Getting to Know You: Marie of Inkjet Designs

I was so smitten with my cute magnets when they arrived that I wanted to know more about the person who designed them. Marie of Inkjet Designs was gracious enough to answer my nosy questions and even sent over a few photos of her design space.

Take it away, Marie!

1. What did you do today?

i usually work until late so i dont start my working day until around 10am. i generally spend the first part of the day replying to emails, updating my websites, and printing and packaging orders. once that is taken care of the fun begins with designing new cards for my online shop, working on freelance projects, and researching ideas.

2. Where do you get inspiration for your designs?

often from the trends i see around me in shops and on the web. i also have influences from my design heroes, such as orla kiely who is a total inspiration. im really into retro designs from the sixties and seventies, scandinavian, and japanese design. so i like to think that all comes through in my work.

3. How long does an item take you to design, from concept to finished product? What steps do you take?

i normally start with very rough sketchy thumbnails in my notebook. then im straight onto the computer and into adobe illustrator. from there i just build up the design. i use a wacom graphics tablet and pen and work the designs out on the screen as i go along. if i know what i want then it can be quite quick, but i always like to leave designs at least overnight because then you get a fresh view of them the next day.

4. You have cards, buttons, magnets, stationary, scrapbook supplies… is there anything you don’t do?

im a great believer that surface designers can add a pattern to anything – so im into most things. i’ve been meaning to design and make some necklace pendants for ages but have never quite
gotten round to it. i’d also like to create a range of mugs because im a collector myself.

5. What’s your favorite thing to design?

greetings cards, without a doubt. [EDITOR'S NOTE: See more of her greeting cards here.]

6. Do you have a lot of your own designs in your home?

mainly in the room where i work, elsewhere i like to have other designers.

7. What other designers do you like?

orla kiely as i mentioned is my favourite, but i also love cath kidston and petra boase.

8. Do you keep any kind of inspiration board or notebook?

i used to keep A4 scrapbooks, but now ive gone digital – i file everything in folders on my pc. its not as nice to look at but it saves a lot of time and shelf space.

9. Do you find that most of your etsy buyers are in England, or are they all over?

most of buyers have been from the USA. next its UK, and then a handful from australia and france.

10. How long have you had inkjet on etsy?

i created an account in 2007, but didnt put anything on for ages as i was still working full time as a textile designer and didnt have the time to develop my own range. i love everything about etsy really, the variety of great designs on offer, the number of users, the only thing i wish is that they would allow us to put our listings in a particular order.

ive nothing else planned with target at the moment. but ive just done a range of christmas cards for ‘cardmix’ which im excited about. [EDITOR NOTE: Read more about cardmix here.]

12. You’ve been featured in several magazines, on blogs, a book – and from all over the world. How are you handling success?

its lovely to be featured in a book or magazine because its almost the equivilent of a pat on the back and someone saying “yes i like your what you’ve created”, and obviously it spurs you on to think people like what you’re doing.

Well, Marie, we definitely like what you’re doing! Readers, shop inkjet here, and read her darling blog here.