Dear Ms. Murillo,
I wanted to thank you for putting together such a wonderful site! There are so many great craft projects-I'm a college student,you know how it is,and will be using a good number of your ideas as gifts for my friends,who,blessings that they are,are tough to shop for.
Take care, and best regards to your family.
 Sincerely,
Marie M


Hi Marie! Double thanks with chocolate sprinkles on top for your kind words and encouragement, I really appreciate it!
Hugs and glitter,
Kathy


**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

Kathy,
Are there any cool and/or alternative craft fairs in the Phoenix area? I have seen many advertised for other areas on craftster and want to know when Phoenix might get one or if we already have one. Is the DIY community here very large?
Thanks in advance for any response.
Bonnie, Phx


Hi Bonnie!
Thanks for writing! There are a lot of neat events here. The ones I mostly do are the Hispanic-themed ones, but there are gobs of others. Downtown Glendale has a lot of neat event like the Front Porch Festival which is next week in the historic district. You can contact them at Simple Pleasures (name of store). Also call the City of Phx and/or Glendale and ask to get put on their mailing lists for events, they always have calls for crafters! Hope this helps!
http://phoenix.gov/PRL/contactmain.html
http://www.glendaleaz.com/Recreation/Programs-Activities/Special-and-Family-Events.cfm

Kathy :-)

**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

Does anyone read this blog? I never get comments and there is no hit counter, so I have no idea if this is useful. It takes a bit of time to answer all these questions, so if no one is checking in here, I may give it up (for more sleep!).

If you read this blog, please post a comment or shoot me an email.

Thanks!!

Kathy :-)
**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

how do you do it?
i am blowing kisses at your exsistence.....how do you do it all? 2 kids, a hussy, a thriving crafty carreer....and you seem to be somewhat sane.
loved your web site
thanks.
sarah

Well Sarah, it's not always a smooth cut through melt-n-pour soap, if you know what I mean. A lot of it is planning. I do all my "extra" stuff after 9 pm every night, when the kids are in bed. It is impossible to even try and do anything productive when la familia is up and active. I don't want to do anything productive! I just want to hang out with them and have fun, even if it is crying over math homework, doing the dishes together or cheering at the TV during The Amazing Race (go Chip & Kim!).
One thing is that I am VERY focused. I have a vision - a mental mission statement - and I don't stop until I get there. Once I do, then I go for the next level up. Personally and professionally. It's not about money or anything like that, it is just the feeling of trying to be a good person and inspire others. You give out and you get back. I think the world would be a safer place if everyone took time to release their stress through art, don't you? Dr, Phil...you out there? What do you think?
- CC

**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

Hi!
I've been reading your articles for several years now, and I really love your style. I might be living up North, but we French-Canadians have latin blood in our veins too :)
However, I'm really jealous of the stickers and images you use in your projects. I'd like to make some latino-inspired crafts for my new apartment. But you can only go so far with acrylic paint and terra cotta pots... Once in a while, a girl's gotta have her share of external inspiration.
I live in Montreal (Canada), and the latino population is not sufficient to have import stores. Can you suggest a good online store. Or even better, a free or cheap source of copyright-free images I could print at home?
Thank you very much,
Catherine

Hi there!
Oh to be in Canada right now! It's September and we are still in triple digit temperatures. I just melted another tube of lipstick today (sigh).
Alrighty, let me think. Here in AZ, there is so much of it! I would try these online places:
KLOJ.com
Stampington.com
Tesoros.com
Silver Crow Creations
Best of luck!!
- CC
**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

Kathy -- I've been meaning to write you for the longest time, but I just needed to find a website and automatically went to your "loca links" to find it.  That reminded me that your links have been a godsend to me as I've explored the Internet! You have one of the very best collections of girly, crafty, hip links I've found on the net! Thank you so much for compiling this list and keeping it current. You rock! And your crafts are muy excelente, amiga!
 
Lori S, Omaha, NE

Awww, Lori...thanks for noticing that I love to surf other people's web sites. It's an addiction. I want them all to succeed, it's hard to keep an indie business up and running these days. Plus the BEST thing, is most of those sites traded links with me. That is the beauty of the Internet, don't you think? If you ever see a Crafty Chica-friendly link, please pass it on to me!
Take care amiga,
- CC
**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

I have ideas for cute/girly/funny t-shirts and want to know if you have any tips for getting started - i.e., good sources for cheap screenprinting & good deals on good quality/cute t-shirts.  Please inform...

Thanks much,
Sister in craftiness

Chantal

Hey Chantal!
There are several options. If you are just starting out and are low on funds, I would get a Cafe Press web site up and running. That way you can test out your designs and change them as often as you like. Yah, they take a big cut but at least you'll get a feel if there is a market for your items.

If you have a little bit of money to invest and want to tangibly try out your shirts, you can use these new cotton or silk Ink Jet sheets:


They come 10 to a pack for about $10. I used Aleene's OK To Wash It Glue and this is what I did:

(instructions)

As far as screen printing - this will take some research. I would suggest going with someone local to save on shipping costs. The price will vary depending on quality/quantity of shirt and how many colors you use. You can also check with a local art store for a screen printing kit, but that will be costly.

