As you may already know, I’m in a current position where I am working at an advertising agency during the day, blogging and freelancing in the evenings, and trying to find time for everything else. Story of everyone’s life, right? I feel like all I do is work, but I LOVE BLOGGING and I LOVE DESIGN. I’m currently reassessing my priorities and striving to create a better work/life balance.

*Image is one of Kelly’s favorite Flickr images. Original image is by Anna Amphigorously.

I had a chance to sit down with Kelly Ann over at The Flowerchild Dwelling and pick her brain about how she balances this and that. (you’ve got to check out her Music Mondays!) Everyone is responsible for creating their own sense of balance and I found it interesting to see how another blogger with a similar audience does just that. Hope you find this interview useful. Enjoy!

The Veda House: How did you get into blogging and how has it changed since you first launched The Flowerchild Dwelling?
The Flowerchild Dwelling: I’ve had some sort of online journal since I was 14, but I created my blog in 2008 when I was a senior in college. I feel like a lot of bloggers say this, but I seriously had no clue what this blog would turn into… I’ll be honest, I kind of started it out of procrastination. I really wanted a place where I could post/write about all of the things that inspired me, whether it be film or photography – and a few friends suggested I start a blog to share my favourite music. I started calling it The Flowerchild Dwelling last year (Flowerchild is a nickname), and it just seems to fit. To watch the readership go from a few college friends to hundreds and hundreds of people from all over the world has been mind boggling… I’m incredibly humbled and grateful!

TVH: Congrats on the new job as a Freckled Nest Designer! I’m obviously jealous! How does your day play out on the days you work for Freckled Nest?
TFD: Thank you, dear! Honestly, everyday is different, as least for right now. I also work on photography projects part-time, and since I started working with Freckled Nest just recently, I’m still trying to find a schedule/routine that works for me in the most efficient, yet enjoyable, way. So far, I really love alternating between design work and photography everyday. it keeps things fun and the inspiration flowing consistently.

TVH: There seems to be a constant struggle to keep life balanced,(at least for me) how do you balance your day job, your hobbies, and anything else you deem important to your well-being?
TFD: I like having some sort of routine, but if I have a super strict schedule every single day, I get bored and burnt out. I think setting weekly goals is really great, and one should always invest in a day planner! I like to have a planner and a calendar on my computer, because I tend to forget things sometimes. I’m also a sucker for to-do lists… I make one every single day. (Sometimes I make two. In college, it became very apparent that I can be a HUGE workaholic. I was constantly on the go and I would double/triple book myself until I barely had enough time to eat and sleep. By the time I graduated, I was completely burnt out. And that’s so unhealthy! I’ve realized that I’m the type of person that MUST have down time/fun time set aside, or I will go crazy. Even if it’s just dinner with a friend, painting for a few hours, or catching up on my favourite television shows, I have to put the work away and just breathe for a while. It can be a challenge to create that “me-time”, but everyone should do it. It’s a process, and I’m not perfect at it, yet… but I’ve noticed how much happier I am when I’ve taken that time away from work. If you truly make it a priority, it will happen. I think having weekly goals helps tremendously. OH, and… learn. to. say. NO. That’s a big one!

TVH: Your Blog, The Flowerchild Dwelling is gorgeous! Do you have a design background and how do you decide what content you’re going to post?
TFD: I actually have a film production background! I took a basic photoshop class years ago, and I think that gave me a really good foundation to start with. Besides that, I’m self taught… aka I’m a huge nerd who loves to figures things out on my own.

As far as content, I really just post whatever inspires me. I have a list of musicians and playlists that I pull from for my Music Monday feature, and I spend a small amount of time every week researching music for future posts. I also have a “favourite things” folder on my computer that I add to throughout the week for my Tuesday feature. I also like to share my photography every so often, and I hope to do more of that in the future. I’ve been making it a habit to write down blog post ideas the second I think of them, which has been super helpful. There will be some content changes on The Flowerchld Dwelling in the near future, and I’m really excited about it! I have lots of ideas in the works, as well as a new blog design, and I’d like to get back to blogging almost everyday. That hasn’t been happening lately, and I miss it.

