While She Naps with Abby Glassenberg

On today’s episode of the While She Naps podcast we’re talking about building a business as a crafter with my guest, Jennifer Perkins. Jennifer Perkins is an Austin, TX based creative consultant.  During her lengthy career in the craft industry she has run a successful jewelry business (Naughty Secretary Club), hosted television shows (Craft Lab and Stylelicious on DIY Network), been the editor in chief of a magazine (Kids Crafts 1-2-3 started by Walmart) and everything in-between.  Her distinct style and love of color and kitsch has followed her throughout all of these adventures. +++++ This episode is sponsored by StoryPatches. No quilt is complete without a label – yet many quilters skip this critical last step!  StoryPatches Quilt Labels make labeling a breeze. Your voice and your story matter to your family and friends – and StoryPatches are the perfect way to capture and connect that story.  These ready to use labels come in a variety of designs to match your quilt and take the pain out of labeling.  Use the offer code Naps to get 20% off your net order at storypatches.com. +++++ Get the show notes for this episode on my blog, whileshenaps.com. where you can sign up for my email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business delivered right to your inbox each week.

On today's episode of the While She Naps podcast we’re talking about quilting, painting, and living a creative life with my guest Melissa Averinos. Melissa Averinos paints, makes quilts, and writes craft books. She won a Judge's Choice Award at QuiltCon 2015 for her quilt 'face #1' and won Best In Show at QuiltCon 2016 for her quilt 'My Brother's Jeans'. Melissa travels nationally to teach her signature class ‘Making Faces with Melissa’ at quilt shops, guilds and retreats such as QuiltCon and Craft Napa. Melissa is the author of seven books. Her first coloring book for C&T Publishing, Awesome Town, was released in September of 2016. Melissa’s newest fabric collection YUMMIES for Me+You, a division of Hoffman California, will debut at Fall Quilt Market 2016. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Indygo Essentials. Indygo Junction’s founder Amy Barickman has architected a new boutique apparel brand, Indygo Essentials. Watch the Essentials video to see the six current patterns and use coupon code WSN22 for 20% on your entire order. Be sure to sign-up for Indygo Junction’s newsletter to receive a free pattern each month and stay up-to- date on new pattern releases. +++++ Get the show notes for this episode on my blog, whileshenaps.com, where you can also sign up for my email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business delivered right to your inbox each week.

I'm talking with Mickey Krueger, the president of Windham Fabrics, one of the leading manufacturers of quilting cottons today. We recorded this show in front of a studio audience at Sew Pro, a sewing conference in Chicago in mid-September 2016. If you're interested designing fabric, or if you're just curious how this side of the quilting industry works, this episode is for you. Mickey explains how Windham chooses new designers and exactly what he's looking for. He takes us through the fabric manufacturing process from start to finish. We also talk about local quilt shops, Fabric.com, fabric sellers on Etsy, how Quilt Market has changed, and much more. Keep up with Windham on their website: http://www.windhamfabrics.com/ Get the show notes for this episode on my blog: http://www.whileshenaps.com +++++ This episode is sponsored by pattern and book publisher, Indygo Junction Indygo Junction’s new brand Fabriflair offers kits and patterns for dimensional paper piecing. Watch this Radiant Star Fabriflair video to learn about the product and the process of making these functional and decorative objects. Showcase your favorites fabrics, embroidery or treasured textiles! Visit IndygoJunction.com and use this code for a 20% discount on your entire order: WSN20

On today's episode of the While She Naps podcast we're talking about publishing craft books with my guests, Sara Bercholz and Jennifer Urban-Brown of Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala. Sara is the Executive Vice President of Shambhala and the publisher of Roost Books. She started Roost Books with Jenn in 2012. Shambhala was started by her father, Sam Bercholz, in the 1960s and the company remains in the family And Jennifer Urban-Brown is an avid knitter, a B+ sewer, and a dabbling baker. She has been an editor at Roost Books / Shambhala Publications since 2006, where she has the great privilege of working on books that truly inspire her and that reflect the things she cherishes most in life: creativity and community. We talk about what makes a book a Roost Book, how to submit a proposal and what to expect when working with Roost. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Unanimous Craft. Unanimous Craft is a website where you can find places to sell your handmade and small batch work. This online index of brick and mortar shops, online selling venues and craft shows around the country is comprehensive, up to date, and easy to use. Visit unanimouscraft.com/naps for a special offer just for While She Naps listeners. +++++ Get the show notes for this episode on my blog, whileshenaps.com, where you can also sign up for my weekly email newsletter.

