Frida Kahlo tequila

Need a kick start to get your crafty fire burning? Maybe you should try a shot of this kind of creativity potion: Frida Kahlo tequila! Well, if you are into that kind of liquid motivation...

I want to pick some up just for the bottle alone. Can you imagine tricking this baby out in seed beads, glitter and sequin trim after the tequila is gone? Then you could use it as a killer flower vase or make a bottle shrine out of it. For $50-90 bucks a bottle, there is no way anyone will be throwing these glass treasures away.

However, there is another side to the story. Do you think this is taking Fridamania to the extreme? What would she think, if she were looking down from Heaven right now? Would she say "Viva!" or raise her middle finger?

I love Frida. I buy stuff wth her image and make stuff with her image. That will never end. I think I would buy this tequila, just one bottle, as a novelty item for my ever-growing Frida collection. I'd say a prayer in her honor so she won't curse me! I love what she stood for - wanting to be knonw as a human being before a woman, a Mexican or an artist. I love that, it puts us all on an equal playing field.
***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Craft in America: tonight!

I posted about this months ago when I heard it was coming and promised myself I'd remember to post again when the time came. Thank goodness I'm a devout reader of my friend, Susan Beal's blog, West Coast Crafty!

Craft in America: A Journey to the Artists, Origins and Techniques in American Craft is a new three-part TV series that spotlights our nation's best crafters. I'm talking high end, gasp worthy stuff here. Watch and learn! The mission statement says it all:

Mission statement:
The mission of Craft in America is to document and advance original handcrafted work through programs in all media made accessible to all Americans.
We are dedicated to the exploration, preservation and celebration of craft, the work of the hand, and their impact on our nation’s cultural heritage.

Here is a link to the TV info, where you can watch a nine-minute sneak peek. There is also a virtual exhibit where you can see some of the artists featured. There is also a seven-city exhibit and a book too!

Here is Phoenix it airs at 8 p.m., in three, one-hour installments. What a healthy way to wean off from American Idol, huh?

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Mural magic, the next level

Photo property of The Arizona Republic, Betty Beard

Check out this beautiful slideshow and story about murals in Guadalupe, a town in the east valley.

We have this long brick fence in our back yard and everytime we barbeque out there, Patrick and I talk about painting a mural just like this on it. If it weren't for the summer temperature, I'd probably head out there right now and get started!

On a separate note - today is my official first day not being an official employee of the Republic! Where are my tissues? Yesterday, my former co-workers sent me off in style with a huge glittered card (literally, it was the size of a poster board!), a double fudge chocolate cake and all kinds of warm wishes. I knew it was good cake, I could smell it. i waited until I was done talking to everyone and then my friend, Mignon and I, went into the cafeteria and ate a piece in peace. Oh, mama - it was damn good cake.

I've always shared links to my newspaper stories here and I know some of you are thinking "Why in the heck would you ever leave that job?" - well anyday now I'll be able to share why. Believe me, it had to be something big and way exciting, because I had always planned on staying at the newspaper forever!! But when you pray for "the next level" to come, sometimes you have to let go of something you love to make room for the something new and wonderful to come into your life. That was the case here.

Many local people have written me asking if I left because of the changes at the paper. The answer is NO. When the changes went down, I was blessed in that I got the job I wanted, making it even harder to leave!!! I started as a tearsheet clerk 12 years ago, and because of all my editors and co-workers who helped me along the way, I ended up with a BA, a reporter job title and a nationally syndicated craft column. All of that led to this post right here. Anyway, so now it is up to me to do good and make them all proud! And yes, I will still be writing the craft column that will run every Saturday in the Home section (and on Gannett News Service), as always.
***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Laurie Notaro's new book: BUY IT!

I've met all kinds of interesting people. But there is one claim-to-fame that stands above them all. My friend, Laurie Notaro.

Back in the early 90s, I was working at The Duck and Decanter and every day I had a 30-minute lunch break. I looked forward to the first week of every month so I could read the latest column by Laurie in Java Magazine and Planet Magazine. Laurie was among the first of the first-person humor writers, post-Erma. Her tales of daily life, made me cry with laughter. I became addicted.

A couple years later I got a job at the Republic and I was selected to help launch a weekly entertainment guide. I organized a poetry reading to help promote it and came up with the idea of having a panel of local celebrity judges to critque the contestants (pre-Simon, thank you very much!!). Honestly? I only hatched the plan to give me a legitimate excuse to contact Laurie and meet her. She said yes to being on the panel, and after that she ended up having a weekly column in our entertainment guide, and eventually as a full-time writer on staff too. We lunch everyday together!

It was always her dream to take her collection of essays and compile them into a book. She pitched the concept to dozens of agents and editors and got rejected gobs of times. No one would give her the credit or repsect she deserved. So she took a brand new credit card and self-published The Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club.

