NewNewInterview with Liana of Mixed Plate

Part seven of our indie blogger series and its Liana of Mixed Plate. It's also the second anniversary of Mixed Plate. Woo hoo!!!

1. So tell us a little about your site and how you got started?
Mixed Plate is a site where I share all sorts of things I like that I find online. It is devoted primarily to introducing the readers to independent business owners, artists, designers, etc. and their handmade goods. I started this basically because I was a one-gal business operation of my own and knew how difficult it was to have folks notice your work, especially when there are so many larger corporations out there. I just wanted to show my love and support for all the talented DIY-ers out there. Plus, I’ve always been drawn to the handmade aspect of things. Mixed Plate is actually about to turn 2 on July 22. I can hardly believe it!

2. What do you look for when featuring an artist?
Honestly, if I could do it I would try and feature everyone. I really do wish the best for all the craftspeople out there. Since that isn’t always possible, however, I look for artists who create things with love. What I mean by that is that you can really see their love and passion in their work. When I feature products, it is usually something that I’m attracted to instantly as well. Oh, and the item usually makes me smile!

3. Suggestions on how to generate buzz about your products?
If you have a product that you truly believe in and enjoy creating, that is an excellent start. As far as generating buzz I would say there are a lot of ways. You probably want to be sure that if you are online, your site is easy to navigate and your photos have to be clean. Local art and craft shows are another way to gain exposure in your own community and I think blogging about your crafting process helps as well.

4. What not to do when contacting sites like yours?
I would say that sending just a press release with no note included is not the best way to approach sites in general. Don’t forget the important things when trying to introduce yourself to someone – your name, the name of your business, what you create, website address, etc.

5. What blogs do you follow to stay current?
I wish that I could say I had more time to read all the blogs that I love everyday. Unfortunately, I really don’t. I do, however, adore the ones that are of crafters creating things and showing how they come up with their amazing pieces of work. It’s always nice to see the process and sometimes even get a glimpse into the lives of favorite artists.

6. What trends do you see developing? What products or styles are hot?
Hmmm, I don’t know. I guess I don’t consider myself a “trendy” person, so I may not always be aware of what is going on as far as what is hot and what is not. Maybe I should work on that…Perhaps I don’t necessarily always gravitate towards the latest and greatest, but just towards the things that make me happy. That’s pretty much what ends up on Mixed Plate.

7. Is blogging more of a hobby or do you see this becoming a long term career choice?
Mixed Plate started off as more of a hobby in terms of not being as seriously focused on the direction it was going. While I do still have two day jobs, and two websites (http://www.onafriday.net/ -still working on the re-opening - and http://punknpie.net/), I dedicate many hours each day to the site. It really is like having another full-time job. Of course, the benefits of discovering and meeting so many great online friends is well worth it.

8. Do you see yourself embracing new media to reach your audience (podcasting, video)?
I have thought about learning to do a podcast. But I’m not sure that anyone would actually want to listen to my voice for very long!

9. What do you think sets you apart from other design blogs?
I like to think that even though we may have similar interests and probably overlap a lot on the people and things we feature, we all have something different to offer. I know that I’m not a great writer (I didn’t go to school for it or anything), but I do write what I feel and folks seem to respond to that. They like that it seems like we’re having a conversation.

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Special thanks to Liana for taking the time for this interview. Be sure to check out Liana at Mixed Plate (http://www.mixedplateblog.com) And also check out her shops, On A Friday http://www.onafriday.net/ and Punk N' Pie http://punknpie.net/

Danielle
Collective Elements

NewNewInterview with Sharla & Mei-Lynn of Rare Bird Finds

It's number six!! And we have Sharla & Mei-Lynn of Rare Bird Finds!

1. So tell us a little about your site and how you got started?
Rare Bird Finds is a shopping blog dedicated to bringing you unusual products from all over the Web.

We started a few years ago because we were frustrated that many of the big-name blogs wouldn’t give the indie designers a second glance. When we started in March 2006, we were one of the first pioneering blogs to feature indie designers. Our goal was to create a dynamite blog that attracted mainstream shoppers and introduce them to talented yet unrecognized designers around the world, the kind of designers who unfortunately were being overlooked by mainstream media.

We love products that are off the beaten path. Our blog is full of quirky finds that make perfect gifts to treat yourself and your hard-to-shop for friends. In a typical day, you’ll find an eclectic mix of the kitsch and the beautiful, a little bit of something for everyone (even men!)

