meet: louise of super duper things
how can you resist a shop called super duper things? well, you can't. super duper things is full of fun prints, notebooks and the cutest diy bookbinding kits. it's run by louise, who is here to share all about how she and super duper things got started.
what is your background?
i went to art school for graphic design and have been working in this field for the last few years. i loved art school, being surrounded by so many very varied creative people. before that though, i had always scribbled, painted and collaged my own pictures at home. my mum still has walls full of these efforts that make me cringe a little when i visit them now!
how did you get started start with your etsy?
it started while i was at university; i had always made myself jewelery if i couldn’t find what i wanted in the shops and this developed to a point where i was making more than one person could possibly wear! i booked a table at a local craft stall and not long after i was opening up my etsy shop. a few years later, now working as a graphic designer, i found i was really missing the hands-on part, working properly with paper and books, and super duper things emerged as it is today from that longing.
tell us about how you developed your style.
well, i’m not sure! perhaps it has something to do with the fact that i’m not particularly great at drawing?! i love bold, simple shapes with splashes of color and nice textures. and playfulness! nothing too serious. just stuff to cheer you up a bit.
what is your favorite item in your shop?
ooh, that’s hard! it’s always the most recent item :) but i do have a special soft spot for my tiny mountains posters and copper ship notebooks.
what are you most looking forward to this year?
as of last month i've actually left full-time work to go back to university to do a masters degree in graphic and media design - so now i'm studying part-time, working as a graphic designer on a freelance basis and doing super duper things as well! it's a really exciting time for me, adjusting to less routine and more creative time. although i sure could do with a few more hours in the day!
this time, the studying is more for my personal pleasure than anything else, plus sort of to explore the theoretical and contextual basis of my career and maybe send it off in a slightly different direction. we shall see!
i've got a couple of craft fairs coming up here in london just before christmas which i'm super excited about because i haven't done one for years - can't wait to get back out there and meet lovely buyers face-to-face!
what advice would you give to makers who are just getting started?
get yourself out there! i’m quite shy, and like many others find self-promotion difficult. but you just have to make yourself contact people, they’re almost always so friendly and welcoming when you do!
