In this episode, host Bess Wilkins chats with Meg from Nutmeg and Honey Bee about the importance of using creativity to deal with grief and improving your general mental health. If you’ve never heard of Meg, you’ve got to check out her Instagram page. It’s filled with her amazing creations: from baked goods to embroidery and so much more. We discuss so many topics today including knowing when it’s time to pivot the direction of your business, when it’s time to prioritise your “offline”...

The world of abstract embroidery can be extremely daunting and it’s hard to know where to start. Ashlie from Happimood Co uses her experience as an artist to showcase how approachable abstract embroidery can be. In this episode, host Bess Wilkins chats with Ashlie about the temptation of all artists to focus too much on getting it ‘perfect’ rather than letting the piece speak for itself. Ashlie also encourages us to embrace the mistakes and allow the piece to evolve as it needs. She...

Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she speaks to today’s guest- Lauren from Lark Rising. Lauren started her journey with embroidery in 2015 and has since grown her business, written a book, taught workshops and classes, all while juggling two young kids!! We talk to her about her journey, her creative process and her tips and tricks for choosing colour palettes and exploring different fibre arts. Episode Links: Lauren’s...

Making the jump from ‘just a hobby’ into a side hustle or business can be scary. A lot of people dream of making money doing what they love and Katie has done just that, all whilst still holding down a full-time job. Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she chats to Katie from By Katie Olivia about what she has learnt, how to manage study vs work, and her creative journey in the first 12-18 months of running her business. Episode Links: Stitching & Co Advent...

Learning to say “no” is something we all struggle with, in our personal lives and businesses. It can be so hard as a small business, especially when you’re just starting out, to not just say “yes” to every opportunity that comes your way. When you’re starting out that might be just what you need to allow you to experiment and build up confidence, but at some point you need to set boundaries… and that means saying “no” to certain things. Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she...

Wood workers who are women (say that fast three times) are definitely less common, but we love seeing women get on the tools and create something beautiful. In this episode join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she chats to Kate (Modern Hoopla) about how you can take your finished projects up another notch with beautiful wooden hoop frames. Bess chats to Kate about her journey into starting her business, how to finish your hoop with just the right frame shape and...

Social media, we love it and we hate it…but when you’re a business it’s hard work to keep on top of the latest trend, posting stories and photos, replying to your followers and creating reels. This episode features someone we consider the reel queen! Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) and guest Yulia (Matryoshka Doll Shop) as they chat all things Instagram – how to have an Instagram account for business but also as a hobby page. This episode was filmed in late 2021 and there have...

Ever feel you aren’t creative enough to have a ‘creative’ hobby… well then this episode is for you!! Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) and guest Stephie (Hoop and Fred) as they chat about exploring and growing your creativity, how to look at it differently, finding the right creative hobby and overcoming perfectionism. With an extra special guest appearance from the Life with Bess studio dog… Aurora. Episode Links: Hoop and Fred Instagram:...

Want to take your business to the next level? Join host Bess Wilkins (from Life with Bess) as we chat to Julie from Humble Stitch Studio about two aspects to think about when it comes to business. Collaborations and branding… a bit of a random combination but this is a jam packed interview and a perfect episode to get you excited for all the amazing opportunities you can have this year! Episode Links: Humble Stitch Studio Instagram:...

If starting a creative business is on your list for 2022, then this is the perfect episode to start off season 2. Join host Bess Wilkins (Life with Bess) as she chats with Sally Wilson from Caterpillar Cross Stitch. After running a successful cross stitch business for 6 years, Sally has lots of tips and encouragements for those starting out or thinking about it. From how to avoid burnout, why it is important to build a community, when to bring on staff to help and more!! Episode...

Burnout is something that a lot of us creatives have experienced at some point in time. Join host Bess Wilkins as we chat to Miriam from Slow Evenings Embroidery about her journey back from burnout at the start of 2021 and how she is learning to identify when she is heading down that path. She shares about how she was experiencing anxiety, business paralysis, and creative block. Anyone who has been burnout (creatively or not) will tell you it is not an easy journey back to normal – and Miriam...

We all know that saying… those who can’t do, teach? Well this is not the case for today’s guest Melissa from M Creative J. Join host Bess Wilkins as we talk about taking that next step from learning embroidery to then teaching it. Melissa loves to create whimsical modern embroidery patterns drawing on her love of nature and desert landscapes and is passionate about teaching others to find joy in embroidery and crafting. She believes that anyone can learn to embroider and has years of...

