get to know: maartje witteveen of tizzalicious.

it’s time to show some love to one of our sponsors. let me introduce you to a gal who crafts all kinds of accessories in her boutique in the netherlands.

meet maartje witteveen of tizzalicious

name: maartje witteveen

business name: tizzalicious

where are you located? the netherlands

what is it that you design and create?
jewelry, accessories, housewares and here and there a softie.

how did you come up with your business name?
my boyfriend came up with it actually, a long time before we were a couple. my nickname had been tizz for a while, and he sometimes called me tizzalicious (because he’s a sleeze I guess?). i liked the sound of it, and started using it as a username whenever i had to sign up somewhere. a few years later, when i started my business, and my boyfriend and i were a couple, i just knew tizzalicious was the only option for a name.

where/how did this all begin?
i have always been creative. when i was little my sister and i were always making jewelry from hobby rubber (which we called “clip making stuff”) and sewing barbie clothes. when i was a little older i started making clothes for myself and selling jewelry on livejournal. when my studies to become a translator failed, i decided to turn my hobby into a business, and start my own shop.

who or what inspires you?
i can find inspiration anywhere. i love all things retro & colorful, so reading blogs with beautiful pictures, old movies & colorful bead & charm shopping are high on my inspiration list.

what is your favorite part of the design process?
sitting down with all my supplies spread out in front of me, thinking of fun combinations.

{from the craft market amsterdam}

crafty folks know that accumulating new tools and supplies is something that comes along with the territory. what are your favorite tools and supplies?
i actually don’t need a lot of tools for most of the things I create for my shop. pliers obviously, and I wouldn’t know what to do without e-6000 glue! i love hoarding tools though, i keep buying all these weird little gadgets like yoyo makers that i never end up using. aside from that, i buy a lot of beads & charms, ribbon, fabric & deco tape.

what advice would you give other independent artists who are just starting out?
get your name out there. don’t just open an etsy shop, add a few items and expect people to find you. start a blog, advertise & network. not only is networking very useful, it’s also a lot of fun. twitter makes me feel like i have hundreds of colleagues!

what is your favorite indie purchase or trade?
an incredibly cute tea pot tote bag from rosie music.

what’s on your ipod/music player right now? what’s on your “crafting music playlist”?
i have been listening to hanson’s new album “shout it out” a lot. i have been a huge hanson fan for years, and i just love the cheerful sound of their new album.

what t.v. shows are you currently hooked on?
i’m a star trek geek. i never liked it, but somehow mr.licious (aka, the boyfriend) got me hooked. we watched all the different series together, and have now started over. i also love project runway.

what was the last movie you watched?
bride wars.

what’s your favorite food?
pizza! not very original, is it? i also love humus and falafel though.

what’s your favorite candy?
cookies!

coffee or tea?
tea, I have a whole drawer filled with all kinds of different tea. it’s always an adventure to pick one.

what store could you wander around in and be happy?
a dutch department store called hema. they sell colorful things with great design for nice prices. i love that store!

any pets?
i have a cat called simba.

favorite place to visit or place you’d like to visit?
i love london & berlin. london is where I go when I want to go on a crazy shopping spree. unfortunately i haven’t been able to afford that for a while. and berlin is just a great city to be!

do you have a day job in addition to your crafty business? what do you secretly wish you could do/be?
i don’t have a day job, i get chronic migraines and i am on disability. my boyfriend lives in denmark, and the plan is for me to move there permanently too. doing that would stop my disability though, and as he’s still in college, we would not be able to afford living together without me having an income. so i’m working hard to make my shop a success, so i won’t need the disability anymore, and i will be free to move wherever i want.

{setting up her booth at the craft market amsterdam}

do you speak any other languages? if not, would you like to learn one?
my native language is dutch, and apart from that i speak english (obviously) and german. i am working hard on learning danish, but it’s very hard! the boyfriend is half american and grew up in the usa. he didn’t learn danish until he moved to denmark in 2004, and his accent isn’t all that it should be. i guess that him being my main practice person, means i will end up speaking danish with a dutch-american accent?

what are your plans and/or goals (business/personal) for 2010?
i just want to survive the holiday season! i started preparing early this year, so i should be fine, business wise. my personal goals are to relax a bit more, work a bit less, and spend more time doing things i love that are not business related.

thanks so much, maartje! please visit tizzalicious for more of her handmade goods…

glamour skull cameo ring: $13.00; thunder cloud necklace: $12.50

cherry heart brooch: $6.50; record lover studs: $9.00

dottie bunny magnets {set of 3}: $5.00; mushroom bobby pins: $6.50

ps – use code MIXEDPLATE to receive 10% off your purchase!