erinzam ... Kansas, USA

Artist: Erin Zamrzla
Business: erinzam
Web sites: erinzam.com, erinzam.etsy.com, erinzam.com/blog
Location: Hays, Kansas, USA

What do you create?
Hand-bound books and paintings and more.



Where and when do you do your creative work?
Here and there. I have a small studio where I paint and I will shamelessly sew books anywhere... especially when waiting in line.

Do you have another "day job"?
As of yet, nope! I recently completed graduate school. In the meantime I've had enough of a taste of "self-employment" to cause me to take my sweet time in entering the rat race.



Where and what did you study?
With an emphasis in graphic design, I also studied painting and art history at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas.

Where do you find inspiration?
All over... often in the little things that I see and use every day. I love giving a new purpose to something that's considered mundane or even junk. I'm also very inspired by the artists in my life, especially my husband. He is a designer and illustrator who is always creating something fantastic. Here's a shameless plug for his cool website at benschlitter.com.



What motivates you?
Internally, I have a little creativity motor that must keep running. If it stops, I get grouchy.

When did you start doing this?
I first learned bookbinding about seven years ago through a college course. For some reason, I never took a painting class until I entered graduate school. When it was time to choose a minor, I picked the one that would irritate my sensitive skin the least... and fell in love with acrylic paint.



Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
Heavens yes!

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
It kind of happened accidentally. I taught a book design class when I was a graduate student and as I created examples to assist my students, the books began to pile up. I thought I'd try to rid myself of them via Etsy. It didn't take long for me to realize that I could continue to make books (and other stuff) and not have to store them (yay!).


How did you choose the name for your business?
I couldn't think of anything cute or clever and my last name is virtually unpronounceable. So, I went with a non-cute/clever abbreviation of my name.

What do you love most about creating your work?
As much as I love the process, there is something extremely satisfying about completing a project.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
Israel... it is a country full of contrast and mystery.


A book you love:
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

What is the most interesting thing about you?
Interesting... or strange? I grew up in a town of less than 300 people in the middle of Kansas. I went to space camp. I don't eat beef, even though I'm surrounded by cattle ranches. I have an affinity for contemporary Icelandic music. I love going to grocery stores.

What achievement are you most proud of?
Anytime someone enjoys something that I created.


What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Take a good inventory of your goals and your personal needs. Once you know that you're headed in the right direction, give it your best shot! Things change quickly and often, so it is important to be flexible and willing to learn.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Creating is the easy part. Keeping my mess to a minimum is a challenge.

What do you love to do in your free time?
I love to cook and I love to eat! Thank goodness I also love to ride my bike.


What are you working on right now?
I'm just about done with a book made from a fantastically cheesy Tiffany cassette tape.

Red Otter ... Minnesota, USA

Artist: Julia Goozen
Business: Red Otter
Location: Duluth, Minnesota
Web site: http://redotter.etsy.com

What do you create?
I create journals! I cover the books in different kinds of paper and then bind them together using waxed linen thread. I also create greeting cards using collage techniques.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I typically pull out all of my art supplies and spread them all over my living room floor or my kitchen table. I have “horizontal surface disorder.” By the time I’ve finished one of the book covers I usually have glue all over my hands and paper all over the floor.

Do you have another "day job"?
I’m a graphic designer by trade. I design educational children’s books. I have the pleasure of working from home!



Where and what did you study?
I went to the University of Minnesota Duluth for my undergraduate in Graphic Design. I minored in art and nearly minored in art history.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
I’ve always been fascinated with books and different kinds of paper. The books that I read as a child have impacted my tastes greatly. I read Anne of Green Gables and wanted to be a writer. I read Little Women and wanted to write with a dip pen. I read Girl of the Limberlost and wanted to make paper with butterfly wings. I find now that going to little specialty shops inspire my creativity. I’m fascinated with silk ribbon and different kinds of antique buttons. I love Amy Butler fabrics and hobo bags. I love Victorian filigree and the beauty of monochromatic designs. I’m motivated by the desire to keep the tradition of journal writing alive, for myself and for others. I find myself inspired to journal beautiful things when the book is beautiful as well.




When did you start doing this?
About three years ago I was living in a small bedroom in a lovely house, living paycheck to paycheck when I came to last page in my journal. Seeing as I would’ve much rather spent my money on tea and oranges, I decided to make myself a journal. I used paper given to my by an art professor and fishing line from one of my roommates. After that adventure, I slowly developed the techniques and processes of book making.

Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I think I was always taking an art class of some kind. Watercolor, pastels, drawing, they were all apart of my education. I remember watercolors being a favorite medium of mine. I loved how vivid I could make the colors.




When and why did you decide to start your own business?
My full time job, though highly creative, wasn’t really affording me the opportunity to use my book making craft. I wanted an outlet to create books. Having other people buy them was sort of a great side benefit.

How did you choose the name for your business?
I designed my own wedding invitations this past winter. My fiancé and created a family crest, combining different elements of our own personality and experiences into the crest. My fiancé picked an owl to represent himself and I picked an otter. Otters are supposed to symbolize those who are passionate about life. I thought it very fitting. The “red” part came from my love of the color.

What do you love most about your work?
I love the delight of finishing off my last stitch and holding the book in my hands. I love to open it up and hear the pages move together. There’s something extremely satisfying about creating something both beautiful and useful!




What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I’m going to define fascinating in the sense that I would go back to this place in an instant. That place would have to be the highlands in Scotland. North of Edinburgh, south of Inverness, along the western coast, somewhere in there, that’s where I would go!

A book you love:
The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman! I love this book!

What is the most interesting thing about you?
My love of water! I seem to find myself instantly at home when I’m around a body of water, or a river. There’s something familiar about the way water can gently move around and under and through different spaces. I love swimming in it. I love playing in it. I love going skinny dipping and feeling it all around me!




What achievement are you most proud of?
Interestingly, I’m incredibly proud of Red Otter. I went on a limb, by myself, and created a small shop. I put my artwork out there for everyone to see. It’s a vulnerable, and yet intoxicating feeling.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Be patient with your self. Be patient with the undulation of business.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Right now, it’s getting my products made and into my shop!




What do you love to do in your free time?
I love to go for long, long walks through the woods near my home. I love to see the way the seasons are showcased in nature!

What are you working on right now?
I have a small army of journals waiting to be stitched together. I just have to buy more waxed linen thread! These journals will be my spring edition!

What do you hope to achieve next?
I want to get my master’s in book arts. Interestingly enough there are a few courses out there. I would love to learn more techniques and be able to conquer more mediums.

Littleput Books ... Oregon, USA

Artist: Ryan (the girl)
Business: Littleput Books
Web site: littleputbooks.etsy.com
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA

What do you make?
Handbound books and pretty little things, its a tag line :)

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I work at home, any hour of the day. Mondays and Thursdays seem busiest for some reason but I don't know why.

Do you have another "day job"?
I am a mom. I left a boring job when my son was born, and lovely as it is to be a mom I was really excited to be able to get back to work when my business took off.




Where and what did you study?
I studied sociology which was cool, I wanted to be a university professor but I got side tracked. I took a book arts class out of curiousity and it just clicked.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
Paper inspires me, the smell, the patterns and textures. I love making beautiful into functional or vice versa. Really lately Etsy has been a big motivater, selling well makes me want to work harder and sell more, I'm kind of addicted to it.

When did you start doing this?
I started making accordion books when my son was six months. By the time he was a year old I had a small product line that I sold at weekend markets, so four years now.




What memories to you have of getting into art as a kid?
Art was a real frustration for me as a child. I can't draw, I think I have a learning disability when it comes to drawing actually. I made lots of stuff but mostly it was me exploring different mediums, trying to find the one I could manipulate into something beautiful.

How did you choose the name for your business?
I don't really know, even I think its weird.

What do you love most about doing this work?
Paper shopping!

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I lived in Peru for a while early in 2006, that was pretty interesting.




A book you love:
Memoirs of a Geisha

What's the most interesting thing about you?
I spent half my childhood living in a remote cabin on the Lost Coast of California – no electricity, outdoor plumbing and 11 miles to the nearest neighbor. I spent the other half in San Francisco. I am a hippie/yuppie who can make a great campfire.

What achievement are you most proud of?
My 5 year old.




What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Sadly it takes money to get started. It helps to have some kind of income that you can focus on building your business, either creating your product line or advertising. I had my sons fathers income to support me while I started, now I am the bread winner (shh don't tell anyone).

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Doing the parts that bore me. Sometimes I just don't want to work and then I fall behind, get all stressed out and work like mad to get caught up. I should fire me....

What do you love to do in your free time?
Sleep.



What are you working on right now?
Trying to keep my head above Etsy water with all the new people taking advantage of my good ideas.

What do you hope to achieve next?
Featured Seller on Etsy.com

Bonus question: where do you find all those Scrabble tiles?!
You can buy them on Ebay :O)