#164 INTERVIEW: ERIN
11 November, 2007 » leave a message (8) » link to this post
{image: erin lang norris | hello, morocco}
About a year ago I started buying handmade on etsy and Erin's paper goods were among the first things I bought on etsy. I've been a fan of her work ever since and I asked Erin if she would be interested in doing a little interview... Have fun reading!
{images: erin lang norris | a crisp autumn day + beetle number 6}
• please tell us something about yourself...
Hello! My name is Erin Lang Norris and I am 22 years old. I live in an apartment in Wisconsin with my husband Joe, which is also where I create all of my products. I have a love for good design and all things handmade. I just launched a new shop called Yellow Canoe which features handmade items for the home and I have another shop called Operation Paper Cut, which is a little more well-known since it's been around for about 2 years. I love blogs, list making, imagery, Blueprint magazine, fresh food, West Elm, etc etc etc.
• have you always been a 'crafty' person?
Yes, I think that I've always had a passion for creating things and have looked at life from a 'crafty' point of view since I was young. I think my parents played a huge roll in it (without even knowing it) because my mom was always enthusiastic about helping me with my school projects and helping me come up with the most unique and original ideas that nobody else in my class would think of. My dad used to build Lego houses with me every Sunday morning before he and my mom started on their 'house' projects. They have always had a lot of DIY projects going on. I think I caught onto their DIY mindset at a young age and it kind of just stuck with me.
{image: erin lang norris}
• do you have any favourite prints/patterns?
Of course I do! TONS. Right now I'm very drawn to Moroccan style patterns. I like strong geometrics, particularly squares, which you can probably tell from my work. Any kind of typography- I've loved letters and lettering my entire life. I have a book that I bought in 3rd grade, it's called 'The Lettering Book' or something, so that's how I know I've always loved lettering.
• what is your favourite material to work with and why?
That's tough! Well. Paper is really an amazing thing...I think that paper arts are often overlooked. They can require such a high standard of craftsmanship, and that's something that really draws me in. Lately, though, I haven't been working with paper as much (more on that later) and my new thing is wood. It has always been a favorite of mine for many reasons. You don't find much artwork on wood these days, you know? I like it because it adds a certain charm to a piece.
{images: erin lang norris | leaves + I think they might be cold}
• when did you start selling on etsy and did you sell your items anywhere else {online} before etsy.com was launched?
I started selling on etsy in October of 2005. My first shop was called Operation Paper Cut. When I found out about etsy, I knew that it was a great opportunity for me. I had been very drawn to design and the concept that I could someday design my own items for about 2 years before etsy came about, but I didn't have anything together yet for a shop.
• when did you start bookbinding; did you take any classes?
I started binding books in October of 2005, when I launched Operation Paper Cut. I have never took any classes, but I hope to sometime in the future. I knew that I really wanted to make coptic bound journals but had no idea how. So I looked online. Was that ever a trip...I could not find a coptic journal tutorial for the life of me. I searched EVERYWHERE. Craftster wasn't even much help, and I used to go there for everything back then. You tube wasn't big (did it even exist?) so I couldn't look on there. My library didn't have any books either! So I bought 2 bookbinding books from Amazon...and would you believe that neither of them cover the coptic stitch?! So finally I found something online that showed only the first step of the sewing process. I basically had to just do trial and error type stuff till I finally got it right. Attaching the back cover was a nightmare early on, that thing was so hard for me to do and it didn't help that I didn't have any directions. But everything is a breeze now and knowing that I 'learned the hard way' makes it even more fulfilling. :)
{images: erin lang norris | red sunburst coptic bound journal}
• is Yellow Canoe your main thing or do you have a day job as well? if so: is all your free-time spent on Yellow Canoe/crafting?
Well, I do have a day job, but to be honest, I really dislike it! I am a waitress/server at a corporate restaurant for now, but I'm hoping to be freed from that job very soon. I only work about 20 hours a week there, so it really leaves me with a lot of time for creating. I usually work on Yellow Canoe stuff during the day while my husband is at work and then again at night when he goes to bed. It's a nice balance and works out quite well for us.
• how long did it take you to launch Yellow Canoe {planning, creating, going online}?
Hmm. Well I've known that I wanted to design items of the home for about 5 years now. It was just never the right time until early this year. Originally I was just going to start screen printing prints for my Operation Paper Cut shop. But then I started getting more and more ideas in my head and it led to opening a new shop. I really started planning Yellow Canoe and getting things together for it in early August of 2007. I opened the shop about a month later. Right now screen printing is on hiatus but will be part of Yellow Canoe and Operation Paper Cut when the time is right.
{images: erin lang norris | blue plants jewelry holder + plants jewelry holder}
• will you be adding products to the Operation Paper Cut shop or is Yellow Canoe your main priority?
Right now Yellow Canoe is top priority. I'm trying to get out there with my new name and once I feel comfortable and feel that I have enough 'connections', I will return to creating journals and stationery for Operation Paper Cut. I've already thought of a new product line for it, I can't wait for it! Unfortunately, I don't see myself being at that point until about September of 2008. I promise that it's going to be worth the lonnnng wait, though! You might see a few journals pop up here and there before that, though.
• any tips and tricks for starting your own {online} business?
Research EVERYTHING. Get to know people who are already 'in'. Good photos is top priority, I suggest that people learn their camera and editing program before attempting product shots. Always carry business cards (something I'm so bad about but only because I don't have my Yellow Canoe ones yet).
{images: erin lang norris | pods moleskine + emperor dragonfly}
• any favourite blogs or websites you'd like to share with us?
Sure! I am a daily reader of Design*Sponge and Decor8. Flickr is one that I visit about 10 or more times a day. Those are just a couple.
• if you could do anything tomorrow... what would it be?
That's a really neat site. Tough question...I honestly can't think of just one answer. Okay, well I'm not going to get too crazy with this one or else it will drive me nuts trying to think of ONE thing! So I'm just going to say that I would move to a new city. Which is actually a pretty good one for me, because I get to look forward to doing that soon. We just found out that we're moving to Madison, WI which is something I've been hoping to do for the past year but really didn't think it would happen so quickly, if at all. Yay!
• are there any {etsy} artists you'd like to see featured on siagrafica?
Yes! Treehouse28 has AMAZING stuff and she seems like such an interesting person to me. PataPri, too - she has great pattern design!
Thank you Sia!!! This was fun!!!
{image: erin lang norris | work in progress}
Erin has offered siagrafica readers a 10% discount {before shipping} on all items in her Yellow Canoe shop and her Operation Paper Cut shop! Just put siagrafica in the message to seller box when purchasing on etsy and Erin will send you a revised invoice. The discount code is valid until Sunday November 18th.
Yellow Canoe: blog | shop
Operation Paper Cut: blog | shop
