Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life [Paperback]

Kathy Cano Murillo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 2006

Crafters everywhere can tap
into their creative spirits with
this idea-packed, beautifully
illustrated book

No one knows better than crafty chica extraordinaire Kathy Cano Murillo the satisfaction that comes with creating one-of-a-kind items. In Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul, she offers thirty original projects ranging from colorful jewelry and elegant candles to hip Mexican coffee coasters.

Along with full-color photographs, step-by-step instructions, and a handy resource guide are Murillo's fun and inspiring tips for connecting with your culture, tapping into your creative spirit, and finding new ways to spice up your love life, glam up your garden, redecorate your kitchen, and much more.

With Kathy Cano Murillo's guidance and glittery ideas, crafty chicas of every age and skill level will be well on their way to developing their own personal sense of style while living artful lives.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“There are not many craft books that make you weep with joy. Crafty Chica’s Art De La Soul is one of them. Inspiring, generous and loaded with fantastic projects, this is required reading for anyone aching to bring some funky craftiness into their world.” (--Jean Railla, author of Get Crafty )

“Kathy Cano Murillo is a Crafty Chica who proves that crafting is not just your abuelita’s game to play, it’s yours and it’s now. Kathy manages to make crafting both cool and caliente!” (--Jackie Guerra, actress and host of DIY Jewelry Making )

“Who better than Kathy Cano Murillo to offer up ideas for becoming colorfully creative and nurturing a happy heart? Crafty Chica knows the balance between using the right glue and not coming unglued over your project.” (--Jenny Hart, owner of SublimeStitching, crafty TV host and member of the Austin Craft Mafia )

About the Author

Kathy Cano-Murillo is a full-time features reporter at the Arizona Republic where she covers theatrical film and celebrity profiles, and her very successful column, "Crafty Ideas". She has published several top selling crafts books including La Casa Loca and The Crafty Diva's DIY Style Book (2004). She is the founder of CraftyChica.com, a wildly popular web site launched in 2001 to inspire women to brighten their lives with clever craft ideas. She is the creator of a line of Hispanic-themed wallpaper borders and accessories for girls in Lowe's Home Improvement stores.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harper Design (February 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060789425
• ISBN-13: 978-0060789428
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #710,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

People most know Kathy Cano-Murillo as The Crafty Chica. She has been profiled for her art and crafts in The New York Times, USA Today and NPR.

Kathy has been a writer longer than she has been a crafter, inspired in grade school by Erma Bombeck and Judy Blume. As an adult, Kathy went on to have a 13-year newspaper career at The Arizona Republic as an entertainment reporter, all while running her award-winning web site, CraftyChica.com. She has authored seven books including Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul and Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing.

In 2004, Kathy pursued her dream of writing a novel and finished her first draft for National Novel Writing Month. She wrote from 10 pm-2 am every night while her family slept, a tradition she still carries on to this day. Her manuscript sold in 2007 in a three-way bidding war to Grand Central Publishing.

Kathy's debut novel, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter released in March 2010 and her second, Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing in March 2011. She is currently writing her third book.

Kathy designs her own Crafty Chica product line through iLoveToCreate, a Duncan Enterprises Company, and she is also the Crafts Editor for BlogHer.com

Kathy's mission with her novels is to share stories about contemporary Latinas living and working in the creative arts. She lives in Phoenix, AZ, with her husband, two kids and five Chihuahuas. Her motto for life is "Crafts, drama and glitter".

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming Crafty Author Entertains as She Educates!, September 2, 2007

By 

Jean Yates "jean, jewelry designer, book and... (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life (Paperback)

Kathy Cano Murillo, the author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul, Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life, has delighted me with her craft book. I don't normally get all excited about making purses out of 50 cent hardbacks (That cool project is called "Hardback Book Purse" and is fabulous!), nor do I relate to holidays such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which I find slightly scary. However, with Kathy as my guide, I understand that this tradition of honoring the dead is similar to the manner in which we honor our ancestors no matter what our ethnic background. After reading what she wrote, I opened my mind and learned what I had never understood before about this holiday, and now I find it compelling and fascinating.

Not only am I willing to learn about a culture which is different from mine, I am totally charmed by this craft book. When I first started reading it, I began giving my husband orders: "Jim: PLEASE go get me a balsa wood box! Please get me a roll of silver embossing tin! I want a knob! A really cool one! Please!(my husband is a builder). Yes, my first project was "The Empowerent Box". I particularly liked this project because it is beautiful and because you store your favorite quotes in it. You hand write them out, place them in it, and keep it next to your bed. I have several favorite quotes. One is "Hope is the thing wth feathers." As a parent with disabled children, I never give up hope. Another is "The buck stops here". Do you have any favorite quotes? A keepsake box, made by you, is such a lovely place to keep treasured words which mean something special to you.

Kathy Cano Murillo is quite an amazing person. Not only does she set you aflame with desire to create her projects, with your paintbrush flying and your glitter shooting sparks all over the place, she writes fun stories. Some are about mishaps she has endured (read the Chocolate incident and you will relate totally!), and some are touching stories about her family. It's a lovely combination: you get projects like "The Mighty Mosaic Address Sign", with has cool marbles and loteria playing cards decorating it, you get tales, suggestions on movies with crafty aspects to them, (this is cool--trust me), fun tips on how to take each project to the next level, and a style of writing which engages you from the first page.

I am not Hispanic, but because of Kathy Cano Murillo, I have a high respect for the family values, the hard work, the humor, the love, and the creativity she offers, here in this book, as an unofficial ambassador for the Hispanic people. She should be very proud of this book. It is superfun and cool.

Other than the projects I already mentioned, several of my other favorite projects are: "Wonderfully Worn Flower Fence", ALL the "Potions for Passion" (and why not!), and the "Love Letters Pocketbook". That one is really pretty.

I think this author is one in a million. Try this book and you will soar--she will be the wind beneath your wings! A great and unique experience! I love this book!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars But I'm not a crafter..., May 12, 2006

By 

Robert Trecot "RTrecot" (Manhattan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life (Paperback)

and I bought this book anyway and I'm glad I did. My wife and I took a vacation in Mexico last summer and we've been trying to think of what to do with all the souvenirs. This book has so many ideas like the shadowbox table, which we plan to make. The only reason we haven't is because we can't stop looking at the pictures and reading the memoir pieces. I never realized crafting could be so purposeful and meaningful, the author really expresses that in her writing. So maybe I'll become a crafter afterall...

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Craftalicious!, June 14, 2006

By 

Tatum B. (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life (Paperback)

This book ROCKS! Its super colorful and funky. Mexican pop culture craft projects that are as fun to look at as they are to make. Really good for kids or a night with the girls. If you are looking for a different and inspiring kind of craft book, this is it!! Awesome!!!