"What’s Your Story", Featuring Artist Ashley Connelly

Where are you located? I live in Wake Forest, North Carolina (just north of Raleigh) with my amazing husband, 2 sweet boys (Jimmy, almost 4 and Joshua, 1 month) and a silly miniature schnauzer, Biz.

What do you create? I love to create art journals, mini albums, tags (designed on the computer). I also like to sew basic projects like pillows, quilts, and totes, and also like to incorporate sewn paper into my art journals.

When and why did you set up your online shop? I set up my etsy shop in May of 2008. I made a few embellished journaling tags and wanted to see what it would be like to have them in a shop and if they would sell. I didn’t really keep up with my shop and work on it until last year (2010). Right now I am mostly selling “found paper” scrap packs for others to use in their creations. I have a few art journals in the pipeline, hopefully to debut soon!

How do you promote your creations? I don’t really promote my creations for the shop, although I will announce on my blog (thecreativeplace.blogspot.com) if I have a new product(s) in the shop.

What inspires your work? I love to look through magazines, books, and blogs. Usually an idea will come to me that is inspired by what I see.

What is your must have tool for creating? I must have a cutting mat, metal ruler and rotary cutter- this is how I cut all of my paper.

Do you have any tips for others wanting to turn their art into a business? Just go for it! And enjoy it! It’s most important to enjoy what you are doing. If you are stressed out about making new products, keeping up with your shop, etc. then you really aren’t “doing what you love” anymore! I have found that I have to have a plan – a place where I keep ideas and inspiration, but also where I have the “business side” of what I am doing. Buy a journal or sketchbook. Map out what you want to sell in your shop. What the materials will be, how much they wi
ll cost, how much time it will take. Have a section for doodling, and a section for jotting down new ideas or inspiration. Create realistic expectations for yourself and your shop – have a deadline of getting one or two products in your shop and build from there. Most importantly, HAVE FUN! Enjoy what you are doing!!

Extras:

What good books have you read or movies have you seen lately? I am in the middle of reading “Sacred Marriage” by Gary Thomas. I am loving it! My hubby and I are into watching documentaries on Netflix. They are so informative and it’s neat to learn about different things – we recently watched a National Geographic documentary on the Giant Redwood trees – amazing!

Where was your last vacation? Outer Banks, North Carolina (the beach!)

What is your favorite pastime outside of creating? I love, love, love spending time with my sweet family. I also love to go antiquing and to consignment shops with my hubby when we have “date time”. You never know what you’ll find 🙂

Who is your favorite designer/artist? Wow, there are so many, I don’t think I have just one! I have several blogs I keep up with that are truly inspiring to me.