2. What do you look for when featuring an artist?
We love a clean, easy-to-navigate website with high-quality images. If the images are dark or blurry we won’t feature you no matter how much we like your product.

Obviously we love to feature items that are unique. Because our blog strives to keep our readers one step ahead of the pack, we probably won’t feature an item that has been done to death on all the blogs.

3. Suggestions on how to generate buzz about your products?
The best way a designer or artist can generate buzz is to talk up his or her product! Some designers find it hard to toot their own horn, but its part of the business. Many of the products we feature come from designers sending us emails letting us know about it – and we’re so glad, because we may never have stumbled upon it without them putting it on our radar.

4. What not to do when contacting sites like Rare Bird Finds?
After receiving hundreds of emails from designers, here are a few tips:
* If you add us to your mailing list without our permission we will never feature you! We already get bombarded with emails.
* Please don’t send us multiple emails or pretend you are the company’s “friend” emailing for them.
* Remember to include your shop’s URL
* Don’t send a long email. Get to the point.

5. What blogs do you follow to stay current?
Neither of us have a lot of free time to read a ton of blogs. We both spend so much time searching for items to feature that if we are going to indulge ourselves in some blog reading it’s going to be something like Perez, TMZ or Go Fug Yourself.

6. What trends do you see developing? What products or styles are hot?
I joked in a post the other day that even toast is trendy these days. Our readers tend to love our “cute” finds, but even finds about zombies and robots are popular, too!

7. Do you see yourself embracing new media to reach your audience (podcasting, video)?
We got the scoop recently from our readers through correspondence and a survey that our readers enjoy Rare Bird Finds at work. So for our blog it’s best to keep things simple and silent (for when the boss is around..)

8. What do you think sets you apart from other design blogs?
We’re not a design blog, per se. We’re a shopping blog with one goal – to make each find a new discovery for our readers and make them go, “Wow! I didn’t even know there was something like that out there.”

9. Is blogging more of a hobby or do you see this becoming a long term career choice?
For now it’s a hobby. At this point in our lives it wouldn’t be financially feasible for us to make it a career choice. But, who knows what tomorrow will bring!

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Special thanks to Sharla & Mei-Lynn for taking the time for this interview. Be sure to check out Sharla & Mei-Lynn at Rare Bird Finds (http://www.rarebirdfinds.typepad.com/).


Danielle
Collective Elements

NewNewInterview with Jena of Modish

Our indie blog fifth installment brings us Jena of Modish.

1. So tell us a little about your site and how you got started?
Modish is a celebration of all things handmade, from jewelry to art to home decor. At the time I began, I could not find any design blogs that focused exclusively on small, independent designers and handmade goods, so I started one! It took off really fast and now the the niche is filled with tons of blogs!

2. What do you look for when featuring an artist?
I look for someone who presents themselves professionally and makes good work- it's a shopping blog, so I only feature artists and designers that sell their goods online, whether it's on their own site or an etsy shop. I need to see unique handmade goods that are represented with clear, well balanced photos. I also have to be drawn to the products personally in some way so that what I feature stays in line with my own style/tastes.

3. Suggestions on how to generate buzz about your products?
Oh my gosh, I'm working on a new blog that's purely about this- marketing your art and craft business. There's too much to say here, but some quick tips would be to start your own business blog, contact design blogs you like, use online social networks, write a press release, advertise on blogs that serve your niche...

4. What not to do when contacting sites like Modish?
Hmm, I'd say don't contact us until you're really ready- if we head to your site and find yucky poorly lit images, only a few items, products lacking descriptions, etc, we're not going to feature you and we might not be back again even after you fix those things. Make sure your site is in tip-top shape before you start submitting it to blogs- use forums like the Switchboards to get feedback before you release it to the world.

5. What blogs do you follow to stay current?
I read all the major design blogs like design*sponge, decor8, oh joy and Poppytalk. I also like Heart Handmade, a new-ish blog that also focuses on all handmade goods, but has some fun, unique features, Creature Comforts, Design for Mankind and many others- my feed reader list is long!

6. What trends do you see developing? What products or styles are hot?
It's summer so everything's super saturated and colorful. Mustaches seem to be big right now, masks are popping up in lots of art and I've noticed more Native American imagery and styles in art, jewelry and accessories.

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

I've been thinking about how to incorporate video into modish... we'll see what pans out. I think podcasting and video will come more into play with the new marketing blog I'm working on, as that's more information based.

