Calamity Kim

Clouds and Cupboards

I finally finished the cupboard. Well 95% of it anyway. I still need to finish the drawers and doors and 2 shelves. The drawers need some work so my Brother is going to fix them for me. I did some repairs on this piece though- like on the right side of the hutch where the bottom of the spindle connects to the back- I had to drill out the old wooden dowels and re-dowel it and glue it. There is a certain satisfaction that comes from taking a piece that others deem "garbage" and restoring it to glory.
I love to refinish things in a Shabby Chic Style, using white or other layers of colors, so that when you sand and distress it, the colors are reveled underneath.
The trick is to wax it with several coats of furniture wax with pigment which gives it a deep glow and changes the color a bit, bringing it down a notch.
The wax fills the knicks and crannies and gives the appearance of age also.
My Brother is a Pro at using nails and awls to create worm wood- and hitting the furniture with chains or hammers to age it. I didn't do that to this piece as it was pine and very soft and has enough age to it already! I chose to do it in black because I have several pictures on the other wall in black distressed frames and it looks good with the blue. The other furniture in the house is light whitewashed pine or shabby chic whites and greens so this room is more masculine.
Fred has a collection of The Platoon figures and some Army paraphernalia that I affectionately call his "Wartime Museum". They have been in storage since we exchanged the old fashioned TV Entertainment center for the big flat screen and lost some display space. It almost hurts my heart to let him use the cupboard for his GI Joe's but, it isn't fair to dominate all the cupboards, is it? I might get out my X Files Ken & Barbie and my Star Trek Ken & Barbie for they have always been in the closet and never out on display. Johnny Depp is one of the Platoon figures, so that's a plus.

I do know that at Halloween I am  clearing it all and digging out the  Spooky and  Sinister. I  am plotting some  mischief now with  a few things that I can hopefully do tutorials here for you.
I am still spread pretty thin on WIP's and am trying to finish up. It seems like that's all I've been working on.

I had to drive to Bradenton on Friday to deliver a piece of pottery I sold on eBay and stopped at a quilt shop on the way home.
I bought some Moda Monkey fabric that I needed and then I searched for Anna Maria fabric and they didn't have any.
They did have some of Heather Bailey's so I got a few more pieces. Then I wanted some spiderweb and there was none to be found.
Some Quilt shops are so conservative.
Or maybe the truth is that I am too eclectic and weird in my fabric choices. I want frogs, butterflies, cupcakes, crowns, pinups (oh my!) and spiderwebs and leaves.
I wanted some Eiffel towers and aqua and she just looked at me. Then she thoughtfully shook her head no. Like filing me away as some CrAzY chick who makes Bizarre creations in my spooky attic full  cats.
Whatever.
Reaffirming my desire to only shop online- no matter how much I enjoy seeing and touching all that fabric, it is too large a letdown not to find the fabric that I am searching for.
So, here it is Monday again and I have much to do. Much to mail. Much to finish. I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with too much, yourselves! Thanks for stopping by the Calamity Craft Cottage. There will be pictures of crafts here soon, one can only hope! (now that the cupboard monster is complete)

Finish Everything Day

  Today, if I could find a Leprechaun in my cereal, I would ask for these 3 wishes:

1. Time would stop so that I could finish All my Works In Progress.
2. The House Elf would clean the entire house and do all the chores, cheerfully and without calamity.
3. Get everything wrapped and boxed and be in first in line at the Post Office when Time Starts Again.

 

I did manage to complete this recipe box that I painted and distressed several weeks ago. I am going to put it in Etsy. With another couple of party doll hats.

First I have to get some things wrapped and mailed.

I am and have been in overload for so long that it has become my normal state of affairs.

My list of need to do's has become so long that they have all lost their urgency and now I just float along and pick up this or that and finish whenever, regardless of due dates and deadlines.

I am an Aquarius to the core of my being if that has any bearing on my sense of time or nonsense of time.

I think it's because I lack self discipline or something.

I probably don't view my work as a "Job"and therefor it doesn't take priority.

When something else needs to be done, I reluctantly pull myself away and go tend to the other chore.

Laundry.

Dishes.

Meals.

Grocery shopping.

