Artisan Snapshot: Amy O'Brien of Me Make Stuff

As one of the curators for the Winter Wonderland Craft Bazaar, I take great pride in the fact that we exclusively hand-picked local artists for this event. We got to know a little more about their products and their stories. 


Before December 4th, we'd like if you came to the show knowing a little bit more about the creator behind the hand-crafted gifts you'll be purchasing. 


Please take this opportunity to discover a little bit more about what it means to "Shop Local & Support Handmade" by reading our Artisan Snapshot Series!

• Who are you? And what drives to you create!?

Hi there! I am Amy Lee O'Brien, I am someone who goes coo-coo if I do not have a creative outlet. I am an only child so much of my childhood was spent using my imagination and I think that has guided me through my life.

• When & why did you start your Etsy shop?

I have had my Etsy shop memakestuff.etsy.com for two years now. I started it as a type of excuse to put a lot of energy into being creative, if I make a couple of bucks at something that brings me happiness...GREAT!

• Describe your creative process.

My creative process....the most important thing is to carve some time out just for me to do my thing...I am seeking inspiration all the time, running errands, hanging out with the kiddos, driving....if I see some colors or an image that looks good to me, I will just quickly sketch it out or take a photo. Then (usually late at night when the fam is sleeping) I play with what has inspired me and create something with it. Sometimes beer or wine is involved.

•  How did you come up with your business name?

My son, who is now 10, used to say things like "me loves you" and "me can does it", this was very endearing to me so I used his 2 year old language and came up with "Me Make Stuff."

•  What does a day in your life look like?

Pretty chaotic to be honest, I have two kids, a husband who travels A LOT for work and a dog...I also teach fitness classes...so every day is a new juggling act really...sometimes the balls are flying gracefully through the air...other times they are rolling all over the floor like crazy.

• How do you combat "creative blocks" in your life?

Hmmmm....beer?

• What other favourite hobbies/activities do you enjoy?

I love to spend time outdoors, hiking, bicycling, skiing...just being calm in nature. Reading is also HUGE for me, I just got a Kindle and I'm getting into a little financial trouble with how freaking fast books are now available to me.

To find out more about Amy & her wonderful wares, feel free to click on the links:

ETSY // BLOG

Check out Me Make Stuff & 17 other artists at Winter Wonderland Craft Bazaar - Saturday December 4th, from 1PM to 9 PM at Urban Bazaar (1371 9th Ave, San Francisco).

RSVP on Facebook!