tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47959002615566339342024-03-13T04:14:55.899+00:00Fiona Wilson PrintsPrint Peeps BlogFiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.comBlogger622125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-1856672909717728792022-11-11T11:58:00.002+00:002022-11-11T11:58:30.781+00:00New Website and Blog<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4yYrafvwiTFJnjOdb7qmFGZPbENj9CJ0De03SCV3Zd9rC3EC3wLtPQoh8MRnKS3ylItPTXDyAuJxbV58oQhHLiJvTVT1FDKITbzDjXReuSxG2guVsbrqYDfb77NyQUmSw1mc00zVw5XcehqAjtV39RypFj_QmyY36VD0G23qJw1mmLx-azhvMkQk/s1861/New%20Website.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1861" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4yYrafvwiTFJnjOdb7qmFGZPbENj9CJ0De03SCV3Zd9rC3EC3wLtPQoh8MRnKS3ylItPTXDyAuJxbV58oQhHLiJvTVT1FDKITbzDjXReuSxG2guVsbrqYDfb77NyQUmSw1mc00zVw5XcehqAjtV39RypFj_QmyY36VD0G23qJw1mmLx-azhvMkQk/w640-h362/New%20Website.png" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I have a brand new website and blog which you can find <a href="https://fionawilsonprints.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>. So I will be archiving this one so that I can concentrate on the new one. I've added some new blog posts so you can come over and have a read. Let me know what you think of the new website too.<p></p><p>Lots of Love</p><p>Fiona x<br /> </p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-48748192592962452612022-05-11T09:04:00.000+01:002022-05-11T09:04:06.313+01:00Creative Business Interview - Mrs Bertimus<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i><span>It's always lovely how happy all the amazing creative businesses I approach are to take the time to answer my questions and be featured on the blog. This month I have the amazingly imaginative Letitia who runs her business called Mrs Bertimus, and has also recently launched her own vlog on YouTube - read on to find out more about her and her beautiful illustration.</span></i></b> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0ogKUDGU9hE3EKfvtyF_vYAqb_hvRtYlwjeDnSvLYcLjh5xClhbJDg0GKO9Ptr8_pfU4XVz24GYgl2p7g6WxkKVJiCUgEucfY0JohD_YTnGRXejc9o5gn9R1N6OcyCmEIMju3v13Rcsk_gHMjo-YehuDJk_177YtRwC6wci_eiNM3Ij0DMOqU3KU/s1134/IMG_0432.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1134" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0ogKUDGU9hE3EKfvtyF_vYAqb_hvRtYlwjeDnSvLYcLjh5xClhbJDg0GKO9Ptr8_pfU4XVz24GYgl2p7g6WxkKVJiCUgEucfY0JohD_YTnGRXejc9o5gn9R1N6OcyCmEIMju3v13Rcsk_gHMjo-YehuDJk_177YtRwC6wci_eiNM3Ij0DMOqU3KU/w400-h381/IMG_0432.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span></i></b></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for inviting me to have a chat Fiona, please let me introduce myself…my name is Letitia and I run a creative business called Mrs Bertimus. I create artwork and stories and use them to decorate items that will hopefully make the everyday a little more magical.</span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">I have always painted and drawn since childhood and then I studied fashion design at St Martins School of Art from 1989-1992. I‘ve always found it difficult to stick to one discipline and so I enjoy painting, drawing, collaging, stitching, and more recently, digital art (although I have a lot to learn!)</span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">I opened an Etsy shop in 2012 and it was then that I became interested in running a small creative business alongside my part-time teaching job.</span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">It felt like a huge leap because I didn’t feel confident in sharing my work publicly, but I had previously started a blog and made some really supportive internet friends – the creative online community really inspire me.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRWSSIg1UO7FATh9LbNp28MxLfsaY0AzT6YZYApMBXa3Xmz0cVcTUd8eDJVyeKa9N39849ANCt8FdoH5AGbZSD3-pzq_PEpmKUFEl4heD64aEl9hjHwqjiCpw78aOBcfS5Qm-ttvm6EMN3GtBIdppnl3co3lcWRFgnufe3RapRqKbjzKG20lKQWHs/s2052/Imbolc%20Wooden%20Ornaments.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="2052" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRWSSIg1UO7FATh9LbNp28MxLfsaY0AzT6YZYApMBXa3Xmz0cVcTUd8eDJVyeKa9N39849ANCt8FdoH5AGbZSD3-pzq_PEpmKUFEl4heD64aEl9hjHwqjiCpw78aOBcfS5Qm-ttvm6EMN3GtBIdppnl3co3lcWRFgnufe3RapRqKbjzKG20lKQWHs/w400-h400/Imbolc%20Wooden%20Ornaments.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work?</span></i></b></div><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">Like many creative businesses, no two days are the same. I like to clear away any jobs that need to be done, such as admin, before I can begin anything creative like painting. I also have to get any housework chores out of the way before I can get out the brushes (which is really annoying!) If I don’t do that though it will keep nagging me in the back of my mind and I won’t be able to concentrate.</span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">My tiny studio is at home and I’m very lucky to have a room of my own to make art in, however, I do feel as though I’ve outgrown the space and I have a Pinterest board full of those perfect white studios overlooking the sea…well, a girl can dream!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnD8zQRwILdCMTTBEQGase8mHorbS5T7QeLIGeS0fzb2t-h1UJ_QUclcCHP7GRIaxad1t4A1gnxTIJJQ4oYo1WVddZnE74y5fiPDVikMDNdXtfqkrImiKicsgIhiQVNmSfm8JRRXjaQ-_VRsZBZR9jQpfxevR3-owex_936hN1JLLSQ_NleRs7o-Pn/s2362/Queen%20of%20The%20Midsummer%20Print.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2362" data-original-width="2362" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnD8zQRwILdCMTTBEQGase8mHorbS5T7QeLIGeS0fzb2t-h1UJ_QUclcCHP7GRIaxad1t4A1gnxTIJJQ4oYo1WVddZnE74y5fiPDVikMDNdXtfqkrImiKicsgIhiQVNmSfm8JRRXjaQ-_VRsZBZR9jQpfxevR3-owex_936hN1JLLSQ_NleRs7o-Pn/w400-h400/Queen%20of%20The%20Midsummer%20Print.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool?</span> </span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love working in mixed media and I often work with acrylic paints and crayons on primed wooden panels. However, I do enjoy combining pencil drawing with collage made from vintage papers (this gives me the perfect excuse for one of my favourite past-times: charity shopping!). I have started to learn how to use Procreate on my iPad (thanks to my very patient daughter) and I really enjoy scanning in my original artwork and then ‘collaging’ them digitally or experimenting with all the different types of brushes. This has really helped me to create new designs for my products and has even allowed me to add doodles and text on the vlogs that I make for my You Tube channel.</span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love the freedom that running my creative business has given me, sometimes if an idea pops into my head I just have to do it! The online community is just amazing, I would never have met so many like-minded souls, sometimes it can feel a bit isolating, but I am so grateful for my online friends. I really don’t know what I would do without them.</span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifN2arji0eZM2bBEekN7agrGGB-56BA-pjd9qBoUIorcBC5ZEWfSngClUdrmFPMiHdbBMc-rey42GMlQh5O7ygo4HeHueYJLH0Bqml6TJa1fsvsqn0XMKHE3oG_9_xIwx_weB9wG5cmjBugUNXRW7kn97cmnAkqFWWjawtLNtaRAP7sSFwEk2OBYtQ/s3024/IMG_2481.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifN2arji0eZM2bBEekN7agrGGB-56BA-pjd9qBoUIorcBC5ZEWfSngClUdrmFPMiHdbBMc-rey42GMlQh5O7ygo4HeHueYJLH0Bqml6TJa1fsvsqn0XMKHE3oG_9_xIwx_weB9wG5cmjBugUNXRW7kn97cmnAkqFWWjawtLNtaRAP7sSFwEk2OBYtQ/w400-h400/IMG_2481.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: helvetica;"><b><i>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</i></b></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I belong to an incredibly supportive creative business community called Indie Roller and whenever I feel overwhelmed it really helps to just think about taking one small step at a time towards your goal. <a href="https://indieroller.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank">https://indieroller.com/</a></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I still have a long way to go with my business, but if I were to offer a piece of advice it would be to try and keep your paperwork organised, it can save a lot of headaches further down the line! (Plus it gives you a great excuse to buy some lovely new stationery!)</span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO15ZaU9qfM_3XdLCSlXDpejgyAhOQunPelXRf1mJL4A62eeD7jWRTvvMQ2uxqA4BX77F6QiKttz_zboyJ9sDjmcFNouy4yAFQ7o-H_j34x7d1Mjx_MsGi4PT8d-2B-2rzzEKO8qKMNHe5UrnjhVcCm3LkaBEGshqyauE52zWBIYmIu6WhHTCJec94/s2362/Varvinter%20Print.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2362" data-original-width="2362" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO15ZaU9qfM_3XdLCSlXDpejgyAhOQunPelXRf1mJL4A62eeD7jWRTvvMQ2uxqA4BX77F6QiKttz_zboyJ9sDjmcFNouy4yAFQ7o-H_j34x7d1Mjx_MsGi4PT8d-2B-2rzzEKO8qKMNHe5UrnjhVcCm3LkaBEGshqyauE52zWBIYmIu6WhHTCJec94/w400-h400/Varvinter%20Print.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</span></i></b></p><blockquote class="yiv8278679688" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; margin: 0px; padding: 8px;" type="cite"><div class="yiv8278679688" dir="ltr"><div class="yiv8278679688ydpee8abd54yahoo-style-wrap"><div class="yiv8278679688"><div class="yiv8278679688" dir="ltr"><div class="yiv8278679688"><div class="yiv8278679688" dir="ltr"><div class="yiv8278679688" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br class="yiv8278679688" clear="none" /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My newest venture for Mrs Bertimus has been to start a You Tube channel. I have wanted to share my behind-the-scenes day-to-day shenanigans and creative process for ages. I also want to start selling my original artwork on a more regular basis and the vlogs show how the piece develops and the story behind it. The vlogging has also been great company (and it has made me tidy up my studio a little more than usual!)</span></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Where can people find out more about you?</span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="ydpc92349fbMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My shop, newsletter sign-up and social media links can be found on my website: <a class="enhancr_card_0013575404" href="https://www.mrsbertimus.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank">MY WORK</a></span></p><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;">It would be lovely if you popped over and said hello!</span></div>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-41066323282333173682022-04-04T14:50:00.000+01:002022-04-04T14:50:03.976+01:00Creative Business Interview - Rachel Mahon<p><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Another fabulous business for you to read about this month - is the beautiful work by Rachel Mahon who creates gorgeous botanical prints, cards, and more.</span></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnggNhEyqb-wryB6IZun3DhRumVSsw5mSwOKXHYmitI9M65M7sp7y6ikwS0DCJq7fWi5ICxavg1ctB_mPpmgtSc56zdteyu-k_lNE_dNxY1pUy1T_j9k3sa7uPPA0KXNq5m4wBHeVVDpSFMNTRsjN658jNkAFyIww6r8cwxZN-GyZDgTbIRboRDezH/s1622/Rachel%20mahon%20portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1622" data-original-width="1615" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnggNhEyqb-wryB6IZun3DhRumVSsw5mSwOKXHYmitI9M65M7sp7y6ikwS0DCJq7fWi5ICxavg1ctB_mPpmgtSc56zdteyu-k_lNE_dNxY1pUy1T_j9k3sa7uPPA0KXNq5m4wBHeVVDpSFMNTRsjN658jNkAFyIww6r8cwxZN-GyZDgTbIRboRDezH/w638-h640/Rachel%20mahon%20portrait.jpg" width="638" /></a></div><br /><p><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;">I design and sell botanically inspired art prints, cards, and homewares. After I graduated from my Illustration degree I started working with an agent who would sell my designs for licensing for gift bags, greeting cards, and wrapping paper. I drew a lot of Christmas trees and Santas for 15 years. In 2019 my husband (who had spent the previous 2 years designing and transforming our garden) signed us up to take part in our local Open Gardens. There was an option to have a stall so he suggested I sell some prints and cards. I’d always talked about doing my own thing and that was the push I needed to actually do it and start designing for myself. I started an Instagram, opened an Etsy shop, and had a great response at the event so I just carried on…</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwGNOCJfQP5FgI0gQIE-iLN1RfWIsCRkY3_GHrNWBidUuqM5NeApHcPWq6b_0oMghFUMgCaVfBtlfi7DWL2HDvtvq1EsqEYgw48XFlyH_YdbGscVLu0-Tabz6YZSdkje8ewhaGwR0A0f_7kKAAfm4Q0NbIqDvpCoT1JjK4sS7MaCkKRqVfg8iQ-iT/s3050/baby-rubber-mama-p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2288" data-original-width="3050" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwGNOCJfQP5FgI0gQIE-iLN1RfWIsCRkY3_GHrNWBidUuqM5NeApHcPWq6b_0oMghFUMgCaVfBtlfi7DWL2HDvtvq1EsqEYgw48XFlyH_YdbGscVLu0-Tabz6YZSdkje8ewhaGwR0A0f_7kKAAfm4Q0NbIqDvpCoT1JjK4sS7MaCkKRqVfg8iQ-iT/w640-h480/baby-rubber-mama-p.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><b>What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work?<span class="yiv3351818455gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No two days are the same but it’s usually a variety of packing orders, ordering stock, prepping stock, getting stock ready for a market, working on new designs, remembering to throw an Instagram post together, and then finishes with a trip to the Post Office on the way to get my boys from school. I’m really lucky to have a lovely garden studio to do this all from.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSo_CbhWVAdiC3vouRogrQJSt1Nt4W6TAJHjlkNfh0vCbBLF7_D-3vxY_TwedTwOum5JZ3biY_UuZrQaEN11X5wdy-ecX6Y9rrNP_QhVNT99SeT3uE_M2gLNhsBkuhrHxqB7gN2uy3qeJblFGsx9W9AhlKjyxuhIZ4S5I4A9DAkYKrbPrzSGFbxdR/s2000/multipack-5-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="2000" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSo_CbhWVAdiC3vouRogrQJSt1Nt4W6TAJHjlkNfh0vCbBLF7_D-3vxY_TwedTwOum5JZ3biY_UuZrQaEN11X5wdy-ecX6Y9rrNP_QhVNT99SeT3uE_M2gLNhsBkuhrHxqB7gN2uy3qeJblFGsx9W9AhlKjyxuhIZ4S5I4A9DAkYKrbPrzSGFbxdR/w640-h384/multipack-5-a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><b>How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? </b><span class="yiv3351818455gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I use a mix of Procreate on my ancient iPad for sketching out shapes and ideas and<span class="yiv3351818455gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>Illustrator on my Mac to put everything all together and finalise my designs. My favourite tool is ‘cmd + z’ (the undo shortcut)</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpAgx6MgWrpLH_G8SDo_Z0RsFQYX76EdfpnK-HqY4mjANhhlCEVkvrhUL4aQeyj3b8vf6F_ICYxV2tuYgUxN0NuDT6qiXhsjFyaeDDXNkB9VqSFn5G-e5FrOXv0nFM_B8Z61aFUbfDDsX5wHZpd6_9fBEgmwjKhb-7NiX2UeRGgldunh2P5T6pmTM/s3221/IMG_4792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3221" data-original-width="2842" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpAgx6MgWrpLH_G8SDo_Z0RsFQYX76EdfpnK-HqY4mjANhhlCEVkvrhUL4aQeyj3b8vf6F_ICYxV2tuYgUxN0NuDT6qiXhsjFyaeDDXNkB9VqSFn5G-e5FrOXv0nFM_B8Z61aFUbfDDsX5wHZpd6_9fBEgmwjKhb-7NiX2UeRGgldunh2P5T6pmTM/w564-h640/IMG_4792.JPG" width="564" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><b>What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Ahhhh everything….managing my own time, the flexibility to be there for the school runs, doing design work I want to do that makes my eyes and heart feel happy, and not having a boss. I love the creative community I’m part of, online and also in my local area. I’ve made so many lovely friends doing what I do.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><b>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</b><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“No one cares what paper you use”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(I don’t actually believe this but the gist is to not overthink every little thing)</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrd6QX7QChHU1RLVjzWlHd4BONr8qJ8CPSc7aZ0mKIoIWPx7Tuybjh3hZiYg5eXOwZga12HsBhA0hQ6lZgJw59CxBqeTgvlDlVzuuAdcACfGVomrJagPuLpgvUgBDx4L8Vc7z7k4AKfEvYnXuwjXCijqGvQw0aUNIetTjU7vYUP_u-95ED3Bux8IK0/s1500/teatowel-group-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrd6QX7QChHU1RLVjzWlHd4BONr8qJ8CPSc7aZ0mKIoIWPx7Tuybjh3hZiYg5eXOwZga12HsBhA0hQ6lZgJw59CxBqeTgvlDlVzuuAdcACfGVomrJagPuLpgvUgBDx4L8Vc7z7k4AKfEvYnXuwjXCijqGvQw0aUNIetTjU7vYUP_u-95ED3Bux8IK0/w640-h640/teatowel-group-square.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><b>What advice would you give other creative businesses starting out?</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Try not to feel the pressure to do all the things and all the products at once. Start simple and focus on the work that feels right and most true to you and build your style and brand on that.<span class="yiv3351818455gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Just more of the same really. I’d like to do more markets further afield and grow the wholesale side of my business.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Where can people find out more about you? </b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">You can find me on</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Instagram <a href="http://instagram.com/rachelmahonprint" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">instagram.com/rachelmahonprint</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Facebook <a href="http://facebook.com/rachelmahonprint" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">Facebook.com/rachelmahonprint</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Etsy <a href="http://etsy.com/uk/shop/RachelMahonPrint" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">etsy.com/uk/shop/RachelMahonPrint</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Faire <a href="http://rachelmahonprint.faire.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">rachelmahonprint.faire.com</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Or my website <a href="http://rachelmahonprint.co.uk/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">rachelmahonprint.co.uk</a></span></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-25250426655290514542022-03-16T13:38:00.003+00:002022-03-16T13:38:37.434+00:00Creative Business Interview - Melissa from Western Sketch<p>This month - the very lovely Melissa from Western Sketch agreed to do the Creative Business Interview - she creates beautifully illustrated cards and has recently created a range for Harvey Nichols! Read on to find out more about her and her fabulous products.</p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">T</span><span style="background-color: white;">el</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">l us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span></i></b></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Hello! Thank you so much for asking me to share a little about my business. I’m Melissa and I run my small business Western Sketch from my family home. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">I'm a small greeting card publisher, producing luxury cards from my hand-painted illustrations. I have a creative background and graduated in illustration 20 years ago now! My career background was in Buying where I worked for 12 years before having a family. Western Sketch has allowed me to combine both my creative passion with my business skills. It hadn’t occurred to me to set up my business until 4 years ago after having Children, I started drawing again and it's really gone from there.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZ6fJad9gqKi18lgzMoQz5Iy7fttOLvJl3MkyIsCnEcX4Ujilj5x2zhqCpvtBNUMU3ZB9a7aRs-P2t5eWGOxCem1veL02-R4jmbBiHtjsVwWymTDnJ2CCfBsXn9qG7H2c4D6NtW7tTrJ0yJv6eCFqzgj__s6sHIIBXuzcxqo6b1GueEtvpNXx8NPzX=s3024" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZ6fJad9gqKi18lgzMoQz5Iy7fttOLvJl3MkyIsCnEcX4Ujilj5x2zhqCpvtBNUMU3ZB9a7aRs-P2t5eWGOxCem1veL02-R4jmbBiHtjsVwWymTDnJ2CCfBsXn9qG7H2c4D6NtW7tTrJ0yJv6eCFqzgj__s6sHIIBXuzcxqo6b1GueEtvpNXx8NPzX=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work?</i></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">I don’t really have a typical work day I have 3 small children so I don’t tend to start working until in the evening when they are in bed although I can do bits throughout the day whilst looking after my son who’s now 2. I’m building a foundation so in a few more years I’ll be able to focus on this full time in more sociable hours! At the moment I’m busy working on lots of new designs.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">I create my illustrations in a traditional way using watercolour paints. I treat the paintbrush as my pencil and draw with the paint. I enjoy turning everyday objects and foods into characters and love painting animals. My designs always come from an idea and I often use word play which translates well into greeting cards to make people smile. I try and keep everything very original.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis6Azlz0Ut-bBtuokLFY5MdRkmcjDSozoo-lUFiv6fq53fZyoeuI8Mb6y9SEeUnYcgcwmD0Dg6osiBb22qoCnHiCvVJkdVOMoPDECwRHdEb79t1LDNlJWf9wNVxwsQUxdASH6Z17507UQnf7AHrR_9x2ldfjw-f8XINuFIRzqz-QnagEHOepFRTRdv=s500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis6Azlz0Ut-bBtuokLFY5MdRkmcjDSozoo-lUFiv6fq53fZyoeuI8Mb6y9SEeUnYcgcwmD0Dg6osiBb22qoCnHiCvVJkdVOMoPDECwRHdEb79t1LDNlJWf9wNVxwsQUxdASH6Z17507UQnf7AHrR_9x2ldfjw-f8XINuFIRzqz-QnagEHOepFRTRdv=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></b></div><b><br /><i><br /></i></b><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The best thing about being a creative business owner is doing something I love. I find it fulfilling and very rewarding and can work flexibly whilst raising a family.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</i></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">After years of working in the retail industry, I had it drilled into me that the customer is always right! Which is 100% true! I think that’s the main piece of business advice that has always remained with me and still applies now! And don't be afraid to ask questions! If you don’t understand something just ask. I’m always asking but it's how you learn!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT0SyNDoQ6TSdktYPCC6XjACPNMy_wqmXwEwIK-cGGF0dGkiQSZzWxZfZH818B2hovggoR0c_yuiUvDI7nvihIo5nF1t3Np5W9QA2NWM73Z5iADslcb1r8P0Jaa79ffz--4SNo-I_ETbBPscbism7XnQzpwLmp6XNwEBWoFth5SsEcOXoymce3cSKk=s500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT0SyNDoQ6TSdktYPCC6XjACPNMy_wqmXwEwIK-cGGF0dGkiQSZzWxZfZH818B2hovggoR0c_yuiUvDI7nvihIo5nF1t3Np5W9QA2NWM73Z5iADslcb1r8P0Jaa79ffz--4SNo-I_ETbBPscbism7XnQzpwLmp6XNwEBWoFth5SsEcOXoymce3cSKk=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>What advice would you give other creative businesses starting out?</i></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">My advice to anyone thinking to start their own creative business is firstly go for it! Just go at your own pace and do something you enjoy, if that is your passion and you won’t be able to think of anything else! People often say to me ‘I don’t know how you have the time?!’ But if it's your passion you somehow make the time, it becomes something I look forward to working on every day and the sense of achievement is very rewarding.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i></b> </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Yes I hope to launch my wrapping paper very soon! I’m so excited to add another product area to compliment my cards! </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Alongside this, I'm also really focused on the wholesale side at the moment. In September I launched my cards to wholesale at a </span><span class="yiv8087240232" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">trade show</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> called Top-drawer and through this, I’ve been working on some exclusive designs for Harvey Nichols food halls which has been such a fun opportunity. Easter cards are now in their stores and I have just finished the Christmas designs off!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Where can people find out more about you</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Follow me on instagram @westernsketch </span><a class="yiv8087240232" href="http://www.instagram.com/westernsketch" rel="noreferrer" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/westernsketch</a></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Shop my cards on Etsy </span><a class="yiv8087240232" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/westernsketch" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">www.etsy.com/shop/westernsketch</a></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Visit my website </span><a class="yiv8087240232" href="http://www.westernsketch.co.uk/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">www.westernsketch.co.uk</a></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-34250206443975619762022-02-16T10:25:00.000+00:002022-02-16T10:25:56.697+00:00Creative Business Interview - Mal Made<p><span style="font-size: medium;">I discovered Mal's beautiful illustrations on Instagram and recently we met in real life at the Hepworth Xmas Market where we were both exhibiting. I can remember thinking how lovely it would be to feature his work on my blog - so I'm thrilled he agreed to answer my questions. Find out more about his business and work in the interview below. </span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhriDswml2Q8DYrLAMr5W-tre4uy6NdfWMloz0w1b1LSluolGnlqs5GzqWy2ue1OAFERN7RZAhc7VfSn1b5Ih79ZejL1_mVFIeFH4rz5yv59DG-r2nNQzKdDd6neCS-HSTuv2b-Ua7Ovw9WaxmBvj8k15wu2lNViZrOV5hkrW9bKn5GC2Ns8VqO6bVl=s1440" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhriDswml2Q8DYrLAMr5W-tre4uy6NdfWMloz0w1b1LSluolGnlqs5GzqWy2ue1OAFERN7RZAhc7VfSn1b5Ih79ZejL1_mVFIeFH4rz5yv59DG-r2nNQzKdDd6neCS-HSTuv2b-Ua7Ovw9WaxmBvj8k15wu2lNViZrOV5hkrW9bKn5GC2Ns8VqO6bVl=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span></i></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">For the longest time I worked as a graphic designer but during the pandemic, I decided to take a different creative route and become an illustrator. I’ve done lots of creative jobs in my 20 year career, but illustration has always linked those jobs together.</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">The jump from design to illustration was really fuelled by starting to do a 366 day challenge (it was a leap year) where I would draw something every day for a year. This just happened to be 2020 where for the first time I had a lot of time on my hands and people were on social media way more than usual. I was lucky to have a few insta posts that did really well and my following grew. I started producing prints, getting commissions, and speedily moving away from being a designer.</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">Drawing every day for a year meant my style developed most days until I found what I was happiest drawing. I still draw most days now and still continue to tweak how I draw and I find the constant revision similar to my old job as a designer.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPikaQNXp061wpSoMMYEVOQFdZTenwY0iKZQDk3sCPUaQS5qmtDNGvapeGLtjEbHQEePoqN3rhO-eezFC6iYCr9TvPTJ9ZTfI1bV8EU2h3TEqI2zSYREiGTMwGViYX_zU0-djwWthS_e8flQods-xQZYO-ENLZGHAU2iLxOB8dVxvKpt2WRPW0mZtC=s1378" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1378" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPikaQNXp061wpSoMMYEVOQFdZTenwY0iKZQDk3sCPUaQS5qmtDNGvapeGLtjEbHQEePoqN3rhO-eezFC6iYCr9TvPTJ9ZTfI1bV8EU2h3TEqI2zSYREiGTMwGViYX_zU0-djwWthS_e8flQods-xQZYO-ENLZGHAU2iLxOB8dVxvKpt2WRPW0mZtC=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work? </span></i></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">It’s what I love about the job, my days vary so much and where/how I work is rarely the same from day to day. Some days I find a sunny spot at home or in a cafe, drawing and writing for commissions, other days I make content for Instagram and YouTube in my studio, and sometimes I’m at a market speaking to people. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwVlaff4LQs2HI0p2JbQirA1LEyBNLbnejtP0uUOsGVw_6_WaeaJIiFm1zIIF75D7pgGV1qfZ6LtFYRejL58Emrp4ToB4KauiqaDO__vV4jctgjRYatKQvBO-flxwB9qwF73i9ugTKohzA4YUyIwC3oVZ9p0JEOe-xoIIafmagIIfIX1q1EuHzAsw3=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwVlaff4LQs2HI0p2JbQirA1LEyBNLbnejtP0uUOsGVw_6_WaeaJIiFm1zIIF75D7pgGV1qfZ6LtFYRejL58Emrp4ToB4KauiqaDO__vV4jctgjRYatKQvBO-flxwB9qwF73i9ugTKohzA4YUyIwC3oVZ9p0JEOe-xoIIafmagIIfIX1q1EuHzAsw3=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? </span></i></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 13px;">I</span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"> predominantly use my iPad Pro for drawing and writing. It’s portable and it allows me to create whenever I feel inspired to make something. Having said that, I do have an ever-growing pencil and eraser collection and I have found myself going back to basics which is fun.</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">Some days I take time to explore new mediums like screen printing, 3D and animation. </span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEfM5iskwvWFUjzLyLPJC0AsoIo_B3HyJnOWLI3Xd41x3FsVUmPB2ixIEY5NaQ6ciVPFE2gwLvBdWS6CsckmaeDgQk0p3sQ_MMlY3TA6K2W8BX3cjOWVlN5AXEW3QDTQISx4NDYZYHXZLYtJrBGpmS7Utyf60etp1JVxYDvXgdazqFEGGGLZCsSzXB=s1378" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1378" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEfM5iskwvWFUjzLyLPJC0AsoIo_B3HyJnOWLI3Xd41x3FsVUmPB2ixIEY5NaQ6ciVPFE2gwLvBdWS6CsckmaeDgQk0p3sQ_MMlY3TA6K2W8BX3cjOWVlN5AXEW3QDTQISx4NDYZYHXZLYtJrBGpmS7Utyf60etp1JVxYDvXgdazqFEGGGLZCsSzXB=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</span></i></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">Easy, working when I feel productive, not when I’m told to. I find I’m not that productive in the mornings so I don’t push it, but when the afternoon and evening comes I jump into action. That flexibility is so freeing.