Crafty Ass Female

In 2015, MIM was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to leave her corporate job. During this time, she got back into using a paper planner and decorating it with stickers as a way to take her mind off things. MIM is now cancer-free and the host of the Planner podcast.
Mim started out making stickers for herself and then decided she would give selling them on Etsy a go — and was successful! Her next step was teaching people how to make stickers through a course she created, and now she’s creating her own planner community empire!
Mim talks about how the community she's built around stickers has grown over the years. We talk about how amazing it is to have this incredible online community of people who enjoy planning, scrapbooking, and all of our favorite paper crafts! Thhe community is welcoming, supportive, and friendly. Where people of all ages and from all over the world can connect with each other.
We get into how the commonality of anxiety is just one of the things that brings people together in both of our communities; and we discuss the different ways of dealing with anxiety and managing our daily lives.
We also celebrate the variety in the way that people use planners. We talk about personal favorite planners, how we’re using them, and the different ways that we love seeing other people use them as well! We both love seeing people find new and creative ways to use the stickers and other features to suit their needs.
Links:
The Planner Craft Pro Summit: https://www.theawesomeladiesproject.com/pcp (https://www.mimjenkinson.com/a/2147513878/aS8fy5Vb)
All About Mim: https://www.mimjenkinson.com/
Mim's Secret Sticker Society: https://www.mimjenkinson.com/sss (https://www.mimjenkinson.com/a/2147520934/aS8fy5Vb)
Mim's Planner Podcast: https://www.mimjenkinson.com/podcast (https://www.mimjenkinson.com/a/2147505372/aS8fy5Vb)

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In this episode, Kristin sits down with Allie Trumpower to chat about her upcoming free event: Scrap School Summit (register FREE at scrapschoolsummit.com/crafty).
The conversation immediately dives into the importance of our creative community and why creating an online event that anyone could join in on -- for free -- from anywhere in the world. This event has an incredible lineup (including Kristin) of speakers, and Allie talked about the different awesome things that attendees will get to learn through the event!
A few of the topics we got into during this episode:
Why having dedicated time to creating can be so important
The different ways in which we can learn from people who's style is different from our own
In-Person v Online Events -- the pros and cons of each. (With the announcement that Awesome Ladies Live 2023 will be on July 15 & 16th, 2023 here in East Lansing, MI!)
A tangent into K-Pop scrapbooks and why K-Dramas are amazing for learning more about storytelling structure
register FREE at scrapschoolsummit.com/crafty
About Allie:
Allie has been scrapbooking as long as she can remember – what started as a creative way for some “mother daughter time” quickly became a career when Allie discovered that she would love to design products for scrapbookers and creatives. Armed with a graphic design degree, Allie opened up Allie Scraps and designs printable (and some physical!) products for scrapbookers, planners, and bible journalers.
Always a fan of “getting messy,” but not liking the clean up, Allie created her line of printable “Art Starts” so she (and others, of course!) could get the messy, painty look without the actual… mess.
Allie is a fan of starting art journals and notebooks, but is super bad at finishing them. She’s also looking forward to this summit so she can learn even more ways to actually… FILL a notebook.
Oh and if you wanna know some personal details: Allie lives in Ohio with her husband and two little boys. Other than creating in any form, she also loves The West Wing, cozy sweatshirts, and brownie batter M&Ms!

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The Virtual Scrapbook Festival ran from August 16th - August 21st, 2022 and was filled with live events, challenges, games, sharing, making new friends, and so much more. To find out more visit theawesomeladiesproject.com/festival
Use coupon code PODCAST to purchase the festival and enjoy all the live recordings, challenges, templates, and inspiration from the community on your own schedule.
What is an AMA? An AMA - ask me anything - is a format that was popularized by Reddit, drawing all sorts of people to answer all sorts of questions. We adapted the format for a live podcast recording and took some e-mailed questions, some questions live from people attending the recording (thank you for coming off of mute to ask!), and questions from the chat.
Plus - a bonus Currently List to finish out the episode!

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In today’s episode, Kristin talks about the upcoming ALP Virtual Scrapbook Festival happening at the Awesome Ladies Project from August 16th through the 21st. You can join in on the fun at theawesomeladiesproject.com/festival.
In this episode I talk about:
Why crafting around a community of like-minded women is so amazing
How I put together this festival to that no matter what your life looks like, or how you like to hang out, you feel excited to attend this event
The different types of sessions we have going on throughout the week, including self-paced, live, games, crops, and more.
The LIVE podcast recording happening during the festival, and a coupon code to make sure you can be there!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rukristin.com/subscribe

