Over the course of two seasons, fans of the Disney Channel's hit series "Shake It Up" have met quite the variety of characters. One of our favorites is Dina Garcia, the feisty, New Jersey-accented girl who ended up being a perfect match for boyfriend Deuce Martinez. We recently got a chance to learn a bit more about Ainsley Bailey, the talented young actress who brings Dina to life!

IML: Tell us a little about Dina in your own words. How are the two of you alike, and how are you different?

Ainsley: Dina's more of a tomboy than I am. She's very confident and outspoken. She and Deuce are really fun together, they're like an old married couple. They do care for each other and take care of each other, even though they also bicker. Dina and I are both very loyal, good friends and really care about the people who we're close to. I think Dina's more of a daredevil than I am; I'm a little more on the shy side. Dina's not shy at all! It's really fun to play someone so different. It gives you that freedom and permission to step outside of yourself and do things you wouldn't normally do.

IML: Dina wasn't originally supposed to be a regular character. Why do you think Dina's become so popular with viewers?

Ainsley: I think it's good for girls to see someone who isn't the typical girly-girl. Dina's kind of different and I think girls have really responded to that. Her accent is really fun and kids get a kick out of that. People also enjoy seeing the relationship between her and Deuce.

IML: You don't see a lot of really successful relationships in TV shows for tweens. Usually people are breaking up or there's some kind of problem, or whatever. It is nice to have that role model out there.

Ainsley: I think so too. Even though they have arguments and competitions, deep down they really care for each other and it always comes back to that. It's a very sweet relationship to have on the show!

IML: What's the funniest thing that ever happened to you on set?

Ainsley: In one episode, the girls had to eat big tubs of ice cream. Me and Bella and Caroline and Zendaya. We were all really enjoying the ice cream and we had to make sure we had enough for all the takes!

IML: Does the cast get along in real life?

Ainsley: Oh, yes. Everyone's so sweet. I was kind of nervous on my first day there because they already knew each other, and I felt like the new kid. But everyone was so welcoming, and the crew too. Everyone just took me into the family with open arms!

IML: You first started performing when you were around age 10. What made you decide to give it a try?

Ainsley: In elementary school, I tried lots of different things. I tried sports and wasn't very athletic. I sort of fell into acting through a play our community theatre was doing. My friends and I decided to try that and I fell in love with it immediately, it just clicked and I was like, this is where I'm supposed to be. I finally found my niche!

IML: Were you actively looking for something to be your "thing"?

Ainsley: I wanted to try lots of different things. I had an older brother and he was good at sports and stuff, so I wanted to be like him, but I was never quite as good as he was. When I found acting, it was a relief. It was like, okay this makes sense. I'm good at this!

IML: We're sure that's what happens for a lot of kids. So you continued to stay involved with theatre all through school?

Ainsley: Yeah, I did probably seven plays with that community theatre. Then I got to where I wanted to try TV and film. I enrolled in some classes and found a great studio that helped me get on the right track.

IML: So when you were doing all those shows with the community theatre, what do you feel that added to your life?

Ainsley: I really just gave me a sense of belonging and community, of being around other kids who liked to do the same things. I made a lot of my friends in acting. To this day, pretty much all of my friends are people I've met through acting. Once you have that common bond with someone. that is a great building block for a friendship.

IML: We've heard that you have a cause that you really care about. Can you tell us more?

Ainsley: Anything having to do with animal abuse just breaks my heart, so I feel really passionate about humane issues. I've just gotten involved with the SPCA here in Los Angeles. I'm really excited to get started with that and help get the word out about animal adoption as opposed to buying from pet stores or other places. There are so many animals out there that need homes. I want every animal to have a home! I'd really love to volunteer at shelters.

IML: On the surface, "Shake It Up" is a fun show about dancing and friendship. But it seems like there's more to it than that. What would you like viewers to take away from the show?

Ainsley: It's amazing how inspired kids seem to be by the show, especially CeCe and Rocky's story. It inspires them to follow their dreams which is so important, even when it seems like the odds are against you. When I was younger, I was thinking, I want to be an actor but how do I do that? Having that drive and passion...it's so important. I really believe that if it's truly your passion and you're wiling to work hard for it and make sacrifices, it's going to happen. No matter where you come from or what happens, you can always make your dreams come true. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's so true!

