Have you met your dream home yet?

Melissa from "Little Pink House" creates the home of our dresms with needle and thread. She's extreamly talented, and has created so many lovely homes. Your dream home can be reproduced from a photograph, or from your dreams.



How long have you been crafting?

I have always loved to make things--I have been an avid drawer my whole life, and I'm the kind of person who hates to buy anything I can make myself. (I haven't purchased a greeting card in probably a decade!) When I become interested in anything--any new skill, whether it's craft related or not--I kind of attack it until I get it right.

Did you always craft in this genre?

No--sewing is pretty new for me. I started with hand sewing about eighteen months ago. You ought to see some of the ridiculous softies I made--a particularly wonky, thrifted-pillowcase duck with ragged seams was my first effort. I took up a kind of free-style embroidery loosely based on crewel techniques about six months ago, and since then I've been mainly working with wool felt, cotton fabric, and embroidery floss.

Who or what inspires you?

My nine year old daughter is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the most creative and talented artists I've ever known. I wish I had her imagination and natural skill. I also find endless inspiration on etsy--so many incredibly talented artists. I am particularly fond, right now, of the work of Ashley G., michelemaule, Roadside, woolandwater, and my in-the-flesh friend Jennifer Judd-McGee of Swallowfield. Obviously, houses also inspire me!

What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?

Honestly, I find the sales model offered at etsy to be pretty darn simple. I have had no illusions about getting rich from this work--for one thing, it takes too long to produce, so I'd never have the volume needed to make a lot of money. I'm amazed by the opportunity to make and share things and constantly surprised by the fact that people want to buy them. It's delightful. I'm sure that if I decide to expand my business, I'll encounter new challenges. For now, I'm having a blast.

Please make sure to check our Melissa's blog and etsy. And be sure to see this inspiring post about her work "behind the scenes"!!

Blog: http://checkoutgirlcrafts.blogspot.com/
Etsy: wwww.littlepinkhouse.etsy.com