Morbid Mistress

I briefly mentioned Morbid Mistress in my last youtube beauty and fashion video, “My New Beauty Faves,” which by the way, I’m not sure if you can see closely at the thumbnail I created for that video but I’m holding her product in my hand. If you haven’t see my latest youtube vid, please go check it out on my youtube channel as well as in my previous article here that I did last week, called, “BRAND NEW SKINCARE AND BEAUTY FAVES.” Definitely watch the video.

 

I met Sommer Schmucker about two months ago or maybe even a little more, and I knew I would instantly connect with her. She’s the owner of Morbid Mistress and you all know that I love reviewing and writing articles on new businesses, especially if their local or more importantly that I love their products. Ms. Morbid Mistress definitely didn’t disappoint me with her amazing products as well as her beautiful energy. When choosing from the large amount of perfumes she has in her stock, I asked her which I should get and it’s a perfume called, ” This is Me,” which I’m so glad I chose. The scent is so delicious and reminds of this VIXEN perfume I wore in high school, before they discontinued it. It came in coffin packaging which was really cool cause I was total hot goth.

Here is a mini bio directly from Sommer talking about herself, how she started Morbid Mistress, and a lot more. ENJOY!

“My name is Sommer. I am the owner of Morbid Mistress. I am based out of Goshen,IN. I also work full time for an aerospace machine shop, (which by the way, I think that so awesome my girlfriend.” I would eventually love to work from home. That is my goal.

I started my business this year in February and I launched my products in April. Over the past ten years, I’m always received compliments on how good I smell. (Again something her and I have always had in common, truly.) 

I’ve been making my own perfume since I can remember which gave me the idea of making it for others. I love Mixology and Chemistry so this was the perfect place for me. I drew my logo and sent it to one of my friends to recreate. I have always been a dark and creepy person. I love horror and all the things that come with it. (Another thing we have in common.) 

My promise to you guys and future clients, is to make four new scents per month as adding new goodies. I can’t wait to share with everyone.

All my products which are (VEGAN AND CRUELTY FREE AND WORK ON ALL SKIN TYPES,) are listed on Etsy under, http://www.morbidmistresstm.etsy.com You can also purchase my products (which by the way are all though my other social media sites. Follow my Morbid Mistress facebook page so you’ll be the first to know when I have new future release dates. On instagram, my name is, @MorbidMistressPerfume which you can see my Etsy link in my bio.”

I’m so glad that I met Sommer and in the short while we’ve known each other. We have so much in common and have a lot of the same beliefs, and a lot more. She’s become one one of special spooky sisters. I definitely recommend checking out all her perfumes on her site but a great one to start is the one I have, “This is Me,” depending on what fragrances you like. “This is Me,” is made with, White Lilies, rose water, fresh picked fuji apples, White peach, Jasmine, Bergamont, and white sand.I love knowing Sommer and I love her company. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MORBID MISTRESS!

***LOTS OF LOVE TO SOMMER AND TO ALL OF YOU GUYS WHO ALWAYS SUPPORT ME! I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT! XOXO

 

Chrissy (kittens) Blake Feature from Passion Pinups

   Here’s my girl who created and runs Passion Pinup Magazine. Chrissy and I have developed a wonderful friendship and make sure to look for both of us in the upcoming Spring Issue that comes out March 21st so stay tuned. I’ve written a few articles on Passion Pinups Magazine on here several times but I wanted to do a feature on the lady who created this fabulous magazine.

 Here’s her bio where she talks about her relationship with her guy Brett, how they started dating, her art background, (which by the way I think that’s magical because you all know I went to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco) how they started Passion Pinups, and a lot more.

…ok, here we go!

