Artist Interview - feltmeupdesigns

Each week we invite a different Etsy seller to visit us at our home: The House of Mouse, where all the mice live. This weeks guest is UK based fiber artist Melanie Green from feltmeupdesigns.etsy.com

Mel and I wander down one of the many paths in The House of Mouse garden eventually finding ourselves at the old pond surrounded by trees, twisting vines and the tumbledown remains of a potting shed. Mel’s little birds are happily playing splashing games in the shallow end of the pond, letting out little squawks and twitters of joy. Our mice scamper around their feet and dance up and down the vines, they are so happy to have new friends to play with. The mice were a little weary of Mel’s owls at first, but they are so sweet and gentile that all fears are soon forgotten. We sit ourselves down on the old wooden bench (well out of splashing range). Mel watches the merriment while I locate my notes.

Ahhh, here they are! Welcome to our home Mel. Thank you so much for talking to us today.
Thanks Anna, Thanks mice! I brought you some homemade fudge to share with the mice... I hope they like chocolate... it's my malteser fudge which I make for special occasions, very chocolatey and yummy but very sweet so they'll have to remember to clean their teeth before bedtime!

Ohh that sounds delicious! I am sure they will love it. (All the mice scurry over and start tucking in, silence follows, punctuated with a few appreciative squeaks)

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?
I'm get very shy talking about my shop to people (mice of course are another story, it's very easy to open up to a mouse... I think it's probably the whiskers!) I don't know why I get so bashful about it... here goes then!

I make needlefelted birds, I call them Tweets because that's what they call themselves! Needle felting is a process where you take pile of fluff and turn it into something wonderful using only a barbed needle, big foam pad and your imagination! I make all sort of birds from little tweets with love hearts on their bellies right up to the owls which are much more complex.

Would you share a memory with us of when you first fell in love with your craft?
I started out doing a wet felting course at my local community centre and the teacher mentioned needlefelting… I tried it and didn’t like it at first, so my needles returned to their box and stayed there for over a year, then when I moved house I found them again and decided to have another go. After making a few bunnies and aliens I decided to try my hand at making a bird and the first tweet was born! I fell in love with him straight away he was a little skinny blue tweet with pink spots on his belly. The basic design hasn’t changed much since then… it’s just got more complicated as I have started making real bird portraits!

I adore your shop name, it is so clever and easy to remember. How did you come up with it?
I wish I could remember! Me and a friend came up with it one night after sharing a few glasses of wine… and it just kinda stuck!

I have watched your designs become more and more complex over the last few years, is it important to you to continue challenging yourself as an artist?
Most definitely, I have the world’s shortest attention span so I need to keep it interesting for my self and keep developing my designs. It has to be fun, I always said the minute it stops being fun I’ll stop… I still love every minute of it tho!

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?
I tend to work in lots of different ways; sometimes it’s just a case of putting colours together and seeing what works. When I make the owls and real birds it’s a different process though. I watch a lot of nature documentaries for inspiration and when I find a bird I like I research its markings and shape so as to get it as close as possible… the hardest part is working out what to leave out so the tweet will still look like its real life counterpart! I only have a vague idea what they will look like when I start, they tend to take shape under the needle.

We do hope that you're a keen Etsy buyer as well as seller. What are some of your favourite shops on Etsy and why?
Thehouseofmouse… of course… gotta love those mices!
I love Alibalijewellery http://www.etsy.com/shop/AliBaliJewellery I met Ali on a weekend away with some of the etsy girls and watched her make some speckled sparrow earring, her work is so beautiful.
Kitlane makes the cutest Jacabobs and Jacabunnies http://www.etsy.com/shop/KitLane she an inspiring needlefelter... Her creations have real character.

We'd love to get a little snippet of your home life, please describe your home in just 5 words.
Ooo… hard question! Leaking? I live in an attic flat with slopping ceilings and lots of quirky corners so:
Quirky, cosy, felt covered loft!

Värmod the Viking Mouse loves a midnight snack. If he were to raid your refrigerator right now, what treats might he find there?
Cheese… lots and lots of cheese… so he’ll have crazy cheese dreams.

If you were a mouse living in The House of Mouse, which one would you be and why?
I’d be the devil mouse because I have a wicked sense of humour!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit us, Mel. Please let us know how we can find you on the internet by sharing some links.
Thanks Anna, thanks mice… I had a great time, I love your garden! I’ll leave you the rest of the fudge… oh wait… the mice ate it all!

