Hello … and welcome … I am so excited that you're joining me today for this very first podcast episode. I'm going to try to keep this intro episode short and sweet, so we can get to the good stuff, but I thought I'd introduce myself and give you an idea of what this podcast is all about.

You may have guessed by the title, each week we will be in the craft room … talking all things craft. You may also have guessed that I really love craft … and this is true. I love it so much that I created a career around it, and I can talk about it all day long. Since lots of my crafty friends live far away, and my cat doesn't seem interested in discussing Mama Elephant's new release, or the fun crochet pattern I just discovered … a podcast seemed like a good idea. I'm super excited to have someone to talk to about all sorts of crafts, and I would love to know what crafts you're into. You can let me know by leaving a comment on the blog post ... HERE.

Fair warning, I will likely talk about stamping, cardmaking, colouring and papercraft quite a bit, as that's the main focus of my business. However, I have a couple of quilting projects on the go, I just bought a new crochet pattern to try, and I usually have a couple of embroidery or cross stitch projects underway at any given time. I do enjoy painting, although I don't get to paint as often as I'd like. I teach classes locally … embroidery, dollmaking, crochet and painting on fabric … and it's so fun to connect with other craft-loving ladies in person … definitely one of my favourite things!

At this point you may be wondering … "Who is this Dawn Lewis, and what does she even know about craft?" … a fair question indeed. Well … while I wouldn't call myself a specialist expert in any one craft, I do have experience with a LOT of different types of crafts, techniques and products, and I've worked professionally in the Australian craft industry for over a decade. Being a professional crafter is incredibly cool, and I've been able to say yes to some incredible opportunities … designing for some amazing brands including Semco, Francheville, Milford Threads, DMC and Australian Girl dolls. I've been on some cool design teams, like KennyK Stamps, Little Miss Muffett, Tiddly Inks and Kindred Stamps. I've had original projects published in Australian craft magazines including Handmade, APQ, Patchwork & Stitching, Australian Stamping Cardmaking & Papercraft. Definitely the coolest job I've ever had has been hosting and present on Scrap It TV, from seasons 3 through 7. That was such a fun gig! I've had businesses selling handmade things, from ceramics to folk art, dolls to bags, and right now I have an online store specialising in stamping. I'm a qualified Copic instructor and authorised Copic stockist. So … yeah … when I said I loved craft, I really, really meant it. Craft isn't just craft … it's so much more, for so many people. For some people, it's their happy place, for others it's a way to exercise their creativity. Getting lost in your favourite craft allows you to take time out from the craziness of life and do something that makes us truly happy. Craft can help us express ourselves, meditate, earn a little extra cash, meet new people and so much more.

When it comes to this podcast, I have so many ideas, but what I'm most interested is helping people craft within their budget, and get more bang for your buck from the craft supplies you choose. And while I will probably talk a lot about papercraft, I'm excited to mix it up, because so many ideas translate across many different craft mediums. I have some fun guests to interview, and other times it'll just be you and me, and I hope you'll join me each week. Episodes will be positive, upbeat and encouraging, with practical tips and ideas … and they'll likely be longer than this one. I tried to keep this intro episode short-ish, so you can move on to episodes 2 and 3, in case you're a fan of binding new podcasts (which is something I love to do!).

So rather than continuing to waffle on, I'll sign off so we can get to the good stuff, and I'm sure we'll get to know each other better as the podcast goes on.

Thanks so much for joining me in the craft room today. If you enjoyed this episode and want to know more, check out the show notes, or the blog post at dawnlewis.com.au/podcast__. Maybe tell a friend or leave a review on itunes or stitcher … I'd really appreciate it. I do hope you have a very crafty day, and I will see you next time. Bye for now.