</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</span></i></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">Value yourself and know your worth. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjise8xsJ7t2zfEy-eYvdU2xwPOYL-0H2rdSCeI2-tjvoeXpC2Qfvq7oSg79MKH3OeCzZoHEHHQU6mxHqmvc5HlfBQV61-fryRBCRl6pXXZ3V2e6ZNFrI4RkGpdz5A-St8N55ssdgzgX_xKmJkkdNYYLlVM49tsyHFs4uQMKFE0iBI2lePDpsupXqEb=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjise8xsJ7t2zfEy-eYvdU2xwPOYL-0H2rdSCeI2-tjvoeXpC2Qfvq7oSg79MKH3OeCzZoHEHHQU6mxHqmvc5HlfBQV61-fryRBCRl6pXXZ3V2e6ZNFrI4RkGpdz5A-St8N55ssdgzgX_xKmJkkdNYYLlVM49tsyHFs4uQMKFE0iBI2lePDpsupXqEb=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What advice would you give other creative businesses starting out?</span></i></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">My dad once said that “if you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life” - I’ve found this to be true and it’s something I use to base most decisions on. Enjoy what you do and if you don’t, change it.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5v-dB01xrpMMPXYCVhvpUk21DH7qUEL168sQI8jVSkXjg6vzfQPIZnY1C3hq7rHbuM27KTeeNteTg9TAmuyrWSJZlVABr0FRCziqcj7CWM9tRC8eG714fRtSJxePrh683oV6OUT2JbxMh6tFM1v6EOqkwzLG8TrLcAQAfkaQ5njYMa-zgJgV0LgPQ=s1378" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1378" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5v-dB01xrpMMPXYCVhvpUk21DH7qUEL168sQI8jVSkXjg6vzfQPIZnY1C3hq7rHbuM27KTeeNteTg9TAmuyrWSJZlVABr0FRCziqcj7CWM9tRC8eG714fRtSJxePrh683oV6OUT2JbxMh6tFM1v6EOqkwzLG8TrLcAQAfkaQ5njYMa-zgJgV0LgPQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i></span></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">I plan to move into creating self published books. I’ve always wanted to make a book and in the next month or so Ill be launching a Kickstarter to try and make it real.</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">I’ll also be continuing to produce new videos on my YouTube channel (</span><a href="https://youtube.com/channel/UCirAH4sHa62zyprBG6GoD5w" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="background-color: white; color: #196ad4; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://youtube.com/channel/UCirAH4sHa62zyprBG6GoD5w</a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">)</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Where can people find out more about you? </i></span></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">Well, I have a few links 😊</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">My site: <a href="http://www.malmade.com">www.malmade.com</a></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Insta: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mal_made/">@mal_made</a></span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">TikTok: @mal_made</span></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-82729600516989350422021-11-05T10:45:00.004+00:002021-11-05T10:46:22.878+00:00Creative Business Interview - Alix Web of Minii and Maxii<p> Its always a treat to see my graduates flourish - and this months interview is with one of my past students from the course I teach at Staffordshire University - Alix has been busy building up her business which she started during lock down. She creates really lovely prints for kids interiors which I think you will adore and Alix is an all round super women -juggling being a mum and running a business - and she's always happy to help others.</p><p>Read on to find out more......</p><p><b style="color: #70ad47; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #548235;"><span color="windowtext">Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span></span></b></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Minii & Maxii is an online retailer that creates little works of Art for little people, run by me, serial instagrammer, interior obsessed, mama of one, Alix.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">So Minii & Maxii was born the week the pandemic hit in 2020. I had quit my full time Print Design role for a High Street retailer the year before, and was freelancing quite happily, doing some guest lecturing, and doing my own thing when BAM, lockdown happened and the world stood still. I was 13 weeks pregnant and lost all my income. I had always planned in the back of my mind to do something like Minii & Maxii, but it never came to fruition until I was forced to sink or swim. And I am still swimming! I think I lost confidence with my designs working in industry, and put off starting my own brand for a long time!</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">I started on Instagram with 10 designs, and slowly built up more and more designs. During lockdowns I drew, and it became my escapism. I grew Minii & Maxii into a wonderful brand of likeminded mamas who love design, love to connect and support my small business. I grew to over 10,000 followers in the first year, I’ve sold nearly 10,000 pieces of art to homes all over the world, I’ve been featured in The World of Interiors, Home and Garden magazine, I’ve got my own website now, Etsy and Not on the High Street stores and just about to land on my dreamiest stockist ever…Scandiborn. It feels insane and surreal writing that all down!</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX_-ZPjd5_aOzNK0TYYRfX2jd0BKoiiZfk6Qg4nID5mZaUU09fW7zLXpyfsg9pXyqNBMcxgEfOhe0nW82SoYiCvezKOGdfQ-kLpa_6c8LUJLTPsbWICotWLfHN27uG8AYqJzq3P-t1x8/s1170/EC845175-16E5-4E4D-A1AC-AF504D4A8785.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX_-ZPjd5_aOzNK0TYYRfX2jd0BKoiiZfk6Qg4nID5mZaUU09fW7zLXpyfsg9pXyqNBMcxgEfOhe0nW82SoYiCvezKOGdfQ-kLpa_6c8LUJLTPsbWICotWLfHN27uG8AYqJzq3P-t1x8/w452-h640/EC845175-16E5-4E4D-A1AC-AF504D4A8785.JPG" width="452" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #548235;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><span style="color: #548235;"> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b style="color: #70ad47; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #548235;"><span color="windowtext">What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work? </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Well… here’s a bit of background. I started Minii & Maxii when I was 13 weeks pregnant, my business peaked the day I gave birth to Archie, and continued to grow authentically (because I have the best customers ever!), from that day onwards. I went back to work when my son was 6 days old and continued to work around him at home. I quickly learnt that it was not manageable so decided to get myself a studio away from home, where I could go to ‘work’. Completely underestimating what kind of mother I’d be ha! I imagined I would go to my studio 3 days a week whilst Archie was in nursery, but that’s not the case. I absolutely don’t want to be apart from my son anytime soon, SO…(here is the answer to your question!)… The typical day looks like being a mama. Running my social media around my son, creating content in nap time. Answering emails while he sleeps. Writing wonderful ideas for products in my notebook. Connecting with my lovely customers. I have 2 mornings in the studio at the moment, creating new designs, marketing content, updating my websites and shops. Those 2 mornings are quite enough for me, and I am learning to manage my own expectations of not shattering glass ceilings at the moment, as my priorities have changed a little! I’m very lucky my sister manages all my orders so I am able to focus on the creative side of the business, as my time is super limited.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEsZIzU7hesAcdbaut1K_MwhK-j0V-vdstT8fXmPsmKeFVjSxxAKYhufHvXdKQ74ulfs8tBeNxjGIhuEuI6inAX_aREme209dd7vv68aRwM8ueR0dWdmgUduLka4vNxjyXeufxVTLRio/s1094/8ADF9F2D-0741-421E-9D92-950E43B7DFAC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEsZIzU7hesAcdbaut1K_MwhK-j0V-vdstT8fXmPsmKeFVjSxxAKYhufHvXdKQ74ulfs8tBeNxjGIhuEuI6inAX_aREme209dd7vv68aRwM8ueR0dWdmgUduLka4vNxjyXeufxVTLRio/w484-h640/8ADF9F2D-0741-421E-9D92-950E43B7DFAC.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #548235;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b>How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? <span style="color: #548235;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #548235;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">All my designs are hand drawn straight on the Wacom in Photoshop, using the brush tool. I <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">absolutely love designing this way. The freedom of working in layers means I can perfect shapes </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">and textures easily, whilst maintaining the hand drawn look my brand is known for. My favourite <span style="font-size: 11pt;">tool has to be the brush tool with all the different textures. If you look super close at my </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">illustrations, you can see the level of detail and character each animal has!</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8Twq_N4TL5DPXrd0b5Einqy0hvGSmDH7IlY0wUGq2qxAavUDiADdQIhqkq-8FLMmzCgq2DNhGHV7bSWv7VkwoZY9z0KtLoMR26_8RG9U32Go6CA78dJtcbWGJ9NmXpqzf0dY0cy1Q5Y/s1104/2ED46CD0-4569-4F90-8385-2363A5B861B2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8Twq_N4TL5DPXrd0b5Einqy0hvGSmDH7IlY0wUGq2qxAavUDiADdQIhqkq-8FLMmzCgq2DNhGHV7bSWv7VkwoZY9z0KtLoMR26_8RG9U32Go6CA78dJtcbWGJ9NmXpqzf0dY0cy1Q5Y/w480-h640/2ED46CD0-4569-4F90-8385-2363A5B861B2.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p><b style="font-size: 11pt;">What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">So so many things! Having worked in industry, I’d definitely say the biggest benefit for me having my </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">own business right now is flexibility, especially having a baby. Being your own boss is empowering, </p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">setting your own targets, working week and priorities has been so beneficial to my mental health. </p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">For creative people like me, having your own creative direction and vision for where you see your </p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">business and designs going is the ultimate win! (not being bound by margins!)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQ0inykz5l5rsi0N5NRE3d0Ogm4n2pnagGlNCOJdJNiuQFhob2z3mMnFfEoqEUSPkszk5iQ6uAb556lFlFtbe_gziwiKrBZd5Njheu9rID5ysHynyFinNyNwZx9ilS4Dh0mJ0wMSYz5U/s1104/A12F52BC-94CB-40E4-A772-963FE1E0A34B.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQ0inykz5l5rsi0N5NRE3d0Ogm4n2pnagGlNCOJdJNiuQFhob2z3mMnFfEoqEUSPkszk5iQ6uAb556lFlFtbe_gziwiKrBZd5Njheu9rID5ysHynyFinNyNwZx9ilS4Dh0mJ0wMSYz5U/w480-h640/A12F52BC-94CB-40E4-A772-963FE1E0A34B.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b style="font-size: 11pt;">What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #548235;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS come back to this. It may sound of context, as one of my best friends </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">is in property, but she said to me ‘While I am worrying about what plumber to use, I’ve focused my </p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">attentions away from my next million dollar idea’. What her advice was, was not to sweat the small stuff. While she was worrying about tradesmen fitting a loo, she could have missed out on her next property that would be lifechanging. From then on I learnt to delegate smaller jobs out to people that wanted to help my business grow. It’s super hard when your business is your baby (like mine!), but allowing myself to free up time to focus on areas that would see growth, development and creativeness was far more important than packing envelopes. The time I get in the studio now is purely creative and focussed on the next big thing!</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZCyK7tFuZKX8ZpGojg-emUdQgw_LR_vT9T6Ky5yeE3xCcb7mzy4ztxHln35VOzB41EP9xJsKWtxWEE1r97V9cKaE7pmro1A4XAMdpndtbznpXGLaFN1a4NUQYUJX63y1-GzDFY_LAEc/s1104/C552DB0F-4438-4071-8375-59D86C3C9A67.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZCyK7tFuZKX8ZpGojg-emUdQgw_LR_vT9T6Ky5yeE3xCcb7mzy4ztxHln35VOzB41EP9xJsKWtxWEE1r97V9cKaE7pmro1A4XAMdpndtbznpXGLaFN1a4NUQYUJX63y1-GzDFY_LAEc/w480-h640/C552DB0F-4438-4071-8375-59D86C3C9A67.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #548235;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b style="font-size: 11pt;">What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #548235;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b>Do it because you love it, not to make money. </b>Yes you’re starting a business to make money, BUT if that is at the forefront of every communication, post and product you just wont connect with your target audience. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b>Be authentic, be YOU. You are your unique selling point. </b>You’re wonderful and creative and your set of skills are unique to YOU. Be your own cheerleader and sing from the rooftops. Create a brand that embodies YOU, let the world see you and your art! <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b>Rome wasn’t built in a day. </b>As deflating as it is, things take time. There will be weeks without sales (we’ve all been there!). Don’t quit on a bad day. Just keep consistent and you will create a community that loves your creations as much as you do. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAwhvLYjTy94YMghftGpCkCUDtFRNsTCIlkDQsQ9RFhFFpz5h3T9YCAy25lvrQrmNqMkjWwJFb5xFt1KZoC_LrDqzylEaG0l6vMx-mNgZ9Q53lgqZiyGOX-HYCKEbnxHP2_f1-Me7qZI/s1170/F03EF426-45B5-438E-9528-714B08E69F08.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAwhvLYjTy94YMghftGpCkCUDtFRNsTCIlkDQsQ9RFhFFpz5h3T9YCAy25lvrQrmNqMkjWwJFb5xFt1KZoC_LrDqzylEaG0l6vMx-mNgZ9Q53lgqZiyGOX-HYCKEbnxHP2_f1-Me7qZI/w452-h640/F03EF426-45B5-438E-9528-714B08E69F08.JPG" width="452" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future<span style="color: #548235;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">So many plans! I’m super excited to have announced last month I am a new stockist for Scandiborn, which is just an incredible milestone for Minii & Maxii. I’ve got so many new collections and products that I am working on, and would love to work on, BUT Rome wasn’t built in a day, and my son wont stay tiny for long. So those things will come when they will come. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;">A very exciting thing is happening with my studio though! I’ve got such a creative space, which is only being used 2 mornings a week, SO, I’m about to launch a really exciting new venture call Sisu Studio, where local creative businesses can come, network, co-work, hire the space for workshops, courses and meetings and use our equipment. Super exciting! <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mEsNPKOPVHVD63gaNUKaY8ILmb8AdBjMmQ_1MJ-ssJixFdEOXeUAkPqpNGgeR11zFYhke6MihXEQUK1o0hTS9NSi0GrylU6365e2uYZ0KJrXknlgbPyRcZYLltrdmUAAbwM4od34V14/s1102/9EB0EA78-B02C-4166-AC89-4873C527F8FC.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="826" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mEsNPKOPVHVD63gaNUKaY8ILmb8AdBjMmQ_1MJ-ssJixFdEOXeUAkPqpNGgeR11zFYhke6MihXEQUK1o0hTS9NSi0GrylU6365e2uYZ0KJrXknlgbPyRcZYLltrdmUAAbwM4od34V14/w480-h640/9EB0EA78-B02C-4166-AC89-4873C527F8FC.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: #548235;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b>Where can people find out more about you? <span style="color: #548235;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;">I am a serial instagrammer! You can join our community of mamas @miniiandmaxii, where you’ll discover gorgeous children’s interiors, art and general mama chat. You can shop our little works of Art at <a href="http://www.miniiandmaxii.com/" style="color: #0563c1;">www.miniiandmaxii.com</a> and on Etsy and Not on the Highstreet (and soon Scandiborn!). <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;">If you’re Nottingham based and would love to join the Sisu community of small business creatives then follow @sisustudionotts for updates coming soon. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #3b3838; font-size: 11pt;">Thank you,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #3b3838; font-size: 11pt;">Alix </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #3b3838; font-size: 11pt;">Owner of Minii & Maxii</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #c39b5a; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.miniiandmaxii.com/" style="color: #0563c1;">www.miniiandmaxii.com</a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/miniiandmaxii/" style="color: #0563c1;">https://www.instagram.com/miniiandmaxii/</a></span></p></div>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-21393937738948810662021-06-29T08:20:00.000+01:002021-06-29T08:20:01.155+01:00Creative Business Interview - Kate Kelly<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I love it when people combine print with something 3 dimensional - and this is one of the reasons I was drawn to Kate's paper sculptures. Wise words and some good advice as well as beautiful work, and if you want to meet her pet parrots then be sure to go follow her on social media - I'm sure you're going to enjoy finding out more...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGweBc8fk8eK8T3N7hH5CpjvCYAkRZHt7QvLUnCBnTHM1IcQXqzQfon2vytdnkqjnrJM5FYVLbtt1S4myNMAKOcSDDYN1yDB7HpK6qhG5qHR1QP8EYUM82LFVFiJUHi6hatvUb3s9d_8/s2048/KAPER+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGweBc8fk8eK8T3N7hH5CpjvCYAkRZHt7QvLUnCBnTHM1IcQXqzQfon2vytdnkqjnrJM5FYVLbtt1S4myNMAKOcSDDYN1yDB7HpK6qhG5qHR1QP8EYUM82LFVFiJUHi6hatvUb3s9d_8/w640-h640/KAPER+me.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p>Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I make playful paper sculptures, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">mostly</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> of birds and flowers, using hand printed papers. I fell in love with printmaking on my art foundation course and combined that with 3d sculpture building after my degree. I’ve been in business nearly 15 years now, but I’m not sure I actively decided to set up a creative business, since I’m not remotely a forward planner! I was lucky enough to be offered various opportunities at New Designers and that led me down the rabbit hole! I’m really grateful for that, because I absolutely love my job </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">and I’m not sure I would have been brave enough </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">left to my own volition</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I can easily have a panic attack just thinking about applying for things! </span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81cDzsfMZvPlCoFd_oY4Fl3tBo7plxuhVZ1kHOEEhhs-4Npv2O5tQcvaEaN2sAGgCd4fuO7zaIqHW5b_p9EFL8z3d-HI9MRU3GeBoDktOnV3uhN6RjMlYk0zY_b7oxjz_VX9jG_NmT1g/s2048/KAPER+owl+making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81cDzsfMZvPlCoFd_oY4Fl3tBo7plxuhVZ1kHOEEhhs-4Npv2O5tQcvaEaN2sAGgCd4fuO7zaIqHW5b_p9EFL8z3d-HI9MRU3GeBoDktOnV3uhN6RjMlYk0zY_b7oxjz_VX9jG_NmT1g/w640-h640/KAPER+owl+making.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>What is your typical work day like?</i></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I have rescue parrots, so </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> start early with the dawn chorus! They are the ultimate sticklers for routine, so they really help to structure my day. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I work in the attic at home, at a massive desk under a giant south facing window, so the light is lovely. I </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">have a view of</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> the garden, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">rooftops</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> and miles of clouds. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Mornings usually involve computer work, afternoons </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I spend making and evenings are for doodling and designing, or messy jobs like screen printing, which isn’t practical during the day with a parrot on my shoulder! </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Break times involve parrot tricks and pecans.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_BrzMjQem8eIxFz0aMzKlljWghXbeHgZMMbEORasslXHxlvpoRHuznVy1JgXSdH44-SHR0RvFLOmZFBjmkUEX8QdV6vW8hhjNwmUKp3GND-xaxry6-PfZ4xTYXVOt84XAcTThmcnTQI/s2048/KAPER+rufous+naped+tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_BrzMjQem8eIxFz0aMzKlljWghXbeHgZMMbEORasslXHxlvpoRHuznVy1JgXSdH44-SHR0RvFLOmZFBjmkUEX8QdV6vW8hhjNwmUKp3GND-xaxry6-PfZ4xTYXVOt84XAcTThmcnTQI/w640-h640/KAPER+rufous+naped+tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>What’s your favourite thing to create and why? Where do you get your inspiration from?</i></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">The best part of making things for me is designing, so my newest thing is always my favourite! </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I’m a really seasonal maker, so whatever I see in bloom on a walk, or if Instagram/a nature programme shows me some delightful hatchlings somewhere in a rainforest across the globe, I’m immediately doodling and figuring out how to make it.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYcbTMZQopGIBy6XhJ2c7SrXzgpJXGXVbltGKbo12IurJDkEbDzQ2CUyipSA5kARJgdmMyoDzcE1ZvqACBfOzBCqkowaSUB6WsyXfmqHH1Qwim3sVtA7ugz5iZEW5hhnZ5getIbUBtUs/s2048/KAPER+hydrangea+making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYcbTMZQopGIBy6XhJ2c7SrXzgpJXGXVbltGKbo12IurJDkEbDzQ2CUyipSA5kARJgdmMyoDzcE1ZvqACBfOzBCqkowaSUB6WsyXfmqHH1Qwim3sVtA7ugz5iZEW5hhnZ5getIbUBtUs/w640-h640/KAPER+hydrangea+making.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I<i>f you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?</i></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">wish it hadn’t taken me quite so long to realise that making happy paper things has value. I</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> resisted being a paper artist for a while. I had this idea that other materials were better because they were strong and sturdy or would lend themselves to more functional design. Eventually though, that just led to me problem solving how to design the strongest </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">paper structures I could. And the chip on my shoulder about needing to create functional pieces fell away too. B</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">ringing a bit of cheer to somebody’s decor</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">is </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">a nice thing</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> and hopefully my work puts a smile on somebody’s face. </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPojkjRkc9V1Klw3J_ma0kKEe4bHYOoe7qBjA1b8R2dApV-VMgt0UR26xOI-JZOB8ih-KlOPSEwtRRAZD1qMS8IXmya910LkBL-MLm3Ue9aEwOpl4fXcI90AAFdmdK0xTIB1_aUQLYTBE/s2048/KAPER+barn+owl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPojkjRkc9V1Klw3J_ma0kKEe4bHYOoe7qBjA1b8R2dApV-VMgt0UR26xOI-JZOB8ih-KlOPSEwtRRAZD1qMS8IXmya910LkBL-MLm3Ue9aEwOpl4fXcI90AAFdmdK0xTIB1_aUQLYTBE/w640-h640/KAPER+barn+owl.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Being my own boss! Every risk, every failure, every success is mine. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I earn it and I own it and there’s something quite empowering about that.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">And other creative business owners. It’s a fabulous group of people to be among.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTflNAkxodabb-wIusIan50QFoLq06yuJNli_MIQUUxA1bZwNlcPR46F-dV4fXxXLzVSJcu69mLD8p2K0R1nYOTaed5rhVSgwRFxi3UADbymkwpondRfPiC0yi-liIIqoaYisGEJMdxtA/s2048/KAPER+hydrangea+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTflNAkxodabb-wIusIan50QFoLq06yuJNli_MIQUUxA1bZwNlcPR46F-dV4fXxXLzVSJcu69mLD8p2K0R1nYOTaed5rhVSgwRFxi3UADbymkwpondRfPiC0yi-liIIqoaYisGEJMdxtA/w640-h640/KAPER+hydrangea+flowers.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>And what’s the toughest?</i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Probably income fluctuation. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I don’t have a second job, so there is no safety net.</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> There’s no guarantee that any money is coming in at all from month to month. It’s not for everyone!</span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2FWFXSlEGvUNFSYhBIHPwlvII5oO1yL8U1hkp47kgiaUHVVzEgXzVTlC28i7NDtklynXdnJou3BEC_0BYjZp8hxE0sHd_2htNDy1u4yJvQfDlS5oigBb9u3nbJNnV0PqzXlaWKt69-U/s2048/kaper+squirrel+sculpture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2045" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2FWFXSlEGvUNFSYhBIHPwlvII5oO1yL8U1hkp47kgiaUHVVzEgXzVTlC28i7NDtklynXdnJou3BEC_0BYjZp8hxE0sHd_2htNDy1u4yJvQfDlS5oigBb9u3nbJNnV0PqzXlaWKt69-U/w640-h640/kaper+squirrel+sculpture.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #222222;"><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</i></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Patricia from The Design Trust likes to say ‘Be Marmite’. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lots of</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> people aren’t going to </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">like your work, and that’s okay. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">You can’t please everybody. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Your audience are the ones that fall in love with </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">what you do. </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vmU7nf8hrWg1AXlWu9Sb96ypu80xxZWKEtGvbxYPZ3xUvMG_q_0RiZeFp6J4MUPmZQCOUcFkMxH8RgjHuigQdMTNvABaGMjCS_VO9-ObtjfLRtOAFOUdMa-dwJ6unJvg4Ti6X-rpSG0/s2048/KAPER+Two+for+joy+magpies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vmU7nf8hrWg1AXlWu9Sb96ypu80xxZWKEtGvbxYPZ3xUvMG_q_0RiZeFp6J4MUPmZQCOUcFkMxH8RgjHuigQdMTNvABaGMjCS_VO9-ObtjfLRtOAFOUdMa-dwJ6unJvg4Ti6X-rpSG0/w640-h640/KAPER+Two+for+joy+magpies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</i></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Be yourself. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I think what you make says a lot about who you are as a person and that’s a fairly vulnerable thing. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I spent a lot of time thinking I had to make things that were functional and useful in order to be considered valuable. That’s not really how it works. Making things you love, that interest you, has value. People </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">can see that in your making. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">My business didn’t get its feet off the ground until I embraced that.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I have more design ideas than I could ever work through in my lifetime, so I’m always looking forward to making new work! </span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I’d like to expand on my workshops and paper model kits. I find making things so therapeutic and it’s nice to think people might enjoy </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">an afternoon</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> making something I have designed. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">I’m currently working on some dragons, penguins and a dodo.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Where can people find out more about you? </i></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">My website is <a href="http://www.kapermenagerie.com/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: navy;">www.kapermenagerie.com</span></a> and I’m on social media @kaperkate<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-44650003049947482542021-05-31T09:58:00.003+01:002021-05-31T10:00:39.352+01:00Creative Business Interview - Judy Andrews - Graphic Designer and Creative Director of Tickety Boo Creative<p><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><span>I first came across Judy on Instagram, and I was </span><span>drawn</span><span> to her bold use of colour and type - we share a </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">love</span><span> of riso and being </span><span>optimists, </span><span>so when she agreed to be interviewed for the blog I was super happy! Read more about her and her new magazine The Joy of Type which is coming soon...</span></span></span></b></p><p><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"></span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlsj8-W-4wj-qWY2TdFjKe2UF1wUIMFyRjtE6lO7prRWbEz6p_rH-MwJUEFWvi4n2_dB9pB5dLaCslWnzHe0DtTtz0psw2fldwjXZgnyNiN4ntBPQ-nYI8KA65b9Tab5CRoogM4MvjGM/s2048/JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2048" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlsj8-W-4wj-qWY2TdFjKe2UF1wUIMFyRjtE6lO7prRWbEz6p_rH-MwJUEFWvi4n2_dB9pB5dLaCslWnzHe0DtTtz0psw2fldwjXZgnyNiN4ntBPQ-nYI8KA65b9Tab5CRoogM4MvjGM/w640-h512/JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></b></div><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><p style="font-size: 11pt;"><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><br /></span></b></p>Tell us a bit about your business – what do you do? </span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I actually have two creative businesses, my personal art and also my design agency, Tickety Boo Creative. My background is in graphic design and I’ve been in the commercial industry for 20 years. I describe myself as a designer and optimist and it’s my aim to inspire and empower others through creativity. My work is typographic, bold, with bucket loads of colour. My prints are mainly Risograph and it’s my dream one day to own my own Risograph machine.