Interview Feature: BrixtonStudios

Today’s interview feature is with BrixtonStudios, whom I previously promoted by picking out my favorite items from her shop.  Brixton offers beautiful and unique hand drawn cards, miniature cards, decorative clothes pins, local photography, and Etsy shop art.

How did you come up with your shop name?
I knew right away I wanted two words, whether the second was "designs" or "studios." In the end, studios just sounded cooler, so I went with that. Brixton is a local street name. It has a contemporary sound to it, as well as being something that isn't too strange to be off-putting.

Why did you start your Etsy shop?
I've been surfing around Etsy for a while now, but once I graduated college I knew any extra money coming in would benefit me. I also knew I have been creating things for so long, I thought the world would enjoy my take on things.

How long have you been a crafter?

I have been making things out of other things for as long as I can remember and every year we went to the large arts festival just down the street from where I grew up. As a kid I always made magazine collages for my journals and filled up sketchbooks with drawing. I guess, for me, it sort of all led up to sharing it with the world.

   

Does your shop reflect your personal style?

Yes, and no. It does in the sense that it comes from my heart and some things, like the NYC photography, reflect my contemporary style. Some things in the shop reflect the style of potential buyers. I think overall, as a collection of work, my shop does reflect my personal style. It is contemporary, but casual. 

Where do you draw inspiration from for your products?

Everywhere. I get it from books, from browsing the Internet, or from other people. The idea for the clothespins came when I was clipping chips closed with standard wooden clothespins and thought--couldn't these be cuter? Turns out, with some craft paper, glue, and gems, they could. For other things, people have offered up ideas as well as inspired me just by saying certain things. I am also a writer, so I am used to getting inspired by things as simple as the word "grapefruit." 

Is there a piece in your shop that was hard for you to part with?

I had a set of hand-drawn Around the World cards. Six cards from six different areas of the world. Each of them was hand-sketched and though I didn't spend hours on them, the simple fact that I spent time deciding which landmark to sketch and which angle to sketch it from, and which props to use for photos, gave me an extreme attachment to them. It was an exciting experience creating them. I hope to have many more!

Miss out on Brixton's "Around the World" card set?  Check out these Eiffel Tower card set or Balboa Park hand drawn card.

Care to share an idea or item you hope to have in your shop in the future?
I actually hope to do a lot more hand-drawn cards. Cards are competitive, but I love the one of a kind look of hand-drawn ones. And mine come at a competitive price. I hope to do an Around Europe set, as well as maybe a NYC set. I also will be starting to explore the idea of ACEOs.

What’s the most important piece of advice you can give to other shop owners?

Network and be patient. Some people, depending on their product, will get swept away in sales, but for most of us it takes time. While you wait, network with others on Etsy and make sure your product gets seen. Even if there aren't many sales in the first couple months, make sure you are getting your stuff out there. Go into forums. Chat rooms. Anything where people are looking. That way, even if they are not interested, if their friend is whining about ugly clothespins hanging her super cute boy onesies on the line, they can tell her about the shop currently selling "baby boy" clothespins.

If you would like to be featured on my blog, contact me on Etsy!