IML: Thanks, Ainsley! We loved chatting with you, and good luck!

Ainsley: Thank you!

Mother's Day is kind of an interesting holiday. While most holidays we celebrate in the U.S. are adopted and adapted from other countries, this is one that originated here. In 1912, an American woman named Anna Jarvis was inspired by the memory of her late mother to create the Mother's Day International Association and declare that the second Sunday in May would be recognized as Mother's Day. She was very specific about "mother" being singular, meaning that each family should honor its mothers individually, rather than a much less personal worldwide nod to all moms.

Throughout history, mothers have been celebrated in various places in various ways, but now there was a universal day not tied to religious or cultural traditions. Mother's Day was such a huge "hit" that by the 1920's, Anna Jarvis was horrified by how commercial the holiday had become and spent the rest of her life fighting it! How commercial is Mother's Day? Well, according to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is THE most popular day of the year to eat out. It's estimated that this year, Americans will spend approximately $2.6 billion on flowers, $1.53 billion on pampering stuff like spa gift certificates, and another $68 million on greeting cards. Mama Mia!

Still...it's a lovely and wonderful thing to do, to honor our mothers. Maybe your mom is your best friend, or is totally driving you nuts these days, or you've grown apart but would like to bridge that gap. Maybe there are other women in your life in addition to -- or instead of -- your real mom who are like a mother to you. Whatever your situation, we hope you'll find some way that's special and honest to celebrate the forces of motherhood in your life...a way that you're comfortable with. You're never too old to draw a picture, make your own card, bead some jewelry, pick flowers, or plant something in someone's honor.

Here at IML you can celebrate Mother's Day too, on You Said It pages like The Coolest Thing Mom's Done and More Like Mom or Dad?

Spring (and soon summer) is upon us! And for many IML'ers, that can only mean one thing...it's theme park time! Yes, even as you read this, vacationers of all ages are descending like crazy on countless water parks, adventure lands, zoos, and entertainment mega-worlds. A day at a theme park can be a great way to spend quality time with parents, sibs, relatives, and friends, but it's not always easy to have fun the sun (or rain, or whatever) without going absolutely bonkers, passing out from exhaustion, or demanding to be traded to a less annoying group of people.

So IML has put together this list of Top Ten theme park survival tips for tweens:

1) Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Yeah, yeah, We know this sounds like "grandma advice." But sometimes grandmas are smart! They've been around long enough to know, for example, that those stylish, bejeweled metallic flip-flops will probably shred your feet after about an hour of walking across hot concrete, and that really cute mini-skirt might make it tough to go on certain rides. It's natural to want to look and feel your best, especially if you're spending the day with friends, but you're going to have more fun in the end if you can focus on what you're doing and seeing, not what you're wearing. (Also, keep in mind that you'll very likely get wet at some point in the day, from a ride or water feature or Shamu, so wear something that dries quickly.)

2) Divide and Conquer. We love family unity and friendly togetherness as much as anyone, but to survive a long day at a mega park, you're probably gonna have to split up and take different routes at some point...especially if you have a big group. It'll save a lot of arguing and whining about "what to do next." Don't rely only on cell phones to hook back up, in case technical difficulties come up. Instead, try the old-fashioned method of "Let's meet in front of Raging Rapids at 11 o'clock."

3) Think twice about getting in that looooooong line. Yeah, we know that you want to see the just-opened panda exhibit at the zoo, or take a spin on the brand new ultra-dragon roller coaster at the theme park. But is five minutes of fun worth two hours of waiting in line? If you spent those two hours in a different way, you could take your sweet time exploring the zoo's awesome reptile house, or maybe take five rides on the park's older (but still awesome) coaster instead.

4) Shun the sugar. Wait, what? But yummies are the best part! Of course, treat yourself to one or two things during the day. Everything in moderation! The surge-and crash that comes from sugar overload, plus the physical and emotional yuckiness that too many sweet treats can give you, could put a drain on the whole experience. Drink water instead of soda (or better yet, bring a water bottle and fill it up at fountains to save money and waste), and snack on a pretzel instead of a doughnut. 

