From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
As creative folks, we know that our work will change over time. We’ll have struggles, and we’ll have breakthroughs.
I feel like I’ve been going through a lot of that lately. I’ve had to make changes to the way I do things to accommodate for my schedule at the shop, and the limited time it’s allowed me for more creative endeavors. All in all it’s been a great experience, and has caused me to grow in directions I wouldn’t have expected. Since we’re focussed on building a creative community here at A-i-M, I thought I would share some of my experiences and encourage you to share your own.
Today I am thinking about…
Trusting Your Instincts
A friend keeps reminding me that “you have to know the rules to break them”, but I’ve always been the kind of person who knows the rules- then sticks to them. My rebellious side would let me break a few,secretly, but the other side would never be happy unless my lines were straight and my skill immaculate. It was tedious, and I was never happy with what I was making.
Because of limiting factors, I started working in a new way. I moved away from the computer and started working extensively in pencil. I would sketch, erase, sketch, erase, until I built up a design I was happy with. It all happened on one pieces of loose-leaf card stock; with a lot of lead, and a lot of erasing.
But I kept questioning myself. What if I was doing it the “Wrong Way”?
At some point I just decided to forget about it. It doesn’t matter if it’s the wrong way if I am happy with the result. Our satisfaction with our work is the most important outcome. If I was happier breaking a few rules and following my own instincts, then that’s the way it should be.
We have to have the confidence that our way is the right way, for us at least. That means trying new things, and feeling it all out…
but that’s what growing up is all about.
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What do you think? Have you had any breakthroughs this summer? Any projects that surprised you?
Are you trying things your way?
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
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We’re not happy unless we’re making things- which means we have a whole slew of projects from the time before A-i-M. We thought we take time now-and-again to share some of these projects from the DIY vault. This one’s more of a Show + Tell, but it’s a great example of how you can add creativity into you life anywhere…. even with scraps.
Have I mentioned I am unable to throw anything away?
A few years ago, after printing and trimming massive quantities of cards, I was left with a treasure trove of cotton, cover-weight paper strips (which I have since started using to make handmade paper).
I grabbed a bottle of Elmer’s glue and started working them into simple Christmas decorations, using the strength of the stock, and a few tricky reinforcing pieces disguised as decoration. Eventually the pieces began to turn into birds, trees, and other fun critters.
I would find a picture of an animal, and work with the paper scraps until they started to take a shape I liked. It was fun trying to recreate animals with the strips, using just glue and the natural resistance of the cover-stock.
I enjoyed playing with them, and making scenes and patterns out of the shapes. Nothing beats a quick, simple exercise that uses scrap materials.
I’ve got to go now- there’s a box of black paper scraps calling my name.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
Last week I combined a few of my favorite things and letterpress printed A-i-M cards on scraps of cotton paper. I wanted to make them super special (and representative of our creative spirit) so I pulled out my handy-dandy liquid watercolors and went to town. I tried a few different methods, and wanted to show how they turned out.
I really like working with Blick Liquid Watercolor. I use it for my paper flowers, and pretty much everything else. I can water it down as much or as little as I want, and it washes out of everything I accidentally spill it on. (Very important. I’m a little messy.) I keep several plastic containers around to mix colors in.
The paper scraps were Crane Lettra 110# Cover, and I used a rubber based letterpress ink on them.
I think this would also work on other papers, including watercolor paper and uncoated card stock. You could also try adding your print with a stamp (like this tutorial from Akula Kreative) or use a non-watersoluble printing method (like a laser printer, or copier.)
Dipped and Dry Brushed
My first instinct was to take each card individually and dip it into a few colors. Some of them I then tapped on the table, to distribute drops, and some I used a dry brush to sweep through watercolor puddles.
Edge Painting
I discovered a really wonderful thing while I was dipping small stacks in the watercolor. The color would soak into the edges, but not into the face of the pieces in the middle of the stack. I started dipping each side of the stack into a different color, and ended up with these lovely ombre edges. There is a little bleed onto the face of the cards, but it’s very subtle.
A Happy Splatter Accident
Remember what I said earlier about being a messy experimenter? Well, this time it worked out for me! I was partially working on a glass palate, which eventually was covered with lots of little drop of watercolor. I pressed one of the cards against the splatters, and ended up with these lovely color patterns.
I had a great time playing with the liquid watercolor (again) and love how easy it is to introduce color and pattern on a simple card.
