Today we have an "Interrogation" from our feature sponsor Melinda of Poor Robin. Mel is actually out of the country right now {She's in Europe!} so it's extra fun to get to hear from her today. Thanks for sharing Mel!
1. Tell us a little bit about you as a person.
I'm a late thirty something mom of two small female howler monkeys and wife to a hairy Brit rocker who's slowly figuring out what it is that she wants to do when she grows up. I love bright colors, birds, an amazing book, a good cup of tea and being able to go to the bathroom by myself. (A particular luxury with the aforementioned howler monkeys. "WHATCHA DOIN', MUMMY?") We relocated to the US two years ago after 11 years in the UK. My favorite part of our life there was the 7 years that we spent living aboard a traditional English narrowboat.
2. Tell us how/why you started Poor Robin?
I'm actually a silversmith by trade, but while waiting for a particularly slow metal shipment, I picked up some felt, buttons and a needle and thread and just started sewing. Once it became clear that I didn't have enough space to continue my silver work in a small flat with a toddler who loved nothing more than to run away with my jeweler's saw, I built up Poor Robin stock and began selling at craft fairs in Oxford and Cambridge (we lived in the UK for 11 years). When I saw that the colorful stuff was outselling the silver 2 to 1, I figured I was onto a good thing. :)
3. What are some of your favorite things about blogging and your blog in particular?
From the age of 15 to the age of 24, I kept journals. Tons and tons of journals. They all now reside in my parent's basement, awaiting my decision to either bury or burn them. (Revisiting your 17 year old self is cataclysmically embarrassing.) Blogging is a natural extension of this instinct. I love sharing bits and pieces that make me happy as well as being able to reach out with topics of a more personal nature. This platform can bring people together in ways that I never imagined.
4. What do you do when you're not blogging?
My doings are mostly of a child-related nature these days! My eldest daughter is just about to start kindergarten and my youngest has just turned two, so I have a few more brief and beautiful years before they both are in full time schooling, leaving me to pursue my dream of being a full time maker. In our house, there are lots of bubbles, spaceships, salamanders and drawings on the wall. We're in the process of buying a new house, so I imagine that soon, a lot of my time will be taken up by trying to convince my husband that orange is an AWESOME color for the dining room wall.
5. Who are some other bloggers that inspire you?
6. Tell us about your craft and how you got started.
I started smithing back in college when I took a metal working class on a whim one spring semester. After getting the basics, I took a few more classes and then opened up shop on Etsy. The lessons that I learned from my first shop, My Aphrodite, served me well once I opened up Poor Robin.
7. What has been your best experience through your Etsy shop?
I love doing custom orders. Having someone come to me with an idea and being able to exceed their expectations is the best feeling ever. I recently had a great time doing a custom birthday crown to match a birthday girl's beautiful dress!
8. What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
I love the bunting necklaces. Living in the UK, I loved the traditional bunting that went up for street celebrations, so making a wearable version seemed the next logical step! I've got two of my own; a black, grey and yellow and a blue, like the one pictured. They're some of my favorite and most worn pieces!
Thanks again Melinda for sharing with us! You can visit Mel online here:::
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Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment, it's a huge encouragement to me! I respond to comments directly, that is why you don't see any replies from me here.