Laurie of “Happy as a Lark”

Meet Laurie! She’s this month’s Featured Fashionista and the incredibly artistic founder of the blog “Happy as a Lark.”

I adore following Laurie’s posts because she has a style after my own heart. I love how effortlessly she layers her daily outfits for the chilly Minnesota winters, and the gorgeous dresses she features in the summer!

Laurie doesn’t just feature her outfit posts, though! She also gives us little glimpses into her daily life in the Minneapolis area (I really want to go to the Mall of America one day!), and she shares some of her incredible artistic abilities with us as well….but I’ll let her explain more about that. Get to know more about Laurie in the Q&A below and be sure to check out her blog by clicking here!

Q&A with Laurie

Tell me a little about yourself.

Laurie: I’m an artist and crafter living in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I grew up on a farm in North Dakota that was 2 miles from the Canadian border. I’ve also lived in Wisconsin and worked one summer in Yellowstone National Park during college. I have a husband who is my best friend and who loves to antique and travel with me. I also have a daughter who just turned 16, and she is an introvert like me, loves animals and is excellent at math! The last member of our family is our cat Smoke. He is our third cat, and he is a cuddler and an alarm clock!

I have lots of different interests, including movies and tv shows. I’m currently binge-watching Black Sails, Humans, Gilmore Girls and Shameless. There are so many crafts that I love that I find it hard to settle on one for any length of time. But I’ve always loved drawing and painting. I’ve always wanted to do it for a living, so now that my daughter is in high school I’m working on my artistic skills almost full-time.

How would you describe your blog, “Happy as a Lark?”

Laurie: My blog is mostly a chance to share my creativity, whether it is in the form of my fashion or my creative endeavors. I do share some fun outings or travel and the occasional recipe. And I have done some tutorials in the past. But with all the time I’m spending working on my art, I haven’t really been as active as I’d really like to be.

What inspired you to create, “Happy as a Lark?” And what’s the story behind the cute name?

Laurie: I actually started my blog for the very reason I continue to do it, as a vehicle to show off my arts and crafts and help people to get to know me a bit better. I came up with the name before I even had a blog, when I was thinking of names for a business. Where I grew up we had Meadow Larks, and their song was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. I consider myself to be a generally positive person, so the name just seemed perfect for me.

What do you hope the future holds for Happy as a Lark?

Laurie: In the future, I hope to update it a bit, and hopefully post more often. I don’t think I’ll ever stop sharing my outfits because I love to show off my creativity in fashion!

What has been your favorite post on Happy as a Lark so far and why?

Laurie: I’m not sure I have a favorite post, I’m always excited about what the next post will be and looking to the future.

How would you describe your personal style?

Laurie: My personal style is highly influenced by my mom. She always took great care and enjoyment in dressing up and looking good. I still have some of her scarves, purses and jewelry that I use to this day. I do like to follow trends, but I still only wear them if I like them. And I keep wearing something I love even when it goes out of style. I like to experiment, but I also know what looks best on me. And I know what I feel most confident in when I wear it. I tend to mix conventional pieces with more fun and funky things.

What is your favorite clothing store?
Laurie: My favorite places to find clothes are H&M, Target, Forever 21 and thrift stores.

What is your go-to outfit?
Laurie: My go-to outfit is probably a black skirt, tights, boots and top in the colder months and in the summer it would be a dress.

In addition to your lovely blog, you also have your own Etsy shop and Society6 store! Could you tell us a little more about what you create, and what can be purchased?

Laurie: I’ve had an Etsy shop (happyasalarkshop) for seven years, and it has changed a number of times as my interests have changed, but right now it’s a bit in limbo. I did recently open a Society6 (happyasalark) shop to offer prints of my art. I’m not really in a position to make my own prints at the time, so this works perfectly for me. But I do hope to maybe offer original art pieces on Etsy at some point.

I am always amazed by your sketches! Have you always been so artistic?

Laurie: Art has always been a love of mine, it was the one thing I was always good at. No matter what I do I always gravitate towards creative jobs.

And you’re a fellow Midwesterner! What are some of your favorite things to do in Minnesota?

Laurie: My favorite thing to do in Minnesota is to go apple picking in the fall, and a close second is hanging out at the Mall of America. Fall in Minnesota is so beautiful, I never tire of the colors. And the MOA is constantly changing and adding new stores and restaurants so there is always something new and fun to do.

Do you have any advice you would like to share for someone starting their own blog or opening their own online business?

Laurie: My only advice for having a blog or a shop is that you should be genuine and create what you love and care about.

Any final thoughts you would like to add?

Laurie: Thanks so much Lindsey, for inviting me to be on your blog! If anyone wants to see my art on a daily basis, I’m on Instagram @happyasalarks. I post all my art and sketches and sometimes do Instastories of the creative process. I’m also on Facebook @happyasalarkshop and Twitter @bewitchedmagic.