it was just too lovely. But I did.

I have the BEST husband.

Last night, dinner on the 17th floor with a view over looking the capitol, tonight dinner at Piedmont Country Club with this view out the window. Yep, not a bad kickoff to my birthday week.

I don’t think turning 50 years old is looking too bad at all. I have a pretty lucky life! I am looking forward to the next 50, I plan on living as long and as well as my Great Aunt Caroline that you are all making cards for!