The splatter was definitely my favorite. What do you think?
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
Instead of using plastic sleeves for my cards, I like to hold the card and envelope together with a strip of recyclable paper. I also use this as a chance to price my cards, and provide a little story to go along with each design. (Stories can make your products- more on that in the Packaging Post).
Since I’ve been using the photo corners to package my prints, I decided to move over to a similar method to pack my cards. I played around with folding until I came up with a method that needs no tape or plastic, but still looks pretty nifty!
First I print out my card descriptions, and cut them into strips with a rotary cutter. Each strip is about 2.5″ tall and 11″ wide.
For smaller cards (up to 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″) I use a decorative blade or punch on one edge of the strip.
A Then I turn everything over, and center the envelope diagonally on the paper strip. B Once it’s centered, I fold the non-decorative corners in, using the envelope as a guide. C Then I fold the flap back across. The scalloped edge will now be on top… D so that I can slip the corner of the card into the little pouch I made with the folds. E Then I slip the other corner in. The card itself keeps the wrap secured.
I use a similar method to cover larger cards (up to 5″ x 7″), with a couple of changes. Since I have to use more of the length of the strip, it takes a little adjustment to make sure that I have a pretty corner to tuck into. I still center the envelope on the strip (diagonally) but then…
F I fold the two opposite corners first. (Notice that the first fold doesn’t quite cover the whole corner of the envelope.) G Then I fold the second, longer, side over to make the same type of pocket for a card. H Then slide in the card a corner at a time.
Voila. A plastic free wrap, and a story too!
You might not need to use exactly this method for all the things you get up to- but I hope my experiment encourages you to think outside of the box with your projects. Just a couple of little clever changes could make the world a better place.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
I was invited to join the local gallery at an Art Outside event this summer, and put together a mini-version of my paper flower class for kiddos who were attending. I brought a bunch of pre-dyed flower petals so that they could form a little flower on a bobby-pin, to use anywhere.
I thought it would be fun to let them hide some bugs in their buds, so I carved a few mini-stamps of beetles, spiders, and bees to stamp amongst the petals. In order to make the tiny stamps easier to use, I came up with a way of sticking them in the end of Crayola Broad Line Markers. I thought I’d share!
First I cut out a circle to fit the end of the marker by coloring the cap of the marker with a Sharpie
then immediately stamped it onto a piece of Speedy Carve Rubber Stamp Block.
I cut the tiny circle out with a craft knife and then
drew a tiny spider to carve out.
Then I pushed and shoved and slowly worked the pieces of rubber into the end of the marker. It’s good to have a tight fit so it won’t work itself out as you use it.
I used Speedball Linoleum Cutter to carve the extra pieces out of the rubber. Because the stamp is so small, it’s important to work slowly on small sections. Actually, the marker makes it a lot easier to carve, and kept my other hand away from the sharp tools.
I tested the stamp repeatedly, by using the marker it was attached to to color the stamp. I ran the marker over the design, stamped, and used that information to remove more of the rubber. The more stamps I made, the simpler they got. It is really difficult to keep a lot of detail on such a small surface.
Finally I had a sweet little bug stamp to add to the flowers. Bwahahaha.
I have all sorts of stamps I want to make using this method. Some of them might even be un-creepy!
If you’d like to try this project yourself, check out the supplies at the Adventures in Making Amazon Store . If you buy through our store you’ll pay the usual Amazon price, but we’ll get a small percentage to help us power our creative adventures. You’re great!
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
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We’re not happy unless we’re making things- which means we have a whole slew of projects from the time before A-i-M. We thought we take time now-and-again to share some of these projects from the DIY vault. We’ve touched them up a little, so they should still be new to you, even if you’ve been following us forever.
A couple of years ago, after taking the Crafting for Kittens class (where the lovely Laurie taught us to make crepe paper flowers), I decided I wanted to put together my own paper flower project using easy-to-find materials, and a little inspiration from tie-dyeing tissue. Since then I’ve been teaching them as a class at the store, and I thought I would share them with those of you who aren’t close enough to join us for a class or party.
They are made with a bunch of inexpensive supplies- I’ve linked to some of my favorites below*
• A package of white coffee filters
• Scissors
• Liquid Water Colors – I now use Blick Liquid Watercolor
• A few bowls to dip into (they won’t get ruined, no worries.)
• Floral Wire like this.
• Wire cutters
• Floral Tape – Floratape is the best.
