Margo is joined by versatile mixed-media artist and designer, Kayla Ackelson. Kayla holds a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts with a focus on non-traditional photography from Millersville University. After completing her studies, she gained valuable experience as a Gallery Assistant and Art Instructor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She later worked at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, first in Visitor Services and then in the Development department. In 2021, Kayla fully committed to her artistic and interior design endeavors, turning them into her full-time career. Her passion for fostering creativity continues through her role as an instructor at ArtFusion in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, where she teaches students of all ages. Alongside teaching, Kayla actively exhibits her work in local galleries and maintains a strong online presence to engage a broader audience. She is also a mother, creator, and lover of plants, design, and nature.

Margo and Kayla discuss:

• Her career shift to full-time artistry and interior design

• Claiming your power as an artist and creative

• The role journaling and meditation play in her art and work

• Insights into creating inviting, personal spaces

• The power of vision boards

• The importance of incorporating childhood inspirations and personal mementos into your environment

• How her book extends a decade-long journaling practice

• How meditation influenced her decision to share personal experiences to help others

• Her commitment to a flexible and evolving creative practice

• Her philosophy on art and perfection, and how creating daily supports mental health

• Embracing multiple creative roles

Connect with Kayla:

• Website: www.kaylaackelson.com

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kaylaackelson

• Her new book: https://amzn.to/47wktUw

• Kayla’s Workshop: https://www.kaylaackelson.com/store/p85/mixedmediaworkshop.html

Connect with Margo:

• Website: www.windowsillchats.com

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tantaustudio

• Patreon: www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by Annie Atkins, a graphic designer and legendary prop maker for film and television. She is known for her work with Wes Anderson on The Grand Budapest Hotel, which won the Academy Award for Best Production Design at the 87th Academy Awards. Since then, she has worked again with Wes Anderson on Isle of Dogs and The French Dispatch as well as on Steven Speilberg's West Side Story and Bridge of Spies. Annie’s first book, Fake Love Letters, Forged Telegrams, and Prison Escape Maps, was published in 2020 by Phaidon. In her first children's book, Letters From The North Pole, five children from all around the world write to Santa Claus with ideas for Christmas gifts and are amazed when he writes back! Through five letters from Santa that children can pull out and read, the hidden world of the North Pole is revealed, from how reindeer can sleep standing up to what snacks Santa would like left out on Christmas Eve, and how he gets round the world so quickly. This is a nostalgic and festive tale, reminiscent of the classic The Jolly Postman and Annie's iconic work on such films as The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Margo and Annie discuss:

• How Annie’s upbringing in a creative household influenced her decision to pursue graphic design and the pivotal moments that led her into the film industry

• Her impressive portfolio working on films and specific challenges and joys she encountered while working with distinctive styles of directors

• Hand-lettering vs. digital design

• Film prop details and some of the various intricate props she crafted

• Learning through mistakes, how using a 50-star flag instead of a 48-star flag in Bridge of Spies taught her to ensure historical accuracy

• Personal Projects vs. Commissioned Work

• What the job of a graphic designer on a film set typically involves and how it contributes to the overall storytelling in a movie

• Her captivating and interactive new children's book, Letters from the North Pole

Connect with Annie:

www.instagra.com/AnnieAtkins

www.annieatkins.com

Connect with Margo:

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.windowsillchats.com

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

In this previously aired episode, Margo is joined by (former) Productivity Coach & Online Business Consultant Chelsea Wessman. Chelsea is a popcorn obsessed, mom of 3, living next to the Utah mountains and is passionate about empowering ambitious mompreneurs to take back their time, make more money without putting in more hours, and create a life that aligns with their values. She helps ambitious women to optimize time, money, and mindset without sacrificing sanity through systems, financial freedom, and time management hacks.

They discuss:

• The difference between productivity and being busy and how to figure out which one you’re spending more of your time being

• Why you don’t have to time block or map out your entire day, week, or month to be productive

• When you should have a template or system for certain things in your life or business

• How she helps creatives and other business owners map out online product and service promotional launches

• Reverse engineering goals

• The importance of clarity and structure

• How mindset plays into productivity

Chelsea is passionate about inspiring others to see more for their life, do more of what matters most, and be more of who you’re meant to be because you’ll never regret investing the time and effort required to reach your potential.

Resources Mentioned:

The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz

High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard

Connect with Chelsea:

https://view.flodesk.com/emails/63caebcf75888582c8c6b579

www.instagram.com/chelseawessman

Chelsea’s Jumpstart Checklists Resource

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill