Calamity Kim

The Great Pie Adventure

Cake is nice on your birthday and cupcakes have certainly been popular lately and I must admit I adore them with all my heart, but when it comes to the perfect dessert PIE is number one in my cookbook!

When I was young I would pick blackberries and raspberries along side my Grandfather and my Grandmother would transform them into the most delicious cobblers and pies. Nothing was finer than a slice of Hattie Mae's pie, steaming hot from the oven served with a big scoop of ice cream. Sometimes I can almost transport myself back to their porch, sitting on the step while they sat in ladder back rocking chairs, eating pie and watching  the sun sinking into the mountains around us.  With the last bite still in my mouth I would hop up and chase the lightning bugs until it was time to come in and get ready for bed. I loved those summertime days spent with them in Black Mountain, NC and am so glad I have the memories to pull out and enjoy, like a picture book in my head.

My friends Cheeko and Anne are knitters and spinners that I met at Picasso Moon Yarn Shop and after Cheeko shared her Pie Quest Story with me (I thought it was a wonderful idea) and I asked to come along with them as they went each week to a local restaurant to try a slice of every kind of pie on the menu over the summer. Cheeko is documenting her pie adventures on Facebook and I started taking pictures each time we went and have some on Flickr. I love to bake pies and am especially fond of woven lattice crusts, which brings back fond memories of my basket weaving days.

I do believe that pie has healing properties and I know for a fact that it can make you smile, after just one bite, whether you are suffering from a broken heart or sad, or lonely, it doesn't matter. Pie can fix everything and I recommend it, especially cream pies with fresh homemade whipped cream like they serve at Yoder's (on Bahia Vista in Sarasota, Fl)- I had banana cream pie yesterday that was cool and refreshing and almost made the heat and life bearable .

I want to journal the adventure and I skipped a few pages into a new kraft paper blank journal I bought at Border's and started a page tonight. I have been so busy working on mermaids and running around with friends and spinning and taking classes that I haven't been here as much and feel a bit guilty- I am just  hot and cranky and tired and don't have the energy to take pictures and write about it-forgive me? I love my little blog here and miss it and hope to get back to a more regular schedule once Fall has arrived with some cooler weather (one can always HOPE!). I will leave you with one last image of pie and wishes for you to stay cool and keep stitchin, knittin, spinnin, feltin, or whatever helps you stay happy and fulfilled.

Pie lovers unite!

xo,

calamity kim

me oh my!

Saturday Morning Inspiration

Waking mind full of holding a baby in my dreams I sit up and my husband puts the blue tooth head phones on my ears, music begins to play in the space between. I gasp and smile, mumbling thank you, my mouth not yet awake.

Seeking out the computer where I drink morning coffee I find myself at a site full of beauty. Tabatha A Yeatts has Art Thursday  with much to see and experience. Lovely images and thoughtful themes soon command me to stop treading water and dive deeper to expand my vision of artful expression.

Each summer I seek out water and it's cooling properties and this one is no different. So, naturally my focus has been on water creatures as well.

I've spent some time working on my mermaid altered box this week as well as spinning some new yarn from Batts in the Bellfry Batts by Kim Perkins. The altered box is a cigar box that I cut down with some advice from my teacher at the Venice Art Center, Joanna Coke. I used a coping saw and then painted it black and then cream and sanded it after it all dried. The shelf is made from the one of the side sections and I covered it with map paper and dry brushed it with the cream acrylic paint. I am attaching a large piece of mica today with rivets and will be gluing the mermaid and bottle in place. The letter inside the bottle is from 1932 and inspired me to find this piece's story.

"The mermaid had found a note in the bottle and fallen in love with the sailor who wrote it. She was falling more and more in love with the idea of him in her mind and soon found her heart had become chained to this mysterious man. Sadly, though she swam for many years in search of him she never found his ship or any sign that he was still at sea. Eventually her unrequited love gave her the anger and strength to break her chains of love and it was at this very moment that I caught her in my altered box theater to be able to share her story with you."

I've also been sketching out and water coloring some larger paper art dolls.

I work on them at night and am trying to get lots done for Atomic later this year. I may put some in the Etsy shop, I just am going slow with them and enjoying the process.

Here's a photo of the "tea and sympathy" yarn I spun from Kim Perkin's batts she made using wool, bamboo, silk, lace, linen and fabric.

Usually I just want to spin, but I can see this yarn in a bag with other browns and pinks and am going to knit it up soon.

Yesterday I gave my new Ashford Country Spinner wheel a few coats of polyurethane and am going to try to get it put together today.

It's made for spinning bulky art yarn and has a 2 lb bobbin! Needless to say I am dying to get it put together and it looks to be a nice day for it- the sun is shinning and there isn't any rain yet.

I am awake and ready to get busy- thanks for stopping by and sharing a morning cup of inspiration...

see ya soon,

calamity kim

rusting up like the tin man

Slipping the bonds of the days expectations I go back to the bedroom and open the curtains. When I lay down I can see the breeze rifling through the leaves; the branches bounce and I imagine them laughing and pushing back as the birds sing and the turtles dry out in the hot sunshine.

Relaxing.

Taking a deep breath, letting the tightly coiled spring unwind, riding the spinning circle of thoughts to the center of myself.

Letting it go.

The last few weeks have been difficult.

Days full of things to get done, I come to a grinding halt today and just stop. I need to rest and think of nothing until I feel like working some more.

 A few weeks ago I had a severe pain down my leg and after a visit to the doctor I found that it was nothing but a pulled muscle, due to sitting at the computer (or sewing machine or spinning wheel) for long lengths of time with my left leg crossed (ankle on right knee) causing a strain. It's just a bad habit. My joints hurt.

Like when I put my elbow on the desk and rest my chin in my left hand. That caused a sharp pain in my shoulder blade up my neck. I was reminded how often I do these things, as I would sit, because the pain would stab, quick and sudden until I changed position. I decided to change my habits. A friend also suggested a ball chair.

 

So I got one and when I sit on it I can't cross my legs and I sit up straighter, using my core muscles to stay balanced. The ball can come off for exercises if I ever felt so inclined, which must be a bonus, but I haven't gotten that crazy yet. I do have a small trampoline that I bounce on a few times a day, to get my lymph flowing around and help speed metabolism and improve my immune system.

I have been walking more and sitting less. It's summertime and when it's this hot you sweat all day it seems and it's so nice to stay inside in the air conditioning. When you go for a walk it has to be early or late and I am just trying to work that in to my new routine.

I have been planning what to have for sale at Atomic Holiday Bazaar this year and what I want my display to look like. I have been making paper dolls and mermaids and I bought a vinyl banner for my booth. It's just like the banner on the blog except 3ft wide and the font is a bit different. I like planning and dreaming about what to make. It helps me get focused. Staying focused is a whole different subject.

I bought some more stamps to create some new art dolls and hope to make some 3 dimensional fabric dolls as well as some shrinky dink jewelry using scans of some of the mermaids. It's fun and challenging to digitally alter and print the dolls and I bought a huge dry erase board to write down all my projects and plans. I have examples to make for a big project and things I want to enter into local galleries and for publication. I'm working on aprons and getting thoughts together to make something for Apronology again.

So as I get some things finished I will show them here. I started a 5 week class last week at the Venice Art Center with Joanna Coke- doing mixed media altered boxes and am pretty excited about that journey. I hope all my blog friends are doing well and having a lovely summer!

stay cool and sweet!

calamity kim