My Library by LowlaBug Designs

I am happy to introduce "My Library" to the LowlaBug Designs gallery.

I love reading and I really love to read on my Kindle. However, I have never been able to find the right case. All I wanted was a case that looked like a book. Something that was affordable so that I could switch cases as often as I wanted. So after years of searching I decided to make one, and I love it so much that I wanted to share.

This is a case for the person on the go. I take My Library with me everywhere. I read on the train, in restaurants as well as outside. It is created out of paper and sealed with a glossy coat. It is not water proof, but the sealer allows for an easier clean up of everyday messes (it starts to rain, sticky kid fingers, dog kisses, etc.)

The E-Book attaches to the case with Industrial strength velcro. I know, I made that same face when my husband suggested sticking something to my precious Kindle. However, it comes off so easily, doesn't obscure any product information and the soft side of the velcro is what attached to your E-Book. (I use Goo Gone to remove it and it worked like a charm.)


The Nuts and Bolts
- All of My Library Cases by LowlaBug come with a handmade fabric slip cover
- The velcro is included with your purchase.

My Library Cover will fit the following e-books:
- Amazon Kindle (Generations 3 & 2)
- B&N NOOK (color & 1st Generation)
- Kobo (Touch)

My Library Measurements:
8 1/4" - High
5 1/2" - Wide
3/4" - Depth

It is handmade with paper. I have been using mine non-stop for the past 4 months, but it will like not last forever. With that said I will send you a 10% off coupon for your next My Library purchase every time you order a new one.

FREE SHIPPING within the USA and $2 shipping to Canada.

Go forth and Read!

You can check out the listing here

Showcase #1 - Main Showcase

Showcase #1 - Main showcase

Saturday October 9th

Okay so I had the fist showcase of my showcase test and I have to say it went really well. I had to people make purchases, a total of $40. I had an offer from a blogger to be a featured seller. I also received an offer from a local consignment shop to sell some items in their store.

The $15 for the showcase was defiantly worth it from a marketing point of view.

Here is a log of the day. Enjoy

-LB

LOG:

10:30am
Google Analytic: 21 visits / 61 pageviews
First Item up: Blue Braided Cable Scarflet

Views: 133 (40 last night)

Hearts: 3 new (1 previous hearts)
Total New Item Hearts: 6

1:40pm
Google Analytic: 42 visits / 208 pageviews
First Item up: Cozy Green Cable

Views: 93 (data not recorded)

Hearts: 0 new (4 previous hearts)

3:50pm
Google Analytic: 58 visits /248 pageviews

First Item up: Blue Braided Cable Scarflet

Views: 190

Hearts: 0 New hearts
Second Item Up: Cozy Green Cable Scarflet

Views: 101

Hearts: 0 New Hearts
2 sales
1 - Charcoal Gray Braided Cable Scarflet
1 - Blue and White keyFAB

6:15pm
Google Analytic: 84 visits / 363 pageviews

First Item Up: Green Cozy Cable Scarflet

Views: 136

Hearts: 1 new heart
Second Item Up: Blue Braided Cable Scarflet

Views: 194
Hearts: 0

10:30pm
Google Analytic: 114 visits / 514 pageviews

First Item Up: Blue Braided Cable Scarflet

Views: 238

Second Item Up: Green Cozy Cable Scarflet

Views: 147
New shop hearts: 3
New item hearts: 13

11:00pm - End of Show
Google Analytic: 121 visits / 536 pageviews

Blue Braided Cable Scarflet: Views - 242
Green Cozy Cable Scarflet: Veiws - 156
New shop hearts - 3
New Item hearts - 15

Offer for Blog write up
Offer to sell in local consignment shop

Cables and Showcases

Today I was at the computer poised and ready to book one of etsy's Main Showcase slots. They went on sale at 11am CST and there were hundreds of options. So I booked my slot and when I clicked on my Saturday October 9th slot there were 34 available. After I confirmed it I went right back and noticed that there were only 4 slots left.

Me, being the person I am decided to keep watching the number of open slots disapear by refreshing my browser every 5 seconds. Why did I do this you ask, to satisfy my own curiosity and to share the results with you. Here is what I found out.

After 3mins all of the weekend slots were gone. After 5mins the Monday and Wednesday of the first available week were also gone. At 11:07 CST all of the slots for the Main Showcase were sold out. Not a single one left out of the hundreds that were available. Crazy, I know.

