merry christmas!

hi. it took me a few days, but i answered most of your questions... if i didn't answer yours, feel free to email me. I just wanted to wish everyone a very happy holiday! hope you have some great family time this weekend! :)

eta! this is our 2006 christmas card. my friend jen made it for me (love you jen). :)

Q:hey elsie! guess that i am #1?
what is your favorite type of sushi. i am a sushi lover, and love to hear if there are different types out there!
A: Hey! My favorite Sushi roll is from Haruno (here in Springfield) called “Sex in the City”. It is really spicy and yum.

Q: Hi, lovely Elsie :)
I know you mostly derive inspiration from art and life around you but do you go blog and gallery visiting for inspiration too? 
Always wondered....
Love Lus x
A: Lusi! Hey girl! Yes, I sure do… Here are a few of my favorites… Jamie, Emily and Amber (I could put a lot more.. but you knw...haha). I like to look around once in a while when I have some free time. So much fun.


Q: AC Slater or Zack Morris???
A: haha….This is a fun one! I always loved Slater the most… back in the day. Funny.


Q: Lovin' the longer hair, how do you get it to do that nice curl?
A: hmmm… I just roll it with my fingers when it is almost dry and spray it. Super easy. Learned that from my friend Rach who has the best curls in the world!

Q:I have one! Wondering what you do with your finished layouts. Do they IMMEDIATELY go into albums or do they pile up in a "to do" pile? And... what is your fave type of album to use that holds a ton of pages without getting all floppy and out of shape? Thanks! Your the best!
A. I have this Cropper Hopper hanging file thing now (which ROCKS) so I can just put them in there till I am ready… I am actually looking for a new album right now… I want something that is binder style and super durable. The ones I have are totally falling apart from the weight of the pages. It’s not easy finding the perfect system!


Q:A little birdie once said that you are or were an *NSYNC fan. Is that's true?
A: Hehe… nope. Not true. Sorry. Rhonna said that, didn’t she?… funny girl!

Q: where do you get your clothes? ;) i have a beautiful girl who LOVES bright colors, and i'm more into the faded look. need some new places to shop LOL
A: My favorite mall store is Forever21 (where my mom shops too... is that not SOOOO cute?!) I’m also a big fan of “stealing” clothes from my sister, Emma. Also I love urban outfitters and alloy (when I am shopping online). I also love vintage clothes.


Q: Ok, here's one. I remember in one of you earlier published LOs in CK, you had listed all the things that were most important to you. One of them you said was God. How does God play a role in your life? How has your spirituality played a part in your art and who you are today as a person?
A: wow. That is a deep one. God is a big part of my life, although I don’t consider myself a very “religious” person in the traditional sense. I feel like I have a friendship with God and that He loves beautiful and creative things, so I feel really connected with Him. But I still have a lot I want to learn and define in my journey, but I don’t really rush it. I want to enjoy it. I don’t ever want to feel pressure like I did earlier in my life.

Q:How do you final all your locations for photo shoots around Springfield (i.e. the flea market wall sign, etc.). Do you scout them out? or just take note as you are going through town? What kind of things do you look for when choosing those kind of "urban" backdrops? Thanks!
A: I just keep my eyes open. I don’t really take notes or anything. I just say to myself “ooh, that is a cute place” and eventually get around to using it for a photo shoot. I have some places that I use over and over, that are my favorites too. I love it because I feel really connected and in love with our city each time we discover a new spot.

Q: Hey Elsie! LOVE your work- just got your book for Christmas, totally psyched. Anyhow, I was wondering if you get recognized a lot when you are out and about. Also- do you get to fly first class when you go abroad?
A: haha.. nah. That doesn’t happen very often. And no I haven’t been flying first class. Would be fun, though… maybe someday.

