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See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
I wore this outfit one year to hand out candy and all the kiddies were too frightened to get close enough to me to get a piece of candy. It kinda feels good to go to the dark side for a couple hours! Zombie Chica!
This photo was taken inside my mom's kitchen. My mom HATED this outfit!
Dang, I look scar-EEE....
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
This is by my hubby, Patrick Murillo. It is made of polymer clay and a ceramic car. The car was supposed to be a planter but I saw it and knew Patrick would do something fun with it!
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A CLOSER LOOK
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Looking for something spectacular and special to wear for Dia de los Muertos? Sport some skully style with this dangly charm bracelet!
Whatcha you need:
Chain link bracelet
Charms, beads
Eye pins, head pins
Needlenose pliers
White polymer clay, black paint
Glue
Whatcha do to make it:
Pinch off small bits of clay and shape into mini skulls. Clip an eye pin down so you can insert it in the top of the skull (so you can hang it from the bracelet). Bake per directions on package. Now feed beads thru headpins and attach to link bracelet. I like mine super dangly, so I add one or two charms/beads to each link. After skulls are done baking, use the head pin to paint on eyes, nose and teeth. Add a teeny drop of glue to hold eyepin in place, attach to bracelet.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Patrick finished these up today - they are sooo cute!!!
Divorce Court, $32.99
Cat Lady, $32.99
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
To celebrate the launch of the Crafty Chica product line, I held a contest for the Empowerment Guardians! One lucky winner will win a free spot on the 2009 Crafty Chica Cruise!
I am not judging because I love all of them. So I've asked other people to judge and I'll be posting their names tomorrow and we'll announce the winner this weekend!
If you missed the contest deadline and still want to go on the cruise, we still have spots open! Click on the link up there for the details...
HERE IS A SLIDE SHOW OF THE ENTRIES!!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Knowing who you are
Originally uploaded by craftychica
Fresh off the craft table!
A Dia de los Muertos altar without sugar skulls is like a Charms Blow Pop without the bubble gum inside. It's a must-have. Sure, you can be lazy and go buy pre-decorated skulls, but if really want to show your love go the extra step and make your skulls. It's the sweetest thing you can do for the one you love.
Visit http://mexicansugarskull.com/ for supplies if you can't find them locally.
Supplies:
1 set of plastic skull molds
Mixing bowl and spoon
2 cups of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of meringue powder
2 teaspoons of water
1 piece of cardboard, approximately 5" x 5"
Mix the dry ingredients together in the bowl. Sprinkle the water in and continue to mix until the sugar is completely moistened and becomes the consistency of moist sand. Scoop some of the mixture into the mold and pack it evenly and firmly. Place the piece of cardboard on top of the mold and quickly flip it over so the sugar skull pops out. Very carefully slide it onto a flat surface.
Continue making the rest of the skulls. Let them dry for 24 hours in a dry place.
Icing:
2/3 cup of water
1/2 cup meringue powder
2 pounds of powdered sugar
Electric mixer
Concentrated food coloring (the kind professional cake bakers use)
1 pastry or Ziploc bag
Plastic cups
Spoon
TIP: I use the mini cake icing tubes from the grocery store as a short cut!
Blend the ingredients with an electric mixer until the peaks form in the icing. If using assorted colors, scoop the white icing into separate bowls and add a dab of different colored food coloring in each one. Mix again. Scoop the icing into the pastry or Ziploc bag (snip the corner for the latter). Continue until you have several bags of different colors. Keep sealed and refrigerated until use.
*Makes four small skulls.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
My little niece, Sarah, is in third grade and is going as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz for Halloween. Everyone knows the most important part - aside from Toto, is the pair of ruby slippers. Unfortunately, Sarah's mom couldn't find anything comparable at the stores, so she asked me to transform the above vinyl pair the best I could. Their first choice was glitter.
First thing I did was Google the shoes for a picture.
Next I bought sequins and tried a Crafty Chica version, which came out like this...
They didn't quite come out like the original...Sarah and I agreed we would go with old school micro glitter (plus, I ran out of sequins!). This is the end result:
(Bows still to come!)
They came out super sparkly and Sarah-approved. She is ready to rock the third grade Halloween party!
To make these shoes, first paint them red, if they are not so already. If they are vinyl, you'll need to sand them down to give them "grip". Then coat with Aleene's Fabric Fusion one section at a time and pour on the glitter (I used my Crafty Chica Rockabilly Ruby). I wanted these shoes to last a long time, so I finished them off with two coats of high-gloss spray varnish.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
This month has flown by as fast as a witch on her broom! Can you believe that Halloween is almost here?? Well, unfortunately this is the last Terrorific Tuesday of the year, so whip out that glue gun and scissors and get to work on one of these great ideas that will be sure to delight ghosts and goblins of all ages!
Spooky Jewels Katie Hacker strings this red and black set using a Fresh resin pendant, polka dots, and metal skulls.
Fangtastic figurines Retta a.k.a. Attercat breaks out the polymer clay and whips up some glow-in-the-dark figurines.
Cool canister Serena the Crafty Mom revamps a bargain bin canister into an awesome Halloween decoration!
Gothic Pink Melissa J. Lee explores the spooky side of one of her favorite pastel colors.
"Eye"gor pin cushion Kiki of Kiki's Craft World knits up this eye-catching pin cushion bracelet.
Stamped paper coffin Kate Pullen, the Rubber Stamping Guide at about.com folds and stamps up this little coffin box that Dracula would envy!
Fun party food ideas Amy at Living Locurto threw a Halloween party and came up with tons of great ideas for the food table including this adorable witch cake!
Double the goodness from Margot! The Impatient Crafter™’s final Terrorific Tuesday offering is a two part story of friendship, Goth Style. Here are links to see Morticia Invites Miss Havisham to Tea and The Invitation.
Spiderman pendant (but not the Spiderman you're thinking) Kim Ripley a.k.a. Stoopidgerl pours up a glittery sweet skull and crossbones resin necklace.
Quick & easy polka dot treat cups Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner shows you how to make quick and easy Halloween treat cups sure to wow your guests!
3 brand new Halloween jewelry projects! Tammy Powley, the Jewelry Guide at About.com does an all-nighter (almost) as she pushes for a few more Halloween jewelry projects, including a super cool sterling silver spider, a glass framed mixed-media Halloween-themed pendant, and to top it off, a silver headless skeleton charm.
Fast & Fun Halloween Boa Sarah E. White, About.com's Knitting Guide knits up this super cute boa perfect for those chilly fall nights!
Dia De Los Muertos Cigar Box Shrine Kathy Cano-Murillo a.k.a. The Crafty Chica honors the Day of the Dead with this beautiful shrine.
Happy Haunting Greeting Card Phyllis Dobbs treats us once again with this cute Halloween card, perfect for all your favorite goblins!
Gypsy Traditions Lorilyn Hurley of the Dream Life shares a touching story of her family's love for Halloween & their passion for playing dress up at their annual party!
