049 Mixed-media Dreamer: Yasmin Youssef

Memory, and connection, and maybe even transformation during this time. Like, what is going to happen, how are we all going to be different at the end of this. I think the moon can offer ways to just sit and ground into yourself and simultaneously reach out. And so, I called this series “Lessons from the Moon,” because I thought it was really, it was a deep experience for me during the pandemic.

That’s Yasmin Youssef. Full-time multi-layered visual artist. Previously a User Experience Designer and professional dancer. Ethereal observer and watcher of the moon. Her gilded artwork can shimmer in your very own home, or would make a thoughtful gift for someone special since–hint, hint–some gift-giving holidays are coming up. Yasmin’s art studio is located in east Austin, and you will hopefully be able to catch her at some upcoming art shows, depending on the pandemic. Sidenote: the podcast took a 6 month pause so I could grieve a snowball of losses in the family, but I’m trying to channel that into my art, which perfectly aligns with this month’s guest.

Find (and BUY!) Yasmin’s artwork online here: www.yasmin.ws and look for a special Holiday Bundle will be available on her website in November.

Find her on instagram, twitter, Facebook: @thegoldcurrent

UPCOMING ART SHOWS/VENUES SHOWING HER WORK:

Red Dot Art Spree at Women & Their Work Gallery is September 30th through October 12th, 2021

The Other Art Fair in Dallas will be Oct. 21-24, 2021

E.A.S.T. (East Austin Studio Tour) will be three weekends in November, 2021

Her studio is located in Canopy, located in east Austin. Artists open their studios the first Saturday of the month

Two of her pieces have hung in The People’s Gallery in Austin City Hall

Check out the upcoming schedule at The Cathedral (the HQ for ATX gals), which is a co-working space that hosts events in the evenings in east Austin

Travis Heights Art Trail is first week in November

Art Us Co – in Arboretum, a brick and mortar store (grown from a pop-up) with 80+ artists and artisans represented

Some of her cyanotypes are hung in Limbo Jewelry in the Domain

Belly dancing photos by Breezy Ritter Photography

045 Chatty Kid Takeover

I think creativity is incredibly important right now. You can feel really stifled if your voice isn’t heard and if you’re kind of stuck in an endless summer that doesn’t feel any different than the last 3 months. I think that it’s important to find your voice and a way to spend your time to express your self because, you know, you can go stir crazy and watch TV for endless hours a day or you can feel like you’re using your time in a valuable way.
(teaser to episode)

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That’s me, Angelica Norton. For this episode, my chatty daughters, Eloise and Ansley, took over my hosting duties to ask me some of the questions I normally pose to my guests and to give crafting advice. Now, more than ever, it’s important to be creative so we don’t feel stir-crazy in the midst of a pandemic, and in order to find ways to express our tumultuous feelings during social unrest. Let’s all shift perspective and ask questions to see what we can learn from each other – and like Eloise says, “actually listen.”

We actually recorded a month ago, just as the Black Lives Matter marches started, so I put this one on hold recorded another episode to amplify an artist of color (shown in Episode 44 Inner City Dreamer: Kendall Angelle).

Eloise, Ansley, and I talked about kids on YouTube shows, sewing as therapy vs sewing for profit, the endless summer because of Covid, White Privilege, storytelling and appreciating grandparents, overcoming being bullied as a child through creative, supportive friends (shown in Episode 43: Handbag Poetry Night), the positives and negatives of the pandemic, and tips on staying creative.

Art by Eloise

Art by Ansley

Quilt squares by Angelica

Eloise’s mask as a headband

Eloise’s mask

044 Inner City Dreamer: Kendall Angelle

It can be both. Most artists do it for selfish reasons. But when you’re putting it out there for people to, you know, experience – some judge – but mostly just a general experience. It adds an aspect that’s not selfish anymore. It’s just the nature of art. You can’t help it. I don’t care how money-driven a creative is, at the end of the day, it still lends itself to the people because you’re putting it out there for people to interpret to appreciate.