Take a few coffee filters (1-6) and fold them in half over and over again, till you have a triangle.
Then trim the outside part of the triangle in curves, points, or anything you’d like. (The fun is in the ‘sperimenting.)
Pour the liquid watercolors into small dishes. Add water if you would like (not too much though, if you want rich colors.)
Dip one end into one color and let it slowly wick up the dye, then flip the folded filter and repeat in another color. I would recommend doing the lighter color first. You can also squeeze extra moisture out gently.
Unfold the stack or leave the pieces folded up, and allow to dry overnight. Make sure to leave airspace between your petal sets- they will transfer color if you aren’t careful.
After dried, and opened, it should look something like this. Play with the number of filters you use- this one has 6, but I have even done a tiny single filter flower.
Measure out a double length of floral wire, folded at the end.
I have done some of these with button centers, and some without. If you are using a button, feed the wire through two of the holes, and leave the button at the doubled end.
Piece by piece, feed the filters onto the wires and bunch them up at the end.
After all your pieces are wired and bunched, start wrapping floral tape at the top. I usually do a couple of runs of tape directly under the petals, pushing them up as I go, then continue to wrap the stem all the way down. (Remember to stretch the tape to activate the adhesive.) Often you’ll find you need to tighten up the petals by adding more tape near the top.
It may take a little trial and error to make a perfect bouquet, but even the work is fun!
If you’re local and want a hands-on class that includes all the supplies you need, make sure to swing by the So, There store in Issaquah.
I’d love to meet ya!
*If you’d like to try this project yourself, check out the supplies at the Adventures in Making Amazon Store . If you buy through our store you’ll pay the usual Amazon price, but we’ll get a small percentage to help us power our creative adventures. You’re great!
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
Now, a typical person might throw away the scrappy evidence of a long week of paper making… but no one said I’m typical. My most recent batch of paper contains wildflower seeds, so I decided the scraps would make lovely confetti (and grow, too!)
Using this video tutorial, I made an origami pop-up box perfect for storing a small stash of confetti or flower seeds.
I used paper that already had colored pattern on one side, and as an added “bonus”, I printed a corny poem and a thank you message in the box. So all the people who get one will know to “pull the flaps, fling, and make it bloomy.” I closed each box with a piece of ribbon.
I’m sure you can come up with something less silly- so I’m giving you a pdf template* you can add your own wording to. Click the image below, and go to town!
The template is 8.5×11 inches, and you can resize if you need to. Make sure to use light-weight paper, and fold the printing into the box while you’re working.
*After you save the file to your desktop, you should be able to open and edit the file in Adobe Reader. If you don’t have Reader, it’s available for free here.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
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After posting about “Pricing the Precious” we got emails and comments asking great questions about other aspects of creative business. It’s one of my favorite parts about the blog, because it gives me the opportunity to think about the challenges that other artists face. I can only ever give advice based on what I’ve witnessed, but if we all share our experiences, it can only make us more happy and more successful. So! If you ever have a question or comment after reading one of our posts, please make sure to share with us.
In the day-to-day running of the shop I get to meet all sorts of working artists. Mostly I feature artists who are creating the same, or similar, items over and over- but that’s just the kind of store So, There is. Selling and producing one-of-a-kind goods, art, or goods that require a lot of individual production time definitely has its own challenges. It can seem especially daunting to try to recoup money for your time when the time you spend on your art seems endless. Some artists opt to sell their artwork using online stores like eBay or Amazon because the chances of people seeing the artwork are much greater whereas others have quite a specific niche so tend to sell on their own site or from a store. Amazon is a great way to market artwork if you enjoy working from home because you don’t need to own or rent a physical store if you don’t want to. This nine university review provides plenty of information about how to begin using Amazon as your main point of sale but of course, Amazon doesn’t work for everyone so sometimes a store works better.
Selling art has never been easy, but I hope the tips below give you a chance you look at your business from a different point of view. If you don’t already, right now is the time to…
Outline your goals
I am the most hesitant business planner ever. I hate writing down all the plans that are there in my head already, but I do it anyway. It’s extremely important to be in-tune with your own plans for the future of your business. Take some time to figure out what success for your business would look like. Do you want to be a well-known artisan who makes products from your studio? Do you want to turn your creations into a mega-business with lots of people working under you? You also need to think of ways you can make your business run a little more smoothly. For example, you might consider finding a Neat receipt replacement to help with managing your documents. There are lots of things you can do to save time and it’s helpful to get these set up as soon as you’re open for business!
