Karla's Cottage

The No Fretting Rule

Being sick for most of last week has set me behind a bit in my quest to fill both shops up for the looming holidays! 

Earlier, I got so embarrassed by my inability to keep my Etsy shop stocked that I shut it down for a while. 

Now, I am happy to say, that while it  might not be filled to the brim with goodies, I have it semi stocked and reopened, at least.

And I am making a dent in the giant pile of vintage jewelry that I have been meaning to photograph for the Boutique too.

There is no use beating myself up about not getting it all done immediately.  Old stuff just gets older, it doesn't rot or start to stink.

The piles will all still be there waiting for me when I get time to get the pictures.

I tell myself, there is only so much time in a day. There is no stretching it out, that is all there is.  I can make the best of it, or I can just fret.

Between the kitchen remodelling project and my travel across country to play fairy tales with my friends and visit my sisses, then all the cuddly grand kid time and Halloween fun, I simply had no time left to get sick and be off my game for a week.

But I did, its over, time to move on. If I start out the beginning of November fretting and fussing and feeling behind, just how much fun will I be having this season?  Its barely begun and I am already stressed!

So, I'm putting implementing a NO Fretting Rule, and just telling myself that there is only so much one little old lady can do, right?  I should relax, bake cookies with the girls, be social, and enjoy spreading Christmas decorations all over my new kitchen! 

So, I made a plan.  I'll take a few pictures and list a few things every single day, and what I get done, gets done.

Plus, you'd rather have new things to look at on a regular basis than a jam packed shop all at once, wouldn't you?

Christmas is already in the air here.  Last night, Sugarwings and I started our annual tree dying tradition.  A few are already listed on Etsy, the rest still need to dry, then be glittered.

On another note, do you remember those "10 things about me" lists that were going around on blogs years ago?  I think they are back. I used to love them and was so addicted to reading them, I would go from link to link to link and just get lost in all the lists and not even remember who I was reading about.

I was just picked to do one again, but, I'm afraid I lost the link and name of who asked me. If it was you, would you please let me know? Sorry.

Anyway, I thought that I would take the time away from doing something else that really needed to be done (kits for a class, a story for Somerset, a project example- or two- or three, gifts to make, listing, listing, listing, and not to mention cleaning house, just to mention a few) and with my new found, No Fretting Rule, I would goof off and write out my list of:

Ten Things About Me

1- I'm always behind, so it wouldn't matter how much I get done, there is always more I want to do, my mind is a swirling, twirling, blur of ideas and colors. Which I why I am always doing different things, and not trying to capture the market on one type of art.  I think I could do well if I stuck with something, but I keep moving on and trying something else. 

2- On the other hand, I love Holiday tradition projects, like dying the bottle brush trees with Sugarwings (she is my little helper elf and loves being put to work). She has helped me since she was tiny. I hope that the trees stay in fashion and I can still sell some.  Or we will end up waist deep in pastel trees, because we are dying another couple hundred or so.

3- I watch way too much TV. If I'd be willing to give it up, or at least do away with a fraction of the time i spend in front of it, I probably would not be so far behind with everything else in my life.  But I can't quit you, DVR.  And I don't want to.

4-  In the studio, I listen to NPR all day, and only allow myself to watch TV out here if I work late at night or on weekends. But I rarely listen to music and don't care much for silence. I do sing a lot, but not to the radio.  I sing all day long, and am most likely the worst singer ever.  Maybe its because I am singing to NPR?

5- I talk to the dogs all day while I work and sometimes forget they might not be in the studio after all, and carry on a whole conversation with no one.

6- This NO Fretting Rule will not be easy for me.  I do tend to fixate on what I need to do. My husband doesn't care much for that trait. 

7- I'm usually pretty quick in everything I do.  I'm not a deep thinker or planner, and work off the cuff.  I rarely sketch or plan ahead.  When I worked as a muralist, I would walk up to a 60' wall and just start painting with no drawing to go from.  I don't like to do the exact same thing twice, so if I had a sketch, chances are that the wall would come out different than it anyway.

8- Once I fell off a horse and broke my back, and thought I was going to have chronic pain forever.  But I don't because I try to stay limber. Exercise and I don't get along well, but I have to make the effort, or I start to drag my left leg.

