Grace Dobush - Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash, and Basically Have It All

If you're at all crafty, you've probably considered this question. The DIY aesthetic is hot, and why shouldn't you get some of that cash people would otherwise throw at a big box store? Or maybe you'd like to raise awareness and funds for a pet project whether it's rescuing cats, paying for someone's medical bills or fighting world hunger. Maybe you dream of escaping your cubicle and never going back, or maybe you just want to make a little dough to soften the blow of your credit card bills.

But you have absolutely no clue where to start.

The hundreds of successful crafters who came before you have been there. They feel your pain. They know the uncertainty of traveling a path that's barely been blazed.

That's where this book comes in. I've talked to scores of movers and shakers in the indie craft scene and distilled their vast knowledge into this cute, totable tome. Got questions about tax stuff? You'll get answers. Wonder what your prices should be? No prob. Curious about how crafters get into magazines? I'm on it.

I'm a crafter myself. During my freshman year of college I took a course on book design, which, combined with my background in printmaking, started me crafting, and I never looked back. I put my bookbinding skills to use for friends' wedding albums, then branched out into linocut cards, then started doing blank journals. I joined online craft communities and, inspired by the growing craft commerce scene, cobbled together a Web site. I reached out to established indie crafters for advice such as Sublime Stitching's Jenny Hart, who I pestered again for this book and started working the indie craft show circuit.

My business never blew up like Sublime Stitching, but I never really intended it to. My first love's always been writing. And although I absolutely love bookbinding, I can't imagine going full time with it. I prefer to keep my relationship with craft business casual.

And that's why I wrote this book. I wanted a business guide for indie crafters like me who do it themselves and want to stay that way. Whether you're just starting to explore Etsy or are trying to take your biz to the next level, Crafty Superstar will help you get where you want to go.