Spotlight Spokane and Studio Cherie

Studio Cherie is an active member of the Eastern Washington Etsy Street Team. A Seattlite who has lived and worked in Spokane for 7 years now, Cherie is beginning to call Spokane her home. "I love the sun, the hiking trails, the wildlife, and the 'small town in a big city' feel of Spokane."

What I am really excited to do on Etsy is to sell my patterns and kits. I love to make bags and baby accessories, but I also need to have the freedom to move on to the next idea. I found I am not really suited to the business of producing an inventory and selling it at shows. I love the shows and the people, it's the inventory part that bogs me down. I really enjoyed the Spokane Baby Fair, and sold out of most of my baby inventory there. I think that is what got me thinking about ways I could free myself up to produce the new designs I had rolling around in my head.

My Laura's Luggage pattern has been the most popular so far. I think that means there is a market for patterns that can be used to produce a boutique quality handbag. I hope so anyway because that is how I would describe my patterns and kits.

My compact travel change pad/bag is available in kit form because it is important to me that when someone makes this product, it turns out right. I also offer licensing of any of my patterns to people who do want to make inventory and sell it. I have kept my licensing fees low because I know how hard it is to produce product, package, pay entry fees, travel and transport, sell and still make money.

Sometimes it's hard to sell the items in my shop because I love them and want to keep them, but I already have so many bags that sometimes it takes me five minutes to find which one has my wallet:) These are two I would love to keep.

The Lacework Motif Hobo and the Modern Romantic Clutch are both done in Amy Butler fabrics. I started making a lot of my prototypes for my patterns out of popular designer fabrics, so that if someone wants to make it look just like mine they can. The clutch pattern is available now, and the hobo pattern is coming in a couple of weeks.