Today's episode is brought to you by She Podcasts Live 2022 (https://www.shepodcasts.com/she-podcasts-live-2022/)!
She Podcasts LIVE will be taking place in Washington, D.C. from October 11-14, 2022 at the MGM National Harbor.
This event is the world’s largest gathering of women podcasters and is perfect for audio content creators, storytellers, and more.
Attendees can expect to learn from exclusively female-identifying podcast editors, social media marketers, authors, podcast hosts, and others during this four-day event, where at least 50% of speakers will be women of color, LGBTQIA+ or both.
Register now and join us in D.C. this October! shepodcastslive.com (https://www.shepodcasts.com/she-podcasts-live-2022/)
Save $50 on registration with discount code CAF!
In this episode, Kristin talks to Laura Wonsik about how scrapbooking (for us) is so much more than a hobby; it's a lifestyle.
In this episode Laura Wonsik and I talk about:
1. Scrapbooking is a huge part of our lives, but it has a high barrier to entry. So what are some ways in which we make things more accessible?
2. Stamps –both using them and designing them. We talk about why we love stamping and the imperfection of stamping, and how that intersects with your own self-worth. I ask Laura what she's been creating recently, and also what her favorite stamp set is.
3. We also talk about the BFF Sticker Club and stickers as a really easy entry point into the scrapbooking and documenting your life world!
About our Guest
Laura Wonsik is a therapist-by-day and scrapper-by-night based in Oxford, OH. She designs stamps for Ali Edwards and also runs the BFF Sticker Club with her childhood best friend, Annie. Her daughters, Ellie and Isla, are the main subjects of her memory keeping.
Show Notes
Laura's Instagram: laura_wonsik (https://www.instagram.com/laura_wonsik/?hl=en)
BFF Sticker Club Instagram: thebffstickerclub (https://www.instagram.com/thebffstickerclub/?hl=en)
BFF Sticker Club Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thebffstickerclub
The Paradox of Choice: https://amzn.to/3PdpFlf
Misti Stamping Platform: https://amzn.to/3zGtvh9

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In today’s episode, Kristin talks to Mei Ratz about her new podcast, the state of work in the world, and what it’s like trying to exist on an everyday basis in 2022
In this episode Mei and I talk about:
Mei’s new podcast: Make Work Human (https://moecarrick.com/leadership-coaching-podcast-make-work-human/)
What it’s like trying to live and work in the world today
The people who are currently inspiring us to show up
About Mei
Mei found the title “creative” hidden in her childhood among the Wind River Mountains. She traced out her love for creating connections on worn-out topographic maps and discovered a knack for problem-solving after frequently shooting her hand into the air to ask the hard questions. Now, several years later, Mei has replaced those worn-out maps with a degree in Communication Design—racking up awards with prestigious outlets such as National Geographic. After cutting her teeth with clients such as Pitch Engine, The Impact Investment Center, and NOLS. Mei is the creator of Nervous Means Do It. Mei is often recognized for her courageous pursuit of social justice initiatives, insightful content creation, and efficient team building. More recently, Mei spends her time working alongside Moe Carrick, where she passionately tackles topics such as leadership, fit, and DEIJ. She is a coach, a mother, an artist, and a determined optimist.
websites: mratz.com (https://mratz.com) & moecarrick.com (https://moecarrick.com)
IG: @meiratz (https://www.instagram.com/meiratz/)

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In today’s episode, Kristin talks to Kasha Gage about the reasons why we scrapbook, her love of photography, and the ways in which we love to celebrate stories throughout the memory-keeping community.
In this episode, Kasha and I talk about:
The reasons why scrapbooking is essential to our lives
The importance scrapbooking our stories is to our lives and to mental health
Kasha's photo journey -- and love of photography throughout her life
Plans for Week in the Life 2022
How having supportive partners makes memory-keeping that much more fun!
Her brand new photo-story class coming out at Big Picture Classes in August 2022!
So much more
About Kasha Gage:
Kasha Gage currently lives in Huntington Beach, CA with her husband and new puppy. She loves capturing her everyday via photos + words. Memory keeping allows her to blend her passions for photography, design and storytelling.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kashakgage/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kashagage

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Want to document what you’re currently doing in your life, but get blocked by the blank page?
The Currently List weekly journaling challenge will help you document what’s happening in your right now life in a simple, easy, and accessible way.
This fun and inclusive project uses the same seven one-word prompts each week and can be used on it’s own or in conjunction with your favorite memory-keeping project.