The book went up for sale on Amazon, a big-time agent saw it and scored her a six-figure deal with Random House. I know because I was sitting next to her when she got the call. The book was rereleased and landed on the NY times best seller list. She went on to write a series of other books that have done just as well.

Today is the release of Laurie's latest book, There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell: A Novel of Sewer Pipes, Pageant Queens, and Big Trouble (Paperback). For this one, she told me she was going to write a fiction book. Around this time last year, she wrote an outline, wrote the book in a matter of months and wham! It's on sale today! I expect it will also end up on the best seller list, like her others.

Laurie is an example of knowing you are worthy of something great, and not giving up, even when all the odds are stacked against you. The best part of all of this? Not only can I say: "I knew her when...", but I can also say she is one of my best friends. And I know she will think I'm a total geek for this post, but I don't care. Laurie, I love you. Rock on, girlfriend!

From Publishers Weekly
Humorist Notaro (The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club, etc.) transitions to fiction with a comic mix of wife lit and smalltown suspense. When Maye Roberts's husband, Charlie, gets a tenure-track job at prestigious Spaulding University, childless, 30-something Maye leaves her tight-knit group of friends and job as a Phoenix reporter to move to the school's eponymous Washington State burg. While Charlie fits in easily, Maye, after a faculty dinner run-in with Dean Spaulding's wife, Rowena, feels lonely and bored. When she learns about the Sewer Pipe Queen pageant, a local tradition that guarantees the winner a town full of friends, she enters with her singing dog, inflaming Rowena further. As tensions thicken, Maye's rather notorious pageant sponsor, Ruby, may hold the key to Rowena's continuing rage and to the decades-old incident that sparked it. Though some of the plot falls flat, Notaro makes Maye's perspective strong enough to hold the story together, and the book is filled with the same winningly acerbic riffs that drive Notaro's popular essays. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Buy the book.
See Laurie on tour.
Be her MySpace friend (tell her I sent you!).
Visit her web site.
Join her Yahoo group.

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Crafty Chica of the Week: Marisa Trevino

A while back, journalist and local public radio commentator, Marisa Trevino, launched LatinaLista.blogspot.com. She wrote about topics hot enough to make The View look like The Babysitters Club. Marisa gets a heck of a lot of emotional comments from readers, which she fields all on her own. I've been visiting this site to get educated about all the issues important to the Latino community. Knowledge is power, right?

This week, Marisa fullfilled her dream of taking LatinaLista to the next level. Her makeover launched a couple days ago. Check out her new site, LatinaLista.net! She is also on MySpace too! It is set up like a newspaper, and even has different sections on news, editorials, books, music and inspiring interviews with successful Latinas.

My kind of web site!

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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It's only Saturday?

That's actually a good thing. This has been the craziest week ever! It has been like The Amazing Race: Life in the Craft Lane.

Last week at this time, I was in NYC. I came home Tuesday morning with a 103 temperature (from the flu!). I then had to cover American Idol for the newspaper Tuesday and Wednesday night, and then hop on a plane to Cali (yay, Fresno!) the next morning at 7.

I worked non-stop with my superhero co-workers designing and planning out ultra cool crafty stuff from 10 a.m. Thursday morning all the way until 2:30 p.m. today. Well, I did have a few breaks! Anyway, my hands are shaky, I'm seeing double and there is glitter in my teeth (don't ask), but I LOVED every second of the experience!

At 3:47 p.m. I climbed the narrow rickety metal staircase and entered the US Airways Express plane for home (yay, Phoenix!). Patrick picked me up at 6 p.m., we went grocery shopping, came home, plopped on the couch and watched Forrest Gump on cable. I normally don't just sit and watch a movie on cable, especially with commericals, but I was too exhausted to get up and do anything else. At this moment, I'm washing DeAngelo's work clothes for tomorrow because he goes in early. So I'm blogging as a way to keep my eyelids open until the machine is stops.

I just checked my MySpace account and Mrs. Gama sent me a picture of her Day of the Dead wedding cake featuring the topper that Patrick for her! That cake topper is one of the most popular items on our web site. more and more people are having muertos themed weddings. It may sound gruesome, but really they are looking at it as being married together forever in the living as well as the afterlife - and that is a good thing!



This weekend I was excited because I finally got to take a decent peek at the new Martha Stewart craft collection. I had heard she had some Latin-themed items on her line and I gasped when I saw them. Very cute indeed. They are mostly party favor type items and decorated in citrus colors and have a slick papel picado design and say "Viva la fiesta". I was most excited about the mini-matchbox party favor kit, because the matchboxes are slightly larger than your average grocery store/charcoal aisle version.

"Imagine the possibilities!", I thought. Later, I discovered Martha's are actually little sheets paper that you fold into what looks like a matchbox. I would like to see Ms. S on live TV, open a package of them. Assemble, put stuff in them AND slide them in their little paper cases. I couldn't master the task. Oh well, at least they look cute!
And no, I'm not pouring a glass of Haterade for Martha! I'm just sayin'...