9- I travel a lot even though I hate to be away from home (and my TV, my dogs, my studio, my Sugarwings, my family, my garden, did I mention my TV?).

10- I will fall for any excuse to waste time, even when time is short.  As you can see by this list.  And by how often I post. And by how often I am on Facebook. Its a good thing I can't quite get the swing of Pinterest. I can feel a huge pit of time seeping away there if I did. And I do appreciate all the pins people have made from my blog, thanks!

 

Ahhhh, October!

How is my weekend going? Oz-ish.  I'm up to my elbows in all things Dorothy. 

Doesn't this shot make you wish you'd joined the swap??? Wow, such talent out there.  I'm taking way too long to open the packages and sort all the tags, because I have to stop and admire each one.

And because there are about a million of them.  These two photos are just a smidgen of the piles.

I waited for the deadline to start opening all the packages, but I'm afraid not all are here yet. I think that I wasn't all that clear, some people thought the 30th was the mail by date, not the date I needed them. I have to apologize for not being more clear.

But- it takes days to sort, and assemble the tags into books, so I'll be adding the stragglers to the last books as I make them, as long as they are here before I finish.  

There have been some lovely hostess gifts included too, I'll have photos of those as soon as I am caught up on the books themselves.  Sugarwings and I have plans for a Dorothy party together where we will get to open and play with the goodies. 

Aggie Rose is already planning her wardrobe for the party.  I think I'll be the Wicked Witch. I have a feeling that Sugarwings will be Dorothy, since she kind of thinks that is who she is anyway.  That kid lives in an imaginary world where she has multliple personalities. Often she is a mermaid, sometimes Dorothy, and then there are the lesser personalites, of a Baby Monkey, Fairy, Bride, Princess, Frog, Monster, Puppy, Alice, or Goldilocks.

Of course, she includes me, and I usually get to be the evil protagnist of any story that is going on in her head.  I spend a lot of time as a Big Bad Wolf, Wicked Witch, or Flying Monkey.

Just once, I'd like to get to be a princess too.   If I'm lucky, I get to be a Fairy Grandmother.  But I know to never, ever, ever try to be Dorothy. That is HER.

Its a beautiful day here at the Cottage.  I woke up after about TWELVE hours of sleep, to a crisp, clear autumn day.  I know I need to be making Dorothy books, but I just had to walk around outside and luxouriate in this weather.  Soon, leaves will be dropping and my yard will be something I dread going into because I'll be trying to avoid the rake. 

But for now, its that perfect time in between summer's heat and winter's cold.  The weeds have slowed down, and the leaves haven't fallen yet. I can go outside and not be reminded of how much work the yard needs. I can just enjoy it as it is.

Of course, while I'm outside enjoying the day, I'm also avoiding those tag books....

But not for long, I'm already gearing up for the big tag book marathon.  But I think I'll leave the  studio door open so dogs can wander in and out, and  I can breathe in the sweet October air while I work. And I think it will be a jammie day.  That makes it even better.

 

 

Dorkies in the Snow

When is SUMMER coming? I am not a winter person. 

Twinkle, on the other hand is loving this snow.

Sparkle, our Little Miss Butterball, who you'd think has enough fat on her bones to keep her warm, wasn't any happier about the snow than I was.

After walking the dogs, I scurried right back into the house and stayed there.  I made use of the snow day by continuing my scrap booking.

Slowly but, surely, I am working my way through the 7 months worth of photos I am behind on.

I seem to have gotten out of chronological order somehow, here is Thanksgiving, and I don't have Halloween in yet.

And on the page next to Thanksgiving, here is a sunny summer photo.

Hey, at least they are getting done!

When I got to our trip to the Renaissance Festival, there were so many, I need to do some collage work with a couple of pages.  I used the guide map from the festival for the background and added our tickets to it too.

I didn't want to fill a whole book with nothing but Renfest, but on the other hand, all the pictures of Sugarwings that day were so cute, I had to include them!  So I made a big pocket and filled it with loose photos.

Look at the mess on my desk, do you wonder how I get anything done? I work and accumulate scraps and mess till I can't take it anymore, before I finally clean up.

If only I could get into the habit of picking up as I go along. 

I also made some time to list a TON of things on Etsy. 

