Supporting local artists and promoting yourself.

When I pack and order and get it ready, I like to ad that "extra touch" to the order. I wrap the item in a little pouch, add a thank you card with a personal note, ya know.. just the little things.

I was buying hand made note cards from a little store that featured local artists. I like to keep note cards handy for when I take a notion to sit down and scribble out a hello to someone I have had on my mind for a few days. It is a good feeling to promote other artists, isn't that why we have our wares out there? For others to buy? That little store closed *sniff* and I got lazy. I was out buying groceries one day, and found an assorted box of blank note cards and threw them in the cart and was on my merry way.

I needed to get back into that 'Buy Handmade' mode and not take the short cuts, but I didn't know what I wanted. I wanted a note card, but I didn't want anything big. I wanted something cute that set apart the order from any others that customer may have received. Honestly, it isn't that I couldn't have done it myself, I could. But Why? I have so much going on, to take the time to buy all of the supplies to make the cards I want, to take the time to sit down and make the cards I want, I would not have the time to make the jewelry I want. That make sense? How was I going to find what I wanted for cards. How was I going to find that perfect accent to all of my orders? So I took a bit of inspiration from items I had received in the past.

Here is an example:
I won a wonderful crocheted necklace from Be~Jeweled by Jana back in April and blogged about it here. Here is this simple, yet elegant card, a small gift box wrapped in a bow and including a signature sticker. Inside was a cute little printed thank you card and a little bit about the item. Brilliant!! Jana's hand writing is art in itself.


Or how about:
I ordered a pair of earrings from Ahtee's Designs. I had had my eye on them after see them on her blog and just had to have them. I blogged about them here. I loved her little box wrapped with a ribbon and the store logo sticker on the top.



And then there is:
In April I also won a pair of earrings for Pearl and Pebble and blogged about them here. Her packaging was simple, but so beautiful, and her hand writing - Oy, to die for! April was a lucky month for me :)


I stopped in a few local stores that offer a schmattering of products from local artists and didn't really find what I wanted. Then I headed to ArtFire.com. Isn't that what it really is about? Promoting artists, hand made items, artist community and a sense of belonging? That is where I found Peculiar Parchment. What a fun store!!! Tons of cute little card offerings for all occasions.

I got this great assortment of mini thank you cards. They are about the size of a business card folded in half.


These are the perfect size. Not too small, so I can get a personalized note in there, and not too big where I feel I need to write more to fill up the space.

Have you seen my hand writing? *rolls eyes* I really don't want to write anymore than I have to. I have worked on computers too long, and believe I have lost the gene that allows me to control a pen and push it on a piece of paper. I am really embarrassed to write thank you notes with orders, but at the same time, it is part of me so I should embrace it......right???
This is a sample of my writing.


Can you read it? It is very frustrating to my mother, who had penmanship in school to see my scrawling.

Buying these little accents from other artists is a great way to support their craft and a great way to set you apart. Taking the time to add that personal touch, is a great way to promote yourself and your craft by having the same quality of customer service as the quality of your product.

What are your ideas on packaging and personal notes with your orders? Do you feel it is necessary or is it overkill?


Oh yeah, and Jana's necklace...... goes GREAT with my tie dyed overalls :)



Have a great weekend kids!!!!

More packaging ideas - to set you apart

I got a sweet little note in the mail from the winner of my December giveaway.



The person who won, actually did not have email, so she had no idea she had won until the package arrived in the mail. She sent me a little note inside tiny origami boxes -



I love personalized packaging. I did a post back in April, 2009 - Wrap it up - on the little fabric pouches that I use for all of my orders. One customer told me she put ornament hooks in them and hung them on the tree for Christmas presents! The idea hit me - these would be great little packaging ideas. That little extra something that you can do to set yourself apart. Customers love that special attention to detail. These would work great for earrings or smaller necklaces.



I used the boxes that Barbara sent me as the examples in these pictures. I put the earrings in the box on card stock with a hand written thank you



Fold over the edges and secure it with a bright sticker. Beautiful!!





I found these instructions online:



Have fun!!!

Wrap it up - I'll take it!

Hey kids lets talk about packaging today. I like to make the packaging that holds my pieces just as fun as the piece itself. When my customers get their orders, they have nice little 'gifts' wrapped up with that personal touch. It is perfect for those items bought as gifts, being it is already wrapped.

When I first started, this was the packaging I used and got such raves about it, that I thought it was time to bring it back. I got away from this practice when I was sharing the business with friends for continuity's sake, and am glad I am back to it.

It is all about utilizing what is around you, making it personal and showing that little bit of extra effort. Don't settle for an organza bag - everyone is doing it. Your art is a one of a kind, why not make your packaging the same.


i have a bunch of fabric scraps -



Cut a circle - oh, say - about 5 inches across for this example




I use embrodery floss for my thread. it comes with 6 threads to a strand, typically i separate it in half - and just use 3 strands. Pick a coordinating color. coordinating color for me means first one i pick



Measure your floss to about double the width of the circle. thread your needle, knot the tail of your thread so you don't pull it thru and start a running stitch around your circle




you can allow your material to gather on the needle as you work. don't make it perfect, you want it to have personality.



When the needle is full, push the fabric out onto the thread and continue around your circle.



Go all the way around your circle with the running stitch. Now you want to give it a tag. I printed my little slogan on card stock several times to fill the sheet.




now i take my scrapbooking star punch and punch out the tags.



position the slogan in the punch




LOOK AT YOUR TAG!!!!!!



Now push the needle thru the tag, and push the tag till it is against the fabric. Pull the needle from the thread and knot the tail.





Pull your strings together to gather up the material and make a little pouch. Tie a bow and you are set!!!





Fun packaging made easy!