My flurry of 24/7 activity does not end. This weekend I have to crank out a month's worth of craft colmuns and then I have a couple days to produce 25 illustrations. Bring it on! I'm ready ;-)

OK, I'm off to post my Crafty Chica of the week and then the washer should be done so I can fall in my bed, click off the lights and suck the drapes off the walls with my long winded power-snoring.

Here's a head's up though: I'm running way behind on EVERYTHING this week. So if you are expecting anything from me (email, phone call, a mocha meeting), chances are it will take longer than usual. I have a lot of chica e-mail questions from crafty folks, so I'll post those here this week.

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Have an original moment today.

Have you ever seen tne movie Garden State? It has one of my all-time favorite scenes. Check it out:



Are you thinking, "Huh?". Ok, lemme explain.

Every time my spirit gets weighted down with stupid news headlines, domestic stress or just when my brain feels as useful as a bowl of day old oatmeal - I think of this scene and force myself to have an original moment to get motivated. I don't exactly do a spastic dance in my bedroom (OK, sometimes), but I do try to release it other ways.

This post is dedicated to original moments and how to have one - I'm talking creativity here. Here are some of my ideas, and do us all a favor and share one of yours too - they will come in handy!

1. Design a flower.
Get a piece of paper, a pencil, an eraser and a picture of some flowers (any kind: real, plastic, pictures, illustrations, any!). Take your favorite elements from each of them and combine them into one flower that is all your own. I got this idea last week in New York City, when I was bored, but too tired to go anywhere. I sat in my hotel room by the window and sketched. I came up with a flower that had hearts for pedals! One you finish drawing your flower (nothing fancy, just a silly sketch) - own it. Whip it out everytime you write a note or when you are doodling. Draw it enough times so it becomes your little signature flower. Give it a name and a little story! Not into florals? Then create your own bug, saint, heart, creature, animal, etc.

2. Come up with a three-word catch phrase.
Choose three of your favorite nouns and combine them into your personal salutation. I always use "Peace, love and glitter!" or "Crafts, drama and glitter!". Use them when you send your emails, or leave messages or comments for people.

3. Embellish something you never thought you would.
Take a boring, ordinary, overlooked but quite useful object in your house and give it some crafty love. Like the office or kitchen phone. Lord knows you depend on it for everything, give it some sparkle! Maybe it's adding squeeze paint to your pooch's leash, or stitching trim on a pair of white tube socks. Or other items: a nightgown, your laundry hamper, the TV set or your computer mouse. We have to see these things day in and day out, why not make them happy?

4. Make a MySpace friend a real friend.
Go through your friends list and randomly click on one you don't know very well or haven't connected with in a long time. Read their blog or page and leave them a comment. Not to promote your business, but to show appreciation for them as a person. Chances are they will be thrilled and then come do the same for you! Bingo - new friend!

5. Change your look today.
Do the opposite of what you normally do. Part your hair in the middle, wear a chunky barrette, a cheerleader ponytail, a scarf, a pair of spiky heels or sneakers. Put rings on all your fingers or take them all off. Wear bright lipstick (or in my case, don't).

OK, those are a few off the top of my head. Now share yours!!! As for this crafty chica, I'm off to go design some decorative papers that will be sold in stores all over the country next year. More on that next week :-)

Have a safe and happy weekend!
***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Stitch! Get involved!

Here in the crafty galaxy, there are more cool events than there are shades of paint. One of that I've always wanted to take part in is Stitch, held in Austin, TX every year by my chicaamigas at the Austin Craft Mafia. Bummer is that Stitch happens the same time as Dia de los Muertos season here in Phoenix, otherwise I'd be all over it!! Hey, maybe I can do something to combine the two and head to Austin....hmmm...must consider that option....

In the meantime, do me a favor and participate and then come and tell me all about it, OK? This week they opened up the application process and here is the scoop:

What is Stitch? Well it just so happens to be Austin’s largest Indie Fashion Show and Craft Bazaar. In years past we have had vendors and runway designers like Erica Weiner, My Imaginary Boyfriend, Chia, The Austin Craft Mafia, Parts and Labour, Edge of Urge, Craft Gym, Feto Soaps and more. Stitch is brought to you by Karly Hand, Tina Sparkles, Jesse Kelly Landes and moi (Jennifer Perkins)

What that means is people come in from as far as Washington, New York, California and Florida to participate. So sure it is held in Austin, but you don’t have to be from the Lone Star State to apply. All you gotta be is dang clever and crafty and apply before August 15th.

