The Maker U - Issue One - February 2019

START, MAKE, CONNECT, GROW ISSUE ONE

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Hello Makers and those that Love Makers, Welcome to the Premiere Issue of The Maker U! The Maker U was born from a desire to gather makers, to collaborate, showcase, encourage, give gentle nudges, or full-on shoves, to teach, and inspire. I have enjoyed doing this on a small scale twice a year with my in person Creative Women’s Retreat, Handmade U, for the last 7+ years, but thought why not just jump onto your mobile devices a handful of times each year too?! Plus for those that might not be able to swing a weekend girls’ getaway in Nebraska, perhaps they might be able to afford to immerse themselves in the Maker Community by reading about and learning from some amazing Makers. This magazine is also for those that want to learn not only how to make new things, but to hear tips and stories about how Makers have started their businesses, grown them, and morphed them as their lives changed as ours all do. There is even Homework pages included in each section for you to complete! (I promise it’ll be fun and help you Grow!)

I have gathered a great group of Makers for our Premiere issue. I asked these women hoping they would come along for the ride as I figured out how to put this whole Online Magazine together. I’m humbled to say these gals said “YES” with just a simple ask of “wanna join me?” And for that I am extremely grateful!

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This generous group of Makers will focus on four things for you:

The Maker U is a community of Makers, those of you reading this now, you are a part of it, so thank you!. We will grow and branch out with your help and input! I would love to hear from you! Please share what you’d love to read about, learn, who you want to see featured, etc. Send me an email and say Hi! Go Forth and MAKE! xoxo Rachel

McGough

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TABLE OF CONTENTS START VIKKI SPENCER - 5 COMMITMENTS FOR YOUR WORST CREATIVE FEARS KATHY WILKINS - 5 RADICALS WAYS FOR GETTING STARTED MOLLY ANTHONY - START SIMPLE KELLI MAY KRENZ - TIPS FOR BEGINING AGAIN *MAKER HOMEWORK - WHAT IS YOUR WHY? FEATURED ARTIST - VANESSA KIKI JOHANNING

MAKE JULIE COLLINGS - FELT BON BON RING TUTORIAL CHERYL JAEGER - SCRAPPY FLOWER BOOKMARK/CLIP TUTORIAL TARA ROYER STEELE - A START...THE MAKING OF A PIE JULIE GEIGER - 50 STATES BARN QUILT EXHIBIT * MAKER HOMEWORK - WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MAKE? FEATURED ARTIST - WENDY BRIGHTBILL

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CONNECT DEBBIE CANFIELD - SEEN & HEARD RACHEL MCGOUGH - GATHER TO CREATE COMMUNITY TRACI JONES - CUSTOMIZATION IN MAKING #HANDMADEMADEANDTRADE GROUP *MAKER HOMEWORK - HOW DO YOU WANT TO CONNECT? FEATURED ARTIST - KELLI MAY KRENZ

GROW JENNIFER ALLRED - SELLER FOR A SEASON, MAKER FOR LIFE JENNIFER MCGLON - MAKERS THEN AND NOW, AN INTERVIEW KALLIE MAUGHAN - BALANCING KIDS, CREATIVITY, & BUSINESS KELLI SWEET -DISCOVER A LOCAL MAKER-NEBRASKA *MAKER HOMEWORK - WHAT KIND OF MAKER DO YOU WANT TO BE? FEATURED ARTIST - ASHLEY DEVRIEZE

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The Maker U February 2019 Issue One Rachel McGough …………………Creator and Editor

Letter to the Editor and Submissions:

Email themakeru@yahoo.com Direct Message on Instagram @themakeru Copyright 2018 by Rachel McGough All rights reserved. No part of this online magazine may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of Rachel McGough. All images and photographs within this publication have been included and reproduced with the knowledge and consent of all the makers and no responsibility is accepted by the publisher, The Maker U, for any infringement of copyright or otherwise coming from the contents of this magazine.

We appreciate the giving nature of the makers included in these pages. Please do not reproduce projects that the makers have shared within the magazine for resale. The projects are intended for personal use only. Thank you! *Some products may include affiliate links to support magazine production

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5 Commitments for Your Worst Creative Fears article and photos by Vikki Spencer Maybe it’s just me.

But I take about 5 days to plan, prep, and procrastinate before I Make A Thing. Then, I decide that 100% this is Not A Thing, no one will like it, I didn’t think about marketing before the fact, and Oooh look! there’s 10 more Things just like it on a search.

So a few years ago when I was really stuck, I did what anyone with common sense would do – I watched episodes of Guitar Center Sessions every morning during coffee and getting my son out the door.

This show highlights incredibly successful, famous, and award winning musicians sitting with Neil Harcourt, talking about their music. I’ve never figured out why Neil Harcourt gets to do that but I digress.

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One day between packing a lunch and eating a breakfast sausage, I realized the stories all sounded the same.

There was passion and some talent. Some.

They sacrificed and played and played and played because they loved it.

Most couldn’t support themselves for years with their craft -so they took other jobs so they never burdened the talent to sustain them.

They performed, put their stuff into the world, played for beer money.

They got knocked down and got better.

They played bigger and bigger bars and then venues. One thing led to another. Some kind of serendipity happened because of everything they put out there. Someone heard them and contacted them.

Then they quit their jobs so they could play more music more of the time.

They got better and better producers and contracts and ultimately won awards.

Most of us aren’t trying to be award winning musicians. All I wanted was some moms to hear my 4 hour audio course called Seconds to Sanity.

I made it, ran one session of it, and was at a standstill. Three people ever listened to it. I checked the stats.

But in the trajectories of creating and selling, we have lessons that nearly erase the fears that hold us back from starting in the first place.

Here are some I’ve used to help me battle my own imaginary catastrophes before I even start.

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5 Commitments for Your Worst Creative Fears.

1. If I love it, I’m going to make it. Otherwise, it’s already Not A Thing.

2. I will not ask my work to support me yet. I will give it time to be A Thing.

3. I will create without attachment. This means I give permission to myself and The Thing to be whatever it needs/ wants to be, going along on the creative process and enjoying it fearlessly.

4. I will accept other’s opinions but rely on no one person’s view. Some

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will love The Thing and others not so much. But input from a variety of sources is everything and helps me see it in a new light. This fuels my commitment to iterative living, always getting better.

5. I will keep showing up. Maybe it’s been 3 days since anything had a hand laid on it. So what? Keep going. Maybe it feels worthless and who cares anyway. So what? Keep going. Showing up is the secret sauce that no one talks about. Keep showing up.

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So what about my course? Brave Girls University contacted me, asking if I would contribute a course. I verified that they understood I wasn’t an artist or maker. I had no beautiful graphics that even went with my course (because seriously, Brave. Girls.)

They accepted Seconds to Sanity and to this day it’s on Brave Girls University.

Women have commented, sent me emails, and thanked me.

That course then had much of the material I used for my book, Momifesto and the subsequent videos and courses after that.

But when I was making those first audios, I couldn’t see all that.

I just had to give it my very best love, effort, and passion.

We literally don’t have any clue where our projects will end up or how. But that’s not what we’re doing when we’re Making A Thing. All we’re committing to is making it. The rest happens because it’s made, and we’re learning.

So, the next time fear feels a bit loud, go to YouTube and find Guitar Center Sessions while you get out your supplies and cup of coffee ( or breakfast sausage). As you start to Make your Thing, listen to where the bands have been, and all the nuances of facing fear by moving forward one step at a time.

Because that’s all anyone can ask of you or your creations – Just do the next thing.

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About Vikki Spencer Vikki is the author of Momifesto: 9 Practices of Phenomenal Moms, and Fear (less) Fridays - Notes from a Small Woman in a Big Big World.

She offers courses, a yearly retreat, find more at www.themomwhisperer.com and constant inspiration on her IG @themomwhisperer

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Five Radical Ideas for Getting Started

by Kathy Wilkins Photo Credit: Chelsea Merill

SO you want a creative business! You long to spend your days doing something that’s meaningful, something that lights you up, connects you with others and uses your creative talents and skills. You’ve done your homework and you’re confident you have a creative or handmade product that is marketable at a good profit. You know that there are many makers who earn a good living selling directly to customers on Etsy and other online platforms. You feel confident you have what it takes to be one of them.

But you’re stuck. You just can’t seem to get started.

If that’s you, you’re not alone. The old saying is true, ”If it was easy, everyone would be doing it”. The fact is, even the most skilled and prolific artists and artisans have learned that making a living from their craft is not easy. In fact it may be one of the most challenging careers out there. It’s also true that it can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding.

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But first….what’s your WHY? Every success story begins with a powerful WHY, a purpose and passion that transcends any obstacle. Spend some time discovering and crystallizing your WHY, and there will be nothing that can stop you from pursuing your dream. In my own businesses, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said, “Remind me again why I’m doing this?!!” What I’ve learned is that when your WHY is powerful enough, when you’re driven by a meaningful purpose, it will pull you through the inevitable times that are hard, exhausting, disappointing, or heartbreaking.

Let’s say your WHY is established and you’re so excited you can’t think about anything else. What’s keeping you stuck where you are? What are you waiting for?

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Five Radical Ideas for Getting Started

Radical Idea #1:

The only way to start is to…START. Start where you are with what you have right now.

I have a confession that might make you want to punch me. When someone tells me they have this dream but they’re stuck and don’t know how to get started, I sometimes scratch my head. I’m puzzled. WHAT is stopping you from getting started? Do you really not know what to do next?

I think you do know. In all the world, there is at least ONE more step you can take. What happens is that we get stuck when the next steps are hard or new

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to us or confusing or not fun. Remember you’re just learning…you’re not an expert at that thing yet. But you do know something that needs done, and what you don’t know you can learn. Because google…and youtube.

Sometimes you gotta be your own Dr. Phil and make yourself be brutally honest. Have you really done all you can? Are you really stuck? Do you really not have enough time? Do even want to do this? (It’s okay if you change your mind). Pardon my language, but don’t BS yourself. It’s not helping you…it’s hurting you.

You would never wait until all the lights are green before you leave the house.

Instead you just deal with the green and yellow and red lights as they come along. If you wait until all possible obstacles are out of the way, you’ll never take that leap because IT’S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. So just get out the door. Start where you are. Start with what you have. Go as far as you can see…take another step. Repeat.

Radical Idea #2: You must hone your craft.

This may not seem like a radical idea, but it’s surprising how many people think they can shortcut this step. You gotta get reeeeeally good. Learn.

Practice. Experiment. Take a class (or ten). Play with new ideas, new materials, new tools. Make as many different versions of your art as you can imagine. If you’re going into the marketplace, work until you find your niche… your voice.

