Designer Interview: Sarah of Sarah Ridgley Letterpress

I was taking a look at the TTAH archives, and reread the Designer Interviews from Bright Ideas Week. They were so wonderful, I've decided to make a habit of it: every Friday, I'll try to post a new interview with some of my favorite designers out there - obviously, it'll depend on their schedules as well as mine. Kicking off the new feature is the wonderful Sarah Ridgley, whose work you've seen on many blogs already, but has been kind enough to answer some of our questions with incredible insight!

Sarah Ridgley runs the lovely letterpress studio Sarah Ridgley Letterpress. She is based out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was kind enough to share with us a little bit about herself, her process, and some of her favorite things.

ABOUT SARAH
 

What does your company sell?
Letterpress cards and coasters.  I also do custom work like wedding invitations and baby announcements.

Who are your favorite visual artists or crafters?
I absolutely love Mandy of Belle and Boo. Her illustrations are delightful and they always make me smile.

What's your favorite food?
A perfect steak from Doe's Eat Place.

What's your favorite color?
Green, in all its glorious shades.

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?
Shopping at Anthropologie, I spend lots of hours and dollars there.

What's your favorite pastime?
I think my favorite thing would have to be cuddling in a blanket on the couch reading my favorite magazines (Domino, Martha Stewart Living, and Make).

Cats or dogs?
Dogs.

Pepsi or Coke?
Coke

Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate

Printed magazines or blogs?
Ohhh, I don't know. Probably printed magazines.

Where would you go if you had a plane ticket to anywhere?
Straight to India. I can't imagine a more visually stimulating place. I would love to wonder the markets and pick out amazing fabrics all day long.

If you were marooned on a deserted island, what three things would you be most desperate for?
My husband, bug spray, and my itouch with solar powered charger.

What websites are you addicted to?
Etsy, Briar Press, and Flickr.

ABOUT SARAH'S BUSINESS AND CREATIVE PROCESS

What's your creative background?
I don't really have any formal training in "creative."  I've been interested in fashion and design for as long as I can remember.  I think most of my training came from studying magazines and books to develop a sense of what appeals to me.

What made you pick up crafting in the first place, and how did you learn to do it?
After I got engaged I started researching wedding invitations.  That's when I first learned about letterpress printing.  I started reading everything I could find to learn how the process worked and what you needed to get started, thinking I could figure it out and make my own invitations.

At that time, there were lots of presses available for cheap.  I bought one in Memphis and my fiancée and I drove all night to pick it up.  It was very exciting! Unfortunately, once I started teaching myself how to use it, I realized there was no way I would be proficient enough to print my own invitations in time. I called several local printers to see if they could help me, but most of them didn't even know what letterpress printing was.

So, I was completely on my own for learning.  It was great though.  I would spend hours out in our barn mixing inks and pulling prints.

What motivated you to turn your hobby into a business?
One afternoon at work (I'm an attorney by day) I discovered a link to Etsy. I started looking at all the shops, and I thought it might be fun to see if my designs would sell.  So, I made a few cards and listed them. Once they started selling, I got hooked and decided to make my very own website.

What was your strategy for promoting yourself once you decided to start the business up, and was it effective?
I tried several different things when I first started up.  I used Google Adwords (a waste) started a little blog (fun, but very time consuming) and put pictures on Flickr (my favorite!!). I also did a little mini-campaign where I went through tons of blogs and left comments.  That way people could look up who I was and find my shop, and I wasn't too much in their face.

What are some of the lessons you've learned along the way? Is there anything you'd wished you'd known or thought of before taking the plunge?
Packaging was my biggest challenge. I had no idea what to do.  I wasted a lot of money at first trying different ideas until I finally figured out what works for me. 

Is there any particular advice you'd give someone interested in starting a crafting business, online or off?
Test your ideas on a few people (not relatives or close friends) first. I presented several card options to my coworkers before I listed anything. They were quick to tell me which ones were lame and would ruin me. *smile*  Everyone should get a little criticism before jumping in there. It only makes us better!

