I’m honoured (and a tad nervous, if I’m honest) to be speaking at the Yes Women Can! Au feminin pluriel conference this weekend in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. Yes Women Can! is a day-long event and trade show celebrating female entrepreneurs, creatives, performers… and all-round fabulous people. Organized by a firecracker group of can-doers from the small town of Vankleek Hill, the day will feature speakers, presentations, workshops, exhibits, and more. I cannot wait to share my adventures – and misadventures – in DIY and handmade living! As I was preparing my talk for the conference, I was struck by the idea to interview some of my fellow Canadian bloggers (and ladybosses!) for Flourish & Knot. We just don’t celebrate the amazing woman-power here in Canadian blogland enough! But that ends here and now. Here’s my list of 11 Canadian (female!) bloggers to read now!
AKA Design | Shannon Acheson
What type of content or projects are you passionate about sharing on your blog?
“I love to share how-to posts. How to decorate a room, how to choose a paint color, how to renovate a kitchen. I believe anyone can make their home what they wish for it to be, so sharing these how-to’s is definitely my passion.”
What encouragement or advice would you give to other female creatives (professional or amateur)?
“You can do all the things – you likely just can’t do them all at once! I don’t know anyone who can.”
A Burst of Beautiful | Alicia Gavaris
What do you love most about blogging/creative entrepreneurship?
“I absolutely love the freedom it allows. I have always been a creative individual and I feel extremely lucky to have found an outlet to express that creativity, which also always me the flexibility to stay at home to raise our daughter.
My days are split between enjoying the simple pleasures of watching our two-year-old daughter experience the world around her, and creating and designing. I have been able to enjoy the benefits of being a stay at home mom, while also building upon and expanding my knowledge of both the interior design world and growing my own brand.
Every day I am encouraged to continue learning new skills, engage with fellow creatives and push myself out of my comfort zone.”
Home to Heather | Heather Eigler
What type of content or projects are you passionate about sharing on your blog?
“I believe in getting good value out of everything. Sometimes that means spending more on high quality items that will last for years and years. Sometimes that means giving a hand-me-down pice of furniture a makeover. I have a giant love for scouring thrift shops and garage sales too, so if I can breathe new value into something found for little money, that gets me excited.”
What encouragement or advice would you give to other female creatives (professional or amateur)?
“Make mistakes. Jump in with all you have and screw things up. Learn first hand what works and what doesn’t and don’t be afraid to fail. One of the most important things you can share with your readerships or clients is your own personal experiences. Fear of failure stops many people from trying and if you can remove that fear because you failed first and can offer insight into a better way to go – you’re golden.”
Kim Power Style | Kim Power
If you could add one DIY or entrepreneurial skill to your “toolbox”, what would it be?
“Oh gosh, I’d have to say an area where I struggle with and need skill in is computer technology, yep, I’m a tech illiterate. It takes me so long do the simplest things and it is so vital to us as bloggers. That is definitely a tool I’d like to add to my ‘toolbox’.”
What encouragement or advice would you give to other female creatives (professional or amateur)?
“Don’t play the comparison game! It’s advice I have to give myself all. the. time. It really does rob us of our joy and takes away from our own talents and giftings. As women we really need to be encouraging and building one another up because it’s an area where…especially with creatives.. we can all struggle.”
Lemon Thistle | Colleen Pastoor
What is the most challenging thing about being a female blogger/creative entrepreneur?
“The balance! I know balance is tricky with any job BUT being a DIY blogger is completely dependent on your home- and so are your children. While the job can be incredibly flexible- I have never felt such a pressure on work/life balance as I have as a blogger and [stay at home mom].”
If you could add one DIY or entrepreneurial skill to your “toolbox”, what would it be?
“That’d have to be web design or coding. What a mystery to me!”
Personally Andrea | Andrea Hunter
What type of content or projects are you passionate about sharing on your blog?
“I love sharing ideas that are simple and attainable, but that add value to your home and your life. Things like a coat of paint on an old piece of furniture, a great appetizer for a party, or a new way to organize a space.”
If you could add one DIY or entrepreneurial skill to your “toolbox”, what would it be?
“KNITTING!”
What encouragement or advice would you give to other female creatives (professional or amateur)?
“The successes make all the previous failures and disappointments worth it!”
Pink Little Notebook | Sabrina Scrivo
If you could add one DIY or entrepreneurial skill to your “toolbox”, what would it be?
“Carpentry! It’s something I’ve always wanted to learn more about.”
What do you love most about blogging/creative entrepreneurship?
“I love the creative freedom! It’s such a great platform to test out new ideas and see where they can lead you. It’s scary to put yourself out there but at the same time it’s also the most rewarding and gratifying thing I’ve ever done.”
