How do I decide on how I am going to make a particular item to sell on Etsy and my craft shows? 

First of all I get a mental image in my head.  Of course my mental image is of a perfect item that is cute, useful and everyone wants one so I will sell a billion of them and make my fortune.

However, and that is the HUGE word here, the actual is not that at all. 

I first try to find a pattern for my yet, unmade Smartphone case.  After accidentally printing out 24 pages of something that I only wanted a few pages of and recycling the unused pages, I go to step two.

OK, I use the actual pattern that I had printed out.  After completing this darling case I realize that, for some reason, my Android phone is bigger than the case.  How in the heck did that happen?!!  Hmmmm…. Maybe someone has something small enough to fit that one and they will want it.

Another OK, I had to make it bigger.  How much bigger?  I measure my phone and do an estimate.  Second case made…. After trying and trying to get my phone inside the case I started thinking about the glass slipper in Cinderella and how the step sisters were trying to cram their feet in to it.  I realized that the case was too small.  Gee whiz!  I guess I am going to have to set up a bargain basket for all my mistakes.

OK, one more time.  I again re-size my pattern and start another case.  This time I get it right!  My Android fits in it so I know an I-phone will also fit in it.  However, I look at it and just don’t like the way it looks.  I had used Velcro to close the case and it just wasn't right.  So, the pattern was fine, the finished product was not.  Hopefully someone will find some use for it at a nice bargain price.

I made a fourth one.  This one I decided to use elastic and a button.  The button made it cute; the elastic helped it to close.  Production was on.  However, I still encountered a problem.  Gee whiz!!!  Wait, I already said that.  How about: Golly Gee!!!  When I pulled the thin elastic over the button to close the case, one side of the elastic broke free.  I had to go back and undo my stitching around the elastic and then add a touch of glue and re-sew it.  I was not happy about that.  However, I finally figured out how to work with this problem.

I started touching glue to the end of the elastic before I sewed it closed.  I just had to watch that I did not permanently glue my finger to the case as I was working on it.

Production was on.  If you are curious about the finished product you can see it at my Etsy shop at www.ajoyfulcreation.etsy.com 

My next goal is to start making I-pad cases but I am not looking forward to the trial and error period if it is anything like what I went through with the Smartphone case.