Boo Bucket Michelle McGee crafts up a spooky and scary bucket that will leave goose bumps on all your guests!
Vintage Postcard Banner
Kris Tuey aka: the Collage Contessa has made it official. Now you know exactly what time it is when you walk into her house. It's HALLOWEEN time! This vintage project using fun Halloween postcards is so simple you can even entice the kids to help as well!
Fall Wall Hanging
Kim of Sew Sugary Sweet stitches this wonderful and whimsical wall hanging for her Fall Swap partner.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
cigar box, clean Tip: Add in personal objects if you like. 
craft knife
decorative scrapbook paper
acrylic paint
loose glitter
thick cardboard
Day of the dead image
Sculpey polymer clay (to make skulls)
1 strand of Mardi Gras beads
4 balls or blocks for feet
hot glue
dimensional squeeze paint
Figure A
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
No matter who you are voting for, it is always great to get involved and show your support. And make and wave glittery signs! Tonight we took a break from our little home-based crafty sweatshop to participate in a rally at Arizona State University. It felt so good to connect with new faces outside of my normal realm. And it is all for a great cause - VOTING!
A Corpse Bride costume goes down as a timeless classic. Not only because the Tim Burton movie is so eerily entertaining, but also because Emily, the dearly departed, is just too cute and funny to resist. Who wouldn't want to be her in the afterlife? To get the look, you can visit eBay to find handmade Corpse Bride-inspired dresses that are going for up to $300. Or you can check out the expensive packaged costume route, the flimsiness of which will only disappoint you. Third choice? The do-it-yourself version. It's not only affordable, but so much fun to put together. Remember, Emily had been buried for years so the dress has to look old and tattered, but still pretty. I found this wedding dress at Goodwill for $19. If you aren't so lucky, a white slip and tulle will work just fine.
Corpse Bride Costume
Supplies
1 unwanted wedding dress or slip
1 unwanted wedding veil
1 unwanted pair of long white gloves (optional)
1 black wig with white stripes (or all black is fine)
1 can blue spray-on hair paint
Water-based craft or face paint, light blue, white, yellow, green, red and black
Medium brush and a liner brush, sea sponge, cup of water
Red lip liner
Scissors
1 box of large tea bags
Directions: Take the dress and snip it vertically in various places at the bottom, and then rip it up above the knee, so the lining shows. Snip, and then rip the hand portion off the gloves. Fill the kitchen sink halfway with hot water, and add about 8 tea bags. Submerge the dress, veil and gloves in the tea bath and let soak for a couple of hours. During the process, squeeze the tea bags in your hands over various areas of the dress so there will be contrast in the stain. When the dress, veil and gloves are at the desired shade, take them out, wring and then hang to dry or put in dryer. Lay the dress flat on a table and on the right side of the rib cage area, paint on a white blob. Outline it with the black paint, using the liner brush so the blob will look like a hole in the dress. Use the white to paint bones and use the yellow to highlight and black to outline. Let dry.
To paint the wig, go outside and use the blue hair spray paint to cover the white streaks.
To paint the body, you want to create a "blue wash" look. Create a creamy, watery mixture of the light blue, white and water. Use the sponge to spread a light layer over the face, neck, arms and upper chest and back. Use the white and black paints to paint bones on the left arm. If desired, paint the skeleton jaw line and teeth along the left side of the face. Under the right eye, use the green, red and yellow paints to draw the maggot that crawls out of Emily's eye.
The trick to getting the right facial expression is to paint the eyebrows in a curvy fashion (see picture), use dark-blue eye shadow on the lids and paint lines for the eyelashes. Use the lip liner to outline the shape of the mouth and fill in.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Looking for some fun Halloween projects? Look no further! I'll be adding more throughout the rest of the month, but in the meantime, here are some from years past.
CRAFTY CHICA GHOST STORIES
Rubina Chinchada & the Enchanted Dresser (flash fiction)
My Real Life, Swear-to-God Ghost Story! (for real!)
CRAFTY CHICA HALLOWEEN IDEAS (more to come)
Candy Necklaces
All about pumpkins (plus stencils!)
Beehive Wig
Candy Sorter Placemats
Corpse Bride Costume
Creepy Candles
Furry Monster Candy Totes
Glow-In-The-Dark Jewelry
Halloween Zombie Dolls
Horror Flick Fabric Coasters
Hot Glue Eye Masks
Mason Jar Lanterns
Personalized Lucha Libre Mask
Pumpkin TV Set
Sparkly and Spooky Banners
Stained Glass Lanterns
CRAFTY CHICA DIA DE LOS MUERTOS IDEAS (more to come)
Learn all about this spectacular and spiritual Mexican holiday by visiting Dead.AzCentral.com. My hubby, Patrick, did all the illustrations!
More projects to come!
Teacher and student educational packet, featuring the art of Patrick Murillo!
Skeleton Story Box
Black and White Charm Bracelet
Bleach Pen Skull Banners
Clay Calaca Beaded Charm Bracelet
Decoupage Lamp
Day of the Dead Pin
Felt Banner
FREE e-cards!
Funky Fantasy Skulls
How to make a shrine
La Catrina Cigar Box Shrine
Light up Skulls
Paper Flowers
Plaster of Paris Skulls
Reverse Glass Painting
Simple Papel Picado
Steve Irwin Altar
The Therapist Shadow box
Traditional Sugar Skulls
Next is my favorite. It is dead.azcentral.com
- it is a web site for The Arizona Republic and AzCentral that Patrick and I helped put together. Patrick did all the illustrations and I wrote many of the stories.
- The history of Dia de los Muertos.
- Glossary of terms associated with the celebration.
- Food and recipes.
- Photos.
-
Videos.
- How to build an ofrenda (an altar).
- MexicanSugarSkull.com
- Day of the Dead Wedding decorations.
- Rubber stamps and more rubber stamps!
- home decor items from Mexico.
Wedding Couple Tote
White Chocolate Sugar Skulls
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
On sale HERE!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Materials: Mexican wrestling masks
Check your local flea market or swap meet for a luchador mask and then trick it out for Halloween! Become your own rock star in the ring!
Lucha Libre is a form of Mexican wrestling, but it actually means "free fighting." The crafters are given Luchadors masks and various crafting tools and materials so that once they decide who their Lucha Libre "character" is, they can decorate the masks to reflect their wrestling personality.
This is fun project I did on Craft Lab a couple of years ago!
HERE IS WHERE YOU CAN BUY A MASK!
foam heads
glue gun
glue gun sticks
sequins
faux gems and crystals
paint pen
yarn
pairs of bright show lace
fabric paint
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Lucha Libre masks can be purchased online or at Mexican import stores, and this is how they come (figure A). Embellish the mask and pick a name for your Mexican wrestler personality.
Tips:
This is an idea I did in 2003 for Valentine's Day, but I lost the picture! So here is an easy version using skinny licorice whips and orange and black candies too. Marshmallow candies work easy for this project too! Just take a sharp bamboo skewer and poke holes in the candy and string them on!
