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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 have followed her throughout all of these adventures.

Jennifer Perkins Book

Jennifer’s book and chunky jewelry.

Jennifer traces her career from her first job right out of college as a secretary in a government office to start a zine, then a blog, and then becoming a full-time crafter. She got started making resin jewelry but quickly branched out into all different kinds of crafts and I think Jennifer is living proof that you don’t need to focus on just one thing in order to be successful.

In this interview, we talk about how each opportunity she’s had came about. Jennifer gives us some fantastic tips about building and maintaining professional relationships.

Jennifer Perkins Halloween Home

Jennifer’s home decorated for Halloween.

Jennifer loves to shop at thrift stores and flea markets. She explains what she’s looking for and how she uses vintage inspiration to create new work. We also talk about motherhood and how it has (and hasn’t) changed her approach to work.

Jennifer has three (!) Etsy shops: The Huntress Gatherer, Naughty Secretary Club, and Jennifer Perkins Art.

Recently Jennifer has been doing some Facebook Live videos which are fantastic. I highly recommend this one about air dry clay and this one about leather tooling.

And, of course, I ask Jennifer to recommend great stuff she’s enjoying right now. Jennifer recommends:

  • painting on cardboard
  • her Halloween tattoo
  • the color combination of neon pink, gold, orange, brown and burgundy

Catch up with Jennifer on her blog, Instagram, and Facebook page.

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StoryPatches

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.

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You can listen to the show right here by clicking on the arrow below, or subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher to listen on the go. If you enjoy the show I would so appreciate it if you took a minute to leave a rating and review. Thank you so much!

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