Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash, and Basically Have It All [Paperback]

Grace Dobush (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 11, 2009

Be a Crafty Sell Out!
If the church-basement sale isn't quite your scene, Crafty Superstar is your go-to resource for selling your crafty goods part-time. Packed with ideas for setting up and selling out, the book includes loads of advice from experts like Faythe Levine, Jenny Harada and Jenny Hart.
Want to make some dough but don't know where to start? Inside find out how to:

• Discover your expectations and motivations
• Set up shop and get paid
• Join an indie craft show
• Get some press
• Package goods and customer service
• Balance life and crafts

Plus, get business forms, lists of resources and a directory of indie craft shows so you can be on your way to becoming a Crafty Superstar!

Editorial Reviews

Review

The book eases you into the arena of commerce; it starts simple, teaches you how to cover all your bases, and prepares you to grow and take your business to the next level, if that is in fact your dream.
--Miranda Culp, Craftzine.com

Crafty Superstar is an outstanding source of advice for the part-time crafter. Don't think of it as a book. Think of it more as an intimate sit down Q&A crafters wish they could have with someone more experienced. --Christine Ernest, Hello Craft

Crafty Superstar will give you the tools to make running a small business seem less scary, more fun and more profitable. Reading about people like me makes it easier to relate to than other business books I've read. --Cinnamon Cooper, Poise.cc

It's everything you ever wanted to know about running a craft business wrapped up in one smart, snarky and easy-to-follow guide. A must have for the work desk of any budding craft entrepreneur. --Olivera Bratich, Wholly Crafty

From the Author

Selling crafts ain't easy. And it can be even harder if you're trying to juggle your crafty biz with a full-time job and any kind of personal life.

That's where Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash and Basically Have It All comes in! This business guide for part-time crafters includes advice from craft superstars such as Jenny Hart, Jessica Manack, Grace Bonney, Jenny Harada, Cinnamon Cooper and many more. I interviewed dozens of crafters to get advice on how to boost your Etsy sales, promote yourself and your crafts, deal with customers and balance your craft life with your personal life.

Basically, this is the book I wish I'd had back when I was starting to sell my crafts. I hope it will help you become the crafty superstar you've always dreamed of.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; Original edition (December 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600613209
• ISBN-13: 978-1600613203
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Grace Dobush is a writer, editor, crafter and freelance vagabond based in Cincinnati. She's the co-organizer of Cincinnati's biggest, baddest indie craft show, Crafty Supermarket (http://craftysupermarket.com), and sells her handbound books and linocut cards and shows and shops around the country (http://graciesparkles.etsy.com). A proud alumna of Kent State's journalism school, Grace has written about craft, art and design for Wired, HOW, Venus Zine and The Artist's Magazine, among others. She recently made the leap from being a salary woman to being a full-time freelancer and entrepreneur. Learn more at http://www.gracedobush.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have! February 22, 2010

By J. doughty

Format:Paperback

This book has given me more information in an hour of reading than months of online researching of various blogs, forums, and tutorials explaining how to sell art/crafts. The articles in this book are practical and apply to anybody who is just starting out selling handmade goods or who currently sells and is ready to build their business. This book also comes with numerous checklists, balance sheets, accounting ledgers, and other forms that most handmade sellers will use or refer to when considering how to expand or how to begin selling. It also gives many tips on how an artist/crafter can get their items into the hands of potential buyers whether it be taking on a craft show, selling wholesale at a local boutique, or opening a shop online. Crafty Superstar breaks down the good, the bad, and the ugly of each venue giving an honest look at how challenging and rewarding selling handmade items can be. This book is a wonderful resource and a must have for anybody who has ever thought about becoming a handcrafted seller.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what you need to start selling your crafts! February 23, 2010

By Michelle Taute

Format:Paperback

Grace is a crafty queen! This book is full of awesome, fun and practical advice for selling your beloved DIY creations. It breaks the process down into manageable steps, and there's info in here from some of your favorite crafters, too. She covers everything from getting free press coverage and applying to indie craft fairs to pricing. It's like your best girlfriend sat you down and gave you the pep talk you needed to finally sell your crafts--instead of just daydreaming about it.

21 of 30 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Helpful, but missing some information December 21, 2009

By J. Herbst

Format:Paperback

I am reading this book, and I have a problem in that this book slightly touches on the topic of insurance. Recommending getting insurance on a shipped product and getting your home-based biz included on your homeowners or renter's policy is covered.

Nothing about product liability though. This is a topic that I think is extremely important. Let me know if I missed this bit of information. I think it could be considered a bit reckless to sell products (like soaps and lotions in my case) without this type of coverage.

If you are looking for a guide on selling your crafts on Etsy, this is definitely the book for you. The author does have a bias towards selling on Etsy, but for the prospective reader, this makes sense. From explaining how much to charge for your goods to how to schedule your life for success with your home-based business this book covers part of what you might be concerned about when you are thinking of selling your goods to the public.

Use this book in conjunction with blogs for your specific craft and ask questions of people if you can. Your homeowner's/ renter's insurance agent should also be able to help you as well.