Take that picture of your perfect future, and work backwards to clarify the steps you need to take to bring your business to that point. You may need to make some compromises to get things started. Always keep that end-goal in mind, especially as you…
Adapt your line
Sometimes it seems to me the difference between “artist” and “artistic business person” is as simple as having the ability to step away from the things you are making and evaluating the success of each item. It’s harder for those of us who are really emotionally involved with our work, but unless you’re experiencing unbridled success, it’s absolutely necessary.
These mugs from the playful potter. are offered with custom hand sign decals.
Think about adding pieces to your selection.
I had some great advice from a gallery owner when I was setting the shop up. She said that I should make sure to include a few expensive pieces in the store, even if I felt I would never sell them. They might encourage the sale of a lower priced piece by the same artists, or they might just sell themselves.
The same is true for your line. If you take some time to make quicker, lower priced goods to fill our your selection, you will appeal to an audience who doesn’t feel they have as much money to spend. You get a sale that contributes to your company, and you are establishing a fan base. Those people will share your goods with their friends- and eventually someone will find your great work of art a necessity in their life.
There are lots of benefits from having a wide range of prices in your line. You’ll appeal to more customers, and you’ll be able to customize your line when applying to art shows and sales. Think about adding prints of your pieces to your line, selling patterns and kits, or smaller accessories.
Look for ways to reduce your costs.
Try to think of ways you can reduce your personal costs in time, supply, and overhead. Can you order supplies in bulk? Can you go to a wholesale B2B site like DHgate to get access to cheaper prices? Then you can use Get Your Coupon Codes (https://dhgate.getyourcouponcodes.com) to get even more off your purchase. Take a production line approach so that you can get pieces made more quickly and efficiently? (That is, do the same small task over and over again before moving to the next task. You’ll save time by not having to change you tools/setup/attention as frequently.) Sometimes the steps you take to reduce your costs will make you feel like you’re more a production person, and less of an artist– but might be necessary nonetheless.
Make your items even more special to your audience.
Sometimes all it takes is a quirk to get your line the attention it deserves. Take some time to think about if there is something you could change to make your goods so special that no one will want to walk away from them. (Or as I say to customers at the store “When you dream about it, give me a call so I can put it on hold for you.”) Think about popular trends, and other things that will catch some eyes. Can you use repurposed materials to appeal to the environmentally conscious? Can you up your packaging game? Can you offer a custom monogram or other custom motif that customers will love?
Reevaluate less popular and more expensive designs.
Over the years I’ve had to drop items from my selection that were too time-consuming and not popular enough. I don’t consider any of these things failures- because for me it’s the inventing and making that I enjoy. I try to take some time to figure out what the make-or-break details are, absorb the knowledge, and move on to my next big idea. I know artists who have decided to turn their whole business in a different direction because their line wasn’t as successful as they wanted it to be. Sometimes you have to stop embroidering hand sewn bags, and focus on your popular illustration style.
Try not to be discouraged by decisions like this. There’s a lot of luck involved in businesses like ours, and sometimes it’s just that you haven’t found the right audience (are you ahead of your time?)
Find the right Audience
Advertising, sales, and networking are extremely important in selling your work. As much as we want to, we can’t sit back on our haunches and wait for people to discover our online shop. We all know this– so we do everything we can think of to get a new group of customers to find us, and fall in love. Social media and the various associated platforms can be great business tools if used correctly. YouTube, for example, is ideal for pushing video content out to a potential audience. Building that audience, however, is often difficult. Many trying to establish themselves on the platform may turn to a service like Get Fans (getfans.io/de/youtube-abonnenten-kaufen) in order to grow their viewing figures, audience, and boost their rankings organically.
YEAR ROUND CO. (FORMERLY SLIDE SIDEWAYS) AT RENEGADE HOLIDAY SHOW IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Go to your niche customer.
Sometimes your most successful sales spot is not the easiest. Take some time to think about your product, who loves your product, and where those people are. Are they at the weekly farmers market? Are they at conventions? In tourist spots? Do they go to stores? Shop online? This is a great time to talk to your friends and get their honest opinions about where you should go. (Be wary of suggestions that are self-serving; like school craft sales and the like.) Go where your ideal customer is. Try out as many things as you can stand to- and give yourself permission to have a couple of misses before you get a hit.
Teach what you love!
