Stitching Together Ingenuity and Industry Among Women Leaders

Stepping into the vibrant hive of the Women in Business Summit was like donning my favorite outfit, one that's stitched together with threads of creativity and splashes of color from my very own pattern designs. You'll want to tune in as I recount the swirl of inspiration and camaraderie that fueled my week, from the thrill of sporting attire that echoes Katie Runnel’smvintage assemblages to the magic of doodling the essence of powerful presentations. I even take you behind the scenes of my 100-day project focused on word phrases, and we groove to the nostalgic tunes of Carol Channing, all while unpacking the term 'jam' and its ability to weave a tapestry of shared memories among us creatives.

But the creative journey doesn't stop there. I'm already bubbling with anticipation for the Sunday workshops that promise a marriage of art and technology, and I can barely contain my excitement for my exhibit at the Canton Museum of Art.

This episode isn't just about reflection; it's a forward march into an electrifying world of collaboration, with a sneak peek into an immersive installation in the making and the birth of the Urban Sketchers of Canton. Get ready to explore the sheer joy of crafting custom paint by numbers and the prospect of a community paint event that paints a stroke for charity.

Every conversation, every project, is a testament to the power of connection and the unbridled joy of creativity. Join me, and let's celebrate the art of being business savvy and artistically adventurous.

The doodle this week is Jam from ElloLovey!

Katie Runnels
Canton Museum of Art Family Day
Britts Blooms
The Barrel Room
720 Market
Laura Esposito Photography 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

hey, happy friday. Happy good friday. Welcome back to brutally made. I've had a very busy week and I'm excited to be with you today.

Speaker 1: 0:17

See our doodle today from elo lovey JM. Oh gosh, jm, my favorite is like strawberry. I don't really like grape, that's my husband's favorite, but I like JM over jelly. So I don't know if very many of you remember oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 0:38

This was in the 90s. There was this Alice in Wonderland show on TV and it was kind of like a mini series and Carol Channing was on it and she sang jam tomorrow, jam yesterday, but never, ever jam today. And she did it, her signature voice and delivery and every time I say the word jam it reminds me of that. So we are going to doodle jam and talk about jamming together as women, because I got to attend the Women in Business Summit here locally and it was extraordinarily impactful and it just makes me appreciate the women that support one another in all their endeavors. I just had such a good time. This was the second year our Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce put this on and the gals that organize it are friends and I just you know they're all dressed and they're like you should and hot pink and pink and they just look darling. And here I am in my olive green and I had designed a pattern.

Speaker 1: 1:56

Again, I am going to shout out some friends Katie Reynolds, who is someone I met on our Windowsill Chats Mastermind group and I love her. She curates the most imaginative pieces and I purchased one from her and there was like this crazy mix up and I got my piece but there was like something happened with, like, the store front that she had. So I wanted to, you know, kind of compensate her again in a different way, because we were battling back and forth and I made this pattern and it's like vintage. It was inspired by some of the vintage pieces that I see her using in her assemblage pieces and I'll put the link to her socials in the show notes so you can see them because they're just so cool these head vases with flowers, and it's like a green, like a avocado or an olive green background, which is one of my favorites, and she said she loved green. But Katie, oh my gosh, you probably like, like I don't know, different color, green, I don't know. I love this color, this is the color of my house, my truck, so, but all these bright colors pop off of this. And then I had a purse and a cosmetic bag and a wallet with different colorways but the same repeat pattern sent to her as a thank you she's a darling, darling creative and I made bib overalls.

Speaker 1: 3:39

I found a manufacturer that did all kinds of clothing so I wanted to test out some of my patterns. So I made these overalls and they came in in time for this event. So I wanted to wear them and I wore them with, like this olive green duster jacket I had and a really cool vintage looking necklace. And yeah, I didn't have there's floor the florals, but the base of the whole outfit was not pink, but which is totally fine, I love green. So yeah, I, you know, had just a blast, had the best table, got to meet some amazing, creative people, businesswomen, just the kindest hearts. We just had a blast.

Speaker 1: 4:26

So if you follow my socials, I did some stories and I tried to keep them in the highlights too of the videos that we took, because we did the photo booths and stuff like that. The speakers were wonderful, of course, you know I doodle and my notes were all drawn as we would go, because that's how I remember stuff. I doodle as people were talking, so I was like writing their names and doing visuals with the things they were saying and everybody was I, you know, I'm just like in my own head doing this and the gals at my table were like, uh, I want a copy of your notes. And I was like what, yes, you got to share your notes. You got to share your notes. So I did and I tagged some of the speakers in them because they were so inspiring and it was so much fun and I love doing that and I know that there's like a movement of people that create visuals during presentations, which that would be an awesome gig to do is make this giant like background poster of what speakers are talking about so people could like get pictures by it, and you just pull out those keywords and you write them down and then you doodle around them and it's kind of like my 100 day project, where I've been taking two word phrases or making up my own phrases and drawing them out. So I'm trying to manipulate a font and make it different, make it my own. But yeah, that's what my 100 day project has been and it's been so much fun trying to find, like, different colors. I want to use different ways to write things different, little duels to put around the words, and I really kind of just practiced it at this summit and it was just so fun and I just wasn't realizing that people paying attention and they were watching my doodles, so it was just really cute that they appreciated it too and I was happy to share those. And again, it was just so nice to connect with people and celebrate one another, finding people to follow. I am like so excited.

Speaker 1: 6:36

One gal, her like nine to five, she's like me, she's got her passion project on the side but she has her full-time job and Britt's blooms and she has a farm where you pick your own blooms and I'm like my gosh, that's so much fun. But she's a health inspector during the day and I'm like I totally get it and you know it was just the neatest thing to get to sit and talk to her and it was so funny to be like. Hey know, at the Stark County Health Department I have two pieces of art that are on the wall and the Canton claw. I drew a claw machine with different parts of Canton in it and it animates and she's like that's you and I said yeah, that's me. And then I had a um, a ball jar. Um, which ball. The canning company and they have glass jars and I had painted one for an event years ago and it had flowers in it, and so they have that piece also hanging at the Stark County Health Department. So I have two pieces there and I'm like yep. So when you walk by those that'll remind you that's me. So she was so cute, she was so sweet and I can't wait to go to her farm to pick flowers. I'm going to use them for some subjects, for paint, for my canvases, and I'm also organizing a make and take event and I'll let you guys know the barrel room in August.

Speaker 1: 8:02

On August 7th, carrie reached out to me. The owner and wanted me to organize an event. I don't know if she saw the one that I'm doing with Ellie and said hey, will you organize an event at my location? I was like I would be happy to. I want to do something kind of different out of the box and so I'm looking for people who would like to create, make and take kits. So there will be different stations, so when somebody buys a ticket they'll be able to experience all the different things to make that night, if they don't get to go through all the stations, they'll be able to still pick up the kit because it will go with their ticket price. They'll be able to still pick up the kit because it will go with their ticket price and take it home and make what they were expecting to that night. So maybe one of the stations would only take 15 minutes to make. Another station could take maybe 45 minutes. You know we'll have about three hours.

Speaker 1: 8:55

I figured the event would be from like six to nine, and the people that are exhibiting with the stations will also be able to sell because it's open to the public. So if you get a ticket to do the make and takes, that's great. You get to experience that part. But if you're there and you want to have a glass of wine, a craft beer, we're going to have a food truck. So I'm getting a food truck there, have some dinner, you can still shop, and so it'll be for everyone. And the beauty of it is there's not going to be a cost to have your booth there. You just have to provide the kits, and so I'm hoping it will be a win-win for all the creatives that will have spots to share their knowledge and share what they do and then also sell some stuff and then not have the worry of a table cost for that event. And they come away with networking and, you know, creating awareness about what they do.

Speaker 1: 9:55

And so I was like Brittany, could you create like a bouquet takeaway? And she was like this would be perfect, because my flowers really start in July. August is the greatest time to, you know, do bouquets and stuff. So I think that you know, maybe she'll be able to do that and I am very excited that people have been responding so positively to this. I have another friend who has a stitching company. She's got a beautiful store, and she was like we can create little like stitches, packages and like takeaways. And then I'm like yes, and then display stuff to sell and and sell that day. So they don't do that. And so she was like this is outside of the box. And I said I know, so it's you know. And so she was like this is outside of the box and I said I know, so it's, you know, going to be fun. And I wanted it to be fun and I can't thank Carrie enough for reaching out and asking that I do this.

