Karla's Cottage

It's always good to be home!

It's great to be home from my trip! I always miss my family when I am away, no matter how much fun I am having.

I'll have some photos of my time in fairy tale land as soon as I get them edited.  Tomorrow is my 55th birthday, so I doubt if I'll get to them for a couple of days. I'd like to think that I'll be too busy celebrating... hint, hint, family!!!

These pics are a few of my favorite bright spots from this long, never ending cold spring that had a hard time sprunging itself out of winter. 

Along with this video of my son explaining a little bit about companion planting out in the Nathan Family Fairy Food Forest:

 

 

 

Collage filled lockets for Snow White

Earlier I showed you these lockets from Victorian Trading Co. that I foofed up with some Snow White themed collages inside.  I didn't mention what they were for though.  These were packed to take to CA with me to use as table mate gifts.  They can be added to a ribbon or chain to wear, or tied to the journal we are making.

I made one for myself too, using a copy of the image I had painted for the event.

The little door lockets came with a key on a chain, but I changed that and added a few more trinkets.

Then tied it to a red silk ribbon.  While working with the locket and trying to bend a crooked door, I broke the door in half. ( Hence, me keeping one for myself)  I tried to repair it with metal glue, but honestly, I don't trust the stuff. I hope it holds. I added a mini strand of rhinestones to help keep it together too.

It's been a bit of a locket kick for me lately.  I also joined the swap hostessed by Terry Frias.  I made one of the door pieces up as a hostess gift for her.

My swap partner was my husband's sister, Terry Neibaur.  

We had a questionnaire to fill out about styles and preferences. Terry said her birthstone was garnet, and she liked gems but not bright colors, and wanted something more delicate, but steam punk or fantasy.

I was able to find garnet beads in some pretty colors of green and gold, and a teensy locket. The larger beads on it are bronze colored pearls which I thought would be pretty with her red hair.

  This photo (taken earlier) shows a key, but it was only temporary till I could find something steampunky or fairyish. 

Here it is after I fantasied it up.  And added a gear with a rhinestone to the center of the pendant. I'm not a steampunker normally, but I think the gear is at least a nod to the genre.

Terry's favorite princess fairy tale is Sleeping Beauty, and even once named her shop, Briar Rose. When I found this page in a vintage storybook, I knew I had to save it to make something for her.  Terry even has the same hair as the lovely princess on the page.

So, I created this box to wrap her necklace in.  The text on the outside is from the Sleeping Beauty story, and the inside is covered in vintage velvet.

  Hope she likes it!

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I've been working on this wire birdcage tutorial, and now have it ready to send to you!  You can get the details here.

Fairy Play Area

Dewdrop comes along to help her parents while they work on the Fairy Food Forest.  But she gets bored and tends to wander off, so they built a baby cage Fairy Play Area for her.

Complete with a sturdy fence, and stumps to use for a tea party table, or to climb on, what ever mood she is in.

We plan on adding a chalk board on the outside wall of the chicken coop, but for now, the kids have a giant cardboard box to draw on. And use for a club house. Or nap time retreat, as Dewdrop does.

We had bought a slide too, then realized that kids would slam into the fence at the end of it. So we took it back and got a swing instead.

There has already been a couple of tea parties out here. I think that helped her get used to being penned up.  I wanted her to have happy thoughts about the cage Fairy Play Area from the beginning. 

I think it helped, she has been spending a lot of time playing away in there while her parents work on the other side of the fence.  And it doesn't hurt that her Daddy made it such a fun place to be.

Hoppy Easter

Did you have a good Easter? Ours was unexpectedly really nice.From no plans at all to a small family dinner and egg hunt in a matter of an afternoon.

Sugarwing's mom ended up switching  her plans, so we had our fairy grand child over night and all day.  Dewdrop came over with her mom at dinner time, and we were able to find buckets full of eggs on the Fairy Berry Trail as the sun was setting.

And what beautiful weather we had!  I'd thought I'd finish the banner I am working on for the Snow White blast coming up way too soon, but instead, I ran and played with Sugarwings all day and enjoyed the sunshine. 

I was able to do some yard clean up too, and foofed the Fairy Berry Trail up for the season.  Easter seems to be the time that we whip it into shape, just in time for hunting eggs the bunny left there.

Funny, how fast two little girls can find over 50 eggs.  This was a quick run through the forest, with lots of squealing along the way.  Dewdrop let out a yelp every time she spied an egg. And everything is a squealfest around Sugarwings anyway.

Luckily, I  had plenty of plastic eggs up in the closet and could find packets of tiny toys and junky fun crap to stuff in them for our impromtu hunt.

