Screenprinter of the Month: SoHoKiTtEn!

One Cool Kitten
By Lux

Lux: Can you believe we've known each other since 2002? That's 6 years. I've barely known irl friends that long. haha Does it feel like you've been doing the diy/business thing that long? I feel like it was just yesterday I got into all this stuff...

SK: 2002?! OMG....haha. Yeah...that seems like forever ago. I'm really glad we've stayed in touch for so long. ^_^ You know, I actually do feel like I've been DIYing for that long. I mean, I still enjoy it and all but I feel like I was born creating stuff. CHEESE. :P

Lux: So do I. I remember always making things as a kid, but unlike most kids I was always trying to sell the things I made! I knew I’d have my own business even then…lol I‘m glad we‘ve stayed in touch too. J You’re one of the few people who have managed to stay cool over the years. I won’t name names but some of my “friends” have gotten way too full of themselves. Have you had that experience?

SK: haha! Lux the Little Entrepreneur! ^_^ Too cute. I know a few people, friends even, who have just let their egos explode. I mean, you have to have a thick skin and confidence (especially when you have your own business) because not everyone is going to like you and you need to get over that, but there's that line that I will just never cross. I am not Paris Hilton. I like myself but if you don't I'm not going to try even harder to make you like me. I think that's when people become fake. Know what I'm sayin'? haha

Lux: Exactly! Some of these chicks swear they’re celebrities. Of course some of them actually are but only on the internet ladies! I can’t be fake. I think I tried it once. Didn’t work for me. That must be why I don’t have 8000 friends on Myspace. (boo hoo) But enough of the silly sheisser, let’s get down to brass tacks: what is a typical day like for you?

SK: A typical day? OMG....haha Well, I begin by waking up to my obnoxious cell phone alarm. Its set to a dazzling tune that my husband likes to make up words for. I drink coffee, talk to my husband for a little bit, wake up my son, take my dog out to pee and get dressed. After I see my husband off and my son is all ready for school, I drop him off and walk to work. I'm a grooming assistant by day and depending on the schedule I can assist with up to 15 dogs.....in 5-6 hours. O_O I leave work with aches and pains - I refer to those aches and pains as "dog arm" or "dog elbow". Sometimes, especially if there’s a Newfoundland in that day, I leave with "dog body". Its like the flu.....with hair. T_T When I get home, I shower, check my email and eat a snack. I then walk to school to get my son and return home, help him do his homework and chillax until 6 - 7PM when my husband gets home. I then eat dinner and we all go for a walk with my bastard dog. He has sharp teeth. We usually all end up in bed by about 8:30 - 9. We are boring. Busy and boring. I try to sneak in crafting time everyday but its pretty tough with "dog body". I doodle while I wait for internet pages to load though! Does that count?? (OH, BTW, do you have a facebook??? I have to find you on there if you do *stalk*)



Lux: Dog elbow! You love it! You could be describing my day only without the dog or the “real“ job lol. We’re pretty boring/normal here too. I kind of like it that way though you know? I couldn’t go out and party every night like some people do. I’d rather be home reading or knitting or something lame like that. What about you? If you had the chance to go out and tear up the whole party/fashion scene ala coked up models, horny photographers and guys in all black smoking cloves who no one really knows what the hell they do would you? Tell the truth now!
(Oh by the way I don’t have a face book. At one point I had signed up for all the networking sites but just couldn’t keep track of them all. It’s just more trouble than it’s worth to me. I stick to a few LJ, blogspot, squidoo…)

SK: It really depends on my mood! I'm pretty spontaneous and if I have the chance to go out and let loose with my friends I definitely will....if I don't have "dog body", that is. But 9 times out of 10 you'll catch me at home, in bed with my husband watching reruns of "The Family Guy" on DVD, eating Qdoba or Baja Fresh. We love our burrito and we love to be anti-social while eating said burritos!



Lux: You know I’m not a big burrito fan. I think I may be the only Mexican in the world who hates beans. Ha! If I get the chance to go out I do too, it just doesn’t happen that often. Finding babysitters and getting a group together is a rare occurrence these days. You know how it is for us old folks. But when I do go out I do it up right. You’ll always find me in some crazy outfit I made! Do you often wear your own designs?

SK: I like wearing my designs during the week, just hanging out. I get a lot of compliments, mainly from parents at my son's school and of course, kids! They usually notice my bright pink hair first though! You have no idea how many times I've heard the exclamation, "MOMMY! That girl has pink hair!" haha Gotta love kids for pointing out the obvious. My favorite thing to wear that I have made has to be my Yummy Bunny tank top or my Captain Scallywags the Pirate Bunny necklace. I should be renamed SoHoBuNnY. Lol



Lux: I like wearing your designs too. But I usually get weird looks from the other moms at my daughter’s school. I live in an area where 80% of the moms have fake boobs and drive Acuras. Oh well f*ck ‘em! SoHoBuNnY’s cute! It could be like your couture line. :P So what are you working on right now? Any new plans for the business?

SK: haha! fake boobs and Acuras....HOT. I am currently working on a project for DiYScene. Two other members and I are collaborating and I don't want to give too many details but there will be a photo shoot involved. CRYPTIC. :P I am doing a new twist on an established character....or I'm giving that character a similar friend.....hmmmm....which one is it? lol My business plans aren't very well thought out. I'm hoping (fingers crossed) to print a few more tops next week but we'll see how that goes. I'm always up for a custom order! ^_~

Lux: That sounds like fun. You Diy Scene girls always have something going on. Since your business plans are not that well thought out would it be futile to ask where you see SoHoKiTtEn in 5 years?



SK: I envision SoHoKiTtEn to still be going strong 5 years from now. If not on Etsy, in some other form. I will never stop drawing or painting or having silly, creative ideas. And as those ideas have evolved from 5 years ago, they will continue to in 5 years from now. SoHoKiTtEn is go! Haha

Lux: Yay! I’m glad to hear it, but let’s rewind a bit and how did you get into it? How did you decide to do screen printing? I remember way back in the day you were doing all kinds of stuff like hand painting shoes…

SK: Hmmm....I remember my husband (who was my boyfriend at the time lol) used to always look on Ebay for unique DIY clothing. This is probably back in 2001 or 2002. I then had the idea to start my own seller account and after selling a few clothing items and establishing good feedback I started modifying all the clothes I sold. I LIVED at the thrift stores and fabric stores. haha My room was all sewing machine and fabric. After I moved, I didn't really have the time or space to sew as much but that’s when I really started doing hand-painted designs of t-shirts, mini tote bags and those shoes! My husband has worked in the screen-printing business for years so I started having him print me a couple things on the side every once in a while. And thus, SoHoKiTtEn's Etsy shop was born. I am focusing mainly on painting, screen prints and hand-drawn plastic necklace charms.....do you still have those shoes?! LOL I had a pink sparkly leopard print pair forever and just recently had to let them go cause they were all gross from me wearing them non-stop. haha Those were a pretty popular seller. ^_^




Lux: I LOVED those shoes. I wore them all the time so sadly, no I don’t still have them. They started getting grody. That’s good luck that you already had a screen-printing connection. I’ve thought about doing that too. The closest I came was designing a couple shirts on Café Press. It never really went anywhere. But anyway I have one last question for you: Are you going to vote? If so who for and why? I ask everyone this, but if it’s too personal you don’t have to answer I understand!

SK: Voting is a weird subject for me. I know that right now I am scared to death of Palin. She's pretty good at hiding behind that hockey mom persona....and at having babies....and praying. Yeah....I think I'll stop myself before I go too far. :P xoxo SoHoKiTtEn >^..^<>

Lux: Understood. :)

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