My Felty shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/feltmeupdesigns
blog http://feltmeupdesigns.blogspot.com/
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Felt-Me-Up-Designs/31648065832
twitter: http://twitter.com/Feltmeupdesigns
My Inky shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/inkmeup
http://inkmeupdesigns.blogspot.com/

Artist Interview - staroftheeast

Each week we invite a different Etsy seller to visit us at our home: The House of Mouse, where all the mice live. This week's guest is jewelry- and bag-designer Estella from staroftheeast.etsy.com. Estella lives and works in Turkey with her mother, Esther.


The moment Estella enters the House of Mouse, she is crowded by dozens of girlie mice who are enchanted by her gorgeous jewelry! They excitedly lead her to the living room, where a roaring fire and several comfortable chairs (mouse-sized and human-sized!) await them. Pearl the knitting mouse nudges Estella's ankles to offer her something: It is a newly knitted blanket to lay on her lap and keep warm. Pearl says that Estella can take it away when she leaves, as a souvenir. Naomi pulls out her notebook and begins the interview.


Welcome to our cosy little home, Estella. It's wonderful to have you here to chat with us today.

Thank you so much for inviting me, Naomi! And look at this gorgeous blanket I just got from Pearl, how sweet and generous, thank you so much!
(Pearl blushes bashfully)

We'd like to begin by asking you a little bit about your Etsy stores and what they mean to you: when telling someone about your shops for the first time, what do you say about them?

When people ask us what we do we tell them that we make jewelry, most people do not take it very serious as they just think it is a hobby, playing with some beads. They do take us seriously when they find out that we live off that income and even take care of 14 dogs with it! Although it is not always easy, we are very happy to be able to live creatively!

Our main passion is jewelry making and so is our main shop and focus on staroftheeast. To give us a break from that we often make home decor and other creative outlets which end up in our giftshop, GiftsandStars. And we have a huge amount of fabric and textiles, vintage and new, which we sew into mostly one of a kind and always eco friendly bags for StarBags. As we are supply addicts we sometimes buy a little too much of some kinds, and to be able to circulate that into new supplies we sell them in our supply shop, StarofSupplies so that we can buy new supplies.

Would you share a memory with us of when you first fell in love with your favorite craft?

We always have been a creative duo one way or the other. Jewelry making started with the fact that I loved wearing earrings and didn't like or couldn't afford the ones for sale in shops here, so I started making my own. During that period a course opened here, and my mother and I went there together, we were very soon in love with it and wanted to make it our job!

How do you plan for new items in your Etsy Shops, if at all? Do you know how something will look before you start?

An idea can come in many ways. Inspiration often comes from the material we have but it can also be a movie, a conversation about something totally different, other artists works (in-an-inspirational-not-copy-way) and of course nature, which is also our main supply source. Ideas sometimes do not work out as we planned in our head, or might turn into a completely different way.


We do hope that you're a keen Etsy buyer as well as seller. What is your favourite shop on Etsy and why?

There are too many to choose just one! There is so much talent on Etsy. You will be able to find many of my favorites by searching for 'europeanstreetteam'.

We'd love to get a little snippet of your home life, please describe your home in just 5 words!

1. 14 dogs; much love and fur
2. lots of books, we both read alot
3. computer = internet, a huge source of inspiration and of course our income source
4. materials, as we usually create every day
5. comfort food, life is way less fun without it!

Ahh, so "dogs, books, computer, materials, food"! What a lovely mixture, your home must be very inviting.


Musculus Maximouse gets terrible midnight cravings. If he were to raid your refrigerator right now, what treats might he find there?

Mostly vegetables, cheese, Nutella, bread, and leftovers.

(Musculus licks his mousie chops at the sound of Nutella!)

If you were a mouse living in The House of Mouse, which one would you be and why?

I think I would love to be the Frida Kahlo mouse, I love her hair, her dresses and her art! But I love all of them differently so wouldn't mind to be any of them, hmmm maybe not Axel the executioner :)


And finally, one of the mice would like to ask you a question. Flower the Hippy Mouse would like to ask you: What is your most treasured possession and why?

