1. How did you get started with your business?-- I started making and selling jewelry in 2005. I wasn't very good and it didn't excite me. While surfing the internet I found a tutorial where someone had painted over pages in old books so they could draw in it. I am way to impatient to do that, so I thought to myself "can I make new insides?" So I looked up book binding and taught myself Coptic stitch. I started making journals from vintage books and then I was left with all these insides so I started making everything else to use every part of the book.
2. What is your favorite tool to work with?
--My "guillotine" paper cutter. I love cutting and folding paper, I'm odd.
3. What/who inspires you?
--It's cheesy but my husband inspires and supports me, he's my penguin. I'm very also inspired by vintage books. I just love 1950's books; they have the best covers and illustrations.
4. Man-bag or murse?
--Definitely a murse.
5. Where do you see your business in 3 yrs?
-- One day I'd love to be able to craft full or part time. But till then, I hope to be in more boutiques and stores. I'd also love to do more craft fairs.
6. If you only had one thing to tell someone starting a craft/indie business what would it be?
-- Find something you love to do! If you don't love if, even if it sells wells you won't be as happy.
7. Rock, paper or scissors?
--Paper of course. You should see some of my paper cut scars, paper is dangerous.
8. Are you a full time crafter/designer?
--Not yet, but maybe one day.
9. Do you have a craft crush? (A designer or indie/craft business that you admire.)
--I have a craft crush on BoyGirlParty.Etsy.com Her illustrations and products are awesome!
10. What is your favorite current indie/DIY trend?
--I've been seeing a lot of hedgehogs, owls, gnomes and squids. I love all 4 and have forever so in a way it's nice to see them becoming popular.
11. What was the best compliment a customer ever gave you?
-- A customer once told me that she smiles every time she sees the journals I've made for her. She also told me she was in love with me, well with me and my shop. Everyone loves to be loved.
12. What craft would you like to try or learn?
--I would love to learn to knit. I've tried before and I'm just so uncoordinated. I will try again soon, I'm determined!
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Jim Jenkins: Jim Jenkins Designs
1. How did you get started with you business? I was building custom furniture, and decided one day to try my hand at making a jewelry box. It turned out so well, that I haven't stopped!
2. What is your favorite tool to work with?
-- It has to be the band saw. It's the basis for making my boxes, and when I start using it, I finally start to see the box coming to life.
3. What/who inspires you?
--Many things will inspire me. Sometimes it's the grain pattern of the wood, sometimes it's something that I can't even put my finger on. I love water, either on it, in it, or under it (I'm a diver), and many people say that they see water in my designs. Maybe it's a subconscious thing.
4. Man-bag or murse?
--Neither. Give me a pair of pants with deep pockets any day. Of course my chiropractor keeps telling me to loose the stuff in my back pockets!
5. Where do you see your business in 3 years?
--I'd love to have an assistant to take over some of the more mundane aspects of creating my boxes. I'd still have complete control over the artistic side, but the sanding I would be more than happy to turn over to someone else!
6. If you only had one thing to tell someone starting a craft/indie business what would it be?
--Start slow, and plan ahead. Don't expect everything to take off after a month, and take your time to perfect your product. It will all come together eventually.
7. Rock, paper, or scissors? Rock
8. Are you a full time crafter/designer?
-- Yes, but with other sidelines, too. I build custom furniture and other items, and I also am a freelance scenic designer.
9. Do you have a craft crush?
-- Not one in particular, no.
10. What is you favorite current indie/DIY trend?
-- Going green. My current goal, is to not have to pay Dominion Power one penny for the electricity to run my computer or my fridge. I think that if more people realized that by going green you'd save more money, the more people you'd have jumping on the bandwagon. As the saying goes, money talks.
11. What was the best compliment a customer ever gave you?
-- It had to be the very first customer when the bought the first box. That told me that someone other than myself thought that the box was something more than a fancy piece of firewood!
12. What craft would you like to try or learn?
--Working with glass. Stained glass appeals to be quite a bit, as well as blown glass. I'd need to build a second shop to work with those, though!