SOLD 

Not a bad day for staying put at the computer for a while, getting things listed.

I am feeling so much better now, thanks for all your well wishes.  I didn't have a very bad case of the flu. I'm not saying it was fun, but it wasn't as bad as it could be.

And tomorrow, I get to go and play in Kansas City with Beth.  I'm glad I recovered in time! We plan on seeing a couple movies, so we are closer to being caught up on the Oscar list.

Another friend, Sandra has tagged me for this "meme".   

If any of you want to play along, consider yourself tagged!

1. 4 JOBS I’VE HAD

Mural painter

Bartender

Jewelry maker

Antique dealer

2. 4 MOVIES I LOVE

The Jerk

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

Labyrinth

A Christmas Story

3. 4 PLACES I’VE LIVED

Lawrence, Kansas

Pendleton, Indiana

Russellville, Arkansas

Wertheim, Germany

4. 4 TV SHOWS I WATCH

Only four?? You’ve got to be kidding. I am a

TV junkie!!  Idol, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Top Model

Top Chef, Runway, Survivor, ER, Office, How I Met

Your Mother, the Tudors, Flight of the Conchords,

Trading Spaces (now that Paige is

Back!) and on and on and on

5. 4 PLACES I’VE BEEN OUTSIDE THE US

I’ve been to the Bahamas a few times and lived in

Germany for a couple of years

6. 4 PEOPLE I EMAIL REGULARLY

Beth, Sissy, Bobbie, and my handsome husband

Plus I answer the dozens I get every day

7. 4 OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO EAT

Another one of those, you’ve got to be kidding ones.

Only 4???  OK, I’ll go with what I eat most of the time

And love, baked chicken, cinnamon rice cakes, vanilla

Yogurt, pasta, sweet potatoes, chicken pad Thai, popcorn

8. 4 PLACES I’D RATHER BE

I love to be here in my studio! But, anywhere with

Sugarwings, at a movie with my husband, junking

With Beth, on the lake with my family- but not in this

Weather, it would have to be summer time! 

9. 4 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO

Baby-sitting Sugarwings, making things,

Going to DC to see my husband next week and having

a special Valentine’s Day with him, SUMMER 

A Fairy Princess and a Weird Old Lady

I had a wonderful day, a Sugarwings day.  That is the best kind. She cuddled up on my lap and watched a whole movie with me, while we played with Twinkle's soft ears. 

Then, this evening, I had time to do this watercolor sketch after making a pot of homemade turkey noodle soup. 

Not a bad day at all, a cuddly baby, a dog with soft ears, homemade soup, and time to paint!

This little painting is a cartoon of my friend Rachael's little Princess.  I am going to send it to her as her prize for my December Giveaway.

I like to figure out what the prize for my monthly giveaway will be AFTER I draw the name, that way I can do something custom.

This isn't a perfect likeness, only a quick caricature done while I watched an episode of What Not To Wear.  Do you see Stacey London's influence here? The little fairy is wearing an empire waisted dress. Stacey is always pushing those.

I'm so glad that Rachael won last month, I have been wanting to paint her beautiful daughter for a long time, and this was a great excuse to finally do it.

Now for another thing that makes me happy -7 weird things! I was quite addicted to that rage when it went through blog world before, and read them all, from one list to another to another. I'd get lost in all the stories and insights into my fellow bloggers.  Now, the game seems to be going around again and I've been tagged another time myself, this time by Michelle.   Here is the last one I did, at the end of this (typically) long and rambling post: http://karlascottage.typepad.com/karlascottage/2007/09/beth-birdies-be.html

1. I LOVE the weird lists.  Whether I know the blogger or not, I can't stop reading all of them. I've done this a few times myself, but feel like I have enough weirdness to fill a few lists
2. On my trip home from apartment furnishing out East, I brought home a suitcase full of bubble wrap and cardboard that our new purchases came wrapped in.  How could I waste all that wonderful, precious bubble wrap???
3. I had 2 suitcases on that trip, and weirdly enough, I filled the gym type bag without wheels full of clothes and heavy stuff, while the nice wheeled piece of luggage was filled with bubble wrap. I don't know what I was thinking.
4. My wallpaper addiction is becoming serious. I am forcing myself to cut it up, use it, sell it, enjoy it, not just hoard the stuff. 

