If you'd like to help and reduce your impact on the environment, here are some tips for choosing "greener" packing materials when mailing your artwork, as appropriate:

1. 1.Use less packaging. Unless your quilt has breakable or bendable embellishments, ask yourself if it's really necessary to add several layers of tissue, bubble padding, or foam padding.
   

2. 2. Avoid foam peanuts. If you need to immobilize your artwork, try using popcorn, shredded paper (from your paper shredder), clean pea straw (used for the garden), or old cardboard boxes torn into strips and rolled tightly.
   

3. 3.Use products made from recycled or biodegradable materials (such as boxes made from recycled paper and packing made from starch). They're available at most post offices and office supply stores.
   

4. 4.Re-use the packaging you have. Don't pop that bubble padding! Save and use it again for the next mailing. Same with boxes and other padding.
   

5. 5.Re-use packing materials in your art. Bubble and foam padding make great textural stamps, Tyvek® envelopes can be painted and stitched, and cardboard can be cut up and used as a stencil or mask, or as protection for your work surface.
   

Do you have an idea for more earth-friendly ways to pack and ship quilts? If so, send them to cprato@interweave.com and they’'ll put the best ones on their website.

Some of the many topics include:

1. How to generate buzz on a shoestring
   

2. How to develop routines to free your creative mind
   

3. How to build your mailing list
   

4. How to increase your footprint on the Internet
   

5.      How to enliven your resume (without lying!)
   

Alyson's book is geared to artists, but many of her principles of no-excuses

self-promotion can translate to other careers and self-run businesses.

In I'd Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion, Alyson B. Stanfield shows artists how to overcome the negative thinking that holds them back from achieving the success they desire. She gives step-by-step, practical advice on everything from setting goals and differentiating yourself to amplifying your online presence and working the media.