q & a
I’m trying something new for the next few days …
I’ll call it Q & A.
You can ask me any question in the comments
and I’ll respond back {as best as I can} as a reply to your comment.
It will sort of be like we’re having a real life conversation as friends
only in a weird cyber-ish way.
But still as friends.
Okay … ask away …
***UPDATE***
Thank you for all of the questions so far. I think I have answered each one, so if you have more to add, scroll to the end of the comments and keep asking!
Shawna
just a few more questions
1. how long did you do ballet?
2. what tips, tricks, and wisdom do y’all have for producing well-behaved children? any book, besides the Word!, that y’all love?
3. did you have any other hobbies, besides dancing, when you were growing up?
4. i would love to see your favorite products. anything from hair/face/make-up to laundry and stuff!
5. i would love to see any and every organizational system you have! maybe from a house you lived in before? so those of us with smaller homes could get some ideas? i would LOVE to see pictures from your old house(s)! i live in a 1200 square foot house and have trouble keeping it “fluffed” because of the size and lack of areas to organize.
emily
1. I love ballet. Every time I see a ballerina, I stare like a little girl dreaming of doing those beautiful spins. I took ballet from age 2 until about 12 and then for a few years on and off in high school – adulthood. I danced for Pacific Northwest Ballet and adored every second of it. When I got to Pointe, the ballet mistress met with my parents and suggested that I have my feet broken and reconstructed to make a better point. If I did not go through with the surgery, they would not accept me into their school to train to be a professional dancer. My parents decided NOT to let their little girl have her feet broken {!} and so my ballet career was over. That was a long answer to your question. Sorry.
2. raising well-behaved kids – this could be a long one! I think I’d like to write a post about what we’ve done and open it up to a discussion with everyone. We are learning as we go and our children are not perfect, but we are pretty proud of each one of them. A great resource that we have found helpful is Love & Logic {http://www.loveandlogic.com/}. There are Christian versions as well, but this is what we have used a bit of.
3. Hobbies growing up … I have always love to draw and do art, I was a cheerleader in high school, I tried to play volleyball and basketball in jr. high, but boy oh boy, I was not made to be an athlete.
4. Favorite products would be a great post idea. I’m writing it down.
5. I wish I had photos from our old house. I’ll see what I can dig up. At that time we only had one little guy and not that much stuff, so organization was not a big problem!
Shalee
Another question since I just figured how to look at previous comments. What type of things, books, and websites do you learn to better you blog, design, etc.? I want to better my blog but I feel stuck..
Grace
I don’t remember how I found your blog, but I do remember being so excited to find out that you were a Seattle(ish) gal! I live near Mill Creek but moved here from Indiana almost 3 years ago. My question is what are your favorite places to go in the Seattle area (dinner, entertainment, on a sunny day…etc)? Any secret, hidden gems? Any amazing thrift stores?
Michelle
I just discovered your blog yesterday & I can’t stop reading! I was wondering, if you don’t mind sharing, what color paint is in your dining room, and what color is in your entry way? I want both!:)
Krystal Wight Armstrong
I have a few things I’d like to ask, but I wanted to get through everybody else’s first…I’m hoping this offer still stands tomorrow, since I had to stay up late doing some Screenprinting homework for my may-term class tonight. Wasn’t sure how long ‘the next few days’ was going to last for this.
It’s been really fun reading all the previous Qs & As so far though! And Happy Week
Michelle
Hi Emily! A friend introduced me to your blog and designs a few weeks ago. She said that I could get some serious inspiration…and I have! I haven’t really done anything with the inspiration, but I just LOVE the look and feel of all you do. And I’ve been reading your blog since…I love it! You seem real and transparent, professional, fun and oh so creative! I love that you share your Faith, too. OK. So, here are my questions {assuming you’re still answering?!}
:: I’ve been wanting to sell my notecards and photographs on my website, but it just seems SO confusing! Trying to set up shopping carts, getting the layout to look pretty…Eeks! I’ve looked into people to help set up shopping carts and such, but it’s quite pricy. Do you do this yourself? Or do you have someone to help you? If the former…any good resources for learning how to do it? If the latter…who is it?
:: What blogging platform do you use? Blogger? WordPress? {I use wordpress…and maybe that’s where my trouble with the above lies?!}
I understand having a family and having a business and a blog can be kind of crazy! Even though I’m a newbie reader and follower, I appreciate the time you put into “us”!
~Michelle~
Kara
Hi Emily,
I enjoy your blog so much – thank you for all the beautiful things you share with us! Your creativity and generosity are a credit to our Creator.
My question is about the custom stationary that you used to do, specifically, how did you advertise and get clients? I have, for years, made my own cards, invitations, announcements, etc., and also given them as gifts to friends. And while people ooh and ahh over them and urge me to sell them, no one ever wants to pull the trigger and actually pay for them! Do you have any suggestions for how to make a few sales?
Thanks so much!
Heidi
Dear Emily,
I am relatively new to your blog, but I was at once enamored, not only with your style and talent, but with you your refreshing honesty and vulnerability as well. It you be so easy for you to showcase only those aspects of your life that would make you seem perfect. However you have chosen to be yourself and in doing so have won the respect and admiration of so many. Thank You! I was wondering what magazines and catalogues to you enjoy reading.
Krissy
I know I am late to the party but…a few posts ago you said you were trying out a new way to organize your son’s legos. Was it a success? Please share! My son is a lego fanatic and I need some good tips on how to keep them organized! Thanks for your daily inspiration! I am in love with your blog!
Kelly E.
I, too, am late to the party! My family and I were in Palm Springs this weekend for a little get away and I excitedly said to my husband, “Emily was just here!” He said, “who” and I had to say, “the blog lady” and he immediately knows who I’m talking about. hahah…anyways, I tried to read through all of the comments, but it’s getting late and page 3 was as far as I made it. I apologize if this question was already asked.
1.) I remember reading you went to APU, so I was wondering if you are originally from Washington or did you grow up in California? If you grew up in Washington, what made you choose APU as a college?
My good friend (a native Californian, but just moved back from Seattle) and I were talking about the differences between Californians and Washingtonians (I think I just made up that word). She said the people are so down to earth and real in Washington and making friends (true friends) was so much easier. She misses the honesty people had up there. I was born and raised in Orange County, California and I have struggled with this too. Finding real people. Down to earth people who are open and honest and not trying to put on a face for what others want to see. Anyways your name (blog) came into our conversation about how real you are and how we would love to have a friend like you. So, thank you for being so open and honest and for being a good cyber “friend.” We need more Emilys in CA!
Once again, thank you for what you do. Keep on being an inspiration to so many of us and let your light shine!
Annie
I love the photo collage you made for Audrey’s first birthday party. Such a creative and fun way to document your sweet girl’s first year. I want to copy your idea and do the same thing at my baby’s first birthday party. Do you have a template you created to make it?
Elaine
I love your blog…I am a mother of one at the moment and work part time as an accounting assistant, but what I love is home design, refinishing furniture, and painting anything and everything.
I am curious about your summer boutique – I loved the look and feel of the event. …have you done another one since last summer? Where do you sell most of your stuff…through your blog, etsy, or in local stores? I currently sell on etsy and have attended an outdoor market, but I am not sure I am capturing the best audience becuase of the size of most of what I sell.
Deanna
Greetings . I love receiving your emails and find myself looking forward to them as they inspire me so much ..l thank you ! My question for you is how do you create your graphics ? Do you edit clip art, existing images or do you design your own illustrations ?
emily
I do a little bit of all of that. I design somethings by hand. I draw somethings with my computer mouse. I use clipart. I use a lot of clipping masks in Illustrator to take an exsisting shape/clipart pattern and make it my own.