Last year Stitch had over 3,000 people attend and we sold out the Austin Music Hall. This Nov 10th will be Stitch’s 5 year anniversary and we are going to be at The Austin Music Hall again. The difference is this year they have expanded so things are going to be even bigger and better. More make and take booths (Yup Duncan Paints and their booth will be back), awesome DJ’s, a pod cast hosted by Vickie Howell, a preview of Handmade Nation (AKA the Indie Craft Documentary) an after party that is going to rock your face off, the Indie Business start up grant is back with even more perks and of course the 500 goodie bags.

Thank you, Jennifer for sharing the info!!

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Live from New York! It's Saturday Night!

Before I start this post, I want all our art customers to know all the last of our recent orders have been mailed out as off yesterday! OK, now I'll go on with my regularly scheduled ramblings:

I'm here in the Big Apple for a few days, soaking up inspirations, getting ready for Monday meetings, and just having fun. Theresa, Maya and myself arrived this morning and we've had a kalidescope of a day. I'm bummed because I wanted for Patrick and Deangelo to come, but DeAngelo starts his new job on Sunday (his first gig ever, yay - bag boy at the grocery store!!).

We're staying at a cute new hipster pad called The Pod Hotel
. It's super bright and cheery and has all these cool videos playing everywhere of silouette people dancing against animated illustrations of the city.


(Here is Maya hanging out in the lounge area.)

The rooms are a tad squishy and tight, otherwise, it's a cool, affordable place to stay. The only weird thing is that the bathroom consists of only a toilet and a shower, with the sink outside of the room. So basically, you wash your hands and brush your teeth next to your bed.



Today we hit up the farmers market in Union Square and then checked out a show I've been wanting to see since January at The Museum of Arts & Design. If you are crafty, you'll dig this, otherwise you will roll your eyes, big time. OK, the show I wanted to see and finally got to - and LOVED was Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting! The pictures on that page do not do it justice! The exhibition ends next month, so try to make it if you can!

After that we went to MoMA so Maya could see original works by Picasso, Monet, Frida, Van Gogh and so on. She didn't seem too impressed (jetlag), but I think a few years down the road, she'll appreciate it.



Oh!! right next door to MoMA is the American Folk Art Museum and it's shop, where I bought a huge door mat for our house made from recycled flip flops!



This is a big deal for me because I've been meaning to buy a new doormat since forever. We actually have a Christmas doormat that we flip over on it's backside for 11 months out of the year. I guess I was waiting for just the right doormat, and this was it! Good thing I came on this trip, huh?

Later on we hit up Virgin Megastore (Theresa's favorite). I usually don't get excited about VMS, but today I did because I found this Jimi Hendrix tee tricked out with glitter, sequins, crystals and tiny beads. I was so impressed by it that I pulled a tacky move and took a picture of it....




Last, we topped off the day at the Brooklyn Diner! A must-do/must-see/must eat if you ever come to NYC!

I've been coming out here twice a year for the past six years, and everytime I try to go to new places. It's so easy to fall into the comfort of your favorites, but New York is so big, I want to soak up as much as possible. Tomorrow we are headed to Williamsburg in Brooklyn. I can hardly wait!

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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PROJECT: African Folklore Embroidery

Embroidery is one craft most crafters want to try. It's drawing with threads, and offers so many options. The easiest route is to start with a dish towel, pillowcase or hankie, but that's boring. That's why I was intrigued to discover African Folklore Embroidery from Arizona Republic reader Alexis Kjellstrom, 52. The Phoenix resident and AFLE-certified instructor wrote to me about the art form and the classes she teaches.

"I became interested in this embroidery (technique) because of the brightness of the colors and the total artistic freedom and expression it offers," she says. "The designs are influenced by the Ndebele people, animals and flora of South Africa. Since the final outcome of the design is totally up to the embroidery artist, the sky is the limit. Applique and beading can be added to achieve the look you want as well as the use of a variety of threads and even ribbon embroidery."

The traditional South African craft is different from regular embroidery in that bright hand-dyed threads and beads are used on black fabric. The extreme contrast makes the end result pop. Artist Leona Raikin, a native of South Africa, used African Folklore Embroidery as a way to pass the time as a child. After moving to Southern California, she launched a line of do-it-yourself kits featuring designs inspired by the Ndebele people.

I used an AFLE kit to make this embroidered end table. For information on classes, visit the AFLE Web site, www.aflembroidery .com, or e-mail Kjellstrom at africafolk@cox.net.

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Bad hair day. To the extreme.

This morning I had a craft segment on a popular morning show and I had major hair issues.

Before I go there, let me tell you, this is not new for me. I have big hair that is curly, coarse and wirey. My hair has often caused me heartache - or should I say people's reaction to my hair has caused me heartache.

The past few years I've been big on relaxers. Recently I decided I wanted to go back to having my natural curly hair 24/7 and right now it is at the weird, awkward "in-between" stage. This morning for my TV segment, I washed it, put it in rollers to smooth it and even gave it a good laquer spray. I was 100% confident because I've lost six pounds in the last two weeks! i was really to show it off!