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rvLITmDSEt8e9uqyaXz2PVHtryFWIE1oL80PkBuHoOzotgmt6jvOtqSPWcrei2TyuZxC-A6JN5j5Maw_CkRv1dXrfbtcF5OKjLJUtxyxL_VcRw7wbOdb_2XJt-yNZizbfp_KWBzR0vo/s2048/My_studio_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rvLITmDSEt8e9uqyaXz2PVHtryFWIE1oL80PkBuHoOzotgmt6jvOtqSPWcrei2TyuZxC-A6JN5j5Maw_CkRv1dXrfbtcF5OKjLJUtxyxL_VcRw7wbOdb_2XJt-yNZizbfp_KWBzR0vo/w640-h640/My_studio_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I originally started my art business in 2015, just before the birth of my son. I worked as a Creative Director at a design agency and wanted a creative outlet while on maternity leave. And so glad I did, while on maternity leave I discovered a love of hand drawn typography. And now my work is a mix of hand lettering and my own geometric type.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I then set up my design agency in 2018 after I wanted more flexibility as I had my little boy. As an agency being flexible is something we really embrace; we were all remote working before everyone else was.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I now spend my time between both businesses which I love as each one helps to inspire the other.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichmeme6GuRF5_fUSFXgc-A2EinNzr8VWWhCX_EuPna1JVli-cj2PvlD_v9KGtjc5Dpj3v7Yyr9QCTSauoZV6HnSyBWceZj4QSsOmK2t83VfO7npP53PQ8yg7Rv0Y_7XeGUDRRTzTtbAQ/s2048/CREATIVITY_TEE_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichmeme6GuRF5_fUSFXgc-A2EinNzr8VWWhCX_EuPna1JVli-cj2PvlD_v9KGtjc5Dpj3v7Yyr9QCTSauoZV6HnSyBWceZj4QSsOmK2t83VfO7npP53PQ8yg7Rv0Y_7XeGUDRRTzTtbAQ/w640-h640/CREATIVITY_TEE_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">What is your typical work day like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">What I love is that no two days are the same, especially at the moment as I’m kind of on maternity leave after the birth of my little girl.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I usually start the day checking my emails as I have overseas clients with my design business. I’ll also check social media. I try to post once a day and at the moment it’s not planned but I’d like this to be more structured. During the day I fit my work in around naps and I usually catch up with my design agency team in the afternoon. I’m very lucky to have support from my husband, he always takes care of our little girl when I’m in meetings and he also packs up and posts all my orders for me.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_55k593SCaaBJEKj18vgvIYYPYh9MMSwFJvtmPtVf5u9n93gJ0sdFgBH81tf0_Ogd8C_Zjcv7jiDfwQITxxscS5n0gTenUWsL-yiJGT8wEmJHvEA96m8W-5IqYM8JQV6wLuIp-9fQcc/s2048/Sketching_in_studio__JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2048" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_55k593SCaaBJEKj18vgvIYYPYh9MMSwFJvtmPtVf5u9n93gJ0sdFgBH81tf0_Ogd8C_Zjcv7jiDfwQITxxscS5n0gTenUWsL-yiJGT8wEmJHvEA96m8W-5IqYM8JQV6wLuIp-9fQcc/w640-h512/Sketching_in_studio__JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">Then work starts for me once my two little ones are in bed around 7.30 and I’ll try and do a couple of hours. My day finishes with writing in my journal, this helps me process the day and when most of my ideas happen.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Montserrat;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">What’s your favourite thing to create and why? Where do you get your inspiration from?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">Oh, this is a hard one, I love all my typographic prints, a couple of years ago I did a <i>365 days of type</i> challenge and it really pushed my creativity. The final design I created for the challenge was ‘Creativity is a way of life’ and I now think it’s my favourite design. I love how it resonates with so many people. It’s my best selling T-Shirt design.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEa96PmJcV2MKGu8EyoalRskOLQyJgmSmk4QxSRjbylRb2c973AwGctR9kwoZwsJxaMTvi1Do_lo5HxKXzMUA4i-wVWsrqnFotaIBnTFuYglFs2HOfEbjDrClCuzoGy9pT_T0LVv0nSo/s2048/joy+of+type+-+insta+posts_launch_artwork+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEa96PmJcV2MKGu8EyoalRskOLQyJgmSmk4QxSRjbylRb2c973AwGctR9kwoZwsJxaMTvi1Do_lo5HxKXzMUA4i-wVWsrqnFotaIBnTFuYglFs2HOfEbjDrClCuzoGy9pT_T0LVv0nSo/w512-h640/joy+of+type+-+insta+posts_launch_artwork+1.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I get inspiration from everywhere, I never switch off. I’m always taking photos of things I’ve seen, keeping articles I’ve read, writing down quotes and words. I go to car boot sales and charity shops. I’m a big fan of magazines, commercial and independent. I also love going to art galleries, my favourite is the V&A – it’s such an incredible place.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">If you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">Yes definitely, when I started my business I didn’t have an aim or vision I just knew I wanted to create, so my product range and designs were not coherent. Last year I rebranded with a clear vision. I went from a very long named business <i>‘A Spoonful of Sugar & Co UK’ </i>to my name ‘<i>Judy Andrew</i>s’. I’m now much more focussed as an artist and feel more confident.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXgsnDvdDC8ZGXSSRbdn7kK_5DRmu4Lsk4d7pDYL0ztiT2a-aA6Y_sabajpT-DD_YkNUapdkmtD9MXRGU320CccmsZYd5VqhA8dX0SGx4JG9zmLAWDZoZIFMFEdJsKrcDMANyY8VpxQ4/s1181/RISOGRAPH_PRINTING_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1181" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXgsnDvdDC8ZGXSSRbdn7kK_5DRmu4Lsk4d7pDYL0ztiT2a-aA6Y_sabajpT-DD_YkNUapdkmtD9MXRGU320CccmsZYd5VqhA8dX0SGx4JG9zmLAWDZoZIFMFEdJsKrcDMANyY8VpxQ4/w640-h480/RISOGRAPH_PRINTING_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">That’s simple – being in control of my time. This is really important for me as both a creative person and a mum.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Montserrat;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">What’s the toughest thing about being a creative business owner?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">Comparing myself to others, I do this too much especially on social media. I know I need to focus more on what I’m doing.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Montserrat;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWzfpROn_fZNkVHUKQc_KFp33qFc0Y6VV5jEYD5Nh8ii9Dw1LzSACsitOgmnhiKWqXpeQYQz1TiBWxNzbMicKnwcZSIl06o-c95da0BgYaGLgAWK544R2IkbwXig7oGRVsl_-ONmwK2U/s2048/Believe_in_yourself_risograph_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWzfpROn_fZNkVHUKQc_KFp33qFc0Y6VV5jEYD5Nh8ii9Dw1LzSACsitOgmnhiKWqXpeQYQz1TiBWxNzbMicKnwcZSIl06o-c95da0BgYaGLgAWK544R2IkbwXig7oGRVsl_-ONmwK2U/w480-h640/Believe_in_yourself_risograph_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Montserrat;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Montserrat;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">That business is all about, people, product, profit, in that order.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Montserrat;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">What advice would you give other creative businesses starting out?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">Work out your focus/vision from the start, it will save you time and energy in the long run, and help give you confidence.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWB5wSrkzuhBwFQxBRG7CTdua1SHn5E6ylLKlA5LxWG9V9QTsCUTT2H6RdBd1F7R6yNphLpd08f7sows_4A34GJjLwm-_O13gJrPDRmv98LDMOa3HlUASkgZx_1ZfICbrdVl8yn1EdYEM/s2048/Make_it_happen_risograph_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWB5wSrkzuhBwFQxBRG7CTdua1SHn5E6ylLKlA5LxWG9V9QTsCUTT2H6RdBd1F7R6yNphLpd08f7sows_4A34GJjLwm-_O13gJrPDRmv98LDMOa3HlUASkgZx_1ZfICbrdVl8yn1EdYEM/w512-h640/Make_it_happen_risograph_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I have many plans, I’m currently working on a magazine ‘<i>Joy of type</i>’ which is a new magazine blending art, type and positivity. Sharing the work and stories of the creators with the hope of bringing joy to everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">I’m also looking to move soon so I can have a dedicated print studio where I can do my own screen printing and have space for a Risograph machine. This will allow me to be able to experiment more with my designs.<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK9DmTYAcHyw6yTOy0sw7p0qb5jGseINP9Lwu-AnkgJCsmNZ2eelWyZ2FurJ0m4rkiX7ioS-CqiYwb0dZ7QRpIXNLo-q5m0pLR6sIB4FJs9xs1W9pJ0mgj2CWjP8O22F0UmZLbl7UUOc/s2048/SKETCHING_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK9DmTYAcHyw6yTOy0sw7p0qb5jGseINP9Lwu-AnkgJCsmNZ2eelWyZ2FurJ0m4rkiX7ioS-CqiYwb0dZ7QRpIXNLo-q5m0pLR6sIB4FJs9xs1W9pJ0mgj2CWjP8O22F0UmZLbl7UUOc/w512-h640/SKETCHING_JUDY_ANDREWS.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">Where can people find out more about you? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">For my art you can find me at </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.judyandrews.co.uk/"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #1155cc; font-family: Montserrat;">judyandrews.co.uk</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"> / </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/judy_andrews_/"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #1155cc; font-family: Montserrat;">@judy_andrews_</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">My design agency is </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.ticketyboocreative.co.uk/"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #1155cc; font-family: Montserrat;">ticketyboocreative.co.uk</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"> / </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/weareticketyboo/"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #1155cc; font-family: Montserrat;">@weareticketyboo</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;">And my latest venture, </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.joyoftype.com/"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #1155cc; font-family: Montserrat;">joyoftype.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat;"> / </span><span lang="EN"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #1155cc; font-family: Montserrat;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/joyoftype/">@joyoftype</a></span></span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfP-2LJK6gobQ-tctPUD_9wPCmhleuc7NS81XGfzrS8fd_nXgyS891weFBihoyflmDfglmV0XqfNCUti1JAC8Cyzjltj-_io_-iTityS1qs9Z-Qy6bLbkzbJMwRiFO6FXwwVSkEdq_MY/s2048/JudyAndrews-HB-98.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfP-2LJK6gobQ-tctPUD_9wPCmhleuc7NS81XGfzrS8fd_nXgyS891weFBihoyflmDfglmV0XqfNCUti1JAC8Cyzjltj-_io_-iTityS1qs9Z-Qy6bLbkzbJMwRiFO6FXwwVSkEdq_MY/w640-h428/JudyAndrews-HB-98.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN"><br /></span><p></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-19511789496430784752021-05-03T11:11:00.004+01:002021-05-03T11:18:01.899+01:00Creative Business Interview - Keeley Traae Design - 3D Designer Maker<p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I have a bit of a different type of print method for this months creative business interview - Keeley Traae is a 3D printer of beautiful vessels which I know you are just going to love. Read on to find out more..</span></p><p><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nX5Fc-A4vpkBxoLUCUTr7ARac0Yw2UMH69Vv4_erg3jqvE94UAWIV-TlzDa2_vbyPpp6AJnjDBDg1CDVrCXtkFk3L_F2g5GXokI7Phy7E1fHUNH-s8V1dPaPdpmFJZTWDicBBLQEiM0/s2048/DSC_0059+copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1615" data-original-width="2048" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nX5Fc-A4vpkBxoLUCUTr7ARac0Yw2UMH69Vv4_erg3jqvE94UAWIV-TlzDa2_vbyPpp6AJnjDBDg1CDVrCXtkFk3L_F2g5GXokI7Phy7E1fHUNH-s8V1dPaPdpmFJZTWDicBBLQEiM0/w640-h504/DSC_0059+copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><p><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span></b></p></span></b><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">I am a Designer Maker based in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire. My background is in mostly ceramic product design and design management. I am now enjoying exploring digital craft through 3D printing in commercially compostable materials. My new ‘hello beautiful’ collection recently launched through my online shop in March 2021 expresses my love of form, textural surfaces, geometries found in nature and colour. I am excited by the endless possibilities this design technology offers with each piece being unique, the nature of the process is often unpredictable resulting in all kinds of surprises. Sustainability is at the core of my business model, with my printing materials being made from renewable resources and all packaging being recyclable.<o:p style="font-size: 9pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtX1cCABBsCJ6AX6D0fGfnLvYbcGIWDbRFKiSFB4VlzJLSri0dE7qfw6lyais8kLHYYKahExv5j13aAJ3ZotcC3GsVtrfNsdTz8JiFLgAdNoKGUnDUKasEFIZbDtcEJCt59I2Xg2KmkU/s2048/DSC_0346+copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtX1cCABBsCJ6AX6D0fGfnLvYbcGIWDbRFKiSFB4VlzJLSri0dE7qfw6lyais8kLHYYKahExv5j13aAJ3ZotcC3GsVtrfNsdTz8JiFLgAdNoKGUnDUKasEFIZbDtcEJCt59I2Xg2KmkU/w640-h428/DSC_0346+copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">I am also a </span><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">design consultant <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2pt;">offering my expertise to clients who wish to create exciting and meaningful product collections. I create mood boards and concept development, provide 3D surfaces for shape design and prototyping, and finally create technical drawings for manufacture in ceramics, metals, glass and wood. From October 2020 I have also had the exciting opportunity to become a visiting lecturer on the Staffordshire University 3D Designer Maker BA (Hons) course. As a mixed material course, I can work with students not only with their ceramic designs and making processes but also with many other materials and objects such as furniture and jewellery. It is certainly very rewarding to work with the next generation of creatives!</span><o:p style="font-size: 9pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5AlpGGkglMapFPBwPGdrNt2g_3vb5KLEonY1JdWSgGY9mjQVYdmmYtmBGDSMNWcGTM8wAFuxMM3XGLSC9QTgdA9lbCEw9hLobhgtSu2X1_sdBkORbbPDb2K_rKELY88ssL-ps3AVuyY/s2048/creative+process+page+1+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5AlpGGkglMapFPBwPGdrNt2g_3vb5KLEonY1JdWSgGY9mjQVYdmmYtmBGDSMNWcGTM8wAFuxMM3XGLSC9QTgdA9lbCEw9hLobhgtSu2X1_sdBkORbbPDb2K_rKELY88ssL-ps3AVuyY/w640-h428/creative+process+page+1+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">What’s been the biggest challenge getting started?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">This first year of business has had so many challenges for me both personally and professionally. The biggest challenge was building my website which took me 5 weeks on and off. A big shout out to my husband https://www.instagram.com/dominicmarshalldesign/ for my branding design and daughter </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/hildagoose/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">https://www.instagram.com/hildagoose/</span></a><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"> for the website photography, It’s a family affair.<br />I used a Squarespace template which I now love as its very easy to edit the content, update the online shop, publish my blog posts and monitor visitor traffic. Next on the to do list is mastering the ‘art of the newsletter’ and really getting to grips with my email marketing. These are all things that I had been exposed to in my previous roles but never had the need to develop myself. I am by no means a marketeer and realise that to run a successful small design business you have to be not only good at design but marketing, photography, budgeting, bookkeeping and spreadsheet generation (all the fun stuff !) <o:p style="font-size: 9pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-qoDiAKdcbppel4rWza2voqabPq31_8PmMmcg1C13hl46X7WGtnCfBPZrTBuxRxKIiN7pQBHeysHYM6q3wKOR00Ja1VVO1ob2OmHTvw6vg0KNyr5CWzgTbPZTlK34C8pQYLYR9V1_Bc/s2048/IMG_3192.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-qoDiAKdcbppel4rWza2voqabPq31_8PmMmcg1C13hl46X7WGtnCfBPZrTBuxRxKIiN7pQBHeysHYM6q3wKOR00Ja1VVO1ob2OmHTvw6vg0KNyr5CWzgTbPZTlK34C8pQYLYR9V1_Bc/w480-h640/IMG_3192.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><br />And what’s been the most exciting part of starting your business?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">The most exciting part has been realising my ideas in 3D through my printer which sits humming away next to my studio desk. Initially creating this collection of mini vases for fun, I decided to take the plunge and launch it to the outside world after receiving many encouraging comments on Instagram. I have just secured my second wholesale order after only 5 weeks of business and its feels fantastic. Also being selected to be part of the </span><a href="https://www.findamaker.co.uk/Keeley-Traae-Design/Maker/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">https://www.findamaker.co.uk/Keeley-Traae-Design/Maker/</span></a><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"> is wonderful and I am still pinching myself to be honest. I feel blessed to be part of this new creative community run by Craft Festival, a show I have followed for some years.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VA1yiWXbP-fmZO-hd6C0yXkoATuD2hnIWOhxWIpVlk7CHYyjXThnLCNUu2StDwwxsxN9Qwzj0tWftaGmZ9kp-qf_Y6GWVn_aWF9GDdyDThotWdpR535K52VoCq0I2sz4xH7SJZ-ySbQ/s2048/IMG_3272+copy+2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VA1yiWXbP-fmZO-hd6C0yXkoATuD2hnIWOhxWIpVlk7CHYyjXThnLCNUu2StDwwxsxN9Qwzj0tWftaGmZ9kp-qf_Y6GWVn_aWF9GDdyDThotWdpR535K52VoCq0I2sz4xH7SJZ-ySbQ/w640-h640/IMG_3272+copy+2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">What is your typical day like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">Funnily enough I have not used my alarm clock since working from home March 2020, I wake up at 7 ish and as my commute takes approximately 30 seconds I try and be at my desk for 8am. I first check emails, and respond to any enquiries, note any orders through my online shop, check any messages on Instagram and linked in and then I am set for the day. Whatever I am working on I try and set off a design to print in the morning and then after lunch. If I have orders I will prepare the product for posting out. If I am working on a client brief I might spend the day sketching, creating mood boards and researching their brand and current design trends. I prefer to get straight into 3D in my CAD programme once the design process starts, as I can quickly explore different forms and solutions. If it's a teaching day I arrive at Uni before 9am to catch up with the course leader before the day commences. I might find myself in the ceramic workshops helping with practical plaster modelling and mould making, in the casting and glaze rooms, or having one to one catch ups with students to give feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">As this is still a fledgling business, I often find myself returning to my desk after dinner in the evening and have been working 6 days a week for some time. I know that I need to find a better work life balance but to be honest as we are still restricted in our movements I really don’t mind as I am enjoying this new adventure and still learning something new every day.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXTsuaYEF0rFFwMAmtSdTbbXxahjBovbl_01O_pS2AaGa2KZtQQdRoKd_w12rMKoG6AedjJ10g4KUvBEQYB-M6ohG4kDym6wJP1uYFs2O26YSEiJ7p-AsBGE4nmZc8sUr4orN072XSt0/s2048/DSC_0258+copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXTsuaYEF0rFFwMAmtSdTbbXxahjBovbl_01O_pS2AaGa2KZtQQdRoKd_w12rMKoG6AedjJ10g4KUvBEQYB-M6ohG4kDym6wJP1uYFs2O26YSEiJ7p-AsBGE4nmZc8sUr4orN072XSt0/w640-h428/DSC_0258+copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">You use 3D printing to create your pieces - tell us more about the process and the materials.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">After a year of self-discovery and exploration of the 3D printing world (prepare yourself for some nerdy acronyms) I invested in a FDM printer which prints 3D objects using filament materials. I design my objects in Rhino software and export the surfaces to a slicing programme called Cura. This software creates a G code (basically a building plan of action for the 3D shape) which I then save to a memory stick and pop into the printer before preparing the machine to print. There are lots of choices for sustainable filament materials available and I choose the materials based on my colour palette and the interesting makeup of the material. The wood filaments for example are comprised of 40% wood shavings and PLA (Polylactic acid) which is derived from plants like rice, potato and corn, they feel, look and even smell like wood. All materials I use are commercially biodegradable which is really important to me, as we all know the world needs to reduce its petroleum-based plastics significantly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">I am looking forward to developing different families of form, texture, colour and functionality and have a sketchbook with me at all times to scribble down my ideas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx98X8lgBtUgMqEHqje8R_0dz-LHeSDPP5-VJ1ntyEDAEF4qglrhjyW_MKq_OGSieecR24slldoHR-1awHhcmyOgoU9j36lTIZT33jTvEa2m_8ba43w5bE2EDOc77Wgs4GEC0vBbPiAAs/s2048/process+2+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx98X8lgBtUgMqEHqje8R_0dz-LHeSDPP5-VJ1ntyEDAEF4qglrhjyW_MKq_OGSieecR24slldoHR-1awHhcmyOgoU9j36lTIZT33jTvEa2m_8ba43w5bE2EDOc77Wgs4GEC0vBbPiAAs/w640-h640/process+2+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><br />What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given so far?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">To connect and enquire with as many new customers and independent retailers as possible but remember that not every enquiry will come to immediate fruition. If you send 20 emails you may only receive one response. I think this came from you Fiona and I thank you for this valuable advice.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuW6Id4ZujgurElxxfikPB3RbA7LXoRvVb74boGetByfPBfJY-lghl_zjQNz0DrTc6i3WQoBhUaz2-4SjC5NI1fMmaodOd2kc8Df-PO8xF2Yn0iJC9ddKHPZG5Y1OfGRFSdMVHHPpTCU/s2048/CABINET+SHOT+1+KT+edit+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="2048" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuW6Id4ZujgurElxxfikPB3RbA7LXoRvVb74boGetByfPBfJY-lghl_zjQNz0DrTc6i3WQoBhUaz2-4SjC5NI1fMmaodOd2kc8Df-PO8xF2Yn0iJC9ddKHPZG5Y1OfGRFSdMVHHPpTCU/w640-h398/CABINET+SHOT+1+KT+edit+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">What advice would you give other creative business starting out?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">To understand your customer and to find your niche, to believe in yourself and ignore the imposter syndrome which hovers quite often in my own studio, and finally to take small risks because what is the worst thing that can happen?<br /><br /><o:p style="font-size: 9pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5cGqGwi3dpaPlllqPJIXaszFNRre2Q3BFg6Q1qcIHqEFzjxCevaUux8Z9KJa3u9i4ooWRKusiOdqbPCvpgyyKHOVHUQOmP7AkEPGOhDsUWDqBj2HbwpFN_8jGmDAYgQ8zY7p9h_HRyI/s2048/About+KT+extended+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="2048" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5cGqGwi3dpaPlllqPJIXaszFNRre2Q3BFg6Q1qcIHqEFzjxCevaUux8Z9KJa3u9i4ooWRKusiOdqbPCvpgyyKHOVHUQOmP7AkEPGOhDsUWDqBj2HbwpFN_8jGmDAYgQ8zY7p9h_HRyI/w640-h338/About+KT+extended+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">I am excited to say that the ‘Hello Beautiful’ collection has been accepted for the online GNCCF shows in July and November this year, so I will be working on new products for these events and building up stock. I will be investing in another 3D printer to help with production and continue to play with new materials, shapes and textures. I also have a couple of new clients for my design consultancy and I am looking forward to working with other new teams and brands. It has been an incredible first year of business and am grateful for all the encouragement and support received from family and friends, old and new. <o:p style="font-size: 9pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuOMMtJCr8sSRss0ejftrM76DzuXuh66Vy8O-bqDK6OjvMsvidooMBTyOqWg2e47_xlO4YJoo54HgGinMj-UiqdFbYUqmXjwl8gi0AwGVAG73gc6GQdRaUy4kCejqUU1AskxHc2JhP3c/s2048/IMG_2565.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuOMMtJCr8sSRss0ejftrM76DzuXuh66Vy8O-bqDK6OjvMsvidooMBTyOqWg2e47_xlO4YJoo54HgGinMj-UiqdFbYUqmXjwl8gi0AwGVAG73gc6GQdRaUy4kCejqUU1AskxHc2JhP3c/w640-h640/IMG_2565.jpeg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">Where can people find out more about you? </span></b><b><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><br /></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">You can sign up to my newsletter here <a href="https://www.keeleytraae.com/news">https://www.keeleytraae.com/news</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">You can find out more at:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.keeleytraae.com/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">https://www.keeleytraae.com/</span></a><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/keeleytraae_3d" style="color: #954f72;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">https://www.instagram.com/keeleytraae_3d</span></a><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.findamaker.co.uk/Keeley-Traae-Design/Maker/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif">https://www.findamaker.co.uk/Keeley-Traae-Design/Maker/</span></a><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="color: #954f72;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/keeley-traae-67958812/" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.linkedin.com/in/keeley-traae-67958812/</a></span><span face=""Avenir Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwSzBQxqPQjR-k-Okz9tgq9LPEdHw1kccBlVsJ2tRnxm2jKxaK79zDFAUs2jTSWNy3-PwWIbbEomyweml3f6hzs6NCB68ms4DWyT2zZgyma4ZFSp4DbAhIdWmCAiGXjDM1W_seFaP1_o/s2048/DSC_0391+copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwSzBQxqPQjR-k-Okz9tgq9LPEdHw1kccBlVsJ2tRnxm2jKxaK79zDFAUs2jTSWNy3-PwWIbbEomyweml3f6hzs6NCB68ms4DWyT2zZgyma4ZFSp4DbAhIdWmCAiGXjDM1W_seFaP1_o/w640-h428/DSC_0391+copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-91150952607213729492021-04-01T15:02:00.006+01:002021-04-01T15:03:44.458+01:00Creative Business Interview - Jo Ruth - Painter, Printmaker and Designer<p><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">The lovely Jo Ruth has </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>agreed</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;"> to be my next Print Peeps interview - I love Jo's use of stencils within her work, they give a feel of screen printing without the screens - genius! She has some very helpful and insightful thoughts on running a creative business too.</span></span></p><p><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU0V-SLlDzikBdiyemQhwDyU3acRwenXjxLrGdJYB04krxk7urHZdDXdQKEMuvlsa93cVwiXu0twasmiVtKFwXSnzZRIUBk3rmh8WMLZfTl6NRKsVmojxVe4vJig8mh4Eib0j86SltkA/s1500/JO+RUTH+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="1500" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU0V-SLlDzikBdiyemQhwDyU3acRwenXjxLrGdJYB04krxk7urHZdDXdQKEMuvlsa93cVwiXu0twasmiVtKFwXSnzZRIUBk3rmh8WMLZfTl6NRKsVmojxVe4vJig8mh4Eib0j86SltkA/w640-h216/JO+RUTH+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><i>Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </i></b></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I’m Jo Ruth and I am a painter, printmaker and designer.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">I take my inspiration from birds and the natural world and all my imagery is based around this. </span>I create stencilled images on painted backgrounds and more recently I have been enjoying repurposing the paper remnants from my stencilling technique to create bird themed paper garlands.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eXUnXAuEokn6aqpSnZijDyO3RXgrCERxZn433X9jUYIrtGht9CHJtO9ZjQnC8JGIGby90-2nAu8wayTYBrqJ-5_C6VMMXeUQB2-PEzbz4u0i7KfU_FqlyOPFEMv8Qvc7PMBwSDLMtbo/s2362/JO+RUTH+-+Long+tailed+tits+in+brambles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="2362" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eXUnXAuEokn6aqpSnZijDyO3RXgrCERxZn433X9jUYIrtGht9CHJtO9ZjQnC8JGIGby90-2nAu8wayTYBrqJ-5_C6VMMXeUQB2-PEzbz4u0i7KfU_FqlyOPFEMv8Qvc7PMBwSDLMtbo/w640-h246/JO+RUTH+-+Long+tailed+tits+in+brambles.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I trained in Fine Art many years ago and came away from my degree having learnt a lot about painting but knowing that I wasn’t destined to be a fine artist. I have what I would describe as a designer/makers brain; I’m a planner and a problem solver and I love making things. I worked in advertising for a short while before training to be a teacher. It was here that I felt I had found my niche. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Teaching Art, Graphics and Textile Design to 16-19yr olds taught me to be versatile and flexible in my approach. What can be more stimulating than working on a project with a group of young people all bringing their own take to a creative problem? It’s a great way to keep learning and to be kept on your toes! During this time I continued to expand my own skills and developed a passion for screen-printing, surface pattern, illustration and graphic design.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEBeIkXYE5R1jjB4QV4ht52fJjUM0E3hlEfl7Zlj8F4sfXbEWHCPPhuXOeBVUXAHvxxds0JJeyTqvDcuFgq9aF1NaUYAR10BUTX6Y4bMTRhiNd0F9SOHWpnP4WlVR0pXOeZF2ZVYnwDQ/s960/IMG_0794.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEBeIkXYE5R1jjB4QV4ht52fJjUM0E3hlEfl7Zlj8F4sfXbEWHCPPhuXOeBVUXAHvxxds0JJeyTqvDcuFgq9aF1NaUYAR10BUTX6Y4bMTRhiNd0F9SOHWpnP4WlVR0pXOeZF2ZVYnwDQ/s320/IMG_0794.JPG" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I find it very difficult to put myself in a creative box because I have always been curious to try all sorts of things. I enjoy exploring new creative avenues and end up wandering along other paths that take my fancy. It’s a wonderful way to experience creative activities but it doesn’t make for a clear creative brand!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I started exhibiting my own work about 15 years ago having developed my stencilling technique and gradually reduced my teaching hours. I now work from my studio at home stencilling, working with paper and taking graphic design commissions. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlueBtYbH1fv9mCa7AheIDf5Kj1ImB6pN4yDcWfs5h72EsGTDEewwi2zf7jvAH7cEo6MgJO6p-urInDTb_pEPlwjVwkFIEQtXydVj4s6xSubfwkKElQjSLALK1ymiDwTw5ujtOk6sBQg/s2048/new+work+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1516" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlueBtYbH1fv9mCa7AheIDf5Kj1ImB6pN4yDcWfs5h72EsGTDEewwi2zf7jvAH7cEo6MgJO6p-urInDTb_pEPlwjVwkFIEQtXydVj4s6xSubfwkKElQjSLALK1ymiDwTw5ujtOk6sBQg/w474-h640/new+work+1.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><br /><i><b>What is your typical work day like?</b><b> </b></i><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">One of the joys of working for yourself is that there is no such thing as a typical work day. If I’m creating I can disappear into the studio and lose myself for hours, sometimes days… but that’s a luxury. Inevitably something mundane brings me back to earth with bump. As with all creative people, it’s the painting, printing, making and experimenting days that make me really happy. But I’ve learnt to be quite disciplined and set aside time for all the administration and marketing side of running a business too. If I have an exhibition or a show coming up my planning brain takes over. There’s nothing like a deadline to focus my thoughts! <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASI-RTF3OkdWBWtm9cgL9BvwchD0ACE0uWaI8u0SM9qqELadtg9zOA8CuAsiEuqonunv0hZ-bN8cEAxOuPcMGpdsNRMNVLFiyxfwi0cxQXLi-IFsM4EcYeyTLFpj4QZZ5iQrHSIcIeAE/s2048/new+work+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="2048" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASI-RTF3OkdWBWtm9cgL9BvwchD0ACE0uWaI8u0SM9qqELadtg9zOA8CuAsiEuqonunv0hZ-bN8cEAxOuPcMGpdsNRMNVLFiyxfwi0cxQXLi-IFsM4EcYeyTLFpj4QZZ5iQrHSIcIeAE/w640-h562/new+work+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>How do you market your business and what works best for you? </i><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">There are so many wonderful ways to market your business these days it’s difficult to know which to choose. My main marketing tool is Instagram and to a lesser extent Facebook. <br />However, I really enjoy the face-to-face contact with people at shows. I am very aware that people like to meet the maker. I have always tried to encourage people to sign up for my newsletters at these events. Direct mailing is a great way to keep in touch with people and to build a solid client base. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>If you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b>I really loved my time as a teacher, it wasn’t just a means to an end. It gave me financial security whilst giving me opportunities to learn and be amongst like-minded creatives. As my own creative work took off, it was quite a challenge to balance my various commitments but it also gave me the time to develop my own business slowly without too much financial risk.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzv6WtTVCwlHV2liq4f3eFFg41uMxX8ml-eMYL-RMwiC3graK0c1vXFxSf2ChqxjD7J1nJsqbcloOjn-xbJOOEhoGKRRWEm4HU1lMazphyphenhyphenokO5147Gx66U_60QNWIpJpNrJ03CFn61lHE/s2048/new+work+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzv6WtTVCwlHV2liq4f3eFFg41uMxX8ml-eMYL-RMwiC3graK0c1vXFxSf2ChqxjD7J1nJsqbcloOjn-xbJOOEhoGKRRWEm4HU1lMazphyphenhyphenokO5147Gx66U_60QNWIpJpNrJ03CFn61lHE/w640-h640/new+work+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">If I’d been more entrepreneurial when I was younger I may have leapt into starting my own business sooner. I would have taken the time to really plan the way I wanted my business to develop, to think about the financial and administrative aspects of running a creative business. One of the hardest aspects of selling your own work is getting the pricing realistic. It’s the thing that most artists and makers struggle with. If you believe in your idea, don’t be put off! There’s lots of advice out there and it’s well worth taking the time to consider the wider aspects of starting a business as you take the leap. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I’m doing what I love! I can plan my own days and I’m only answerable to me - and that’s very rewarding. When things go well you can build on them immediately, when things don’t go so well you can take stock and react quickly.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TWnYiNoZ3G-JJSWeh_9YsB_J-XrGNYuTzIJTiiwcLSOjyT1tQ6Vsg7FRuuUaVUQGTj_K1TmlV58P8MbsJxZhjtzw4AiG0xdf3cll8s72ueA_68x0bpmbqXb_CY2WpqR4Jgg1Iu6f7Ow/s1500/garlands+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1500" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TWnYiNoZ3G-JJSWeh_9YsB_J-XrGNYuTzIJTiiwcLSOjyT1tQ6Vsg7FRuuUaVUQGTj_K1TmlV58P8MbsJxZhjtzw4AiG0xdf3cll8s72ueA_68x0bpmbqXb_CY2WpqR4Jgg1Iu6f7Ow/w640-h268/garlands+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>What’s the toughest thing about being a creative business owner?</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b>You have to be a good at spinning plates and at times the business of management can far outweigh the business of making! This can be quite disheartening. I doubt that there is a creative business owner out there who hasn’t a some point thought ‘I just need more time to make things!” </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzt48fTlLtJrZbeSAnU3OdtQdjBD4ywvJUtJQ1Ur2OgnFCnOFu1OUinyuUj5BJ8FDcrl9rC4FLLenX0Z6CVV65PNNapGFyFEfe1TluRg6zpkRH-4J9-HGNaGszOPVl50Gj0jFKnIQ7W4/s850/JO+RUTH+Bird+Garlands.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzt48fTlLtJrZbeSAnU3OdtQdjBD4ywvJUtJQ1Ur2OgnFCnOFu1OUinyuUj5BJ8FDcrl9rC4FLLenX0Z6CVV65PNNapGFyFEfe1TluRg6zpkRH-4J9-HGNaGszOPVl50Gj0jFKnIQ7W4/w640-h640/JO+RUTH+Bird+Garlands.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">Believe in your creative ideas, keep going through the natural ups and downs of running a business. Sometimes the best lessons are learnt from mistakes or setbacks and they only serve to make me more determined. They also make the good times seem even better!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrf0KOFl-PAxfc9skGOdkhHpFv7Xsbt_JLWcSDR7MG5LPZzhBn6EC4n6DPJvRJMhdJNnfPjm2BPtlrJ-30KHE_ckvre0P_CHMxzXJHRlUl9iyyUi-M5QfQaW6yAM9ADrlVyTk7_63pHLw/s1505/JO+RUTH+Lapwing+crisscrossing+the+moors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1505" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrf0KOFl-PAxfc9skGOdkhHpFv7Xsbt_JLWcSDR7MG5LPZzhBn6EC4n6DPJvRJMhdJNnfPjm2BPtlrJ-30KHE_ckvre0P_CHMxzXJHRlUl9iyyUi-M5QfQaW6yAM9ADrlVyTk7_63pHLw/w640-h460/JO+RUTH+Lapwing+crisscrossing+the+moors.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</i></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I am a great believer that many hands make light work. Working in isolation is hard so it’s a great idea to team up and collaborate. When I relocated to York from Birmingham a few years ago I was concerned that I would have to spend a great deal of time rebuilding contacts. I applied for a few events and joined York Printmakers. I soon found some like-minded souls. It wasn’t long before I had learnt a great deal about the creative opportunities in this area. Joining groups and collaborating or exhibiting with others is a great way to build a support system and to enable you to reach a wider audience. It’s also stimulating to work with other like-minded people. It’s a great way to keep up to date, to share information and to keep ideas fresh. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtuVlrUfJgJ5HAQAJPCG_8JQv7r0vm-6phSvy3s9OXP-bsYd95vP_NZ5AnLZ2oxr16xX3bAlLHJuDKsq6U9hqOw9s5b9R9WuYuen842RUQ95zTJu7auBpPFHAoZyk9q2-2vzx5engmMo/s1491/JO+RUTH+Long+tailed+tits+in+Brambles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1491" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtuVlrUfJgJ5HAQAJPCG_8JQv7r0vm-6phSvy3s9OXP-bsYd95vP_NZ5AnLZ2oxr16xX3bAlLHJuDKsq6U9hqOw9s5b9R9WuYuen842RUQ95zTJu7auBpPFHAoZyk9q2-2vzx5engmMo/w640-h458/JO+RUTH+Long+tailed+tits+in+Brambles.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b>With the cancellation of many of my usual events this past year I’ve been taking some time to develop my stencilling technique and extend my imagery. So there’s lots of new work ready for this year’s exhibitions. I’ve done a few on-line workshops this year and they’ve sparked lots of new ideas for the paper cutting aspects of my work.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWo4F86OuO19S8IR1Z_uEwXJFSptgk-TVzLfDv5XYxyQB9haF8r9uGQOoe4-jqiVb8A_tA0kej6jpWTBDJr30nEwx5sVGIX94DtruG7X91Fnp-nHJoSXmCT_KceTNUOsWy-EtzyV5QdVw/s2048/JO+RUTH+WINTER+SPARROWS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1865" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWo4F86OuO19S8IR1Z_uEwXJFSptgk-TVzLfDv5XYxyQB9haF8r9uGQOoe4-jqiVb8A_tA0kej6jpWTBDJr30nEwx5sVGIX94DtruG7X91Fnp-nHJoSXmCT_KceTNUOsWy-EtzyV5QdVw/w582-h640/JO+RUTH+WINTER+SPARROWS.jpg" width="582" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><i>Where can people find out more about you? </i><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">You’ll find current work and ideas on <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/joruth/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/winter.sparrow.58" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">My website tells you more about me and how I tick. There’s also lots more work there too<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://joruth.com" target="_blank"> <span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-GB">www.joruth.com</span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we will be able to start going to exhibitions and events again soon - won’t that be wonderful? Come and say hello if you get to any of these.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: -36pt;"><u><o:p> </o:p></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><u>Upcoming events<o:p></o:p></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">May 8th – June 8th<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Imprints Exhibition with York Printmakers</b> at the Inspired By…Gallery, Danby in the North York Moors National Park<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/visiting/see-and-do/inspired-by-gallery"><span lang="EN-GB">https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/visiting/see-and-do/inspired-by-gallery</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;">July 10th/11th and 17th/18th<b><span style="background-color: #ffcc00; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #252525; font-size: 10pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b>York Open Studios <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.yorkopenstudios.com/"><span lang="EN-GB">www.yorkopenstudios.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US">September 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><span lang="EN-US">York Printmakers Print Fair</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-21010551428439939572021-02-27T12:35:00.004+00:002021-02-28T14:44:07.906+00:00Creative Business Interview - Miesje Chafer - Designer Maker and Screen Printer<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Hoorah - the lovely Miesje Chafer who I met at the Hepworth Xmas Market last year has agreed to be interviewed for the blog! I absolutely love her colours and embroidery - I think you will too. Read on to find out more about her and her fab business.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1sOf1MFtqqMe6KCD61fmZEFUHLzFsmVf9YLqkF3JcewNubxcY3nAiVy79Fvz5Q-QW54K3HFS5Kg6vCMD648qFuPINg4AWWmBlsmYxzD_00FO4uv6hM7gjCaQnWyNqFCJQSzojHuuGD4/s2048/20210107_185546.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1sOf1MFtqqMe6KCD61fmZEFUHLzFsmVf9YLqkF3JcewNubxcY3nAiVy79Fvz5Q-QW54K3HFS5Kg6vCMD648qFuPINg4AWWmBlsmYxzD_00FO4uv6hM7gjCaQnWyNqFCJQSzojHuuGD4/w400-h400/20210107_185546.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">T</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">ell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span></i></b></p><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Hello! My name is Miesje and I am a designer maker based in Southsea, Hampshire. I design and screen print fabric which I then use to make a range of different products including purses, kits, hair accessories, lavender bags etc. I started screen printing about 10 years ago when I was working as a nurse, as I wanted to do something creative as a hobby. I had no intention of turning it into a business, let alone becoming self employed and doing it full time! </div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b><i>What's a typical day look like for you? </i></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;">My days don't have any particular structure, although I do try and get any orders packed and posted first thing, then I spend the rest of the day either working on website and wholesale orders, or messing around with new products and ideas. I'm always trying to make myself more disciplined with admin but I'm not very good at it!</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIpyuKgFnGlXQZ6jubsBuYOX_F1uk0q671wUhmTolj2v_NXT70YwopDlL_cz8Qavi3sajqc7ef5Rrd0grg72ILQlpIg3_Q0coLf1A8XKTEg3cS0MUfqvUF58uTr47bQsmMq3ZNJZzOYA/s2048/20210220_113634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1251" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIpyuKgFnGlXQZ6jubsBuYOX_F1uk0q671wUhmTolj2v_NXT70YwopDlL_cz8Qavi3sajqc7ef5Rrd0grg72ILQlpIg3_Q0coLf1A8XKTEg3cS0MUfqvUF58uTr47bQsmMq3ZNJZzOYA/w390-h640/20210220_113634.jpg" width="390" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /><b><i>How do you market your business and what works best for you? </i></b><br /><br />I mostly just rely on Instagram for marketing, I've found it to be an incredibly useful and fulfilling way of reaching out to potential customers. I had a mailing list once upon a time but it has fallen by the wayside a bit! I actually don't think there's any real substitute for face to face marketing i.e. fairs and markets, but for obvious reasons that hasn't happened much this year, so Instagram has had to fill that gap.</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b><i>If you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?</i></b><br /><br />Nothing! Starting a business is a slow process and you can only do what you feel is right at the time, there is no point in having regrets - you can't change the past.</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQte7PBULDaJDN3f_LU8F9BozVekAz5EAA2CKQ4umUh5PT6PAgBVU-VTzuoX3lPAFmRNBmv0p2WTELe9tHXhSHUVJzbtFNmXbE6WL9m8m_s_YvtPhVhlMSFz4D7tow7i9x9Uo1ZQnbzR8/s2048/20210129_182028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1713" data-original-width="2048" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQte7PBULDaJDN3f_LU8F9BozVekAz5EAA2CKQ4umUh5PT6PAgBVU-VTzuoX3lPAFmRNBmv0p2WTELe9tHXhSHUVJzbtFNmXbE6WL9m8m_s_YvtPhVhlMSFz4D7tow7i9x9Uo1ZQnbzR8/w400-h335/20210129_182028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b><i>What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i></b><br /><br />Being able to make EVERY SINGLE DAY! Most days it doesn't feel like work at all, I get to choose what I do and when I do it and it's the best feeling!</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>What’s the toughest thing about being a creative business owner?</b><br /><br />At the start it was the lack of a steady income, I gave up nursing five years ago and to begin with it was really hard, I learned very quickly to stash any spare money to get me through the leaner periods. Now it's more about time, some days I'd love to be able to split myself in two (or three or four or five!).</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMsK96sTumTORi0UUB3V7vNrufnGmljc0fD2KJEy8rujOJTGiVi4Bzfyn7mxhRfFplZ5WPuxuWwyToHyc9MAoa1g81WMB1oQQk2ptx9ywL5RuoIKsBxVm_wtfanMkZw3px7d8cmXwmjw/s2048/20210202_162150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMsK96sTumTORi0UUB3V7vNrufnGmljc0fD2KJEy8rujOJTGiVi4Bzfyn7mxhRfFplZ5WPuxuWwyToHyc9MAoa1g81WMB1oQQk2ptx9ywL5RuoIKsBxVm_wtfanMkZw3px7d8cmXwmjw/w400-h400/20210202_162150.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</b><br /><br />Hmmmmm that's a tough one, I rarely take advice from anyone, I tend to just go with my instincts (which is not necessarily a good thing!) </div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</b><br /><br />Haha go with your gut! Starting a creative business can be a bumpy ride so it's important that you're doing something you truly love. Some days you will hate it and want to give up entirely, but if you are genuinely passionate about what you do those feelings will pass and you'll want to pour all your energies in to creating a product or a business that you love. I think passion for something is a little bit contagious - if you love it other people will love it too.</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKsNAlh19s_kDhUhlYlz4EBN-OReB1Nm7Ag6zvj0jJ2vrsPyroJWpJwP8UYbhe_xz4rHaqe4OY0QwOlSEUtQva0b9D5SN13cKBHsToLgClxST41f_79gn7_fZ-SEdRTcz3zoJUn22wsg/s2048/20210214_123957.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKsNAlh19s_kDhUhlYlz4EBN-OReB1Nm7Ag6zvj0jJ2vrsPyroJWpJwP8UYbhe_xz4rHaqe4OY0QwOlSEUtQva0b9D5SN13cKBHsToLgClxST41f_79gn7_fZ-SEdRTcz3zoJUn22wsg/w400-h400/20210214_123957.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</b></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I'm just in the process of sampling fabric which I can sell by the metre - it's something I've wanted to do for years and I'm really excited about it! I've also applied for some Arts Council funding to develop my creative practice, but I have no idea if I'll get it so watch this space....</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZrS-OpUU9EK0EcuNRBOXID1ycz-in9jcLETH5QBkzMtNMiSL79wbyiaMX4ZXUy5c9ft_wPJC8anHoD5_0hmoNi2aA6g7xEtAJ0ZB4185oLHcv64zH2FC5eh1HZby0hjNOjkKU5MyMRs/s2048/20210212_153737.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1711" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZrS-OpUU9EK0EcuNRBOXID1ycz-in9jcLETH5QBkzMtNMiSL79wbyiaMX4ZXUy5c9ft_wPJC8anHoD5_0hmoNi2aA6g7xEtAJ0ZB4185oLHcv64zH2FC5eh1HZby0hjNOjkKU5MyMRs/w334-h400/20210212_153737.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /><br /><b>Where can people find out more about you?</b> <b>Do you have any selling events coming up that you want to tell people about?</b><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">No selling at the mo apart from online, but people can find me either on Instagram @miesjechafer or my website <a href="http://www.miesjechafer.com/">www.miesjechafer.com</a></div>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-35146767751420756582021-02-04T09:52:00.005+00:002021-02-04T09:55:29.064+00:00Creative Business Catch Up with Mary Thorp of Raw Mixture<p><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;">This month I have been joined by the lovely Mary Thorp of Raw Mixture - she has an <span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">amazing</span> way with words, a super talented family (I've interviewed her daughter Ruth <a href="http://fiona-wilson.blogspot.com/2019/08/creative-business-interview-ruth-thorp.html" target="_blank">here</a>) and you will love her honest and insightful answers on being a creative business.</span></span></b></p><p><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></b></p><p><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? What's your background. Why did you decide to set up your creative business? How long as it been going?</i></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">Raw Mixture is a small creative business that is one half indie publisher, printing short runs of our own books – poetry, fiction, non-fiction, meditations, illustrated kids’ books – and one half original graphic art, prints, cards and paper items handmade by me.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRp-wcTsTSccXNWlJuhwrMz48B-c4rIujVlJTevG5twLaxoi2NGmNEfmtgnR-QpkLfwCEUPct5FPQQdMiBWBQViNznwyXYuacx5jSt_Ua6W0KOgedVRdzwnAMG9haMwqqcyD2-XFvwbH8/s2000/SEAGRASS+CARDS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRp-wcTsTSccXNWlJuhwrMz48B-c4rIujVlJTevG5twLaxoi2NGmNEfmtgnR-QpkLfwCEUPct5FPQQdMiBWBQViNznwyXYuacx5jSt_Ua6W0KOgedVRdzwnAMG9haMwqqcyD2-XFvwbH8/w400-h400/SEAGRASS+CARDS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">The business is run from our home on the north coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales and has finally settled into a cohesive brand. Both sides of the business are represented by a little crucible that sits above the logos - a melting pot of raw ideas, mixed together with love, soul and humour to produce work that people engage with.</span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> </span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">The business is just me really, although with lots of creative collaboration from different family members, especially around the books: shout out to daughters @ruththorpstudio and @mahfoudhsarah and husband @stevethorp54 Eldest daughter Jen (a super-hero) cheers us all on. </span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I have always been creative from childhood, making, sewing, sticking and gluing, but my education background isn’t arty at all. I studied economics at Uni, taught through my twenties, when our three girls were small, and went on to have a career in commercial interior design. I have always been obsessed with buildings, renovations and interiors and have learned a lot of handy skills along the way. Our lovely renovation of derelict stone barns here in Pembrokeshire fulfilled an ambition I’ve had since I was five!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">My creative business began in 2004 as a way of earning extra money to achieve that goal, and in the early years Steve and I did a lot of big shows, selling prints and cards every weekend. Looking back, life was surreal and hilarious, two week-day professionals packing up the car each weekend to stand on stalls at shows and trade fairs. But I loved it – being my own boss, with no corporate stress and a wonderful, welcoming crowd of other makers. </span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">And it was successful because the items were really nicely designed and packaged. I decided to produce Steve’s poetry in small pamphlets, in the days before self-publishing was a thing really. We had seven pamphlets that we sold in galleries; I figured people who liked browsing ar</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">t and ceramics and craft would be interested in writing and poetry too, and this proved to be the case.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolV4453FIXRMM5_Y-RD1uwnp7o7xGVCbauwLeOeFgiIaT65Z1Gk9II17PCpeBbB9HUlO3XvLVUzFCEd9S1ciQY_JVVXF3gANHlej5H9u_tcWjUly8xolWnrl7BRVeYC0EGbxheixiSas/s2048/WILDER+THOUGHTS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolV4453FIXRMM5_Y-RD1uwnp7o7xGVCbauwLeOeFgiIaT65Z1Gk9II17PCpeBbB9HUlO3XvLVUzFCEd9S1ciQY_JVVXF3gANHlej5H9u_tcWjUly8xolWnrl7BRVeYC0EGbxheixiSas/w400-h400/WILDER+THOUGHTS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">There is a long back story but by 2010 we were in the middle of our epic build project, I was covered in dirt for two years and Steve juggled his professional life and the finances. Phew! </span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I lost a bit of purpose after the build, and life took over with family visits and the excitement of becoming besotted grandparents. But we had so much thoughtful writing and illustration locked up in computers that by 2013 I just wanted to get it out there again. I started afresh with a new name – Raw Mixture Publishing – and we combined all our skills as writers, editors, designers, and illustrators using digital packages to become a small publisher. We have complete autonomy over the look and feel of our books and the papers we use, and just print in small runs to sell through.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">So, in essence, my stuff came first, then stopped, then started again with two brands which was a muddle, and then I realised I could use the same brand, just differently, and now we have lots of ‘Mixes’!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKvOCwnXWZrJaliDK12YURcr7H-UaLxj1rzmelL_zfeJ5djYCNuZlWc7hSA2jFz3LPHCCNW5xTCoGZ4ddNrjaquvj2wRJMGRAuQx8aPZikavzEfVD5K9uDqUf33A10GH2faf2Jpq3Em8/s2000/COURAGE+1%253AMANY.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKvOCwnXWZrJaliDK12YURcr7H-UaLxj1rzmelL_zfeJ5djYCNuZlWc7hSA2jFz3LPHCCNW5xTCoGZ4ddNrjaquvj2wRJMGRAuQx8aPZikavzEfVD5K9uDqUf33A10GH2faf2Jpq3Em8/w400-h400/COURAGE+1%253AMANY.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>What is your typical work day like? </i></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Always different! But it starts with proper strong coffee and a browse of Instagram, the news, emails etc. then a list of goals for the day which invariably changes…and ends with me beating myself up for not achieving more!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I’ve worked for myself for such a long time that I don’t have a sense of work and off days or 9-5. I’m very self-motivated, but I love the way we run our days - a bit of work, bit of downtime, thinking time, some exercise, going off on wild tangents with a new idea, lying on the heated concrete floor designing in my head, beach time, meal in the evening, no visitors now, but lots of silly phone calls, video chats and zoom meetings.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">If I have online orders or shop orders there is a lot of printing and wrapping of parcels, that is frankly chaotic while in progress!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I never miss a deadline, which is a source of life long anxiety I think – always afraid to fail. But it has given me the habit of finishing things and editing work until it is right.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I am a quiet, concentrated worker and have always worked across analogue and digital. My pieces</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="NL" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> begin</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> with doodles, marks, collages, inky printing, and photos which I scan. Then I spend hours and hours absorbed in the laptop, using my technical brain as much as my creative brain, collaging the images.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Digital design and print requires a lot of patience but once the files are ready I can print all the work and from then on it is hours of hands-on cutting, folding, gluing and packing. Creating is a way of life and the passion you put into the work means long hours to get it right. It is job satisfaction and pride in a beautiful product that matters.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQQbmo4eVcehRqZ39OdJP1ckXKC-e6mCzaGVP4CZNqI71ZWKawgbcFL4U6pq4ubJ-x1y-6ZFcM97DvCWg4NGh5t5X-_ikjwVL9zwkW-rGt9x6qfL5MofVwqvxW3n64KCvGKigksoMaC4/s2000/GRAPHICS-LOVE+LETTERS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQQbmo4eVcehRqZ39OdJP1ckXKC-e6mCzaGVP4CZNqI71ZWKawgbcFL4U6pq4ubJ-x1y-6ZFcM97DvCWg4NGh5t5X-_ikjwVL9zwkW-rGt9x6qfL5MofVwqvxW3n64KCvGKigksoMaC4/w640-h320/GRAPHICS-LOVE+LETTERS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I love making work with a deeper message too, an eye catching image in the first instance, but then more thought provoking. I love great design that strips everything back to a sparse image that somehow captures the emotion and energy you want it to.</span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Creating work for a giveaway or Instagram challenge or print exchange has been good for me, inspiring a lot of new work I had no idea I could come up with, and making me think differently. A deadline can actually be good for creativity, pushing you to finish work that might otherwise not progress. Without a bit of stress in life we’d never get anything done!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">And I guess I’m drawn to printmaking because of its historical roots in democracy and the dissemination of ideas. You can replicate a print multiple times in an affordable format. I like that and many people just buy my cards to frame.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Courier;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Courier;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>How do you market your business and what works best for you? Do you use any good apps to help you?