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Conversations with creatives who are passionate about purpose

 
 
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Craft A Life You Love is a podcast dedicated to empowering you to create space and intention for your own personal hobbies, happiness, and harmony. Some weeks it will just be me sharing my perspective, ideas and inspiration to living your best creative life. On other episodes I’ll talk with someone remarkable as they bring juicy wisdom and the freshest takes on how to shine your brightest and squeeze the most out of this wonderful life.

 
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033: Finding the Silver Lining with Jelena Aleksich

Jelena Aleksich is the creator of the Confetti Project, a photography project that douses amazing humans in confetti while asking, “what do you celebrate in your life right now?” She is driven by connection and makes it a point to explore what each subject celebrates. The Confetti Project was started as a photography series but has also transformed the lives of so many people with its therapeutic process that helps people let go and play. Over the past 4 years of working on this project, she’s learned that we all celebrate the same things and that all of life’s moments are deserving of celebrations. After dealing with her own devastating loss, she hopes to remind people that you can find purpose in pain and beauty in grief and I am so excited for you to hear the wisdom she shares in today’s episode. 

 
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032: Make What You Love with Katie Sabin

I was so happy to speak with today’s guest, Katie Sabin. Katie is a maker who got started on her creative journey after having her twins and realizing she wanted to create something for herself. Today she shares how she got started with her Etsy shop and how her husband helped her come up with her business name, Just Add Sunshine. We discuss imposter syndrome and how she struggled with identifying as a “creative” and “artist”. Like me, Katie feels most alive when making things with her hands. In fact, she’s made it a practice to spend time creating every single day because it helps her feel more like herself.

 
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031: Creating Atomic Habits with James Clear

As 2020 is approaching, I thought today’s guest would be the perfect person to come on and chat about forming better habits that are aligned with who you want to become. I was joined by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. James and I discuss why he first became obsessed with habits and the best ways to set yourself up for success when creating new habits. He shares how social norms affect habits, the three core ideas of atomic habits and how to become an architect of your habits.

 
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030: Trusting the Process with Judith Martinez

Cultivating genuine connections with those around her has been a key part of how Judith Martinez, founder and CEO of InHerShoes crafts a life that she loves. Today I had the honor of chatting with Judith about her non-profit organization and the work they do for young girls and women around the globe. We discuss having the confidence to go after your dreams and why she decided to skip law school and instead start a non-profit. We talk about how self-care isn’t selfish, why you should start asking for what you want and why you should set time aside each day to review and reflect on your life. 

 
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029: Digging Deeper for Inspiration with Alisha Cohen

We’re all so fortunate to be able to do work that is fun and creative every day. No matter who you are, how old you are or what stage of life you’re in - following your passions and what’s meaningful to you is always an option. Sometimes this means making big moves. Today I am joined by Alisha Cohen, a photographer, stylist and creative director who had a dream of leaving her corporate job to pursue something more creative. We discuss how she came to start her own creative agency and how she’s used platforms like Instagram to grow her business. She shares how she finds inspiration, the importance of setting boundaries as a creative and how she overcomes fears when starting a new endeavor.

 
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028: Liberating Women with Nada Jones

Whether it’s in business or life, showing up for those around you has the power to make a long-lasting impact in ways that you couldn’t even imagine. Today’s guest, Nada Jones crafts a life she loves by showing up and staying rooted in what’s most important to her. Nada is an author and the founder of Liberty, an online membership community that supports entrepreneurial women in their endeavors. We chat about why she’s so passionate about liberating women and helping them to pursue their dreams. She shares why you should celebrate your victories in the same way you would for a daughter or friend and what she does to carve time out for herself. 

 
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027: Community Over Competition with Bonnie Kuhl

As a creative business owner, it’s oh so important to develop a community of support to keep you going. On today’s episode, I am joined by Bonnie Kuhl, founder of Archer and Olive, a paper goods studio that she created after realizing the therapeutic benefits of journaling. We talk about the importance of community over competition and supporting other people in business. She shares how she set up a sourcing process, her experience with using a fulfillment center and how she knew it was time to hire a team. We discuss how being diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder led her to journaling and her tips for sharing what you do with the world.