Half way through my segment, the weather guy busts into the scene wearing this huge afro wig. I giggled and went along with it. "Morning TV is so fun!", I thought. I even offered to lend him my iron to straighten his funny supersized hair.

After the segment, I called Patrick. "How did my segment go?" I asked cheerfully.

"Um... you have to see it for yourself. In HD," he said.

"Was it the craft or my hair?"

"The hair."

Crap!

DeAngelo happened to be home from school today. The first thing he said when he saw me was, "Mom, that was mean of Brad to make fun of your hair in front of everyone on TV."

"Huh?" I replied.

I watched the DVR and realized that the weatherguy was mocking me on live TV - er, rather mocking my awful hair. It's am orning show where they are supposed to have fun. Yah, I admit, my 'do was a disaster. I cringed as I watched the playback. There was a big halo of fuzz all around the foundation of my hair and it looked like I was wearing a wig made from caveman backhair.

I watched the segment over and over, thinking of how all these thousands of viewers were probably laughing at me. I don't know how I feel right now. It's not like I feel totally offended but (a little, maybe??) because I know it's all in good fun. But my feelings are hurt a bit, only because I'm a wimpy middle child.

Bottom line? I'm not one to complain. I'm grateful to have the chance to go on the show and share my crafty ideas! I'm grateful to have hair. I wrote the producer and told her I'd have my relaxer in time for my next segment. I don't want curly hair that bad! It's just hair!!!

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Much love for Yolanda King, RIP

Today there were so many headlines, like with any other day.

But one of them broke my heart and made me choke up. Actually, it made me cry. Yolanda King passed away.

She was the daughter of MLK Jr, and preached peace, just like her dad. Several years back she came to town and I had the opportunity (blessing) to interview her by phone for a story. Through the whole conversation, it took all my might to hold back my tears because her words were so moving and sincere. They felt so soothing to hear, like vitamins for the soul. And yah, my voice got all quivery. Dang, I'm practically weeping as I write this. I'm so sad. She was only 51. I can still feel her spirit, it was so upbeat and positive, she glowed.

Often times I think of what she told me that day and the memory makes my heart swell. I couldn't find my story online at AzCentral, so I'm posting it here. Yup, I have kept it in my computer to refer back too whenever life begins to take it's toll.

LOVING LEGACY MLK'S DAUGHTER PRACTICES WHAT DAD PREACHED
By Kathy Cano Murillo
The Arizona Republic

Love conquers all.

Yolanda King knows how sappy that sounds. She has every right to believe the opposite, that the only way to fight hate is with brutality.

But the eldest daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a father stolen from her by violence, still believes in hope. In peace.

In love conquering all.

Which is why King won't tolerate misbehavior of any kind in her presence. No insults, no anger. She won't allow hate to steal more from her that it already has.

King spoke at a dinner in Scottsdale on Wednesday, kicking off a weekend of Valley-wide observances for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Her concept of retaliation may sound as peaceful as a Zen lifestyle, but her message is delivered with the fire-and-brimstone spirit of her father.

''The way to conquer hate is with love. It's a very powerful tool,'' she said in a phone interview from Los Angeles before her appearance. ''I know it sounds sappy and mushy, but I mean it. When love is taken seriously, it can be used to turn an enemy into a friend. It's the only way to dilute the hate and evil that may be present.''

It's no surprise that King has adopted her father's utopian vision. But like her dad, she sees many of the same racial and social challenges in society. She may have adopted his passion for public speaking, but King more often opts for another path to peace: acting.

By age 8, she was writing plays and casting her reluctant siblings in the title roles. By age 12, she was a pro at choreography and directing - even if it was only for her peers and family. Those seeds of acting eventually bloomed into a full-time Hollywood career.

''I've sought for that all my life,'' she says. ''To me, just going up on stage in front of a camera isn't enough. My acting roles have to have a higher purpose. They have to teach some lessons and pass on some important truths.''


In her dozens of roles, she has portrayed everyone from Rosa Parks to Betty Shabazz, the wife of Malcolm X.

Aside from the lights and cameras, her goal is to help the world remember what her father stood for and, hopefully, keep his words alive. She sees the MLK holiday and events as a welcome avenue for people to celebrate her father's accomplishments and beliefs.

For those who can't make any of the festivities, King wants them to remember at least one thing.

''We are all children of God,'' she says. ''Even if you are not religious, you still have to believe we, humanity, all come from a higher power. That's our common thread. If only we focused on what we have in common instead of what separates us, it would make a difference.

''In fact, it would make a difference until it doesn't make a difference anymore.''

- copyright, The Arizona Republic

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Help me choose a new logo!

You know my Crafty Chica logo, the chica with the braid and the crafty basket? Well, I've been bugging Patrick to update it for me with a new hairstyle. I'm down for the braids and all, but they are just alittle too old school for me.

