The Craft Room Podcast

#41 Big Announcement & Product Longevity

Today on The Craft Room Podcast, let’s talk about my Big Announcement and Product Longevity. Last week I made a really big decision, which led to a big announcement this week … it’s time for me to close my shop. You can see my full announcement video on the home page, and most recent blog post, at dawnlewis.com.au. Closing the shop got me thinking a lot about how we use our products, inspiration, motivation and perfectionism. Then this morning the group chat for Homemade Cards for Seniors Austra...

#40 The Craft Stash

Today on The Craft Room Podcast, let's talk about the Craft Stash, which is near and dear to pretty much every crafter I’ve ever known, and that is the craft stash. If this is a term you’re unfamiliar with, your craft stash is that collection of craft supplies, tools and resources you keep in your home, so that when you find yourself with unexpected crafting time, or inspiration strikes you can get some supplies out and start crafting immediately. Every crafter’s stash is different, and I’ve nev...

#39 Setting Yourself up for Success

Hello, welcome to The Craft Room Podcast. I’m so glad you’re joining me as we look at ways we can set ourselves up for Success for a new crafting year. I have ten tips that you might find helpful. I was live in my card membership group a while back, chatting about this delicious week between Christmas and new year. The festive, yet chaotic energy of Christmas has passed, and it’s my favourite time of the year. I’m in my pjs on the couch in front of the AC and Netflix, living off leftovers and ch...

#38 The Card Maker Success Summit

Hello … welcome to The Craft Room Podcast. I’m so glad you’re joining me today, because we are talking today about the upcoming Card Maker Success Summit. I’ve been attending these summits for the past few years, and even though I’ve been making cards for over 30 years, I still come away from the event having learned something new, and loaded up with inspiration. So imagine my excitement when an invitation to speaker this year landed in my inbox! At the time I was putting finishing touches on th...

#37 Glue: Part 2

Happy new year to you, and I’m so glad you’re joining me today as I answer the most common question I’ve received so far this year, which pertains to glue. Way back in Episode 26 I talked a lot about glue, but I’ve learned a few new things this week, so I thought it was time to share updated information and answer a question that lands in my inbox almost every day … “What is the ETA on the Precision Glue Press”. I made a short video about this today, but there’s more to know, so while this isn’t...

#36 Obsession to Completion (The Tale of the Crochet Parasol)

I’m so glad that you’re joining me for this episode, because it’s a wild ride. Even if you’re not into crochet (or parasols), I hope you’ll stick around for the thrilling tale of how a 34 second TikTok video sparked a crafting odyssey. I have some hot tips to share that you might find useful in your own crafting life. I’m sure I’m not alone in this … you know that moment when you see something on the internet and you just know in your heart that you HAVE TO MAKE IT. This is what I’m talking abou...

#35 Cost vs Value

Today we’re talking about an important crafting topic ... cost vs value. This is something I mention a lot on the podcast, but have never talked specifically about, so we’re going to talk about it today. In a nutshell, the cost of something is the price you pay for it. The value is what the product is worth to you. Todays episode is sponsored by Altenew. If you’re unfamiliar with them, Altenew have been around since 2014 and are renowned for their layering stamps, dies & stencils, detailed e...

#33 How to Host a Group Buy

#34 Copic Marker Maintenance & Handling

Today we’re talking about a couple of very important things you need to know if you have Copic markers, or are thinking about starting your collection … maintenance and handling. I want to start by laying out my credentials … I am a certified Copic instructor, and an Authorised Copic Stockist in Australia. I have been using Copic markers for over 13 years, and I created the Copic Subscription Box as a way to help crafters build their Copic colouring skills, as well as their marker collection. An...

#32 New Years Crafting Resolutions

In todays episode let's talk about those crafting goals you may have set in January, and ways you can set yourself up for success. LINKS Blog post - https://www.dawnlewis.com.au/podcast32 Ep 5 - Quilting - https://dawnlewis.com.au/podcast5/ Frankensteins Fabrics - https://www.frankensteinsfabrics.com/ Creative Fabric Fans - https://fans.creativefabrica.com/creators/dawn-lewis-imagery/ Unsplash - https://unsplash.com/ Minecraft Quilt pattern - https://www.kellifanninquilts.com/p/minecraft-sew-alo...

