Name: Katie Sokoler
Business Name: Color Me Katie
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Website/Blog Link: http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/

First of all, can you tell us what you create?
I create fun, whimsical photographs! My blog is a combination of street art, crafty projects, and silly pictures.

How do you being your day? Any morning rituals?
I always start my day in the kitchen since it’s the brightest room in the house. I make coffee, feed the birds on my fire escape to entertain my cat Moo, and then do a quick clean of the room. My head is messy if my apartment is messy.

Do you do something crafty each day? Where does your inspiration come from?
I do something crafty almost everyday. I just love making things with my hands. I get inspiration from absolutely everything!

What’s your workspace like {organized}?
I wake up with a clean workspace, then I make a complete mess throughout the day, then I clean it all up right after.

How many hours does your normal work day consist of?
Every day I’m working on something different but I’m usually working from the time I wake up till really late at night. It’s actually difficult not to be working on something because my job and my hobbies are the same thing!

How do you end your day of crafty business? Any evening rituals?
I like to watch old movies with my boyfriend late at night. We have a projector in our back room which makes it feel like we’re at the movies. I sometimes like to act with the actors on screen ;)

What is your definition of a perfect day?
Coming up with a fun idea in the morning and being able to execute it the same day. It feels like such an accomplishment!

Thanks so much, Katie! You really do bring joy to so many lives and I always look forward to seeing what new art you’ll create.

If you’re interested in being featured, just let me know. You can send me an email {liana@mixedplateblog.com} if you’d like to learn more.

Name: Sandy Lynn & Matthew Davis
Business Name: Treatzone
Location: San Francisco
Website/Blog Link: www.treatzone.com; www.treatzone.etsy.com

First of all, can you tell us what you create?
We love making something new out of something old. We do prints on vintage book pages and maps, paintings on found portraits, and we also make a line of gocco paper goods.

How do you begin your day? Any morning rituals?
We start the day with coffee! A big cup (or two) for me, and a small one for Matthew. (He’s sensitive to caffeine, and I alas am not.)

Do you do something crafty each day? Where does your inspiration come from?
We don’t necessarily make something every day, but we definitely do something Treatzone-related every day, whether it’s updating our website, photographing items, or packing orders. As for inspiration, it comes from all over. We’re inspired by (and also collect) vintage objects, as well as contemporary art and design of all sorts. We’re also pretty inspired by the city we live in: San Francisco is a beautiful place with a lot of creative thinking going on.

What’s your workspace like (organized)?
Our workspace is a spare room in our apartment, which doubles as a music room and houses Matthew’s amazing vinyl collection. (He’s also a DJ.) Space is limited and it’s definitely a challenge to stay organized, but we do try! I joke that my hours playing Tetris as a kid have payed off, since we do a lot of clever stacking to find a home for all our supplies.

How many hours does your normal work day consist of?
We both have day jobs, so we work on Treatzone projects at night and on the weekends. The hours vary depending on what deadlines we have coming up and what else is going on in our lives.

How do you end your day of crafty business? Any evening rituals?
We usually make a to-do list for the next day, and then unwind by watching a little TV and snuggling with our kitties.

What is your definition of a perfect day?
Hmm…how about brunch at The Ramp, a trip to the Alameda Flea Market to look for new materials and other treasures, back home for a few hours of painting or printing, then perhaps meeting friends out on the town, or a night in with a good movie.

Thanks so much Sandy and Matthew! I know that we all look forward to your next art show and additions to the shop!

If you’re interested in being featured, just let me know. You can send me an email {liana@mixedplateblog.com} if you’d like to learn more.

Name: Aki Takada
Business Name: oktak
Location: NY, NY
Website/Blog Links: http://www.oktak.com/; http://www.oktak.etsy.com; http://www.oktakmini.etsy.com

First of all, can you tell us what you create?
I make bags and pouches of all sizes and shapes, but I think I’m best known for my frame pouches.

I also recently opened a second shop on Etsy to sell items for babies & kids, such as bibs, book bags and smocks.

How do you begin your day? Any morning rituals?
I set my alarm clock to 6:50am. The first thing I do after I get up is turn on my laptop. I make breakfast for the whole family and pack lunches. I check e-mail titles between tasks, and if there’s something urgent, I read that. At 7:30am, I take my 4th grader to the bus stop. My husband and kindergartener leave at 8:15am, and I finally get to sit down in front of my laptop with a cup of tea. (I’m a tea person and drink lots of tea).

Do you do something crafty each day? Where does your inspiration come from?
I don’t think there’s ever a day that I don’t make anything. It’s my job, and I’m ashamed to admit I’m a bit of a workaholic – even on weekends, I usually spend at least a few hours working.

