Calamity Kim

Is it really 2015?

There are some days so filled with the business of everyday living that I barely have time to think about making things. Then other times I forgo the laundry, dishes and cleaning to escape into the blurred happiness that comes with giving myself over to the muse.

Having finished all my Big Shows and Workshops for the season I am making long lists of what I want to make next.

I think about painting and embroidering on fabric to use in some Diane Ericson inspired clothing. I love her website and find it so inspirational. She not only creates awesome patterns for artistic clothing but designs cool stencils to be used to paint and enhance the surface of clothing.

I have been cutting stencils of my own lately and am designing bags to sell at Strands of Sunshine in St Pete this summer.

Amy Marshall is the owner and the shop has such a cool, happy and creative vibe. I sold my mushroom ornaments there after Atomic was over and some canvas project bags flew outta there too!

I would like to start blogging more. Really, I would. I used to spend so much time online and in the past few years I have been  trying to walk on the beach, create more work and really be in my life, not just spend all day on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest, Etsy and eBay! Things changed when I started using Instagram and my iphone camera instead of my digital camera too. So, it seems like it's more difficult to Blog without using my phone. I know, excuses, right? But, blogging does fulfill the part of me that longs to teach, share and tell stories, so I hope I can really get back in the habit. I know any of you who cared have long since given up, and that's ok. Everything has to grow and change and become something else. That emotional baggage gets heavier the longer you carry it. It's best to free yourself up and throw it to the winds and be happy for heaven's sake. And that means not putting the key to your happiness in Someone Else's pocket. Just saying.

Oh, and speaking of teaching, I recently did a Cut Up Your Closet With Calamity Kim Workshop for the Tampa Surface Design Guild. It was a three day class and the ladies made some great dresses using the tired, worn clothing from their closets.

Because when life gives you lemons, ya gotta make something from them, right?!

I hope that you are having a break from the winter weather, where ever you are and that spring will soon  be blooming in a flowerbed near you...

or kitchen counter I suppose would do nicely. I hope to get some pictures tomorrow at my Recycled Renegades Group Meeting and will post them with some upcycled inspiration this weekend. Until then...

Happy Stitching!

xox, Calamity Kim

 

Condition of the Heart Series

bril·liant: adj

: very bright : flashing with light

: very impressive or successful

:extremely intelligent : much more intelligent than most people

 

I added a little foil to this hand dyed fabric and after stitching with some sparklie embroidery floss and silver perle cotton the beads brought about some shine.

I love the way saying brilliant feels- it always comes out as an exclamation!

Hope you are having a creative and brilliant day!

xox,

calamity kim

 

 

Condition of the Heart Series

I've been thinking a lot about hearts lately, as Valentine's Day is the day after my Birthday and I have collected hearts for many years. I love to make them and swap with friends.

I decided to use words that are interesting and eloquent as a starting point.

Today's word is Abandonment.

as a verb:

1. To withdraw one's support or help from, especially in spite of duty, allegiance, or responsibility;

2. To give up by leaving or ceasing to operate or inhabit, especially as a result of danger or other impending threat

3. To surrender one's claim to, right to, or interest in; give up entirely.

4. To cease trying to continue; desist from:

5. To yield (oneself) completely, as to emotion.

as a noun:

1. Unbounded enthusiasm; exuberance.

2. A complete surrender of inhibitions.

 

After drawing it on paper, I cut it out and used it as a pattern to cut from some hand marbled fabric. The fabric is important as it sets the tone for the piece and this represents creativity born from despair.

I cut a face from a flesh toned fabric and stitched it down. I lightly drew features with a pencil and machine stitched them using black thread.

Then I traced the heart hole and after putting right sides together, I stitched it and turned it inside out.

I had to top stitch around the edges and added pipe cleaner arms and spiderweb tulle as I sewed. The stuffing went quickly and after stitching the opening closed she was finished!

Working through feelings and emotions as I try to heal. It has been a life long process and acceptance is tangible.

Tomorrow there will be a new word. I am thinking about Brilliant.

keep your heart open so love can find a way in.

 

xox,

calamity kim

feb 04, 2014

 

Cut Up Your Closet With Calamity Kim Workshop

 

You can learn to recycle your tired, old, beloved clothing into something fashion forward and new! Sign ups are tomorrow night!

This is for anyone living in the Sarasota, Tampa, St Petersburg, Venice, North Port (South West Florida) area:

Tomorrow night is our Surface Design Guild January Meeting ( 14th at 6 pm at Waldemere St Fire House, Upstairs) and I will be giving a powerpoint presentation on The History of Fashion!

It starts off with cave women and ends with Miley Cyrus- showing how nothing much has changed!

I will have examples of clothing that can be made if you sign up to take my "Cut Up Your Closet Workshop" that starts Thursday, January 16th 8:30-4:00 and continues Friday, January 17th 9:00-4:00 and finally at our PlayDay January 26 we will meet at 1pm to do any final discussion on embellishment, fitting and your sewing results.

The cost for the workshop is $30 and includes a Field Trip to the Honore St Goodwill (1 pm on January 15) to learn what to look for when choosing garments to refashion.

Looking forward to an upcycled 2014!

See You there!

calamity kim

Colorful Morning Light

Blogging, for me,  has always been about reaching out to like-minded souls who love to make things with their hands and heart. I haven't been doing it as much as I would like because I just didn't take the time. Walking into my sewing room this morning, the first thing I saw was the light hitting the embroidery thread I had carelessly laid in a pile and I immediately thought what a great picture it would make. So I snapped the image and took the time.

Under those colorful strands of floss lies the ever patient mushroom village table runner. It is so close to being done it's insane! Why don't I finish it? Well, because I am working on examples for a workshop I am teaching this month for the  Surface Design Meeting and after that I will be working on things to sell at the Spanish Point Fairy House Festival (March 7 & 8, 2014).

I never lack for a project to complete- that's for sure! I know that some of them I love so much that I put off finishing them so that they stay around a little while longer. Once they are done they get priced and go on Etsy or in a bin to be offered at the next Craft Show.

I am almost finished with a heart for another Blogger who is collecting them- and will make one to send you if you send her one- Lisa of Whimsical Bohemian has the post up on her Face Book page if you'd like to join in the fun then let her know there-

My birthday is the day before Valentine's Day and several years ago I asked some of my friends to make me hearts- I didn't make them any in return but maybe this is the year that I will! I love the idea of filling a small tree with hearts and maybe even making them to leave with notes around town- spreading the love, right?

Thank you for stopping by and stay warm and colorful!

xox,

calamity kim

For the Love of Blythe

I fell in love with Blythe a few years ago after seeing images of custom dolls on Flickr. I saved my pennies and begged a little, sure, I might have even whined until I got the first Blythe above on the left with pink hair and fairy gown.

Then it was a few months later I was cruising eBay and found the girl with brown hair who was being sold from a collector in the US- at a great price so I did a buy it now and she was mine! I immediately started making them some clothes and after having flashbacks to trying to make Barbie clothes when I was a kid I put them on the shelf and would say hello sometimes. Mostly they were sad and lonely and although they were patient, I was far too busy to play with them.

Recently I was doing eBay searches for big eyed deer and a new (to me) type of Blythe called Tangkou- which are taller and have ball joints like a Pullip doll. She is on the far right, also with pink hair. That leaves the purple haired witch called an Icy doll- she is like a Blythe clone.

You can see the difference in the Blythe (left) and the Icy (on right) in the nose and mouth and price! Blythes are anywhere from $95- $900 depending on whether they are retired, vintage or customized by an artist. I want to try doing a custom doll but needless to say am a bit afraid!

I love their eyes- they change color by pulling a ring or pushing a button at the back of the head and I think their little expressions are pouty and sweet. I am planning on making some clothes for my girls so that I can make more money to buy some doll parts- like face plates that I can sand and paint and practice on before I actually work up to altering one of my girls.

I just wanted to share this with you today- you can check out Flickr, Pinterest or Google for more Blythe info and images of her in fabulous hairstyles and clothing. The Icy dolls run about $35- $55 on eBay and the Tangkou doll is about $35-$95 and in my opinion is a great doll because of her poseability and resemblance to Blythe.

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

xox,

Calamity Kim

My Rabbit Stu has his own Facebook Page...

Just thought I would share Stu's Facebook debut so that those of you who want to keep up with his daily scene can go over to FB and give him a thumbs up and show him you love him!

Here is a link to his page.

Hope ya'll have a great day!

xox,

calamity kim

long summer days

It has been a long, hot summer but with so much rain it felt as if the days were rushed as the skies grew dark each afternoon- I would hurry about doing errands before the downpour. Not that I mind getting wet but, the tires are bald and it gets dangerous. The lightning flashes and the breath is held till the thunder crashes, I look out and watch the gutters fill and listen to the frog song serenades.

