Windowsill Chats

In this episode of Creative Current Events, Abby and Margo tackle the ups and downs of navigating social media as a creator. Margo opens up about her recent Instagram suspension and the ripple effect it's had on her business, leading to a bigger conversation about algorithm frustrations, lack of transparency, and how social media companies fall short in supporting creators. They also discuss the d...

Margo is joined by Elise and Halee, the dynamic duo behind the Easy Bake Coven podcast, where spooky meets sass. What began on a Halloween night with a bottle of Kim Crawford wine and board games has evolved into a podcast that explores the weird, creepy, and unexplainable. Elise's background in journalism and Halee's experience in social work bring a unique blend of nuance and humor to their conv...

In this revisited episode, Margo reintroduces her thought-provoking conversation with Australian artist and surface pattern designer Kirsten Katz, highlighting the enduring relevance of authenticity in creative work. Kirsten's journey from ballerina to surface designer showcases how following your passion can lead to a unique artistic style. Since this original conversation, Kirsten's work continu...

Margo is joined by versatile mixed-media artist and designer, Kayla Ackelson. Kayla holds a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts with a focus on non-traditional photography from Millersville University. After completing her studies, she gained valuable experience as a Gallery Assistant and Art Instructor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She later worked at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, first in Visitor Ser...

Margo is joined by Annie Atkins, a graphic designer and legendary prop maker for film and television. She is known for her work with Wes Anderson on The Grand Budapest Hotel, which won the Academy Award for Best Production Design at the 87th Academy Awards. Since then, she has worked again with Wes Anderson on Isle of Dogs and The French Dispatch as well as on Steven Speilberg's West Side Story an...

In this previously aired episode, Margo is joined by (former) Productivity Coach & Online Business Consultant Chelsea Wessman. Chelsea is a popcorn obsessed, mom of 3, living next to the Utah mountains and is passionate about empowering ambitious mompreneurs to take back their time, make more money without putting in more hours, and create a life that aligns with their values. She helps ambitious...

Margo is joined by travel designer, leader of design trips & retreats, and the author of Paris by Design: An Inspired Guide to the City's Creative Side, Eva Jorgensen. Eva is also a 17 year design industry veteran with an MFA degree who has taught art, ran an artisanal stationery company for a decade, curated an independent gift shop, and worked as a freelance creative director. Eva grew up in Cal...

Margo is joined by dynamic artist, entrepreneur, and the visionary CEO, Amber Byers Amber is the CEO and founder of Tadpole Press. She leads with creativity and inclusivity, serving as the head judge of the Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest, an international competition that celebrates the power of words and fosters a vibrant community of writers. Her passion for writing extends beyond the co...

Margo is joined for another Creative Current Events catch up with the one and only Abby Campbell. They dive into a rich blend of creative insights and practical tips to boost productivity and brand presence - and of course, a little AI. Join them as they discuss their latest favorite articles from the interwebs including Jenna Kutcher's approach to mastering Instagram, complete with her valuable h...

Margo is joined by Kenzie Elston, the whimsical artist behind Snippets of Whimsy. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati's DAAP program, Kenzie began her career designing for Procter & Gamble's Pampers and Always brands. Now freelancing, she licenses her joyful illustrations and playful hand lettering to gift, garden, stationery, and home decor companies. Known as a "positivity artist," Kenzie...

Margo is joined by Sonoma Valley-based artist Alex Cole, whose paintings are inspired by her travels and the Northern California landscapes. Her work has been featured in RUE magazine and published in "Wild Lands" and "Artist of the Bay Area" by Jen Tough. With over twenty years of experience, Alex's art is characterized by her love of contrast in color, texture, and pattern, and her pieces can be...

It's time for Creative Current Events! Margo and friend Abby Campbell are diving into the creative realm and catching up on the latest articles and happenings and giving you the footnotes so you don't have to! They discuss the joys of creating art on walls vs traditional canvas, the importance of pushing creative boundaries, Canva's report on creativity and AI, Apple's new AI partnership, a contro...

