Calamity Kim

My friend Marie

Welcome to Friday!
What a relief!
It has been a another quick/exhausting week for me!
I scanned a few pages from the current Marie Claire Idees to share with you, as I need to be quick today (post and run!) and get over to the second half of the woven treasure bag class. I fed the squirrels and doves first so I could write in peace! ;)

I can never express how clever and fresh the ideas are in this magazine!
The only way you will ever believe me is to hold one in your hands and turn the page and sigh with pleasure over each new creation. If you came over and sat at my kitchen table, I would hand you one or two and  give you a cup of tea and we'd  be enchanted together with Marie and her Ideas! Wouldn't we?
I have seen tea cups and saucers used in refashioning old chandeliers but never in a floor lamp like this!
The Liberty of London print fabrics make me forget the room is Pepto Bismal pink as I begin to daydream that this is my cottage by the sea...
What's this??
They used the Liberty of London fabrics and some thick interfacing to create plates! With fabric 3-D flowers!
To hang on the wall!!!!
Why didn't I think of that?????
How lovely!
I wish your words were in English, oh Marie! I think it contributes to the romance of this magazine- the hunt for it all over town, then the glorious images photographed with style and seductive emphasis on color and design and the mood they create...
I am always seeing old candlesticks at The Goodwill...
Marie says to paint them white and glue some tea cups on them!
Lets step into the kitchen where this lovely green tribute to culinary tools awaits us.
Look over there! Why, what a clever Idea!!
I have loads of small tin molds...get out the drill!
Oh, no, wait, I'd rather fold paper to make those long forgotten gum wrapper baskets...
Maybe just some embroidery today, as I am feeling quiet and contemplative...
Did you say you wanted to crochet, Karen? Well, lettuce begin!
Maybe we should have some of that delicious looking Bombe first! You know, just to keep our strength up! Oh, sweet pea, I love your apron!!
I am not sure, but I think the pictures clearly indicate that this crafter has used some thick paint type substance with her stencils and then cut them out and attached them to white painted tree branches! Another great idea for your stencils!
This magazine is so full of cleverness and fun- like every page has something to either stitch, embroider, knit, paint, glue or embellish!
Maybe you can find one...maybe you can look at the Flickr Group which is devoted to pictures from this magazine...maybe Marie will become your new Best Friend Forever and delight you with her recipes for fun and food and flirty fashions... ahh, to be young and in Paris...
I hope you all have a lovely weekend! I am going to try to take a break and be back on Monday! I have to get some serious finishing done here!
xxxooo
Love & Stitches, Calamity Kim

marie claire idees

marie claire, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

c'est la vie!
They have a BLOG!!!
Hey FiFi- can you translate????
click here!

Craft Army - Sharpen your Scissors! Load your Glue Guns!!

               

                                                    

I found the coolest thing. It takes letters from Flickr and spells words for you. Created by Erik Kastner. Dig it

Yesterday I phoned the Sarasota News & Books on Main St with my bi-weekly question: Get any Marie Claire Idees magazines, yet?  With the unbelievable "yes!" resounding in my ears, I ran for the shower and hit the road and wasn't convienced until I had a copy in my now  content hands.

I just subscribed to it, BTW, because I had given up on ever finding another copy in this home for retirees and touristas.
( Makes me miss Asheville, I tell ya!)
Anyway.
I was happy!
I then went up the street to Main St Bookstore where my brother had said he had seen Audrey Hepburn paper dolls.
I searched through all of them ( Tom Tierney) and only found one that I had to have.

Sadly, no Audrey.
Then it finally rained after several days of threatening skies.
I love the big, black clouds rolling in.
Lightening! Cue the thunder!!!
It's so dramatic.
Here's a few pictures of the Marie Claire Idees.
I wonder what it would take to make an American version of this craft magazine?
A Craft Army.
Every one armed with glue guns and needles.
Scissors sharp and ideas at the ready!
Trained in embroidery and sewing, knitting and purling!
With slogans like: Make Crafts! Not War!!
Maybe someday.
It seems overly generous for the 8.95 cover price.
More like a book really.
So much to create!
So much inspiration!
It has so many different ideas- from embroidery to fashion to decor to food!
This issue is very red, white & blue and has the coolest garden lady made from chicken wire.
Makes me want to go to Home Depot and find me some wire and get busy!

You can look at my Flickr set of MCI mags too. here
I will have to content myself with the chicken wire fabric that I am collaging chickens on.
I am monkeying around with another apron and still looking for a crab for a certain smoochie lipped gal.
I can only handle so many projects and am finishing them off one by one, but since they are surprises I just can't reveal them.
Soon though- and that Etsy update is going to become a reality also- I promise!
First I have to finish this hand-quilted Red Riding Hood Doll Quilt that eats time like an empty black hole in a bad Sci Fi movie.
Other than sew and the occasional quick sammie- I haven't made time to blog or walk the dog or jog...just hog some from fabric from Sew, Mama, Sew ( cause, Holy Seam Ripper!! The Heather Bailey Fabric is On Sale!!!)
It's too hot to write...it was 97 yesterday and I am feeling the need for iced coffee and experimental Mojitos. I saw them in a mag  recently and they do look refreshing! Anyway, hope you are all having the best summer ever!