Meet Kelly, known as The Purple Rat here on Zibbet. Kelly grew up as a homeschooler in the sunny state of Florida. She was born in Ithaca, NY but, says she feels like a Florida Cracker because her family moved to south Florida just before her 7th birthday and has remained there ever since.

She had her first craft booth selling her painted rocks when she was very young. She painted a sign with the name of her business, “Lake Rocks.” She would collect the rocks, haul them home, paint the rocks, and then sell them at the local Farmer’s Market each Saturday. She sold out every weekend.

Kelly uses her unicycle for transportation. She says she hopes to make some money selling her art and origami on Zibbet to keep her PayPal stocked with money so that when birthdays and holidays roll around she will be able to buy gifts from other Zibbeters.

Please enjoy this interview with our 19-year-old  Zibbeter and then skip on over to The Purple Rat and buy something to help fund her Zibbet shopping sprees.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself?

   Well hello, greetings to you all. My name is Kelly and I grew up in Florida. I never went to school until I started college when I was 17. My sister and I were “unschoolers.” That means my mom just provided us with lots of books, maps, math games, field trips, art supplies, inspiration and opportunities so that we could learn on our own at our own pace.

2. Apart from being ‘creative’ what do you do?

   I unicycle, whenever and wherever I can.  Also I am an overly active member of Student Government Association (SGA) at my college.  I’m also very involved with the Environmental Club, so involved that most (even my own mother) thinks I was the one who started it. I enjoy volunteering for every event at my college and that is what lead to my becoming a Student Ambassador for the college. In the past, I have volunteered for the local writer’s center and our local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Organic Farm.

3. What inspires you to do the kind of work you do?

   My paintings are inspired from seeing other artists’ works of art, and just thoughts that run through my mind, places I go, things I see, and ideas I pick up in both life and dreams. Songs and books also inspire me. Some days when I close my eyes I can see images float by, and when they reopen, my fingers go for the colored pencils and the closest source of paper. Which is usually my Post-It notes. My mom snatches my post-it art and makes buttons and magnets with them. Any kind of paper inspires me to pick it up and fold it into origami…any paper…including money.

4. Do you look up to anyone? Who? Why?

   Well, honestly, (not to be cheesy) my mother. She was the one who raised my sister and I. She was always there to help me along, but never make the decisions. Supportive of nearly everything I choose to do, although she has been known to discourage some of my dimmer ideas.

5. What other passions do you have in your life?

   Rats, fancy rats to be precise. Though I currently lack any cuddly, furry, dumbo companions, rats will always be a part of who I am.  Hence, the name of my shop, The Purple Rat. Which originally was the name of my shop on NeoPets. I also love my dog Dharma, the most amazingly adorable piece of trouble in my life. We brought her home at 7 weeks; once you experience life with an Australian Cattle Dog you simply can’t go back. Whenever I am with my dog, my boyfriend often is too. The man who won my heart over with a car. Now don’t laugh, it isn’t any kind of car, in fact it isn’t a car at all. Our first date was a trip in his 1974 VW bus. The following weekend we took it camping.

6. What do you like most about Zibbet?

   Oh that new “share” button is wonderful. Being a young female student one of my favorite activities are to window shop. And what better place do it than a place you can instantly share the things you love with those you know would appreciate it too. I love vintage stuff, like aprons, which I actually wear. I also like to buy vinyl records. Besides all things retro-vintage I like to buy funky handmade accessories for myself and I buy only handmade gifts for my mom.

7. What ‘new’ things would you like to see added to Zibbet?

   An iPhone application for Zibbet would be totally awesome. My iPhone is the one thing I never ever go anywhere without. I use it more than my iMac (which is saying something…) Please, please, please make an iPhone app.

8. How do you promote your work?

   I encourage my mom to help me. ;D I confess, I really have not done any promoting at all. It’s true; my mom promotes my shop when she promotes her own. She has ads for my shop on her shops. I know if I promoted my shop more I would probably get more sales. But right now in my life a better grade point average is more important than better sales.

9. How would you recommend other Zibbeters make the most of Zibbet.com?

   Keep promoting to get more sellers even if you have already earned your free shop. We need lots more Zibbeters so we have an endless array of awesome stuff to buy. If you don’t have a feedback in your shop and you are waiting for your first sale, buy something from another Zibbeter so that your shop will have feedback.

10. In the future I’d like to be…

    … a successful mother with a PhD in some sort of environmental science, preferably living anywhere but the United States. As of now my boyfriend and I are considering a major move to New Zealand. Of course I told my Mr. Beloved that I am not going anywhere without my mother. So he agreed and soon after we had my mom literally dreaming about the move. Once safe and sound in a stable economy, I too, will be a “crunchy” mother using cloth diapers & homeschooling my children just like my mother was.

Tags: Featured Zibbeters, The Purple Rat