5 Minutes 5 Questions: Joey Armstrong

I’m so excited to be teaming up with this food/lifestyle photographer this summer for my first shoot in Vancouver (go figure!). Her name is Joey Armstrong and we first met when I frequented a local deli to buy beef jerky. I’m excited to see Joey in her element as she captures moments of fun at Soirette for the shoot!

Check Joey out on Instagram/Twitter: @joey_arm_strong and ‘Like’ her Facebook page: joey armstrong photography

Here is 5 minutes/5 questions with the lovely and creative Joey Armstrong:

1) How long have you lived in Vancouver?

just over 7 years!

2) What is your favourite thing about being behind the camera?

it’s a weird mixture of excitement and fear, to have the power and ability to create images that truly capture the beauty or the feeling of the subject itself (whether it’s a farmer’s market bounty of gorgeous produce, or an adorable family that loves that loves each other so much).

3) What is your most favourite picture you have ever taken?

tough question; i’m really indecisive! i don’t think i have a favourite picture ever taken, but my most recent favourite would be a photo i took of a dad & his young daughter fishing by the river (i love the look of pure joy on her face, and the water splashing everywhere).

4) What is your single best piece of advice for aspiring photographers?

failure, or the feeling of failure, is normal and totally okay – just make sure you move on, learn from it, and don’t take it personally.

5) What are the top three characteristics on your Love List (characteristics or qualities you are looking for in a potential mate or your current mate)?

patience. humour. helpfulness.

ELENA:)

Janelle Burger

It wouldn’t be fair to showcase artists and not highlight one of my favourites –  Janelle Burger. She does fabulous fashion illustrations, stationery, iPhone cases and even shirts. Check out her online store. I was lucky that she was able to do illustrations and the cover for my own book, The Love List.

Located in Paris, I had the opportunity to meet up with her early this year and visit one of her favourite places, Le Bon Marche. It was fantastic!

Don’t forget to follow her on twitter: janelleburgers and instagram: janelleburger  (ps: that’s not her real name:)

ELENA:)

5 Minutes 5 Questions: Amy Gilson

You know when you shop too much when you have your favourite go-to sales associates in your contact list.

Amy Gilson, a luxury lingerie connoisseur and writer/blogger has sold me a pair of knickers (or maybe a few) and she’s definitely changed the way I see something as basic as underwear – as well as writing. Her blog posts are raw/honest and I enjoy the candid nature of her storytelling. Overall, I’m super excited, as Amy is the first writer that I have ever interviewed and her work will be featured in an online magazine soon (details to follow). Yay!

Here is 5 minutes/5 questions with the fun and creative Amy Gilson:

1) How long have you lived in Vancouver?

I will have been in Vancouver 3 years August 1st. I am always flipping back and forth between feeling like a “city girl” and like I just moved here and still get lost on the bus.

2) What is your favorite thing about writing?
My favorite thing about writing is all the places it can take you. I typically post a lot of rant-like material and strong opinions so I love writing because it gives me this avenue to express myself in a calm and thought out way rather than screaming at strangers on the bus.
I also write fiction and I think that is a really great release because you can create something that is an escape from the real world. You can explore thoughts or themes that maybe your real life isn’t going to create for you. I am a pretty big homebody so writing is in a lot of ways how I get “out”.
3) What is your single best piece advice for aspiring writers?
Read! Write! Repeat!
I am not the most talented writer, however I do it constantly and can only hope that will help me improve. I read every single day and I wish I could push that habit on everyone around me.
4) What is your favorite piece of lingerie and why?
I love a good high-waist knicker. I have one pair that is fairly simple, black power-mesh with a silk panel at the center front and the waistband is above my belly button. I have been told specifically that it is a man-repellent number but it is my favorite because I do not wear it to be attractive I wear it because it makes me happy.
5) What are the top three characteristics on your Love List (characteristics or qualities you are looking for in a potential mate or your current mate)?
1- Timing: I personally have no interest in finding a partner currently so anyone who would work out needs to be in that place as well. I would not want to meet someone who may be otherwise “perfect” for me only to have them express a desire to be married within the next year.
2- Communication & Passion : These two go together as one for me because though I would want someone who can communicate with me on all things I need someone who is going to not only have strong opinions but who is willing to talk about them. If I cannot have a lively debate with someone I tend to not even do well attempting friendships let alone a romantic path. Indifferent individuals do not tend to last long in my life.
3- Must Love Dogs (and not want children) : I often say that this is actually my only requirement in a future partner. I have never been overly picky when it comes to physical appearance, I have dated everyone from uptight engineers to stoner-types who spend more time skateboarding than actually working (and yes as adults), and I do not require my partner to think like me simply to think. My big deal breakers revolve around dogs and children. . I have small dogs and whenever a guy says they “only like big dogs” I see a giant red X floating above their head. Whenever someone says they want children a similar effect happens except with slightly less resentment. If a man feels the need to tell me I will change my mind about children the red X is accompanied with flashing lights and a siren.
I feel when it comes to finding a partner for myself it isn’t so much what I am looking for in a partner as what I am looking for in my life and what kind of person could fit inside that life. The concept of a “perfect man” is so dehumanizing and puts the concept of a partner on a pedestal. I would want someone to share my life with not someone to be my life.

