Ep 32. Calm Summer Series Part 3: Embracing Creativity Over Perfection, with Jess Gannoway

Alternatively, listen on Spotify or Apple.

In Part 3 of our Calm Summer Series, Nina sits down with Jess Gannaway, mum of two and founder of The Colour Club Studios in Belmont, WA.

Together they explore how arts and crafts can help kids build autonomy, agency, and confidence, and how parents can gently lean into creativity over perfection - even if they don’t see themselves as “crafty”.

You’ll Learn:

• Why creativity supports children’s emotional wellbeing

• How arts and crafts can challenge perfectionism in kids (and parents)

• Simple ways to set up low-pressure craft spaces at home

• How to use recycling, “tinker boxes”, and crafty carts to keep things easy

• Practical prompts to help children move into more self-directed play

Why This Episode Matters

School holidays can bring pressure to entertain, perform, and keep everything tidy. This conversation offers a softer, more sustainable path: embracing creativity over perfection, focusing on the process rather than the product, and setting up craft in a way that feels realistic and contained for the whole family.

One Small Shift for Big Impact

Create one simple “crafty cart” or tinker box using items from your recycling (cardboard, packaging, ribbons) plus basics like scissors, glue, tape and a few favourite materials. Make it easy to access, low-stakes, and let your child lead.

About the Calm Summer Series

This three-part mini-series was created to help you feel calmer, lighter, and more prepared for the school holidays.

Across the series, Nina explores what it really takes to navigate the holidays with more calm and connection - from juggling work and family life, to embracing imperfect moments, to caring for yourself alongside your children.

• Part 1: Juggling Work and Play — with Sarah Thomson. Listen here.

• Part 2: Making Holidays Seem Easier — self-care, flow, and connection for a calmer family rhythm. Listen here.

• Part 3: Embracing Creativity over Perfection - with Jess Gannoway. 

Take the Next Step

The Calm School Holiday Blueprint is now available as a self-paced recording for just $37. Inside, you'll learn practical strategies to reduce the mental load, manage sibling conflict, create realistic routines, and enjoy the holidays without feeling like you have to entertain your kids every minute.

Purchase the Calm School Holiday Blueprint here: https://www.mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au/school-holidays-masterclass

If don’t forget, if you're in Perth, explore The Colour Club Studios' term classes and school holiday workshops for your kids.

And don't forget - if you’re in Perth, explore The Colour Club Studios’ term classes and school holiday workshops for your kids. They look amazing!

Links and Resources

• Check out upcoming programs and classes on The Colour Club Studios website.

• Follow The Colour Club Studios on Instagram

• Craft tools and ideas discussed:

  • crafty pod/pop-up craft space, IKEA tray tables, sticker books and basic supplies from Daiso, Officeworks and Kmart

• Listen to the other episodes in the series:

  • Episode 30. Calm Summer Series Part 1: Juggling Work and Play, with Sarah Thomson

  • Episode 31. Calm Summer Series Part 2: Making holiday feel easier

Let’s Connect

• Follow Nina on Instagram

• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au

• Email: nina@mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au

About the Hosts

Nina Visic

Nina is a mindful parenting coach and mum, supporting parents to move from overwhelmed and reactive to calm, confident and connected with their kids. Through her work at Mindful Parenting Lifestyle and her podcast, “Your Calm Parenting Path”, she shares practical tools, gentle mindset shifts, and real-life stories that remind parents they are not alone.

In this episode, Nina speaks openly as a self-proclaimed “non-crafty mum” raising creative boys who love raiding the recycling box. Her curiosity and willingness to learn alongside her children mirrors the heart of this conversation: that we do not need to be perfect, or even particularly artistic, to support our children’s creativity.

Across her coaching, workshops and masterclasses like the Calm Summer Blueprint, Nina invites parents to make small, doable changes that fit real family life - whether that’s how we respond to big feelings, or how we approach paint, glue and cardboard crocodiles on the kitchen table.

Jess Gannoway

Jess Gannaway is the Founder and Creative Director of The Colour Club Studios, a beautiful new arts and crafts space in Belmont designed to help children and parents reconnect through creativity, and self-expression. A mum of two, Jess draws deeply from her personal journey through perfectionism, corporate burnout, and recovery. Her lived experience shapes everything she creates - from the way she welcomes families into her studio to the gentle way she encourages children to experiment, make mistakes, and trust themselves.

With a background in town planning, urban design and landscape architecture, Jess combines her creative instincts with her expertise in designing meaningful community spaces. She believes strongly that creativity is a powerful antidote to perfectionism, and her studio reflects this wholeheartedly: low-stakes materials, open-ended invitations to play, and a focus on the process over the product. Through The Colour Club Studios, Jess offers workshops, classes, and birthday experiences that allow children to explore, imagine, and grow - all while giving parents practical tools to bring more ease and creativity into their own homes.

Sticker collages made by Jess's daughters