Calamity Kim

There's No Place Like Home

Yesterday's plane ride was a lesson in self control.
I maintained a calm and serene composure while wringing the life from the book in my hands as the plane forced its way through the overcast skies.
Being above the clouds, especially gray, storm clouds makes for nerve wracking, eye twitching, foot jiggling, deep breathing, despair. Especially when you know you have absolutely no control over anything that may happen while you are aboard the plane hurtling through the sky.
You just close your eyes, say a prayer and endure it.
You can't stop the babies from crying, the nervous hens from clucking endlessly inane conversations surrounding you or the too tall sullen teenager from pushing his knees into the back of your seat.
It used to be so classy and elegant to fly- the stewardesses wore snappy outfits while serving complimentary cocktails to passengers excited by traveling to a new city.
Now it's like the war torn, weary frequent fliers and folks on vacation dressed in their most casual (one girl was in her bikini top and micro mini jean skirt- ready for the beach) feeling relieved to have made it through the security checkpoints without any physical scrutiny of their personal space and happy to be glued to their i phones or paperbacks.
Planes have gotten smaller too, with everyone turning sideways to walk down the isle for fear of tearing someones arm off and sitting for 2 hours with your elbows tucked in to your sides or crossed over yourself isn't comfortable or luxurious.
Unfortunately, we didn't have our fabulously funny steward named Bob to entertain us or keep us calm as we pitched and rocked in the air.
As we neared Tampa you could feel the humidity increasing and see the ground below, so green and tropical as the clouds parted momentarily before the rain made visibility impossible.
Finally we landed and everyone sighed as they began to unlock their seat belts and reach for luggage and bags stored above.
We don't have wings and as unnatural and as exhilarating as it can be to fly it still feels wrong somehow. It has been so long since I've flown, it may be a long time again, but then again, you never know what opportunity you may have.
I'd like to celebrate my return to sunny (not today- thunder and lightning and rain all day) Sarasota with a charming cupcake recipe from Martha Stewart

I wish you all a lovely day...
I'll be on the couch, resting and regrouping - I'm exhausted!
That's what vacations do- they make you travel far away and wear you out until you crawl home and wish you could sleep for a 100 years!
Love and happy Naptime,
calamity kim

 

Skull A Day with Martha

You gotta love it!
Get Noah's book here.

Is there a skelly in your closet? Maybe in the window?

skelly, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

Got a 50% off coupon in the mail today for Michael's Arts N Crafts....Go check it out!

It's a Good Thing, Martha Stewart: Crafts

When I think about Martha Stewart I think about this: If Martha wanted a cup of hot chocolate, first, she would go to the river and did the clay, to make the cup on her potter's wheel ($325) Then after glazing and firing the cup, in her kiln made in the ground with leaves and twigs and paper to raku it  ( $500 per hour)  she would head to the kitchen and make her own marshmallows and use heart shaped cookie cutters to cut them out ($37) then she would fly to Mexico or South America and get a bag of the finest cocoa beans and fly back to grind them into powder ($ 2,789) only then could she combine the finest cream,  milked from cows fed only new tiny shoots of green grass and lavender ($67 per oz) with the cocoa to make her cup of hot chocolate (priceless).

Now, maybe I am wrong about that but it isn't ego it's the fact that she knows how to do all these things. She knows how to make her own marshmallows and how delicious they are compared to store bought. She has been behind the wheel of her  craft car all these years, picking up this and throwing in that and now she has pulled up to Michael's Arts & Crafts stores and unloaded her trunk of wares and FINALLY we can start getting busy making all those projects in all those magazines stashed in our closets, under beds and bins and boxes. Saved for years, I take mine out on holidays and browse..much the same as I do her website...I still am going to make the giant plywood cut-out silhouettes of the witch and her cauldron featured on the cover of her Halloween Issue several years ago.

Some of the photography in her mags over the years has knocked me out and I aspire to recreate those images in my own home. I iron my tablecloths and set the centerpieces and make the name tags and create napkin rings. It makes me happy to plan and execute the perfect party. Like Martha. How many nights has she laid awake planning do you suppose? She has great drive, determination and creativity. She recognizes talent when she sees it too and have you noticed how many bloggers have been on her show recently?