Sometimes the best way to prove the value of your products is to show people everything that goes into them. Think about teaching a class, or demonstrating your work. You give your well-crafted items more value by demonstrating the skill it takes to get them right, and customers connect with them because they “saw it being made.”
Donate to raffles and auctions when you can.
You can reach a whole other audience by donating to charities and fund-raising auctions. You get the double value of reaching a new audience, and showing that you care about _____. This is a great way to move an item you love, but hasn’t sold for what it should- or a chance to advertise that class you’re going to teach (above.) You can also write-off most charitable contributions, and you know that your piece is going to someone who will love it, and supporting a good cause.
Set Emotion Aside (for a minute)
Sometimes it just isn’t working, even though we’re amazing at what we do. We’re in pricing battles the big-box stores. We’re the only ones doing the work. And we’re also expected to find our audience and sell to it?
Try to look at your line and history and think of what you would tell a stranger. Maybe it’s time to shift your focus. Maybe it’s not worth selling at wholesale to stores. Maybe it’s time to open your own store! But don’t ever give up…
If you love what you do, usually it’s worth doing for the joy- even if it’s not going to make you a millionaire.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
My favorite supplies have changed a lot over the years. Right now I have a loose-leaf system that works great for me, and along with my travel kit, it’s incredibly portable. (Portable tools mean you’ll get more done, more places!)
Since I have a tendency to do things a little differently, I thought I’d share a little about my process and supplies; then let you decide if you think I’m crazy- or a crazy genius.
I’ve included links to many of the supplies, in case you’d like to try them yourself*.
Paper and Stuff
I like to work on 8.5 x 11 inch loose-leaf pages because I can carry them around easily. From time-to-time I’ll cut pages down so I can have an even more portable set- but I keep the same selection of papers.
A. Papers
I use Smooth White Cardstock for early sketches and drawing. Cardstock handles a lot of erasing a redrawing.
When I can’t erase any more, I’ll do additional edits on cheap tracing paper.
I use higher quality Canson Marker Paper for final drawings, and for inking. I tried a bunch of different papers, and this was the best with my Uni-ball pens. It doesn’t bleed too much, and dries quickly enough that I’m less likely to drag my left hand through wet ink.
Graph Paper and Miscellaneous Guide Sheets I’ve found it’s handy to keep guide sheets that I can use with tracing paper. I usually have sheets of graph paper, script slant guides, and other handy shapes I use a lot.
I keep each project I’m working on in a clear page protector. When I’m done, I can discard the pieces of my process I no longer need, and retire the whole protector to a binder or other file for safekeeping.
Tool Kit
I do as much work at the store as I do in my studio, so I’ve come up with a very extensive travel kit to carry. (I like to be prepared for everything.)
A. Pencils
I love using Woodless Graphite Pencils for shading, thick lines, and because they are awesome. I use BIC Mechanical Pencils a lot in my early sketching phases. Blackwing Pencils are my newest obsession. The erasers are especially useful, and replaceable! I prefer the harder “Pearl Pencils”.
B. Pencil Sharpener
This small metal pencil sharpener is essential if you want to use anything other than a mechanical pencil.
C. Erasers
I use a Mars Plastic Eraser for heavy duty changes and a narrow eraser for getting into tight spots
D. White Pencil
I often us a white Prismacolor Pencil to correct mistakes that can’t be erased, I also like to be able to draw on surfaces that aren’t white. (See the pictures of my work table.)
E. Ruler
This 6″ Ruler was one of the best things I added to my kit. You can’t eye-ball every line.
F. Compass
For years I used a cheap school compass, and when I upgraded to this guy, suddenly my life got so much better. Perfect for making curves, and circles.
G. Inking Pens
Uni-ball Pens are my preferred pen for inking on marker paper.
H. Scissors
A tiny pair of scissors like this comes in handy often.
I. Permanent Marker
I love the twin tipped Sharpie Markers. Sometimes I want to go nuts and make a permanent drawing impact (ie. leave my tag somewhere.) I don’t usually do that, but a permanent marker is great to have on hand.
J. X-acto Knife
I think everyone should have a quality X-acto Knife. I use this one from Martha Stewart Crafts because the lid stays on well, which is important in a tool that travels around with me. I also like to keep a few extra blades on hand; this box set does just that, and has a place to store the old blades.
K. Glue
It’s important to keep glue around for when you want to add something to your drawings. A glue stick works well, and leaves less mess in your bag. I also carry around a small roll of scotch tape.
