Karla's Cottage

A small break from puppy pictures, redoing the wallpaper cabinet

Recently, I cleaned out my wallpaper storage. It had gotten away from me, and honestly I couldn't even remember what I had or even find it if I did know what I was looking for. Plus, the rolls had been put away haphazardly and were tearing and shredded in places.

First, I took every roll down, and cleaned inside the shelf.  Then, I took everything off the top of the cabinet while I was at it, and got that area straightened up.  The stained glass window had been buried behind piles of books, so I moved the books and added a string of lights behind the colored glass. It is so pretty, I'm vowing to myself to keep the top clear so I can enjoy the twinkly colors.

When rolls get near their end, they become brittle.  So, the tiniest rolls aren't very useful. I decided to gently unroll them, iron them flat and cut the paper up to store flat in a cabinet, ready to use.  A lot of it tore, so I stacked the smaller bits into a scrap drawer by my desk to pull out and use for cards, tags, and other projects where a tidbit goes a long way toward adding some interest to the final result.

 None of the treasured, old paper was wasted or thrown away!  And now, it is much easier to get to and use.  

The larger rolls got trimmed up, with torn parts removed (and saved with the other scraps).  Then, I re-rolled the first few feet inside out, so that when I glanced at the cabinet, I could see which were which without taking the rolls down to open and look inside.

It is hard to tell from this photo, but they are also placed onto the shelf in a sort of color combo.  I have neutrals on the left, followed by blues, next pinks, greens, and finally, brights on the right. (flocked wallpapers are stored elsewhere)

Redoing the cabinet makes the room feel cleaner, and inspires me to get in there and play with those pretty papers.  I can't wait to make something with one of those beloved rosy patterns.  I came across many I"d totally forgotten about and some that will be ideal for the Snowbird Song projects we will be making.

Yep, more banners! And kits for springtime banners too

I do tend to obsess.

When I start making something, I GO FOR IT!

Ah, but do you blame me?  Lovely old wallpapers, soft faded ribbons, aged millinery, luscious laces, darling images, THE GOOD STUFF, is all soooooooo wonderful to work with.

And I'd say many of you agree with me, I appreciate all of the orders for kits!

So, I made up a couple more.

All in sweet, spring colors.

But this is it for now, at least.  I will be shipping till Wednesday, then I am packing up some other delightfully wonderful beauties and flying off to Florida. I'll be taking the two grand fairies to Disneyworld, all by ourselves!

After that, we get a week at the beach with my husband who will meet us there.

So, all orders after Tuesday night, the 14th, will be mailed on Tuesday the 28th after I get home and my bags are unpacked, I'll pack up orders that come in while I am away.  Which still gives you time to create your artwork before Easter.  

( I started to delete sold items, but thought maybe the guests who purchased the kits would appreciate seeing the photos again when they start to assemble, so please excuse all of the "sold" items in the store right now)

Plus some are Spring, not all are Easter, you have plenty of time for those, right?

I've also added a few trims to the Boutique.

Lotsa rick racks...

And some hem facing lace...

As well as a big ole pile of cotton bias tape. This bag of cotton ribbon stuff is free if you pay the postage. I don't use it, but couldn't bring myself to toss it away, I knew someone would like it. Normally, my Boutique is only filled with things I personally would like to use myself. I have a rule in buying things, that if I don't want to accidentally get stuck with it if no one else wants it, I shouldn't buy it for resale. It is like an endorsement of something to me. To sell something to you is the same thing as saying, hey, I like this and you might too. 

But every once in a while I get supplies that aren't some thing that I would use, sometimes they come in a package of something else, or a box at an auction. Anyway, I ended up with a stock pile of these and I have never used them, but they are old, I treasure old things and hate to throw them away.  If you have a use for them, they are yours for the price of postage (they weigh over a pound so i t will be priority mail.) 

PS- Please note that I do refund excess shipping on all orders after I have packed up boxes and made labels. Someone was freaking out over shipping prices being so high when ordering a bunch of items that were on clearance. Shipping is hard to calculate on my website, so I have just guessed at it, then refund when it goes too high.  