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

The fact that I feature only handmade goods is the first thing. I try to incorporate new features all the time to see what works and what doesn't, and am ever striving to make Modish a unique experience. I also think everyone's individual voice and style are evident after spending just a few minutes on their blog, and are really what make people come back.


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

For me, it's already a long term career choice. I've been blogging for over 2 years and have been self-employed for a year now (wow!) I also just closed my shop, so right now, blogging is my only source of income. It's a lot of hard work to transform a blog from a hobby into a career, but I've been successful so far, and that's why I'd like to start another, more informational blog so I can use one blog to write write write on and share my advice and experiences, and still have Modish to share all that fun handmade eye candy.

10. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?
If you're an artist, crafter or indie designer, stay tuned for my new blog all about marketing tip and tricks, just for you- it's gonna be great! I hope to have that up and running by mid-August! :)

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Special thanks to Jena for taking the time for this interview. Be sure to check out Jena at Modish (http://modish.typepad.com/).


Danielle
Collective Elements

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

NewNewInterview with Grace of Design*Sponge

Our third installment from indie style bloggers come from Grace of Design*Sponge. Woo hoo!


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

d*s is basically a site devoted to all things design-related, whether that's diy projects, home design or individual projects and fine art. i started the site as a hobby and over the past 4 years it's grown into my full time job and supporting a small staff of 5 editors.


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

i primarily look for something that grabs me instantly- whether it's a color, a pattern or an overall composition- i need to be really drawn in for me to consider posting it. when i first started i would post things willy nilly because i loved everything i came across in some way or another. but i've tried to cut back and focus on posting more substantive posts (well, compared to my earlier posts) that are distinct because the work is really unique, brand-new, or innovative in some way.

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

i'm rather partial to blogs and local art shows because they reach two distinct markets: blogs are generally run by pretty friendly people looking to showcase great work to a national and international audience. if you're targeted well for a given site, it can be a great way to reach a large audience- including magazine editors who read the site. i also suggest local art and craft shows because they're a great way to build hometown support and find a good network of local shops to carry and support your work. i think both levels are important these days.

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

just the basics: don't lie about your product or any aspect of your work (this happens more than i would like), be polite and personal (always use a blog/editor's name and not a general "dear editor") and try contacting sites/magazines one at a time. you can maximize your story size by giving any given site an exclusive or a small head start on the general blog population. i also think it helps to keep things short and sweet and attach a few pictures- we work in a really visual field so i always love to see a few well, shot pictures of people's work.

5. What blogs do you follow to stay current?

i really love the photography and fashion blogs in the market right now- especially scott at the sartorialist and some of the photography sites that are run by students on the west coast. but i always read sites like oh joy, lena corwin's blog and kelly cooper's "hoping for happy accidents". i also love maria vettese's port2port site. they all have such strong visual points of view (that are different from my own) and i love seeing what they have to say about things on a regular basis. and not a day goes by that i don't read dooce.com. and 101cookbooks.com, mattbites.com and orangette- i love well photographed food sites.

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

in products? well patterns are big and i think we'll see them stick around for a few more years. magazines seem to be calling it an "ethnic" trend towards things like indian and moroccan patterns. i think we're just moving away from more geometric patterns and towards something more ornate. i'm personally trying to narrow it down a bit and stick to a few key patterns in my house but i'm sure they'll stick around for a while. i also think we'll start to see some progression in the area of eco-friendly design. i'd love to see designers start moving forward with the idea of found materials and using them in interesting ways.

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

it's definitely my full-time job right now but i've been trying to think outside the box when it comes to the next 3-5 years. i'm a little worn out when it comes to the daily product post format so i'm in the process of trying to imagine what the next step should be when it comes to the site. we'll see what happens...

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

i did podcasts for a year and while i think some people enjoyed them they just really tanked for me. a few thousand people would download each one but as a percentage of my overall audience it was really low- so i'm going to try to do more videos. design is such a visual process it really needs to be seen to be appreciated and understood. it's tough to capture a product or interior with just audio.

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

i really try not to think abouit d*s in relation to other sites. i think any site is unique because of the overall voice it projects. i've always tried to stay true to the mission i had when i started and grow as i feel the need to try something different. so i think my voice, and now the voice of our contributing writers, is what makes us different from another site. but overall i think we just try to do our own thing and put as much positive, interesting work out there as we can.

10. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

just that i'm excited to see where this new media movement goes in relation to design. i think video is really where it's all going and i'm excited to see what new trends and tools we see in blogging in the next 3-5 years.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Special thanks to Grace for taking the time for this interview. Be sure to check out Grace at Design*Sponge (http://www.designspongeonline.com/).


