Arts In Rhode Island

From the lovely state of Vermont hails comic genius and crafter extraordinaire Dippy Lulu. If there's a better stocking stuffer idea than Farty Lites, I don't know what it is. Check out her shop - it will have you rolling on the floor laughing!

Dippy Lulu

HT: Tell us a little about yourself.

DL: Everyone who knows me calls me LuLu. It’s not my real name, but you’d find that one out if you bought from me. I stumbled into art school because I didn’t know what else to do with my life and ended up collecting degrees in graphic design and typography at the London College of Printing and Norwich School of Art. I’ve been working ever since (15 years) as an art editor for large publishing houses in London (Penguin, BBC, Dorling Kindersley, Harper Collins, Scholastic).

HT: How the heck did you end up in Vermont from the UK??

DL: Just like anyone else. I took a plane. I needed a change of scene from London, and it was convenient that my spouse is American, so we’ve been here since 2004. I plan to become a citizen in 2008, but I don’t plan on changing my accent.

HT: Some of your shop items are just downright hilarious. How did you come up with Farty Lites?

DL: I was making up a large custom order of Farty Pegs and wondering what other farty things I could create. The idea of Farty Lites came to me because we have matches all over the house for that purpose. I’m so obsessed with farts that I have extended my line to include the new Stinky Lites (and if you believe that explanation, I have a sub-prime mortgage to sell you).

HT: How did you hear about Etsy?

DL: I’m a habitual reader of Design Sponge and other design blogs and read about it there. I was a buyer on Etsy for a long time before becoming a seller.

HT: What do you like best about living in Vermont? As someone who wasn’t born and raised there, what eccentricities have you observed as local to your state?

DL: I like the low crime rates. It’s nice not living with four locks and a dead bolt on my door and being able to roll home from the pub safely. It’s amazing that I live in the state capital (the only state capital that doesn’t have a Macky D’s) and it’s the size of a tiny village in the UK. I guess that’s all part of Vermont’s politics, which sits on my side of the fence.

HT: As a relatively new and very successful Etsy seller, do you have any advice to give your fellow Etsians?

DL: Blimey, am I successful? I haven’t thought about it. As photos seem to be a hot topic on forums, I’d advise sellers to take photos with no dirty washing or any other dodgy looking things behind the product—and in general, to use consistent backgrounds for all the photos. I don’t like distractions. Also, if you’re not selling and you’ve done all the promotional things that you can, accept that you need to stop flogging a dead horse and move on. The first couple of ideas I listed never sold, but I kept trying new things and will continue to do so.

HT: Did you take the handmade pledge? How much of your holiday shopping have you done on Etsy?

DL: Yes. I have done 50% of my shopping on Etsy—and funnily, I have another 50% left to do.

HT: Is Etsy full time or part time for you?

DL: It’s supposed to be part-time, but recently it has crept up more than I expected. Even Mr. Dippylulu has turned into my sweatshop assistant to help get packages out in a timely manner. He and the bloke in the post office are now on a first name terms.

HT: Do you have a favorite item in your shop?

DL: The latest thing I’ve made is usually my favorite item—and right now the latest thing is my series of Looking for Love ACEOS. Making the ads up make me chortle, but then again I’m easily amused. Actually, I had kind of expected that people would be interested in some of my more tasteful things, like my cutout paper angels, but it seems that the rude and silly items are the best sellers.

HT: Have you ever ventured down to Rhode Island?

DL: Yes, one short road trip to escape the snow in Vermont. It rained for 4 days nonstop, and everything was flooded. But it looked nice through the foggy windscreen. I’d like to visit again soon.

HT: What’s the nicest compliment you’ve received on your work?

DL: The fact that people are willing to pay for things I’ve made.

HT: What are you asking for for Christmas this year?

DL: A first-class round-trip ticket to London on Virgin Atlantic to see my family and friends for Christmas would go down a treat. A letterpress and a basement for it to live in would be nice too. A girl can dream, eh?