How long have you been a Shopkeeper, and how did you find your way to CafePress.
I got my first CP shop back in 2005 to sell official items I designed for my vampire site. I got wrapped up in life and forgot I had it, but rediscovered it this May when looking for ways to get mine and my hubby’s art out into the world. It felt so right, we dove headlong into taking advantage of all CP had to offer and made our current store.
In 150 words or less, what’s the story behind your shop?
Hubby and I love art, and we’ve been creating for over 20 years each. We wanted to make the kind of art that we and our friends wanted but couldn’t find anywhere. So we get to do something we love to do, and at the same time, make great stuff for all the Goths, geeks, Pagans and freaks like us out there. It’s fun for us, and hopefully our customers too. It’s hard to find unique, affordable goods when you’re part of our set, so we put our joy and talent into making great designs.
What future plans do you have for your shop, or using CafePress?
Oh boy, we have close to 200 more designs to add, and we’re always making more. We want to grow our selection, maybe even split off into more specialized stores, and of course, we want to build a dedicated fan/customer base by bringing them all the oddball stuff they’ve been craving.
How do you find inspiration for your designs?
We have very active imaginations. We get inspired by dreams, our poetry, movies, TV, friends, all sorts of things. We take in everything around us, and run with it when it feels right. We both keep notebooks with pages full of ideas to work on when the spark hits us.
What makes your products original?
Well, we create a lot of our work from scratch, either drawings or digital. We are proud to be a little off-center, and it comes through in our work. We put a twist on everything. I think you can see our quirks in our art. We make the kind of art that stands out. You won’t find this kind of unique craziness and attention to detail anywhere else.
Where do you go to work on your shop?
We have a little office in our bedroom. It’s cramped, but it’s our “command central”. We even swap computers, depending on who’s working on the store, and who’s designing. We carry our notebooks everywhere though. You never know where inspiration will strike, you’ve gotta’ be prepared!
What are you working on, in your shop, right now?
Adding designs when I can, but mostly promotion. Not my strong suit personally, but hubby and I have been teaming up to try to get the word out about the shop. We’re also trying to keep an active store blog, and prepare for the upcoming holidays with easier and more friendly navigation.
When you’re not hard at work in your shop, what do you enjoy doing?
Well, we love our art, but when we’re not at that, we love movies, especially when there’s any good horror or sci-fi. We chill with a variety of music, and do a fair amount of free-form role-playing. RPing helps keep us happy and keeps those creative juices flowing.
Give our readers 3 tips for being a successful Shopkeeper.
1. Hang in there. It’s slow at first, but don’t give up. Keep plugging at it, and if your work is good, the customers will surely come. 2. Design what you love. Don’t make designs just because they’re popular, make what you believe in and what makes you happy. 3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are plenty of others out there who’ve been where you are. Be polite, ask for help, and you’ll probably get what you need, and save yourself a lot of hair-pulling.
Final thoughts to our readers?
I just think CP has been an amazing outlet for our work. It was so perfect to find at a time when we thought all was lost. I think people should do what they love, and CP has given us that chance. I have faith that our store will gain popularity, and we can achieve our dream here. I’d definitely recommend CP to other artists. Other than that, I say just keep it real. Be who you are, go for your dreams, and good things are bound to happen for you.
