Karla's Cottage

Seasons

One of the blessings of living in the Midwest is the changing seasons.  

Of course, when winter's turn is coming, I sometimes think of the changing seasons as a curse more than a blessing.

But only on those extremely cold days when it hurts to go outside. And even then, if you aren't forced to leave the house, those frigid days can be pretty nice, with a fire going in the wood stove and a good book to read.

For me, you can't beat springtime.  Not only is it the "year's awakening" like this snippet I cut out of an old book says, it is just plain old cheerful.  Winter can be gloomy, no matter how nice it is to read by the fire. Not many days of real life are conducive to goofing off and reading a book, plus, you have to go outside to get that firewood to build the cozy fire in the first place.

But spring?  Cheerful, happy, and bright.  

Still, would I love it so much if it wasn't so fleeting?  Having the seasons change keeps things interesting, it marks time passing.

So, yes, the changing seasons are a blessing to me.

So much so, that I did 2 sets of pages for the Journal of Nature's Blessings in honor of the seasons.

One nice thing about this swap, it is open to a lot of interpretations.  I'm very intrigued by the options and can't wait to see the pages rolling into my studio to see what choices the artists made to represent their own ideas of Nature's Blessings.

This theme can be very personal, and meaningful to the artists. I'm thrilled that we have so many people joining us in this swap (and yes, there is still room for more).  

I hope to have time to make more page sets.  I like to have a few extras around, plus some to swap, some to keep.  I really think I'll need to keep a set of the season pages.  

Not all redos are all that pretty

Sometimes, practical just has to win out over pretty.

I loved this cabinet that I fixed up to use for the grand fairies' clothes, in our laundry room/closet.  Our walk in closet has a washer and dryer in it, making it easy for me to put away my own stuff. All mine and my husband's things just hang or go on a shelf right there in the laundry room. 

When the girls came along, I was not going to get back into the habit of hauling laundry up and down the stairs again. After a taste of total convenience, there was NO WAY that I'd be going back to schlepping baskets around.

So, I decided to add storage to the closet just for them.

But-  as they got bigger, their clothes got bigger, and the cabinet seemed smaller. The shelves were dark and over stuffed. There was no room to hang any of their dresses.

Even though it looked nice,  it just wasn't working.

So, I picked up this rack at Target.  Everything fits on it soooo much better, and I can find thier matching clothes without a major search party and a flashlight.

I don't like the way it looks.

But, I sure like the way it works.  

Sugarwings decided that the space behind it would make a great changing room for her.  She uses a a couple of wooden clothes pins to hook a vintage table cloth onto a hanger on one side and the rack on the other.  To get in and out, she unhooks the hanger side and pins it the table cloth back onto the rack.
 

 

And of course, if you move a piece of furniture, it kind of starts an avalanche of moves... I replaced a vintage, radio cabinet with the larger one from the closet, to have more space for the grand fairies' games and electronics, which cut down on some clutter, but now, where will the replaced cabinet land?  

And so it begins, the furniture shuffle. If I was smart, I'd snap a photo and do a craigslisting for the smaller cabinet right NOW. Or load it in the truck and take it to Salvation Army, instead of creating a kerfuffle of moves with other pieces in the house.  

We'll see...

A Pinkie Pie Birthday party and some home made sidewalk chalk

August is a busy month for us.  My husband and I have an anniversary, The Hippy Chick and Sugarwings both have birthdays, and of course, back to school time.  Which still irks me, that it comes so early.  Am I showing my age by thinking back to school should be after Labor Day?

We have had a lot of celebratiing going on.

So much so, that some days we had to double up on parties.  Sugarwings' school's open house was the same night that we went out to celebrate her mom's birthday.

My social calender has been jam packed.  A good buddy has the same birthday as the Hippy Chick and turned 50 this year, so we have had a brunch for her and a Girls' Night Out too.

I feel very blessed with all of the special occasions to attend.  And to have friends and family around me to celebrate with. My sister also has a birthday this week, but is too far away for me to be there when she blows out the candles.  

I miss being there to give her a birthday hug, but I also know that I'm very lucky to have my sisters in my life and that we are extremely lucky to be so close, even while being so far apart.  I hope that Sugarwings and Dewdrop will always have this closeness. Whenever they spat (which is a LOT) I always tell them that a sister is a forever friend.

Not that it helps. When someone takes a toy from your hands, or screams in your face, it is hard to feel overwhelming friendship and appreciation at that moment.