” I think much like what you see on the instagram posts and facebook page this whole thing was a collaboration between myself and Brett.
We’ve been together for 14 years and I met him when I, I guess you would say, looked a lot different than I do now.
When we started dating he was very into photography and was doing a lot of action sports stuff for BMX. He’d always want to take pictures of me as well but when I would look at the photos, I was not happy with what I was seeing.
So we never really pursued anything with it. I guess what I mean is I felt constantly sick and was not comfortable with the way my body looked. One day while getting ready to go to work, I took a spill on our deck and severely sprained my knee and I resolved after that happened to try to figure out exactly why I was having issues with the way I felt physically and to figure out why I was unable to control my weight even though I worked out daily and watched my calories. I had a friend who told me all of the problems they used to have and how they were able to fix them by going on an elimination diet. Taking out all the known food allergens and they had discovered they were gluten intolerant. I used to always have (and still have to an extent) lots of issues with my gut. I decided that I needed to try to figure out what was causing these issues and this seemed like a good place to start. So I cut out all these possible allergens and started to feel so much better. This also had the side effect of it helping me to lose weight and I started to feel a bit better about the way I looked. One evening I came into the bedroom and Brett said “gee you look…different”. (Guys are quick on the uptake sometimes, lol). At that point I had lost about 35 pounds and was feeling so much better physically. I used to always joke with him that “if I ever got to “x” weight, WATCH OUT, because I am going there. Well, I got pretty close to where I wanted to be and we started talking. Brett likes to do fairy and pinup type art in 3D and I told him, I would so rock crazy outfits like what those girls you render wear, what do you think? Since he was into photography as well, like I mentioned, we discussed doing photos and started to try some different stuff.
It was very nice to finally be able to feel comfortable and not physically ill anymore so we started experimenting. Even though Brett was good at photoing action sports, taking pinup photos was a whole different realm for him. LOL. After some trial and error and lots of photoshoots and outfit buying I said to him, put some of these out there and see what response we get.
So we did. I was a little trepidatious at first because I started doing this in my early 40’s and wasn’t sure how I’d be taken but I figured it’s now or never so I came up with the name Chrissy “Kittens” and posted some photos on Facebook pinup pages. At one point the magazine Delicious Dolls shared out one of my photos and to my surprise it got thousands of likes! I was overwhelmed! It was very cool that others could see what the end result of my hard work was. So we kept taking photos and I would post on pinup pages and the like but never really pursued it because, like for so many of us, it’s just a hobby that I enjoy doing. Brett would send out photos to some of the magazines but we only really got one or two hits back for photos. I was having fun but felt like Brett and I were doing a lot of pretty good stuff and it was hard to get recognition! 
I have a background in pen and ink art and told Brett we should just do our own pinup magazine, because, well, we’re artists and we realize how hard it is to get in these magazines!  LOL. He loved the idea but then said, I only have you and a friend of ours as models, that’s not a lot to do a magazine! Well, I said, we gotta start somewhere. Put us in it and do some issues and we’ll keep putting it out there. I got on twitter and instagram and started to follow and like different pinups and artists and just said, “love to have you in our magazine”. It took some time but eventually a very nice burlesque promoter from the UK, Lady May J, got back to me and asked how she could help. I said, do you have anyone who would like to be in my magazine. “Sure thing hun” and that basically started it rolling forward. From there it began to snowball and now it’s becoming much easier to get people into the magazine and I finally have people asking me to be in there as opposed to going all over trying to find contributors.
It’s been awesome having the magazine evolve and I love seeing all the different contributors! I’m hoping that other women seeing this magazine being run by a pinup and also having a wonderful partner who supports them in whatever they love (Brett does a lot of supporting…I am also an avid animal lover and have…chickens, turtles, tortoises, spiders, dogs, cats, fish, snakes…) (CHRISSY GIRL, YOU’D LOVE MY THREE SNAKE TATTOOS I HAVE, HEHE. MY MOM USED TO RAISE SNAKES WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG AND I LOVE THEM. HEHE) will inspire them to take charge and make happen any dreams or ideas they may have.
I know personally how hard it is sometimes to work up the courage to say, I’m gonna do this and see where it leads, so I hope that by getting new people involved in the magazine and getting them recognized we help others being to pursue their dreams whatever they may be!

Ugh, there’s so much little nuances here and there that I could go into but that is the gist of it, lol. Essentially this whole thing from me doing pinup to starting the magazine was a collaboration of love between two people who believe in each other and try to lift each other up every day to wherever their passions may bring them.”

I loved reading Chrissy and her journey and like I said earlier, I’m so glad her any I have become good friends. I’ll post her social media info at the bottom. Enjoy these lovely photos of her in her everyday life. She is so beautiful and such a kind lady.