TVH: Lastly, What is your favorite thing about blogging? Are there any pros/cons?
TFD: For me, it’s the people. I love the friends I’ve made through this experience, I know so many of them will be friends of mine for life. I love that I’m able to connect with some really amazing individuals all over the world – I have dear friends in Seattle, Chicago, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, and Australia – just to name a few. I think this entire community is something very, very special, and I’m beyond grateful to be a part of it.

Sometimes being a blogger can take up a lot of time and energy out your life. While I so enjoy the time I spend in the blogging world each day, it can get really tiring at times. You lose focus and the whole thing can become really uninspiring. There have been a few instances where blogging felt like a chore, and that’s when I realized I had to take a break. You must take breaks!

TVH: Any last words?
TFD: When feeling blue, frustrated or uninspired… put on a vinyl record and have a spontaneous party. Works like a charm.

I really appreciate the time Kelly Ann spent with me at The Veda House and I hope all of you were able to take a little snippet or two away from the chit chat. Hearing how experienced bloggers run their day to day operations is beyond valuable to a new blogger.  Stop by her blog and send some “Get Better From The Flu” kind of vibes.

How do you balance life, day jobs, families, blog world, and everything else in between? I’m doing some serious soul searching and would love your help.

Post Update as of 2:40pm Tuesday
You must read this article. Quitting your day job? Is it right for you. (Thanks Etsy for this amazing little interview) GO TO INTERVIEW and the interview over at Mucho Bueno!

Hey guys. Today’s a good day. It’s supposed to be another warm one here in St. Louis. I’m also excited that I have a fabulous blog feature to share with you today. I love featuring other bloggers because I learn a little bit from every one of them. Oh, Mishka was one of the first blogs I found and it has made my daily reads list because the content is as real as it can get.

Michelle blogs about life as a student living in Wyoming with her boyfriend, Jordan. She’s a fashionista at heart but loves to write about day to day going. Stop by and check out her site, I know you’ll fall in love like I did.

TVH: How did you get started in blogging and how has your adventure evolved over the last 2+ years.

OM: When I first started blogging, I was working for a local clothing design company and started my blog as an outlet for my fashion and design obsessions. At first, I only posted photos of others’ work and never talked about my personal life. Eventually, I started working details of my personal life into my blog and got such a great response from readers that I made that my primary focus.

TVH: I love how personal your blog is and how you blog about your life in general. The variety makes for a great read. How did you decide on the specific content you wanted to share? Have you tailored your blog over the years?

OM: As I mentioned, I definitely didn’t start my blog to be about my life. However, now that I do blog almost entirely about my life, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. A great bonus about it is that I’m constantly motivated to become better, at cooking, styling my outfits, photography, or tailoring my design interests, so that I’m always giving my readers something new to read about. My blog really drives me to improve myself which, in turn, improves my blog.

And since I did start my blog initially to be a fashion/design blog, I like to talk about those things still. Now my interests have drifted from large fashion houses to small business and independent clothing designers, as well as vintage sellers. Similarly, I like finding DIY design projects to do instead of focusing on large home renovations or unrealistic kitchen styles. My 7 Things I Love Saturday feature is predominately about Etsy shops I love or art pieces by up-and-coming artists.

TVH: I‘ve been following your 25 Things to Do Before I’m 25 and I LOVE the idea. We are the same age, both 24 and I love the idea of setting 25 very specific/achievable goals to accomplish this year. What made you think of doing this and how’s the process going?

OM: My 25 Things list is one of my favorite things I’ve ever done. Like you said, having very specific goals that are somewhat achievable (some more easily than others) is really nice. Essentially, I’m spending my entire 24th year working towards something. It’s great to feel so productive, plus, by my birthday, I’ll have this whole list of things that I’ve accomplished. I got the idea from a blogger I adore, Sarah Von, who writes Yes and Yes. She’s been doing lists like this for the past couple of years and I just thought it was a great idea. As far as tacking the actual list, it’s going great! I’ve only been able to cross a few things off my list so far, but that’s mainly because a lot of them require quite a bit of preparation work, or are a huge process to do. For example, one of my goals is to run a half marathon, so I spend quite a bit of time every week working out and getting in good running shape so I can really begin training. Some of my smaller goals are pretty easy; the struggle with those is just making time in my day to do them!

