This week my podcast guest is Rashida Coleman-Hale, 33, of Atlanta, who writes the I Heart Linen blog. A busy mama and talented designer, Rashida’s story is sure to inspire you run to your fabric stash for a quick patchwork project fix.
We chatted about her 
creative journey to becoming a craft project designer and published author and the challenges she’s encountered along the way. Rashida has a contagious laugh, so we did plenty of giggling. But we also had a serious discussion about how making beautiful things helped Rashida through postpartum depression. So if you’re going through a rough patch, this episode might be particularly helpful.
Rashida’s first book, “I Love Patwork: 21 Irresistible Zakka Projects to Sew” just hit bookstores and features great designs including instructions to make the lovely blossom pincushions pictured above (and on page 71 of the book). Projects in the book include a combination of machine and hand sewing and feature lots of linen (no surprise there!) and the English paper piecing techniques that I find so fantastically additive.
Rashida’s designs carry a strong Japanese influence reminiscent of the time she spent living abroad as a child. So if you love Zakka craft, you’ll enjoy making Rashida’s designs to adorn your creative space.
On the left is the photo of the lovely, fabric Christmas tree Rashida made for her family this year. Check out her Flickr for more great pictures of her work.
Enter to a copy of “I Love Patchwork”
UPDATE: A winner has been selected.
During this interview Rashida and I talked about finding inspiration in the world around us. Leave a comment below about what inspires you and enter to win the book. Feel free to include links to your Flickr photos or blog, so we can get the full effect. A winner will be selected at random in about a week. Good luck everyone!
Thanks to my sponsors
• Hunter at ViolentlyDomestic.com sells a variety of interesting sock patterns with names such as “slant,” “popped,” “dippers” and a bunch of words I can’t even pronounce, but it gives you idea of the creativity that Hunter puts behind her designs.
Hunter is offering a giveaway at her site. Just go to ViolentlyDomestic.com and look for the post about CraftSanity and follow the instructions on how to enter the contest.
• Peggy Li has been designing jewelry for more than 9 years. Her work has been featured on TV’s “Private Practice”, “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer”, in magazines such as Oprah and Lucky and more. She loves to create feminine, wearable designs.
Visit her website at peggyli.com and use the coupon code “craftsanity” to save 20% on your order by Jan. 8 (but this isn’t valid on orders before Jan. 5)
You can also follow her at twitter.com/plcpeggy and facebook.com/peggylicreations or read her blog (where she writes about running a small business) at peggyli.blogspot.com.
• The final sponsor is a longtime supporter of the show. Rina Ward offers a variety of beautiful jewelry and jewelry kits at nostalgems.com.
Nostalgems is offering another giveaway on its Facebook page. Become a fan of Nostalgems, and you could win a necklace kit.
Support the show!
Buy a CraftSanity T-shirt or button or sponsor an episode. Also, check out my etsy shop to see my handmade line of wooden peg looms.
Review us on iTunes
If you haven’t already, review the show on iTunes to help get the word out about the show.
Taking Names
Who do you want to hear from next? Send your comments, guest and show topic suggestions to jennifer@craftsanity.com
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