Q: Hey elsie!!
come back to australia soon ok.
my QUESTION IS:
what are your views on same sex couples, do you believe it to be a bad thing, or think that ppl should be entitled to love who they love.
also, do you think the laws should change for same sex marriage?
A: wow. That is a really intense question. Honestly, I am not a very political person. There are very few issues that I have a strong opinion on like that. But I tend to believe in freedom and letting people make their own choices. Freedom is a good thing.

Q:Hi Elsie - love your blog.
My question is about the mirror self portraits you do. Do you have the camera on a tripod, and use the timer?
A: When I take photos in the mirror I am just holding the camera (pointing it at the my reflection in the mirror) and looking at the camera’s reflection in the mirror. It takes some practice, but it is lots of fun.

Q: What is your all-time favorite Christmas cartoon movie? What is your all-time favorite Christmas song?
A: Christmas Movie: Love Actually and Home Alone (not sure about the cartoon ones) Christmas Song: Pretty much love Dean Martin, “Baby, it’s cold outside”

Q:who is your favorite super hero?
A: thinking… thinking… gonna have to go with Wolverine. Haha. Love him.


Q: Hi Elsie:Love your work in the Faith Books & Spiritual Journaling book :) Being a journal lover myself besides Sabrina Ward Harrison do you have any other favorite journal artist? Also do you tend to work in several journals at one time?
A: Thank you! I love my friend, Rachel’s, journals more than anything in the whole world. They are really amazing. I totally do lots of projects at one time… I am trying to get more organized, but that will probably never change.


Q: I have seen this asked many times before, but would you please please share a whack of your wedding pictures? I'd love to know about your wedding day - you're so creative and I'd love to know about all the special touches you had and see what it looked like. I know you've shared a few here and there, but I'd love to see more.
A: Thank you. I am working on some wedding projects right now... will share them on here when they are done. That is so sweet! Weddings are SO fun and special! I love them too!


Q: Hi Elsie!I really enjoy your blog a few times each week. Adore your pages, pix and book! I'm an Bentonville, AR gal who is wondering if you do any classes in Springfield or nearby??? 
A: I will keep you posted (on here) about that. I am not sure yet.

Q: Also - other than Smallville, what's your favorite TV show?
A: The Office! We don’t watch regular TV, but we rent the dvds sometimes and it is funnnnnnny! I don’t watch any other shows, when I am in hotels I usually watch music videos the whole time. Love those!


Q:If you could go back in time and give some advice to yourself as you are just starting to scrap what would you say?
A: Interesting. Probably just “ Do what you want. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.”

Q: 1. what is your average day like?
 A: 1. Well… pretty much like anyone who works from home, I would imagine. I wake up…check e-mail, make lists, work on deadlines… have lunch with TJ… run errands… and pretty much work all evening at home if we don’t have any family stuff going on. Sometimes Emma is with me helping me, usually it is just Cocoa and I. Oh and I buy itunes… I am pretty much a pro at that. LOL.

Q: 2. will it be possible to meet you at CHA in CA this jan?
A: 2. YES! I will have a booth, so come see me! That will be fun! I cannot wait!


Q:I know that you find much inspiration in music. How do you take that inspiration and apply it to your work/art? As an example, Yummy by Gwen Stefani. How do you go from being inspired by that (which I *totally am) and 'lay it down' so-to-speak.
A: There are so many cool ways to interpret inspiration. You can use the words, the mood or the reaction that you have to the music as a springboard for art! I usually like to use little phrases from songs though… ones that not very many people know.

Q:ok, so my question is about tj...does he do something creative and artistic as well for a living? does he scrapbook with you? are you all the same age?
thanks:)
A: TJ works for a travel agency right now. He is almost done with his degree in media and he wants to work in the film industry. He is wicked talented at video editing (and I keep bugging him to make some fun videos for my blog..haha!) He doesn’t scrapbook with me but he has before a few times and he swears he is going to make an album about his grandfather someday, so he has his own stash of papers and supplies. He is 2 years older than me.

