Etsy Week Three: How long?

My first(messy) products.

Etsy Week Three: How long will it take for me to make my first batch of products?

So, I was asking people how long did it take them to create their products for their Etsy shop. Some said weeks, some said months, and one person said a year! So basically, one must spend a lot of time on creating quality products. Everything that you start out making will not be selling quality. With my first shop, it only took me a week. And my products should not have been displayed. LOL I got really anxious and excited, but great things like an Etsy shop takes time.

What I have so far:
Two unfinished clutches
Four small hair accessories



How long would you or did you spend creating your products for your business?

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Etsy Bootcamp: Week 2

So far I only have two unfinished products. I have not had the time to work on products daily due to my family and my other job.

Outside Advice
I got advice from two of my friends on one of my clutches. One of my friend's hated it! It hurted my feelings a little. When you create things, it makes you vulnerable and it's like putting your heart on the line. Lol But, my other friend told me that everyone has different taste and that I should do what I think is best. I must admit, my products need more work. So I have to keep WORKING!

So this week will just consist of making and fixing my products

Bizzy Health Bootcamp: Day 1

Grade: D+

Diet: Today I had to work an 8 hr shift. For some reason, when I am at work all I want to do is eat. I work with kids. There are always cupcakes, donuts, brownies, and all the other junky foods. This is because someone is always celebrating something! I use to tell myself,"It's not like I eat this every day." But, I realize that we are always finding a reason to eat junky foods. So, today I had 3 double chocolate cookies and one chocolate donut. HORRIBLE! I am going to aim for more self control.

Breakfast : Organic Banana Bread and coffee
Lunch: Organic tortalini and tomato sauce
Dinner: Banana + Smoothie
Snack: 2 Chocolate chip cookies, one chocolate Dunkin Donut

As you can see, this was a horrible day. I didn't have any veggies, and it was mostly carbs. I got caught up in work, but there are no excuses for this bad day. I am not gonna barf it up or try and exercise it out. LOL I am not going to punish myself, because that will just cause me to go on a crazy eating spree. All I can do now is do better. 

Exercises:
 40min Tabata
1hour walk during lunch.

I feel like if I do Tabata, this is a way of pushing myself. I need to start setting standards for myself. Tabata is an intense work out they consist of crazy intervals and small breaks.

COME BACK AND SEE HOW I DO TOMORROW! SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL ABOVE ;)

Workouts Exercises: Legs and Glutes

So I have only done this once, but I will never forget the one time I did it. I was really sore the next day. So I'm going to keep this one!

Fitness Motivation

Me sweating like a maniac. LOL

People around me are always asking, "Why are you exercising? What are you trying to loose?" I thought that exercising and eating right was something that we were suppose to do to have a healthy life...right? There are some things that I would like to accomplish when it comes to fitness, but my health is something that I take very serious.  The last time I checked, you only get one life.

Solid Motivation
This guy from Lean Bodies Consulting on Facebook said to ask yourself why do you want to have a healthy life?

I believe God put me on this Earth so that I could be the best Tiffany that he intended me to be. I also want my little boy to see me reaching my goals and living a healthy life. This will make it much easier for him to want a healthy life.

Being healthy and eating right is all about self control, and I know that I can do all things through Christ. I can use this same will power that he gives me and apply it to the everyday trials and problems of life. I'm not a pro, but I'm going to try my best to be one. NO EXCUSES! WITH GOD, I WIN.

Starting an Etsy Shop!:Week One

Hello Lovelies,

Week 1 Goals:
creating and perfecting my products.
Countdown: 59 days left!

So, I'm always busy doing something. I've tried to start an Etsy shop before, but it was an epic fail! I was not prepared. An Etsy shop is an actual business. There is the product itself, competitors(really good ones), pricing, and all this other business stuff that I am clueless about. I am out of school for the Summer, so I am going to take my time and do it right this time around. First, I am going to work on my products and perfect them. I need to figure out actually what it is that I want to sell. I started out selling hair accessories.

