Interview with Brittni Mehlhoff from Papernstitch

What are some of your favorite things about blogging? The connections I’ve made with other bloggers and business owners is of course amazing. But I also really enjoy having a space that I can archive all of my passions in one place.

What led to you starting both the blog and the exhibition site, Papernstitch? I started a digital magazine called CREATEjacksonville when I was still in college that featured artists and designers in my local area. At that time, Jacksonville was filled with young artists chomping at the bit to do shows and make a name for themselves, but there just weren’t very many options.

So, I created the magazine to feature my friends and other talented people I had met along the way that were doing great things to get the art and crafts community going. It was well-received and landed me a few curatorial gigs at galleries in my area, which was great. But after a few issues, I realized I was in over my head (spending hours each day working on articles and facing the reality that after just a few issues I had already interviewed and/or featured pretty much anyone I was aware of that was doing something noteworthy in Jacksonville). So, I called it quits with the magazine to finish up my degree and pursue my work as an artist for a while.

It wasn’t long before I started to get that “itch” again for promoting fellow artists and that’s when I started the blog. This time, I decided I would branch out from my local area to an international “pool” of artists and designers. Basically, my approach with the blog was the same as it was with CREATEjacksonville (interviews, events, artist features, etc), just a different format. Shortly after I started the blog, the exhibition site was born (kind of a way for me to infuse promoting talented makers and business owners with a curated online shopping experience).

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? This is tough, but if I had to narrow it down to just one thing I would say (as cheesy as it may sound)… You are in control of your destiny. Truly. If you’re unhappy, fix it. If you’re unsatisfied or unfulfilled, change it. No one is going to do it for you, as much as you may wish them to.

Where do you find your inspiration? So many places- but mainly a combination of books, magazines, and the internet. I “read” (flip through) a lot of my husband’s design books, and I have a decent collection of art, craft, and business books that I re-visit whenever I need a boost.

Where else can we find you? In addition to the blog and the exhibition site, I’m also on twitter, pinterest, facebook, and flickr.