In the Studio with Anna D’Angelo-Attard, Amelie Jo

Tell us about yourself: I am a stay at home mother, faithfully tending to my muse, sweet Amelie Jo. Not so long ago, I owned a web boutique, where I sold American made and handmade children’s clothing by many talented Etsy artists.  I had an epiphany, one sunny afternoon, when I found a vintage portrait of a wise, old owl and a blank, white tee in my baby girl’s closet. I was soon lost in creativity, carefully adding colorful buttons and a bit of hand embroidery. I fell in love with the result and had much too much fun with the process!  I realized that I had just created a piece that I had been searching for since my child’s birth – an affordable, organic, vintage inspired tiny bit of heaven, punctuated with a little flair and a whole lotta love!

Did you gain any formal training? I have never had formal training. I seem to pick up craft work easily through watching others and reading. I have an idea in my head and I try to create it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. What doesn’t work is what I learn the most from.

What is your studio like? The ‘studio’ is a space that I share with my husband in the basement. A special room that he built that is cozy and warm.  His intention was that we share the space, however my crafts seem to have taken over!

How do you find the time to dedicate to your work? I am a stay at home mom, so I work whenever my sweet Amelie Jo is sleeping.  That usually means that I do not get a lot of sleep!  I also have a 13 year old step daughter who lives with us almost full time and is involved with 4H.  A 13 year old and a 15 month old both need a lot of attention, so my work takes a backseat to them.

Tell us about the materials you use: I prefer to use organic cotton for the shirts that I make. I am very interested in living an organic lifestyle – I make my own cleaning products and purchase organic or locally grown food-  and feel that organic cotton is the best material for baby skin.  Plus, I tea stain most of my items and organic cotton is the perfect material for doing so.  I love adding vintage buttons because they make mu items one of a kind.  I would like to use more upcycled materials in the future.

Where do you sell your work? At the moment, I only sell my work on Etsy, however I am interested in wholesaling to boutiques.

Why do you think people should buy handmade? People should buy handmade because a lot of love and care goes into each item that an artist sells.  Handmade is sweatshop free, out source free and the customer can be satisfied that they have not taken advantage of another citizen of this world in order to wear a fancy t shirt.  Handmade keeps art alive and growing.  Most handmade artists give back to their communities in small and large ways, which helps future generations.

What goals do you have for your handmade business? My goals are to keep growing my shop and product line.  I want to always be able to stay at home with my sweet Amelie Jo, so I would like to be a successful shop owner and crafter.  Someone that my family can be proud of.