Today we would like to introduce you to Amy
and her Etsy shop Mamie Co.
Mamie Co. has been selling on Etsy since December 2010, she specialize in making one of a kind, handcrafted felt memory games for kids of all ages, as well as lots of fun and useful baby carrier accessories. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.
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A couple of years ago I was brainstorming ideas for gifts I could make for the children in our small playgroup. One day as my son and I were playing a wooden version of the Memory Game, it occurred to me that the game was perfect for his age group. I decided I would try my hand at a homemade version. I made a felt game for each of the kids in the playgroup and in the days that followed after the gift exchange, I was contacted by almost every mom saying things like "Awesome gift!" "My child LOVES it!" and "You should sell these!" At first I brushed it off, but then the more I thought about it, the more it started to sound like a good idea. I researched and discovered that there were no games like mine on Etsy at the time, so I decided to make a few games and go for it!
What is the story behind your shop name?
"Mamie Co." is a play on my childhood nickname. As a young child, I had trouble pronouncing my first and middle name correctly. "Amy Nicole" came out "Mamie Cole." Even after I grew up, most of my extended family still referred to me as "Mamie Cole" and they continue to do so to this day. It is a nickname that reminds me of my childhood and brings me back home each time I hear it. When I was brainstorming ideas for a shop name, "Mamie Co." just popped into my head and I knew that it was the right fit.
What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
One of the most surprising things about opening my own shop has been the amount of time it takes for the peripheral things involved with running an online shop. Things like packaging items, printing postage labels, editing photos, writing listing descriptions, etc. take up just as much time as my actual crafting. It wasn't something I was wise enough to think about before opening my shop. I was focused on the time it takes to create my items and was quite surprised by how much time the "rest" of the stuff takes.
What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
I am a big believer in making sure the items I make are high quality. In the early days of my shop, I made my memory games from acrylic felt. I soon discovered that the quality of wool blend felt is head and shoulders above acrylic, so I switched to wool blend felt exclusively. I know that when I ship an item to a customer, my reputation is attached to that product, so I want my customers to be impressed. I want people to get exactly what they see in the photos and descriptions of my products and not be disappointed when their item arrives. I love making things that I personally love, which is how I ended up adding babywearing accessories to my shop offerings. I figure that if I love it or if my kids love it, then there are other parents and kids who will love it as well. If I can bring a smile to a child's face when they open their memory game pouch or make a mama's life easier with a babywearing product, then it is all worth it.
What do you do when you aren't working?
I feel like I am always working. As a wife, stay at home mom to two home schooled boys ages 6 and 3, and an Etsy shop owner, I am always busy and there is always something that needs to be done. I do intentionally keep my shop small enough and manageable enough so that we have plenty of quality family time and time to just do nothing. If I had free time, I would probably spend it reading books, watching movies, or going wine tasting with my husband.
Mamie Co. is offering a free shipping for our blog reader To use the coupon, visit her etsy store and enter code 'ETSYKIDSBLOG' at checkout. The voucher is valid on domestic shipping through the month of January 2013.
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