Tomorrow the Storque Showcase goes up for sale at 11am CST. I will be there ready to pounce. I wonder how fast they will go.

Tomorrow is also the first of my showcases, otherwise known as the October Test.

So Far I have booked the following:

Friday October 1st, Accessories

Saturday October 9th, Main

Thursday October 14th, Accessories

Wish me luck. These Cozy Cables will be in the line up as well.

A Test

It is 10:45p (way past my geriatric bedtime) on a Friday night in Chicago and I have made a choice to test the etsy showcases.

Last weekend I participated in two craft shows. I did fairly well considering that I sell mostly winter items. I has about 30 sales over the to shows. Which is lower then I normally have Nov-Jan, but still good. It is pretty common for me to have between 15-30 sales in one show. Now here comes the crux of this entire post.

I only have 25 sales on etsy. Period. That does not seem right. It can only mean that I am not reaching my target audience or the etsy market is saturated with similar items. Possibly both.

My new goal is to boost my etsy sales by testing out some theories/hopes of mine. Instead of doing one of my intended craft show in the Chicago burbs this October. I am going to take that $60 registration fee (I know, right.) and spend it on etsy showcases. Once a week for all of October.

You might be thinking to your self. "Laura you always say that showcases never lead to sales, and end up questioning whether or not it was a waste of money." That is true, I do. However, this month I will put that theory to the test.

So, that is why I am away at 5mins to 11p poised over the Accessories Showcase. Wish me luck.

As always I will keep you posted.

-LB

HootSuite

So I read all of the articles that said that if you are serious about selling on etsy you needed to do two things.

1. Start a blog

2. Get on twitter

I did both. Then I waited. I saw no spike in sales or views that I could relate to twitter page nor my blog. So now that I have gotten back into crafting I am noticing something. While I am sure that no one is reading my blog, my twitter page has a couple followers. One of my followers was using this thing called Hootsuite and so I tried it. I love it. I am obsessed.

HootSuite has combined all of my social networking pages together to create one awesome page. I can write one post and then choose to send the massage to all of my site or just one. It is free and fabulous! I suggest that you all try it.

I have also discovered, much to my followers dismay, that you can put number signs (#) before words and then they will show up in searches. While this might be trivial to most tweeters, it is brand spanking new info to me. I tested it out using #etsy, #handmade, #fashion and #etsybot with three different items and saw about a 20 point jump across the board! Crazy, I know.

So, I think that I am finally getting the hang of this twitter thing.

Thats all for now.

-LB

Today I finally picked my needles back up

Hello. Long time, no post.

It has been a crazy five months since I posted anything. It has been up and down and I have not created one item since April 22nd. That is the longest that I have ever gone without crafting. So, as I have promised to write about my entire journey and you are my captive (and hopefully adoring) audience I will give you a quick update.

My Grandmother died in April. It was sad, but she was 92 years old. She also had the best last day and died peacefully surrounded by her family.

In June I got an amazing new job that I love at the University of Chicago as the Production Manager of the Theatre and Performance Studies Department. I left the Emerald City and went to Hogwarts. It is just beautiful here.

On Friday my husband got laid off from his job. He was there for 8 1/2 years, but apparently the economy caught up with us. He is doing okay though. He is looking for new jobs and really thinking about what he wants to do for the next 10 years. He is taking things in stride and we are looking on the bright side. I would however be lying if I told you that I didn't feel like the wind was knocked out of me.

So, it has been a whirlwind the last couple of months. I just stopped crafting. However, the time has come to pick up my needles again and create.

Just wait until you see what is coming next.

-LB

Singapore!

So I just had my 1st truly international sale today. One KeyFAB on it's way to Singapore! My first etsy sale ever was to Canada, but having spent the first 18 years of my life with in a 45 min drive, it did not seem very international.

So I am off to do my homework on shipping. Luckily, it looks like I priced the shipping correctly, but I am sure there are bound to be hidden Cost.

Things I am going to research

- Delivery Confirmation?

- What does a Singapore address look like, so that I know that I am sending it to the right place?

- How does one send an order confirmation to someone who may not speak English?

- What fun customs things do I now get to embark on?

As always I will keep you up to date.

LB

- by the way the picasa post is going very well. I just have to figure out how to put in all of the screen shots...