Podcast
A Beautiful Mess Podcast
Hosted by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman · EN
Elsie + Emma are sisters and co-founders of the top DIY blog — A Beautiful Mess. They have written over seven thousand blog posts, so it seemed like a good time to start a podcast! The sisters have a lot to say on everything from home and DIY to family life and business. Visit abeautifulmess.com/podcast for show notes.
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#291: Work from Home Stories
Mar 1600:59:40Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode we're talking about the highs and lows working from home and how we balance our career dreams with raising young children. We've got several great listener questions to cover and we'll share an extra hot Hot Take Debate. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Go to brooklynbedding.com and use my promo code MESS at checkout to get 30% off sitewide Just use code [MESS] for 15% off the Premium Starter Kit at BranchBasics.com Our home work spaces: Elsie - Uses her sunroom as her art studio and moves around to different spaces in her house with her laptop Emma - Extra bedroom is office, sometimes works from coffee shop or library Pros and cons of working from home: Pros - Good way to keep life balanced Cons - Lots of distractions How you deal with distractions: Set timer to get tasks done Time boxing Use a reward system Book Reports: Elsie: The Prestige by Christopher Priest Emma: Twisted Love by Anna Huang HOT TAKE DEBATE Anne: Here's my hot take: we don't need any more movies based on books. They're different mediums! Let books be books and movies be movies. I want to see more movies that were written to be MOVIES and tailored to that medium, written to take advantage of all the cool things you can do onscreen. Same for books: I want more authors to take advantage of the cool things you can do in a book that you CAN'T do onscreen. I've read books that felt like they secretly wanted to be screenplays. Play to the strengths of your medium! No more crossing the streams! A Joke & A fact with Nova. You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#290: Life Changing Mindset Shifts
Mar 900:38:12Tap to summarizeThis week, we're talking about mindset shifts that changed our lives. Sometimes, before your life can change, your perspective has to change first. We're also doing a rapid fire hot take debate with a bunch of listener submitted hot takes. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm Mindset Shifts: What's the best that could happen? Why not me? Cheer for yourself like you would others Practice being an optimist We overestimate what we can get done in a day but we underestimate what we can get done in a year Learn to see patterns, possibilities and opportunities You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#289: How To Start Over When You Fail
Mar 200:48:54Tap to summarizeThis week we're talking about the inevitable experience of failure and how to hone the skill of starting over. Setbacks can be crushing, but they only turn permanent if you quit. In this episode, we're sharing our own vulnerable failure stories and the things that have helped us to get back on our feet. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Try their products and support our show by going to DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess Mindset shifts: Sometimes you have to quit no one owes you anything BOOK REPORT Emma: Uprooted By Naomi Novik Elsie: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#288: Winter Comforts We Rely On (a snowed-in episode)
Feb 2300:38:39Tap to summarizeThis week we're sharing winter comforts that reliably get us through our least favorite season of the year. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm Head to Talkiatry.com/mess and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes Winter Comforts: Elsie: Books in bed! Emma: Snow Suit Elsie: Hot water - tea, coffee, apple cider, hot toddies, hot tubs, and bathes Emma: Daydream, redecorate, and organize your house Elsie: Go out with friends. (get out of the house!!) Emma: Game of fire, cozy life Guilty Pleasure Treasure: Elsie: Christopher Nolan movies Emma: Turkish Delights and Vanilla powder from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Book Report: Elsie: The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maas Emma: The Ministry of Time You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#287: Comfort Rewatch - Empire Records
Feb 1600:32:39Tap to summarizeThis week, we're watching the 1995 classic Empire Records. We're also doing a hot take debate about technological advances, and we're bringing back our segment guilty pleasure treasure. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code MESS at checkout to get 30% off sitewide Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Guilty Pleasure Teasure: Elsie - American Funyuns Emma - American Oreos You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#286: Core Values
Feb 900:40:15Tap to summarizeThis week we are discussing core values. We'll share our results from the Values Bridge quiz, as well as our thoughts on how defining core values can improve your life. And in our hot take debate, we're discussing separating art from the artist and rounding it out with whether or not we refrigerate our butter. All the important things that you need to know. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm https://thevaluesbridge.com/ You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#285: Midlife Crisis But Make it Fun
Feb 200:53:18Tap to summarizeIn honor of Emma's 40th birthday, this week we're doing an official midlife crisis episode. Our experiences didn't go exactly like the movies, and we have a lot to discuss. It's going to be fun! Thank you to this week's sponsor: Try their products and support our show by going to DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess Head to Talkiatry.com/mess and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. Guilty Pleasure Treasure: Emma: Cinnamon dragons Elsie: Watch a period piece while on period You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#284: Tips for New Writers
Jan 2600:54:51Tap to summarizeWe get a lot of questions from people starting on their very first novel. So in this week's episode, we're giving you all the advice that we wish we could time travel back and give ourselves on the day we started our first novels. There's so much writing advice out there, and no matter who you are, it's not all going to work for you. So in this episode, we'll share things to think about and consider as you plot and plan to begin a draft of your very first novel. And the bottom line is, you can do it, and we are here to cheer you on. Thank you to this week's sponsor: You can try their products and support our show by going to DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home Tips for new writers: Give yourself a writing assignment Just write your first novel Immerse don't tell Read Get really comfort drafting unpolished Be a joyful student Invest a lot of time in ideation Learn about the business of publishing Your writing routine matters Resources: Show Don't Tell by Sandra Greth Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass Write your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell The Author's Publishing Playbook by Carly Watters https://www.laurenkaywrites.com/ You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#283: Learning Something New
Jan 1900:42:41Tap to summarizeThis week we're discussing big and small things we want to learn. This episode is a great space for brainstorming. If you've been thinking that you'd like to pick up a new hobby. We're each discussing five big and small things that we'd like to learn in the near future. And we're also doing a hot take debate on the topic of plastic treat bags at children's birthday parties. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Start saving money with Dupe.com today Go to brooklynbedding.com and use my promo code MESS at checkout to get 30% off sitewide 5 Things we want to learn Emma: Learn Spanish Play piano Learn to write microfiction Cooking and recipes Painting Elsie: Water Marbling Writing poetry Classical painting lessons Make 3 Ina Garten recipes Book binding Book Report: Emma - The Cottage Around the Corner by D. L. Soria Elsie - The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
Transcribe →#282: The Lost Arts
Jan 1200:53:46Tap to summarizeThis week we're talking about Elsie's new newsletter, why newsletters are sometimes even better than blogs, and our advice for how to make your newsletter stand out if you're starting your own. We are also going to be debating a listener hot take that's about homeschooling. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Head to Talkiatry.com/mess and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm Check out Elsie's newsletter: https://www.elsielarson.com/ Check out Elise's newsletter: https://www.elisejoy.com/ What will the newsletter be: Cozy Curious Photos of crafts and things she's making Stories and essays Life updates Entertaining What the newsletter won't be: Writing DIYs Not written by AI You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.
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