Please tune in... January 7, 2009

This lady and I connected a few weeks ago on MySpace and on BBWO. She commented on how beautiful crafted my bags are and then offered a spotlight on her Thursday night Empowerment calls. I was happy to be featured, but more than that, I have been inspired just by reading her profile and blog. On July 27, 2006, Latrina faced her greatest challenge as she faced a nine-millimeter gun while working and forced into a secluded room by the gunman. God spared her life and now she wants to share her story. She has faced homelessness, loneliness and despair. How did she overcome it all? It was by the grace of God. She wants to give to you the tools to make your dreams a reality. God has qualified her to be a culprit to significantly enhance your life. She is described as "Petite and Powerful". She is dynamic!

I look forward to listening to what she has to offer every Thursday Night. Please read more about Latrina below. She is sure to inspire and motive myself and anyone else that tunes in to listen.

Latrina’s live empowerment calls are to empower, inspire, uplift, motivate, transform lives and stimulate the human spirit to reconnect to one's divine reasoning for existing and doing the necessary to live a purpose filled life. To ignite one's spirit to be determined and relentless of having a total successful life and never settling for mediocre regardless of one's challenge. To remind each listener they are more powerful than any challenge they may face.

Now is the time to live with passion, purpose, and direction by living EACH DAY AS IF IT Were YOUR LAST, because it just might be.What have you been putting off? How has your action or non-action delayed your destiny?Each call is going to be LIFE CHANGING! If you are tired of being stuck, know you need to make a decisive move of action to achieve your destiny, tired of living a mediocre life and ready to begin creating the life of your dreams then do not miss this free live empowerment call.

This is the year of change! If you want change, then you have to be the change you want.

Every Thursday
Time: 5:00 pm Pacific (6:00 MST/7:00 CST/8:00 pm EST)
Call-in Number (712) 432-1701 PIN code: 1074210#

Come ready to overcome your fears and begin creating the life of your dreams!

~Latrina L. Johnson
Life Transforming Professional Speaker, Life Guidance Mentor author of Change Your Life by Changing Your Mind and CEO of SAM (Speaking Above Mediocrity),LLC

http://www.latrinaljohnson.webs.com/
http://www.myspace.com/latrinaljohnson
http://www.youtube.com/latrinajohnson

Eco-Chic Grocery totes

I have been approached on several ocassions regarding making some eco-friendly grocery totes.

I finally got a chance to sit down and really think about how big I would make a bag. I have been doing some research and most of the "handcrafted" bags I've seen on the market have been smaller, regular flat tote style bags. I wanted to incorporate the "tote" style into my design, but also make it really wide and functional for use as a grocery bag. I added sturdy cotton webbing handles, and double stitched all the seams for durability.

Although I am very happy with the way this bag has turned out, my wonderful husband has given me numerous ideas on how I can better it. Let's just hope that I have the time to create the new styles soon.

Sincerly,
Michaela Phifer
Owner/Designer
Myla's Bags
http://mylasbags.com
http://mdbdesigns.ecrater.com
http://mylasbags.etsy.com

Recycled Tees = Cute Totes

Here is the bag that I created from a shirt my daughter bought me for Mother's Day 4 years ago. (for those inquiring minds, it reads, "Worlds Greatest Mom")

Here's what it carrried home from a quick trip to the grocery store today. The bag help about 5-7 lbs worth of stuff. I think I could have put more in... maybe on another trip!

Just for kicks, I thought it would be cool to see how much it could hold. Right here, it hold about 4-5 boxes of cereal. More can be added on top of the cereal and the bag stretches with your items, so no need to worry about ripping open like those cheap plastic bags.

I will be creating so more. I had a few glances during the two weeks I sported it at work. It's a wonderful sized bag and it fits nicely over my shoulder like a large shoulder bag.

Sewing for a very important cause

I was inspired this weekend as I walked around Joann Fabrics. There were so many beautiful fabrics out. I knew that I could not bring anymore fabric home to create bags, but I was still drawn to a certain fabric. My daughter who is usually very inpatient looked at me and says," Mommy, you haven't made me a dress in awhile." That was very true. It has been over a year since I made her any clothing. The last thing I made was a cute denim blazer in Fall of your Second Grade year at school. She is now going on double digits (10 years old) and doing well in Fourth Grade. I quickly went over and picked out a cute dress pattern for her. It was labelled an "easy" pattern so I said, "Perfect, it'll take me no time to crank this dress out."

Well it too longer than "no time" to make it, but I was very satisfied with the work. It's been a long while since I made any clothing. It's always good to create things for myself. I feel good walking around in a pair of pants or a dress that I made. I know that it is made from good quality fabric, the construction is superb and it fits me the way it should.

Needless to say, my daughter loved her new dress and wanted to wear it Monday morning. She didn't get to wear it Monday, because it's Gym day, but Tuesday she was extra happy and proud to be wearing a beautiful dress that "mommy" made.

I am hoping to continue on this trend of creating more goods for my daughter, for as long as she lets me. I know there will be a time in her life when "homemade" clothes are not going to be "cool" and I am happy to accept that.

~Michaela

http://mylasbags.com

New Style: Lexi

I have been wanting to create a new shoulder bag for a long while now. I sat down months ago and drafted up a pattern for what is now the "Lexi" bag. Originally, this bag had rectangular wooden handles and was deeper. I played with the size for a long time. I knew I wanted a rectangular bad that could hold a lot, but most of the samples came out too short. I thought that I had a lot of bags that were deep, so I shortened it to the height of the Mimi handbag but made it the length of another bag that I own.

I am very satisfied with the way it came out. I thought that it would have been too long, but it's just perfect. It's tall enough for you to securely place your items in, but not too deep that you lose them in the bottom. Since the bag is wider, you have plenty of light and room to look for items that may have been floating at the bottom. This bag is 7 1/2 inches high by 17 inches long and 3 inches deep. There's a flap and snap closure. The straps are a generous length with an 11" drop so that it fits snugly under your arm.

I am going to enjoy creating this new bag and hope to receive lots of custom orders for it this holiday season.

Michaela

http://mylasbags.com/