Although, the few pieces of chocolate I had on hand were the biggest hits when the eggs were open, of course. But, I do think that if there was nothing in them at all, it wouldn't have dampened the fun. 

The thrill of the hunt was the best part.

Dewdrop loved every minute of it. She is a cute age to be out in the woods gathering eggs.

She enjoyed the dying too, although it didn't last long because she thought it was just as much fun to pour the dye out on the ground as it was to dip the eggs in.  But they had plenty of glitter paints to add to the eggs once the dirt under the table was dyed.

We sat up the mini picnic table in the gazebo and I turned the kids loose with dyes and glitters.

Which was a great plan, considering that everyone had been playing outside and there was a bit of mud from the gardening project clinging to them.  Plus, Dewdrop's fascination with pouring out the dye worked better out doors than it would have inside.

I'll have more photos from the Mt. Dora trip after this little break for some Happy Easter wishes.

Making the most of our glimpse of spring and starting the food forest

We are taking advantage of this temporary burst of Spring to spend as much time outdoors as we can.  It's only supposed to be around for a couple of days, then back to cold and wet again.

(Dewdrop is loving on Twinkle's son Scruffy who went to live with our neighbors)

We've hung the banner I'm painting for An Enchanted Affaire in the garage and I hope to get all the backgrounds down before the cold hits again. Then I'll have to wait for a warmer day to come out and finish.

Its HUGE!  Much larger than the one I made last year for Kim's Tiffany event. If this was a few inches bigger, I wouldn't be able to fit it onto the wall.  As it is, the soffit is in the way, I'll have to paint the rest of the banner, then move it down and finish that spot that is bunched up right now.

We have also begun on the Nathan Family Fairy Food Forest.  By "me", I mean my son and his Gypsy Beloved. 

What's a food forest?  Well, it sounds like a good idea, but I'm a bit hazy on the details.  My kiddos have been researching for months to plan just the right way to do it, what to plant and how to do. Here is a definition from wikipedia:

Forest gardening is a low-maintenance sustainable plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans. Making use of companion planting, these can be intermixed to grow in a succession of layers, to build a woodland habitat.

Forest gardening is a prehistoric method of securing food in tropical areas. In the 1960s, Robert Hart adapted the principles and applied them to temperate climates.

They will also be incorporating hugelkulture.

Which involves piles of dirt.

Well, more than that, but its complicated to me.  There is stuff in the piles and it self waters some how.  

A backhoe has been rented for the week, but a lot of it is hand work.  I've not done much to help at all, beyond watching Dewdrop a few hours.

But since I've got a deadline for the banner, I can't do much to help in the yard right now. 

I'll be posting more about our all organic, sustainable, permaculture, heirloom seed, food forest as it progresses and I figure it out.  All I know is that I'll have all the fresh salads I could want from it, and I've been promised pretty trails through it. Plus climbing vines (with edible fruits of course), lots of flowers that attract beneficial bugs, and a potting shed.

As long as its pretty and provides tasty fresh food, I'm in! 

All my husband and I do is provide the land and the finances to purchase the plants, and rent the backhoe. 

Hippies will work for beets and lettuce, so all the labor is free!

The plan is to eventually turn our acreage into a real farm, where my son produces goods to sell at the farmer's market, and maybe even have a roadside stand in our yard.

There is only so much time in the day, so I try to make the most of it!

There is not much new around here, I'm still wading through piles of Snow White books and items to stuff into the kits.

See what I mean?  Every table in the studio is heaped up with carefully sorted (even though it doesn't look like it) goodies to do with the kits.  I even set up two extra tables, and also filled tubs. 

But hey, there is HOPE! Look at the stack of wrapped kits on the far table, in front of the window. Yep, the packaging is almost done.  The rest of the room is just littered with the detritis of making the kits.

Those stacks of cut wallpaper on the table?  Some of those are sorted into piles, ready to photograph and add to the shop.  My son and I got just a tad carried away on those chopping and ironing days we had.

But the truth about why nothing else is happening around here, is that I am soooo hooked on the books themselves.   I've made up four examples for the class, including one that I'm am keeping for myself and personalizing with family fairy tale photos.

On this page, I've taken a page from one of the children's story books, and cut Black Beauty from it, with another page behind the horse as I cut it out so that I ended up with a second animal shape.  (it was an accident, but one that I am glad that I did!)   I added a unicorn horn to each, flipped one over, layered them on the paper, and tinted them with glitter markers.

Dewdrop adores "honies" above all things.  She is a "My Little Pony" addict, and calls them honies.   So, this page is for her.

