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*flashback
~I have been very lucky. I noticed at quite a young age that I was an artist (not that I wanted to be an artist) and my family,friends and teachers fostered and supported me full force.
~I will say a little about craft Vs art here. I think I joined the craft team because crafting is less high brow than the regular old art world, Crafters seemed to me to be into pooling resources and sharing information(most of the time). Now with that stated I must admit I am on the artsy side of Arts and craft . I tend to barrel my way through processes blindly relying on trial and error (lots of error) and necessity often dictates my aesthetics
~This is all old news I know the feminist art and craft art movement in the '70s and 80's has come and gone and come again; but still it is on my mind alot .
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"…While many artists, especially sculptors and installation artists, are steadfast members of a “slacker” generation, Kiki, 52, embraces craft, the dreaded C word of the art world. In myriad materials such as glass, fiber and beads (some associated more with amateurs and craft-show practitioners than with professional artists), she has embraced a dizzyingly diverse vocabulary of the demoted, debased and despised–and she makes you like it"
chuck close
~I have become so comfortable in the craft environment I sort of forget there is an art world and to them we are just a movement in their greater scheme of things.
So when I come an artist/crafter who is blurring the lines between art and craft I get super duper excited and inspired. The craftyChica was one of the first crafty superstars that I ever came across. I was quite drawn to he imagery
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...but even more I was drawn to her biznass sassyness(?). I loved that she had made a job for herself out of helping others discover and develop their creative core.
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*fast forward here is the book review finally
~Kathy Cano-Murillo is an inspired artist and someone you want to be around, She is an incredibly creative soul who wants to share with you all her creative secrets to help you find your creative path. And she is freakin' Hi-larious
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Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Projects for the Everyday Crafter
I love this book it has so many creative and relevant projects. This is the perfect book for someone who has never touched a sewing machine( but has dreams of conquering one), however the projects are innovative enough to spark the interest of an accomplished seamstress.
~My crafty chica project.
I have been trying to decide on which project to try first I actually have a few going now but this one I finished first . Ribbon trimmed pencil skirt
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~The project is about using up your surplus ribbon supply (which surprisingly I really do not have much of ) Instead I made "ribbons" of fabric( because I have way way too much fabric ). The buttons here all vintage plastic .
~As you can sees the projects are quite adaptable and each one has several alternative ideas for the project to help get your creative juices flowing.
~As a final thought and an attempt to make this all seem like it makes a little bit of sense... Sewing is kinda like the Art world to me. I had to teach myself all I know( my mom was afraid~when I was a begging 8 year old ~to let me use her machine?!!!!)I still have a hard time reading patterns and I definitely only ease a sleeve by accident. A book like this ,Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Projects for the Everyday Crafter
Is a breath of fresh air into those back room sewing classes.
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