I have many treasured possessions, as I give a lot of value to what I have. But not replaceable and very treasured are my mother and the furry kids :)

Those "furry kids" are lucky indeed to live in a household filled with such love.
It has been a pleasure having you here, Estella. Please let us know how we can find you on the internet by sharing some links!

The pleasure was all mine, I'm so happy to finally have met the famous Mouse Family after seeing them on the web so often! Oh I brought a special notebook with me, I would love to have their autographs, before they are too famous to have time for such things!


(The mice giggle excitedly and crowd around to put a "pawprint" in Estella's little book.)

You can find our shops at staroftheeast.etsy.com starofsupplies.etsy.com starbags.etsy.com and giftsandstars.etsy.com

we blog often at http://star-of-the-east.blogspot.com
and very recently started a visual blog at http://staroftheeast.tumblr.com

We feature a different Artist each week: If you'd like to come and visit us at The House of Mouse, please feel free to pop us a message and we will try to book you in!
xxx

Artist Interview - BHBKidstyle

Each week we invite a different Etsy seller to visit us at our home: The House of Mouse, where all the mice live. This week's guest is Hungarian children's clothes designer Eva from BHBKidstyle.etsy.com, who is currently based in Portugal.


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.

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.

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)

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

Artist Interview - Heartshapedcreations

Each week we invite a different Etsy seller to visit us at our home: The House of Mouse, where all the mice live. This weeks guest is Athens based polymer clay artist Maria from HeartshapedCreations.etsy.com.


Maria and Anna are sitting in The House of Mouse garden, a place in our home that is very special to the mice as they love to spend time outdoors. Buddy the Gardener mouse spends all day looking after the plants that grow here. We sip wine and nibble on cheese while we enjoy this beautiful autumn evening. Anna pulls out her notepad and begins the interview.

A - Welcome to our home Maria! Thank you so much for talking to us today.
M - Thank you for inviting me over in your wonderful garden on such a lovely day. I already feel like home!

A - 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?
M- Well, I can say for sure that my Etsy shop means quite a lot to me. I decided to open it during a rather hard period in my life and it was one of the things that truly helped me and filled my heart with joy and positive emotions. When I talk to someone for the first time about what I do, it is a bit difficult to express all the feelings that I have inside of me. The one thing for sure is that I talk about it with a lot of love and as something that gives me great joy, inner peace and lots of happy creative moments.

A - Would you share a memory with us of when you first fell in love with your craft?
M - My first attempts to create something out of clay were not very successful I must say. As with everything new you must have patience and practice a lot in order to say that you are happy with the outcome. The most important think is not to give up and try your best for something you truly love and speaks to your heart. I think that I fell in love with what I do the very first time I saw that I was able to create something from a shapeless piece of clay. I never knew that I was able to do something like that and my enthusiasm was so big that for the first months I was literally in a creating frenzy! Of course the more I worked, the better were the results and that motivated me even more, I haven’t stopped ever since.

A - 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?
M - My ideas change constantly, even during the creation process. However, I always start with a basic idea and then make changes or additions as the sculpture starts to take its form. I usually have brainstorming during night time, so I always keep a little note book by my side to write my thoughts. Sometimes it’s hard to sleep afterwards coz I wanna get up in the middle of the night and start working right away! So, yes I can say that I do have an image of what I will make beforehand.


A - We do hope that you're a keen Etsy buyer as well as seller. What is your favourite shop on Etsy and why?
M -Yes, I do love Etsy as a marketplace. The variety of items is amazing and the creativity of people never seizes to amaze me. I know that when I own something from another Etsy seller is something unique and that the person who made it devoted not only time but also his/her heart and soul, to make that special item. It’s really hard for me to pick just one shop among my favourites. The only thing for sure is that I buy things (either for me or my loved ones) that stir something within me, either with their beauty, their sensitivity or warm up my heart and make me smile.

A - We'd love to get a little snippet of your home life, please describe your home in just 5 words!
M - Peaceful, Creative, Love, Organized, Cosy.

A - Musculus Maximouse gets terrible midnight cravings. If he were to raid your refrigerator right now, what treats might he find there?
M -I think that Maximouse would be delighted if he raided my fridge, since there are always fresh fruit and veggies. But if he craves for something sweet, chocolate is never absent from there as well!