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It’s not enough to copy what someone else has done. It’s also not honest. Yes, learn from and be inspired by others… but if you want to enter the marketplace keep at it until you develop

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style and

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true vision of your own.

Make piles and piles of art. Throw out the ugly ones. Start fresh. Your best and most marketable idea may be your 99th or 100th!

Radical Idea #3: Your fears are irrelevant.

What if you fail? What if you’re rejected? What if you make mistakes? What if no one likes your work?

Guess what? You’re going to have fears. Someone is going to reject you.

You’re going to make mistakes. Not everyone will love your work. I’m boldy

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(but kindly) going to say… SO WHAT? Everyone is scared. Everyone messes up. It’s going to be HARD. Accept it. Move forward anyway. The only way to overcome your fears is by moving in spite of them.

It’s very helpful to ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

Really GO THERE with your imagination. And then ask, “Can I live with that?”

Here’s the truth: fear is a bully and a liar, and you don’t have to listen to it or believe it. Begin anyway. Challenge your fears. Plow over them. You’ll find that most of your fears are completely unfounded, and if there’s something you’ve legitimately feared…you’ll handle it. You’ll learn, you’ll grow, you’ll get stronger and more equipped. You’ve got this.

There really isn’t a monster under your bed. Promise.

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Radical Idea #4:

Not everything should be turned into a business.

Gasp! YES, I really said that. And I’m not taking it back because it’s important.

No matter how much social media pressure you feel, or if you wonder if you even EXIST as a maker if you aren’t selling your creative product, or you worry that there isn’t a place for you in the maker community if you aren’t a ‘professional’ with a following…the truth is that it’s okay if the things you make never leave your home and their job is ‘just’ to bring you and those close to you beauty or whimsy or joy!

Do you need more convincing?

Years ago I visited the home of a new friend, Patrice Longmire. Her lovely home changed me forever. It gave me a creative vision and a longing to follow her lead because EVERYWHERE I looked there was something she had lovingly created… something warm, love-filled, peace-filled, whimsical, beautiful, memorable, meaningful…a feast for my eyes and my heart. I am still striving to make my own home something like hers. I came away understanding how deeply art matters, that creativity matters, and that it matters MOST in your own home.

What I know for sure is that whether you ever decide to sell your artful creations or ‘just’ cherish them yourself, you matter as a maker. Everything you make with your own two hands and your imagination matters, and you have a place in the community of other creative souls and makers. YOU BELONG. We all do.

Creating has a much higher purpose than making money.

Its first and highest purpose is to enrich your life.

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Radical Idea #5:

You can learn a lot from a farmer.

I live in Idaho where there are farms all around me, and I love watching them on their tractors and combines throughout the year. They’ve taught me a few things that apply here:

The harvest doesn’t come overnight. You have to show up and work hard almost every day. Patience, persistence, nurturing, long hours, and hard work are required between sowing seeds and harvesting. No exceptions.

It’s not always the right season for planting or harvesting, and no amount of positive thinking or ‘doing it anyway’ will change that. Carefully consider the season YOU are in. Maybe the reason you can’t seem to get started is because it’s the wrong season for you.

You’ll do a lot of work no one ever sees. Most people won’t notice all you’ve done until harvest time, and they’ll assume it was all easy and fun. Farmers like to take a minute at the end of each day to chew on a toothpick and look over their fields. It’s good to pat yourself on the back and breath in some joy from your progress, especially when you’re the only one who knows.

A bountiful or profitable harvest is not guaranteed. Just keeping it real.

There are 24 hours in a day, and you can use them all. Give them each a job (including resting, playing, and time with loved ones). Do an inventory…

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maybe the time you waste can be turned into the time you need to create a business or learn a skill. Lots of makers and entrepreneurs find their magic in the early morning hours‌I know farmers do.

No matter where you ultimately want to be on your creative journey, the way to START is the same.

Know your WHY Start where you are, with what you have right now

It’s as simple as that. Whatever fear or excuse or lack is holding you back, get over it and get busy! Your one and only beautiful life is waiting.

Ready, set, go!

With love and encouragement,

Kathy

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About Kathy Wilkins Kathy is starting something new, too! Haven Place is her newest endeavor with her daughters, Kallie Maughan and Chelsea Merrill. They’re all about connecting through creative gatherings and workshops. Find them at

www.haven-place.com

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Start Simple article and photos by Molly Anthony It’s easy to collect art supplies. There are always new pens to try, paint colors to combine, journals and sketchbooks to page through then file on a bookshelf.

But sitting down and beginning a new project can be challenging, daunting and even downright scary. What if you “ruin” that first beautiful blank page in your new journal? What if no one likes it? What if you don’t like it? It’s easy to let these fears turn into excuses for why we can’t create – I can’t do this now, I have to finish up a project for work, pay bills, fold laundry, make dinner, I don’t have time.

But what if you didn’t use your best art supplies and instead used found materials? What if you only set aside a few minutes a day to create rather than thinking you need hours of uninterrupted time? What if you focused

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on simply playing and didn’t set out to make a masterpiece? This may feel counterintuitive but starting small and using what you have around you will actually help you take steps towards much bigger artistic goals.

A simple way to break out of a creative rut and stretch your artistic muscles is by doing a simple 10-minute index card collage with found supplies. To get started, get an index card (or any blank piece of paper roughly the size of an index card) to use as your substrate. Then, begin gathering collage materials. A great place to start is in your pile of daily mail.

Look inside business envelopes for interesting and unique patterns, find pictures of places or people on direct mail, and gather color blocks and patterns from flyers. You can also find inspiration inside magazines and catalogs. But don’t spend too much time looking for the “perfect” materials, just flip through quickly and gather items that catch your eye. By using what you have around such as junk mail and magazines, it takes away some of the fear of “ruining” your precious art supplies and allows you to concentrate on creating a composition. Don’t worry about using scissors, just gently rip around the edges of your image. The frayed, jagged edges will aid in the process of learning to let go of perfection and help you find the true beauty in unique

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imperfections. The only other supply you’ll need is a glue stick or tape to adhere your paper to the index card.

Once you have your supplies, set a timer for 10 minutes and then get to work building your collage. Tear the pieces of paper as needed and move them around on the index card to find where you feel they fit best. Try different color combinations and page orientations as you go. What does it look like if you use only blocks of color? What if you add a line of text? Try adding a single image on top of the collage. Don’t be afraid to leave white space around your image, there’s no rule saying that you have to fill the entire card. In fact, there are no rules at all. Just keep moving the paper scraps around until you’re satisfied with your image or the timer runs out then use a glue stick or tape to stick them to the index card.

There are two elements of this exercise that may feel uncomfortable at first but will actually help you overcome the fear of getting started. The first is working small. Not everyone enjoys creating a piece of work that is small enough to fit on an index card, but the practice of working small will actually help you construct a concise and clear composition. And by leaving white space around your work, it will help your composition

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breathe and give it a freeing, more relaxed feel. It also doesn’t require a large time commitment to complete a piece this size, so it’s easier to fit the practice into a busy schedule. Which leads us to the second element: time.

The first couple of times you try this exercise, you may feel rushed and worry

about the timer, but try to ignore it and just work on your collage. Soon, you’ll be able to relax and settle into the meditative process of moving the pieces around the page. There are several benefits to this. First, you’re giving yourself the gift of time and allowing your brain to focus on a creative task for a short period. Ten minutes may not seem like much, but when you’re constantly on the go and overwhelmed with a never-ending task list, ten minutes will allow your mind to pause, take a deep breath and reset. And when you only have a short, set amount of time to work, you don’t have time to listen to your inner critic, which can help you drown out that dreaded voice.

The other benefit is that when the ten minutes is up, you’ll have a piece

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of artwork in your hands that you created and you’ll have the sense of accomplishment that you made something. You probably won’t love every one that you make, but that’s not what’s important. You made something. Embrace that. Celebrate that. And keep going. You can do these collages while you’re eating dinner, watching TV, riding the bus, or waiting for an appointment. You’ll begin to notice collage materials everywhere you go. Collect receipts, napkins and advertisements and keep a stash of them in an envelope or box along with your index cards and glue stick so they’re ready to go when you are.

Once you’ve gotten into the habit of stretching your creative muscle, you’ll find it’s easier to use and you’re less resistant to starting. The excuses for why you can’t create fade and turn into reasons why you need to create. And you may even find that found materials are some of your favorite to work with because of the freedom they provide – freedom to take risks, try new things, to not worry about ruining your “precious” supplies. And the best part about found materials is that they’re everywhere just waiting to be discovered, waiting for you to come out and play, waiting for you to get started. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started.

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About Molly Anthony Molly lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, two young daughters and golden retriever. She finds inspiration for her daily art practice during her morning walks with her dog in their favorite park and uses objects they find along the way as mark-making tools and writing prompts. She developed her Found Object Creativity Kits as a way to inspire others to seek inspiration from unexpected places and use what they have to begin creating. One of her kits was featured in the 6th International Recycling Art Exhibition hosted by the Gachi Art Movement in South Korea in 2017.

Her artwork and stories can be found on Instagram @mkranthony and Her blog TheFoundArtWalk.com.

Her kits and original artwork are available in her Etsy store TheFoundArtWalk.

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Tips for Beginning Again article and photos by Kelli May-Krenz *One sure way to get yourself creating again is to take your fears and toss them out. Try having no judgement just play. *Tell yourself that no one except you will ever see your playing helps you move forward. *Practicing setting aside expectations. Just create for you, to fill yourself up. *Try new supplies and ways of creating. Some of my favorites are painting with acrylics and watercolor, stitching (almost anything) drawing and collage.

I adore layers and find ways to sneak them into most of my art and design. *Do not compare yourself with others. We all have gifts that make us special

and unique. No one can be you!! Appreciate that we are all different and special (you too)

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*One think I use to inspire me is looking at vintage images online and local shops. Start making a tiny pocket size journal and write or sketch little ideas as they come. Examples - color palettes you love, eras you are drawn to. Snap a picture if you can to have so you can be inspired after you are home. Give yourself a little project of creating something based on your day trip. Let it fill you up. *If you make something and really do not like it ~ DO NOT throw it away!

Stop and put it in a special drawer. Creating a safe place for your art to hang out. Later you will look at these pieces and see how far you come with your creativity. Often I find the piece I disliked is actually pretty okay. *Online classes that you can take at your own pace are dreamy. Learn some new techniques, mix them with your unique style. You will be surprised in the ways you grow.

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*Another tip to get you started creating when you’re feeling stuck is to pick a color. Take that color and create a theme around it. For instance I will pick the color green and fill a page with my favorite green things. Sketching and arranging them in interesting ways on the page. You will see interesting pattern come to life. Super fun way to break out of your block. Works every time. *Do as many pages as you can around your color. Fun moments start happening and before you know it your dreaming and creating freely again.