5) Know the loopholes. Help the adults you're with to read up on the theme park's special time-saving tricks and programs so you can do less waiting in line. Some popular rides, shows, and attractions may have "fast pass" machines so you can get a timed ticket to come back and skip the main line later in the day. Check insider websites and message boards to pinpoint the best day and time to visit certain attractions.

6) Throw out the checklist. Try not to have a long list of every single thing you "must" do while you're at the park. Remember, it's not about packing in as much as you can during the day, but about having an overall good time. If that means slowing down and skipping a few things, so be it. You may have a better day in the end if you take an hour in the middle to rest with a long lunch than if you powered through to the point of exhaustion.

7) Think like a kid. No matter what age you are, places like zoos and theme parks are more fun if you don't think like a grown-up. If you're with younger children, seeing it through their eyes can really make things magical. Relax and have fun. Don't try to be cool and cynical. Be goofy, especially when you actually meet Goofy.

8) Be money smart. These places are designed to practically Hoover cash out of your pockets. Maybe you rely on the adults you're with to buy you everything at the park but if not, give yourself a personal budget for the day and stick to it by bringing snacks, saving your money for one or two souvenirs you really want, and forgoing stuff that costs extra. After it's all over, you'll most remember your experiences rather than the things you bought, and you may avoid that icky "I can't believe how much money I spent" feeling.

9) Don't be a herd animal. Try not to fall into the same patterns as everyone else at the park...that just leads to crowds and unhappiness. Think different. If nearly everyone packs the lunch spots at noon, try having a light snack at eleven and then lunch at 2, when the food lines are shorter and you won't have to fight for a table. If everybody and his cousin is swarming to the main drag for the 5pm parade, maybe that's the time for you to head to the opposite side of the park and get in the (now much shorter) line for the Mayhem Mountain ride.

10) Fights and feuds are normal, but don't let them spoil things. If you and your friends and family have regular tiffs at home, being in the strange, often stressful environment of a theme park can turn those tiffs into wars. Yes, you're here to have fun...but sometimes the pressure to have that fun (plus the heat, and crowds, and exhaustion) can make it harder to come by! Try to resolve conflicts on the spot using compromises and communication. If you have to give in more than you normally would, or put up with something you would never stand for at home, then so be it. You'll probably find that all the cool distractions will help you forget your disagreement and move on to creating great memories together.

Now it's your turn: share your own stories and tips on our Theme Park You Said It page. You can also get more advice in our Family Vacations section. 

Good luck, and have fun!

 

This Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day 2012 -- an annual worldwide event aimed at spreading awareness of environmental issues. You're probably already bombarded with information at school, on TV, and elsewhere on the Web about Earth Day and how you can help preserve our planet's precious and beautiful resources. We're going to bombard you just a little more: If you haven't already checked it out, please visit our section on Green Living and share your own thoughts on how to help the environment.

When we help the environment, we're also helping our planet's co-residents -- the animals. As you probably know, the issue of helping animals and wildlife conservation is a big one for us, because it's a big one for IML'ers. There's something about the way animals touch our hearts and remind us of the incredible power and beauty of nature. We were on the lookout for something that illustrates this in a fresh way for young people, and found the IMAX film "Born To Be Wild," which has just been released on DVD and Blu-ray.

In "Born To Be Wild," we meet amazing people who are dedicated to rescuing and raising orphaned wild animals so they can be returned to the lives they were meant for. In the rainforests of Borneo, Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas and her team care for baby orangutans who are the victims of deforestation, while in the savannahs of Kenya, Dame Daphne M. Sheldrick works to save and rehabilitate young elephants after their mothers are killed by poachers. The film, which is narrated by Morgan Freeman, made us laugh and go "awww" a lot (and even made us cry), really driving home the importance of the human-animal bond. It reminded us of just one of many reasons why environmental awareness matters.

Extras on the discs include wonderful additional footage, which is a good thing because you probably won't be able to get enough of the baby orangutans and elephants. It's a perfect DVD choice for your next family movie night, and unlike other things you might spend time watching, it will make you think...and hopefully act!

So it's spring, and that's a GREAT excuse to go out and buy some new clothes. A new season might mean a new attitude, which might call for a new style! But what do you do if you're on a budget and can only choose a few items? What if you're told, "You still have clothes that fit you, wear those!", but you're completely sick of them?