I have read many books this summer, seeking escape through the pages as the words become visible movies in my mind...Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn was loaned to me by a friend and I could not stop reading it- easy to get caught up in the manipulations and mystery in that one.

Of course I have been making things, and actually getting lots of work finished that was started last year- a few mermaid paper dolls and some new water colored giant papergirls with tulle tutus are almost done. Some wooden yard art that incorporates junky metal hardware and feeds my need to destroy, rust, sand and emboss. I suppose I could get some pictures but I'd rather show you more ethereal images...
I think about time to blog each project as I used to do- I miss blogging so much but I have Guilds that I spend time working for and I rented a studio space this summer to set up my "paper/stamping/painting" area and am working on samples for a teaching schedule this fall. I still have my sewing room at home but I have really spent more time painting and drawing this summer.

I plan to post the calendar here and on my Face Book page so stay tuned. I also will have work at this December's Atomic Holiday Bazaar!!! It will be my 7th year and I will have a large booth so plan to come if you are in the area- It is the 14th & 15th and the first 100 peeps through the door receive a very cool swag bag filled with goodies and coupons for the show.

Before I toddle off I would like to share my little fairy garden that I made the other day using the top of a birdbath and an old birdhouse, potting soil, tiny fence from the craft store and a few rocks:

It was fun and easy and didn't take long to put together.

I will try to repaint the mushrooms that have faded to a weird brownish color and maybe find some bits of moss to add.

Everything was wonderful and serene until one fateful afternoon the most awful thing happened!

An awful Troll couple showed up and started eating the mushrooms and making themselves right at home! The gnomes were appalled and deeply distressed but I told them it could have been worse- pixies eat everything, make a terrible mess and leave dust all over everything!!!

I just wanted to stick my toe in the door and say hi and see if I remembered how to use the html...it's like I remembered except Flickr has changed so much that I am just going to load my photos on so you won't have that link through to Flickr if you click on the images. It's hard enough already and Instagram is so easy and fast- it's tough to come back here and do all the work!

Keep and eye out for fairies- they are everywhere if you just look and I will be back soon with classes and fun stuff!

Have a lovely day and let me know what you've been reading/making/doing this summer...

love & stitches,

Calamity Kim

 

when you say you're a fiber artist...

 

do you mean this makes you giddy?

it's been too long

i've been off rambling, wandering and exploring...watching a little tv every now and then...mostly making stuff and thinking about making stuff...

I just had to get back in the groove...

miss blogging and sharing my stuff- sooo, it's almost blogging time again for me.

Tomorrow is the Friendship Knot Quilt Guild Quilt Show over at Robard's Arena and then on March 19, 20 & 21 is the Selby Gardens Nature Printer Show and then after that I have

T I M E!!!

Hope you'll have time also, to stop by and see what's new and groovy here at Calamity Kim... Pictures from the Quit Con are on my Flickr page but I will post some here too... soon as I get done doin a little dance...

xox,

calamity kim

There's No Turning Back

The Earth Laughs in Flowers Collage Girl Smock

I just finished adding a pocket to this and it's ready to go in the Etsy Shop!

That's the pocket!

This apron is made from white 100% cotton lawn (that I bought to dye but love it in white) and is light but not sheer. Very comfortable in this hot ass hell summer we are having!

It is a size medium-large and has been preshrunk and washed after finishing. The wrinkles are just gonna happen and add to the shabby chic appeal. You could starch it I suppose, but where's the fun in that?

Here's the side/back view. It has a cool criss cross and it really is comfy.

This shows details of the roses at her feet- it says: Oh you silly thing, laugh why don't you?!" I found the fabric online and just loved it so I bought enough to make several aprons from.It is from licensed artwork by Cori Dantini and I am thrilled that she has also created a line of giftware with Demdaco. I recently saw some ornaments and wall art including an owl clock that will be going in my sewing room!  I plan to make bloomers to go with it but they will be in a separate listing.

Two posts in one day- that's just crazy!Must be all the coffee I'm drinkin!

Thanks for stopping by!

Back to the sewing room!

calamity kim

Tea in the Tree House with Bill Murray Stitched Portrait Bag

I started this bag a few months ago and just finished it!

It is a machine stitched portrait of Bill Murray that I used sulky solvy to create. I could step it out in a tutorial, but not today. In fact I would like to teach a class on this because you could do a portrait of anyone you like- your dog, rabbit or grandbaby.

First of all, my bags are called "Lucky Bags" because they take so long to make, you're lucky if you ever get one! LOL, right? No, really- it's true! I am also going to finish one this week that I started lining in Dec of 2010! Now, that is indeed a very lucky bag! Maybe I should call them "bags of patience" because they are, patiently waiting to be finished. The inside pockets are embroidered vintage linens and it has a magnetic snap closure. The fabrics are all quilt fabrics like Martha Negley cupcakes and tea cups. I used Bari J to collage the tea pot and cup on the back side of the bag which was made from a very old and lovely vintage quilt square. Also a bit of Martha Negley fern fabric to let you feel as though your'e in the woods. The handle and inside lining are made from a heavier Ikea wood grain fabric to represent the tree house. I always stick a few fabric benjamins in the pocket or use in it the lining somehow to give prosperity to the bag. They are sewn with a story in mind and this one is about a daydream of having met Bill Murray and offered him tea and cupcakes up in the tree house. He is a man of mystery and I do think there are wild stories of his escapades because he can get away with anything- after all, who would believe it?! So, it took a while, but it's finally finished and now I will be listing it in the Etsy shop. Hopefully someone will love it as much as I do and wear it with happiness. Now, to get back to that other bag of patience! with love and stitches,

yours in calamity,

kim

Who Loves the DR?

I do!Not the "going to the Dr cause I'm unwell kind" but the "it's bigger on the inside" kind!

It doesn't matter which Who you love- the older ones are quite silly but I would love to knit this Dr's scarf!

The special effects are hokey and cheap and that makes them even more wonderful. We started watching the new version done by Stephan Moffat and once he became David Tennat I was in love. This is a really great fan site- Not Tonight Dalek and this picture and the end video are shared from their site. He has great gifs  too, like this one:

 

In case you don't know about the Dr, that's Matt Smith above and below:

He sometimes wears a fez, but always has a bow tie. 'Cause they're cool.

Just one of the things I have become a big fan of in the last year. There are deep and convoluted story arcs in the modern version and I simply cannot wait for the next season. It's a romantic fairytale in space!

C'mon Dr! We want a new adventure!

Here's a link to fun paper craft pdf's so we can make some tardis and daleks while we wait.

And I'll just leave you with this:

 

Demons run when a good man goes to war. Night will fall and drown the sun when a good man goes to war. Friendship dies and true love lies — Night will fall and the dark will rise when a good man goes to war.

missing u, dr who...

calamity kim

How to Alienate Blog Readers By Not Ever Posting

It seems that I am Blogging less, but in my mind I write everyday.

I practice sentences in my mind and they get rejected as too flowery or insincere.

I used to Blog every day. Remember that? or are you new here?

How did I do that? I guess I was driven and full of newbie excitement.

I used to get up and practically run to my sewing room each day. The years change us. Have I become lazy or is it that as I joined local Guilds and Groups I started to be gone more than I was home? Out in the real world, my possible prose left here to rot and wither, untouched and abandoned.

There are so many reasons why but the question really is: will I Blog again?

I try every day to think of something to say.

Snags and Fragments of sentences come to me as I am crocheting or sewing and I still take pictures but the time to come and sit here seems too long to spend.

I guess time is money for me now and I can't afford to waste it. Even as I type this I know I could be using my time differently. I could be finishing something to list on etsy; could be preparing fabric to dye; could be packing up books I sold on Amazon; at least 20 things easily, off the top of my head, I could be doing rather than this.

How about working on this quilt? Yes, I could do that.

But even if I weren't writing this I wouldn't really do that- it is a quilt best left for another day. A  wide open with promise and hope kind of day. This afternoon is already cloudy and thunder drums out a tentative beat in the distance as the daily rain rumbles our way.

Rusty words.

I haven't been using them as much or baked any pies like this in a good long while.

These pictures are from my Flickr Explore photos- which means someone working at Flickr thought them good enough or interesting enough to be on the Flickr page. It makes me feel good. Blessed. Loved. Proud even.

Flickr started off as a place to store my digital images and soon became a place where I met other artists and connected with people from all over the world.

It was just my 6 year anniversary at Flickr.

My how the time flies. It was my my space my Book Face before there was one. Now Pinterest vies for attention but I still love Flickr and always will.

