Karla's Cottage – Page 33 – by Karla Nathan

The Guncles’ Christmas Gift

By Karla Nathan / January 11, 2023

Guncle Randy has been wanting to make a jewel tree but hasn’t had time to do it. So, I decided to surprise him and Kevin with a special, Pet Butler tree.

In my decades of collecting jewelry from flea markets and estate sales, I have always been drawn to animal pins and to initials.

So, I just happened to have the perfect ingredients to make this animal lovers’ tree, adding in KS for Kev and RN for Randy.

Besides pets, there is a snowflake for Xmas…

A starfish for Florida…

A fairy, and lots of flowers, butterflies and dragonflies to represent their garden.

And a goldendoodle for the trunk of the tree for my grand puppy, Olivia Ryan.

Paper bag snowflakes

Good JuJu

By Karla Nathan / January 9, 2023

For a cheap winter display at my booth, I made some snowflakes. I seriously had doubts that it would look cheesy, or like a kindergarten class project.

But I liked the effect even though I could not quite do what I wanted unless I moved things already set up, and since the building has very little heat turned on between sales, I wasn’t going to linger any longer than I had to.

I’d like them on both sides of the stained glass window, but just could not reach. While I had the heavy duty, sky high ladder out, I hung fishing line in as many spots as I could stretch out to reach. Now, I can reuse those dangling lines to hang other seasonal decorations throughout the year.

The snowflakes are made from two colors and three sizes of paper bags. I’d give you steps, but there are so many out there already that are easy to follow, it would just be redundant.

Another thing I wish I’d done differently is to make all of the cut outs heart shaped. I thought of that part way through, and really like it. Plus, I saved the cut out hearts, glued them together on more fishing line and made streamers to hang with the snowflakes.

Hearts

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, Hearts, jewelry, paintings, Valentine's Day

By Karla Nathan / January 6, 2023

I'll be having lots of hearts and wings in my booth at Good JuJu. This canvas has plaster texture in a heart shape with the roses painted inside. I have a few more, not sure if I got pictures. All are unique.

And remember the jewelry trees I did for Xmas?

I loved doing that so much, I could not stop!

So, I turned my shape from a tree to a heart.

This one is a combo of the textured canvas with a button collage. And in front you can see some of my wings. They are made from a 1800s ledger and I swear, that book was one of my best ever purchases. I have sold rolled up pages from it, used it to line shelves, decopauged it onto table tops, backed collages with it, and now have made wings and hearts.

And there is still some left!

I almost didn't buy it because it was not cheap. But man, that handwriting! Wow, so pretty. I am glad I went against my cheapskate instincts and bought it anyway.

I also beat out my cheap side and decided to keep these wings that my son helped form instead of selling them.

Since my booth is chocked full of wings and hearts I doubt if one set will be missed. Heck, I’d be thrilled to have even half of the ones there sell out.

And I sure do love making them.

My January Set Up for Good Juju

family, Good JuJu, holiday decor, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / January 3, 2023

My booth this month is all about winter, and a bright spot in the cold months, Valentine's Day.

One wall is all hearts, roses, with pink mushrooms and wings. I'd hoped to put up cabbage rose wallpaper, but ran into a snag. Oh well, next month.

But honestly, you don't really see much of the wall anyway, huh?

Another areas are neutral and white.

Which is always a favorite of mine to do.

Well, the roses make me happy too, but I think that the neutral tones are more popular at this venue.

But I can't always just stick to neutrals, there are other cool items that I find that I know there is a market for. Luckily, my space can be chopped up into chunks where I can do different themes.

And my new, tiny, wing wall is a great place to highlight a grouping. Here are examples of the ruffled wings (also for sale) and kits to make your own.

Over the holiday, I did some kitchen table crafting. We had supplies out for decorating gingerbread houses, cookies, Sugarwings had polymer clay, Dewdrop had bracelet, and I made dozens of wings and hearts from wire and lace. The family was coming and going, but mostly staying put because of the bone chilling cold. I wasn't caring about clutter or mess, I just enjoyed the big group and spent time crafting away in the middle of them.