</i></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I think the short answer to the first part is ‘badly’!! Better marketing is definitely a life goal. But I recognise this and am trying hard.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I resisted having an online presence for so long (I’m a bit of a hermit really) but I was hugely surprised to find I loved Instagram once I got going. It is such a visual platform and I enjoy writing the posts too –sometimes little thoughtful pieces that people engage with. I feel like I have found a lovely set of friends to connect with, just with a quick message or a silly comment or some encouragement.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vjTfRoMXnNsdciBuHtFeHbpaWbtEp0hwb8fKVR66MM9W83bs28vySEHKEHyq4QDMd19e3fXYZFUiGKjROBxNxLFY1KWMW8qhAv561UhenXzPwSMUMO08NCgio2B9IgkThTPy2zkn6cA/s2048/Mary+Thorp+Raw+Mixture+profile.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vjTfRoMXnNsdciBuHtFeHbpaWbtEp0hwb8fKVR66MM9W83bs28vySEHKEHyq4QDMd19e3fXYZFUiGKjROBxNxLFY1KWMW8qhAv561UhenXzPwSMUMO08NCgio2B9IgkThTPy2zkn6cA/s320/Mary+Thorp+Raw+Mixture+profile.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I joined because everyone said it was the way to gain online sales but I’m not very sales-ey! And I have nil engagement with Facebook which I truly don’t understand. So, “could work harder”, is the verdict on marketing….</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I am not an app person either! Although I love the Instagram app and definitely found PayPal useful the few times we’ve been at a fair in the last couple of years.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Courier;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Courier; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I</span>f you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?</i></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">No, I don’t think so. I’ve always just got on with stuff in my own way. I’m not a planner, but I am a doer. Once I decide on something I just start immediately. I can make things happen very quickly and I always finish things. It can be annoying for others around me, but nothing beats just starting. You pretty much have to get on with sorting out the mess if you start making one!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I guess I got a bit muddled up in the middle years before I realised my initial creative business could be included in the Raw Mixture brand, and that has really worked. It has given me an awful lot more confidence about getting my stuff out there. I’m prouder of it somehow, instead of being a bit squeamish!!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I made a decision from the start to stay small and manageable without putting any pressure on finances. I do wish I had an accounting system in place though. I am an absolute nightmare and very juvenile about this, to the point of being an ostrich. So yes, I would definitely have tackled this differently.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>What's the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Apart from being creative, just being your own boss. I have always been so resolute about living life to my own agenda, and I won’t compromise on that. I value time, health and peace of mind over money.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The choices I make are my own and I control how work goes out into the world, to a quality I’m happy with. The most unhappy period of my life was working in a supposed partnership where that didn’t happen: result – epic meltdown…</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The other best thing is being part of this amazing, creative, welcoming, supportive, flaky, joyous, intelligent, groundbreaking and aware community. I have found my tribe and I love them!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRxhnnZfDh0jCgTvLcrLd2U3J9ZQ4u6I7TTkJZr0wenqqHPYMdaJmtW-KgGPn4gNIMfHvENtRe5XTTfOijJ5C3bPqydH4RUYL1LTOCsU4qW4GSN3wbJJjAQedv67HhD5rBo8U2C-POE8/s2000/BETWEEN+WORLDS+PRINTS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRxhnnZfDh0jCgTvLcrLd2U3J9ZQ4u6I7TTkJZr0wenqqHPYMdaJmtW-KgGPn4gNIMfHvENtRe5XTTfOijJ5C3bPqydH4RUYL1LTOCsU4qW4GSN3wbJJjAQedv67HhD5rBo8U2C-POE8/w400-h400/BETWEEN+WORLDS+PRINTS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><i><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;">What's the toughest thing about being a creative business owner?</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></i></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Making enough money to contribute to the household income. That is a reality for most creatives and is why many creative businesses are often side hustles, and that’s ok. When we had kids to bring up, I always had a job, but I still worked towards being my own boss.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The other tough thing is mind set. I still beat myself up because I’m not good enough, talented enough, don’t market myself, don’t plan things, don’t work hard enough, and am rubbish about documenting anything (spreadsheets again!).</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I have no problem with showing up each day and working hard, but I’m not sure I apply myself in the most productive way! Hmmmm….</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>What's the best piece of business advice you've been given?</i></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">“Work hard” is always right up there with good advice. Along with “just start” and “don’t marry someone who doesn’t make you laugh!” – which isn’t technically business advice, but is certainly very wise.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Sharing a sense of the ridiculous with someone makes any relationship easier – friendship, marriage, business – so I guess work with people you value and can be yourself with.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Business wise, the advice that really resonated with me is, start your idea as a side hustle. Just begin, make some extra income, and grow as much as you want to or have the time to. It takes the pressure off and keeps it exciting and something you cant wait to get back to doing each day, or weekend. It also stops you ever having time to be bored!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAsQBsypi0JvbMN22XZ0mYAEpacxa-i4-R-2X2RUwnE_j4PSxUHVWws057ijNl7XYb3QGgyMtJVHeMuR2A6xyJvvVVW9rU7UsIWe6GltQtuwXmLGwTN7GyV2T805rILeNDwRFXC1yThc/s1140/SMALL+WILD+THOUGHTS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1140" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAsQBsypi0JvbMN22XZ0mYAEpacxa-i4-R-2X2RUwnE_j4PSxUHVWws057ijNl7XYb3QGgyMtJVHeMuR2A6xyJvvVVW9rU7UsIWe6GltQtuwXmLGwTN7GyV2T805rILeNDwRFXC1yThc/w400-h400/SMALL+WILD+THOUGHTS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Courier; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>What advice would you give other creative businesses starting out?</i></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">A</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">lways have your heart in what you make – customers notice.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">If you don’t want to do something, join something, be part of something, or take on a job or client, say NO - sooner rather than later. This is important advice. A bit of stress is productive but making the wrong decision can paralyse you mentally, emotionally and creatively and impacts other parts of your life. Peace of mind is priceless.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Don’t overthink it. Choose one product and make it really, really well. It will become your signature product that customers recognise you for and you can build a brand on it. My small boxes of nine blank cards were designed and sold in 2004; I have made many different collections of them, all printed to the same format on the same beautiful GF Smith paper in the same sized box. They are still my best seller.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">You can do an awful lot with what you have. A metal ruler, scalpel and cutting board will do the job – it will just take longer. Someone with a great eye for graphic design can make an iconic poster that sells for years using black ink and a potato cut with a knife.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">If you don’t like managing people, then stay small and don’t take money risks. A side business is a great idea until you find your feet – I probably still work like this and it makes for an interesting life. A mix of paid work, bit of freelancing or teaching and a creative side business is a nice way to live</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> </span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">Always make time for learning or taking course just for fun. The most unexpected things happen.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtnqF0JIL6zy5IqVJ2j_K3DUxYJfuabPpidE-brE6gCUs9wvEtefByiJx2lVH9M9dHow9UuyZPwLbhdo_atgB-9SNsWwgVA-vIsppE2VBfhxd96i4ugyz68d8j_aJsYs717ffQXKRttI/s2048/HFW+CARDBOX.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtnqF0JIL6zy5IqVJ2j_K3DUxYJfuabPpidE-brE6gCUs9wvEtefByiJx2lVH9M9dHow9UuyZPwLbhdo_atgB-9SNsWwgVA-vIsppE2VBfhxd96i4ugyz68d8j_aJsYs717ffQXKRttI/w400-h400/HFW+CARDBOX.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">This is a hard question to answer right now with everything that’s happened over the past twelve months </span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">– </span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">honestly, I don’t know. I feel quieter and more withdrawn from the world at the moment and my burning ambition is to be with my family. We miss each other very much and it is taking up a lot of headspace.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Having said that, lock-down has given me a lot of quiet, concentrated creative time and I’m really pleased with the art work and prints that have come out of it. I could not have expected that and the sheer volume of new work I’ve come up with has taken me by surprise. It would be very exciting to build on it, make something of it, market it….!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I would love the book side of our business to grow, and there seems to be no easy way to do this. They are fabulous books, we have wonderful reviews, we have a couple of new ones waiting to publish, but we are not industry experts and we just do stuff because we can’t see why not! It is harder than ever with trade shows cancelled, but I am not giving up.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I think I would really like to investigate licensing some of my work – it has been a plan in the background for a while and I am always up for learning and new courses.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">We are also the publishers of Unpsychology - the online magazine that Steve set up and edits. He is currently working on edition 7, themed around Climate Complexity Change, with a growing audience and submissions from all over the world. It’s a project we are all proud of and it may grow.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The website needs thinking about since it is run on a rather old platform. It’s a mission to think about starting it all over again, but it would be exciting if we did.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxaYemd5S58wgey7-mxwLjU9t_6mMxc06pP9zUfXTRhwiLhC4Tb4k2sch9lrC8w2v0KuZMYgcI6mhvmxKTOfWvJ90MjKSJqShhswwrl7IWXLJzZcYMBwpOwYZQuBpaGE_0KaUvCF2yHg/s1500/POETRYMIX+COMBO.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxaYemd5S58wgey7-mxwLjU9t_6mMxc06pP9zUfXTRhwiLhC4Tb4k2sch9lrC8w2v0KuZMYgcI6mhvmxKTOfWvJ90MjKSJqShhswwrl7IWXLJzZcYMBwpOwYZQuBpaGE_0KaUvCF2yHg/w400-h400/POETRYMIX+COMBO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Where can people find out more about you? Do you have any selling events coming up that you want to tell people about?</i></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I think following the Instagram account <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rawmixture/?hl=en-gb" target="_blank">@rawmixture</a> is the best place to start and the link tree in the bio takes you to the shop and waist too - but you can also click on the links here to take you direct to the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RawMixture" target="_blank">shop</a> and the <a href="http://www.rawmixture.co.uk/shop/4594958294" target="_blank">website</a>. </span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I know we have a Facebook account but I have absolutely no idea what happens on there - literally.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I will be part of various online selling shows again this year - notably with @pedddleuk - but nothing real planned as yet.</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I would love to apply myself to collecting emails and maybe commit to a newsletter this year. Can you believe I haven’t done this? I annoy myself by being so resistant and stubborn about stuff that would actually make a positive difference to the business. I am a lost cause! Just start!!</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Mary Thorp @rawmixture</span><span face=""Helvetica Light", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-35894547495389028962020-12-02T09:10:00.000+00:002020-12-02T09:10:38.551+00:00Find out more about running your own creative business - Creative Business Interview with the Happy Colour Shop<div class="default-style" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I've been admiring the Happy Colour Shop products for a while, and finally had a good excuse to order some for Christmas Gifts, except I like them so much, I may have kept them! Anyway - I was super pleased when Fanni agreed to be featured on my blog, and to give us an idea of what its like to run her business.</span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3ju-m5fXbT10hLb_wfyyE4nJjcO7mYw8t7GpY0etEIMrSPyvkU71bzPpSM152KVpabalOuzGoQgO1bV2pZ-mu4Ze3748HDb4Cm4aOie0M64foGCWrsJ9VPEcXNv7Z5EfiKMjBzpl-Wg/s944/fanni-williams-portrait-the-happy-colour-shop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3ju-m5fXbT10hLb_wfyyE4nJjcO7mYw8t7GpY0etEIMrSPyvkU71bzPpSM152KVpabalOuzGoQgO1bV2pZ-mu4Ze3748HDb4Cm4aOie0M64foGCWrsJ9VPEcXNv7Z5EfiKMjBzpl-Wg/s320/fanni-williams-portrait-the-happy-colour-shop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </strong> <br />The Happy Colour Shop designs colourful stationery that puts a smile on your desk and makes the task of getting organised a more joyful experience. I also curate a selection of products from other businesses that compliment my brand aesthetic so I can offer my customers a wider range of related products that makes their workspace a happier place to be. </span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhcxD-cvbPSlDjCequK9sNrVybtmT2xZEQP9PS6hhYlXw5oR0Pvz_LRfZWhU0zS_VfZq_s_5PAtaxnooxK_2djbfld2DdiBD4P5AJlQoD7ijx-4Ws2PWgeu8SMBB21VoB97hejfu7yBw/s600/the-happy-colour-shop-new-logo-instagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhcxD-cvbPSlDjCequK9sNrVybtmT2xZEQP9PS6hhYlXw5oR0Pvz_LRfZWhU0zS_VfZq_s_5PAtaxnooxK_2djbfld2DdiBD4P5AJlQoD7ijx-4Ws2PWgeu8SMBB21VoB97hejfu7yBw/s320/the-happy-colour-shop-new-logo-instagram.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>What’s your background?</strong> <br />I am a freelance graphic designer and photographer by trade, working with colourful clients from around the world through my other business (which I run simultaneously) called The Happy Colour Studio. I spent 4 enjoyable years studying toward my bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication, in Auckland, New Zealand. Whilst there I fell in love with typography, colour and all things ‘print’. After graduating with Honours, I went on to specialise in editorial design and moved to the UK to work on multiple national magazine publications in London. </span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwRlMeekrhJb_GWc0YhhSjg380AhAbofGxe6bcYhIrDaet-ycptuJv3XYOCwZpEeGVQT9FjY8C9siRaLqpIMfMLIRHUAkQ4PBSDAONsjAi9HVPYI7w6EFmvssOA7ikgbLRckSJzZKluM/s1714/the-happy-colour-shop-studiotour1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="1714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwRlMeekrhJb_GWc0YhhSjg380AhAbofGxe6bcYhIrDaet-ycptuJv3XYOCwZpEeGVQT9FjY8C9siRaLqpIMfMLIRHUAkQ4PBSDAONsjAi9HVPYI7w6EFmvssOA7ikgbLRckSJzZKluM/s320/the-happy-colour-shop-studiotour1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Why did you decide to set up your creative business?</strong> <br />After 16 successful years in magazine publishing, my career took a different path around the time I became a first-time mum. I needed to pivot my existing business as a freelancer and find work that I could do solely from home whilst looking after my new bundle of joy. I connected with small independent business owners in my community and helped them level up their brand visuals all whilst juggling multiple projects, kissing boo boos and wiping smashed broccoli off tables and walls. Having to set up this new way of working meant I needed to be super organised. I searched for days for stationery that would not only help me achieve my goals but also get me excited to actually sit down and do the work in my shattered new mum state. But my search didn’t yield any exciting results. All I could find was either super corporate looking or just plain boring…so I set out to create my own! It wasn’t till a few years later when I decided to share my work on social media, that I started getting multiple enquiries about where my planner could be purchased...and so The Happy Colour Shop was born! </span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI5PIZQgOH_a7vtVWPLqI7IVszpwjUZT5dcgWJ8B7EZbsCWgk_NlTG5ibPMFHgSdRF1Ngzw0zyJxNhYGuC92WU9DBg5J3wCuPYd_7ALr8FmwyYMp5xUCjRyreydhstP5hic5oDflR-hk/s2000/rainbow-notepad-a5-size-the-happy-colour-shop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI5PIZQgOH_a7vtVWPLqI7IVszpwjUZT5dcgWJ8B7EZbsCWgk_NlTG5ibPMFHgSdRF1Ngzw0zyJxNhYGuC92WU9DBg5J3wCuPYd_7ALr8FmwyYMp5xUCjRyreydhstP5hic5oDflR-hk/s320/rainbow-notepad-a5-size-the-happy-colour-shop.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>How long has it been going?</strong> <br />The Happy Colour Shop actually celebrated its 2nd Business Birthday this month. (12th Nov). HOORAY!! </span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgJwdWoWjeutUjhZzRSF9te54EykEDQuMVwprzNgHRgaN6pUeLjd1Lt68E-nKhs-Dyk0FzEhhaILVfKBdPtznKq7gegxleH9WOBHSkZEYqJvbLtouZyLtuMz2UUwDirJXEKnZzRD3S00/s1828/colourful-storage-crates-and-rainbow-notepad-the-happy-colour-shop.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="1828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgJwdWoWjeutUjhZzRSF9te54EykEDQuMVwprzNgHRgaN6pUeLjd1Lt68E-nKhs-Dyk0FzEhhaILVfKBdPtznKq7gegxleH9WOBHSkZEYqJvbLtouZyLtuMz2UUwDirJXEKnZzRD3S00/s320/colourful-storage-crates-and-rainbow-notepad-the-happy-colour-shop.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>What is your typical workday like and where do you do your design work?</strong> <br />I get into the studio most mornings around 9.15am after the school run. I make myself a nice cuppa tea and sit down with my weekly planner to go through what I have coming up for the day and week ahead. I usually process shop orders first on Tuesdays and Fridays so I can get them out and posted later on the way home. I then check my emails and catchup with clients and projects I am working on for the rest of the day until it’s time to do the school run again. Wednesdays and Thursdays are my two blissful days in the studio where I get to work from 9am-9pm and I use this time to do all the other admin tasks of running two businesses, create new products and come up with future plans.</span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmy_U-3RCHGA4QzAIMsYSuHjNlLfe7Q8i6zA1VgoB_MZbkUXvR32M1I3RCD1SvGF0eDskO2OxV21JGBDksMvbljisI4_AbkgnPFmJ0A9lBwBP8lO5glFhxH5G5W7VYLIMLHulpGc3htU/s2000/the-happy-colour-shop-studiotour5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmy_U-3RCHGA4QzAIMsYSuHjNlLfe7Q8i6zA1VgoB_MZbkUXvR32M1I3RCD1SvGF0eDskO2OxV21JGBDksMvbljisI4_AbkgnPFmJ0A9lBwBP8lO5glFhxH5G5W7VYLIMLHulpGc3htU/s320/the-happy-colour-shop-studiotour5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style"><strong><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? </span></strong><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br />All my work is created on my trusty laptop using industry standard programmes such as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, however I am still old school in the sense that I prefer to start my ideas by putting pen to paper. I use a notebook to sketch out my ideas and iron out the finer details before moving over to the laptop to digitise my designs. My favourite tool to work with is my portable Bluetooth Wacom tablet which makes designing on the computer so much easier. I could never go back to using a mouse! </span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7L-1-GQXl-QBB1Vd29SvJEArU2naSDh8WqdrGRnWUlTU-nwnGnpmwoCaarEbZcLZfN-N76d5JTXHZlIdKkEFA69ykGf4KC5zLPrsE-so5HFtzH1rGjG3gPKeL4vdCIA6mptLehtw7AEM/s1000/2021-wall-planner-the-happy-colour-shop-thehappycolourshop-pegboard_sml.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7L-1-GQXl-QBB1Vd29SvJEArU2naSDh8WqdrGRnWUlTU-nwnGnpmwoCaarEbZcLZfN-N76d5JTXHZlIdKkEFA69ykGf4KC5zLPrsE-so5HFtzH1rGjG3gPKeL4vdCIA6mptLehtw7AEM/s320/2021-wall-planner-the-happy-colour-shop-thehappycolourshop-pegboard_sml.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</strong> <br />I love that I get to make my own decisions and choose which direction I want to take my business. I love that I don’t have to say yes to every project that knocks on my door and that I get to create products that are helpful and make people feel happy. <br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme6xTPgAB-fsbrJ5NCpNN6KEEfoYKA5TE6vzTuJ5sthZI7L9XjFmjqJjTYr0dLzkiEyTSfx63uEruvup_Dmzda9WwcYLMh8Q65kxxRLBoRrxJmetqTzAJoZTV_P4c9f9LosfP1XAFEB8/s800/colourful-tape-cutter-for-washitape-the-happy-colour-shop-threequarterview.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme6xTPgAB-fsbrJ5NCpNN6KEEfoYKA5TE6vzTuJ5sthZI7L9XjFmjqJjTYr0dLzkiEyTSfx63uEruvup_Dmzda9WwcYLMh8Q65kxxRLBoRrxJmetqTzAJoZTV_P4c9f9LosfP1XAFEB8/s320/colourful-tape-cutter-for-washitape-the-happy-colour-shop-threequarterview.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</strong> <br />Comparison is the thief of joy so keep your eyes on your own lane and do what you do to the best of YOUR ability. Always be learning, never settle of what you already know. If you can outsource tasks you don’t enjoy doing - do it, it will free you up to do what you do best so you can grow your business and live a happier, more joyful life. </span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODcZuMjbuhSKM16KcGxNjVHu5uZ-9fmp3xs6Y43UGeE1zyqJRYRUO1KBsBJKV-hm4_TyQUjS3kDNsgtc4uNjFmdDY2qUHUvc8iucQhKWewBO14WK-26BiM1b6vatSjHHo7rCqpz5VUhk/s1864/the-happy-colour-shop-cloud-memo-pad-handheld-photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="1864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODcZuMjbuhSKM16KcGxNjVHu5uZ-9fmp3xs6Y43UGeE1zyqJRYRUO1KBsBJKV-hm4_TyQUjS3kDNsgtc4uNjFmdDY2qUHUvc8iucQhKWewBO14WK-26BiM1b6vatSjHHo7rCqpz5VUhk/s320/the-happy-colour-shop-cloud-memo-pad-handheld-photo.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</strong> <br />Do your research find something you’re passionate about before investing too much time and money into something you don’t enjoy doing. Find a job/career you’re excited to get out of bed for and if you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.</span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyMH6uKHME_fi_qSWz74EkCjPttbBPb21UgWt9XvaOKzANPIwtyzm_Mqz2c5z0dIGx5Rfw4HB9EY1CqRynkXZKjhnwp2FJnZ1hnVs-uVoQMjHw21c9StmQO6hrP19MjJ09NXmNGwnOWk/s2000/happy-memo-pad-the-happy-colour-shop-above-with-pencil-eraser.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyMH6uKHME_fi_qSWz74EkCjPttbBPb21UgWt9XvaOKzANPIwtyzm_Mqz2c5z0dIGx5Rfw4HB9EY1CqRynkXZKjhnwp2FJnZ1hnVs-uVoQMjHw21c9StmQO6hrP19MjJ09NXmNGwnOWk/s320/happy-memo-pad-the-happy-colour-shop-above-with-pencil-eraser.JPG" /></a></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future</strong>? <br />I definitely have a few exciting ideas floating around on ways to expand The Happy Colour Shop, I don’t want to give anything away just yet but there sure are fun times ahead.</span></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj785Mms3tSOmrNdYPkSkUuZtQpZ7wer4e6pgkfOsApP6ChsyCMihAB79OHMZDcL6e7sweB1kak5QrD246oeUiRwif9OK_zEOJNeZQYfViNqKyEvw9Rk3bYLfgDYACnp812zDHWBK5u76M/s2000/the-happy-colour-shop-studiotour7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1355" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj785Mms3tSOmrNdYPkSkUuZtQpZ7wer4e6pgkfOsApP6ChsyCMihAB79OHMZDcL6e7sweB1kak5QrD246oeUiRwif9OK_zEOJNeZQYfViNqKyEvw9Rk3bYLfgDYACnp812zDHWBK5u76M/s320/the-happy-colour-shop-studiotour7.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Where can people find out more about you?</strong> </span></div><div class="default-style"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Shop: <a href="https://www.thehappycolourshop.com/">https://www.thehappycolourshop.com</a> <br />Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thehappycolourshop">https://www.facebook.com/thehappycolourshop</a> <br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thehappycolourshop">https://www.instagram.com/thehappycolourshop</a> <br />Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/thehappycolourshop">https://www.pinterest.com/thehappycolourshop</a> <br />Website: <a href="https://www.thehappycolourstudio.com/">https://www.thehappycolourstudio.com</a></span><div style="-webkit-user-select: none; display: inline; font-size: 12px;"><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_Pisv089sP3O1H61AIXxnw403Rs_7LxTgmR_yIA9DV4lNYJc4L64Kdk-PAJKThqnn0URhD8wJEBJRa69JqioksoWImgt4R03HCyGNuPs7VRgrK_4CoT8qDQ9Iyx58fjS8PFhd4LFeoo/s2000/the-happy-colour-shop-penco-pen-caddy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_Pisv089sP3O1H61AIXxnw403Rs_7LxTgmR_yIA9DV4lNYJc4L64Kdk-PAJKThqnn0URhD8wJEBJRa69JqioksoWImgt4R03HCyGNuPs7VRgrK_4CoT8qDQ9Iyx58fjS8PFhd4LFeoo/s320/the-happy-colour-shop-penco-pen-caddy.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="io-ox-signature" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div><p> </p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-11275205915753528912020-11-19T16:00:00.000+00:002020-11-19T16:00:26.333+00:00How do you make the most of an online craft or art fair<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hello</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Online events? Have you done one? What do you think? Thought I'd share my thoughts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3tOp3RN8ZdpKrgMrZT61iBD3Fq__0AD0_hItzFQDYnTKRQe3QWKMwbK-Q3f9hY9QYSyY90AWlqzScZ_LOD4SoxiQLeVqdkEXVOUFQ0xONEflXF4iBY-_NNmU-RSigQNCJycfotMyD2I/s1510/07385D4B-78B0-4BB0-8E9B-5510D6D288C2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3tOp3RN8ZdpKrgMrZT61iBD3Fq__0AD0_hItzFQDYnTKRQe3QWKMwbK-Q3f9hY9QYSyY90AWlqzScZ_LOD4SoxiQLeVqdkEXVOUFQ0xONEflXF4iBY-_NNmU-RSigQNCJycfotMyD2I/s320/07385D4B-78B0-4BB0-8E9B-5510D6D288C2.JPG" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There are so many going on at the moment, I've done 6 myself so far this year and<b> I keep being asked if I think they are worth it </b>- <b>the quick answer is - they can be</b>, but it depends (you knew there would be more to it didn't you?)</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It depends on how involved you get, how much you prepare, how well you advertise that you are taking part, how well the organisers advertise it, the date its on, what else is going on that day, what the weather is like - you are probably starting to realise there are a lot of variables and as a result there are no guarantees. Some fairs might not be the right one for you. Which is a bit like when you do real life fairs, but there are some different ways you can get ready for it and make the most of it while its happening and keep some of the momentum after the event.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Below are some of my thoughts, tips, advice etc..</span></p><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Things to do before the event...</span></b></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If you have an email list (and if you don't get one started) then let your subscribers know that you have the event coming up and how they can get involved.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Get all your photography done for your social media posts</span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Create videos before the day so you can post them during the event</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Plan a stall set up - how do you want to display your work</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Contact other makers who are doing the event and see if they want to do a live with you</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Think about any special offers you want to give (doesn't have to be discounts, might be a free sticker, or a postcard with every order over £10</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPxjj7A1TrdhqLyCJeWBATd-9l0VOxIllACn1koKhY4aTBHVijN0VHJkegNRbhmrM53_xzRFUybneodyMRaU78UmZ5VoBtO4D8LVXueb8DyTQDfrPP4tb0OvG5Ixh2aHS0-nNHuElLBI/s1512/677E9827-F584-4F07-8236-FB8D220A8533.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPxjj7A1TrdhqLyCJeWBATd-9l0VOxIllACn1koKhY4aTBHVijN0VHJkegNRbhmrM53_xzRFUybneodyMRaU78UmZ5VoBtO4D8LVXueb8DyTQDfrPP4tb0OvG5Ixh2aHS0-nNHuElLBI/s320/677E9827-F584-4F07-8236-FB8D220A8533.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Do get involved...