{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"#13 Why We Craft","description":"Hello \u2026 welcome to The Craft Room Podcast, and if this is your first time listening, a special welcome to you. A few weeks ago I attended The Artful Business Conference in Adelaide here in Australia.  I love this conference \u2026 it is for people with creative businesses, and at any given time you can be sitting next to a writer, a jewellery maker, a yoga instructor, an accountant, a business coach, a graphic designer, a bridal accessory designer, a virtual assistant \u2026 it\u2019s just amazing! While I was there, surrounded by so many incredibly creative people, I thought I\u2019d ask a few of them three simple questions. I had an idea of how this episode would go, but the answers that these incredible women gave me were not at all what I was expecting.  In hindsight, I don\u2019t know why I was expecting run-of-the-mill answers \u2026 I should know by now that creative people are going to give me creative answers.  They did not disappoint \u2026 they actually knocked me back on my heels, and this episode is going to be different, and so much deeper than I had intended! Craft is seen to be this frivolous thing that women do, faffing about with fabric, yarn and thread.  But that\u2019s far from true. First of all, craft is not exclusively for women, and what crafters do is so much more than making pretty things to pass the time. Absolutely we make tangible things.  We can give them as gifts, use them to keep warm, decorate our homes, sell them for some extra cash \u2026 and those are all fine reasons to engage in crafting activities.  But the real reason we craft goes so much deeper than that. Today I want to introduce you to five wonderful ladies who were feeling game enough to answer my three quick questions.  You\u2019ll hear me ask each of them \u2026 1. What\u2019s your day job? 2. What is your craft \/ creative pursuit of choice? 3. What do you get from this? Some of them I have known for a few years, some for a few months, others I just met. Some are older than me, some younger, some about the same. Some enjoy the same crafts as me, others are into things that aren\u2019t quite my scene, or that are still on my to-do list. All of them are amazing at what they do professionally, and having seen some of their work in person, it\u2019s not surprising that they are great at what they do creatively as well. There will be a little bit of background noise \u2026 it\u2019s always buzzing with conversations during break times. I can honestly say that it was worth sacrificing my afternoon cup of tea to chat briefly to these wonderful ladies, and after each mini interview I\u2019ll go deeper into my takeaways from these conversations. I would like to introduce you to Miranda. 1. What is your day job? I work in social media and marketing What is your craft \/ creative pursuit of choice? I do crochet, weaving and mixed media. What do you get from this? I\u2019ve always been crafty, but especially in last couple of years it helps with my mental health. It\u2019s my relaxing time, and it\u2019s just fun. But it\u2019s a creative way that when people look at you and think you\u2019re one thing, and then you show them a quilt you\u2019ve made or a crochet blanket, and they look at you differently \u2026 like OMG!  I like putting colours together. Summary I absolutely loved Miranda\u2019s answer.  Yes \u2026 science is catching up and starting to prove that craft and creativity is excellent for our mental health.  We did talk about that in episode 8, which I\u2019ll link to in the show notes. Sometimes we can cruise along and just craft to keep our hands busy, to create a quick gift, or try something new. But sometimes our creative pursuits do more than just keep us occupied \u2026 they can seriously support our mental health. It may be that we work diligently on a project to pass the time whilst under stress or going through an unpleasant life event.  It can help pass time quickly and serve as a great distraction to stop us obsessing over waiting for test results, to stop our mind wandering to dark thoughts or inject something beautiful into our lives when things may otherwise be bleak.  I understand what she means about people looking at you differently.  I used to work in a very corporate type job, and when my co-workers would catch me cross-stitching on the train, or would compliment me on my outfit and I would tell them that I made it \u2026 it absolutely changed the way they looked at me.  It helped them get to know me, see there was more to me than a great voice on the phone and fast typing fingers. You think you have a person pegged, you think you know what they\u2019re like, then you find out they knit jumpers for penguins \u2026 whoah \u2026 your mind is blown! You question yourself \u2026 do I really know them at all?  Have I made assumptions? What else do they do that I don\u2019t know about? It sparks conversations and deeper connections with people. And I\u2019m not going to gloss over Miranda\u2019s joy of putting colours together.  