whileshenaps.com

Sewing, blogging, and creative business.

  • About
    • About Abby
  • Sewing
    • Abby Glassenberg Design Patterns
    • Free Patterns
    • Softie Sewing Tutorials
    • Softie Design Tutorials
    • Stuffed Animals (the book)
    • The Artful Bird
    • Featured Soft Toy Designers
    • Fostering Your Creativity
      • The Pattern That Changed My Life
    • Kid’s Crafts
    • Selling Your Handmade Softies
    • Sew-a-Longs
    • Studio Updates
    • Teaching
  • Blogging
    • Blog Design and Organization
    • Building Great Email Newsletters
    • How to Write a Great Blog Post
    • Increasing Your Traffic
    • Monetizing Your Blog
  • Business
    • Being Self-Employed
    • Legal and Financial Issues
    • Getting Published
      • Traditional Print Publishing
      • Self-Publishing
        • Patterns
      • Book Reviews
    • Online Culture of Craft
    • Ecommerce and Etsy
    • Marketing
    • Customer Service
  • The Podcast
    • Episodes
    • How to make a podcast
    • Podcast Recommendations
  • Shop
    • Ebooks
    • Digital Patterns
    • Print Patterns and Kits
    • Specialty Supplies
  • Courses
    • Email Marketing for Crafters
    • Learn to Sew Puzzle Ball Animals
  • Cart
    • My Account
    • Checkout

How to Keep Blogging When You Really Don’t Feel Like It

March 27, 2015

It’s pretty easy to start a blog, especially when you’re excited about it. Brainstorming names is fun! Deciding on a platform takes some work, but it’s still pretty neat. Making a banner? Fun. Before too long your blog is set up and you’re ready to write your first post. The whole thing might take a… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Business Tips, Fostering Your Creativity

Looking Out For Ourselves

March 23, 2015

A few days ago I got an email from a member of the marketing team at F+W Media, a major publisher of craft books, asking if I’d consider reviewing Kim Kruzich’s new book,  Retro Mama Scrap Happy Sewing. I love Kim’s work. She’s a meticulous sewist and a great designer with a focus on softies… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Business Tips, Getting Published, Legal and Financial Issues, Traditional Print Publishing

Why “Where’s Your Inspiration?” Isn’t a Good Question

March 20, 2015

I snapped this photo on Wednesday night. It was 8:24 pm. I’d just finished wiping down the kitchen counters and sweeping the floor. Josephine was tucked into bed. Simon was in her pajamas and Roxanne had just headed upstairs to take a shower. I had put down my laptop and my many legal pads and… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Fostering Your Creativity

Book Review: Stitch Love by Mollie Johanson

March 9, 2015

I bought Stitch Love because I’m friends with the author, Mollie Johanson of Wild Olive. I love Stitch Love because it’s a valuable and charming book that I’ll use for years to come. Mollie designs all sorts of crafts: embroidery patterns, printables, quilts, sewing projects, softies, and more. Her signature design element is a little… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Book Reviews

The Etsy IPO Explained

March 6, 2015

Etsy sent out an email to all sellers on Wednesday stating that the company is going public. The Etsy Initial Public Offering (IPO) could take place as early as April, but we won’t know in advance the exact date or share price. I thought I’d take a look at what an IPO really is, how… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Business Tips, Ecommerce and Etsy

Don’t Be Afraid of LinkedIn

March 4, 2015

Last week I mentioned on Twitter that I thought designers and crafters should be on LinkedIn. Almost everyone seemed to disagree with me. The overwhelming question was, “Why?” Why be on LinkedIn if you’re not looking for a job? Why have a LinkedIn profile if you’ve already got a website and a blog? I knew… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Business Tips

Why I Don’t Do Affiliate Marketing

February 25, 2015

Hi Abby, I am organizing an online creative business conference in May, and wanted to see if there might be a way for us to work together. We are looking for a few influencers to serve as advisers to the attendees. Advisers get a free pass to the event and advertising space in the conference… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Better Blogging, Marketing, Monetizing Your Blog

Three Bird Nest: The Etsy Success Story Redefined

February 18, 2015

This is what Etsy has become and it’s too bad too. The site was originally for selling hand crafted items crafted by the shop owner but then Etsy began allowing major manufacturing companies to sell their garbage on there. As I stated above, there are companies in Hong Kong that saturate Etsy with pages and… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Business Tips, Ecommerce and Etsy, Online Culture of Craft

On Sourcing Supplies (and Sharing Sources)

February 11, 2015

To me, it feels a bit like someone who wants to copy your term paper because, after all, you already did the work. This is how yarn dyer Jill Draper describes how it feels when she gets an email from a stranger asking for her colorway recipes. It happens more than you might expect. For… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Business Tips, Ecommerce and Etsy

On Choosing Not to Have a Craft Business

February 6, 2015

As Director of Artist Relations at 20×200, an online art market, Carrie Strine is involved with the business of art all day long. In her free time Carrie is an exceptionally skilled quilter. Her textile work is meticulous and beautiful and although she could build a business around it she’s made the conscious choice not… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Ecommerce and Etsy, Online Culture of Craft

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • …
  • 30
  • Next Page »
Welcome! I'm Abby Glassenberg and I'm glad you're here. While She Naps is a blog about designing and sewing stuffed animals and running a creative business.
email me
Facebook
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Bestselling Ebook

Join the Trade Organization

Etsy Shop

Books By Abby

Stuffed Animals Book Trailer

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2025 · Abby Glassenberg · Design by Shay Bocks