Chatty Crafties Podcast

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. I'm Angelica Norton. Stay tuned for my monthly chat. www.chattycrafties.com

That's Josh Block. Phenomenal drummer. Music producer slash arranger slash audio engineer. Owner of recording studio––and now label––Niles City Sound in Fort Worth, Texas. He played and toured with rock and roll band White Denim for many years, and later helped launch the career of R&B singer-songwriter Leon Bridges, which he casually mentions but is a pretty big deal; so is the grammy. Josh’s ear for capturing timeless vocalists, proclivity for warm sounds from vintage equipment, and innate understanding of rhythm make for a lovely recording, if you're in the market for a hit. But the only thing better than hearing my friend on the radio is catching up with him in real life.

That’s Natascha Boland. Self-proclaimed over-sharer. Sometimes writer. Private vlogger. Dance-party-maker. She shares her vulnerable tale of facing her mortality through living with cancer. She reached out to her Facebook friends to help her fill her days with happy distractions, so I challenged her to think about her creative legacy for posterity in an interview with me. I wanted to say that I don’t have practice talking about the heartbreak of a shortened life; my personal experience is actually that of losing a friend suddenly. So my tone of voice is one of huge appreciation and not of missing the weight of the conversation – I hope it reads that way to you as well.

It's been a minute since I release an episode. I actually recorded this with Amber Moreno, Diana Stahl, and Genevieve Saenz back in August, but because of 2020, I needed to rest. You may be experiencing something similar. If you'd like to snuggle in and think about sleep hygiene and bediquette, please get in your favorite position under a soft blanket and join us for this week's episode.

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."

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.  https://freshaesthetic23.com

This week on a special Handbag Hangout Poetry night, I've rounded up Amber, Diana, Sara, Maria, and Genevieve to read poetry with me.  Our friendship was cultivated while writing poetry and furiously journaling in high school in the late 90's, which bound us tightly as very close friends over the past 20 years.  Since becoming adults, we have made a point to meet monthly (to reinforce and celebrate our identities before we became partners, spouses, mothers, or professional people), which came to be known as Handbag Hangouts as a dirty joke over beers.  Since COVID-19, we've upped our Handbags to a weekly Zoom meeting to dish out our love and support for each other.  (Please do forgive the quality of the recording since we weren't able to meet in person.)

That's Matt Norton.  My sweet husband sat down with me again for a quarantine special to explain modular synthesizers to me.  We want to de-mystify modular synths to inspire our friends out there to use this time at home to get creative.  We also want to look at the positive sides of being in quarantine, because it’s incredibly overwhelming otherwise.  We hope you guys are staying healthy and safe, or are resting if you need to recover from being sick.  We love you.

That's Neal Stilley. Friction-fire starter, atlatl thrower, tool-maker, Vietnam vet, and student of nature – Neal loves to share his incredibly extensive knowledge of primitive technologies to bring a connective tissue to how people lived in a simpler time. He brought his collection of hand-made tools and scat display boxes over to my house to bring life to his stories, which he uses in his outreach classes. If you catch him at any of his east texas courses this spring, kick off your shoes and get ready to touch some bones.

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.

That's Ryan Dilbert.  As a creative writing teacher of 4th graders, he lovingly shapes young writers by utilizing all the other facets of his life: as a father of two young girls, husband to Julie, published author, pro wrestling journalist for Bleacher Report, stand-up comedian and performer, and tattoo artist and illustrator.  In his summers off, he's hungry to do more, like developing screenplays, writing another novel, and trying his hand at graphic novel.

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.

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.

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.

That's Eloise.  Child actor, big sister, and my incredible daughter with a memory like a steel trap. She spent the summer working on her first professional play with Different Stages Theatre Company in Austin, Texas.  I wanted to capture her pure connection to playing characters when playing pretend was still an instinct instead of a distant, adult memory.

That's Graham.  As a musician and sound engineer, then as a producer of film and television, and now as general contractor and home builder for Curate Custom Homes, Graham has taken the puzzle pieces, flipped them over, and made sense of the big picture in order to tell the story.  He is also an occasional visual artist (if the occasion was to propose marriage to Amanda, who was my guest in episode 26) and woodworker if a project tells him it needs to be made.  He finds the creative process of collaborating most rewarding, and spends his down time from building houses with his wife and their three kids.

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.

