Mending Creatively

Mending Creatively

By Jennifer CiaccioArts
Download on the App Store

Mending Creatively episodes

  • Episode 16 - Making It Count With Stephanie Erhard
    Jen speaks with guest Stephanie Erhard about entrepreneurship, the importance of taking time to make little moments count, and how things happen when they are supposed to.
    Stephanie Erhard is a former event planner turned candle maker, podcaster & entrepreneur. Her first ever business, Homemade NJ Candles, is a soy wax candle company that aims to create an animal cruelty free & natural product that allows people to feel inspired to burn their candle in their home for a cozy, comforting aesthetic, with a rustic feel! Homemade NJ Candles' values also involve collaborating with local small businesses to empower one another & bring homemade, high quality products to their communities.Through Homemade NJ Candles. Steph met her business partner Jess Jacobs & together they co-own Besties & Business. Through Besties, they co-host the Besties & Business Podcast, where they bring their community in on the highs & lows of their entrepreneurial journey, all while pouring belief & motivation into each bestie that listens in. They have hosted multiple networking events to bring like-minded women together IN PERSON in New Jersey & have collaborated with MANY amazing powerhouse entrepreneurs within their community.Steph also recently launched her own podcast, the Make It Count Podcast, where she teaches you to make every moment count. Steph believes deeply that there are lessons to be found in every single moment, both good and bad, which is why she felt so called to create the Make It Count Podcast.You can come be Besties with Steph on Instagram & Tik Tok where she is always showing up authentically & embracing her weird!
    You can find Steph on both Instagram and TikTok @stepherhard.
    53 min
  • Episode 15 - Staying Positive Through False Starts

    How many times have you started something thinking "This is it! This is the thing!" Only to find out...it is not in fact... the thing. Jen talks about some of her previous career paths, finding what she thought was perfect over and over, until she finally found the one that is.

    23 min
  • Episode 14 - This is a Tribute to the Greatest Episode in the World with Courtney Proctor

    In episode 14 of Mending Creatively Jen talks to Courtney Proctor about baking, getting in your own way....and bread.


    Courtney is a pop-music-loving, sarcastic, overthinking millennial living in Los Angeles with her husband and menagerie of pets. She’s an amateur home-baker aspiring to receive a Paul Hollywood handshake (and scheming on how to become British to make that happen). Since she started baking in the mid 2000’s in a small college-apartment kitchenette, she’s dabbled in all sort of sweet and carby goodness – pies, breads, cookies, cupcakes and everything in-between. Whether baking for friends and family, and throwing herself into competitions, her goal is to bring a moment of joy to people in the midst of the mess of reality. When not dusting her kitchen in flour and dreaming about the superiority of European-butter, she’s devouring fiction and daydreaming of a future reality where she bakes and reads – sometimes at the same time.


    You can connect with Courtney on instagram @floursaltandbutter

    40 min
  • Episode 11 - [Interview] Creating Your Dream Life with Gemma Luzz

    Today we talk to mindset coach and entrepreneur Gemma Luzz. Gemma tells us her inspiring story of how she left her life of being on auto-piolet in the corporate world and spread her wings into a life that she loves. Gem is incredibly passionate about teaching other woman to do the same and help providing them with the tools that they need so that they can also create their dream life.

    Gemma is multi-passionate, goofy, animal obsessed entrepreneur. Her journey started in January of 2021 when she made the commitment and decision that by the end of the year, she was leaving her unfulfilling corporate job. With calculated risks and mindset shifts, she was able to leave 11 months later. But she had no clue how to put this burning mission and vision she had in her head of helping women create their own realities and live life on their terms.

    She decided to open up a dog walking and pet sitting company, only thinking this would keep the lights on and be temporary, but the business wound up replacing her corporate monthly income within 3 months! For the first time in her life she was present with her time, enjoying life, and traveling the world. This dog walking and pet sitting business became a steppingstone for her to create a community to help other burnt-out corporate women become badass, intentional CEO’s. 

    She offers courses and programs on her website, www.gemmaluzz.com, tailored to various stages of your entrepreneurial journey; if you’re intrigued by mastering money effortlessly, cultivating an unstoppable mindset, or designing your dream life, dive in for transformative resources that help you move the needle towards a life on YOUR terms!

    If you want to connect with Gem, you can find her hanging out on instagram @therealgemmaluzz.

    31 min
  • Episode 9 - [Interview] Panic at the Dungeon! With Michael Chabolla

    In episode 9 we have our first ever interview! Listen to our discussion with Michael Chabolla and his insight into world building, creativity, and story telling. The way Michael shares his story, even though it's mostly centered around D&D, can really be applied to any creative outlet.


    Michael Chabolla is a house cat stuck in a 36 year-old man’s body. Once upon a time, he wanted to be an archaeologist, then a paleontologist, then a firefighter, and eventually a Pokemon trainer. Now he spends his days pretending he is a writer and his nights yelling at strangers in the lobbies of online video games.

    He is a “Forever DM”, spending the last two decades introducing new people to the table-top role-playing game he fell in love with at the young age of 13. He is currently working on writing and publishing his own D&D Fifth Edition compatible source book about his post-apocalyptic, homebrew campaign setting: Fell Earth. Until then he is content being a sounding board and cheerleader for his beautiful fiance, Jen, as well as a devoted father to his spoiled dog-daughter, Astrid.


    If you would like to talk to Michael more about writing, DnD, or anything of the like, you can connect with him via email [email protected].

    Enjoy the episode!

    1 hr
  • Episode 8 - [Busted Seam] An open and emotional talk

    This episode was incredible difficult to record. We stray away from our regular talks about creativity and talk about real life struggles with mental health. As this was a difficult episode to record, it may also be a difficult to listen to. Please take care of yourselves.


    If you or someone you know need to talk to someone dial 988 for the suicide prevention hotline. It's free and they are available 24/7 by phone call or text message.


    If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911

    14 min

About Mending Creatively

From the publisher's feed

A podcast for artist at any stage, whether they believe they have "natural talent" or not.