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That’s Kendall Angelle. As a Black creative with his finger on the pulse of art, music, fashion, and culture, he curates and shares incredible artists and ideas on his website, Fresh Aesthetic. We were good friends in high school back in Houston and the early years of when we both moved to Austin after graduation. In support of Black Lives Matter and protests against police violence, I wanted to use my platform to elevate voices of color, so I reached out to my old pal. And it seems especially appropriate to support someone who is going out of his way to support other creatives.

Links from our convo:

The Neil deGrasse Tyson essay Kendall mentioned: Reflections on the Color of My Skin

The Business of Hype is the podcast by clothing designer, Jeff Staple

Refashionista is the website on thrift store finds I mentioned that are tailored, dyed, and reworked to reduce clothing waste

Shameless Plugs:

Kendall’s website: ¡Fresh Aesthetic!™: freshaesthetic23.com. Find him on Twitter @freshaesthetic, Facebook @freshaesthetic23, and Instagram @freshaesthetic23. I’ll update when his Culture Fresh podcast is back up.

Fresh Aesthetic

Kendall Angelle

Kendall’s cool socks

Kendall Angelle

040 Ambassador of String: Gretchen Du Prè

Angelica, it is why I do what I do. I love this city. I love Austin, and that’s honestly my career goal, is to make Austin beautiful, though public art, through landscape design, through public projects if I can be involved.

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That’s Gretchen Du Prè. Fiber artist, landscape designer, musician slash singer, mother, and beautifier. Gretchen’s own string theory is: if there’s a way to knit it, play it, draw it, or sew it, she wants to get her hands on it. If you see her around town and compliment something she made – watch out, you might be wearing it home.

Public Art:

She and Austin Outdoor Design had a entry in the recent Fortlandia, called Hamaca de los Flores, at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

She also had a project in Creek Show, a temporary light installation over Waller Creek in Austin.

Music:

Singer and musician for the band, Honey Punch, for 10 years, a daytime fun band. The intro was “Anarchy in the UK” ; the mid-episode sample was “Being Mir Best Du Schon”, and the outro was “Fallen for You.” Follow them on Instagram and check out their website for shows and delights!

Honey Punch band

Gretchen du Pre

Gretchen at Creekshow 2018

Gretchen du Pre at Creek Show

Creek Show 2018

Fortlandia 2020: Hamaca de los flores

038 Heart and Handmaker: Jen Grudza

I think it’s a reminder to spend time with myself and do something that makes me happy and gives me joy. It’s like my separate space where I don’t have talk to anybody, I don’t have to be on like I am at my job. Because it’s the guest room; my dog hangs out on the bed, and the sun is very beautiful comes through my room. I think it’s just my check out space where I just dive in. My hands have to be busy; I can’t not be busy…

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That’s Jen Grudza. Project Coordinator for Moontower, quilter, bag-maker, dog parent to Mr. Winston, and wife. She is my new crafty inspiration and muse. I’m drawn to her because I relate to her need to make soft or yummy things to give away, like hugs. Recently she has been exploring a functional style with durable materials like canvas, leather, and cork, and upcycling old jeans. Her beautiful handmade items involve slicing intricate patterns and following complicated directions – that I’m anxious to get a lesson on now that I bought my first paper-piecing quilt pattern.

Names mentioned in the episode:

Niku Arabai taught a quilt class at Stitch Lab

Jen made Denyse Schmidt’s Single Girl Quilt Pattern and took it to Gina Pina at Canopy to quilt it.

Chawnie Kimber teaches math in the NE; Jen took her class through the Quilt Guild and is inspired by her tiny mathematical pieces

Flash tattoo at Quiltcon by Stacy Martin Smith in Austin.