A - If you were a mouse living in The House of Mouse, which one would you be and why?
M - Let’s see… I guess I would be Lizzy the Guitarist Mouse, because I have always wanted to know how to play the guitar :)

A - And finally, one of the mice would like to ask you a question. This one comes from Mr Applecheeks the Librarian Mouse. He'd like to ask you: What is your favourite book or author?
M - My favourite book has to be the: "Manual Of The Warrior Of Light" By Paolo Coelho. It has a very special meaning to me as it refers to the warrior each one of us hides within him/herself and the battles we have to face during our journey in life. Every difficulty we come across must be faced with strength, faith, hope and positivity in order to mature as individuals and achieve personal growth and inner peace.

A - Thank you so much for taking the time to visit us, Maria. Please let us know how we can find you on the internet by sharing some links!

My Gallery in Deviantart:
http://www.heartshapedcreations.deviantart.com
My Gallery in Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39911550@N06
My Twitter page:
http://www.twitter.com/heartshapedcr
My FaceBook FanPage:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heartshapedcreations/259029738984?v=wall#

Thank you for honouring me with this wonderful interview. I had tons of fun and I really enjoyed talking to you and your little furry friends!!!

Artist Interview - ingermaaike

Each week we invite a different Etsy seller to visit us at our home: The House of Mouse, where all the mice live. This weeks guest is Inger from ingermaaike.etsy.com. Inger is originally from Holland but now lives in Norway.


We find Inger sat comfortably in our living room, she has chosen a seat next to the fireplace because it is a cold day today. Many little mice are huddled together on chairs with cups of hot chocolate in their paws and some blankets that they made to keep their toes warm. Chris the Chef mouse wobbles into the room carrying 2 large mugs of tea for Inger and Anna. Anna sits down on the sofa, takes a sip of her tea and then begins the interview.

A - Hi Inger, welcome to our home! Thank you so much for talking to us 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?
I - I do not reside in artistic circles so usually people are a little incredulous that I would earn my money with felting, if they even know what felting is. So first I explain what felting is and what I make and then they say 'oh nice' and we move on to other things :)

For me this shop means I can keep on learning and improving my skill, one can only own so many scarves,bags and dresses after all. If there would be no place to send them to then it all would just have remained a hobby and probably I would have lost interest by now. This shop has given me so much confidence and validation which I would otherwise never have found.


A - Would you share a memory with us of when you first fell in love with your craft?
I - I have always been crafting but never considered making it a way to make a living, I did various studies to prepare me for a professional 'grown-up' life. Never finished a study and never grew up either..I tried working a regular job for about a year and ran off with slamming doors. Then one day saw advertised a workshop for felting,signed up and nearly cancelled as I do not do so well in groups..but went in the end. And it was love at first sight. Obsessively I started felting at home, experimenting,reading,learning...I continue to do so to this day.


A - 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?
I - Planning is not something I do at all, I pull open a drawer and see what is in there. Or suddenly I jump up to go dye wool with colors that just popped in my head. All rather random except for the fact that it all is inspired by the nature around me.

A - We do hope that you're a keen Etsy buyer as well as seller. What is your favourite shop on Etsy and why?
I - Oooooh just the one?? I love well made clothes that are comfy but feminine ,most I make myself but NYHop and IheartFink do things I can not do myself so I totally love those shops.

A - We'd love to get a little snippet of your home life, please describe your home in just 5 words!
I - Warm, open, happy, chaotic, loving.

A - Musculus Maximouse gets terrible midnight cravings. If he were to raid your refrigerator right now, what treats might he find there?
I - Umm not particularly much I fear, we never have much in there but for some jam, cheese, milk and a few odd pots of this and that. The most exotic thing in there at present is a bloc of Norwegian brown caramelised goats cheese. An acquired taste to be sure :D



A - If you were a mouse living in The House of Mouse, which one would you be and why?
I - That is a very hard question...but I think Indiana Jones mouse. I always wanted to be him when growing up.