Without all those digital images I am sure I would soon forget all the things I have made. Taking time to fold paper into flowers was such a peaceful and happy segment of time. I remember taking that picture and then knowing it was good. It captured the zen, the upcycle, the moment.

Remember Bench Mondays? I wish I still did them. I think I used up all my benches and lost the energy to go seek out new ones.

It's so hot. The glare from the sun is so bright. Don't have any filters for the camera...etc...excuses why but mostly I forget until about Wednesday and then I snap my fingers and say: "damn! missed bench monday again"!

I so loved it- the marking off of the beginning of the week with a ritual like that just made me happy. It isn't possible to work in every week but I feel disappointed that I can't remember to do it at least every once in a while.

The rain has already blown in, fast and furious, moving further west to the beach to blow out over the sea while I wrote this.

Sips of chai tea, pulling words out and dusting them off, trying to figure it out.

What I want to say, maybe is that I still have more to say.

Lots more to make and do and share.

Ideas poor out at night as I lay in bed, soft sheets and smooth quilt above. I hear my husbands breathing become a pattern of soft sounds, he dreams while I think about making something beautiful.

Ideas reach up from the calm, still thought pool below- Stephen King talks about that pool in his book Lisey's Story (I've been reading a lot this summer) and I want to Blog it but there just hasn't been time. Not unless I drop something else. Slot this back in. Try to work up some momentum.

It's just so easy to forget when there is so much social networking now- blogs you love to read- my bookmarks are stuffed and I keep a tutorial board on Pinterest to hold all the places of cool stuff to make- before I would have blogged it here and been spreading the word- now I know that it's easier to just put a link to my pinterest and say check this out!

Look at all that time I just saved! I can go make some yoyo's or pre-wash some fabric or sew something fun to wear! No, really, I will be blogging more. I am not trying to be funny, even though it kind of is...

after I go cut out some sleeves and finish these tops...maybe...sooner rather than later...

maybe it's still cloudy with distant thunder...

never meant to leave you here hanging...

just sort of wandered off the path...

thanks for stopping by and sitting a spell.

joy & peace & love always,

Calamity Kim

Alienate is such a cold and terrible word but the rain does make the flowers grow!

Goodbye Maurice

We will always remember you and keep Courage in our hearts.

Maurice Bernard Sendak (June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012)

 

mr stu says

happy friday!!!

genesis finished

so here is a peek at my finished 12x12" quilt

I am so happy to have it finished. I have been also doodling with free motion quilting and doing a bit of dyeing and needle felting. come check it out at my Flickr site-

Happy Friday!

calamity kim

12x12 Quilt Group: In the Beginning

This is a peek at a 12x12 quilt I am working on.

Any minute I might set it down and go to the spinning wheel and spin some yarn.

Then after a while I might wander over to the stamp and paper area and work on a book or maybe stamp a few paper dolls.

Yes, my name is Calamity Kim and I have a problem.

I want to make everything, all the time! Let me run it back for ya-

Before I learned to spin, I was making doll quilts and doing swaps and sewing aprons and dreaming of writing a quilt book. Then the allure of art yarn wound me in it's tenacious grasp and I abandoned all thoughts of quilting and spent the next 3 1/2 years spinning and reading books about spinning, taking classes and dyeing roving and yarn. That is a recent handspun that is plied with handspun.

It makes my heart sing.

But so does sewing.

Quilting is texture beneath your fingertips... Let me tell you how it happened: a few months ago I was dog sitting for a friend and had the time to check out her art book library. I discovered a book called 12 x12: the international art quilt challenge. My eyes lit up and my fingers started to itch and I called my friend Lenore and told her about it and suggested what if we try this ?

 

After a few emails, texts and phone calls we found some women friends who had the time and desire to try their hands at quilting a 12x12' quilt every 5-6 weeks and share the results with each other. It has been fun and a challenge to make time to quilt.

The first theme was chosen by Arlene and it was Genesis.

I went home and sketched a design.

I had to wait a while because I was making work to sell at a craft show but as soon as that was finished I began appliqueing my piece.

I used my first piece of rusted, eco dyed fabric for the base and then drew the images onto freezer paper and cut them out. After ironing them to the applique fabric I cut them out, turned the edge under with the needle and carefully stitched them down.

Of course it was set aside more than a few times as I worked on knitting, spinning, cooking, cleaning and life!

I struggled with allowing myself "free time".

You know, time when you are making something for yourself- not to sell or for a show. It seems selfish. Especially when gas prices continue to rise and the cost of living increases while my husband is still looking for a job and I am trying to earn money for my work.

You know that struggle, right?

Well, this 12 x 12 group is fun and gives me an opportunity to grow and teach my friends about new techniques. I also learn from them so it is a great sharing exchange and mutal appreciation of each other's work.

It is wonderful to watch them get all excited when they do show and tell about their pieces and how they encountered difficulty along the way to their goal.

It is worth the time spent.

So, I just wanted to share this with you and say hi.

I miss blogging but it is all about time. There is simply never enough!

I am still sewing aprons, dyeing fabric, spinning yarn, felting wool, cutting and folding and stamping paper while writing ridiculous run on sentences.

I hope to get caught up with my Genesis and show it in a few days.

My idea is about how the creator made the earth, water, fire and animals of land, sea and air under a new sun and old moon.

I enjoy the slowness of hand applique and making a picture appear from blankness. The quilting is the fun (and scary) part!

I plan to hand stitch a little and maybe a small bit of machine stitching- we will see what happens.

In the mean time you may want to check out the 12 x12 Group blog and see all the coolness there.

Happy Sewing, Spinning, Knitting and Stamping ya'll!

calamity kim

spinning art yarn

penny for your dreams

via www.flickr.com

Patience, Penelope, Peony, Penitence,Prudence, Priscilla- the Dreadful Sisters!
Making these for a show coming up next month- Odd Duck in Hollywood, Fl on the 31st!

Penny Dreadfull Dolls

via www.flickr.com

so I have been making these little dolls lately while I am dog sitting a wild pack of teacup Chihuahuas and Pomeranian's and am using up some small treasured bits of scrap fabric. You know those little pieces you love but just can't bear to throw away? Well, they are pretty great once stitched to the dolls to give them style and sass!
I sometimes tea dye them after I finish them but this can lead to unexpected dark marks- sometimes I tea dye the fabric first for a less aged look.
I imagine these girls were abandoned long ago in the attic or perhaps the dark, dank basement and grew bitter over time as they were forgotten and bereft of hope. All they want is for someone to love them and sing songs and play pretend with them again...

Making Mushrooms

via www.flickr.com

using paper clay and wire to make mushrooms to inhabit little terrariums, bell jars and fairy in jar landscapes.
it's a rainy and gloomy day but inside it's cozy and warm and the pixies are playing and dancing about...

teesha moore inspired bag

via www.flickr.com

I started this a long time ago as an example of Teesha Moore's fabric pillow style for creating journal covers or bags with our Surface Design Guild.
It originally began with an intention to become a big book cover but now I decided to sew it into a bag- maybe like a giant tote or messenger bag. It still needs a bottom and a handle.

journal cover needle felted with fairy flower book mark

via www.flickr.com

what's on my desk this morning: a needle felted journal cover waiting for pages and a heart paper doll waiting for arms and a hanger.

Day 1 in the year 2012

 

Last night we stayed up late watching movies.

That's pretty unusual for us, but the neighborhood fireworks are a difficult lullaby and so after watching the old Hollywood Knights (Michelle Pfeiffer was a baby in that!) we watched Something Borrowed and it was sweet- a total chick flick but entertaining. I couldn't believe it was 2:30 when we finally went to sleep. We remembered to kiss each other a Happy New Year at about 1am.

I thought about the new year ahead as I drifted off to sleep and said a prayer for all good things to come.

Today was a beautiful day. The weather here is so perfect- warm, sunny, a good day for the beach. We talked about going, but decided after a late breakfast to just stay home and watch more movies. I worked on more paper dolls and played with the bunny. It was nice and low key- quiet- and restful.

 

This is Stu-he's an angora bunny my friend Lorene bought  for me  for Christmas and he is a constant source of amusement and affection as he hops around the house nibbling books and getting into mischief. He is about 11 weeks old now and will only get to be about 5-7 lbs. He eats a lot of timothy grass and if I could come up with a craft project involving rabbit poop I'd be a millionaire! He graciously gives us an above average daily amount- thank goodness there is no smell- it's just reconstituted grass! He goes in his litter box and is really very sweet.