I had the best of both worlds. Time with family and time to make things!

I don't even know how many I churned out. After wings, I started on pink and red mushrooms. As a person who typically spends a lot of time alone in the studio, I sure was happy to have so much company while working. My son even joined in and bent wire for me. It has been sad to go from a bustling houseful of loved ones to me in my studio alone again. Sugarwings is still on winter break, so I am not totally alone, I've got my buddy.

The ladies get a treat

Hens

By Karla Nathan / December 31, 2022

This time of year, once the family has packed up themselves and their gifts and headed home, I am itching to pack up the holiday Foof that fills my home and get my halls undecked. I am ready to enjoy simple surroundings with items like this elegant bloom.

The opulence in the cottage makes me so happy, until it doesn’t and all of a sudden, it is clutter to me. Then I right then, right now, want it gone. Typically, Sugarwings wants me to leave it up til after New Years so I do. Right now, I’m busy with getting ready for the next Good Juju sale, so I am honoring the grand fairy’s request and keeping my priorities in line by making price tags instead of hauling tubs of glittering pretties to the closet.

A compromise in starting the undecking was to clear out the gingerbread houses. When the kids were little, we’d take them to the woods for the fairies to live in. Now, I had them over to the hens to peck at and enjoy.

I’m not sure how much they will eat, but they do enjoy the novelty.

And I enjoy having just a little less stuff on my dining table.

A Family Together Christmas

celebrations, family, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / December 27, 2022

Like it was for so many of the people across the country, the weather was a big challenge this holiday. Luckily, we did fine, unlike so many stranded at airports, stuck on icy roads, or barricaded up in cold houses with no heat.

Our discomforts were minor. My husband’s flight home was cancelled, but he was able to drive. Our pipes froze, but only the kitchen. After some insulating and blasting a space heater toward them, 24 hours later, we had water.

I’ve been horrified thinking about all the people stranded at airports. And even worse, on the snowy highways.

I feel so blessed to have had my people with me, all cozied up in our warm house.

We made bath products, gingerbread houses, sugar cookies and SO MANY DINNERS.

Sugarwings made sculpy characters like this gruesome zombie gingerbread guy. Dewdrop made bracelets. I made lace Angel wings.

There was snuggling.

Laughing, lots of laughing with the little ones

We decorated the dogs for the holiday too.

Dewdrop decorated herself.

None of the hats or antlers fit little Dorothy, so she was slipped into an elf hat.

My favorite part, though? The two littlest grand fairies, who are not so little any more, put on swimsuits and had a pool party in the jacuzzi tub. With rubber ducks, while singing Christmas carols. It made me so happy to hear their giggles and songs.

With the family spread across the country, and the littles growing up, I know that these big gatherings have a shelf life.

I count my blessings every time my house fills up.

Merry Christmas!

celebrations

By Karla Nathan / December 23, 2022

I hope the weather isn’t ruining your holiday plans. It’s quite a huge storm!

I’m wishing you warmth, togetherness, and joy.

Glass ornaments as mini carafes

celebrations, cottage, Food and Drink, friends, holiday decor, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / December 20, 2022

We had our annual holiday bookclub dinner at the cottage last week.

As I usually do, I set the table with a hodge podge of mismatched pieces, but with kind of a theme. And I tried a cute trick I’d seen at another party, using a clear glass ball as a mini carafe.

The way I’d seen it done was at a wine tasting and they used small, plastic ornaments. I really don’t know if those are food safe. So, I bought the big glass ones (at Hobby Lobby on clearance for 60% off), washed them well, and glued on roses that I’d painted onto old sheet music.

At our party, I make the food and friends bring the wine, so I couldn’t pre-fill the balls with wine like the previous way I’d seen them used. So I decided to use them for water, sitting on a glass of ice.

Before everyone arrived, I poured one into a cup, to see if it really was a good idea or was just messy.

Well, so so.

I had over filled the balls, and when pouring the water over the ice I realized that there was just too much in them. And no where to set the balls down except right back on top of the glass, or they would roll away and flood the table.