Are there any other people in the independent design and craft community that you look to for inspiration or whose work you really admire?
Oh yes! I love Heather Bailey and all of her fantastic patterns.  I also enjoy anything from Oh My Cavalier and Abela Bloom.  I was very excited to have Trevor (from Abela Bloom) design some Christmas cards for me this year.

Do you have any big influences outside of the crafts community that have significantly impacted your work?
I lived in London for a year after I graduated college.  After growing up in a small town in Arkansas, I was blown away by all the culture and opportunity that comes from living in a big city. I went to every museum I could find, and spent most Saturdays trolling down Portobello Road.

What's your favorite part of your design process?
My favorite part would be actually pulling the prints. It's exciting every time I get it all set up and the first perfect print comes through.

If you could pick up another craft, what would it be, and why?
I've always wanted to learn to sew.  My mom gave me her old sewing machine, but I could never figure out how to get it threaded.  I guess I use up all my patience when I print.  If I do something else, I want it to be simple.

SARAH BECOMES THE BLOGGER

What are your favorite supply sites?
Owosso Graphics - they make my printing plates.

What's your favorite supply item?
My magnesium printing plates.

What are your favorite indie companies?
Little Odd Forest, and The Shiny Squirrel.

What's your favorite purchase you've ever made in the indie community?
I love this ring. I never take it off.

Thank you again, Sarah, for your time and patience! I hope everyone finds her answers just as interesting and insightful as I did!

Designer Interview: Debbie of Soapylove

Today's interview features Debbie Chialtas, the soapmaking gal behind San Diego, California-based Soapylove Glycerin Soaps. Fun, fresh, and often wildly unexpected, Soapylove has become an important must-watch craft business in the bath and body world.

So, tell us a little bit about your business.
I’m a naturally creative person whose original inspiration was in fashion design.  For the last 10 years I have worn many hats in the apparel business but a little over 2 years ago found new creative energy when I started experimenting with glycerin “melt and pour” soap.  Thanks completely to Etsy, Soapylove has evolved very naturally and I hope to one day make it my new full time job!

What made you pick up soapmaking in the first place? Where did you learn your techniques?
What started it all was my first pregnancy.  I wanted to save money by making my own cocoa butter lotion.  I took a class on homemade bath and beauty products and rediscovered glycerin soapmaking. I had abandoned it several years before when I tried to make an oatmeal soap and accidentally set the oats on fire in my oven - oops!  I learned the basic techniques from books, but mostly made it up as I went along.

What motivated you to make Soapylove into a business rather than a hobby?
Probably like most people, I wanted to make more than I could use.  I stumbled upon Etsy, which was the perfect venue for selling my soaps.

What was your strategy for promoting yourself once you decided to start it up, and was it effective?
My promotion strategy was list, list, list until I sold something. Also, I wasn’t afraid to ask bloggers to write about my soaps! I think both were (and are) very effective.

What was the hardest part about getting your business started, and why?
The hardest thing was learning that what I think people will love is not necessarily the case.  And also accepting that there are busy and very slow times in any business, and that I need to be patient and not get bummed out when it’s slow.

What were some of the lessons you've learned along the way? Is there anything you'd wished you'd known or thought of before taking the plunge?
I’ve learned that in order to grown a business, you need to develop what makes you unique.  See what items people like best and expand on that.  But also keep pushing yourself creatively to keep things fresh and exciting. [As for anything I'd wished I'd known,] not really.  Every experience is a learning experience.

Is there any particular advice you'd give someone interested in starting a crafting business, online or off?
Yes, if you feel like you’re not selling as much as you should, keep experimenting with selling venues.  You just need to find your customer!  It’s a big world and there are lots of people who will love your stuff.  It’s up to you to find them!

On to your process. Soapmaking has a lot of components to it - color, scent, and you also play with opacity, suspended pieces, layering, different shapes, and other elements. What kind of process have you developed to put these puzzle pieces together into a design? Do you keep a record of your ideas for future reference?
I don’t have a process, really.  It just depends on what I’m inspired by. I usually make a lot of soap at once.  If I get a few hours undisturbed, I’ll try a few things that have been on my mind. I do keep a sketch book for ideas, and post virtually every soap I make on Flickr, which is like my portfolio.

