Interview with Lori Cook Of Kilted Woman

I enjoyed learning more about Lori and her unique and exciting shop. She also shares some wonderful advice on how to market your shop.

First off so everyone can get to know each other better what is your 'real' name? And where do you live? Tell us a little about yourself.

Lori Cook, I live in Richland, WA with my husband and two sons. My husband is from Scotland and right now I am sitting in the local Aryshire, Scotland library using their internet service. I am originally from a small town in Oregon. I met my husband on match.com and we have been married for 6 years. We enjoy traveling back to Scotland about every two years to visit family, beach comb and take pictures. I really enjoy old cemeteries and artful stonework found in the graveyards here. I have been a registered nurse for about 20 years. I currently work with the elderly but previously I worked in a state hospital for the mentally ill for 13 years.

How did you learn about Etsy? How long has your shop been open?

My friend Dana was selling her jewelry on Etsy and I decided to give it a try. I began in November. I had picked up many pieces of sea glass and sea pottery on previous vacations in Scotland so I started making necklaces with it. Now can't seem to stop creating things! My shop only has a portion of what I have made and I am nearly at 300 items listed!

How did you come up with you shop name?

I started Scottish highland dancing two years ago and I wear a blue tartan dancing kilt. Originally the dances were only performed by men and only men could wear the kilt. It was a novelty to see a woman in a kilt and was considered very daring. I thought Kilted Woman would be a good representation of what my shop was about.

What do you like most about your shop appearance? What would you like to improve? I like my banner. I took the picture in Dunure, Scotland which is the location of one of my favorite ruined castles. I need to improve the brightness of my pictures. I have some pictures I took in full sunlight which turned out well but I find I run out of time to retake the rest of them.

What is your creative style? Is your work area neat and tidy or a disaster? What inspires you? I like to keep things tidy, I have little labeled drawers where all of my things go. (Sort of like a nurses medication cart!) I like to look at a piece of glass or pottery and imagine where it has been and who used it for what purpose. I put things together one way and then take them apart and put them together a different way. It might take me several tries to get what I like. If I wouldn't wear it then I won't sell it. I am inspired by Scottish history, architecture and scenery. It is full of depth and layers.

What is your favorite Etsy story? (ie: a funny sales story or customer interaction.) I can't think of anything funny that's happened but I have met many fellow TriCities sellers and have made some new friends through Etsy. I find that really the most enjoyable part of this site. I just sold some wine charms to a lady in Scotland and sent them by mail from Washington before I realized I could have pretty much hand delivered them to her this week!

Do you have any advice you’d like to share?

Take great pictures, that is the key to selling things people can't actually touch or see. Use the Etsy application to make a catalog of your things and leave the catalog in the break room at work. Buy a purse with windows in it for photos and use it to display your wares-works well for selling jewelry.

Enjoy some of the wonderful treasuries created by the INWTeam featuring Lori's items.