So here are three sketches he made up for me. Which one do you like best and why?

Here is what I'm asking you to think of....

I want this logo to have mass appeal, be culturally cool without being stereotypical, be fresh, hip and contemporary without tryng too hard. Retro-ish without being old school. It doesn't have to LOOK like me, but I want it to relay the crafty chica spirit of color, personality, culture and all around craftiness.

My dream is to have this image on a book cover or on packaging for a product line, on national ads in magazines, on T-shirts, etc. I want it to be appealing for people shopping at Target, as well as an indie Chicano book store. Or Puerto Rican bookstore, you get what I mean, right?

OK, so here are the pictures . Which do you like best?

I posted some pictures on my MySpace blog and got all kinds of great feedback! Patrick and I came up with some extra sketches basedon the feedback. Thank you to anyone who posted there who is reading this!



***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Coming soon...

more posts, I promise!

Things are mad crazy right now. During the day I have so much (fun!) work to get done for my new gig, plus mucho orders to fill at night, and friends to pray for. I have Spanish homework, papers to sort, bills to pay, rooms to clean, laundry to wash...

Friday night I leave for New York. During my stay, I get to have lunch with Rosy, my fabulous new book editor at Potter Craft, and later I'll have coffee with Erin, my book agent, to discuss the official game plan for my novel!! Yes, that breezy little project that has more than 90,000 words, a plot and a lot of snappy title!! We are getting ready to submit to publishers! It only took 2-1/2 years to get to this point, but everything happens the way it should, right? I've totally rewritten it three times, and have about 25+ drafts. I've scrapped the name "Crafty Chica Chronicles" because I came up with something else that is wonderful, shiny, happy and ultra catchy :-) It couldn't be better timing. Last month around this time I was at a life-changing event (Chica Lit Club Fiesta) and I think of the enlightening experience I had there, like, um almost everyday. Yay, Latina authors! Thank you for inspiring me and so many others!! Sniffles. I miss it. There won't be one this year, but maybe in 2008! In the meantime, you can see all the exciting adventures that Alisa (event founder!) is up to these days.

On the familia front, my baby is growing up. DeAngelo, my first born/16-year-old, got hired for his first job!! He interviewed last week with Fry's (grocery store) and received the call today that he starts work on Wednesday. He'll be an official courtesy clerk! I'm so proud of him!

Remember your first job? Mine was at Jack-in-the-Box. I was a junior in high school. I still remember my interview and my first day at work. It was a Wednesday night and a bacon cheeseburger coupon had just come out in the mail. These two dorky employees (one of them, a manager named Cookie) put me on the grill (first day you are supposed to only learn drinks and bagging!) so they could go out back and smoke a bong made from a tomato.

They came back inside, totally baked and giggling and then we started getting busy at the drive thru. Cookie yelled at me for not cranking out the burgers fast enough. It was such a crazy rush that his register ran of of bills. He ran to the back office to grab cash from the safe and when he pulled out his hand, he forgot about the protruding razors hidden at the top of the inside the box (meant for robbers). He was stoned, after all! He had to drive himself on his motorcycle to the ER, while me and the other employee got the orders out. People were stuck in that drive-thru for a good 30 minutes while I nervously fumbled with the secret sauce and cried from pressure of hearing the car horns honk and honk. I think my tears may have dripped on the burgers (JK).

I remember removing the charred burger patties from the grill, staring at the buns, thinking "OK, what do I put on these? Hmmm, well, mayo is good...at home we always put lettuce and tomato. Oh! And some bacon and cheese, I guess!"

It was a nightmare. It's where I learned the phrase: "What are you doing, killing the cow in there?" It's the first time I noticed how mean people can be when they are angry! And how stupid they can be when they are on drugs! I guess it didn't scare me too much, I ended up working there for three years.

Why am I sharing this? I have no clue. I'm tired. How about I leave you tonight with this very special episode of "How crayons are made". Our waxy little friends deserve respect!



***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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A special place for la sirena

This is an illustration Patrick made for me a long time ago. I remember getting super excited about it and putting it in a special place. But it was "too much" of a special place because I lost it! I didn't have the heart to tell him. He would ask me "So, what are you going to do with that mermaid picture?" And I'd say, "I haven't decided yet! It's so beautiful, I just can't think!"

This week we have been cleaning out our art studio to make room, and create fresh energy for our exciting, upcoming projects. I walked in there this afternoon and sitting on my art table was the mermaid illustration!

"Heh-heh...thanks!" I said real sly, not knowing how Miss Mermaid came about.

"I found it in a stack of cool scrapbook papers that you had hid at the bottom of the box, under my desk," he said.

"Yup! I put it there so I wouldn't lose it!"

He looked at me like, "Yah, right..."

