Make Me

My Etsy Makeover, Part 1,349,392,192

Yes! Yes! I'm still revamping my Etsy shop! It's a process, okay? Today I wrote a marketing plan that will help me maximize my exposure for a minimum of output. The idea being if I create a schedule that allows for daily, weekly and monthly tasks, I can limit the amount of time spent selling and make for time for creating. My goal is to spend 15-30 minutes each day on Etsy marketing.

What I've done so far is create some treasuries, comment in the forums a few times and re-instituted my "PLUG O THE DAY" on Twitter.  I've netted two sales this week. It's nice to see a return already. I'm also reading the Etsy newsletters and keeping a notebook of ideas and time expenditure.  The time thing is crazy because I can spend hours shopping on Etsy. I have to be focused.

The funny thing about the Etsy forums is there are some sellers who have posted that they're not selling anything, but haven't truly marketed themselves successfully. They think by blasting Twitter with links to their shops or by posting in Promos section of the forums, that they are doing enough work. I know I've had very few sales. I know I need to be more diligent and market myself better. What I haven't done until now is figure out a system that works for me; that allows me to get the job done without taking over my life.

Small steps. Perseverance. Patience.

Again, I highly recommend The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line. It's clearly written and gives a good plan for those of us who are a little clueless when it comes to self-promotion. 

Here's a sampling of some of my latest favorites.

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade Hilari.etsy.com

The Cookbook Game, cont'd

First, let me preface this by saying I don't normally cook meat. I usually only eat it when I'm out and I tend to overcook it when I eat in.That said, let me introduce you to this dish from Indian Deliciously Authentic Dishes. I picked up the book from Borders for $5.99. For now the cookbook is in the keeper pile, at least until I try a couple more dishes.

This is the Chicken in Spicy Onions dish. And I pretty much followed the directions, even though that is next to impossible for me to do. However, I made one big mistake. The first time the chicken visits the pan it is for a quick browning. You're supposed to remove it then and add it after the onion and spices are cooked. Unfortunately I did not realize this error until I had cooked (per the instructions) the chicken with the onions for 15 minutes AFTER the initial "browning". Yup. Overcooked chicken. I also used chicken breasts only. Thighs would have been a yummy addition. I also think the spices were lost because the cilantro took over. Here is the recipe with my changes.

Chicken with Spicy Onions

3/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1/2-1 tsp salt
3lb of skinned, jointed chicken parts
4 tbsp oil or ghee
4 small onions, finely chopped
I 2" piece of fresh ginger root, grated
1-2 fresh green Serrano chilies, finely chopped
1-1/2 tsps cumin powder
5 tbsp plain yogurt, nonfat
5 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp cornstarch
4 ozs coriander/cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Mix turmeric, chili powder and salt in a small bowl. Rub the chicken with the dry mixture and set aside.

Heat the oil or ghee in a skillet and low-medium heat. Add the chicken and cook on both sides until just browned (about 2-4 minutes). Remove chicken from skillet.

Add about 3 of the 4 chopped onions, the chilies and half the ginger. Cook a few minutes before adding the cilantro and cumin. Continue cooking until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken back to the skillet, as well as any juices from the plate. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, cream and cornstarch together well. Gradually fold into the chicken and onions, and stir well until mixed.

Return the pan to the heat and continue cooking on low until the chicken is tender. Just before serving stir in remaining cilantro, onions and ginger. Serve over rice.

About 4-6 servings.

A Very Cozy Blanket

This is slow-going because the alpaca yarn I'm using is ridiculously cozy. Not the perfect summer knit. I think it will mostly be a laying-on type of blanket and not a covering up one. Unless the baby decides to move to Antarctica.  The pattern is by OrangeFlower and can be found here. I was worried the combo of green and brown would look too much like camouflage. I'm still a little worried about that, but am choosing to think of it as a forest floor, lichen and leaves kind of thing.

I think I've also found a shawl pattern for my Madeline Tosh yarn. It's the Dierdre shawl from Stockinette. I am also partial to Annis which boasts a tie-ability that I prefer in shawls.  But I may save that for my Malabrigo Lace Weight.

I've been sick for the past week. You'd think I'd have least gotten a lot of knitting done, but no.  I have pink eye in both eyes and an ear infection. I managed three rows of the blanket and had to tink half a row of that. The eye thing makes me squint and the ear thing makes me disoriented. Add the knitting and this is does not a happy menage a trois make.  Plus the wool fibers made my eyes itch. Hey! Can you get pink eye from wool?

I'm not letting myself get started with the Tosh yarn until I finish the blanket. The Tosh is my carrot because I so want to put this away until November. However, I doubt the mom wants to postpone the birth by almost three months.  Her theme is owls. I'm kind of looking around for a cute knit owl pattern. Know of one?

Me and Toe Up Socks - A Match Made in Purgatory

Here's the Madeline Tosh sock yarn I got at Stitches earlier this year. I bought it for the Elfine socks I've been dying to make. Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to start them because they are toe-up. Me and toe-up aren't on the way to becoming BFFs. And I don't know why, exactly.

I start out and there doesn't seem to be any problem. On one I even got to the heel. But then there is just something about how they fit after that. 

I've tried three times and I've not been happy enough to even finish the first sock. I wish I could point to specific problems, but I can't. The best I can say is, I'm just not into them.  But I'm going to try one more time. I do really like the Elfine socks a lot, so maybe that will be the encouragement I need.

I love how soft this yarn is. All squishy and smooshy. I bought three skeins in two different colors at Stitches. I thought I had my buy-plan all carefully thought out, but once in the big convention hall I was just way overwhelmed with the yarny goodness.  I got two skeins of this fabulous purple for the Mara Shawl, and when I got home, I discovered I needed three skeins. Arrrrgh!!

So now I'm trying to find a project I like that will only need two skeins, or 400 yards. I'd prefer a shawl or scarf, but am open to any suggestions. Anyone? Anyone?

I'm currently knitting another baby project - the Garter Rib Blanket from Orange Flower.  It's super easy and the mix of alpaca and wool yarns are making for a very dense and cozy blanket. I'll post a picture when I'm further along. We're having movie night tonight, so I anticipate getting a lot of rows done during Casablanca (which I've never seen, by the way!)

Of Cards and Cooking

I've been making these cards for quite a few years now. I love captioning these old photos. I tend to come up with more captions than photos because once I get them typed up and printed out, some of them just don't work when they are actually paired with the photo.

Since I've already re-worked my jewelry line to some extent (did I mention a sale at Lazy Lima Bean?) maybe I should re-examine the cards as well. Sales slowed at the last craft fair, but there was still a lot of interest. Maybe the new cards aren't as funny?

On another topic, I'm still playing my cookbook game, but haven't done a recipe for two months. I'm stuck on the Whole Foods Cookbook. I want to make this potato and onion fritatta, but I can't eat it all myself. So I've been cooling my jets and awaiting the opportunity. 

Um. You're not supposed to say, "why not just pick another recipe and move on?" Cuz then I'd just have to say that I'm lazy.