</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Although its online, you can still get involved in lots of ways,</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">prepare your posts for instagram and other social media platforms and post regularly throughout the event</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Do use stories on instagram</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Make sure your online shop is well stocked up</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Do post videos to show off your products</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Show some behind the scenes of your working space - customers are interested to know more and this is a big advantage of online fairs being able to share your spaces and stalls with them.</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvmnWghkpRPmAlWsjvxoHzfyZer1mZOG9C8xBthB3FkTCPNqVIKDr7gAcqc8I7D0X17iw-WFScWpa2lJI5z-PPrmNS9DckAfzpOl6pZA_O00-isWIoY7y19GKHBGefDtB7q9R_IQDaCg/s1206/4A1983AD-B01D-4B86-882D-04FA79A0FC82.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvmnWghkpRPmAlWsjvxoHzfyZer1mZOG9C8xBthB3FkTCPNqVIKDr7gAcqc8I7D0X17iw-WFScWpa2lJI5z-PPrmNS9DckAfzpOl6pZA_O00-isWIoY7y19GKHBGefDtB7q9R_IQDaCg/s320/4A1983AD-B01D-4B86-882D-04FA79A0FC82.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Show glimpses of how you create your products</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Chat with other makers online doing the event, leave comments, like and share their posts too.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">make sure you know what the hashtags are and use them</span></li></ul><div><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">What photos/vidoes should you do?</span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: left;">Close ups of your products - imagine you are a customer at a fair, what would they normally do, pick something up for a closer look, try on a piece of jewellery</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheA9i45KKgEnvgo1a7OrQASkfkmlb9lOqSJzNXiDfiaIF_yuvf-1cqc9NcKGz8um8gIW_eJfmPlNtdzEkK-kaZwHIefEZBXUHX3q9ketdRSITp0oIgPb7lH640kuOSz4TItZHPhZgIN4/s1390/0F8497E7-0CCE-4898-9772-FFE7D746AF4E.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="1148" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheA9i45KKgEnvgo1a7OrQASkfkmlb9lOqSJzNXiDfiaIF_yuvf-1cqc9NcKGz8um8gIW_eJfmPlNtdzEkK-kaZwHIefEZBXUHX3q9ketdRSITp0oIgPb7lH640kuOSz4TItZHPhZgIN4/s320/0F8497E7-0CCE-4898-9772-FFE7D746AF4E.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Show them the different options - do you do different colours? Different sizes?</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLwkZEqg24rAYpJGszJrVJ70RT7I-XPIv7qYhC6baG0EckGTpUD4_VIYVzQ9W4JYXd7lkz0EfJTi-Jp-7wiGIX0XulE5iLPgR6euF5IAge08c300j3JsJ5mFhejghA-p0YwarTzs70kQ/s640/C73A0A70-3668-48B1-B396-BC47F311165F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLwkZEqg24rAYpJGszJrVJ70RT7I-XPIv7qYhC6baG0EckGTpUD4_VIYVzQ9W4JYXd7lkz0EfJTi-Jp-7wiGIX0XulE5iLPgR6euF5IAge08c300j3JsJ5mFhejghA-p0YwarTzs70kQ/s320/C73A0A70-3668-48B1-B396-BC47F311165F.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Videos are a great way to talk to your customers, if you don't like putting your face on camera, then focus on the products</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Show them your work space - customers love to know more about you and how you create your work</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Work in progress</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8saGJVqsvvVdt2OcBoY35zW9havoDGgMHqqqtp1522G37aKgyFhvshYr7pKSPGuFJy8TzlyzN6-GdvZdVbZxN4JkKchTsgxPjdPnWUWpSgUyw4isaaHZWFXDEoclwsM3yFvwdr_TJD-4/s1280/0E5EF2E7-ECE7-4C05-AFDF-B5C578754B78.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8saGJVqsvvVdt2OcBoY35zW9havoDGgMHqqqtp1522G37aKgyFhvshYr7pKSPGuFJy8TzlyzN6-GdvZdVbZxN4JkKchTsgxPjdPnWUWpSgUyw4isaaHZWFXDEoclwsM3yFvwdr_TJD-4/s320/0E5EF2E7-ECE7-4C05-AFDF-B5C578754B78.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">How its made</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfuQg9IIF7mGsM_HYfaJSnvScihTRxKge46lEoojgrYn2dsu881e9M_0zREbiQXqpvVPPw-1L3gtXo7ldq7p6I6apgmmCP-aRXPDmH2MqYCt8LLliFEkp2xP_xP4TBMsgJPI83Dj4DtQ/s1440/6872FE37-E26D-42BF-BF74-0883D5CA027A.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfuQg9IIF7mGsM_HYfaJSnvScihTRxKge46lEoojgrYn2dsu881e9M_0zREbiQXqpvVPPw-1L3gtXo7ldq7p6I6apgmmCP-aRXPDmH2MqYCt8LLliFEkp2xP_xP4TBMsgJPI83Dj4DtQ/s320/6872FE37-E26D-42BF-BF74-0883D5CA027A.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What do your products look like in the home, styling photos help customers see what it might look in their house, on their wall, or on their sofas etc.</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhUXqqLIn2JtfnWXTfwghbD8-8Dq1-0-1zuOV_RCytq3DxDRYUEKT94ZLd8cT09oEi-4OXhH8lKAk1_ED7Mxq3K9wKgVIVvpZX8LZ7woC_oXvhe2Ph3PPWtAeas5CJdFQVYFwdWH_eRo/s1280/IMG_0048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1044" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhUXqqLIn2JtfnWXTfwghbD8-8Dq1-0-1zuOV_RCytq3DxDRYUEKT94ZLd8cT09oEi-4OXhH8lKAk1_ED7Mxq3K9wKgVIVvpZX8LZ7woC_oXvhe2Ph3PPWtAeas5CJdFQVYFwdWH_eRo/s320/IMG_0048.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Show some customers photos of your products</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2pk-a3pFqwINNxbIkp9kI5REAiJBwwXReoyI6PDQBXaILST_Yg-bCobGrF8aJWAJJ5ISbtFXt4XZZcF1USWRzyb7LzGLnSYHDYCXNT-Vc3ULlSw13KFn3ZCTEwo1tNRhbkgLCDRJE-Q/s1280/IMG_9411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2pk-a3pFqwINNxbIkp9kI5REAiJBwwXReoyI6PDQBXaILST_Yg-bCobGrF8aJWAJJ5ISbtFXt4XZZcF1USWRzyb7LzGLnSYHDYCXNT-Vc3ULlSw13KFn3ZCTEwo1tNRhbkgLCDRJE-Q/s320/IMG_9411.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Customer reviews</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Tell people how to order from you</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">How do you package up the orders - what can your customer expect</span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXM4HX_O0sfD-80ezNvFZFVo2-ZYo1GOlJdG7bAcPYknhMWF4XSoQcGu_4hJH3KJxPBiAbz5H6s4s_uyFH29OhttupJ6Z_whHXp6PKKw0KCU2SpF5y30SiCGq5jBDDqnIykTeZ4otzoU/s640/IMG_0393.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXM4HX_O0sfD-80ezNvFZFVo2-ZYo1GOlJdG7bAcPYknhMWF4XSoQcGu_4hJH3KJxPBiAbz5H6s4s_uyFH29OhttupJ6Z_whHXp6PKKw0KCU2SpF5y30SiCGq5jBDDqnIykTeZ4otzoU/s320/IMG_0393.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Share other makers products too </span></li></ul></div><div><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Things to do after the event....</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Once the events is finished there are still lots of things you can do</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Say a big thank you</span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHc78PQdketvyFEmZJN1SnBlFtJ1fbADrJbc_HikJhmTOVKNrDbAQAbQHOgz894Tp7gzukdORR4CcAWOHReGwlH1ojjTpIwYSHHQeSGxb8ejxd04XhRdCJzz5A_R3jReRwLN1__0iRIE/s1280/3B1E0242-723D-4893-BCAD-D344DA1E474E.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHc78PQdketvyFEmZJN1SnBlFtJ1fbADrJbc_HikJhmTOVKNrDbAQAbQHOgz894Tp7gzukdORR4CcAWOHReGwlH1ojjTpIwYSHHQeSGxb8ejxd04XhRdCJzz5A_R3jReRwLN1__0iRIE/s320/3B1E0242-723D-4893-BCAD-D344DA1E474E.PNG" /></a></div></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Remind your followers what you sell</span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3a2-vmJ2aPsHEdMYGCUwvuKbFzlzs3DmSJ95Xgo-jyj0WQb8qYOBWpPsknOH878-T4DgorU3pLm5GipxyNuDSFI38pfBNLTWdxqDqI54hrkO9hM31wTuO5Sznb5CuEFxmKFL8Rvwurw/s1280/IMG_1057.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3a2-vmJ2aPsHEdMYGCUwvuKbFzlzs3DmSJ95Xgo-jyj0WQb8qYOBWpPsknOH878-T4DgorU3pLm5GipxyNuDSFI38pfBNLTWdxqDqI54hrkO9hM31wTuO5Sznb5CuEFxmKFL8Rvwurw/w225-h400/IMG_1057.PNG" width="225" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Remind your followers how they can order with you - do a post on how to find your website link or make sure you have the shopping tag on your social media</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If you bought from other makers, share what you purchased too </span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Write a blog post about it!</span></li></ul></div><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">What if you don't get sales on the day..</span></b></p><div><p></p><ul><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Online events are a really great opportunity - reaching new people, connecting with new makers and generally building your community and customer base. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A lot of customers don't buy from your online shop the first time they visit it, so you need to remind them you are there after the event too, keep posting on social media, and send out a follow up email. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Keep on top of your social media, see if you can promote your newsletter and ask people to sign up.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If you don't get lots of sales on the day of the events - don't get disheartened - sometimes the sales come in later, and that can be difficult to measure.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>They can be a lot of fun if you get involved but just like any fair - there are no guarantees, and they might not be for right for everyone, but I think they are worth a try :)</b></span></li></ul><p></p></div><p></p><div><br /></div><p></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-49201036850691821062020-10-31T10:26:00.002+00:002020-10-31T10:26:26.869+00:00Print Peeps Interview with Laura Mellor - Illustrator<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">I'm so pleased that Laura agreed to be </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">interviewed for my Blog, she's such a kind and lovely positive person - you are going to love her illustrations and she's launching a new business soon - so go give her a follow on her social media accounts so you can be the first to hear about it.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHpqVhre4Lb4oMupJZjH6Hdac0Q4zbsInwfmWU77ioPvboBwmsw9Z4ir-RAyicUEWqgWwYhnp9LJpTf5KyB1xEB6Usl1rleEmxcy9LWCis39c2LGouHgDN53hQlaHa2rU7PQWHGSyFso/s1137/Laura.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="1137" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHpqVhre4Lb4oMupJZjH6Hdac0Q4zbsInwfmWU77ioPvboBwmsw9Z4ir-RAyicUEWqgWwYhnp9LJpTf5KyB1xEB6Usl1rleEmxcy9LWCis39c2LGouHgDN53hQlaHa2rU7PQWHGSyFso/s320/Laura.png" /></a></div><br /><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">1. Tell us a bit about your business</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">I’m an illustrator, I work on various projects from visual branding, to personalised wedding and family portraits. I also make and sell prints online through Etsy and more recently my own website.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">I started my business after graduating from my BA Illustration course six years ago. Prior to that, I owned an independent gift and stationery shop on my local high street for ten years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">I worked really hard at university and was determined to make use of my illustration degree. I knew I had to work creatively and expressively, and I love finding new and enterprising ways to make a career through illustration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtonIjNgYtEjaNjOU3srtNr8k7WEla3Ei7yKlEcgHdf1AST9s-OhujbzQjg2RPqe6jRDs3V7xUEKEXcKQMxDZZWqj2w6moy952gPUeJ4LseCgQT0iPXfJXOIgyBBqUsgqnK8CmBhzb_M/s2048/Xmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtonIjNgYtEjaNjOU3srtNr8k7WEla3Ei7yKlEcgHdf1AST9s-OhujbzQjg2RPqe6jRDs3V7xUEKEXcKQMxDZZWqj2w6moy952gPUeJ4LseCgQT0iPXfJXOIgyBBqUsgqnK8CmBhzb_M/s320/Xmas.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;">2. What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">I’ve always been an early riser; I wake up at 6am every day for a quiet cup of tea while I watch the news and pull myself together. After dropping my daughter off at school I try to get out for a walk, I’m the world’s worst procrastinator so getting a walk in first thing really helps me to feel more focused when I finally sit down at my desk, usually by 10am and with another cup of tea!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">I work from home, in a downstairs office with doors out onto the garden, which sounds idyllic, but I’m not green fingered at all, so a lot of my working day is spent thinking about how I should be mowing the lawn! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">I usually pack up orders ready to post out first thing, and then spend a little time catching up on emails and messages, saving the more fun design work until the afternoon. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVPuVGxhBgLjmvGBc5oXo3AVD5-_dmrhpGRXw6pSQuxay3rVFeSR4vgwSbsSfBATEtK7lGagrTG3Grb0ipuaE_x-hEfzqnzuN9resSbTpnFTMQtvf0-LyL_HvP8Rp0j6liv2iVfruBA8/s2048/Stevie+Nicks+Print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1446" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVPuVGxhBgLjmvGBc5oXo3AVD5-_dmrhpGRXw6pSQuxay3rVFeSR4vgwSbsSfBATEtK7lGagrTG3Grb0ipuaE_x-hEfzqnzuN9resSbTpnFTMQtvf0-LyL_HvP8Rp0j6liv2iVfruBA8/w283-h400/Stevie+Nicks+Print.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span>3. How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Up until recently, my illustrations have mostly been based on people; hand drawn, and then cleaned up and coloured digitally. I worked really hard to develop a distinctive style and the portraits have been popular over the years, though having a strong style can sometimes feel quite restrictive creatively. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Last year, I started to produce some type-based prints, inspired by the music I love and personal sentiments. Diverting from my well-honed illustrative style was nerve-wracking but the ‘<i>Let’s get drunk and twirl like Stevie Nicks’</i> has been my best-selling print to date. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Recently I got the keys to my new studio space where I’m looking forward to experimenting even more with different techniques and processes, including screen printing…watch this space!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGVTbMoVLKZ82Dvk-0kB2WIDc-jmwqvBsNB7OWZWgRE1e4FPkn7LHcx_9ITlkiZIZMMFcSrOuYKvR3B2cjeeLXn6t2rvrdXKoVR63EdBnn-fWJkmlnyP3OaCfJkuvrZV0IWBcsYQo1AI/s2048/Wedding+Portrait+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1453" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGVTbMoVLKZ82Dvk-0kB2WIDc-jmwqvBsNB7OWZWgRE1e4FPkn7LHcx_9ITlkiZIZMMFcSrOuYKvR3B2cjeeLXn6t2rvrdXKoVR63EdBnn-fWJkmlnyP3OaCfJkuvrZV0IWBcsYQo1AI/w454-h640/Wedding+Portrait+2.png" width="454" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span>4. What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Freedom! The ability to make my own decisions and the chance to experiment is the absolute best thing about being a creative business owner. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">I also love it when people tag me in their Instagram posts showing my prints on their wall!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">5. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">‘Do what makes you happy’… words I try to work and live by.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMw_rvuKkOd2oiA7a1djPyfs6yTCT5C8waknQTOAAr9lid-AfcZ9fl0jnmbweKQsX3Ay6KQyU5gUPdpY78JHW7bOFzkFlFVvem7Js7SoyAaWWqbwsuXUrk1P8Vx9Xo6sHNAN1oxSyHOw/s2048/Family+Portrait+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="2048" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMw_rvuKkOd2oiA7a1djPyfs6yTCT5C8waknQTOAAr9lid-AfcZ9fl0jnmbweKQsX3Ay6KQyU5gUPdpY78JHW7bOFzkFlFVvem7Js7SoyAaWWqbwsuXUrk1P8Vx9Xo6sHNAN1oxSyHOw/w400-h283/Family+Portrait+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>6. What advice would you give other creative business starting out?<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t be afraid to seize every opportunity; make your own luck and have fun doing it. If you love what you do, it will show through in your work and people will always buy into that. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Also, don’t work for free, even when you’re just starting out. When I first left university I fell into the trap of doing a lot of ‘portfolio building’ work for really cheap (or free), but it did nothing to help my ‘Imposter Syndrome’. I would say start as you mean to go on, you’re running a business, your time and ideas are really valuable! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ArxYMh2jeEcrHwNwDBeeSJ4iTrtHO4hcShX1Gp4vgciOA0D1RR7tW3ZB4f8Miyc6CheGuZSN51MzN0Y6dMnmtrV0Hy24CGhPoT-JvBCQo3HU7YpZJtaJzZk9TcDETs2dBoG_W2iYOfY/s2048/Colouring+Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2045" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ArxYMh2jeEcrHwNwDBeeSJ4iTrtHO4hcShX1Gp4vgciOA0D1RR7tW3ZB4f8Miyc6CheGuZSN51MzN0Y6dMnmtrV0Hy24CGhPoT-JvBCQo3HU7YpZJtaJzZk9TcDETs2dBoG_W2iYOfY/w400-h400/Colouring+Book.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span>7. Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Yes! There’s so much going on at the moment with the new studio, so there will be lots of exciting new work on offer soon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Also, (and I’m super excited about this!) I’ve been working really hard on a new online lifestyle store – <i>Kiin</i>, launching next month and just in time for Christmas. Combining my background in retail with my passion for sourcing beautifully designed products, I will be working with illustrators, artist and makers to offer a handpicked selection of prints, homewares, gifts and lots of other lovely things.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70JbeFYuGDi0ytGyUhCQFGM-xOeXCnq0S8V6PEHVGlwhBIa_WDcBZMOAwj36QWoT4QA7pBz70gzcrys-W719duEeB6sNbXnwDA3ofvvtbsVHLS3NM7vR8272fh9zaHsPNToQkQlDMrK0/s1748/Wedding+Portrait+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1748" data-original-width="1240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70JbeFYuGDi0ytGyUhCQFGM-xOeXCnq0S8V6PEHVGlwhBIa_WDcBZMOAwj36QWoT4QA7pBz70gzcrys-W719duEeB6sNbXnwDA3ofvvtbsVHLS3NM7vR8272fh9zaHsPNToQkQlDMrK0/w284-h400/Wedding+Portrait+1.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span>8. Where can people find out more about you?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">You can find me on Instagram, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/lauramellorillustration/">https://www.instagram.com/lauramellorillustration/</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kiinlifestyle/">https://www.instagram.com/kiinlifestyle/</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">Or, visit my sites, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><a href="https://lauramellor.co.uk">https://lauramellor.co.uk</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.kiinlifestyle.co.uk">www.kiinlifestyle.co.uk</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-49640965111376553522020-09-27T11:36:00.002+01:002020-09-27T12:16:22.295+01:00New Workshop Signage <p>We have been wanting to sort out our workshop front for ages, but with a house renovation to do first, this has been waiting until we had time to give it some proper attention.</p><p>My workshop and studio is based in an old Ginger Beer Factory - its had a few additions over the years, including a large window which I think must have been done in the 60's so its a bit of an eclectic mix and was a challenge to decide what would work as signage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsAURXLkRznv21XmioHqukbqmUXlAFtyY75-tYGk1QWLfxQfdWEAzZ0H1u5ude2KlQWSASq1UdFG04dBW9YB9w6W5_J58EIzwsfyAOHixttFpGUKkmfD4FVumgG4G4EnKhHR_ZhtD8m4/s1242/D923526C-F3A7-4811-BA1E-83DAA23FB7F0.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1242" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsAURXLkRznv21XmioHqukbqmUXlAFtyY75-tYGk1QWLfxQfdWEAzZ0H1u5ude2KlQWSASq1UdFG04dBW9YB9w6W5_J58EIzwsfyAOHixttFpGUKkmfD4FVumgG4G4EnKhHR_ZhtD8m4/s320/D923526C-F3A7-4811-BA1E-83DAA23FB7F0.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It had to be called the Ginger Beer Factory - its a creative space as well as my studio and home to Rita my Riso machine, so that was the starting point for the design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We used Leek Signs, a local company who had been recommended, and so I sent off the design and they got started. My partner, Andrew sprayed the letters once they had been cut and then Leek Signs pulled everything else together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuRV8m-d2BE3lthuN4loQHIRnFdPEaQ-9dhtz_ItV3YdLgVZ9nPd6zdVwCxPtNZnUoZtx4pqYp8vtauB2SQ7CvELn_GOBymrH_qT6Vz_Wi5uqw00r0FgqRK78fhJmfX8ywFRVIhm4lKU/s2016/IMG_9709.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuRV8m-d2BE3lthuN4loQHIRnFdPEaQ-9dhtz_ItV3YdLgVZ9nPd6zdVwCxPtNZnUoZtx4pqYp8vtauB2SQ7CvELn_GOBymrH_qT6Vz_Wi5uqw00r0FgqRK78fhJmfX8ywFRVIhm4lKU/s320/IMG_9709.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJ2fAAc_HUScXgSupxXG5HZ594lEoKz-uWCoutbEc3St7-OC7iAvA8ndJyTSqnoLGdgXK29eMGV6R3UJHskbttLy7-yF3KzjHFSFi5PldmgABgaaKAUkXpHApNx358RShcYbWDXtH58g/s2016/IMG_9715.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJ2fAAc_HUScXgSupxXG5HZ594lEoKz-uWCoutbEc3St7-OC7iAvA8ndJyTSqnoLGdgXK29eMGV6R3UJHskbttLy7-yF3KzjHFSFi5PldmgABgaaKAUkXpHApNx358RShcYbWDXtH58g/s320/IMG_9715.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqBEhdF_7iAM4HPFliSgFW43HTkJ-nH6Q2b_WuujtcZa7mLIHWYtntjSQt2QzrlkowVePRQITmNirlhTcKuaQfs3AJVoIFLQyre2LBVHhniXh9sR6TIuWVkYxtLw0LEiruTrDTp6MeOQ/s1512/IMG_9722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqBEhdF_7iAM4HPFliSgFW43HTkJ-nH6Q2b_WuujtcZa7mLIHWYtntjSQt2QzrlkowVePRQITmNirlhTcKuaQfs3AJVoIFLQyre2LBVHhniXh9sR6TIuWVkYxtLw0LEiruTrDTp6MeOQ/s320/IMG_9722.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM6uSe_JK4W7zVcGmuYnYzd7k7qU7kFsC-L1y-Q3Yfpu7h81ypYjiXIddVU4m3LBm-hy78enW0RY53a5kuPZYvY0Dw5m43bybC9BATyIeJp6gvX-d2I31RRTRG4iYtfVCQHwvr5m9RYM/s1512/IMG_9736.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM6uSe_JK4W7zVcGmuYnYzd7k7qU7kFsC-L1y-Q3Yfpu7h81ypYjiXIddVU4m3LBm-hy78enW0RY53a5kuPZYvY0Dw5m43bybC9BATyIeJp6gvX-d2I31RRTRG4iYtfVCQHwvr5m9RYM/s320/IMG_9736.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was so nervous on the day that they came to fit the sign, bit it went up with no problem, and we have had a frosted film added, to create a peep hole which allows us to display some of my products, but also gives some privacy when I am running workshops in the space.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGd15zqQg-a5rdQziVcvlE1NqT1FFqyMjnODkM1CK44lmuEyI_jeNt4alS3pdK9_j3vBIIr4k87oAjQ9OD-WiPKwSNIEWJJmcsIiLLHd6mAzQIf67WW69bVL-SB47L6ixTXfBLyEgUn-4/s1440/8B177BC1-D815-4951-8AF5-9840FBF548C6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGd15zqQg-a5rdQziVcvlE1NqT1FFqyMjnODkM1CK44lmuEyI_jeNt4alS3pdK9_j3vBIIr4k87oAjQ9OD-WiPKwSNIEWJJmcsIiLLHd6mAzQIf67WW69bVL-SB47L6ixTXfBLyEgUn-4/s320/8B177BC1-D815-4951-8AF5-9840FBF548C6.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36dgieV6sgEeYQek1PPgoZupbBbxuPu6qvmGoBCZmLNf-e6zFgfBrMr4ZAVnSKrYUuYGVtyp7sG2c-ATxLQAVhMzpp-sjZ43qm_KSkB50i5G8bCbW3sOgYdWL6SO7u3CxcrRapRia4BI/s1440/55D49A57-034B-479B-B2AA-374E363B6321.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36dgieV6sgEeYQek1PPgoZupbBbxuPu6qvmGoBCZmLNf-e6zFgfBrMr4ZAVnSKrYUuYGVtyp7sG2c-ATxLQAVhMzpp-sjZ43qm_KSkB50i5G8bCbW3sOgYdWL6SO7u3CxcrRapRia4BI/s320/55D49A57-034B-479B-B2AA-374E363B6321.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6fpFlfzgK7UA5l-zfgTjwrNbiE1eHlUifYjdPCQ4S7hUgCLtPVfvGomN141lseES_jL5Ko2jYg6e78UmwQnDPOIM0J3swtcbPU5-9LJ8Vzh7_jdZx6ys6BImelFvGpkpsOfxiuWlU8E/s1440/33234DB2-1203-481F-BC1D-C9A09F4D23C0.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6fpFlfzgK7UA5l-zfgTjwrNbiE1eHlUifYjdPCQ4S7hUgCLtPVfvGomN141lseES_jL5Ko2jYg6e78UmwQnDPOIM0J3swtcbPU5-9LJ8Vzh7_jdZx6ys6BImelFvGpkpsOfxiuWlU8E/s320/33234DB2-1203-481F-BC1D-C9A09F4D23C0.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHZPDVfEMNoN27mlfARI-75XFqfq1JJ-RlraK281Mq9fg-yYqL9RwZWcyc_qh4mAL6JFczACvmfI409xc0_DoWGxY2K6dx2WJ-cX8sdw1Kb7P_UKv601vo36de_Qqq695O9r_Qi7Jm0w/s1440/D1F764F5-5E87-4014-9620-0BADFB7C682D.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHZPDVfEMNoN27mlfARI-75XFqfq1JJ-RlraK281Mq9fg-yYqL9RwZWcyc_qh4mAL6JFczACvmfI409xc0_DoWGxY2K6dx2WJ-cX8sdw1Kb7P_UKv601vo36de_Qqq695O9r_Qi7Jm0w/s320/D1F764F5-5E87-4014-9620-0BADFB7C682D.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now its up - I am really pleased with it, we both are. I can't quite believe we've done it. A very long time ago - when I was a teenager I always wanted a shop - its not a retail shop in that sense but it is a space that we can create in and home to my studio and workshop, that I am exited to keep developing and seeing where it takes us next.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswSZUA3mC6aPYu2lgblw4NkwukObpMxmu2Ty5IM0JrZrLVw7wIF-n0fUIDCN84scu_t77tYgB1CyDFNksHNP9HTy5IrPZlqVdfMDFdEHXM_XNN3UZmg7b9MieMuB_wCiMMKwZgH6sdd0/s1440/E8691A42-0975-4BC7-8515-C2CF74F482A8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswSZUA3mC6aPYu2lgblw4NkwukObpMxmu2Ty5IM0JrZrLVw7wIF-n0fUIDCN84scu_t77tYgB1CyDFNksHNP9HTy5IrPZlqVdfMDFdEHXM_XNN3UZmg7b9MieMuB_wCiMMKwZgH6sdd0/w397-h397/E8691A42-0975-4BC7-8515-C2CF74F482A8.JPG" width="397" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-70764485100409498532020-09-27T11:06:00.003+01:002020-09-27T12:15:17.388+01:00Print Peeps Interview with Comfy Marmalade<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyKcTLK1u2WUh1Mmow9LjZKqfN_T9an_4sqn1BUfacjhFTsNebZ1qBRB0dr8KYHgHPj0KUu7sixmLX5IqqRSaCsk-W3x534akcX5wrf22U1BLOiGzLw0Ztlfj-GmV-kx_Zc1R_jKhxe0/s1620/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Karen+Douglas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyKcTLK1u2WUh1Mmow9LjZKqfN_T9an_4sqn1BUfacjhFTsNebZ1qBRB0dr8KYHgHPj0KUu7sixmLX5IqqRSaCsk-W3x534akcX5wrf22U1BLOiGzLw0Ztlfj-GmV-kx_Zc1R_jKhxe0/s320/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Karen+Douglas.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm Karen Douglas, a digital illustrator and newbie surface designer; my business is Comfy Marmalade and I design colourful, retro-inspired and eco-friendly cards, prints, calendars and stickers. I launched CM in late 2018 following a somewhat chequered career - theatrical stage manager, theatre press & marketing officer and town clerk! I've always been a creative person but I'd never considered digital illustration until a kind and generous friend gave me a crash course in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and lent me her old laptop to practice on. An opportunity arose for a much-needed career break which I jumped at; I used the time to hone my craft, develop a clutch of potentially good ideas and cobble together a basic business plan, and launched Comfy Marmalade with a ton of enthusiasm but no expectations of success. So far, so good!<br /><br /><br /><i>2. What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4w3DJ6N5ZKwra75lkWu-jGeQlPxGInmC04vkPEIHOFCePp7jzz1-IU6yUe4tBam0aOQs2VwdD-tLyWVCI7aYrOSDIMaACOz8d4KjpB_FOFa8BfewKub-B75qVhUxmuK4elbU7KeHg-_s/s2048/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Apple+greetings+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4w3DJ6N5ZKwra75lkWu-jGeQlPxGInmC04vkPEIHOFCePp7jzz1-IU6yUe4tBam0aOQs2VwdD-tLyWVCI7aYrOSDIMaACOz8d4KjpB_FOFa8BfewKub-B75qVhUxmuK4elbU7KeHg-_s/s320/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Apple+greetings+card.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQlKZWPkMwmzJlnPbWE1eadVwAZfz0bm7Jh5_UWR3RoHccfmvHf8icOjmUN67vgchCYkw6zRVwuVwPTsOxcHW1aRrAqKoBy1krgbd5-_o11JVQdKFe7tduo5nlAagM4yqm9vufxngJ-Q/s2048/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Apple+greetings+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm not sure there is such a thing as a typical day! I work primarily when the kids are in school and sporadically in the evenings. During lockdown it was tough but I managed to keep going, thankfully. Sometimes its fun stuff like designing new cards and prints or product photography, but a lot of the time it's finances, website updates, social media, e-newsletters and the like. When you're a one-person band everything falls to you and no two days are the same! I work in CMHQ (aka our spare room) or sometimes in our living room with the dog snoring on the sofa. Coffee, chocolate and Spotify are all key elements in the Comfy Marmalade mix.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwhXoR2DGQqsBqKgw6dKsMdyaTAjq06BpSCm7iTdwstAbjKEE-4w2kkyVUlZJQC-lmuHAnkazGHD63C1CxK_8n_6PP6uPKPmpsemnWZBtIfANl-NeJHoQ5Xnxo_NDf585kce5N5Oq088/s2048/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Flock+greetings+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwhXoR2DGQqsBqKgw6dKsMdyaTAjq06BpSCm7iTdwstAbjKEE-4w2kkyVUlZJQC-lmuHAnkazGHD63C1CxK_8n_6PP6uPKPmpsemnWZBtIfANl-NeJHoQ5Xnxo_NDf585kce5N5Oq088/s320/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Flock+greetings+card.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><i>3. How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? <br /></i>I doodle a lot on scraps of paper but I create my work in Illustrator. I'm quite a 'technical' designer (which probably stems from a lack of formal training) and I enjoy creating patterns and repeats; I've tried Procreate on an iPad but nothing beats Illustrator for me. I'm inspired by colour, pattern, anything from the mid century era (I have a chronic addiction to vintage flower power crockery) and nature. I don't do subtle or minimalist in my home life and I don't entertain it in Comfy Marmalade either!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickp1Oo22d61FgwKeZ7iba9As2f5lYMTko9hzZWIpJzmVlTTLoaPtnVLQETmZyzFM_TPg5B8Plns9-qjr8NVcnLtVdn-5IjT9LIRNZ5FLwjvA5cQqdjHvIP-XU2cz0i92zJrhSKtcBJnc/s2048/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Mid+Century+Floral+greetings+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickp1Oo22d61FgwKeZ7iba9As2f5lYMTko9hzZWIpJzmVlTTLoaPtnVLQETmZyzFM_TPg5B8Plns9-qjr8NVcnLtVdn-5IjT9LIRNZ5FLwjvA5cQqdjHvIP-XU2cz0i92zJrhSKtcBJnc/s320/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Mid+Century+Floral+greetings+card.