#MakerCrushMonday: Christina Stembel, Founder of Farmgirl Flowers

Christina Stembel at Farmgirl Flowers has been part of the Brit + Co family for a while now :) For Christina, the creative process is one that is always changing, evolving and growing. Read on to see why she inspires us. And be sure to check her out in action by taking our Flower Arranging E-Class — spring is just around the corner!

What inspires you? Why do you love to design, create and make?

So many things inspire us! Great design in any area (fashion, culinary, architecture, interior, etc) inspires our color palettes, variety selections, and design aesthetics. I love getting inspiration from others we admire across the creative realm and follow fashion trends to determine what colors will be relevant at that moment.

Tell us how technology has changed and supported what you do.

Almost all of our orders come through our website, so that speaks for itself. Brick and mortar flower shops are dying, as the model doesn’t work given the perishable nature of the product and high overhead, so our online model fixes that problem.

What’s on your studio playlist?

It changes a lot, but right now we’re on a ’90s R&B kick in the studio.

How do you get into the creative flow? How does it feel?

If you’ve ever searched the internet for lettering inspo, you’ve probably seen Lauren Hom’s work. Her California-based design studio, Hom Sweet Hom, has done work for clients such as Starbucks and Google, and has a new exclusive collection with Studio Ink. She is also well known for her beautifully lettered “Daily Dishonesty” sayings and making money off her ex-boyfriend’s tears. Still not convinced of how cool Lauren is? Get this: Her life motto is “Work hard, snack often.” If those aren’t true pearls of wisdom, I don’t know what are.

Lauren recently teamed up with Studio INK to create a line of beautiful, colorful, quirky greeting cards. In true Lauren Hom fashion, her cards are super relatable and speak the truth (i.e. “Birthday Calories Don’t Count”).

And now, for our chat with Lauren.

Where are you based?

Traveling around the world for a year right now. Previous home base was Brooklyn, New York.

What inspires you? Why do you love to design, create and make?

I’m inspired by life — from inside jokes with friends to exploring new cities and cultures, my work is mostly inspired by my experiences. Aesthetically, I’m inspired by the colors, patterns, textures and signage of all the places I travel to.

I’ve always loved to make things with my hands. Whether it’s baking a cake or painting a mural, I really enjoy making something out of nothing. Sometimes I’ll step back from something I’ve drawn or painted and think, “Whoa, did that really just come out of my hands?” It’s a great feeling, and I think this feeling is what keeps me moving forward.

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with other makers?

Never stop making!

Tell us how technology has changed and supported what you do.

I love the speed, precision and efficiency that technology gives me. All of my work starts out on paper with pencil and ink, and then with the help of a scanner, Photoshop and a tablet, I can edit, color, rotate and paint my letters any way I want to. 50 years ago, I would’ve had to do all of it by hand. It’s really incredible.

How do you get into the creative flow? How does it feel?

A good workflow is my happy place. Everything falls into place and I go into a sort of happy trance. I find that I get into the creative flow by writing down ideas as soon as they come to me. There’s something magical about the birth of an idea — the thought that I could’ve just come up with something that has never crossed anyone else’s mind is so exhilarating. Writing things down (on paper, in my phone notepad, etc.) as soon as they come to mind is definitely a catalyst to my creative flow.

Oh, and having a few really good go-to playlists is key when I’m in a drawing groove. Having to stop and change songs is super disruptive.

What is the story of how you got to where you are today?

When I was 18, I moved to New York City to attend the advertising program at School of Visual Arts. After graduation, I landed my dream job at a big advertising agency but burnt out within a year. Luckily, I had been working on illustration passion projects on the side, so I had enough confidence to leave my full-time job and begin freelancing. Leaving the comfort of my nine-to-five job was scary, but when I put myself in a sink or swim situation, I worked harder because there was more to lose.

What other makers inspire you?

These amazing ladies making unique things:

What is the weirdest, most unusual or worst job you’ve ever had?