TVH: As an antsy new blogger myself, I struggle with wondering whether or not my blog is being received well in the blog community. And although I started my blog as a simple online documentation of the things I do, I always love the confirmation that all my time is worth it with the addition of a new follower. One day I hope to turn my blog into a mini business of sorts. Do you have any advice for new bloggers? Anything you’ve learned along the way? In your opinion how do you get on someone’s “Daily Reads” list?

OM: My biggest advice for new bloggers is to keep blogging! So many people hit a wall around month 3 of blogging where they question their blog content or struggle to find the motivation or inspiration to write new posts. And it’s really easy to get discouraged when your blog doesn’t immediately take off, like most people expect when they start a blog. Instead, treat it like anything else in life. You have to work hard, you have to push through the hard times, and always ask for help if you need it. The blogging community is overwhelmingly wonderful about helping new bloggers out, so if you have questions about blogging, just send an email to someone whose blog you admire and see if they have any advice.

One important lesson I’ve learned along the way is that it’s impossible to please everyone. If you try to write a blog that will make everyone happy, you’re shortchanging yourself and your real readers. Instead, write strong, quality content. Maybe not everyone in the world will enjoy it, but the people who do like it are going to REALLY like it.

As far as getting on someone’s Daily Reads list, the best way to do it is by making friends. My Daily Reads page is mostly populated by blogging friends of mine. I love them and I love reading their blogs daily to see what’s going on in their lives. I also have a lot of people on my Daily Reads who I admire in some way, whether it’s their fashion sense or what they’re doing with their life, so I read their blog to inspire myself to become as wonderful as they are.

TVH: I’m a religious list maker and spaz out a bit if things aren’t organized. Have you established a blogging schedule? How to you find the time to blog with a busy student schedule?

OM: It’s definitely been an adjustment going back to school and keeping up with my blog! I’m sure a few people have noticed that I’m awful at responding to emails in a timely manner lately. 🙂
Honestly, I don’t have a blogging schedule. I try to post every day, but if I miss a day every now and then, I don’t worry about it. I know some bloggers who write all of their posts on the weekends and have them scheduled throughout the week, but I’m just not that organized. I wish I was though!

TVH: Your Etsy shop is pretty darn cute. LOVE the hair accessories. What made you decide you wanted an Esty shop?

OM: I have a hard time spending money on things that I could make on my own, which is why I started making the felt owl coffee cozies in my shop. Then I found some hair accessories that I love and decided to make those too. A lot of people really loved them, so I opened my shop. Unfortunately, I’ve had to cut back on some obligations so I can work as hard as I need to in school, and my Etsy shop was one of those things. I’m having a closing sale in my shop right now and it will end this weekend, when I’ll close my shop until I’m done with school in May.

TVH: Photography Question- What does your camera set up look like? I’ve noticed you make visual edits/apply effects to your photos, would you like to share your secret?

OM: I use a Konica Minolta, which used to be my mom’s husband’s. I love it, but Konica was bought by Sony, so they aren’t made anymore. I’ve heard that the Sony Alpha is pretty comparable, but if I were going to upgrade, I’d probably get a Nikon. As far as photo edits, I use GIMP because Photoshop is too pricey for me! I mostly play with curves when I’m editing. I’ve also downloaded a few curves settings that I found online that I like.

TVH: I always like to ask this question…What is a day in the life of Michelle like? (you’d be surprised by some of the answers I get on this)

OM: Oooh…I like this question! It kind of depends on the day, because on Tuesdays and Thursdays I’m in class all day and don’t really have a chance to do anything else. Every other day though, I hit the snooze button once or twice in the morning, then get up and make coffee. Then I do some blogging, read emails, and catch up on stuff online. Then I spend pretty much the rest of the day studying and doing homework.

Once my boyfriend gets home from work, we make dinner and watch Jeopardy! together. Literally, we watch Jeopardy! every night. We get super competitive with each other about it too! Then I either spend the rest of the night doing more school and/or blogging stuff, or, if I’m pretty caught up, I hang out with my boyfriend and do absolutely nothing at all (and it’s glorious!).

TVH: Lastly, do you have any fun things planned for Oh, Mishka in 2011? Anything to keep our eyes out for?

OM: My big plan is to do a lot more outfit posts. I’m big on making an effort to look nice every day, which has earned me some odd looks from the other students on campus who seem to live in their sweatpants. I really feel like I’ve come into my personal style lately and want to do more posts that reflect that. Mostly, I’m excited to show off some cute vintage pieces I’ve purchases lately!

