I'm packed and ready to head out to Fresno tomorrow morning for a week of crafty adventures at Duncan's headquarters!
I promise to blog, Twitter, and post pictures while I'm there! People always write me and ask me to take secret shots of the inside of the "craft factory"...my friend Devoya even calls it "Wonka" - as in the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. Even though I've been working there a year and have yet to see a glittered, overall-wearing Oompa Loompa mixing paint (or chocolate), I still get a rush when I step foot on the grounds.
My desk is in the "decorator area" which is a huge Project Runway-ish work area. About seven designers work full-time sketching and pitching craft designs, and then actually making the projects that will be published in magazines, on product packages, or on store project sheets. All the walls of this room are lined with every product and tool known to craftykind, as well as artist inspiration boards.
Walk through one of the doors and you are greeted by not one, but TWO storage warehouses of materials to work choose from. It is overwhelming. Swear to God, you can stand up and say - "By any chance, do we have sparkly pipecleaners anywhere?" and someone will answer "Oh, you mean tinsel stems? We sure do! Which color do you need?" They even have heat lamps for drying tie dye! I could go on and on, but in the spirit of Willy Wonka, this is top secret stuff, so I better cut it off here before I spill too much and get booted for crafty espionage!
This week I'll be diving into the Crafty Chica products. I'm going wave my magic wand (I wish!) and crank out all kinds of samples for the upcoming CHA show in Chicago next month.
Every time I'm in Fresno, I have to find ways to pass the nights once the workday ends. In past months I've been swamped with other projects, but this week I'll have time to catch some flicks at the local movie house. I'm also reading over the 1st dummies from my upcoming sewing book. I'm bringing a printed and bound copy of my novel manuscript too.
I'm pretending I bought it at the bookstore and that I'm a regular reader. I want to see how I can improve it. Now that my contracts are signed, I'll be revising portions with my editor and I want to be ready with the characters and plot all fresh in my mind!For the second half of this post - here are this week's crafty blogger links!
About.com Cross Stitch
Don't toss old or unwanted CDs! Transform them with Cross Stitch instead.
http://crossstitch.about.com/od/finishedproducts/ig/Cross-Stitch-Projects-Gallery/Cross-Stitch-CD-Project.htm
Aileen's Musings
Aileen's listed a few of her favorite products and why she loves them.
http://aileensmusings.blogspot.com/2008/06/i-get-asked-lot-what-products-i-like.html#comments
Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Over at Craftside there is an inside peek, patterns and projects from The New Knits For Men and a chance to win a free copy of Making Jewelry with Hardware Gems, and Beads. Sign up for the Craftside Newsletter and get a free postcard desktop frame. Also check out posts that include free Father's Day graphic quote downloads, and patterns and "how-to's" for retro placemats, napkins and a needle felted bag.
http://craftside.typepad.com/craftside/june612/index.html
Crafty Princess Diaries
Get a crafting blast from the past and flip through the pages with the Crafty Princess and this 1974 Women's Circle magazine.
http://www.tammypowley.com/?p=123
Diary of a Crafty Chica
Find out why you need to make a bliss book!
http://thecraftychica.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-you-need-to-make-bliss-book.html
Polymer Clay @ CraftGossip
Polymer clay hits the beach with a fun shell inspired tutorial.
http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/polymer-clay-hits-the-beach/2008/03/12
Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Over at Sweater Surgery there are some wild photos of Fire Hula Hooping, an Alice In Wonderland cake, picts and crafts from CRAFT Magazine's 07 Release Party at Reform School and crafting/recycling depression era style from my Grandfather in honor of Father's Day.
http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/search/label/June8-11
The Impatient Blogger
Madge shares a new painting by her mother, the coveted Frankfurter Loaf Recipe and details on her Kewpie Doll Challenge!
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2008/06/gift.html
See more crafty ideas in The Crafty Chica Project Library! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
I've just stumbled across an excellent novel with a crafty angle. Since you're a touchstone for the creative community, I thought I could share it with you and you could pass it on to other crafty chicas! It's called "The Journal of Dora Damage" by Belinda Starling, and follows the misadventures of a Victorian FEMALE bookbinder. The author's descriptions of Victorian London are captivating, but the passages describing the process of bookbinding, the various materials used, and the protagonist's marvelous creativity that will hook every crafter! Unfortunately, you'll want to savor every word since the author died quite unexpectedly after finishing this, her first novel.
ReplyDeleteRhonda Shymko
Chica
ReplyDeleteHave so much fun! It sounds amazing! You must be getting so super excited for the debut of the line...woo hoo!
Thanks for the Linky Love, sista!
xoxo
Madge