Great for parties!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Today I was using my Crafty Chica Flocked Skull Iron-on Transfer - which is flocked (velvety texture). After I ironed on the design, I looked at the backing plastic and said "Hmmm..." it is all outlined with the flocked stuff - it is the outlined of the design. So I sprayed on some Tulip Cool Color Spray over it and pressed it on a piece of fabric and this is what came out! The best part, is you can keep using it over and over. I'm on deadline for another project at the moment, but when I get home, I'm going to experiment even more!
I've always been an admirer of Cat Morley's Cut Out + Keep, there is so much to see and try. You can't leave the site without feeling 100% inspired. so I was thrilled when they tapped me for an interview for Dia de los Muertos!
The interview went up today!
Oh gosh, I was so busy last week, I forgot to post a Maker Faire interview I did with the oh-so-adorable Rachel from Average Jane Crafter! I met Rachel in person for the first time at Maker Faireand was so sad I didn't get to hang out more. I so want to visit Austin again!
Thank you so much to CO+K and AJC for featuring me!!!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Alexa Westerfeld of SwellGirl had this way-clever idea of all of us pitching a project every week. She carried it through and this is the result! So many great DIY items to choose from - all from Halloween-loving designers! Enjoy!
Another week has gone in October and you know what that means! It's Terrorific Tuesday! This week, we are featuring 20! fabulous projects and inspirations! This roundup features jewelry, scrapbooking, party ideas, knitting, sewing projects, mixed media art, photography, and so much more! So sit a spell (or cast one) and enjoy this hearty helping of haunting Halloween projects!
Furry Monster Bucket Kiki of Kiki's Craft World shows how to make a clever project that you'll have to keep an eye on!
Hooty the Hoot Owl Retro Jewelry Set Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter tried her patience making a paper crafted jewelry set for this week's Terrorific Tuesday.
Mini Pumpkin Quilt Phyllis Dobbs shares a spectacularly whimsical quilt!
Sugary Sweet Skull Coasters Stoopidgerl makes some awesome resin coasters packed with candy, rainbows, and skulls!
Halloween Party Pics/Picks Swelldesigner a.k.a. Alexa Westerfield gets nostalgic with cupcake pics inspired by Halloween's of yesteryear.
Witch’s Hat Pin Tammy Powley of About.com has a super simple witch’s hat pin project for you that is so quick you’ll want to make up lots of these to give to other Halloween witch’s.
Witchy Woman Angela of Angela’s Art Diary gets in the spirit when she puts herself in her own bewitched portrait!
Fairy Witch Frame Lorilyn Hurley of the Dream Life piles on the glitter and vintage charm in this inspired frame.
Spooky and Kooky photos Chris Garris a.k.a. Universal Stopping point puts his photography skills to the test and creates a set of haunting images to get you inspired.
Halloween Charm Bracelet Jean Yates charms us with this gothic and glam skull bracelet.
Easy Dia de Los Muertos Story Box Kathy Cano-Murillo a.k.a. Craft Chica uses toys, a mini box, and lots of glitter to tell a beautiful tale.
Double Skully Bracelet Melissa J. Lee creates this red and black dazzler strung with double the skull goodness!
Bootiful Belt Buckles Rebecca Hull at HHH Enterprises makes an awesome Halloween accessory out of ordinary belt buckles!
Knitted Ghost Sarah E. White whips up this little ghost, perfect for haunting your house!
Spooky Photoshop Tutorial Amy Locurto of Living Locurto shows you how to create your own Photoshop still life to use on a custom invite!
Pumpkin Scrapbook Pages Michelle McGee scraps up some adorable memories of her little pumpkin!
Wicked Witch Brenda Pinnick's witch is a bit scary, a bit fun andoh so colorful. She is made using heavy weight watercolor paper and acrylic paint. The paper sculpture techniques bring this gal to life!
Rubber Stamp a Luminary Kate Pullen
shows you how to use your rubber stamps to create a paper bag luminary
for Halloween on her About.com Rubber
Stamping Blog.
Fall Owl Pillow Kim of Sew Sugary Sweet gives a hoot with this cute owl pillow perfect for fall!
Silhouetted Paper Lanterns Robin of Urban Debris gets super spooky with vintage paper lantern patterns.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
(image from http://www.travel-bug.com/)
I've had a whirlwind of traveling this month. It's all great stuff that will leave a good impression on "the big picture". That's how I judge things when it comes to work and my time. I always think "how does this effect the big picture?". If it is nothing, I try to do away with it, if it has a strong impact (or if it is something I really, really love), I'll go for it.
I got home from Maker Faire (it rocked!) yesterday morning, and then Patrick and I gave a lecture to local artists about the many stages and opportunities of growing an art career. Today has been all about catching up! Believe it or not, I take off yet again tomorrow! I'm back in Fresno for another round of Crafty Chica product development. It's really exciting, even more so than last time, because now I know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it! Last year I rode the waves while the knowledgeable Duncan staff held my hand and directed me.
I'm also working on my novel revisions and will be for the next couple of months. As of today, we still hadn't decided on a title. Nothing clicked - despite dozens of ideas. My editor told me that there is no rhyme or reason, you just know it is right when you hear it.
This morning we settled on three titles to choose from. They all sound good in theory, and I like them, but no goosebumps. Slightly frustrated, I took one idea and fell onto my bed. I closed my eyes and let it simmer in my brain. It led to one idea, which I liked. And then another, which I liked a bit better - still no goosebumps!
All of a sudden it hit me! I found the title!! I swear I heard church music and witnessed sun rays shooting out of my computer from across the room. Yo la tengo! I have it!!!
I hollered out the name across the house. Patrick and the kids hollered back: "YES! THAT IS THE TITLE TO YOUR BOOK! You did it!!! That's it!"
I called my friend Randy, who is a tough critic and seasoned copy editor and writer. He has vetoed every name idea so far. "YES!" he said. "It's cute and catchy! I like it!"
I asked a couple of my other friends and they immediately answered back with all their thumbs over their heads too.
Totally loca-ed out and doing the running man, I stumbled over to desk, out of breath, and banged out an email to my editor. I sat and waited for her rep;y. And waited more. And waited even more... After that minute passed, I realized it was 3:30 my time, which meant 6:30 her time. ARGH...! She had likely left for the day.
It has been an excruciating night. I'm like a chipmunk on speed, I am so antsy to for the morning to come so I can read her reply. She has the final say and I'm praying she loves it as much as I do. Then I can share it with you! I have never been more convinced about anything else ever! Well, except when it comes to choosing a good high gloss varnish...
I'm off to bed! Cross your fingers for me, please!
UPDATE: I could not sleep all night. I feel like a 10-year-old on Christmas Eve. Silly!
I left my computer on so I could hear the "ding" of new mail.
5:50 a.m.: Nothing yet.
6:12 a.m.: Nothing yet.
6:19 a.m.: She replied! SHE LOVES IT TOO! Now it just goes to marketing staff (I must stay calm and patient a bit longer) and if they love it, it is final!!
