Tell us a bit about yourself…

NAME: Cat Seto
HOMETOWN: Troy, Michigan
CURRENT TOWN: San Francisco, California
FAVE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: Secret Breakfast from Humphrey Slocombe
FAVE BREAKFAST FOOD: Soft scrambled eggs
FAVE HOLIDAY: Chinese Lunar New Year because we get to do a silly lion dance and light sparklers.
FAVE COLOR: Navy
FAVE MOVIE:  American Beauty
FAVE DECADE: The ’80s
FAVE BOOK: Too many to list…but a favorite is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.

Tell us about how you came to be an artist?
I have a BFA in painting which I put on the backburner when I had a grant to write the “great novel”. But after moving to San Francisco I was hit with horrible writer’s block and I started crafting finger puppets to pass the time. After creating hundreds of them I decided to turn those finger puppets into cards. And before I knew it I had illustrated a small stationery collection which I debuted in NY.

Is there a story behind the name of your company, Ferme à Papier?
Ferme à Papier loosely translates into Farm to Paper. I took my first trip to Paris two years ago and visited biodyamic farms in the countryside along with admiring the chic hipster Parisians in the city. When I returned a series of little drawings and sketches emerged from the trip which I then launched as Ferme à Papier. The entire series is about enjoying the small joys in our everyday.

What are the most rewarding and the most difficult parts of running your own business?
It can be a challenge to balance the creative with the business. Much of my day is filled with answering emails, corresponding on projects and making sure our studio is humming. But there is nothing more rewarding than being able to create something with my hands and share it with my community, retailers and customers. It’s a humbling experience and always reminds me of what’s important in my creative life.

How would you describe your style?
My collection is painterly, nostalgic and has a Paris meets Brooklyn kind of vibe.

Any other hobbies/interests?
I have a weakness for ice cream and my son and I have haunted just about every spot in the city a few times over. One of my proudest moments may have been when he was able to distinguish vanilla flavors from different parlors :).

Tell us about your new book, Mom Inc.
Mom,Inc. is a guide for establishing a creative business as a mother. It’s published by Chronicle Books and co-authored with Meg Ilasco. We give tips on our experiences as small business entrepreneurs and had the fortune of inverviewing 17 other amazing creative moms in design including the moms behind such beloved brands such as Dwell Studio and Skip Hop.

Mom, Inc. available from Chronicle Books

Tell us about your new Equestrian bedding set. What do you love most about it?
I’m really excited about the Equestrian set as horses are a theme that were beloved in my childhood as well as my son’s. I used to obsess over the accessories for my model horses so it was a lot of fun to design a sheet filled with horse bits! My Ferme à Papier collection has a deep color palette and I also love that the collection takes this on in a fun, playful mood.

How would you style it in a room?
I think this set would be lovely against all kinds of wood grain and textures…walnut headboards, oak floors, an old, vintage chair. It’s also perfect to pair with anything plaid.

Any other favorite Land of Nod products?
I don’t know where my life would be without Storagepaloozas. They house all of my son’s block, books, crafts and sit perfectly beneath my windows…just genius!

Check out Cat’s stationery line Ferme à Papier and her new bedding set here!