Shop We Love: Chit Chat with regansbrain

I am a very visually inspired person, so I am inspired by all of the images I see around me on a daily basis. Magazines, nature, blogs, photos ... you name it. 

When did your shop open? 

August of 2006 

How did you come up with the name for your shop? 

Do you remember the commercial, "This is your brain. And this is your brain on drugs. Any questions?" That inspired me to think about my own brain — Regan's brain. 

What’s your personal favorite item in your shop? 

This is a really tough question, but I have to go with the Edgar Allan Pillow, because that's where it all (really) got started. 

What is one of your favorite online shops/sellers? 

There are way too many to choose, so I'll pick the person that inspired me to start crafting in the first place. Sarah Neuburger, owner of the small object, was the person who I looked up to and realized that making things and selling them online is completely possible. She started way back in the day, before Etsy, and sold her clothespin people on a first come, first serve basis. She would set a launch date and post the photos of the new clothespins online. You would email her with the clothespin person you wanted. It was crazy! They would sell out quickly, too. I still have my dryer sheet clothespin that I bought from her. A little reminder of why I started doing this in the first place! 

What's one important lesson you've learned about your business? 

There are a lot of other shop owners and crafters that want to see you succeed. They are willing to help you if you let them. It's a huge "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" mentality out there. Don't be afraid to ask someone else for help, or reach out to other shop owners and bloggers. We are all in this together! 

Have a simple tip for other sellers? 

Take great photos. I still feel like I need work on this, but I learn new things all of the time. Shoot and re-shoot until you get it right! 

Do you have an official site or blog? 

I have my Etsy site and my blog. 

What blogs or sites do you enjoy for tips and ideas? 

For ideas, I love Stop Stealing My Look and Antler Magazine. As for tips, I don't have a favorite. It depends on what I am doing at the time. If I run into a snag, I usually google the project or problem. Design*sponge and Apartment Therapy tend to show up a lot! 

What's your favorite time of day to work? 

The afternoon and late into the evening. I usually wake up, get a coffee, run a few errands, then come home and work. A lot of times I won't be done with my day until midnight. I'm a night owl, so this is natural for me!