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April '06 Interview: Diane of CraftyPod!
Diane Gilleland is the coolest! We had such a great time playing interview! For those of you who don't know already, Diane is the hostess with the mostest over at CraftyPod -- "The homemade podcast that celebrates all things crafty. Created for just for you, to enjoy while you make stuff."
Much of this interview will not make sense unless you know that Diane's userimage for her IM acccount is this:
Hello, CraftyPod Lady! May I call you CraftyPod Lady?
You can . . . Or Sister Diane's OK, too.
How about "Di?"
Di's good.
D?
DG?
Just [sound] duh [/sound]?
This photo is my boyfriend. i swear to God I don't have a beard!
Sureeeeeee... Anywho, diane, di, d you are the craftypod lady. What is a craftypod?
When I was trying to figure out a name for the podcast, I wanted something that made it clear it was about crafts, and that it was a podcast. But it had to be cute, too. So after probably too much fumbling around, I hit on CraftyPod.
I think that is an excellent combination of "craft" and "podcast." Far
better than dogwalk? handtowel?
Beergut?
Goat-tee? Boyfriend-goatee-picture-page? For the uninitiated, may I ask what a podcast is?
A podcast is basically a radio show, made by normal
people just like you and me. Only it doesn't live on the radio, so you don't
have to worry about showing up at a particular day and time so you can hear it.
Instead, you can go to the Wonderful Worldwide Web and listen anytime you want. Some
podcasters have goatees, but let me re-iterate that I do not.
I think you're assuming a lot with the "just like you and me" bit, I wouldn't
know how to do one ever. Do you have a background in radio?
You're going to do the coolest podcast ever someday. Just you watch!
I will record it on my barbie tape machine and play it to myself and dog.
I have no background at all, other than being a huge NPR fan. But I do have the advantage of living with a former deejay.
The goatee?!
So when I was learning all this stuff, he was instrumental in
teaching me how to have a good radio voice, how to edit, etc. Oh -- and how to grow a really nice goatee.
What's a good radio voice?!
It feels really weird at first. . . you talk slower than you normally would, and you insert a pause after every important thing you say.
Can you give us a phonetic example of a good radio voice via IM?
Hmm ... interesting challenge. How about ... Welcome to the Craftee Pod, the podCasT that'S allll about . . . maKing STuff. That represents super-enunciating your consonants, which is another thing you do.
Oh my god, you have to talk like that for the rest of the interview!
I'lll Tryyyyy.
So.... Diannnnnnn.
Hee hee . . . see, you have everything it takes to podcast right now!! And with the barbie tape recorder, you're already way cooler than the rest of the podcasting world!
You willll beee the dianneee sawyerrrr of crafttttt journalismmmmm,
not that I know what her brand of journalism is all about, but you have the same name so it made sense.
Can I be Katie Couric? I like her hair better.
Are you perky?
Only when provoked.
Hottttt
W00tttttttt
Do you think there's enough craft journalism out there? Do people talk about craft enough? I mean, besides just making stuff?
I think there's a whole, whole lot of independent voices out there. I have a list of people to interview someday that goes way off into infinity. Is there much craft journalism in an "organized" sense? No -- there's more mainstream stuff. But I'm not really into that. I think the really interesting things are going on in the craft blogs, and on Craftster, and in places like The Sampler.
Flattery will get you everywhere, grrrowrrr!
People just making things, and making things happen, outside the corporate structure. Did I mention how cool The Sampler is?
No, but you could talk about how you like my hair, if you want.
Damn! You look great today! Is that a new shirt?
I'm in a robe. You're not even LOOKING AT ME! I thought we had something
special here and now it's gone.
Wait - I'm laughing too hard to come up with witty retorts. It's wrinkling my goatee.
So one time this fancy guy said that in order to be a good journalist and to truly understand one's time, one must stand simultaneously outside and within his generation.... Is that WAY uptight or WHAT?
'Tis pretty darn fancy. But I think I get what he means. I think the "standing outside" refers to journalistic impartiality. I have none of that. I shamelessly love everything I cover on the show, and have no problem being very positively biased.
It's hard not to be positive with such a wicked goatee.
Dude! (I use this phrase as an indicator of my advancing age.)
Dude? I use dude all the time. Wow, Diane, there are so many things about our relationship that
I'm just finding out now, like how you don't know what I'm even wearing today,
and how you think I'm old. That really hurts.
I guess I'm just not good
at these long-distance relationships. But I'll definitely call you.
I haven't heard that one before [/sarcasm]. Diane diane, the gal with the plan, what are your ambitions for craftypod? lofty?
Ambitions . . . well, I have a few goals at the moment. One is to interview everyone in the entire crafty universe. Second is to move my website off Blogger and onto Wordpress before the show's first birthday in May. Third is my print zine! I'm really excited about that. I'm launching a how-to zine featuring the projects I talk about on the show. First issue's nearly done.