I'm using some old pictures- I hope you don't mind. I just wanted to blog today, start a new year right. I'm also killing time until Hell on Wheels is on. It's a western on AMC, set back in the railroad building days and I must confess it has grown on me to the point that I have missed it not being on over the holidays. You know I love the wild west and love clothes from that era. I do have a rather bohemian poor gypsy magnolia pearl style and am going to dig out my linens and crochet laces to transform into clothes that reflect that.

I hope this year I can make some bloomers, pinafores, and felted dolls and get really good at binding books. I am cleaning out drawers, cupboards and closets to purge all the stuff I have saved in the hopes that "one day I would make something from it". If I haven't by now, then chances are I won't! I have high hopes of doing some indie craft shows this year and so I am aiming to come up with a product line and a website. Go big or go home, right? I am always dreaming of new things to make and there is never an empty day when I am not doing something- and I really want to get back to blogging it here too.

I wish you all a wonderful new year full of inspiration and JOY, as well as happiness and prosperity.

with love,

calamitykim

 

Paper Art Dolls: The Vintage Modern Mermaid

I am not sure what it is about the Gibson Girls that captures my attention so completely but I have several stamps with different faces from that genre and I really enjoy using them to make paper dolls.

I often use Kimberly Crick's templates and rubber stamps as well as Catherine Moore's Character Construction stamps. I love the combination of vintage and woodland themes together and am also working up some circus and steampunk designs. I used to make paper dolls quite often and it has been a while since I returned to visit them but I have set aside wool, fabric and spinning wheel to get my paper on for a while.

Paper dolls aren't just for kids and my dolls can be used for decorating trees, wreaths, packages, worn as pins, necklaces or charming wall decor. I use acid free glue and papers and I decorate and embellish them with glitter, paper flowers, hat millinery and tiny ephemera.

Today I visited Retro Rosie's in Bradenton to grab some vintage lace and old letters to use in new dolls. Rosie and Nancy have a lovely shop filled with vintage clothing, shabby chic decor, wedding dresses, kitsch and aprons- as well as sewing notions, barkcloth and lots of good paper ephemera like tintypes and photos.

I love to combine vintage photos with water colored tails and will soon have a batch of finished mermaids- once they get some arms!

I am going to do some that are valentine related and some for Easter- assuming that I stay with it I should get them done in time to list on Etsy. Let's keep our finger's crossed and say a prayer to our patron saint of persistence and consistency- can't hurt- might help!

I joined the Selby Gardens Nature Printer's this year and I hope to be printing some fairy paper dolls using real leaves and flowers for their skirts and wings. No pictures of that yet- just playing with the idea and getting it worked out in my head before I begin printing them.

Monday begins a new year and I hope to be back here blogging more and sharing my adventures. Thank you for the five years of readership and for sharing links to my blog and all the love. Blogland is a special place and my life would not be the same without it. Happy New and Wonderful Year Ahead to us all! love, calamity

Alpha Stamps Giveaway!

So....the big day is over and you're surfing the net looking for fun and something to do...

Go visit one of my favorite sources for stamps, ephemera and embellishments and sign up for their awesome giveaway (with a mermaid theme no less!) and tell em calamity kim sent ya! Here is the link for Alpha Stamps.

I am off for my daily walk and then I will be back to share some new mermaid stamped paper dolls of my own.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas celebration (or Hanukkah or Kwanza or Festive us).

The Amazing Properties of Wool

I think I could sing and shear a few sheep at the same time. Robert Plant

I have been wet felting in the last few weeks, trying to perfect the thickness and shapes of small vessels. It has been a labor of love.

Sometimes, they are fuzzier than I would like- but I learn.

Sometimes, the silk hankie (or cap) can cause a resist if wool locks are laid beside it. Which isn't an unattractive look and something I will try to repeat and further explore.

Sometimes, the colors aren't as wonderful together once they have been felted and that too, causes a learning situation...makes me want to overdye it and change it, especially that white wool inside layer.

Sometimes, after beading and adding some surface design they become even more wonderful.

My friend Lorene does lampwork beads an she generously gave me several. I think this adds a special touch to this vessel- which I wasn't happy with at all until after I added some stitches and beads. It makes it more interesting. Your eye soaks in the details and wonders at the amazing properties of wool, that it can be soft and fluffy and then hard and dense.

I trimmed it with silk organza, couching and stitching it on along the top helped the bright pink inside not to be so harsh.

The colors of the locks and wool roving were so different before they mixed and mingled into the felt. My shoulders are sore from rolling and using the washboard to full these into their final stage. What a great workout!

Sometimes, it's wonderful to just sit quietly and bead all day, stopping to get more water or maybe a cup of tea, watching the piece transform into something better, knowing that there isn't anything else quite like it in the world. No tv or music, just the birds outside singing throughout the day. Seeking solace through stitches, adding good intention to the work.

Learning new things is exhilarating once you overcome the fear of failure. Knowing that you can always redeem it by cutting it up and adding it to another felted something eliminates the fear of making a mistake. It becomes play and that my friends is worth everything!

I'm making more today...I'll do show and tell once they dry.

Have a lovely Monday.

calamity kim

Everything's just peachy

Did you ever get so far behind that you wept from despair at the thought of trying to catch up? I feel like the fat kid chasing the ice cream man. It's never going to happen.

My Blog is something that I have neglected this year- it really began slowly, over time, and now it's full on outta control. No time, because in my mind it would be too difficult to go back and share all the crafty happenings and things I have been doing in the past year. Sceesch! It went by so quickly!

 

 

Even as I load the pictures I think maybe I should not load through Flickr- maybe Facebook or just keep them on my desktop. Descisions that once came effortlessly now give me pause. I am an uncertain blogger, with a blog that turned 5 last month. How did this happen?

 

It was a slight shift. From daily to weekly to maybe once every two weeks to now months. Sad. I am sorry, poor blog and whoever remains out there reading my ramblings.

We had a "big thing" happen this year. It rocked our world. We were in shock for a long time. Never saw it coming. Couldn't talk about it. Mute and morose. Now after some time, things are leveling off.

 

My husband lost his job.

His career.

His life.

His identity.

It was political.

 So, I am his wife and it broke my heart to watch this good man get torn down. Ripped to shreds. Who wants to share that on their happy little blog?

He is my shadow and I am his sunshine, but when something like this happens there is only gloom, doom, tragedy and depression. It is like any other major life event- death, divorce, moving, illness- you grieve and get angry and go through stages of everything and nothing.

shock.

Questions begin to fill your days- where will we go? What will we do? Will he find another job? Will we sell everything and buy a trailor and travel as far as the gas money will go?

I started this blog because I had no real friends here, after having moved away and then moving back. My husband encouraged me and was supportive and loving. Now I have made friendships and I love my crafty days spent learning new things- felting, dyeing, knitting- all these activities bring me joy.

But my husband doesn't have hobbies. My heart is broken for him. I don't care anymore about much, except trying to make it better. Blogging imaginary tea parties just seems silly and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. I turned fifty this year. I am finally grown up. I have been so selfish. What about him? He gives and gives and this loss has made me love him all the more. I can write this because he never reads my blog. He is a respecter of privacy. He lives with me and my crafty mayhem, why read about what he knows?

 

So, I want to be back here sharing and writing- it helps to get it out- but it's scary too. How rare to be honest and forthright- I am a woman who was raised not to air her dirty laundry- don't tell the neighbors.

Shame.

But when it isn't your fault and LIFE HAPPENS what do you do? Crawling under the bed doesn't help, although it is a way of dealing with things- not dealing with them...just numb as the days become weeks and months and tears never stop falling..at the oddest of times, too.

Is the picture out of focus or is that just my eyes full of water? Back to my little patchwork picnic in the fairy forest..back to seeking shelter in the hollowed out oaks, green with moss and smelling of molding leaves...this is who I am. love me or leave me.

Do you know Dottie Angel? I wish I was her- no, not really, I am happy to be this calamity girl...but she is pretty cool. We do love much of the same stuff. Grannie vintage, happy bunting, standing on benches...reading her book makes me want to go back to being me again. Go visit her for some giddy, peachy joyfull LOVE.

The holidays are coming and I will be listing stuff for sale on Etsy. I know I have said that before but I do have lots of things piling up and as I go through and downsize I think that trying to sell them online is the way to start.

I want to get back to making the things I love to make- it would be awesome to have a cohesive body of work instead of a mishmash of chaotic arts and crafts. I love learning new things and that is my biggest problem- I can never just do one thing for a lifetime- I constantly need to stretch and grow and morph.

This past few weeks it has been all about felting wool- wet & dry- and I will take pictures and share it soon. wink. really, I will try. I have paperdolls and handbags and oodles of items for stocking stuffers and gifts that would be loving and sweet.