Speaker 1: 10:53

I am thrilled to do something on a Wednesday night, you know, at the end of summer, and just something fun to do, and I love when you have like the paint and sips and stuff like that and I just want it to be other kind of opportunities to create. That's what's important to me is to, you know, have all kinds of things that you know you'd want to bring home. I love hanging up artwork and I'm running out of wall space, so maybe I want to make something that I could wear or make something I can display or a gift, and that's the goal of it is just to change it up and make it interactive and fun for everybody. So that's in the works right now, along with selling tickets. That's going really well for our Stitch event on April 22nd, again supporting Ellie and Formage Nicole let me rent out her space for that event and I'm very excited about doing that and getting a charcuterie I'm sorry, a grazing board for that, like I mentioned in the last episode. So very excited about that. Another you know woman business owner supporting her and I'm very excited to do that. Oh my gosh, lynn Shimko. Oh, she asked if I would do all of the 720 markets with live painting and I said yes, absolutely. So I will be live painting at all the 720 markets with live painting and I said yes, absolutely. So I will be live painting at all the 720 markets this year and I am thrilled to be doing that and starting with the Home and Garden show.

Speaker 1: 12:33

It's the 19th and 20th of April, but on the 20th I will have a make and take and creative camp and we are making giant paper flowers. So I have done giant paper flowers for years. Before my building was torn down. Years and years ago, my whole office was nothing but beautiful, like faux brick, wallpaper and giant paper flowers all along the walls, and people saw them. They loved them. I had been making them for all kinds of people and a couple years ago I made giant displays. I'm going to have some big flowers for her to display with the I guess they're photo props the 720 letters with the big bulbs in them, if she needs to use those, and then I'll have them at the creative camp and I think I'm going to put them on the sticks so everybody can carry them.

Speaker 1: 13:31

Again, I was inspired by those when I was a little girl. We would go to Kings Island and I wanted to take home the giant tissue paper flowers every time we would go, and of course, that was a frivolous thing to purchase. I think there were probably like $15, and that was so much money We'd already paid to get into the park. And why in the world would I want a paper flower to go home? But I never got that out of my head. I loved those, and so that's what I want to make, and I did those during the farmer's markets last year and the kiddos loved them and I have little butterflies to attach to them. So but yeah, lynn, I just am very excited that you asked me to do that, and Lynn and Dave run a fabulous juried kind of like art-based selling oh my gosh extravaganza that goes all over our county and actually outside of the county now too. So it is phenomenal that she asked me to participate all year long. And then at Christmas I'll be face painting again there. I did that nonstop last year and it was so much fun. So I'm really excited to join them again, but I just can't thank them enough for that opportunity to share and be part of that event all year long.

Speaker 1: 14:46

And then the Canton Museum of Art Erica Emerson I love her so much. They asked me to be an instructor, and so for Thursday night, starting April 25th through June, for six weeks, I am going to teach digital art and traditional art combined with augmented reality. So everybody that participates in the adult class, which I believe starts at age 13 or 14 and up for the six week class, we are going through how to use Procreate and then taking your traditional art, bringing it into Procreate, using Art of Vive and animating your work, and so I am very excited to teach the basics of all of that, and so if you don't know how to use Procreate, that's fine. We're going to start with the very basics. Hopefully I'll show you some maybe things that you didn't know you could do, and then also some shortcuts on how to create your own fonts and bring that into Procreate and how to create a portrait. And there's going to be a lot of takeaways from this class and some homework every week because I want people to practice a little bit, but by the end of the class you'll be able to have an actual piece that we're going to paint and then animate. So I want to give people ideas on how to take their art into different realms and, you know, share it in different ways so people appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 16:20

And I have two workshops that are going to happen as well on a Sunday, one for adults and one for kids. So in those workshops we are actually it's three hours long each workshop and we're going to paint a canvas and we're going to animate it in that same same day. Those three hours are going to fly. I can't even like tell you it's going to go really fast, and so the thing is, nobody's stuff will be alike, because it can't. Everything has to be your unique style, what you love. So, yeah, I'll teach that and share that.

Speaker 1: 16:51

And then I am thrilled to announce that I have an exhibit coming at the Kent Museum of Art on May 11th for Family Fun Day. Art and Tech Fusion is happening and I will have a giant exhibit that is all augmented reality, and I am just grateful that I'm going to get to do this for the community. And it's right in the middle of Jenny Rathner's exhibit, her augmented reality exhibit coming from Seattle to the museum. But then I get to have a giant piece there too and I am making it as immersive and interactive as possible. I am making it as immersive and interactive as possible, so I have shared a hint on my social media I think it was my personal, actually of a structure that I am actually turning into a walk in augmented reality experience. So I am really, really excited about doing that and it's 10 foot by 10 foot by, I think, nine feet high. Um, yeah, it's very exciting so I can't wait to. It's gonna only be on display the one day because it's so large and they don't really have room to do it anywhere else for a longer period of time. But, um, but, yeah, I get to, uh, have my first museum exhibit in May and I am thrilled, oh, my gosh, so so exciting.