That's where the fantabulous art of embellishment comes in, and we know some of you IML'ers are already experts on that. Embellishment is when you take a piece of clothing that's rather basic and plain, then bling it up with graphic patches, iron-on's, and appliques, fabric ribbons and flowers, rhinestones and other shiny things. It's a really cool way to express yourself, shout your individuality, and explore your personal style. Think of it as "Project Runway" with none of the mean judging and all of the fun.

We were excited to discover a new website called FashionPlaytes that gives girls the opportunity to do this virtually, with the added bonus of actually being able to have their creations made! We asked FashionPlaytes founder Sarah McIlroy to share some tips for IML'ers who want to play around with clothing embellishment, whether it's online or on their own:

• Start with a theme or color. This will help guide you through the design process and give you a good start and vision for what you'd like to design. If you have an existing piece of clothing you'd like to work with, let the style of it inspire you. For instance, a simple solid-colored t-shirt is a great blank canvas to do something fancy, while a tank top that already has ruffles and a pattern might look best with only one or two simple accents. Don't use too many patterns or colors that might clash with one another and distract from your design.
  
  
• Don't forget that clothing's not the only thing that can be embellished. Purses, backpacks, tote bags, and other accessories like hats, scarves, etc. can also be spiffed up!
  
  
• Choose your materials and get stocked up. Go to a craft supply store and check out all the things you can put on fabric: paint, pens, rhinestones, heat transfers, glitter, etc. Decide whether you feel confident enough to sew things on, or use fabric glue (hot glue guns and sewing materials may be things you need to use with an adult around to help).

• Look for materials in a color palette and get comfortable mixing and matching fabrics and patterns. Don't be afraid to try something new like bright neon colors. It's fun to explore and see what other colors or patterns look good on you!

• Practice makes better. If you're drawing a design freehand, try it on a blank piece of paper first. Do a test run of something on scrap material first if you want to make sure you get it the way you want it on the final product. Keep in mind, however, that there are no such things as mistakes! Your "goofs" may end up being your favorite part of the design.
  
  
• Choosing and creating styles is a lot about learning to listen to yourself. Listen to how you're feeling that day, what makes you comfortable and confident, and most importantly, pick something that makes you feel good and try not to listen to what others say. That's the beauty of embellishment - learning to express yourself and wear clothing YOU designed, not something someone else told you to wear.

We hope that inspires you to go out and play fashion designer this weekend!


 

In the world of entertainment, stars don't come much bigger than the Muppets. Movies, TV, records, web videos... you name it, they've conquered it over the course of many decades. The latest project from our fabulous furry, feathery and felty friends is a smash hit motion picture called, simply, "The Muppets."

In this musical comedy we're introduced to a brand new character called Walter, who doesn't seem to fit in with the "normal" humans in his town. Walter is smaller, more colorful and, well, just plain more Muppety than even his brother Gary (played by Jason Segel). These siblings may look very different, but they support each other through good times and bad, and they share a fanatical devotion to their favorite TV stars who are...you guessed it...the Muppets. When Walter and Gary visit the Muppet Studios in Hollywood, they find that it's fallen upon hard times, and uncover a bad guy's dastardly scheme to take over the property. Determined to set things right, they resolve to find Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy and the rest of the Muppets, and get the whole gang back together.

We won't spoil the rest in case you haven't seen it, but suffice to say that the international adventure that follows is filled with jokes, slapstick, songs, dancing, guest stars, and everything we've come to expect from The Muppets.

We're really psyched that the movie is now out of DVD and Blu-ray Disc, too. We watched the 3-disc "Wocka-Wocka" version, which includes a bunch of hilarious extras, including deleted scenes, bloopers, a making-of feature, and even a copy of the movie's awesome soundtrack, which features the Oscar-winning original song "Man or Muppet."

We also noticed that, although they mostly play it for laughs, "The Muppets" has a lot of great themes and ideas that fit right in with what we talk about every day here at It's My Life. Themes like trying to fit it, finding your place in the world, getting along with siblings and friends, and standing up to bullies.

