Spotlight On ...

Nicole Lee of Nicole Lee Designs!

1. Tell us a little bit about who you are and your life up to this point in time.
My name is Nicole Lee of Nicole Lee Designs. I have been crafting and DIYing since I could hold a lump of Play-doh. Although I like to dabble in all sorts of crafts, my heart remains in design and textiles.

2. Besides your fantasy creative life, what else are you doing currently?
I am trying to write a novel and I write a blog called Style Conspiracy, styleconspiracy.blogspot.com, that features independent designers, artists and business owners of color. I also enjoy digging through flea markets and antique store for lost treasures.

3. What do you offer in your Etsy Shop?
Clothing in a wide range of sizes, handbags and other accessories.

4. Where do you create?
In my home studio (formally a third bedroom) that tends to migrate into the dining room. So, I sometime end up occupying 2 rooms with all my on going craft projects.

5. Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get inspiration from all over, fabric, color, flowers, music, art, etc. I've always loved the colors of traditional heritage clothing of Africa, India and Tibet. The vibrant colors, intricate patterns and the bright reds, oranges, yellows get me every time.

6. How did you learn how to do your craft?
I have a Bachelor of Science in fashion design.

7. How do you promote your wares?
Through my own website nicoleleedesigns.com, and blog nicoleleedesigns.com/blog, vending at craft shows and participating in promo swaps with other indie businesses to reach cities and customers that I'm not able to reach otherwise. I also promote though involvement in collaborative networking groups like, the Richmond Craft Mafia (I'm a founding member), being a member of the Etsy Artists of Color and Richmond(VA) Etsy Street Teams.

8. What has been the most important lesson you've learned since you started selling your own creations?
Be determined, creating is only 50% (and sometime less!) of what you will spend your time doing, the rest is the un-creative, mundane, frustrating, time consuming "business" side.

9. Is there any advice you can give others who are just starting out?
Believe in what you are doing and don't be afraid if it takes awhile to find your niche. An old professor I had told his students this, "If you mind can conceive it, and your heart can believe it, then your hands can achieve it" I always thought the quote was a little corny, but its true.

10. Do you have any favorite Etsy artists you'd like to promote here?
OMG! There are so many! Other than the fab artists of the EAOC and my girls of the Richmond Craft Mafia, I'll just list with some favorite artists I have recently discovered:

Marcia's Passions - marciapalmer.etsy.com
Boogie Babee - boogiebabee.etsy.com (I have a owl!)
Treehouse 28 - treehouse28.etsy.com
Cicada Studio - cicadastudio.etsy.com (I love these, I hope to someday have my own textile design line)