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Ashley Henley: The Ripe Radish
1. How did you get started with your business?
--I honestly cannot remember how I heard about www.etsy.com two years ago, but I heard about it somewhere and just loved the idea of a website where you could buy handmade goodies directly from the artists. It started very, very slowly, where I would sell something every couple of weeks and it was always an event when something sold. Now I'm selling a few items a week. The growth has been slow and steady.
2. What is your favorite tool to work with?
--It's not really a tool per se, but I love working with vintage fabrics and buttons. There's a certain nostalgia about vintage materials. Things just aren't made the same way anymore.
3. What/who inspires you?
--Colors, my super-creative husband, my dogs and their endless love, childhood, other amazing crafters and artists, and successful small business owners.
4. Man-bag or murse?
--My husband has a man-bag that I make fun of quite frequently. I think I'll start calling it a murse from now on.
5. Where do you see your business in 3 yrs?
--Aside from trying my hand at wholesale and hopefully making some more money, I hope it stays exactly the same!
6. If you only had one thing to tell someone starting a craft/indie business what would it be?
--My biggest advice would be to find your own niche. The craft/indie business world is growing rapidly, and there are certain markets (like jewelry, for instance) that are very over-saturated, which means you have to work even harder to stand out. It's a little more challenging, but comforting in the end to know that you have something that others don't--something to set yourself apart from the rest.
7. Rock, paper or scissors?
--Rotary cutter!
8. Are you a full time crafter/designer?
--Nope, but I would love to be! I spend a third of my time working on my crafts, a third in graduate school, and another third as a full-time technical writer. The Ripe Radish is like my alter-ego, my outlet of outlets.
9. Do you have a craft crush? (A designer or indie/craft business that you admire.)
--I have so many craft crushes! There are the obvious choices: Debbie Stoller of Stitch 'N Bitch fame; Jenny Hart of the Sublime Stitching line; and Leah Kramer, founder of www.craftster.org. Apart from those inspiring ladies, it seems I have a different Etsy crush each week.
10. What is your favorite current indie/DIY trend?
--My favorite current indie/DIY trend would have to be the recent surge in using recycled materials. I love seeing how creative people can be when it comes to repurposing. Like, who would have thought you could take a bunch of plastic bags, fuse them, then sew them together to make a tote bag?
11. What was the best compliment a customer ever gave you?
--A customer who ordered one of my button bouquets told me that it sits on her desk and brightens her day every day. It makes me so happy to know that something I made could have such a lovely effect on someone!
12. What craft would you like to try or learn?
--I would love to learn needle felting! It looks like so much fun, all that poking and prodding. And the end results always look awesome.
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Shannon Kline: Sweet Pepita
1. How did you get started with your business?
--I had old t-shirts that I knew I was never going to wear again, but couldn’t bring myself to get rid of, so I began combining them with organic cotton and sewing them into clothes for Pepita.
2. What is your favorite tool to work with?
-- Freshly sharpened scissors
3. What/who inspires you?
-- Living green is something that’s really important to my family. Conventionally grown cotton is one of the most chemically dependent crops in the world putting tons of herbicides, insecticides and more straight into our environment and our homes. Using only organically grown cotton and recycled fabric in our children's clothing supports a lifestyle we believe in. And Pepita inspires me every day, of course!
4. Man-bag or murse?
--Man bag. Definitely man bag.
5. Where do you see your business in 3 yrs?
-- In 3 years, my daughter will be in school, so I’ll be able to sew full time. I’d like to see Sweet Pepita available in shops across the country.
6. If you only had one thing to tell someone starting a craft/indie business what would it be?
--Network. Connect with other crafters.
7. Rock, paper or scissors? Scissors!
8. Are you a full time crafter/designer?
--I’m a part time jeweler and a part time seamstress, so together, I guess I am a full time crafter!
9. Do you have a craft crush? (A designer or indie/craft business that you admire.)
--Yes! I love Cotton Monsters. My husband and I are so excited. We think this is the year that Pepita will be able to pick out and buy her very own monster!
10. What is your favorite current indie/DIY trend?
--Eco-friendly design
11. What was the best compliment a customer ever gave you?
--It was something like…. “You made my boyfriend’s day. He’s been going around and saying, ‘Look! My son’s first Dead Kennedys t-shirt!’”
12. What craft would you like to try or learn? Printmaking
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