Skip to main content

About


Hi there! Thanks for stopping by. I'm Alyssa, owner and creator of Amaia Papaya. I'm a mom to two amazing kids, Amaia and Alexander. In my spare time you can find me sitting behind my sewing machine, designing up new bags, or setting up shop at a local craft market. 

 I opened my first Etsy shop in 2014 just a few short months after my daughter was born. We had been calling her Amaia Papaya since she was in my belly, so the name just naturally fit.
My mom taught me to sew when I was a young kid, but it honestly was not love at first stitch. Thanks to a rickety old machine that was constantly jamming, I often gave up. Fast forward a few years and thanks to a brand new machine, I'm absolutely hooked. There is nothing better than dreaming up a design and turning it into reality. Plus, I am an avid fabric shopper. Sometimes I wonder, what do I love more? Browsing fabric or sewing itself?
I'm so happy you are here to follow along on my journey. Thanks for joining me!
I'd love to stay in touch!

Email: amaiapapayashop@gmail.com
Visit us: amaiapapayashop.blogspot.com
Follow us on Instagram: @amaiapapayashop

Popular posts from this blog

Bamboo Cutlery Sets

Friends! It's been a while since I last posted on here, but I am listing some awesome new bamboo cutlery sets tomorrow so I wanted to pop back on and give you a quick sneak peek! This is a product I've been dreaming up for quite some time. When I started my shop a few years back, my goal was to make products that help people move towards a "zero waste" lifestyle. Combing that goal with my love of creating and sewing, I started a small Etsy shop and decided to blog along the way. Admittedly I got a little distracted over the years (pretty fabrics and zipper pouches, what can I say!), so I'm eager to get back on track and bring you more eco-friendly handmade goods. But have no fear, my zipper pouches are not disappearing! I'm certainly not a sustainability expert, but my background is in biology and public health and I love brining that knowledge out here. I'm hoping to share more on what I am doing in my own home to make small, eco-friendly chang...
11 comments
Read more

What I learned: my first farmers market

At the beginning of May I set up shop at the Lowell Farm Market for their "I Heart Mom" event. And it was a blast!    ( picture courtesy of The Farm Market's Facebook page ) This marked my first time ever selling handmade items at a market. Intimidating and terrifying, for sure. But also a very fun experience. My intention wasn't to sell a ton, but to learn as much as possible. Having one event under my belt, I feel more prepared and excited to sign up for more in the future. Back in the beginning of the year, I set three goals for my shop: 1) open an Etsy account and list at least ten items (done!) 2) sign up for at least one market/craft fair (done!) and 3) start blogging (done!). Only five months into the year and I've already checked everything off the list. Not too bad! So here's how it went. I registered for the event pretty late and only gave myself a few weeks to pull things together. Not the best idea, but I pulled through. It meant...
2 comments
Read more

Straw cases are here!

You guys, I am SO excited about these straw cases. I have been dreaming them up for a long time and after numerous requests over the summer, I decided to carve out some time and draft the pattern. I am so pleased to say that they are now listed in my Etsy shop for the holiday season. The best part? They are available in fifteen different colors. Yes! They are available as the case alone or with two 9" handmade stainless steel straws. What a fun way to work towards a zero waste lifestyle. Let's just take a second to talk about these stainless steel straws too. A local MA woman and her team hand make these straws. They are AMAZING. They make cold drinks extra crisp and cold. I say this to everyone, but I don't think you can fully comprehend what I mean until you actually try them out for yourself! Not only do I love supporting another small business, but I love using and sharing a quality product. As a thank you for your support, go ahead and use this code STRAW201...
1 comment
Read more