Chrissy is so amazing and I know I’ve said this before but I’m very glad I met her. We have so much in common and just always seem to click. Here are her social media site info and stay tuned for the Spring Issue of Passion Pinups on March 21st!

INSTAGRAM: @chrissykittens, @passionpinups, @brettmiddaugh

WEBSITE: PASSIONPINUPS.COM/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/passionpinupsmagazine/

TWITTER: @passionpinupmag 

 

 

 

 

Interview and Feature with Debra Shirley

FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY, I got to interview and write a feature on the extremely talented hat and fascinator designer, Debra Shirley. You all know who she is from my Victorian photoshoot I did last year, my Burlesque shoot I did last year, my recent article on her with my latest hat from her in the, “BLACK VEILED BEAUTY” article, and more. If you haven’t seen all those posts, click on her tag here or type her name into SEARCH here to see all the posts I’ve done on her. 

Here is my interview that I did with her. I absolutely am in love with Debra and her talent!!

1. How did you get into making these gorgeous hats, fascinators, and head pieces?

1).  Princess Diana inspired my love of hats at the age of 10, when I borrowed a book on her from the library. She was so stunningly beautiful in all of the hats that she wore that I’m certain she seared my 10 year old brain into linking beauty with hat wearing.  It did not occur to me that I could design hats until I was studying fashion design in my 20’s. Whatever class that I wanted to take during the summer was full and I did not want to remain idle so I ended up taking a Millinery class to keep busy.  I quickly became enamored with the art, and the skills involved in creating came oddly natural to me.

2. How long have you been designing your art?

2).  I first studied millinery in the 1990’s, and soon after was able to start a full time job as a Milliner in a high-end Bridal Salon in Chicago, designing wedding veils and headpieces. As can sometimes happen with trying to earn a living, I lost focus on my true passion for hats and playful headwear. It wasn’t until 2014 that I decided to devote time and energy into creating hats and fascinators and getting them out into the world.

3. Did you teach yourself or take a class when you were starting out?

3).  Veronica Chin, a very talented Milliner at Burning Bush Millinery was my millinery teacher when I first started out.  I took millinery 1, and 2 which is all that the school offered. The school ended up adding a 3rd level class to its curriculum, because of the interest of myself and a few other students at the time.  I learned classic techniques such as blocking, pattern making, wiring and embellishing.  I took what I learned and expanded as much as I could. Each time you make a new piece you can learn from it.

4. What are your favorite events to create your fascinators and hats for?

4).  I love to create hats and fascinators for any event that a woman wants to dress up for and feel fabulous. That could be a day at the horse races, a polo match, a ladies luncheon or even a special photo shoot!

5. What’s your main source of inspiration?

5).  Inspiration can strike in various ways. One of my favorite ways to be inspired is to work off of the colors or details in a dress or favorite outfit. I like to pull the concepts out of the print of a garment and bring them to “life” in headwear, as if the hat is an extension of the outfit.  Sometimes I am inspired by a separate component or embellishment such as a flower or feather.  One piece can get me excited and I start looking for other pieces to go along with it, until the next thing you know, its a finished hat!

6. What’s the best compliment that you have received from a client?

6).  The best compliment that I have ever received from a hat client?  It doesn’t get any better than  “I felt so beautiful wearing your creation” the key word is “felt”. I love when women “feel” beautiful  in addition to looking beautiful.

Debra and I have developed a great relationship and I’ve probably said this before but I’m so extremely happy that I met her and have become friends with her. I hope to see her soon. I hope you enjoy her beautiful photos to give you an idea of what she can create and make sure to check out all her sites.

debrashirley1111@yahoo.com

www.millineryetc.com

www.millineryetc.etsy.com

Instagram: @DEBRASHIRLEY1111

P.S: Thank you Debra, my talented fellow artist friend!

Spooky Jewelry Box that I Made and Sold to Jen Lightfoot

   Jen Lightfoot which I’ve mentioned previously, is a fabulous artist that did that beautiful wooden portrait of me which is hanging beautifully on my wall! While she was working on my portrait, I showed her some of my art work to show her that I make several different types of art. I showed her this one-of-a-kind “Old Vintage Halloween” jewelry box and she bought it immediately.