So, with a lighter heart I go off to sort, sift, price and purge.

Thank you for being here. I didn't mean to run you off by not being here but it's been difficult to know what to say. I haven't been right. Nothing really is right yet, but life is just adapting, isn't it? and keeping your chin up.

The day is a bit sunnier and hope is not so impossible a concept as it was a day ago... ah, the calamity!

spooky

cackle, cackle!

love,

calamity kim

a dress for me

Later this month I will be flying to California with a few friends to participate in Yarnival- which is being held in Placerville, home of Lexi Boeger.

Lexi Boeger is the spinning force behind Pluckyfluff and the Art Yarn Revolution taking place in America right now. Once she wrote Intertwined and I saw it,  I immediately wanted to learn to spin- and I didn't even know how to knit! Now, it's two years later and she has converted an old barn into a workshop/studio/art yarn museum and Yarnival is the Grand Opening! It will take place from Aug 31- Sept 4 at the Boeger Winery.

 

So, what do you wear to a Yarnival? It's warm there in the Sierra Mtn foothills but cool at night so I will be taking a sweater! It has been one of the hottest summer's I can remember here in Sarasota, so it will be a welcome reprieve from sweating when we get there.

I have been trying to de-stash my sewing and stamping/wool rooms to make room to sew at home while I get through this dental work and have finally got it all organized and can see all the t-shirts on the shelf. I will have 2 weeks to sew like the wind and hopefully will sell some creations when we get there- it will be 5 days of winery guests and as many as 100 art yarn spinners! I look forward to it and if you live there or plan to attend feel free to give me a shout out and we'll get together and spin, knit, share fiber or go exploring.

There are great things on the road to Tahoe which is about an hour and a half away. I want to see the caves, antique buildings and cowboys!

I use a little bit of everything when I make my recycled moon clothing and love the feel of the old soft linen and well worn cotton fabrics. A bit of silk makes it light and the overall feeling you have when wearing it is that you are a very special girl in a very special dress. It does look a bit apocolyeptic. But what a great way to upcycle your favorite clothes into something new and happy!

Hope you are having a wonderfully creative day!

xox,

calamity kim

Where have I been?

That's me on the right, waiting at the dentist's office.

Last time it was me waiting for my husband at the dentist's office. This time it was me. Sounds of drilling. Hushed footsteps in the hallway reminding me of a library or possibly the morgue. Scheech! I have had 6 teeth removed in less than a week and am waiting for some replacement teeth to be made. Should be here in a few weeks. I hope the person making those partial plates is an artist. I hope they fit and are comfortable. I hope this is the only thing that needs repair this year. This is about all I can stand, I tell ya! Gum disease is no laughing matter.

However, laughter is the best medicine they say and I have been laughing every time I look in the mirror!

That's me on the right.

That's Mr Husband on the left.

We've both had some pretty miserable luck with our teeth lately. Maybe it was all those pies I baked. He likes to tell me that God smote me for use of bad language but it don't say nuthin bout no cussin in those 10 commandments!

Anyway....I have mostly been laying on the couch reading books like Art Cloth by Jane Dunnewold and Eco Colour by India Flint. I have been trying to learn as much as I possibly can about dyeing fabric and have plans to use some eco printed cloth in upcoming mag submissions.

 

 

I rusted this first and then bundled it up with some ferns and flowers and steamed it for a while. I love the marks from the steaming and you can see bits of faint prints from the ferns. The red hibiscus turned blue and you really can't make out the petals. I am so in love with this technique and have been reading India's website, Blog and joined her Group on Facebook for Found, Stitched, Dyed Junkies.

Mostly it involves preparing your fabric and then repeatedly trying everything and keeping good notes so you can go back and evaluate what works and what doesn't. It's not easy. I have also recently been dyeing using the fiber reactive dyes and have finally gotten to the point that I can almost  rely on what I may get using a prescribed method.

This month's new Quilting Art's Mag has several cool dyeing techniques I want to try including Ice Dyeing- similar to snow dyeing but using ice and it almost looks like the tray dyeing results. I find it all fascinating and I am excited about learning these new things, however I often wonder why I am never satisfied to just stop and get really good at one thing. I have to continue to learn and try new things and it's becoming somewhat obsessive with this eco dyeing. I want an exact recipe and it's just so variable and random based on water, flora, temperature, mordants, pots etc that I am really going to have to buckle down and spend some solid time writing and cataloging my results.

 

 

Oh, I just realized how wordy this post is becoming! I have a friend who tells me to be brief. You all have more blogs to get to and can't spend all day here, right? I am trying to keep a record of my dyeing adventures over at my Facebook account- Calamity Kim-

I'm going back to the couch.

It would really make me feel better to know your best dentist encounter so let me hear it.

xox,

calamity kim

Seeking Color

I have been dyeing since last Thursday.

Putting color on cloth is exciting and fun but hard work and it takes TIME.

The mx fiber reactive dyes by procion (purchased through Dharma Trading Co) work with soda ash and time. The will power to resist throwing every color available on the white fabric is mandatory and then the patience to withstand the impulse to check it or move it around in the dye is almost more than I can bear!!!

 

 

I stuck this fabric in a very large pickle jar and added red, orange and turquoise and then put the lid on and set it aside over night. The rest of these fabrics were pleated and scrunched up into plastic trays (shallow bins) and after the dye was applied, I covered them and left them alone until the next day. The resulting fractal and kaleidoscopic patterns are worth it!

Of course I have been reading everything I could get my hands on to prepare for this dyeing adventure. The tray method is discussed in a great book/dvd I found on Dharma's website by Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn titled Tray Dyeing and they have a very informative Blog called Committed to Cloth.

 

 

Getting set up is a huge part of dyeing and I bought wide mouth mason jars, squeeze bottles, dye, gloves, and fabric. I used jersey knit, silk/rayon velvet and quilt cotton yardage. I had very successful results and am so excited to use the fabric to create art quilts, garments and handbags!

I set up an Indigo pot too, using a kit by Jaquard and it was fun and I love the results. This was just dipped once for a pale shade of blue gray that I love. It took HOURS to put the rubber bands on the fabric!!

The fabric on the left is silk/rayon velvet and I tied (bundled) it with heavy perle cotton and that went a little faster. It causes a different resist pattern on the fabric and I left it in the indigo dye pot longer for a deeper color.

The velvet is light and soft and I can't wait to use it in a coat or dress!

After dyeing all the fabric I had purchased- 15 yards of jersey knit, 10 yards of silk velvet, 10 yards of quilting cotton I can say that I learned a lot and might over dye a few of the first cloths I did on that first day. (shown above)

I love the patterns made when you pleat the cloth and floating the dye underneath gets a very interesting result compared to scrunching the cloth and splashing the dye on the top.

You would think that my neighbors might come over after seeing my colorful fabrics strung up on the clothesline but they don't care! If they notice at all they must not be curious - they probably just figure I am one of many artist's living in Sarasota or maybe just some crazy old hippie with a penchant for colorful cloth! it's kinda funny to me- I think if I saw my neighbor with all this stuff on her line I would come over with a pie and make friends fast- but hey, I'm crazy for color!

I really don't care what the neighbors think anyway- dyeing cloth is way too much fun and so incredibly fabulous to sew with that I can't imagine not doing it again and again, no matter what! I can't wait to use it in a project!

 I just wanted to share it here- hope you enjoyed seeing the results!

click on any of the photos to go to my Flickr site to see more of the fabric I dyed or just check out the set here.

 

Have a Happy 4th of July and I hope yours is as colorful as mine!!

love,

calamity kim

take to the wind

via www.flickr.com

playing with ink, watercolor and some Teesha Moore stamps.

fairy gown

via www.flickr.com

spent some time working on the fairy gown today...dipped the bottom in purple dye (for poly fabrics) and love the results...am adding chiffon flowers and embroidery and beads...it looks kind of magical and hopefully will do well on Etsy...just wanted to share it with you blog readers...happy summertime!
with love,
calamity kim

fabric flowers blooming in the workroom

via www.flickr.com

My car is in the shop getting the air conditioner repaired so I am stuck at home for a few days, but it propels me to finish some flowers and replenish the ones in the shop. What shop?
The Picasso Moon Yarn Shop extraordinaire! It's the most fiberlicious shop in Florida and we are so lucky to have Lexi Boeger of Pluckyfluff fame coming to teach spinning again on the 11th! I am counting down the days!

Miracle

MIRACLE from Vanessa Bruno on Vimeo.