Perfecting My Crafts
So when I first started making my hair accessories, I thought "This is going to be easy and quick!" Boy was I wrong. My products were pretty tacky and unprofessional. I put a lot of time into making my craft, but I never focused on perfecting my craft. I wasn't making any sales. Eventually, I asked forums what they thought about my products. Someone was honest enough to let me know, "Sweetie, you need to spend more time on your products." So I closed shop, and I knew that I had to start from scratch. This time around I'm asking myself:

Would I wear this?
Is this current with today's fashion?
What are some styles that people are wearing now?
Would I buy this?
Who would buy this and why?

Making My Products
I took just a day brainstorming what  should I make and how. This time around I am going to aim for hair accessories, maybe clutches, and other everyday accesories. I'm sure that this might change. I am going to try and perfect my craft, and create many products before I open my shop. One thing that I noticed most successful Etsy sellers had were many products, at least 30 or more. These are some pics of  my old products. They are pretty rough, don't laugh! LOL I am.

Tacky cardboard, one of my first products every. It wasn't long before someone told me the cardboard was a HOT MESS! lol

I liked this pieces, but it had some visible hot glue spots. I think I went too happy with the hot glue. I wont be using the hot glue that much for my products this time around. 

This was the first pictured that I autualy liked. It still needs work. It took me days and millions of pics before I even got this one.

I know, WHAT WAS I THINKING! The safety pin was so cheap.

Beginning Craft Tip:

The Hot Glue Gun
If you are not use to using a hot glue gun, you will need to take time and practice neatly gluing things together. This will save wanted materials from being wasted, and your intended crafts will come out much neater.  The glue gun should not be your "go to" tool for putting all things together.

Bizzy Health Bootcamp

I'm going to try and write about how I doing on my challenge everyday. Whether it's good or bad. So today my eating plan went out the door. I had an unexpected job to do that just threw me off, but I still managed to not eat after 6:30. I was able to get a little strength exercise in. Hey, I have to start somewhere. My quick exercise is below. 

Focus: Gluteus

Lay on back with feet on the floor, keep one leg up. Push the buttocks up, hold for a second,  and make sure that your heel is pushing into the ground. Do 12 on one side, and then do 12 on the other side.

Lay on back with feet on the floor. Push the buttocks up, hold for a second,  and make sure that your heels are pushing into the ground. Do 12 reps.

I did 3 sets of each exercise. This will show you how bad your BUTT is out of shape. lol

2. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR, OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE USING ANY INFORMATION ON THIS BLOG

Get Pretty Health Bootcamp: 3 Month Spring Challenge

Beloved, I wish among all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosperith. 

3 John 1:2

I like to believe that I eat healthy for the most part, but I'm sort of like a seesaw. One week I'm eating really healthy,  and the next week I end up sneaking in some fast food. So, I've decided to go on a 3 month challenge. During these three months, I will eat within in my caloric goal and exercise at least 4 days per week(alternating cardio and strength training). I am not going to say that I want to loose a certain amount of pounds, but I would just like to see how I would look and feel after three months of eating and exercising correctly. I am also trying get some self-control over my horrible eating habits. I hate diets, and this is basically my way of learning healthy habits.  I feel like if you do something for at least three months, you will create a positive habit. These are my challenge rules:

• Eat heavier earlier in the day(carbs, and natural sugars)
• I normally eat yogurt, fruit, and granola for breakfast, but I think that I'm going to eat that at the end of my day.
• Eat lighter towards the end of the day(more veggies and fruits)
• Only whole wheat brown pastas and breads( no white rice, bread, or pasta)
• look for the breads that say %100 WHOLE WHEAT
• Eat double the amount of veggies as carbs and meats together
• example: If your pasta and meats altogether are 6oz, then eat 12oz of veggies
• Eat three meals and two snacks( because I like to snack a lot)
• Have one unhealthy meal during the weekend (maybe Saturday, grab a giant shake, burger and fries lol)
• Drink a lot of water in between meals(I find that this keeps you full)
• NO fast food, sugary foods, fried foods, junky foods.(potato chips, honey buns, cheese fries, etc)

Calories

Now as for calories, every person's caloric intake is different. You can find out yours by clicking here. My caloric intake is 1200. I divided that by 4, and I got 300. This means that I can eat (4) 300 calorie meals. Since I am going to have two snacks, I take one of those meals and split them up.  This means that I can have two snacks that are 150 calories each. If you are trying to loose weight you can lower your calorie intake, but you have to pick a caloric intake that it still healthy for you. If your intake is too low, you will slow down your metabolism, and it will be really hard to burn fat.