It was such a pleasure getting to know Michelle just a little bit. I hope you’ve enjoyed a little peek into Oh, Mishka!

Since I started this blog journey little over a month ago I’ve had a very loyal Switzerland-based follower. She’s great and is determined to share her environmentally conscious lifestyle on her blog. ( she blogs about other things too! ) I had a chance to talk with her about how she decided to start her blog, her choice to take a strong stand with environmental/social issues, and her plans for the future. I thought it might be nice to share some tips on how to start your year off right and maybe make less of an impact on the environment this time around. She’s provided a great list of tips for living a greener life at the end of this post.

Don’t forget to hop over to her little corner of the internet, check out what she’s been up to. She was kind enough to share my blogging adventures with her readers as well. Go to fourleafcloverblog.com!

VEDA: You’ve found a really great Niche to blog in. I think environmental blogging is definitely going to be a new trend. How did you get started blogging and do you have any big goals for your blog?

FLC: I wouldn’t say my blog is just an environmental blog; I write about all of my interests! I’d thought about starting a blog off-and-on for a few years. Finally I decided I had time and nothing to lose so I started designing my website and, after a couple of months, the next thing I knew I was writing post after post and people were visiting and commenting. I’m so glad I decided to start a blog. The blogging community is full of nice and wonderful people and I feel as though my blog has been embraced with open arms. I hope to continue writing about the things I love and I hope that, with time, many others will find my blog a place to learn and take action as well as a place to share their thoughts.

VEDA: You frequently post about current events and I was wondering what are your daily resources that you visit for inspiration. Are there certain websites that you read everyday to pull information?

FLC: Oh, gosh… I’d have to show you my entire RSS feed to show you where I get all of my information and it’s quite full! I always link to the original story where I found the information, but most of the current events I write about are from the news or emails I receive from different organizations. As for websites, Care2.com, TreeHugger.com, and GOOD.is are a few I check daily and the ones with stories I’ve featured the most from on Four Leaf Clover thus far.

This is a really great video posted about a little while back.

VEDA: I’ve noticed that people can be intimidated by unsettling current events. How do you get people to interact with your blog in a way that commenting extends the conversation?

FLC: I try to write all of my blog entries as though to a friend or how I would in my journal. I’ve been an animal rights activist and vegetarian (now a vegan for over a year) since my sophomore year of high school, I was the environmental club leader in high school and part of my town’s environmental committee, I attended a Sierra Student Coalition camp, a couple summers ago I had an internship with PETA UK and I wrote for my school’s newspaper where I sometimes was able to write about these type of issues. My life in the past few years has all added up to the way I write about difficult issues going on in the world.

VEDA: You’re using SocialVibe to raise money for the whales & dolphins who are threaten by whaling. Have you found success using this too? I find this cause very exciting. Would you like to share any information about what you’re trying to do?

FLC: Through SocialVibe I’ve been able to get some of my friends involved and aware of the plight whales and dolphins face today. I fully believe that a single person can change the world so every one person who knows that much more about an issue is important. The cause I currently support is the Whaleman Foundation’s whose mission is to end all commercial and scientific whaling and stop dolphin slaughter. Many people found out about this cause because of the show Whale Wars as well as the Oscar winning film The Cove. So far the Whaleman Foundation on SocialVibe has raised over $50,000. SocialVibe, as a whole, has already raised over $700,000 for over forty non-profit organizations so they’re definitely making a difference and are a huge help to many causes. All you have to do is make an account and do a few activities once in a while to help raise money for a cause you care about and it’s all free!

VEDA: I know you are committed to bringing attention to the social/environmental issues we face today. Are you doing anything outside of the blog world to help? Do you have a career in the environmental department?

FLC: Since moving to Switzerland, I’ve not been able to get involved in any organizations like I did in the US and UK so my activism is strictly internet-based. Signing letters and petitions is often times a daily action for me. I had been posting actions that people could get involved in on my Facebook, but I decided to take it a giant step forward with my blog. This way I can reach friends and many, many others which is what I’ve always wanted to do. This year I hope to go on a volunteer program for environment and animal conservation. Following that, I’d like to attend university and study these topics. Finding a school here in Europe with a course in English that I’d like to take is harder than taking action, ha!

