Many of the team know Katie as the creative genius behind the first ever Asheville Etsy Home Show. Her shop, scrumdidlyump, now features fantastic organic-shaped ceramic pieces, but early in her Etsy career, Katie also sold lovely vintage sewing machines. Without further ado, let Katie tell you about herself and her craft in her own words...Crafty Goodness:
Where do you find your inspiration?
Robots, microorganisms, Dr. Who, Samuel Mockbee, toddlers, Jugenstil and Cowboy Bebop, among more mundane things. I am very spontaneous. I think my best work come from playing around in the studio and following an unplanned progression of designs. Sort of like a really dirty version of automatic writing.
What are your favorite materials to use in your crafts?
I like using found objects to make stamps, which I then use to texturize my pieces. Screws, bolts, weird medallions, leaves, plastic army men, foreign currency, and beer bottles have all been my minion of texturey goodness. I also like clay of varying textures. Really gritty clay is fun to throw with and so is porcelain. I find that I go for totally different textures depending on the clay I am using.
Other than the work you post to Etsy, what other creative endeavors are you involved in?
I have a son. I endeavor to help him survive into adulthood and be an open minded creative individual. I also sew, paint, make books, knit, garden and generally love anything and everything that involves making something interesting with my hands. I hate being bored.
It's All About Etsy & the Kids:
How did you find Etsy?
I googled "handmade keychain" sometime last spring. I got the coolest little crocheted pocket keychain thing, and then I forgot about it for about a year, when I was starting to look into galleries and venues to sell my work (I got my very first kiln in October!)
Describe your Etsy experience:
I have fallen in love with Etsy, head over heels. In my experience it is a very intuitive site, with a wonderful, if somewhat overwhelmingly large, community of crazy creative people who for the most part seem very devoted to a subversive way of looking at the world, which I find very appealing.
Do you work another job in addition to Etsy?
I have an in home daycare. I care for five preschooler from 8 am till 5:30 pm. I also have my previously mentioned five year old son. So I have two non-Etsy jobs.
On the Asheville Scene:
What's the best thing about living in the Asheville area?
When I go to other towns to visit and come back here, I feel very comfortable and remarkably tidy. When I visit Birmingham I feel messy and unkempt. I guess Asheville just suits my style, and my hairy armpits.
If someone is visiting the area, what is the one thing that they must see or do before they leave?
Go to Malaprops.
[Editor's note for out of towners... Malaprop's is a fantastic indie bookstore in downtown Asheville. It's a great place to grab a coffee and see what the locals are doing.]
What is your favorite off-the-beaten path place or activity in Asheville?
The Ashram on Ravenscroft. That's where my yoga class is. I love it.
Random Katie-ness:
What's your favorite movie? Actor/actress?
My favorite movie is Ikiru. My favorite actor is Gene Wilder. He can make me shoot liquids out of my nose.
Who are your heroes and heroines? Why?
I like the Tick because his battlecry is "SPOON!" Wait, did you mean the other kind of hero?
What quote do you find yourself saying most often?
"You can't always get what you want... but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need!" I do watch toddlers all day. They are big into "want," and they also seemed stunned to the point of distraction by advice in the form of a song.
To see more of Katie's work, check out her Etsy shop or catch her once a month vending outside Earth Fare in West Asheville. Katie does live shows as well, including the Asheville Home Show and LAAFF. She's everywhere!!!