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <br /><i>4. What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Being able to be creative every day at 'work'. I enjoyed being a town clerk but it sucked every ounce of creativity out of me and I found that I was craving an opportunity to create towards the end. I love the feeling I get when I know I've designed something really special; for me it's an actual physical reaction as well as an emotional one - kind of a fluttering of my heart if that doesn't sound too daft! - and it's the best feeling in the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqANVXK1TKHu4cGXWUJKnhrAvUNluy1MZhnRENQKY6MpQhKA5FGjyfDzEdzA4M4mpFjb1JjPxqIKF4c_Kq2GOdyl741OXicyvTlno7y6MtmdJCSNT0I3q6uxkRyeI7p7ws0jacaQbuRZc/s2048/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Retro+Tulips+greetings+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqANVXK1TKHu4cGXWUJKnhrAvUNluy1MZhnRENQKY6MpQhKA5FGjyfDzEdzA4M4mpFjb1JjPxqIKF4c_Kq2GOdyl741OXicyvTlno7y6MtmdJCSNT0I3q6uxkRyeI7p7ws0jacaQbuRZc/s320/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Retro+Tulips+greetings+card.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><i>5. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I suffer from Imposter Syndrome (described as the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills). I read a fabulous quote from Ricky Gervais recently, which is "the best advice I've ever received is that no-one else knows what they're doing either". Which I try and refer to when I feel the IS coming on.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><i>6. What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Whenever I've made big decisions in my life, either career-wise or personally, I always ask myself: if I don't do this, will I regret it when I get to the end of my puff? If the answer is yes, then I go for it. I just knew with Comfy Marmalade that it was the right thing to do. So firstly I'd say if it feels right, do it; you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I would temper that, however, by reminding them that an awful lot of running a creative business is not necessarily creative, and in fact the element of 'creating' can almost end up getting sidelined if you're not careful due to all the other business balls that you need to keep in the air. If you bear this in mind when you start out, and you're happy to proceed on that basis, you'll be fine. And I'd also say that whilst you won't be everyone's cup of tea, there will be a tribe for you and you will find it in time, just don't be disheartened if not everyone likes or 'gets' your work.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH_k9xjI6H_C0owJLVnf-5GKWWO6n750c4bLKJvt1uE1aCwC9lHnXExDEtKt3NvVeQTdJFga_qAVvX2lUfrNyFTMp9583RzR8A6U325b-gFlC2i0bOKvX-iblB-1CnF6M_x-jyhoMJuA/s2048/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Cloud+%2526+Rainbow+print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH_k9xjI6H_C0owJLVnf-5GKWWO6n750c4bLKJvt1uE1aCwC9lHnXExDEtKt3NvVeQTdJFga_qAVvX2lUfrNyFTMp9583RzR8A6U325b-gFlC2i0bOKvX-iblB-1CnF6M_x-jyhoMJuA/s320/Comfy+Marmalade+-+Cloud+%2526+Rainbow+print.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><i>7. Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've always got plans, it just usually comes down to time and money, never enthusiasm! I've just invested in a super-duper colour printer which is making a massive difference to my print offer; I can now print on demand rather than having to hold stock, which in turn means that I can offer new designs hot off the computer which is a hugely exciting development for me. It also means that I can offer multiple colour ways and even personalised prints, opening up new avenues and adventures. I'm also currently dipping my toes into the world of surface pattern design (designing patterns and repeats for a variety of 'surfaces', e.g. fabrics, home wares, wallpapers). I'm loving designing them, I just need to decide what to do with them now! I've just been confirmed as a partner for And So To Shop, which is a ratification of the quality of my work and has done wonders for my confidence. And next year I hope to expand my range of products to include items such as mugs, tea towels and others. I'd also love to increase the number of Comfy Marmalade stockists, so I need to do a hard push on that sometime soon. So many ideas, so little time!<br /><br /><i>8. Where can people find out more about you?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm on Instagram (<a href="http://www.instagram.com/comfy_marmalade">www.instagram.com/comfy_marmalade</a>), Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/comfymarmalade">www.facebook.com/comfymarmalade</a>) and Pinterest (<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/comfymarmalade">www.pinterest.com/comfymarmalade</a>). I haven't got my head around Twitter yet - that's also on my very long list of things to do... My Etsy store is at <a href="http://www.comfymarmalade.etsy.com/">www.comfymarmalade.etsy.com</a>, and my overarching website is <a href="http://www.comfymarmalade.co.uk/">www.comfymarmalade.co.uk</a>; if you head over to my website and sign up for my enewsletter you get a unique code for 20% off your next Comfy Marmalade order, so it's worth a look!</span></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-80752720048868146632020-08-29T11:00:00.000+01:002020-08-29T11:00:23.333+01:00Print Peeps Interview with Sarah Grateley <p>Yippee my first Print Peeps interview - so excited to introduce you to Illustrator and Surface Pattern Designer Sarah Grateley and her work. Sarah has very kindly agreed to answer my questions about her business as a freelancer - so if you want to find out more or your interested in getting into this type of work then check out her answers below.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm_YNvOhAkDmm6JWpo5mcP2LKhKLle2xDu18p2r3smRgMPQroOs5tp243bZWaUEI-Cz8C8tKVL_GxdCmLlU-SYwdoFiuPW1bSMyeyu5zi7uRy0VP6iUQCNUc8sU3O7xKOV_m2QZewkpM/s1080/artvartist-2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm_YNvOhAkDmm6JWpo5mcP2LKhKLle2xDu18p2r3smRgMPQroOs5tp243bZWaUEI-Cz8C8tKVL_GxdCmLlU-SYwdoFiuPW1bSMyeyu5zi7uRy0VP6iUQCNUc8sU3O7xKOV_m2QZewkpM/s640/artvartist-2020.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Hi Sarah, tell us about your business, what do you do and why did you start up? </span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am a freelance illustrator/surface pattern designer and mural artist (and Mum to two lovely peeps!! Phew!). Based in Stafford, I studied Visual Communication at the UCE in Birmingham, specialising in my final year in Illustration and graduating in 1998.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since then I have been part time designing/illustrating for various commissions and studios, alongside working part time at the Shire Hall Art Gallery in Stafford. I was taught all about surface pattern and putting designs in repeat by Mary Jones Design Studio based in Stafford where I worked in house for many years.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDL2OBNFxYO6ac8f6QaJrCoT_NnNiSd2p2_00kSP-MzoqIox2nHEF0f71eiV5r64IRUOyYFXxf_sE6jCw_kHVhipkw81jWad6B9ONKQGKZP2328VCLshyF89yO7hUeFzEv5PnPn0La4k/s850/Whale-pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDL2OBNFxYO6ac8f6QaJrCoT_NnNiSd2p2_00kSP-MzoqIox2nHEF0f71eiV5r64IRUOyYFXxf_sE6jCw_kHVhipkw81jWad6B9ONKQGKZP2328VCLshyF89yO7hUeFzEv5PnPn0La4k/s640/Whale-pattern.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the last 3 years since the Gallery sadly closed down and the staff were made redundant, I have fully concentrated on my creative business, doing commissions for greeting cards, selling patterns for fabrics, clothes, gift wrap, and illustrating children’s books. My style is very much geared towards juvenile and children’s products.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">More recently I have been asked to do murals, I have just completed one for a new milk shop business on a local farm, along with some illustrations for use on their social media.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YtdOymgqNx7E4Ej2pqbCGCsTc4yZ5DPId0Zx9qbGtav8SSaMKBXaDOylbCTQNw7HwL7Sh_5f42yOwjs3jCGGAJKXmenyJoui7PKOziMudk8IlwMEoQb1IgblRGT3UbRJ5QunnhCroXw/s1303/20200808_160054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1150" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YtdOymgqNx7E4Ej2pqbCGCsTc4yZ5DPId0Zx9qbGtav8SSaMKBXaDOylbCTQNw7HwL7Sh_5f42yOwjs3jCGGAJKXmenyJoui7PKOziMudk8IlwMEoQb1IgblRGT3UbRJ5QunnhCroXw/s640/20200808_160054.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What is your typical work day like and where do you do your design work?</span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have vague memories of this as Covid has naturally thrown things around a bit with my children being off school!! So pre-covid a typical day (after the school run) would involve checking out any new opportunities either on linked in or the Print Pattern blog, emailing a few companies with samples of my work or responding to requests for commissions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I work from home in my office in the conservatory. Each day for me has to involve being creative in some way, so I will either work on a current commission, firstly sending sketches to the client, or working on some new ideas to add to my agency’s portfolio for clients to view online. I am very blessed to be able to do the school run, be there for my kids and earn a good part time wage from running my creative business. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsacHwUU91dTpST7JuXumGzjOEjPSgfPMz0nrmYrDDC5vZfG-kqh2thZQoRHu5a0JUZ5lcr4DARYCqCDFybvsC4u5XfOhrwtL5SQcUm2KsBzjawqQN5EG_vlaEyuj_LxmrEafFGIxaHY/s1000/moths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsacHwUU91dTpST7JuXumGzjOEjPSgfPMz0nrmYrDDC5vZfG-kqh2thZQoRHu5a0JUZ5lcr4DARYCqCDFybvsC4u5XfOhrwtL5SQcUm2KsBzjawqQN5EG_vlaEyuj_LxmrEafFGIxaHY/s640/moths.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">How do you create your designs and illustrations - do you have a favourite tool? </span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Most of my work starts out by hand by creating stencils for my motifs which I then print with a simple sponge and water based printing inks to create lots of texture. They are scanned in and coloured using Illustrator CC, with other motifs and lines added using Illustrators fabulous brushes! </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sQKsqFVDghQFQ5TGBDxYcRoE0iodXFeoyhL62V3E2-0yyuw-SZxzm8fVDFBg-jniYpDgjjcxhE4t2A_pH5Bud3JBDLH4IR_U5mXZGJRAqPUPBfsB3MHZ2F5bxC-nTi9shXEg26WkE0A/s850/Dinos-repeat-tile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sQKsqFVDghQFQ5TGBDxYcRoE0iodXFeoyhL62V3E2-0yyuw-SZxzm8fVDFBg-jniYpDgjjcxhE4t2A_pH5Bud3JBDLH4IR_U5mXZGJRAqPUPBfsB3MHZ2F5bxC-nTi9shXEg26WkE0A/s640/Dinos-repeat-tile.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p>As well as the flexibility of being self employed with a young family, nothing beats seeing your designs or illustrations on a product! I was so excited when I found my first set of illustrations for Christmas cards produced by CCA Art and Design, in Beatties! (Actually my mum may have been even more excited than me!).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4so0FzkzYvqPWLXMfidiWGfppelFE-g9G2vWzwc-prZyJ3DpkWrnkP0LyZZHlf9IC8yGFPefPMKz4HTyonoXDE2JWwjYravA3LG8LymL531UNUFAFXIWVpCa-i32CmQCo0nOijg_172Y/s2048/samples+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4so0FzkzYvqPWLXMfidiWGfppelFE-g9G2vWzwc-prZyJ3DpkWrnkP0LyZZHlf9IC8yGFPefPMKz4HTyonoXDE2JWwjYravA3LG8LymL531UNUFAFXIWVpCa-i32CmQCo0nOijg_172Y/s640/samples+photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many people have said to me over the years that networking is hugely important in the creative industries. There are only so many contacts you can make, who will potentially give you work, by sitting at home and emailing. Get yourself to trade shows and introduce yourself to relevant companies, join creative groups on Facebook and Linked In, talk to other creatives and share your experiences, you never know where one conversation might lead!</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr025-ghhDFoBGmqQH6761L01yQHc7TqVey1_6GkUi9nUbBKecTORhKjKvX8qMG1PBJi-_oivR-OkV6L0S054vHwP0-OdtN0isAACNbL2Dz_SGlXXbm7wh1sT67azkllR_8TMLBFKgrI/s1000/SARG0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr025-ghhDFoBGmqQH6761L01yQHc7TqVey1_6GkUi9nUbBKecTORhKjKvX8qMG1PBJi-_oivR-OkV6L0S054vHwP0-OdtN0isAACNbL2Dz_SGlXXbm7wh1sT67azkllR_8TMLBFKgrI/s640/SARG0001.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Accept that you will get rejected and don’t take it personally, it doesn’t mean your work is not good! Keep believing in yourself and your work all the time and don’t stop being creative and developing your work further.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfnlMtdYFGR5i69F424rWnmy_8TnEa9qZgODzAcwRDWP9o5rU73G-Obh7DXkFitMy0vTEDY-PnXZxDAh3VcUH4MF7KZwkqRtzIkcYKUde_3iUrkzQPyV4VV74COgw0FfzIUEilHh4ydY/s900/Happy-Birthday-Mermaid-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfnlMtdYFGR5i69F424rWnmy_8TnEa9qZgODzAcwRDWP9o5rU73G-Obh7DXkFitMy0vTEDY-PnXZxDAh3VcUH4MF7KZwkqRtzIkcYKUde_3iUrkzQPyV4VV74COgw0FfzIUEilHh4ydY/s640/Happy-Birthday-Mermaid-2.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I had several rejections from one particular greeting card company over a few years and then eventually they saw some of my new designs on Linked In and asked me to do a full range. Just because they don’t have a need for your work at one stage doesn’t mean they won’t in the future, keep letting them know you are there every now and then, but be polite and friendly.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 18pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSZ4SZkIlVo2oVd4vJBNaKzEjWbeEP_Q87W1lPXiXxE29FavFz40m86hPO6TTjgdh7i2RkzYvNzjh95kxO9DGxcGPNh64WRsTqOmMi9Trqtq08s0ROjyGXYMhCm_4FFS9FYdeggodGqk/s1049/Little-Unicorn%2527s-Magical-Mane-Spread-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1049" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSZ4SZkIlVo2oVd4vJBNaKzEjWbeEP_Q87W1lPXiXxE29FavFz40m86hPO6TTjgdh7i2RkzYvNzjh95kxO9DGxcGPNh64WRsTqOmMi9Trqtq08s0ROjyGXYMhCm_4FFS9FYdeggodGqk/s640/Little-Unicorn%2527s-Magical-Mane-Spread-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My children are both at school full time from September which gives me a lot more time to get organised and plan my time better. I am being considered by a new agency which should bring more children’s book illustration work, which is my true passion, and I would also love to do some more murals, maybe in a hospital or cafe! I am also planning a new website with a shop page to purchase prints direct from me.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 17.25pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 17.25pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbz3kfeWuUO1t9IMj5Zt90hDp_WZ_ULVTK0WDl6rqcE3g8q6W_uvIV_x38Fscmgzr0ndEAcK6cxz52DbjbzA8mjKnsVbhnF9NJmWaJTFVDblbYLRqWK6nQCtl75X4ERTkKy7JkmrPkwog/s850/Spread-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbz3kfeWuUO1t9IMj5Zt90hDp_WZ_ULVTK0WDl6rqcE3g8q6W_uvIV_x38Fscmgzr0ndEAcK6cxz52DbjbzA8mjKnsVbhnF9NJmWaJTFVDblbYLRqWK6nQCtl75X4ERTkKy7JkmrPkwog/s640/Spread-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 17.25pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 17.25pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--></i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>where can people find out more about you? </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.sarahgrateley.com" target="_blank">My Website</a><br /></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/grateleydesigns/" target="_blank">I'm on instagram</a><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-grateley-801849108" target="_blank">Connect with me on Linked In</a><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 18pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarahgrateleysurfacepattern" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or on Facebook</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirp68BUnNzOImTprc_VQyKT_ZpZkIEpt75M6nhNTuhx155Dee84cskK7O_zO7ivgudtpu7fPRzX3G_bHQQbQlKdGIPb8DQeUu-nVGswh1wDGZeltZWeJs9Nq8nHcbcL_pifsZclLpJatI/s2048/20200702_203721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirp68BUnNzOImTprc_VQyKT_ZpZkIEpt75M6nhNTuhx155Dee84cskK7O_zO7ivgudtpu7fPRzX3G_bHQQbQlKdGIPb8DQeUu-nVGswh1wDGZeltZWeJs9Nq8nHcbcL_pifsZclLpJatI/s640/20200702_203721.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; 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</style>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-56239929553558691722020-07-26T14:02:00.000+01:002020-07-26T14:02:08.265+01:00How I created my first video demo...<font face="helvetica">I have been thinking about and researching around how to video and create online demos for years, and for some reason kept putting it off. Usually I pretty much throw myself into things, but to be honest it was the technology and editing of it all that had stopped me from getting on with it. Plus I had made it into this huge task in my head.</font><div><font face="helvetica">
<br />
So how did I get over it? And how did I end up looking this excited about it?</font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtM3slcekgzOExZpR3aoieKp-LsIVQkvvH1llI-o6azGqyUtZXdK_xPo9cPw0QV3nZkCaG0aKRiT9TCdcJ0RpQziya4GCQMHbwA9TiWDJI26JeZHECkQWmoyanj8uH4oH6CzMJwl_gd6c/s1200/5ADACD42-6DB8-4EE6-A257-EE2D604B7E16.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtM3slcekgzOExZpR3aoieKp-LsIVQkvvH1llI-o6azGqyUtZXdK_xPo9cPw0QV3nZkCaG0aKRiT9TCdcJ0RpQziya4GCQMHbwA9TiWDJI26JeZHECkQWmoyanj8uH4oH6CzMJwl_gd6c/w333-h500/5ADACD42-6DB8-4EE6-A257-EE2D604B7E16.PNG" width="333" /></a></div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><b>Here are my top three tips</b><br />
<br />
1. <b>Get some help </b>- once I stopped trying to figure it all out on my own and finding out places where I could get the information and help I needed it all became a lot easier. I signed up to an online course that taught me how to film and edit just using my iPhone and a tripod. I was lucky to happen across <a href="https://www.xantheberkeley.com/" target="_blank">Xanthe Berkeley</a> - who was running a short weeks course that set homework everyday. I loved it - it was really easy to grasp and focused on making short videos to get into the swing of it - I highly recommend Xanthe's course. </font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><font face="helvetica">2. <b>Keep it simple and short </b>- you really don't need anything fancy to do the video - a tripod, a smart phone, and maybe some lighting and a microphone once you get into videoing. I didn't use a microphone or lighting for the very first film I created as I just wanted to get started and not find an excuse not to begin. You can see my set up below - I was really lucky that a friend was getting rid of these lights, but there are so many to choose from now and not too expensive either. It also helps to keep the first video short as this was a much less daunting task and the bonus was it didn't take very long to edit.</font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKe1JySKpgp68ZtO-AzjnEENw-e8PtCZgS2A0SfF32uywGycIxMTQtxFEaMFonEfOEUPzBq3JGdboO1QO4wky9YnkptCBfpBPAgDU7Kc-HVYUMJvSx5_WXJrOpqH697pm03TI_K2v41Q/s2016/IMG_1555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKe1JySKpgp68ZtO-AzjnEENw-e8PtCZgS2A0SfF32uywGycIxMTQtxFEaMFonEfOEUPzBq3JGdboO1QO4wky9YnkptCBfpBPAgDU7Kc-HVYUMJvSx5_WXJrOpqH697pm03TI_K2v41Q/w500-h375/IMG_1555.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div><br /></div><font face="helvetica"><b>3. Plan and Practice </b>- it definitely helps to plan out the demo, write a plan, gather all your resources together and have a few practice runs. I broke my video down into sections so each chunk was a separate film that I then edited together.</font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDdkEBRsphdsBl5513_fHitnHAbvdGqJQ6ybLimq0b3jsYLiXDJaJvS0arNaa692r9H9SVmuzBdbLrbuwmXXTRFtCFclrXgsrwhJDrLnLbX8iAVnT1ckLflJFgKkC0Lx8OSWXTCgXRxo/s2016/IMG_1624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDdkEBRsphdsBl5513_fHitnHAbvdGqJQ6ybLimq0b3jsYLiXDJaJvS0arNaa692r9H9SVmuzBdbLrbuwmXXTRFtCFclrXgsrwhJDrLnLbX8iAVnT1ckLflJFgKkC0Lx8OSWXTCgXRxo/w375-h500/IMG_1624.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><font face="helvetica"><br />
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So now I have created not only a few short videos showing some behind the scenes of my studio, I have just completed my first demo video ever! and I really enjoyed making it too.</font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><font face="helvetica">I will be sharing this in my newsletter - Print Peeps - next week - so if you want to see this freebie, then go <a href="https://fionawilsonprints.bigcartel.com/news" target="_blank">sign up</a> to Print Peeps now.</font><br />
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<br /></div>Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-90376326150001492532020-07-01T11:43:00.000+01:002020-07-04T08:47:39.360+01:00Do you need help with your creative business?<div style="font-family: montserrat, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 16px; padding: 0px;">
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I am really excited to be able to tell you about my mentoring services to creatives who are feeling stuck with their business or their practice. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"The best thing about working with Fiona (apart from her knowledge) is she is quite possibly one of the nicest people EVER! She is warm approachable and gives you confidence in your abilities. I would recommend Fiona to anyone without hesitation - in fact I rave about her all the time to everyone!" Sarah from Hey Pear Website Design</span></i></span></div>
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Whether you are just starting up your creative business or you’ve been operating for a while, sometimes we just need someone else to talk through our ideas with, to find focus and direction.</div>
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You might be wanting to get more serious about the business side of being a creative, perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed and don’t know what to do next, or maybe you are ready to make some changes and need help making a plan.</div>
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I’ve been mentoring creatives both through my teaching at university and through my own studio for over 10 years now, I kept being asked if I could mentor others and so I decided to offer this service more widely. I’m launching my new mentoring programme at an affordable price - having set up and run a creative business myself I know that at times, cash flow can be tricky and that’s exactly when we usually need some extra help.</div>
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What others have said about my mentoring....</div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">“ Fiona absolutely understands the creative mind and how to apply it to the world of Business which I think is a rare thing in the usual world of business support, she will help to motivate and visualise how your ideas can build your business. ” Dawn Critchley of Patternologie</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">“ I’d definitely recommend Fiona! She’s supportive and knowledgeable and has her own kick ass business which is inspiring.” Victoria Glover - The Cyan Studio</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PJUD0u_51ShJi83X2QFb3PF3QITtv8-vVHciU7Dt7uiVn-88mU3iowG_1N4lgTYkC5JwxT4PijIVlpndhZ-SQdeeL8KQoxlgauMbVzab-QE8XQWgvc1uRz9LJ6CSzFCCO8PRkp_tZ-Q/s1600/IMG_0023+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PJUD0u_51ShJi83X2QFb3PF3QITtv8-vVHciU7Dt7uiVn-88mU3iowG_1N4lgTYkC5JwxT4PijIVlpndhZ-SQdeeL8KQoxlgauMbVzab-QE8XQWgvc1uRz9LJ6CSzFCCO8PRkp_tZ-Q/s320/IMG_0023+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">"The best thing about working with Fiona (apart from her knowledge) is she is quite possibly one of the nicest people EVER! She is warm approachable and gives you confidence in your abilities. I would recommend Fiona to anyone without hesitation - in fact I rave about her all the time to everyone!" Sarah from Hey Pear Website Design</span></span></span></div>
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You can book in for one session or if you feel you need longer term support and guidance then maybe a 6 month package will work better for you. You can book in for a conversation with me for free to see whether mentoring is the right thing for you and how we can work together - get in touch through the contact form.</div>
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Mentoring sessions can take place in person here at my studio in Leek, Staffordshire or via phone, FaceTime, WhatsApp or skype.</div>
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Here’s a few of the things I can help you with…</div>
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<i>Business Review and Plan</i> - creating focus for the next steps in your business – what’s working and what isn’t, what do you wish was working better, what are you really stuck with, what’s the biggest challenge you are facing.</div>
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<i>Branding and Marketing</i> – are you happy with your website, social media presence, packaging. Do you need help with planning your social media activity, have you got an email list and how are you using it?</div>
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<i>Finding customers</i>, finding the right place to sell your products, getting orders and bigger orders</div>
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<i>Breaking down goals</i> into manageable action plans</div>
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<i>Financial Goals and Income streams</i><br />
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<i>Selling online</i></div>
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<i>Selling to retailers</i></div>
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<i>Planning for events</i> and how to get the best from fairs and art markets</div>
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<i>Creating a collection</i> of products or services – what’s your offer and is it easy for your customers to understand.</div>
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<i>Developing your creative practice</i>, reviewing and developing art work and designs. Launching a new collection.</div>
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<i>Building confidence and dealing with overwhelm</i></div>
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So if you feel ready to get going then purchase your hours session on my website here <a href="https://fionawilsonprints.bigcartel.com/product/one-hour-creative-mentoring-chat-with-fiona" target="_blank">https://fionawilsonprints.bigcartel.com/product/one-hour-creative-mentoring-chat-with-fiona</a> and then I’ll be in touch to arrange a date and time.</div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">“ The wonderful Fiona has helped me believe and give me genuine confidence in my work." Rachel Anne Jewellery</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></i></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;"><i style="font-family: montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"I cannot </i><span style="font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>recommend</i></span></span><i style="font-family: montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Fiona enough, if you desire, require or perhaps in need of creative mentoring. I now feel creatively energised."</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;"><i style="font-family: montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"Fiona was </i><span style="font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>just</i></span></span><i style="font-family: montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </i><span style="font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>what I needed! She pointed out what 'knew' (but was ignoring) and helped me find new avenues to pull all my work together." Heather Fox Jewellery</i></span></span></span><br />
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Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-27702256792550494342020-06-17T15:26:00.000+01:002020-06-17T15:27:31.210+01:00New in the Studio this MonthHaving not blogged for a while, I started to think about what would be good to share on here again. So a bit of info about what's been happening in the studio this month.<br />
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I've been busy screen printing and making new colour ways and products this month. Its been a funny time not being able to go out as much but this has definitely enabled me to spend more time in the studio and on my business too. <br />
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Here's a few of the new bits and bobs I've been working on.<br />
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My new limited edition screen prints - including the stripey jumper loving Miss Bumble.</div>
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She looks pretty happy here with one of my stackable kitty cats to keep her company</div>
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I've developed a new range of wooden screen printed flowers to go with my wooden vase range. Really love playing with the colours and patterns on these.</div>