Remember to always have fun! *I tend to make many different kinds of art. I move quickly from one idea to another. Seems like I live in a mind space of never having

enough time to get all of my

ideas out. I write them down in that same small pocket size

journal. Knowing these ideas will be waiting for me.

*Never stop creating, trying and playing with the sense of freedom

children have. Take yourself back to being free with holding your crayons ~ this allows you the gift of not judging! I find that when I get to this place it feels like therapy for my soul (mindfully healing).

*My biggest advice it to not be swayed by all of the artist images you see on social media. Be excited about possibilities only. Being an artist is a very vulnerable thing. Be kind to you! You showing up and beginning again each day is more than enough! Stay true to you.

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About Kelli May Krenz Growing up an only child I lived in a very imagination filled world. My parents encouraged me from a very early age to create.

I always had crayons, paper, glue. I loved the school supply aisles at the stores. Art was by far my most favorite subject. My parents even had me in private art lessons doing all sorts of projects at a young age. I am grateful.

I loved playing with dolls (barbies) I would create very elaborate homes for them. Making the furniture, wallpaper, bedding you name it! I think I have been doing interior design from about the age of 6, it still remains a passion of mine.

I’ve always known that I would design and be an artist for my career. I never even thought of being anything else. I worked hard to win art scholarships and fine tune my skills. Graduating from Iowa State University with a fine art and graphic design degree. Creating in my studio is like breathing to me, I simply must do it. IG @kellimaykrenz

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The Maker U - START Homework Artwork by Vanessa Kiki Johanning

In our first section - START - we want to focus on the ideas, projects, unfinished work in our lives that need a gentle nudge or an all out kick in the pants. This Homework will get you to really take stock of those things that are hanging out there on your work table, in the back of your mind, or in a daydream you had today. You’ll begin by prioritizing what really matters to you. Grab a hot drink, a comfy chair and fun colored pen and lay it all out there!!

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WHAT DO YOU WANT TO START List ALL the projects you want to START or LEARN to make, and FINISH:

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

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Next to each of the items listed, mark them in priority order. While doing this, think about and make note of why you want to start and complete each thing.

If you are like me you probably needed a few extra sheets of paper to list all the projects you have in that crazy, crafty mind of yours. Let’s be honest, if you had the time and energy to really work on them all, then the list wouldn’t be that long, am I right? Really think about what is important to you, and maybe even let some of the ideas go, or put them on a separate list of - “When I’m retired and independently wealthy.” If you get to a more manageable list of projects, it might not seem so overwhelming, and progress might be made more easily.

When lists are so big do you freeze and not start anything?

If so, breaking it down to IMPORTANT Prioritized steps might just help unfreeze you and get you moving.

Think back over the times when you really got moving on a project. List a few things that got your STARTED. Was it a deadline? Needed to earn some income?

Having a friend to work on it with? Whatever it is, make a list of those things, and perhaps you can incorporate some of that thinking into starting you down the road to completion on some of the projects above! Now Get Started!

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Vanessa Kiki Johanning~Featured Artist Where are you located ?

I live in an adorable small town called Sussex Wisconsin, which is 1.5 hrs north of Chicago. My house has four levels filled with joyful creations and collections! I have a large yard with many Flower gardens, I play in the woods and pick flowers all the time!

What do you do?

I am a real, full time Artist, Every day in every way!

This may include sewings, paintings, assemblage, gardens, just about anything you can Alter and embellish!

Also driving around in my Van That is fully decorated and Hand-painted, and my Vintage Turquoise Truck!

I try to add creativity to everything in my life!

I have filled my life with selling my artwork ... originals and also products from scarves to Purses and candles!

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I love making online video classes, graphic design, product development, speaking engagements and monthly teaching events! I also make handmade hand bound journals custom filled with around 60 of my paintings on glorious French paper! I ship these worldwide!

Describe yourself: Well , let’s think a minute… I am very silly at times and have an extravagant wry sense of humor! I am a happy mom and wife, … I make colorful art in every way I can, almost every day! This means whether it shows up in the clothes I sew and design, …my sculptures…You tube Videos, paintings … Home Decor creations… handmade books ...They are all a reflection of my beliefs…. Which is always trying to be a Good & Positive person and spreading Happiness! ! I just can’t help it, its what comes to me naturally! I think it’s important to reinforce it in your surroundings!

Describe your art: I use happy and bright colors always, I encourage it! In my mind everything that is colorful feels perfect to me! Pink is delightful, and I have been quoted as repeating that: “Yellow fixes everything!” Plus did you know color actually can make your heart beat faster?? When I see a brightly colored Fabric or patterns my insides jump up and down and I feel better!

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How did you get started?

I didn’t always think of myself as an artist … but I have always felt creative.

I Had a Garden Design Landscape company for many years, where I envisioned and created hundreds of beautiful Magical Garden Spaces. It was there, that I would plant splashes of color that became the flowers that moved into my paintings! Its because of this that Nature always takes a visit into my artwork!

Describe one day in your life: Ok! We always get up early around 6:00AM for a “designer” breakfast (I like to call them that!) My husband Robert is a great cook!

We might start the day with a walk around the gardens with my Puppy ‘Gypsy Pearl’! We look at nature and the bird feeders, and check on the plants to see if anything needs attention. After that its back to the studio. I have several spaces in the house that I create in. One room upstairs, the large space on the main level, and then we have “his and hers’ garages! Its so wonderful to have my a filming studio on sight as well!

I will usually sit down and go over my Facebook and Instagram and emails.. first, before I start creating… it helps me clear the plate before the action starts!

Other days are filled with teaching Art, and playing with art friends. We travel

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around to get inspired to create. I love to throw parties and events, as its a fantastic way to be creative with pretty dishes and Fabrics! I have a huge collection of both!

How do you overcome your creative blocks?

When I have creative blocks It usually means That I need some rest and new inspiration. Reading books, Visiting Gallery’s, paging through magazines.. walking through an antique store will always rejuvenate my Artful yearnings!

When I return to the studio, putting my hands Physically ON my Art supplies and fabrics always gets the ball rolling! Its super fun from then on!

What are your future plans?

I have Many plans and dreams and have some very exciting projects coming up, including finishing up a Coffee table book!

I’ve always believed in thinking Positively.

I Know that my future will be Happy and Joyful in ANY path that it takes! My Faith is a big Part of my Life as well.

People from all over the world love Art and and enjoy color! I want to be a crowd cheerleader!

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About Vanessa “Kiki “ Johanning Kiki is an international full time Mixed Media Artist with more than 20 years’ experience who loves to find the sparkle in your eye while embellishing every surface of life!

A passionate collector of embroidered doilies, smiles, and experiences. She plays at a wonderful Imaginarium called Studio 22. She has been represented by several galleries in the Midwest. A published Trend Spotter, Event Teacher and Inspirationalist. Everyday..looking for happy life changing moments.. find her on Instagram

@vanessakikijohanning 40

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Felt Bon Bon Ring Tutorial

by Julie Collings Photo Credit: Julie Collings

I love working with wool felt. It seems I always have a stack of felt scraps stacked on my desk next to a pretty tin filled with wool beads. I guess it isn’t much of a surprise then that one day while playing around I made one of these bon bon rings. My first one looked so much like a little jello mold I had to laugh. it was so satisfying to cut apart the wool balls i started adding felt, beads, ric rac, trim and vintage millinery flowers to my collection of little candy rings and they all ended up in my book pretty little felts.

STEP 1 Cut the wool

bead in half with a pair of sharp

scissors.

STEP 2 Lay your circle

template over the wool bead to determine the size, then

trace that size circle on the back of a piece of felt with a pencil or water soluable marker.

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STEP 3 Cut around the circle with a pair of

scalloped or zig zag scissors lining up the points with the edge of the circle. Glue the half bead on the right side of the scallop circle using tacky glue and let dry.

STEP 4 Gather together some ric rac, tiny beads, sequins, embroidery floss, and any other pretty embellishments you would like to use and sew or glue them onto your wool bead.

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STEP 5

Decorate STEP 6 After decorating use E-6000 to adhere the felt to a ring

blank and let it dry.

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Here are some variations I have made. Those fancy sew on gems were on an old hat I bought.

Here is my little bon bon ring ready to be mailed to a friend tucked in tiny

paper mache box and surrounded by a nest of crepe paper.

I added a couple of flowers tied to the top to make a lovely gift.

Enjoy,

Julie

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About Julie Collings I live at the base of the beautiful Rocky Mountains with my husband and four children. Our house is filled with art projects, bikes, cooking experiments, electric guitars, and an art room exploding with ideas and vintage finds. I love growing flowery things, cooking with real butter, listening to loud music, shopping for vintage treasures, curling up with a book late into the night, and making pretty things. IG @julie_collings and www.theadventuresofbluegirlxo.blogspot.com

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Scrappy Flower Bookmark/Planner Clip

by Cheryl Jaeger

Materials to make 4 Clips: (1) 8 ½” square piece of each of the following: •

cotton fabric to serve as a base for the interfacings and fabric scraps

• Heat N’ Bond Lite, • Pellon DecorBond 809 interfacing • Fabric scraps and strips • Another 8 ½” square of Heat N’ Bond Lite • (1) 8 ½” piece of cute fabric for the backing • Jumbo Paper Clips (I order my hardware from www.ilikebigbuttons.com) • E-6000 glue

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1. Fuse the Heat N’ Bond Lite to the base fabric, then fuse the DecorBond

1

interfacing to the back of the base fabric.

2. Peel off the Heat N’ Bond backing, and layer strips of fabric scraps on top of the fusible webbing. Fuse together.

3. When stitching this fabric scrap piece, I like to sew vertical lines before I stitch the horizontal lines. This keeps the fabric pieces from puckering. See photo 2 and 3.

2 3

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4. Fuse the second piece of Heat N’ Bond Lite to the back of cute backing fabric. Let it cool, then peel away the paper and fuse it to the back of the stitched fabric piece. See photo 4.

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5. At this point, I cut this into fourths and then run each piece through my Sizzix machine. If you do not have a Sizzix

die cutting machine, you can

cut out your own flower designs. See photos 5 and 6 for some of my favorite

Sizzix dies.

5

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6. Next, I fuse strips of Heat N’ Bond Lite to fabrics that I will use as the center of each flower. Again, I use my Sizzix dies to cut out these circles and shapes, but feel free to cut out your own designs. Fuse these to the flower shapes.

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7. Once I have all the parts assembled and fused together, I add stitches around the center of each flower. See photo 7.

