mysterious interest

When I first made my Magnifying Glass Notepad for my etsy shop, it was just another idea on another day. I liked it, but wasn't as excited about showing it off to the world as I was when I made the Fist Bump Notepad. That one was an idea well before manda marie designs became real. Well people seem to really like the Magnifying Glass, which proves that I will not be able to predict what will do well.


The first time it received some nice promotion was when the image (and link) were included in an etsy sellers email. I was really excited upon receiving this email and immediately thought a sale would be made on the item. It wasn't, but that's ok.

Now just the past couple weeks it appears to be generating some buzz again. I will admit that I didn't work as hard on my shop during January as I should have. Without going into all of the details of running a shop on etsy, I will say that what came last week was a huge surprise. Three orders were made for the Magnifying Glass Notepad!

This may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but let me put it into perspective. In the entire month of January I made one sale - to my father. February 1st comes along (I didn't suddenly start doing anything different) and I get four orders in the first week. Two of these were for multiple items, and three of them included an order for the Magnifying Glass.

Next step - take a look at Google Analytics to see if I can find out where all of the interest is suddenly coming from. I did end up finding that the notepad was featured in a blog on Friday. (if you go to the blog you won't see the picture because it links to a sold listing, but it is #8 on her Fawned Friday list) However, this doesn't explain a whole lot because all of the orders took place before Friday. I checked where the blogger lives and she isn't one of the customers who ordered one either.

That's all I can do at this point, I'm very happy for the exposure, even though I can't tell how it happened. That's the way it will have to be.

chicken for everyone

Last week I had Lisa and Kirsten over to my new apartment for a sleepover. Yes, I'm 25 and still have and call it a sleepover. Lisa spent most of the day working and was coming over right after so I offered to make us all dinner. This will be one of my go-to dinners where I have everything I need always in the fridge. It is super simple, and extremely delicious.

Here is the "recipe":

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Fry on both sides (not cooking all the way through). Add a couple sprigs of rosemary at the end and cook together for about a minute.

2. Set chicken aside and cook veggies in the same pan with olive oil. This is where it will vary, the first time I just used carrots and onions, then I added zucchini the second time. Really just throw in whatever veggies you like. This time again, season with salt and pepper and just brown the veggies.

3. Place veggies and chicken (individually) in foil and completely wrap together.

4. Cook in 390 degree oven for 20 minutes.

I realize there is nothing new about the chicken/veggie in foil meal, but I'm doing it myself and that's the point. The cooking part of my new years resolution is doing wonderfully. I've made most of my own meals and am happy to have recipes that I will be making again and again.

Lisa Loved It!

photo inspiration

My motivation needs your help. On Sunday I went out to take more photographs and came back with nothing really good. It was freezing outside, I wasn't feeling good, and just really wanted to sleep forever. So, I'm still somewhat stuck in the same spot. Although the weather is a little warmer, I'm still drawing a blank on what to photograph. Which leads me to my questions for you:

Do you have a good location idea?

Do you have a subject idea?

Where is a good spot to get the St. Paul skyline? (does this exist?)

Where can I go to get a shot of the UofM library? (Preferably from the vantage point of the Washington bridge. Can one go on the bridge?)

(oops, I meant the art museum, not the library)

I'd like to hear your ideas, because I am running low on inspiration.

onion soup

I haven't even lived in my new apartment for a week, and I've already started tackling my resolutions. Tonight, I made dinner for myself. For five days all I've eaten has been crap! McDonalds, cookies, pizza, funyuns and coke does not make for a healthy diet. But today the first grocery trip finally happened.

My mom got me this great little cookbook from Ikea. It has 365 recipes and is organized by month (so ideally making one recipe a day). No, I won't be making one recipe a day, but I will try random recipes that sound appealing. They are laid out simply and are quick to make. Each recipe has a photo, since I'm very much a visual learner this is awesome! Tonight, Onion Soup. I have never made a soup that didn't involve opening a can and heating it up!

