Ah! I can’t believe the start of Brunch Babes is finally here! I can’t wait to share breakfast with some of my favorite creative ladies! I mentioned last week that one of the blogs that has inspired me to start this series is Elle &Â Company and I am SO happy that Lauren has agreed to be the first babe to kick us off! Her blog is the first one that I open each morning, and I never get tired of reading her posts! Her branding work is drool-worthy, and I love how willing she is to share what she has learned about blogging! Lets get started!
Introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you do?
Hey there! I’m Lauren Hooker, the graphic designer and blogger behind Elle & Company. I was born with a passion for creating pretty things, and I followed that love into a design degree and now my very own design business. I spend my days designing brands and websites for creative entrepreneurs, from photographers to interior designers and everything in between. I blog each weekday about life, design, and entrepreneurship, and I also have an online printable library that gives subscribers unlimited access to a collection of pretty paper goods (think art prints, gift tags, planners, resume templates – the opportunities are endless!).
What are some favorite brunch foods?
I’m an omelet kinda girl. I love adding in lots of veggies and cheese, and hashbrowns and toast with jam on the side are an added bonus. Add an ice water with lemon and a cup of coffee with lots of cream and sugar, and I’m one happy girl.
What is your favorite part of running Elle & Company?
While design brought me into this business, my favorite part is connecting with other creative ladies. I see this job as an opportunity to love others well by giving them tools and encouragement for their business, and I haven’t had a single client who hasn’t turned into a great friend. At the end of the day, that’s what keeps me going and makes the countless design hours worth it!
I also love that Elle & Company is a creative outlet for me. In design school, I felt pressure to conform to what was trendy and sacrifice my feminine, colorful aesthetic. I graduated wanting nothing to do with design because it became a source of stress and frustration. It’s been neat to see my passion for design resurface through Elle & Company, and it means the world when other people like the things I create.
What 3 things do you always have to have with you?
My iPhone, a notebook for jotting down random ideas for Elle & Company, and my Ellebook Planner to keep everything organized! I also love my peppermint Chapstick.
Any guilty pleasures?
Oh, where to start. My husband would tell you that I’m an ice cream addict. I’ve been known to skip lunch and eat a bowl of ice cream instead (not one of my shining moments) and somehow I never get sick of it. I also love watching reruns of The Office and I’ve been known to buy anything and everything Martha Stewart – office supplies, tupperware, bedding… it’s a problem.
If you could have brunch with anybody who would it be?
My older sister, Allyson. Before my husband and I moved to North Carolina a year ago, I lived 3 minutes down the road from her and could pop in whenever I wanted. Now that we live 3+ hours apart, time together is harder to come by. Allyson also has 4 little ones under the age of 7, so it’s rare that we have time just the two of us. A couple hours of uninterrupted time to catch up and laugh until we cry would be treasured!
Thank you so much Lauren for having brunch with us!! Everyone be sure to check her out!
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Thanks so much for having me, Katie! If I ever make it up that way, an in-person Brunch date is in order 🙂 Can’t wait to follow along with this new series!
Thanks so much to you Lauren!! A real-life Brunch Date would be wonderful!!
i LOVE this! it’s such a cute idea!!! that’s so nice of you to feature other people. building each other up, that’s what blogging is for!
xoxo, kiely
Thanks so much Kiely! I think building a community is SO important! There are so many talented people out there, we should all be building each other up! So glad you enjoyed it!