7

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8. The last step will be to adhere each flower to the bookmark/jumbo paper clip/jumbo clothespin backing with E-6000 glue. Let these dry for 24 hours.

See photos 8 and 9.

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9

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About Cheryl Jaeger Cheryl has been sewing since she was little; learning from her classes in 4-H, with her mom being her best teacher. She loves to buy fabric, cut it up, and sew it all back together into something fun and functional. Her daily responsibilities of being a mom, teacher, and wife keep her busy, but making time to sew is pure joy. She loves to share this joy with others. You can find her work in her online shop at www.cjaeger.etsy.com , as well as in shops around the Midwest.

For product updates and a closer look at her crafty projects, follower her in Instagram @craftycjaeger

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A Start…the Making of a Pie

by Tara Royer Steele Photo Credit: Tara Royer Steele

In 1987, my parents loaded up a car, that someone had given us to travel a new road. They moved me & my 3 younger brothers to the small town of Round Top, TX; 87 people small, to be exact. We were going to take over the Round Top Cafe, a hole in the wall joint that had 2 pie flavors, apple and buttermilk. We showed up with nothing but our belongings, our hands were empty. This wasn’t a dream of ours, it was a gift but at the time we knew it was an opportunity to start over and make a fresh start.

My dad had been out of work for nearly 4 years & finding a job in the restaurant industry was hard after the oil bust in Houston, but the owners of the Round Top Cafe knew my parents and that our family needed a job so they gave my dad, $200 in the cash register and would work on a payment plan once we got settled. Now when we took this cafe over we knew nothing about cooking, running a restaurant business & definitely not pie. We didn’t pick pie, it picked us, but the crust was a strong foundation. What my dad knew was depth in flavor, can you taste all the right ingredients, the perfect combination of flavors to create something that is so fulfilling? I grew up with my dad in the kitchen at home & dreamed of my own bakery. I would make homemade

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bread on the weekends that I’d deliver to church on Sundays. I used the laundry room as my proofer, I’d start the dryer and shut the door to get the perfect rise. That is where my entrepreneur desires started.

I love to create pies & recipes, to take the base flavor and expand on it. I love to watch the pies evolve over the years. Like taking our original apple pie recipe and adding a streusel topping to add more depth and create something new. Taking our sweet ‘n salty cookie & putting the dough, with a couple adjustments, in a pie crust & it’s now our most popular pie. Of course, my favorite part of the process, is the gathering of people around the table.

The pies get the customer in the door, and then we

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can truly get to know them. Humans want to be seen, heard and loved and we get to do that over an amazing meaI. I continued to work at the cafe until 2018 & built deep, long lasting relationships through pie. Relationships that helped us to grow & for me to grow on my own. In 2010 I had an opportunity to open Royers Pie Haven, another slice of the pie.

I got to write on walls, scream love from the walls and create a beautiful sanctuary, a haven, a place for people to come and rest and be still, filled up physically and spiritually. That has been a dream come true. My own place. A small slice of heaven, all through pie. Remember we didn’t pick pie, it picked us. Now pie was enabling one of my childhood dreams to come true, nearly 20 years later.

The cafe is still growing

strong, my brother &

sister in law own and run it now, my dad

still comes in on the weekends & the pie

haven is still exactly what it is, a haven.

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I’d love to share our pie crust recipe with you & a favorite pie recipe too!!

Our pie crust is simple and passed down from a family friend. The best thing about this recipe is it makes 3-1# dough balls so you can freeze the extras, just pull ‘em out the night before use to thaw. making pie dough isn’t scary, it’s full of lots of grace if you love it well. don’t let granny’s guidelines scare you... grace, grace, grace. once you put the pie in the oven, it comes out beautiful!

Pie Crust Recipe 2 cups of crisco, yes, crisco 5 cups of flour, any is fine 1 cup of water 1 tsp of salt combine flour and crisco in mixing bowl. cut in crisco with a fork, until crumbly. then, add water. mix with fork ‘til it’s partially combined and then use your hands to work together...once the dough doesn’t stick to hands it’s ready. divide dough into 3-1# balls. our surface and press dough into a circle, about 6 inches across & then begin to roll with a rolling pin. then, fill with your favorite filling!

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About Tara Royer Steele Hey Y’all! I’m Tara Royer Steele & I live in Brenham, Texas! I grew up in Round Top, Texas, home of the big ‘ole antique show! I grew up in our family’s café for over 30 years & now am traveling a new exciting path! My husband and I have Royers Pie Haven in Round Top, 2 boys & All Things Acres! It’s our new adventure for gathering people through Jesus, Pie & Coffee!! You can follow along on IG @graceupongracegirl or

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50 States Barn Quilt Exhibit article and photos by Julie Geiger

What happens when you combine a love for quilts, color, community art and tourism? You end up with a unique art installation called the 50 States Barn Quilt! The yearlong labor of love is now on display at 114 W 7th Street in Cozad, Nebraska.

This outdoor art installation is a project of the Cozad Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee. The 50 States Barn Quilt idea was developed as a new and unique way to draw visitors to Cozad while building on the momentum of the already successful Barn Quilts of Dawson County Trail.

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Cozad has Highway 30 running through it and Interstate 80 runs on the outskirts of Cozad. It is an ideal attraction as everyone driving past has a connection to one of the states no matter where they may be coming from or where they may be headed.

Barn Quilts are known as one of the fastest growing grass-roots arts movement in the county. A design resembling a quilt block is painted on MDO plywood and displayed outdoors, whether on a barn, fence, home, or building. When there are a number of barn quilts in an area, a trail can be formed. This popular form of tourism brings visitors from far and wide to tour an area to explore the barn quilts. As the home to world renowned artist , Robert Henri, Cozad was already known for their connection to the art world. Barn quilts were a natural extension to create an art form that is accessible to all and visible at any time of the day.

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The 50 States barn quilt block designs originated from Home and Hearth magazine. Starting in 1907 with a contest inviting readers to submit their favorite block design, the top 48 blocks were selected and published in the ladies fancywork magazine. In the mid-1970’s Dover Publications reprinted the blocks and patchwork patterns. The Cozad Chamber was granted permission

by Dover to use the block designs for their 50 State Barn Quilt exhibit.

Rose Mapel, co- owner of Rustic Milling and Crafts in Cozad, was commissioned to paint all the blocks. A palette of 21 colors were chosen by the Cozad Tourism Committee to be used on the barn quilts, which were

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painted in five installments of 10 barn quilts. Rose selected the colors for each individual block, taking into consideration what would showcase each design as well as how the colors would flow evenly throughout the entire display.

The exhibit has already drawn attention from across the US, with visitors stopping by to see this unique art installation. A quilt guild from Broken Bow, Nebraska was the first official bus trip to visit the exhibit. Guided bus tours begin in February and are scheduled monthly. Each tour will be somewhat unique, but will include stops at selected barn quilt locations as well as other attions and businesses in the Cozad area. The bus tours are a fund raiser for Cozad’s Grand Generation Center.

The 50 States Barn Quilt project was funded in part through support of Lodging Tax Dollars through the Cozad Chamber Tourism. Additional funding has been raised through the generous donations of block sponsors.

Sponsorships are available as a way to commemorate a special quilter, celebrate a milestone, or recognize a business or organization. Contact the Cozad Chamber of Commerce (308.784.3930) for more information.

Follow us on Facebook at 50 States Barn Quilt – Cozad Nebraska Or Barn Quilts of Dawson County Nebraska Maps of barn quilts throughout Dawson County, Nebraska can be found at barnquiltsdc.com

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About Julie Geiger Armed with a sewing machine or needle and thread, Julie creates all types of fabric wonderment including quilts, wool applique, embroidery and wool felt projects. Captivated by all things fabric since she was a young girl, Julie is the owner of Prairie Point Junction Quilt Shop, Home of Wool Felt Central in Cozad, Nebraska @prairiepointjunction

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The Maker U - MAKE Homework Artwork by Wendy Brightbill As MAKERS we Love to MAKE right?! We often just make things we dream up. However many of us love to try new things, learn from friends or amazing teachers. The Maker U showcases some amazing MAKERS who have generously given of their talents to share some really FUN Tutorials. Part of your homework for the MAKE section is to try one - or ALL of them!

Once you make one of the items from a tutorial PLEASE post a picture and hashtag #themakeru and/or tag @themakeru and the artist that shared the tutorial! We’d love to see what you are making!

One of my hobbies is pinning tons of tutorials I want to try one day - only to have them sit on my Pinterest boards gathering virtual dust. I also love, love, love, collecting online courses to get buried in my email inbox and never to be taken. Maybe it’s just me, but if you can relate then this is for you

List ALL the online classes or tutorials you have waiting for you:

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Wendy Brightbill - Featured Artist

Hello! My name is Wendy Brightbill and I am a creative entrepreneur, artist, educator and innovator. I am a recovering perfectionist painting up a storm and living my best life. I started painting after a traumatic brain injury. I love coffee and thrifting and stitching. I sometimes wish laundry did itself. I obsess over color palettes. I haven’t met a shade of green that I don’t love.

Where are you located? I live at the base of Pikes Peak in the beautiful city of Colorado Springs with my husband and 3 girls. I am so blessed to call this gorgeous city home. When I am not making a mess with paint, I am busy snuggling my girls or cooking up a big pot of chili.

What do you do? Once upon a time I was a kindergarten teacher. But that feels like a lifetime ago now. I am an artist, an educator, an innovator and a business woman. I run my Etsy shop where I sell original artwork and prints. I teach online art classes. One of my biggest passions is to

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help other women cultivate an art practice and to fall in love with the process of making art. I love sharing my story as a way to bring hope to women who are walking through difficulties. I know that art has played such a big part in my healing.

Describe yourself. I am a creative wanderer which is just a better way of saying that I have creative ADHD. I love that as a mixed media artist, I can always just switch things up when I get bored. Because of this, my favorite thing is learning a new technique to teach to all of my students in my online classes. I consider myself a lifelong learner and I am always challenging myself to go to the next level as an artist. I am an innovator. I love innovating my process of making art and sharing that process with others. And I am also a teacher.

Not much has changed in that respect, only now I teach adults and not 5 year-olds.

Describe your art. Sometimes I feel like my art is just all over the place.

I think that is because I like to take risks in the art that I make. I would characterize my art as being fairly loose and messy, but that is only on a good day. I would describe my art as colorful and joyful.

How did you get started? I have always been creative, but I picked up a paintbrush after a car accident rearranged my brain. This started me on

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the amazing creative journey and career. Painting helped me to cope with depression and chronic pain. I learned how to get lost in the process of making art and embrace making a mess. I believe that we paint the things that we most need in our lives. During this time in my life, I started to paint joy back into my heart. Now I just love to pass my story and hope onto other women.

