Name of your website?All-About-Stencils.com
Your name?
Penny M. Vedrenne
Your Location (city, etc)
New Orleans
Please give us a short summary of your website?
We offer extensive how to information for using stencils in decorative painting, such as step by step stencil painting, how to make a stencil and spray paint stencils. Find hints on decorating clothes and furniture. If you need the very basic information on stencils and stenciling or if you need some expert tips and techniques to breathe more life into your stencil, this is the place for you. Come find ideas on decorating furniture and customizing clothes and even free stencils to get you motivated.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
I started designing stencils years ago for my own use. Then I decided to publish my deisgns in book format (I currently have 19 collections available). Then I launched my own web site (www.designsfrompenny.com) to offer the stencil individually as downloadable files. This really opened up a door for me to communicate with other stencil artisans and I began to receive alot of questions. As I answered them I began to log and document all the procedures, ideas, techniques and tips that I discovered over the years. Before I knew it, I have a document that was 130 pages long and decided that I could put that information to good use. I wanted to motivate others to get involved with decorative painting and find the enjoyable experienced that I have had all these years.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
I launched www.designsfrompenny.com in April of 2007. This site offers unique stencil designs in downloadable pdf format so that crafters and artists can get on to their projects right away. Even though I planned it as just a hobby, it has grown at an enormous rate. I wanted a way to get more people involved so I launched www.all-about-stencils.com in March of 2008.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
That's really funny because it just sort of happened. I was working at this as a hobby and my first venue for sales was e-bay. I had a store called Designs By Penny. When I applied for a web site that name was not available so I ended up with Designs From Penny.
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
Other stencil suppliers offer the plastic pre-cut stencils that they will ship to you. My stencils are all downloadable pdf files. You get your stencil design immediately at purchase. This is also much less expensive because there is no manufacturing cost, storage costs or shipping costs. And all those savings are passed on to my customers. Also, since my designs are on paper, you can take them to a copy machine and resize them to fit your project size. With a plastic stencil you are restricted to the one or two sizes available.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
Wow! That's a tough one because I didn't know it would grow this far. I guess to be honest, if I could just have an opportunity to continue designing I just couldn't wish for anything more.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Well, the time and money invested so far has been high but I don't look back and wouldn't do anything different. I think that success is a measure of contentment and I'm there already. I have had more fun doing this and all I can say is that it's like a dream coming true. How many people can say they do what they love!
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
I wouldn't change a thing. I'm my own person and it's great!
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
My designs are downloadable. So supply is never low. My customers get their designs immediately after purchase. I guess the biggest demand on my is to keep pumping out quality designs.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
I guess like most people starting a new business, you think once you open the doors, people will flood your showroom. It's taken time, patience and persistence. But all well worth it.
What is your website address?
All-About-Stencils.com
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