The party that our Hippy Chick threw was full of friendship and fun.  She let Sugarwings choose the theme, Pinkie Pie, and added lots of pink polka dotted balloons to the park by her house. Simple, colorful, and cute.  With old fashioned games that inspired lots of laughs and running. 

She provided some fun little giveaways, and made a gluten/dairy free cake with fresh strawberries.   Sugarwings and I made some side walk chalk to give to her friends too.

There isn't much to making it, but I think we could have done it a better way.  Maybe this post should be titled, "How NOT to make Sidewalk Chalk"

Here is what we did wrong. First, no recipe, no measuring, and no thinking it out. I kind of figured I'd wing it. And I was wrong, it would've been better if I'd paid attention.

First of all, I had no idea that plaster of paris would dry so fast. Our plan was to add the glitter to it, stir in some water, then pour it into a mold and swirl in food coloring to each piece of chalk in the molds.

Well, it was thick as burnt and lumpy gravy within seconds.  Seconds! I did not use enough water.  I found that if you use more water, it takes days to dry, but it is better than having it dry before you can get it in a mold because your mixture didn't have enough liquid.

And it sets up permanently. This bucket, after soaking for a week, is still coated with plaster. I thought it would wash away if I soaked it, but no, the bucket is ruined.

If you are making this, use something you want to throw away, like a Dollar Store bucket, not your favorite pail.

• 
• So, here is how you should do it:

• Put on gloves

• Add two cups of plaster of paris to a throw away bucket
• Mix food coloring into one cup of water (we didn't do this, I figured out afterwards that it would be better to stir the food coloring into the water ahead of time, instead of adding it to the mix later)
• Have your silicone molds nearby and ready to pour the mixture into ( you can also
• pour the mix into small plastic bowls, and after they dry, break the chalk into chunks)
• Dump a whole container of fine glitter into the plaster of paris, mix well
• Slowly stir in water
• Pour into the molds, let sit for a few days 
• Remove the chalk from the molds and let them sit for a few more days.  Ours took over a week to set up when we did it this way, but the chalk was really nice.  And the silicone molds made cute shapes.

 PS- happy birthday, Bobbie!

Around the cottage

Summer ends too quickly for me.  Especially this year, we have had fall like temps that make me believe that summer has really ended, not just that school starts way too early.  

On Sugarwing's first day of second grade, we could see our breath, it was so chilly! That is NOT typical Kansas weather in mid August.   Usually we are cursing the cracked, dry, brown earth that is baking in the heat.  

Now, I'm not complaining about not feeling like I live in a smelting pot, I just am discombobulated by the freaky weather and am going to start thinking about pumpkin pie before it is even time to harvest our tomatoes.

We have made use of this untypical August cool air by taking lots of bike rides and hitting the walking trails.  During one walk, we paused for a selfie, and snapped it just in time to catch Twinkle in the act of side swiping Sugarwings and I both with her tongue.

Besides working on Nature's Blessing journal covers, I've not had much of a chance to get creative, instead, I've been hanging with the grand fairies and working in the yard.  All the work that normally gets put off til cooler, fall weather has been tempting me to be out doors, doing it now instead.

Oh, I've had time for a few little redos, like fixing up this frame from an estate sale, and I've been in a deep cleaning frenzy in the house for some odd reason.

The frame was sprayed with bonding primer (zinser)

Washed with watered down, coffee colored paint.

Then, wiped with a paper towel. I plan on sanding it for a distressed look, then popping in a pretty picture of a grand fairy.

Of course, I'll have plenty of those to choose from!

 

More Nature's Blessing Journal Swap page examples

I've been working away on the book covers for the Nature's Blessings swap, but I really should be more factory-like as I do them.

But I just can't be!

I glue some papers... iron some canvas... cut out some angels (oh my, there are a LOT of little feathers on those wings!)...White wash a few covers,well, you get the picture.

If I had a lick of sense, I'd do all of one step, then move on to the next step. Instead of having odd numbers of each step finished. 

Then, of course, I need to take breaks to make some interior pages of my own so I can join the swap too! (this one features a crepe paper ruffle trimming a pocket made from an old advertising card.)

This page is backed with a page about gardening taken from a 1800s French magazine that I bought from Gwen for only $1.  

Over that, I added a bowl of apples cut from a Victorian scrap album.  And lo and behold, I actually was able to pull it out! Have you noticed how fantastic the glue usually is in those old scrap albums!??? Oh my goodness, what did they use for glue that is still holding so darn tight over 100 years later????????

