Ingermaaike

I'm back with a new etsy-shopowner-interview, after a few weeks break.

Today I'm presenting Inger, the creative shopowner of

• ingermaaike - Felt it all: http://www.ingermaaike.etsy.com/
• ingersworld - The world according to IngerMaaike: http://www.ingersworld.etsy.com/

For those of you that don't know the work of Inger, remember to take a good look at her two shops once you've read this interview - I promise you it is time well worth spending :)

1. Tell me about your store (name, products, etc)?
My store is called after myself as that is what it is about, me and the things I make. I make felted toys and scarves, some flowers and jewelry too. Whenever I see something that may be felted I will try, so my range of products is ever expanding. Tha main seller are the scarves though.

2. What made you start selling your products and show your designs to the rest of the world?
I started felting about 2 years ago and having innundated all my friends and family with felted presents I needed to have somewhere else for my felt to go. And while looking for wool I stumbled across this etsy site. After a while I thought I may as well try and sell from there as well as the pile of felt was reaching the ceiling.

3. How do you let the world know about your products?
First I opened a shop on etsy and just hoped for the best, then I forgot all about it till I actually sold something. Suddenly my interest was piqued. I roamed the fora and chatrooms for hints tips and suggestions. One day I discovered there were teams, I applied for membership to the EST and was added to the list. I lurked around there for some weeks and then finally introduced myself. This team has been paramount in further developing my skill as a shopowner. Constantly egged on to improve my photographing skills and descriptions. Together we make treasuries that often end up on front pages further promoting the shops. In the mean time I have started blogging as well and have a flickr page (http://www.ingermaaike.nl/ and http://www.ingermaaike2.flickr.com/ on twitter i am called ingermaaike too)

4. Do you adjust you crafting to the different seasons? And how?
My crafting and color schemes are strongly influenced by what I see around me so automatically it changes with the seasons, but this is not something that happens on a cocious level.

5. How do you get inspired?
My inspiration is found around me, in nature and from feedback and requests. Every bit that goes in gets stirred in the brain and eventually comes out in a shape or form of felt. Sometimes directly and sometimes it may take months.

6. Do you ever get a creative block?
If I am a bit stuck I just make some scarves and inspiration for something new will come again. The making of a scarf is very meditative occupation, so then the ideas start brewing as I am laying out my scarf.

7. What is a normal day like for you?
I get up at 7.15 take a shower and wake the boys. They fix their breakfast and lunch stuff and we walk to school. A 20 minute walk through the woods. Once I get back home I do some house work if I feel like it. Usually I will mess around on the net for a while, time flies as we all know once you start surfing. Having done that I will felt or dye or felt and dye. Maybe take the dogs for a walk and gone is the day, time to pick up the boys from school again. On coming home they do homework and I help as they are still learning the language and need help with translation. By then it is time to cook and after dinner I will felt some more or hang out behind my computer. All in all a very exciting life..

8. Do you do this for fun or for serious business?
It is a business, and we need the income from it as supplementary income.

9. How do you see yourself down the road?
We will have remolded our barn into a workspace for me where I can create and teach workshops, maybe even sell to passing tourists.

10. What else interests you besides your craft?
I love all kind of science and read a lot about it, reading is my water and food.

11. Is there something you would like to say as the end of the talk?
Make fun every day, not just when you have time :0D

......I'll be back with another interview next week, unless the holidays hits me first ;)