OK, now I can go to bed in peace. Uh..except that it is time for me to wake up!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
(click on image for a closer view)
Take a spin by the toy section to pick up some figures, give them a makeover and then stage them inside a glittery shadow box. You can go as small as a mint tin or larger with a cigar box. Either way, you'll have a worthy piece of art!
My box is called "Recuerda me" (Remember me), it is about a ballerina who was in love with a musician. They lived in the southwest. She dreams of him in the afterlife, and knows he is thinking of her too. Come Nov 1st, her spirit will return to Earth and linger at their romantic hideaway, where she knows he is waiting for her with a beautiful ofrenda in her honor...
Supplies
• Any collection of small boxes.
• Scrapbook paper or fabric.
• Magazine pictures.
• Small dolls from the dollar store.
• Small found objects.
• Glitter, hot glue, white craft glue, paint.
• Mardi Gras beads or other accents.
Directions
Using black paint, coat the inside and outside of the box, let dry. Line the back with paper/fabric, using white craft glue. Paint the doll to look as sweet-and-scary as you want - it can be a vampire, a skeleton, a pumpkin head, a witch, a zombie, etc. I made mine for Dia de los Muertos.
Glue the doll in place and add found objects to give the box personality. Trim the inside and outside edges with the Mardi Gras beads or accents. Add a hanging attachment to the back.
Tips
Make several of these boxes in different shapes and sizes and display them together in a modular pattern. Add captions, speech bubbles or titles to make them funny. Use more than one figure in several of the boxes, just to mix it up.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Today Patrick and I gave a lecture at the Heard Museum to help artists and crafters make their businesses thrive. I love hearing stories of other artists about why they make art. We had such a fun crowd! We did our best today to offer ideas of how they can promote their craft and art businesses.
This Thursday night is a special La Casa Murillo event that is FREE and includes dinner and drinks too! All you have to do is RSVP here.
Here is a little video on what the exhibit looks like. I counted more than 500 handmade projects that Patrick and I made! Hopefully people will be inspired to go home and craft it up for their own casa...
I'll be posting projects from the show here, so stay tuned!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
There were lines all day at our table and at 5:30 we ran out of things
to make! I felt so bad because some kids broke down in tears!!! We
closed early and raced to the dollar store to find stuff to last all
day tomorrow. The crafty gods were on our side! We loaded up a cart of
small canvas messenger bags, cute canvas bucket hats and make up totes.
I leave for home in the morning, but the talented Candace Marquette
will be there all day to demo Tulip Soft Paints and glitter, along
with superwoman marketing chica, Lindy Selnick.
Austin MF was such a blast. I can hardly wait to come back to this
city! The people are so nice and artful, so many places to check out.
Excited to return with Patrick and the kids in tow!
His reply:
"It's a long story and involves a lot of beer."
This is a repost of a flash fiction piece I wrote last year. Hope you enjoy it!!!
~* Rubina Chinchada & the Enchanted Dresser *~
Sunday, October 31st, 6:30 a.m.
"Rubina Chinchada. Only you would drag me out here at the crack of dawn on Halloween to go dumpster diving," Mona said to her roommate as they slowly cruised in Rubina's red 4Runner through a central Phoenix neighborhood.
"We're not dumpster diving, we're frontster diving," Rubina clarified, taking a sip from her peppermint mocha while paused at a stop sign. "There's a difference. This is stuff for bulk trash. People set out their junk so prolific artists like me can rescue it."
Mona rolled her eyes. "Well, let's get it over with," she snapped. "I need to be at the airport by 10. Hey, lookie over there - it's a table with three legs! Seems like a winner to me! Go get it so we can go home already."
Rubina didn't pay attention - she was too consumed with the thought of recycled art projects. "Ooooooo, look at that dresser!" Rubina squealed, swerving the 4Runner up on the sidewalk. In all her 23-years, she had never spotted such trash-to-treasure gold. On the edge of a manicured lawn, sat an antique wood vanity dresser, complete with a tri-fold mirror, all of it trimmed in carved rose vines. For an obsessive, experienced craftaholic like herself, this was the Holy Grail.
"The surface is even unfinished, I don't even need to prime it," Rubina whispered as she slammed the door and immediately began the inspection - and admiration - of the incredible find.
Yawning, Mona scratched her head of frizzy blonde curls. She clenched her sweater under her chin, and reluctantly shuffled behind in her corduroy slippers. "You promised I wouldn't have to get out of the car. Dang, it's freezing. Can you speed it up?"
Rubina spun around to confront her friend. "Can you please stop being a blocker, for like, five minutes, and come see this with me?" Rubina swooped her arms in front of the dresser to showcase it to her pal. "Isn't it beautiful? These carved roses are just screaming to be covered in red paint and glitter. She swirled her fingers along the border of the mirrors. "And I could cover all of this in the vintage costume jewelry that my Nana gave me."
"Do you have to paint on everything? I'm still mad about my toilet seat lid, I hope you know. That dresser is perfect as is," Mona stated. "Maybe it’s not even meant for bulk trash." She anchored her fists on her hips when she spotted what looked like the owner of the property tending to a cactus garden on the side of the house.
"You seriously want to throw this out?" she hollered.
"It's trash, but if you want it, take it - but don't you dare bring it back," the grandma replied. "No matter what."
Mona and Rubina exchanged concerned glances at the ominous reply. Mona's teeth began to chatter from the sharp chill in the air, as she hunched over and opened a drawer with one finger. "This thing is creepy. Rubina, check it. It has a logo from a coffin company." Mona backed away. "Ew. What if it was dug up from the cemetery or something?"
"No way", Rubina thought. She had to see for herself. Sure enough. Inside the top drawer was an embossed logo: "Monarch Coffin Company."
Rubina cocked up an eyebrow, swooped her bobbed black hair behind her ears, and kneeled in front of the dresser. It still smelled strong like pine. "Did this dresser used to be a coffin?" she asked loud enough for the homeowner to hear. When she didn’t receive an answer she stood up and turned around to ask again.
Rubina and Mona watched, stunned, as the old woman hurriedly locked the entryway gate and retreated inside her home. Mona shuttered when the door slammed.
"I don’t want this thing in our house, Rubina," she said. "I’m not kidding. Let's go."
Rubina rolled up the sleeves of her denim jacket with the embroidered skulls, and with all her might, pushed the dresser off the lawn onto the sidewalk. "Help me load it, it's way heavy,” Rubina said, ignoring her friend's orders. "I’ll give this baby a royal makeover. Just wait, you'll love it. Plus, it's for my room, not yours."
Midnight.
Rubina face planted on her bed, every cell of her body and spirit frustrated. She had just devoted the last 12 hours trying to embellish that stupid dresser, and nothing went as planned.
Earlier, Rubina dropped Mona off at the airport, and then made a pit stop at the craft store where she dropped $90 on new paints, varnish, glitter, crystals, and three types of super strength adhesives. She planned to turn off the porch light. There would be no time for trick-or-treaters tonight!