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This week we are concluding our Week in the Life series with our third and final roundtable episode.
On today's show Kristin is talking to Shu-Wen of Choux Puff Creations, Amber Dawson, Nolanna Lynch, Jeanne Williams, and Steph Grimes to talk all about the best ideas for putting together your Week in the Life album.
What is Week in the Life?
From Ali Edwards.com:
A seven-day documentary project, Week In The Life™ began in 2005 as an annual opportunity to capture the simple everyday details of life with photos and words. The albums I've created are some of my most treasured in that they are wonderfully true representations of my family's life at a particular point in time. From the mundane to the profound, it's those simple little everyday moments that I treasure most.
Very Special Guests:
Shu-Wen Hello! My name is Shu-Wen (Choux Puff Creations) and I'm a baker / crafter / music maker from Canada!
I've been making cards for many years, but only recently started scrapbooking in 2020, and I've loved every moment of my creative journey! You can find my work through my Instagram or YouTube channels, as well as through my design team work for Citrus Twist Kits, Color Cast Designs, Layered Life, and on the Ali Edwards Brand Ambassador Team!
Steph Grimes I’m Steph Grimes and I’m a lifelong storyteller and memory keeper. I made my first scrapbook from a kit bought at Michael’s when I was 21 and have been making scrapbooks ever since, for over 20 years now. I live in Maryland with my amazing husband and our little red pup, Ruby. I enjoy documenting all types of stories from our day-to-day life to our grandest adventures, but travel albums are my favorite! This is my 6th year participating in the Week in the Life project and it is one of the highlights of my year each year.
Amber Dawson is 38, and has been scrapbooking in some form or another since she was about 15 years old. She live in PA with her boyfriend and his three kids who are with them part-time. Therefore, a lot of her documenting is of her and her partner, their 2 kitties, and the kids when they visit. She's done WITL albums for the last 2 years and has really enjoyed the process of digging deeper into their lives.
Jeanne Williams is a lifelong storyteller and writer who lives in Arlington, Virginia. She has been married 31 years to her college sweetheart and is mother to two amazing young adult daughters. She loves telling her stories through Project Life, story albums and various mini books and travelers’ notebooks. This will be her 8th year participating in Week in the Life, one of her favorite everyday documenting projects. In addition to her creative pursuits, she loves the beach, reading, travel, coffee and happy hour on the porch.
Nolanna Lynch
Best advice for Putting Together Your Week in the Life Album
It doesn't matter what format you're using
Don't try to use everything you've captured
Be flexible with the plan you've created

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This week we are continuing our Week in the Life series with our second roundtable episode.
On today's show Kristin is talking to Shu-Wen of Choux Puff Creations, Kirsten Heal and Steph Grimes all about the best ideas for capturing photos and words during Week in the Life.
What is Week in the Life?
From Ali Edwards.com:
A seven-day documentary project, Week In The Life™ began in 2005 as an annual opportunity to capture the simple everyday details of life with photos and words. The albums I've created are some of my most treasured in that they are wonderfully true representations of my family's life at a particular point in time. From the mundane to the profound, it's those simple little everyday moments that I treasure most.
Very Special Guests:
Shu-Wen Hello! My name is Shu-Wen (Choux Puff Creations) and I'm a baker / crafter / music maker from Canada!
I've been making cards for many years, but only recently started scrapbooking in 2020, and I've loved every moment of my creative journey! You can find my work through my Instagram or YouTube channels, as well as through my design team work for Citrus Twist Kits, Color Cast Designs, Layered Life, and on the Ali Edwards Brand Ambassador Team!
Kirsten Heal Hi, I’m Kirsten and I live in beautiful North Vancouver, BC where I take every opportunity to enjoy the mountains and the oceans. I’ve always had a love for crafts and photography, and when I found scrapbooking was like a really thing, I was hooked. That was 20 years ago. I live with my husband (who wonders when this phase may stop, yet buys me crafty stuff), my almost grown kids (19 & 17), two dogs (9&7) and two cats (12 & 1).
Steph Grimes I’m Steph Grimes and I’m a lifelong storyteller and memory keeper. I made my first scrapbook from a kit bought at Michael’s when I was 21 and have been making scrapbooks ever since, for over 20 years now. I live in Maryland with my amazing husband and our little red pup, Ruby. I enjoy documenting all types of stories from our day-to-day life to our grandest adventures, but travel albums are my favorite! This is my 6th year participating in the Week in the Life project and it is one of the highlights of my year each year.
Best advice for capturing photos for Week in the Life
The best stories can come from photos that are just captured in the moment
What is a Wednesday?
Remote control or Apple Watch
Makes people feel more at ease
Helps you take really cool pictures
Use portrait mode
Invite others to take photos
Be specific
Sometimes scrapbooking and documenting our lives can feel a little extra
This is the time to do all the extra
This is the time to set up the cool photos
What do you WANT to capture?
Spend 10% of your photo energy on taking interesting photos
0.5 wide-angle lens is your friend
Look for different perspectives
Best advice for capturing words throughout the Week
The advice I start with is never the advice I finish with
It’s okay not to have a lot of words
Use lenses to help narrow down the stories you’re telling
Use a kit to create your lens
Look at each day through a different lens
Currently List has seven prompts
There is a Thursday slump — here are some solutions
Ask somebody else to tell you a story
It’s okay to have less photos or words than the rest of your pages
Just do your Thursday3
Write Notes
Set up a notes template
Use whatever works for you
Journal
Post-its
App

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rukristin.com/subscribe