IFB Member Spotlight: Elly of Uptown With Elly Brown

Welcome to this week’s IFB member spotlight! Each Friday we feature an IFB blogger we want to get to know better and share his or her story. 

Who: Elly Brown

What: Uptown with Elly Brown

Where: Houston, TX

It continues to surprise and delight us just how diverse our members are. Not only are they different in personality and style, but their paths in life are wide ranging. In addition to being a cool wife and blogger babe, Houston-based Elly Brown is also a busy mom to two adorable little boys who are just one year apart. She somehow balances it all while steadily fueling her shoe obsession.

She loves to write about fashion, beauty, faith, life with family and of course SHOES. Read our interview below to find out more about Elly's style and how she wound up joining the blogging world.

1. When and why did you start your blog?
“I started Uptown with Elly Brown in 2013. I didn’t take it seriously until the beginning of 2015. I started my blog for two reasons: 1. I wanted to be able to invest in myself and to take time from life’s demands. 2. I wanted to spread God’s love and to be a voice of hope for other mamas like me!”

2. How did you you come up with the name?
“It’s really a funny story, my husband is known as downtown Jordan Brown. At the time when I thought about starting a blog we lived in the Uptown part of Houston, so it just seemed fitting for me to be Uptown with Elly Brown. I also wanted something that would stick with me no matter what season of life I was in.”

3. Do you blog full time or do you also have a day job?
“I do not work outside the house, but I am home full time with the kiddos. My spare time is devoted to anything blog related!”

4. How do you manage to fit blogging into your schedule?
“I like to make a schedule and stick to it. Because my boys are home with me I don’t get to work on the blog all day so, I set aside a few hours three times a day to get blog work done in the morning, noon and night.”

5. How did you first become interested in fashion?
“Ever since I was a little girl I loved fashion and dressing up. I always wanted to be a designer, but I can’t draw even if my life depended on it.”

6. How would you describe your style?
“Edgy, minimal, and chic.”7. What are your favorite shoes of the moment?
“Oh, this is way to hard to narrow down. I mean my tag line is living life one heel at a time! IF (and that is a big if) I could narrow it down it would be anything lace-up like my Ivanka Trump fringe sandals!”

8. Do you have any exciting projects or plans coming up?
“SO many, the biggest one of all is I just started my YouTube channel! YAYY!!!”

9. Are you monetizing your blog? If so, what do you find works best for you?
“Yes, there are many ways that I monetize my blog. Currently what works best for me is having paid campaigns and working one on one with a company. Second best for me are affiliate links.”

10. What would you say makes your blog stand out from all the others?
“I’m me. Silly, goofy little ol’ me!”

11. If you could describe the look and feel of your blog in one word, what would it be?
“Refined.”

12. What fashion blogger, designer, or icon would you most like to have a drink with?
“Oh man, this is a tough one… Honestly, I’m not the type to geek out over celebrities or famous people. If I could have a drink with anyone it would be my blogger babes who I love dearly. They make life fun, they challenge me, and we have all grown together! Blogging wouldn’t be the same without them!”