The Scale

I really don't like the scale. I look at it at times, but for the most part I focus on just being healthy. Some people gain muscles really fast, and on the scale it looks like the person has never lost any weight. If you would like to measure your self some type of way, I would use a measuring tape or just take pictures. Maybe at the end of every month.

Exercise

Now when you exercise, you will have to eat a little more because you are going to be burning calories.  You should add an extra  healthy snack for after your workout, (oatmeal and fruit, smoothie, etc.) Something with natural carbs and sugar. And never exercise on an empty stomach, you will be loosing muscle instead of fat.

Multiply  calories by your weight to see how many calories you will burn by doing each type of exercise.

I know that this may seem really overwhelming, but once you get in the habit of living healthy, you will be doing this without even thinking about it. Many of us were not raised eating a healthy diet, so this is like learning to walk for some of us. This will not be easy, and there may be days that you mess up. Just start fresh the next day. Your body or health is not going to drastically suffer from one bad day. You may even have to take baby steps where you eliminate one thing every week. 

TIPS

• The fool proof way of doing eating right, is to PREPARE in advance. Sit down, maybe on a Saturday, and write out ALL of your foods for the week. 
• It would be even smarter to cook up a big batch of healthy food (chicken and broccoli). 
• Always keep a large amount of raw greenery(romaine lettuce, spinach, baby kale)
• Get rid of all of your unhealthy junk food. Out of sight, out of mind.
• Make snacks accessible
• make little baggies of healthy snacks(whole grain crackers and light mozzarella) 

You have to start somewhere. It's your body, and you only get one. Don't hesitate to ask me any questions, and you can check out my recipe section for ideas. I will be starting my challenge on April 8th. Check often back often my to see how I am doing on my challenge!

A Recipe That I'm Trying: Mini Sweet Potato Turkey Meatloaf

I love meatloaf, and I love sweet potatoes. This recipe combines both! I never use the exact recipe, just the majority of the items for the most part. I like this recipe because you can make a lot these at once and maybe even freeze the one's you're not going to use any time soon. Found at Dashing Dish. 

Mini Sweet Potato Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb	Lean ground turkey
1	Large sweet potato
1	Egg
1/4  cup	Old fashioned oats(I didn't use this)
1	Small sweet onion
2 tbs	Low sugar maple syrup
1/4 cup	Low sugar ketchup
1 tsp	Mustard
1/4 cup	Grated parmesan cheese(I used mozzarella because that's what I already had)
1/4 tsp	Pepper
1/2 tsp	Salt(I didn't use this, hate table salt)
2 pkts	Stevia (or 1/2 tsp sweetener of choice)
1 tsp	Garlic powder(didn't use this)
1 tsp	Onion powder(or this)
1 tsp	Poultry seasoning(or this)
Topping:
2 tbs	Low sugar maple syrup
2 tbs	Low sugar ketchup
1/2 tsp	Mustard  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 8 mini meatloaf pans with cooking spray, if thats what your using. Cook sweet potato, You can microwave them for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Cut the potato in half and scoop the flesh out and place in a large bowl. Mash with a fork.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in the bowl with the sweet potato, (except for the ingredient toppings), and stir until well combined. Measure out 1/2 cup mix for each mini meatloaf pan (or place meat mixture in one large bread pan.) I put the meatloaf into 8 cupcake holders so that I will know that each one consist of 162 calories. Then I just  baked them like that. That way you will know the exact amount that you are consuming. The original recipe calls for mini meatloaf pans...yea right. Who has that? Stir topping ingredients in a small bowl. Brush mixture over each individual meatloaf, and place muffin tin in the oven. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 160 degrees, or until the meat is no longer pink in the center of the meatloaves, which takes about 35-45 minutes. If the tops get too dark, cover with foil, and continue baking until fully cooked. 8 Mini meatloaves (or 8 slices) 162 Calories per Serving 6 g Fat 13 g Carbohydrate 2 g Fiber 3 g Sugar 15 g Protein 260 mg

Etsy is no joke

So, obviously I have opened up an Etsy shop. I don't know why I thought this would be a walk in the park. It's up and running, but I'm slowly realizing that I have a lot of work to do.

