Etsy Featured Artist - Amy of Wonderland Boutique

This week's Etsy Featured Artist is Amy of Wonderland Boutique.  I can personally say that Amy makes an excellent quality product.  I came across this cosmetic bag "Matryoshka Moments" in Amy's shop and just fell in love with it.  It was so perfect for my mom for Christmas.  Amy provided prompt shipping, excellent communication and the best for the kids-little candies that the boys enjoyed.  They can't wait for me to shop at Wonderland Boutique again!  It was certainly a sweet deal.  Let's find out about Amy...

1. Tell us about you ~ your name, location, hobbies and interests. Where do you sell your handmade items?

My name is Amy Williams, and I live in South Wales in the UK. I love to sew (obviously!) and am somewhat of a movie freak with horror usually winning out. I love to eat out with friends - together with a requisite glass of wine, and I also devour books like they’re going out of fashion. Live music is high on my list too, as well as getting to outsider and lowbrow art shows when I can. I sell my handmade items generally online through my Etsy store, Wonderland Boutique, but I’m also stocked in a few boutiques and have also shown at craft fairs.

2. Tell us about your art and how you got your start selling your handmade items on Etsy?

Well I’ve always enjoyed sewing and I initially started by making bags for myself and my friends. I then decided to see if there could be a wider market for my items and started to offer a custom-made service through a MySpace account. This went surprisingly well, until joy of joys, I stumbled upon the wonder that is Etsy! After buying up about a million gorgeous things for myself, I decided that its indie ethos and love of all things handmade made Etsy perfect for me to try out my wares. So, a quick set-up and name-change later, and Wonderland Boutique was born!

3. What inspires your art?

It really varies, but my designs are heavily influenced by my own tastes. I love nature and have a current preference for bird, woodland and floral-themed pieces. I also take a lot of influence from the kind of art I love, which can go from the pin-up portraits of the 40’s and 50’s to the cartoonish style of Seonna Hong. I generally have a tendency towards a retro aesthetic, with a leaning towards vintage style prints, kitsch touches and sweet finishing details. It’s all about polka dots and bows, sweet florals and more than a hint of red lips and attitude in my little corner of Wonderland!

4. What is your own favourite design/creation/painting and why?
My current favourite (it changes all the time!) is a Clutch Bag called ‘Heart of Glass’.

It features a simple stripe print cotton in black and white and an oversized bow detail, which has a really sweet all-over heart print. I adore its use of monochromatic colours, and as there’s a whacking great bow in the centre of the bag, needless to say – I’m sold! I just think it’s really fun and cute and would add a great finishing touch to any outfit.

5. Do you have any advice for those who are new to selling on Etsy?

Photos. Photos. Photos! They are so important, and it took me an age to figure out and settle on a style that suited my particular product.

Spend time looking through Etsy and take note of what catches your eye and draws you to a product and try and emulate that same pull when you create your own listings. Also, re-listing your items regularly is vital as it keeps you high in the search stakes, and outside promotion (thank you Cara!) is a seller’s dream. (You are very welcome!)

6. Do you have any favorite Etsy artists?

Oh there are so many wonderful artists and designers to choose from, but here are some of my absolute favourites: Beautiful Skin, All those Threes, Sisicata, Untamed Menagerie, Pretty Racoon Clothing, Belle and Boo, Someplace Elsewhere, Monster Gallery, Circles and Squares, and Made With Love By Hannah.

7. Do you have anything else you'd like to share? Are there any other websites or stores where we can find you?

I absolutely adore making custom pieces, so if anyone ever has something specific in mind – from the most outlandish fabric that they can’t find anywhere else, to a simple sweet coin purse, then just pop on over to Wonderland Boutique.  I’d love to work with you and create something unique just for you!  Also, you can find and follow me at my Twitter, my Flickr and my Blog.

I had to add one more photo...I love this color combination!  Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to stop by Wonderland Boutique!