Craft Industry Alliance

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Chelsea Bloxsom who's business is Love and a Sandwich. She makes incredibly cute furry plush monsters. She also makes embroidery hoops based on her favorite comics characters. Her first book, Adventure Time Crafts, will soon by released by Potter Craft in cooperation with Cartoon Network. Phil Barbato is a plush maker who sells his work online and at shows such as New York ComicCon and Crafty Bastards. Phil's plush monsters are bearded and gold-toothed and totally wonderful. We talk about how Chelsea and Phil began making plush, how to build an online audience for your work with Tumblr, whether you should stay on Etsy or open your own online shop, what you can learn from doing an in-person show, and much more. Chelsea, Phil and I also recommend great stuff we're loving right now. Thanks for listening! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I talk with Ame Verso, Content Director for F+W, the world's largest publishing group. Amy has over 10 years of experience editing and commissioning craft books. We discuss what a winning craft book proposal looks like, how much audience size matters for potential authors, how royalty structures work, whether you need an agent, who owns the copyright for material published in a craft book, and more. Ame was very generous in sharing her knowledge of the craft publishing industry. Send her a message on Twitter @ameverso. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Amie Plumley who is the co-author of Sewing School and Sewing School 2. Both books are excellent resources for teaching children to sew. Jean Van't Hul is the author of the blog and book, The Artful Parent. She is passionate about helping people find inspiration and encouragement in making art with children, whether at home or in the classroom. In this episode of the podcast we talk about creating open-ended projects, controlling the mess, helping everyone feel comfortable being creative, and dealing with frustration and self-doubt among young artists. Amie, Jean and I also recommend our favorite art supplies and creative toys for children and adults. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I talk to illustration agent Lilla Rogers and artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon. What does it take to make a living as an artist? We discuss how to develop a viable career making and selling your artwork. Lilla and Lisa also recommend great stuff their loving right now. Connect with Lilla Rogers at: http://lillarogers.com Connect with Lisa Congdon at: http://lisacongdon.com Find me, Abby Glassenberg, at: http://craftindustryalliance.org Enjoy the show! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Diane Gilleland and Haley Pierson-Cox who both have established careers as freelance craft designers. Hear how they balance their work days between pursuing new opportunities, marketing current projects, and completing work on deadline. Diane and Haley also have experience doing in-booth demonstrations for craft companies at industry trade shows. Get the an inside look at what that's like and what kinds of things they learn from doing product demos. Finally, we talk about the benefits and pitfalls of pursuing many different crafts (knitting, crochet, sewing, plastic canvas, quilting) instead of honing in on a particular niche. Of course, we end the show with recommendations of great stuff we're loving right now. Enjoy! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I talk with sewing pattern makers Cal Patch and Jen Beeman about how they got their start, how their careers have developed, and where they see the future of home sewing heading. Cal, Jen, and I recommend great stuff we're loving right now including tools, books, subscriptions, apps, and more. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Stanford Smith. About six months ago, in an effort to learn about how to blog more effectively, I began reading Pushing Social, a blog about blogging. The author of Pushing Social, Stan Smith, is an internet marketing and social media expert. Stan shares practical exercises and tips on how to write blog posts that attract readers and deliver real value. I'm really pleased that Stan agreed to chat with me about how handmade businesses can blog more effectively. We talk about: the importance of expertise writing with a reader in mind and how to promote yourself with integrity Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I'm rebroadcasting an interview I conducted with Jonathan Marcus, CEO of Goodsie, in November of 2012. Goodsie provides anyone with easy drag-and-drop tools that allow you to create a beautiful, customizable online storefront in an easy and affordable way. Jonathan founded Goodsie in 2011 as a way of bringing ecommerce to the masses. We talk about what he feels sets Goodsie apart from other online storefront makers and who he envisions as Goodsie's ideal customer. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I'm publishing the audio version of a video interview I conducted on January 29, 2013, with Jon Crawford, the CEO of Storenvy. If you're interested in ecommerce and small business, you'll enjoy Jon's story of founding this exciting platform. Hear about: How Storenvy differs from Etsy. How the social aspect of Storenvy works. Why Storenvy is free for sellers. What the experience is like for shoppers. Why Storenvy might be the better ecommerce choice for handmade businesses. Enjoy! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Cynthia Treen whose threadfollower felt animal kits are carried in over 100 shops nationwide and Alison Kaplan, the founder and owner of Kata Golda a company that creates handmade items using letterpress, ceramics, wool felt, and fabrics. We hear about Cynthia's and Alison's creative lives and then get their recommendations for great stuff they're enjoying right now. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with artist Ann Wood. Ann works with found and salvaged materials, many of them vintage or antique garments. She’s interested in transformation, turning cardboard boxes from the fancy grocery store on her block into turreted castles and ruined old petticoats and gowns into seas for paper mache boats. She loves to give the most common materials and tired, dispirited, faded things new importance and meaning. Throughout her life Ann’s been infatuated with smallness, intricacies, miniaturization, collections, repetition; lost or abandoned things discovered and rescued; the idea of haunted and enchanted places, and the setting of a tiny stage. Ann lives Brooklyn. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with two indie brands in the baby and children's market. My guests are Jahje Bath Ives, owner of the handmade nursery mobile company BabyJives, and Mimi Tsang, owner of the girls hairclip company, hello shiso. We talk about what it's like to start and run a successful creative business and then we recommend great stuff we're enjoying right now. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast my guests are location photographer Gale Zucker and knitwear designer Kristin Nicholas. We learn about Gale and Kristin's backgrounds and then recommend great stuff we're enjoying right now. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Rachael Gander (imaginegnats.com) and Kim Werker about our recent projects and then all three of us recommend amazing things we're enjoying right now. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Kari Chapin and Blair Stocker. We discuss the new edition of Kari's book, The Handmade Marketplace, and Blair's newly released book, Wise Craft. Kari, Blair, and I recommend our favorite picks in apps, tools, websites, books, and other neat stuff. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with quilter, knitter, and photographer, Caro Sheridan, and digital and social media strategist, Meighan O'Toole. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter who is the senior account manager at Stitchcraft Marketing (formerly the Wood Wide Web). Stacey Trock is a crochet designer and owner of FreshStitches. In this episode we share our latest projects and our top picks for fun things we are enjoying right now including books, tools, apps, and more! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Meg Freeman and Dorie Schwarz, the women behind the incredibly popular online phenomenon that is Kids Clothes Week. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Sonya Philip who undertook an amazing project: to sew 100 dresses in a year, all from original patterns she's drafted herself. Sonya tells us her story, from growing up in a creative household to learning to sew and be a pattern maker. We talk about body image and uniforms and why sewing your own clothes is a life skill like scrambling an egg. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast my guests are Tara Swiger and Stacey Trock. We share our top tips for marketing your creative business. Whether you're just getting started with an Etsy shop, or you've been selling your creative products for many years, you'll pick up some new tricks to engage better with your customers. Hear about composing an excellent email, using auto responders, and why it's a good idea to assume the best. This episode is packed with ideas for creating better customer engagement. Enjoy! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I talk with Deborah Fisher and Stacey Trock about great tools we love. Deborah is the author of Sew Fun: 20 Projects for the Whole Family. She is a doll maker and quilter who co-founded the Bright Hopes Collaborative Quilt Project and Bo Twal, a doll-making project in Haiti. Stacey Trock is a crochet designer. Her company, Fresh Stitches, provides PDF patterns for fun, easy-to-make crocheted stuffed animals. I hope you enjoy the show! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast my guests are knitwear designer Gwen Bortner and crochet designer Stacey Trock. We talk about our current favorite things including awesome books, apps, bags, time-saving tools, and other great stuff we think you'll love. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I am joined by Betz White and Claudine Hellmuth, two fantastic indie designers and all-around interesting women. We share our top picks of apps, blogs, tools, recipes, subscriptions, and other awesome things we love. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I am joined by Wendi Gratz and Stacey Trock. In this episode we talk about our current favorites in media, apps, tools, books, and other things we're loving that we think you'll love, too. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Stacey Trock of FreshStitches and Mollie Johansen of Wild Olive about our favorite graphic designs tools, tips, and tricks that will make your blog or website look amazing, even if you're just getting started in web design. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I'm pleased to present this conversation I had with Vanessa Bertozzi who has worked at Etsy since its inception. One week after the announcement Vanessa and I talk about what prompted the new policy, what it really will entail for buyers and sellers alike, and how it will shape Etsy's future. In early October (2013) Etsy announced a significant policy change: sellers will be allowed to hire staff, have someone else ship their goods, and sell items made with manufacturing partners. This shift has been met with both outcry and relief from Etsy's 1 million sellers and 30 million buyers. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we are talking about one of the most challenging parts of having a niche blog: monetization. My guest is Bjork Ostrom of the food blog, Pinch of Yum. Blogging is wonderfully fun and brings all kinds of rewards in and of itself like making connections with like-minded people all over the world and getting your ideas into the public eye, but creating and maintaining a great blog is also really time consuming. Coming up with fresh content several times each week, writing posts, taking attractive photos and editing them, and then responding to comments can become an all-consuming job pretty quickly. If it’s a job you love and you’re good at it that’s awesome! But no matter how much you love your job, you probably want to get paid to do it and that’s where today’s guest comes in. Bjork and his wife, Lindsay, have a beautiful food blog called Pinch of Yum. Most posts on Pinch of Yum are easy-to-follow delicious recipes, but Lindsay and Bjork are also interested in showing how to make an income from blogging and helping others do the same. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast I chat with Dawn Treacher of Treacher Creatures about the toy testing requirements in the UK that apply to handmade softies and the process she's gone through the test 14 of her sock creatures for safety. Dawn's toys are truly adorable and our talk raises a lot of important issues for all softie makers no matter where you live. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast is Carol Cruise, who has had a wonderfully successful career designing stuffed animal sewing patterns for major pattern companies. She is a true veteran in this field and she has terrific advice and stories to share about her journey as a designer. Hear about Quilt Market in the 1980's! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast is awesome sewing pattern designer and surface designer, BariJ. We have an informative conversation about how to get your sewing patterns printed and distributed to quilt shops and sewing centers all over the country. Bari generously shares the ins and outs of design, printing, and distribution. A lot goes into selling print patterns and Bari is an incredible resource. I hope you enjoy our talk! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast is Shawn Smith, the incredible creative talent behind Shawnimals and indie plush company that has had great success. Shawn talks with me about how he went about getting his plush designs manufactured overseas and distributed throughout the United States. I hope you enjoy his story! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast Lauren and I chat about her experience making large scale plush toys for galleries and clients. We also talk about how to get your toy designs manufactured overseas and distributed in the United States. Lauren is the creative mind behind Sweet Meats, amazing plush meat! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast is the indie plush company founded by a group of friends, Monster Factory that has a unique business model that's led to incredible success. Their toys are adorable, their branding is admirable, and they are about to launch a set of toys that will be in stores nationwide. Tune in for a fun interview with one of the founders of this awesome company! Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.