You've seen her countless awesome and creative projects on all over Social Media. Now, meet the woman behind the craft! Amy Latta of One Artsy Mama is a lifetime crafter with a passion for inspiring others to create. Check out her exclusive video interview and read on for the rest of her Q&A below! Finally, be sure to check out our Instagram at @PlaidCrafts to witness Amy's Instagram takeover!
For more of her interview, read below!
1. When did you first start getting into DIY and crafting?
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love art and crafts. As a child, I made things alongside my mom, and as I grew up I just never stopped! I love being able to create beautiful things for my home as well as for friends and family.
2. Who inspired you to start crafting?
Crafting runs in my family. My grandmother worked in a fabric store for years, and my mom and dad actually had a craft business on the side. We would set up at various craft shows every weekend and sell the things my mom had made. I remember being about five or six years old and helping to string beads for necklaces we sold in the booth. I loved watching my mom create and learned from her every chance I got.
3. What was the most memorable craft/project you ever created?
I don’t really know how to choose just one! But, I guess one thing that really stands out as an accomplishment for me is the outdoor bench I made last summer from pallets. I had always been scared of using power tools and had never really “built” anything. My usual style is to let someone else do the building, then I’m the one who makes it look pretty with paint and other finishing effects. This time, I actually used the tools myself, followed some very simple plans, and built a bench from start to finish. I’m still amazed that I literally made something we actually sit on. It’s definitely the largest thing I’ve ever created, and I love being able to say, “I made that!”
4. Did you do arts and crafts as a child? If yes, who did you do them with?
My mom is a great teacher, and she taught me how to do so many things. Everything I know about sewing, I learned from her.. As I got older, I became interested in some new types of crafting that she had never done, like metal stamping and jewelry, so it was fun to reverse the roles and teach her what I had learned.
5. Why is crafting worthwhile, to you?
I truly believe that we were made to be makers. When we create, we’re tapping into part of who we’re meant to be. That’s why I’m so passionate about helping people who don’t feel like they’re naturally creative to find ways to be successful at crafting. There’s also no substitute for something made by hand. Nothing you buy in a store could ever be more meaningful or personal than something you create for someone.
6. What is your favorite aspect of crafting and creating?
I love learning and trying new things. Honestly, I get bored if I have to make the same craft over and over. My projects are never intended to be mass produced. I’m always on the lookout for new products, new skills, new ideas. I think the fun is in experimenting and challenging yourself to see what amazing things you’re really capable of.
7. Where do you find your inspiration?
Everywhere. I’m an incredibly visual person, so anything I see, anywhere, anytime can inspire a project. It might be a color, a design, a combination of materials...it’s always different. Sometimes I’m inspired by looking at a blank canvas or an unfinished wood piece and imagining what it could become. But no matter how the inspiration comes, there’s a moment where I can see in my mind exactly what I want to make. Then, it’s just a matter of making it a reality.
8. Any advice to those just starting to get into crafting?
Well, I know this really great blog you should check out...just kidding. My advice would be that comparison is the thief of joy. When you create, don’t ever compare what you made to the version you saw on Pinterest or to what your neighbor made last week. It’s about your own journey. You’ll never make anything that’s perfect, so just take that pressure off from the beginning and let yourself enjoy the creative process. The other thing I’d say is that you really truly can do it. No matter how strongly you believe that you’re not creative or talented or crafty, the truth is that you can absolutely make fabulous things. All you need are the right tools and a willingness to try.
9. What are 3 craft supplies/tools that you can't live without?
Paint, my hand lettering markers, and Mod Podge
10. What's something you have yet to create, that you dream of creating/crafting some day?
The sky’s the limit, right? Honestly, what I’d love is to create something that somehow helps other people explore their own creativity.I’d love to develop some kind of line of tools or craft kits or something that people who don’t feel crafty could buy and know they’d be successful using. I’m hoping that my Hand Lettering book, coming out this Spring, will do some of that...helping people who don’t think they could letter to see how honestly doable it really is.
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