Over the time we have featured many websites with great DIY tutorials and crazy craft ideas but this time what we have for you is a blog which is a perfect place for crafty inspiration - Doodlecraft.Doodlecraft is an incredibly amazing blog by Natalie Shaw, who loves doing craft and DIY projects. Doodlecraft is filled with DIY projects, upcycled crafts, yummy recipes, jewelry and creative stuff for children. Natalie loves photography and blogging since these two are the best medium for capturing all her creative ideas.
Doodlecraft is Natalie's attempt to keep all her crafty idea in one place, avoiding chances of forgetting the past projects. Almost all of Natalie's DIYs tutorials are personally tried and tested. I love the way she engages her kids in the creative process, making it fun for them to learn new stuff.
Her blog is a complete guide of crafty stuff. You want to cook something for your family, want to make something for a friend, want to use old furniture, engage your kids... her blog is the answer to all your needs. Read on to know more about Natalie and Doodlecraft in our exclusive interview with her.
1. Hi Natalie, tell us something about yourself.
I love crafting, creating, painting, photography, sewing, paper-crafting, spray painting...! My mom was super crafty too...so I think it's a prenatal thing. My husband is wonderful and lets me be the play-at-home mom of 3. We homeschool and our days are filled with projects and fun...and chocolate!
2. What is Doodlecraft all about? What prompted you to come up with it?
Doodlecraft is my online crafty journal! In the past there were projects that I did and then they were completely forgotten--or I forgot HOW I made them! This blog was the remedy for that! I figured I could keep track of things better this way, and then when someone asked me for instructions for something I did or recipe, I could refer the to my blog link. I started it when my husband joined the army...on Valentine's day 2011...we were apart for a year, so it gave me something to fill the gaps. Now it's just part of the everyday, and my husband loves it! It's been very rewarding in the short time I've done it...and it reminds me that I am awesome. :)
3. Your blog has everything in it, from craft to DIY stuff, recipes to jewelry/accessories, and so much more. How do you manage to work on such a diverse variety of topics?
One of my complaints about other blogs is it is hard to find past posts on them...like if you saw something you liked and tried to find it later...sometimes it is impossible to find again! So, my solution to that is to categorize everything I do and make it easy to navigate. I have a variety of topics because I do a variety of things! It comes in phases...like when I start sewing, I don't stop until I break my sewing machine (true story. I'm on my 5th machine in 12 years) And when I do jewelry, I do a bunch! During warm weather months, I'm outside spray painting furniture or other DIY home decor! Kids crafts are an everyday here, because I have 3 fabulously crafty and homeschooled kids! :)
And I have a bunch of freebie stencils, backgrounds and patterns on my blog...it takes me no time to make them and I figure others can benefit too!
4. What’s Doodles by Noodles about?
I have another blog: doodlesbynoodles.blogspot.com...it is strictly for card making and scrapbooking. I started it before I started Doodlecraft and it is perfect for entering card contests and challenges. And now I am an administrator for a card challenge blog, so I keep up with it about once a week or so.
5. I really love the Kid Crafts section on your blog. How do you come up with so many creative ideas to keep the kids occupied with a healthy and educative past time?
I actually kind of have a hard time with kids crafts. I don't want to make a bunch of things that I am just going to throw away the next day (like macaroni or pudding crafts)...and sometimes that means more complicated crafts. Of course we love simple crafts, like jet packs or binoculars...but they serve a purpose more than just hanging on the fridge right?
I try to have my kids do things that teach them skills (ex. sewing with a machine and by hand) Or have them use materials they haven't used before...and make things that they are excited about. Now my kids are older...10, 8 and 4, so we have more liberty as far as what we do together. And that is really what I want them to remember...that we did things together and loved it!
6. One thing that I enjoy reading on your blog is the 100 things about you in your About Me section. What prompted you to add these facts? Is there a story behind that?
Most "professional" bloggers will tell you that you need to have an "about me" page. And to me, sometimes these pages can be a little boring--or skimmed over anyway...so I decided to list some random facts about me...which also kind of tells you what my personality is like. Like I am obsessed with ellipses...I way over use them!
