Seller Spotlight: Southern Market Designs

Join us for another exciting installment in our Seller Spotlight series, where we celebrate the array of talented independent designers selling in our marketplace. In this edition, we chat with Laura from Southern Market Designs.

Image Credit: Southern Market Designs

Laura's shop caught our attention after seeing her Farmhouse Styled Wood Sign Mockup trending in the Craft Mockups category. Laura is well known by crafters and designers alike for her amazing mockups and photos. She has a lovely style and knows how to set the scene with her props and staging!

Read on to discover Laura's creative process, top tips for other sellers, future goals, and so much more.



Hey Laura! Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Heidelberg, Germany, while my Dad was in the Army and raised in GA after I was two years old. I've been married to my husband for 22 years. My husband was in the Army, so we have lived in several places over the years until his recent retirement. We have two sons, 15 years apart…better late than never, right? Before I started selling digital products online, I was a Nurse for several years.

When we were stationed in WA state, I decided to rent a space in an Antique district to sell the signs and furniture I was making. As my following grew, I got a lot of questions from other small businesses asking about how I took my photos and that is how I got started in creating mock-up photos.

Image Credit: Southern Market Design's Framed Front Porch Wood Sign Mockup

What is your favorite product type to create, and how did you discover it as a niche?

I love being outdoors, so front porch or outdoor photos are my favs to create!

How would you describe your style?

Bright and airy farmhouse is usually my style, but recently I’m loving more of an industrial modern look for my photos.

Image Credit: Southern Market Design's Bathroom Blank Candle Label Mockup

What (or who) inspires you to make new designs or create your products?

Not to sound cheesy, but my customers! It makes me so happy to hear that the mock-ups I create are helping them in their business. I also love hearing ideas or things they would love to see in the future.

What does a typical day look like for you behind the scenes?

No day is typical without a minimum of 2 cups of coffee to start the day! My mornings are designated for teaching my youngest son. Homeschooling is new for us, so I’ve gone from working my business full time to part-time. After lunch is when I usually work on answering messages, and emails, taking photos, or editing.

Image Credit: Southern Market Design's Noodle Board Stove Top Mockup

What is your designing tool (or tools) of choice?

My camera is a Nikon D750, and my fav lens is 24-70mm. I use Photoshop to edit my photos and Canva for quick graphics.

What's your best-selling item?

My best seller is a 12x12 flat lay simply styled with a farmhouse feel.

Image Credit: Southern Market Design's 12 x 12 Inch Square Wood Sign Flat Lay Mockup

What's something you wish you knew when you started designing or creating?

Correct image size! Along with making the photo versatile enough to be used on multiple platforms.

What tips would you have for any new designers or sellers wanting to start?

Just go for it! You’ll talk yourself out of anything if you think about it long enough. Don’t look at other shops and compare! Find your style and stick to it; the right customers will find you.

Image Credit: Southern Market Design's Wood Round Sign Mockup

Do you have any future goals for your Design Bundles shop?

A future goal for my shop is to add smart objects and PNG photos. I would love for my customers to have more options when using my photos.

Where can we find you online?

Facebook Group: SMD Maker Mockups

Instagram: Southern Market Designs

Pinterest: Southern Market Designs

Thanks so much, Laura, for taking part in the Design Bundles Seller Spotlight series. We loved learning more about you, your creative process, inspiration, and top tips. And a big thanks to our wonderful readers and designer community. Stay tuned for the next installment of the Seller Spotlight series.