Danielle
Collective Elements

NewNewInterview with Mallory of MissMalaprop

In the second interview of our indie blogger series, I bring you Mallory of MissMalaprop.com

1. So tell us a little about your site and how you got started?
I write MissMalaprop.com, a blog devoted to independent artists & designers, eco-friendly & recycled products, and charities & organizations that are working to make the world a better place. Whenever possible, I try to spotlight artists and issues related to New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where I'm from. I launched the site in August 2006, a year after Hurricane Katrina forever changed the lives of practically everyone I know. I've always wanted to do my bit in changing the world for the better, and I've always been an environmentalist and a crafter. I just wanted a place to talk about the things I care about.

2. What do you look for when featuring an artist?
If it's handmade AND recycled AND cleverly useful, that's my favorite. I tend to write about things that appeal to me in some way personally. My tastes have always been a little off from center (I love strange, colorful, happy things), but they're pretty diverse as well. Sometimes I write about something I stumble across randomly on Etsy and sometimes I mention designers who have contacted me to let me know about their work. Even if I don't choose to write about someone's work right away, I always add their website information to a list I keep... when I'm uninspired for something to write about, I check that list until I find something that grabs my attention that day and I blog about it.

3. Suggestions on how to generate buzz about your products?
The main thing is to just create good stuff. If it's not well designed, or beautiful, or useful, you can promote the hell out of it and no one will care.

Also, be sure to have a clean, easy to navigate website if you plan on selling online and trying to create a buzz that way. If you can't do it yourself, hire someone who can; it will be worth it. I hate sites with too much Flash, or music and video that starts playing immediately, or navigation that is trying too hard to be clever but in reality is just impossibly tedious to use. If I have problems figuring out how to get to the information I need on your site, as someone who is pretty Internet savvy and grew up using computers, just imagine how someone who is new to shopping online will feel. You just can't retain customers that way.

Other than that, just try to learn as much as you can about the business and marketing side of things. I'm self taught with all I know about business and marketing. There is tons of information out there and plenty of it is free. You just have to do the legwork and be willing to learn.

4. What not to do when contacting sites like yours?
Do your homework before you contact a blogger. Take a look around their site, and see if you can find their real first name mentioned anywhere. When you email them, address them by name -- it shows you took the time to care. Also, make sure that you're contacting someone who will likely be interested in your work. I've had companies contact me about products that obviously have nothing to do with what I write about on my blog. I lose respect for that immediately, and honestly I usually don't even take the time to respond to them, because they clearly didn't take any time to learn about my site before contacting me. A simple, honest email usually works best. I pay MUCH more attention to an email that looks like a real person wrote it versus a press release that gets sent out to tons of people. Also, adding a blogger to your e-mail newsletter without their permission is a REALLY bad idea. When I suddenly start getting newsletters that I never subscribed to I immediately unsubscribe and in some cases I've reported it as spam. Because it is.

5. What blogs do you follow to stay current?
I keep myself so busy that unfortunately I only manage to keep up with a very few design blogs on a regular basis. Modish, Indie Fixx, Indie Shopping, and Bits & Bobbins are the mainstays on my feed reader.

6. What trends do you see developing? What products or styles are hot?
I've always been the kind of person who could really care less about trends. I like what I like, and if other people like it that's great, and if they don't, that's fine too. Sometimes it's kind of fun to see the things I've loved for a long time become trendy (like the recent octopus and seahorse trends), because it makes it easier to find these things.

I also find the steampunk trend really interesting... when I first started seeing it pop up as a "trend" on Etsy and style sites I thought it was interesting that A. there was a name for it in the first place and B. that it was becoming so popular among so many types of people. I've always loved Victorian styles (corsetry, tall lace up boots with fancy heels, bustle skirts) and I hang out with sort of a goth-alternative crowd, so it's really cool that these things are finding a broader audience.

7. Is blogging more of a hobby or do you see this becoming a long term career choice?
Blogging is definitely something that I find enjoyable, but I sort of see it more as a means to an end than as a definitive career path. The other day I told a co-worker that I have "entrepreneurial ADD". I think what I really love is just entrepreneurship in and of itself. I love being an entrepreneur and helping to promote like-minded entrepreneurs. I always have about 10 million ideas going off in my head, it's tough to stay focused sometimes. I have been very lucky to have managed to build a pretty successful blog from the ground up, and in turn it's opened up a lot of other opportunites for me, including a monthly column in a local alternative magazine, Antigravity, and a paid gig blogging for Styledash.com (and formerly for BloggingNewOrleans). I'll probably continue blogging for a long time in some form, but I think I would go crazy if I had to rely on blogging alone as my primary source of income (even if it was from multiple blogs).