We had a chance to talk about all these ideas, and a bunch of others, with Muppet stars Kermit the Frog and Walter. Kermit is, as always, so wise and inspiring! Check it out:

"Happy Feet Two," the sequel to the 2006 Oscar-winning smash about a tap-dancing Emperor penguin, has just come out on DVD and Blu-ray (and even in 3D Blu-ray), and we at IML have watched it...well, let's say quite a few times. Why do we like it so much, you ask? Well, there's the awesome music, animation, and story, of course, but we think it's mainly because it has so many positive messages...messages that just happen to click with a lot of the things we talk about all the time here at It's My Life. Like these:

Don't give up on yourself. In "Happy Feet," we followed the story of a misfit penguin named Mumble, as he searched for his "heart song" and tried to save his flock from a mysterious fish shortage. This new movie gives us Mumble's son Erik, an awkward little guy who's mocked by many of the penguins in Emperor Land because he can't seem to sing or dance. Erik joins up with his two best pals and strikes out for someplace where he can find his true calling. There are missteps, and there are moments of doubt and fear, but Erik never truly gives up until he finds what he's after.

You don't have to follow the herd. Or, to put it more accurately, you don't have to follow the swarm. Will and Bill (voiced to hilarious effect by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon) are two krill (those tiny, shrimp-like creatures) who have lived their whole lives as part of a vast red cloud made up of "krillions" of their cousins, destined to be some larger creature's lunch. But when Will suddenly decides he's an individual and starts swimming in the opposite direction, the two embark on a funny and fascinating adventure that leads them to understand that they don't have to live like everyone else, and that every person's actions and decisions, no matter how tiny, can have a huge impact on the greater world. Also, Will tries to eat a leopard seal 10,000 times his size, which is pretty hilarious.

Bullies can change. In this story, the bully is Bryan the Beach Master, an elephant seal who's accustomed to getting what he wants by throwing his weight around (and we mean it literally -- this guy is HUGE). Stubborn and set in his ways, Bryan must eventually face the fact that his way of life isn't doing himself, or anyone else, any good, and that he might have to alter his thinking and his behavior so that things can get better.

Honesty is better than popularity. One of the great new characters in this movie is Sven, the "flying penguin" with the Swedish accent. Penguins cannot fly, of course, which is why Sven, a newcomer to Antarctica, blows everyone's mind by taking to the air on his little wings. This amazing ability turns Sven into the ultimate popular kid, with all the girls wanting to date him and all the guys wanting to be him...but he's hiding a secret: it's all based on a lie. Sven is, in fact, pretending to be something he's not, and in the end he must admit the truth about who he is, to himself and everyone else.

When in doubt, just dance! The world of "Happy Feet Two" is one where dancing and singing is a great way to express yourself, and even provides a solution or two. We'd like to live in that world...oh wait. We already do! (Some people just can't see it.)

The Blu-ray version of this release also comes with a great package of extras. For fans of Animal Planet and Discovery Channel type shows, there's a documentary about Antarctica that's every bit as entertaining as the animated feature. For the artists and aspiring animators, there's a way-cool feature that teaches viewers how to draw a penguin. And for you music lovers, there's a great making-of with singer Alecia Moore, a.k.a. Pink, who talks about acting as the voice of Gloria the penguin, and about writing a new song for the movie.

"Happy Feet Two" is rated PG for "some rude humor and mild peril." IML suggests you ask a parent or guardian before watching, but chances are, this is something everyone in the house will enjoy.

We'll leave you with one of our favorite scenes:

 

Recently, we were excited to discover Kids Who Love To Cook, a website and cooking series that takes you into the kitchen with seven real-life kids to show their love of food and to help make cooking exciting for other kids, tweens, and teens, through videos, recipes, tips and advice, food adventures, and contests. Since we're always looking for ways to give IML'ers more Food Smarts, we asked two of the "Kids," 13-year-old Abby and 15-year-old Isabelle, to share a little more about themselves and this very cool project.

IML: Do you remember how you first got interested in cooking?

Isabelle: The first time I visited my grandma in Vienna, I fell in love with the pastries there and I wanted to learn how to make them, so I started baking. I was 10 or 11. And my dad is the biggest foodie! He's a walking, multi-city Zagat Guide -- he can tell you where to go if you want to eat a certain type of food or cuisine. My dad's a great cook and I must have gotten it from him.
 
