New jewelry packaging..just in time for fall!

Carol Dekle-Foss

I've grown tired of my boring old jewelry packaging you see below and have been working on revamping it for the fall season. I wanted something more simple and professional looking, yet unique, without breaking the bank.

 

I fell in love with the simplicity of belly bands, so for this post I'm sharing what I came up with using Minc Reactive foil and this cheap laminator I purchased at Walmart. 

Later down the road, I might try Rio Grande's personalized hot foiling, but for now I like the belly band look. I enjoy the creative process of making my own packaging, plus it's fun using different foil and paper combos.

Here's how I made the band..

I used cardstock from The Luxury Stack and printed my logo using a laser printer. I then ran it through the laminator using Minc Rose Gold foil. It can be tricky getting the foil to stick. I had a hard time at first, but with a few adjustments to the density of the image, and running it through the laminator a few times, I got it to work. It's not perfect, but that's okay, it's handmade right?? There is a Minc machine that is supposed to work better, but the laminator works fine when you have your image really dark and run it through more than once.

I also made an earring card insert to match.

These earrings are made with beautiful handmade porcelain beads by MaryAnn Carroll of Artisan Beads Plus. They are on their way to their forever home!

Also, my husband and I have agreed we are having a 20% off fall sale through the end of September! Just use coupon code save20. You can find all our porcelain goodies on our website here.

Thank you for reading!

Wow--You Have Such a Nice Package! By Karen McGovern

So I have the sense of humor of a 12-year old boy.

In writing the past few posts this month, I have found myself thinking of the many things we all do as artists, especially artists trying to make a living MAKING ART, to give our clients a truly wonderful experience when buying our work.  We pour so much of ourselves into our designs. Mary Jane Dodd exemplifies this like no other artist I have come across in a long time.  Her works are filled to overflowing with intent, each piece a tiny universe of meaning and consciousness that she fearlessly shares in her soulful writings that accompany each piece. Oh, and the work is GORGEOUS as well.  I secretly may hate her.  Each of us strives to create from the heart, our works a sometimes intimate, personal glimpse into our hearts and minds.  

Sigh....Mary, you KILL ME.

Then we wrap it in newspaper and Scotch tape, stuff it in a padded envelope and off it goes to its new home.

Wait, what???

Packaging.  The Achilles heel of many a working artist.  For me, this is a HUGE PROBLEM.  I really do pour a lot of myself into my designs, especially the mixed media designs that include an original short story or poem.  Days--sometimes weeks--go into the creative process, and the end results are a multi-dimensional representations of a dream, a fantasy, an idea that just couldn't wait to be born. AFTER ALL THAT YOU WANT ME TO COME UP WITH SOME STUPENDOUS WAY TO PACKAGE IT?  I'm exhausted just thinking about it. 

Yet, I know how important this is and I HATE KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.  I have never had the privilege of purchasing one of Mary's designs.  I imagine if I did, it would arrive in a vessel created from spiders silk, organically dyed with fairy tears and tied together with thread hand-spun from the hair of a unicorn's mane.  AND I WOULD WEEP FROM THE BEAUTY OF IT.  You may think I am making fun of her or any artist that takes the time to create packaging as artful as the designs they carry, but I am not.  I am simply SOAKED IN JEALOUSY that they are able to do this.

For me, packaging is simply a means to an end.  It's just not high on my priority list.  I tell myself it's because I'm all about recycling and not creating waste, but we all know it's because I'm somewhat lazy and my brain just doesn't pump out ideas when it comes to this.  I am forever digging through my stash of recycled boxes and bags, all of which have had long, hard lives prior to me slapping a label on them and sending them off.  For a while I tried, I really did, to create thoughtful packaging.  I have a dear friend who gave me some spectacular heavy handmade paper infused with flower petals and leaves.  I created envelopes from the paper to fit whatever design I was shipping and yes, each was lovely and each NEARLY KILLED ME TO MAKE BECAUSE I HATED EVERY SINGLE SECOND IT TOOK TO MAKE THEM.  That's when it hit me.  Here I was, sending off a design I created with joy and intent, now soaked in anger because I was forcing myself to make something to accompany it that I simply didn't have the creative energy for and resented deeply.  KARMA MUCH?  So, I embrace that I am not good at fancy packaging and have moved on.

You don't have to stress over packaging, and you SHOULDN'T.  Find a simple packaging technique and stick with it.  Here's what I do.  I buy basic, solid color Kraft boxes whenever I see them in a variety of sizes.  I also splurge on Bali cloth bags whenever they are on sale.  I buy cool stickers and pretty yarns.  I have a stash of this at all times.  I also have a variety of stamps because I etch a lot.  So--plain Kraft boxes get a stamp or a sticker, and are tied with pretty yarn.  The bags are good to go as is. GENIUS!  AND, you can buy beautiful hand crafted gift boxes online, you know.  ETSY THAT STUFF.  Now, the actual shipping box may be a tattered mess, but I will tape it up like a little box mummy and it will arrive safely, and I hope that the quality of the works inside more than make up for the less than Martha Stewart exterior.