Describe one day in your life. A day in my life involves a lot of coffee and editing videos. I usually get up before anyone else just to have an hour to let my brain wake up. This is usually filled with coffee and meditation. Then once I get all three of my girls off to school, I am usually doing one of three things, teaching, editing or packing orders.

Currently I am in the midst of video taping my next course. But I always have some sort of class going on.

I try to get my big projects finished off before going to get my youngest from kindergarten. Then usually it’s lunch, finishing up work, and getting ready for dinner and homework and the crazy time after school. My evenings are spent like most mom’s and I always try to make art just for me after my kids crawl into bed. Not super exciting but I really love what I do.

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How do you overcome your creative blocks? I have learned how to sit in the uncomfortable place and embrace the struggle. So much of the time, I believe that fear and self-doubt come to teach us some kind of lesson. When I don’t love a piece of artwork that I make, I use that to learn. Why do I not

love a piece? How do I need to change my process? What skills do I need to sharpen? How can I use this to become a better artist? So, while I think it’s

important to identify your fears, I think that it’s very important to go forward in spite of your fear. Action almost always dispels creative blocks.

What are your future plans? I hope to continue to teach art because I

absolutely love it. And I would love to start traveling a bit more as my girls are

getting a little bit older. I already travel a few times a year to teach. I would love to continue to mentor other artists and helping them find their own styles and expressions. And of course, just continue to inspire women to live their best artsy lives.

Website: https://wendybrightbill.com/ Online Classes: https://class.wendybrightbill.studio/ Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/agirlandherbrush

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Seen & Heard

by Debbie Canfield Photo Credit: Debbie Canfield

The other day I walked into a small brick and mortar business and the owner, instead of acknowledging me or any other customer that was there, was on her phone. Head down, in another world. The bell on the door chimed out that people were coming and going, but there was no movement, no response. The items on the shelf were sweet, enticing, but without her “hello” they were just items, I could get them anywhere. I had taken the time to stop at her shop, to support it, on my morning without children - a golden time in the realms of a homeschool mom of boys - and she couldn’t raise her head to say “Hello”. I left, knowing that after multiple efforts of the same, with the same result, I had no intention to return. I had no friendship or sense of community tie to hold me there. I had not been seen or heard.

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There are “stores” that we enter everyday on Instagram that make you feel welcome or not. Some accounts are for simply inspiration and you don’t expect interaction from them - like viewing a painting in an art museum, and then there are others you go to for a sense of community, like meeting at the coffee shop. These small “shops” welcome you, know your name, they reach out to you and you feel the “I hear you!” “I see you” “We have things in common”.

Instagram makes meeting people (near and far) so easy. Just liking someone’s comment, a single tap of a heart, can change the screen on someone else’s phone miles away. An instant “I saw your comment” in their world. It opens the door of the coffee shop. Replying to their comment, acknowledging what they said, is like pouring a cup of coffee and starting a conversation. Community starts with acknowledgement of another person, an “I see you” and it is built through fellowship, an “I hear you”.

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About six years ago I was community-less. I was really just a shell of me, in a emotional black hole, surrounded by three little babes under three. I’m an enneagram seven and there was no passion. I was like a shriveled up raisin.

I was doubting my sanity, wondering if I was a freak of nature.

Terrified that this was what my life was going to end up as. I had tried for years to have local community but was exhausted from raising my little men. I had nothing to give to a friendship.

A double tap on a heart in an app was probably all I could’ve actually mustered. I remember the day that I opened that little app called Instagram. I was nursing my youngest, had the other two at my feet. I took a blurry picture of the corner of the crib, stuck a filter on it and posted it. The corner of a crib? Like I said, I was a raisin. I signed up without the FB connection so I don’t remember who I followed, or who followed me first, because I didn’t have a clue who they were. It was a whole new world of people I’d never met. Completely unknown. I remember being so blown away by seeing women bolding sharing their faith, talented women sharing their handmade crafts, famous bloggers interacting with…anyone, like little old me.

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I had never seen the authenticity they shared and I began to be inspired by them and get to know them through interactions on my phone. They talked about their struggles and I didn’t feel so alone. Slowly through this little app a sense of sisterhood emerged that gave me life and even though my best friends are miles away, there’s a closeness with them in my heart. They had saved my sanity. They had seen and heard me.

My actual little “shop” Canfield House emerged from those friendships - through their encouragement and support as they cheered me on to take the plunge. In the process of getting to know those women I was no longer a raisin, and even though my situation hadn’t changed at home - those little cuties were just getting bigger and more mobile - I now had things to give because those women had filled me up. Because of that I wanted my little shop to “pay it forward” - I wanted to give and I wanted it to be effective. So I thought about what made a difference for me. The highlights of my Instagram “life” had been the moments that people saw me, when they acknowledged my comments, when they followed me. It came down to being seen and heard.

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Through the years of my little shop I’ve had that as my main goal. To see and hear people. To acknowledge that they stopped by my shop, even for just a few minutes. Every comment gets acknowledged because I know how that feels. I know how important that response can be to someone in a dark emotional hole. I hope that my little shop shines a light into everyone’s day and that’s how I try to build community there.

So how can YOU build your community?

Here are a couple of tips I think may help.

1) Ask yourself what’s important to you. Being passionate about something will make it easier to grow and maintain longevity. I wanted to reach out to people who were struggling with simply being seen or heard on Instagram because I had felt that. So I worked out a way that I could be a part of that both as people came by and what I was sending out. I welcomed them and I shared other shops that they might enjoy or be inspired by. So ask yourself what part

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of community is important to you? How did that work for you personally and how did it not work? Build on what works and throw away what didn’t. Avoid copying what others have done, make up your own brand of happy. It will be better, genuine, and last longer.

2) With that in mind, specifically ask what’s important to your friends. What will help them? Then do it. Exposure for small shops is really important, and so easy to help do on Instagram. Repost something with your thoughts and it becomes part of your community.

Get out there and spread the love!

3) Just like in your actual inperson life, there are choices you’re going to have to make with relationships.

Even if you’re building community you’re not going to be everyone’s best bud - as you grow you can’t actually maintain that, but you can be kind and that’s important. You don’t have to agree with or invest in everyone that comments on your feed, but you can be kind. Take time to evaluate your investment.

Have healthy boundaries and draw back if/when you need to. The invested followers are there for the long haul.

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4) Forget the numbers. Followers will come and go and that’s actually okay - it makes room for new followers, fresh perspectives and growth. Think quality over quantity. “Feed” your followers they’ll stick around and they’ll tell the others.

5) People buy for a number of reasons, but having a relationship with a shop owner is a big one. So keep that in mind as you grow. People will buy from you, because of you and their relationship with you. If you concentrate on them, the rest will follow.

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In the end community is about thinking of others. Seeing them and hearing what they have to say. Its about being genuine, about being positive and reaching out. Sure you can share your struggles, but you can also ask them about theirs and then take the time to actually see and hear them. Its about encouraging each other. Extending grace in the hard times. Knowing everyone IS fighting a battle you don’t see, especially on Instagram. Your comment back may be pulling them up from an emotional mud pit. So the next time someone scrolls through your “shop” be sure to look up and say “Hi! How are you?”, “I see you” , “I’d like to hear what you’re up to” and watch your community grow.

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About Debbie Canfield Debbie is a mom to three young boys and wifey to Josh. Her infectious laugh will brighten your day as she embraces the imperfections of life & encourages you to also. She keeps it happy and real; and over a large mug obsession, she chats on Instagram about crafting, sending out happy mail, supporting other handmade shops, and growing our relationships with God and our families. In a house full of growing boys she often sneaks away from homeschooling to the play in the craft room. There she’s found a passion for all things yellow, pink & blue, and since adding a heart won’t hurt, she’s embraced those too.

Find her & her shop on IG @canfieldhouse

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Gathering to Create Community

by Rachel McGough Photo Credit: Rachel McGough

Retreats have always been a way for me to circle with those with similar interests. Many of my closest friends weren’t “into crafting”. When I first started feeling the need to be creative again, I went solo to a handful of art retreats and events. I met women from around the country with similar interests and varied lives. This became a circle of friends for me that inspired,

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and supported the need to be creative and MAKE. After a few years of attending retreats, I had the desire to host my own. It all came to be because I was interested in learning from my friend Michelle Geller how to make a beautiful handmade paper book. I asked her if she’d be interested in coming to Nebraska to teach, she said SURE, and Handmade U

was born.

My first semester of Handmade U was held in September of 2011, just two months before my wedding! I’m a gal that works well under pressure!!

We had a wonderful retreat, and plans began for another! 8 years later, Handmade U is still going strong. Now held in our Historic Red Barn, built

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in 1900, the Spring and Fall Semesters each hold special times.

My Handmade U Alumni, lovingly referred to as ‘peaters, for example a 2-peater is coming to her 2nd retreat, I am a 14-peater, as is my husband Jim, who is super supportive and now is our resident PitMaster and GrillMaster.

Beyond the amazing teachers that have come and taught fun and exciting projects, and that list goes on and on, the main thing I love about Handmade U, is the bond the Alumni have created with each other attending my event.

Although most times I’m running around teaching, getting supplies, helping finish up the lunch served in Vintage Lunch boxes, the gals that attend are all supportive of each other and enjoy the rest, friendship, food, and just time to BE. The community extends beyond the weekend, and plans are made to meet back at the Barn the next Semester. Most events we have are half Alumni and half freshmen! It is fun to have

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all the re-peaters show the newbies the ropes! The Alumni get to know the antique shops we visit, and know the walk around the property through the trees. They also know when to be hungry for the BBQ, and the Cream Can Dinner, highlights of the weekend.

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I’d love for you to come join the Handmade U community at our upcoming Spring Semester May 16-18! Gale Nation @GaleNation is attending as our visiting instructor teaching her amazing Hand-lettering skills. I’ll be teaching felt flowers to add to our hand-lettered signs, as well as a small notebook cover that we’ll be able to hand-letter and then stitch the message. Details can be found at www.handmadeu.com Reserve your table today! See you at the BIG RED BARN!

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About Rachel McGough Rachel is wife to a supportive and loving husband Jim, puppy mom to Cora

McGough, and hopeful waiting adoptive parent, praying a June baby we are

waiting for truly will be ours. Rachel hosts Handmade U in their Historic Red

Barn along with their 5 barn kitties. She loves vintage fabrics, quilts, sewing, stitching, and bringing Makers together is various ways. The Maker U is her new pursuit in highlighting Makers and bringing the community together.