A - And finally, one of the mice would like to ask you a question. The mice tend to be a little random with their choice of questions! This one comes from Spidermouse. He'd like to ask you: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
I - To travel in the blink of an eye from here to there and back again, I would love to see so much but dislike being away from home too long. So zipping back and forth would be just perfect :) Plus I could go get food in a flash from all over the world and never need to think up what to eat any more :D


A - Thank you so much for taking the time to visit us, Inger. Please let us know how we can find you on the internet by sharing some links!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ingermaaike
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ingermaaike2/
http://www.facebook.com/ingermaaike
http://twitter.com/Ingermaaike
http://www.ingermaaike.nl

I - Thank you very much for this most pleasant chat :)

XXXXXXXXXXXXInger

Artist Interview - Nancy van den Boom

Welcome to the first of our interviews here at The House of Mouse. Each week we will invite a different Etsy seller to visit us in our home, where all the mice live. We chose someone very special to be the first to meet the mice: our friend Nancy van den Boom. Nancy is a Dutch painter based in her studio in The Netherlands, in the little village Uitgeest.

Nancy is greeted at the front door by several thoroughly overexcited mice, they clamour to take her coat and show her into our home. In the centre of the hallway in The House of Mouse is a long wooden staircase that twists out of view. Several quivering mouse noses are peeking out of little gaps in the banister, their owners are very curious about the new arrival but too shy to come downstairs just yet.

Nancy is shown into the heart of our home: the kitchen, where 20 or so other mice are sitting expectantly on the kitchen table, some are bouncing up and down in their joy to finally meet her. Naomi pulls out her clipboard and begins the interview.

Welcome Nancy to our home! As you can see, the mice are very excited to meet you. You are their first visitor, and as both Anna and I are good friends with you online, they feel as if you are their friend too. Thank you so much for talking to us today.
Thank you so much dear Naomi, I am so glad with your invitation.

We'd like to begin by asking you a little bit about your Etsy store and what it means to you: when talking about your store to someone for the first time, what do you tell them?
I am very proud to be able to tell I have a webshop on Etsy. I really feel like an owner of a shop! I tell I paint (which is a surprise sometimes too) and that I sell very vibrant paintings and necklaces with small oil paintings. I love to see the surprised faces!

Oh, why do you think they are surprised to learn that you paint? Do you think that you don't look like a painter?
Well, how could people tell I paint lol? From the paint in my hair sometimes perhaps... But I think too that most people admire artists and when I tell them I paint, it is like "Wow! She paints!"


Would you share a memory with us of when you first fell in love with your craft?
I remember the first time in 2004 I painted the Tree of my Life with acrylic paint. I loved painting light and dark right away. This took me back to my childhood when I looked at the work of my Dad, who painted and worked with dark and light a lot. It felt so good to work with this again, after, lets say 30 years.

So your father was a painter. That's fabulous! You're carrying on a sort of family heritage with your artwork!
And my mother painted watercolours years ago. She was very good with colours. I am sorry she doesn't paint any more nowadays.

How do you plan for a new item in your Etsy Shop, if at all?
When I feel like painting, creating... I look forward to listing!

So do you choose what you will paint before you start, or does the inspiration come once you pick up your brushes?
The feeling of inspiration starts somewhere in the day... then I think of colours and what to paint, finally I pick up the brushes, decide on the format... put my stuff ready... and then I decide what to paint and start painting! And the excitement begins, the magic of the colours, the structure filling the blank canvas


We do hope that you're a keen Etsy buyer as well as seller. What is your favourite shop on Etsy and why?
Listen Naomi please! I love the mice around here, I really do and you too Naomi, but this is a very mean question. How could I possibly give an answer on this? I love shops like www.staroftheeast.etsy.com, www.jealousydesign.etsy.com, www.jkphotography.etsy.com, www.stephmel.etsy.com and many many others... just too many to mention!

Hehehe, we know it's a bit cruel to ask you to choose just one! All of those are favourite shops of mine, too.
But I must say too that I never was in a shop before like I was here in the House of Mouse. So this shop (I am looking around and seeing lovely and cute mousies everywhere around me) is very special to me! To see all the mice in real!

We'd love to get a little snippet of your home life, please describe your home in just 5 words!
Kids, Cor, cats, studio, garden!

Ah yes, Cor is your lovely husband, is that right? Does he love your artwork?
Yes, Cor is very fond of my artwork indeed! He loves the colours and vibrancy of them!
He shows his admiration all the time and he is very encouraging and supporting me with all that goes with painting, framing, making pictures. He likes it a lot I found painting, he knows it makes me really happy.

Musculus Maximouse gets terrible midnight cravings. If he were to raid your refrigerator right now, what treats might he find there?
Not so very exciting stuff really: beans, yoghurt, tomatoes, cheese (ahhhh cheese!, THAT's exciting for mice), lettuce.

