Feature Friday...Just a Few of Our Favorites

This featured Friday is just a few of our favorite items from a few members of the Amy's in the Arts team members.

Our leader Amy Richardson from Designami is loving this pair of golden yellow Bohemiam style dangle earrings from Amy Jo and her shop AJBCreations.

Perfect to compliment your summer fashion and fun to wear. Show them off at the beach or wear them with a cute summer dress while browsing the local farmer's markets.

Leader Amy Averitte from fAveritte creations chose these custom made fabric letters from Amy Fowler and her shop Lucary.

Have fun by handing your child a letter and a basket, and having them explore the house and fill the basket with items that begin with that letter...great for helping children learn their letters.

Check back each Friday to see who will be featured from the Amy's in the Arts team!

Featured Friday - Meet the Captain and the Leaders of your Amy's In the Arts Team

To kick off our first Amy's in the Arts features...I would like to introduce you to your fearless leaders and their Etsy shops



Please give a "WOOT WOOT" for our Team Captain:
Amy Dionne and her Etsy shop Heart of Autumn

How long have you been on Etsy?

I'll have my one year Etsyversary on Saturday June 23rd!

Describe your creations in your shop

Art quilts, bags, notebook covers

Are you an artist full-time?

Nope - I have a full-time day job.

What is your goal as our Team Captain?

My goal for the team is an active community of networking in a safe environment.

What does being an Amy mean to you?

Names are powerful, and sharing the name Amy creates an instant bond. No matter how different we are, or how different our shops are, we still have
a common element that brings this team together.

Where else can we find you?

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Website and Blog

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Now can we hear a "YAY YAY" for team leader:
Amy Richardson and her Etsy shop Designami

How long have you been on Etsy?

 I have been on etsy since 2008, however just became actively involved in 2012. I have joined several teams to include Amys in the Arts, Wired Team, and 2012 Jewelry Making Challenge Team.

 Describe your creations in your shop

I sell jewelry. I really enjoy wire-wrapping tumbled glass, shells, and anything that has a "natural" feel to it. I focus on jewelry making, but have begun to expand my product line to include photography, corn bags, hair accessories, and my favorite: Scarf jewelry. I pride myself on selling my jewelry at reasonable, affordable prices. I sell online but also frequent craft fairs in southern Maine.

Are you an artist full-time?

I am not an artist full-time, but I wish I could be. I work in health care full-time and creating is my way of destressing and it is very much a part of my everyday life.

What is your goal as a Team Leader?

My goal as a leader on this team is to engage the members. I have begun treasury challenges that offers opportunity for members to be promoted by selecting an item from their shop to serve as an "inspiration" for treasuries. I would love to see more members get involved. I also hope to start themed threads for the Amys to showcase holiday items, seasonal items, etc.

What does being an Amy mean to you?

Being an Amy means being unique, being compassionate, helpful, and a friend. My shop name is Designami which is a french twist on "Designs by Amy" and "Designs for friends". "ami" in french means friend.

Where else can we find you?

I am not a social networking kind of girl, so you won't find me on facebook, twitter, etc. I focus on promoting on Etsy. I do have a website where I advertise my upcoming craft fairs. Visit my website at: www.designami.com


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Give a "ZING ZING" for your team leader:
Amy Averitte and her Etsy shop fAveritte creations

How long have you been on Etsy?

I joined Etsy as a buyer in 2009, but did not list anything in my shop until January of 2011.

Describe your creations in our shop

Fun, unique, bright, silly, custom and personalized decor and handmade toys for the young and young at heart!

Are you an artist full-time?

I am very blessed to be able to be an artist full-time and stay at home with my toddler son.

What is your goal as a Team Leader?

I will be featuring Amy's in the Arts team members on our team blog. My goal is to help provide another source of promotion and marketing to help broaden traffic to our shops and web presence.

What does being an Amy mean to you?

Strength. Creative soul. Caring. An abundant amount of sillyness and dancing. A passion for life and complete joy in the small things.

Where else can we find you?

Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Pinterest

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And finally a "YOW YOW" for team leader:
Amy Barber and her Etsy shop ellasue designs

We will have to catch up with Amy Barber later on...she will be in charge of keeping up with our team Twitter.