But that joy turned to annoyance. With the dresser in her bedroom, Rubina lined her work area with newspaper. She painted the dresser black, the carved roses red, and the leaves green. As fast as she could apply the acrylics, they seemed to evaporate, like water on wax paper. Rubina never cried over a craft project gone bad, but right now - she wanted to.
"Ah-ha, the varnish is probably decades old and seeped into the wood. I need a sander," Rubina concluded, bummed. She decided to leave the original wood finish, and add accents of crystals and glitter. That didn't work either.
In the hours that followed, Rubina tried every method possible to get anything to stick on the dresser. She even called the craft store to complain that the products were defective. By 10 p.m., she burst into tears. Why did she feel so gloomy? Over a crusty old piece of furniture? Goofy!
Finally, she called it a night. She picked up all her art supplies and set them neatly on top of the dresser. First thing in the morning, she’d get back to work. For now, she’d crash. She stared at the dresser and winked. "Tomorrow, I rule."
Just as she leaned over to click off the lamp, something whooshed by her head, causing her to duck. She heard a loud thunk above her head. She popped up and froze. Purple paint dripped down the wall, just above her headboard.
Frantic, she searched the bed for any kind of clue and found the busted bottle on the floor. How in the world could the bottle have flown all the way from the dresser, across the room, to above her bed? And with such force?
Rubina cleaned up the mess and did her best to fight off scary thoughts, even though her insides shivered. A piece of furniture can't haunt people, no way. She said a prayer, clicked off the light and snuggled under the blanket, wishing she had turned the heater on. Her room felt chillier than a skating rink in December.
She attempted to shut her eyes again, and this time she heard the paint bottles drop...one-by-one off the dresser, each one hitting the floor in perfect time. She felt as if someone were in her room, taunting her. Rubina wanted to jump up and run out, but her body lay heavy on her bead, 100% numb.
At that moment, she heard it: A sound that would likely haunt her forever.
Faint, but loud all the same - A woman weeping. In the room. At the... dresser?
"Oh crap, now I know why that lady wanted to ditch this dresser," Rubina thought. "It’s frickin’ haunted!" She squeezed her eyes tight. As each second passed, the cries grew louder, and more sorrowful, as if whatever was there wanted Rubina's attention.
Her heart raced, and her mind went into overdrive. She definitely should have left the light on. In fact, she should just get up right now and turn it on. She didn’t. Instead, she pretended to casually turn around in her bed, and yawn like normal. She hugged her pillow and slowly opened her eyes only enough to barely see through her lashes.
Rubina wished she hadn't done that.
A glowing woman floated just above the floor in front of the dresser; her long red hair flowing behind her. Thin and pale, she wore a white gown. Her head rested in her hands, she sobbed.
Rubina's gaze shot up to the ceiling, and she blinked hard. What the hell? Even worse, not only did she hear the lady crying, she also heard her own chest thumping. Rubina decided to once again sneak a peek - just to be sure she wasn’t crazy. If she saw this chick again, she'd jump up, scream at it, turn on the lights and bolt out of there. She summoned all her energy, and that of her ancestors, to give her the strength to pull it off. She didn't have a choice!
Rubina opened her eyes and looked.
This time the lady stood tall in front of the mirror and stroked her hair with Rubina's brush! The entity smiled back at her reflection. Rubina felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. The ghost had to be about the same age - early twenties, but she appeared sickly, her eyes sunken in and her face gaunt.
Rubina felt tears gushing down her own face. She quickly wiped them away, sniffled and looked again. This time, the ghost stared back. The gaze pierced through Rubina's body like an ice pick.
The spirit pointed her finger at Rubina. "It's mine...leave it be..." she commanded.
Rubina crawled like a spider to the corner of her bed. "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" she whispered in a panicked tone, as she threw the blanket over her head. "This is not happening. I'm sorry I took the dresser. I won't glue anything on it. This is not happening!" She drew a deep breath and giggled. "You idiot. It's probably Mona. She came home, and is playing a trick. Of course!"
Every time Mona went to L.A. to visit her boyfriend, she always came home early because of a fight. Like clockwork. Rubina laughed nervously and flipped the sheets off her body to yell "Boo!" at Mona - only to find the crying ghost standing at the edge of her bed.
"Bury it..." the lady said leaning in. Rubina leapt up and flipped on the lamp at her nightstand.
"I don't want it, you can have it! Just get away from me, get out of my house, you freak! You're dead! It's Halloween, go haunt a graveyard or something!" Rubina felt the ghost back away. "Crossover!" Rubina shouted, trying to remember all the stuff she saw on A Haunting on the Discovery Channel. "I command you to go to the light!"
It must have worked, because the lady vanished.
Out of breath, Rubina snatched her blanket, ran out of the room, shut the door, and shoved a chair under the doorknob. Yah, yah, ghosts could walk through walls, but it just made her feel better. Rubina knew the spirit left, but she still flipped on every light in the house on, as well as the TV. Thank goodness for the comforting pleasure of VH-1's America’s Next Top Model marathon! She curled up on the couch, still shaken up, grabbed the phone and used her trembling fingers to stab in the numbers of Mona's cell.
The girls talked until sunlight crept through the windows. Rubina hung up, and felt confident enough to push the dresser to the edge of her lawn for bulk trash collection. She cautiously entered her room, only to find the dresser's drawers open and the art supplies scattered across the room, emptied. What a mess. What a bitch of a ghost!
Rubina shoved the haunted piece outside, right to the edge of the curb, and dusted off her hands. A truck pulled up with two women, giddy at the sight of the dresser on the curb.
"Do you want that?" one of the hollered.
Rubina knew this might happen, and that's why she made a sign that said "termites". She taped on the sign for the women to see. "Sorry!" she yelled as they drove away. She knew the dresser would be crunched into tiny pieces by the end of the day, and that gave Rubina a sense of peace.
November 1st, 11 a.m., Monday.
Rubina awoke on the couch to the sound of her phone ringing. She fumbled for her cell and before she could say a word, Mona started in.
"Rubina! I’ve been trying to call you all morning! Did you check your email? Never mind - go save the dresser! Don’t let the bulk trash get it, we need to keep it!" she cried on the other end of the line.
"Are you on crack? I’m not touching that thing." Rubina replied, grumpy for being woken up from her much needed slumber.
"I’m in a cab on my way home, go get the dresser! I Googled Monarch Coffin Company, and called them. I told them about the dresser. There’s a juicy story behind it! I sent you an email, but go get the dresser before you read it. Trust me!"
Click.
Rubina let out a chuckle. She peered out the window, the dresser was still there, intact. No way would she bring it back in the house. She’d wait for Mona to come back first.
Rubina powered up her iBook and nervously tapped her foot while the new emails loaded. She clicked on Mona's message, and took a deep breath before reading it.