#31 International Shipping

In todays episode I thought I'd catch you up on what's happening with international shipping. Between pandemic and Christmas levels of demand, USPS has become overwhelmed and suspended all shipping to Australia (and some other countries). I have some insights, as well as suggestions for alternatives to shopping overseas. LINKS Blog post - https://www.dawnlewis.com.au/podcast31

#30 How to Host a Craft Swap

In todays episode I’m answering a question from my awesome friend Renee who wants to host a swap for her online community. She wanted to know exactly how it’s done, so I thought it would be fun to talk today about how you can be a great swap host, and also a great swap participant. I have talked about craft swaps in an episode previously, but this will be more about the technicalities of what goes on behind the scenes and what makes a swap great. There are lots of different types of craft swaps,...

#29 Embossing

Today, let’s talk about embossing. Breaking it down to bare basics, embossing refers to a technique resulting in a raised area on your project. For those of us in the paper-crafting world, there are two main methods of embossing that we can achieve an embossed effect. There’s dry embossing and heat embossing. They use very different methods and products, and there’s a distinct difference between the two. So, if a crafter in your life has hinted at a gift of embossing goodies, it’s important to k...

#28 Stencils

I know it’s been a while between episodes, but Covid and lockdown have kept me extra busy with the shop. I’m excited to be back … thanks for tuning in! Today, let’s talk about one of the oldest, most used, versatile and affordable pieces of kit that you can have in your crafting stash - stencils. Stencils are, essentially, a tool that helps you create a design quickly and easily by masking off the areas where you don’t want to apply your ink, paint or medium. There are lots of different sizes, s...

#27 Digital Craft Resources

Today I thought we'd talk about digital craft resources ... essentially the way that digital resources have changed and affected and influenced us in the crafting community. In the last 20 years, I have seen a significant shift away from traditional resources like books, paper patterns, and in-person classes to a very big influence and presence of digital patterns and resources and classes. And I see that it's affected us in the crafting community in three main areas. Accessibility Affordability...

#26 Adhesives

Today we are talking about adhesives, and there are so many different options, each suited for a variety of uses. Over the years I’ve found that adhesives fall into one of three categories … Spray adhesives Liquid adhesives Dry adhesives Having a sound understanding the strengths and weaknesses and the pros and cons of each different kind of adhesive is beneficial to all crafters. Having a good knowledge of what the different adhesives have to offer can help save your hard work and your beautifu...

#25 Crafting in Isolation

This is happening … I think we need to talk about crafting in isolation. If you're listening to this as it goes to air, it is towards the end of April 2020 and we're in a pandemic. Whether you prefer to say that you’re stuck stuck inside or safe at home, self isolation is a thing. Now, I know you might be thinking, “Oh, she's going to tell us we should make the most of our time, seize this opportunity and do lots of craft.”. Well, yes and no. I do have a list of 14 things that you, as a crafter,...

#24 Gift Ideas for Crafters

Last month The Craft Room Podcast had it’s first birthday, and I had my … something-th birthday, and that started me thinking about how tricky it can be to buy for crafters sometimes. Then the Coronavirus became a pandemic, and I’ve found myself sending cards and little gifts to people to brighten their day (and perhaps I bought myself some little gifts as well). During that time we had a blackout, and whilst looking for a book to read, I came across a rather old book called The Five Love Langua...

#23 Creativation 2020

In January 2020 I attended Creativation ... a craft trade show in Phoenix, AZ, USA. I have wanted to attend this show for over a decade, and the 33 hour travel time was 100% worth it. In todays episode I'm answering the questions people asked me before, during and after the show, sharing my take-aways and some behind the scenes stories. You can find a full transcript of todays episode and a whole lot of photos on my blog. LINKS Ep 23 Blog post Jess Francisco - Instagram The Perfect Stamp, UK - I...

#22 Crafting in Times of Crisis

Before we get into todays episode, a quick content warning. I will be mentioning Australian bushfires, animal rescue carers and people who have passed away, including angel babies. It’s not a graphic discussion, it’s more part of the narrative about how we can help people in distressing situations. If these are sensitive topics for you, please take care of yourself when listening. Today we are talking about crafting in times of crisis. We crafters are really good at this … we’ve done it so many ...

