wednesday

today i’m thrilled to share an interview with michelle chamlee, an internet friend who has become my real-life friend. we initially connected by having seriously identical aesthetic taste, and have gotten to know each other by the bizarre and amazing connecting power of the internet. we met in person earlier this year in nyc, which was the ultimate validation for having online friends, because we were so much of the exact same person that it was kind of eerie. michelle is an incredibly talented designer, artist, and all-around amazing person. i find the way she lives her life and her ideals to be truly inspirational. she’s one of the good one, folks. enjoy!

name // location


michelle chamlee // upstate, ny until mid-may, then omaha, ne indefinitely



can you quickly describe your work / aesthetic? what current projects are you working on?


1 part peculiar + 1 part restrained
right now i’m making jewelry, doing freelance graphic design, putting my website together, and trying to sew simple clothing.










what is an average day for you? can you describe your daily “routine”?


on most weekday mornings, for reliable income, i score audio files of non-native english speakers who are trying to get english-speaking jobs. i do this from home, on my computer, in my pajamas. while listening to these test-takers, i usually put in an embarrassing amount of time on pinterest, as it’s the only thing i can do while working that doesn’t distract me too much. after i finish that, i typically go out for an hour walk in the park. the later afternoon hours are for running errands, creative endeavoring, and more than likely, taking pictures of my sleeping, sun-splashed cats. my fiance and i cook 6-7 nights a week, so we’re always in the kitchen in the evening. or at least one of us is, as our kitchen is too tiny for the two of us to work in. our place is also too small for us to have a proper dining table. we eat dinner on these industrial metal tv trays that were once my grandma’s while streaming a show on netflix. after we eat dinner, we each do our own thing until bedtime.



what are some things you are currently interested in/obsessed with?


currently i’m obsessed—OBSESSED—with selling/giving away most of our possessions before we move, then buying more important things after we settle in, like a a juicer and better pillows.


also obsessed with:
these things.


and weaving and sprouting.

what are some things you are always interested in/obsessed with?


my ultimate goal/dream is to open my own curated specialty store. i’ve been thinking about it for several years now.

i am always interested in quality everything, sensible living, self-sufficiency, mindfulness, yoga, food, thrifting, and learning new trades. and roseanne. i’m not sure how that fits in, but god do i love roseanne.



what have you been recently reading?


i read so slowly and infrequently; i’m perpetually reading the same book(s). i also have a bad habit of false starts. right now, i’m actively reading pamela druckerman’s new-ish, mainstream release: “bringing up bebe.” i’ve always been on the fence about kids, but recently, i’m on the “want” side.








what is your favorite possession?


my isobel and cleo hat and my no.6 shearlings, both purchased in 2010 and have been staples in my wardrobe ever since. i don’t particularly like winter, but i rather enjoy dressing for it. i’m going to squeeze in a 3rd: my dad’s old canon slr.



where are your favorite places to go?


i really enjoy shopping at real food stores, like ones with bulk bins and lots of organic. i love that the isles of bins are devoid of unnecessary advertising and packaging; it’s so beautiful and pure. it might go without saying, that farmers’ markets are a favorite place too. also, i love going to my future sister and brother-in-law’s house. before we moved to ny, we used to go over there every wednesday evening. my b-i-l loves to cook, so he’d make us something special and then we’d watch stuff they dvr’d for us on their incredibly squishy, l-shaped couch. the simple life.

michelle’s pinterest here: http://pinterest.com/michellechamlee/pins/
all photos by michelle chamlee.