Unwanted and once-loved tee shirts are redesigned and sold at dothegreenthing.com. Click image to shop now!

Eva’s done a really great job of gathering some helpful tips for us to reference when making simple lifestyle changes. These tips can be used by anyone whether you have your own home, rent, live with someone else, etc. Living in an ecological and efficient place is not only better for the environment, but it can make home feel fresh and more home-like than ever before.

1 6-month eco challenge, 2 drink coasters on Etsy, 3 house plants for cleaner air, 4 bike rims in The Veda House loft, 5 homemade composting, 6 Martha Stewart etched glass jars, 7 Treehugger tips, 8 CFL light bulbs, 9 eco-friendly cleaning solutions, 10Sierra Club blog

If you have anything to add, please leave a little note below. If you like what you see at Eva’s blog, share the love with a note to Eva in the comment section!

Over the past couple years I’ve bumped into the designers/illustrators/print makers at Brainstorm Print & Design. I’ve been following their work as they’ve grown their business and even own a few of their prints. ( SHOP prints here! ) The couple in business and in life live/work in Philly, PA and have a wide variety of clients. You may have seen them on these blogs: NotCot, Design Milk, OMG Posters, IndieFixx, Okay Great, Posters and Prints Blog, and many more. Let’s get to know them a little bit more with an old fashioned Q&A. See below!

TVH: When did you guys decide you wanted to go into business together and start what is today Brainstorm Print and Design? How has the company evolved over the years?

BPD: We met in 2007 in college, through a printmaking class, mutual friends, and a few parties. Within the first month of our relationship we were already collaborating on work. It was a major magnetic force between us. I think we knew from the get go that this was something that would become who we were not only as individual artists, but as a couple. We have evolved mainly in location, but also in our attitudes towards each other. We’ve gotten to know each others rhythms having lived together right from the beginning. We still work in similar ways from early on, collaborating on everything, and helping each other out with every step. We’ve just gotten better at it!

TVH: What are you favorite kinds of projects to take on? Do you favor one printing technique or style of another?

BPD: Our favorite types of projects (besides our own personal work) are the ones with interesting clients who can give us creative freedom from designing at the start to producing a screen printed piece at the end. We are big fans of tangible artwork and being able to hold in your hand a final product. It’s really important to us and it makes it all worthwhile at the end. We always use screen printing because it is super versatile and kinder to the environment than most other printmaking methods.

TVH: I’ve noticed the both of you have moved into a new work/ live loft? How has that been? Has it made going to work any easier?

BPD: YES. Considering that we moved 4 times in the last 15 months. Out of college we were living with parents for a bit. Then with roommates and working in cold, dingy basements to get the business off the ground. We are proud to say we have earned our own space doing what we love. There’s really no restrictions on what we can and can’t do in our warehouse. And that really goes both ways with the interesting neighbors we have. But above all else living in a warehouse space like this is really worth it for the creative community, city opportunities, and price. Seriously people, move to Philly.

TVH: What does a typical day look like in the life of “Briana and Jason”?

BPD: A day in the life of us consists of many different things. Being partners both in business and in life makes for a wide range of plans. On any given day we could be signing and stamping our own posters, mixing inks, emailing wholesale or consignment clients, making a new licensing deal, discussing contract projects, coming up with new ideas for prints, drawing, going on Facebook and twitter, napping, pulling prints, cleaning screens, cooking food, perusing the internets, going to Lowes to fix or improve something in the loft, working on craft show displays, rearranging the studio (again), organizing the desks, watching movies, going out for a beer with friends in the middle of the day, uploading photos, doing laundry, picking up film separations. Never all in one day, but any combination of them can happen. Bottom line is there is ALWAYS something to do. It’s never boring.

TVH: Lastly, are there any upcoming Brainstorm Print & Design events coming up that my readers should know about? Anything excited planned for 2011?

BPD:2011 is going to be huge for us. We are hoping to add craft shows to our list that we haven’t done yet, mostly because of location. We plan on flying and traveling farther around the country (definitely west coast) to sell prints everywhere. We are working on getting plenty of new and exciting sets of prints out this year, as well as working with some of our fantastic repeat contract clients. Also, having lived in Philly for about 8 months now, we are starting to get into doing more gallery shows. So we’ll see if that lifestyle sticks!