Colour really is such an important part of embroidery and as much as we hate to admit it, sometimes it can make or break a design. For a lot of people starting to create your own colour palettes is a bit daunting and you don’t know where to begin because there are a million different colours to choose from. Join host Bess Wilkins as we chat to Sophie from Mindful Mantra Embroidery about how she pick’s the most beautiful colour palettes for her designs. We chat about her process for creating...

Looking to experiment with different fibre arts other than Embroidery? What about punch needling and weaving? Julie Stuart from Clever Poppy is the queen of crafts and has amazing kits and online courses to help beginners get started in a new craft. She loves to focus on helping mums reclaim ‘me time’ through crafting! Join host Bess Wilkins as Julie shares the differences between the embroidery, punch needling and weaving, how to know which craft is for you and all sorts of tips and tricks...

Many people find a sense of therapy through embroidery. It forces us to take the time to slow down and work with our hands. For Rebekah from Stress Away Stitching embroidery is helping her manage her anxiety and improve her overall mental health all while completing her Thesis and starting her embroidery business. In this episode, host Bess Wilkins chats with Rebekah who shares openly and honestly around her journey with severe debilitating anxiety, navigating the ups and downs of life and...

Do you feel like there is nothing original left in the world of stitching botanicals. Join host Bess Wilkins as Katie Martin from Harvest Goods Co not only shares with us how to stand out in a saturated world of botanicals but the importance of finding that spark of joy that drew you to florals in the first place. From colour inspiration and composition to being confident to show the world as you see it – she is open about her journey with adoption, business and managing a work-life balance....

Join host Bess Wilkins and Sierra from Knotty Cat Co. as they chat about all things transferring your pattern onto fabric. Everyone has their own preference, or technique they swear but there are pros and cons to each method but in this episode it is just two stitchy girls chatting about all different things they’ve tried and what has worked and hasn’t!!! Episode Links: The Knotty Cat Co. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theknottycatco/ The Knotty Cat Co....

Ever felt like you are a total imposter when it comes to embroidery or running a business… you know that feeling of not being good enough or feeling inadequate. Well then this episode is for you!!! Join host Bess Wilkins as we hear from Tatum from Threaded by Tatum discuss imposter syndrome!! She shares how suffering from imposter syndrome has impacted her business, her creativity… and most importantly what she has learnt in how to overcome it and get back on track!! Episode...

Today we explore what it means to find your style in the embroidery world. Not sure exactly where to start? Join host Bess Wilkins and Krista from She the Bee as Krista shares her journey along with some amazing tips to help you start to find your own creative voice. EPISODE LINKS: She the Bee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/she_the_bee/ She the Bee Website: https://www.shethebee.com/ Heidi | Creating Magic Online:...

Get to know Celeste Johnson from Lemon Made Shop. You may recognise her from her amazing collection of wildflower US state patterns and her embroidery book ‘Freshly Stitched’. Celeste’s journey is one of organic and strategic growth, setting boundaries and being open to possibilities like writing an embroidery book! This episode we mixed things up a little bit and answered a stack of questions from her Instagram fam. Episode Links: Lemon Made Shop Instagram:...

Join host Bess Wilkins as she chats all things TikTok and video content creation with Emily from Made by Emily Bea. Emily is an embroidery artist and illustrator in Canada who has grown a nearly 200K following on TikTok as she shares amazing tutorials and how to videos of her whimsical styled embroidery. We chat to Emily all about her process, how finds inspiration for videos, tips and tricks for video editing, how to gain a loyal following, whether or not to follow trends, what equipment to...

Go deeper than just stitching… Join host Bess Wilkins as guest Michelle Staub from Stitching Sabbatical opens up about her journey with ADHD. From being diagnosed in her mid-20s to how it impacts the day to day running of her embroidery business and everything in between. Episode Links: Stitching Sabbatical Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingsabbatical/ Stitching Sabbatical Website: https://www.stitchingsabbatical.com/ Stitching & Co...

Welcome to the wonderful world of Abstract Embroidery with Amaris from Threaded Studio as our guide. Join host, Bess Wilkins as she asks all things abstract. From how to get started, to what different fabrics and mediums to use to get texture off the charts and some really practical tips for finding your own abstract style along the way. We also chat about where inspiration crosses the line to copying, especially in the abstract embroidery world and how this community seeks to build...

In this episode, host Bess Wilkins discusses the 5 main apps and tools that she uses everyday in her embroidery business. These are apps that take her ability to create to the next level. There are apps to design, edit photos, plan social media, create workflows and tasks and much more. And it’s not just for stitchers trying to turn their hobby into a business either. These apps will be greatly beneficial to stitchers of all stages in their skill and development. Episode...