Simple.....I like it!

So, forgive me, and yourself, for not hand crafting all our packaging.  Simplicity is often best, keeps us sane, and is very effective.  Besides, it is a BITCH to find good quality unicorn hair these days.

and here we are -

mary jane dodd

i can only speak for myself here, but i am guessing that many of you make gifts for your loved ones, for teachers, for friends or loved ones to give as gifts themselves, etc... 

and your gifts for giving? well, they get left until late in the game -

so here we are... 

i just wanted to talk a bit about how i package - it has taken me awhile to find what sings for me, but i did... 

i used to package in old jeans - the ones i couldn't donate... i still use the denim, but not for this... 

i love yogi tea - and once i noticed the inside of the box (immediately) i knew it was what i wanted to use...

open the flaps on each side and cut along the top of the back

now open it up and turn it over

gorgeous, right? how can this not be reused?

trim the box - make little tabs at the top of the long side 

(there is actually already one there, you just have 

to peel off the extra) and trim the flaps

save your cuttings! i use them for earring cards

you know the filler that comes in gift baskets? save it!

a little goes a long way and it makes a great cushion

fold in your tabs, then the sides one over the other and

viola!

get yourself some beautiful silk straw or sari ribbon

(this is the only new thing i use for these and mine comes

from lisa jurist

my thanks to the shop assistant who tirelessly watches 

day after day and keeps me on task

these are beautiful highlighted with some colored pencil - but there usually isn't time - i like to think that maybe the person receiving it will feel like they got a grown up coloring page!

and there are wonderful tags on the bags with beautiful sayings - i often tape one to the outside of a shipping envelope... 

enjoy this weekend - 

in the midst of rushing about (which i hope you don't have to do a lot of) take some breaths, treat yourself to a nice coffee or tea... 
(my favorite blend is one bag of yogi rejuvenation, one bag anti-oxidant, a bit of sugar in the raw and silk french vanilla creamer in one of these tea bowls - it is a nightly ritual i treasure.)

and if you can, shop local or fair trade - 

be well - 

Handmade....from start to the very FINISH!

 by Barbara Bechtel

About 6-8 months ago, while looking around at all my unused craft supplies, I decided to make a concerted effort to start using up all the bits and scraps of paper, wood, craft supplies, etc. and try to make a 100% effort not to purchase anything that was absolutely non essential.....ahh, the sweet horde of a mixed media artist....I'm sure many of you can relate.....

Specifically, I'm talking packaging. Although, I've always waffled between buying boxes, business and jewelry cards, packing supplies, etc. I've always used the excuse, "I don't have enough time to do ALL those things." For myself, though, I realized that in the time I spent researching, comparing prices, doing graphic design, layout, and printing, I really could make the time with a little extra effort to make these supplies to truly make my jewelry and designs unique from start to finish AND use up my extra paper supplies at the same time.

Instead of using bubble wrap, I've been shredding beautiful catalogs after I'm through perusing them and shredding vintage clothing patterns that I've been hoarding! Almost anything can be shredded to use as filler! So much more fun than shredding old bills and receipts, eh?

A selection of completely handmade business cards. All have their own unique personality. Clockwise from top: Beth Schaible ( letterpress by the artist), Second Surf (designed, printed, and handcut myself), Canoo (stamped and screenprinted on recycled household paperboard), Dacey Hunter (scrap watercolor paper, then inkjet printed with contact info), Sara Lee Parker Textiles (screenprinted)

The back of Canoo's card....she recycles all the paperboard from their home into business cards! This fits in nicely with her upcycled sweater goodies!

This is the packaging I did for Lori Anderson's upcoming Cup of Bead Soup. I've been painting tiny paper doilies from my estate sale stash to use in my paintings. Torn and taped to the pillow boxes (whose supplies are ever so slowly dwindling) with washi tape and tied with some pretty string and a little tag from leftover watercolor paper scraps.

 Vintage postcards that have been tea stained and with quick sketches and collage elements make great earring cards for more involved earrings and the buyer gets a cute little piece of art to keep!

Here are some other great ideas for using upcycled or handmade supplies:

~Patty from My Life Under The Bus takes those ugly bubble mailers that we always mean to reuse and don't and makes them PRETTY! 

~From the Love My Art Jewelry archives: Make an origami box to hold your jewels....This would look great with a little of that shredded tissue inside...hmmmmm......