Some links of things mentioned in the episode:

Helm boot for outer wax, Tandy leather + photo of waxed canvas bag

Paper piecing – there are two kinds: english and foundation; The example she brought in is of a tattoo quilt pattern

Labels for handmade works by Wunderlabel

Carolyn Friedlander fabric with architecture and botanical designs – I already made my Christmas wish list of her re-released lines

Quiltcon is coming to Austin Feb 20 – 23, 2020

Hawthorne Threads – environmentally friendly fabric printing

**Note: Gunner was mentioned in the episode and as passed away just before the episode posted. My heart goes out to his family and friends.**

hand applique

My birthday bag from Jen with Wunderlabel

Denyse Schmidt’s Single Girl Quilt patter, Quilted by Gina Pina

Cross-stitch of a Winston-alike

Paper Piecing of tattoo quilt patter

Mr. Winston in the sewing/guest room

Jen Grudza’s sewing room

037 Manic Maker at Testify: Angelica Norton

And what I learned was: anytime my hands were busy, I could think the thoughts I needed to think instead of having my smartphone dictate what I should think and feel.

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For my birthday today, I recorded a quick episode of the story I performed on the stage at Spiderhouse Ballroom on Thursday, October 24th for Testify (a monthly storytelling group in Austin) for October’s theme, Craft. My story I recorded tonight (which is better audio than I captured on my camera) is about this podcast, so if you want a 16 minute sampler of what Chatty Crafties is all about, have a listen.

036 Schizophrenic Straddler: Chad Raines

I think arranging in pop music is like so underrated. I think that’s the whole reason why people like pop music; there’s not like lots interesting chord changes or melodies happening–-it’s all about production, which, production is arranging. and it’s just all about the choices of tones and instruments you make and creating an atmosphere that gives you a feeling.

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That’s Chad Raines, sometimes known as Rad Chains, but it depends if you find him on the divine stage or in real life. His artistic lens is aimed at the juxtaposition between giving a rough edge to the prestigious and elevating the overlooked. He swings between between musical theatre to performing in spandex with his band The Simple Pleasure. He arranged and played the music to my wedding, and even more importantly to Matt and me, he made the “Egyptian Lover” music video of our friend Basil Malaty. Having something so precious to look at when my friend was no longer around eventually lead to me to creating this podcast, so I can give stage to the essence of people I hold dear for posterity.

You can find more on Chad at www.chadraines.com, at www.thesimplepleasure.com, the Rad Chains Soundcloud page, and The Simple Pleasure Bandcamp page.

The intro of the episode is “Another Active Shooter,” we sample “Girls and Guys Sometimes, and the outro is “Labor of Love ” by The Simple Pleasure.

Here’s Tom Cherry’s “Boogieman of My Dreams” and Donzi’s World, which have big Tim and Eric Awesome Show vibes way before that was a thing.

Shameless Plug: Chad’s new (Untitled) record with The Simple Pleasure, which should be out by Oct. 14th.

Here’s a couple of The Simple Pleasure’s music videos, “Young Professionals” and “A Need to Know Basis.”

Here’s the “Egyptian Lover” video featuring our friend Basil Malaty (1981 – 2004), shot and produced by Chad Raines in collaboration with Matt Norton around 2001/2002 in Austin, TX.

Chad Raines on Melodica(Chris Perley Photography)

Chad Raines (Photo from ishotamandapalmer.wordpress.com)

Chad and Lily (Photo from The Simple Pleasure)

Chad Raines (Photo from claireandherpipsqueaks.tumblr)

Chad and Lily (Photo from The Simple Pleasure)

033 Part-time Pâtissière: Lisa Willis

It’s just such a nice feeling when you’ve made something – you know, you’ve created an edible piece of art. And you know, when others try it and they’re enjoying it, I don’t know, it’s just a really nice feeling. It’s like I accomplished something and everybody likes it and is raving about it.

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That’s Lisa. Over-achieving baker, busy commercial real estate attorney, and my best friend slash cousin. There’s no cake too crazy for her kitchen and she’s passing on her love of making excruciatingly beautiful baked goods to her six year old daughter – from scratch—with a few tweaks until it’s just right.