These 3 drawers are full of rolls, and that is just the tip of it all.

Here are a few sample books, I love working with these, so easy, no ironing like the rolls!

I save every little scrap, you never know when that little strip of old paper will be the PERFECT touch to finish an artwork!

There is more, it is taking over my studio. I am thinking of papering one wall in it, but small bits, like a crazy quilt.  So I can stare at it and enjoy it all.  See, weird. It is an obsession.

5. I keep one of Sugarwings sockies on my bedside table  when she isn't here, because it is so tiny and cute and reminds me of her.  I snuck a pair of her little pink sockies into my husband's bag so he would find them when he unpacks at his apartment.

We are both smitten with her.

6. I wear my paint clothes all the time.  I am a slob. My family is used to it and I used to get strange looks from people sometimes, but don't so much anymore. My theory is that people don't notice middle aged women much.  We are invisible. 

7. I can't get enough popcorn. Sometimes I go to movies I don't even care about just to eat the popcorn.  I love to go to late movies all alone and get a bucket of crunchy, salty goodness and relax.  Its not the same at home, no matter what brand of microwave corn I buy, the stuff at the theater is the best.

I met Orville Redenbacher at the Indiana State Fair when I was 12 or so, and it was before he was famous, he was giving out samples of his new popcorn (pre-microwave days) and I always remembered that funny man, and recognized him when I saw the commercials later.  I just love Orville and am glad they brought him back from the dead to do his commercials again, even though it is slightly freaky.

Thanks Michelle, that was fun!

I finally picked up a copy of the new Somerset Life.  What a gorgeous issue! But all of their magazines are wonderful, I love them all.

This one has an article about kits and they have featured one of my kits for sale on Etsy.

Its an honor to be a part of such an interesting and well done publication!

I hope to spend some time tomorrow making some more collage kits to list on Etsy. I have a few up right now, but I have some ideas for more.

  But I also need to work on those swap recipe book covers, my year end quarterly taxes, and did I mention that my Christmas tree is still up, as well as my whole house is still decorated for the holidays???? I might just need to add some pink and red hearts to the trees and forget about it till after February!

So much to do.  I think I'll go to a late night movie! I need to RUN so I don't miss the last show, I hear that bucket of popcorn calling my name!

What Is Lurking out in the Pet Cemetery behind my cottage????

Ghouls just wanna have fun!

Welcome to the Halloween Blog Party!! It is sponsored by a group here and they have their scary tunes going, I have them playing in the back ground while I write to get me in the mood.

My niece, Shelli, made this ghostly cake. Enjoy a piece while you mingle at the party!   

And Sissy has been crafting again! Look at this creation, I just want to move right into this cottage.

There is even a crystal ball waiting for me on the table. Have I ever mentioned my fortune telling hobby?  I call myself Madame Karkina and wrap the nearest table cloth around my shoulders like a shawl and pretend to read palms. (It is usually after a couple of glasses of wine.)

That is a picture of Sissy as a witch next to the black cat. 

And speaking of familiars- oops,  I mean pets-

did I ever mention this? 

Yep, I have a pet cemetery on my 10 acres, right along I70.  It used to be a bit of a land mark around here, but as it rusts and the trees grow up around it, you don't notice it along the highway any more. 

Yesterday was such a pretty fall day that Sugarwings and I got dressed up and went back to the punkin patch for another visit.

I went as a princess and she was a pink butterfly. (I am wearing big sunglasses to hide from the paparazzi and trying to teach her the princess wave- also known as the beauty queen wave: ELBOW ELBOW WRIST WRIST WRIST). 

Her grandfather didn't wear a costume.  As usual, he just dressed as a handsome husband.

Aren't they so cute together?  This might be my favorite photo of the two of them.

Tonight for trick or treat, she will be dressed as Dorothy and Twinkle will be Toto.  I have a feeling I will be posting photos....

I was tagged by Michelle to name 3 blogs I like to read. That is HARD to do, I am a blog-aholic and love to peruse the boundless bounty of blogs. 

So, I'll just list who I looked at this morning, these are some good ones:

Bethany has hand made felt goodie bags for Halloween

Heather always has some of the prettiest photos around, and she is showing some Silver Bella themed kits she will be selling

the queen always has great photos too, and right now there is a wonderful vintage Halloween masked ball print to see.

