Q&A and a Few Lists

tree

I'll be away at the Cabin for a long weekend so I wanted to open up my blog for a Q&A Post :) 
*
Do you have Questions?

(I've liked these Q&A posts on other peoples blogs but was afraid to do one here. Worried I'll get no Q's.) 
Is there something you've been wondering about? You can ask me anything: silly, curious, serious, random, advice, wanna see photos of something, etc... I will make an answers post next week :) 
Please Note: One of the most common questions I get is how to custom design blogs. Unfortunately, the advice I can give towards this is limited since it's how I make my living. Feel free to ask though and I'll answer the ones I'm able to :)

*
My Just for Fun Project List...
* Fix my bike tires so I can ride to the grocery store and feel the wind in my hair. In 2007, I fell off my cruiser bike and it's been outta commission since, read about it here ;)
* Turn my dress into a shirt.
* Make a Mini Album about my Dad using this post.
* Makeover my blog.  This has been on my list for for-ev-ver but always gets back-burnered. I'll get to it someday ;)
* Make a 'Button Garden' Wall Hanging for my house. I'll share it as a DIY once I finish it :)
* Read a love story.
* Find four floral 70's chairs for my new kitchen table.
* Take a trip somewhere by myself. In 2007, I went to Vancouver on my own and it had a pretty significant impact on me. My brother did the same once (to Calgary) and he experienced the same kind of inner discovery and growth. Not sure where I want to go yet... somewhere where there's ocean.
 
Upcoming Blog Posts...
* How to Use Photoshop Actions (i'm new but obsessed)
* My Odyssey: Chapter 3
* Recent Blog Makeovers 
* How to Measure Yourself & Shop for Dresses Online (2 part post)
* Answers Post (from the Questions left here) 
* Meet Kyla!
* Thrift Finds via Photo (from the best thrift day I've ever had)

Current Favorite Online Places...
(more this week in coming blog posts) 

Favorite Summer TV... 
(i listen to it while I work) 
* Work of Art: The Next Great Artist
* The City (when will Olivia/Julia Roberts leave?)
* The Bachelorette (lol, i'm not the only one... check out twitter for how many bloggers *love* it this season-- so good!)
* True Beauty
* 1Girl 5Gays (This is a forum talk show in Canada that's amazing, hilarious and fresh. Juan's my favorite.)
* Cupcake Girls (I always watch shows about people running a business. These women are Canadian.)
* Big Brother (starts July 8)
* Real World New Orleans (starts July 21)
Plans Next Week...
* Daily Blogging
* I'll work on my first newsletter (I've put it off but haven't forgotten. Join my mailing list in the Left Sidebar to receive it by email).
* Blog Makeover for Vivianna
* I'll be sewing up a storm preparing for "Home Ec", the Online Sewing Class for beginners that I'm teaching with two of my Springfield friends, Rachel and Courtney. It's going to be amazing, we're so excited to tell you more on July 14/15.
* I'll work on resetting to days. I usually work at night and go to bed around 10am (which I like)... but it's feeling weird through the summer and I want to take my class project photos in the daylight so they're extra pretty.

Looking forward to reading your questions :)
xoxo,
Leigh-Ann
[ Cred: Tape Strips from Pugly Pixel ]

36 comments:

  1. I love your lists! hehe being a teacher lists make me happy :) and I have yet to travel by myself, but maybe its time!

    ReplyDelete
  2. good morning LA! Great post, I wish Cupcake Girls was on iTunes! It sounds cool.
    My question is business related. Grace (my dd,14) is thinking maybe she'd like to open a dessert shoppe when she gets older. Any advise
    for someone her age who is in such a great position to plan ahead? Kris

    ReplyDelete
  3. How does one create their own background for a blog or twitter home?
    Thanks LA!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awww, YOU are one of MY favorite online places too! (well, your blog is! haha). You're such a sweetie. <3 <3

    Thanks for making my day!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your blog! It's truly inspirational and has inspired me to do the same and to put my talents to a good use! So I DO have a question or two.

    1. How did you begin to make your blog successful? Is it just a networking thing or something you had to rely on "word of mouth" through products you sell etc.. or did it just happen?

    2. Do you think you need formal education to be successful as a designer? (This is something I've been struggling with. I'm self taught and have a quite decent portfolio already.)

