This week we get to know Girlfromnorthcountry aka Michel! Michel is an handmade expert maven on ThisNext. She always finds new products an all areas of shopping, fashion, food, home, music etc. With her creative lists and detailed recommendations, Michel has become an amazing user of the site! So listen as we get to know her a litte better.

1. Can you write a haiku about you, your blog, or what you do? And/Or in one sentence describe yourself

dreamer obsessive compulsive happy and delusional

I am a designer for a gift ware company,the Clay Company,and I design with my partner, pewter ‘jewelry for the table. It is small, vintage and nature inspired.

2. What are the last five things you purchased and what is your next dream purchase?

The last things I’ve purchased are, a Schiaperelli vintage crocheted crown, a rosie the riveter military dress, Beatle’s Rock Band Special Edition, Franco Sarto black leather boots and a Target ruffled mini skirt. I would love rag and bone leather maryna jacket.

3.  What is your favorite movie about shopping and why?

I read ThisNext’s blog and I know this is a repeat for sure, but I love ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. I love Meryl Streep and her relationship with Anne Hathaway and the clothes from start to finish and I mean the frumpy ones, too, are amazing in their perfection to show the character changes. So like everyone else, that’s my feel good movie and of course ‘Sex and the City’.

4.   What has been your favorite ThisNext discovery

Just recently it was by another ThisNext recommender, fashionistaDIVAgrrrl, Lulu Guiness’ Union Jack Lips Clutch

5. Tell us a little about how you got started in your business and why you love it!

Its started with going back to art school and when got my first design job as an illustrator for a resort tee-shirt company. That lead to designing wine labels and ‘arty’ labels for ‘wine country’ food products, bookcovers and finally landed a secure positon as lead designer for the Clay Company.  We are really small, do all our design and production in Sonoma County and do all our own product styling,photography and packaging. Now we just have to get a decent looking website!  I still have time to pursue my own design interests and I love just about anything you can put the tag ‘design’ on and try to do it with varying degrees of success.

6. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

I would want to be Sailor Moon, she fights for justice, but gets tripped up a bit on the way, but always makes it work and she looks so cute.

7. If you could be a fruit what fruit would you choose and why?

I am a fruit, but if I had to pick one it would be a cherry, they just taste so good and are like little hearts.