I want some of that glue!  But I think getting it involves rendering hooves, or something and I am fresh out right now.

The apples and the illustrations from the French gardening article made me think of harvest time and canning up nature's summer abundance to eat all winter long. So, I found the word "abundance" in an old dictionary and cut it out, then glued it to a piece of summer green, velvety ribbon.

The ribbon is only glued down at the sides, so that it became a towel rack to hang a tiny, vintage dish towel on. That seemed to complete my thoughts about canning summer produce, old kitchens, etc.  

Whoever gets this page, can take the mini dish towel out for some other purpose, or keep it in the book. The page is fine either way, because the French text underneath is pretty dang cool.

I love that stuff.

Sorry, this photo isn't real sharp.  It is old, lined, stationary paper with a rose on it.

I trimmed the top in more French magazine paper, some velvet and a flower. Plus some lace across the top.

Each of my pages has a little something peeking out from either the top, bottom, or side. I think that the book will be so much fuller and prettier looking if the swappers have embellishments that are protruding to show outside of the book.

Like the sheer flower petals showing from under the nest on this page.

People have asked me if it is okay to use fabric or something other than card stock to make their pages.  I really want the pages to be card stock, for ease of putting the books together.  But, like on this page, you can use other materials over it.

This is card stock, with fabric, that I have sewn on. The center is more French text (thanks, Gwen!!) that will be a pretty back ground for the book's soon to be owner, to glue a photo or momento over.

 

It isn't too late to join, if you are interested in making some pages of your own. Or you can purchase an empty book, ready to fill yourself. I've sent out quite a few of those already, and we are up to almost 75 swappers. The more the merrier!  We will have a lot of variety in the pages.  I'm so pleased to have a good turn out for this. I know it is a bigger swap than I've done in the past, commitment-wise.

Packages are starting to come in the mail, but I won't be opening them yet. As boxes arrive, they go into tubs, stacking up until almost time to start filling books. It's much easier to keep track of hundreds pages if I keep them in their original packages till I need them. 

Also, I am working on a book binding tutorial. So far I  have photographed and written instructions for 3 styles, I want to add at least 3 more before having it ready to market.  Details to come.

I should go to more estate sales

I had such fun a couple weeks ago, going to estate sales with Beth and Karla.

Not only did I find piles and piles of great lace to use for the book covers I'm making for the Nature's Blessing Journal Swap, it was good to get out and visit with friends. 

(by the way, the swap is open for sign ups until the end, Sept. 20th. As long as you have time to get them mailed on that date, feel free to join in)

 

We had one really good sale, which made up for so so ones. In the basement I found this ironstone teapot, and a ton of old tart tins, which I love working with.

Last year, I had a Christmas workshop in the studio where we made a selection of ornies for our trees, and the most popular turned out to be the little Tart Tin Trees.  the extra kits sold out immediately in my Etsy shop.  

This upcoming holiday season, I'd like to do a variation of this project and offer it again. And now I have twice the amount of tins as I did last year.

I think I'll incorporate some of these wonderful, old balls that I picked up at the sale too.  Another lucky find on that great day out!

Maybe I'll see you at my home for a day of holiday crafting?   Hope so!

 

 

A family Stay-cation

Honestly, our whole summer has been a stay-cation.  We've taken at least one day trip a week, even if it is just to the pool or lake. I've tried to have a weekly outing and a daily project for the grand fairies when they are here with me.

But we were able to slip in one getaway, where we stayed at a hotel in Kansas City with a water park.

And spent the next day at the KC zoo.

It's not how far you go that counts. 

It's who you go there with.

Shabbylicious

Kerryanne English is an artist I have always admired, and was an early blog friend of mine.

If you are wondering why I'm talking about Kerryanne and showing pictures of my studio, it is because she has asked me to be in her magazine, Shabbylicious.

She caught me at a good time, to get studio pictures. I'd just finished Birdsong, and was getting the room cleaned up, and organized.

So, the room was actually ready for pictures. This year, I have been in a mood to put things away correctly, and efficiently in a pretty way. 

It probably doesn't look much different to anyone else, but there is a world of difference to me. Cabinets are cleaned out, supplies are more sorted and accessable, and I've made tags with labels for things hidden away in boxes.

While working on the room, I found a lot of things I forgot I had and really didn't care about anymore. My garage now holds about 6 boxes of neglected goods ready to go to the thrift store.  It hurt just a little tiny bit to do that, but the pinch on my thrifty soul didn't hurt for long. It felt good to have things cleaned out once it was done.