I’m amazed by people who can pinpoint the source of their inspiration. For me, it comes from random things unexpectedly, and I’m sure there are times when I don’t even realize that I’m being inspired by something – it can be subconscious. As far as I know though, I love looking at paintings and illustrations, photography, beautiful textiles, nature (flowers in particular), vintage kimonos, my kids’ drawings (they can come up with the most amazing color combinations and designs!), product packaging and architecture.

What’s your workspace like (organized)?
Let’s just say, organized chaos.

How many hours does your normal work day consist of?
Probably 6-7 hours. I have roughly 5 hours from the time my family go out the door until I pick up my daughter. I try to do as much work as possible during these 5 hours, and after the kids come home, I do little things while I do housework or care for the kids. For example, I’d list new items in my shop while my son does his homework on the kitchen table, or I’d cut up a few pieces of fabric while I wait for the water to boil.

In the evenings, after the kids have gone to bed, I have another 1-2 hours.

How do you end your day of crafty business? Any evening rituals?
At around 10:30pm, I try to force myself to stop (but don’t always succeed). When I do manage to stop, I sit down on the rug in front of the TV and stretch as I watch the news. Then I read the papers (yes, the morning papers). If I’m not worn out, I’ll take a book with me to bed.

What is your definition of a perfect day?
A day when I’m productive, able to cook a nice meal and enjoy time with my family. Dinner is important to me – I cook most evenings so my kids can eat yummy healthy food, but it’s also so I can use the gorgeous plates & bowls I’ve collected over the years. ;)

Thanks so much, Aki! Congratulations on Oktak Mini. We’re all looking forward to see what other creations will pop up in both the shops!

If you’re interested in being featured, just let me know. You can send me an email {liana@mixedplateblog.com} if you’d like to learn more.

Name: Natalie Slater
Business Name: Bake and Destroy
Location: Chicago, IL
Website/Blog Link: www.BakeandDestroy.com

First of all, can you tell us what you create?
I create recipes, bake them, photograph them and blog about them. I also make screen printed t-shirts, stickers, buttons, handmade cupcake decorations and the occasional other baking-related crafty item.

How do you begin your day? Any morning rituals?
Besides all my baking and destroying, I hold down a full time job with an eco-friendly ecommerce company so I’m up at the crack of dawn. Nothing, and I mean nothing is accomplished in my day until I have my eyeliner on and coffee in my belly.

Do you do something crafty each day? Where does your inspiration come from?
I don’t, but I wish I did. Most of my craftiness takes place on the weekends when I have a few hours to devote to making a mess of my house. I’m mainly inspired by the trashy things that shaped my childhood – punk rock, professional wrestling, bad TV, my stupid friends…

What’s your workspace like (organized)?
I mostly work out of my kitchen, which is immaculately clean thanks to my OCD husband. The desk I blog from is generally a complete mess.

How many hours does your normal work day consist of?
I have a 9-5 (well, it’s more of a 7:30-4) so my weekday baking/photography/writing/cake decorating takes place once my son’s in bed – from 8pm until 11pm. Weekends are a free-for-all.

How do you end your day of crafty business? Any evening rituals?
I generally consider my day done when everything has been photographed, edited, blogged and then dispersed throughout the Internet. Once I’ve Tweeted and Facebooked my day’s work I make a cup of tea and settle down for the night with my husband and the Food Network.

What is your definition of a perfect day?
Sigh… I would love to spend a day driving around Chicago and taking photos of all the wonderful old diners and hot dog stands. I’d stop every few hours for some coffee and something sweet until it got dark. Then I’d have dinner at Frontera where Rick Bayless would come to my table and tell me he’s a big Bake and Destroy fan. ;) Then the sky would rain down money and vintage dresses. Perfect.

Thanks so much, Natalie! I love your idea of a perfect day {mostly the part where the sky rains down money and vintage dresses!}.

If you’re interested in being featured, just let me know. You can send me an email {liana@mixedplateblog.com} if you’d like to learn more.

Name: Victoria Klein (formerly Victoria Everman)
Business Name: Victoria Klein
Location: West Hartford, CT
Website/Blog Links: http://victoriaklein.net/; http://victoriaklein.net/blog/; http://victoriae.etsy.com/

First of all, can you tell us what you create?
A little bit of everything, but I don’t get paid for much, haha. Professionally, I write – magazine articles, blog posts, newsletters, ad promo materials for small businesses (like yours!) – and take pictures. This year marks the addition of photography to my professional realm. I still consider myself an advanced amateur, but I learn more every time I take a picture & strive to capture views that inspire people’s actions and imaginations.

