Inside Etsy Studio Visits || Toodles Noodles

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Liora- designer + owner of Toodles Noodles

This month our Inside Etsy Studio Tour takes us to New Zealand.
Liora of Toodles Noodles shares with us her workspace and what inspires her designs.

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Where is your studio located?

In May of 2007 I hopped on a plane from California to New Zealand - for what was supposed to be few months holiday. Six years later I am a happy resident and am extremely proud to call NZ my home. A little over a year ago my boyfriend and I moved from Wellington (the capital and foodie central) to Auckland (the big city with warmer temperature). I compare it to moving from San Francisco (a walkable waterfront city), to Los Angeles (a city full of little neighbourhoods and suburbs).

Auckland is a great town to live in and have seen my business really grow since the move. Being a bigger city, there are lots of opportunities to be had.

We recently decided to convert our rarely used dining area into my new office. It's fantastically full of light, extremely spacious and has a great view out to our balcony. I work on a new 27" iMac (my poor eyes were aging way too quickly) and have an insane amount of storage full of product. I also keep two canisters of ribbon on my desk - completely normal ;)

stay awesome tote bag
bah bah black sheep notepad
animals like to party gift wrap
hello friend tote bag
chevron cake toppers 

How did you get started in your craft? What inspires you?

I graduated from American University in Washington, DC with a double degree in Graphic Design and Visual Communications (with an emphasis in photography). In the autumn of 2011, I suddenly found myself with a lot of time on my hands and was in search of a creative outlet. The brand started out with me creating simple gift cards and gift wrap. Since then the brand has grown exponentially. I am constantly inspired by my surroundings and the beautiful landscape that defines New Zealand.

workspace and iMac
rolls of gift wrap in the studio
totes and more
a view of the studio
Liora at her desk

What are the top 3 tools that are most important in your craft?

Three things that I couldn't go without for my craft (business) are:
my hands - I still create a lot of my products by hand, something I really love.
my mac - I live and breath InDesign.
and my iphone - crucial for a small business owner (top apps: pages, instagram (@tootsnoots), twitter (@tootsnoots), Etsy)

The Coromandel- North Island, North Island countryside
Auckland in summer- the pohutukawa flower,  The Crown range - South Island
view from her balcony at sunset-Auckland,  Milford Sounds- South Island
Waitakere Ranges- North Island

 Does music play a role in your creating or do you like to work in silence?

It depends what I am working on if I have music playing. If it's a big production session, music is usually blasting in the studio. But if I am working on something that requires a lot of concentration, I absolutely love silence.

new cray cray cards

What are the greatest rewards of creating something that is handmade?

The satisfaction of seeing high quality products and knowing "I made that"!is pretty awesome, especially with the amazing feedback I have received on my products from all over the world. I now get a lot of my products professionally produced here in New Zealand but that doesn't take any of the fun out. Not to mention when you see something you've created in the stores, or worn on the street by others - it's the best feeling ever!

Liora || Toodles Noodles