Oops!

I quickly poured some water out of each ball, leaving just the right amount for the glass. Ha, I’m glad I checked!

After dinner, the ornaments were party favors to take home.

I should’ve made everyone take food home too, I made way, way too much. As usual. I ended up putting this pie in the freezer for when the family comes home for Christmas. And I served some of the cupcakes at another party. Oh, and I did manage to take care of the rest of the extra cupcakes.

Somebody had to, right?

A few days after the book club bash, I was hosting a craft day get together. And the day after that, Sugarwings was supposed to have a cocoa party, but it was cancelled due to an ear infection, poor kid.

Typically, I like to have all of my parties in the same week, so I only have to clean the house once. And as I take plates out of the dishwasher, I reset the table so it’s ready to go for the next event. The cottage has a festive feel all week when it is party time.

For the craft day party, I did use wine in the Christmas balls.

Which, come to think of it, probably makes them harder to rinse out if they are meant to be keepsakes. I am not sure if I’ll do this party trick again or not. I enjoyed it, and thought it made the table festive. I hope the guests enjoyed it too.

The elves are drunk

fairies, family, Food and Drink, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / December 17, 2022

Some of these elves are from my childhood, others have been collected over time. I’ve always loved the little sprites and one of my favorite memories at the holidays was being allowed to play with the three mouse head elves on the tree.

Why were the elves mice? That wasn’t a question that I ever thought of back then.

When the Elf on a Shelf craze started a few years back, I bought the grand fairies a couple new ones. We didn’t really play the spy game with them, they were mostly cuddled, loved, and included in holiday activities. Like a favorite stuffy.

Now that Sugarwings is a teenager, the elves are getting into trouble that kid surprises me with various drunken elf scenes and messes.

I bought some of those chocolate liqueur candies and the elves think I purchased those just for them.

I never know where I’ll find a drunken elf getting into trouble.

One seems to be the instigator.

They try to make up for it by doing something sweet.

Bad Girls Christmas

family, friends, holiday decor, jewelry, Ryan

By Karla Nathan / December 14, 2022

Our annual Bad Girls’ Christmas was again hosted by Angie, in her serene palace in the sky. It’s on the 8th floor and overlooks the KC Plaza, a wonderful view.

She is a caring hostess with attention to every detail. Everything there is always just perfect there. Well, everything but my blurry photos.

This one was a bit blurry too, but you can still see the fun!

She lives near Kaufman Gardens so we walk over to see the holiday displays. It feels good to be surrounded by blooms on a chilly, winter day.

I brought gifts, Beth loves buttons.

Angie always picks up autumn leaves.

She went all Julia Childs on us and served Beef Bourgignon, and oh man, it was good. But I’m afraid everyone had to listen to me do my (very poor) Julia imitation too many times.

I am blessed with the friends I have. And I know how lucky I am. When Rich and I were first married, his job uprooted us a lot. And I had two small boys, one who struggled pretty severely with some disabilities. Those guys both kept me busy, and between always being new in town, and needing to be with the kids, I didn’t meet many people.

Ryan grew into a delightful, caring, witty man, but his childhood was not easy for him. I think that his little body could not keep up with his mind, and his frustration about making himself understood, or to do what he wanted caused a lot of turmoil.

Speaking of Ryan, I felt like I had a surprise visit from him! An article I was reading mentioned street view on Google maps, and I’d never looked at our home there. So I pulled it up, and there he was- mowing the field and getting some sunshine.

At first it was shock to see him, but after a moment, I felt a warmth of happiness, almost as if I’d looked out the window and caught a glimpse of him.

After finishing a scrapbook of my pictures of Ryan, I came across something I wanted to add to it with another photo on it. Then it hit me.

I would never take another picture of my boy.

So finding this one online was a Christmas gift!

He is always with me, and in my heart. But I sure miss seeing him on that mower. Or walking down the sidewalk. Or gleefully throwing his head back in laughter.

Losing a loved one, plus having had those early years of struggle, and loneliness without close friends, makes me even more appreciative of having good friends now.

I treasure our times together.