Are there any other designers in the independent design and craft community that you look to for inspiration or whose work you really admire?
I find other crafters extremely inspiring, but I just pick up bits from each one. I respect people’s work, and always ask permission first if I’m going to really duplicate something.

Are there any influences outside of the crafts community that has impacted your work?
The cake decorators on Food Network.  I love those cake contests!

Your signature pieces are the Soapsicles, but your assortment as a whole are always unique and innovative. How did the Soapsicles, and your other ideas, develop into a final product?
I think I saw a Soapsicle online and decided to try one.  I had a set of molds from years ago.  It is so gratifying to pull a new Soapsicle from the mold and see how it came out!  My bars are still mostly for fun.  I rarely wholesale them because they’re so time consuming to make.

Soapmaking seems to have an infinite amount of mediums associated with it, and you chose to work exclusively with glycerin. How did you come to that decision?
Glycerin soap has so many creative possibilities that it was the only way for me to go.

About the online crafts community: what's your favorite part about being a member?
The world wide exposure is my favorite.  It’s so interesting to see that Australians and people in the UK seem to like my soaps the best. Without the internet, I would never know that!

Are there any sites or people that you think are really impacting the popularity of the community?
Yes – I think the indie craft shows are introducing the community to many folks outside of the indie culture.  Etsy has also been phenomenal.

Last question: any thoughts on how the community could improve itself?
I would love to see more acceptance within the community regarding “artists” versus “crafters” or “indie businesses” versus “small businesses.”  We all have one thing in common: we’re creative people who want to pursue our passions.  So let’s all just “feel the love!”

Thank you, Debbie, for your time and thoughtful insight. For more information on Debbie and her work on Soapylove, visit its primary site or its shop on Etsy.

Designer Interview: Jenny of Queenthings

Today's interview features the lovely Jenny Vorwaller (currently traveling in South America, the lucky gal!), who is the brains behind queenthings. Between her jewelry and her product photography, her work is a feast for the eyes.

Tell us a bit about yourself and queenthings.
I create narratives with my handmade jewelry collections.

What made you pick up jewelry in the first place? Where did you learn your techniques?
It was in Tuscany last summer, I was taking a watercolor workshop with my mom.  I was standing there in the Etruscan Museum in Cortona, looking at these tiny ancient necklaces and my heart had never beat so fast. That was it for me.

Having a little background dabbling with the modeling industry (and I mean a really brief stint) I left satisfied that the industry wasn't for me, but still feeling this pull to the fashion world big time.   I thought about promoting my painting and drawing before, but I've always felt those are more personal mediums for me, something I share occasionally.  Jewelry just pulls the best of both worlds.  Fashion and art collide and I feel like I get it all, it's a major indulgence.

I'm completely self taught, though I recently took a little metal class in my neighborhood (here in Montevideo, Uruguay) which was great since the instructor spoke no English! So it's confirmed that art is no discriminator to language barriers, haha.  Since the course wrapped up, I'm finding some really unique ways to put my own style on the technique, called " repujado," which is actually quite popular in Spain even though Uruguayans use it a lot in their handicrafts.  So I've been experimenting with it.   I'm finding some really unique ways to put my own style on it, but I have yet to see if I will work it in my collections.  So other than that, I just work intuitively.

What motivated you to make queenthings into a business rather than a hobby? What was your strategy for promoting yourself once you decided to start it up, and was it effective?
I really do just rely on my intuition with everything I do.  I don't have a business strategy outside of making time to do what excites me, and sharing it with other people by putting it out there.  So far I think it's working out wonderfully.

Is there any particular advice you'd give to someone interested in starting a crafting business, online or off?
Make mistakes of ambition!  And just be genuine.  I feel that comes through in everything, online or off, people can respond to being authentic and it gets real contagious.  I always remind myself that there are no limitations except for the ones that I put on myself.  That really puts things in perspective for me. What everyone else is doing has no bearing on my art, and no one is really there to stop me either.