When not overwhelmed with the responsibility of taking a full college course load (4 classes) while running my small business, I like to do lots of other crafty things: sew, knit, paint, learn Swedish, cook, bake, and decorate.

How do you begin your day? Any morning rituals?
Every day begins @ 6:50 am – I have an alarm on my cell phone that goes at that time 365 days a year. I get & start making breakfast – a huge smoothie for my husband and I. He’s off to work by 8:15 am, and that’s when I get down to work – meaning sitting in front of a computer for 5-6 hours. My schedule during the day varies widely.

{My impermanent workspace (supposed to be our dining room table), featuring my laptop, planner, pile of magazines to pitch to, husband’s yoga mat, and books for his college classes}:

Do you do something crafty each day? Where does your inspiration come from?
I make sure to write a little every day & I’m very tempted to take part in the now-infamous Project 365 where you take 1 photo each day (maybe for 2010?). Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. I love reading magazines and blogs, which are an immense source for article ideas. Just a few days ago, I woke up with a great start for a memoir about my struggle with crippling anxiety. Writing a book is something I very much want to do, but memoirs are very tough! I hope to write a number of non-fiction books eventually – just need to find the right topics.

I’m also inspired by the littlest things: my cat, napping, yoga poses (I’ve been practicing for almost 5 years), sunlight shadows, smiles, unique smells – all the simple details that are so easy to overlook in day-to-day life. I love capturing them (both in my writing & photos) and sharing them with others, helping to bring them back to what is really important during our human journey.

{My assistant, Monster, who’s only job is to be cute & distracting (he’s a CEO at that!)}:

What’s your workspace like (organized)?
I’m a naturally organized person, but I sometimes wish I had things displayed a bit nicer. For the past 10 years, I’ve lived in a different apartment every year in either Connecticut or San Francisco. As you’d expect, I’ve done little decorating or acquiring furniture of my own, though that would be fun! All you see in the pictures are family antiques that I, one day, hope to sand down & stain in different subtle shades. The desk, in particular, is hundreds of years old & was brought over by my ancestors from Europe.

My desk, while covered in STUFF, is organized in the sense that I know what each pile is for and where everything is. Come April, I’ll be moving yet again &, soon after, will be following my husband once he joins the Marines next year. I see so many gorgeous work-spaces online but am also realistic that I may never have the time to create one, so staying organized & reducing clutter is vital. My workspace reflects nothing of my personality – no aparment or space I’ve had ever has – but maybe one day. :)

{My desk, left with no space to work (and no chair, haha); includes everything from books for my college classes & an unfinished knitting project to a bag of packaged photo prints for Etsy & ideas for blog posts}:

How many hours does your normal work day consist of?
Once you cut out reading blogs, doing chores @ home, and working on college classes, I get to spend 2-4 hours a day actually writing or pitching ideas. Weekly, I spend at least 1-2 hours taking pictures, though that is nowhere as much as I’d like to. I start checking my emails by 8:30am and turn off the computer for good by 6pm (by 4pm if I have to work out). I know I could get a lot more done if I stayed online until 10pm, but my health (I spend 1-2 hours doing weightlifting/cardio/yoga every other day) and my family (mum, husband, cat) are more important.

How do you end your day of crafty business? Any evening rituals?
Before I turn off the computer, I check my planner to see how much I got done for the day. Ideally, I completed all of my to-dos, but that doesn’t always happen. If there are still things left over, I pick a day within the same week to get it done. This makes my morning all the easier when I know exactly what I am going to work on, though I veer from the plan from time-to-time when fun opportunity come up (like this interview!)

What is your definition of a perfect day?
Not sitting in front of the computer! I love to write, and type very fast, but I prefer to be in nature. My perfect day would be:

Watch the sun rise
Take a walk
Have a strawberry-mango smoothie for breakfast with my husband
Go to a local park or forest to hike & take pictures in the morning light
A nice-sided salad for lunch (w/ black beans & ranch dressing)
Cuddle with my cat & read
Take a nap with my cat (hubby’s not a napper either)
Practice yoga
Cook dinner with my mum
Bake French breakfast puffs for dessert
Smile – life is good

{My back door, open almost year-round to supply fresh air & a constant reminder that nature nurtures all}:

Thank you so much, Victoria! We look forward to seeing new projects that you work on and write for and new photos you’ll add to the shop.

If you’re interested in being featured, just let me know. You can send me an email {liana@mixedplateblog.com} if you’d like to learn more.