Featured Zibbeter - PetitPoulailler
We’re pleased to introduce Karen who is an only daughter of an only daughter of an only daughter going back seven generations. Each and every daughter was a craftswoman and a collector. Perhaps that’s why Karen has three shops on Zibbet chock full of collections and crafts: Petit Poulailler where she sells antique and vintage treasures, Three French Hens the home of her quilts and other home delights, and The Little Chicken Coop where she sells delightful book plates, antique papers and supplies, tags and more.
You can follow Karen on Twitter where she shares updates about her products, but also her favorite music selections from YouTube. Don’t miss her blog for coupons and discounts you will love. Karen is a member of Zibbet’s Flickr Group and her Flickr pages are loaded with inspiring photos, so don’t miss it.
We’re sure you will enjoy this interview:
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Tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m Karen ~ I embroider, collect, quilt, cook, play with paper, watch movies, travel, read, antique, and frolic . . . the days are just packed! I’m a mother to two grown daughters and am newly married to my best friend. I was born and raised along the soybean farms in Illinois but gradually, through the years, have inched my way to the Atlantic shore. -
Apart from being ‘creative’ what do you do?
There are other things to do? Well, let’s see ~ I am a wonderful traveler, a great reader, a promising photographer, a good writer, an adequate baker, and a better cook in my imagination than I am in reality. My husband is a writer and I edit all his work. Probably why he married me, eh? Well, that and the cooking/baking part. We both love to travel and, luckily enough, we travel very well together. All in all, I must say that Life is quite wonderful.
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What inspires you to do the kind of work you do?
I came to my love of the needle arts and my appreciation of the fine arts by right ~ my mother was an illustrating artist and both my grandmothers were proficient in different areas of needlework.
My father’s mother was a quilter and embroiderer (and she taught me) and my mother’s mother was a knitter who taught herself how to crochet when she turned 73! (“I’m an old lady,” she said. “I should know how to do this.”) I feel their presence whenever I’m working. -
Do you look up to anyone? Who? Why?
Definitely my mother and her mother. Living through the Great Depression and WWII, she and her mother were hard-working survivors. Beautiful, tireless, creative, loving, and kind. All those wonderful things for which we all strive. And they both succeeded effortlessly: I miss them each and every day.
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What other passions do you have in your life?
Hmm … Baseball, an excellent book and the time to enjoy it, big dogs, movies, double cream, vintage and antique fashion, travel. And music ~ of all sorts, really, except for hard metal, hard opera, (c)rap.
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What do you like most about Zibbet?
I love the ‘promise’ of Zibbet. The Administration is truly listening to the Community and pulling us in on the decision making: I like that. And I like how I just used the word “we” to describe my feelings toward this site.I believe Zibbet recognizes the best way for Zibbet to succeed is by giving us sellers the tools we need for *our* success. Each and every shop here has the potential to be gorgeous! Sellers have been given excellent and ever expanding selling tools, and how cool is it that the Community pages are now being integrated!?!! -
What ‘new’ things would you like to see added to Zibbet?
Please, oh, please ~ batch editing tools. And! Please! I’d love to be able to manage multiple Zibbet shops (I have three!!) under one sign-in. I’d love a blog page *tab* in my shop to which I could import my fledgling blog. And I’d love someone to please, in the name of all that is Holy, have mercy on me and, using very small words, explain to me how to use Facebook.
And, finally, when I can shuffle the order of each listing’s FIVE photos (hint hint!), I’ll be just about in Heaven! -
How do you promote your work?
Ah, we’ve come to my weak point. I use Twitter some, but probably not as efficiently as I could.
I adore Flickr and have made my absolute, hands-down, without a doubt, largest sales from Flickr. And yes, I use the Flickr properly, without advertising.
I’ve begun a blog and *really* enjoy that ~ my readership is slowly growing and the next step for me will be to find that extra half hour each day to read and comment on other blogs.
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How would you recommend other Zibbeters make the most of Zibbet.com?
I’d recommend that you invest your time as carefully as you invest your money. Invest in a Zibbet Premium Account. Set it up professionally ~ Zibbet has made that very easy to do. And then, list something each and every day. Take good pics and keep things fresh.
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In the future I’d like to be…
… continuing to love, create, enjoy, and grow.
Great interview! I love your writing style! I think I could spend all day looking through your shops!
Wonderful! Good for you PetitPoulailler!
I agree with Fancy Stitch. I could spend all day looking at all 3 of your shops. Judy
Karen, Congrats on a great Featured Zibbeter interview! I can’t help but smile every time I read something you’ve written. There is no doubt that you love life and enjoy every minute of it! Wishing you much success on Zibbet! Vicki
yay!!
Thanks, everyone!
*sigh*
Now she’ll be too good for the common people. Which will be awesome cause then we can totally hang out.
I do lurves me some Chicken.
Great interview, and I’m happy to see a vintage seller featured.
So nice to learn more about you BUT it is all about the BUTTONS,not the chickens….!
Hugs!♥
Aloha…I just joined Zibbet….hoping it will help me to sell my jewelry..I live on Oahu in Hawaii…and have been selling my jewelry on the beach in front of two large hotels…the tourists can see me from my lanai and come down to see whats going on…its fun..costs nothing but taking two large tables and all my jewelry and accessories…its getting tough…deep sand to walk thru to get to my space,,,,how long have you been selling here? Are you doing well with it? Love your beautiful work…you are involved in many different crafts…wishing you good fortune…aloha..diana
Chickens vs. Buttons. pffffft. Can there be any doubt as to the victor??? I think not.
And thank you guys for all the lovely comments ♥
Anandanandananda, you and I have some serious hanging outting to do, lady.
Nice interview and lovely sites.
Kathy
What a lovely interview. Well done! Thank you for sharing you with us! I really enjoyed reading it. Keep inspiring!
Hugs,
Jennifer
!! SO nice to see your face dear… I’ve been an internet acquaintance for a couple of years now. Congratulations on your feature Karen~!
It is so great to get to know you a little better! I loved reading your interview and I’m so glad to be a part of the community with you! I think everyone here loves the little chicken
Chickens are brilliant! I know someone who has as his personal motto ‘Gallina omni vincit’ (= Latin for ‘chickens conquer all’, in parody of ‘amor omni vincit’ = love conquers all)!
I agree with The Chicken that being able to manage multiple shops under one sign-in would be super cool … but I’m not sure if it’s actually possible.
And a blog page tab! Yes yes yes! So that I can still have my Blogspot blog but it will be right there on Zibbet so that people don’t have to leave the Zibbet site (*cunning plan*).
Beautifully written responses, Karen. Lovely to know more about you.
A really fun to read interview! I love the style! (I’ll find your blog once I stop being on dial up.)
I used to have a chicken as a pet.
Awesome interview!
Fantastic interview Karen! So glad to see you featured.
Truly inspirational ~ and talented, too! Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and your family history……I’m always anxious to see your notes and comments; makes me want to improve my communication/computer skills. Thanks for being an inspiration!
Grandmother Carolyn
Loved your interview & love your shops, Karen. Well done!
Catheline
Thank you, everyone, for the kind words! And wishing all my fellow Zsters great success here. Bring on the Holidays!! xo
Congrats on such an insightful and passionate interview, Karen! I was SO excited when I saw that you had been featured
Massive hugs,
Ines
Thank you, Ines ♥ I love love love! all the wonderfully kind words! Such a warm feeling here xo Karen
This is a great interview, you are so optimistic, I wish you all the best and hope you continue to grow your business and and your passions. Cheers, Penny