This is one of the most wonderful things about craft \u2026 colour.  It\u2019s not just choosing colours, but considering the mood that they convey, the reactions that people will have to them, how they will suit an individual, and how the light will play off them at different times of day and in different seasons. There\u2019s an element of challenge to colour choices, and absolutely it\u2019s the colours that make craft fun. Click here to hear the podcast EPISODE 8 If you are looking for Miranda in her day job, you can FIND HER HERE. I would like to introduce you to Ashleigh. 1. What\u2019s your day job? I am a VA and podcast manager What is your craft \/ creative pursuit of choice? I\u2019m a doodler. What do you get from this? I\u2019m a massive scatterbrain, and it helps me focus on everything and anything. It unleashes some creativity. It fills me up \u2026 a little spillage over of the cup. Summary I think my favourite thing that Ashleigh mentioned was that her favourite creative pastime fills her cup.  Wow \u2026 that is something we sometimes forget about.  We are so busy giving and giving to others, that we forget that we need to fill that cup!  I know that self-care is a buzz-phrase, but I don\u2019t care \u2026 because it\u2019s important. There is a saying that you can\u2019t pour from an empty cup \u2026 in other words, you can\u2019t help others when you\u2019re running on empty.  Sure, sometimes others can fill your cup, but a lot of the time we need to remember to refill that things ourselves, because we know better than anyone what is going to do the job best. When you give and give and give, and don\u2019t refill, that leads to burnout, and when you\u2019re in burnout, that isn\u2019t just an empty cup, you\u2019re at risk of getting a crack in it.  Trust me \u2026 I know \u2026 I\u2019ve experienced that bone dry burnout, and there is a lot more effort required to bounce back from that, because you need to repair the crack before you can refill the cup and be able to give again.  Best to find that thing which fills your cup and enjoy it regularly so you don\u2019t burn out. I also know quite a few people who draw to help with focus. Doodling is one of those things I\u2019m terrible at, and it does nothing for me \u2026 but that\u2019s me.  I do other things to focus, which is why I say this to you \u2026 it\u2019s not what you do, but what it does for you that is important.  A lot of times we think we have to become an expert at our craft or hobby, so we can make it into a job or a business, but that\u2019s not necessarily true.  Sometimes we just need to be creative to fill a need, not make a buck. If you are looking for Ashleigh in her day job, you can FIND HER HERE. I would like to introduce you to Doone. 1. What\u2019s your day job? I\u2019m a bookkeeper. What is your craft \/ creative pursuit of choice? I knit, crochet and sew, but I\u2019m also a printmaker and a book-maker \/ bookbinder. What do you get from this? Being physically present. I recently realised that I\u2019m ADHD, and sitting, unless I\u2019m really in the flow with bookkeeping, if I\u2019m watching something or taking in new information, it\u2019s not enough to keep my brain occupied. So, I need to be doing something physical to stay here, to not be off with the fairies. Summary I saw one of Doone\u2019s gorgeous hand-bound books at Artful BizCon, and it was absolutely gorgeous! I have to admit, it\u2019s not something I ever thought I would try, but seeing the gorgeous stitching and the beautiful papers she used, it\u2019s now on my list. Again, here we have an instance of creativity and the act of using your hands to create something beautiful and practical that is giving more than that to the maker.  It\u2019s no coincidence that many crafters are known to work in front of a movie, or whilst chatting with family or friends. For some it\u2019s hard to sit still and let your hands be idle, for others it\u2019s non-optional, and with ADHD it can absolutely help you focus on the task at hand, even if to the casual observer it looks like you aren\u2019t paying attention. I\u2019ve often said that crochet and cross-stitch are like meditation to me \u2026 the rhythm, the repetition. I can totally understand how these qualities assist those with ADD and ADHD to focus and be present. If you are looking for Doone in her day job, you can FIND HER HERE. I would like to introduce you to Shilpa. 1. What\u2019s your day job? I\u2019m a book writing and marketing mentor for coaches, consultants and experts who want to put their message out there. What is your craft \/ creative pursuit of choice? I really enjoy quilling, and punching (paper crafts). There\u2019s a lot of beautiful stonework with acrylic sheets and making beautiful patterns. What do you get from this? I haven\u2019t been able to decide, I\u2019m a shiny object kind of person, and I can\u2019t just be content with one craft. I have need of a lot of colour in my life, and a lot of variety, so that\u2019s how I\u2019m meeting the need \u2026 through lots of craft. Summary As I was talking to Shilpa I could see some beautiful jewellery that she had made, and I cannot go without saying that her chai tea is absolutely amazing! I have been forever spoiled after tasting the real deal. Shilpa and I have a lot in common \u2026 a need for colour and variety, and craft is such a wonderful place to meet that need.  