meet: otis of papermint studio
Otis from Papermint Studio is here talking with us this week! Otis makes beautiful paper goods that are simple, yet so full of love + personality. Otis was kind enough to give us a peak into her personal and work life, enjoy!
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tell us about yourself!
i am Otis, 28, living in auckland, new zealand with my husband and two kids. i am the boss girl and designer behind papermint studio, as well as a freelance graphic designer work for small to medium businesses. i originally come from china, and now has been living in new zealand for more than twelve years.
how did you start designing and selling?
papermint studio was launched a year after i graduated from the school of design at messey university in auckland. at the time, i was asked to design a series labels from scratch and had so much fun in the process of illustrating beautiful flowers in adobe illustrator and witness the products come to life. i am always a sucker for beautiful papers, so i thought “why not start my own stationery business online just to create something i truly love. no one knows who i am and i have nothing to lose, right?” i didn’t have a perfect business plan at the beginning but i did spend a lot of time on brain storming and illustration. after creating a series of greeting cards, i styled and took product photos at my home studio. it takes a while to get people’s attention at the beginning. when it was quiet, i just kept working on new things. practice makes perfect! with lots of help from the etsy community and sellers guide, i reviewed my shop from photos to descriptions over and over again. i still remember how excited it felt when i made my first sale.
what inspires you + the work you make?
my inspiration could be anything in my life from children’s books, a nice packaging design, a katy perry song, my two wonderful children, or even a refreshing walk along the beach.
do you have a lot of client jobs in addition to your shop work?
there are a couple clients that i have been consistently working for over years. i work on my client projects mostly at the day and spend an hour or two on papermint studio at night after my kids go to bed.
describe your perfect day!
i love exploring new restaurants and places with my husband and two kids on a sunny weekend. we would go to a beach or park and embrace the natural beauty of new zealand.
what advice would you give to makers who are just getting started?
never give up on the things your truly love. keep your day job and try to make time everyday for your dream. set deadlines for each project and achieve them. it adds up at the end.
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otis is giving the 'YAY' paper hanging card (pictured above) to a lucky reader! enter by leaving a comment with 1) your favorite product from otis' etsy and 2) your e-mail. giveaway ends at midnight on tuesday, july 29th pst. good luck! this giveaway is open internationally.
thank you so much for your time and inspiring us, otis! for more goodness, check out otis' perfect instagram and see more of her products in her etsy.