Welcome to the weekly Feature and Giveaway! Every Monday, we’ll be featuring a lovely craftsperson, artist, or  artisan – and every week you’ll have the chance to win something from their shop!
This week we welcome Sam, from the gorgeous Matou en Peluche!
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Where do you live?
Sydney, Australia
Where do you do your work?
At the dining room table!
What’s your favourite place in the world, and why?
Favorite place in the world: Sydney’s pretty hard to beat – but London or Venice come a very close equal second!
Tell us a little bit more about yourself! Your ‘day job’ or business, family, hobbies…
I’m an English language teacher by day. Every other spare moment I spend drawing or at least thinking about drawing!! I’m also quite fond of taking long walks on the weekend with my partner in crime around the beautiful parks, bushland and beaches of Sydney.
What did you want to be ‘when you grew up’?
I wanted to be an artist!
How did you first get into your craft/art?
My Mum was an incredibly creative person – and both my parents were forever taking me round the art galleries of Sydney on the weekends so, I grew up in an arty house and was very encouraged by both of them to draw and create from a young age.
What do you make?
I draw charcoal and pastel gals and birds mostly and sell them as prints. I also have a range of greeting cards.
What are you most proud of making?
Gosh! I think I’m quite proud of the body of work I’ve built up over the past year and a half on Etsy.
What do you like the most/least about selling your wares online?
I love the interaction with the people who stop by my shop. I love the Etsy community and the blogging community – I had no idea that that was one of the perks of opening an Etsy store! I also love being able to put up a new drawing in my shop and get some feedback more or less instanly. I also love being in control and not having to go through gallery curators in order to sell and get my work seen.
I can’t think of one downside to selling online!
I love…
cats, shopping for art supplies, drawing, fine spring weather, the online community!
It drives me crazy when…
People make a big deal about standing in a queue at the post office and sigh very loudly and breathe all over my neck!
What’s your favourite word?
Thank you!
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Visit Sam Online!
Shop:Â http://www.matouenpeluche.etsy.com
Website:Â http://www.matouenpeluche.com
Blog:Â http://www.matouenpeluche.typepad.com
Twitter:Â http://www.twitter.com/matouenpeluche
Wow – Sam is being super-generous to all my lovely readers this week! She is offering the winner of this giveaway their choice of five (yep 5) 6cm X 10cm (4″ X 6″) small prints from her shop – this is worth $25.00. I have a few of Sam’s prints, and I can tell you that they are top quality and just lovely to look at!
To Enter:
1. Visit Matouenpeluche, and come back here leaving a comment about your favourite pieces from the store.
2. For additional entries, leave a comment saying that you: followed or subscribed to Epheriell Designs (or already do); have Twittered about the givewaway; have shared the giveaway with friends on Facebook, or; you have written a blog post about it.
3. Entries close next Sunday night, the 13th of September, at 12pm Australian EST. Winners are announced the next day as part of next week’s Feature and Giveaway post.
Remember to leave me a way of contacting you.. and Good Luck!
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Want more Epheriell-y goodness? Subscribe to my blog updates! Or follow me on Twitter!
My favourite is the Russian Ballerina – 4 X 6 print http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29186809 because I always wanted to be a ballerina 😀
I subscribe to your blog too.
I’m a huge fan!
One of my favourites is “Joan”.
.-= Jacquie´s last blog ..Favourite Artists # 5 =-.
I’m a follower!
I think Nancy is gorgeous & I have a soft spot for Little Robin 🙂
.-= Carley Keir´s last blog ..Set of Two Forest Green with Regal Purple Saddle Stitch Ribbon Bow Non Slip Hair Clips =-.
I’m a blog follower 😀
.-= Carley Keir´s last blog ..Set of Two Forest Green with Regal Purple Saddle Stitch Ribbon Bow Non Slip Hair Clips =-.
Of course they are all lovely but I really like the Little Love print with the mouse.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29836920
Very hard to choose which was my favourite print! I really like the Two Turtle Doves and The Sisters prints.
.-= Deb D´s last blog ..Anika – Red and Gold Earrings =-.
I follow this blog.
.-= Deb D´s last blog ..Anika – Red and Gold Earrings =-.
Tweeted too!
.-= Deb D´s last blog ..Anika – Red and Gold Earrings =-.
oooh, I love Sam’s prints….hard to pick just one…
I really love Art Deco Evenings http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30210668 …it’s on my wishlist 🙂
.-= Vickie (jewelflyt)´s last blog ..this & that… =-.
I follow this blog too
.-= Vickie (jewelflyt)´s last blog ..Cloudy Skies =-.
Beautiful! she is very talented.
I love the flying kitten print.
I love the whimsy!