There is always a new craft to try, and a new challenge to conquer. Sure, some people pick up one craft and stick with it forever or at least for a very long time. I am not one of those people, and I am obviously not alone.  Years ago I read a wonderful book by the author Barbara Sher called \u2018Refuse to Choose\u2019, subtitled \u2018What do I do when I want to do everything?\u2019 If you are like myself and Shilpa \u2026 craving variety and not sure what to settle on, this book is an excellent read.  I knew I wasn\u2019t a specialist, and I found myself in this book. I also meet my need for variety and challenge and colour through craft. I will link to the book in the show notes for my fellow crafty bowerbirds. Looking for 'Refuse to Choose' by Barbara Sher? FIND IT HERE If you are looking for Shilpa in her day job, you can FIND HER HERE. Lastly, let me introduce you to Kate. 1. What\u2019s your day job? I\u2019m a writing entrepreneur. All things to do with writing, selling courses, teaching, etc. What is your craft \/ creative pursuit of choice? At the moment it\u2019s mosaic. I\u2019ve always liked mosaic and I make them at home. I make little signs and little flower pots and art for the garden. What do you get from this? I\u2019m quite a right brained person, but my old craft of choice was crafting words, but now that\u2019s become my day job. I like that my brain has slipped sideways and it\u2019s not intellectual, it\u2019s purely visual, and I\u2019m doing something with my hands. I find that really relaxing. It destresses me. Summary Crafting as an escape from your day job, to slip out of your logical, analytical, sensible mind and slip into something more fun as you play with colour and texture \u2026 it\u2019s yin and yang really. Kate is incredibly creative with words \u2026 far more emotive and descriptive than I could ever hope to be \u2026 seriously, I would read her shopping list for fun, and her Instagram posts are often a highlight of my day.  She raises a valid point here, and I almost blinked and missed it.  When your hobby becomes your job \u2026 you need to find a new hobby. I\u2019ve head that said many times, and there\u2019s a reason it\u2019s repeated \u2026 why I\u2019m repeating it now \u2026 because it\u2019s true!  If you write stories or poetry or lark about with words for fun, there\u2019s a lot of joy and escape in that.  But when it becomes your day job, writing clever words for clients, and to promote your own business, it might still be joyful, but it\u2019s also work \u2026 and traditionally we do need an escape from work.  The saying \u2018Love what you do and you\u2019ll never work a day in your life\u2019 \u2026 I feel like it\u2019s kind of misleading.  I absolutely love what I do, but in those moments when you need to meet deadlines, and you find yourself embroidering your 3,487th backstitch in a verigated yarn unicorn head at 4:30am \u2026 that very much feels like work, and you do need a break from it. That is why I have reserved quilting just for me, as my hobby \u2026 my escape. It\u2019s why I enjoy singing in the car \u2026 because I work with my hands and talk all day long \u2026 sometimes it\u2019s nice to escape from that and sing along to the Wicked soundtrack as I drive along the motorway.  I absolutely understand the appeal of mosaic \u2026 you can make it neat and orderly if that\u2019s what you\u2019re feeling, or you can take some crockery you found at the op shop, or tiles you found in the bargain bin at the tiling store, by donning some goggles and gloves, and  letting out your frustrations with a hammer! You can create order from chaos, a thing of beauty from tiny pieces, and each time you see it, it\u2019s a reminder of those peaceful moments of escape and the fun you had in the making process. If you are looking for Kate in her day job, you can FIND HER HERE  So \u2026 now it\u2019s over to you.  I would love to ask you the same three questions. What is your day job? What is your craft of choice? What do you get out of it? If you\u2019re up to it, I would love to know your answers.  You can comment on the blog at https:\/\/www.dawnlewis.com.au\/podcast13, or maybe you\u2019d prefer to email me or send me a message via Facebook or Instagram. If not, well, that\u2019s ok too \u2026 but have a think?  What does craft do for you? I love that we can contribute to our craft, but it is also giving so much to us \u2026 sometimes it\u2019s deep and meaningful, sometimes it\u2019s light and fluffy, usually it\u2019s exactly what we need. ","author_name":"The Craft Room Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/www.dawnlewis.com.au","html":"