 
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026: Not Chasing Perfection with Adele Toomey

Life as a creator comes with its own set of challenges. Today I am chatting with my friend, Adele Toomey about all things scrapbooking and life as a YouTuber. We dive into how she got hooked on all things creative and how she manages her day to day as a wife, mom, creative and YouTuber (did I mention she runs not one, not two, but three different YouTube channels?). We chat about why she decided to create three different channels for her subscribers and how to figure out what content your viewers like best as a creator. She discusses what challenges she faces as a YouTuber including what she does when she hits a creative rut and how she overcomes mom guilt. 

 
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025: How Stickers Have the Power to Change the World with Mo Vasquez

Would you believe me if I told you that stickers have the power to change the world? Today I brought on Mo Vasquez, founder of Pipsticks, mom of 4 and a life long sticker lover to discuss just that. We reminisce on how we used stickers in our childhood and the nostalgic feeling they bring. Mo tells us all about her subscription-business and how she fell into this line of work. She shares how she transitioned from side hustle to full time, how she brought her husband into the business and how they’ve scaled the business to over 60 countries. She shares how much joy she receives from having the ability to delight thousands of people each month with her stickers and her advice for running a creative business.

 
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024: Making Room For What Fills Your Cup with Shanna Noel

Are you taking time out of each and every day to do something that fills up your cup? Today I was joined by Shanna Noel, the woman who pioneered the bible journaling movement and founder of Illustrated Faith. We dive into bible journaling and the collections she created with brands like Studio Calico, Bella BLVD and DaySpring. She shares her advice for what you can do as a creative when you’re feeling uninspired. We also chat about allowing yourself the time and space to refuel your creative process and making time for what brings you joy.

 
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023: Being Flexible and Evolving with Joy Cho

Our lives are ever-changing and evolving. You don’t have to lock yourself into one thing for your entire life or career, you have the choice to change and transform as you go. That’s exactly what I chat about with today’s guest, Joy Cho, founder of Oh Joy! Joy shares how she started freelancing and blogging after moving and not being able to land a job in a career she wanted. She shares how her business has grown since the beginning and what it was like to collaborate with brands like MixBook, Target, and CalPak. We also dive into why we often put way too much pressure on ourselves, how she knew that she was ready to hire and why you shouldn’t lock yourself into one thing.

 
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022: Keeping it Simple with Allison McNamara

There are times when we just need to take a step back and simplify our routines. Today’s guest, Allison McNamara, is the founder of MARA, a beauty brand that focuses on natural, nontoxic algae base face oils powered by the sea. She shares her tips for taking care of your skin and why she suggests a simple skincare routine. We discuss her career and experience working in the fashion and beauty industry. She gives insight to those who may be aspiring to break into the beauty industry and why you need to pay your dues in your career. We also chat about using Instagram and social platforms as a business tool and why you shouldn’t spend your time worrying about the algorithm.

 
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021: Listening to Your Inner Voice with Ali Bonar

One of the greatest joys in life comes with learning to listen to that inner voice inside your head that is urging you to make a move. That’s exactly what today’s guest, Ali Bonar did when she launched her business, Kween. Ali shares how she’s learned to craft a life that she loves by shutting out the noise. We discuss her struggles with a disordered relationship with food, her journey to self-love and how she came up with the idea for creating granola butter. She shares what it’s like running a business with her boyfriend and using food, a former trigger for her, as the creative element for her business. 


 
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020: Creating the World You Want to Live In with Kristina Werner

You have the power to create the world you want to live in, both on social media and in person. On today’s episode, I am joined by Kristina Werner, a graphic designer and YouTuber who has a passion for all things crafting. We discuss the growth she’s had with her YouTube channel, what she does when she lacks motivation for creating a video and how she finds inspiration for her work. She shares how she spends her typical day as her own boss, why you should acknowledge stress and how she got into teaching online card classes. We also chat about examining the icky feeling we can sometimes feel while scrolling through our social media feeds and creating the social media world we desire.

 
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019: Creating Real Connections with Kara Elise

In today’s world, so many people crave having real connections. With so much taking place online, and more and more people eating dinner in front of their favorite Netflix show, it comes as no surprise that people are feeling isolated and lonely. On today’s episode, I am joined by Kara Elise, a chef, experience curator and hostess who helps clients by hosting dinner parties that create connection and community. She shares how she developed this idea for creating a dinner party company and why she’s always followed her heart. She discusses the power of words and speaking things into existence and the importance of taking time to pause, reflect and write things down. We also chat about how the Enneagram can help you to understand yourself and others.