I'm talking with Maddie Kertay, the founder of the BadAss Quilters Society, a Facebook page and blog devoted to diversity and inclusion in the quilting community. In this conversation Maddie talks about how she became a quilter and the incident which led her to feel she needed a place to talk openly about issues within the quilting industry that she feels need changing. Maddie's blog and Facebook posts often delve into race, class, gender, and sexuality in a way that is rarely seen within this community. Maddie realized that her point of view is not for everyone, but she is proud of the positive change she's been able to make along with the 16,000 people who follow the Facebook page. Catch up with the BadAss Quilters Society on Facebook. +++++ Today's episode is sponsored by Unanimous Craft, an online index of shops and craft shows where you can sell your handmade and small batch wares. Check it out at UnanimousCraft.com and visit UnanimousCraft.com/naps for a special offer for While She Naps listeners. Than you, Unanimous Craft! +++++ Get the show notes for this episode on my blog: whileshenaps.com.

On today's episode of the While She Naps podcast we’re talking about making and selling handcrafted products with my guest Arounna Khounnoraj of Bookhou. Arounna Khounnoraj started Bookhou with her husband, John Booth, in 2002 as a place to combine and market their work. Both Arounna and John started out as artists - Arounna as a sculptor and John as a painter - but as time passed their endeavors grew to include ceramics, fiber arts, architecture and furniture making to name only a few. nNeedless to say Bookhou defines itself as a multidisciplinary studio where the husband and wife team explore a variety of mediums both individually and collectively. Most people, however, would probably know Arounna as a printmaker and surface designer through her work in creating fabric bags, personal and home items which showcase her unique pattern designs. In keeping with their art studio roots, Arounna's work emphasizes the handmade and the hand drawn utilizing references to both natural, botanical forms as well as abstract patterns with simplicity of form uniting everything she creates. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Teresa Ascone Art Tutorials. Have you ever wanted to try watercolor? Teresa Ascone's Etsy tutorials for absolute beginners age 10 and older are PDF downloads with easy-to-understand instructions, supply list, definitions, a full color framable image of the art, and line drawing. The paintings can be completed in less than 60 minutes. Check out all of Teresa's work on her website. +++++ Get the show notes for this episode on my blog, whileshenaps, where you can also sign up for my weekly email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business delivered right to your inbox.

  I'm talking with Annabel Wrigley. Annabel Wrigley is an Australian mom, author, and designer living in rural Virginia. She owns Little Pincushion Studio, a space where she teaches children everything they need to know in order to go forth and conquer the world of sewing and creating. When she’s not teaching, she’s working on her “We Love to Sew” series of books published by C&T publishing. She also teaches classes on Creativebug and designs fabric for Windham Fabrics. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Art Street Collective. Coloring is a great way to decompress and de-stress.  Art Street Collective artists have several coloring books available from whimsical and cartoonish to Celtic knots and kaleidoscopes.   Visit the art street collective website to see all the books available. Visit artstreetcollective.com to find books and DVDs on surface design, art quilting, bead embellishment and more by some of today's top fiber and quilt artists. +++++ Get the show notes for this episode on my blog, whileshenaps.com. an Australian mom, author, and designer living in rural Virginia. She owns Little Pincushion Studio, a space where she teaches children everything they need to know in order to go forth and conquer the world of sewing and creating. When she’s not teaching, she’s working on her “We Love to Sew” series of books published by C&T publishing. She also teaches classes

We're talking about craft book publishing with my guest, Amy Marson. Amy is the publisher at C&T publishing which also includes the Stash Books and FunStitch Studio imprints. We discuss how to pitch a craft book, how C&T markets new titles, Amy's position on advances and how a book can fit into an author's larger goals. And, of course, I ask Amy to recommend great stuff she's enjoying right now. Check out C&T online at http://www.ctpub.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ctpublishing/ +++++ This episode is sponsored by QuiltWoman. QuiltWoman.com is your source for quilting and sewing patterns offering over 10,000 items by over 270 designers to retail and wholesale customers. Wholesale customers enjoy no minimum order and free U.S. shipping with a $60 order. Use the code ABBY at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

We're talking about illustration and self-publishing today with my guest, Jenean Morrison. Jenean is a surface/textile designer, painter, and the artist/publisher behind a popular series of coloring books for adults, first published in 2012. She's an Amazon CreateSpace success story who has sold over 91,000 copies of her self-published coloring books, earning her more than a half million dollars. Jenean designed fabric for Free Spirit for many years and her designs have been printed on rugs, stationary, scrapbook kits and more. We discuss the value of having an agent, how to pitch, handling extreme successes and inevitable failures and rejections, and what Jenean would like to do next in her career. Check out Jenean Morrison online at http://jeneanmorrison.net/ and get the show notes from this episode at http://www.whileshenaps.com. +++++ Today's episode is sponsored by The Merriweather Council's Etsy Training Course - a video training series that teaches Etsy sellers the exact steps to a more visible, profitable, and enjoyable Etsy experience. For more information visit merriweathercouncil.com.

n today's episode of the While She Naps podcast we're talking about embroidery as illustration with my guest, Sarah K. Benning. Sarah K. Benning is an American fiber artist with a nomadic studio practice.  Originally from Baltimore, she attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received her BFA in Fiber and Material Studies in 2013.  Shortly after graduating, Sarah discovered her love for embroidery, started her own business and has never looked back. Get the show notes for this episode on my blog: whileshenaps.com. +++++ Today’s episode is sponsored by The Merriweather Council where makers learn that gainful self employment through craft can be a reality and how to make it happen in their own lives. Visit merriweathercouncil.com for more information.

