Karla's Cottage – Page 43 – by Karla Nathan

A Day at Good Juju was Good for my Soul

By Karla Nathan / November 19, 2021

My friends have spaces at Good Juju, in the Old West Bottoms, and some times I get very jealous.

The years that I spent immersed in the junking world and selling painted furniture represent some of my favorite times.

The estate sales!

Auctions!

Getting up early every weekend so I never missed a garage sale, and filling my van so full that I had to make a pit stop to unload in my garage and go back for more!

I loved the redos, the styling and arranging, the treasure hunts, even the sanding!

I loved every second of it all!

It has been ages since I moved onto selling smaller items online, or having a Birdsong shopping experience set up in my garage instead of renting booth space . And honestly, I love doing those too.
But I haven’t had workshops or even managed my online Boutique since 2019. So, when Beth and Angie invite me to hang out on Good Juju work days, I am happy to go in and soak up the atmosphere.

They know I miss the junker’s life and always encourage me to join in.

Beth even gives me a few areas in her booth that I can arrange however I like.

It’s always a wonderful day, with a picnic, lots of interesting things to unpack and set up, and laughs with friends.

Plus, I get to wander around the empty mall and explore some of the other luscious displays.

It’s even better at the holidays and puts me in a festive mood.

Why don’t I get a booth? Or update my shop? Or host another Birdsong?

I’m just kinda- eh, right now, I guess.

Between my husband retiring, losing my son, a knee surgery that was more stressful than expected and well, COVID, and quarentine, family issues, and travels, I just haven’t built up enough gumption to get back into working again.

I would not say I am depressed, though of course I will be forever sad about Ryan.

I can’t imagine not falling apart inside when something strikes out of the blue to bring on that “oh my god, he is gone” feeling as if it is all just now happening. The pain that sometimes dims but at others returns and with a vengeance.

But I also don’t have an ongoing, overall depression. I’m just sad and mourning.

I miss him.

So, I accept every invitation from friends, and invite people to get togethers myself. I paint, I embroider, I do things for myself, for others, and for my home. I write in my journal (blog) and putz around the studio, I bake, spend time with Sugarwings, walk with my husband and dogs, and travel.

I’m just not ready to go back to work yet. Even if I miss the hustley, bustley fun and the treasures.

A day helping at Good Juju makes me feel like I am still part of that world, and not getting too rusty with my junker skills. Will I go back to buying, collecting, selling, and then buying, buying, buying, and collecting with a bit more selling, again?

I’d like to think so.

In the meantime, I am lucky to have friends that include me. And that I can take my time until I am ready to face working again. I am still stockpiling goods for my Boutique, and will eventually have a clearance sale there to clean up before restocking. I have kept it open and and also lucky that I sell enough past online tutorials to pay all of my blog and website fees, so that I don’t feel pressure to shut them down.

And if a good day of good junkin is just what you need too? There is a bonus day for Good Juju to be open for the holidays, this Saturday. I highly recommend a shopping trip there (and to the other cool shops in the area on first Fridays each month).

I did get a photo

By Karla Nathan / November 17, 2021

On an earlier post I showed this shirt in progress and said I didn’t have a finish of it completed. But then, I saw this one and realized I was sorta wrong. There is more to the design, with leaves and embellishments on the other side of the shirt too. But at least I did have a picture of this flower finished.

A Dinner Party with an Autumn Glow

cottage

By Karla Nathan / November 14, 2021

This time of year makes me light candles, simmer some soups, and spend evenings entertaining.

Maybe because summer offers so much outdoor fun and the sun shines so late into the day that by the time I’m ready to settle in for the evening, my day is done?

With dark filling up around me early I am not ready for the day to be over and am looking for ways to prolong them, and not succumb to sitting in my chair and watching tv too early.

And there is something about turning off the overheads and turning on ambient lighting that feels cozy and welcoming. This time of year, I can do that at dinner time. In the summer, by the time it’s dark enough to enjoy any twinkle lights, it’s too late for me, I am done for the night.

To change my table from summer to fall for a party, I chose my plates with the warmest tone of pink flowers and layered them with these amber glass plates, then added some fall leaf paper napkins. I had a good excuse to use my light up, glass pumpkins from Homegoods too. (I’d buy dozens of those if I could get away with it, they are so pretty!)

I don’t go full on autumn around here. I keep using my pink rose items, and just warm them up here and there, like with the dried hydrangeas.

Fall Decor on the Cheap

Uncategorized

By Karla Nathan / November 11, 2021

While autumn isn’t exactly my favorite season, and I don’t do much in the way of decor, mostly just thinking of it as a countdown to Christmas splendor, I do slightly get into the tones of fall.

We were away in Florida for much of October, so I didn’t get to make Jack-o-lanterns and missed visiting the pumpkin patch, so my yard was gourd-less this year.