I'm so proud of it all, I should be taking pictures inside of cabinets instead of outside!  

Even though the guts of the room aren't very pretty, to me they are quite lovely.

I seriously don't know what got into me. This sorting and stacking stage that I've been in started even before Birdsong. While getting ready for the event, I did a lot of redoing along the way.  If I needed a tablecloth for the studio, I pulled out every thing from the linen closet, refolded and restacked it all, sorting them by size.

 Seriously, what happened to me? Have I become my mother? She had enviable linen closets. Mine have always been very haphazard.

It's an honor to be in Kerryanne's pretty magazine, even though all you can see is the outside of my cabinets, not my glorious stacking and sorting skills hidden inside of them.

 It is an online one that you  can look at for free, or order a digital or printed copy for yourself.  If you buy a printed version, you get the digi one for free.

I've enjoyed going back through her past issues too.   The magazine is very well done, and the pictures are lovely.   (you can follow her magazines online too, and never miss a copy)

These photos are not in the magazine, these are some of the dozens I  sent to her to chose from.  I don't have photoshop, and am not savvy about sizing for publishing, so she offered to edit and foof the photos she used for the publication. 

I typically  use picmonkey, which I love, but isn't suitable for a professional printing job, they tend to shrink the pixels down too much when you save the picture.  These photos I'm showing today, are not edited as I usually do, you can probably tell they are "befores", for example, this second Fairy Dress picture is one that I did edit, the first one was not.  Sorry that all are not edited!

She was a real doll to work with.   If you'd like to see pictures she chose and edited, as well as the other artists featured in the magazine, please visit her here.  

 And thank you, Kerryanne for including me in your pages! I've ordered my copy and look forward to getting it in the mail.

PS- I'm working away on the covers for our Nature's Blessing Journal swap.  If I could do assembly line style work, I'd be done so much faster, but that is BORING.  I have to stop and assemble a few as I go, or stop and make pages of my own to keep sane.  So far, 45 are assembled. 

If you'd like to buy a journal with blank pages, or swap pages with another artist and receive a full book, details are here.

Another trip to Crown Center and a bit of fizzy fun

One of our day trips this summer was to Kaleidoscope at Crown Center.  

Where I fell in love with the outrageous decor.

These paper towel dispensers make me want to build one for my studio.  

And the place is 100% free.  

All of the art supplies are donated by Hallmark.

It was so colorful and fun, we went twice that day. Once before and then after we saw "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" at the theater at Crown Center.  

Cute theater!  We have plans to go back to see Rudolf at Xmas. 

I'll bet that Hallmark has some nifty Christmas crafts in mind for the holidays when we return.  Since it is Hallmark, and they pretty much are all about holidays and celebrations.

Crown Center wasn't the only thing we revisited.  We have discovered that vinegar and baking soda are a very exciting combo.  Over the summer, we've played with it a lot.

 We've filled an empty water bottle with it and added a balloon to the top, and watched the gas fill up the balloon.  We've made volcanoes, we've just put it in tubs and played with the fizziness. 

This time, we filled a pie tin with food coloring blobs.

By the way, after going through boxes and boxes of food coloring this summer, I've discovered that it washes out of clothes and hands with Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap in peppermint (from the natural grocers or Trader Joes)

We covered up the food coloring in the tin with baking soda.

 (The wagon in the background holds a tub of water that she dumps the leftovers into when the experiment is done.  All the food colors mixed together turn the water swamp colored, and she likes to sit in it and pretend to be a swamp creature.  Don't ask me why it needs to be in a wagon, but somehow that was important in the game.)

Then, filled a squirt gun with vinegar and sprayed away.

The more you spray, the more fizzy, frothy, rainbow bubbles you get. 

29 years

Our 29th anniversary is today, and we've had multiple celebrations for it.  A romantic dinner out one night, and boating with friends, enjoying a sunset picnic on another.

Plus, a weekend with Sugarwings while her parents work. We talked about going away, staying somewhere special and taking our little Sprite along with us. Maybe St. Louis? or Omaha? Just a quick trip out of town.

But after the floating picnic at dusk with our friends, and the shining moon came out over the water, we decided that corny as it is, "There's no place like home,"  is a truthful statement. 

What could be nicer than a lazy, relaxing weekend on the lake?  We are pretty happy right where we are.  

And when I heard that there would be a "super moon" plus a meteor shower tonight, I knew we'd made the right choice!