In this episode I chat with serial entrepreneur and dreamer CJ Andrews. CJ is the founder of Avocado Bliss Retreat, an all inclusive sanctuary for anyone wanting to connect back with themselves, with nature, or the community. Listen in to hear how this incredible visionary took a farm house fixer upper and created a space like no other. Connect wit…

In this episode I chat with my very good friend Justine Andreu Darling. She and I have been through morning sickness, pumping milk in hotel rooms, and rediscovering our creativity together. While there was a time when she thought she wasn't creative at all, Justine has come to discover that creativity just looks different for her and how to quite t…

In this episode I chat with my friend (and next door neighbor) Brittany Oaks Portis about her start as a dancer, musician, and actress. Brittany shares how all of life - motherhood, dreams, aspirations, and career - have shifted and grown over time into what she is doing now. Follow Brittany on Instagram: @portisfamily Check out her work on IMDb: B…

This episode was such a treat! I chat with Amanda Morrow, Co-Owner of The Flower Pot Cafe and Bakery and Three Legs Coffee Roasters in La Jolla, California. Amanda shares all about her crazy journey starting out as Owner of the Pannikin, La Jolla - until they unexpectedly lost their lease. Through lots of community support, they were able to open u…

God can use everything we do, even that which feels mundane and unimportant. In this episode I chat with Sarah Hausser, Author, Speaker, and food blogger about the intersection between faith, food, community...and of course creativity. Gathering together can seem so normal and insignificant but there is such sacredness between gathering at the tabl…

Sometimes when we begin feeling uninspired or your creative outlet has lost its luster it can be very tempting to throw in the towel. However, maybe we don't need to do that. Maybe all we need is to make a small change.By Jen Vermillion

In this episode we have a full house. Cody and I are both joined by Zach and Kristen LaValley in this "creative couples" episode. Our conversation is full of plenty silly banter as well as deep conversation around the intersection of faith, family, community, and creativity, and parenthood. Zach and Kristen are parents to 5 kids and had so much wis…

In this episode I chat with Coral Goetze, artist and Founder of My Illustrated Family. Coral shares her story of how she got started as an artist and about her recent journey with vision loss. She opens up about all the ways it has impacted her life as a mom, visual artist, and person of faith. Coral's story is so inspiring and she has so much wisd…

Presenting the first of many, monthly bonus episodes. In this solo episode I share my latest thoughts on the connection between failing forward, perseverance and the creative journey.By Jen Vermillion

In this episode I totally geek out with Gary Ware, Founder of Breakthrough Play. Gary shares how he went from working the corporate rat race to now inspiring others to bring more playfulness in their lives, whether they are the CEO or a stay -at-home mom. Gary's work is backed by research and his own personal testimony of feeling run down and burnt…

In this episode I chat with Musician and Founder of the Table Art Society, Haley Dall (or Haley Montgomery - the name under which some of her music can be found). Haley absolutely BRINGS it in this conversation as we talk about the intersection of faith, community, and creativity. She calls out all the ways in which many artists and creatives have …

In this episode, I chat with Ashlee Gadd, Founder of Coffee + Crumbs—a beautiful online space where motherhood and storytelling intersect. We discuss her newest book, Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood. In her book and our conversation, Ashlee gives us permission to pursue our creative gifts alongside motherh…

In this episode I chat with Rheanna Downey and Molly Jenson of the band, Shhhhh. Don't worry they're not trying to shush you, that's just their name. We cover a lot of ground in our conversation but central to it all is the idea of trusting yourself and the creative process. Whether that be, believing you are never too old to pursue what you love o…

What on earth could chemistry, music and comic books have in common? Quite a bit as it turns out! In this episode I chat with Dr. Colleen Kelley, Founder of Kids Chemical Solutions. Colleen found herself captivated by the question, “Why do my students think chemistry is SO hard?” After a great deal of research, Colleen decided to do something to ma…

In this episode I got the pleasure to chat with Bass Player, Jeremy Radio. We chat about his long career in music and what it is like to dream big dreams. Then see them come true, while also maintaining a great love and appreciation for the work. Jeremy shares what life on the road has been like, what it is that makes music last and how spiritualit…

In this episode I chat with Justin Wilson, a Tattoo Artist, Navy Veteran, Painter, Writer and more. Justin shares how he developed his passion for art and tattooing. We also discuss how identity plays a critical role in how we see ourselves and our abilities. Justine has tattooed all over the world and is currently residing and working in San Diego…

In this episode I chat with Heather Penny - Coach, Speaker, and Author. Heather works with clients both privately and in the corporate world to identify the false beliefs holding them back and replace them with true beliefs. We discuss the challenges that come along with cultural and societal expectations to constantly burn the candle at both ends …

In this episode I chat with Melissa Heinemann and Lisa Bencivenga of Gigi's Getaway - an outdoor preschool dedicated to teaching through play. We chat about how play and nature can be tools for learning and how (in the words of Maria Montessori) play is the work of children. Melissa and Lisa share about the things they've learned from their student…

We got to chat with our friends Jenna and John Moore. Jenna runs a creative vending movement called WonderboxSD, which features local makers, merchants and artisans. Her husband John has a mobile book store and booth in Liberty Station both under the banner of Gentleman John Books. We talked about their creative and entrepreneurial journeys and wha…

I don’t know about you but I definitely remember seeing comments on my report cards that read, “spends too much time daydreaming”. But is daydreaming really a bad thing? And how does daydreaming relate to creativity? We talk about this and more in this episode with Paula Intravaia from The Cloud Club Collective. Connect with Paula www.mycloudclub.o…

In this episode with Jess at Raisingslow we talk about making the choice to slow down and the impact it can have on us, our kids and our creativity. Jess shares with us how she was forced to reevaluate her pace of life and how minimizing the mental and physical clutter has helped them to live a fuller and more creative life. Connect and get some fr…