She talked about the sugar substitute, Swerve. She’s saved so many recipes on www.allrecipes.com but is going to send me recipes for egg bites, lemon meringue pie, and chocolate pie when she gets a moment free from work. *look for an update soon*

Photos of the amazing cakes, cookies, and pies mentioned in the episode are included below. You can find Lisa preparing a delicious Thanksgiving dinner for her whole family every year, pies in hand. Don’t ask her for your own pie because she’ll probably say yes and my girl needs someone to help keep that list short.

What’s your favorite pastry to bake? I get a kick out of strawberry bread and oatmeal cookies myself, but I do delight in a good pie because they turn out so pretty when they’re crispy and glazed. Let us know on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #chattycrafties.

Thanks for understanding about my 2-month hiatus from recording these sweet podcasts. I had a couple of baby blankets that needed to be quilted on the nights I record, and I had to pick my poison.

Low-carb blueberry donuts

Ariel doll cake

Watercolor buttercream icing

Sugar cookies

Heart cake with red hots

Birthday cake pops

Many Thanksgiving pies

Halloween cake pops

Halloween-themed cake

Birthday cake with star cake pops

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Pumpkin cheesecake

029 Color Explorer: Sharon Loy Anderson

I love to paint twelve hours a day. I will work on a painting three days in a row–that’s why I can finish a painting in three days because I spend twelve hours on it– I’ll start in the morning and paint till almost midnight.

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That’s Sharon. Multi-media artist with a penchant for acrylic paint, landscape photographer, and my sweet mother. She knew from a young age that she had a gift and was hungry to learn anything and everything about art. This creative appetite was genetic, so it was a delight to sit down with her to explore her path from being a talented child and a career student, to teaching art, to ongoing exhibits at galleries in central Texas.

A portfolio of her art can be found at www.sharonloyanderson.com, her art facebook page @sharonloyanderson, and her instagram @sharonloyanderson. She signs her art with “Loy,” her middle name. That’s how you know it’s a finished piece.

The intro and outro music is always by by Berm and Swale, (unless the guest is a musician themselves).

Blackfoot Daisy on a Summer’s Day by Sharon Loy Anderson

Texas Gent by Sharon Loy Anderson

ew Beginnings by Sharon Loy Anderson

Central Texas River by Sharon Loy Anderson

Dolan Falls on the Devil’s River by Sharon Loy Anderson

Echeveria ‘Afterglow’ by Sharon Loy Anderson

Echeveria ‘Encatata’ Sharon Loy Anderson

027 The Questing Quilter: Diana Stahl

That’s what I think quilting has been able to do for me, is to give me an outlet to express those little beauties, those little things in my spirit that I want to get out. Imagine that feeling could be in an object around your house and you could see it and go like, oh, oh! Nice, nice nice! I think that’s what we’re all trying to do when we buy something and put it in our home.

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That’s Diana. Teacher, crafter, serene mother of 3…and my beloved college roomie. Even back in her wildest days, she possessed a tender heart, impossible patience, and an enduring fondness for fine fabric, nostalgia, and one more cup of coffee. In the blanket she made for my daughter, every square was a tiny slice of affection sewn together with her signature calm just for me. – Amber Moreno

**Thanks so much to Amber Moreno for the countless hours she’s put into producing this little podcast for 27 episodes. I have appreciated every second she’s nudged and carefully spliced to get such thoughtfully crafted episodes from our hour-plus long chats. Her work will be missed, but I certainly am thankful that I get to see her regularly for non-podcast related hangs.** -Angelica Norton

Weekly inpo: Yasmin Youssef’s art exhibit at E.A.S.T (East Austin Studio Tour) can be found at @thegoldcurrent on Instagram and her website: http://yasmin.ws

Diana’s favorite quilting book is 501 Rotary Cut quilt blocks by Judy Hopkins and she uses a Pfaff Varimatic sewing machine. You just need a problem-free sewing machine, an iron, and an ironing board, and you’re all set! TIP! Try a 70% cotton/30% polyester batting so it doesn’t shrink, but double-check the size on your pre-sized batting so your finished quilt top matches up correctly!

Her quilter in Winnipeg, Manitoba is Brenna Sneesby at thequilteddaisy.com

An example of the hand towels Diana mentioned around the middle of the episode: