I just *love* Lori Marie & Her Pretty Little Things to bits! :) I know you do to, so I'm so excited she's sharing a little crafty insight with us today! Enjoy:
You can find Lori at her Website, Blog, and Shop!
1. What's your name, and what's your game? (In other words, what do you: do? like to do? do for fun? do for work?)
My name is Lori Marie and I make Pretty Little Things. In fact that's pretty much all I do...that's what happens when your work is also your hobby.
2. How did you get started doing these lovely things you do?
My mom was an interior designer and so I grew up flipping through wallpaper books and falling in love with print and pattern. I taught myself to sew on a friend's machine towards the end of high school and began stitching up patchwork pillows and bags from discontinued fabric samples. In college, I began making embroidered hippy tank tops to sell at The Grateful Dead shows. It was at this point that I realized I was more interested in fashion design than rocket science... so I transferred from UC San Diego to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco where I got my degree in fashion design. I moved back to the beach after graduation and sold some handmade embroidered tops and dresses at a tiny shop on Garnet Avenue called Purple Moon . This was my first experience selling in a boutique.
Since then, I have worked as a pattern maker and designer for a small leather handbag company in Berkeley designing annual collections for Nordstrom. Everything was made 'in house' and so I got to experience each and every aspect of production.
I also spent 7+ years as a freelance artist for Pottery Barn Kids...creating hand embroidered applique for children's bedding and textiles.
3. How do you keep yourself inspired and motivated?
I love to surf the web for inspiration by typing in random terms or phrases to see what pops up. I keep motivated by always having a 'work in progress' and a list of ideas for what's to come.
4. What's your favorite/least favorite part of what you do?
My most favorite part is bringing my ideas to life and watching the collection come together as a whole...I love to see how the pieces work with each other after many many hours of snipping and stitching and stuffing and sewing.
My least favorite part is anything having to do with numbers and book keeping.
5. Any indie business tips for aspiring business owners/freelance workers? Get ready to eat sleep and breathe what you do. I spend every waking moment thinking about my business and every night dreaming of what to do next.
6. What's your favorite part about crafting for a living?
My favorite part of crafting for a living is being able to do what I love everyday and share it with people all around the world
7. If you could travel back in time and tell yourself anything at 16, what would it be? Follow your dreams and get ready to work your butt off!!!
8. If you could make any dream/idea a reality - right now! - what would it be?
I would LOVE to have a store front with a sewing studio in the back and a couple small tables on the sidewalk out front for sipping tea and cappuccinos.
9. A day in your life: what's it like?
I wake up (around 6 AM), feed the bulldoggie, make coffee and open my computer to see what everyone's up to and check in with all my sites
Then I put together a manageable 'to-do' list for the day and get 'to-doing'.
I am most productive in the morning and so the more I can get done before noon, the better. That's when matilda (the bulldoggie) starts to get restless and it's time for a walk.
My afternoons are spent with a quick nap and some finishing work on the couch.
My evenings are spent with some online wandering to find new inspiration for the next great idea.
Some links to a few of Lori's Seasonal DIY's, for you:
Yule Log Packaging, Egg Carton Glitter Bells and Glitter Globes!
Thanks so much for the inspiration & fun, Lori! :)