With that said I fairly recently wrote about how I do not want a partner at this point and genuinely mean that so I may be the worst person to ask haha.

ELENA:)

Cookievonster for Brandee Buble

I love my talented friends! My friend Evon, (Cookievonster) has been making me cookies like crazy for years! It all started with a cookie for my birthday and most recently she has made cookies for my book The Love List.

Not only has Evon made cookies for my book, but for Brandee Buble as well. Brandee (sister of Michael Buble) has written a cute kids book entitled, O’shae the Octopus (available everywhere). And of course, Evon captured the book perfectly in a a stellar cake!

Fabulous work Evon and can’t wait to read your book Brandee (we should do a book swap)!

ELENA:)

5 Minutes 5 Questions: Mrs. Chaplin

I adore Olympia Le-Tan clutches (the workmanship is amazing), but not the price tag unfortunately.  Check them out on Net-a-porter. I found a wonderful lady on Etsy, by the name of Tatiana Kononova. Her shop, Mrs. Chaplin sells handcrafted clutch purses for a fraction of the price.

Through our interactions, I asked her if I could interview her. Here is 5 questions/5 minutes with Mrs. Chaplin herself, the talented, Tatiana Kononova.

1) How long have you lived in Moscow?

For almost 30 years now as (I was born here).

2) How did you start making clutches?

I came across an Olympia Le-Tan clutch in some fashion magazine and really fell in love with the idea. After a shock from seeing its price had passed I started thinking whether there was a way I could make something similar myself. I googled some DIYs but wasn’t entirely happy with the final results they offered. So I decided I should come up with my own method. I had some sewing experience before but frankly speaking it was the first time I tried embroidery)) The first clutch I made was a Russian translation of a Tove Jansson’s book called “What’s next?” (which actually reflected my mood at the time as I was between jobs). It wasn’t flawless but all my friends were amazed when they saw it and suggested I should start a small book-clutch business. I thought “Why not?”).

3) What is your favourite thing about embroidery clutches for people around the world?

I’ve always loved books and not only just reading them – simply holding them in my hands felt a little bit like magic. Now I like looking for interesting covers that I think might look nice as clutches. Transferring a picture onto a canvas with felt and thread is kind of a challenge but really exciting one. And of course it’s very inspiring to know that people from so many different countries are interested in my work.

4) How did you come up with your shop name, Mrs. Chaplin?

I wish I had a nice story about this but the truth is that I simply don’t remember where it came from) I recall that when I was setting up my iPhone a couple of years ago I needed to name it somehow for the account settings and Mrs.Chaplin was a first thought from the top of my head. How I came up with it is still a mystery to me.

5) Name three characteristics (in no particular order) on your Love List? (characteristics or qualities you are looking for in a potential mate or your current mate)

I guess these would be:
– intelligence (I think this is the main quality for two people to have something to talk about if they decide to be together for the entire life and not just for one night);
– tolerance (I can be a real pain in the ass sometimes and I’m grateful to my husband that he is usually wise enough to let my craziness slide without starting an unnecessary fight);
– love of life (I am a kind of person who enjoys simple pleasures in life like finding another good restaurant or seeing an interesting movie. My husband is pretty much the same so it helps us not get bored by the daily routine).

ELENA:)

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