Speaker 1: 18:23

And I have so many more projects that involve women who have reached out to me and are managing phenomenal businesses, and I can't wait to share more of those with you because it is just so encouraging. And I again, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the support that you have in my art and my abilities and letting me be creative. It's just so encouraging. I get through the day because of you. I really do, because it's just something I look forward to every day. It gets me up in the morning. I have been like creating so much. I had to go get a massage this week because my neck and my shoulders were so tight I was like was like, oh, you know, just I've been like so excited about like getting up in the morning and drawing and painting and planning and stuff, and it's like I've been leaning over stuff too much. But, um, yeah, and it did a great job with that, it loosened me up. So, um yeah, it's just been one phenomenal woman after another I've had getting my ideas going, and the organizations that I have been working with lately have been just tremendous and I just I can't I just can't express enough how important it is to support one another, and I've got a lot of great guys that I've been working with too.

Speaker 1: 19:59

I cannot discount the men in this community. I am on my third mural with the Canton City Police Department and I have worked with captains and lieutenants and chiefs within that whole facility and they have been wonderful and I can't thank them enough either. And the support that I have from other men in the community business owners, people that are organizing nonprofit events they are some of my biggest cheerleaders too. It's just so nice that people realize that you're here and that you can do something worthwhile and they reach out to you. I just I can't even express how exciting it is. This year has just been such a turning point for me, from the moment it turned 2024. And I am incredibly grateful, incredibly grateful, and I feel very, very honored to be asked to help out in all of these situations.

Speaker 1: 21:09

There are amazing art opportunities and I'm wanting to create them too, because I know that there's some gaps in some of the things that are happening in the area. One of the things that I've just kind of spearheaded and started because of my friend, brenda Olson, talking about urban sketchers. I'd never heard of that before and she shared that she had gone on this adventure and they went to an event and they were sketching during a performance and at a theater and it was phenomenal. So I investigated on what I could do to start that in Canton, because there isn't one, and so I started a group and I've reached out to an organization to have our first event at their location, and so I'm finalizing that date and going to announce that soon. But I'm very excited because it's going to be an event to support a worthy cause and I think it will be a lot of fun and I can't wait to share it with everyone who has shown interest in joining the Urban Sketchers of Canton, so I'll have a link in the bio or in the show notes for that too, so you can follow along and learn more about that. And I am still researching and learning about all the other groups that have urban sketchers in their cities and I just am so inspired by that, so very excited about having that happen in the area, that happen in the area and but yeah, it's just, it's just. If you can't hear the smile on my face, I I'm trying to relate it, I'm just so excited.

Speaker 1: 22:47

And this week I have this weekend actually I have my first bridal shower with multiple paint by numbers. I did 45. And so that'll be a great kind of like hands-on takeaway that all of the attendees get to have and I will share pictures of that. I'm very excited about doing that. I can't wait to do more. So if you have a bridal shower, a birthday, an event that you want to custom paint by number, let me know. And then next week I have a big community event, a paint by number, and I'll be there. And it is purses for a purpose and it is to help the sexual assault organization Compass they help survivors and Goodwill. So there's a combination effort there and I am very excited to help out with that and share extra information about one of the little I guess it's a surprise that's happening at the event. I don't want to share it out in case you know somebody is listening and they will figure out what I've done because it's supposed to be a surprise at the event. So I'll share more of that on my social media once it is shared there at the event.

Speaker 1: 24:10

But again, the opportunities that I've been given, I can't thank you enough and I want to collaborate and celebrate as many as I can in the community and all over the world in any way that I can. So reach out, let me know what is it that you need and that I can do, and maybe it's something I can help with, maybe it's something I can help with. Very, very excited to be able to offer those kind of talents to someone. So just wanted to reiterate why it's so important to support one another, because it just snowballs into so much and you'll never go poor from just giving. You'll never go poor from just giving. It's not, like you know, I'm rolling in it from my art, you know, monetarily, but emotionally and spiritually and just encouragement. I am so full and I am so excited and just so very blessed because of all of that, and so I just. It means the world to somebody when you encourage them and support them. I can tell you firsthand how much it means. So just thank you.

Speaker 1: 25:30

Thank you so much and I look forward to doing even more. And I look forward to doing even more and I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend. I hope you have a beautiful week coming up going into April, and I'll have a lot to share. I probably I'm hoping that I'll have an episode next Friday because I have a lot of things happening, but we'll see in the next two weeks. You may just hear a little short snippets from me, but you'll learn why. So take care. Happy, good Friday, happy Easter. Have a wonderful weekend. Bye.