I'll leave you with some pics of what I've added to my shop.
 

Spring Time Banner Kits

Recently, I mentioned that I went through all of my Easter ephemera and wouldn't be able to make any more bunny themed banner kits.  So, I worked on a few Spring themed ones instead.

Then, Ta- Dah!  I came across a big, ole pile of bunnies, eggs, and other pretties for Easter! 

Yay!

And I came up with an idea to turn some little, vintage coin purses into nests.

These are kits, but I also made a couple of banners to sell.  They are limited, I didn't have many tiny purses.

Hmmm, maybe I'll get lucky and come across a few more??? (otherwise known as "cleaning the studio")

The kits do not come with instructions, but they are filled with all you need to make the banner yourself with your own creativity and style.  If you do not want to do an Easter themed one, you can always save the bunny ephemera for another project and just use the flowers and gems over the precious wallpaper and enjoy the spring time tones.

My supplies are mere suggestions.  

I provide the goodies, you delve in and supply the creativity!

I do love building the kits, and curating the colors, wondering how they will be used by the artist who buys them.  

On each bag I pack up, I made these nests with faded Easter grass from decades ago. Wouldn't it be cute to glue one onto a banner segment?  (these are itsy bitsy, that egg is much smaller than a jelly bean)

Just a little "Thank You" bonus.

Here is one that I made myself. It is available in the Boutique along with the kits, which have been going fast.

 

 

Vintage cabinet card photos turned into art journals

Wow, it has been exciting for me to see how many of you love to make journals as much as I do! Thanks for the purchases of the tutorial!

On Saturday, I added another book to the class, it is the small cabinet card one in the front, covered in barkcloth. (I also added scans of the cabinet card folders to use as a pattern if you do not have a vintage photo of your own to make one)

You can never go wrong with barkcloth, can you? Especially, a yummy, rosey pattern.  

Yep, yum. Double yum,  I love that stuff. Almost as much as old Rosy wallpaper, but not quite, because I'm just not as mechanically inclined to work with fabric as I am to handle wallpaper. 

Which is why Beth posted this hilarious sewing machine illustration for me, knowing that any monstrosity of a sewing machine is a mystery to me.  

And why the tutorial I wrote for the journals is about making them with GLUE.  Although I an proud to say that I did brave a couple of sewing ideas to show too.

All three of these cabinet card books are done with glue only. 

My world is a happy place when I don't have to go near that scary monster of a sewing machine.

Of course, a page like this would be just as nice stitched as it is glued. But I've done something nasty to my machine and the cry hole is all wonky.

(Isn't the title of this article great!? I thought it was appropriate for the tutorial, it is nice to help someone become more arty)

Sometimes all we need is a few tips and some cheering on.

Nature's Blessing Journal Swap page examples

I've been so pleased with the sign ups for the Nature's Blessing Journal swap! Thanks to those of you who have joined in! There is plenty of more space, this is an open ended swap. I'll just keep making books until I have enough.

Some of the swappers were asking for more detail on how the pages go together.  So, I thought I'd snap some pics of the ones I've started myself as examples.  

There are a LOT of pages to make. But as I said, at least half need to be usable for the new owner. Such as the one on the right, above.  That page is nothing more than journal paper with a border at the top and the bottom.  The one on the left is one that I finished myself. (Although, there actually is some space for writing a note, if the person who owned the book wanted to use it that way)

Here is the basic start of each "folio" (single sheet of paper that makes 4 pages when folded).  

Fold a piece of card stock in half, decorate each of the four sides. 

I will put 3 folios together to make a "signature".  

There will be 3 signatures per book, made up of 6 sent in by 6 different artists, and three fresh, blank pages from me.

The book will be used as a functional journal.  So, I'd like to see at least half the pages open to be used by the person who receives the book.  Like the page on the right here, once again, I've used ledger paper.  This time, it is accented with lace trim and a single butterfly.