"Rubina - I talked to the owner's father at Monarch Coffin - he knows all about the dresser! It was made for a woman named Isabella Cruz, by her lover back in the 1930's. Her family was crazy rich, and they hated him because he was just a carpenter. He carved beautiful rose-trimmed pine coffins for him and for her. She wanted more than anything to be buried in it. But when she died from pneumonia, her parents ditched the coffin, and bought a fancy one. Her boyfriend went crazy and made a dresser out of her coffin for his bedroom. The tale is that she would come visit him every night as long as he had the dresser. No one knows what happened to the coffin, errr... dresser. Or him for that matter. It's been an urban legend ever since. Isabella is buried at St. Francis Cemetery - I think she is the ghost you saw!
Monarch wants to buy the dresser from us! Hopefully you will have saved it by now, if not, get your ass out there!"
Next I find out there are snacks from India! Yoli eats some and cries
out that they are seasoned with chili. She quickly grabs a handful of
peanuts to counter the burn, she eats them and cries out again because
they were also seasoned in chili! Poor Yoli! I eat the peanuts along
with the fruit salad. Great combination!
Lunch is over and I feel a carb crash coming on. I still have a lot of
work to finish! Cheryl tells me that she and the other designers are
cleaning out the craft supply warehouse. She informs me there is free
glitter fabric for the taking!!!
I go to check out the fabric to find it is rolls and rolls of
glittered canvas! Red, purple, green, white and black! I'm on deadline
for my work so I quickly unroll, fold, and pack my treasures into two
boxes. Glittered canvas does not fold easy. It's way bulky. Each box
is at least 25 pounds. I'm sweating more than a construction worker in
July, but boy, it is worth it!
15 minutes later I return to my desk, ready to rock again. I eat the
remaining half of the cake mix/Cool Whip cookie and wonder how I will
explain to Patrick my need of 50 pounds of glittered fabric.
This was a fun day in Fresno!
These are ornaments in progress.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
(click on image for a closer view)
This is a fantasy room I made for our Heard Museum exhibit. I wanted to create a colorful, yet relaxing spot to chill. To create this wall effect, I first painted the room in a bright teal, and then bright red about 3/4ths down. Next, I lined the bottom of the walls with handmade wrapping paper from India (purchased at IKEA). I then added painted swirls with flat, metallic and then with glittered paint. I added a variety of sizes of mini-mirrors all around the red area to pull it all together.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
PATRICK & KATHY MURILLO TO HOLD DISCUSSION AT HEARD MUSEUM
Artistic Duo Share Professional Tips for Success
WHAT:
“How to Start a Career in Art,” An Afternoon with Patrick and Kathy Murillo at the Heard Museum
Patrick Murillo and Kathy Cano-Murillo have been working as Chicano pop artists for 20 years. Their The Murillosmost popular works are custom-made shadow boxes filled with bright colored art, glitter and hi-gloss finishes. La Casa Murillo will be a life-size creation of the Murillos’ fantasy home opening in the Lovena Ohl Gallery at the Heard Museum on October 3, 2008.
In the lecture “How to Start a Career in Art,” the Murillos will share career pointers and starting pointsm and discuss how they market their work with blogs, web sites and other tools of the trade.
WHEN:
Sunday, October 19, 2008, 1:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Encanto Room at the Heard Museum, 2301 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Ariz.
Click for Google™Map
COST:
FREE Admission
INFO:
Call 602.252.8848 or visit heard.org.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
I can't believe the week is already here!
Click here to read all about it!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Latino Perspectives Magazine and SRP are hosting a reception for the exhibit on Thursday, October 23 from 6-8 p.m. It is free and they will have food and drink and Patrick's band will play!
All you have to do is RSVP here. Come join us!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Last week I was in three different time zones and it really caught up with me this weekend. I'm jet lagged and not thinking clearly. I'm clumsy. Despite that, I stayed up late last night working on my web site - all Halloween stuff.
I finally fell into bed around 1:30 a.m. I didn't even say my prayers or vibe up before I surrendered my spirit to the night, as I always do. I don't even remember falling alseep.
Next thing I know, I hear Patrick calling for me from the front door of our house.
"Kathy, we're waiting for you, hurry up!"
I hop out of bed, mad that he didn't give me any advance warning. I had a sense that this was a journey or trip we were going on and that I needed a suitcase. I fumbled out of bed and made it to my walk-in closet. I opened the door and it was all white and all my stuff had been covered in Rigid Wrap. As if someone had just left all my belongings as is and covered from floor to ceiling with the plaster cast stuff.
Confused, I backed out of the closet and saw that my entire bedroom had been covered in Rigid Wrap too. I crossed into another room and this tall skinny lady with her hair parted down the middle and pulled up into a bun, very gothic looking and expressionless, put her hands on my shoulders and tried to force me back into my room.
At that moment, I knew I was in the middle of a dream. I told her "Excuse me, I gotta go. Later! Bye! I can't stay here!" and I wriggled my way out of her grip.
I then let out a gasp of air and sat straight up in my bed. It was 1:37 a.m. I flicked on the light and the TV set. I explained my dream to Patrick and he was like, "Whoa. I have no idea."
I then said my prayers, fell alseep, and woke up very refreshed this morning. But man, that was a trippy dream!!!! Maybe because I had been workingon Halloween stuff? I had also just read the spoiler synopsis for that new movie "Quarantine".
Any ideas?
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Looking for some fun Halloween projects? Look no further! I'll be adding more throughout the rest of the month, but in the meantime, here are some from years past.
CRAFTY CHICA GHOST STORIES
Rubina Chinchada & the Enchanted Dresser (flash fiction)
My Real Life, Swear-to-God Ghost Story! (for real!)
CRAFTY CHICA HALLOWEEN IDEAS (more to come)
Candy Necklaces
All about pumpkins (plus stencils!)
Beehive Wig
Candy Sorter Placemats
Corpse Bride Costume
Creepy Candles
Furry Monster Candy Totes
Glow-In-The-Dark Jewelry
Halloween Zombie Dolls
Horror Flick Fabric Coasters
Hot Glue Eye Masks
Mason Jar Lanterns
Personalized Lucha Libre Mask
Pumpkin TV Set
Sparkly and Spooky Banners
Stained Glass Lanterns
CRAFTY CHICA DIA DE LOS MUERTOS IDEAS (more to come)
Learn all about this spectacular and spiritual Mexican holiday by visiting Dead.AzCentral.com. My hubby, Patrick, did all the illustrations!
More projects to come!
Teacher and student educational packet, featuring the art of Patrick Murillo!
Skeleton Story Box
Black and White Charm Bracelet
Bleach Pen Skull Banners
Clay Calaca Beaded Charm Bracelet
Decoupage Lamp
Day of the Dead Pin
Felt Banner
FREE e-cards!
Funky Fantasy Skulls
How to make a shrine
La Catrina Cigar Box Shrine
Light up Skulls
Paper Flowers
Plaster of Paris Skulls
Reverse Glass Painting
Simple Papel Picado
Steve Irwin Altar
The Therapist Shadow box
Traditional Sugar Skulls
Next is my favorite. It is dead.azcentral.com - it is a web site for The Arizona Republic and AzCentral that Patrick and I helped put together. Patrick did all the illustrations and I wrote many of the stories.
