A few weeks ago my daughter, Josephine, turned four. We planned a birthday party for her at the local community center and she couldn’t wait. We bought paper plates and a dinosaur balloon, but the most exciting part of the preparations was putting together the goodie bags. Choosing each item and assembling them was so…
Podcast Episode #40: Creativebug with Kelly Wilkinson and Liana Allday
Watching someone make something is an ideal way to learn a new craft. I think video is an incredibly exciting new frontier in craft publishing and I’m especially excited by the beautifully produced video classes found on Creativebug. For me these classes are every bit as special an experience as opening a well-designed craft book,…
Do You Need a Bank Account for Your Creative Business (or Can You Just Use PayPal)?
Please note that this post is my opinion. I’m not qualified to provide you with legal or financial advice. Opening a PayPal account is one of the first steps you take when you start selling things online. PayPal is the primary way most people send and accept money and it’s a trusted site and so…
How to Satin Stitch Features on Your Softie
Stitching the features on your softie can be the most nerve-wracking part of the whole process. Do it right and the toy looks professional and adorable. Do it poorly and…well, it’s disappointing. I made a cute little video to show you how I satin stitch the eyes and noses on my softies. This is my…
Pick Up the Phone: Networking for Your Creative Business
In early 2013 I called 18 of my long-time blog readers on the phone and talked to them for half an hour or so. Although it was a little out of the ordinary to just pick up the phone and talk to the people who read my blog, it was one of the most transformative…
A Baby Gift for Stacey
My dear friend, Stacey, from Fresh Stitches is going to have a baby soon. Stacey and I met on Twitter a few years ago and quickly became friends. We both design stuffed animals (hers are crochet and mine are sewn) and we’re both interested in online business. Stacey came to stay with my family a…
While She Naps the Blog: A Year in Review
While She Naps marks its 9.5 year anniversary this month. This blog has endured all these years, through all my life changes and business changes, because at its heart it isĀ a space where I’m free to explore whatever interests me most. It’s become integral to my creative life. It’s changed as I’ve changed, but…
Reflections on a Year of Podcasting
I started a podcast by accident. In February of 2012 I was finishing up the manuscript for Stuffed Animals and knew that I didn’t want to immediately write another book. I decided to explore how other people had created businesses doing what I loved: designing sewing patterns for stuffed animals. I figured if I talked…
Why It’s Important to Love Your Customers (and What Happens When You Don’t)
In 2003 I was teaching 6th grade social studies at a middle school in Newton, Massachusetts. I was part of a team of four teachers, each in a different subject area. Three of us were women in our 20’s and the fourth was a man in his late 50’s named Lou. A year away from…
Small Companies are Nimble: Indiesew is Prepared for VAT Changes
Allie Olson is the co-founder of Indiesew, a curated ecommerce site offering “sewing patterns for the modern woman.” With Indiesew Allie and her business partner, Steve Herschleb, are working to promote independent sewing pattern designers and create community among women who love to sew their own clothes. Allie carefully chooses the designers and patterns that…
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