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Customization in Making

by Traci Jones Photo Credit: Traci Jones

There are three things that drive my creativity and inspire my business: God, words, and encouraging others. Being a custom hand stamper enables me to embrace and honor each, and that is ultimately what led to the beginning of your words cuffs.

I have always loved the power of words. Whether spoken, written, heard, or seen, words can uplift and bring life. With them we connect, we create, and we heal. Sometimes our words get stuck, and sometimes we feel that we cannot find them. I created your words cuffs to help others find, express, and wear their own uplifting and healing words.

A beauty for ashes story in so many ways, your words cuffs began when I was at the complete mercy of God and facing one of the greatest challenges of my life. Looking for a way to turn my ashes into something beautiful, I found stamping, and my life has never been the same. I needed to express myself and find encouragement, and I wanted those expressions last.

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At just the right time in the throes of this difficult season, I found myself on our local swap site, and a set of metal alphabet stamps and a hammer caught my attention. I will always remember the sweet lady who sold them to me and the excitement I felt. When I got home from picking up the stamps, I quickly grabbed my metal pieces and some old belts, and I got to work.

I will never forget the first words that I stamped: one blessed momma. More than the words themselves, I will never forget how stamping those words made me feel. I instantly gained the concentrated quiet and connection that I needed so badly during that season. I was given time with Him to create, to just be still, to hear His whispers, and to remember He is God, and He is so, so good. Creating my first piece also reminded me that even when being a mom gets tough, it’s such a blessing. The experience brought me the peace and connection with Him that I so needed.

After that first piece, I continued to create and develop my passion. It was so comforting to see my own encouraging words on my wrist throughout the day. I knew I needed to offer that experience to others, and not long after I made my first cuffs, I opened my Etsy store. Now, I always keep a notebook handy and write my ideas as they come - it’s almost embarrassing how many notebooks of

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scribbled ideas I have around my cuff room. Whenever possible, I put my ideas into action. Some work, some flop, but with each one I try, I also learn.

Turning a creative passion into a small business can be daunting, and in the beginning, I just wanted to make jewelry that gave people the words that they needed. I quickly realized that, as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t only focus on the artistic side of things and ignore the business side. I read, listened to podcasts, and looked to experts in the small business world. I learned the importance of utilizing the gifts of others to help me grow, and I put what I learned into action.

Over the years, my business has steadily and consistently grown, and I am thankful. I’ll always continue to expand my understanding of running a small business, and I’m grateful to now be able to focus on the best practices that matter the most to me: creating quality products and making meaningful connections. I recently launched an online store, yourwordscuffs.com, and I’m excited about being able to offer services I cannot on their platform. I am excited about all of the new connections it’s enabling me to make!

After five years, my shop is still primarily custom. Custom work can be challenging, but the benefits far outweigh the challenges. With each custom piece I create, I feel like I’m getting to know someone, and I love learning the

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story behind the words each costumer chooses. In fact, “customer” seems too impersonal to me, because I feel like I could sit and have coffee with each person who places a custom order! Being entrusted with a someone’s words and story is an honor. Each piece I create is exactly what each person who places an needs: their own words.

I also love how custom work keeps my mind active and my creativity flowing.

The biggest and most enjoyable challenge for me as a custom hand stamper is layout. Making the words fit on that little piece of metal can be like figuring out a puzzle at times. This is where I can be the most creative. When someone places an order, I enjoy envisioning the words and how they’ll fit. And, just like anything else in life, sometimes it works out like I hoped, and sometimes it’s a mess, and I get to try it a different way. I adore being able to do something that inspires, spreads positive messages, and uplifts others. The power words have to influence us, along with my passion for people’s stories and learning what words matter to them, was the foundation for my business and continues to be the driving force behind it today. your words cuffs brings me joy every day, and I’m so incredibly thankful to be able to love what I do and do what I love.

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About Traci Jones Traci is a momma to three and married to a sweet, sweet man. She loves Jesus, coffee, the color yellow, laughing real hard, and truly believes a hot bubble bath cures anything. She also has a deep love for words that encourage and inspire and have meaning - Bible verses, quotes, messages, prints, signs, phrases. This love of words paired with the fact that she has always enjoyed making things, and especially remaking things - taking something discarded and repurposing it – heavily contributed to the beginning of your words cuffs.

Find Traci on IG @tracicuffs or www.yourwordscuffs.com

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#HANDMADEANDTRADE

by Rachel McGough Instagram and Social Media aren’t for the faint of heart. You can feel like a small fish in an ocean of posts scrolling past. It is when we stop thinking of our followers as just a number to grow, and think about each one of those living, breathing souls that have chosen to see what we have going on, is when the true

Made by @sacredcatstudio Given to @handmadeu When we start connecting we see more meaningful time spent with our tribe,

connections can be made.

vs. dazed pointer finger exhaustion.

We can be more than a tiny circle that hearts someone’s work, we can circle around a group of Makers that want to learn from each other, support each other, and even trade goodies with each other.

It seems “Better Together” is every other company’s slogan these days, and although it may seem like just a nice thing to say, it does make sense when it’s manageable and you start seeing results.

There are many Maker trade groups out there that are organized by those of us who believe that there can be #CommunityOverCompetition and

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#MakersSupportMakers. I created the #handmadeandtrade group after I attempted to be a part of another trade group who had a few openings and I didn’t get chosen. There are all sorts of reasons you may not “get in” to a group. Let’s not have flashbacks of Junior High and not sitting at the “cool table”, it isn’t necessarily like that, and if a group does vibe like that, then keep on searching. Instead of wondering what was wrong with my goods, I decided, well there were LOTS of gals that wanted to join that didn’t get chosen, so WHY NOT start my own group? With some organizational skills, some time to monitor the group, and little bit of “gentle nudging and reminding” #handmadeandtrade is about to start Round 3.

Made by @creativeclaycafe Given to @handmadeu

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Here are the “Rules” for the #HandmadeandTrade Group: *We join for a Round of 3 Months *Each Maker is paired with a different Maker each of those months *We have a target of $25-$35 worth of goodies to be traded *The first week of the month we have everyone post an intro of their partner, in their feed, and it must stay there. (For people who have a very curated feed and don’t want a random post of someone else’s work in it, this sort of Trade Group isn’t for you)

Made by @handmade_knits_by_tracy Given to @heathercloudt

*We have everyone send their goodies to their partner by around the 20th of the month *Within 3 or 4 days of receiving your Happy Mail, you post a nice photo of what you received Pretty simple and through monthly trades we learn more about our Maker friends, get some fun goodies, and help along a fellow maker with sharing their work to our followers. We grow as a group.

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Some of the groups people try to get in have participants with 10,000 or more followers each, which I think we can all say, Yes that would be nice to fall in with one of those groups, having that much exposure would be AWESOME…..

However, we all start somewhere, each an every follower matters, so if you are hovering around the 500, 1,000, or 2,000 followers level gathering with 20 or 30 other 1,000 follower groups is going to start adding interested people given time Made by @sportytreasures Given to @nerdalertcreative So keep in mind

and effort.

helping others will

connect you, and though a shout out by someone with 20K followers would be AMAZING, even if you don’t get that, you can work hard and keep yourself out there and connected and you’ll still

Made by @christinasjewelrycreations Given to @artistrybyaleah

get to your goals!

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A Few Ideas for being a Gracious Participant in a Trade Group *Meet the Rules! Yes life happens, plan for it as much as possible, get ahead of the game, but if something unexpected does occur, COMMUNICATE with your partner and swap hostess so they know what is up. Most partners give lots of GRACE if you are open and upfront about the situation *If you are going above and beyond for your partner, please don’t expect they will do anymore than follow the RULES. Giving more should be done for the JOY of it, rather than an expectation of more in return. *Keep it positive, and know when to say, it’s just a SWAP. Yes there may be disappointments, if needed, voice those to your Swap Hostess to try and help manage. If things don’t resolve, keep a level head and know if someone isn’t meeting the Rules they most likely will not be able to continue in the group, and the next month will surely be better.

Cheers to all the HAPPY MAIL! If interested in joining #handmadeandtrade, follow Rachel @handmadeu and watch for announcements for openings. OR Direct Message Rachel @handmadeu and share your interest.

Made by @artistrybyaleah Given to @mommymeggie

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Current / Past Participants: @vanessakikijohanning

@rekindledpleasures

@degreesbykelli

@korynhutchison

@cloverlanedrygoods

@looksomethingshiny

@libertygoodsandsupply

@sweet_things_and_lullabies

@framedingreen

@garage2beauty

@littleblackmarketco

@blainboutique

@wholeheartedwoods

@beebarncreations

@alexalett

@stubborndogartwork

@cyndiharrington

@sayitinburlap

@jennhensondesigns

@nerdalertcreative

@emma.janes.porch

@artistrybyaleah

@backpocketcreations

@thecreatorsworkshop

@succulentsbydiane

@ohsolovely5

@taras_card_corner

@mommymeggie

@christinasjewelrycreations

@emersynjune

@stubborndogartwork

@luckylouie.crafts

@twoterriersstudio

@cyndiharrington

@graceupongracellc

@mylittlepegs

@create_your_joy

@sportytreasures

@inkedpagesofgrace

@divinespiritcreations

@rachelisraelart

@sacredcatstudio

@thisnthatbynikki

@therusticneststudio

@rustytruckstitchery

@creativeclaycafe

@ninejuniperavenue

@redsheddesigns

@texasmamadesigns

@divinespiritcreations

@apiarymarket

@loalyinc @ddsoapery

@handmade_knits_by_tracy

@tapeandthread

@heathercloudt

@bejeweledinindiana

@eastbrook_trading

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The Maker U - CONNECT Homework Artwork by Kelli May Krenz Connection in this social media day and age can be a little tricky. There is still the ol’ in person get together with real life friends to create and make, totally good stuff, do this! Some of you may say, my close friends in the area aren’t Makers! In that case find local places that do art classes or knitting classes, or any sort of create adventure and go on your own to meet local maker friends!

There are oftern Maker Markets that pop up, that’s always a good time to visit with local makers and connect that way.

Traveling to Retreats is always a fun time. Some of my most fun events were ones I went to alone, and still have many friends that I met and became close to during those times. It can be scary, but do it anyway!

Online is a great place to connect and find people that are into what you are.

Search the Hashtag for your favorite thing to make and instantly find tons of people that love to make that thing too! Now CONNECT with them. It’s a first step to LIKE/HEART their things. Move on to commenting and sharing what you like about what they are doing, ask questions - most people love to hear from others who love what they do and are open to sharing more.

Engage in your feed followers as well. If someone is commenting that they love what YOU are making, comment back, let them know that you appreciate them. Take a peek at their feed and see if you can connect with them on what they are up to also!