There are other things I could be doing, but this is more fun.  Plus, I thought the students  might appreciate having samples in different stages to look through.  This one will be almost complete, but I am saving space in it to add pictures from the event itself.

There has also been some Birdsong3 behind the scenes details to tend to.  It's funny how much time such things take up, even when the event in months away.  Oh, but how worth it! I'm really excited to know that I have both of these fun weekends to look forward to.

Hopefully, once I get all of these kits boxed and ready to mail, I can concentrate on making Birdsong projects and kits.  And selling that pile of wallpaper. And doing my taxes (Beth offered to help!! Yay, there is nothing better than having an accountant buddy at tax time. And all I have to do for her is redo her antique mall booth.  Heck, that is a pleasure to do, not a hair pulling, tear inducing, fork in the eye, task like tax prep).

There are also extra kits from last year's Birdsong that I forgot about. And need to add to the Boutique. I'd planned on listing them last year and haven't yet. I also found a stack of surplus Fairy Book covers that I'd planned to sell too. 

But there is only so much time in the day.  You know what I have noticed?  I can keep going full tilt and workiing my backside off (not really, it actually seems to grow, not diminish) and never really get ahead.  Because there is always more to do, and only so much time in a day.

I've noticed that my income seems to level out, no matter what I am working on, because nothing is "extra", it ends up taking the place of something else.  So, if I do shows, I am ignoring my shop.  If I concentrate on the shops, I am not having time to make things.  And on and on.

You just can't do it all. At least not at the same time. But that is what is such fun about my so called job.

I can switch it up, go from classes, events, creating, selling, shows, one to the next.  It certainly never gets boring!  When I focus on one area, it does very well, especially the Boutique. But my life would be very dull if all I did was photograph and list and ship every day.  So, I'm glad I can stretch out and try different venues and take breaks from the online shop.  It's still there, still selling, but not as much when I'm not adding to it reguarly.

Yes, changing my focus might not be getting me ahead financially, but it sure keeps me hopping and happy!

 

Sugar and Spice

As I sat through endless episodes of The Dukes of Hazard,  stepped on Hot Wheels cars left everywhere, or listened to fart jokes, I used to wonder how I'd survive raising Boys.  That is Boys with a captial B.  They were as rough and tumble, as wild and crazy,  as little Boys can be.  It was a rolicking, good time, and while they didn't always have the same interests as I did, we found lots of fun together.

And now they are two grown men that I'm proud to call family.

Then, along came two grand daughters!  Who are every bit as rough and tumble, wild, and crazy as their dad. 

Now, we watch My Little Pony or Ariel, and I step on doll parts, and still listen to fart jokes. But from small people dressed as fairies this time.

Yep, I know, I'm pretty lucky.  It's been good.

 

ps-  Anne has asked me to tell you about Magnolia Pearl's $2,000 giveaway.  Woo Hoo, that is a GOOD one, huh?  Check it out at Fiona and Twig.

Snowdogs, Snowfairies, Fleas, Spinning Art, and an oddball button. Another typical posting this and that and not much really

We have had our share of snow lately!  It seems like a lot, with two blizzards back to back, especially since we've had some pretty mild winter weather up till now.  Last year was even warmer.  These storms were a reminder that we live in the midwest.  And you never  know what will hit.

The Puppeesh are confused about where they should potty, but seem to enjoy running around in the snow while I freeze waiting for them to make up their minds about whether they will actually do anything or save it till they come inside.

Why did I decide to have winter pups??? Oh, that's right, they are so durn cute I couldn't resist them last fall, even knowing that winter housebreaking might break me.

Sugarwings had a sleepover with us during the first snow, and we decided that the best way to have a snowball fight was to sit in the cozy hot tub while we lobbed the icy missiles at each other.

It would have been much more enjoyable if we'd been smart enough to shovel a walk way to the hot tub.   Look at how deep it was on the steps!  I wore my boots out there, and balanced on the edge trying to get them off, getting my robe nice and soggy as I wobbled and almost slipped in the water with one boot on. 

We had the best time laughing and splashing as the flakes fell on us.

The way back in to the house was better, since we were all toasty and rosy from the hot water, the snow barely bothered me, so I carried my boots and barefooted it quickly inside.

My son built a snow slide in front of their apartment building that kept even the tiniest (and the biggest) of kids slipping and sliding away the snow days.

They had a good hill to use.  He made some good curves along the way, and built up the banks  to keep them on the track. 

He certainly had plenty of snow to work with.  Two blizzards in a week?

Between blizzards, we made a run to Topeka to go to a flea market.  I was glad I took the time off to go, I loaded up on sweet paper dolls.

A ton of jewels too.  This is one baggie's worth. I got 8 bags for $3 each.

