Podcast Interview with Jackie Tantillo

posted in: Sock Monkey Oracle

Here’s a synopsis of our inspiring interview courtesy of Jackie Tantillo:

EPISODE SUMMARY

This week on SHLTMM, my guest Shannon Grissom, artist, author, and intuit, introduces us to her mother, Patricia, also known as Pat. Shannon shares how she overcame her sadness and sorrow after her mother died. Through painting and her intuitive abilities, she felt a distinct connection with her mom even after she had passed. “Pat was larger than life,” reflects Shannon.

EPISODE NOTES

Pat, my guest’s mom, grew up in Washington state. Because her parents had divorced when Pat was a little girl. Pat spent the school year with her mother on the coast of Washington and summers with her father in the eastern part of the state. Pat learned independence starting at age five as her parents put her on a train by herself, back and forth across the state.  This part of Shannon’s journey begins with her mom’s Sock Monkey, and it’s opened up a world of learning and inspiration.

If you’re unfamiliar with a sock monkey, it’s a  toy for young and old.  Stuffed Sock Monkeys were very popular in the 1930’s and 1940’s, especially during The Great Depression, to help uplift the spirits of children and adults.

After Shannon’s mother died, she discovered a Stuffed Sock Monkey in her mother’s possessions. She took it home with her, creating a life of its own, a significance that Shannon is still surprised by today.

Regarding her mother, Shannon says, “she was a teacher by nature and a teacher by trade. Pat was a 6th-grade teacher for a while and a Special Education teacher. Everything was a teaching /learning experience.”  Shannon, her twin sister, Cheryl, and their mother had a very close relationship. All three women have intuitive capabilities, and Pat allowed Shannon to make her own mistakes.  In her late 20’s, Shannon started developing her psychic abilities. And as a twin, Shannon and her sister Cheryl, have psychic abilities that they work on together from near and afar. 

Shannon shares stories of all the music in their home growing up. “Mom, she was brilliant. She could play any instrument by ear you gave her. Her main instrument in our home was the piano.”

With an infectious laugh that Shannon most likely inherited from her mom,  my guest fills us in on how funny her mother was. She just lit up the whole family with her witty sense of humor.

Shannon Grissom is an award-winning artist, author, and illustrator of the book “Monkey Made of Sockies” and most recently, the creator of ‘Sock Monkey Oracle Cards.”  

– Each card is a unique painting of a sock monkey that correlates to a specific Oracle Card.

What are Oracle cards? Shannon Grissom will explain all of this and share more stories about her mom  Pat. Enjoy~