I cut the onions myself and browned them and even used cooking wine! I ended up leaving some things out because I couldn't find them at the store, or I didn't want them. It was pretty good, although would have been much better with the ingredients I left out (caraway, scallions and cranberries).

PS: the apartment smells so much better after a home cooked meal rather than McDonalds :)

don't super size me

After watching the movie Super Size Me and getting all of the gross facts about fast food, a challenge arose. Joe suggested that we (Joe, Becca and I) spend 30 days WITHOUT fast food. I definitely have the most fast food visits, with Joe behind me, and Becca rarely. We had to lay down some ground rules to start.

1. No Fast Food (for me this included the little deli/cafe I go to for lunch sometimes)
2. No Pizza
3. No Coffee Shops
4. No Vending Machines
5. No Convenience Stores

Although there are a couple exceptions - I've allowed myself items from the gas station as long as it is the same brand and product I can get at the grocery store. Becca is allowing herself coffee from the coffee shop she frequents.

It has been two weeks so far, and it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. A couple times I thought about how simple it would be to go get fast food, and then was a little sad I couldn't. I actually haven't been to the gas station for snacks yet (there's one right across the street from work). I really thought I would feel more deprived, but it's been just fine. I'll let you know when it gets closer to the end!

mailing list

I am going to be putting out a newsletter once a month (that's the goal) for Manda Marie Designs. It will include information about what is new in the shop as well as some specials for subscribers only.

If you would like to receive these emails (I promise it's only me, and only once a month) just sign up on the right hand side --->

Or, follow this link: Subscribe!


The first newsletter will be in December!

resolutions

I'm not a big believer in setting New Years Resolutions and making them work. Which probably has something to do with the fact that my procrastination is really strong. However, this year will be different. I have things to prove and things to do.

The biggest change this coming year, and what is going to help with my goals, is that I am moving out on my own. For the past year and a half I have lived with my sister and brother in law. It has been wonderful, and I know they have enjoyed this time as well. But they are starting their own family, and they deserve to do that without me creeping around. So, this brings us to my resolutions.

1. Get Organized! - this is a constant struggle for me, I can get myself to the place of being organized, but it is so hard to keep it up. This also goes into many other subcategories.

a. Bills - sometime this past year I found a Real Simple (the brand) product that helps organize bills and their due dates etc. It has been great because my monthly bills are in one place and I know whether or not I've paid that month. Believe me, this was a big hurdle. This part of my resolution is to continue this system, but start paying more on time. I frequently end up paying a week or two late because I gather the monthly bills and then pay them all at once. No more!

b. Manda Marie Designs - this isn't in a huge disarray at this point, but knowing me it's headed there. Luckily I got the apartment with enough space for me to have a dedicated workstation for the business. I will get my paperwork and accounting organized as well as product inventory.

c. Life! - I am going to get really busy. With work, devoting time to the gym (see below), getting back to donating plasma (gotta make ends meet), running Manda Marie Designs, and more, I am seriously considering making a schedule for myself.

d. Blogs - this blog, I know, really doesn't get the attention I should give it. But my photoblog has been consistently updated daily. I hope to continue the daily posts there, and get better at posting here.


2. Continue gym membership - it's not always easy to WANT to go to the gym on a regular basis, but the funny thing is, when I am going regularly I really love it! So I don't want to lose momentum and slack off.


3. Cook for myself - My family is rolling their eyes right now, but I'm serious. I don't want to eat fast food and microwave meals all the time. I am going to start cooking my own dinner (and maybe bring my lunches to work). Sure, it won't be the gourmet quality food that Joe makes, but that's not the point. I'm not in a cook-off with my brother in law.


4. 50 Photo Projects - I recently bought this book by Lee Frost and am really excited to do every project in the book. This will require doing some things I've avoided in the past, using equipment I'm not used to, and perfecting some things I already do. Don't worry, blogs posts on every project WILL come.


I know it's only November and new years is over a month away, but these were some things that I have been thinking about. Who knows, I may end up adding more as time goes on here. At least this has put everything out there, holding me responsible to follow through.