Artist Feature + Giveaway: Lennymud

I'm so happy to share this seller feature and giveaway with you guys! Lorrie, of LennyMud, is a quarky pottery genius in New York City. Her interview question answers are hilarious and she's giving away TWO of her fantastic Moustache Soup Mugs to one lucky winner!

How did you get into pottery?
My mom was a potter and I grew up with a ceramic studio in my basement and had to endure girl scout troupes from far and wide coming to my house to earn their crafts badges. I threw my first pot on my mother's lap at age 3. I grew up and tried to be all rebelious by rejecting my artistic background and running around with men who wore suits and ties and worked for investment firms, turning my back on the craft--but after watching the scene with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost returned to my roots and took pottery up again.

Here's what a lot of folks on Etsy don't know about me though. I am the designer for a really large giftware company called OUR NAME IS MUD. That is my original ceramic company that i started at a card table on the streets of NYC and grew to be a ginormous business. I sold that company four years ago but i still work as a designer for that brand and my designs are sold all across the world, are in over 8,000 stores and often are used as set decorations on shows like Law and Order and in many movies. Nobody knows that about me on Etsy--so it has been super exciting and re-energizing to start all over again and build a new business. I can try things in that venue and step out of my comfort zone and do all the things that make being an artist so great.

Do you ever get designers block?
If I say "no" I will probably jinx myself, right? But honestly I have creative ADHD and I often have too many ideas and not enough time! Lately, i am really loving www.pinterest.com as away to organize my ideas and inspirations.

What has been your most successful means of promotion?
I have had the biggest growth in my online business as a direct result of fantastic blogs like yours. And I am not just saying that to kiss your ass. Probably not.

For real: the most successful way of growing and promoting my business has been to step away from the computer and GO MAKE STUFF. Seems simple enough, but in this day and age of virtual time sucks we forget that our #1 priority should be to put good stuff out in the world.

I recently was a guest speaker at the etsy success symposium. Please skip the first 1/2 hour if you decide to watch the archived video on etsy--but after that I give away a ton of tips. It is my belief that everyone can be really successful!

What do you enjoy doing when you're not working?
I have two amazing kids and a great husband I enjoy spending time with--my children made their first pots when they were each 1 day old (footprints on coffee cups we still drink out of). But to tell you the truth-- I like working on something creative--clay,paper,canvas- more than doing anything else and I find nothing so miserable as being stuck on a beach somewhere with no art supplies! TORTURE!

To Enter to win:
1. Leave a comment below with your e-mail address.

Extra credit: (leave an additional comment for each for a better chance to win!)
1. Follow this blog.
2. Comment with your favorite item from Lorrie's shop.
3. Share this giveaway on Twitter/Facebook using the share buttons below.
4. Follow Lorrie's blog.
5. Grab my new button in the left column and share it on your blog.

Winner must be in U.S only. I will announce the winner here on May 16th. Good luck!