NewNewInterview with Lynsey of Cuteable

In our fourth installment of indie style bloggers, let's meet Lynsey of Cuteable.

1. So tell us a little about your site and how you got started?

Well Cuteable is fairly new to us as we only bought the site in January after the previous owner realised they weren't spending as much time as they would like on their own craft business. I'm a WAHM with two girls and I run my own Etsy shop, Swirly Arts too so thought I could combine my love of cute and handmade things with my daughters being at home. Luckily my husband agreed (he does all the technical stuff) and it fits in quite nicely into our lives now.

2. What do you look for when featuring an artist?

Well the site is called Cuteable and the previous owner did a great job of keeping with that feeling but I'm moving it slightly to feature more stuff that isn't traditionally 'cute' - but that's not saying I don't like the cute! I tend to feature things I like myself and if I really like something then I will do a whole post about that ones person's items.

3. Suggestions on how to generate buzz about your products?

It's probably something you have heard before but make your item unique - not necessarily the only one of it's kind because that is pretty rare but have a unique selling point either to do with you or the item itself. Also if you are describing something then make sure you describe it well - people cannot pick the item up and see how much work has gone into it so you have to let them know. Also don't be afraid of contacting people with blogs etc about your work - I'm always on the lookout for new things!

4. What not to do when contacting sites like yours?

Make sure you enter your shop name/flickr name or where ever I need to link too in your email - I have lost count of the number of people I have contact to ask for these details! Don't worry if you do forget though as I will still feature you but just not as quickly!

5. What blogs do you follow to stay current?

Oh my goodness - lots and lots!! I have 370 blogs in my google reader and my favourites are the ones written by crafters themselves - I like to see what the masses are doing and I use these as the basis for my Clinks posts. I do also like having a peek at the Craftzine blog too!

6. What trends do you see developing? What products or styles are hot?

I think eco friendly products are becoming more important with more and more crafters sourcing their materials from charity shops, thrift stores etc and just generally making use of things that would once be thrown away. Birds are always a popular theme too :)

7. Is blogging more of a hobby or do you see this becoming a long term career choice?

Running Cuteable is much more than a hobby - it takes up a great deal of time and at the moment it's about 4 hours a day. That involves all the answering of emails, sending out advertising information as well as writing the posts. I do it though because I love mentioning people, their products and just acknowledging the hard work and time and effort that goes into making things. If I had a pound for every email I have received thanking me for the mention then I would be well on my way to becoming rich!

8. Do you see yourself embracing new media to reach your audience (podcasting, video)?

Eeek - that kind of thing scares me! It took me long enough after we took over Cuteable to get the hang of writing the posts so that's not going to happen in the short term future. Maybe longer term but we will see!

9. What do you think sets you apart from other design blogs?

I think the fact that I am a crafter and maker myself so I know the amount of time and effort that goes into the work I showcase. Also I hope that the passion I have for handmade comes though in my posts.

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Special thanks to Lynsey for taking the time for this interview. Be sure to check out Lynsey at Cuteable (http://www.cuteable.com/) and her shop Swirly Arts on Etsy!

Danielle
Collective Elements