It's all About Presentation : How to Make a Paper Box

Today I'm going to show you how to make a simple handmade box. It's the box that inspired last month's Art Spark challenge. I first encountered this box pattern when I received a beautiful piece of jewelry from the lovely and talented Lorelei Eurto which was packaged lovingly in a box just like this.

For my boxes I purchased a couple of packages of scrapbooking card stock.

It is perfect because it is both beautiful and square.
Square is where we start with this project. You need two pieces of paper the same size, and perfectly square. The size of the paper determines the size of the box. I am illustrating with 12 x12 inch paper but if you quarter it, you end up with four boxes of petite size. (my favorite)


This is all you need. Scissors and paper. Make sure the paper is stiff like card stock. It makes your box strong and your folds crisp.



Choose two pieces of complementing paper. One will be the top and one will be the bottom of the box. Begin by removing any extra tabs that have been attached to the paper by the manufacturer.

**Please note -I have chosen two pieces of paper that are identical as one side of them is decorated and the other printed red.

Choose the paper/color that you'd like to be the bottom.
If you are using 12 x12" size paper, trim 1/2" from two perpendicular sides.

The bottom of the box needs to be a bit smaller to fit inside the top when folded. I usually eyeball this but if you are making smaller boxes, trim a smaller amount proportionally.

Next, with your chosen color for the bottom facing the table, fold the square into a triangle meeting opposite corners. Open the paper flat and fold the two other corners together. Make soft creases when you do this. You are making a guideline for the next step. Open your paper flat once more.

Above you will see the next step illustrated. Bring your four corners together into the middle using the nice 'X' you made in the center of the square.

Once every one is in, turn each one out to look like this:

Beautiful. You're doing great!


Now the edges of the square get folded to the center 'X' point. Fold them in and flatten them back out again.

My finger is pointing to the crease you will make.

Showing two sides up. All four sides will come in to meet the center point, get creased and then fold out again.

Once you have folded all sides in and then back out you will see a small crease-square in each corner of the arrangement.

What you will do now is carefully cut two places on parallel sides of the work. You know when to stop cutting when you reach the crease-square's point. The point of the scissors above are in just the right place to stop.

Now after four beautifully precise cuts, you have made this (above)

Open out the "short" sides like the unfolding wings of a bird ( I know, but it's late and it's a good visual)

With the open wings flat on the table, lift the two "long" sides up and have their corners meet and overlap. (How do-you-do corner? Just fine, corner.)

Uh oh!

The outside corner is too long and too pointy.

So we trim it. Just a bit, to make it even.


You can see both parts of the next steps above.

#1. while holding the newly acquainted corners together, let that bird wing that we opened up earlier reach up and wrap around and over them to hold them together.

( hey, this metaphor's not too bad).

When you lay the corner in the box bottom, it will hold with friction. If you wanted a more permanent bond try a bit of glue or double sticky tape.

#2. Do the same with the other side.

TA DA!

You have just completed the bottom of the box.

Nice one.

Now for the top.

The pattern I would like on the top is now facing the table as I start folding. Repeat all steps the same as with the bottom.

Your top half will be a tiny bit bigger and should be able to slide down easily but with some resistance. If you think it's too loose or too tight, don't fret.

That ill-fitted box bottom is a great drawer organizer and you can make a new one by adjusting the width of the 1/2" strips that we trimmed from two sides of the bottom paper in the beginning.

The top taking shape. Here we go again with the bird wings...


They enfold the two sides and..... BAM! A boxtop.

Pefecto.

Gift Packaging: Little Touches = Big Magic

by Patty Lakinsmith

After being inspired by Erin's post on Art Bead Scene, I decided to give my Etsy packaging a mini-makeover for the holidays.

My normal packaging is pretty basic by design. Most of my choices are driven by the desire to be conscious of the environment, and to make sure the product arrives safely. From the inside out, I wrap the bead or jewelry in some kind of cushioning material (bubble wrap or a paper alternative - still working on that one), then a kraft paper gift box tied with a pink curling ribbon and wrapped in more cushioning, and inserted in a kraft envelope.

I don't have a logo or stickers yet, or any other fancy printed material, so I decided to go to the local craft store and make my own. I got some red card stock, a great die cutter that cuts paper in the shape of little gift tags, some clear rubber stamps, and some nice sparkly ribbon. I already had a stamp pad with gold ink.

Here's my end result:

Kind of simple, but definitely better dressed for the holidays, don't you think? I'm still wrapping this in bubble wrap and using the kraft envelope, but at least the interior part will be more attractive. I hope that my customers will like it.

Happy Solstice, everyone. It's only getting brighter from here on out.