Since the six folios (24 pages) you send in will go to six diferent artists and you will receive artwork from six different artists.  You can make each of your six exactly the same, or do each in a unique way. What ever you like.

The page on the left didn't save any space for future use, but is a completed arty page.

Another way of making the page useful is to add an envelope to hold memorabilia.

My envelope got a bit of foof with some hand drawn daisies that match the paper I glued it to.

Pockets are good to have in a journal too.  On the left, not only is there paper that can be used for writing, there is also a pocket to tuck away tidbits in, like the vintage envelope I've added.

The page on the right is covered in pretty paper (I used wallpaper scraps) with a vintage postcard stapled down in the corner, then trimmed in lace.

I've tried to add lace or ruffles on at least one side of each folio, so that when it is added to the stack of signatures in the book, there will be pretty trims peeking out the sides, top, and bottom of the journal.

Please feel free to add lots of trailing ribbons, laces, etc.

On the right hand page, I've added a fluffy millinery bloom to stick out of the top of the book.  And the page on the left has luscious, old trim down the side.  That page is from a text about flower origins, and has a couple of cherubs and a hand drawn border, leaving the center open in case the person who gets this page in their book wants to glue a photo or something to the center.

Here is a very good example of just how simple making the pages can be.  Both of these pages are just covered with wide crepe paper, with a trim at the bottom.  (I'll be foofing the one on the right a bit more, I just wanted to show you the basic.)

So, pretty background paper, plain or fancy, a bit of trim or lace, and that page is done, ready for the owner of the book it goes into to embellish it up as much as they want.

This is for my book, so I added a tinted coloring page, to illustrate an option for finishing a plain page.

Everyone gets a page to color and add to their book however they'd like.  I'll show some coloring tips in a future post.

These pages are both examples of "usefulness" . The blue one is open to be finished by the book owner in any way she'd like.  Photos, notes, scrap glued onto it, etc.  

The patchwork wallpaper page has a pocket from an old post card added and it is filled with vintage grafting paper.  

These also show some of the variations on the theme. What do you feel nature has blessed you with? Here, I am saying that fluffy kittens, sweet birdies, and flowers are something I am thankful for.

Plus, I found this poem about Spring to add to the page.  To me, the changing of the seasons is a magical time of year.

Please feel free to add 3D items, this book should be thick and rich! With lots of trailing trims, like this old lace I've used.

Here is another way to create a space for writing. I've used washi tape to secure a stack of old paper into a tablet shape.

On this page by Beth, she even glued down a mini notebook.

See how pretty it looks on her page?  

And oh my! Loook at this one that she did.  You open up the cabinet card folder and have space inside to add your own picture.

On the left page, she has add clear envelopes with simple tags for the new owner to finish, and on the right, she supplied a pretty piece of paper to write daydreams or plans on.

I found myself extremely attracted to pockets when I made some folios.

Note that the center of each page is left plain so that I can punch holes to tie the signatures into the book?

I'll show some  more examples later on, as well as some more coloring page tips.  The finished pages aren't due till Sept. 20th. So you still have time to join if you haven't already. Or you can order a completed, blank book to finish yourself, instead of swapping pages.

Feel free to ask any questions. And more info can be found here.

 

Angie's Birdsong Eve Birthday Bash

Some of the nicest ladies came to see me last weekend for Birdsong.

 Many come from out of town, and my buddy, Angie, was kind to invite them all to her shop for a birthday celebration the night before our event began.

She invited us to her elegant antique store, and served up pizza with style while we chatted, caught up with each other's news, did some shopping, and a little project with Beth.

Beth packed up her legendary vintage supplies and set the group up with a fun project.

To celebrate Angie's birthday, my family and I made some cupcakes.  Lavender is her fave, so we picked some fresh blooms from the garden, made an oil infusion with them, strained it and added that to the white cup cake mix. 

yum

Now this is my fave too.  It was subtle, not a strong lavender.  And when we saw how easy it was to do, I decided I want to harvest all my plants to do this with, and freeze the herb infusion to use year round.

