We are head over heels for Kissycake and the animal menangerie that characterize Kim Baxter’s line of hand sewn tote bags and silkscreened onesies and hoodies. From her home base in Portland, Oregon, Kim juggles her expanding business and her band All Girl Summer Fun Band (scroll down to see one of the band’s videos!) Kim kindly took the time to share a little of her busy world with us. Thanks Kim!

1. Were you interested in arts and crafts as a kid? What’s the first thing you remember creating?

I loved doing arts and crafts as a kid. My mom was always really good about coming up with fun art projects for my brother, sister, and I. We would paint, collage, decorate clothing, make little outfits for peanut people, and write songs. I remember trying to hand sew pants for myself once. They of course fell apart the moment I put them on.

2. Tell us about your home life.

I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico but I currently live in Portland, Oregon. I have been here for about ten years. I live with my husband and our dog. We don’t have kids yet but plan to in the future. I have two young nieces who I adore and try to visit as often as I can.

3. When and where do you craft/create/design? Do you have any other jobs in
addition to your small business, and if so, what?

I have a studio/sewing room in our house where I create and store all of the Kissycake products. When I’m not working on Kissycake I am writing songs and playing music with my band “All Girl Summer Fun Band” (www.agsfb.com).

4. Did you collect anything as a kid? Do you collect anything now as an adult?

I collected everything as a kid. I recently found that out when I went home to help my parents clean out the garage. I collected Smurfs, Monchhichis, My Little Pony, Barbies, Hello Kitty (I have to admit….I just recently stopped collecting Hello Kitty. I’ve been slowly letting go of my collection by handing it down to my nieces). When my band goes on tour I like to keep a poster from each show. So I suppose that is my current collection.

5. What were your favorite toy and your favorite book when you were a kid?

My Dad read with me every night before bed when I was little. Our favorite books to read were Richard Scarry’s “Best Word Book Ever”, Eastman’s “Are you my Mother”, and Slobodkina’s “Caps for Sale”. My favorite toy was the dollhouse that my mom built and decorated for me. It had blue shag carpet and pink velvet wallpaper!

6. Who encourages you in your artistic pursuits? Who or what inspires you to continue creating?

My family is very supportive and encouraging. I also have an amazing group of friends here in Portland that are very creative and motivate me everyday just by doing the things they love. My husband is also very supportive and together we have been figuring out ways to make our lives fun and rewarding everyday. I love working with other small companies & stores. I think it is really important to work alongside other small, independent businesses. It provides us with a healthy community where people can be creative and supportive of one another.