making pillows make me sleepy...

pillow basic necessities front
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

curious,

small

small
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

my post for this weeks theme at www.illustrationfriday.com

...a self portrait

five foot one is small.



please click on image to see a less small picture at flikr

uncertain adventure..

uncertain adventure..
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

isn't it?
wouldn't you say?

this morning it was hard to get up.
jay said i looked like a burrito, my head the sour creme,
which didn't help, because i thought it was something i ate
bea incouraged me by picking out my clothes
so from head to toe
i am shades of orange.

snow

comes



down




down



down

free

free
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

for www.illustrationfriday.com.
the theme this week is free.
free to play and create, this little illustration promoted a lot of play. i played in photoshop. i played with the image, printing it then further embellishing it with fabric collage and paper collage. i made a book out of it...as i am preparing for a book arts show. i enjoy changing things i have made, free to play and explore. free to be you and me...remember that, marlo thomas, it's alright to cry. free is a good word. be free!

Making Books

Hello. Today I am putting together a little book of a poem that I wrote. Why you ask? Well because on Sunday November the 27th between 10 am and 5 pm, I am going to be participating in a wonderful show. It is the 20th annual Book Arts Fair that will be held in the Great Hall at The Ontario College of Art (100 McCaul Street in Toronto). If you are in Toronto I do urge you to come out. It is an exhibition of work (with stuff to buy too) featuring the work of artists, printmakers, bookbinders and others involved in the creating of hand made books! Sounds good, does it not? Yes I am glad you agree. It is a wonderful show, each year I am so delighted by it, so smitten with the hand made + books, really could you ask for more. Please do come if you can.

The picture at the top is one of the pages of my new little offering entitled,
"Today....I am Doris"

at the museum

at the museum
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

Coming down...Debriefing and reporting...This entry also called "just the facts mam"

Well it pleases me to report that the crafternoon tea of earlier this afternoon was really fun and totally inspiring and gives me hope. ahhh the smell and site of a room full of hand made gear. ahhhh, the textiles, the soaps, the drawings, the serging(serging is very cool, I had a full report on this remarkable process, never mind time travel, thank you Jennifer)

after being a shut in, for the week it was wonderful to see all the talent packed into a church basement, with monetary exchange to support our own endeavors(like eating), but also in aid of a couple of very good causes, and a "do it yourself, pop in workshop thing" happening.

it was nice to see Tania of blogland, and know those nice pics and words are from a very real individual...

there is a whole renaissance happening in the hands of crafty individuals everywhere, and as much as technology ties us together there is something so powerful about handmade, it makes me want to sing and dance and giggle
(perhaps this is partly due to the baked goods and tea) but seriously making stuff is good for our souls, it just is. I heard once the opposite of creativity is anger...hmmmh, more good reason for knitting in prison and the like.

it was lovely to interact with people, to see wonderful stuff by creative people., or rather people creating 'cause really we are all creative are we not?

plus I got to see aweinspiring babies in the likes of rainbow knitted bonnets and knitted cat eared hats

my hat goes off to the organizer Nathalie-roze, who amist this feat of organization was lovely and charming and personable as ever. (I on the other hand was kinda scattered and had concern over what the heck happened to my water bottle, i think perhaps i am not a type a or b personality but a c personality which i am not sure what the c stands for)

i would like to provide you links and the like, and i can say look in the archives for crafternoon tea, and you will find it and connect up to other links of the many artists involved...There that works

and lastly, in this late night caffeine trail of words I would like to say thank you to Mrs. Hadida , my grade 9 typing teacher who lets my fingers fly almost as fast as my silly wound up excited mind, even thought I had her convinced I was going to join the hare krishnas on my 18th birthday but that my dears is another tale for the riverbank...

good nite!

Bea's Rainbow Girl

Bea's Rainbow Girl
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

Well the household is ill...Sore throatish from the smallest Bea to the capital Jay, and mumma in between...We have all been in the house together doing stuff to not go crackers, eating crackers, drawing pictures, playing on the computer, board games, barbies, making stew, watching television, movies and doing drawings. Wonder Bea did this one with the stickers I bought when I popped out for the ingredients for my first "stew". My meat eaters enjoyed it, and I felt like a hero. I have been getting ready for tomorrows show in the Beaches. The Crafternoon Tea(see www.nathalie-roze.com).
Making up sets of Xmas cards featuring the relatives of Santa (known and not) including one of my favorite less know relations, the Rabbi Goldstein who is Santa's cousin, hadn't heard about him hunh...Well he's a nice guy. Painting more rocks, designing hang tags for my pillows, setting up my test display, which involves suitcases, contemplating how I will get there (we have never owned a car, which could have something to do with the size of work I produce). Oh and I have also been reading, I happened to find a really intriguing book, such characters and wonderful writing it is called "The Vinegar Jar" by Berlie Doherty, I know she is a British author but nothing else, I will google. I love when I take a stab in the dark with a book I have no knowledge of and unturn a gem. Oh yes I have seen a few good films on video, "Waterland" with Jeremy Irons...Wow and one I had seen a million years ago "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" which I have also seen in various locations for sale for a few bucks around town on video, well worth it, plus it has a happy ending, hell they both do, I am such a sap. Anyway thanks for helping me with my shut-in-ness. Nice chatting. You are such a good listener....Ahcoo

p.s. just googled Berlie Doherty she has had a very extensive writing career including childrens books as well as novels, short stoies and plays and she has a site which is easy to use, with lots of good information it is at www.berliedoherty.com

Self Portrait of the Young Artist

Self Portrait of the Young Artist
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

by my daughter Bea, age 6.