    ReplyDelete
  6. +Thinking of a good questions...trying not to sound like a stalker+

    mmmm I need my coffee, cant come up with a question.

    Ok ok, what´s you fave and least fave place to visit?

    Victoria

    ReplyDelete
  7. If you want trip suggestion, I went to Seattle and Portland in March (by myself) and had an amazing time. Portland was my favorite though. Not only do you get the ocean, But there's some great vintage shops, the music scene is amazing and if you're a reader Powell's will have you lost amongst the shelves for hours.....

    ReplyDelete
  8. just thought of a q. tattoos. do you have any? if not, do you want one? what would you get? {sorry if this has been posted about before.}

    love your blog, la! it's such a nice place to visit. hope you are well, and that you have a fabulous weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  9. yay for taking a trip by yourself! i went to london and paris by myself last year for my 30th birthday. it sounded weird to all of my friends and family, but it was the best. i had an "a-ha" epiphany in the middle of the twisty bohemian roads of montmartre during a bustling lunch-time rush -- i couldn't have asked for a more beautiful place for inner discovery.

    i love when new posts from your blog show up in my reader! have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am SO EXCITED about the two-part post on how to measure yourself for online vintage dress shopping! And also, your sewing class! I might have to do that :)

    My question: how do you add the cute tape to your pics?

    ReplyDelete
  11. excited for questions and answers... i can't think of one right now... OH i know::
    i remember a long time ago you were saying you were moving to typepad? or wordpress? what made you stay on blogger? which blog sit to you is better? so far...i like blogger. see- http://bestsoylatte.blogspot.com ;))

    xo.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Juan is my favorite too! I
    hate missing an episode of 1 Girl 5 Gays.

    What are you favorite online vintage shops?

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  13. Q. What all did you do & see on your trip to Vancouver?

    Q. Do you still leave invisible text? Because I try to look for it on every post. But I never see it anymore =(

    Also... Just a FYI I love your list, You make me laugh, and I love the tree in the first photo.

    ReplyDelete
  14. i saw that you're learning photoshop. Do you have the professional version, or elements? I have elements - but have no idea how to use it yet! and i've had it a year! everytime i open it and try to just mess around and figure something out, i get intimidated and frustrated - and usually i'm pretty good at just 'figuring it out' as i go along. i can't sit down and read the manual. that makes no sense to me. i need to see it done! my question is, what do you think is the easiest way to learn it? are there good video tutorials online that step you through different projects?

    Also, we just recently updated our blog with a 'stuff we like' section, and added you! :-)
    http://thingswithwingsartjournal.blogspot.com

    you're always an inspiration and we love your style! keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh, I love q&a's .. I have a few (you don't have to answer them all)
    1. What is the funniest jam you've gotten yourself into? (My mom and I call them Lucy and Ethel moments..)
    2. What is your favorite coffee drink?
    3. If you went to prom (or any type high school dance) what did your dress look like? Even though prom was only 5 years ago for me, I still am embarrassed by my big, puffy, blue sparkled dress. ECCK!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I have a few questions!
    - You do so many amazing e-courses every year, how far in advance do you have to plan them?
    - When you're working nights, does Lola go nocturnal with you? :)
    - Are you into cooking? What's your favourite home made meal if you are?

    ReplyDelete
  17. wow! i'm happy that you like my blog and you totally made my day, LA -- many many thanks! :) for what it's worth, your blog has been a constant source of inspiration and certainly is one of my blog favorites.

    i had to chuckle about your work schedule. i'm most productive at night, as well, and would love to work all night if i could. however, the pups wake up at 7am sharp every morning, making that schedule kind of unfeasible. :) best of luck to you and your schedule change and i look forward to reading your posts for the week to come (i totally heart kyla roma + actions).

    ReplyDelete
  18. by the way, here are 2 questions:

    When your life is made into a movie, what song will be playing during the opening credits?

    What song will be playing during the closing credits?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great post!
    I've been thinking about taking a trip by myself also. Where would you like to go?
    As for "The City", its pretty good this season and I too think its time for Olivia/Julia Roberts to leave!

    ReplyDelete
  20. you should visit the east coast of canada on your trip! the maritimes are beautiful and the people are so friendly! and i'm not just saying that because i'm from nova scotia!:)

    ReplyDelete
  21. HI LA!
    I love your blog and flickr stream!
    My question is about how you bind your custom journals/mini books. You said before that you do it yourself, and I was wondering if you could do a how to?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Can't believe it's already been three years since you stayed with me in Vancouver!!