If anyone reading this has any ideas, please comment!

Good luck!
- CC
**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

HI KATHY!
I KNOW YOU HEAR THIS A LOT, BUT YOU'RE SOOOOO GOOD! I DUNNO IF YOU CHECK YOUR OWN MAIL. I HOPE YOU DO BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO READ THIS. I THINK YOU'RE SO GREAT! I LOVE EVERYTHING YOU DO AND ITS SO YOU, SO LATINO! I'M 22 (I JUST TURNED 22 IN JULIO) AND AS A MATTER OF FACT YESTERDAY I WENT TO TARGET AND I FOUND MYSELF BE SOOO HAPPY BECAUSE ALL THESE WHOLE BUNCH OF SCHOOL THINGS WERE ON SALE, BUT THE CATCH IS I GO TO COLLEGE I DON'T GO TO HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO WHY AM I SO GLAD TO FIND THINGS SO CHEAP? ANYWAY, I HAVE SO MUCH JUNK AND I LOVE ACRILYCS AND PAINTING AND MAKE STUFF OUT OF ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING AND I SPEND MOST OF MONEY ON MICHAEL'S (YOU KNOW THE CRAFT STORE). BUT I LIKE IT! IT MAKES ME HAPPY, BUT I DUNNO IF I'M AS CREATIVE AS YOU.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS:
DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL?
DID YOU LIKE TAKE ART OR SOMETHING?WHAT DID KIND OF CLASSES DID YOU TAKE?
WHAT DO YOU DO W/ THE THINGS YOU MAKE? DO YOU SALE THEM?
BECAUSE I MAKE THINGS AND ITS SO HARD TO LET GO OF THEM AND GIVE THEM AWAY BECAUSE I PUT SO MUCH IN TO IT AND SO MUCH LOVE IT MAKES ME THINK IF
THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF THEM AND LIKE THEM AS MUCH AS I DID. I LOVE YOUR BOOKS! OK I HAVE THEM BOTH. THEY'RE SO COOL! WELL, THANK YOU FOR READING THIS! IT'S GREAT TO SEE A PERSON LIKE YOU DO SO WELL DOING WHAT THEY LOVE!

KARLA

Whoa Karla! I can tell you are a very creative and outgoing person. You seem so positive towards everything you do. That will take you very far. I'm addicted to Michael's too! If I have to choose between a Mocha from Starbucks or a can of spray-on glaze, guess which one I go for? I'm long out of college and I still get all giggly at Target with their school supplies. I LOVE them too!
OK, Now I'll answer your questions:
1. Yup! I finished high school and then got my AA in college. Years later I finished my BA in Business Mgmt.

2. I never took an art class. I had art in grade school but no matter how hard I tried I never got good grades or my work hung up on the walls. It messed with me for years afterwards, until finally I said "Who cares?" and just started doing what made ME happy - and that was art.

3. If I'm filling an order, I set it aside for packing and shipping. If I'm goofing around or just doing something for *me*, I always like to save it and hang it in my house, or maybe use it as a craft project so other people can learn how to make it too. I'm like you, some things are hard to let go of. I made little shrines for my grandparents that passed away, I'll never part with those pieces. But that inspired me to make shrine kits so other people could do the same thing.

Thanks for writing and keep painting!
- CC



**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

Hi, I like your website. I looked for papel picado but didn't fine none. Just wanted to say hello and I am trying to get back into being creative. I just had a loss, so it makes it a little difficult to get started. Great projects.
Take care GloriaLinda

Hola Gloria!
I'm so sorry for your loss. Art is definately a good way to work through the loss. Maybe you can create a little altar with pictures, fresh flowers and mementos. Write a letter to your loved one and seal it in an envelope and put it at the altar too.
Just for you, I will do a papel picado project very soon. Thanks for the inspiration...
Peace and crafty blessings,
- CC
**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com

I have a very dark bedroom. I am having white paneling put up in it. Do you think or know if the spray glitter (not a lot) on the walls will stay there? What I mean, in time, will the glitter fall off? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Georgie

Hey Georgie!
That sounds like such a great idea, I may have to try it myself some day! I don't think I would go with the craft store spray-on kind. It is very running and will probably leave streaks on your lovely white paneling. Can you say cheesy looking? don't go there. You could try spraying it from a distance but I don't think the effect will last too long. And it stinks really bad.

I would go with a roll on kind like this:


I'm not sure how this will work on white paneling, but this is my favorite sparkle product for walls:

It's made by the gorgeous Annie Sloan from Oxford, England. Here is some info from her about her exclusive glitter paint:
"A varnish like paint which spreads a galaxy of tiny glittering stars. Use as a glaze to enliven dull, difficult areas. It lends a sense of glamour, flirtation or fun.
- Use it in the dining room for a deep, rich effect
- Use it in a child's room to create a feeling of wonder
- Use it in a bathroom, it can reflect the glitter of water.
For the strongest glittery result use it over a strong colour: Dragonfly Green over Cairo Green; Electric Blue over Iris Blue; Fireworks Red over Plum, Cranberry or Pacific Blue."

I want some! $40. per litre, or $6.25 per 100 ml.
- CC
**********
http://www.CraftyChica.com