Abby: My dad is Italian and at my grandma's house, they always have big feasts where cooking and eating is an all-day event. I also remember cooking with my dad when I was 5 or 6, I was his little assistant. On my mom's side, she cooked a lot of meals when I was growing up. She was a working mom in the city but she's the type to whip up cream for the apple pie. She didn't like to use canned whipped cream! I love her chocolate pudding, beef stew, and her super-delicious version of General Tso's chicken. Eating all that good food made me interested in cooking.

IML: What was the first dish you made that you were really proud of?

Isabelle: Chocolate Cake! I've been making it since I was 11 and I can make it it with my eyes closed.

Abby: Pancakes from scratch.

IML: Where do you find your favorite recipes?

Isabelle: Online, magazines, and sometimes I watch TV shows and get inspired to cook.

Abby: I like books. I love going to bookstores and I can spend hours in the cookbook section. I also love vintage cookbooks, and I'm starting a collection.

IML: Why do you think it's important for families to cook together?

Isabelle: Cooking is a great way to bond, and then you get to eat together, which is so relaxing and fun. I also get to boss my brothers, because it's usually the other way around!

Abby: Life is so busy for everyone. Cooking with my mom or dad is my alone time with them. We catch up, gossip, joke, and laugh a lot.
 
IML: What's the best thing about making a recipe that's part of a family tradition or culture?

Isabelle: I love the fact that the food we have on the table are family recipes. I feel that I am still connected to the past, to my grandparents, even if they are not in New York.

Abby: It's part of my identity, and a great way to continue family traditions. When I have my own family I can tell my kids, "My mom used to make this chocolate pudding when I was your age." They are beautiful memories and I still feel my mom's love.

IML: What's your favorite quick snack to make when you don't have a lot of time or energy?

Isabelle: I love yogurt with granola.

Abby: Insalata Caprese -- I slice a tomato, some mozzarella, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and if we've got basil I add it too. We usually have tomatoes and mozzarella at home so that's my regular afternoon snack when I come home from school.  Or I put it inside a baguette and make a sandwich of it. I like to eat grapes and cheese too. I love cheese.

IML: What's your advice for young people who want to learn how to cook, but it may be more challenging for them -- like maybe an adult isn't always available to help or they just don't have the time, or it's too hard to get ingredients and tools?

Isabelle & Abby: Watch and learn from videos or cooking shows on TV! Start with simple dishes like Mini Turkey Burgers or Fettuccine Alfredo -- recipes with ingredients that are easily available at the supermarket.

IML: What's the coolest thing you've learned or experienced as part of being on the Kids Who Love To Cook team?

Isabelle: I used to be in a hurry to grow up and turn 16. Now I feel so much more mature, so there's no hurry. I also overcame my dislike of tomatoes (because of a sour tomato incident when I was a kid). I got to taste the most delicious yellow cherry tomatoes from Maine and now I love them!

Abby: Going places -- from Vermont to learn how to make cheese and maple syrup to an urban bee farm in Brooklyn. We go to a lot of interesting places and I get to taste all kinds of food!

You can visit Abby and Isabelle, along with the other awesome Kids Who Love To Cook, at www.kidswholovetocook.com.

We know from your YSI submissions that a lot of you love to draw, paint, sketch, and just generally get your feelings and ideas onto paper in graphic form. Many of you have even talked about the mangas and comic books you've created. 14-year-old Emma Capps loves to write and draw comics too, and her works of art have appeared in national magazines. Her latest project, "The Chapel Chronicles," is a self-published collection of comics starring a smart (and smart-alecky) red-headed 11-year-old girl named Chapel, who often as not gets a bit lost in the world of her own vivid imagination while pursuing various adventures, from a battle of board games with her babysitter to impersonating Lady Gaga.

We recently chatted with Emma about Chapel, and her life as a young artist and writer.

IML: What's your creative process? How do you go from an empty white sheet of paper to a completed Chapel comic?

Emma: First, I brainstorm my idea. I'll try to find something I've observed or witnessed recently to use as a jumping-off point. Once I have the concept, I'll do a quick "thumbnail sketch," or a sketch that's small enough to be the size of my thumb, to block out the dialogue and what happens in the strip. Then I'll sketch the panels and ink them onto tracing paper. Once I have that, I scan the inks into the computer. I arrange, color, and letter the strip in Photoshop. Then I write some author's commentary and put it up on the site for my readers to enjoy.