Anyway, I wanted to do something with it now, just in case I happen to put it in another special place in the future. Hopefully, I won't.


***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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PROJECT: Mother's Day Memo Holders

This project doesn't come out in the newspaper until Saturday, but since Mother's Day is Sunday, I thought I'd post it early. I'll have complete directions later, but basically I took some wood blocks in different sizes, drilled a hole in the tops with a Dremel, inserted a bamboo skewer (glued it in place) and painted it all. I then embellished the blocks with pictures and cositas (little things) and then added an alligator clip at the top of each one. And there you have it! Memo holders perfect for Mom!

As far as the images to put on there, you can put pictures, quotes, headlines, trims, buttons - anything you want!!

*Image of "mama" from www.ArtChixStudio.com.

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Crafty Chicas of the Week

Mary Castillo, Berta Platas, Lynda Sandoval and Sofia Quintero!

These lovely ladies are the co-authors of the new anthology, Names I Call My Sister ($13.95, Avon Trade, paperback)



If you've been read my blog throughout the years, you know it's my wildest dream to be a published fiction author someday. These ladies had that wild dream too - and now they are living it! They each have their own book careers (Google their names!!) and have come together for this NEW title that hits bookshelves today!

I sent an email this weekend to Mary asking if she'd answer some questions for my blog. It was a super quick turnaround, and she came through. Although, she is a fan of Wonder Woman, so I'm not surprised!

Please, buy a copy of this book and enjoy the interview too!

How did the book come about?
MARY: I got the idea at a wedding while listening to a conversation at a neighboring table! When I came up with my sisters, Dori and Sela, I knew the story didn't lend itself to a full novel. So I thought why not create the framework of sisterly stories and ask my author buddies if they'd like to create an anthology.

Dori and Sela? Please spill!
My story is "Till Death Do Us Part" and it's about Dori and Sela Orihuela, aka "those wild Orihuela girls." Even though they're adults, they can't shake their reputations. When they decide to compete for the tall, dark and handsome hottie at the bar, they realize their saintly sister-in-law may not be all that seems.

Do you craft, do you like to make anything?
Cooking is my craft. One of my favorite times of the day is to walk about of my office and into the kitchen and get all of my ingredients prepped for dinner. Working with my hands - smelling the food, hearing it sizzle and tasting it as a I go along - helps me transition out of my makebelieve world into the present.

How does cooking compare to writing?
I spend more time prepping to write a story or cook a dish than I do writing or cooking! Some stories take longer than others and the same goes for some dishes.

Why should people buy this book today?
First, you get four stories in one book. How's that for a deal? Also, if you've never read me but you love Lynda's work, than you also get to try new authors. Also, these stories are about women who win. In "Till Death Do Us Part", Dori wrestles with her past: her pre-ordained role in her family, her former love and her ties to her sister. I won't give away the ending but...

What is your next project?
I'm really excited about my next book, Switchcraft because it's very different from my other work. Think about this: If you switched lives with your best friend, would you clean out her messy life (including the losers she has been dating)? Or would you sneak a peek at her hottie husband just because you always wondered... That's the premise of Switchcraft when best friends, Nely and Aggie accidentally switch bodies at a New Age retreat. It
comes out October 1st.


I'm loving it just because ithas the word "craft" in the title! Do you have an easy cooking tip you'd like to share?
If you buy fresh herbs from the store - or clip some from your garden - store the extra in a glass of water with some plastic wrap drapped over the top. Keep them in the fridge for up to a week. If you don't use them and they're okay, grind them up into a pesto or chimichurri that you can freeze.
***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Postcard PIllows

Remember last year when I got hooked on making No-Sew Napkin Pillows? Well, I'm still diggin' on it. Except now I'm adding pictures. I whipped up this fetching set over the weekend for Patrick's Auntie Angie. It was her birthday and she loves Cine Mexicano. So I took the postcards, printed them on InkJet fabric sheets and sewed them onto a bigger piece of background fabric and then stitched the whole dang thing to a napkin, did it again, stuffed the pillow and glued the seams shut.

If you aren't into sewing, pick up a bottle of Aleene's Fabric Fusion and just brush it on the back of your fabric and press it into place. There you go! Dos fabuloso cushinas!

Eee, that reminds me - I have to go practice for my Spanish class tomorrow!

***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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Warning for people using RegisterFly.com

As of the middle of March, my chicanopopart.com domain has not been working, and the folks at Registerfly.com couldn't help me (where it is registered). Well, I just went to renew some other domains only to find out that RF got into some deep doo-doo and the site is going down!

It's been a nightmare this morning because I've had to transfers all my domains to another home.

Here is where you can find help.

Sadly, it looks like the ChicanoPopArt name may be gone for good. Here is the link to the store until we find a new name for it. Any ideas for what to call the mercado for mine and Patrick's arte? Maybe I'll just tack it on to this site and have it all under the Crafty Chica umbrella. But then, I don't want Patrick's awesome art to go under CC, I think it deserves to stand on it's own.