Miracle that I get anything done on a day off

day dream

want to make make make

maybe a papermache teacup or angel's trumpet...

maybe a batt to spin incredible art yarn...

maybe french toast with peaches and whipped cream...

maybe just lay down and look up at the ceiling with the glow in the dark stars and rest...

regenerate...so tired...so sad...so blue the sky.

the day escapes me as I sit at the computer and wander...

not many days like this these days..

hurry up,

do it now,

get it done,

time pulls me out of center BUT I am learning to dye, to draw,

to do morning pages so that I can be better,

do more,

CREATE.

a miracle that I still have an open mind with words and story pictures pouring out.

kim calamity

saturday in May

filling the blank page with daydreams and doodles while watching Torchwood and looking forward to the Dr tonight

via www.flickr.com

beginning in the middle

via www.flickr.com

this is the year i turned 50.
this is the start of the rest of my life.
trying to use paper as well as fabric to mark the days in my weeks.

The Artful Bird is Complete

The jasmine covering the lattice fence in the backyard is blooming it's little heart out and the heady perfume carries on the breeze all the way to the front yard. I can imagine it floating away toward my neighbors noses and I hope they love it as much as I do. The hibiscus, bougainvillea and my orchids are blooming too and it is so pretty outside I just want to be on my bike or walking these days.

I have been working a lot up until recently and am trying to get a lot of old projects finished up while I have the free time. This is a wren that I made using a pattern from Abigail Glassenberg's new book titled The Artful Bird. When I started it several months ago I knew it would be difficult but I was excited about making one since I had been waiting for what seemed like forever for her book to be published. I was doing well with it until I lost the tail section- I laid it down someplace and then couldn't find it. Like, um,  it was there one minute and suddenly gone the next! I had set it aside when I answered the phone and then just couldn't remember where it was. I searched for a while and even left a note for the husband to keep his eyes peeled- finally I gave up after Days went by (and then weeks and months!) but I knew that if I started another tail or wing section then I would find the missing pieces!

This past weekend I saw the poor pitiful bird, waiting, blind, wingless and forlorn and decided to just cut out new tail and wings and get it finished! So I did and it was fun and satisfying to finally complete the project. I used a vintage silk scarf that was reversible to construct the bird.

Abigail's book is loaded with different bird patterns and I look forward to making more some day. The directions are clear and easy to follow. I think I will try an owl next or maybe the lark which is quite whimsical. Check out her Blog which has fun projects like daffodils and goldfish made using felt.

Today I was cleaning up my guest bedroom which is also a craft room (for the stamps, paints, yarn and spinning supplies) and I let out a little screech when I found the tail and wing pieces laying on the bed! I couldn't have been more surprised! They were camouflaged in with the crocheted blanket at the foot of the bed and maybe covered a bit with a stack of whatever  (yarn, papers or books) that always seems to accumulate around the place. Just goes to show that the little house elf has such a wicked sense of humor! Either that or the early dementia has taken root and doing fine!

Anyway, hope you had a Happy Easter and are enjoying the weather where you are,

I hope to share more projects soon-

thanks for being patient- I have had some major changes in my world lately and there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the days to get everything done.

so it goes.

just another calamity,

love,

kim

Beware the Locust

Our story begins with a girl named calamity as she heads for the checkout after finding everything she was looking for at the local Publix. She has just come from seeing the new Jane Eyre movie which has left her filled with an air of tragic romance. Thank goodness she is almost done with her day, and can just imagine laying on the couch in her jammies, eating quiche and slices of deliciously ripe tomatoes. She places her items on the conveyer and glances at the cashier who is staring at her intently.

The conversation starts with the cashier saying: "You've got a bug on you!".

"Yes," says Calamity, "I do."

Without hesitation the cashier asks: "Is that a locust?"

"No, she replies, "It's a Cicada."

"Well, I have never seen anything like that before- locust or cicada! May I ask where you bought that?"

Calamity shrugs and says: "Sure, I bought it on Etsy."

"Etsy! What is that?"

"It's like eBay, except for artists. If you make stuff you can list it there and people can buy it."

"What does it mean? Etsy?"

"I don't think it means anything- what does eBay mean?"

At this point the cashier stops scanning items and even though there are 4 people in line after the woman with the fascinating love of insects, she leans toward her like they were in a cafe having a cup of joe with all the time in the world stretching out before them, and says: " Tell me more about this Etsy!"

Well, you need to know that the lady called calamity had just about reached the end of her patience. In fact the bucket that is filled to the brim each morning with the shining happy promise of hope and patience has about a teaspoon left and that has to see her through the drive home and jammie time!

With a glance at the bag boy who is rolling his eyes and dying of enui and a nod to the 4 people in line she begins to explain that Etsy is for artist's and it's an online community and place to sell their work. She holds up her bag and says: "I spun this yarn, then knitted it and then lined it. If I wanted to sell it someplace other than a store I would list it on Etsy. It's easy, you just use a digital photograph and write the listing, set your price and it's cheep too."

Checking the cashiers face for further confusion, our Calamity says "Google it!" The cashier says: "Yes! I will! I am an artist and I make things and I was thinking the other day that if I could make things really fast then I could probably, well, maybe, sell them someplace." "Thank you, thank you so much for telling me about this Etsy! You've changed my life!"

A better person might have explained about the Surface Design Guild and how she is the President and that they meet the second Tuesday of each month at the Waldemere St Fire station at 6pm but she was tired. Too tired to say it. Too in need of quiche and slices of red, beautiful ripe tomatoes to explain all that to this chick who wouldn't understand anyway. Too filled with lingering vestiges of English countrysides with lonely despair filled moments building cobwebs of sadness and tales of woe from Jane Eyre. Too unbelieving that there is anyone left on this planet who doesn't know about Etsy.

Is that really possible?

Do I live in some sort of artist filled bubble where people make stuff and sell it and that's what they do? Probably.

On the drive home I think about making a new line of jewelry with calamities like train wrecks, swarms of locusts, tornadoes and zombie attacks. Why didn't I think of this before? It's sooo appropriate for me- walking mess that I am! That'll teach me to wear my beloved cicada pin in publix, er, public!

People are stupid, aren't they? Like, if they never heard of it then you must be making it up! Why are they afraid of what they don't understand? Why don't they read a book or do some research before they stamp it with their negativity and deem it inappropriate!  I haven't gone on a rant here in a very long time, but I just have to say this: jewelry with insects is not scary! Do some research into scarabs or art deco period and maybe you'll see that spiders, dragonflies, bees and cicadas have been around for quite some time. It's not creepy- it's nature! I collect spider pins because I spin- get it? spinning yarn...oh, and I'm a witch, too, of course! Please! Sometimes, I just want to go live on a deserted island where I don't have to talk to anyone or explain to the cretens about weird things like cicada jewelry and why it's so awesome.

Thank goodness it's Friday and I don't have to get any groceries tonight!

Have a very nice and happy shiny day!

love,

Calamity Kim

 

 

Waiting to Bloom

It rained last night and this morning the amaryllis shows drops of water but no damage from the wind. I wait patiently for them to begin blooming once the heavy stalks shoot up from their long winters nap.

I am too tired to wax poetic.

My Surface Design Guild is participating in a show at the local Art Center and after hanging it on Tuesday I felt sore and achy all day yesterday. Good exercise to climb the ladder and drill screws into walls while balancing body and artwork.

This picture was quickly snapped using my phone but you get the idea. This is the Fiber Wall with art yarn, wool mushrooms, a shawl, a scarf, some bags- just enough to wet your whistle, really.

This is the jewelry wall with silhouettes on canvas to display the pieces of jewelry by our members. Filled in with a few shirts nature printed with actual dragonflies and leaves (bamboo on bamboo fiber shirts) by Terri. I covered canvas board with botanical paper and then cut out the silhouettes from wool felt and used acrylic gel medium to attach them. Then we punched holes in the canvas board and hung the jewelry on them. This is the Nature Printed wall with all sorts of items either painted or printed or stamped or collaged with natural materials.

This is the final wall we rented with 12x12" canvas that was no picnic to hang but my Guild friends knew exactly what they were doing and got it up without any fistfights.

This is by Judy and it is a lovely example of quilted collage.

I also love this one by my friend Lori. I apologize for the picture quality- tonight is the opening and I will try to get some better shots before the crowds get too crowded!

I have been on the go it seems since last August- making stuff and getting ready for this show or that event and I am tired. I wake up tired. So much to do, and so little time to do it in, right?

I played around with some paper late yesterday afternoon, making a bat girl collage and mounting it on a water colored background. After scanning it and printing it on silk I sewed it to another piece of fabric and stuffed it with polyfill. Using Teesha Moore's technique of making a fabric pillow I embellished with some beads and will add some buttons too. This is going to be part of a handbag made using lots of small fabric pillows sewn together. I have been wanting to try this for years and am going to be teaching the technique to our Guild later this Summer so I thought I would get started now to have it done by July.