And of course, I always check out my buddy, Beth to see what wry and witty things she has to say or what fab finds she got at the last estate sale.  Right now, she has an infestation of creatures creeping around her place and hiding in all the nooks and crannies.

One last Halloween Witch, looking really really scary before I remind you this is the last day of the

October Drawing. I will wait till the 2nd to announce the winner so you can leave comments on THIS POST till then. (COMMENTS FROM ALL MONTH COUNT TOO)

The prize is a Cottage College Kit with vintage wallpaper OR a hand made item from one of my kits.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Of course, you know what that means tomorrow is?? The biggest candy bargain day of the year! I will fill my shopping cart with 75% off chocolate and start the count down to Christmas weight gain early.

Beth, Birdies, Bertie, and a bit of weirdness

Yesterday was a Sugarwings Day.  She is still feeling cuddly and quiet from her flu bug, so she wanted just to be held or to be pushed in her new ($3 from a garage sale) car.

While she was napping, I decided to surprise her by making her new car  a bit more fitting for someone as special as she is.

I primed it, spray painted it pink, then dumped two vials of glitter all over the wet paint and covered that with a spray of clear coat.

I wish the glitter showed in the photo, because it really shines in the sun.  Sugarwings might need some sunglasses when she rides in her pink convertible.

By the way, this is what I am using as a stroller. We go for long walks up and down the sidewalks and to the park in it.  So much more interesting than most strollers, and the handles come off so I can put it in my car if we go somewhere.

Today was a Beth day.  I went to her house and we crafted the afternoon away. Why is it so much more fun to dig through someone else's bags and boxes of supplies than your own?

We both had new goods to work with, she'd gotten a tin full of broken jewelry at an estate sale and I had a stack of some of the prettiest paper ever from Heather.  She and I did a mini swap of vintage wall papers.

This blue rose paper is one from Heather and the rhinestone posy shaped button is from Beth's tin of sparkly bits and pieces.

Beth also had a drawer full of different wooden shapes, and she shared this birdie with me.  And yep, the eye is from her stash of sparklies too. Plus- she gave me a baggie full of them to take home!

Beth had a page of Victorian bird pictures she had reduced and copied, so I was full speed into the bird theme today. I also was trying out her "Stickles" and decided that it was a product I won't be able to do with out.

I used the burgundy Stickles ( a brand of glitter glue that has a very fine glitter in it, comes in many colors, and flows easliy from the bottle) to outline some of the flowers in the old wallpaper (from Heather) and the oval cut out of the bird (from Beth).

I also drew extra vines, leaves, and swirls with Gelly Roll Stardust pens.  Another product that will always be on my desk!

The Stardust pens are what I used to outline flowers and leaves, then smudge it slightly for a subtle glittery look. (A trick I learned from Sissy)

Another new favorite is this genuine sliver glitter from Heather.  She sells it in her shop and you HAVE to try it. Especially if you use it with yet ANOTHER  new favorite of mine- a ball point pen that has glue instead of ink! I'd seen glue pens before, but these (from Michaels) have such a fine line and great control of where the glue goes, I just am crazy about them.

So do you have your shopping list of must haves for collage and scrap booking??

1. Stardust Gelly Roll pens (clear is the BEST)

2. Stickles

3. Ball point pen with glue instead of ink

4. Genuine silver dust glitter from Heather at Pretty Petals

These are my new "Can't do with out 'ems" when I need to make something sparkle. And I always need to make stuff sparkle!

Here is what Beth made today.  We might have gotten more done if we weren't laughing so hard all day. For some reason, every sentence seemed to strike a funny bone.

Not a bad way to spend a day, laughing and gluing glitter on vintage wallpaper. Oh- and going out to lunch at Pei-Wei (a chain owned by PF Chang and just as good but half the price!)

Here is more of what Beth made today, she isn't quite done with them, but I took the picture anyway, they look good to me.

Also, I have been tagged by Jennifer (Queen of the Ravens) to list 7 weird things about myself.  Well, I've played this game before, twice, but I think I have plenty of weird to spare. Here are a couple at least.