In this mini episode of the show Kristin Link and I talking about Craft Industry Alliance, a trade organization for craft professionals that we co-founded eight months ago. We're not at 800+ members, we're about to publish the 18th issue of our digital journal, we've held six webinars, and we have active discussions going on every day in our community forums. In this conversation we talk about what membership offers and who it's best for, we review some highlights (and a few frustrations) we've encountered along the way, and we tell you about some of our current members who are doing incredible work. Membership is open now and the rates are affordable. Invest in yourself and your business this year and join the CIA! http://www.craftindustryalliance.org

In today's episode we're talking about online learning with my guests, Celeste Olds and Megan Auman. Celeste Olds joined CreativeLive in 2010 and is now the Executive Producer of Production Operations. Megan Auman is a designer, educator and entrepreneur. Her eponymous jewelry line is sold in stores across the U.S. and online. She's also the founder of Designing an MBA. Megan has taught many classes on CreativeLive. We talk about CreativeLive's unique model of broadcasting classes live with a studio audience and the rewards that offers as well as the challenges it presents. Megan shares her perspective on what works as a teacher and Celeste explains how CreativeLive selects teachers and classes for the platform. Check out the show notes for this episode on my blog, http://www.whileshenaps.com, where you can also subscribe to my email newsletter. +++++ This episode is sponsored by The Merriweather Council - a resource for handmade shop owners who want to learn about how to effectively market their business online from someone who has actually done it. For more information, visit merriweathercouncil.com.

In this episode we’re talking about creativity and drawing and making art with my guest Alisa Burke.   If she’s not making art in her Oregon Coast studio, you can find freelance painter and mixed media artist Alisa Burke blogging, teaching art workshops or crafting her handmade accessories. Whether it's running her creative business, being a mom or adventuring outdoors, she is always looking for inspiration. From drawing, painting, cooking and even the way she raises her daughter, Alisa seeks to infuse creativity into every part of her life. We talk about Alisa's creative upbringing, the start of her career and how she built a long term plan to quit her day job which she successfully did in 2009. Alisa talks about her open-minded approach to an art career and about how motherhood enriches her daily practice. We talk about rejection, licensing, writing books and creating online classes. Alisa also explains her approach to blogging and using Instagram to build a devoted audience of fans and customers. Visit Alisa Burke online at http://alisaburke.blogspot.com/. Get the show notes for this episode on my blog http://www.whileshenaps.com. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Spoonflower. Do you want to learn to design, print and sell your own fabric, wallpaper and gift wrap? Try the Spoonflower Intro to Custom Fabric Design ebook. It's a free download you can read in about 10 minutes and it takes you through every step from uploading your design and creating a repeat pattern to searching the Spoonflower marketplace. Visit try.spoonflower.com/abby and save 15% off your first order by using the code abby15 at checkout.

On today's episode we're talking about dyeing fabrics and yarns with natural dyes. My guest is Kristine Vejar, owner of A Verb for Keeping Warm and author of The Modern Natural Dyer (STC/Melanie Falick Books). Kristine tells the story of how she became interested in studying textiles. We discuss the challenges of running a business based on naturally dyed fabrics and what it's like to write a book about your passion. Today's episode is sponsored by Textillia, the online sewing community. Check them out at http://www.textillia.com. Get the show notes for this episode on my blog: http://www.whileshenaps.com. Sign up for my email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business delivered right to your inbox each week.

On today's episode we're talking about fabric and fabric design with my guest, Kathy Phillips, the Creative Director at Springs Creative. Have you walked into Joann Fabric and seen prints with entertainment brands such as Hello Kitty, My Little Pony, Dr. Who, or Batman? If so, you've seen Springs Creative's fabrics. Springs Creative is a textile company based in South Carolina that creates over the counter fabric by the yard for quilters and sewists. They license dominant global brands, but they're also so much more. Springs Creative owns the Baxter Mill fabric archive, a incredible resource of vintage prints dating back over 100 years. And Springs offers small run digital printing and design services for independent companies. If you're interested in fabric and quilting, don't miss this interview. Check out the show notes for this episode on my blog, http://www.whileshenaps.com, where you can also sign up for my weekly email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business from around the web delivered right to your inbox each week. +++++ Today's episode is sponsored by The Quilt Group. Stop missing out on quilt groups because of your busy life. Learn, create, and share on your schedule. Similar to your local quilt group, the online Quilt Group provides yo0u with access to a community as well as monthly exclusive patterns, sew alongs, swaps, guest designers and more. Get access any time, anywhere. Join today at http://www.quilt-group.com.