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Another great way to connect is to join a Makers Trade group. Take a peek at my #handmadeandtrade group or another one of the many on IG and participate! Commit and support other makers!

It’s a give and take on social media. Be sure to do both!

CREATE YOUR OWN CONNECTION PLAN IN PERSON Who to MAKE with :

What Retreats to Go to:

What Handmade Markets to visit:

ONLINE #HASHTAGS to search and find connections:

#handmadeandtrade or other Maker Groups to Apply For:

Set aside TIME to connect with your circle

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Kelli May Krenz - Featured Artist Where are you located?

I live with my hubby and our little JRT Pearl Button in Galena, IL. We live in a home that was once a church built in 1838. It is a very special

space and I feel lucky to call it our home.

What do you do?

I have my own graphic design, fine art studio inside our home. I have owned my studio for over 25 years. I am proud of the fact that my life is making art and earning my living. I love what I do.

Describe yourself.

I am funny, witty and clever with words. I love having friends over (the fussing with making everything pretty) I love water. I love bonfires. I love walks. I love the wind on my face (windows down even in the winter sometimes) I am a true friend. I will be there for my friends always. I am honest. I have lived through some horrible times in my life and I choose to not let those define me but, rather empower me to be a spirit soulful me. I love giving gifts. I often say if I could wrap gifts and give them to others for a living I would. I love dogs. I love waking up every single day. When my feet touch the floor ~ I say thank you.

Describe my art.

My art is me. I am not influenced by other styles that artists do. I stay true to what spills out of me.

Some say it is playful, colorful and fun. Then there is the spirit side of me that feels more moody and word filled.

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I also love branding and designing graphics all styles. I have no one style but, I do have one thread that flows through all of my art = layers. I adore layers.

How did I get started?

I remember my first contest I entered was in 4th grade and entered a poster contest for our local fire department. I won a check for $15. I drew a match family (of course I did) Ha. I have forever created and loved every single minute of it. Having a degree from Iowa State University opened many doors for me. I have worked and lived designing in NYC, Ohio, Texas, Minneapolis, Florida and now Illinois.

Describe one day in your life.

I wake up sometimes not early - I tend to be a night owl. Trying to change that habit.

I say thank you for waking up.

I let little Pearl Button outside then I get a glass of home brewed ice tea (plain no sugar) I walk up a whole bunch of steps to my studio and check email and messages to see if I must reply to work stuff right away. Then I set aside time to create on something fun for at least one half hour. I listen to music all day long. I eat and early lunch here at home then back to the studio. After lunch I check social media and try my best to reply to posts. I often take afternoon

walks with little Pearl Button it clears my head and well its good for us. Then I

hit the deadlines and create. Evening I make a list of what is my go to items in the morning. I could spend every hour of the day in my studio but, I do have a

fun life! Good thing I am married and have a dog or I might just be in my studio all of the time. Ha.

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What are my future plans?

I plan to do my best to have one new online course each month for the year.

I have plans of getting a licensed line of paper products.

I am putting together my first book. I will let that be a surprise.

I would love to travel and teach more.

I am also learning to leave lots of room in my heart for new opportunities.

I have heard that when we dream and pray our prayers are answers in big

ways we can never imagine.

I believe this is true.

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Seller for a Season, Maker for Life

by Jennifer Allred Photo Credit: Jennifer Allred

“Even if you are unsure where this deeper place will lead and even if you cannot articulate where it is you want to be, you are still free to take your time here, and come alive here on the journey, learning as you go, at a gentle steady pace.”

–Morgan Harper Nichols

Can I do it? Should I do it? Who do you think you are? There was no drumroll or parting of clouds that heralded in the opening of my first online shop – just a nagging little question way in the back of my mind with a side of fear. In a season of life where I was practicing bravery, I needed to take a leap. So I clumsily put together my very own Etsy shop, The Turquoise Tomato. My wares were hand stamped leather cuffs designed and painted by me. At times it felt like a lemonade stand in the midst of shinier, professional high-rise buildings.

Even so, I kept on. I worked to design a logo, ordered business cards, etc.…because of course that made me real, legitimate. It was complete on the job training. I did whatever I thought would help me get my name and my shop on the maker map! And I was pretty good at it - I was doing it!

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It was the connections with other women choosing words for a cuff, loved ones purchasing a thoughtful gift, or girlfriends designing their own cuffs to share their love for one another that fueled me and kept me going. However, my personal life just kept getting in the way. I needed to be wife and mom and friend before I was shop owner. I found myself dreading the time it took to create even.

Am I relevant if I don’t sell my creations? Do I have a voice without a shop?

These were the new questions in my mind. I needed to make another brave choice to stop selling as The Turquoise Tomato.

At the same time, I will forever identify with that title. It is a part of who I am. I needed to go through the process of making AND selling to realize that I can still have a voice in the

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maker community and not sell things. During of this season of life, I became personally aware that selling my cuffs and working my shop did not define me as a maker. I could and now choose to label myself as a maker even if I never sell another piece of my art again. There was so much freedom in that realization for me! However, the only way to get there was to take the journey.

A wise friend of mine reminds me often, know what you know. I knew that the time for selling leather cuffs in this way had come to an end, at least for this season of life.

The greatest realization is those connections from my shop didn’t go away. If possible, they multiplied. I

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continued to share with a different purpose. Sharing for the joy of supporting other artists. Sharing because I truly love to create. Curating a new social media presence without the intent to market or sell. I was given the amazing opportunity to create gifts for musicians as a part of charitable organizations our family is involved in, including Bret Michaels and Eric Paslay. I have taught classes to small groups of women and teens and helped to lead creative retreats across the country. I continue to meet women who find life and energy from words stamped into leather years after I originally made their bracelets. My maker status was never diminished. This season of letting go of my self-imposed definitions allowed me to I was truly able to accept myself as a maker – yesterday, today, and for life.

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About Jennifer Allred Jennifer is a hand stitching, Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) advocating, baseball loving, faith-filled wife and mama to 3 amazing teenage boys. Follow along with her current stitching inspirations on Instagram at @stitchalongwithjen. Feel free to join in and stitch-a-long with her while you are there. For all other life shenanigans hop on over to her personal feed @jenniferallred where you will often find her practicing 40-something selfies!

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Makers Now and Then An Interview with Jennifer McGlon Photo Credit: Jennifer McGlon

When did you first start making?

I’ve been making for as long as I can remember... but I started actually selling things I made in 2000.

What were your first creations?

In 2000 I started by painting on baby onesies, frames and cards and also painting furniture.

Who were your early inspirations?

When I was in elementary school it was Ed Emberly... I loved his books and they made me believe I could be an artist.

In high school my biggest inspiration was Betsey Johnson. Her huge personality and style and the way she layered things and loved color... I still adore her.

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I moved to Atlanta after high school and became completely enamored with folk art. I was so inspired by the faces, animals the writing, the colors. I love Howard Finster’s work.

Other early inspirations were Mary Engelbreit and Sandra Magsamen... such inspiring, talented, confident women who rocked the licensing world.

When did you decide to create a business from your making? and why?

So, the little business in 2000 started because I had just become a mom and was living in a new place staying home with a baby and just needed a creative outlet. That little onesie and painted furniture business was very unsuccessful and I wound up having to work as a server and bartender at night when my husband was home. In 2004 I had my second son and decided I needed to get serious about selling my art so that I could contribute financially and still be a stay at home mom.

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What were the early lessons learned in this transition?

Well, I started on ebay and I learned pretty quickly that I needed to find my niche. It is a huge market to try and break in to. I realized the importance of using key words and researching the best times to list, etc.

Also to just keep going. stuff didn’t sell. and I just kept painting and putting it out there. don’t give up.

Are there 2 or 3 points in your business journey that stand out as turning points that brought you to where you are today?

Around 2006, I was inspired by a couple blog friends’ dolls they were making...

Vanessa Valencia of a Fanciful Twist and Christine Alvarado of Du Buh Du Designs... They encouraged me to try my hand at sculpting and that’s how my love affair with polymer clay began. My clay dolls are now what I’m probably most known for.

Around 2015 I began teaching some classes locally. The boys were older and I was able to get away more and actually started traveling to teach at workshops and retreats.

This was a huge turning point because I love teaching and sharing happy things with people. This led to ‘the happy birds workshops’ where my dear friends, Charlotte Lyons and Jone Hallmark and I started a business where we will be traveling to new destinations and hosting inspiring art workshops and retreats.

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How have you created a tribe around what you do and make?

I think it’s important to stay engaged within your community... I’m genuinely interested in what people are doing and creating. I try to just be myself, to be kind and to be helpful.

Have you had supporters along the way that cheered you on? If so how did they help? If not, how have you cheered yourself on?

Yes! I have the BEST supporters! For me, blogs and social media created this huge network of creatives that I’m so thankful for. they offer advice, share information, celebrate the good, help through the bad and just make me feel not so alone sitting in my studio every day.

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How have your creations changed over time? What are you focusing on now?

Well, I have always done a little of everything, but I started primarily with wall paintings and now I’m making dolls!

Beyond making creations, what other things have you done to expand your business? (ie teaching, etc) I’ve expanded with teaching and creating diy kits... and 2019 will hopefully bring some noodle and lou stitching patterns and a new website!

What do you know now that you wish you could tell your early creative self?

Just to hang in there! Wonderful opportunities are coming your way! I don’t even know that I would have believed that one day I would be licensed with a big company or that I’d teach in Mary Engelbreit’s studio!

Just hang in there.

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Who are your inspirations today?

Maira Kalman... one of my all time favorite artists. Nathalie Lete. Still Mary Engelbreit... duh, she’s the queen! So many of my fellow artist pals...Jone Hallmark, Charlotte Lyons, Stephanie Ackerman, Vintage by Crystal (Crystal Sloane) ... too many to even list. it is so inspiring to see them making and hustling and gettin’ it done!

How do you see yourself going forward in your business?

I want to keep growing and pushing myself creatively and expanding my business with patterns and more kits.

Any advice for those working to grow their creative self along with their business?

Be YOU. Be curious. Ask for help when you need it. Don’t give up.

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About Jennifer McGlon Jenn McGlon is a self taught artist with a passion for all things vintage. she creates mixed media pieces, paintings, illustrations and a charming collection of clay sculptures called “the lulettes�. Through text and sweet patterns and colors, her work is meant to make you smile and bring a bit of happy to your day. Jenn lives in Waco, Texas, has 2 sons and has 2 precious rescue dogs. when she is not creating art, Jenn loves to decorate and hunt for vintage treasures. IG @noodleandlou

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Balancing Kids, Creativity & Business

By Kallie Maughan Photo Credit: Chelsea Merilll

My third baby was born when my oldest was two-years-old, and we had three in diapers.