So, that's what I'm working on- among other stuff- I have to share the quilt group I'm in this year and sweater coats and vests and bags I've made from coffee bean bags that have sold before I even snapped a picture! I just can't keep up! The good news is that I am losing weight and I am happy and content- it's nice to have goals and a daily purpose. Not that I didn't before, but it wasn't as stuctured as it is now.

I hope to get more time to write here as season winds down after Easter and as the temperature rises things slow to a crawl.

For now, it's still gogogo!

See you peeps tonight at the show's reception (5-7pm) at the Art Center.

love and PEACE,

calamity kim

new boots

new boots, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

made by Dr Marten for the Victorian loving girls like me!
arrived today- so happy I want to hike my skirts and dance a jig!
They came with rose colored satin ribbon laces too!
I was searching for old Granny from the Beverly Hillbilly's type boots (like Magnolia Pearl sports) and could only find these.
So happy to have them to call my own.
Now to sew a new petticoat and bloomers to wear with them!
Hope your day is as happy as mine!
love,
calamity kim

New Life for Dead Doilies

I just finished the newest book by Alice Hoffman titled The Red Garden and it has left me feeling a might bit melancholy. Sad that the book is done and I can't continue to live inside it and sad about some of the stories presented therein. I love her books and they generally fill me with notions of magic and the possibilities of mending a broken heart and in this book there are tiny bits of both fluttering through chapter to next and it is a delightfully easy read. It sucks you right in and it's difficult to disconnect when it's over. It travels in time from 1750 up to 1986 and tells the stories of the settlers of a small town in Massachusetts.

She also wrote Practical Magic and that is one of my favorite movies when I am sitting on the couch sewing.

Anyway, we went to see The Adjustment Bureau yesterday and it was very entertaining with a well written script and good chemistry between the main characters. This afternoon we saw Rango and it was great fun! Even with a theater full of bored babies we both enjoyed it and couldn't help but laugh. Johnny Depp lends his voice to Rango and the CGI by Industrial Light and Magic is fabulous! Possibly better than any I have ever seen! It's beautiful and amazing and easy to get caught up in the story.

Once we got home I started dyeing a few things for using in some clothing next week- crochet pieces and tablecloths and cotton gauze for a comfy outfit of top and bloomers.

I wonder if I will have to go to bed at 9 in order not to be too messed up with the time change-? I love it being light longer but it does wreck havoc with my body clock and I need to be up and at work so that I can get some orders for coats and vests started. It has been so beautiful here and I really just want to go lay on the beach.

Maybe I can go for sunset and fill my lungs with salt air... the pollen has been killer this Spring but it's better than usual, probably because I started walking last fall and had more exposure than normal. Anyway, just rambling to myself here.

I plan to use this dyed cotton gauze (now cream and gunmetal) in a Lagenlook top and bloomers. Lagenlook is German for layered clothing and has been a long time trend in Europe. I love dressing in light layers as it is cooler here in the heat of Florida. I will share some pictures when I get some.

Hope you all have a very happy and creative week ahead.

XOX,

Calamity Kim

What should I wear today?

Maybe a dress made from blue jeans?

Or maybe one that was upcycled from inner tubes?

Or maybe I'll just stick with my favorite bird cage ballgown.

So many fun things to wear...so few opportunities to wear them.

Hope you find something fun in your closet today!

Happy Monday!

Calamity Kim

Eco Colour...I'm dying to read it!

new book to read, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

Have you ever bought a book that you want to read so badly that you just can't wait to dive into it? I don't have the time to do it justice but: In my imaginary reading room filled with comfy, cozy couches and big overstuffed chairs I can sit back and relax as I am transported into India Flints' world of dyeing with plants, flowers, vegetables, leaves, even manure to create fabulously rich and exotic textiles patterned with images of leaves and petals and other interesting dye surprises.
The book is gorgeous.
Each photograph can capture your attention and you can almost feel the dirt on your hands and smell the wood fire smoke as you read about her process and exploration into using plants to dye cloth, fiber or garments.
One photo immediately grabbed my imagination-the background underneath old photos of India as a child and her Grandmother there is wool felt that has been dyed using petals or leaves and I want to stop everything and just recreate that! I admire her organization of information and the mordants and plant charts are awesome. I will make the time to devour this book this summer and I will make time to save jars and dye fabric in them using vegetables and flowers. The whole chapter on sun dyeing appeals to me because I can do that and then leave it to the sun and easily come back in a month and see what magic has been created.
Dyeing appeals to the witch/chemist in me and I love the strange and unusual patterns she has colored her cloth with. I love to see the shirts stitched, quilted, collaged into something altogether different and artful.
I am so thankful this book was published and can only imagine the work involved in doing so by India and Interweave- but what a wonderful book- I do recommend it to those of you who love surface design and manipulation or want to know about dyeing without getting your own hands dirty- there are so many times that I have taught or taken a class and there is always someone who wants to know "what will happen if?" without bothering to try it for themselves- well this book tells you everything imaginable about dyeing with plants and possible outcomes in a well written, easy to read and comprehend, yet smart and factual way- I think even if you had no interest in dyeing but want to have a well rounded craft/textile library this book should have a place on your shelf.
The rich visual feast of images is enough to justify the purchase. And if you don't want to buy it then submit it as a suggested book to your local library- they have a place for it on their websites and they will order books that folks suggest! At least, that's my two cents worth.
Not that you asked, but I'm just sayin-
Gotta get goin-
Have a great day!
calamity kim

The Story of Recycled Moon Clothing and How It Came To Be

The days are flying.

Each week is coming and going, quickly, like a runaway train. I stand at the platform and look back on the last seven days and wonder what happened.

I think of things I want to write about but, am so tired at night, I don't have the energy to sit at the computer and put them down.  sad, right? :(

It's 7:30 on Sunday morning, the last of this month. Later today I will go to a Guild Play Day workshop being taught by Kevin Tobin on Gel Skins and Transfers using Golden Products. For now the sun is just rising and I seek coffee and the clarity of consciousness.

I miss writing. I miss sharing my thoughts and visions.

So much has changed since I started this Blog. It will be 5 years in Oct. Must do some sort of celebration, where is the time to think, plan, do that? Remind me, OK?

To explain my absence I would have to back up to January, or maybe even December, when my friend Debra received a serger sewing machine from her parents as a Christmas present. She and I had been drooling over recycled sweater coats (or swoats) that Katwise sells and after failing to purchase one we decided to try to make our own. I never dreamed that it would change my life!

I met Debra at my first Atomic Holiday Bazaar Show back in 2006. First I learned to spin art yarn. Then I learned to crochet and finally, begrudgingly, gave in to learning to knit. I knew that if I started knitting it would leave less time to sew or create other things and there is so much that I want to make that it seemed unwise to take on yet another craft.

Well, I don't have to tell you how it has changed my world- I started another blog, just for the fiber stuff (I don't keep it up very well either, it seems!) and have tried to share my enthusiastic journey into processing wool, dyeing and spinning and knitting it into one-of-a-kind somethings. But now, I find that I don't have time to even do that. Because of the "swoats".

Yes, the swoats.

In Florida the thrift shops are overflowing with sweaters and wool coats. The perfect solution is to recycle, upcycle, reuse, transform these tired old sweaters into something new and fun and there are plenty of examples to be found on the internet. I was blown away when I saw the Katwise collection because she has made the most fabulous dream coats that any modern day elf, hobbit, fairy, pixie or witch girl could ever imagine.
This is Katwise on her porch. She is lovely and so talented. I am a fangirl. If I lived nearby I would seek her out and beg to be a minion. I love her work and am delighted when she posts a collection on Etsy for sale. I will never be able to buy one of her creations because they are gone in a matter of seconds! It's phenomenal!

I usually make everything from my own imagination. I don't intentionally copy other artist's work because I know what that feels like and I have plenty of my own ideas.  But, how else to obtain a coat like this? When you Google sweater coat or elf, pixie coat you will see lots of versions of Katwise inspired coats. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? If it's a good idea then everyone is going to be doing it. The thing is, if you want something so badly, but are unable to buy one and have the capability to make your own then why not give it a try? So I did.

This is my first coat before I added the hood. This was Dec 28, 2010.

Deb brought in sweaters from home and we also used some knitted yarn samples from her shop (Picasso's Moon Yarns) and I began cutting. It was fun. No, it was exhilarating! To play with the pieces of knit fabric and create a whimsical, magical garment was really cool. I wanted Debra to have a "swoat" and she loved it! That made me happy, but I had discovered a new love- I was a woman obsessed and then the hunt for sweaters was on!

