In this episode of Paper Talk, Quynh, Jessie, and Sara sit down with Karina Golindo, the creative mind behind Crafty Kari, to talk about the intersection of crafting, content creation, and entrepreneurship. From sublimation to YouTube tutorials, Karina shares how her creative journey began with a Cricut during lockdown and evolved into a thriving business and online community.

Hear how she balances motherhood, content creation, and managing her small business, all while staying true to her love for making. Karina also opens up about networking as an introvert, shifting between short-form and long-form content, and the lessons she’s learned from building her creative career one project at a time.

👉  Follow Karina to learn more about her amazing journey and craft business

👉 The Best Thing We Bought for Under $20

Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs.. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast. 

We'd love to hear from you! Share your insights with us on Instagram @papertalkpodcast or join our Facebook community discussions. Your experiences inspire us just as much as we hope to inspire you. 

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe to Paper Talk wherever you listen to podcasts. 

If you’ve been craving a creative community or wondering how to take your next step, let this episode remind you that you are not alone. You can start small. You can begin today.

In this episode of Paper Talk, Quynh Nguyen, Jessie Chui, and Sara Kim dive into the art and philosophy of creating your own paper flower templates. What begins as a practical discussion quickly blooms into a conversation about creativity, confidence, and the evolution of each artist’s personal style.

They explore how templates serve as both a foundation and a springboard, and how learning from others can give you structure, but learning from nature gives you freedom. The hosts reflect on their early years when few templates existed, the role of technology like iPads and AI in documenting and improving designs, and why embracing imperfection makes your flowers truly yours.

Whether you’re new to paper floristry or refining your craft, this episode is an invitation to experiment, observe, and grow.

👉 The Best Thing We Bought for Under $20

Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs.. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast. 

We'd love to hear from you! Share your insights with us on Instagram @papertalkpodcast or join our Facebook community discussions. Your experiences inspire us just as much as we hope to inspire you. 

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe to Paper Talk wherever you listen to podcasts. 

If you’ve been craving a creative community or wondering how to take your next step, let this episode remind you that you are not alone. You can start small. You can begin today.

When we think of paper flowers, we often imagine something small, intricate, and realistic. But what happens when you scale that beauty up tenfold? In this episode of Paper Talk, Quynh Nguyen, Sara Kim, and Jessie Chui explore the bold, beautiful world of large paper flowers and the practical realities that come with going big.

Creating giant paper flowers is both an artistic and logistical challenge. As Quynh shared, even the smallest miscalculation can cause a flower to droop or collapse. “I watched one of my large flowers start to wilt before my eyes,” she said. “I had to go back and rewire it.” Wiring each petal, reinforcing the base, and using durable materials are essential steps for any large-scale project.

For Sara, the biggest lessons came from experience. “Even when my flowers stood perfectly in my studio, they would tip over at outdoor events. Wind, heat, and humidity change everything,” she explained. Over time, she realized that offering large flower installations professionally required more than artistic skill, it required business planning, insurance, and honest client communication.

Jessie agreed, adding that the paper flower business side of things can’t be ignored. “It’s not just about making the flower,” she said. “It’s about managing logistics, installation, and liability. Once you step into larger projects, you’re responsible for safety and presentation.”

So, what should artists know before offering giant paper flowers for events or retail displays?

Despite the hurdles, large flowers remain a showstopper. They command attention, tell stories, and redefine what paper art can be. Whether they’re adorning a wedding ceremony, retail window, or photo backdrop, these flowers remind us that art can bloom in any size.

As Quynh summed it up beautifully,

👉 The Best Thing We Bought for Under $20

Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs.. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast. 

We'd love to hear from you! Share your insights with us on Instagram @papertalkpodcast or join our Facebook community discussions. Your experiences inspire us just as much as we hope to inspire you. 

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe to Paper Talk wherever you listen to podcasts. 

If you’ve been craving a creative community or wondering how to take your next step, let this episode remind you that you are not alone. You can start small. You can begin today.

In this festive episode of Paper Talk, Quynh Nguyen, Sara Kim, and Jessie Chui share their best tips for preparing your creative business for the busiest time of the year. From managing orders and planning downtime to hosting workshops, packaging ideas, and navigating Black Friday sales, this episode is packed with holiday wisdom.

We discuss how far in advance to plan seasonal events, the importance of scheduling rest, and creative ways to offer gift cards, ornaments, and small-batch paper flower gifts. We also reflect on the power of presentation, and how thoughtful packaging, gift wrapping, and collaborations can elevate your brand.

Whether you’re decorating your tree with handmade blooms or preparing your online shop for holiday traffic, this episode will help you head into the season feeling ready, inspired, and balanced.

Tune in and start your holiday prep early—your future self will thank you.