In college, I designed characters for a Facebook game that was like Farmville for stoners.

What other things do you love to make?

I hand-sewed this sexy cheeseburger + fries Halloween costume that I am super proud of: I’ve worn it seven years in a row.

Which Lauren Hom for Studio INK card is your fave?Share with us on Instagram by using the hashtag #britstagram!

Styling: Irene Lee and Lindsay Saito

Photography: Chris Andre

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC/John Lamparski/Getty Images

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
What did you think of The O.C. season 3 finale? Let us know on Facebook!

As our Re:Make conference-goers can attest, there’s really nothing like being in the company of fellow makers. Small-scale artisans make our world go round, and we’ll take every chance we can get to celebrate them! That’s why we teamed up with Blurb to put on our first-ever Maker B-School, a night filled with inspiring makers, tasty (and photogenic!) cocktails and a healthy helping of maker wisdom from some of the best in the industry.

Consider this your virtual tour :) First stop: Blurb’s station!

BLURB

We have MAJOR respect for this company. Using their tools, any maker (or regular Jane!) can publish a print book, magazine or ebook, and therefore make their brand that much stronger. Blurb has done wonders for the maker community, and we’re incredibly honored to partner with them.

CHRISTINE HERRIN + ADOBE

We’re all about hands-on project stations, and Adobe definitely delivered. They paired up with Christine Herrin, who makes seriously beautiful zines using Adobe InDesign, and provided inspirational booklets for all of the attendees.

Excuse us while we crush HARD on Christine’s designs — we can’t get enough of them.

LAMBERT FLORAL STUDIO

Next up is Sammy Go of Lambert Floral Studio (yay for maker dudes!) with a jaw-dropping, bountiful bouquet, some impressive knowledge of how to grow a business’s social community and possibly one of the most tasteful product catalogs we’ve ever seen. Can you bring your flowers to all of our events, please?

See what we mean by an impressive catalog? This thing is downright dreamy.

CRAFT + COCKTAILS

Ashley Rose Conway of Craft + Cocktails whipped up tasty piña coladas and spiked pink peppercorn lemonades all night, and also dished out some expert tips on cocktail photo styling. We’ve already been following her on Instagram for ages, so it was a real treat to get a behind-the-scenes look!

These babies were definitely Insta candy :)

ETTA + BILLIE

Alana Rivera, from the artisanal soap brand Etta + Billie, talked shop and shared best tips for building an authentic brand. We can’t decide what we like more: the marvelous fragrances or the tasteful, elegant packaging.

JOSHU + VELA

The team at JOSHU+VELA construct bags, wallets and accessories made entirely of natural materials, and they’re manufactured right here in SF — by them! It was a pleasure to have them showcase their brilliant products and share their perspective on brand identity. We’re itching to take a leather-working class with them, if they’ll have us ;)

PORTRAITS TO THE PEOPLE

How cool is this — Sarah Deragon of Portraits to the People used our DIY studio to provide headshots for the attendees!

After getting zhuzhed by a professional makeup and hair stylist, makers would get a chance to take a new headshot by Sarah, one of the top photographers in the Bay Area. Neat, huh?

THE FOOD!

Oh, did we mention the incredible food provided by SF favorite, Vive la Tarte? Tied for most delectable treat was this INSANE bacon-wrapped fig and an unbelievably satisfying creme brûlée tart — but we’re not playing favorites.

MAKER B-SCHOOL TOP TIPS

Didn’t make it to the stellar event this time? No worries! Lucky for you, our amazing designer Rosee Canfield compiled the makers’ top tips in a beautiful, printable card. Check it out!

Download it here and hang it in your work space!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about running your own business? Share with us on Twitter @BritandCo!

This post is a collaboration with Blurb.

Author: Maddie Bachelder
Photography: Brittany Griffin

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

www.instagram.com

On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

www.instagram.com

Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

Sean Zanni / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

This post has been updated.

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

Amy Sussman/Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

Ron Lach/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.