Made to Create welcomes back Laura Haver to talk about her journey as a writer and aspiring author. We talk about how comparison can be the "thief" of our creativity. Laura is also the founder of Author Moms, a group dedicated to providing space for moms to develop their writing skills, share ideas, and work towards authorship. Follow Laura on Inst…

Hello Creators! I just wrapped up 30 Days of Creativity, where I committed to sharing something creative that I did, observed, or was inspired by every day for a month. In this episode my husband, Cody and I talk about the surprising lessons we both learned along the way. We also dove into what's been going on with our creative journeys since our l…

Hello Creators! We're back with conversations about creativity and debunking the myth that creativity looks like one specific thing... Creativity can look like 1000 different things and everyone is creative in some way! As we get back into the swing, I'd love to just let you know what's been going on in our lives and give you a teaser about what's …

In this episode I sit down with Lindsay Lederman to find out more about an area of creativity I have always been fascinated by, Art Therapy. Lindsay is the Clinical Director of The Art Therapy Project in New York. We talk about Lindsay's path to finding her passion as an Art Therapist, what happens inside the walls of an art therapy session, and ho…

Hair stylist, singer, motivational speaker, mom, and non-profit leader! Lindsey has led such a full and creative life. The twists and turns of her story have allowed her to bring exactly who she is to the world. All by saying "well, let's see what happens..." and "give more than you take". Through her non-profit What You Deserve, Lindsey is using h…

Sometimes chasing creativity is as simple as making it fun and setting some attainable habits. In this episode Laura Haver and I sit on on my patio to talk about creativity, writing, being a mom and how to have fun with all of it. Laura is an author and coach helping busy & overwhelmed parents have fun & connect w/their kids through play, coaching …

It was so great talking with my new friend (and new favorite IG follow), April Dillow. We talk about creativity that was born out of hard times. Which I think is appropriate for our current 2020 woes. Let's talk about how to be creative during difficult seasons! Follow April on Instagram @thestampedlily…

You are going to love this awesome interview with Interior Designer and Owner of Serendipity Design, Pam Martin Johnston. We discuss her journey to interior design (spoiler alert, it was also somewhat serendipitous), the difference between interior designers and interior stylists and how creativity shows up in the aesthetics as well as functionalit…

In part two of my conversation with Cody, we do a little catch up after 7 weeks of lockdown. And then we dive into my personal creative journey which sparks SO MUCH great conversation. You'll get a peek into our marriage and family life, but most of all you will hear the different ways we came to our shared philosophies of creativity. This was a lo…

Part 1 of a two part conversation with my Husband, Cody. We talk about his creative journey, and what creativity looks like in these strange days of being quarantined. This conversation really does go to some cool places and Cody and I both hope you enjoy it. Stay tuned for part two in the second half of April. Stay safe, healthy, and creative out …

Such an inspiring conversation with storyteller, animator, artist, and all around amazing creative, Matthew Luhn! Don't know that name? Well, you certainly know his work... From the Simpsons, to your childhood commercials, to Pixar... Matthew has had an amazing creative career. And through it all, he continuously pursued his dreams and goals while …

Alanna Barrera of Cub and Cuppy never set out to start a decorative cookie business. But we are so glad she did! Listen as she shares her story of finding her creative passion during a difficult season, balancing motherhood as a soloprenuer, and all the antics that ensued along the way. I've known (and loved) Alanna since we were all teenagers. Her…

I really enjoyed this conversation with the owner of a brand new creative venue in Temecula called The Craft House. Anita Maldonado shares about her journey of creativity and the process of launching her creative dream! The Craft House Temecula is opening February 22, 2020 Follow The Craft House on instagram at @thecrafthousetemecula to stay up to …

For the first episode of 2020, I sit down with my long time friend and super-hero of creativity, Roberto Comparan. From graphic design, to painting, to blogging, to art shows, to being a creative director... Roberto is one of the most creative people I have ever met. It was so awesome hearing his creative journey, how he balances creative work with…

In this episode I sit down with Yang Jiang, Creativity Coach and Founder of the Hidden Artist. We talk about her journey to creativity and her current role in helping others find their creative voices. As she mentions, people often check in on one another's relationships, health and virtually all other aspects of life. However, we rarely ask the qu…

This month I sat down with Aurora Vilchis. She is a beautiful lady with an equally beautiful soul! Our conversation centered around wholeness and what it means to be a whole person while taking on creative endeavors. So often being a "creative" is associated with being a dreamer rather than a doer; an idea person; someone with their head in the clo…

What do social justice, jewelry, and salad spinners have to do with finding your true creative self? Kassi Grunder explains it all in the latest Made to Create Episode. Here's a little teaser: "My work is connecting people with the tools that they need for the season of their life. Right now it’s jewelry. It could be something totally different 10 …

In this episode I sit down with Songwriter and Musician Kyle Reynolds. We talk about his journey and experiences as a musician and overall creative. Our conversation was full of incredible wisdom about living life to its fullest and the importance of just showing up to continue doing the things you love even in the moments when you don't feel like …

In this episode, I sit down with Gallie Fisher to talk about her creative journey as a musician. Her story is powerful and beautiful. Chock full of wisdom and insights that I didn't expect, I was so pleasantly surprised by this conversation. I am sure you will love this episode and the amazing Gallie Fisher. If you'd like to learn more about Gallie…

Welcome to the Made to Create Podcast, hosted by me, Jen Vermillion. In this episode, I will explain where the idea for this podcast came from and share some of my own creative journey. Please hit that subscribe button so you can continue to hear interviews with makers, artists, and creatives of all kinds. Song "Come Around" by Gallie Fisher. Used …