Etsy Artisan Interview: PurrPrints

Etsy has to be the premier selling site for animal lovers! I interview Beaded Tail last week, and want to introduced you to Becca from PurrPrints this week. Most of her artwork is cat oriented. I noticed in looking through her shop that she designed some fused glass pendants for another Etsy artist (Artistic Flair). I think that is so neat! PurrPrints also had a very interesting way of finding out about Etsy - read all about it!

• What's the name of your Etsy shop?

• What types of products do you sell?

Cat-themed art, cards, magnets, key chains, cell charms, and necklaces, plus a few items of non-cat-themed art. I'm always working on coming up with new things too--right now I'm working on making one of a kind cat tags, for instance.

• Are you involved with any of the Etsy teams?

Probably too many--I'm a bit of a teams addict really--I'm involved with EtsyBloggers, EFA (Etsy For Animals), CFE (Cruelty Free Etsyians) , BluegrassEtsy, and SquidEtsy

• What is your favorite item in your shop today?

Oh gosh that is always a tough question for me--probably either


Sabrina and friends



or Syd and the Blueberry Tree.

• How did you find out about Etsy? Were you a buyer before a seller?

I found out about etsy through the black apple's blog--I got drawn in first as a buyer through Alchemy, but quickly became interested in selling as well.

• Are selling your products a full-time job, or do you have an additional occupation, outside the home?

I'm also currently a full time student pursuing my PhD in Rhetoric and Composition, which involves teaching writing classes at my local university and helping to administer our university writing center.

• Over the years, what materials and mediums have you worked with? What's your favorite?

I've worked with too many mediums to list without boring everyone to tears (I took plenty of art classes); my current faves are pen and ink work on paper and digital painting (like regular painting, but with digital strokes and, best of all, no paint mess to clean up at the end of the day).

• Are there additional venues where you sell your work?

Yes, I sell my designs on stuff I can't (yet) make at zazzle.com/purrprints and cafepress.com/purrprints (things like tees, clocks, etc.)

• Everyone knows images are important when selling on the internet. What's your procedure for taking photos of your products? Do you have any tips on taking better photographs?

Um, marry a professional photographer? Actually, that hasn't worked out ideally for me--I still end up taking most of my own pics--so scratch that. My biggest suggestion is to get a lightbox, learn to love the macro setting on your camera, and play around with different props, positions, and backgrounds.

• We are all looking for good marketing advice. What's the best tip or trick you can share with us?

Umm...to only take marketing advice from people who are able to make enough off this stuff to do it full time? ;) No, all kidding aside, I'd say experimentation + common sense has worked the best for me--I try something, see if it works, and stop what doesn't and continue what does. It's a trial and error process.

• Do you have an online photo storage site, where we can see more about you and your surroundings?

I'd be embarrassed to have people see my surroundings to be honest--I'm terribly messy--I'll spend time I could be spending tidying on my blog or the forums. However I do have a flikr account under the name "ryarianne" and I always welcome meeting new people, though I'll admit I'm still a little awkward on using flikr's services.

• Where can people find out more about you - do you have a blog, website, instant messaging account?

Yes--I spend waaay too much time online. The best source of info on me is my blog, purrprints.blogspot.com--I post info on my sales and giveaways there too--and pictures of my cats who I (unsurprisingly) adore. I also co-run EstyGiveaways (etsygiveaways.com) a free way to find out about and publicize etsy related giveaways. Additionally, besides the other places already mentioned earlier (etsy, cafepress, and zazzle), you can find info about me at squidoo.com/purrprints.

OK, my turn to answer a question! What is storybeader's favorite item for sale in your Etsy shop?

My favorite out of the PurrPrints shop is Floppy Cat - a 8" x 10" print that depicts a cat so well: on her back with her legs in the air. Simply and sweet! It's printed with archival inks on archival epson ultra premium matte paper - something that I, being an archivist, takes seriously!