DaWanda Backstage

Hi everybody! Today we are introducing you to Crafty Mooks, one of the top selling shops on DaWanda, stocked full of Japanese fabrics and supplies, run by Carolina Rodrigues in sunny Portugal. Crafty Mooks was recently featured on Print and Pattern, and if you appreciate Japanese design and need to stock up on highly sought after designer, zakka or traditional Japanese fabrics and sewing supplies, Crafty Mooks should be on your list!

Carolina is a sociology graduate who keeps herself busy with inspiring projects as you will read below – we asked her a few questions to find out more, check out what she has to say! Thank you so much to Carolina for taking the time to share a little bit of her world with us!

Tell us how Crafty Mooks started / explain your shop?

I have been wandering around the Japanese crafting world for quite a while. Hours and hours discovering new accessories and materials, such great designs, I was addicted for sure! But I had the trouble bringing the cute stuff home! So Craftymooks was a inner desire to anyone have the opportunity to achieve all this beauty hidden in Japan!

Who are your favourite Japanese designers?

My favorite designers are Mico Ogura for Puti de Pomme and, of course, Shinzi Katoh! I love the cute hand drawing style of both of the designer’s, the simplicity of the ideas, give me such calm and relax kind of feeling, like all of the Japanese aesthetic, very cheerful for the good and simple side of life. There are new ascending designer’s in Japan which I think are truly amazing, I’m trying to get some cool new items soon!

Have you spent time in Japan?

I think my head and heart spends more time in Japan dreaming of noodles and walks in cherry blossoms fields than in my own sweet Lisbon town!

Do you have any business tips or ideas to share?

Yes, I do have some things to share about the business side of the shop, according to my experience to present days.

One of the most important things, I think, in this kind of business where beauty and aesthetics are the main things, is to keep in mind that you can’t meet everyone’s interests, and all kinds of taste. You have to keep in mind throughout the process that it’s your taste and consistent in the selection of the products that is of the most of value in business. That will attract one kind of group consumer, that will trust and be glad with your proposals. If you manage to have the “loyalty” of one consumer group, it’s great! This applies to the handmade entrepreneur too, the artist can’t create what he/she thinks people will like, but bring something new, add something to the market. If you create or sell something with the strategy of guaranteed success you won’t be able to grow so much as you wish, because you’ll be just another artist in a certain line of products, no value is added to market. To do this, it takes guts and the conscience that the suffering it’s part of the process of selling! You have to feel it to gain it!

Do you have some special offers in Crafty Mooks on DaWanda at the moment?
Yes, I have many offers right now. I’m offering Unazukin dolls for those who shop over 35€. I have some sample/promo bags, which I’m selling for the price of the packaging and shipping only. This initiative is for those who want to try international shipping and feel how are the fabrics “live”! I have some stamps, kits for quilting and magazines in Sale too. To know more details go to “SALES, PROMOS AND GIFTS” category.

What’s your favourite feature on DaWanda?

I think my favorite features are the Trend area (I’m always there picking), Coloranda (genius) and Style Lab (very handy and seller friendly). This features are quite innovative and make a difference in the rest of the web-malls.

After all that, tell us a little bit about yourself Carolina!

Of course! I’m naturally from Lisbon, Portugal, a true lover of my home town, I like being a tourist in this nostalgic city! Many times I like going to the side of the river to write and draw some doodles, watching the boats, the birds. I find it very relaxing and inspiring!

I’m a crafter too, but now I only do it for my friends and family, I like working with many materials, and always trying new things, I’ve worked with beads, wood, clay, fimo…I’ve done softies too, drawing with water colors and oil… I’ve been planning some new kind of work to sell in the future, but in a different way, I’m going to learn some graphic design to meet a wish that I have for a long time – making patterns.

I graduated in sociology, but always worked in other areas alongside this, like theatre. After I graduated I found it very hard to get a full time job in this area that could actually pay my bills. So I managed to work in some part time jobs to make it. I’ve been working on statistics, crafting for some friends business, and working for my sister’s shop. And I now I started collaborating in a film school, on production and characterization.

About my hobbies, I’m a person with many interests, I usually like discovering music, always investigating new bands..one of the things I like doing is making OST’s for my friend’s movies. Real pleasure to me!

I like writing and drawing, travelling is one of the most fantastic things to me! I love cooking international cuisine, finding new flavors, spices and sauces!

On a daily basis the most pleasant thing I get to do is wander around on my small backyard with my 2 little cats, Tuna and Daisy!

What are you listening to / reading at the moment?

Right now I’m reading at the bedside a novel by Yukio Mishima – “The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea”, beautiful…
By day, at the bus, and on any free minutes I read, “Craft Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business” by Meg Mateo Ilasco, she has great teaching and communication skills, this book it’s truly a help. And I’m anxious to receive “Japanese Patterns” by Agile Rabbit Editions, that I bought on Amazon. Oh, and of course, the Cotton Time it’s always in my purse!
I’m listening to Bryan Ferry’s “As Time Goes By”, I never thought that jazz would be his cup of tea…wonderful! And one unknown band called Grandaddy, that is the OST for a short movie that i collaborated in. I think they are great!

Aligatô Gozaimasou!
Kissu kissu
Carol

{all photographs © Carolina Rodrigues}