Introducing....oKIDDO by Ellen!

Today I will introduce another wonderful unique Etsy shop! oKIDDO is so much fun and is pure joy for every kid! The toys and one of a kind and the art just makes you smile! The wonderful items in the shop inspired me to illustrate a cute bookmark inspired by Bunny Valentine!

                        A cute soft bunny with an orange heart! Funny ears and adorable legs!

Please introduce yourself....

My name is Ellen, proud mum of three fantastic kids: Fleur, 22, who's an award winning photographer, Eva, 20, studying to be a Vet Nurse and Joost, our 12 -year old very musical son! I'm also a proud owner of "oKIDDO, a Kid's Art and Accessories"! My family and I emigrated to New Zealand 7 years ago from the Netherlands and we absolutely love living in this beautiful country! I've always worked as a primary school teacher and play therapist. After being diagnosed with a form of rheumatoid arthritis 6 months ago, I had to make a decision to stop working as a play therapist and it was at the same time that my daughter pointed me to Etsy and Pinterest! I already was selling my Art and Kid's accessories on local markets and fairs, but that's when I opened my shop on Etsy, trying to fulfill a lifelong dream of creating my own Art and Accessories  for young children and to start  working from home, having my own small business!
And, so far so good! Not for one second did I regret making this decision, I love what I;m doing at the moment and stand up every morning with a  smile on my face, ready to start another day of creating!! In the meantime I've been approached by several shop owners in NZ, England and Singapore, who are interested in selling my items! My products are already being sold in "Lelu, The Baby Boutique" in Wellington and some local shops in Central Hawke's Bay!

What is your inspiration for the soft toys and the original art?

I get inspired by so many things! Sometimes it can be a photo, a color, an image or a picture in a magazine or on the internet,
nature...For kids I often work with the seasons, holidays, stories, which always inspire me.
Sometimes inspiration comes from patterns or the bright colors of fabric which are so appealing to young children!

How do you promote your shop and where else can we admire your designs?

Because I've always started my Etsy shop in October 2011. I'm getting into promoting my shop more and more now ( with the help of my oldest daughter, who's such a star with computers!): besides Etsy, I'm on Facebook and Pinterest and just registered on StumbleUpon and Twitter! Although I would love to have my own blog, I'm still a bit hesitant: I don't really feel I have enough time at the moment to keep it up to date!



Do you have a favorite material that you work with?

I don't really have one favorite material to work with. I have a love for most fabrics, paper and paint in general! I'm very tactile myself and  my decision on which materials to use always depends on the how a fabric feels, in combination with the pattern and colors. Because my items are made for young children, I want the fabric to feel pleasant and soft and I prefer working with natural materials like cotton, flannel and cotton knitted fabric.

How much time do you invest in one soft toy?

The time I invest in making a toy differs. I often work on more than one project/item at the same time. My dolls often take much more time than the stuffed animals. Where I finish my animals generally in one or two days, my dolls often take a few more days.

Where do you see your brand in 5 years?

I often dream about that!! A few years ago my oldest daughter and I read "The Secret"  and learned about the "law of attraction", and to be honest, I really believe in that: "If you can dream it, you can achieve it!" So, I often visualize this dream and goal! In 5 years time, I still see myself doing this with lots of love and passion! I'm not quite sure whether  I would like to have my own Kid's Boutique ( with a Cupcake and Cafe included!!). I know I would never want to be making mass production, producing large quantities of the same item, I would always want to keep my items one of a kind. Selling my products to small boutiques and/or working on consignment basis, as I'm doing now, would be something I can see myself do with passion  for years and more  and different shops/boutiques!

You can find her wonderful shop on Facebook!
So go give her a big LIKE!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/OKIDDo/233950369974168

And for all of you who adore Pinterest!

http://pinterest.com/okiddo/

Make sure you check her Etsy shop and if you have a young child buy something truly unique!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/oKIDDo




Thank you very much Ellen for taking part and I wish you more wonderful creations!

If you need your items illustrated feel free to contact me! http://www.etsy.com/shop/BaleaRaitzART