Karla's Cottage

Tutorials in the Boutique

It had been a while since I cleaned things up.  Both my Etsy shop and the Boutique were sadly neglected.  When I made my Velvet mushroom tutorial, I did a little rearranging.  I also marked some of my previous tutorials down. 

So if you’d like to learn how to assemble an art journal, craft a mini dress form, create a cuff bracelet (all no sew, by the way) plus a few more- all classes are available at their new, lower prices.  

And you can find them all here: http://www.karlascottage.com/category_15/All-items.htm

And thank you to those who have purchased my mushroom tutorial!  I love those little cuties and hope you do too.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Molly got a haircut

We had kinda let Molly’s do become undone.  That poor dog was a fuzzy, matted mess.  A no-no with doodles.  I made an appointment for her to be shaved, but was actually turned away because she was matted!

So, we bought a good pair of clippers and I did it myself.  This little dumpling was such a good girl, she stood very still, was calm and sweet.

And I think she looks beautiful.  I know she is more comfortable now.  This dog spends a lot of time in the woods, where she gets burrs, plus it has been HOT around here.

Now that she is sleek and trimmed, she is an excellent lake dog.  

 

 

How to get the tutorial to make velvet mushrooms

In the last month I have been swept away in a mushie love fest!

I sincerely ADORE making these!

At last count, I'd assembled... well, let's not go there. I might have gotten a tad carried away.

Luckily they were also popular at the last Good Juju sale, so I am not up to my neck in them like I could've been.

Maybe I am just to my waist now.

If you think you'd fall for crafting them as much as I did, I've whipped up a tutorial with directions.  It is available in my boutique, you can find it HERE.  

It is also on Etsy.

The class is in blog form, with written instructions that you could copy, print and keep on your desk plus the same instructions written out with step by step photos and tips.

 I offer ideas on materials to experiment with as well as pictures on how different items look when transformed into a mushroom stem. The photo above show how I have used four different items to get a collection of schroomie styles.

The tutorial is only $9 and will be available as long as I have a blog on this Typepad platform. I'm at 16 years or so at this point and don't see any reason to quit, so that tutorial will be around a while.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

There are tips and tricks for experimenting with various supplies in the class too.

You know me, I like changing things up and having variety!

Dewdrop came to see us

Dewdrop came to visit and stay for the big reunion.  Our time with her went too fast.

I wanted to do all of our typical summer time traditions- a craft project each day, and outings to zoos, lots of movies, and more, plus boating and pool time.

With 30 some visitors coming, we had to do an abbreviated version of our summers. I asked what things she wanted to squeeze in and was happy to hear that she wasn’t too old for the activities we used to do.  She chose the Children’s Discovery Zone in Topeka, eating at Culver’s, and seeing Minions at the theater.

And even wanted to ride the merry go round. 

It made my heart swell up when I saw that these two grand fairies still enjoyed the carousel, and even held hands while on it.

With an acknowledgment that these sibs weren’t quite my itty bitty fairies any more, we also threw in some shopping for new clothes and make up.  Even a few fireworks for the 4th.

The time zoomed by for me, and my moments were her were few and far between.  One of the reasons she was here was for the reunion, so she got to spend time with cousins, and other local family members too.  And since I was so busy with all the work that goes along with hosting that many people staying in my home, I was glad that she had so many other people around to keep her entertained.  

And I count myself lucky that she still wanted to be my little buddy and hang with her Grammy for some nostalgic fun.  

 

Painted pumpkins up close

In my previous post, I mentioned that I’d been painting pumpkins for the Good Juju sale  

As things tend to do with me, yep, this became another obsession.

I spent quite a few days painting one canvas after another.  I’d probably still be doing that if I hadn’t had to get ready for the big family reunion that we hosted.

I was on a roll, and loving every minute of it.  I was painting fat punkins, tall punkins, some on paint pour canvases, some on collage backgrounds.

Then I started stacking them.

And adding flowers.

Lots of flowers.

Sitting at my desk and doing one after another was pure joy for me.  Luckily, we had to harvest our honey and peaches, then be ready for guests, because I needed to get away from these, I think I had plenty.  They are all at Juju now, today is the last day of the August sale.  It would be nice if I sold a few, if not, I’ll be displaying them for fall shows too.

(All are under $50, if you happen to need a pumpkin and are visiting the Old West Bottoms)

 

My second wall at Good Juju is ready for it’s first run

This Friday and Saturday are the Good Juju sales date for August, and I am enjoying having a bit more space this go around.

Rich added the shelf up above for me.  It is higher than the one on my other wall. I’d say it’s more decorative than shoppable, although the things on it are priced.  Still, it’s more for atmosphere than selling.  

But isn’t atmosphere part of selling?  It is for me.   


Here is the upper shelf on my opposite wall.

I have painted some pumpkins to add this month.  It’s 100 degrees and humid here, a typical KS day in August, but not too soon to start daydreaming about cooler, autumn days, right?

Some of the pumpkins are done on pour painted canvasses. 

And some have flowers.

I’ve also packed in my mushroom colony and have lots of jewelry too.

 I hope it goes well, I love having a reason to make things!