Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Show Your Real: Elise C.

Show your real time (is my favorite time!)

I’m so excited to introduce you to Elise.
She’s a blogger. An artist. A photographer. And a mama.
(Among about a million other things.)

And in general, she’s a girl after my own heart. I seem to always have a few (too many) irons in the fire, so I love how passionately she pursues so many of her interests. And it doesn’t hurt that she’s incredibly talented. I’m thrilled that someone who is so inspiring is also willing to be real. 



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How does the idea of "Show Your Real" resonate with you..why did you want to participate and share?
I think there is a misconception that "typical lifestyle bloggers" are hiding the "real" in their lives... I don't think that's true! Instead I think "they" (including me) are sharing some of the bright parts and working on creating fun content. That doesn't mean life is all bright and fun, it just means that that's what they want or feel most comfortable sharing. But everyone is human - we all have crap days and great days and boring days and exciting days - recognizing that is so important.


What misconceptions might people have about about your life at first glance?

I think people might assume it's all upbeat rainbows and that I have boundless energy and never make craft mistakes. And NONE of that is accurate. I get bummed, I feel drained, I mess up all the time. But writing the blog has actually helped pull me out of funks, given me energy and helped me push through on craft disasters. I'm grateful for that and love that I have a place online to share.

What are some of your patterns and routines for a “typical” day?
The only REAL pattern is that I work hard to stay ahead so that on any given day I don't HAVE to sit down at the computer to do anything. That email? It can wait. That blog post for tomorrow? It's already written. I work really hard to stay a bit "ahead" so that  when things go upside down (as they often do) it's not a stressful situation; it's just life. I am a Planner (capital P) and so keeping organized helps keep me sane(r). It also let's me embrace whatever routine Ellerie (my one year old daughter) has figured out for that day.


What does the balance/mix of work/chores/family time/rest/etc look like in your home?
We currently have 9 hours of childcare a week and during those 9 hours plus Ellerie's naptime I crank out full-time work. It's intense! But I really love my job and it's a priority for me that I am able to keep at it. I do my best to have "work" wrapped up when my husband, Paul, gets home so we can hang out as a family or I can just lay on the couch and read after Ellerie goes to sleep and Paul has to study (he's a medical resident). I don't sacrifice sleep for work - ever. That just makes me unhappy. :)

What things have become “your real” now that the you from the past would be surprised about?
I can't believe how much free time I used to have. That is what I think about every single day. WHAT DID I DO ALL DAY LONG BEFORE I HAD A KID? I can't even imagine it. I think now I work harder than I used to and in theory, I am "spread thinner" than I used to be, but it doesn't feel that way. Life feels intense but inspiring.

What are the hardest parts of your current season of life? And the best parts?
The hardest part is having an idea and not begin able to just run with it. I used to have hours, days and weeks to myself (my husband is in the military and deployed twice in our first three years of marriage). It was lonely, of course, but I actually enjoy being alone and so I did surprisingly well with all that time. These days I don't have that "free" time as a luxury and so when something creative and awesome comes up I have to schedule how to work it in. It's different and took some getting used to.
I am at a good place though. Having a baby has helped me to figure out what's actually important in my life and what isn't. Work related, I take on projects that make the most sense for our family and I let the rest go without guilt. And Ellerie is at The Best age. I am totally of the belief that every age is the Best Age and I am loving watching her grow.

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Show Your Real is a series of guest posts centered around the concept of authenticity. The goal is to encourage each other to expose the reality of our lives- good and bad- and to foster a sense of community that goes beyond the often suface-cy interactions of social media. We invite all of you to participate! Please comment, link, and hashtag to spread the showyourreal love. If you would like to contribute a guest post in this series, please email me! 

3 comments :

  1. Love Elise's interview.
    Ronnie xo

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  2. Always inspiring, Elise. So fun to see/read you somewhere else!

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  3. This post really resonates with me as a new(ish) mama and creative biz owner. I'm always telling my husband that I don't understand how I didn't get so much work done in all that free time we had before baby! You don't appreciate it til it's gone :)

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