Dewdrop loved her first flea market, and was extra happy to see that there was a kid's corner where she could make spin art.

In my goodie bags of loot, there were some odd pieces, like this old button.  Ever seen one like it?

Tami gave me the following info, and I looked it up on Ebay with this and saw one listed for $35. Tami is a Button Expert.  Thanks for the help, Tami!!

(I don't do ebay myself, so I will put it in my Etsy shop for much less. )

Your button is a chinaman, possibly Dr. Fu Manchu. He was a fictional villain character in the novels series by Sax Rohmer in the early 20th ca. The button design and materials can easily date this button around the time of his novels. The button material appears to be Celluloid; however, the base of the button might be Celluloid acetate. The face itself is Celluloid.

Free Fairy Tale images and some workshop prep

If you are wondering why there is nothing new in my shops, it's because my studio has become Kit Central.

I'm gathering up all the elements needed for my Book of Enchantments for Snow White, plus brain storming projects for Birdsong 3, as well as a super secret surprise gathering that I am doing with a dear friend.  (more about that later, but I can't give it away till after the surprise in March)

For my Book of Enchantments, the supply list is out of control!

• a book cover to embellish, and the goodies to do it, including ribbons, lace, a mirror, millinery and flocked wallpaper
• 9 pieces of card stock
• a stack of fairy tale book text
• 2 pictures from old story books
• 2 pages from vintage Snow White stories.   (some are Snow White and Rose Red, and older ones are called "Little Snowdrop", I have books ranging from 1890 to 1959, in the oldest, she is usually Snowdrop)
• a collage sheet of pretty, vintage pictures I scanned
• 1 journalling page to color or use for inspiration
• 4 spells of enchantment that I have written (for: Sweet Dreams, Joy, Hope, and finding a True Hearted Prince)
• 12 pre-cut pieces of vintage lace
• 10 pieces of old wallpaper
• 1 moonstone heart charm
• 1 apple charm
• red rhinestones
• a rhinestone cluster
• ribbons

Oh my! That is a lot of cutting, organizing, packing, and counting.

I found an easy way to count the card stock. I bought packages of 50 that contain 10 pages of 5 neutral colors.  Since I need 9 for each kit, I simply take away one from each color and boom, I have 9 ready to slip into the envelope. They get covered in other papers, so it doesn't matter what shades go in the kits.  That beats counting out 9 for each envelope!

Since my ingredients are so vintagey and unique, I can promise that it's impossible for any two students to make the same book. It will be exciting to see all the creations the class comes up with using the combinations that they get!

I've enlisted a studio full of helpers.

And a cutie to keep us company while we work.

I've put the tiny craft table in front of the TV, which was probably a bad idea, I might never be able to convince my girls that they don't need to watch shows while they work.   But with so much going on, it seemed to extend craft time a bit for the littlest fairy. 

Since I had to cut so much wallpaper, I decided to chop away till I had enough to sell too.  So, once I get my kits bundled up, I'll have paper left over and will actually have new stuff in the Boutique. 

While measuring, cutting, and ironing hundreds upon hundreds of pieces of paper, my mind has wandered around and wondered about Birdsong 3 projects.  I'm working out the kinks on a wire birdcage, and the other one might be a variation of this book, but a Journal of Blessings.   Not sure... But I have been loving the heck out of making books for the last few months and would love to continue making more.

I'm sure you guys will see all the prototypes as I fidget around with them. Thanks for being my sounding board!

If you love these old fairy tale illustrations as much as I do, just click on the images to open them to a larger window and save them to your computer to print.

What a Doll

My tiny girl came over to play the other night, and was in the mood for a little dress up.  I had been cutting up vintage fabrics to make trim for An Enchanted Affair in April, and came across this dress. It was too cute to start chopping on, so we decided that Dewdrop should wear it.

She wasn't as fond of the hat as she was the dress.

But she liked it when I wore the hat.

I told her she looked just like a little Holly. Which is what she calls a doll, so, she was very flattered.

I scored a big pile of vintage kid's clothes and some sweet hats the other day, and hope to have all the little fairy grand girls do some modelling for me, so I can get photos for the Boutique.  Plus, its so much more fun to play some dress up games before selling them.  I don't buy things just because I think I might make a profit. I buy them because I really like them.

And, hey, they are used already, why not enjoy them a bit before passing them on? Its not like they are New in Box perfect.  I don't care for things too new.

And since I have beautiful grand fairies, who love to play dress up, I think its a perfect match. They can have fun and be my models.  Don't you think this hat would look much prettier on one of the girls?

 (the lace hat has already sold!)