We'd love to hear from you! Share your insights with us on Instagram @papertalkpodcast or join our Facebook community discussions. Your experiences inspire us just as much as we hope to inspire you. 

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe to Paper Talk wherever you listen to podcasts. 

If you’ve been craving a creative community or wondering how to take your next step, let this episode remind you that you are not alone. You can start small. You can begin today.

In this episode of Paper Talk Podcast, Quynh Nguyen, Jessie Chui, and Sara Kim sit down with Francis Zierer of Creator Spotlight to explore one of the most fascinating questions in today’s digital world: What is a creator?

Francis shares how his definition has evolved, drawing from his work at Beehive and hundreds of interviews with creators across industries. Together, we explore the blurred lines between artist, influencer, and marketer, and why understanding these labels matters for personal identity and business growth.

Whether you’re an artist, influencer, or entrepreneur, this conversation will give you clarity on how to position yourself in the creator economy.

Francis Zierer is a writer, podcaster, and researcher covering the creator economy.

He is the editor of Creator Spotlight, beehiiv's newsletter and podcast cataloguing how creator businesses grow and monetize — from independent, newsletter-based journalists to lifestyle YouTubers to the strategists and entrepreneurs serving them all.

Alongside Dirt Media's Daisy Alioto, he is also a co-host of Tasteland, a podcast featuring creative takes on media, marketing, and technology.

👉 The Best Thing We Bought for Under $20

Jessie: Little Hotties Hand Warmers

Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs.. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast. 

We'd love to hear from you! Share your insights with us on Instagram @papertalkpodcast or join our Facebook community discussions. Your experiences inspire us just as much as we hope to inspire you. 

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe to Paper Talk wherever you listen to podcasts. 

If you’ve been craving a creative community or wondering how to take your next step, let this episode remind you that you are not alone. You can start small. You can begin today.

In this episode of Paper Talk, Quynh Nguyen, Jessie Chui, and Sara Kim explore the value of artist talks: those special moments when artists step out from behind their work and share the story, process, and heart behind their creations.

Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just beginning, you’ll leave this episode with practical encouragement to share your work more openly and confidently.

👉 The Best Thing We Bought for Under $20

Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs.. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast. 

We'd love to hear from you! Share your insights with us on Instagram @papertalkpodcast or join our Facebook community discussions. Your experiences inspire us just as much as we hope to inspire you. 

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes, and don’t forget to subscribe to Paper Talk wherever you listen to podcasts. 

If you’ve been craving a creative community or wondering how to take your next step, let this episode remind you that you are not alone. You can start small. You can begin today.

In Episode 177 of Paper Talk, Quynh Nguyen, Jessie Chui, and Sara Kim open up about what it truly means to build community as artists. While follower counts and viral videos can feel validating, they share why authentic connections, through workshops, newsletters, stories, and everyday conversations, are what sustain and grow a creative business.

You’ll hear Sara’s perspective on how her most meaningful opportunities came directly from workshop students, Jessie’s reflections on balancing different audiences and maintaining authenticity, and Quynh’s stories of unexpected collaborations that blossomed from in-person connections.

Together, they explore how community shapes not only business but also personal fulfillment. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn social media followers into real supporters, or how to nurture a group of people who truly understand your work, this episode is for you.

Aleene’s Tacky Glue has been a household name for generations of makers, but do you know the story behind the gold bottle? In this episode, we sit down with Tiffany Windsor, daughter of Aleene Jackson, to celebrate the 75-year legacy of Aleene’s and the community it continues to inspire.

Tiffany takes us back to her mother’s early years, from opening a florist shop at just 20 years old, experimenting with flower-making, and eventually working with a chemist to create a glue that would transform the craft industry. From wood fiber flowers to bread dough clay, to the innovation of over 60 glue formulas, Aleene’s has always been about one thing: empowering people to create.

Here's what we also talk about:

🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear Tiffany’s stories, tips, and encouragement. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of Aleene’s or just discovering it, you’ll be reminded that the glue we use is more than a tool. It’s part of our creative legacy.

👉 Resources & Links

👉 The Best Thing We Bought for Under $20

Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs.. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast. 

Building a creative business can feel isolating, but you don’t have to do it alone.

Our Paper Talk Mastermind offers a warm, supportive circle where artists and makers come together to learn, share, and grow. Over six months, starting September 16, 2025, we’ll meet twice a month on live calls, giving you a chance to receive personalized feedback and inspiration. Inside our private online hub, you’ll find replays, resources, and a community cheering you on. Guided by three creative entrepreneurs (us!) who’ve been where you are, this Mastermind is designed to help you gain momentum with clarity, confidence, and encouragement.

Registration closes September 14.

👉 Join the Mastermind now!