The jewelry you make has an interesting spin - it's all narrative. What inspired you to take that approach?
I don't know, I think it just made sense after designing all over the place for so long.  I was one of the first to sign up on Etsy two years ago, back in July 2005.  I began putting some handmade jewelry in my Etsy shop and was mostly concerned with keeping it stocked.  I remember I was gone from my studio traveling for a few weeks, and being away from the whole process was really hard because I loved it so much.  But it helped me to physically step back and just examine what I was making and why.  Now I just practice more restraint by desiging only what I really love, nothing more, nothing less. I could see that I wanted to put a real flair to my work, so that when someone wears one of my pieces, there is a tiny significance beyond just something pretty to wear.  I adore communicating narratively, since fashion and jewelry can sometimes be just superficial (which is totally fun) adding some of my own history to my pieces gives them an heirloom feel. 

How do you start your jewelry making process? Do you sketch or pull inspirational photography, or do you experiment with materials until you find something you like? How do your themes and story lines fit into this process?
I keep a loose sketchbook, since papers and collages I collect never seem to stay bound because I like to spread it all out in front of me. So having neat piles with all my drawings and ideas all complied by a giant clip make it easy so I can toss in all my tote bag if I want to take it with me to my favorite bistro!  Right now I have three different collections in motion, and you know it might sound really disorganized, but it keeps me put together.  And it keeps me interested. 

Photography really pushes me forward too.  On average, I easily take about 100 pictures a day! Especially now that I've been traveling so much.  It keeps me aware of what is around me and also acts as a little device for developing my eye for beauty.    

Since my lifestyle has so much mobility now (I only have what fits into a few suitcases) I've realized I have a few simple things that have always increased my productivity: a fresh bouquet of flowers on a tidy studio table and my favorite music in constant stream in the background.  I guess it wasn't until I stripped down my belongings into what I really used and faced an empty white room to set up shop again to find that the music and the flowers came out and I was ready to go.

One of the things I like the most about your work is your eye for color and how it relates to the metals and textures you're working with. Where do color themes fit into your process, and what inspires them?
It's so serendipitous most of the time.  Sometimes it's a tearsheet from a runway photo, other times it's found from walking in a garden, or the street market antiques that get me sketching jewelry designs.  It gives me butterflies knowing that I don't have an exact formula for what inspires me.  All that is required is that it has to get my heart beating. I want to feel excited about what I make!  I feel really sensitive to color and how it effects me, so maybe that comes into play when choosing what palettes to work with too. 

You work with a variety of materials in your jewelry, from various wire and chain metals to brass charms and other findings. Is there any in particular that are you favorite, and why?
I really love chain for it's necessity in my designs and for all it's versatility, depending on it's form.  Like if I find some delicate chain, I like to hang it like drapery. Or I use chunky dark chain to offset stones to make a piece more edgy. I like that balance of something modern and making a statement, but always keeping it feminine and delicate.  Behind it all, I just want something that will make a modern girl feel regal and special.  My favorite materials right now are gold, dendritic tree agate, branch coral, and pearls.  And I'm just smitten with my geode pendants!  I wear one all the time and without fail, it always gets people talking and wanting to see it up close and that just makes my day.   

What is your favorite part about being a member of the online crafts community?
Blogging. I just love blogging and everything associated with it! It keeps me going, makes me so happy.  I'm just delighted to say, "blogger" along with being a mother, artist, wife, you know all those titles that we give ourselves.  Life is too short not to partake in something that brings you happiness I say. 

Designer Interview: Jena of Modishoppe and Modish

Today's interview features the oh-so-sweet Jena Coray from Reno, Nevada, the brains behind one of my favorite blogs (and a personal inspiration of mine!), Modish. With the recent launch of her wonderful consignment shop Modishoppe, she's stretching out her style and influence for the good of her wallet - but, as you'll see, apparently not for the good of her wallet! All of the images here are products available through Modishoppe.