Store

Store was one of my favorite games as a child. My Mother saved the packages of oatmeal, maccaroni, dish soap, anything I wouldn't hurt myself on. I keept my stock in large brown paper grocery bags, do you remember them. They smelled good and you could doodle on them. I often lined up my stock ready for the next customer, which was me, I took turns running the store and buying stuff from it. Like the old joke about the box of the toy being more fun then the contents. I loved the boxes, and containers and the package design...(i still do), although as a grown up I am aware of waste and the cost to all, anyway. It tingles the skin to say my "store" is up. I am at a real crossroads with the type of thing I want to produce...ah growth never easy walking in the dark afraid of stumbles, but anyway.. I launched my store with etsy (a site that features handmade stuff for sale) because I can do it, restocking of my shelves is quick and fun, as I mentioned before I am not a naturally technical lassy. It is great to play store in this way, I encourage you to visit and check out some of the other wonderful crafty handmade mechandise made by others as well as myself...ou la la, it is fun. With that said I cut the ribbon and say "Welcome to my Store"...

Rutabaga

The country of Rutabaga is very small it is no bigger than a vegetable.

tiny chair and edward bear

tiny chair and edward bear
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

Strength

Strength
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

my entry for www.illustrationfriday.com,

Bea's Rememberance Day picture

Bea's Rememberance Day picture
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

night

night
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

for illustration friday, see link on the right...

I'm August!

who knew, i would ever be a poster girl, actually it is an illustration i contributed not a picture of me exactly. the launch was very nice, i meet ali who did the beautiful design of the calendar, (a volunteer extravaganza fundraiser) and learnt about winter cycling with the " wenches with wrenches", those women are awesome and really know their bikes! three cheers for wheels, on bikes and things that are perpetual like calendars and maybe life...yes life, my seamonkies have been reborn, three cheers for reincarnation, three cheers for the breathe, three cheers for my favorite number which is 3!

click on the link to find out more about the calendar or the community bicycle network...yeah!

pillow please thank you, with pocket

pillow please thank you, with pocket
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

another pillow, okay lets talk about these pillows.
it is like so many things are going on that need to.
historically i had a couple of aunties, very creative weavers who sadly i never meet. i had a grandfather that was a vaudvilian tailor, among many things.

when i was 14 i bought the sewing machine i am using. i feared it for many years, didn't have the patience for it, was too flightly and unable to redo, undo, do...my first big purchase when i was 14, a beautiful singer from the 50's (probably); in a lovely beech wood table.

making is often evoking, letting go, letting happen, i think the best work comes from stepping aside and letting the wind blow through...

i am very excited by this coming together of stictches and images, decorations (my father was a cake decorator he made lovely roses)

when i sit down to work i know a little all the relatives i never knew....it feels wonderful

Hong Kong atc pillow

Hong Kong atc pillow
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

my little singer sewing machine and i have become very good friends. to see more of my new pillows please click on image and go to the "pillows" set at flikr.

broken in happy colours

broken 3
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

i am having fun. it reminds me of lite brite, which i never had. also i never got the easy bake oven or the barbie camper, but not to worry i am so over it, really....really i am.

have a lovely weekend.

i will take a break.

i am going on a nonelectronic holiday.

to smell the smells,
and feel the feels...

until next...
love, peace and joy!

broken also plus a little about the coloured pencils..

broken 2
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

with olive painted walls,
let me tell something
today i wandered in the goodwill
and found a box
of old pencil crayons
bound with rubber bands
like with like colours together
and chewed ends
and a delicious smell of oldness
and maybe mold
and nostalgia and magic
yep, full of magic
i won the magic lottery
and i didn't even buy a ticket
thank you box of chewed up coloured pencils
i made this with them
bye.

broken

broken
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

for illustration friday's theme of 'broken'. see links to find illustration friday and more broken illustration....so very sad indeed...

Crafternoon Tea!

Hey hey hey. This craft show sounds good. I will be there, and so will Tania (please see links) and many other interesting crafters/artists and also lively craftish fun, like a how to, and a tea fundraiser. Hmmh, intrigued yes you are! I couldn't figure out how to add the little button to my site, perhaps because I am old and I missed that lesson. Oh well Please do come. It is in the Beaches on November the 19th. In case the darn link doesn't work either please go to www.nathalie-roze.com and check it out.

thank you!!

sound asleep

sound asleep
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

time breaks,
into an hour ahead
and i am left in a haze
of scarfs and cats and dregs of tea
what happened to that extra hour
it eludes me.