Well, the time has come for me to, um, interview myself as I've opened my shop this week! It might have come out a bit strange, me saying I can contribute to your Seller's Manual, but just ignore that, I 'll be sincere and that's, I guess, the most important thing.
The actual working me. Kind of.
- Share a bit of your story, please.
Why, sure, my asking self! The story you might still not know begins with the fact that I've started creating stuff not so long ago, my first crafts impulse was born probably 3 years ago. Well, we won't be mentioning the fact that once I won some clay competition (the teacher helped... a bit :D). I've always had a thing about arts, having chosen to study Creative Writing as an undergraduate, but the more I do arts, the more I grow passionate about business and marketing. My past plans included more visions of an artist's life, while my future plans are more serious and respectable! I'm considering doing masters in Marketing and meanwhile running my Etsy shop, which is not even close to being fully expanded! The lesson I'm learning at the moment is that nobody should marginalize himself willingly. If you like painting and biology, no one can make you choose one over the other, not even have you prefer one of them more that the other!
- What place does art have in your everyday life? How do you manage to balance creativity and chores?
What my everyday life is like depends entirely on the newest obsession I have. However, there are some almost constant things about it like art and books and they serve to balance my short-term obsessions. They give me some calmness and a solid ground to walk on while I'm trying to succeed in whatever caught my attention at that point. Therefore art is not my first and only priority, it's more important in being developed over time. Chores (well, not the infuriating ones like cooking) are as essential as art, because they give me some blank moments during which I can recharge my creative batteries. If I don't have enough chores I'd watch a chick-flick or read some chick-lit and just shut my brain off. People look at me with dismay, but I love my cheap relaxing way!
- What is it that inspires you?
My inspiration comes mainly from my home. My mother's taste is something that I'm deeply indebted to, because it has been a corner stone during so many taste storms. I love organic looking things, especially tan, hemp and wood. My other source of inspiration is the Materials drawer I keep. I'd go and see the junk I've gathered and then just come up with a way to use it! Well, if I have to be honest, "drawer" is not the right term... I have stuff all over my place!
- What do you expect to happen to your Etsy store in the future? Where do you see yourself in one year?
I expect it to grow as I grow. Hopefully, I'll accumulate business knowledge that would be useful to my Etsy development, but I'm still at the beginning of things. If we're talking about money, I don' expect it to become a huge enterprise, I'm aiming at a satisfying amount of pocket money :D. In one year I'd like to see myself still running the shop and working on my travel project, while earning my masters fee. I've got quite a plan stashed in my head!
- Any strategy to help you achieve your artistic goals? Would you share one tip with all new-born artists?
My strategy would be to stay true to the design I've originally developed while at the same time changing it slightly as I get more feedback. Otherwise, my interest in business I'll try to link to my shop and I'll keep an eye on Megan's blog which is actually what I'd recommend to any other new artist. Keep your eyes open as advice and experience will come in a most precise form from other Etsy members. Reading is a must, of course!
- Anything else you'd like to say?
Well, thanks to all the readers of this blog and again, sorry about the awkward situation with me in my 'Fresh Artist" section. Hope I've said something of worth. I'll be adding no pictures from the shop as you can see them next to any post in the Etsy Mini store.
Next Monday I'll share the surprising stuff and few difficulties I've experienced during the first week of my shop launching. This week's been a bit unconventional in terms of posts, but fear change not, I'll be returning to my normal schedule and template from now on!
Have a relaxing and sunny weekend,
Bilyana!
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