My Q&A with Mikayla
I was recently asked to do a Q&A style interview with the lovely Mikayla Isabelle from PrincessComplexBlog.com Mikayla is a fellow fashion and lifestyle blogger who is based here in St. Louis! She started a segment on her site called “Keeping it Local” where she interviews local bloggers and small business owners to get their unique perspectives. Below is her Q & A with me. You can read her full blog post on her site princesscomplexblog.com and learn about more bloggers and small business owners in the weeks to come! Be sure to follow her on Instagram @mikayla.isabelle . Thanks Mikayla!
MF: Tell us who you are and what your blog is about.
CF: My name is Christine Frisella. I am a wife (6 years) and mother of two boys (4 and 2 years old). I am born and raised in ST. Louis and truly love living here! My blog is a combination of all the things that I love; Fashion, Beauty, Travel, and Motherhood! My goal is to educate and inspire women while making them feel good about themselves and their style.
MF: Me What inspired you to start blogging?
CF: I started my blog (christinefrisella.com) as a side hobby. I was a Fashion Retail Manager for several years (including Target, Charming Charlie, and BCBG) and loved it! So when my first son was born and I started staying home with him, I missed all the clothes! My blog is a way for me to stay connected to the “Fashion World” and showcase my passion towards the industry.
MF: How did you pick out the name for your blog?
CF: I chose to have my Blog Name just be my real name because (and I am being totally honest here…) I could not come up with a creative name that was not already taken! But, in the end, I feel that sometimes having my blog and Instagram name be the same as my real name helps people connect to me and also makes it easier for them to find me on social media.
MF: What do you find the most challenging when it comes to blogging?
CF: The most challenging thing about blogging for me is time and content. Being a Stay at Home Mom, I always assumed I would have all this extra time. I was wrong. Toddlers are NEEDY! The only time I truly get things done for my Blog is when they are sleeping. And unfortunately, when they are sleeping is also when I am most tired! It is a struggle. You have to commit to it, and just like with anything else you have to set times of when you will work on it, and then stick to it! As for the content, I struggle with coming up with ideas and posts that are truly original. With the thousands and thousands of bloggers out there today, it is hard to come up with an idea that was not already done before. However, I have to tell myself that even if someone wrote a blog post about their favorite beauty products does not mean that I can’t share my favorites. Especially since our favorites are never going to be the same!
MF: Who is your favorite blogger?
CF: Lydia and Katie from @ohdarlingblog are my favorite bloggers. They are consistent with their content and their posts are very educational. They not only share where they got the item but how to style it, and usually in multiple ways. We also have a similar taste in style and trends, so I love to see pictures of all their new items. Lydia and Katie are a mother-daughter duo, which just warms my heart. I have a great relationship with my mom, so to see other families in a healthy and loving relationship is so amazing.
MF: What part of blogging brings you the most satisfaction?
CF: I get the most satisfaction from blogging when women reach out to me and tell me that they enjoy my Blog. I always try to bring a little bit of humor to all of my blog posts. I think laughing is good for the soul. I want girls to feel happy while reading my posts and looking at my pictures.
MF: What do you like to do in your free time?
CF: What do I like to do in my free time??? Well, I have kids, so I don’t have free time. Haha! But, on those rare opportunities when the babysitter is free; my husband and I really enjoy just a low key date night with dinner and a movie! We try to pick a new restaurant so that we are always trying something different. Our favorites are sushi or Italian! And for the movie, we go to the theatre in Chesterfield Valley cause they have the leather reclining seats!
MF: What goals do you have for your blog?
CF: I have set goals with my blog, but I am also trying to take this transition slowly. Blogging comes with a lot of social media responsibility. You cannot grow your blog without growing your Instagram and other media platforms first. This takes up a LOT of your time. Although I do love blogging, my number one priority is being a Mom. When I started my blog earlier this year, I told myself that it could not interfere with the time I have with my boys. My blog has grown slower than I would have liked, and I have not yet reached the number of followers that I would like. BUT, I am present with my kids and they appreciate that.
MF: Any advice for anyone thinking about starting a blog of their own?
CF: My advice to someone who is thinking of starting a blog: go for it! The beauty of blogging is that anyone anywhere can do it! We are all unique and we all have something different to bring to the blogging world. Just do your research, set up your blog correctly, and have some posts before launching to the world! YOU CAN DO IT!
XOXO,
Christine
