Spotlight: enhabiten

I always say how excited I am about the new Spotlight, but my swooning for todays artist goes back farther than I can remember so it's an extra special treat for me to have her here today! Liane's background is in painting and fine art but enhabiten is where she indulges her fascination for vintage and eco-friendly textiles. You will find a beautiful variety of pillows filled with natural materials such as buckwheat hulls, kapok, lavender and balsam, along with the occasional bag, piece of textile jewelry or miscellaneous home decoration.

Read on to learn more about Liane's loves, where she finds her inspiration, what she is reading and the time she set her bum on fire - really. You can also enter to win one of her gorgeous pillows!

Where are you from - originally and currently live?
Well, I currently live right where I grew up! It’s a small town called Henniker, NH. I have lived other places (still in the Northeast US) like Burlington, VT and outside of Boston, MA and also Williamston, MA but somehow ended up right where I started.

How long have you been selling on Etsy and is it your full-time job?
I’ve been selling on Etsy for about a year and a half and I do consider it my full-time job. I do some wholesaling and some local fairs as well. But that’s not really the complete story. I do a lot of “free” labor in the form of parenting and taking care of my old house.

What, if any, formal training have you had in your craft?
I am self-taught in terms of sewing. I do have a degree in art- painting.

What made you decide to open up shop on Etsy?
I opened my shop on a whim. I’d started making buckwheat hull pillows some number of months prior and selling them locally. A friend told me about etsy and I knew immediately it was a perfect venue for me.

Where did your shop name come from?
I just love reading and words and it came from nosing around the dictionary. It’s a middle English form of the word “inhabit”.

What inspires you?
Pattern and color and vintage textiles inspire me. Art inspires me. I’m a sucker for studying pictures of interiors that fit my aesthetic. I have a large stack of “interior decorating” books I refer to often. Inspiration comes from anywhere really. Often it’s a spark of recognition I get from something someone else has created. Two of my current fascinations are J Morgan Puett and Mina Perhonen.

What do you like least about your craft?
What I like least I’d have to say is stuffing the pillows. There’s a little bit of finessing involved, believe it or not. And sometimes the kapok fibers try to fly up my nose. I have to wear a dust mask, actually.

Do you have any advice for other sellers on Etsy or those thinking about pursuing their craft?
Well, no matter how much you love something, it’s still work. So you have to expect good days and bad. And to make it work long term requires stamina and determination. So just understand all that to begin with. As far as Etsy goes, I am serious when I say that my modest success is a bit of a mystery to me. I’m creative but I’m not a natural business person nor an analytical sort. I recognize that there are trends and if you fall way outside what people are currently wanting it will be hard to make a go. Plus, like anyone on Etsy has heard a million times- pictures, pictures, pictures. Take the best ones you can. I actually know there is a lot of room for improvement in this area for me.

Five Favorite Etsy Shops
Oh, fun!! I’ve never been asked this one before. Here are my current fave five:
Laura Lombardi
milkylane
grynbergs
little wood people
little byrd vintage

Favorite item you have purchased on Etsy
Rabbit and a shadow by Lemmikkiapina. It’s exquisite.

Five things you love
I love to eat cake, go for walks in the rain, read in bed (currently rereading “a midwife’s tale”), peep into interesting homes (!) (but just from the road as I’m casually walking by.. it’s really not creepy at all, I swear), go fleamarketing.

Five things you dont
I do not love cleaning behind my claw foot tub, wasting food, flower gardening because I just do not have the knack, paying bills, industrial farming (go see “food, inc.”)

What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you?
Strangest thing that’s ever happened to me is also the stupidest thing I’ve ever done so I’m ticking off two questions in one. Ok, I’m going to tell you folks because I know you will not breath a word to anyone…
Once upon a time a long long time ago I smoked a cigarette on occasion and only when totally necessary because of a really crummy day. In any event, I was driving along in a little city not too far from me and it was about time to flick the butt out the window (I know, I know. I was a litterbug. There are many unsavory aspects to this story). So, I flick. But the problem is I’ve always been a terrible flicker. I just cannot figure out how to get the thing out and clear of the window. Whatever. Here is the sad set of events which followed…
The butt flies back in the car, ricochets off my head and slinks down my back. I’m still driving with one hand at this point and feeling the seat behind me for the errant butt with the other. I’m getting a little panicked, I’m completely befuddled about where the thing went, when suddenly I realize…My bum is on fire!! The evil little butt ricocheted off my head, slinked down my back, worked itself into my underwear and got lodged in my *ss. Then no amount of spanking myself with my free hand would put the thing out because I guess it had found a little safe crack to stay aflame and you know where I’m talking about.
What’s a girl to do at this point?? Well, I’ll tell you what and you shant judge lest you have been in the same position. I screeched the car over to the side of the road, threw open the door, yanked down my pants and got that stinkin’ butt outta my crack.

Share some of your favorite music
Listening to a lot of Avett Brothers and going to see them live with my 19 yr. old son in September (yay!!), also listening to old Louis Armstrong records these days.

If you could be a superhero, what would your powers be?
I’d just want to fly. I fly quite often in my dreams. Not way up high or anything because I’m afraid of heights. Just over the tree tops and zig zagging around buildings. Now you got me daydreaming about it.

What makes you angry?
Monsanto makes me angry. Can I say that? Will I be sued??

What would you like to learn?
There’s so much I’d like to learn to do. I want to play the double bass, I want to learn to be a falconer, if I could learn to sing I’d say that…but I think you have to start with some natural gifts I sadly don’t possess. Oh, I also want to learn to write fiction. I plan to write a novel someday.

What does the future hold for you and your shop?
I am planning to do my own block printing or screen printing so I can create my own designs for my pillows, etc. This is a long term goal. It was supposed to materialize this summer but that was too hard with the kids around. So I’m shooting for the holiday season.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Liane is offering one lucky winner their choice of any item $30 or less from her shop!

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
Please leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite item is from enhabiten along with what else you would like to see in Liane's shop or what other words or phrases you would like to see on her pillows. She's specifically looking for some with an interesting sound to them, as well as interesting meaning, or something unusual.

You can enter once per day and YOU MUST INCLUDE your first name -AND- etsy username or email address with every entry. If you are worried about email spam, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.

Receive additional entries if you follow or subscribe to my blog, twitter about the giveaway and/or blog about the giveaway. Just leave a comment/link letting me know! You only need to mention each one time and do not need to leave separate comments.

You have until Sunday, August 30 at 10 pm (est) to enter and I will announce the winner on Monday morning. Good luck!

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have enjoyed learning more about Liane and her beautiful work!