I stopped answering the phone most of the time or calling anyone because I can spend hours just chatting away and even though this allows me to clean as I talk- I really don't stay focused and on task.

I need to be stricter with myself.

Maybe a LIST.

Maybe a Glue Gun to my temple to keep me on track.

"All right, Little Lady, You just keep sewing and crafting until all this stuff is finished!!!"

  Maybe Tony Soprano can come over and get busy  holding my nose to the grindstone  or threaten to break something with my new ball peen hammer.  I am sure if he just stood by my fabric stash with a blow torch I'd JUMP!!!!

Maybe Jude Law or  George Clooney, for that matter.

They could keep the glue gun hot.

I did finish this bookcase that I scrounged from the neighbor.

I said I would post pictures and then didn't.

I ran with it into the office and started piling books on it and totally shrugged off taking pictures or blogging about it.

Who will come to arrest me for Blogger violations?

The  Internet Police? 

See, no discipline.

I know this has pissed off several people in my life more than once.

You would think that would be enough to make me mend my ways.

It doesn't.

I don't even feel bad.

It's just the way that it is.

I guess I don't care.

Maybe I do, but I can't seem to help it.

I am sorry.

When I worked I wasn't like this.

But I didn't make anything then either!

Even the dog doesn't get fed at regular times.

It's 10 till 10am and her chicken is in the microwave and she is nudging my elbow and laying down with a sigh of disgust!

Poor thing!

It's not like she is going to faint or be weak from hunger.

I tell myself (and her) one more minute...just one more minute.

Those minutes stretch into hours and before I know it the mail is here and then it's lunch time.

Where does the day go?

Here is a few pictures of the painted and distressed bookcase.

I waxed it with a pigmented wax so that, although it darkens the tone of the paint, it gives it a wonderful glow and finish.

I prefer to paint my pine but The Mister likes to see the bare wood so we do have a lot of pine pieces that are just varnished or whitewashed lightly.

I have a huge project that I have spent 2 days on and will need to spend about 5 or 6 more before it's ready to bring inside.

Scroll down for more pictures.    

The small cupboard was something that I had covered with Alice in Wonderland pages but wasn't happy with so I painted it with some beach glass colored paint and then sanded it.

It's ready for some pigmented wax and then I will probably list it also.

The shelf made from wood in the groovy squares is very strong and sturdy and I like the paint but it needs some distress. Hopefully I can find a clear spot to hang it.

Then we have the monster cupboard.

Gorgeous pine but in dire need of repair on the doors and one drawer.

Otherwise it is in ok shape.

I am going to leave the backboard natural wood and then paint the sides, spindles, scalloped top-skirt and bottom black and then give it the distress and wax treatment.

Whew!

I moved it to one side and stacked the top on the base before I left for Tallahassee.

It must have been a surge of Wonder Woman adrenaline that allowed me to lift that and put it on top.

Now I am going to have to take it down and get busy sanding.

Never a dull or boring moment here at Casa Calamity, that's for sure!

I have a few more pictures I snapped in the front living room where the finished cupboard will live. I had to move my doll quilt wall and will probably repaint the hall way and hang them on the bigger wall in there.

I want to be able to see them and enjoy them until I do that so I hung them on this wall temporarily.

I have a trip planned to visit my Mom and Dad and then stay with my Grand baby maker while she does her thing in late Aug -early Sept.

So, my  dear blog peeps, I am going to be busy wrapping things up in tidy bows.

I will try to blog as much as I can while staying in focus.

It's 10 fifteen already and Sadie is back at my elbow. Such big sad eyes....I gotta git! 

almost done

almost done, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

I've been busy. Covering Cupboards with paper and Mod Podge. I love it but it's so messy!
I used some Alice in Wonderland pages and vintage sheet music.
I thrifted the cupboard for 1.99 at Goodwill. It was painted a hideous dark brown with flowers. I gessoed first and then started tearing up paper!
I do love me some cupboards!

malcom reading

malcom reading, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

 

Sadie watching

Sadie watching, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

the walls are really blue not gray.

bottom half

bottom half, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

This is where I keep the carbs.

kitch cupboard

kitch cupboard, originally uploaded by calamity kim.