What inspired you to start your site in the first place?
I had recently discovered all the big design blogs and started looking around for a blog that featured just indie design and cool indie/handmade products and couldn't find one, so, I decided to start one of my own!  I figured if it was something I was interested in that there had to be other people interested too, and it turns out I was right!  Plus I thought it'd be a fun way to make myself write every single day and put my Writing degree to good use! :) 

What was your strategy for promoting yourself once you decided to start it up, and was it effective?
I just dove in head first and started it, then after a few days of getting my footing, figuring out exactly what I was going to write about (I wanted a focused/dedicated blog about specifically handmade goods) I emailed some of those big design blogs introducing them to my blog and saying why it was different.  A few of them liked it, posted about it and I immediately started getting a lot of traffic from that.  I wrote a press release, distributed it to other blogs and magazines, did lots of link exchanges with blogs and all the meanwhile sought out the coolest indie products I could find to make the readers I was attracting feel like coming back, bookmarking and telling their friends about it.  All those strategies seem to have worked very well as it grew really fast and maintained a wonderful base of readers developed during those first few months.

How do you find all of the items that you feature? What makes a product really stand out for you?
Searching searching searching.  I LOVE Etsy for finding new things and go to it at least a few times a week.  I have a lot of "favorite" sites with big link lists of friends that I pursue to find new stuff.  I always check up on consignment stores and boutiques to see what new designers they may have.  I frequently feature people that email me introducing me to their sites.  Usually I just end up following a trail of links until I hit something that makes me stop in my tracks.  Items/sites that make me stop are usually just well put together and appealing to the eye, feature well lit, clear product photography and the items have to be unique of course, well made and just something that I'm personally attracted to in some way, whether or not it's something I'd ever buy myself.

What's your favorite aspect of running the site? What's the hardest part?
My favorite part is the reactions I receive from shop owners that I've featured who are so grateful to have been written about- it makes me feel like the site is actually useful and is helping small business owners out in a real, tangible way and that was the main goal in starting this whole thing.  The hardest part is probably just trying to keep my wallet far far away from my desk while I'm finding things to write about or else I'm at risk of buying waaayyy too much rad stuff! 

You also run Modishoppe. What inspired you to open a store for independent designers' products?
Well, I used to have a store selling just my own jewelry and that fell by the wayside due the success of the blog (and amount of time I was putting into it!) so I was always hankering to re-open the shop, but after finding so many other talented designers I thought it'd be even better to open up a shop that modish readers would be interested in with variety of stuff to choose from.  Plus, my unnerving effort to find something that will sustain me just enough to be able to quit my job and actually spend my days in a creative, free way - not answering to anyone - was the ultimate motivator to just give it a try and see how it goes! 

How did you go about making Modishoppe into a reality? Were there any bumps along the way?
The first thing I did was hunt down my favorite web designer ever, Arianne from Aeolidia design and see if she'd be interested in making the shoppe for me.  I had never used a designer before but really just wanted an effortless, easy site that was really automated and pretty that I didn't have to tweak all the time.  Then, I contacted many of my favorite designers to see if they'd be interested in giving it a try and entrusting me with their lovely items.  I made advertising and marketing plans and tried to figure out new cool ways to present the products to make the shoppe look different and appealing.  There were really no snags that I can think of as I wanted it to work out so badly and was really dedicated to getting it done and making it just how I wanted, that any little bumps were just that and didn't hamper my focus.  I've found that when you really want something, I mean reallllllly want something with all that's in you and can envision yourself in that new life, it usually just works out. 

How do you select the product that goes into Modishoppe?
Most of the items I've selected by contacting the designers- at first I just chose some of my favorites from past items that I posted on the blog!  Now I get a lot of consignment applications from designers requesting their items to be in the shoppe.  Modishoppe is reflective much more of my own personal taste than the blog in the sense that I want it to have an overall "feel" of feminine, vintage styled, hip but not too trendy, subtle, stylish.  There are lots of really cute things that people propose to be included in the shop, but if I don't think it fits the "feel" I usually won't accept it because I want people to kinda know what they're getting when they come to the shoppe- if they're thinking of a gift for a certain person, they'll know whether or not modishoppe might have something they'd like because they know the style of items I usually carry.  I'm trying to establish a "brand" of sorts I suppose. 