Auditioned for Sundays Best

So, I Auditioned for Sundays best, stood in line FOREVER. I didn't make it :(. But that's ok! For those of you that do not know what Sunday's best is, it is a Gospel singing competition like American Idol. And they told me no, just like American Idol. Lol. So this is what I think they are looking for:

• Someone with a solid strong voice( this does not mean screaming or yelling)
• Someone with a story( teen statistic, house in foreclosure , etc.
• Someone who in confident but not vein when it comes to their voice.
• Someone who is confident with being themselves( you cannot fake this)

Why I think I didn't make it?

• I believe I was doing too much( to many runs, swings, interval jumps)
• I was nervous
• I over thought it

The one guy who made it that I saw had a simple strong voice. Sort of like Donnie Mclurkin when he is just singing a simple melody. The guy did no runs, not that much of a range. His audition was clean. Sort of how a model looks when they audition with a plain t-shirt and jeans. They don't want to see the fancy stuff you can do or wear, they want to hear the plain quality of your voice. And if they like it, then they will pick you. But they will give up on you really fast if you don't do these things. I've seen it! Lol. Plus if you are being your self, and they still say no, than it wasn't meant to be anyway.

Now I know :(

Peanut Butter Banana Faux Ice Cream

I always see this recipe for the dairy free Peanut Butter Ice Cream, but I never try it. So the other day, I was craving something sweet. I decided to give it a try. It's dairy and vegan free. YUMMY!

Faux Ice-Cream

2 frozen bananas

2 Tablespoons of peanut butter( or any other butter)

1 Tablespoon of any type of milk(I used almond)

1 teaspoon of any fun topping(berries, cocoa, etc.)

Blend it baby!

Didn't Exercise Today

So, I planned on going to the gym, but work turned out to be really CRAZY. I work at a daycare, by the way. Plus I just straightened my hair, so I'm sort of afraid to work out. But, I am definitely going tomorrow!(Lords will) There are so many rumors that says that African American women are so unhealthy because they don't want to work out. And this is mainly because of their hair! So, I'm not going to be apart of that rumor. Any hair and work out tips ladies?

Happy Monday!!!

I used a flat iron today!

So I have not straighten my hair since November, and that is only because I was in a wedding. Lately I have been really lazy and not styling my curly hair, so it's sort of been looking crazy. So, I just flat ironed it. I am not proud of this. :( Plus I work out like everyday, so lets see how this works.

Me with my crazy hair and breakouts. Lol Right in the middle of my eyes.

Just Opened Up an Etsy Shop!

So I'm so excited. I decided to start making simple little hair accessories. Check em out!

Pretty little Upcycles

My simple little pulled back bun. I braided the hair up top, and pinned it as a bun. I used some gel to slick it back.

Natural Hair Style

So, I finally started loving the french braid. This was like a simple braid crown. I did it with some conditioner and olive oil. I try and keep things simple.

Upcycle Jars

So... I basically washed out old salsa jars that we always throw away. I painted them with a bottle of finger nail polish that I had no use for, and I bought some cheap ribbon. Viola!

Happy New Years!

Revolution? Umm... No. I'm just going to keep doing want I have been doing, and I will just try to improve as I go along. I have already been trying to eat healthier, so I will just just continue to do that.

Egg White Broccoli Parmesan Omelet
72 calories

2 egg whites
1/4 cup of chopped broccoli
Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put it altogether in a pan, and sprinkle with Parmesan. I ate this with two slices of turkey bacon and a half of an orange. I also put some flax seed powder  in my eggs. I'm always hungry, so I have to make sure that I stay satisfied. This entire meal is about 160 calories. I was satisfied, now I am going to wait and see how long it will be before I'm hungry again.

Simple ;)

Happy New Years!