Any business marketers out there?




***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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PROJECT: Custom-colored fabric

It's time to color your own fabric! I was inspired to share this idea after meeting with my friend Linda Young (organizer of Art Unraveled!) for coffee last week. She was so thrilled with some fabric she painted that she brought samples to share.

My suggestion is to color a large batch at one time so you will have it on hand for other projects. Aside from scrapping, use your custom fabric to make jewelry, embellish clothing, purses and anything else you can think of.

Sure, there are oodles of fabrics ready to go at the store, but think of how cool it will be to hold up something you made and say, "I even dyed the fabric for this project."

Visit your local scrapbook store today to partake in all kinds of paper-friendly activities.

Custom Painted Fabric

Supplies
1 yard of white (patterned or plain) cotton fabric (make sure it has stain guard on it)
Fabric paints (any combination of): watered-down acrylics, squirt, squeeze or spray on fashion dyes, fabric markers
Medium resealable bags or plastic wrap
Water-based acrylic paints
Paintbrush
Sink
Plastic gloves
Rubber bands or string
Washing machine

Directions: Pre-wash the fabric (no fabric softener), but don't dry it, allowing the color to take. Cut into four pieces so you can dye each piece a different shade. Put on the gloves.

To create a tie-dye look: Put rubber bands or string around different sections of the fabric. Using the squeeze, spray on or squirt on dye, apply color to various areas of the fabric. I like to keep my colors in the same hue: for example, purple, fuchsia and pink for one piece of fabric, or blue, green and teal, or yellow, orange and red, etc. Once fabric is covered with dye, put each piece in a separate bag or plastic wrap. For intense colors, let set for several hours, less for lighter tones. Cut off rubber bands or string, rinse in sink, and then run through washing machine, followed by the dryer. Iron and use.

Hand-painted fabric: Work on a covered surface. Wet piece of fabric and lay it flat. Dip brush in fabric paint and apply to the material as desired. You can make stripes, circles, paint pictures, use rubber stamps, etc. Use gold paint with a thin liner brush to add accents. For shimmer, spray on permanent glitter. Let dry for several hours and then wash in machine. Dry and iron.

Variations: Use white fabric with black patterns, and your end result will have even more dimension. Buy a package of Inkjet fabric sheets and use them to copy your pictures, scrapbook papers, small trinkets, newsprint or wrapping paper. Peel off the backing and sew the sheets together. You can also make your own paper by color-copying your custom fabric onto paper.

Now for part two of this project...I didn't have room in my newspaper column to add this, so I'll post it here. I am now hooked on coloring my own fabric because of Tulip's One Step Fashion Dyes.



OK - before I go any further, I have to let you know that now that I'm part of the Duncan familia, I have full-access to any and all of their products. It's like crafty heaven because I can try out all the goods. and just like I've always done on this blog, whatever I make and play with, I'll post it here! So consider me your inside source!!

Back in the day, I used to tie dye Patrick's band shirts. I used watered down acrylics in spray bottles, as well as pickle buckets of dye for dipping. I used to have to make them in the back yard and I hated that our pretty green grass got tie dyed as much as the shirts. After a couple years of doing that, I gave up and swore off tie dye.

When I started working with Duncan, they gave me some of these One Step Fashion Dyes to try out. At first, I flinched. I didn't want to revisit the pickle bucket era! I tried it anyway, and dang - all those crazy steps are removed! It's all about shaking and squirting now!

The Fashion Dyes come in individual plastic bottles with gloves and rubber bands. At he bottom of the bottle is powered dye. All you do is fill the bottle with water and shake, shake, shake - and you are good to go!

I took white cotton fabric, wet it, cut it and rubber banded it. I lined my kitchen counter with a large plastic trash bag, set out the fabric and squirted the dye.



From here you can follow the directions from my craft column.

If you want more of a painted effect, you can use the Tulip Soft Fabric Paint, which is very cool because it dries soft and light and doesn't crack. I combined my colors and watered them down just a bit to get that striped look in the top photo. I also used the gold paint and aliner brush to add some starbursts and squiggles.

Last time I was at Duncan's headquarters, they gave me fabric markers to try out!!! I have yet to use them, but when I do, I'll post the details here!

One more thing about custom-colored fabric. This is how I make the fabric for my purses! Look what Traci Bautista did with these paints!

At first I didn't want to share how I did it, because it looks very labor intensive, when really it is pretty easy. But I'm here to share ideas and turn people on to new things, right? It's all about inspiring others! So maybe there is something new and wild you can do with your custom-colored fabric. Did you know you can also color copy it to make your own paper?

Stretch it, baby, stretch it!


***
Author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life ($19.95, Rayo Books, an imprint of Harper Collins).
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