IML: What's behind the decision to make Chapel the only visible human character? You have a lot of other people talking, but we never see them.

Emma: For now, I want the strip to focus mostly on Chapel's world through her perspective and highlight the hilarious and funny moments of what it means to be a preteen and teen. Chapel has other people she interacts with, of course, like her parents, her brother, and her nemesis, Fred. I have shown Chapel's family in the background of a couple strips in small paintings on the walls. Sometime in the future, I may include other characters in the strip.

IML: Chapel spends a lot of time living in a world of her own thoughts and imagination. Are you like that?

Emma: I would say I have flights of fancy quite a bit...I like to think about things I've done and things that could happen. Of course, this helps me quite a bit in dreaming up new Chapel comics! For some Chapel strips, I do draw directly from my own life, but I try to always make the comics very universally appealing. I only ever use something that's happened in my own life if I think it's something everyone can relate to. Chapel and I are similar in some ways, but we're also different in a lot of ways, too. For example, I don't really like to dress up or listen to Lady Gaga, whereas Chapel does. I'd say Chapel's a lot more competitive and courageous than I am, and I actually admire how much self-esteem she has to wear crazy outfits all the time! I don't think I'd be brave enough to wear a Lady Gaga dress to a wedding, that's for sure, and I think it's great that Chapel's confident enough to go ahead with it!

IML: Chapel seems to be an only child. Do you have any siblings?

Emma: Actually, Chapel isn't an only child. She has an older brother named Barnaby, but he hasn't come into the strip yet because he's currently away at college. I, however, am an only child. I'm not really sure if being an only child has shaped my personality very much. I'm certainly really close with my parents and I'm also a very independent person, but I don't really believe that having siblings would've changed any of those things about me. I'm certainly glad I have enough space for my various art projects, but I actually LOVE kids and sometimes wish I could've had a younger sister.

IML: A lot of tweens draw comics, but you took yours a few steps further. Why make comics to publish, rather than just for yourself or for friends?

Emma: I make my comics to make people smile, and by publishing them, I can make more people happy outside of my small circle of friends. I love it whenever someone from another state or another country comments on my webcomics saying my work has made them smile or laugh. That's the most precious thing in the world to me. If I can spread my work to more people via publishing, and because of that brighten more people's days with my comics, then that's what I'd like to do.

IML: Any advice for our IML'ers who like to write or draw?

Emma: My advice would be to draw and write every day! Don't worry too much about comparing yourself to others - a trap which, I'm sad to say, is really easy to fall into - but instead create something that makes you happy. If you keep creating things that personally make you happy and proud, other people will soon appreciate that and share in it as well!

IML: What's up next for you, and for Chapel?

Emma: In the short-term, this April I'm going to be exhibiting at a comic convention called MoCCA Fest (Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art) in New York City, and debuting a brand-new book of Season 2 of my Chapel webcomics. I'm really excited to go, and I hope lots of my readers can make it out to say hi! In the long-term, I definitely want to continue doing Chapel webcomics for at least another year or two. I also want to do some graphic novels, which would be very different from Chapel in both style and tone. I'm going to be working on one this summer! I've already got most of the plot planned out and a good majority of the characters designed. I'd also like to expand my line of Chapel greeting cards and gifts. My most farfetched dream would be to one day have Chapel comics, greeting cards, and gifts in stores nationwide! If that were to happen, it would be the most amazing thing in the world for me.

IML: Thanks for talking to us, and good luck!

To check out Emma's work, check out www.chapelchronicles.com. Also, enjoy this fun peek at how Emma makes one of her Chapel greeting cards:

As you may know, being part of a performing group can really change your life. Being part of a performing group on a gigantic hit TV series can change your life to the 12th degree of awesomeness. Just ask Titus Makin, Jr., a member of the fictional, but no less amazing, Warblers glee club on "Glee."

Titus plays David, and although you probably don't know this character's name, you've probably seen and heard him in every Warblers song to date. Titus has a bright future ahead of him and we think he's a performer to watch, with other roles such as NBC's "Game of Your Life" and ABC Family's "A Cinderella Story." We loved getting to know more about him!

