‘Follow your own creative leanings’ — Meet Me at Mike’s Pip Lincolne

Pip Lincolne, the powerfully imaginative force behind much-loved blog Meet Me at Mikes, could safely be described as ‘fidgety’ — it’s as though creativity shoots from her fingertips. Whether she’s crocheting granny squares or tea cosies, tapping away at her blog, writing books, contributing to magazines, stitching softies, printing tees or even cooking, Pip’s creative hands are continually kept busy. We asked her about her crafty, hands-on life and where it all began. Here’s what Pip said:

Where does your love of homemade and handmade creations stem from?

When I was a little girl, there was always some kind of making going on at our place. Maybe someone was trying to spin wool in the rumpus room, perhaps a loaf of bread or two rising near the kitchen heater, something being knitted at the dining room table, someone cutting out fabric for a new dress on the lounge room floor, jam bubbling on the stove top. It was a from-scratch life focused on creating and nurturing and growing things. How lucky am I?!

Tell us a little about your blog Meet Me at Mikes; how long has it been running now?

My blog will be ten years old in November. I had always wanted to have my very own magazine, truth be told, so a blog seemed like a DIY way to make that happen, in a digital form. I still want to create my own magazine, but I’m also pretty content tapping away writing about life and creativity and sharing good stuff with my readers in a more online guise.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love so much about it. Being able to think about making things, creativity, artistry, cleverness and nice moments a lot of the time is pretty rad. Being able to talk about all those things with other ace people — both online and off — is getting to the heart of what I love most about life: true connection and growth.

What are some of the biggest challenges involved in your work?

Stamina, for one. It’s not easy to stay motivated and write almost every day… I get tired and sometimes a bit discouraged, but I bounce back pretty quickly.

Publishing — both online and offline — is super-dooper commercially focused now in Australia. It’s harder to stay afloat, financially, in a niche area like mine. #StrugglingArtist! Opportunities are a bit less free-flowing and more hotly-contested than they might have been a few years ago. But, I am pretty adaptable and very persistent. I find myself doing lots of different things to ensure I can still have a creativity focused career. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it!

Of all the projects you’ve worked on, is there a single thing you’re most proud of?

My craft and nice times book Craft For The Soul is my favourite thing. It’s a guide to having ace times and making delicious and cute stuff. Sort of a best-friend in a book, if you will!

For a wannabe crafter or maker, what are some good projects for easing into the world of handmade wares?

I think it’s important to follow your own creative leanings, so think about the things that spark your interest most. Maybe it’s hand lettering, so you can write beautiful party invitations and spend fun times with your pals. Maybe it’s crochet, so you can make a really adorable tea cosy and have nicer cups of tea. Maybe it’s weaving, so you can fancy yourself up a delightful wall hanging that your friends will go nuts over. Craft blogs like mine are a treasure trove of how-tos and helpful tips, or head to YouTube to watch videos on doing and making everything it is possible to do and make!

You’ve published five books, been featured in countless magazines, run a busy blog and even co-host a crafternoon radio show; do you have much downtime? And what do you love to do when you’re not working on your projects?

I try not to work on the weekend (it doesn’t always pan out that way) and put aside time to make non-worky things, cook for my family and hang out with my friends very regularly. I am not very good at doing nothing, but I am excellent at staying home and doing homey type things.

Which fellow makers are inspiring you at the moment?

I’ve done some creative mentoring with the Australian Etsy community recently, and it’s reminded me (yet again!) of how clever my country folk are! I also have some pretty clever friends: Michelle Mackintosh (author of Care Packages and Snail Mail) and designer and crafter Beci Orpin are super special too!

What are you working on next?

I am writing a book about being creative and staying home (and hoping to find a publisher for that!). Plus I am making a cute blanket for my friend’s cat. Pets need really cute blankets, guys. Did you know that?!

Are you a fidgety creative too? What crafty projects are you working on right now? Tell us about it below …