A Beautiful Mess Podcast

This week we're sharing the story of how we became influencers and why we decided to retire from it over the past few years. There are so many pros and cons to this career path that we don't hear talked about often enough. In this episode, we'll share our experiences as well as any advice for anyone considering going into influencing.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

You can try OneSkin with 15% off using code "MESS" at oneskin.co.

Pros of influencing:

• Working with favorite brands
• Getting paid to craft
• Pairs well with other jobs

Cons of influencing:

• Mean comments
• Risky career
• Not a steady paycheck

Tips for being an influencer:

• Think of your business like a table - it needs a lot of legs to stand up right
• Invest your money
• Build something you can keep later
• Have a newsletter

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're sharing our annual tradition Ghost Story episode. Every year we read listener submitted ghost stories and it's so much fun. If you're easily scared, don't worry most of the stories are typically pretty cute but we'll give a warning if anything is going to be scary.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

You can try OneSkin with 15% off using code "MESS" at oneskin.co.

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This past year Emma and I both spent a significant amount of time off social media after more than fifteen years working professionally as social media influencers and running online businesses. Today we're going to share what we learned offline including the pros and cons and how we want to approach social media moving forward.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

Try a sample pack at DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess.

Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm

Listen to Episode #247: One Year without Social media with Elise Cripe

Pros and cons:

Pros: Boredom is a gift, get into the flow easier, more time, learn more about yourself

Cons: Feels lonely, FOMO

What did you miss?

Emma: Catching up with random friends and not being up to date on current events

Elsie: Book Tok

Anything surprising?

How easy it was and how little it's missed

Book Report:

Elsie - My Brilliant Friend (Neopolitan Series) by Elena Ferrante

Emma - Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're sharing tips for cleaning out and curating your closet for fall. We're also diving into Color Analysis and how it changed the way we shop, tips for collecting vintage and how to make a dream closet mood board.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

Visit GrowTherapy.com/MESS today to get started.

Book recommendations:

The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees

Personal Color by Anuschka Rees

Wear it Well by Allison Bornstein

Closet Clean Out Tips:

Try every single thing in your closet on

If you haven't worn it in a year ask yourself why

Switch out seasonal clothes and analyze when you bring them back out

Tips for building up a dream closet:

Make a mood board

Focus on one things at a time

Vintage Tips:

Make sure you will really wear it

Vintage is great for a special occasion

Book Report:

Elsie - The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan Emma - The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're sharing our recommendations for a fall reading list, movies to watch and decor ideas to get into the festive spirit. We'll also share design decisions that we regretted.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

Stop wasting money on brand names and start saving with Dupe.com today.

Top 3 Fall Books

Emma

1. The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
2. The October Witches by Jennifer Claessen
3. The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy

Elsie

1. Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
2. Cackle by Rachel Harrison
3. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Top 3 Fall Movies

Emma

1. Harry Potter
2. Twlight
3. Knives Out

Elsie (what's playing in my kitchen)

1. Hocus Pocus
2. Practical Magic
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas

BONUS: Horror: Susperia 2018 (remake of 1977) and Funny horror movie: Companion 2025

Top 3 Fall Decor Ideas

Emma

1. Halloween bats
2. Giant stuffed skeleton
3. Spooky village

Elsie

1. Asylum for criminally insane women (mirror from Etsy)
2. Halloween Lego sets
3. Kitchen decor (black ribbon, candles, a jar of candy corn or trail mix)

Listener Request: Have you ever made a design decision you regretted?

Emma - Painted kitchen cabinets a butter yellow color and cooper backsplash

Elsie - Too much shiplap

Book Report:

Elsie - The Raven King Series by Maggie Stiefvater

Emma - Memoirs ****of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

Today we're gonna share the benefits of being a part of a local book club and creative ideas for starting your own. We get a lot of questions about how to make adult friends and hands down a book club is the best way to get started! At the end of the episode we're also sharing the hills we'd gladly die on.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

For a limited time, you can try OneSkin with 15% off using code MESS at oneskin.co.

Dream Book Clubs:

Elsie - All year round moody book club

Emma - Host it and have a theme based on the book

What about ideas for gathering that don't involve reading?

• writing group
• clothing exchange
• crafting nights
• pool moms

Listener Request: What hills will you die on?

Elsie

• The book ending of The Idea of You is the correct ending
• Extremism of any kind is dangerous.

Emma

• Doesn't want to ever own a cat

Book Report:

Elsie- The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Emma - We are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're dissecting a favorite comfort watch movie for decor and home inspiration. This one is perfect if you need something to get into that autumn mood. This is an ongoing series for us, and this week's selection is Mona Lisa Smile from 2003. We'll also be sharing a book report and our best ideas for freezer meals.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

Try OneSkin with 15% off using code [MESS] at oneskin.co

Decor inspiration:

The campus during fall time

1950's wedding

Little house that Julia Robert's character lives in

The dormitories

What aged well vs what did not in this movie:

Aged Well - acting, aesthetics, ads from 1950s

Didn't age well - making the love interest a man who sleeps with his students

Freezer Meal ideas:

Soup

Meatballs

Cookie Dough

Chili

Lasagna

Pizza Dough

Book Report:

Elsie- The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Emma - Who's That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

It's time for a big renovation update. Both the things that have gone well and the things that didn't go as planned. I'll also share my tips for renovating a kitchen as a parent to two young kids and what we're excited to finish next.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

Stop wasting money on brand names and start saving with Dupe.com today

You can try LMNT products and support our show by going to DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess

What's gotten done?

Garage (mostly)

Marigold's mermaid bathroom

Watch Elsie's update on her kitchen renovation HERE

Plans that have changed?

Not doing the addition

Not doing the bathroom

Not doing the laundry room

Most exciting update? To have the kitchen done

Back porch

When will Elsie be done?

Hopefully by the end of September

BOOK REPORT:

Elsie - Just Kids (Patti Smith Memoir)

Emma - Funny Story by Emily Henry

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're sharing updates on we've been writing AND reading so far in 2025.

What have you been writing?

Emma- Finished first draft of her new novel, The Wedding Photographer and updating her other novel, Cloud Nine

Elsie- Rewriting novel, The Surrealist and working on 2nd novel

What have you been reading?

Emma - The Nature of Witches, Lessons in Chemistry, The Love Hypothesis, and Who's That Girl

Elsie - The Wedding People, We Have Always Lived In The Castle, One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Bell Jar, Klara And The Sun, and Little Women

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

We are back for our fall season with weekly episodes beginning with our traditional Autumn Bucket List episode. In this week's episode we'll plan our seasonal list of fun things we want to try and do during the upcoming fall season.

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

Try LMNT at DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess

Download your own autumn bucket list here.

Elsie's Autumn Bucket List:

Baking, baking & more baking

Re-read Magic Lesson & The Secret History

Host a Halloween party

Spend a whole week organizing the new kitchen

Got to Italy with Emma

Emma's Autumn Bucket List:

Update Hugo's room

Deep clean couch

Family Halloween costume

Go apple picking

Go to Italy with Elsie

Book Report

Elsie - Wool by Hugh Howey

Emma - Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier