Inspiration Sunday is a 7 question interview with people I admire and that inspire me, I hope they will inspire you in some way too.
Today I want you to meet Tara, she is a crafty chic with a fun sense of humour and certainly knows a thing or two about Etsy.
Today I want you to meet Tara, she is a crafty chic with a fun sense of humour and certainly knows a thing or two about Etsy.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself....
I’m Tara and I live just outside Toronto. I’m part mom, part Special Education teacher, part blogger and part Etsy shop owner. I have very little empty time.
I get my inspiration from eating up all sorts of sources of creativity, blogs, Pinterest, books and my best ideas come when I get to have some quiet time to myself (which is hard to come by).
3. Tell us about your business
Mostly I make cup cozies that reflect my silly, geeky and nerdy nature. I fell into the whole cup cozy thing by accident when I had a funny-to-me idea that went a little viral and all of the sudden a lot of people thought it was funny too. I like that they’re reusable, nothing bugs me more than a double cup or cardboard sleeve.
Since I also started collecting beautiful fabrics, and I have a bit of a bag/tote/purse addiction I started making those as well. I find Etsy to be rather competitive for selling those so I tend to stick to custom orders, in person craft sales and consignment deals for those.
My business started when I was home with an infant and 2 year old and decided I wanted to be more than a nursing, diaper changing machine. I started my blog as a journal to write about creativity and get myself making things again. As time went on it grew and grew. Eventually, when you make loads of things you need to start selling some of it off and hence my Etsy store was born. It was all a very organic process that just had a mind of its own.
Well, since I still have a ‘real’ job I have to go there most days. I teach a small class with 10 students, 3 other adults and me. My students have slight developmental delays and many have autism. I do have 2 afternoons a week off, which I use either sewing or blogging or researching. I usually work late at night, putting my 2 active boys to bed at about 8pm and then heading down to my crafty space in a corner of the basement where I work away until I’ll too tired. Generally I stay up far too late.
3. Tell us about your business
Mostly I make cup cozies that reflect my silly, geeky and nerdy nature. I fell into the whole cup cozy thing by accident when I had a funny-to-me idea that went a little viral and all of the sudden a lot of people thought it was funny too. I like that they’re reusable, nothing bugs me more than a double cup or cardboard sleeve.
Since I also started collecting beautiful fabrics, and I have a bit of a bag/tote/purse addiction I started making those as well. I find Etsy to be rather competitive for selling those so I tend to stick to custom orders, in person craft sales and consignment deals for those.
4. What led you to start your business?
5. What does an average day look like for you?
Well, since I still have a ‘real’ job I have to go there most days. I teach a small class with 10 students, 3 other adults and me. My students have slight developmental delays and many have autism. I do have 2 afternoons a week off, which I use either sewing or blogging or researching. I usually work late at night, putting my 2 active boys to bed at about 8pm and then heading down to my crafty space in a corner of the basement where I work away until I’ll too tired. Generally I stay up far too late.
6. What is the one thing about your job that makes your heart sing?
I love the community I’ve found because of SewTara. Creative people are amazing and I think we all do each other good when we associate with each other, even if it’s just in cyberspace. Then when you add in all the great in person people I’ve met and things I’ve done because of this SewTara journey I’ve been on, I’m ridiculously grateful for it all. Even the sleepless nights.
7. Share a secret with us that has never been shared online before
When I was a little kid (I’m an only child) I had imaginary friends. They had a whole backstory, jobs and an imaginary dog . . . One day at dinner my mom set the table for my ‘friends’ and apparently I looked at her like she was crazy asked her why there were extra plates and when she said for my friends I said “Mom, they’re at work!”.
HELLO2013 will get you 15% off an order in my shop Sew Tara
Where to find Tara:
Website: Sew Tara
Facebook: HERE
Twitter: @SewTara
Pinterest: SewTara
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