The Project Pile | Sarah Foote
If you could add one DIY or entrepreneurial skill to your “toolbox”, what would it be?
“Oh, this is a great question! Of course, I would love to be the perfect DIY-er in all areas of expertise, however, I am a firm believer in trial and error, research and practice… That being said, I would love to focus on further developing and enhancing my entrepreneurial side! Confidence! I would love to master the art of having confidence. For some reason, having confidence seems to elude me, and I therefore have to treat it like a skill, that I don’t really have, but a skill that through hard work and persistence, I can develop. I’m working on it, and it’s definitely getting easier!”
What type of content or projects are you passionate about sharing on your blog?
“Currently, I am very passionate about sharing home décor, DIY posts and some of my favorite recipes on my blog. I do have a few parenting posts out as of right now, and I would actually love to break into the parenting category a little more! Especially, since my two girls are three years old and six months old, I find myself faced with a ton of everyday chaotic questions that the crazy world of parenting is constantly presenting us with!”
Satori Design for Living | Shauna Oberg
What is the most challenging thing about being a female blogger/creative entrepreneur?
“Although I find what I do fulfilling and rewarding, it can be difficult to separate work from family life. Sometimes the lines get blurred, which often happens with having a home-based business. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned how to strike a better balance, but it’s still challenging at times.”
What encouragement or advice would you give to other female creatives (professional or amateur)?
“Keep learning. I am constantly educating myself and firmly believe that’s what started me down the road to success. Whether it’s online courses, attending conferences, or reaching out to a colleague, challenging yourself will keep things interesting and will propel you forward. It’s fun to look back and see how far I’ve grown from those beginning years.”
The Uncommon Law | Becki Peckham
What type of content or projects are you passionate about sharing on your blog?
What encouragement or advice would you give to other female creatives (professional or amateur)?
“Whatever it is you want to do, do it now!! (want to start making videos? start a product line? Just dive in and try it! It doesn’t have to be amazing right away, but you will never progress if you don’t start now). Stop comparing your work to others, concentrate on doing what you do best, be your authentic self and ALWAYS support your fellow female entrepreneurs.”
Vin’Yet Etc. | Laurie Dickson
What do you love most about blogging/creative entrepreneurship?
“I am and have always been driven by creativity, if it’s missing from my life I feel terribly lost. The blogging atmosphere is a wonderful way to share the creative “overflow” for me, I adore sharing with my readers/followers and the sincere feedback ref how I express myself creatively is so encouraging. I absolutely love connecting with other creatives in blog land, sharing different and creative ways to make something is really, at it’s roots what it’s all about for me.”
What type of content or projects are you passionate about sharing on your blog?
“I honestly love to share content that I actually use, I try not to build or make anything that I’m not currently using in my own home. I also love to teach that reusing something in a different way, “an old leather tool belt as a succulent planter” an antique wooden sifter as a “wreath”… If it inspires me, that’s what I’m passionate about sharing.”
See why I love blogging?? I get to hang out in blogland with these talented women! This list could have gone on and on (there is no lack of inspiration within our Canadian – and wider – female blogging community), and I hope that you will take it as a call to discover some new creatives, and to explore your own abilities and talents. There was a common thread throughout the interviews, and that was taking chances and being open to new learning opportunities.
I was blown away by what these women had to say on blogging, DIY, family, and entrepreneurship. Every one of them is in a totally different place in their blogging and business journey, but we all stand to gain so much from each other’s influence and experience – if we continue to support and learn from each other!
If you’re in the Ottawa or Montreal area, I really hope to see you this weekend at Yes Women Can! Please stop by and say hello – I’d love to meet you in real life and gab a bit about your creative passions, DIY, period dramas, books, strong coffee… Whatever makes you tick! 🙂
Celebrating Canada’s 150th Birthday! #Canada150
Cabane à sucre (Sugar Shack) Lunch | Maple Flambéd Pears | Maple Oat Scones
Canada Day on the Deck | Spotlight on Ile Perrot, Quebec
Wow Sarah, this is so amazing, thank you so much for including me with these phenominal and talented women, they inspire me every single day!
It was truly my pleasure, Laurie!
Wow! These ladies blow me away. Thank you so much for putting this together and for including me. It was so fun to read!
It was so much fun to read all of your perspectives on blogging and creativity! Thank you for being a part of it.
My goodness this was a great read! Thanks for putting this all together!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Perhaps I can feature you on the blog sometime! 🙂
This is a great look at a wonderfully talented group!
Thank you, Joann!
This was such a great read, I loved going through all the responses. Thank you for sharing and also for including me!
My pleasure!
So much talent, if I weren’t so far away I would stop by! Enjoy!!
Someday, Roxanne! I’d love to meet you in real life 🙂