That’s Angie Obermeyer, née Johnson. Semi-professional dancer, reluctant advertiser, wife, and mother of three. She’s a factory sleeper - you wouldn’t know she was a sucker for technique while chatting on the playground afterschool but once you get her talking about it, her passion for dance becomes immediately apparent, as is her drive to make dance performances more accessible to the general public.

That’s Kelsey. Actor, lover of musical theatre, grad student in psychology, and my emotionally mature office manager. She pressed pause on acting until it felt fun again, and now has her heart set on starting theatre company and opening a space sometime in the future. Her positivity and drive are contagious, so I’m thankful she keeps us organized while she spins so many plates of her own.

That's Floyd. Bassist in a punk band, park event coordinator, dutiful dad and husband–and my older brother. We had a chat over the Christmas break at our Mom's house about our shared creative influences growing up and explored the overlay of being a performer that also produces various events at Discovery Green in Houston. We also took a moment to put his 10-year-old daughter on for a quick dip into her artistic interests. Find more on his band, Dead to the World, @deadtotheworldtx on Facebook.

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. More can be found at www.sharonloyanderson.com

That's Sean. Musician, culinary scientist, and cook of much the food he lovingly produces. He officiated my wedding, is a godparent to my girls, and teaches us all the connectivity between food production, cooking, and renewable systems all while prototyping generative communities of the future. Stay tuned for our chat - with special guest, Matt Norton.

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.

That's Amanda. Mother of 3 and family caregiver, soulful singer, and appreciator of imperfect art–when she can steal a couple of hours to herself, that is. Amanda sat down with us to explore melding old and new and what it means to be dipping her toes back in the creative world though interior design with her business, Curate Homes.

That's Rose. Actor, improvisor, instructor at the Hideout Theatre, communications professional, and beacon of positivity.  Rose joined us to talk about her full, happy life, telenovelas, and nurturing participation in everyone she meets.

That's Logan. Carpenter, connoisseur of coincidences and Angelica's darling dad. A history buff with a keen eye for how things are made, he sat down to chat about architecture, building, and the other ethereal ingredients that make up his blueprint.

That's Ms. Dexxi. Dance instructor, aspiring motivational speaker, and mom.  She stopped by after class to chat about the mental relief of dance, the art of self-development, and encouraging the bloom of kids' creative self-expression–in-and out of the studio.

That's Jan, Angelica's mother-in-law, Matt's mom, cook, baker, party planner, space maker and daughter to Laverne, a dedicated follower of fashion, decorum and coordinated colors. You'll hear a little from her as well. Matt and his mom have such a sweet rapport we had to have him on too, so, if no one minds, here's 3 generations of craftiness to get you thinking about gratitude for wherever your creative lineage has its roots.

This week on Chatty Crafties we're whettin your whistle for the holidays. You'll remember Genevieve Saenz from way back in episode one. She and Amber have been offering holiday arts workshops to the public for years: crafting sessions that exercise the creative and emotional muscles often left untouched throughout the holiday hustle. So, before you start thinking about what to bring down from the attic and how many presents you're planning to crochet, consider taking a different approach to the most wonderful time of the year.

That's Jamie. Executive vice president, problem solver, mom, and organizing tornado. Recently delivered from a long bout of postpartum depression, she joined us by phone to chat about seeing color again and reclaiming her crafty cravings.

That's A.C.  Teacher, dad, craftyman, and musical influence to the stars. A.C. phoned it in to share his scholastic-grade sarcasm, classroom techniques, and what it's like to look through his eye for design.

That's Billy, a.k.a.  _Bill_Nice_.   Rapper, Game Designer, imperfectionist, incorrigible wordsmith, and long time husband of our producer. Billy chatted about the wondrous opportunity of personal vocabularies, meditation, his methods for world class deck building and stage fright.

That's Mitchell. Singer, song writer, Applications Engineer, and handy dad. Mitchell stopped by and shared some of his signature Americana with us and waxed a little poetic about collaborating.

In order of age and artistic angst, we proudly present short interviews with some of our favorite short people: Ansley 5, Oliver 6, Lily 8, Eloise 8, and Audrey 11.

That's Caroline. Artistic Director/Producer/Puppeteer/Actor/Story Creator/Director and Mom, who dropped in to share her vision of storytelling, rendering theatre into subtle PSAs for social and environmental justice, and her liberation from actor to puppeteer. She even  made a marionette dance for us here in the studio, reminding us that nothing dies like a puppet dies; isn't that chilling?