Margo is joined by Ana Bianchi, an artist, designer, illustrator, children's book author, and color enthusiast. Ana shares her journey from her early beginnings in art to her diverse range of creative projects. Originally from Mexico and having spent many years in New York, Ana now resides in the Bay Area, where she uses her garden as a natural color lab for her photography and color project, Colo...

Margo is joined by award nominated content creator with over a decade of experience in social media marketing and Canva design, Georgia Williams. She is also the host of "Content Tea with G," her popular global podcast, where she delivers a unique blend of creativity, social media content and northern charm, inspiring listeners worldwide to embrace their own authenticity, and stand out through con...

Margo is joined by middle-aged Minnesotan, Author, creative, and Tax Preparer Steve Hoffman. Steve who has always been in love with France, both the country and the idea of it as a place where he can be a better version of himself moved together with his family to the small village of Autignac in southern France, where he quickly realized life there was far from his romanticized expectations. Thro...

Catching up on all things creative current events and highlighting some fun and interesting articles, Margo is joined by friend and current event co-host Abby Campbell. This week they are discussing the growth challenges Cara has been facing and how we can give grace, Etsy's updated stance on AI, Sticker Mule's political controversy, how a baseball hit made a beer company millions, and finding ins...

Margo is joined by Arianne Foulks. Arianne is the founder of Aeolidia, a Shopify development agency that's been working with creative shop owners since 2004. Her team blends strategy and design to create super-effective Shopify sites, email marketing, and branding. She is also a popular educator and small business enthusiast. As a champion for creative brands, she has a 17+ year reputation for tho...

Margo is joined by friend and former guest, Michael Schultz. Michael is the co-owner and creative eye of Cursive New York, which operates 2 stores in New York City. Cursive is a tightly focused concept with the simple mission of cultivating joy. Michael, along with his husband, Douglas Duncan, have established Cursive as a strong and forward voice in the industry where they offer gift, stationery,...

Join Margo and Abby Campbell for another creative current events catch-up! They discuss boosting self-confidence by ditching "imposter syndrome," explore innovative product design, and highlight the winners of Penguin Books' 2024 Cover Design Contest. They also delve into the latest trends in the art world and share personal anecdotes on overcoming creative blocks. Tune in for insightful discussio...

Margo is joined by one man band, Dan Checkers otherwise known as Dan & Drum. Releasing his debut album in 2017 with no label, connections, or many friends for that matter, he was surprised to see it get millions of streams in the first year, thanks to creators like Jenna Marbles featuring the music. Since then, he's been consistently releasing music, earning 10s of millions of streams across platf...

In part 2 of 2, Margo is joined by calligrapher and author, Brittany DeSantis. Brittany is most well known for her focus on mindfulness and the sensory experience of writing and creating: the sound of the pen on the paper, the way the ink flows on the page, the concentration it takes to form each stroke and how to find a "flow" by doing something just beyond your comfort zone. Journaling has becom...

Margo is joined by artist, calligrapher, and avid journaler, Brittany DeSantis. After making a big cross-country move to Alberta, Canada nearly a decade ago, Brittany fell in love with the mountains and back in love with art. This move inspired the "peak" in her business name, Peak Paper Co. Through global brand partnerships and from Brittany's tiny home studio, she's taught the art of calligraphy...

Back with a creative current events update, Margo is joined by Abby Campbell. They dive into the latest social media app, Cara, and its mission to filter out generative AI images so that people who want to find authentic creatives and artwork can do so easily, Meta's somewhat scary new AI policies and the difficulty in opting out, and Adobe versus the Ansel Adams Estate - what went wrong and what...

Margo is joined by seasoned artist, designer, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the creative industry Paul Pape. Paul's journey began with a passion for education stemming from a need to escape an abusive childhood. Eventually, he found his way to design and fabrication, which led to the creation of thousands of personalized products for clients worldwide as well as industry gia...

Margo is joined by Jewelry Designer Dani Paquin. Dani founded Agapantha Jewelry in April of 2004 after 6+ years of living as a touring singer-songwriter. While it was an incredible, dream fulfilling time, people don't love paying for music and the hustle was unsustainable. Between tours, Dani started working for a couple of designers, assembling jewelry and found that it was fun, creative, she was...