My sister-in-law, Terry, and my son both spent Friday baking and chopping with me.  I couldn't have got it all done without them, or without Sissy who stayed up till midnight peeling apples for the carmel apple cobbler.

(Sissy had some advice too, too bad I didn't listen. She kept telling me, "Karkie, those are plenty, you don't need that many apples." But I just kept peeling away. I had WAY too many.) 

Birdsong itself is very laid back and casual. It was nice to have a reason to spiff up a bit and have a night out before it all began. And what a pretty atmosphere to have a party in!  Her shop is so nice.  (so is she)

And she set out a donation box for the Ballard Center and raised $300 for families in need.

While this evening is not an official part of the event, it was a welcome addition and I was so pleased that Angie offered to have us all over for her special night.

And it was soooo fun for Beth to share her stash of goodness for everyone to play with and warm up for the weekend's crafting.

It was kind of her to share her collage skills and time with our Peeps.

 

 

 

And it was extra nice for me, because I was "off the clock."  I could relax, visit, and enjoy the evening before we got started on Saturday.  I am lucky to have friends who pitch in and do such thoughtful things, aren't I? 

 I loved having a party to attend!

 

Sidetracks

Yep, I know, I know, I need to make kits for the Romantic Cottage Christmas workshop November 23rd.

But I've been having too much fun playing with all the supplies I have out to create the kits How on Earth could I resist taking an extra set of wings and turning them into a little ornament on their own?

So nice, I did it twice.

I've been experimenting with different ribbons and lace to see which makes the best wing texture.

I've decided this lace makes the prettiest wings.  And was the easiest to work with. 

Of course, we'll have lots of different  lace and trims to try that day if the participants prefer something other than what comes in the kits.

And yes, there will be kits, eventually. I have all the Tart Tin Trees wrapped up and ready to go, in neutral and pink so my guests will have a choice. (I love having extra choices, the fun part of a workshop is seeing how varied one project looks done in different ways)

But, gosh, where there are little remnants lying on my table, I can't resist turning it into something.

I have been way too distracted by shiny things this week!

While cutting up this beyond wonderful, pink flock wallpaper, I couldn't let the scraps go to waste. Some I cut into die cut shapes to use later, but if there were any snippets too small for that, I used them to wrap around the spools for my little trees.

I treasure each little, left over, bit too much.  To me, the old paper is too precious to let anything usable go to waste.

And I love a good excuse to get out of the task at hand...

But now, back to work. I really do enjoy putting kits together, and an excuse to stop and play just extends the fun.  I refuse to look at it as procrastinating.  It's too much fun to be labelled in a negative way!!

Friends, fun, and a farmhouse

Gorgeous old paper, isn't it? 

Suzanne gave us a tour of the 1875 farm house she is redoing and I was wildly enamoured with this wallpaper in the front parlor.

We are a bunch who appreciates old paper, and there was a chorus of oohing and ahhing during the sneak peek into the home.

Each room had layer upon layer, and Suzanne is patiently peeling it away in her labor of love to redo this stately, old charmer.

She was able to pull some of it away in big sheets. And she shared them with us!  I was surprised to see how nicely this gold paper came away from the birds and vines below it. 

This is probably a more typical outcome.  Harder for her, of course, but lovely to see in all of it's crackly, peely, wonderfulness.

As much as I hate to see the aged papers being taken off and disposed of, once she showed us a finished room, I was able to let go of my feelings of loss. 

Suzanne had the workers indulge her and finish this room while still doing demo on the rest of the home, so that she would have a place to go and have faith in the project's completion. 

Smart plan, huh? It is an elegant and beautiful spot, an oasis in all the demo mess.  Although, I hope that chandy doesn't give her too much trouble in keeping the crystals clean.

pictured: Lori Oles, Hope Wallace Kearny, Suzanne Duda, Jennifer Hayslip, Andrea Singerella, and me

The home sits on 22 acres, and Suzanne has a golf cart for buzzing around in.

We took a ride down to the lake, and out into the woods on a curving trail cut through the trees.

There were lots of photo ops.  I don't think we missed a single one.