Some dreams do come true. The evidence is at your local Michael's. The glitter, the glassine and vellum. The stamps, stamp pads, wrapping paper, brads, tags, stickers. It's all there. The RIBBON. Tiny 1/4 inch ombre striped in blue and taupe and all the colors you've ever wanted. Go. Go quickly! Gwen called Barb and said some of hers was sold out already! My store was pristine and untouched by grimy shoppers hands. It may never be that nice or full again, but I took pictures for Lexi so that she can see that it's worth the drive from Clarksville to Nashville.

The flowers are paper. They look like silk flowers but they are paper. I hope she starts a gallery of pictures on her website for photos of stuff made with Martha's Craft supplies. Maybe someone will do it on Flickr. With a different project featured each month...like the pincushion or apron challenges....Oh yes, I can see it all now....People in Europe and everywhere else will be calling their friends and family here in the states begging and bribing for Martha's new stuff! I know it's what I want from now on. Every Holiday: Michael's Gift Card Please. Oh, Mother's Day?  you know! Christmas? Need you ask? They even have wonderful tins to put them in for only $1.00 up by the register. Go look, I'll wait. I'll be here dreaming of all the crafts I'll be creating with all these awesome new supplies....

Oh, the parties we'll plan! Did you notice on the header on the 4way it said: MARTHA like the art in her name is highlighted. Clevah. Very Clevah. Can I change my name to Calartamy Kim? teehee, giggle, giggle..haw,haw...cackle, cackle...hohoho! Oh yeah! I am exuberant about this! Shouting about it from the top of the roof! Martha is going to help us make stuff! WE can put flags on our cupcakes and bunting and banners of tissue for a festive look anytime! We will be able to make those vellum candle shades now...ahhhhhh. so happy...so craftastic! I love you Martha! Thanks so much.

tiny bunting....hats....let's party!

glitter me up, scottie!!!!!

Could this possibly be a dream? Am I really dead and this is heaven? The little girl behind the register thought I was odd but she let me take my pictures, after I asked " You don't mind"? She said she, personally, could care less, what I did! So with permission like that I clicked away! Go to My Flicker link to see more.....Martha

a favorite

a favorite, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

Now this looks real easy but I have to tell ya, even with my spiffy new pompom maker I had to put three together to get mine this fluffy!
Of course I used some different yarn. Mine has sparkles in it , so there Martha!
If I finish one I will show you. He needs his hat.
Even if it doesn't look like this.
I do love the simplicity of the pompom though. The mindless wrapping. The trimming.
The throwing!
I get a new snowman decoration every year. There's always "the one" that I fall in love with!
Last year I got one of Jim Shores(Hallmark has them) that's titled Winter's Mischief and it's a snowman with quilted designs and he's throwing a snowball! I thought that was pretty funny! I haven't seen this years yet, but I haven't gone looking. There's a new Super Target that just opened! (on Fruitville Rd) and I may have to sneak in the camera like a tourist and get some sparkle! Haha! This year has just flown by hasn't it? What's your favorite ornament?

Her peeps are good

Her peeps are good, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

It's that time of year again.
Several year ago Martha Stewart in league with The Big K had some little red pompom cardinal ornaments. 
I saw the advertisements.
I saw  them on TV.
When I went to the store to buy them, I didn't see them anywhere!
I went to both Kmarts in Sarasota, I still  couldn't find them!
We even looked in Augusta when we went to visit my parents.
I did searches on Ebay.
I was heart broken and decided to try to make my own.
I don't think they turned out like Martha's.
The following year I was back at Kmart at Halloween, waiting. I stalked those little birds and I finally scored some of my very own. They are even more delightful because I almost didn't find them. Fred always says it's the wanting not the having...but it's nice to open up the boxes of ornaments and see all the memories each one holds. And I'm glad I have them.

Just one more thing....

I love the movie Michael, yes, I know it's corny and sappy but I can always watch it over and over and always stop, spellbound at the same places in the movie. Like when he dances of course and when he battles the bull but I really love it when Andie McDowell sings her pie song.....I always cry at the end when the feathers blow away....I received an email about Martha's Pies for the Holidays, and of course it prompted me to sing the pie song, so there ya go...