The oldest was nine-and-a-half when our sixth baby was born, and we narrowly missed a second round of three in diapers.

Somewhere in the thick of it with baby 4 and baby 5, when I was feeling like diapers and bottles and laundry would block my creativity for the rest of eternity I realized that if I wanted to do anything else with my life it would have to be with babies and kids in-tow. After a decade of trial and error, I feel like I finally know what it takes to be a mom and a creative without sacrificing either (while knowing which to sacrifice if one’s gotta go for a while).

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In all my yearning to create something with my hands, I have often lost perspective and wished that I could skip babyhood and toddlerhood and even childhood so that I could have space and time and energy to do what I want to do. But in quiet moments, and in mess-up moments I have remembered that it is a birthright of every child on earth to have parents who are attentive. No kid deserves a mother who always has her back to them, working on a project. No kid should have to fend for themselves while their parents meet a deadlines.

Every kid deserves attention, and kindness, and to be really seen. I can’t make that happen for every child on earth, though I’d like to, but I can make it happen for the 6 who belong to me.

Because of that, most of the work I do, I try to have finished before my kids wake up for the day, or after they’ve gone to bed for the night. They often wake up while I’m still working, and I finish with them looking over my shoulder or sitting on my lap. I try to wrap up what I’m working on and leave it so I can focus on mothering. Leaving my art out often leads to a million little copies later in the day. If I’m painting, they want to paint. If I’m doodling or

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sewing or using clay, they want to, too. I love that.

I keep a well-stocked art room for my kids. There’s not much they aren’t allowed to do. They all know that if they want to paint, they have to cover the table with a dropcloth and wear aprons. They have beads, buttons, jewels, popsicle sticks, paper, markers, colored pencils, glue, scissors, crayons, paint, oil pastels, string, ribbon and all kinds of things to use. They are allowed to use the glue gun (at least the big ones are), and have often used the sewing machine. They don’t need or want a whole lot of instruction, just a little inspiration, minimal instruction and to be let loose. The art room is a favorite of

all the neighbor kids, which is kind of the best.

My two passions - my family and my creative business - are part of me. As I work to grow them both I try hard to remember which matters more. In the end I want to put a love for art and creating into my kids, without leaving them with resentment that creativity and business stole their mom, but that it made her a better person, a more available mother, and a more well-rounded human.

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I recently discovered a song called “The Mother” by Brandi Carlisle. Like so many of her songs, the lyrics are the words my heart would speak if it could: Outside of my windows are the mountains and the snow I hold you while you’re sleeping and I wish that I could go All my rowdy friends are out accomplishing their dreams But I am the mother of Evangeline In short, this is what I’ve learned: I am a lot of things; I’m an artist and a business-owner. But first and always I am mother to Jackson, Lydia, Sophie, Molly, Kate, and Tyson. As much as art and business (and a thousand other things) call to me, those six little humans are first. There will be more time for mountains and snow when they’re grown and gone.

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About Kallie Maughan Kallie is a Wife, Mom to 6 beautiful children, Homemaker, Author/Illustrator, Gardnerer, Homeschooler, Mountain Lover, Learning, Growing, Trying Human.

Find Kallie on IG @kalliemaughan

and her new venture www.haven-place.com

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Meet a Local Maker - Nebraska

by Kelli Sweet Photo Credit: Kelli Sweet

Have you ever looked up at the sky and tried to find a picture in the clouds?

Or sat by the ocean and just listened to the waves crashing against the rocks?

Lingered in a piazza and watched the people going by? Life is a journey of self-awareness. You may never truly figure it out, but the challenge is in trying.

And I am definitely willing to give it a try. I am me, Kelli Sweet, and I am a maker.

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Exploring is the general theme for my creativity – I like to explore color, texture, patterns and history with vintage treasures, fabrics and trims, papers and paints. I love to learn and experiment to see what might, or might not work. Sometimes my experiments work brilliantly and other times, I simply enjoy the process of attempting to problem solve in my studio. My favorite mediums are jewelry working with various metals and Czech glass beads, mixed media and paper collage and acrylic painting. And, I love all things

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fabric and quilting related, it was my first creative love when I started sewing through 4-H as a child. I sell my creations under the business name Degrees

by Kelli.

In addition to creating, I love to connect and inspire creativity in others. I founded the Hibernate & Create 31 Days of Creativity Challenge in 2016. It is a wonderful way to start the new year by adding a minimum of 15 minutes of creativity into your daily life. It has blossomed into a beautiful Facebook group from across the US and Canada. I truly cherish this group and am proud of what we are accomplishing together as we celebrate each our collective talents. The group inspired me to host my first Hibernate & Create RETREAT in January 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. It was an amazing experience with old and new friends! And it is only the beginning as I am hosting two retreats in 2019 and other gatherings.

Enjoy the creative journey friends! I look forward to meeting you.

www.hibernateandcreate.com www.sweetkelli.com

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The Maker U - GROW Homework Artwork by Ashley DeVreize In our final section - GROW - we want to focus on the areas in our life that need some shaking up, maybe direction, goal-making, spurring on, etc. This Homework will lead you in the direction your heart is pulling you, it will give you a moment of pause to hear those little whispers of knowing you’ve been ignoring or haven’t deciphered quite yet. Give yourself some time to sit with a Kombucha, #2 Pencil and Dive in!!

Growth doesn’t always mean making things bigger, expansion, better, or bringing in more money. Sometimes it might mean one of those things, but keep your heart open to what Growth means to you, where you are in your life and who you really want to be as you continue to GROW.

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WHAT KIND OF MAKER DO YOU WANT TO BE? *What did you love most about creating and making when you were young? (was

it the freedom, the lack of rules or directions?) *What did you love making most during your

childhood? (it could be anything, was it PBJ’s, or colored Rocks? Think back!)

*Over the Years how did your feelings about making

change? (feel more pressure for perfection? more competition? or feel a bigger desire to learn or teach?)

*What was the progression of things that you made

from the beginning until today?

*Are you someone that loves learning new things? *Do you love teaching what you know to others? *Do you love making just one type of thing? Or do you love making many

different items?

*How many hours a week would you like to spend

making?

*Do you love to make things with stuff you already

have? Upcycling?

*What sort of budget do you have to invest in

making?

*If you were able to create your PERFECT scenario

of how you would incorporate MAKING into your life

what would that look like? Building a small business to help your family financially? Growing a huge

empire to impact many lives? Making just for your own sanity and enjoyment?

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Ashley DeVrieze - Featured Artist Where are you located?

I work out of my home studio in Omaha, NE.

What do you do?

I’m a watercolor and acrylic painter. My subject matter changes constantly, but I’m preoccupied by trees and flowers, and at the center I’m always inspired by nature.

Describe yourself: I’m a fairly quiet, easy going creative. I love exploring nature, writing, reading, and making art. I’m a literature nerd, I love music, and I value quiet moments with a warm cup of coffee. I’m mom to two little boys – Ren (4) and Miles (19 mos.), which keeps me moving constantly and keeps my imagination active all of the time.

Describe your art: My work is all an exploration of the everyday. I try to create pieces that appear airy and simple, even if they aren’t simple to create. Lately I’ve been focused on pine tree landscapes, the marbled light in a ball jar of flowers, and the shapes of found objects like seeds and leaves. This year I have some plans for figures, but I’ll leave it at that until I see how they go!

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How did you get started?

I’ve been a maker since I was little. My grandmas and mom were all avid crafters as I grew up, so creativity was encouraged in my house and my mom is always game to try a new craft. I focused on painting and started showing my artwork in 2008 after creating a series of adventures for our silly sheepdog.

Someone introduced me to Etsy, I did my first outdoor market, and from there I’ve kept growing.

Describe one day in your life: It’s the start of the new year and I’m shifting my schedule to make room for creativity, so here’s how my days are running right now: 6:00 am – I get up, pour coffee, and head upstairs to my studio like a mouse. I work on writing, sketching, or painting until 7:45, or 7:15 on days Ren has preschool.

7:15/8:00- Head downstairs to get everyone dressed, fed, and ready for the day. 8:30-11:30- On Ren’s preschool days, the time in between is spent starting house chores, playing with Miles, and occasionally sneaking up to

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the studio to do some cleanup or printing while Miles colors and plays. On days off, we go to the gym, spend time outside, run errands, or play at home.

11:30-1:30- Lunchtime. Afterward is often when I check Instagram, emails, etc. while the kids play or watch a show. Thursdays are Art Day for us, so I have a specific project set up that we make together. 1:30-4:00 – Miles is down to one, long afternoon nap, so Ren and I have oneon-one quiet time. I usually let him guide this, so sometimes we do puzzles or Legos, and other times he’s interested in playing with action figures while I work. It’s not a very focused work time for me because I try to give him my attention, but it’s a great time to get supplies set up, print, prep canvases, etc.

We also do “Fika Time,” which is our afternoon snack and coffee break. (Look it up if you’ve never heard of it – it’s a wonderful Swedish practice I’m trying to incorporate into our life. My kids love it). 4:00-5:30 – Miles is up and they play and run around like crazies while we prep dinner.

5:30-7:30 – Family time. We eat dinner together, play, take a walk once it’s light out, do baths, etc.

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7:30-8:15 – Stories and our bedtime routines.

8:15-10:30 – This is time to wind down, catch up with Brad, clean up, and watch a show. At least one day a week, usually two, I head up to my studio to paint for an hour or more.

Weekends – These are all over the place, but usually the boys sleep in a little, so early mornings and naptimes are unscheduled time for me to paint and write.

How do you overcome your creative blocks?

My blocks usually come from inactivity in my studio. If I step away for too long and don’t make time for it, coming back in and finding my groove can be tricky.

The answer for me is to just paint through it. I do small studies of shapes or trees and then work my way into that creative place.

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What are your future plans?

Right now I’m keeping my commitments small while my kids are tiny. My word of the year is “realize,� and I chose it because I have some sketches and ideas that I want to focus on bringing to life this year. Creatively I also want to let myself grow as a painter and not worry as much about production as realizing my own ability and improving as an artist. Professionally, I love to sell work and interact with the community, so I plan to keep participating in some local shows and finding shops and opportunities to share my work.

IG @stubborndogartwork

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Unique Accessories Handcrafted in New England -Essential Oils Cases -Project bags for knit/crochet -Zipper Pouches -Yoga Mat Bags & other gifts for women/children CUSTOM orders welcomed!

Find me on Instagram & Etsy: TwoTerriersStudio Contact: TwoTerriersStudio@gmail.com

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