rockstar {elsie flannigan.}

I think back to the time Josh and I got to talk with Regina Spektor on the phone last fall, and I realize I've lived on cloud nine for all the months that have followed. Interviewing Regina, a woman and artist I've admired for years, and learning more about what inspires her as a musician and a human being encouraged me to keep pursuing all the little dreams I have in my head, to just create without fear, and always work on being a better me.

There are quite a few people in this world that inspire me on a daily basis, and I'm so excited to share a with you a few interviews with these talented individuals as they share their thoughts and ideas behind pursuing their dreams and living life to the fullest.

I'm kicking these little Rockstar Interviews off with the talented Miss Elsie Flannigan, who, if you don't already know, I am sure you'll instantly love. She is the queen of making beautiful things and runs an online shop and local boutique in Missouri. I adore her blog - and her darling little pug! Hope you enjoy!

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm Elsie Flannigan. I live in Missouri and run (my dream job) an online and local boutique full time. I spend lots of time making things, blogging and playing with my little pug.

I am a sucker for love stories. Can you tell us how you and your boy Jeremy met?

Jeremy and I met through a mutual friend at a local concert. We became a couple pretty much instantly, but didn't admit it for a month or two. :) He wrote me a song a few weeks after we met and now we're together forever...

Have you always loved to create? What is the creative process like for you?

Yes! I like to make different projects all the time. One day paintings, the next day necklaces and the next day dresses. It's fun to skip from project to project and never get stuck on one thing for too long.

Where do you gather inspiration from?

Vintage shopping, fashion photography and good movies.

What is your favorite children's book or story?

Peter Pan. always & forever.

If we were to take a look inside your refrigerator, what would we find?

lots of lifewater (obsessed) apples, green beans, left over thai food.... um, you know.. the usual. :)

Favorite go-to snack mid day?

rice krispies treats, smoothies and anything with peanut butter.

As a full time independent artist, what do you find most difficult about what you do? What do you love most about what you do?

it's most difficult to *stop* working and just enjoy a break, it almost never happens and i guess that's a shame? even in Hawaii i filled a whole journal full of ideas for my store (oops).
what i love most is thinking about how excited my 16 year old self would have been to know i would grow up and do a real 'dream job'. it's one of my happiest thoughts.

You seem to be one of the most productive women I have come across! Once you get an idea in your head, you go and DO it, from start to finish! What advice do you have for others on balancing all that you do (your shop, blog, photography, etc) as well as everything else in life?

i never skip family stuff, but i skip almost everything else (at times). working independently, it's important to make sacrifices... just never family time. :)
with Red Velvet work i keep daily goals (2-3 goals each day) so it's not overwhelming and i can get the most important things done. balancing time is tricky, but i got so much easier after i established a healthy routine that i could live with daily. I believe in protecting the things i love (including my relationships and my love for making things), so being healthy about goal making and time management is important. no one is perfect. :)

Thank you, Elsie!

Top photo of Elsie by Allister Ann.