A Beautiful Mess Podcast

This week we're sharing our favorite date night ideas including date nights at home and a listener topic about the trend of romanticizing everything. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at RocketMoney.com/MESS Elsie's Favorite date nights: Movie Double date Concert Weekend getaway Emma's Favorite date nights: Fancy Dinner Festival Mini golf Book store Ax throwing Karaoke Elsie's Favorite date nights in: Movie Nights Fancy takeout at home Sitting on the porch hot tub or night swim walk around the neighborhood 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're discussing comfort objects- little things that bring inordinate comfort into our lives. We're also sharing our cozy rituals and ideal way to spend a day. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Go to Biologica.com/MESS and get up to 32% off your first subscription order today! Use code MESS to get up to 57% Off at Firstday.com Elsie's comfort objects: Hoodies and quilts A blank journal Books / Library ladder Emma's comfort objects: Cardigans Bedside books Couch blanket 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're discussing Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke and taking a quiz on what kind of genius we are. We'll also chat about a listener hot take on whether or not kids should be taught euphanisms. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/abm Get 10% off + free shipping at Tumbleliving.com/mess The 6 Types of Genius: Wonder Discernment Invention Enablement Galvanizing Tenacity Feel Something, Make Something by Caitlyn Metz Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're getting honest about what it's really like working with family. We've been working together since our early 20s and people always ask how we do it so today we're spilling the tea. We're also discussing what we're reading and a hot take about long vs short books. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Use code [MESS] to get up to 57% Off at Firstday.com Biggest Pro: Time spent together Biggest con: More risk to the relationship Book Report: Elsie: Lincoln in The Bardo by George Saunders Emma: Lights Out By Navessa Allen 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're entering a world in which there are no iPhones, no internet, no apps, no online shopping, no social media no steaming and no smart tech of any kind. Yes: We're traveling to a land where you get advice from magazines, information from encylopedias and to speak to someone you must pick up the phone and dial numbers. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at shopify.com/abm Things we miss: magazines (specifically at Borders bookstore) malls in the 1900s AOL chat maps phone books phone calls on land lines listening to an album start to finish on the day it came out scheduling your entire life around your favorite tv show no one being about to reach you Toys R Us (is an amazon childhood) computer lab GUILTY PLEASURE TREASURE Elsie: Traitors Emma: Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

In this week's episode we're diving into how to make vision boards and 5 year plans. If you're in the mood to think about your goals and dreams, you're in the right place. We're also answering some listener questions and engaging in a Hot Take Debate about whether romantic comedies are actually the worst. How to make a vision board: Create different categories for your goals (family, work, fitness, etc) Write in present tense Get pictures from the internet or magazines "We overestimate what we can do in a day, but we underestimate what we can do in a year." Check out Remit Sethi's books: I Will Teach you to be Rich Money for Couples 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

In this week's episode we're talking about the highs and lows working from home and how we balance our career dreams with raising young children. We've got several great listener questions to cover and we'll share an extra hot Hot Take Debate. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Go to brooklynbedding.com and use my promo code MESS at checkout to get 30% off sitewide Just use code [MESS] for 15% off the Premium Starter Kit at BranchBasics.com Our home work spaces: Elsie - Uses her sunroom as her art studio and moves around to different spaces in her house with her laptop Emma - Extra bedroom is office, sometimes works from coffee shop or library Pros and cons of working from home: Pros - Good way to keep life balanced Cons - Lots of distractions How you deal with distractions: Set timer to get tasks done Time boxing Use a reward system Book Reports: Elsie: The Prestige by Christopher Priest Emma: Twisted Love by Anna Huang HOT TAKE DEBATE Anne: Here's my hot take: we don't need any more movies based on books. They're different mediums! Let books be books and movies be movies. I want to see more movies that were written to be MOVIES and tailored to that medium, written to take advantage of all the cool things you can do onscreen. Same for books: I want more authors to take advantage of the cool things you can do in a book that you CAN'T do onscreen. I've read books that felt like they secretly wanted to be screenplays. Play to the strengths of your medium! No more crossing the streams! A Joke & A fact with Nova. 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're talking about the inevitable experience of failure and how to hone the skill of starting over. Setbacks can be crushing, but they only turn permanent if you quit. In this episode, we're sharing our own vulnerable failure stories and the things that have helped us to get back on our feet. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Try their products and support our show by going to DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess Mindset shifts: Sometimes you have to quit no one owes you anything BOOK REPORT Emma: Uprooted By Naomi Novik Elsie: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week, we're watching the 1995 classic Empire Records. We're also doing a hot take debate about technological advances, and we're bringing back our segment guilty pleasure treasure. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code MESS at checkout to get 30% off sitewide Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Guilty Pleasure Teasure: Elsie - American Funyuns Emma - American Oreos 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

In honor of Emma's 40th birthday, this week we're doing an official midlife crisis episode. Our experiences didn't go exactly like the movies, and we have a lot to discuss. It's going to be fun! Thank you to this week's sponsor: Try their products and support our show by going to DrinkLMNT.com/ABeautifulMess Head to Talkiatry.com/mess and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. Guilty Pleasure Treasure: Emma: Cinnamon dragons Elsie: Watch a period piece while on period 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're discussing big and small things we want to learn. This episode is a great space for brainstorming. If you've been thinking that you'd like to pick up a new hobby. We're each discussing five big and small things that we'd like to learn in the near future. And we're also doing a hot take debate on the topic of plastic treat bags at children's birthday parties. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Start saving money with Dupe.com today Go to brooklynbedding.com and use my promo code MESS at checkout to get 30% off sitewide 5 Things we want to learn Emma: Learn Spanish Play piano Learn to write microfiction Cooking and recipes Painting Elsie: Water Marbling Writing poetry Classical painting lessons Make 3 Ina Garten recipes Book binding Book Report: Emma - The Cottage Around the Corner by D. L. Soria Elsie - The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're sharing our winter bucket lists (aka how to survive the cold season if you live in a region like we do). We'll also be debating a hot take that personally makes Elsie's blood boil. Let's jump in! Check out https://ramonamuselambert.com Emma Always have a candle burning and always make tea with dinner Organize library room Go room by room and clean and organize all the closets and cabinets in her home Work through reading all of her craft book stash Bake herself a birthday cake Elsie Declutter year - eliminate ALL the clutter in her home Paints are always out this time of year Old movie bucket list Start a new photography era Thrifting and flea markets (going more frequently this year) 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.

This week we're sharing our goals for the new year and our process for creating tactile vision boards. We'll get a little woo-woo and share our experiences with manifesting and debating a literary hot take. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Get an additional 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com/abeautifulmess Emma's goals for 2026: Query The Wedding Photographer Write first draft of Sundaes are for Lovers Write first draft of "Icon" Do a quarterly visual art project Cook her way through a cookbook Elsie's goals for 2026: Query The Surrealist (hoping to get a fiction agent and then sell the book) Complete "Project Lighthouse" Launch my weekly newsletter: The Lost Arts - sign up at elsielarson.com Be active on social media (have a professional relationship with it) A lot of small goals like create mini routines, take photos every day, get nails done, read 52 books and go on walks 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 podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.