Yes, Goodwill Hunting. See that sweater Robin is wearing? It would look so much better cut up and sewn into a coat! There are so many unfortunate sweaters out there it seems. Really- you've probably owned a few yourself. It is an adventure to search for and then find the perfect sweater!

Customers to Deb's shop have been donating sweaters to us and it's lovely to imagine moments captured and embedded in each sweater. Like the first kiss sweater or last time in San Francisco sweater memory. I want to retain those dream fragments in each "swoat" I create.

This is an apron I made using leftover sweater pieces. You should know how I love aprons and it was a forgone conclusion that I would make one as soon as I could. I made a pair of arm warmers and a tote but don't have pics to share.

This is Debra modeling a vest (or swest I suppose!) that I named Beyond The Sea. It is trimmed with my handspun scrumbled crocheted yarn in the front and has pockets that are made from beaded sweaters and a silk collage that I made a while ago and never finished. I have lots of small art quilts that I never finished that would work in one of these creations. The vests are an excellent compromise for Florida's climate and each garment is unique and one of a kind.

I look forward to each day, going to the shop to sew. Going to a job.

I have my own little work space with everything I need to sit and sew. (I have to thank Debra for partnering with me on this project- it's a collaboration of creativity and I couldn't do this without a dedicated space- it's too messy and takes up way too much space!)

Sweaters in every color and hue to cut and create knitted clothing and accessories.

This vest reminds me of creamsicles and sherbet and is named "Silvia Swears Sherbert Can Mend a Broken Heart"! I think I like the pockets the most- they are fun to make.

This one is named "Disco Stardust" and has silver knit with some 80's type sweaters and embroidered bits from dresses. I need to get some better photos- it's difficult to find the time, I swear, to just stop sewing and take pictures!

I am loving the distruction of chopping up dresses, tops and skirts to create these clothes and I have always loved the seams on the outside look. Is it called Deconstructed?  I think they have an air of the apocolypse about them. I imagine a melancholy girl walking through the woods collecting abandoned nests and tiny pine cones to use in her Joseph Conrad inspired boxes filled with shadows and dust.

I imagine a woman wearing one of my coats to meet with her lost love, tear stained tissues crumbled in one pocket, letters in the other, worn and torn at the folds from being read a million times. She sits at a wrought iron table, near a terra cotta pot of gigantic proportions, petunias cascade and reach for the wild as she looks around searching with her eyes for the sight of him. Has he gone gray with age, she wonders, as the day lengthens into sorrow and shadows.

I imagine making these clothes with joy and satisfaction that comes each time someone buys one and says they love it! It's rewarding and challenging to work without a pattern and just let the pieces assemble themselves into garments that tell a story with color and mood and feelings evoked after you put one on and twirl about; spinning like a little girl in her brand new fancy dress.

I want to thank Katwise for the inspiration and ask her indulgence as I explore the door she opened in the upcycled sweater genre. I will be sleeping a whole lot less and am definitely planning on getting more organized and spending time doing what I love instead of what I feel I must do. Who cares if we live in a dusty house or if the bed's not made! I don't! Not when there are vests and bags and scarves to make.

In January I went up to Destin for a Spin In and loved seeing the beautiful beaches there.

February 1st marked the advent of the 3rd publication of Apronology Magazine, which I was so proud to be in with an apron I made using handtatted lace from my collection.

 

On the 13th I turned 50 and celebrated by sleeping most of the day. I plan to go ride go-carts someday soon to be "wild and dangerous" to celebrate!

I will probably be celebrating this half century mark all year!

Our Guild participated in a 4 day show at the Art Center called FAB and I sold a handspun and knit shawl. I have so much to catch up with that I feel like it's just not going to happen. This post is already dangerously long and who cares anyway?

I just miss this. I miss the interaction. There are DAYS that I don't even turn my computer on. I can't believe it myself! What has happened? That is indeed a calamity for me- no time to surf or play plants vs zombies. No time.

Turning 50 made me face the fact that I only have so many years left to make all those things I have and might dream of.

I still have plans to do an online magazine with my friend Elizabeth but it will happen when it happens, as I have said, there's no time. We are putting our talents together to work on a new springtime window display for the shop and it will involve Cinderella and her spinning and knitting her dreams come true.

I will probably end up taking my laptop to work so that I can blog or Flickr or perhaps Facebook stuff more often- Just know that I am happy and excited and joyful at the prospect of fulfilling my wearable art clothing dream even if I have to forfeit some time away from my beloved sewing room at home.
So, there you go. I am well. Not kidnapped, marooned on a desserted island or abducted by aliens.

Just living my life to it's fullest possible expectation with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.

Thanks for coming along on the ride.

xo,

calamity kim

Beware a Walk in the Woods Quilted Bag

The other day as I was at the Thrift Shop collecting my $50 Shopping Spree that I had won (by guessing how many corks were in a jar- 67!) when I found two old quilts that were so pretty but in poor shape from washing and knew they would be great to repurpose into something else.

Needless to say I bought them and after cutting one up I could just see it as the background for an applique scene. I received a Charlie Harper Coloring book from a friend at Christmas and one of the bird images had been nagging at me so I used it for inspiration to make a happy bird couple and nest with leaves for one side of the bag.

I have about 12 knitted bags to get lined before a show next month and a few other things I should be doing but I just had to get this out of my head. Does that ever happen to you? An idea just won't go away until you have made it and gotten it out of your head?

 

Sometimes the only person I have to bounce ideas off is my poor husband and he looked at this and thought the green for the leaves was too bright. I just said wait and see and he said "whatever"and I went back to the sewing room and found a panel from a Fairy Tale series I had bought a while back on eBay that worked perfectly for the other side. I don't know why the witch has a cat and a parrot on her sholders but it's pretty old- and I love the little gingerbread guy peeking around by the boy- he apparently escaped the witches house and just can't resist giving us a grin!

 

I feel guilty sometimes because I have so much fabric that I could probably sew everyday for a few years and not use it all up! I get anxious though as I am putting something together because making all those design decisions is so tough. What lining to use? What kind of pockets? Does anyone care but me? Will the wrong button kill a potential sale?

I love to use embroidered linens for the pockets inside bags and this was pretty easy to just iron and stitch in.

The other pocket was easy too- I found this little embroidery the same day I found the quilts and it was that same springtime green.

I love to do needle turned applique. It's calm and quiet and I enjoy placing each stitch and praying it will be hidden and look good. My inner critic is learning to just go with the flow and not be so hard on me. Sometimes just picking the right button takes much longer than it should. I try not to agonize over it but in my head it just has to be right. (The little nest is also a lined pocket by the way- maybe for those bottle caps I can't help but find and keep for treasure when I go for walks) Is that crazy or just how it is when you have so many choices? If I just had 3 buttons instead of hundreds maybe the choice would be effortless, but after so many years of hoarding sewing supplies I just can't imagine only a few buttons.

Watching the show Hoarders has definitely changed my buying habits and I have promised myself to USE WHAT I HAVE! Not buy more- even though new fabrics come out and I might miss something- I really, really need to use it up before I am buried alive under a mountain of felted sweaters, fabric, batting and bins full of "someday I'll make this into..."

I have so much that I want to make and wish I could sleep less- but lately I have been burning the candle at both ends- working on some new projects and Guild stuff and tomorrow I am taking a workshop with Lyric Kinard and then attending her lecture on Art Quilts at the Friendship Knot Quilt Guild meeting Monday night- and another workshop with her on Tuesday! This month is so busy I can hardly keep up- the Destin Spin In is January 25-30th (up in the panhandle) and I am looking forward to several days spent spinning art yarn and talking fiber with my friends.

I will try to share as much as I can...I just can't keep up...anyone wanna be my secretary?

Have a happy day and keep warm...spring really is just around the corner...at least I hope it is.

xo,

calamity kim

attack of the orange octopi bag

attack of the orange octopi bag, originally uploaded by calamity kim.

sometimes things just come together, as if they were meant to be. Like this yarn that I made during Jacey Boggs workshop this summer. It was weird and I adored it as a skein but finally I wound it up in a ball and knew it would be a killer bag so I started knitting it with some help from Debra and suddenly I had a killer bag!
when I came home tonight to try to find the right lining fabric (that can flummox me sometimes for days) I looked on the shelf and lo and behold there was the perfect fabric!
i bought it a while back on Spoonflower. it is called Underwater Friends and was designed by  Taraput. here is the link. 

I have to go line this bag while the sap is high and inspiration has me enthralled!
swim away you lovely mermaids!
the octopi and whales are coming fast!
;)
calamity