IML: Your first starring project, "Game of Your Life," just aired recently. Tell us about that. What was the best part of it, for you?

Titus: It was awesome, because not only was it great to do something on NBC, but it was my first "ultra-leading" role, where I'm on camera ALL the time. It was a new thing for me, and I have a hard time watching myself, so that was interesting...but it was an amazing life opportunity, and I just hope that there a lot more leading roles in the future.

IML: What was it like to be able to get into a character and explore it with that much screen time?

Titus: It was great, actually. It was my first time doing so much research on a character. They flew us into Atlanta, and we had to take video game design classes. My character is extremely intelligent when it comes to video games, so I had to take classes to really learn all the terms and understand how games are made. It was cool and it really put me in the character's shoes. I completely understand where he's coming from, as far as the work, and the effort it takes.

IML: That sounds like an incredible learning experience just as an actor, to be able to get into it like that. This leads us to David, your character on "Glee." He's a bit of a mystery, and the audience doesn't really learn anything about him. Do you have a "backstory" for him that you can use yourself, as an actor? Did you have any ideas of who he os and where he's coming from?

Titus: Yeah, I actually did create a backstory! Just because sometimes Ryan (the show's producer) may ask about that, and he creates a lot from the other kids' personal lives and what they've created for themselves. So I've always assumed, and made it true, that David comes from a household where they don't know that he is going to the school and acting like this. Like he's from a different neighborhood that's not as wealthy, and he persuaded them to let him move in with his grandparents, and they sent him to the school in their division, and his parents don't know. So I just created this special twist for myself, just to have something to go off of.

IML: While we're talking about "Glee," we have to confess, we're huge fans of The Warblers. What's been your favorite Warblers song so far?

Titus: My favorite one to hear is "Hey Soul Sister." I just like that song a lot. And my favorite one to perform was probably the Gap scene, because we could run around, and flip off the tables, and really just go outside of the school for the first time, so that was awesome. We did that at the Gap at The Grove, an outdoor shopping mall outside of Los Angeles.

IML: We know you're a dancer as well as an actor. What's your favorite dance style?

Titus: Well, of course I'm gonna have to give it to hip-hop! But actually, I went to a performing arts school in New York, and they were teaching us ballroom, and I've found this love for ballroom...foxtrot and waltz and all those things. So that's sort of second place, there. Also, there's a pretty awesome "Bollywood" number in "Cinderella Story," so that's pretty cool.

IML: Growing up, you were a military kid, so you moved around a lot. We have a lot of kids who write into IML who are in the same situation, or who have parents deployed overseas. Now that you're older and can look back, how did being in a military family effect you?

Titus: I think it was beneficial. Now, when I have to leave and go someplace for my career, I'm kinda used it. I've adapted to moving fairly often, and I don't grow attached to a lot of things that would hold me back. If you were in a place for a long time, you'd be afraid to move to, Los Angeles, let's say. I just really embraced it, and I'm happy I did, because now I hear people say "Oh, I want to travel and see these places," and I'm like "Well, I already did it, and it was awesome!" So I really think it's something you can embrace, and know that wherever you go you can make friends, and just because you're leaving certain places doesn't mean you can't stay in touch with your old friends.

IML: You've probably picked up quite an amazing collection of people from your various travels.

Titus: I love that type of thing...meeting new people, and seeing new places. So that type of childhood really worked for me.

IML: What's next for you in 2012?

Titus: Well, hopefully there will be some more episodes of "Glee." But other than that, I just finished shooting a new film called "So This is Christmas," that's slated to come out in December of 2012. And that's another awesome movie with a great storyline, and a great message. I was able to play the son of Vivica Fox and the stepson of Eric Roberts.

IML: Do you have a "dream role"?

Titus: Yes. My dream role has always been to play something -- anything -- alongside Will Smith. His nephew, his son...I could be a clerk at a store that serves him coffee... I don't know! That is my dream role.

IML: Has he been a role model for you?

Titus: Yes, definitely. I love both comedy and drama, and seeing somebody like him who does it wonderfully, going back and forth between the two, is a career I aim to have...to go back and forth smoothly, and be respected for both.

IML: Well, we think you're on the right track, and we hope that something like that is in store for you! Thanks for talking to us, and good luck with everything!

Titus: Thank you so much!