Magenta Vendetta

Color has always intimidated me.  In my earliest youth I believed the power to unleash my vast artistic talents depended solely on getting the BIG BOX of Crayola Crayons when school started in the fall.  Every year I wanted the big box - and every year I was let down. I can't blame my mom, she had 6 kids to buy schools supplies for and not much in the expendable resources department. Sure, I was blessed to start school wearing those beautiful dresses and outfits she slaved over,  but all I really wanted that damn big box of crayons that had the crayon sharpener in the back. FOR REALS - a crayon sharpener!  Oh, I knew I would be absolutely prolific if I had that weapon in my arsenal.

Magenta was the queen of the crayons.  I loved that crayon color more than my own life. I always asked to borrow it from friends who had parents that loved them and did not abuse them by sending them off to school in front of God and everybody with a measly 12 or 24 pack of crayons.  M a g e n t a. Say it loud and it's almost like murmuring an enchantment. My brother Gary got the semi-big box one year and it had a magenta crayon...but he knew I loved it and never let me touch it.  My opinion that brothers are turds was formed early.

To this day color still intimidates me.  Up until a few years ago I wore only browns, blues, soft tones that just stayed in the back row and didn't clamor for attention.  Quilting has helped change that in a big way.  Now I look for clothing with a little POP of color and have a little somethin' funky behind them.  It's hard to find them in clothing that is "suitable" for my age. I've long since lost the desire to show the world my "girls" - in fact, I'd donate them, I'm so tired of hauling them around.  Ditto for pants that ride low on the hips or have great color but are ruined with a splatter of fake bleach or worse - rhinestones.  Believe me, no one wants to see my ass bedazzled.

Fast forward to a blog surfing session about 3 weeks ago.  I saw this done by a woman who did it for her nieces and I just loved it!   I wish I could remember where I saw it so I could give her proper credit. My bad.   Anyway, I thought I'd do it up and hang it in my sewing room as a reminder that color is now my friend.  I went to the craft store to pick  out  a stretched canvas and headed over to look at the crayons.  The whole GET THE BIG BOX thing came back to me so overwhelmingly I just grabbed it and threw it in the cart.  HAH. I laughed all the way home, and squee'd  as I fired up my hot glue gun and glued them on in a neat little row.  Then I tipped the canvas on an angle, turned on my very hot blow dryer  and this is the result:

Tah-dah!   Isn't it a howl?  You can guess which little crayon was spared the vindictive wrath of the hairdryer.  Yes - I now have a magenta crayon. It will remain mine forever and be perfect forever.  I'm ready to move on and grow up.  I have vanquished my white 4-H ribbon and resolved my magenta vendetta. I'm even feeling more kindly toward my brothers, although they still give me attitude for not having a "real" job.  Whatever.

Like Arthur's sword Excalibur, Luke's light sabre, and Harry's wand I too have my talisman of power and will wave it at the world and accomplish great things.  I promise to use it for good and not evil. Thank you, Crayola Crayons -  thank you for my magenta.