“Santa Martita”, photo illustration by Kathy Cano-Murillo.
In the New York Times article that came out yesterday, there is a quote by me about Martha:
“Martha has always been an inspiration to me, in a weird way, because I cannot do her type of crafts, no matter how hard I try,” Cano-Murillo says. “So my thing has been embracing that I can’t do it — and celebrating my own style.”
I just wanted to expand on this a little bit, because I didn’t mean to sound disrespectful to Ms. Martha. She is the patron saint of glue guns in my book! I love to make things and give things. I love to use glue, glitter, paper, fabric in creative ways. As we all know, Martha does too. Her ideas have inspired all of us. I am constantly impressed by her craftiness – and to think she is just as devoted to gardening, cooking, and entertaining too? Sheesh! I’m happy just having time to wind up my sequin trim.
When I say “her type of crafts” – I mean her style. It is so beautiful and crisp. Polished, classy, and refined. Simple, elegant, minimalist.
Everything I’m not.
One day I came to the conclusion that I could never be like that. I am someone who gets excited easily and I relay that energy through my crafts. Shiny, shinier and shiniest: Those are my three volumes. No matter how hard I try, I can’t make myself like taupe – unless I spray paint it bright red and spritz it with spray-on sparkles. And that it not a bad thing. That’s just me. So I finally let my Martha insecurities go and decided to just embrace my own style and have fun with it.
My point is that instead of bumming about what we are not, we should find the beauty in what we are. Don’t compare or doubt your talents. Don’t diss or make excuses. Work hard to find what you are good at and refine it.
I know Martha would agree!
Since we are talking Martha, wanna know one of my ultimate crafty fantasies? Heh-heh. For Martha to get down and dirty with a glittery Crafty Chica Love Shrine!! If she did, I would promise to add taupe to my everyday color palette!
Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy 🙂
P.S. Check out my new book and product line!
You don’t need to explain yourself. Lots of us would rather craft like Kathy Cano-Murillo…bright colors, sparkles, and all!
you know… better to know what is not your style than to force it to be your style. I love what you do… it’s so YOU
I would LOVE to see Martha try and do what YOU do!! ~ See? The grass is green on both sides of the fence ~
You and Martha both rock!
I enjoyed this post.
You know, I think people with coloring like mine would totally disappear behind the intensity of the colors and glitter that look so fabulous on and next to you.
And you know what? It’s taken me years to figure out that some shades of taupe make my eyes and hair and skin just shine and shimmer. It’s not what I WANTED to find out, but it’s the truth. Those bright colors and high contrasts drain the life right out of my face.
So, I guess the take-away is that you should get kudos for your style and I’ll try harder to be true to mine.