While planning a small bonfire gathering with friends, I thought I’d pick up a few mums to replace my dying summer blooms and brighten the place up. Instead, I saw a bin of pumpkins marked down to a quarter each! I bought all but the smooshiest of them and filled pots and tables with those in place of chrysanthemums. Along with a few strands of lights and a couple of trimmed oak branches, the empty pots started to look festive on a pretty much non-existing budget.

Christmas decorating is coming on quick for me, this is just a little side trip, so I was glad to not spend too much on it.

It ends up being pretty cheap hen feed too. Once I’m done with all of the pumpkins, I’ll be tossing them over the fence to the ladies.

Win Win!

Always remembering my boy

celebrations, Ryan

By Karla Nathan / November 7, 2021

When Ryan died, people were so generous with their gifts and responses. I was moved by each and every card, present, memento, story, etc. Each was cherished, each meant that Ryan wasn’t forgotten.

Maybe because he was a guy who was shy, hesitant to stand out, and often overlooked, knowing that people cared about him and reached out helped.

I cried over armfuls of envelopes when I carried in the mail. I read and reread the notes. I planted the trees, hung the wind chimes, and overall, cherished all of the gifts.

Many people sent flowers, and I kept the blooms going as long as I could. I shared some with family to take to their homes, and spread the rest around ours. I trimmed the stems and changed the water daily to make the flowers last. Then, when the freshness was past saving, I dried what I could, and filled a cabinet with the vases.

But I did not want them to become a forgotten stash of unwanted glassware to eventually be donated to Goodwill. Instead, I decided to do something special with them, and on a few, I am attempting mosaics. (I don’t have good grouting skills, though, I will have to work on cleaning a bit more off of this one).

Others, I have decorated and filled with garden flowers and given away on special occasions. I’d like to take an embellished vase filled with iris that Ryan planted into the nursing home he worked at, on the anniversary of his death next spring.

Thank you to everyone who offered hope to me with kind words and thoughtful expressions of care. I was moved and heartened by your gestures.

Pink Roses Galore

flowers, Painting with thread, paintings

By Karla Nathan / November 4, 2021

I’ve been on a pink roses kick. This one was done this week.
(The rose on the left side, second row down needs work, huh? A bit wonky)

Here is a close up. I like the layers and depth in this one. It’s a little different than the others I painted before my trip.

This shirt got an embroidered rose. But not pink!

I didn’t get a final picture before giving it away, this is a “during” photo. You can see the drawing, done in water washable marker, but as I work on these things, I don’t always follow my sketches, so it turned out a bit different.

I can’t remember if I showed you some of the other paintings.

As you can tell, they all kinda look alike. I showed one to Kia and she said, “Didn’t you just paint that one last week?”

Marco Island Seashell Fairies and a Mermaid

sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / November 1, 2021

During our long, many legged jaunt, we kept pretty busy. A wedding, family to visit, jet skiing, beach exploring, Disney, and moving from place to place, resettling in somewhere new every few days.

The trip was both hectic and relaxing at the same time. It zipped by so quickly that I didn’t really have a chance to miss studio time. But when traveling, I do miss creating things.

Years ago, I started making seashell fairies with bits and pieces found on the sand. It was not only a thank you to nature for the beautiful beach, it was an outlet for me to do something crafty while far away from my studio.

I rarely see a response, I make them take photos, and they usually disappear overnight. At Marco Island, they lingered a couple of days. I saw a crowd gathered round one of these, taking photos. I spoke to one lady who was in tears. Her daughter, who typically vacationed with her had died and she told me that the beach Angel felt like a message from her.

We spoke about Ryan and about her lost child. Both of us were in tears.

Making my fairies and looking for heart shapes in nature began for me years ago. I thought of them as little touches of magic to create or discover. I liked leaving my shell sprites behind in gratitude.

Ryan used to be excited for me when we’d find a heart together out on our walks. Or when I’d show him photos of a little Faye or heart. Since he passed, I keep finding more and more hearts everywhere I go, and I love to think of him next to me when I make a discovery. I can hear his voice saying, “That’s cool, Mom!”

The shapes and the fairy/angels have developed a deeper meaning for me now, with him gone.

And my tearful chat with another grieving mother has left me thinking about past creations and hoping that one could’ve given someone else a bit of cheer as they walked by it.

More Magic

Food and Drink, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 28, 2021

Well, that was quite a trip, a many legged journey with lots of stops along the way.

I mentioned our Disney adventure previously, but came across a few more Hidden Mickies after writing that.

My all time fave is Flamingo Island in Animal Kingdom, the entire thing is shaped like a Mickey head.

Over the years, you probably think I spend an inordinate time visiting my pal, Mickey, because I yammer on about it so much every time I go.

(This is a store window at Epcot in France. Macarons and chocolates! Pink yummyness!)

And I have been lucky enough to take multiple trips there in the past.

But this one?

Wowzers!