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Pink hair has been sooooo popular this month - I think everyone is needing some happy colours around at the moment.</div>
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And my new ornamental brooches that can sit in their matching stands when you are not wearing them have been my best seller this month - lots of my customers have been sending these to friends and family as they fit easily through the letter box too.</div>
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Its been a quiet but busy time. I've kept myself occupied with making and feel super grateful to have a creative practice that has kept me sane.</div>
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Take care lovely people. Love Fiona xx</div>
<br />Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-80337851900668932362019-09-21T11:25:00.000+01:002019-09-21T11:26:59.675+01:00Creative Business Interview - Rebecca Brown - Ceramics and DrawingsI can't tell you how excited and pleased I was when Rebecca said that she would agree to be interviewed for the blog. I really love Rebecca's work (I'm still regretting not buying a plate that had the most fabulous scruffy cat on it!) and am sure you will love her work too. She is a relatively new business and is, like many of us juggling it with other jobs. I'm also really pleased that we will be both exhibiting at Art& in York in October so I'll get chance to buy a plate and this time I won't be hesitating!<br />
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Be sure to go give her a follow over on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/beccabrwn/?hl=en" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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<b>1. Tell us a bit about your business?</b></div>
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I make decorative hand built and slip cast ceramics, combining drawing, painting and printmaking to build narrative on the surface. It still feels as though I'm just starting out but I graduated in 2014 with a degree in Textile & Surface Design which was where I started working with ceramics. I then wen on to study for a Masters in Illustration and kept making ceramics throughout. I moved to Sheffield in 2017 for the Ceramic Starter Studio at Yorkshire Artspace and thats when it feels like things started moving a bit more quickly in terms of picking up more erratic knowledge and gaining an understanding of running a business.</div>
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<b>2. What is your typical day like?</b></div>
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Most days start really early because I work part time as a childminder too, so I usually start the day with two small people, making breakfast and worrying about getting them to school on time, then head to the studio and try and cram everything in between 9.30 and 3.00pm before school is finished. It sometimes feels hectic but forces me to plan the day on the walk in, and means I actually get work done instead of dawdling. These days are good for making a big batch of pinch pots, rolling slabs, glazing etc. Fridays are my favourite day because I can stay as late as I like at the studio, don't have to plan and can let my mind wander a bit so they feel better for drawing and planning.</div>
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<b>3. How do you market your business and what works best for you?</b></div>
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It is very lazy but I tend to use Instagram and not much else. At the moment, I find selling through galleries is probably the best for me in terms of marketing as I'm not really sure about it myself and find it a bit awkward so I try to avoid it. But I realise I cannot avoid it forever, and pan to set up an online newsletter to reach out to people.</div>
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<b>4. If you were starting your business again, is there anything you would have done differently?</b></div>
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That's really hard to answer! The number one thing I'd probably do is give myself more time to rest, because I think it has taken a really long time for it to sink in how important that is. And I'd make time to go to more exhibitions and other interesting things to fill my brain - I'd call them "research days" instead of thinking I have to be in the studio absolutely all the time. And finally I would try not to be too hard on myself if thing's don't go to plan.</div>
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<b>5. What's the best thing about being a creative business owner?</b></div>
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Looking forward to going to work.</div>
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<b>6. What's the toughest thing?</b></div>
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It can be all consuming.</div>
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<b>7. What's the best piece of business advice you've been given?</b></div>
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Probably "make what you want to make, not what you think people want you to make", which sounds obvious but can be so difficult to remember this when self doubt takes over, so I'm always trying to keep this in my head.</div>
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<b>8. What advice would you give other creative businesses starting out?</b></div>
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Make sure you have some time to rest! I think especially when you start straight out from university because of the fast pace of the final year, it can feel like everything should be happening really quickly but there's really no rush. So don't feel like you have to take on too much all at once. If something breaks, or doesn't go to plan (thank you ceramics!) or I'm really excited about an opportunity but get a rejection email, I keep reminding myself 'it's not the end of the world'. Putting it like that seems like such an understatement, but when you frame it like that it kind of helps to realise how insignificant it is in the grand scheme of things. In the same vein, if you miss a deadline for something, keep in mind that there is always next year, just make a note of the rough time of year so you don't forget.</div>
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<b>9. Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</b></div>
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Yes! I have just moved in to my own small studio with Yorkshire Artspace and it feels really exciting. In the longer term I'm hoping to make some larger pieces and take time to draw on the surface as well as making time to draw and print on paper again too.</div>
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<b>10. Where can people find our more about you?</b></div>
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I have a website <a href="https://www.beccabrown.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a> as well as Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/beccabrwn/?hl=en" target="_blank">here</a>. and will be opening my studio on the 16th ad 17th November as part of the Yorkshire Artspace Open Studios event. I'm doing lots of shows in the run up to Xmas, including the Sheffield Ceramics Festival, GNCCR, Art& York and Lustre.</div>
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<br />Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-60450699833051564822019-08-15T14:09:00.002+01:002019-08-15T14:09:19.150+01:00Creative Business Interview - Ruth Thorp - Illustrator<div class="page" title="Page 1">
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica;"><i>I'm absolutely thrilled to bits that illustrator Ruth Thorp agreed to be interviewed for my series of Creative Business Interviews. You will love her work, its full of colour and imagery that just takes you away to beautiful illustrated lands. Her journey to becoming a designer is an inspiration to all aspiring creatives who are looking for a change of career. Ruth has some great advice, so get comfortable and enjoy reading about her business...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">1. Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do? What’s your background. Why did you decide to set up your creative business? How long has it been going?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I’m an illustrator and designer based in Bath. Most of my work is inspired by the natural world and the spirit of adventure and I produce and sell my own range of art prints and cards as well as a range of illustrated books in collaboration with and published by our family run publishing imprint Raw Mixture Publishing (https://rawmixture.co.uk/).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I have a degree in Architecture from the University of Bath and I worked as an Architectural Designer in a Landscape Architecture practice for 10 years. Whilst I enjoyed my time here, I felt that it wasn’t really my true calling and so set about exploring new directions outside of work by taking a range of different courses from printmaking to dressmaking and finally found myself taking an online course called ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design’. After completing the course in 2013 and whilst still working in Landscape Architecture, I began producing a product line of illustrations selling them as cards and paper products online, in shops and local markets and gradually it grew until I was able to leave my job in 2016 to pursue Ruth Thorp Studio full-time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">2. What is your typical work day like?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I’m not really one for routine so I don’t have a typical day as such — I kind of just go with the flow a lot of the time which often depends on what mood I’m in, what the weather is like or if I have any specific deadlines! I guess my only set routine is coffee in bed every morning — the dangers of working for yourself means this can often stretch into mid morning, but once I’m up my days generally include a mix of making product, packing up wholesale or online orders, creating new designs or collections, working on collaborations or thinking up new products. On my less creative days I can make stock, keep up with accounts and admin, photograph product and manage my online shops and website, or research new potential stockists. We are also currently renovating our flat and I am working right in the middle of it so that’s a pretty big distraction at the moment and means I’m not really producing an awful lot of new work but am doing quite a lot of heavy lifting, drilling and painting!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">In summer months I’ll use any excuse to go out in the sunshine so I love it when I need to go to the post office to send out orders. Otherwise I can just pop across the road into the park, or have a wander round town and quite often meet other freelancer friends for coffee, or take a daytime yoga class. I can’t say it’s the most productive time of year business wise, but it is very enjoyable and I always know that when Christmas season comes around I will be in non-stop making/packing/ wrapping and selling mode so allow myself the time to chill out a bit in the quieter months. I try to fit in some kind of exercise every day too. Dance, yoga and pilates are my favourite and I am spoilt for choice with classes in Bath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">3. How do you market your business and what works best for you? Do you use any good apps to help you?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I mainly stick to online marketing. I love instagram and have found twitter has been a useful platform in the past too. I have found taking part in campaigns such as #justacard or #handmadehour have been hugely beneficial to growing my business over the last few years. I also find that having my work in shops up and down the country has been great for not only expanding my customer base and sales, but promotion too. I took part in the BCTF trade fair in 2018 and it was a massive turning point for my business. I can honestly say that without the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">ongoing support of my stockists and their customers I wouldn’t be where I am today and it’s always lovely receiving e-mails and messages from people who have discovered or bought my work in one of those shops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">4. If you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I don’t think so. I’m a big believer in not having regrets and knowing that everything in your past: all the decisions you make and the experiences you have (both good and bad), lead directly to where you are at any given moment. I’m pretty happy with my life and business right now, so I can’t imagine changing anything about the journey so far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">5. What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I think it would have to be the flexibility and having complete control over my life and creative work. It’s wonderful having the freedom to be able to decide when, how and where I work; what projects I want to work on; and being able to say no to jobs I don’t want to do, or take on challenges that sound interesting. I love that I can go to yoga in the middle of the day, work remotely or late into the evening when I need to and then take time off without having to ask permission. I think creativity is a wonderful gift and I feel so grateful that I am able to use it every day in both my business and life as a whole which happily blur into one most of the time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">6. What’s the toughest thing about being a creative business owner?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">Probably all of the above! It’s hard to switch off when you run a creative business, even when you take time out for a holiday. The usual 5 day week doesn’t really mean anything to be anymore and no matter how hard you work, a feeling of guilt can creep in when you are not working between “normal” working hours. Having to make every decision yourself can be overwhelming at times and when you are creatively blocked (which can happen a lot) worrying that you will never come up with anything new or good again can be hard. You have to learn to be a bit more fluid as running a small business can be very unpredictable at times. It’s also easy to overwork and get burnt out when you go through busy periods and there is also the odd occasion where you have to explain to people that despite appearances you do actually work, it just may look a little different to a job they are used to!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">7. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I say this all the time, but talk to people! You never know where conversations and connections may lead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">8. What advice would you give other creative businesses starting out?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">Don’t limit yourself with pre-conceptions: be willing to grow and challenge yourself! Ideas and views are never fixed and there is always room to improve yourself and your work and change your mind. Be generous with your experience, time and advice. We all learn from each other and we all need a helping hand at some point, so lend yours when you can. I recently read a book written by astronaut Mike Massimino and one part really resonated with me. He described how when training for his mission to fix the Hubble Telescope one of his crew members told him to remember that</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-style: oblique;">“Space is an open-book exam. You’re not alone up there. This is a team, and you can always get help if you need it.” </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I thought that was a pretty cool ethos to apply to life generally! So remember to ask for help when you need it, and reach out and be kind to others when they need it too. More </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">than anything, stay positive. Negativity is toxic and I really believe there is no room for it in creativity or life in general!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">9. Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">I have started working on some new fabric products which I think could be an exciting edition to my offering. I have been wanting to work with my designs on fabric for a long time, so watch this space! If I can ever make decisions on colours that is - it could take some time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700;">10. Where can people find out more about you? Do you have any selling events coming up that you want to tell people about?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">Instagram and my website are probably the best places to find out more about me and my work. I focus mainly on my online shops and selling through independent shops and galleries, but I will be doing a couple of selling shows in Bath around Christmas time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://www.ruththorpstudio.co.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.ruththorpstudio.co.uk</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ruththorpstudio/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/ruththorpstudio/</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://folksy.com/shops/RuthThorpStudio" target="_blank">https://folksy.com/shops/RuthThorpStudio</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RUTHTHORPSTUDIO" target="_blank">https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RUTHTHORPSTUDIO</a><br />
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Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-48364087266326667832019-06-13T16:02:00.001+01:002019-06-13T16:02:17.748+01:00Pricing for CreativesSo last week I did a talk, on pricing of all things! Me who really is no big fan of working with numbers - which is actually the main reason I decided to deliver a talk on numbers for creatives.<br />
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When I was asked if I had any ideas for a talk as part of the Factory Programme with the Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, I started to think about what I would have liked to have known more about when I first graduated and started trying to sell my work.<br />
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I graduated 10 years ago, and now there is a tonne of information on the internet to help with getting your pricing right - just google it and you will find some good articles on it. But I do think it is good to have a real person in front of you who has gone through the stuff you're trying to work out and hopefully motivate you to deal with the elements of your business that you find difficult.<br />
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It was no surprise to me when I asked the room of attendees to my talk - "who likes maths?" - that no one put their hand up. Most of us creatives want to make and not worry about numbers, but I wanted people to leave my talk feeling more confident about the numbers in their business.<br />
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So here are a few things you need to know about pricing your products to sell.<br />
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You don't have to be a mathematical superstar to get good at it<br />
You do need to do it though<br />
Gather all your receipts and bills up first - makes it easier to find the info you need<br />
Make some time and give it priority.<br />
Sorry, but you can't do it with a magic wand either<br />
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I got some lovely feedback from the audience, and everyone was still awake and no one left early... and weirdly I enjoyed talking about the maths!<br />
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If you'd like to work on your creative business and are looking for some mentoring then I have some places available this year. Get in touch and we can have a chat.Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795900261556633934.post-52268688081338647042019-06-04T15:37:00.001+01:002019-06-04T15:43:40.220+01:00Creative Business Interview - Holly Crow - Designer Maker - Clothing<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In this chapter of the Creative Business Interviews - I got to chat to the lovely Holly Crow - a designer maker based just up the road from me in Cheddleton in Staffordshire. I first met Holly when she had her shop in Leek - she’s always smiling and makes beautiful clothes and I couldn’t wait to find out more about her and her business.<br />
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<i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="display: inline !important;">Hi </span><span style="display: inline !important;">my names is Holly and I run Holly Crow Clothing & Gifts. I'm a designer maker by trade, specialising in women's and girl's clothing. I’m a one woman show at Holly Crow so I'm lucky that I get to see each garment through from the inspiration/design stage right through to me putting the finished touches to each handmade garment before they get sent out to my lovely customers.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="display: inline;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I studied art at college on a general Btec course which I loved as I got to try out so many different mediums and processes. In the second year I specialised in Fashion and then went on to do a degree in Fashion Design at the University of Derby. I made the course into 4 years by taking a year out to go and work for designers and artists in Australia including Collette Dinnigan. I graduated with a First Class Honours which I'm still extremely proud of now (my husband says I'm a swot).</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I got my first job working at an assistant garment technologist for a company specialising in Sleep wear. I think this is where I learnt the most to be honest though. Fabric testing, garment construction, deadlines, volume production, dealing with brands like M&S and Tesco. I worked in this industry for around 5 years and worked my way up to technical manager running my own department. The problem was I missed being creative. In industry, the different sections of a garments life are very separated. I missed the process of being involved at every stage. So after thinking about it a lot... I quit my job. I took a part time retail job and out of the spare room Holly Crow began. I did this for a year and a half and then I went full time self employed. That was 8 years ago.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is your typical work day like? </i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">My typical day starts with coffee, emails and social media. Then a walk with my lovely Labrador and personal assistant Alfie. I start in the studio about <a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(112, 172, 237, 0.258824);" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">9.30am</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I try to plan my week out - I'm a huge fan of a daily list I can tick off. I work well to praise, but working alone this doesn't happen, so my tick lists help me feel better. I try to have days when I will design and source fabrics, pattern cut all day, cut garments out and then days when I just sew all day.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Working for yourself means no one day is the same, problems always arise or I get distracted with ideas. I always have a lunch break... I'm a foodie and I find it does me good to have a break... I'm a book worm as well, so its nice to just have half an hour it refreshes me to then get back to work in the afternoon.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had my shops for around 4 years and I loved seeing my customers face to face. The problem was the day to day running of the shop was stopping me making. I was buying more and more products in due to time. So I made another difficult decision to close my shop. I decided to work from home and sell just online. My business has been this way for just over 3 years now and I love it. It make me very flexible.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: uictfonttextstylebody;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I sell through my main website </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.hollycrow.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;" target="_blank">http://www.hollycrow.co.uk</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: uictfonttextstylebody;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">and my Etsy shop too. My main marketing tools are instagram and facebook. I do find them challenging though. Its very competitive and I also think they make it very difficult for small business owners. I'm constantly learning though and always on the look out for tips! </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I work from home. We recently moved and I inherited a beautiful garden Studio. I've put my own twist on it and I love working in there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>How do you market your business and what works best for you? do you use any good apps to help you?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">This had developed with my business really. When I first started I used to do a lot of fairs and events and I had an Etsy shop (still do) this then developed into me having a real shop and then a slightly larger shop so I stopped doing the events as the shop was very demanding.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>If you were starting your business again is there anything you would have done differently?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wouldn't of tried to run before I could walk. When I first started if it was sewing I would do it... alterations, blinds, clothings, christening gowns... you name it. I wish I had taken the time to really think about what I wanted to do and develop a brand. I am more where I want to be now for sure. I think in the beginning it was the pressure to get my name out there and the pressure to earn a living, time is the most precious thing when running a small business and I think its the thing we all have the least of.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">What’s the best thing about being a creative business owner?</i></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Feeling like myself. Don't get me wrong there are days when I doubt what I can achieve and that I'm good enough. However I love that I can try new things, I can run with something when I'm really enjoying it or I can take a step back and re group when things are not going to plan.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What’s the toughest thing about being a creative business owner?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've mentioned it in a previous question but without a doubt it's time. As a small business owner you are everything: accountant, designer, maker, promotion, product development, shipping etc etc, the list is endless. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming. You just have to be kind to yourself and break it all down.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: uictfonttextstylebody;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't try to please others. Don't get me wrong this isn't about not listening to your customers and advice from others because thats important. However if you're making a product, if you like it, are proud of it and are confident in it, other people will get that and it really does radiate from your work.</span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-azqMQfZRB3pr5EnC_Jiw_WjaEKT3a9BkUZXWGVsypt-CnDOKSsZIz9kTAWxgN0z6rQb7WkiS1lUve5Mz0uNTLwqguRxa-R5nUt2IH-GZkjQ_gGPpeKSd-fuXlCasZYD_7oOA9_4h4g/s1600/17B2591B-D8AC-4B78-B01F-A52BD3805331.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><br /></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>What advice would you give other creative business starting out?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do your research. Figure out exactly what you want from your business. Your ultimate goal. Then break it down into achievable steps. In other words plan plan plan.... it definitely helps and when you feel overwhelmed it gives you something to go back and reference to sort your head out.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I do... im expanding my current range with some great new styles and im planning a photoshoot to restyle my products and show them off to their current potential... these things all take time but im definitely excited about the way things are heading.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Where can people find out more about you? Do you have any selling events coming up that you want to tell people about?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The best place to find out about me is through my social media HollyCrow Clothing & Gifts on both insta and facebook. I regularly update and its the best place to see what's going on at HollyCrow HQ on a day to day basis and also find new products. Im really keen to add a few select events to my calendar too. Ive got a few in the pipeline which im visiting this year with a view to sell at in the future so watch this space.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Fiona Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12501575395891404823noreply@blogger.com0