1- This is embarrassing but true, and I did go back to finish later and jeez, I don't know why I'd even tell anyone this- but I am a high school drop out.  I'm not stupid, I was an A student, I wasn't a loser or a druggie or anything like that, it was just family difficulties and I was a tad bit homeless at the time.

2- I am a serial renovator. I can't stop.  When we bought this old farmhouse, it was 800 sq feet.   It is now almost 5,000.  We just add and add and add.

3- I am a serial painter too.  My living room gets repainted at least twice a year.  Maybe more.  Maybe twice a week if I feel like I need to. When I had an antique booth, I'd paint it every couple of months. Other rooms last longer in their colors, the living room seems to be my main target.

4- I sing and make up rhymes all day long and am completely tone deaf, but I don't let that stop me.  Sugarwings and the dorkies think it is pretty cool but the rest of the world finds me irritating.

5- I keep a file of co-incidences. Such as two days after this puppy, Bertie, died, I made a tie dye tee shirt that was supposed to be a butterfly, but it turned out to look like her portrait.

Anytime something odd or cute or coincidental happens, I make a note of it.  I call it my Co-Inky Dinks  and Odd Occurances file.

Like this picture of the sky over my cottage the day Sugarwings was born- this cloud is shaped like Sparkle, my dorky!!!

5- I have developed an addiction to vintage wallpaper.

A serious, dangerous addiction that can't be stopped.

6- I once had a mural job that paid me $2,000 in one day.  I paint fast, and usually try to make the job last longer so the person who hired me doesn't feel like he got a bad deal.  But sometimes, I can't help myself, I zip through the work so fast, I get done too early.  I've painted a 20' x 60' mural in 2 days, thats probably my speed record. 

Here is are a couple photos of part of it, its a big 'un.

7- I once broke my back. I fell off (was not thrown, that would be a better story) a pony -not a horse -  a pony we bought from a church camp. A kid's pony.  I just was careless, slid off (it wasn't very far to the ground either) and landed wrong. I broke 2 vertebrae and was in bad shape for years.  Lots of surgeries, etc.  I do exercises and keep limber or the arthritis in my back will cripple me up again. 

8- bonus weird item- I don't embarrass! (and I don't know when to shut up)  You can tell by the fact that I wrote all of this!!!!

I will do the drawing for September's prize Sunday night.  Thanks everyone for leaving comments, I appreciate it.  Also, I am taking suggestions for October's prize.

Teaparties, A Gift for YOU, Fairies and a sprinkling of Dust to top it off

Welcome to the Tea Party!  It is being hosted by those pretty pink people who make everything so nice and everyone is invited to join.  The teaparty will go on all week, so you can return for seconds on scones and tea!

Tomorrow is my day to have Sugarwings, so she can't be here for this party today.  She's still a bit young, but I can see that very soon, she and Grandmama will be playing fairy tea party together.

And Twinkle is up for any party, any time.

These are the hand painted doors to the closet in Sugarwing's room here at her grandparent's cottage.  Inside, are all the dress up clothes I am starting to collect for her from garage sales for her to wear at future tea parties.

And of course, I have started to collect some fairies to invite as guests to our upcoming events. 

The itty bitty ballerina fairy was a gift from Holly, who always has the cutest stuff.

This pretty cobalt teapot was my mom's.  The blue framed photo in front is of her, wasn't she pretty too?

The little rose covered book was made by Beth.

Yes, I see the dust too.  Don't you know that a person who owns this much junk also owns a lot of dust???

I used to have a larger collection of teapots, but edited it down to rose-themed, matte white or tarnished silver and threw in some tea cups to match.

My son built these kitchen cabinets for me, and I had him make sure there was plenty of teapot space on top.

The little pot in front, is my Grandma Smith's.  She would pack it up in her suitcase and bring it every time she came up to Indiana to visit us from Florida. 

Grandma Smith's is what got me started on the collection.

Here is a watercolor I did of her silver teapot years ago when I was into quilts and dried flowers.  Now, I just have the painting in the closet of my studio. I should ask my family if anyone wants it.

Nieces? Sisters? Any of you read this? If you want this painting, let me know. 

There is a teeny little self portrait in the reflection of the silver

Here is another sentimental thing for me, my mom's tea cup (it is under the cake plate and has china roses in it.)

