Calamity Kim

Word of Mouth

“Ideas must be put to the test.
There is often a huge difference between an idea and its realization.
I’ve had what I thought were great ideas that just didn’t work.” - Andy Goldsworthy (1956- )

 My life is better because of my friends.

 My friend Sarah mentioned watching the Andy Goldsworthy DVD "Rivers and Tides" with her kids and after checking out a copy from our local library I was thankful that she had let me know about it.

One of our favorite restaurants here in Sarasota is called "Word of Mouth" and it is jammed packed to the rafters on the weekends because everyone tells their friends about the delicious food, great waitresses and of course about the owner- Jeremy and his polite, courteous and kind manners- he greats you with a cheery British 'ello at the door.
 A smile.
Yes, first available, please...
 Picasso's Moon Yarn Shop is like that too.
You are greeted by Debra with a big smile and a comforting hello.
 Sometimes it's Linda asking if you need help or one of the ladies knitting who calls out a greeting and offers to help you find something.

Watching as Andy walks about plucking dandelions to use artistically in an environmental, impermanent way is strangely fascinating- what will he create? Placing natural elements things in a circle
with that black hole in the center is like a tiny world surrounded by an orbit of art.
I first saw Goldsworthy's impressive books of photography years ago and often checked them out from the library- too poor to purchase them, to keep and saturate myself with the beautiful images.
 I could only be amazed - never imagining that someone could actually conceive of making art with nature as palette and canvas- only the photograph remains often as sculptures melt or are blown apart by the breeze
 Spending hours pinning leaves together with thorns and floating them down streams- the art in the movement and transition from dry to wet; turning and spinning, guided by the whims of the tide.

Blogs are shared by links- cyber word of mouth if you will, linking to each other in a chain of dandelion links stretching from here to infinity.

 I sat at Picasso Moon yesterday and the conversations around me ebbed and flowed as the yarn was transformed into scarves, hats, bags, sweaters.

 All eventually to be worn or held in loving, caressing hands.
 To be admired for the textures, colors or patterns created by minds alive with knitting.

Women sharing their lives or only small windows into who they have become after a lifetime of surviving the daily dramas and and experiences that form their opinions and beliefs.

It isn't always easy to listen to some people.
If I were to write a knitting shop murder mystery, I know who the victim would be.
Teehee.
It was Calamity kim in the knit shop with the knitting needles...

If only murder wasn't so messy.

Not to mention illegal and immoral.

No doubt other folks have wanted to murder me at times, but I am wandering far away from my topic again...which was intended to be about sharing.
Maybe it was about growing.
I may have already forgotten what it was. It wasn't about murder, really.
Ummm.
Yes, it was about going beyond your comfort range to seek out like minded individuals and creating something from nothing- whether you are taking yarn and knitting it into something or cutting fabric and sewing it back together or maybe embroidery is your thing- look around and find other people who love that too and get involved- open your mouth and tell someone you like their sweater, bag, hat, glove.
Don't be afraid to say hello.
Sometimes just when I expect it least, someone says- hey, I'm proud of you and the warmth of their praise fills me from the soles of my shoes to the hair on my head and I glow with the light from their words.

Thank you.

If you live here I want to invite you to come to our Surface Design Group next Tuesday night at 6pm at Waldemere St  Fire station. It's right behind the Wendy's across from the hospital on hwy 41, smack dab in the middle of Sarasota.
We share our stuff we've made.
We sell our unused supplies.
We giveaway all sorts of things- I will have magazines and some other stuff.
We will all be wearing our aprons to help celebrate the new Apronology Magazine Premiere Issue that was recently published by Somerset Studios.
So come and have some fun and meet your community of artful women who speak of embellishment and creating texture on surfaces with a sparkle in their eye...or maybe that was glitter...

Think in a new way today.
Use your right brain for more than a place to wear your hat and get messy.

Even if you only have 30 extra minutes- use it to create and then share it...

The leaves in your yard can become art...the ice...the twigs...the flowers...beauty is everywhere- go find it.

now, as for me- I am going to sneak into a dark theater and watch Coraline in 3D...I wish you were with me...
love and stitches,
calamity kim

Moth, Manatee, Museum, Adventure at the South Florida Museum

I found this flyer at the library for the South Florida Museum which has a planetarium and an aquarium next door and an exhibit by Joseph Scheer concerning Florida moths I convinced (wheedled and bribed) Mr Fred to take me there.

Fed the squirrels, saw this blooming in the backyard, ready to go!! Off on an adventure!!! Happy Saturday!!! Love & Stitches, Calamity kim

Have you ever seen a catfish?

No, not a puss in green wellies on a pier but a green mermaid cat?
Check this out by Junker Jane (who I found at Cathy's Handmade Blog)
I am on cute overload!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is she a pirate too? What strange incident caused her to lose an eye? Oh, my! Too cute, I must say!  and what about

Loralei Sea Monster!!!!!!!!

They would be super cute as purses too! Go give Junker Jane some love- here's her Blog and here's her Etsy. I love her stuff!

Matching Towels

Don't worry if you don't hear from me for a few days....I've gone for a swim!

Welcome to the Lab

in the backyard next to the table, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

Elvis has gotten quite a lot of feathers flyin in my email and so I thought I'd tell the real story.
See, Super Fred is a genius.

He can build computers, program them, and remember every single word that he hears.

He can also play the piano by ear, which I consider astounding!

Recently he decided to put on his lab coat and he has managed to combine a chicken and a duck and form a new breed of bird.

He calls them CHUCKS.

They swim like a duck, lay floating eggs and in the morning, wake you with a QUACK-A-DOODLE-DO!!!

Elvis is the first of his kind.

Fred is now working diligently on creating a Priscilla.

If it doesn't work we'll have to go all Franken-Quack and make one the old fashioned way!

Mushroom Morning

There is a certain spot in my front yard that has begun to grow mushrooms due to all the wet weather lately. I would love to cut this up and  see if it tastes like a portabella. I am too afraid. Imagine, "oh, this salad is killing me!" I gotta git! Work today! What's on your table?