There are two aspects, as a preschool teacher and a mom, that I think are very important in the educational development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Those two aspects are literacy and art. Not that all other aspects aren't important, but developing a love for those two almost guarantee a strong love for them in the future.
As most of my readers know already, I am many things but a decorator is not one of those things. So each year I truly struggle with decorating my preschool. Poor Emma has yet to have a completed nursery. I have a hard time with finding items to make a theme or style. I have used the same decorations in the school room since I started teaching 3 years ago. So I was very excited to review The Alphabet Print from
Drawn to Letters Etsy Shop.
Here is a bit about Joanne:
1.Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in Vermont as the busy middle child with skinned knees and a habit of collecting precious finds like peach pits, colored leaves and buttons in jars under my bed. I loved school but spent my free time drawing, sewing or carving things and plotting to go away to college in a city, which I did. I majored in illustration and married a boy from the city who wanted to work in rural communities. We raised 3 kids in NH and I worked in various “art related”jobs in specialty food , fashion and marketing . Recently we moved back to Central New York where we originally met.
2. What circumstances brought you to opening a shop and selling on Etsy
I have always done a bit of paid illustration but quite honestly, it was a combination of digital home technology, a lull in my teaching schedule and wanting to “practice what I preached” to my design students. I had been teaching college students about the resurgence of handmade customized products, telling them about Etsy and opportunities to live locally and market online. When I needed a baby gift, I thought about something that was individualized, interactive and memorable for both parent and child. Every child’s story begins with a name, so I designed the first personalized cloth book for Audrey. Then I wanted to create art for the whole alphabet and soon there was a clear business idea forming with my time being the only start up investment. Add to that my home workspace, which is an original 1838 hat factory, in a walk-able village setting and you see I had the recipe for a happy new independent work life.
3. How did you choose the name of your shop?
I wanted something that described my work and could allow for changes as the shop evolved.. I tried art&letters but then settled on Drawn to Letters for the double meaning. I like honoring the attraction to both art and words.
4. Where do you get your inspiration?
As I mentioned, art and words are powerful tools. I love to observe, remix and represent something that strikes a chord in someone else. Usually I start playing with words, then imagery and finally a unique design format. I am always thinking of layered themes to illustrate and new product designs. I like old rhymes and puns that usually revolve around domestic life. That’s how I came up with my popular knitting cards for grown ups.”Just unwind “seemed like a great sentiment for a knitting friend! Right now I am introducing an alphabet swag called “weekly snack breakdown”. It’s banner that celebrates healthy snacking with the inevitable donut day thrown in for humor.
5. Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Well, I do work pretty much all the time on something. I feel guilty if I don’t! But I have flexibility and distractions such as walking my dog daily in a village that includes a lakeside park and friendly shops on main street. There are daily business tasks associated with keeping orders flowing so I spend a lot of time online. I also teach as an adjunct in the fashion design department at Syracuse University one full day per week. I knit or read far less often than I would like and attend a few local concerts or lectures at surrounding colleges.I talk with a couple of family members during the day since I have begun working at home 6 days per week. I drink tons of coffee but I eat healthy foods in between. My husband leaves early but often comes home early and shares the evening cooking and news. We both often work into the evening. (It was only yesterday that I had three children to care for and learned to work at night wherever my drawing board would fit.)
6. How did you feel when your first item sold
Well, I was thrilled. It is great to know that someone chose your images to be part of their domestic space.
7. How long have you been selling on Etsy? About 7 months. I opened in July 2009.
8. Do you have a day job or is Etsy it for you?
Well, as I said, I teach fashion drawing Syracuse University part time. I really enjoy the students and it is a natural extension of the work I did in the fashion industry during the 90’s. It has also allowed me to inject some innovative eco fashion design curriculum at the college too which feels good.
9. Do you sell your products elsewhere, or only on Etsy?
I have a wonderful relationship with a local Children’s Boutique. The owner promotes my custom books to her customers and carries my notecards and alphabet poster framed in her shop. She knows they will not find my stuff anywhere else and I know I cannot reach her customers online!
What separates my alphabet prints from others is the child friendly illustrations. I try to create conversations and memories as well as fresh wall decor! Many nursery alphabets sacrifice literacy in their stylized graphics. I want these to actually be educational as well as entertaining which is why I chose clear type,realistic images and the black and white print for the outside covers of the books. I know smaller babies brains are stimulated by the pattern before they can differentiate letters and pictures.
10. What is your favorite item that you sell?
It would have to be the cloth books because they are so unique in structure. People give me great feedback. They are however, the most labor intensive and complex item I make ! A close second is the Poster with its rhyme…I used to quote that to my kids when they were restless!
11. If you could give any advice to someone aspiring to sell on Etsy, what would it be? Aside from being passionate about your works, I would say it is all about timing: marketplace timing , personal timing and resource timing. First you should feel confident that your idea is in sync with the market place and also know how that idea could morph into several updated versions as the business and marketplace change. Next you should look at where you are in your personal evolution or timeline. Creative people have marketable ideas all the time but not everyone can focus and put the time into getting the work out there. Read some of the advice on ‘life balance’ and see how you fair. Third, and this is related to the second one, check your resources. That means time, money and people who will donate support in getting your business organized, supplied and launched. You may have to maintain another source of income while you get started. If you can find these three things in reasonable alignment and you are a self-starter,self-soother, you will love having a business.
This picture, or any picture for that matter, does not do this piece justice. Each letter is watercolor drawn by hand. The letters are big and bright to catch the attention of your little one. Each letter is illustrated with a hand painted picture. The poster also contains a nursery rhyme at the bottom.
Emma has loved this piece from day 1. We have looked at this piece over and over. She is able to name each picture now and is very proud of herself, even after the 100th time. So now I have begun saying the letter and sound with her after she names the picture.
The work that Joanne does is above and beyond anything I have seen in stores or boutiques. Her pride in her work shows in the quality of her pieces from the matte paper, to the museum quality ink, to the care she uses during shipping.
After a long deliberation, I have decided to hang this in my preschool room after it is painted next week. I am strongly debating on purchasing another print for Emma's room. However, I have my eye on this...
I would love to have an "E" print to hang in Emma's room.
Bet you want one, huh?
Head over to Drawn to Letter and purchase your ABC poster.
Bet you would rather win one, huh?
Joanne is awesome so she offered 2 of my readers a personalized print just like the one above!!(Winners are responsible for shipping)
Mandatory Entry:
You must be a follower of Luvn Life and then head over to Drawn to Letters and tell me what you love.
Optional Entries:
~Heart Joanne's Etsy shop
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~Grab my new button (5 entries)
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~Enter another giveaway on my blog (1 entry each)
~Blog about my giveaway with a link to the giveaway here and to Drawn to Letters(5 separate entries if you blogged early, 1 if you blogged on or after July 1st)
~List my giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky and leave me the link (1 entry per listing)
~Make a purchase from Drawn to Letters before the Giveaway is finished (10 entries)
Each entry needs to be a separate comment. Also, please leave a valid email address for me to contact you unless it is in your profile. Drawn to Letters giveaway will end at 11:59pm on August 24th, 2010. Winners will be chosen via randomorg.com and the winner has 48 respond and to send correct mailing information or I will draw another winner.
**I received the above stated product to review. No other compensation was received. Receiving the sample in no way influenced my statements in the review. The opinions expressed are my own and your opinions may differ.**
