Interview with a Seller: SchickiMickis
Hi Everyone!
Today's post is an interview with a shop and owner that I aboslutely ADORE. Her designs are riveting, edgy and new, and completely unique. Read on!
1. What’s your name and shop name and what do you do?
My name is Anat, and I run SchickiMickis.
SchickiMicki is a German expression for the term trendy,
and widely used as the german evil twin of “fancy-schmancy”.
2. Where are you located?
Nowadays I am located in Tel Aviv Israel, though when I opened my Etsy shop I was living in Berlin Germany, hence the German name.
3. What’s the favorite part of your craft?
difficult question... I think I have to say the very first, getting a new idea and starting to draw along side with the last one, just making an item, I find the craft to be relaxing :)
4. How long have you been crafting?
I started as a child to draw and paint, was always drawn to the creative side. but really hands on crafting I started in Milano, where i studied jewelry and accessories design.
5. What’s your favorite thing to make?
It really changes all the time... I love working with leather, but I do also love gold smithing. I guess new materials or techniques would always give me that rush :)
6. What kind of camera do you use to shoot?
up until now I was using a pocket camera from fuji, but I just upgraded myself to a new canon 1000D with a remote control, that I can model and take the pictures myself at the same time.
7. Who or what models your items?
In almost all pictures I do the modeling, I love the way Etsy's sellers present themselves, and that personal and community feeling in the site!
8. What's the most rewarding part of running your own business?
When running your own business you are responsible for everything, all the mistakes, but also to all the pride :) I find it challenging to be not just the designer, or craftswoman but to be everything (designer, craftswomen, model, photographer, accountant, marketing department, advertising, customer service etc etc), and to be able to make and present my creation in my own way.
9. What's the most challenging part of running your own business?
To be able to stretch the range of your abilities, if before that I was focusing always on the creative part, with my own business I had to learn any new things and to experience a lot of new tasks, but I am thankful for each and every thing I learned along the way.
10. On average, how many things do you create per week?
It really changes a lot which period of the year... before holidays and in wedding seasons I make a lot of items but have almost no time to create new designs, than at early spring and early autumn I set the time to create new designs, work on the models and patterns and set the line for the newcomers.
11. What inspires you?
It really can be anything, from nature to industrial parts, from a sound to a place I have been to... the only thing is to keep your eyes and ears always open, let the world revel itself to you. I also keep myself updated, on trends and new materials, and I love fashion and craft magazines and blogs.
12. Take me thru your creative process.
It usually start with an idea, which can come from something I saw or heard, from a new material or anything of the sort. I always start to draw freehand and than usually move to make a pattern or to play with the material to find the best solution. than I make a sample, work on it until I get it just right! I usually take time off between stages, and think a lot about the possibilities and other solutions. You can always find me in my own world contemplating while waiting in line at the post, or even while doing grocery shopping! (and yes, I always forget to buy milk this way :))
13. What is your best advice to blossoming crafters?
The best advise I can give is to DO... just start, get a few of your best ideas and than just work on them, it takes a lot of time and insecurity at the beginning, but we all need to start somewhere. one idea failed, you couldnt find any solution? leave it, one day i promise you will get back to it. just try a range of things, do not give up just learn to improve and to be flexible in your creativity and marketing.
Thank you so much for your interview Anat! Find Anat's shop, SchickiMickis here.
Don't forget to follow this blog! Also, you can receive 10% off your purchases in my shop when you follow me on facebook. Find me on twitter, too!
Cheers!
Xo, Rachael
Today's post is an interview with a shop and owner that I aboslutely ADORE. Her designs are riveting, edgy and new, and completely unique. Read on!
1. What’s your name and shop name and what do you do?
My name is Anat, and I run SchickiMickis.
SchickiMicki is a German expression for the term trendy,
and widely used as the german evil twin of “fancy-schmancy”.
2. Where are you located?
Nowadays I am located in Tel Aviv Israel, though when I opened my Etsy shop I was living in Berlin Germany, hence the German name.
3. What’s the favorite part of your craft?
difficult question... I think I have to say the very first, getting a new idea and starting to draw along side with the last one, just making an item, I find the craft to be relaxing :)
4. How long have you been crafting?
I started as a child to draw and paint, was always drawn to the creative side. but really hands on crafting I started in Milano, where i studied jewelry and accessories design.
5. What’s your favorite thing to make?
It really changes all the time... I love working with leather, but I do also love gold smithing. I guess new materials or techniques would always give me that rush :)
6. What kind of camera do you use to shoot?
up until now I was using a pocket camera from fuji, but I just upgraded myself to a new canon 1000D with a remote control, that I can model and take the pictures myself at the same time.
7. Who or what models your items?
In almost all pictures I do the modeling, I love the way Etsy's sellers present themselves, and that personal and community feeling in the site!
8. What's the most rewarding part of running your own business?
When running your own business you are responsible for everything, all the mistakes, but also to all the pride :) I find it challenging to be not just the designer, or craftswoman but to be everything (designer, craftswomen, model, photographer, accountant, marketing department, advertising, customer service etc etc), and to be able to make and present my creation in my own way.
9. What's the most challenging part of running your own business?
To be able to stretch the range of your abilities, if before that I was focusing always on the creative part, with my own business I had to learn any new things and to experience a lot of new tasks, but I am thankful for each and every thing I learned along the way.
10. On average, how many things do you create per week?
It really changes a lot which period of the year... before holidays and in wedding seasons I make a lot of items but have almost no time to create new designs, than at early spring and early autumn I set the time to create new designs, work on the models and patterns and set the line for the newcomers.
11. What inspires you?
It really can be anything, from nature to industrial parts, from a sound to a place I have been to... the only thing is to keep your eyes and ears always open, let the world revel itself to you. I also keep myself updated, on trends and new materials, and I love fashion and craft magazines and blogs.
12. Take me thru your creative process.
It usually start with an idea, which can come from something I saw or heard, from a new material or anything of the sort. I always start to draw freehand and than usually move to make a pattern or to play with the material to find the best solution. than I make a sample, work on it until I get it just right! I usually take time off between stages, and think a lot about the possibilities and other solutions. You can always find me in my own world contemplating while waiting in line at the post, or even while doing grocery shopping! (and yes, I always forget to buy milk this way :))
13. What is your best advice to blossoming crafters?
The best advise I can give is to DO... just start, get a few of your best ideas and than just work on them, it takes a lot of time and insecurity at the beginning, but we all need to start somewhere. one idea failed, you couldnt find any solution? leave it, one day i promise you will get back to it. just try a range of things, do not give up just learn to improve and to be flexible in your creativity and marketing.
Thank you so much for your interview Anat! Find Anat's shop, SchickiMickis here.
Don't forget to follow this blog! Also, you can receive 10% off your purchases in my shop when you follow me on facebook. Find me on twitter, too!
Cheers!
Xo, Rachael
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