When mom died 5 years ago (it still feels like just yesterday sometimes) Sissy was sweet and divided up mom's beautiful rose dishes so that we each had 2 place settings to display.  I have built up a collection of matching dishes, well in color and style, if not in pattern, and keep them all on this shelf in my kitchen with fairies, angels and elves.  And probably more dust.

Did I mention that I love teapots?  I've tied mini ones from my kitchen chandelier too.

I bought new vintage wallpaper this week and had a wonderful time making tags, tons and tons of tags.  Here is a sample.

And since you have been such nice guests at my tea party today, and no one complained about the dust on their teacups, I have a present for you.

I made this refrigerator magnet with some of my new-old wallpaper and brass charms I bought at the flea market last week. 

I will give it away today as a gift to a commenter. And remember, I have a giveaway for the month of September, you just have to leave a comment. The comments to win the magnent will count toward that too.

I was tagged by MJ and a couple other people (sorry I lost the emails) for the Thoughtful bloggers award, back when I was coming home from my vacation and never got around to posting about it, I was so behind on everything. I want to thank them and apologize for not noting it.  I was also tagged for the name game by Priscilla and by ---- oh my--- I lost that email too. I'm sorry.  I'll find it later so I can thank them. 

Anyway, my middle name is JO so, this will be short (even from me, the QUEEN OF RAMBLING)

J- Junk!! I Just love Junk!

O- Oh my gosh, I Just love Junk!

Tagged and Tags with a Sissy Swap

22 years (and a waistline) ago on August 10th, I married my sweetie.  We are not going to be able to celebrate this year, I'm afraid between his business trips and my family reunion trip coming up, we are missing being together that day. 

After being together for so long, we've learned that being together on the date itself isn't as important as the fact that we enjoy being together every day.

When I get to Indiana, my sis and I are doing a swap, with Beth.  Sis and I were already doing an art hat doll swap together, and Beth and I have already swapped supplies.  But now, we are making gift bags and swapping some other fun items.

I made this bag from a big brown grocery bag, scrap booking papers, a copy of an old postcard, ribbon, stamps, gold pen and of course- glitter!

Then, I tied on two tags I had made, one with her initial (s for Sissy, or Sharon) and a smaller copy of the same birdie postcard I used on the bag.

The other tag has been stamped with red and brown inks, then one of my hand painted wallpaper medallions was glued to it.

So far, I have packed up a bundle of the bubble silverware that I bought at a garage sale and Sissy liked, a couple of fairy stories from an old book, and a vintage dishtowel with her initial on it.

This little hand carved angel is something I bought at the Renaissance Festival a few years back, and repainted. I thought Sissy might like it for her garden.

I also have a glow in the dark garden stake for her. 

We decided that we wouldn't mail the art doll hats to each other, we'd save the money from postage and use it to buy a bottle of wine, then we will wear our hats and drink the wine together while we open up our swap gifts!

I have spent the rest of the morning making tags, since I  was "tagged" by Phyllis for a unique form of the tag game.

You are supposed to write the names of the taggees onto a "world wonder".  But Phyllis used chalk boards and Sandi used green tomatoes, so I figured I could use what I wanted, so I used TAGS.

I started with Kim at Daisy Cottage, with her lively reds and yellows, it was fun to work with a different palette and make this "K" for her.

Next is a wonderful artist, my new blog friend, Bethany . I did some hand drawn swirls and added this artist pallette copied from an old post card.

Next, is my buddy, Beth who has a passion for vintage sewing supplies. 

One of the very first bloggers I met was the wonderful Vicki who was so kind and helpful when I was a newbie.  She also makes the greatest stuff, and right now has a funny story on her blog about things that go bump in the night.

EDIT- Phyllis just emailed me to ask where I found the "Marryville" for Mrs Staggs, her blog is about "Merryville". It was a total random accident and I didn't know I had done it!!!

And for the kind and genteel Mrs. Staggs who is taking a blog break right now, due to family illnesses. But I thought a little tag in the mail would help cheer her up, and let her know that even though she isn't blogging right now, we haven't forgotten her.

And last ( I think I was supposed to do 8, but ran out of time to make tags, I have a trip to pack for!)