What were some of the lessons you've learned along the way? Is there anything you'd wished you'd known or thought of before taking the plunge? 
I've had to learn to trust myself and my skills and not be so scared to just dive in- I just have to always maintain a positive attitude and not freak out if I have no orders one day because I'll have plenty the next!  And I've learned (er, am in the process of learning) that it is really really time consuming taking pictures and doing the bookkeeping and updating the site and creating ads and packing and shipping orders and that I just can't do it all now now now, but it's still okay to take a break and go to the beach on a Saturday.  I'm really hard on myself and feel awful when I'm not working on the site because I always have a never-ending to-do list but I have to learn that that's just how it is and I deserve a break every once in awhile without the guilt, or else I'll eventually just break down! 

Is there any particular advice you'd give to someone interested in starting a consignment shop?
I'd say get all your ducks in a row before you start- have advertising plans, have a consignment contract made up, have bookkeeping figured out, a return policy thought out, etc before you delve into the fun stuff.  And most of all, be sure you're going to be really committed to it because it can become really big, really fast and you have to maintain your integrity with both the designers that are trusting you with their goods and your customers- it's a lot different selling 50+ designer's goods than when I just sold my own jewelry- it's a big endeavor so just be prepared!  But once you're in it, it's really fun! 

You are also a crafter. What are your biggest influences in the work you do?
I do still create jewelry (which will hopefully be included in my shoppe sometime soon!) and I really just love vintage inspirations and try to use mostly, if not all, vintage pieces in the creations.  I like feminine, colorful beads, filigree and am kind of obsessed with the color green!  I've also recently been inspired by all the incredible fabrics I use as the backgrounds for my pictures in the shoppe and you may see those find their way into my jewelry too! 

What are your favorite crafts, and what made you pick them up?
Well, I'm an only child who constantly had to figure out how to occupy myself with a mom who has supported me in absolutely every whim I've ever had.  I think my "craftiness" started with paint by numbers, then moved on to the friendship bracelets and neon rubbery keychain things (remember those?) then I got into needlepoint, then it was rubber stamping for a long while.  When I finally found jewelry and beads around 12 years old I fell in love and started a mini empire selling polymer clay jewelry and beaded bracelets and macrame necklaces to all the girls at my middle school and had a little "shop" set up on the bulletin board at my piano teacher's house.

Are there any other blogs that you've considered a benchmark for Modish, and how have they impacted the site?
My main influences before I started Modish were design*sponge, decor8 and oh joy!  I was totally infatuated with the colors and the style and the items they were finding.  If I hadn't have found those blogs just at the right time when I was creatively bored and seeking an outlet for it, there wouldn't be a Modish at all. 

What is your favorite part about being a member of the online crafts community?
I'm used to being such an individualist (aka: loner!) that it's kinda cool being considered part of any community at all!  I like the feeling that I'm actually contributing to the livelihoods of small business owners, like myself, in even a tiny way, and I like feeling appreciated in a way that I've never really felt before.  I feel obligated to my community of sponsors and readers to help keep this whole indie design, crafting, diy fire going!  There is really no crafting community that I feel welcome to or included in here in my hometown, so this online thing is all I got! 

Are there any sites or people that you think are really impacting the popularity of the community?
The Switchboards is just about the best thing that ever happened to me as a crafter. When I was starting my first online jewelry business I found alllll the advice that I could ever want on there and attribute my building my own site from scratch, having any orders at all and learning the ropes of the business world to that site.  I also think the Sampler and Marie who runs it, Leah Kramer who's behind Craftster and Natalie Zee Dreiu and CRAFT magazine are all an incredible asset to the community as we know it. 

Last question for you: any thoughts on how the community could improve itself?
I'd say that we all just need to support each other and acknowledge and appreciate each other's creativity and really work to create original things ourselves.  Most everyone does that already, but it's hard hearing stories of people's ideas getting ripped off and I've had my own experiences with that, and it not only hurts the individuals personally, it really hurts the community as a whole.  We all just need to stick together!