Karla's Cottage

Into the Sunflower Fields

Sugarwings’ mama has graduated from her midwifery school!  After about 16 years of of working full time and continuing her education, (while getting excellent grades throughout), she has her degrees.

She needed some photos in her cap and gown, and the sunflower fields were just hitting their peak.  

Perfect timing!

Not only do sunflowers make a beautiful backdrop for pictures, the huge expanse of yellow blooms that rolls off into the distance is magical.

When you first arrive and see the other cars parked, The number of people already there is deceptive.

I usually feel like I’ll have to go way out into the blooms to find a private area for photos.

But no.  Once you step inside, you are surrounded and it can feel like you are in your own private, yellow world.

All of the other families who are visiting just disappear.  Unless they brought a flying, super baby  with them, who can skim across the top of the flowers.

Some years, the weather doesn’t comply and the farmer isn’t as successful. Others, like now, the flowers are massive and the fields are full.

 It’s free to visit, but tips are appreciated, and if you pick  flowers, you should leave a dollar for each.  

I have only taken Sugarwings twice, and what a big difference seven years makes!

Why have I only been a handful of times, when I get so much joy out of going?  Well, weather, timing, many things get in the way, durn it.

This time, the weather was beyond perfect.  We headed out at about 6pm, on the Thursday before Labor Day.  The lighting was ideal, the mystical “golden hour” was adding a soft glow to the air, and best of all, there were no bugs or mud.  

Our timing was ideal.

And what a lovely place for a graduate from Kansas to have a photo shoot.  We are the “Sunflower State.”

Plus, it just plain, old makes me happy to be there.

 

My transition mantel decor

At the end of August, I was ready for a new mantel look, but not ready to embrace fall, pumpkins, or Halloween.

I kept it flowery like my garden outside. In the yard, the rose bushes are looking their best, and I am really enjoying those blooms. 

This look might be verging on too springlike, but I’m okay with it.

UPDATE:

After creating this landscape, I decided to add it to the mantel in place of the smaller, unframed one.  

 

 

 

Another handmade book

The paint pours I have been making over the summer are coming in handy for the book covers I’ve put together. This one is so pretty, I haven’t even added to it beyond the clasp.

The spine for this book is metal filigree and the pages are tied in with leather strings.

It is a bit different than my others, I needed something less girly for this one.

Actually, not girly at all, it is for a friend’s father.

I did not have photos to add, but have made it ready to pop some into.

There are envelopes for memorabilia.

And pockets too.

 

My favorite planter

Quite a few years back, we took out a couple of trees.  Being thrifty, we left the stumps, because if you’ve ever paid to have two trees removed, you’d understand why we were feeling the need for thrift.

At first, I used the stumps as platforms to set planters on, but after decaying over time, they started to sink inward. 

So I filled the hole that was developing with dirt and plants.

Over time, it kept sinking and rotting til it evolved into losing the entire front part of the stump.  I wasn’t ready to say goodbye, so I stacked rocks to build a wall and prolonged its use a while longer.

It was honestly much prettier this spring before the baby pups learned how to climb the rocks like a ladder to dig in the dirt.  I’m surprised that any of the begonias survived at all.  As fall approaches, I’m thinking about switching to mums in this, but I cannot kill the flowers that are still hanging on.  Maybe I can transplant them to a new pot.

Because this would look great filled up and blooming bigger.

And this might be my last year to enjoy this particular stump, there might not be much left of it after this winter.

 

 

A little bit of paint makes for big changes

Well, I forgot to get a before photo, but I’m sure you can picture this dresser in brown.  Add a scuffed up top to complete the picture and you’ve got it.

Nice lines, solid, and well made, but past its prime.

After using Goo Gone to clean off some mess left behind by stickers, I started with a coat of Michaels’ brand of chalk paint in gray. It dried streaky (one coat is never enough, is it?)

Next, I put white and gray chalk paints together on a plate and dipped a brush in both at once, then started pouncing it on.  When dry, I lightly sanded here and there for mild distressing, and topped coated it with Polycrylic satin.

While my paints were out, I covered the old wooden box in the gray, and the hand towel holder in white, and finished both off with the Polycrylic too.

With these pieces, I actually remembered the befores!

This shot is way before, back before I broke off one arm.  Dang it.  The old metal it is made of, was too pliable.  I hope the other arm lasts, this is being used as a mask holder by the door.  I feel like hanging up my mask to air it out is better than laying it down.

Well I guess this is a sorta before shot.  I caught myself as I started to paint it.  This is a perfect little cabinet to keep by the door, the deep drawer holds things that I don’t want cluttering up the top of the dresser.

The two, small containers of paint went a long way, neither is empty.  I’m typically not a fan of chalk paint, but it can go quickly for a project since there is no need for a primer and it dries so fast you can rapidly start on your second coat.  And if you don’t mess with wax, using a clear coat instead, it is a pretty easy way to go.

And talk about drawers!  Wow, this new (old) dresser holds so much, I still have an empty drawer to fill up yet.  So far I am using two for dog supplies, leashes, etc, one for clean masks, one for garden gloves, mittens, and winter hats.  

Oh, that’s right, I still have TWO to fill.

Yea, I know it isn’t meant to be a kitchen piece, it should be in a bedroom. But it works in this spot so well, that didn’t matter to me.  It is exactly what I needed for right here.

 

Farewell, Summer

 

It has been hot around here, more than usual for a KS summer, but also, green and vibrant.  It has been a wet summer too, without the typical blowing dust that the heat usually brings.  Our garden and flowers are still thriving.

More so than I have, even though I try to not let the extra hot days get to me, because I know I will miss summer and wish for some extreme heat when the seasons change and the cold creeps back.

The dogs and I have spent as much time outside as we can.  Molly has spent the summer learning to perfect the art of digging.  

She has some impressive skills.

We have been attending adolescent puppy classes and she did well there too.  I enjoyed the classes so much that I hope to sign up for the next step in classes.  

I’d love to master some dog training skills myself and am considering keeping litters an extra month for further training.  I’ve also contacted the local shelter to offer myself as a foster home for litters (no answer so far).

This probably makes me sound like a crotch edgy, old lady, but why the heck does school start so early? “Dagnabbit, back in my day” schools began after Labor Day.  Sugarwings’ school starts up mid August, and I’m never quite ready to lose her company so soon.

But there they go, off to high school!  (With a grown up, hairstyle!)

My hair got a makeover too.  

Although, between the humidity and my lack of hot iron skills, it only looks good the day I get it done at the beauty shop.  Maybe with Autumn arriving, it will cooperate more, most of the summer, I’ve sported a frizzy mass of messy, limp curls.

Or just lake hair.  Which might not look great, but  feels pretty good.