I'm craft-obsessed. I think I always have been.
My mom is too, and her mom before her.
That's why I've invited my mom to be my first podcast guest. If you've seen my social media posts about my mom you already know she's hilarious....without intending to be. I'm coaching her today about keeping her swearing to a minimum and answering my questions more thoroughly than, "Oh--I don't know."
Join me for this heartwarming journey back in time to when it all began. It's a tale of love, learning, and the magic that happens when we create with our hands.
The Happy Time Craft Cast with Joleen Emery, where crafting meets inspiration, laughter, and heartwarming stories. It's all about embracing imperfection, crafting journeys, and finding happiness in your endeavors.
Summary
- Crafting with a guest and memories of a grandmother's crafting. 0:01
- Joleen's mom, Jo Emery, shares memories of her mother, Grandma Myrtle, who was also a crafter.
- Crafting and creative pursuits with a mother-daughter duo. 1:42
- Jo shared memories of their grandmother's crafting, including knitting, crocheting, and woodcarving.
- Jo and Joleen discussed various crafts they have tried, including winemaking, upholstery, wood cutting, and scroll sawing.
- Jo taught Joleen how to knit and crochet, but Jo’s teaching methods were lacking. Joleen eventually taught herself to crochet and had a friend teach her how to knit.
- Jo and Joleen reminisced about Jo’s ceramics hobby, with Jo mentioning she has her own kiln and molds, but Jo eventually stopped ceramics because the medium and process never changed.
- Joleen and her mother discuss quilting, with Joleen expressing frustration that her mother won't give her the postage stamp quilt she made and that was Joleen’s idea to make in the first place!
- Joleen recounts various crafts her mother has made over the years, including woodworking, ceramics, knot embroidery, and cross-stitch.
- Crafting preferences and techniques. 10:26
- Jo enjoys cross-stitching but finds it time-consuming and frustrating when they make mistakes.
- Jo is currently working on several quilts for family members, including a queen-size quilt for Jack, a cat quilt for Georgie, and a black-on-black quilt for Charlie.
- Jo's favorite quilt is a Baltimore Album, a precise and fiddly pattern.
- Jo's favorite dot painting is a tree, created by starting with a painting and adding swirls for leaves.
- Quilting, crafting, and creativity with a mother-daughter duo. 17:08
- Joleen wants to make a scrap quilt but is intimidated by sewing the fragments together.
- Jo explains the technique of "stitch and flip" to Joleen, which involves sewing two pieces together and then flipping the top one down.
- Joleen discusses her creative pursuits, including writing and quilting, and how they have evolved over time.
- Creativity, crafting, and grief. 22:14
- Joleen remembers making a creative outhouse sign with her dad's face using a handheld bandsaw and drill when she was 10 years old.
- Joleen's grown-up self reflects on her childhood creativity. Jo says her favorite Joleen project is the lady with a big beehive hairstyle.
- Joleen discusses upcoming retreats at Big Raven farm, including "Shadows and Sunlight" for those experiencing grief and loss, and a virtual craft retreat.
- Joleen suggests a quick win painting project using supplies easily found at home, such as acrylic paint, brushes, and a canvas or board.
- Dot painting techniques and materials. 27:35
- Jo suggests using wooden crochet hooks or other tools to create small dots on a substrate for painting.
- Mistakes can be removed by using a Q-tip or toothpick to gently scrape off the excess paint.
- Joleen and her mom discuss using carbon paper to transfer coloring book images onto canvas for dot painting.
- They also discuss using Q-tips to remove mistakes and paint in water-based paint.
- Crafting, creativity, and family. 32:45
- Joleen is unsure about trying a dot painting project, feeling that it may be too precise and difficult to undo mistakes.
- Joleen expresses interest in the smaller transfer technique for dot paintings, desiring a more structured approach.
- Joleen and a Jo discuss their experiences with playing video games and how it has influenced their creativity, with Joleen mentioning that her boys are good at the piano due to their exposure to video games.
- Jo shares a personal anecdote about spraining their thumb while playing video games.
- Video games and crafting projects. 38:23
- Joleen and Jo reminisce about playing video games together, specifically Mario Brothers and Gradius.
- Jo mentions working on multiple quilts and painting projects, while Joleen asks about what’s on her work table.
- Joleen created a unique Christmas garland using book paper, non-stretchy cotton cord, and antique buttons.
- The garland features twisting pieces of book paper and visual interest from the buttons, despite initially worrying about using up all the buttons.
- Joleen discusses crafting with buttons, mentioning the challenge of using large needles to thread through button holes.
- Crafting and repurposing old books. 45:29
- Joleen loves repurposing trash into crafts, finds it therapeutic and fulfilling.
- Joleen discovers kitty litter as a solution for stinky, dirty books.
- Crafting, creativity, and grief. 49:43
- Joleen realizes her crafting is artistry after receiving positive feedback on social media.
- Joleen and her mom discuss a quilt and a beehive, with Joleen expressing excitement and appreciation. It is agreed that Joleen will make Jo a Beehive in exchange for the postage stamp quilt. Joleen says, “Mom, I have witnesses.”
- Joleen's mother is the first guest on the podcast, and Joleen thanks her for being a great guest despite not swearing.
Joleen's Happy Time Craftcast streams live every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Don't miss out on the fun and inspiration - sign up here for notifications and be the first to know about new episodes!