Sumiko Shop: Guest this week: FionaDesigns

I want to apologize for the delay, but this has been a busy week! Back to us, I'm happy to have with us here in my blog, a new guest, who is currently also one of my sponsors: FionaDesigns

She makes lovely greetings cards of various colors, perfect for these holidays coming...

1- Tell us something about yourself
As you have probably guessed my name is Fiona. I currently reside in Connecticut, USA with my husband and two dogs. I have always enjoyed art and chose to study Graphic Design and earned an MFA at Parsons in New York City. It was instilled in me at a very young age to write thank you notes and I try to keep up that tradition still today. The love I have of design coupled with that of letter writing led me to design greeting cards.

2- When did you start to create your delightful greeting cards?
I started designing greetings cards about eight years ago. I was spurred on by the fact that I never found exactly what I was looking for when card shopping. I wanted to create cards that were unique, elegant, simple and reflected my sense of design.

3- Tell us some secret or the creative process:

I tend to write ideas for sayings and layouts on scraps of paper. Then I head to the computer where I experiment with different typefaces and color until I am satisfied with the way the card looks. I do multiple rounds of designs for each card and then choose the one I think fits best. I am constantly coming up with new ideas for both what the card should say and how it should look visually.

4 .What advice would you give to a new seller?

The best advice that I have received regarding etsy is list new items daily, tweak your tags and make sure you have fantastic photos. I personally think that creating treasuries is another way to get yourself out there and it's also a great way to meet others on etsy. Creating treasuries is something I actually love doing!

5. What are your favorite shops or blogs?
I have so many based on a lot of different interests so it's hard to list them all here. I enjoy following blogs that focus on fashion, etsy finds and photography. I like to visit Artessen regularly as it is a network of blogs focused on design.

6- anything else you want to share with us
Follow your heart and make sure that you love what you do and keep creating!