Does food ever get caught in your bf's goatee? Do you tell him or just laugh?
Here's the darkest secret of this whole interview . . . this is an old profile photo. He shaved the goatee off six months ago. But he used to be really good at the whole food-management thing.
Holy hell. I am completely disillusioned.
I know, I know. I'm so sorry.
This hits me harder than our break up.
I am just really biffing this thing. I said I'd call.
Diane. Print zine, podcast, dayjob.
And too much blogging.
You've been everywhere, but have you ever been to you?
Every time I try to visit, there's a Do Not Disturb sign on the door. I think the maid's in there.
That's heavy. Let's do more plugging. I like the plugging craftypod craftypod craftypod, zine zine coming out!
I love the Sampler! The Sampler is the greatest thing EVER.
No way, dude... ice cream? puppies?
Yeah - only I don't eat sugar . . . know any good sugar-free kinds? Of ice cream, not puppies.
No. Diane, could you please list in ascending order your three favorite crafting activities?
Ooh . . . stumper. Do I have to pick favorites? I love it all. And I move on quickly. (You've already discovered that, haven't you!!)
Zing!
At the moment . . . I'm obsessed with making Kansashi Tsumami, and peyote-stitched beaded vases, and Artist Trading Cards. I know - not technically a craft! The pressure is too much!! It's like picking your favorite limbs!
My arm. There, I picked one. Easy.
Oh, you make it look so easy.
Here it comes, Diane. Are you ready for this?
Haiku! NOOOOO!
After the way you've treated me today, Haiku: YES. (baby I love you, please don't leave me.)
(I love your bathrobe, really.)
(it's soft and nice -- I was sick, I have an excuse.)
Please, please diane, would you pick one of your three current favorite crafts and write a sweet sweet haiku?
OK . . . working on it. Here goes:
Stitching bead by bead,
I forget to pay my rent.
I'll eat my bugles.
I forget to pay my rent.
I'll eat my bugles.
It sucks, doesn't it?
Is that a... I think it... why, yes, that's a tear in my eye.
'Cause you pity me.
Beautifull. Or it could be pity. That works, too.
Your hair looks great! Did I mention?
Thanks! You like my robe?
Totally - best robe ever.
So... craftypod is a place people should go and read and listen to things, yes?
YES. Please!
How has craftypod grown? Is it huger than huge?! Do you sign autographs!? Do you have HEADSHOTS?!?!?!?!
Yes, and in some of them, I don't have facial hair!
Wow... I can have TWO headshots of you and hold them up and go "with hair, no hair, with hair, no hair!" I know how to ROCK an afternoon!
CraftyPod is getting pretty large. There are about 400 subscribers, and then lots of others who just stop by the site and dl the show. Every episode has had between 800 - 1200 downloads.
Diane! What do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't WANNA grow up! I wanna PLAAAAAY! I just want to make things, and have fun. I gave up figuring out what I wanted to be a long time ago.
If you were a vegetable, what vegetable would you be?
Vegetable? An artichoke. They're cool, and hard to cook.
If you had superpowers, where would you have gotten them?
I would have gotten them from a suspicious glue-gun burn accident.
Was the gun really full of uranium? ... I guess we'll never know....
Well, it was glowing green, but I thought that was just a tacky glitter glue-stick.
Who or what is your arch nemesis?!
Arrrrrrgh! Having to do grown-up things like manage my finances, fold my socks, and tidy my living room. Eats into my quality playtime.
You fold your socks? Dork. (baby, I didn't mean it. I don't know why I say these things.)
I know. I brought it on myself.
Dog or cat?
Cat. Seventeen year-old black cat with a really cool personality. Name of Athens.
Georgia or Greece?
Greece. Much better drama among all those crazy deities.
Sun vs. Moon?
Moon, all the way.
Apple vs. Orange?
Orange. But mostly because they're related to grapefruits.
Cut vs. Paste?
Paste. It's tasty.
Diane. I'm glad we could have this time together.
Just to have a laugh or sing a song.
Oh wait...it's, I think...yes, yes,... that's a tear in my eye.
Mine, too. This was a blast. You're one super-cool chick. Hey! Did I mention The Sampler?
OMG guyz do u know about crftypd!? frrllz t3h best! omgz!!!1ones!!1!!!
I like it. I'll change the name.
HA!
And stop using vowels in the show.
I don't have TIME for Vowels!
Who does?
Wll dn, ths hs bn grt. Dd y hv a fn tm?
Thx fr lttng m do ths. Hd a spr tm!!
Wsh y ddnt ht m s mch.
Y skd fr t. I cn chng.
YOU BLEW IT! YOU BLEW IT!
CRAP!
Oh dear god you blew it.
Believe me, I agonized.
I am too hard on you. No wonder you lash out at me.
Ours is a troubled, star-crossed relationship indeed.
