Calamity Kim

Road to Oz handbag finished...

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Groucho Marx (1890-1977)

This week has flown by and as I sip my second cup of coffee, I am not sure if I can even believe how quickly Monday has morphed into Friday.
It has been a wonderful week full of hope and promise and new beginnings.
I just can't believe how quickly it has gone.
I feel as though I need to blog again, each day, to keep track of it.
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In December, I found a book at Barnes & Noble called The ugly Duckling and immediately brought it home with the idea of creating an ugly duck and sewing a book-cover with a small (I mean tiny) quilted pocket for the duck to rest in while not being played with. It has taken me some time to finish the duck- now to begin the cover- maybe I can get it finished before Easter!

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I also finished the Road to Oz handbag this morning and tagged it and will get it in Etsy as soon as I can.


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I stayed home Wed & Thursday and felted wool sweaters in the washer- I found zippered pillow case covers at Home Goods and used them to contain the wool fibers that have previously been creating calamity with the plumbing! Thanks to my friend Cheryl who so wisely told me that little tip- I had never really researched any directions, plunging headlong into felting in the washing machine with total carefree abandon- that's me, miss-leap-before-looking! I am not cautious- I am the opposite of that...will I ever learn?
 Anyway, I had tied rubber bands around glass marbles in the wool sweaters on the way to Tallahassee in Dec and finally got around to felting them- the glass marbles act as a resist and when they are removed the texture remains- now, what to make with it...

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I am looking for a good source for wool roving- if you know of one please let me know- I want to make felted wool vessels and found a beach ball...that's the first step- gathering all the materials...then months from now, or so it seems, I will have something to show for it!
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I feel better finishing things, really, and so next week I am going to really dig down and find that work ethic I seem to have buried under a pile of new stamps and paper and fabric just waiting, patiently to be transformed into that next new thing.
hugs and stitches,
kim

Inspired by the Wizard of Oz

Is it Monday already?

The book signing by Kate Jacobs at Picasso Moon yesterday was a resounding success and Kate was nice, warm, and entertaining.
After giving us an outline of her book Friday Night Knitting Club and the new sequel, Knit Two, she endured a long line of knitty ladies with books begging to be signed.

The shop was filled to over flowing and it was a joyous occasion where women gathered and spoke of yarns, patterns, and life.
To knit, crochet or work with your hands imparts love into each item not to mention the time- the rows of finely knit textures is a gift of time and that equals love in my book!

I hope that Kate got to visit the beach, even if only to see the sunset, because she deserves a little beauty in her busy schedule.
 I wish her well and hope that she encounters more women along her journey that appreciate her taking the time to listen to their stories of knitting and how it transforms their lives.

So, to get back on track with my 3 things- I started a new bag this morning in the Wizard of Oz theme.

I am using some lime green with a dog silhouette from "The Silhouette Collection" fabric by Robert Kaufman for the lining. The poppy fabric is made by Fabric Traditions and the Oz fabric is by Quilting Treasures.

The pattern I am using is New Look 6574 and seems pretty easy!
I just wanted to show ya- I think I'm going to use batting and interfacing to give it strength and softness.
 It's cloudy and gloomy outside today-
I can only imagine the weather up north....brrrr...y'all stay warm-
Love & Stitches,
Calamity Kim

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Good Morning!
Thinking ahead to the finished items for this weeks challenge- I will need some tags- I sketched a small picture of Dorothy on the yellow brick road- she has taken the first steps on her journey to visit the wizard and is walking with determined strides down the path.
She's excited and hopeful but a little bit frightened and unsure- she thinks about the amazing and improbable events that have just taken place- landing her house on a wicked witch, for heaven's sake!!!

Toto is secure in his basket but she hangs on as tightly as the red shoes sparkling on her feet- they feel strange and magical-like she wouldn't be able to take them off if she tried- oh, well, one last look back- the Munchkins are still waving goodbye...were those flowers really talking?
Wasn't Glenda the most beautiful creature she had ever seen? She could hardly wait to get to the Wizard!
Dorothy looked  down the yellow brick road which reached far into the distance ahead- how far will she have to walk before she finds a friend to help her in this strange land?

After drawing the image in pencil I flipped it face down on to the rubber and began transferring it by rubbing hard with a pencil on the back- it worked!
I went over it with the pencil and began to carve the design using careful hands and watching what I was doing every second- I carved last night for about an hour and then stopped and finished it up this morning- I didn't want to work with sharp tools when tired- that's when my accidents happen and I sure didn't want another injury this soon after beginning to heal the last ones!

The rubber carves quite easily and it was fun but you must think about it in reverse- carve out what you want to be blank, leave what you want to be black or whatever ink color you are using-
I couldn't wait to get finished and ink it!

I printed the first one on a tag and then colored it in and added some glue and glitter.
*sigh*
what a wonderful way to begin a wonderful wizard of oz week!
Maybe you are thinking to yourself that this is January 8th and I am already behind a week and you would be correct, but sometimes life happens and you just have to roll with it. It doesn't do any good to struggle against what you need to learn or experience and eventually the smoke clears and you can see what's right in front of you and get back on track.

So, this is the beginning of the new and creative year for me- thank you for sharing it with me- we'll have fun and explore new techniques and what if's along the way.
If you wish to take part in any of my challenges then please- do! and if you email me or comment here and let me know then I will happily link to your Blog or share your creations too! Don't be shy- it'll be fun!

Next we will be making a small "cake stand" type of display to show off our pincushions-
 You will need:

chinet paper plates just two, a glass or wood candle stick- at least 5 inches high,  PVA glue, a glue gun and sticks, decoupage medium, old sheet music,a few pieces of chipboard from a cereal box and glass glitter in silver if you have it- regular glitter in silver is fine if you don't.
 The glass glitter is lovely because it tarnishes over time and looks old and you know that is no calamity for me!

Meet me back here tomorrow and we'll get started!
Follow the yellow brick road....follow the yellow brick road....follow the yellow brick road...