Q: What kind of youth group activities did you and TJ do growing up? My fav was always summer camp.
A: Um.. we did a lot of stuff.. they kept us really busy.. lots of mission trips, retreats, camps…. We both did the drama team and some other silly stuff… we also hung out with our mutual friends so much that even though we never went to the same school, we hung out several times a week. He came to my school to visit me a lot and we went to dances and stuff… Um… can you tell I like talking about this?? Haha! I’ll stop now.

Q: Hey, Elsie!! :) 
'K, my question is how you and TJ keep the focus on each other in such a crazy busy world that we live in! Do you have any special traditions, things like that? :) 
People always tell me that my husband and I look like the cutest happiest couple, but man! I think you two have us beat! :) Ha ha
Hugs! Charin
A: Hey girl… Nah! You guys are cuter! Lol! You know we have to work really hard for our marriage. We try to eat lunch and dinner together as much as we can and we run together sometimes. We stay up late a lot and hang out. This year has been busy. I can’t say it was easy, but we are both working together to keep redefining what we need and want and finding a balance we can both live with. Oh, and we take lots of photos! I don’t care what anyone says, taking photos and scrapbooking makes you happier.

Q: OK elsie I'm a huge fan of your work, but most of all I love your Photos!!!! How do you get such great shots of yourself, in other words who is behind the camera? Oh and another important thing what kind of camera do you use?
A. I just pass my camera around to anyone who is willing and able. My family and friends are really used to that. I have a Canon 20d.

Q: Do you think you'll ever go back to college/school?
A: Nope. It’s not for me. I do have a tutor though, for graphic art stuff. I like to learn, but no desire to complete a degree at this point.

Q: Where have you traveled that has been your most favorite so far?
A: India.


Q: I want to know when we can expect your scrapbooking stuff in the stores? I'm SO excited to get my hands on it (I work part-time at a lss and I told her I'd quit if she didn't bring it in). And when do we get the first sneak peek??
A: My lips are tightly sealed. I am really excited about everything that is going on right now and the upcoming first release in January. I can’t wait to share! Also, I can’t wait to actually have the products and play with them myself, I am just as giddy as anyone! Totally an exciting year!


Q: My question. Who are a few of your favorite scrappers. Oh and do you have a tattoo?
Peace. You are just too cute!
A: I love so many different artists. I can’t pick. There are too many. I have always always loved Danielle Thompson, though. And yes… one tattoo. I have a cherry tattoo on my back shoulder (but don’t tell my grandma, ok?) lol.


Q: I have always wondered what your artistic background pre-scrapbooking is. 
A: I always loved collage art. In high school I spent most of my time making really girly comics. I started making art journals about a year before I started scrapbooking and eventually, it lead me to my first scrapbook store.
Q: What type of art does your mom do? 
A: She paints, draws, makes collages. She kind of switches from one medium to another, I’ve noticed. Her stuff is really awesome and she has been showing more a lot lately. I should post some on here sometime. She is such an inspiration.
Q: a silly one. . . 
gummy bears or gummy worms?
A: either.. as long as they are sour. Yum. But I have been trying to stay away from sugar. Not easy.

Q:I have a technical question for ya...have you recently switched to the "blogger in beta"? If you have, can you share how you changed your banner?
A: No help here. My computer savvy friends do that stuff for me. Lol.


Q: What are some of the things that the magazines/interviewers seem to get wrong about you?
When people meet you in real life, what do they always seem to be surprised by? (your voice, your height, etc.)
A: haha... um. I don’t know. A lot of people say I am smaller than they thought I would be or that I look younger… stuff like that. People always ask if I’m sad or feeling ill because I am not as hyper as they thought I would be. I am actually pretty mellow…really laid back. Oh… and also I have a really young voice... Like when people call “can I speak with your mother” young. Haha. I think that is true for anyone you know from online or something and you meet them for the first time. Not a big deal.