   I’m so happy Jen loves it.  I ALSO POSTED THIS SHOUTOUT TO ME ABOUT MY ART PIECE AT MY BRAND NEW SITE, WWW.CARLIEMICHELLESORATARTWORLD.COM, WHICH YOU MUST CHECK OUT AND SUBSCRIBE TO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE  also want to give a HUGE THANK YOU TO JEN for her wonderful right up on me and my work. You rock babe! xoxo

Have you guessed yet that Halloween is my favorite holiday? I am absolutely in love with this handmade spooky Halloween-themed box by Carlie Sorat! The attention to detail is insane with the unique silver spiderweb pendants, intricate overlapping of images and text, and the steampunk-style latch key.

I’m currently using this spooky box as a home for some of my jewelry, but it can be used to hold a number of different items (I almost used it to store art supplies!). Carlie’s gorgeous boxes are one-of-a-kind and each one is individually handmade. The colors are vibrant and I love the retro, occult, and vintage Halloween-vibe of this box.

I have a lot of necklaces so I’m always looking for practical (yet stylish!) ways to store them. I don’t really wear bracelets or rings very much and I don’t have pierced ears so no earrings for me, but I love necklaces — especially big statement necklaces. They get tangled easily though so I have multiple jewelry boxes. This one is great for those really large necklaces that don’t fit in my other jewelry boxes.

Halloween is my all-time favorite holiday! I was actually super scared of a lot of the costumes when I was a little kid — I even made my cousin take off part of his makeup at the dinner table. He had a realistic bleeding gash on his cheek and it grossed me out so much lol. As I got older though, especially in my early teens, I really started to love the idea of dressing up and watching scary movies on Halloween. There’s something about Halloween’s dark and creepy yet sometimes whimsical imagery that I’m really drawn to.

Of course I wanted a horror-themed box, but Carlie can make boxes with a ton of different themes! She is always taking commissions, and she is super sweet! For your own custom handmade box, contact Carlie at chaas66@aol.com

Carlie is also a pinup model and writes about pinup fashion with a rock n’ roll edge on her blog, bombshell2016.blog.

 

xoxo,

Jen

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT HER BRAND NEW BLOG: WWW.THEFASHIONWITCH.COM

 

 

 

Love me some Lily LolliePop

I’ve known and been friends with the cutie that is Lily for a few years now and I love her. I met her through Instagram and her style and look immediately drew me to her. On her page, she sells really cute and unique fashion accessories, and more. You guys know that I love getting unique and creative pieces that can’t be found everywhere so I always enjoyed going through her page. The first thing I got from her were my fantastic, “Cross your heart and hope to die, stick a needle in your eye” sunglasses which I still treasure. I’ve also gotten some sexy Rocky Horror lips earrings, a spider ear cuff, a beautiful rose choker, and more which I included a pic of those certain items below. 

Besides the cool stuff she carries, I love that Lily and I developed a really cool friendship and we have so many things in common and have the similar sense of humor and style. She is a very kind and sweet lady and I’m so glad I met her.

Here’s a little info on Lily and how she got started with selling on her Instagram which is @_lilylolliepop_ , as well as her likes and interests. Definitely check out her page.

” I got started right after I got pregnant with my oldest son who is now five! I’ve been selling jewelry and accessories since then. I just couldn’t just stay at home and do anything after working full-time everyday and I wanted to make a little extra money somehow. What interested me was unique and different things that you don’t see everywhere. I love all that is unique and creepy! What interested me is horror and Halloween is my favorite holiday.

   My favorite things are to hang out with my friends, go to shows, and I love putting on makeup everyday. It’s not just makeup, it’s art! My favorite movies are Friday the 13th, House of 1000 Corpses, the original IT, and the Notebook (haha).” -Lily

I told you all that Lily and I have a lot in common and have similar tastes. Haha!

My latest gift from her are some fierce and sexy diamond red lipstick earrings that came with a matching double red lipstick ring. They say Mac and Lipstick Lover on them and are very well made and not heavy to wear. Here are some shots of them and me wearing my new jewelry.

