Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Pernilla but my nickname here in the U.S. is Pennie. I design and create Gourmet Chocolate and Candy, Jewelry and so much more! This has always been a huge passion of mine and I have been doing it all for as long as I can remember and could never live without it.
In the very beginning of 2006, I left my beautiful country Sweden and moved to the U.S. since my husband is American. I like it a lot here, but I really miss Sweden and almost everything that comes with it, especially the FOODS! ;)I started my ArtFire Shop in Dec of 2010, and it was a big hit for me! I truly Love what I do, and I make sure to stay true to myself in every step of the way. To see the Wonderful Feed back I get from people warms my heart compleatly and is the reason why I am doing what I do.
In My ArtFire Shop you will find something different. I make my Original Fudge without pouring in sugar and butter, and for me this is something really special, and it means a lot to me that I am able to offer this for everyone out there who thinks about what they eat. I started 3 new Gourmet Lines about three months ago, and they include; Sugar Free, No sugar added and soy free. There are even more lines coming up soon, but this is a start. It took a lot of work and I really did it with help from Wonderful Friends who can't eat cane sugar for many reasons. Any type of food allergy that makes a person not beeing able to eat something sweet, well, that is why I started these Gourmet Lines which I am very proud of.
My Gourmets are made with only the finest ingredients that I select from Sweden, Belgium, Germany, France and the USA. I LOVE Organic and All natural so Of Course I use these Ingredients as much as I possibly can! Using some of my family's old recipes and adding my own touch to them makes it tasty out of this world! :)
How and when did you become interested in your craft?
I can't really say when, because I don't remember not beeing interested in doing what i do.
What inspired you to open your shop?
I have almost always had my own business, and that it the way to go for me, so opening my shop online was something that I had been dreaming about for some time before I did it. My Husband is behind me all the way, and he has been the one inspiering me the most.
Where did your shop name come from?
Since I am Swedish and live here in the U.S. I thought that the perfect name for my shop would be
Pernilla's Something Swedish. Everything that I make is made by my Swedish hands.
Where/How did you learn your craft?
Having My Mother and My Grandmother as professional Cooks and Bakers, I was quick to follow in their foot steps.
Is there something that you do differently than other people in your craft?
Yes! :) I make my Gourmet Chocolates/Candy very differently from other people. I leave out the butter, oli and extra poured in sugar etc in my Fudges. Customers can Truly Indulge with My Goodies without getting a Sugar shock or get that bad feeling from eating sweets. All of My Chocolate/Candy are Truly Gourmet to the fullest!
* My Top 10 ingredients.
* My inspiration.
* My Husband.
* My Bead collection.
* My Passion for what I do.
What is your favorite item in your shop?
That is such a hard question to answer... But, i would have to say that right now I am in Love with My No Sugar Added Caramel BOMB Fudge! :)
What is the most exciting thing that has happened since you've started?
Well, many things has been very exciting to me since I started, but to tell a few of them I would have to say; Making it to the front page of ArtFire and Etsy more then 1 time each. Also to have customers coming back to me often, that to me is so exciting and wonderful!
What’s the best advice you’ve been given in regards to what you do?
To stay true to myself and to always be honest no matter what. That is who I am and would not change a thing.
Do you take custom orders? If so, how do they work?
Yes I do. I work with my customers all the way when they want something special or different made. Customers usually ask me if I can make them something different, maybe because of their allergies or they want to give someone their favorite gift etc. I am always open to custom orders, and all you have to do is ask. ;)
Besides crafting, what else do you do? What are your other interests?
I use to own a Beautysalon for about 10 years in Sweden and have a huge passion for everything including well being from the inside and out of the human body. My other great passion is animals. I had 2 horses in Sweden, cows and the greatest of all, Dogs. I still have dogs, 2 of them and a Holland lop Bunny.
Why do you do what you do?
Without doing what I do, I think I would be a very sad person. This is my passion in life and to create brings out the best in me.
How do you make time to craft?
This is what I do full time, and Loving it!
What advice would you give someone just learning your craft?
My advice here would be to read about my shop and to see what I have in my Gourmets. To ask me questions whenever you have one, and to learn about my ingredients.
What advice would you give someone new to online selling?
My advice would be to always stay true to yourself. Belive in what you do even though it can take time for shoppers to see you and your work.
Are you hungry yet? Ready to go purchase some special Swedish goodies? You can find Pennie at her Artfire or Etsy shops as well as on her blog. Go check out her shops and discover for yourself all the wonderful array of goodies she offers! Whether you're wanting a treat for yourself or you're looking for a gift for someone special, Pernilla's Something Swedish is definitely the place to start! :)