 
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018: Showing Up for Others (and Yourself) with Emily McDowell

What do you say to a friend or family member that is hurting? Whether it be from illness, grief, miscarriage, infertility or any of the other ups and downs we can come across in life, there are moments when we just don’t quite have the words to say to comfort our loved ones. Today I am speaking with Emily McDowell, a writer, illustrator, speaker and teacher who after overcoming cancer and losing a friend to cancer a short time later, decided to bring a product to market that would help both the person on the giving and receiving end. Emily created stationery products that would help express what people are feeling but don’t know how to put into words. We talk about her business and why she merged with another company. She also shares what she does when she is in a creative rut and why she takes the time to focus on self-care. 

 
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017: Follow the Fun with Lauren Hom

Did you know that you’re sitting in the driver’s seat of your life and that you have control over exactly where you want to go? On today’s episode, I am joined by Lauren Hom, a designer and letterer based in Detroit. Lauren shares how she overcame her fears and put herself out there, what she’s done to grow her portfolio as a designer and letterer and the importance of doing something you love to fill your creative tank. She talks about the drawbacks of being a freelancer and how most people romanticize what they don’t have. We also discuss how she knew it was time to start building a team and learning to protect her time.


 
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016: Sharing Your Story With Alisa Burke

As creatives, many of us are waiting for our “big break”. Today I am joined by Alisa Burke, a painter and mixed media artist who seeks to infuse creativity into every part of her life. Alisa shares why you should let go of the expectation of a “big break” and instead work toward the small steps that add up to greatness over time. We chat about using lists to tackle tasks our day to day lives, the importance of listening to your gut and what she does to build an authentic presence online. You’ll hear about how she became resilient, the empowerment that comes with sharing your story and how she keeps things simple in her creative business.

 
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015: Learning to Let Go With Jessica N. Turner


Have you ever found yourself holding onto memories or things that no longer serve you?

Today I brought Jessica N. Turner onto the podcast. Jessica is an author, award-winning marketing executive, founder of the popular lifestyle blog The Mom Creative. We discussed how you can find freedom in letting go. We talked about the joy you can get from getting rid of things that no longer serve you. She also shares her non-negotiables, her advice about recognizing where guilt is coming from and why you should learn to say “no”.

 
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014: Filling Your Life With Color With Stephanie Smokovich

If you feel like your life is weighed down by stress, then you will want to hear this episode. 

Today on the podcast, I am joined by Stephanie Smokovich, the founder of Bella BLVD, a scrapbooking company specializing in beautifully designed patterned papers and stickers. 

In January 2018, Stephanie was confronted with a brain cancer diagnosis. From this diagnosis, she was faced with the difficult task of reducing stress and work in her life. It was then that she made the difficult decision to let go of the business side of Bella BLVD to focus on the art and design portion she initially fell in love with. Stephanie partnered her business with Doodlebug and continues to work as the Creative Director. 

We discuss how her brain tumor changed her mindset and perspective on life, how she fills her life with color, and how she came up with the idea for her event, She Loves Color. We also chat about transitioning to working less, how to reduce stress in your life and the mantra that Stephanie lives by. 

 
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013: The Good Life With Jonathan Fields

Are you doing everything that you can to fill your buckets? One of the keys to a life well-lived is to make sure you’re focusing your energy on doing activities and spending time with people that fill you up. 

Today on the podcast, I am honored to be joined by Jonathan Fields, a national bestselling author and the founder of Good Life Project. Jonathan is the chief architect behind the world’s first “purpose archetypes”, Sparketypes™. I have been following along with Jonathan's journey since the beginning as the Good Life Project was one of the first podcasts I got hooked on. It’s truly a gift to be able to have him on the podcast today.

We discuss how Sparketypes™ came about, what each Sparketype is and what kind of work makes each Sparketype feel most alive. He also shares why you should focus on saying “no” more often and why he doesn’t believe in the notion of balance.