- The history of Dia de los Muertos.
- Glossary of terms associated with the celebration.
- Food and recipes.
- Photos.
-
Videos.
- How to build an ofrenda (an altar).
- MexicanSugarSkull.com
- Day of the Dead Wedding decorations.
- Rubber stamps and more rubber stamps!
- home decor items from Mexico.
Wedding Couple Tote
White Chocolate Sugar Skulls
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
* Crafty Chica™ Tango Permanent Fabric Markers™
* Crafty Chica™ Market Tote™
Bird with Roses
Instructions
1. Using broad strokes, color leaves green and rose blue. Use red and yellow to add shading to body of bird. Finish coloring rest of tote design, choosing your own colors. Write the word “peace” in ribbon.
2. Add designs to border areas, using markers to draw swirly borders and flowers all around edges. Use black marker to outline your designs.
3. Decorate strap, using photo as a guide.
4. Add polka dots in open space.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Start your bracelet with the awesome Crafty Chica™ Picture Charms™ and add some other charms and beads to make your own Chica statement!
Materials List
* Crafty Chica™ Charms™
* Miscellaneous
Heart Charms
Needle nose pliers
Medium jump rings
Chain link bracelet with clasp
Instructions
1. Lay out chain bracelet and decide where you would like to place charms.
2. You will need one jump ring for each charm you want to attach. Pick up one jump ring and open it with needle nose pliers. Slip on charm and then connect it to chain. Use pliers to close jump ring. Make sure there is not a gap in jump ring; make sure it is closed tight so charm will not slip off.
3. Continue for rest of chain. If desired, add other charms.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Turn any wood frame into a glittery hanging of love!
Supplies:
1 large frame
1 sheet of foam core
1 large Styrofoam heart
Crafty Chica Paint Pack
Aleene's Original Tacky Glue
Chunky red yarn
Crafty Chica Pop Star Purple Glitter
Hot glue
Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage
Brushes
Cut the foam core to fit the back of the frame. Secure it with hot glue. Use the Tacky Glue to adhere the heart in the center. Let dry. Paint the frame green, the inner background purple and the heart red.
Work section by section and coat an area with the decoupage medium, and then the purple glitter. Do this until the surface is completely covered. Now add Tacky Glue to the front of the heart and wrap the yarn around the heart. Let dry. Add details to the frame. Use two eye hooks to hang to another decorated shadow box!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
shrines a plenty
Originally uploaded by chicadificil
Chica Dificil made these fabulous shrines using the Crafty Chica Wood Frame!
Also, lots of contest entries are coming in today!!! Keep 'em coming!!
I'm home from Dallas! Had a very productive, exciting day in TX!
It is Thursday night and tomorrow I'll be at the Hispanic Women's Conference all day. There is a big Crafty Chica booth where you can make a free glittery greeting card, or shop for the new products! I'll also be speaking on two panels.
10 am: Stages of Entrepreneurship
Do you know what it takes to start a business and help it grow? Identify and seize opportunities at every stage of your business. Be proactive to capitalize your efforts and realize your business potential.
2:15: Celebrating Chica Lit
Meet successful Latina authors who have written about their early inspirations and passions. Listen as the writers share their uplifting stories of motivation and influences. Discover the complete experiences of these inspiring authors.
At 6:30, I'll be signing books for !Viva el Arte! at the Herberger Theater!
If you are home on Friday - check out The Tyra Banks Show to see the fabulous Jackie Guerra! She is one of the expert panelists talking about weight loss.
Last - don't forget that FRIDAY, 11:59 pm is the last day to submit a picture of your decorated empowerment guardian to win a free cruise!!!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Here are directions on how to make this from two bandannas!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
I'm home from NYC! It was such a wonderful trip, I loved every second of it! We took the red eye out on Friday night after our exhibit opening (which rocked - hundreds of people came to see it!).
I was soooo tired because I had been up until 2 am all that week, and then the exhibit, and then the plane ride. We got to the city early Saturday morning, and our room was not ready. This was around 8 am. By 11, I fell onto a couch at Virgin Records in Union Square, unable to move. I ended up taking a cab to the hotel and sleeping in the lobby until 1. We got our keys and I slept for 13 hours straight! I needed that really bad. If I had been at home, I know I would not have let myself STOP.
The next day we hit St. Mark's place, a boat ride, dinner and dessert. The treat of the day was meeting - in person - Jeff Rivera! He started as a self-published author who had his book, Forever My Lady, picked up and re-released by Warner Books (now know as Grand Central Publishing). He is such a great motivator and spends all his time trying to make the world a better place.
I met Jeff on MySpace, and sent him an email on Sunday, totally out of the blue. He was like "Where are you? I'll be there in one hour!" and he was! We chatted about book publishing and he gave me some great tips on navigating the fiction book process. Even back in the day - I was working on my first chapter and he helped me get it in shape. Thank you, Jeff!!!
Monday rocked the hardest. This was my whole reason for going on this trip - to see my book editor, Selina McLemore of Grand Central Publishing. Although, Monday I learned that Nicolas Sparks was going to be signing books at Rockefeller Center. Yeah, it sounds corny, but I love his story of how he wrote The Notebook - his first novel - and sold it for $1 million!! Sometimes I just feel like reading a gushy book that will get me all choked up and his books do it. I haven't read all of them, but I respect him so much. I would have loved to have gone to his signing, but there was no way I would miss or postpone my meeting with Selina.
I met Selina and we went to lunch, came back to the office, and she had my manuscript all sorted with colored Post Its to match each character. This is exactly what I had been waiting for! We talked about what needs to be cut (two secondary characters) in order to make the book bigger and better. I felt like taking a cab ride home to Phoenix right then and there so I could get started on the revisions.
A bit later in the meeting she asked me, "Do you like Nicolas Sparks? He is one of our authors and he is in the building signing books."
So...I GOT TO MEET NICOLAS SPARKS!! I told him I had just written my first novel and that I was honored to be with the same publisher as him. He told me how his next book is due on shelves in the fall and he hadn't even written it yet! His agents and editors were there, and their brows perked up. "Stop talking and go write!" they joked...He congratulated me, gave me a handshake, and told me that he hopes I sell a million copies. Yes, I got choked up.
Here is Selina at her desk after our meeting. Don't let the devil hanging there fool you - she is really an angel!!! She is sitting in front of all the books she has acquired. I can't believe mine will be among them! We are still on the hunt for a title and cover idea. I think after I knock out these revisions we will all have a better sense of what to call it.
I wrote the first draft of my novel for National Novel Writing Month in 2004. NaNoWriMo begins again on November 1st at midnight. If you've ever had the inkling to write a fiction book, you should try this. I outlined my book for a whole year and it wasn't until NaNo that I made myself DO IT! 2,000 words a night, baby. It felt so freeing and fun to work a totally different part of my brain. I had never written fiction before! If I can do it, so can you!