#21 Craft Retreats

I went on a craft retreat with my friend Marni a couple of months ago. It got me thinking about all the amazing retreats I have been on, ones I would like to go on and the differences between them. Craft retreats come with different durations, different price points, different levels of structure and different kinds of accommodation. You can expect a different experience from different types of retreats. So I thought we could have a chat about them. 1. Day tripping 2. Cheap and cheerful 3. Mid-r...

#20 Setting up a Custom Planner

In today's episode, let's talk about ways you can set up a planner to help you become more organised. We're going to cover ... Christmas Planner Craft Planner Other ideas for useful planners Check out the blog for a full full transcript of this episode. https://www.dawnlewis.com.au/podcast20 OTHER LINKS Planner Addicts Australia, Facebook group Australian planner insert stores Aussie Planner Chick Tia's Pretty Creations Chasing Planner Peace Kourageous Studios Planners Anon Crazy Organized May P...

#19 Preparing for a Handmade Christmas

In today's episode, let's talk about ways you can start preparing to get organised for a handmade Christmas. We're going to cover ... Christmas Cards Christmas Gifts Christmas Decorations Check out the blog for a full full transcript of this episode. https://www.dawnlewis.com.au/podcast19 OTHER LINKS Art cards with a New Zealand theme by Jenny Latto Current card swap information Episode 17 - Craft Swaps Free One Sheet Wonder template Perfected One Sheet Wonder template (shop) 6" x 6" template &a...

#18 Top 7 things you need for Crochet

In today's episode, let's talk about the 7 essential items you need to begin crocheting. 1. Crochet Hook 2. Yarn 3. Pattern 4. Teacher 5. Scissors 6. Darning / Tapestry needle 7. Patience Check out the blog for a full full transcript of this episode. https://www.dawnlewis.com.au/podcast18 OTHER LINKS Episode 7 - Should you Kondo your Craft? Crochet hook conversion chart Micro crochet example Crochet terminology conversion chart Symbol chart example Etsy - crochet Ravelry Seahorse crochet pattern...

#17 Craft Swaps

Today we are talking about craft swaps, which have actually been around for a long time. I've been personally doing them for probably 15-16 years. Today I thought we would talk about what a craft swap is, different styles and types of swaps that you can join, what you can do to be a great swap participant or swap host. I'm also going to talk about a few of the pros and cons because when you join a craft swap, there are some things that you need to be aware of. You can find a link to the full tra...

#16 Scrapbooking for Beginners

Today I want to talk mostly about … what is scrapbooking? … how I got into scrapbooking … and the different types of scrapbooking. Because as much as I wanted this to be a ‘here are the top 10 things you need to start scrapbooking’ type of episode, there are different styles and forms of scrapbooking, and you need different things for each type. So … I AM going to give you my top list of needs, but we will also talk about the wants, because that's the fun stuff, right. I'm also going to talk abo...

#15 Copic Q&A part 2

Practically every day I am seeing questions about Copic markers popping up in Facebook cardmaking and stamping groups, and the same questions come up over and over again. So today I thought I’d share some information about Copic markers, and answer more very commonly asked questions. You can find a full transcript on the blog HERE . In this episode I will cover ... Are cheap alcohol markers the same as / as good as Copic markers? Copic markers in Planners. Cost vs value. Reinkers. Which colours ...

#14 Copic Q&A part 1

Practically every day I am seeing questions about Copic markers popping up in Facebook cardmaking and stamping groups, and the same questions come up over and over again. So today I thought I’d share some information about Copic markers, and answer three very commonly asked questions. You can find a full transcript on the blog HERE . In this episode I will cover ... A short history of Copic markers. The different types of Copic marker. What is the difference between a Sketch marker and Ciao mark...

#13 Why We Craft

Hello … 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 … 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 … it’s just amazing! While I was ...

#12 Clever Craft Storage Solutions

Hello … welcome to The Craft Room where we are going to be talking about some clever craft storage solutions. In Episode 11 we talked about crafting in a small space, and we did discuss craft storage ideas. There is no denying that in order to work efficiently in a small space, you need to have some clever storage solutions. But there was so much more I wanted to tell you, so this episode is kind of a sequel. For starters, did you know that I have a craft storage Pinterest Board with over 900 id...