 
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012: The 5 Steps for Re-Sparking Your Love for Creating

One topic that is often avoided in the creative community is navigating through those tough, creative dry spells. I’m talking about those days where you wake up and it just seems as if your passion and inspiration are mysteriously gone. 

Those days where you feel like you’re in a rut, where you feel unengaged, uninspired and lack the motivation you need to create. It’s a hard place to be in when you want so badly to make something but you feel that you’re stuck or you think you have no ideas left. 

Today I will share how I like to think of creativity, how to address the hard times and the importance of giving yourself grace through creative dry spells. I also give an acronym for the word “ALIVE” that will lead you back on track and rekindle your love for creating.

 
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011: Carving Out Time to Do What Brings You Joy With Paige Taylor Evans

Happiness is about choosing to do the things in your day that create joy and excitement. Even if you can only carve out 10 to 15 minutes, it’s still important to do the things that you love that make you feel fulfilled. 

Today I am joined by a friend, Paige Taylor Evans. Paige is a scrapbooker who has seven signature collections with Pink Paislee, almost a thousand cut files with Silhouette, two design teams and has taught papercrafting classes in 10 countries. What I enjoyed most about my conversation with Paige is how she not only shared the bright happy stuff but she also shared the times where she navigated through the tough moments and how she’s started making healthier choices for life. We discuss how we met each other and did live events together, her experience of teaching scrapbooking in other countries, and her favorite techniques for scrapbooking. She also shares her advice for days when you’re feeling uncreative and where to turn to for inspiration.


 
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010: Big Dreams Daily Joys with Elise Blaha Cripe

No matter your age, it is never too late to start something new that is on your heart or that you’ve been dreaming about. That is one piece of wisdom that today’s guest, Elise Blaha Cripe and I discuss from her book, 100 Pep Talks. 

I am so excited to have Elise on the show today. Elise has been sharing thoughts and DIY projects online since 2005. She has been running an online shop of handmade goods since 2008 and in the past few years, she has launched GET TO WORK BOOK® and self-published a book, 100 Pep Talks. Her new book, Big Dreams and Daily Joys will be releasing this October. We discuss her favorite part of being a scrapbooker, ignoring the voices in your head that tell you that you can’t do something and dealing with critical people.


 
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009: Savoring the Season


Don’t you remember those incredible summers when you were growing up? Ones that were full of freedom and enjoyment? On today’s solo episode, I am talking about taking the time to savor the most sun and fun of this season. Just because we’re all grown up doesn’t mean our sense of wonder has to end. 

I share why you should lean into fear and learn to embrace yourself for all of your unique quirks. When you allow your unique self to rise to the surface, you will feel more stimulated and alive. Honoring this and loving yourself for it will fuel that little glimmer inside of your soul that allows you to create, design and live your life to its fullest. I also chat about why you should savor the season, set intentions for yourself and the importance of indulging in your adventurous side. 

 
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008: Beginning Your Inner Work with Heidi Stevens

If you’re feeling stuck in your 9 to 5 or you keep toying with the idea of turning your side hustle a full-time gig then this is the episode is for you. 

What does it feel like to break through the conventional path set out for you and chase after a dream? It’s very different for everyone but many people experience a certain amount of fear. After all, it isn’t easy to embrace those big unknowns in the beginning. Today I am joined by my friend, Heidi Stevens, an entrepreneur who built a 7-figure real estate business but couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. Heidi transitioned to being a soulful business coach and hasn’t looked back since. We discuss what it was like for her to transition into this new role, how she realized it was time to step out of the real estate business and the importance of setting intentions for your life.

 
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007: The 4 Ps of a Happy Life with Stephanie Fleming

Using a planner is a game changer when it comes to figuring out your plans, goals and how to take action to make them happen.

Today I am chatting with Stephanie Fleming, co-founder of me & my BIG ideas®, the creators of The Happy Planner®. Stephanie is on a mission to create a Happy Life movement, empowering people to take control of their own happiness. We chat about the 4 Ps of planning a happy life which includes purpose, planning, positivity and persistence. She also shares the importance of being intentional and giving yourself permission to explore who you are.

 
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006: One Little Word with Ali Edwards

Do you have a mantra or word that you live by? For me, there is something so powerful in choosing a word that can be a focal point to help guide your life’s journey.