Back to reality!!
Tomorrow at 6 am, I'm on a plane for Dallas for work stuff. I'm on excitement overload! I'll be back on Thursday, and then I'll be at the Hispanic Women's Conference all day on Friday. We will be doing Crafty Chica greeting cards and I'm sitting on two panels (business and writing). Friday night I'll be at the Herberger signing books and Saturday, I'm teaching two workshops as part of La Casa Murillo. We'll be making glittered dog banks!
Don't forget that this FRIDAY, 11:59 is the LAST day to turn in your contest entry for the cruise!
Don't forget the Michaels promotion of Crafty Chica products ends on October 31st! But you can still buy stuff on Amazon or at the Heard Museum. More places to come very soon!
Darn, it is already 11:30. I have to go to bed so I can wake up at 4! Have a super day!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Artsy wind chimes can be a breeze project
by Kathy Cano-Murillo - Sept. 27, 2008 12:00 AM
Special for the Republic
Today, we're talking wind chimes. I've always wanted to make a glorious one, but didn't know where to start.
I wanted something over the top with layers of texture. I even had a vision: dangling bottles. I found one at Cost Plus and worked on it. . By the time I was finished, no one could tell it was the same chime. It's perfectly OK to cheat a bit if you find the right foundation at a store. Take it and make it your own.
The idea is to use interesting objects. Look through your craft stash for buttons, old spools, beads, minimirrors, ribbons, trims and connect them for one wild eye-popping result.
Mixed-Media Wind Chime
Supplies
1 wind chime with bottles
Glass paint, adhesive leading
Six-strand embroidery thread
Fishing wire
Embroidery needle
Assorted spools of thread (can be found at bargain stores)
Assorted spools of ribbon
Minimirrors
Beads
Hot glue
Directions
Untie the bottles from the foundation. Apply the adhesive leading and decorate with glass paint. Let dry overnight. Re-attach the bottles to the foundation. Cut two 24-inch-long pieces of fishing line, and hot glue the minimirrors to them, all the way down. Tie each strand on the foundation, in between the bottles. Use the needle and embroidery thread to string beads, spools of thread and charms to ribbons about 24 inches long. Make four of these and tie them on in a balanced fashion. Continue adding strands of whatever other items you like, such as bottle caps, flowers and even small painted pictures.
When hanging, make sure to use a secure hook, because your chime will be slightly heavy. If it is too heavy, reinforce by adding an extra stand.
Tip: Use a bit of hot glue on ribbon knots for extra holding power.
(NOTE: This piece is currently on display at The Heard Museum)
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Come join in the celebration!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
I need to go to bed. But I must post video first! I'm finally learning my way around the video camera and editing software. So get ready for videos!!!
Day before opening. Patrick filmed while Melissa, Marcus, and Dan worked away putting everything in place, right where we wanted it! They measured every little detail to make sure it was beyond perfect.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Our exhibit opened tonight! It was a soft launch for museum members and sponsors. I was so nervous, these are high-art patrons who are used to seeing all kinds of incredible and worldy concoctions. I was so relieved when they gave us gushing reviews.
The staff at the Heard has made Patrick and I feel like world-class artists! We owe a big round of thanks to all the staff for making this happen. No request was out of the question. They brought our vision to life.
I just uploaded some videos on YouTube, they are taking a bit of time to process, but they should be live soon. Soooo much went into making this exhibit happen. From sketching the layout, to the theme, the floors, the frames, the colors, making more than 200 projects to be displayed, and then staging it all. It was worth every ounce of glittered sweat!
There are still a few items to be added. We painted bisque ware, but the kiln guy called in sick today, so we won't have it in the show until Friday. We need to add a few little pieces here and there, but otherwise it is done!! Oh, it feels so good to say that! Tonight I asked Anne, one of the museum's VIPs - "Were you worried we wouldn't finish?" She paused and said, "Not at all. But did I expect it to be done a week early? No." We all giggled, everyone knows us by now. Right down to the wire!
It's not that we are slackers. In addition to his band and the Heard stuff, Patrick has been running the house because I also have a full-time job. In between working on the Heard for so many hours, I've been working on the Crafty Chica product line stuff (oh mama, COOL goodies coming soon!). It is like happy overload times 100.
However, all this exciting energy is frying my brain a bit. Here are some doozie phrases I shared this week:
"Darian, can you please hand me the scissors so I can plug in this lamp?"
(I needed to cut the zip tie that was wrapped around the cord)
"Hey, I saw a sign back there! It said something..."
(driving with Patrick looking for a quick place to eat)
"I like sushi as long as it doesn't have raw fish."
(Right before I bit into a California roll).
"This is a vase I made from glass-stained paint."
(???)
OK, those were my quotes.
Here some that I heard...
"No Kathy, I don't think you'll have time to glitter a cactus today."
"You're in luck - yes, they DO have 33 yards of peacock green lame fabric!"
"Oh, you can put that where ever you want...Just not right there."
I learned so much about myself this week. Like, I think I have OCD. I swear!! I'd look at a wall and see empty space. So I'd add filler. And then I would stand back and see more empty space on that same wall. So I added more. I'd look again and still see empty space. It was never ending! I cannot handle seeing any empty space...
Patrick and I did pretty good as far as collaborating. We only had one spat. It went like this:
HIM: Let's go to the Duck to eat lunch and say hi to Tod.
ME: Noooo...I have no make up on, I don't want to see anyone I know!!
HIM: Then why don't you just put some make up on?
ME: ARE YOU SAYING I'M UGLY??? (I start to cry).
Since we are on the subject, can i vent a bit? There were some other little things. I made eight Chinese lanterns for the art niche, and he swiped three of them for the family room - and my special Carmen Miranda ornament that he glued to his faux fish tank! AND he was supposed to paint me two Chihuahua portraits, but they are no where to be seen...I better stop. He has crafty dirt on me too! I don't like it when it comes back around...
Something else funny tonight - the band played at the reception. On the break, the bass player walks into the gallery, looks around and proclaims, "La Casa Murillo?? HA! Their house sure don't look like this!"
I wanted to elbow him and throw him out by his belt loops! (JK) I explained to him that the theme of the show is that it is our fantasy house. Bass players. Geez!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
Here are some close up pics of a few items from the exhibit that Kate Crowley, PR director for the Heard Museum sent me from tonight!
To keep up with all the things Kate is doing with the show, visit her MySpace page!
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
See the new line of Crafty Chica products at select Michaels stores and at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2008.
This is in the bedroom gallery, Phil, a graphic designer for the Heard Museum, is helping to hang up fabric over the bed.
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Crafty Chica™ Loteria Game™
$8.99 |
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Crafty Chica™ Love Shrine™ Workshop-in-a-Box™ $12.99 |
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Crafty Chica™ Iron-On Design™ $3.99 |
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Crafty Chica™ Charms™ $3.99 |