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Please check back every Friday to discover Amy's, Aimee's, Amie's, Amee's...ok you get the idea...and their stories behind their creations and shops!

Treasury Inspiration Creation & Last Weeks Winning Treasury

Hi Team! Here's a fun game we can play that will help increase our teams exposure and will support Amys in the Arts!

Here are the rules:
-Create a treasury including the inspiration item in the first 2 rows.
-Try to include other "Amy" shops in your treasuries to help promote each other
-Create as many treasuries as you wish - Post your challenge treasuries in this thread
-The featured shop will choose their favorite treasury as the winner of the challenge
-The curator of the winning treasury will pick an item from their shop to serve as the inspiration piece for the following week, and we play again.
-Please tag your treasury "GoTeamAmy"
-The challenges will run for 5 days beginning on Monday and ending on Friday evening. This will allow the winner 2 days to choose their inspiration item for the next challenge.

Check out the team thread and view other treasuries created around the inspiration item here.

This weeks inspiration item is...

Gypsy Earrings, MYSTIQUE, Big earrings, Colorful, dangle earrings, bohemian jewelry, gypsy jewelry by AJB Creations

Check out Amy Jo's treasury Eye Popping Color! from last week that was chosen with the inspiration item from fAveritte creations - a pair of bright custom peace sign pillows.

Introducing Amy McCarthy of AmyOrangeJuice

Want to get to know us Amys better?

Here continues a series of getting-to-know-you interviews.
Next up: Amy McCarthy of AmyOrangeJuice

How long have you been an artist, and how long have you been active as a business artist?
I have always been creative and studied art at college and university. I intended to become an art therapist after I finished university, but life took me on a different path and I was a mental health worker in London for a long time. I started a stained glass course in 2003 as a hobby and was soon addicted! I set up in business 3 years ago and I have never looked back. My work is very varied; from small gift items made with recycled and waste glass (which I sell on Etsy and Folksy) to large stained glass window commissions and public sculptures. My work is shown in galleries around the UK and I love being able to be an artist for a living, its like living in a lovely dream!

Are you an artist full time?
As full time as I can be with a 5 year old and a 3 year old! (lots of late nights and weekends make my hours up to at least that of a full time job)

Who or what inspires you to create?
I live in Devon, which is a stunning part of the UK with the high tors of the moors turning into rolling countryside which leads to the sea and wonderful beaches on 3 sides of the county; so inspiration is all around me in the natural world and the vast majority of my work reflects nature in someway; from landscapes to flowers to insects (and everything in between). My creative friends and children also give me a wealth of ideas and I am a bit obsessed with Art Deco.

Describe your work space.
My lovely dad built me a studio on the side of our house and it is 2m wide and 6m long with a clear plastic roof to maximise light and electrics and running water. This is essential to my work as I cannot work with lead, glass and chemicals in the house and being in my garden makes me able to work flexibly around my children. The walls are lined with jars of recycled glass and I have a purpose built rack so I can flick through my sheet glass stock. I have a light box for glass painting and I have to keep the space as clean and tidy as possible as I work with sharp, hot and poisonous materials The kiln is in the garage, so no hope of getting a car in there!

What kinds of things do you like to do in your free time?
Spending time with my family and friends is my most favourite pass time, we love messing about at the seaside and walking in the forests and moors a short drive away. When I get the chance I love to knit and embroider, but sadly there is not much time for that. I swim 3 times a week as working from home can be a sedentary life and I find this a great time to work though creative blocks and ideas.

What is your favorite handmade item, made by you or given to you?
Cheesy as it sounds the creations of my children are some of my most prized possessions an abstract expressionist piece by my eldest daughter and a jelly fish and 2 fish made from paper plates and tissue paper are my favourite of their art works presently and are framed and displayed in our home along side paintings, prints and photographs by fellow artists.

What does being an Amy to you?
I have always liked my name, its short and sweet and as I am dyslexic I have always appreciated this! I am Amy McCarthy and if you google that you find I share my name with a very famous porn star; which must have shocked several people looking for my artwork over the years!


www.amyorangejuice.co.uk
amyorangejuice.wordpress.com
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www.twitter.com/amyorangejuice