    Question: Where do you see Freckled Nest ten years from now?

    It's too bad you won't be going to work for Elsie, but perhaps there will be good things to come for you in Canada.

    xo,
    Alice

    ReplyDelete
  23. You had me at button garden!!! I can not wait to see that!
    Here are some questions I have.
    1) You are SO crafty! Is there anything you do not do well?
    2) What is your best recipe?
    3) If you could go back in time as future LA and tell your past self 3 things what would they be? (I thought this would be a fun one! )

    ReplyDelete
  24. What would you say was the hardest lesson you learned about running your own business?

    ReplyDelete
  25. You're such a dear. You're one of MY online favorites! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  26. Add So You Think You Can Dance to your list, and we have very similar summer tv plans ;)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Bah! I'm listening to Cupcake Girls right now as I unpack from weekend camping...lol. :) And I love your photos from Van! Oh, my lovely stomping ground.

    If you haven't been out to Vancouver Island, you should go - it's lovely. Visit Victoria and Tofino - Tofino is the best place on Earth, I'm convinced. Long Beach is to-die-for! Also, there's a cute lil store that has goats on it's roof out there & the whale watching is fantastic, & you can stay in lil cabins on the beach! he he. And the gulf islands inbetween the mainland & Vancouver island are gorgeous, too - lots of artisans and handmade cheese and bread and farmers market goodness. :)

    Uh, obviously I love where I live?? lol. As for a question, what are the top 5 songs that you can't hear without relating back to memorable moments in your life?

    Happy long weekend, miss! :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Leigh-Ann! I regularly kept a blog for several years, but things fell by the wayside when my son came and the blog was first to go. Do you have any inspirational words to get me back on the blogging horse? I really miss being able to look back on posts and see where I was at whatever stage in my life. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  29. when you started your business and named it did you trade mark your name before you started or how does that work? is there just a common trademark for people who run independent businesses or did you have to go though all the paper work to trade mark your companies name

    ReplyDelete
  30. One of my goals this summer is to take a trip by myself too! I just love your blog. Always full of so much inspiration--craft AND life wise.

    I have a blog question for you Q & A post. It may seem sort of simple, but my blogger knowledge is beginner at best, and my photoshop knowledge is less than that!


    How can I get photos lined up like the ones in in this post over at Rockstar Diaries? Where the two are side by side and everything is the same width?

    http://taza-and-husband.blogspot.com/2010/06/teds-bulletin-on-capitol-hill.html

    When I've tried blogging in the past, all my photos are all over the place and it never looks uniform and nice.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Leigh-Ann, you should come to Cape Breton for your vacation by the ocean! I'm totally biased, but it's one of the prettiest places in the world :)

    Hope you had a great long weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  32. hey LA, I have always been jelous of your blog and its design and layout! I was just wondering where you learnt to design your blog, and if there are any helpful websites you could post. Your like a magician and cant tell your secrets on how you do it, but anything or info would be super helpful! thanks

    xoxo
    Lauren
    http://www.theperfectpearpair.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Loving your blog, my question is:
    You know those pictures on the side of your blog? The ones that link to another blog? Well i see that you have some for your own blog and i was wondering how to make one for my blog.
    Any advice would be great! Thanx in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I was just in Vancouver this weekend and wanted to stop by Stanley Park. From the car it looked beautiful but I didn't have enough time to go. I went to the Capilano Bridge instead.

    ReplyDelete
  35. oh LA thank you mucho mucho! we love your blog !
    and guess what i'm hooked on the beachlorette...it's too good! even my guy clients at the salon love to talk with me about the latest episode! haha.
    can't wait to see your posts about measuring yourself! i just had to do that for a wedding im in and i hope i did that right! (cross fingers)
    xo
    brandi

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi LA. I love love love your site and all of your work. It's great to see what next thing you are up to. Your posts and lists are wonderful and inspiring, just as everyone says! My question is:
    Would you look at my blog I just started and give me some feedback or pointers? I am still working on it but I would love some input from you!! http://glassplantstudio.blogspot.com/

    So sorry the timing wasn't right to move. But I bet something great is around the corner. :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading. I now blog over at http://FreckledNest.typepad.com ...if you have any questions, please email me at LA[@]FreckledNest[.]com