Featured Friday with Don't Panic Design

Please give three cheers and help welcome Amy Vanderhoof and her Etsy shop Don't Panic Design

Let's discover Amy's story...

Custom color chevron stripe bridal shower

What is your first creative memory?
We used to stay with my grandmother for two weeks every summer. I remember being in her backyard and painting used soda bottles with this green crackle paint. It was weird and cool and fun, and I still have that bottle. We also folded butterflies out of magazine pages. I remember being amazed that you could make something so pretty out of something so ordinary. 

How long have you been an artist and an active business artist?
I have been actively creating art in my personal life for about 14 years, like collages and drawing (which I am terrible at). I began learning layout and design skills at a job I had in college, and slowly over the years I have added to that skill set. I have been making invitations for friends and family on and off this whole time. I've been in business for 9 months.

How did you hear about Etsy and how long have you been selling on Etsy?
I had come across etsy before on stumbleupon, and came back to look at the unique jewelry (my first exposure to steampunk, which I love) and other things you can't find in stores. Last year, my sister encouraged me to open a shop. So I did, my first attempt at business, on the eve of October 31st, 2011. My first sale was November 1st, 2011, which was super exciting and very encouraging, because I didn't make another sale until January of this year. 

How did you come up with your shop name?
I had a hard time with this one. I originally tried to come up with something that had to do with Montana, but when it came down to it, I had to choose my life's motto: Don't Panic. Ever since I was in college, this has been my personal tag line, as I am prone to panic, and have dealt with many others over the course of my work who are panicking at the last minute of a project. But, things will get done, and they will be fine, so we should all not panic. Besides having a personal connection to this name, I felt it was apt in the realm of invitation (primarily wedding) design.

Custom colors thank you cards

Are you an artist full time?
I am a full time person. I work on my business all the time. I do lots of other things part time, including work two different "day" jobs, create and sew purses for myself and my friends, read and continue to learn, create, build (with power tools as often as I can), help my friends and family with DIY projects. Much of this utilizes the skills of an artist. I am not even sure I am a part time artist, much less a full time one. However, I use creativity every single day. 

What inspires you?
Helping people get something they love is the first thing that inspires me; after that, everything! I am constantly looking around myself and picking out the things that surround my life that I am drawn to, and then I pick out elements to incorporate into my designs. Art, nature, jewelry, color, packaging.

What do you listen to or watch while creating?
Just about anything can be on in the background, including nothing, and I probably wouldn't notice. I have eclectic taste in music, and what I listen to is dependent on how I feel on any given day. 



Save the date feather custom colors

Describe your work space

I work on my laptop, and I can do it anywhere. I sometimes sit outside, or at the kitchen table, or on the couch. My computer is well organized into a series of folders and my laptop desktop is usually littered with work in progress or proofing files. 

What does being an Amy mean to you?
It means simplicity, bravery, compassion, attempting to stay grounded, something red, and less is more.

Where else can we find you?
dontpanicdesign.etsy.com
dontpanicdesign.blogspot.com
facebook.com/dontpanicdesign