Amaia Papaya

As a part of a new series, I'm sharing my favorite things (both sewing & non-sewing items) each month. I get tons of questions on social media about the fabrics, tools, and supplies I use in my shop, so I thought it would be fun to do a monthly round-up of everything I currently love! My life isn't 100% sewing, so I'll be throwing in some extras too, like a new book I can't put down, what I'm sipping on while I work, or a new YouTube channel I can't get enough of. And of course, my favorite sewing supplies, tools, fabrics, shops, tutorials, patterns, and more. Fun, right?!  Let's jump right in! Here are my favorites from last month (in no particular order!). 1. Olfa frosted non-slip acrylic ruler : This thing is AMAZING. I've been using the same cutting ruler for 13 years. Yes, that's right 13 years. The markings were rubbing off, it was constantly slipping out of place, and eventually one day my daughter snapped it in half. And it's ...

Friends! 2018 has certainly gotten away from me. I had such grand plans for Amaia Papaya, but then life with two young kids happened. I went back to my day job in January and my husband picked up a second job around the same time. That meant my sewing & blogging time was cut back to nearly nothing. But I am still here, still committed to making things happen. Why? Because this is what I love. Sewing, creating, writing, and sharing my journey. My son's first birthday is coming up fast, and as a gift to myself (because let's be honest, we need to celebrate mom for getting through the 1st year!) I'm committing to carving out time for sewing writing, reading again (it's been several YEARS since I've picked up and completed a book), and making self-care/health a priority. It's not that I've stopped sewing during the past 8 months. It's just that it has felt hectic, forced and quite honestly I should have been sleeping instead. Fast forward to tod...

Happy 2018! I just absolutely love the thought of a fresh start on new year's day. It's like the start of a new week but on a much bigger scale. Normally when I set goals each year I jot them down on a piece of paper that gets lost in the shuffle a few weeks later. This year I vowed to change that. Even though I hate to admit it, I am constantly on my phone. So I opened up a new note and wrote down my goals. I even ventured to brainstorm a bit about ideas I have been dreaming up. Now every time I hop on Instagram or do a quick email check, I can easily scroll through my goals, note my progress, and reset my path for tackling things that are already forgotten. On top of that, I'm setting smaller weekly goals. 3 small things that I can accomplish  in one week  to set me on target for crushing my overall yearly goals.  One of my biggest goals this year is to try and sew clothing. Yikes, right?! Give me a zipper pouch or a quilt any day. Straight forward and to the po...

Holiday Markets The Holiday Season countdown is officially on! And that means Amaia Papaya will be popping up here and there over the next few weeks. If you're looking for the perfect gift, we've got you covered. We will be fully stocked with zipper bags, mug sleeves, tumblers, tote bags and more! Here is out current market schedule: Saturday, 12/3 Totally Bazaar IV, Mill No. 5 Lowell (12-5pm) Sunday, 12/11 Farm Market, Mill No. 5 Lowell (11-3pm) Saturday, 12/17 It's a Wonderful Market, Mill No. 5 Lowell (12-5pm) Not local? Our Etsy shop will remain open during these events, but we encourage you to place your holiday order soon! For guaranteed Christmas delivery orders must be placed by Monday, December 12th. Looking for a custom order? Send us an email or Etsy message and we will set one up for you! We truly hope you enjoy every moment of this holiday season! Alyssa Amaia Papaya Shop

This month I had back-to-back markets, so I thought what better time than now to share my vendor packing list! I usually set up shop at local Farmers Markets or indie craft fairs that tend to be on the smaller size. Mostly because I find that my products tend to fit in better at these events & locations. These events may only last a few hours, but there is certainly a lot of prep-work that goes into them. Most markets require you to submit an online application several months in advance. Generally I write out a list of what events I want to attend and then start searching for application details. Once I have all the information, I'll set reminders on my calendar so I don't miss the deadlines. Be sure to have photos of your booth display and products on hand to submit with the applications. Once accepted, the entrance fees are generally around $25-35, depending on the event. The organizers will send you load-in time, vendor booth number, load-out details, and ...

Oh hey there! I have not forgotten about you little blog. Life has just gotten a bit crazy these days. With work, the shop, our little Amaia, friends, family, sewing, etc. etc. etc., writing has been put on the back burner. But, that doesn't mean that the shop hasn't been making tons of progress during that time. Since we last talked, we've done five farmers markets (more on that later!), gone through our first holiday season, added a new machine to our shop, continued to sell on Etsy , and gained lots of new followers over on our Instagram page. My original goal with this blog was to share my journey of starting a handmade business. And that's just what I plan to do. So here's what you can expect from here in the near future: sewing tips, info on vending at farmers markets, background on why eco-friendly products are so important to me, and a glimpse into our little shop. Right now we are gearing up for our next farmers market. Which means every table surfac...

It's no mystery that kids can take up a lot of your time and energy. After chasing my 14 month old around all day, the idea of settling down at my sewing table for a late night of work can be downright terrifying. I'm still trying to navigate mamahood and discover what works for me, but I thought I'd share these super helpful tips to find more time to create...or do whatever it is you love to do! ►Nap time is the best time. Sure there are chores to tackle, but creating is more fun. Use your free time to tackle one project at a time. And don't get frustrated if things get cut short. Because they will. ►Get everything ready to sew/knit/crochet/paint/whateveryoulike the night before. That way you can just jump head first into things when you have a free moment. ►Better yet, wake up EARLY. Again, terrifying, but if you can get yourself in a routine of getting things organized for the next day and heading to bed early, you can do it. Set a 10pm bedtime and things w...