Nikki McGonigal of Nikki In Stitches is one inspiring lady. We interviewed her for an article we wrote a couple of years ago. Even back then, I remember seeing a video she did and thinking ?Wow ? Nikki is definitely going places!? She certainly has!
Nikki used to teach kids in a classroom, and even though she has been on TV and her work has been featured all over the place, you can tell it is still her passion to teach and motivate others to do crafts. Her unique blend of contagious positivity and real-world sense of humor makes her really fun to watch.
And now she is on Craft Wars?this is gonna be good!
I can?t believe you are going to be on Craft Wars tonight -? How did this all happen?
I happened across a really early call for crafters on Cathie Fillian?s blog. (I?m a huge fan of Cathie and Steve (Piacenza)?from their show to their project ideas?I just love their whole vibe!) At the time that I saw the call and threw my name into the hat, I had no idea that they were producers on the show.
Watching Craft Wars, it seems like a wild ride for the contestants?did you know what you were signing up for?
I did and I didn?t?does that answer your question? :) I knew it was going to be hard because we would be under tight time constraints, and I knew that there would be drama because hey, it?s reality tv, right? But I don?t think you can ever be prepared for what it?s like to craft with cameras all around you and producers telling you what to do. When you?re working at home in your craft room, you don?t worry about what angle you?re standing at, and if the cameras can see what you?re doing, and it?s totally ok for you to talk to yourself and sometimes make absolutely no sense at all, right? But these are all things that suddenly become very important when you?re on set.
You have a knack for making just about anything you see in stores and a talent at figuring out the way things are constructed. Did that help you in Craft Wars?
First, thank you. I?m so happy that you think that because I really try to stress to my fans and readers that with enough patience and practice, you really can make anything that you?d like, you just have to be willing to put in the time. I absolutely do think that helped me in Craft Wars because I had no limits. When I started brainstorming my ideas, I had nothing holding me back?the sky was the limit. However, I really wanted whatever I ended up making to be something that the viewers at home would say first, ?I?d like to make that at home? and then, ?The looks easy enough that I can (and will) make that at home.? Hopefully, you?ll watch the show and think that same thing!
Is there any moment of the competition you are DREADING watching again when it airs?
There certainly were ?craftfails??it?s silly to think everything will go perfectly when you?re on the clock and being filmed. If I could redo the show, would I change a few things? Absolutely! However, I?m really proud of the projects we put out there. And if I could redo the show, as in would I do Craft Wars again, the answer would again be absolutely!
Being on national TV is a big deal! How has being on Craft Wars changed your life?
Since making the ?big announcement? in June, life has been a whirlwind of excitement. Being selected for the show was of course a huge deal, but up until I could tell everyone, it was an accomplishment for myself, personally. It was something I was very proud of, but could really only share with my husband. Now that I can tell people, I?m realizing how big it is for Nikki, In Stitches. It has opened doors, shined a light, put me in front of the right people at the right time?.all of the cliches you can think of! I can honestly say this is the most exciting time for Nikki, In Stitches and because of Craft Wars there are even more crafty opportunities coming to my fans and followers.
Did a competitive environment change the way you work?
Well, yes. Being on the clock adds an entirely different level of stress to your work! As far as the judges and people feeling we were harshly criticized, I don?t think I can agree. I can only go by my episode, and my personal interaction with them. And honestly, every part of my project that they pointed to as needing work or needing to be revised, edited, or changed, I agreed with. And I refused to blame my mistakes on time. I knew we were going to be timed going in, and when we were given the challenge, we needed to factor that into our design. Most of the time, when the judges were critiquing my work, I just shook my head and nodded in agreement.
Spill it?what do YOU think about the judges?
I loved them! Like I said, I agreed with what they didn?t like about my work. I was actually really happy that there were parts they did like! Maybe it?s because I?m a harsh critic on my own designs, but I can?t say anything bad about them. We got to see a little more of their humor and personalities, too. Maybe that factors into it as well? I think it?s good to get outside feedback on your work. It?s taught me to look at my work differently, and I feel like my projects and designs since doing the show have gotten better because I consciously make the effort to look at them as the judges would.
What?s next for Nikki, In Stitches?
I have a few fun things coming to Nikki, In Stitches, but the project I?m most excited about is my LIVE online classes that I?ll be teaching. I?m so excited for my followers to be able to gather their supplies, sit with their computers beside them, and all of us make a project?together! The entire class will be interactive. ?Students? will be able to ask me to repeat a step, clarify something in the instructions, be on camera if they?d like, submit a question through a ?chat? box if they?d prefer, and most importantly, laugh and learn alongside me. As you know, I was a teacher in a past life, before having my children, so the teacher in me is so excited for this, and the crafter in me can?t wait to offer this opportunity to my fans and really use cutting edge technology to bring my how-to?s and tutorials right to their homes.
Watch Craft Wars on TLC tonight at 8/7 c and again at 11/10 c (this is Nikki?s episode!)
Learn more about Nikki and sign up for her online classes on her blog.
Source: http://craft-idea.craftideasweekly.com/craft-wars-interview-nikki-mcgonigal/
new hampshire primary hue jackson alabama football coachella 2012 line up lsu crimson tide crimson tide
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.