Q:hey elsie! you are so creative...did you make any holiday gifts this year or do you mostly shop in the stores?
A: Awe. You know I wish I could have. I did most of my shopping online this year. I have been working long hours. But I do LOVE making gifts now and then! It is SO much fun!

Q:the positive outlook . . . . does that just come natural to you or something you have to be intentional about?
A: Um… nah. I am just a normal person. I don’t like to talk about negative things publicly. I mean, why would I? I try to enjoy life and have fun, but I have bad days too.


Q: just love Starbucks and was wondering what your favorite coffee was? and it doesnt have to be from Starbucks!
A: Peppermint Mocha, Chai Latte with Soy or Carmel Apple Cider.


Q:What are your favorite scrapbooking/craft websites? (besides red velvet art, of course! lol)
A: um.. I like this fabric a lot... and the stuff here is really sweet...and i am always so inspired by the gallery here.

Q: I read that you really like to have kids in the future. As a girl I think you also had baby names you would like to give your kids when you would be all grown up. so my question: what were your kids names when you were thinking of it as a kid?
A: When I was little (like 5) I always said I wanted to name my daughter “Orangie”. Nice. And as a teenager I had some pretty wild ones too… TJ have 2 girl/2 boy names now but he made me promise not to tell anyone until really close before b.c a lot of our friends have named their children (and pets..haha) names from our list and I am crazy about wanting to be the first one… but they are really cute names!

Q: Hi Elsie! I was wondering whether you are planning on publishing a new scrapbooking book?
A: Yes.


Q: Hi, you are 24 and oh so talented have a lot going on. Kudos to you. But where do I get this book everyone talks about?
A: You can buy it from CK (Link in my sidebar) or on Amazon. Thanks!

Q. Hey Elsie...love your work. Just wondering where you get inspiration for photos? (I'm talking about the poses.) Are your poses just random or do you have a vision for them before you start? Thanks...
April
A. They are mostly random. I just do whatever I am in the mood for. When I go through older photos, I notice I still do lots of the same poses I did as a young kid so I guess that is just part of me now!

Q: My q is: How did you end up in the scrapping industry? How did the "fame" start? *smile* Happy Christmas!
A: I just submitted to CK and posted on 2peas.

Q: I was wondering
If i emailed you a picture of my son.....would you Scrapbook it for me (hey...i can only ask..lol!)
oh and what is your favourite state in america (other than where you live) and why?
A: You know… I tried to scrapbook for other people last year and it was really hard for me. I think I only enjoy it when it is for my own family. It makes me too nervous to use other people’s photos. My favorite state in America (other than Missouri) is California. No contest.


Q: Is Cocoa naughty or nice? ~hee~ Had to ask... Love all your pixs and your little dog too!
A: A little bit of both… mostly nice, though.

Q. Hi Elsie,
I live in Springfield and wasn't able to see My Boss is an Idiot at the Moxie. Are the DVDs available somewhere in town?
A. thebrandongoodwin@gmail.com or The “Well Fed Head” Bookstore.

Q: Hi! How do you make your suupercute banners on your blog? I just love it!
A: I make them by hand and scan them.

Q. Hi Elsie! A while back you had a post in response to some negative things that were being said about you.
I made the mistake of reading some of what was said, and was so disheartened by how mean and immature people can be.
Reading their words did not at all make me think less of you, the opposite in fact. I am so impressed with the way you continue to stay firm in your own unique style, and positive outlook.
But I know also that you are human and want to know how you fight bringing back to your mind what people have said. Was it something your husband said, is it something you believe in your core? I guess what I am trying to say is that your positive strength inspires me even more than your pictures and lay outs (if that is possible) and I want to know the secret!
A. You know, it is a sad thing. I hate it. That isn’t what this hobby is all about.
I love my job. I love my friends. I love scrapbooking. I love the way my family reacts when they look at our albums. All of those things make it so worth it for me. The truth is, that stuff only matters if you let it, and I won’t. Scrapbooking is too fun to let that stuff rain on the parade. What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, right? Haha.. something like that.

