Interview-Myzoetrope

Todays interview is with Myzoetrope

How did you choose the name of your shop and how long have you been a member of Etsy?

Well, a zoetrope is an old-fashioned movie of sorts, when you spin it, and the static pictures seem to move on their own. I wanted a name that would signify my work as a whole, as my work has changed a lot over the years and continues to evolve with whatever hair-brained idea that pops into my head. Also, the term zoetrope is from the Greek words zoe, "life" and trope, "turn". It may be taken to mean "wheel of life" or "living wheel." I've been a member of Vegan Etsy since it started!

What kinds of items do you sell in your shop and what inspired you to start creating them?

I sell original artwork, prints, notecards, recipe cards, and sometimes some other anthropomorphic randomness thrown in there. I somehow got into Bust's Holiday Craftacular a few years ago, not knowing anything about selling my stuff to people, and I needed to do something with my leftover inventory afterwards. I joined Etsy shortly afterwards and the rest is history!

What are some of your favorite things about etsy?

My favorite thing about Etsy is that you can almost always find ANYTHING that you are looking for. Honestly, you don't even need to ever leave your house again. Etsy has you covered. I also really enjoy the storque articles and the sincere niceness of so many shop owners and the friendships I have acquired.

Do you sell your items outside of etsy, either online or in retail shops?

Craft fairs and a local boutique near me. I'll be at Renegade Brooklyn June 6 + 7th this year!Have you been featured anywhere?Yah, there are some really nice bloggers out there! I recently contributed to Indie Fixx's Feed Your Soul project, and you can find a free download of an exclusive print of mine here: http://indiefixx.com/2009/04/20/feed-your-soul-the-free-art-project-monday-downloads-april-20th/

Do you have any future plans for your shop?

More originals, other papergoods, magnets, pins. If I had room in my apartment for a proper printmaking setup, I would be all over that!What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have?Cooking and baking are big ones. I also really like taking photos of my food and looking at other's food porn. I'm an avid concert-goer and coffee shop doodler. Do you have any animal companions?Kitty! His name is Miles. xoxo!

Do you have any websites besides your shop that you would like to tell us about?

blog: http://my-zoetrope.blogspot.com/

flickr: http://www.flickr.com/myzoetrope/

website: http://www.myzoetrope.com/

twitter: http://twitter.com/MyZoetrope

How long have you been vegan and what made you go vegan?

2 years vegan and 8 years vegetarian before that. I went vegan for ethical reasons and because there wasn't any other reason not to. I transitioned realllllly slowly to veganism, from vegetarianism, until dairy just rendered itself useless in my diet and I mostly just felt queasy thinking about it, let alone ingesting it. Haven't looked back!

Do you have any favorite vegan things, like books, websites, stores, etc.?

I really like my Herbivore ( http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/ ) t-shirts that I bought from their store in Portland, OR. Oh! And I just ordered a vegan marshmallow kit and white chocolate chips from Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe ( http://www.cosmosveganshoppe.com/ ). There are many s'mores, rice crispie treats, and rocky road ice cream bowls in my future! I have a rather large cookbook collection too and am always adding to it.

What are your favorite foods?

Tempeh wingz, Asparagus, Arugula, corn on the cob, sweet potato fries, fruit smoothies, and most anything sweet!

Is there anything else you would like to add or share

It's pretty awesome how the internet can connect you to so many seriously cool people!