7. Instead of selling your work on your own website you chose to sell your work through Etsy. Why not sell stuff on your own website itself as that would engage your audience much more?
I had my Etsy shop before my blog...so I just kept it. Less hassle and lots of traffic through Etsy itself, so it works!
I don't spend a lot of time blogging. I'm not hosting huge give-aways or product endorsements, so it's pretty low-key from my part. The favorite pastime these days is listening to audio books! In the past 2 years we've listened to all the 7 Chronicles of Narnia, 7 Harry Potter books, Alice in Wonderland/Through the looking glass, The Belgariad Series, The Hobbit, The Malloreon Series, and a bunch of short kid books too! I become obsessed and have to listen every waking minute until we finish a book...then we take a week or so off...then obsessed again! I don't know how people can read casually! :)Anyways, it's fun to listen to the audio, because we can get other things done at the same time...multi-tasking at it's best! But it makes it really hard to SIT and WATCH a movie. Ever.
The best compliment is that I have hundreds of followers! I really didn't think anyone else would care about my crafts...but this past year I have been published online, found my handwritten font on stickers at Walmart, published in a magazine, pinned and repinned on pinterest, won several crafty contests, and had fun doing it!
9. What are on the top shelves of your inspiration library right now? This can be anything from blogs, books and magazines to vintage catalogues/manuals, etc.
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I had my Etsy shop before my blog...so I just kept it. Less hassle and lots of traffic through Etsy itself, so it works!
8. When not blogging, what other activities do you indulge in? What do you find most relaxing? What is the best compliment that you’ve received so far for your work?
I don't spend a lot of time blogging. I'm not hosting huge give-aways or product endorsements, so it's pretty low-key from my part. The favorite pastime these days is listening to audio books! In the past 2 years we've listened to all the 7 Chronicles of Narnia, 7 Harry Potter books, Alice in Wonderland/Through the looking glass, The Belgariad Series, The Hobbit, The Malloreon Series, and a bunch of short kid books too! I become obsessed and have to listen every waking minute until we finish a book...then we take a week or so off...then obsessed again! I don't know how people can read casually! :)Anyways, it's fun to listen to the audio, because we can get other things done at the same time...multi-tasking at it's best! But it makes it really hard to SIT and WATCH a movie. Ever.
The best compliment is that I have hundreds of followers! I really didn't think anyone else would care about my crafts...but this past year I have been published online, found my handwritten font on stickers at Walmart, published in a magazine, pinned and repinned on pinterest, won several crafty contests, and had fun doing it!
9. What are on the top shelves of your inspiration library right now? This can be anything from blogs, books and magazines to vintage catalogues/manuals, etc.
My mind has an eternal list of things and ideas and projects to hatch...I'm only limited by resources like time and money! :) I love looking at crafts from the 50's 60's and 70's...seems like many of them are making a comeback!
10. What are your future plan as a blogger?
I plan on keeping this up forever. I love having my blog as a reference! I plan on keeping my blog as my personal crafts, rather than having contributors or other writers...unless they are my own kids...and hopefully over the years it will gain more momentum! I would love to have sponsors send me free products to review and blog about! I am all about free stuff!
11. What advice would you like to give to a budding and aspiring bloggers?
I feel like I am still a budding and aspiring blogger...but my advice is Be Yourself and Do what you Love! :) And use LOTS of pictures!
Thank you Natalie for taking out the time and doing this interview with us. We'd like to wish you the very best for the future.10. What are your future plan as a blogger?
I plan on keeping this up forever. I love having my blog as a reference! I plan on keeping my blog as my personal crafts, rather than having contributors or other writers...unless they are my own kids...and hopefully over the years it will gain more momentum! I would love to have sponsors send me free products to review and blog about! I am all about free stuff!
11. What advice would you like to give to a budding and aspiring bloggers?
I feel like I am still a budding and aspiring blogger...but my advice is Be Yourself and Do what you Love! :) And use LOTS of pictures!
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