The Savvy Crafters Guide To Success: Turn Your Crafts Into A Career [Paperback]

Sandy Mccall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2008

Take your crafts out of your workshop - and into the spotlight.

Do you dream of making money with your art but feel unsure of how to begin? With The Savvy Crafter's Guide to Success, turning your hobby into a career is easier than you think.

Leave the boring business books to the white-collar set! In these pages filled with plenty of artwork for inspiration, renowned rubber-stamp and polymer-clay artist Sandra McCall teaches you everything you need to know about successfully marketing and selling your work. She shares personal insights from some of the industry's top crafters, including Traci Bautista, Claudine Hellmuth, Michael Jacobs, Catherine Moore and Stephanie Olin.

With sound advice, valuable do's and don'ts, and plenty of encouragement, you'll learn to:

• Become a regular contributor to craft publications
• Start teaching workshops at stores, retreats and craft shows
• Assert yourself as an "expert" in your field

Turn your dreams into reality. Turn your crafts into a career!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Freelance artist Sandra McCall has been making art since majoring in commercial art. She quickly decided that the field was too restrictive for her and began working in multi-medium art and assemblage while paying the bills with a job as an accountant. She began making her original drawings and eraser carvings into rubber stamps and eventually found a whole new career. Today, Sandy has authored three books, created instructional DVDs, designs new projects and teaches rubberstamping.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581809425
• ISBN-13: 978-1581809428
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Marketing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best..., March 17, 2009

By 

Charlene Anderson "CJA" (Jackson, WY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Savvy Crafters Guide To Success: Turn Your Crafts Into A Career (Paperback)

I have been a professional artist, craftsperson and writer since 1981. In the intervening years I have read dozens of books about crafts business and general business practices. Some have been very good, some useless. I am happy to report that The Savvy Crafter's Guide to Success falls into the first category: a very useful book for those just starting in the craft business and those that have been in business for many years.

At first glance, what sets this book apart from most business books is that it is in full color; a very nice thing for artists and craftspeople.

This wonderful book is about more than just about selling your crafts, but also is about successful career building-- it covers aspects of teaching and finding arenas in which to promote yourself and your work.

Also included are chapters about photographing your work, organizing your workspace, handling business paperwork, writing about your work, and how to judge your success.

In addition, the book features profiles and interviews with a diverse range of crafters who have found their own way to building a successful crafting business.

Beautifully laid out and photographed, this is one of the best crafts business books around. If you are at all serious about your business, it is a must read!

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Success in an art-fully practical handbook, August 14, 2008

By 

S. Fishburn (Fort Collins, Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Savvy Crafters Guide To Success: Turn Your Crafts Into A Career (Paperback)

With general chapters covering everything from organizing your work space to finding outlets, and detailed specific sections on photographing your work, keeping records, and submitting proposals to publishers, Sandra McCall's book is a full-service sourcebook for anyone looking to approach their art as a business. A savvy crafter herself, Sandra also relies on the expertise of highly successful artist/business people like Claudine Hellmuth, Traci Bautista, Catherine Moore, and nearly 2 dozen other artists engaged in the business of art. A diverse array of art and craft is shown, there are extensive tips, quotes, record/financial pages that can be copied straight from the book, and a there is also compendium of useful resources including federal agencies and trade associations. The Savvy Crafter's Guide to Success is a beautifully designed and well-organized reference tool to which I find myself turning time and again.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Upto Date Craft Guide, July 3, 2008

By 

Susan E. Anderson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Savvy Crafters Guide To Success: Turn Your Crafts Into A Career (Paperback)

I bought this at our local bookstore. It was the most current book they had. It has lots of helpful information. Some areas, like photographing your work could be more detailed, but that isn't the main focus here. It includes forms you can copy and customize for your own use. All in all. I really like this book. In fact, I'm re-reading it. Well worth the price.The Savvy Crafters Guide To Success: Turn Your Crafts Into A Career