Handmade Spotlight (and Giveaway!): Mami Made It

Hello, dear readers! Today I am so excited to feature MamiMadeIt.Etsy.com, an new handmade artist on Etsy from Vienna, Austria! Petra of MamiMadeIt says that she was always good at sewing, which she learned from her mother. But affter she left home for college, she totally neglected it. After marriage and having a baby, she stayed at home and suddenly wished to sew again! She was recommended to Etsy by a friend and wanted to own her own business. Right now, MamiMadeIt offers elegant Bottle Bags and adorable Bunnies, all which are sewn by Petra. Everything in the shop is made with fun fabrics and is priced just right! MamiMadeIt opened on August 31, 2009 and had its first sale 6 weeks later. Perhaps you could be the next!



Petra's favorite item in her shop right now is her bunnies. She developed her own pattern (which an artist deserves to be proud of!). One great thing about these bunnies is that she has also dreamed up accessories for them! What a great gift for a young one that is sure to be a treasured keepsake throughout the years.



Here is Petra's advice for new etsians: "Read the forums every day. All Etsians are there to help you with their knowledge and wisdom. I learned so much just with reading through the forums all the time. And I think it is important not to be focused on profit or somebody else but for yourself." I have to agree with her! I learned so much browsing the forums! Simple things too, that are outlined clearly somewhere else on Etsy, I just wasn't smart enough to go looking for it! I also love how she points out that you have to do this for you! I started my Etsy shop because I wanted something to do to pass the time, and also because I loved to craft. Whenever I get discouraged about sales, etc... I always remember that I am doing this for ME and nothing else!

Petra says it is difficult to pick a favorite Etsy shop. She says this is because there are so many, and the people behind the shops are the sweetest people! She mentions that she has "met so many nice people through twitter and blogging". Social networking is a great tool to utilize with a shop! You meet so many wonderful people who are interested in the same things as you and really help keep you encouraged and focused!

When not busy with Etsy, Petra likes to garden and read. "I read anything I can grab but at the moment I am crazy about Middle Ages thrillers" she says. Before we take a look at MamiMadeIt, I would love to share this quote with you from Petra: "My creative work makes me proud and satisfies me. I hope my daughter will be interested in these things too and I am able to pass on the joy, pride and satisfaction of making things by herself."





You can find MamiMadeIt on any of these sites:
Shop: http://mamimadeit.etsy.com
Blog: http://mamimadeit.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mamimadeit
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamimadeit

And now let's get down to the GIVEAWAY!

You have the chance to win a fabulous Green and White Holiday Bottle Bag! This bag has a padded bottom and a handle at the top and is REUSABLE! You will get lots of bonus points at your holiday parties for being so eco-friendly! Not to mention the bonus points you receive for showing up to a party with a great bottle of wine or champagne (or eggnog, perhaps?) in such a great bag. Or, if you are more into the spirit of giving than I am, this is a great way to present a bottled gift! There is a pocket sewn on to the front of the bag so you can stick in a great holiday card or greeting. This is an $18 value!


How to enter:

Do any of the following and say so in a comment. One comment per each entry! Winner will be chosen by random number selection at random.com. Leave a way that I can contact you with each comment so I contact you if you win! If you are already following the blogs or MamiMadeIt on Twitter, just leave a comment saying so and you will still be entered!

-Follow this blog
-Follow MamiMadeIt's blog
-Follow MamiMadeIt on Twitter
-Visit MamiMadeIt's shop and comment back with your favorite item
-Blog, tweet, or promote this giveaway in the forums or on facebook & comment with a link

For 5 bonus points, purchase anything from MamiMadeIt's shop and comment here with a link to the purchased item.

Contest ends 12:00 AM on Saturday, November 21.