Please tell us about yourself…
Hmm... I am mom to two little girls. Sydney is 5 1/2 and Natalie is 4. They attend a Montessori school which gives me plenty of time to work on my shop. I opened Paper Peddler on February 28, 2008 as a second shop. My first shop, Chickadee Cards, just wasn't moving fast enough for me and I was becoming discouraged. Paper Peddler did well from the very start. I sold 4 items just hours after listing them so, I was all set to go from there! Sales are very motivating. I enjoy the shop so much and have never looked back.
What is your first crafting memory?
Hard to say. I definitely get my arty/craftiness from my dad. He "owned" the basement and had a huge art studio area. I remember sitting with him and watching him draw, paint, airbrush, do stained glass - you name it. I also very specifically remember a really rainy day (like it is here today) where I sat for hours, or so it seemed, and worked with oil pastels/craypas. I always think of rainy days as good art days.
How did your shop get its name?
I like alliteration. So, I thought about what I wanted to sell in my shop and actually went through the "P"'s in the dictionary until I came up with something I liked and that was available for a user name on etsy ( I'm not the only one who likes the double p's for paper). So, I settled on "Paper Peddler" and I'm very happy with it!
What is your favori
te medium to use in your crafting, and why?That's easy - Paper of course! I really do have a paper addiction and luckily, my hubby understands..well, at least he puts up with it, lol. I get so inspired by paper. I love to just sit and look through collections. Sometimes, when in a craft store, I can pick up paper and have 100 ideas of what I would like to do with it rush through my head. Bringing home new paper makes me feel like a kid with new toys. I love the colors, the designs and prints, and textures (don't even get me started on things like glitter, foil and flocking accents).
If you could learn a new craft, what would it be? Why?
There are so many things. I feel like you are never your best at any art or craft form because as you continue to work and create, and time passes, you only get better and better. It's always a learning process and sometimes you discover new forms or techniques that interest you. I have been slowly studying Japanese bookbinding. I love books and would really like to take my love of paper, writing and reading, and create beautiful, hand-bound journals and notebooks.
Tell us about your office. Then, tell us about your dream office.
My craft room/office is (very luckily) my dream space. Before I opened my shop I did a lot of "kitchen table" crafting which meant that everytime dinner was served, I had to pack up. It was really a pain, not to mention my supply stash was growing and growing. So, I took over what was my youngest daughter's room (that had been a sitting room and before that a dining room). I think I have finally settled on this being a genuine craft room. I even have an area for my girls and we spend a lot of time in there together. I love it and wish I could just live in there. The family can have the rest of the house, lol.
What or who is your biggest inspiration? Do you have an inspiring story you’d like to share?
Hmm..I don't know. Good question, but I think I would have to ponder that for a while.
Who is your biggest fan? How have they encouraged you?
ME! I am my biggest fan (and I'm laughing as I type but is true). O.K - My girls may be my biggest fans. They spend a lot of time with me in the craft room and I have even started to let them have a little input into what I'm doing. I let them pick out paper they like for paper piecings and they help "push buttons" on my cutter. I always make an extra that they can glue together and use in their own artwork. They really do cheer me on and like to watch me work. They are very good at telling me when they think something I made is pretty:)
What is your favorite item to create? Tell us about it.
As simple as they are, I really enjoy making my envelope seal stickers. I like to see how the papers I have chosen look when they have been cut into small circles. It's amazing how one thing (ex.- a large print of a flower) can make so many interesting designs when cut up into circles. I also really enjoy paper peicings and flowers sets. It's so much fun to pick and choose, and combine your favorite papers with other colors pulled from their designs.
What are your business goals for 2009?
GROW! GROW! GROW!
You can find more of Sarah's delightful papers and seals at:
PaperPeddler: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5661870
She is also an admin for the Etsypaper Street Team! Visit us at: http://etsypaper.ning.com/
Follow her blog at: http://paperpeddler.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Sarah! :)
I love it!! I am very big fan!
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