Q: Hi Elsie - love your blog and got your '52' book a couple of months ago - it's fabby and an inspiration! My question(s) - Is Flannigan your maiden or married name? Have you ever been to Ireland (Flannigan is quite and Irish name)? and Have you any plans to come and teach to we, the Irish scrappers?
A: Flannigan is my married name. Chapman is my maiden name. No plans yet to come to Ireland, but I would love to someday!


Q. Elsie, do you have your future babies names all picked out? Will they be funky like you? Will they honor family names?
A. yes, yes and yes. They are a pretty unique names, but totally lovable.

Q: How often do you shop at scrapbook stores? Do you go just to check out all the new stuff? Or to get inspired?
A: Honestly, I almost never go anymore. I buy some stuff if I am teaching at a store and I get a lot of stuff in the mail. I only go once in a while to buy cardstock and glue dots. But I really like shopping for stuff for my scrapbooks at fabric stores once in a while.

Q: What are some of your goals for 2007?
A: Goals for 2007... this year I am going to focus on my product line (which is seriously taking up most of my time) and maybe moving to a new house. At this point in my life I want to spend all my free time with my family and friends.


Q: okay odd question. you are so photogenic. have you done modeling in the past? by the way i love your work!
A: Thank you, but no way. I just take a lot of photos I guess. Really. We take a ton.


Q: Elsie, What's the worst, or most difficult, part about being a "professional" scrapbooker?
A: Um… I don’t know. I tend to ignore the things I don’t like and just focus on my friends, family and art. I was lucky enough to find a good group of friends who I totally trust. Plus, I can’t dwell on negative stuff... it takes away my creativity!


Q: OK...so I am a retro kind of girl...totally into the 60s and 70s because I am a child of that era. My favorite retro piece is my grandmother's Eames tulip table and chairs. It is mine now. It was stored in a barn and nobody wanted it. So you seem like that kind of girl too...how is your house decorated? Any favorite pieces? BTW...I love your book!
A: Yes. We are buying a house pretty soon, I really want to buy some retro furniture and do some really fun stuff… we have a vintage record player. Love it.


Q: hey elsie, I've been reading your blog for a while, it's really inspiring (even to someone that's not a scrapbooker!)
you seem like a stylish girl, so my question is, who is your favorite fashion designer?
Q: Betsey Johnson. No contest. I am in love with her fashion so much. I am also a HUGE fan of David LaChapelle. He is a photographer, but there is so much fashion and color in his shoots it is wicked! Both artists use color in a way that blows my mind.


Q: I know a lot of guys who do not want to take the time much less just want to be in front of the camera. My question is about TJ. Does he mind so much about taking pictures. Was he pretty understanding (before scrapbooking became a 'profession' for you) about having the need for so many pictures?
A: Ya. He is cool about it… I mean, there are times when he thinks we have enough, but I don’t yet… but overall he is really sweet about it and he enjoys the photos too. Good guy.

Q: In one of your layouts, i saw where it said you love Japan! i am wondering if you've ever been and what was your favorite thing about it? also, what do you want for Christmas?
A: Nope. I have never been. I would love to go sometime. For Christmas…. Hmmm… I want a pony and peace and love… haha.


Q: Elsie!!!
I love seeing all of your pictures-of family, friends, you and TJ and your cutie cute pug Cocoa. That sweet little face has made me want to get a pug too! I have been told that pugs have some health problems specific to their breed, I was wondering if you have run into that with Cocoa, if you have to make expensive vet visits, etc? thanks!
A: Nah. I heard that too, but we haven’t ever had any problems like that. She is the best ever.


Q: Hey girlie - Will you show us your scrap room/studio?
A: here it is! 

have a merry christmas! talk to you next week! :) love, elsie