Lots of out buildings are on the property too. 

So much work has been done already, and Suzanne has big plans for the home and grounds.  She has a lot of people who love her and believe in what she is doing, while backing her up and helping her with the project too.

Including her adorable son who took a break from tearing out walls to snap photos of the group of us. With all of our phones and cameras.  He's a cutie, isn't he?

We happened to be in town for her birthday and Jenn picked up a cake, topped with pink roses, Suzanne's favorite.  And when you make the roses out of icing, they are my fave too.  YUM

Even though it was her birthday, Suzanne fixed us a feast, at a lavishly set table.  We stayed at her home the first night, and it was the coziest, lushest B&B you could ever visit.  Big, ole. soft sofas, a warm and happy kitchen, everything was infused with Suzanne's over the top, generous soul.  She is a dream hostess.

And I plan on stealing her idea for a shutter centerpiece.

Our night was relaxing and full of laughter.  Maybe a little wine too... There could have been a couple glasses sipped while she opened her gifts.

Which explains why I didn't get more photos of her beautiful, shabby chic home. 

That first night, we were so busy catching up and giggling, that I didn't get my camera out much.

I made up for it the rest of the trip, and was glad to get some "before" pics of the fab farm. I have all my fingers and toes crossed that I'll be invited back someday to see the "afters" too. 

Not just because I can't wait to see her vision of her farmhouse fulfilled, (I know it is going to be beyond beautious), but because she is a person that I wished I could spend more time with.   What fun weekend, I can only hope to repeat it again someday when all the refurbishments are done on the home.

(you can click on the first image to open in a larger window, save to your computer and print it for use in your art)  I'll have photos of the rest of the trip coming soon.

Craft Day at Gail's- vintage wallpaper tags

Last weekend, my friend, Gail, invited me to a craft day. 

I didn't really have a project to bring, so I decided to make tags.  I packed a lot of old wallpaper scraps, some other ephemera and card stock.  Then, I tore the papers into rough edge bits and strips, then I drizzled glue over the card stock and layered the strips of old paper onto it.

After it dried, I ran it through the Cutlebug using a three part tag set die cut.

This made an interesting background to embellish with some tidbits I'd brought along.  I had a handful of lace, a small bag of flowers, some ribbon, two vintage greeting cards, a die cut rose and some ink pads.

When I'm working with wallpaper, I keep a container near me to save scraps. No piece is too small to save, you never know when you'll need an itsy bitsy piece, and why cut into a big hunk for a two inch strip?

Plus, I'm cheap. I don't like to waste scraps of pretty paper if they can be reused.  Tags are an excellent way to use up the remnants of a bigger project.

This was an ideal project for craft day.  It was easy to pack up and bring, didn't take much thought, and I could chat while I worked.  Gail and her daughter-in-law, Marj, had both been to my studio at Birdsong, and I felt like I already knew her grand daughter, Corrine from FB stories and pictures. 

But the other ladies were new friends, and the projects ranged from crochet to scrap booking. Everyone brought something to work on while they hung out, that is my favorite kind of craft day.

Gail made us a tasty lunch, and gave me a tour of her cute place.  She loves vintage roses as much as I do, and her home was filled with pretty pink blooms.

She also had houseful of things she'd bought from me, back when I used to host antique sales at my house.  I knew she'd been a generous customer over the years, but I didn't realize just how much she'd got. It reminded me of visiting my mom's house and how every where I looked, I saw something I'd made or painted. 

Gail might just have more of my stuff than I do.  I felt right at home!

Thanks, Gail!

 

Creating

If you are visiting for the Where Bloggers Create Studio Tour, you can see my pictures here

So you don't think I've done nothing but goof off, here are a few things I've been making.

This collage is done on a book cover.

And this one in a jewelry box.

This is a frame that had a few die cut roses in it. I covered it with modeling paste, scraped some off, added lace and images, ink, and embellishments.

Part of my Summertime Adventuretime is about creating for just the plain old heck of it.

Not to make something to sell or to teach.

Just to connect with the joy of making it.