 

Thank you again Lily and I love you tons!!!    XOXO Carlie

 

 

 

 

My Interview on The Pretty and the Kitsch

I met Emily awhile ago and we became fast friends. She runs a blog called “The Pretty and the Kitsch.”  It’s about all things VINTAGE so of course I was instantly drawn to her. Since then, we chat almost every day and she is a truly kind lady with such a positive aura and energy around her. I was so flattered she wanted to interview me for her blog site and I had a lot of fun answering her questions. I’m hoping her followers and you guys as well learn a little bit more about me outside of what I write and talk about here, and what I film about on my youtube channel. I’ll be doing a feature on her soon so you all can learn more about her. In the meantime, make sure to check out her page,

http://theprettyandthekitsch.wordpress.com.

Interview with Carlie of Bombshell!

JUNE 25, 2018 / EMILY KITSCH

Today I am absolutely thrilled to be interviewing one of my favourite humans, rockabilly pinup model Carlie Michelle of Bombshell! Carlie is a pinup model, burlesque performer, incredibly talented artist and all around bad ass woman – and she manages do it all with a wonderful sense of humour and genuine kindness. She is such an inspiration to me and I hope you all enjoy this interview! 🙂

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog, Bombshell!

When I first started my blog, I knew I definitely wanted it to be pinup and rock and roll inspired because those are two huge passions of mine. As my site progressed I decided I wanted to write articles, tips, reviews, etc that everyone can benefit everyone no matter what any kind of style and interests and not just people in the rockabilly/pinup lifestyle. Even though my site is still rock and roll pinup based, I don’t limit myself to only talking and writing about those two things. I like writing and posting about anything I want. It feels more natural and organic that way.

When did you first get into the vintage and rockabilly lifestyle? What was it about it that drew you to this way of living and expressing yourself?

I’ve always loved the vintage lifestyle. I grew up watching classic Hollywood films and classic burlesque performers and I always thought the style and clothing were so elegant and beautiful. I also feel happy when I watch classic films. What drew me to pinups and that lifestyle is the creativity behind it. I have an art background and love expressing myself in many forms, including fashion and wearing rockabilly/pinup styled clothing allows me to fully do that. Also I’ve always loved dancing and the first time I tried burlesque, I instantly fell in love with it. I love doing burlesque and it’s another way to express my art and creativity.

Tell us about how and why you became a pinup model. How did this journey begin for you?

I used to do different forms of modeling and doing pinup was the most fun and comfortable for me and I felt the most beautiful so I decided to just mainly do that kind of modeling. I still enjoy doing photoshoots with different themes that aren’t pinup-based but pinup shoots will always be my favorite.

What is it like being a pinup model?

Being a pinup model is wonderful. I have so much fun doing it which is the most important thing for me.

What do you love the most about it?

I think the thing I love most about doing pinup is the way it makes you feel. You feel so confident and beautiful and I love dressing up and adding some extra glamour to my life. I’ve helped do vintage hair and makeup on past shoots for other models and I enjoy seeing them love how they look and feel gorgeous as well.

What is the hardest thing about being a pinup model?

The hardest thing about modeling is making sure you work with legit, respectful, and professional people. This goes for any type of modeling. Definitely do your research on photographers and the people who organize them before you decide to do a shoot.

How has your life changed since becoming a pinup model?

The only thing that changed my life a bit is that I sometimes get recognized from other pinup and burlesque performers, photographers, etc., which is very cool. I’ve also been in more publications a lot more in the past few years. which again is really exciting for me. Besides that, my life hasn’t changed.

What would you like other women to know about the pinup/vintage/rockabilly lifestyle?

I would like women to know, especially ones who want to be pinup models, that you can do pinup shoots and/or have a rockabilly style outside of shoots at any age, shape, and size. When I’m out and about I’ve had women compliment me and my style and then they tell me “I could never be able to pull that off.” When they say that, I tell them that they can absolutely be a model pinup and adapt the style. Being a pinup girl is all about confidence and can be a very positive experience. They pinup/rockabilly is all about expressing your self, and your body and feeling gorgeous no matter what.

What would you like other women to know about the modeling industry in general and the pinup modeling industry in particular?

9. This is pretty much the same thing I said for question 4 but I can’t stress this enough. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS PUT YOUR SAFETY FIRST! That’s the most important thing. NO SHOOT IS EVER WORTH YOU COMPROMISING YOUR SAFTEY OR DEALING WITH UNPROFESSIONAL PEOPLE!

I know being a pinup model can’t be all glamour and photo shoots, so can you tell us about a typical day in your life?