Terry and I really did it up right. It was the longest visit I have ever had there. We arrived on a Friday for the Halloween party, then spent time at all four parks before she drove me to the beach Tuesday evening and dropped me off to be with my sisters for a few days.

We ate at the Food and Wine festival where I had fillet for breakfast one morning and Mickey shaped ice cream for dinner.

We indulged in all the photo pass magic shots we could, wondered around at our own pace, hopped on rides when the lines were short, took scenic detours when we felt like it, and racked about around 20,000 steps a day on our Apple watches.

Instead of taking the boat from Epcot to the Swan hotel, we walked through the Boardwalk and even toured an open house of the vacation club (but without the sales pitch, I just asked if I could peek inside and they said sure) After, we stopped at the disco lounge with the big, flashing, neon sign saying DANCE HALL, and I took a turn around the dance floor to the tune of Donna Summer. We were the only people inside, so I felt like I could show off some of my non-existing moves.

Cast members were kind to us and gave us mini tours a couple of times when we asked for directions. We didn’t have reservations for Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars Land, but a nice guy accompanied us inside to get a look at it, and we felt as if we’d been given a free, private tour.

Another cast member stayed in Star Wars character as he walked us through the park and told us about the Federation and their attacks.

Without kids, a visit to Orlando is a whole different thing. We made use of Terry’s season pass to use the private lounge and put our feet up a bit.

I’d also found a pass online to a free lounge by Blue Cross of Florida, it was set up in a restaurant in the Norway pavilion. We thought it would be ice water only, but there was a picnic cart that came around with goodies. We hit up that area a few times to get a cold can of soda and snacks, as a nice break from crowds. One time, we were the only ones in there, the other, there were only a couple of tables in use.

The whole trip was not only filled with fun, and we got to do everything we wanted, it was restful and relaxing too. Crowds were low most of the time, and when they weren’t, we found something less busy to do.
Thanks, Terry, for the magical time!

A mosaic seashell fairy

fairies, family, sea shell fairies, Travel

By Karla Nathan / October 25, 2021

We tried a new beach this year, Indian Shores. While it was relaxing and beautiful, it wasn’t the best location for picking up shells. But there were tons of teensy ones that I gathered by the scoop full and sorted into dark and light to make a mosaic fairy portrait.

While the Sprite was crafted in a new way, the same heartfelt gratitude for my beach visit went into it. I loved my short visit at Indian Shores with long walks each morning at the beach’s edge, and laughing with family as we sat in the sand.
This beach deserved a thank you fairy, no matter how hard it was to find shells. I was determined.

I wasn’t there long, but was able to divide up my limited time between my sissies and nieces so that I got some one on one with each.

And we gathered together to watch as many sunsets as we could.

The perfect end to the peaceful days.

I ❤️ Hidden Mickies!

Uncategorized

By Karla Nathan / October 21, 2021

Terry and I have had a magical time at Disney World. She indulged my obsession to hunt Mickies too.

(Canada, Epcot)

Some are sneaky.

(Ratatouille, Epcot)

Like this one, very well hidden!

(Frozen, Epcot)

Others are pretty easy to spot. (Ariel, Hollywood Studio)

And some cannot be missed, like this coil of rope.

(Living with the Land, Epcot)

My little eye spied a lot on that ride, but I didn’t get photos of them all or on the Nemo ride, it was too dark.

This Mickey is hard to see, but it is lurking there in the deep shadow at Turtle Talk.

And while walking over a bridge at Epcot, I saw this rocky Mickey.

They can often be in signs.

(Figment, Epcot)

I can’t remember where this one is from. But somewhere in Hollywood studios, maybe?

Instead of a mouse, these are hidden rats, in the wallpaper of the new Ratatouille ride. Being a new and popular experience, it is very hard to get onto, but we set our alarm to be ready to hit the button to try to get in the virtual queue early in the morning and it paid off. Six hours later, it was our turn to show up to get in the physical line for 45 minutes till it was time for us to spin around with a kitchen full of rats. It was a clever ride, but even with ginger tablets, I was kind of dizzy and couldn’t wear the 3D glasses.

I have seen these leafy Mickies a few times, but didn’t know where they came from. Today we passed by just as the person sweeping the park finished making it.

Another fun peek a boo, is to look for Cinderella’s horse on the carousel at Magic Kingdom. It the the one with the golden ribbon around its tail. There is another horse with spots that form a Mickey, too.

To celebrate the 50 year anniversary, there are 50 golden statues throughout the four parks. We made a game of finding them all, and doing some of their poses.

I didn’t do a great job of it, but at least I didn’t topple over. That’s a plus, right?

And some poses were easier than others.

The statues will be there for 18 months, and you can get hints online about where to find them. Most are pretty easy to see in main flower beds, but a few are in obscure locations, on balconies, poles, or signs.

And the Mickies are everywhere. Every time I go, I find more. This one is on the Jungle Cruise dock.

If you find any good ones, let me know!