01 Jun Pip Lincolne Crafter + Author

Australian blogger and crafter-extraordinaire Pip Lincolne’s latest book, Craft for the Soul, is a step-by-step guide on playful ways to inject creativity into our daily lives, and how we can balance creative pursuits with motherhood.

Your new book Craft for the Soul is inspiring. Can you tell us what readers can expect?

Craft for the Soul is full of friendly advice about having nicer times, prioritising creativity and working towards the things you most want to do. It’s also got a bunch of cute craft projects and lots of recipes tucked inside.

What was the motivation and inspiration behind writing Craft for The Soul?

I really wanted to create a book version of a best friend! A book of reminders about how to simplify life’s tricky bits, make room for making things and generally how to be your own best friend – a bit like a grown-up’s version of the Brownies Annual from my childhood.

What do you hope readers take away from the book?

I’d really love to change people’s ‘busy’ habits a bit and help them find some sneaky time for themselves in their jam-packed day.

You are a lady of many talents: business owner, mother, e-course teacher, community group facilitator (Brown Owls), blogger, crafter and now author. Do you have any advice for those who want to make their creative business full-time?

I think a sustainable creative career relies on having lots of eggs in different baskets, so my advice is don’t feel that you have to give up your day job straight away. Work hard, find a creative gang to support you, improve your skills. Feel free to juggle things a bit until you have the right creative and financial fit for you. Don’t worry about how successful everyone else’s creative lives might appear, rather create your own custom-fit creative career.

We know that you like a list – who doesn’t, right? What would be some great lists for mother’s to compile on different ways to get their kids involved with creative activity and play?

Oh this is a great question! How about ‘things that smell interesting’ or ‘things that have tails’, ‘places to adventure to’ or ‘new names for colours’. There are so many lists just waiting to be made.

Where do you do most of your work?

I work from my lounge room at home. We have a big, old ‘70s Moran lounge suite that’s like a hug in a couch. I do most of my work there – which is totally not ergonomic, but it sure is cosy.

Your chapter on imposter syndrome is something that hits home for many creatives,“The notion that success being tied with feeling undeserving.” Why do you think we have this fear and what are some ways we can learn to validate our work and selves?

I think knowing that even the most super-successful people like Meryl Streep or Tavi Gevinson (rookie.com) have this same problem helps. It’s just part of the creative condition – a little hurdle designed to keep you humble at best, or stop you in your tracks at worst. We need to shrug this feeling off. One good way of shaking imposter syndrome is to talk to your friends about your work and your progress. They can often give you a much more pragmatic assessment of how you are going. In Craft for the Soul, I talk about writing your own bio and I think that’s a helpful way to notice just how great you are too.

Do you have any tips for mums who want to balance their creative pursuits with motherhood and raising a family?

Don’t worry about being a perfect person or having the neatest house and the most Instagrammable food. Know that your creative life is absolutely vital to your health and happiness. Even tiny amounts of creative time will make a difference to how you feel about life, your kids and the world. Don’t feel that you have to make excuses for spending time on creative things. I love this quote by Magaret Olley: “You can spend your whole lifetime cleaning the house. If the house looks dirty, buy another bunch of flowers, is my advice.”

What were some of your favourite crafts as a child and did you revisit these projects with your own children?

I loved making things as a child and grew up around lots of crafty types. Craft for the Soul features a crochet blanket inspired by the ones my Nanna used to make when we were little. There’s also some liberty print floral beanbag frogs in there, a nod to kindergarten days and the pretty dresses of my childhood.

What’s next for Pip? Are you working on any more exciting upcoming projects?

I’m writing another book, of course! My great-grandfather Frank .W. Boreham wrote over 50 books in his day. I think I’ve caught the bug from him – I love making and writing books.

Pip Lincolne’s Words of Wisdom

Pip on…ideas

Treat your ideas like rare gems. They’re often hard to fathom when they first arrive, but if you value them and keep track of them, they’ll be useful in some way some day. They might form into one big, precious idea.

Pip on…starting the day

Mornings. Ah, I love them. They are key to productivity, positivity, creativity, activity…all the tivities!

Pip on…finding who you are

When you’re feeling a bit hazy or lost, remember who you are, what you’re made of, what’s at the heart of what you do.

Craft for the Soul by Pip Lincolne Penguin Books is available now from all good bookstores.

Images by Meet Me At Mikes by Pip Lincolne