That's Sarah. Teacher, mom, fabric freak, and seemly seemstress. A modest pro at sewing with kids, she joined us in an attempt to capture the chaos of a back to school project with four kids under 10 and one sewing machine. The perfect exercise in knowing when to walk away and when to take a breath, rip the stitches and run that seam again. Stay tuned for some tips, tricks and some spots around Austin to tune up your stitching skills.

That's La Vee. Licensed Family and Marital Therapist, maximalist, and the brains, beauty and brawn behind the Thrift Therapy Podcast. With the wave of a magic wand, we recorded with La Vee over the phone to trade interviews and explore her thrifting appetite, how it transformed into a snazzy side-job filling custom subscription boxes, and the undeniable confidence that comes with knowing you're a little too much of everything.

That's Leah. Hair sculptor, mother of two, and cutting enthusiast. She generously agreed to answer questions while cutting Angelica's very, very long hair. If you'd like to witness a haircut and some interesting audio levels, stay tuned; you might just get some free advice. If you're interested in a haircut or color using all organic, vegan and gluten-free products in a well-lit room of a sweet little house, skip the big parking lot and the chemicals and make an appointment at theroomorganicsalon.com.

That's Caitlin. Improviser, teacher, mom, and paper crafter. It's a waste of face just to feature her voice, because this girl has expressions for days. She joined us to chat about harnessing spontaneous energy in the classroom, the freedom of improvising without male persuasion and the many virtues of listening.

That's Ian. Dad, drummer, writer, and half-baked boy scout. A Mortified performer and former teacher's pet, Ian stopped by to chat about his proprietary blend of absurdism and anonymity.

This week on Chatty Crafties: Angelica Norton: Landscape Designer, Mother of 2, and binge-crafter vs. Amber Moreno: career-averse Personal Organizer, Mother, of 1 and serial procrastinator. Will one out-craft the other? Will questions and answers clash in a heated discussion while the a/c remains off to minimize background noise? Will it all end up on the cutting room floor? We're pitting host against producer this week for a very special episode.

This podcast invites listeners to peer into the lives of our guests' creative processes, inspirations, and machinations. We hope to excite those who assume they aren't creative and support those who may have forgotten that they are.

That's Jon. Drummer, dad, distresser of doors, and assembler of beats. Musically, he goes by Flameburger Jonesies, but if you want to dabble in real estate with the man behind the mix, look up Jon Chambers at Realty Austin. Jon joined us to chat about parenting, inspiration, collaborating, his art process of choice, and your word of the day, "palimpsest." Definitions and more coming right up in this week's episode.

That's Bianca. She introduced me to computer games, AOL chatrooms, showed me how to straighten my hair, and how to dance to R&B while watching BET's Midnight Love. She has a trumpetous laugh, an impressive set of skills, and her craft room is always a disaster, which speaks to her boundless energy for creating new things. She joined us to talk about dance and appreciating projects long after they're done.

That's Aaron. Improvisor, writer, and reluctant physicist with the voice of a news castor. Stay tuned for a human interest story about the cult of improv, building realities, and how to play nice with other grown-ups.

That's Matt. Also known as Berm and Swale. Landscape designer, synthesizer fanatic, and creator of many a transcendent meal, this week he stepped out of the kitchen and joined us to chat about his architectural appetites, sobriety, and his personal antidote to creative stagnation.

That's Kate. Storyteller, writer, actor, and yarn-worker. Kate is a powerful orator, and she assembled the team that gave birth to Testify, Austin's monthly storytelling show. She sat down to chat about building a creative institution, shaping stories, savoring the dynamic exchange between a performer and audience, and knitting in public.

That's Cole. You may know him as Purple Bastard - his musical alter ego.  If you're like us, you know him as drama department royalty from back in the 90's, when we all met in high school. These days, Cole's a family man, substitute teacher, and a keeper of a formidable beard. He stopped by to chat about writing comedy, slicing and dicing sound, and drop some his heady, slowed down grooves on us.

That's Genevieve. Therapist, Celebrant, soon to be mother-of-two...and my very first artistic rival from 1999. She joins us on our maiden voyage to chat about poetry, playtime and the sinister presence of artistic wounding. If you or someone you know suffers from such a thing, don't go away.