Connie  who is so techno savyy and is always ready to jump in and explain how to fix a problem. Check out the hand made roses she is doing on her blog right now!

OK, taggees, if you want to play, you tag some people yourselves and add their name to a picture. Most people have used photo shop, I don't have those skills, so I hand made some real life tags.

Tomorrow, Kari

is holding an Artful Blogger party to celebrate her article in the magazine. She is asking for tutorials, so I decided to post "How to Paint Furniture". It will include step by steps on how I did these two chairs.

Hope you come back to check out the party tomorrow!

August give away reminder

I will give the winner a choice- if you are an artist and want a Cottage Collage Kit filled with vintage goodness, I'll send that. If you are not and don't want the kit, I will make something for you from one of my kits!!!  Leave a message to enter, as often as you'd like.  I do love me some comments!

Eight Random Thoughts with a side of Garden Sauce

Bethany at http://bethanyjanehissong.blogspot.com/, tagged me to write 8 random things about myself.  A while back, I did the "7 weird things" list,  I guess this one is different.  So- here goes, 8 off the top of my head things.

First, here is the sketch that Bethany did of Twinkle!! How wonderful, she has some really good sketches on her site, she can certainly capture the personality of her subject.  Go take a look!!

Which brings me to #1- I don't sketch. I wish I did, I love to see pencil drawings. I just don't do it.

Here is a painting I did today of Sasha, my cousin's Dorkie who passed away this year.

I kind of draw it out before painting, but not in too much detail. When I do a mural, I don't draw on the wall first, I just walk up to the wall and start painting.

#2- I am never sure of blog etiquette. I probably should have asked Bethany before I showed her drawing. I hope she knows I posted it in awe and enjoyment of her work and that I wanted everyone to see it and go to her site, that I wasn't trying to steal it.

#3- I don't use recipes, I wing it when I cook. 

I make things up as I go along, but here is a summary of my garden sauce if you want to make some:

saute an onion, garlic, some banana and green peppers from the garden patch in olive oil, then throw them into the crock pot on low

chop up tomatoes and throw them into the crock pot until it is full

add fresh basil, thyme, and what ever other herbs you have grown that taste Italian-ey, with salt and pepper, some raw sugar and red wine

cook on low for 24 hours or so, bag and freeze.  Drink some wine.

Make sure the zipper on the bag is closed tight, or you have to take everything out of the freezer and clean out the shelves.

#4- My niece's son, Conner, is a ribbon winner in goat raising!

Oh no, I just realized while looking at this photo that the sheep I showed to Sugarwings at the fair yesterday, were not sheep, they were goats.  oops

#5- Sugarwings and I spent more time sitting on the floor at the hog barn, yelling into the giant fan than we did walking around the fair.  She liked the way the fan warped our voices, so we did a lot of hollering at it.

#6- I love cement people.  This one lives in front of my studio, and is wearing some of my garage sale finds from today.

#7- I am really loving wrapping up the packages of stuff I sell on Etsy!

  I am not usually a fancy gift wrapper. One year at Christmas, I only used one gift bag for everyone. I stacked up presents in a pile for each person, and kept them in the back room. For every gift, I played "Santa" and went back to the room with the same bag over and over and slipped a gift into it.  Our family always opens one gift at a time, so it worked out well.

#8- my fairy grand baby can say everyone's name but mine. My son says that it is because I am not consistent in trying to teach her what to say. 

I tried to go by "Grandmama Karkie" (my family calls me Karkie) but it sounded like 'grandma McArkie'- so I just went with "Grandmama", but no one in Kansas says it with the right syllable emphasized, and it sounded very country, not elegant. (and I am not exactly elegant anyway)

So, now I am going for Grammy Karkie.  Or maybe I'll see what she comes up with.

I am going to tag: well, Beth, of course! http://bethleintz.typepad.com/ (check out her estate sale finds from yesterday, wow!)

and Amy http://www.myspace.com/primitivezen ,

who kindly sent me this mail art.

Don't forget to enter the drawing for my August give away!  All you have to do is leave a comment and you are entered.  I'm not sure what it will be yet, but I can assure you that there will be a photo from this group of 75  I  got at a garage sale this morning for only $5 for the whole box!

And BUTTONS!  There will be some buttons!!