Eva arrives with armfuls of brightly colored tiny Mouse t-shirts hand painted by her, which she tells us are gifts for all of the mice! The mice that have gathered to welcome her are squabbling over the beautiful designs, but in the end each of them is wearing a vibrant little outfit and they are all very impressed. Naomi and the mice guide Eva to the House of Mouse library, where we are surrounded not only by hundreds of beautiful books but also bright and cheerful hanging mobiles and wind chimes to catch our eyes as we chat. It is a warm, serene little room with comfortable chairs and a lovely atmosphere. There are cheesy nibbles laid out on the low tables for us to munch on! Naomi settles Eva in one of the comfy chairs and begins the interview.
Hello, Eva dear, and welcome to The House of Mouse! We're all so glad that you could make it here today.
Thank you for inviting me! I do pass your house quite often while doing my errands in town and I often wondered how so many different mice with different personalities can live under the same roof in peace. And your library! It's such a comfortable place! It has a very pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. I can just see myself sitting here under the mobiles nibbling yummy cheese scones while musing about my next design.
Well you'd be more than welcome to visit any time! For today, we'd like to begin by asking you a little bit about your Etsy store and what it means to you: when telling someone about your shop for the first time, what do you say about it?
Well, me and my Etsy store have a very up-and-down relationship. I opened it just over a year ago full of hopes and dreams. As we all know dreams don´t always come to true, or at least not immediately and that is when the relationship has its down moments. However, I´m a dreamer by nature. Dreaming keeps me going and make me a positive thinking person.
Well, me and my Etsy store have a very up-and-down relationship. I opened it just over a year ago full of hopes and dreams. As we all know dreams don´t always come to true, or at least not immediately and that is when the relationship has its down moments. However, I´m a dreamer by nature. Dreaming keeps me going and make me a positive thinking person.
I like my Etsy store because without it I wouldn´t have been able to show the world my craft and my belief that kids have vivid imaginations, good humor and that they like wearing it. Without my Etsy store I wouldn´t have had the courage to start selling my products at craft fairs and see how much people appreciate what I do. And without my Etsy store I wouldn´t have met some wonderful people.
Would you share a memory with us of when you first fell in love with your craft?
To be honest first I fell in love with my youngest daughter's drawings. At the age of four she produced a quite complicated picture with lots of details and a full story behind it. That was the time when I decided that they shouldn´t go to waste. But of course complicated pictures can´t really go onto t-shirts so, I just use snippets of them
My first ever t-shirt was the grazing colorful sheep. I made lots of them since then in different sizes. Adults like wearing it too and I have had quite a few custom orders. I even have them for babies.
Would you share a memory with us of when you first fell in love with your craft?
To be honest first I fell in love with my youngest daughter's drawings. At the age of four she produced a quite complicated picture with lots of details and a full story behind it. That was the time when I decided that they shouldn´t go to waste. But of course complicated pictures can´t really go onto t-shirts so, I just use snippets of them
My first ever t-shirt was the grazing colorful sheep. I made lots of them since then in different sizes. Adults like wearing it too and I have had quite a few custom orders. I even have them for babies.
But the first time I fell in love with my craft must have been when I made a leaf print t-shirt with bugs. I adore nature! I love leaf prints and I find that when having a closer look at little bugs they are beautiful.
How do you plan for a new item in your Etsy Shop, if at all? Do you know how something will look before you start?
Well, I either get the folder out that contains my kids artwork or I start drawing the design that has been “bothering” me on paper first. It usually takes several attempts to get the picture to look vaguely like the one I imagined. If I´m not sure about it, I get one of my kids' old t-shirts out and do the design on that. For me, painting on t-shirts is much easier than on paper. However, I never know exactly what a design is going to look like until I finish it. It´s always the last touches that makes them just right. It used to freak me out but I´m fine with it now. Well, most of the time.
(Gizmo the Mogwai Mouse has crept up to Eva and is offering her a huge piece of cheesecake. Eva's eyes have lit up at this, and she nibbles at it as Naomi carries on with the interview)
(Gizmo the Mogwai Mouse has crept up to Eva and is offering her a huge piece of cheesecake. Eva's eyes have lit up at this, and she nibbles at it as Naomi carries on with the interview)
We do hope that you're a keen Etsy buyer as well as seller. What is your favorite shop on Etsy and why?
(Eva starts coughing and choking) I must say (coughs – coughs) it is very mean of you waiting for me to let my guard down with this delicious cheesecake and then shooting a question like this at me! Bad manners! (Making herself at home, Eva reaches out to take another slice of cheese cake without being offered it or asking permission first!)
I like things that are out of the normal and different from the mainstream. I like shops that sell things that I would never be able to make. That is why I like
http://www.etsy.com/shop/13threads, http://www.etsy.com/shop/Jealousydesign, http://www.etsy.com/shop/Kreativlink, http://www.etsy.com/shop/ingermaaike, http://www.etsy.com/shop/StarBags,
We'd love to get a little snippet of your home life, please describe your home in just 5 words!
Disorganised, noisy, smell of bread, welcoming, loving
(Naomi points out that this must be why Eva feels so at home at The House of Mouse, as it sounds very familiar!)
Musculus Maximouse gets terrible midnight cravings. If he were to raid your refrigerator right now, what treats might he find there?
We love dairy products and the fridge is always well stocked with milk, yoghurts and of course different kind of cheese. The most precious bit in it at the moment is a very mature bit of Stilton. Do you want to come round and have a bit of it?
Some of the mice are a little too young for such strong cheese, but we do happen to know that Alfonso the Artist Mouse has a real weakness for Stilton, and Naomi shares his love! We may raid your fridge some day soon!!
You are more than welcome!
If you were a mouse living in The House of Mouse, which one would you be and why?
I think I would like to be Gourdon, the Mouse dressed as a Pumpkin. My favorite colour is orange and I really like his pumpkin outfit. It is big and roomy and he can keep lots of different things in it. Not just sweets and cheese.
(Gourdon is puffing out his little chest proudly, but admits that it is mostly sweets and cheese stuffed in his costume today after Halloween! It will need a wash in the morning...)
And finally, one of the mice would like to ask you a question. As he's taken such a shining to you, your question this week comes from Gourdon. He says that color is clearly a very important part of your work, and he'd like to ask you: As well as orange, what are your favorite colors?
Well, Gourdon, I like orange because it´s bright, shocking and warm. I also like different shades of green because it reminds me of nature and I like the different shades of blue because they go well with orange.
It has been a pleasure having you here, Eva. Please let us know how we can find you on the internet by sharing some links!It was my utmost pleasure! I really enjoyed being here and the yummy delicious food!
Through my Etsy store, of course: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BHBKidstyle
On facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Condeixa-Portugal/BHB-Kidstyle/142217155821572
On twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BHBKidstyle
And my need to work on blog: http://bhbkidstyle.blogspot.com
Join us every week for Etsy seller interviews!
xxx
What a wonderful interiew!! I love BHB´s store! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Naomi!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you Leela! :)
:) Sweet interview!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks to all of you for sharing!
:-) This was such fun Eva, thank you so much for coming and sharing a snippet of your life with us! Your t-shirts are so full of joy, keep up the beautiful work dear!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely read! Thank you Eva and Naomi (and all the mice of course! ;)
ReplyDeletelove the idea of your babies drawings on t shirts that is brilliant!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely read, it was very nice to see Eva and hear her story! And thanks so much for loving our bagshop :)
ReplyDeletewhat a great interview! thanks for sharing! joanne
ReplyDelete