I work from home which is very nice. My typical day includes me waking up, enjoying my coffee while sitting down and watch a morning movie which is usually a horror movie (I love watching scary films first thing in the morning.). After I’m more awake, I do a little exercise which is either belly dancing drills, burlesque, During the day, I go out to do any errands or appointments first. When I get back home I work on my artwork and my writing, and sometimes film a little video on my youtube channel. My husband usually is home from work in the late afternoon, early evening so we spend our time together having dinner and watch our favorite shows or a movie and just relax together.

How would you describe your day to day style?

I would describe my style as eclectic. Even though my style is mostly vintage/pinup inspired, I don’t limit myself to only wear vintage or rockabilly clothing. I’ve always been in love with fashion since I was super young and even though fashion wasn’t my major I still took some fashion design courses at my art university and loved them. (I still have my fashion portfolio.) I dress how I want to and how I’m feeling that day. I love wearing a cute vintage clothing as well as wear classic gorgeous clothing such as my tailored suit. As long as I love and feel good about what I’m wearing, I’m happy.

Who (or what) is your personal style inspiration?

There are definitely more than one person that inspires me but my favorite is Audrey Hepburn. She is my favorite actress and is a HUGE FASHION ICON! Every thing she ever wore both in films and in her regular life was always so effortless and elegant. I have several books just dedicated to her fashion. I also get inspired by fashion magazines (pinup and regular) and have a fashion folder from ripped pages and pictures that inspires me and my looks.

Do you have a favorite vintage or modern fashion designer?

Again there are several fashion designers that I absolutely love but here are some tops. Betsey Johnson, Michael Kors, Hermes, Chanel are definitely my top favs. As far as rockabilly/ pinup brands that are my favorites include Sourpuss Clothing, Hellbunny Deluxe, Voodoo Vixen, and Pinup Girl Clothing

What are your hopes and dreams for your career as a pinup model?

I’m not sure actually. I’m just enjoying doing pinup now.

What would be your absolute dream collaboration or photoshoot?

My dream collaboration, photoshoot and youtube video, would be with Cherry Dollface. Also I would love to do a double burlesque performance with Dita Von Teese. I’ve met Dita and she is so classy and very kind.

 

Aside from fashion and modelling and all of that fun and wonderful stuff, what would you say are your favourite things?

My favorite things include practicing Wicca. I’m very spiritual and started Wicca since I was thirteen. Music is also another favorite of mine. Music is a must for me and I grew up in a household where we all listened to rock and roll music. My parent’s are HUGE ‘BEATLES’ fans and had a whole room with Beatle Memorabillia and I seriously thought the Fab 4 were my uncles.

I also LOVE LOVE LOVE watching movies especially HORROR FILMS! I’m a self-proclaimed HORROR WHORE.

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you and your life?

Something’s should remain a mystery. Just kidding! (WINK WINK). I would like others to know that my family means everything to me. I love and appreciate them and their support. I also consider my close friends part of my family!

Do you have any words of advice for women who might be thinking of getting into modelling or becoming a pinup model?

Besides me talking about being safe in an earlier question, my main advice for new models is to just have confidence in yourself and what you do. Also do not let ANYONE discourage you from doing what you love to do.

Do you have any exciting plans for 2018 that you’d like to tell us about?

I’m being published in four magazines and publications which I’m very excited about. Also I have some more avant-garde photoshoots coming up. And of course working on new art series, pieces, and creations. Basically just continuing to do what I enjoy!

Where can we find you online?

On online you can find me at these places:

Blog Site: bombshell2016.blog

YouTube: CarlieMichelle

Instagram: CarlieMichelle66

Facebook: Carlie Sorat

Twitter: @carliesorat

Deviant Art: https://carliemsorat.deviantart.com/

Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Heidihawthorne?asc=u

 

Thank you so much Carlie, for taking the time to answer my questions! It has been so much fun getting to know more about you! I wish you all the best in everything you do! ❤

I hope you all enjoyed this interview with Carlie! Isn’t she awesome? 🙂 If there is anyone you would like to see interviewed here in the future, let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best!

 

THANK YOU AGAIN EMILY FOR MY INTERVIEW FEATURE AND FOR BEING A WONDERFUL FRIEND!