8. Do you see yourself embracing new media to reach your audience (podcasting, video)?
I've thought about branching out, but honestly I just don't think I have the time to devote to any of it right now. Like I said, I have a bit of ADD when it comes to business, and I do manage to spread myself thin sometimes. I'm trying to be better about not letting myself overextend in how many projects and types of projects I try to maintain at any given time. That said, if I ever try to branch into video, I'll be set because my boyfriend is a freelance filmmaker and that's pretty much all he does for a living. (www.dreamsonfilm.com)

9. What do you think sets you apart from other design blogs?
Some of the other indie design blogs out there focus a lot on things like seasonal gift guides or big giveaways. And while I think those things can be great for other bloggers (and the artists & readers), it's just not where my focus is. For me personally it's too time-consuming without enough reward. MissMalaprop.com turns two years old in August and I feel like it's definitely been a huge learning process. Personally, I've been trying to take a step back from too much consumerism and over-indulging in my own life , because of concerns for both the toll on the envrioment and financial prudence. So I wouldn't feel right constantly telling my readers to "buy buy buy". On the other hand, just because I don't feel the need to buy every amazing handmade, recycled, fantastic thing out there, that doesn't mean I don't love it just the same and want to share it with other people. Lately I've been trying to take a more laid-back, personal approach with my blog and just write about the things that really appeal to me.

10. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

I do a feature on Styledash.com called Indie Designer Interviews. It's an ongoing thing and I'll feature just about anyone who takes the time to do the interview. If I get a ton of responses at once, there may be a bit of a backlog and it won't get posted for a few weeks, but eventually I will post all of them. I've posted more info in a thread at The Switchboards forum (a fabulous resource for indie businesses, and if you're not already using it you should be).
http://www.theswitchboards.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=26679

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A special thanks to Mallory for taking the time for this interview. Be sure to check out Mallory at MissMalaprop (http://missmalaprop.com/).

Danielle
Collective Elements

NewNewInterview with Jen of Indie Fixx

In honor of our "Indie-pendence" themed month, I decided to interview some of the best indie style bloggers around. First up is Jen of IndieFixx.com.

1. So tell us a little about your site and how you got started? I run the blog Indie Fixx (http://indiefixx.com/) and the indie boutique called the Indie Fixx Shop (http://indiefixxshop.com/). I’ve pretty much always been into artisan goods, even as a kid when I enjoyed going to craft shows, farmers’ markets, museum shops, local festivals and the beach, all of which are places to find handmade goods. I’ve also been a maker and a seller myself, since the 5th grade when I opened up my ribbon barrette business. Then in 2004, I started my own jewelry line called Tilting Swiftly, so I come by the love of indie-made goods honestly.

2. What do you look for when featuring an artist? Hmm, this is a difficult question and one that I’m not really sure that I have a good answer for. I do have to be inspired to write and feel that I’ve chosen something that my audience would like to read about. Also, good product photography is a must…I actually can’t stress how important good product photography is to getting featured on blogs in general.

3. Suggestions on how to generate buzz about your products? Constantly reinvent yourself and your product line. Good photography. Have a story.

4. What not to do when contacting sites like yours? Don’t send attachments that are 12 million megs in size, instead a url or 1-2 small images will suffice. Don’t just send a press release; make sure to add a little note.

5. What blogs do you follow to stay current? Believe it or not, I don’t actually have time to read a lot of blogs. I used to, but then I decided it would be a good idea to keep adding projects to my life.

6. What trends do you see developing? What products or styles are hot? I’m waiting to see what’s going to be the next pirate/owl/ninja/hedgehog/zombie/octopus/bird myself!

7. Do you see yourself embracing new media to reach your audience (podcasting, video)? Maybe, but I don’t have any plans in the works yet.

8. What do you think sets you apart from other design blogs? Hmm, maybe my goofiness….

9. Is blogging more of a hobby or do you see this becoming a long term career choice? Running the Shop and writing the Blog is my full-time job, and I sure do hope it is a long-term career.

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A special thanks to Jen for taking the time for this interview. Be sure to check out Jen at Indie Fixx (http://indiefixx.com/) and the Indie Fixx Shop (http://indiefixxshop.com/).

Danielle
Collective Elements