On today’s episode, I am joined by Ali Edwards, designer, blogger, workshop instructor and author. We chat about choosing a word to keep you accountable in all aspects of your life and how having a word helps you to embrace the grey areas. I always love talking to Ali, she's such a real, authentic and encouraging force. She is someone that I have admired for so many reasons and I am sure that many of you have too. We also discuss owning your story and celebrating it, being okay with being a beginner, and recognizing the importance of words in your life and the impact that they can bring to strengthen relationships.


 
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005: Pursue Your Purpose

As a recovering workaholic, I can totally relate to those out there who find themselves pouring into their work. However, I can’t quite blame myself because I truly love what I do. On this solo episode, I am sharing a heartfelt email that I received from a fellow blogger, Christine. Christine shares how inspired she felt after watching one of my YouTube videos and how being burnt out from her work has led her astray from her hobbies and passions.

These are the types of messages that really make me that much more passionate about what I do. I only hope that I am bringing a positive impact on the world. It goes to show that you have to give what you feel the world needs as you have no idea who it will inspire. I hope today’s message will leave you feeling uplifted and energized. The more we spread creativity and happiness that comes from pursuing our passions, the better off our amazing community will be.

The beauty of our individual lives is that we can uniquely shape the life that we want to live. I hope today’s episode will be a reminder to take just 10 minutes today to do what you love.

 
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004: The Beauty of Life’s Moments with Stacy Julian

When you are going through your day to day life, be sure to remember to tap into the beauty of the little moments. Often times, it’s easy to forget that rainbows only come after a storm. That is exactly what we are going to be chatting about with today’s guest, Stacy Julian.

Stacy is a friend of mine whom I met several years back after reaching out to her to meet in person at CHA. Then I was able to be a part of her event, 12.12.12 with Big Picture Classes, in Maui. Spending time with Stacy always brightens my day because I love that she is so open to sharing not only the shiny, happy moments but also to sharing the ones where she grew from struggles and challenges. On this episode, she shares how she got into scrapbooking and pioneered the Library of Memories. We also chat about letting go of what no longer serves you and the power that comes from women collaborating with other women.

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003: Embracing Your Emotions with Randy Taran

We live in a culture that often doesn’t allow for sadness. It’s so important that you learn to fully embrace all of your emotions, even the difficult ones such as guilt or sadness as it can be the fuel that you need to craft a life you love.

Today I am joined by Randy Taran, Founder and CEO of Project Happiness, an organization dedicated to reaching at least 10 million people with their message of kindness, happiness and empathy. Randy’s entire business and career are centered around one of the most vital ingredients for a fulfilling life: happiness. Randy and I chat about embracing emotions, how it can help your creativity and learning to honor and move past negative emotions. We also discuss her new book, Emotional Advantage and her favorite part about writing it.


 
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002: Let Your Colors Shine with Cathy Heller

In this life, you have to give yourself permission to take action and go for what you want. You have something valuable that the world needs. You can do so much by simply opening your heart, being messy and beginning.

On today’s episode, I am joined by a friend of mine and fellow podcaster, Cathy Heller. We chat about failing forward and the importance of taking action. She shares how she got to this point in her career, the failures that she has faced along the way and how she overcomes limiting beliefs. We discuss giving yourself permission to share your gift and how to look at failures as opportunities.

 
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001: Welcome to Craft a Life You Love


Welcome to my podcast, I am your host, Amy Tangerine and this is Craft a Life You Love. I am so excited that you’re here and I can’t wait for you to hear everything that I have planned for this show. Craft a Life You Love is about empowering you to create space and intention for your own personal hobbies, happiness and harmony. It’s about giving yourself grace, and cutting a juicy little slice of life out for you to enjoy that is all your own. This is a place that is judgment-free, created for you to rejuvenate and connect with who you are.

Whatever brought you here, I just want to remind you that you are enough. I am so glad you have chosen to be present and take a listen. My hope for this podcast is to bring on some of the amazing people I have met on this journey, while also sprinkling in a few solo episodes too.

On today’s episode, I touch on infusing creativity, positivity, fun and intention into your everyday life. I also share the importance of taking breaks and checking in with ourselves, making sure we are doing the things we love rather than just chasing “busy.”