That all sounds fairly healthy really, no chocolate?? Would you say you're a fairly healthy household then?
No chocolate left. I have eaten it all! Sorry!

If you were a mouse living in The House of Mouse, which one would you be and why?
Only one answer possible: the Witchy Mouse since I am a witch!

We are intrigued! Do you have a broomstick and a black cat?
I do have a black cat (Zorroluna) and a broomstick indeed. I am connected to nature like witches are. I love the night, the moon and lots more!

And finally, one of the mice would like to ask you a question. The mice tend to be a little random with their choice of questions! This one comes from Terry, the Mouse in a Cat Suit. He'd like to ask you: who do you think would win in a fight, a cat or a hedgehog, and why?!
If it is Terry in the catsuit, it would be Terry who wins of course.

(Terry looks very pleased with himself on hearing this answer!)

While Nancy has been talking, even the shyest mice have crept downstairs and are now crowding the kitchen table and floor, looking up at her with adoring eyes. She has fit right in here at the House of Mouse, we'll be sorry to see her leave so soon but the mice will doubtless be gossiping proudly about her visit for weeks!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit us, Nancy. Please let us know how we can find you on the internet by sharing some lovely links!

Thanks for the hospitality Naomi and bunch of lovely mice. It was great being with you.

Here you can find me online:
www.wix.com/nancyvandenboom/oilpaintings
www.nancyvdboom.etsy.com
www.nancyvandenboom.blogspot.com
www.nancyvandenboom.com

2 features in one day!

Today is a very busy day for us!
We have 2 features on other blogs.

The first is a My Day is Friday post,
where Anna takes you through a day in her life!

The second is a feature on The Curious Pug,
where both Anna and Naomi answer some interview questions.

Interview with a Mouse: Alfonso the Artist Mouse

Those of you who have already subscribed to our new The House of Mouse newsletter will know that we've started doing monthly mini-interviews with the mice. They're lots of fun, and hopefully will give you a unique "mouse's perspective" on things! We thought it was only fair to share them here on the blog as well, but those of you subscribing to the newletter will see them at least a week in advance as a special treat ;-)

Our very first Interview with a Mouse features a very special Mouse: Alfonso the Artist Mouse was the first Mouse ever sold at The House of Mouse! He's a bit of a veteran, really, so we hope you enjoy meeting him.

Hello Alfonso, welcome to the newsletter! Thanks for talking to us.
'Allo, merci, I am 'appy to be 'ere! I 'ope I 'ave plenty to talk aboute.

Well, why don't we start by talking about your work as an artist. Are you inspired by any particular famous artists?
Aaahhh oui, I 'ave zeveral idols from zee artiste world. I admire zee vork of Mouselangelo and Vincent Van Gogh Mouse, 'oo can alzo be found at zee delightful 'Ouse of Mouse. But my all-time favoureet artiste, 'ee iz Leonardo Da Vin-Cheese.

We hear from The House of Mouse that you sometimes get so excited in your painting that you splatter the paint onto the canvas with your tail, is that true?!
(Alfonso shuffles around in embarrassment) Uhm... Zat vas just... Uhm... Zumtimes, oui...

What do you most love to paint?
I love to paint zee cheese, and ven I 'ave 'ad a leetle too much of zee Roquefort, I zumtimes paint zee dancing cats in pink pyjamas!

Sounds intriguing... What about your time at The House of Mouse? Who has been your greatest friend there, have you come across anyone you don't like?
Ahh, vell, I 'ave to say, 'Ootie zee 'Wise' Brown Owl can be a leetle bit of a pain in zee bottom ven you get 'im talking. But my most special ami 'as to be Nona zee Cellist Mouse. She is very very artistique and a very sweet Mouse. I 'av very much enjoyed 'er company at zee 'Ouse of Mouse. It is a vonderful 'ome, vee all 'ave great fun zere.

That's fabulous, thank you so much for sharing with us Alfonso, and best of luck with your next adoptive family, whoever they may be!
Merci beaucoup, mon ami! Au Revoir, zee you again.



Don't forget; to be the first to read our monthly mini-interviews with the mice, as well as to receive special discount vouchers and hear all of our other news and updates, subscribe to our monthly newsletter!