I follow this blog
Amazing giveaway and interview, such a fan of Sam’s work and blog. Please do enter me, would love to have several more of her prints including the new sister’s illustration she just made and long time favorites Joan and Backstage at The Follies. *fingers are crossed!*
I love the whole Art Deco range, especially Art Deco Evenings…and I love Cuvier’s Toucan too – I don’t know why, but I’ve always had a strange obsession with Toucans. Odd!
.-= MsUnreliable´s last blog ..Spring Cleaning =-.
And I follow your blog 😀
xx Kit
I love all, flying Kitten and all. But this lady ART DECO DARLING in a green dress – 8 X 12 print would be creat in my craftclass wall
I follow your blog now 🙂
Wow, there are so many that I love, it was hard to chose just one.
My #1 is Blue Pom Pom. I tweeted about the giveaway. =)
Ok, I fell in love with the doves (or piegeons?) with hearts and found it on the site: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26070265
.-= Marla Jones´s last blog ..What to do when your sewing machine breaks down =-.
sam! you’re so sweet and there’s no way i could pick a favorite piece.
(oh and i hate being breathed on in line at the post office too. grrrrrr).
i’m crossing my fingers:)
.-= Down and Out Chic´s last blog ..It’s not easy… =-.
and i’m a follower:)
oh and wordpress just said, “you are posting comments too quickly, slow down.” alrighty then.
.-= Down and Out Chic´s last blog ..It’s not easy… =-.
I love the Little Cardinal. The beautiful bright red is amazing, and obviously I love red birds enough to name my shop after them! (redbirdjewellery)
I love the bird prints, (i love bird related anything really)
Little round robin and perching boy are my two favorites!
This is a great giveaway, thanks so much for the chance to win.
lilygreig at gmail dot com
I love love the Mumma Duck print because I do have a special little place in my heart for ducks! I used to go to the library all the time, and I’d constantly have to stop my car in the middle of the road while a mother duck crossed the street, trailed closely behind by three fuzzy little babies and finally the father. It always makes me smile to think about those little guys stopping traffic!
I also really love the Dove of Peace print and all the lovely 1920s women!
Okay, just one more – A Little Love is just darling because that mouse looks just so sweet and earnest!!!
.-= Lindsay {Shrimp}´s last blog ..Sneak Peek =-.
I love all the prints of birds! Especially the cardinal!
cac922@cccb.edu
.-= Carol´s last blog ..My gumball machine =-.
I’m also following your blog 🙂
I admire her work. She has a unique style and her illustrations are beautiful. If I would win I would have a hard time choosing only 5! :O)
.-= Pixel Wild Child´s last blog ..Having a Bad Hair Day? Make the most out it! ;O) =-.
Love love love Sam’s work! Great interview! I already have a little collection of Sam’s artwork so I’ll not enter the giveaway. Not because I don’t want more of her gorgeous prints, but I’d prefer somebody who doesn’t already own some to win 🙂
I like the Fluffy Sparrow – 4 X 6 print! It’s just so cute and BIG and FLUFFY!!!
thanks for your giveaway 🙂
Amazing! I love every bird, but Perching Boy speaks to me!
I am a follower!
enigmatic beauty would be one of my favs but so hard to pick. your very talented
The Seahorse Whisperer as I adore a little bit of the whimsical as they always leave a smile on my face.
I am now also a follower on Twitter too/
My favourite piece is ‘Two Victorian Ladies have tea and shoot the breeze.’ because I love the fantasy and the whole story involved with it and how they’re discussing all these animals. It’s marvellous!
Jemima Takes Harry for a Walk is one of my favourites. I’m a follower. x
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Madsen bike giveaway! =-.
I am a follower! I just love vintage anythings!
My favourite is the Art Deco Millie!
Love Sam’s work . I would love “Backstage at the Bolshoi”- I have two dancing daughters!
Oops forgot to mention I sudscribe to your blog.
The prints which drew my eye mostly seemed to be those with birds. I especially loved ‘Two Turtle Doves’, ‘Two Blue Birds of Happiness’ and ‘Matching Coat and Accessories’ (this one reminded me of my cat Jasmine, who looks very much like the cat in the print).
My favourite is ‘A Little Love’ because it’s so cute and very sweet!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29271636
the little blue titmouse–he’s charming!
🙂
.-= trisha too´s last blog ..feeling shareful . . . =-.
following you!
.-= trisha too´s last blog ..feeling shareful . . . =-.
I love her prints! My favorite is the Friday night pink stockings. Oh, and the art deco series, espcially the profiles of hat-wearing women.
j dot marilyn dot evans at gmail dot com
Oh Sam is an artist I admire immensely! I am a little in love with lots of her work, but my new fave is “Hello Beautiful” – Two Mountain Quails.
And I’m just about to tweet this AND I subscribe… 🙂
.-= Natalia´s last blog ..Norman Lindsay =-.
WOW! I’m so glad I heard about you on Twitter! FABULOUS. It’s ALL fabulous. I love Pandora in Rouge & ALL the flapper looking lovelies. Your work is a new FAVORITE.