We’re kicking off Season 8 of Paper Talk, and this time it’s all about community—building it, maintaining it, and making it thrive. In this episode, Quynh, Jessie, and Sara reflect on over six years and 175 episodes of connecting with paper flower artists and creative entrepreneurs. We share our personal summer goals (and what we actually accomplished), lessons learned from teaching workshops, and how our mastermind has helped members grow. From finding your first true fans to using technology to stay connected, this season will help you nurture the relationships that sustain your art and business.

The Best Thing We Bought for Under $20:

Quynh: The Artful Agenda - Use referral code RQ1364495

Jessie: Trader Joe's Ube Mochi Pancake Mix 

Sara: MOFT Phone Stand

🎧 Listen to Episode 175 now and start building the community your art deserves!

________________________________________________

Being a creative entrepreneur can feel like a solo trek: inspiring, but exhausting. You’re juggling the art, the admin, the marketing, the sales, and often questioning if you're doing any of it right.

What if you didn’t have to do it alone?

Our Paper Talk Mastermind is a 6-month journey designed for artists and paper florists like you. Led by us—Quynh Nguyen, Jessie Chui, and Sara Kim—we’ve been where you are. And we’ve built businesses that reflect our creativity and sustain us.

Starting September 16, we’ll meet twice a month to share what’s working, talk through what’s hard, and cheer each other on. No fluff. Just focused support and authentic connection.

It’s $125/month. And it’s more than worth it. Registration closes September 14.

👉 Join the Mastermind now!

Each season of the Paper Talk Podcast holds a special place in our hearts, but Season 7 felt like a turning point. It reminded us that growth doesn’t have to be loud. It can be slow and quiet, a series of steady, intentional steps that shift us in ways we don’t always notice right away. And it reminded us that when we share our goals with others (and when we say them out loud) something begins to shift.

As we close out this season, we want to invite you to pause with us. Pour a cup of tea, take a breath, and ask yourself: What’s your goal this summer?

So many of us wait for big breakthroughs, grand pivots, or clear signs. But the truth is, powerful change often begins with something small: a conversation, a tiny decision, a moment of clarity.

We saw it firsthand in our Mastermind community. Members taught their first workshops, launched shows, shifted their pricing models to better support global audiences, and leaned into the kind of growth that doesn’t always get a headline, but transforms everything behind the scenes.

Those moments matter. And they’re proof that the steps you're taking today are already moving you forward even if their full shape hasn’t yet revealed itself.

One theme ran strong through Season 7: accountability.

When we share our goals out loud, we give them shape. We allow others to witness our commitment and invite support when things get messy. That’s why the Mastermind has become such a cornerstone of our community. It’s a container where creative entrepreneurs can declare what they want to build and know that someone will lovingly check in and cheer them forward.

For Jessie, accountability looked like getting clearer on her messaging and splitting her Instagram into two accounts, one for her art, one for her teaching. It also meant tackling ads and marketing systems she’d once avoided.

For Sara, it was finally making time to overhaul her website, even though it wasn’t urgent or income-generating. The support of the group gave her the nudge to move from someday to now.

This season also reminded us how essential community is, especially for creatives navigating uncertain terrain.

For Sara, seeing Mastermind members experience their first shows and workshops was deeply moving. For Quynh, the quiet bravery of people showing up, sharing openly, and supporting one another through sticky, uncomfortable growth stood out.

We’ve felt it, too. This community has shaped who we are, not just as artists and educators, but as humans who continue to learn from each other’s vulnerability, courage, and questions.

Teaching has a way of making us better learners. Quynh shared how each workshop she leads becomes richer as she refines, adjusts, and responds to feedback. Sara reflected on how much she learns from our Mastermind group even though she’s one of the facilitators.

So what are our summer goals? Quynh plans to refine her workshops and teach four more before the year’s end. She’s excited about experimenting with new materials and deepening the learning experience. Sara’s goal is to overhaul her website so it better reflects who she is today, not who she was ten years ago. Jessie is focused on more intentional marketing, tuning her messaging, exploring ads, and speaking more directly to both her students and collectors.

These aren’t goals rooted in fear or scarcity. They’re grounded in curiosity and care. And they reflect our belief that when we show up for ourselves, we show up more fully for those we serve.

As we plan for Season 8, we’re dreaming about deeper conversations, about pricing, sustainability, creative mindset, and everything in between. We’ll continue to share what’s working in our businesses, what isn’t, and what we’re still figuring out.

And we want to hear from you!

Your voice shapes this podcast. Your questions, your insights, and your growth help guide our path forward. Share your insights with us on Instagram @papertalkpodcast, join our Facebook community discussions, or email us! 

We are also starting a NEW six-month Mastermind experience in September 2025 with new and existing Mastermind members will allow deeper growth and connection. Creative businesses evolve slowly, and we want to make space for that. We’d love to welcome you into the circle. Join the Waitlist now!