What I'm doing...

So I have been working on my to-do list most of today. I started it last week and it seemed to, at the very least, leave me feeling like I have a little more exposure.
And today's to-do went just as well.
I am gonna finish up my owl bag today so I have something to add to Etsy next weekend. I may even start on some new projects.
That's about it.
I haven't been going out during the weekends anymore because I'm really trying to get stuff up & running with m. ranae designs... so hopefully my friends forgive me and it all pays off!

My Own To-do List

Today I was browsing online and I stumbled across my own Etsy store and I thought to myself "only a few people have stopped by to see my new stuff!".
Then I started wondering "how do I get people to stop by more?"

So I started browsing through the articles on Esty and found an idea that I am gonna try.
It's a to-do list that is done daily to promote your online shop. The list includes:

• Post MySpace Bulletin
• Add 5 New Friends on MySpace
• Post on 5 Promo Threads on Etsy
• Post on 5 site help threads
• Post on ??? Ect threads
• Play in Chat
• Renew/List 1 Item
• List Said Item On DeviantART
• Upload Said Photo To Flickr
• Friend 1 person on IndiePublic
• Add I Photo To IndiePublic
• Blog post

Now I don't know what some of that stuff is... like ???Ect or IndiePublic. And I know what some things are, but I don't use those sites... like Flickr or DeviantART. Nonetheless, I want to promote more. So I am gonna make my own list and go from there.

Here are my thoughts:
I am horrible at doing things regularly... take this blog for example.
I am horrible at multi-tasking... just ask my coworkers at my 9-5.
I get bored with routines... anybody can tell you that!
So I am gonna give myself a small goal/list to start with and then maybe add if it works.

Here's my starter list which I will do once a week:

• Add three new friends on MySpace
• Post a bulletin/note on MySpace and Facebook
• Post on five craft threads (Etsy, Craftbits, etc.)
• List one new item in my shop
• Find one place in town to post my card
  
• Blog

I have some other ideas I'd like to get in to motion soon. But, again, I'm horrible at multi-tasking... I'm just gonna work on my list for now.
So... I am off to start myself a Facebook listing (I have a personal one, but I'm gonna start a m. ranae designs one). Then, since I'm done with blogging for today, I am off to do the rest on my list.

Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it!!

New Stuff on Etsy

So my husband and I sat and lounged at the coffee shop this morning.
I brought my laptop and "worked" on adding some new stuff to my Etsy account.
Check it out! Here are some of the highlights!

My birthday loot!

Well, happy birthday to me! I'm pushing 30... but still young!
My family knows me well and they often get me crafty stuff for my birthday... this year I received some cash (cha-ching) and a gift card to a craft store (also cha-ching!).
So at the fabric store I bought the above: some purple suede, red denim, strippy cotton, blue linen & purple polyesther... I'm very excited about what they might become.

At the craft store I bought a corner embosser, some paper, lots of metal charms & chain, some more fabric and some stickers.
I've got big plans for the paper and I decided to use the charms as zipper pulls.
I just love birthday loot!! Thanks mom & grandma for supporting my crafty/fabric habits!

Happy Birthday Mom! a.k.a. Anatomy of New Bag Design :: PART TWO

Okay... so here's part two of my mom's birthday bag...
Now, where were we...

Here I'm marking where the zipper is gonna go in the inner pocket. This is a very fancy pocket... as you will see.



After sewing around the marks I made above, I cut a hole in the center of it and pulled the pocket through. This is what it then looks like... a big hole.



Now I pin the zipper into the hole.



Here is what it looks like from the back.



And then I sew it in. Doesn't it look nice?



Last part for the pocket, I add the back piece & sew it on.



Ta-da! A zippered pocket!




Next I pin in my label into the lining before I sew the two lining pieces together. Then I sew them together... my inner piece is done!



Now I sew the straps. After I turn them inside out, I add a touch of color to them with this topstitching.



Now for a little finishing touch... the button! I sewed it on and then I sewed on the elastic closure. It makes it quick & easy to open & close the main part of the bag. Plus, that button has tons of personality. Oh and by the way... I was gonna put a pink button on, but at last minute I changed it to a green.




Now I attached the finished straps to the lining of the bag after folding down the edge.



Okay... we're so close to finishing it! Here I insert the lining into the outer part of the bag. I poked myself with pins a lot here!


Next I pin my pretty, pink piping in between the lining & the outer part.


Nice! Now the lining is in & pinned with the piping. Lots of pins!! Again, here is proof I got poked a lot!



Very last step... I sew along the edge, sewing the three layers together. And it's all done!!




Looking nice, huh?! It was a nice looking bag in the end. I plan on making more for my Etsy account and I will call them DL Tote Bags. They're named after my mom, Debra Lynn.
Happy birthday mom!