Well hey there, sunshine!☀️
It’s me, Joleen, fresh off another heart-filling, joy-sparking episode of the Happy Time Craftcast — and let me just say, Episode 52 was a cozy hug of a conversation.
This week, I got to welcome back one of my all-time favorite creative humans: Suzanne Earley — mixed media artist, art journaler extraordinaire, and the brilliant mind behind Strawberry Moon Magazine. (And yes, I still keep a few copies on my living room coffee table like they’re sacred scrolls.)
Let’s just start here: this episode is called “The Beautiful Mess of Art Journaling”, and friends — it could not be more spot-on.
Suzanne + Mess = Magic
Suzanne and I go way back, and every time she’s on the podcast, I leave feeling like I just had the best creative coffee date ever (even though we’re both probably covered in paint and glue instead of lattes).
She’s real. She’s wise. She’s hilariously honest. And this time around, she brought a message I needed to hear: it’s okay to be messy — in your art and in your head. 🙌
We talked about how she’s in the “messy middle” of putting together the next issue of Strawberry Moon (I cannot wait 😍) and how sometimes, the making part is full of chaos. But also? That’s where the magic lives.
What I Learned (and What You Might, Too)
Here’s the thing I love most about Suzanne (aside from her soft magazine covers that feel like velvet joy): she creates from a place of process, not pressure.
She doesn’t worry about finished pages being “perfect.” She’s not glued to a certain aesthetic. She scribbles. She leaves things unfinished. She works in layers, spills, and soul. And that’s exactly the kind of freedom I think we all need a little more of in our creative lives.
She even said she deleted all the games off her iPad recently because she realized — I could be making art instead. Ugh. YES. 🙌
We also chatted about how sometimes people just… don’t get art journaling. Like: “What do you even DO with it?” And my answer (okay, her answer — but I felt it): you let it love you back. You don’t have to frame it. You don’t have to post it. You just make it. Because it feels good.
Strawberry Moon Is a Vibe
If you’ve never seen Strawberry Moon Magazine, let me tell you — it’s not a flimsy flip-through. It’s a resource. A keepsake. A beautifully curated, tactile, art-nerd dream with ideas, journal prompts, musings, and real talk.
Suzanne said she wanted it to feel like a conversation with a friend — and let me tell you, it totally does. It’s got that “you’re not alone in this creative mess” energy that I absolutely live for.
And YES — I’m plotting how to stock it at Big Raven Farm because people try to sneak my copies into their bags like it’s the last slice of pie. (I see you. 👀😂)
Let’s Keep Talking
This episode reminded me that messy isn’t bad — messy is alive. It’s moving, breathing, paint-covered proof that we’re showing up to our creative lives with open hearts and dirty hands.
So whether you’re an art journal newbie, a seasoned mess-maker, or someone who’s just art-curious — this conversation with Suzanne is one of those warm, fuzzy ones I think you’ll come back to again and again.
Give it a listen, maybe while you’re scribbling in your notebook or cutting up some old magazines, and let yourself off the hook. The mess is beautiful. YOU are beautiful. Your art doesn’t need to be tidy to be worth it.
Until next time,
Keep making messes and magic 🖌️✨
xoxo,
Joleen
PS: 🎥 Watch the full episode below:
Guest Bio
Suzanne Earley is a mixed-media artist based in Eastern Iowa, proud grandma, and the genius behind Strawberry Moon Magazine. Formerly a quilter, tech manager, and more, Suzanne’s creative path is as colorful as her art journal pages. She’s passionate about connection, community, and crafting from the heart — mess and all!
Follow Suzanne
Episode Chapters with Timestamps
[00:00 – 03:54] – Happy Hello from Joleen
[03:55 – 06:14] – The Power of Feeling Lucky
[06:15 – 10:09] – Suzanne Earley is Back!
[10:10 – 15:59] – Strawberry Moon Magazine: Behind the Magic
[16:00 – 18:19] – Making a Magazine That Feels Like a Conversation
[18:20 – 21:44] – Let’s Talk Mess: The Theme of the Day
[21:45 – 24:29] – Suzanne’s Studio Life: Beautiful Chaos
[24:30 – 29:14] – Creating for the Process, Not the Product
[29:15 – 33:29] – Facing the Blank Page: Tips & Tricks
[33:30 – 37:14] – From Games to Creativity
[37:15 – End] – Gratitude & Goodbye
Quotes from the Episode
“When you do what you love, you’re not really working — and I finally get it.” – Joleen Emery
“I’m a messy artist. It’s about the process, not the product.” – Suzanne Earley
“This magazine feels like a conversation with friends.” – Suzanne Earley
“Follow joy, even if it gets paint on the carpet!” – Joleen Emery
Resources and Links:
🔗 Strawberry Moon Magazine – A stunning, tactile, forever-keep kind of art journal magazine curated by Suzanne.
📰 Pre-order Issue 9
📍 Big Raven Farm Art Retreat with Suzanne Earley
🧰 Tools: Pentel Mattehop, Pentel Arts Pocket brush pen, Elegant Writer pen, Uniball Vision pen, White Stabilo
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