L. Miscellaneous Tools
You probably need a Bone folder. I also try to keep something that will poke, but isn’t sharp, like this embossing tool, or a small wooden skewer. Think of other miscellaneous tools you might need – a needle and thread?
M. Pencil Bag
A gorgeous pencil bag will inspire your work. Check out this lovely one from Slide Sideways (now Year End Co.)
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Well, now you’ve seen what I’ve been working with lately. It’s not your usual collection of art supplies, but life is all about trying unusual things!
*Support Adventures-in-Making by shopping from our Amazon store. We’ve selected a few things that we love, and think you will too. If you purchase through us, you pay no more for those items, but we get a small portion of the sales to further the adventures. Check out the whole store at http://astore.amazon.com/adveinmaki-20
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
Packaging can go a long way to making your goods more valuable. The right kind of packaging can make a big impact on your potential customer, and even encourage them to buy more products from you in the future.
Watching customers at my store, I’ve learned what appeals to them; what works technically, and what doesn’t. It’s a great experience, so I thought I’d share a few tips.
This peek-a-boo tag is obvious from the front of the journal.
Use your packaging to tell the story of your product.
I write a little blurb for each of my card designs, and I’ve seen several customers slip that tag into the card before they send it. They aren’t major literary achievements, but I try to talk about the process (including where it was made) and why it says what it does. This simple thing adds value to the cards, and they want to share that value with the card’s recipient.
Assume your customer knows nothing about your process.
Give them enough information to be impressed by your skills, and curious to know more.
Be funny if you’re funny.
Unless you’re selling medical equipment, it’s alright to not take yourself too seriously.
Try to appeal to your whole audience base- and expand to reach to another one.
All kinds of people are going to pick up your product and look at the back. Your blurb might be the hook that catches them.
Don’t write too much.
Try to make it short and sweet, so they will read it all. Otherwise you wasted all that time trying to be clever!
Catyshy Crafts does a lovely job with their packaging. The kraft paper reflects the qualities of their materials, and everything is left touchable.
Think of your packaging as an extension of your product and brand.
You should spend as much time thinking about your packaging as you do about your business card (which I know you obsess about.) In fact, you should probably try to think about it all at once.
Use materials that reflect your product, and your company’s philosophy.
If you’re into upcycling, use recycled papers. If your product is really modern and tech savvy, think unusual materials (aluminum?) and glossy stock.
Make sure your packaging does not distract from your product.
Usually it’s not a good idea to use bright colors or busy patterns in your packaging. You want it to complement your good. It’s not the focal point.
Be consistent.
Keep your visual message consistent across your products. Inconsistent designs can also distract from your message and designs.
Be professional, but not TOO professional.
Make sure you’re spelling is write, and your not making to many grammar mistakes. (Haha. Couldn’t help myself.) Don’t crop things strangely, or leave extra glue bits everywhere. BUT do make sure to leave a little character in your packaging. You’re hand-making, and hand packaging these things- a little quirkiness adds value. Think about the packaging at Anthropologie ($$) vs. the packaging at TJ Maxx ($). Using natural materials, and leaving the touch of your artistic hands adds value.
This photo album from Scroll Hand*Bound has a story wrap that holds the pages securely together while leaving the book accessible.
Be Practical.
It’s tempting to be only whimsical about your packaging, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind. (Do not get rid of all the whimsy, though.)
It’s gotta work.
I’m constantly reworking my tags and labels to fix them when it’s obvious they just aren’t working. Maybe they fall off every time someone picks it up. Maybe I’ve hidden them too well in my product. Maybe my type is too small. Think about your audience and be practical.
Leave room for a price.
I put a 1/2″ x 1 ¾” tag on every product that comes into the store. Sometimes I have to get really creative to keep from harming the product with my sticky sticker. Try to think about where your price is going to go, and how easy it will be to remove. Often your product will be a gift, so the price should disappear. I’ve started including a tag on my art prints, that has an end that can be cut off to remove the pricing completely.
Use renewable materials.
A lot of this is just personal opinion, but I’m all for getting rid of “plastic sleeves on everything”. They aren’t recycle-able, and they just go straight in the trash.
Even if you disagree- make sure to use materials that you can easily replace. Things you know you’ll be able to order again.
Your time is money.
Your packaging shouldn’t take more time than your product. Don’t make anything that’s so delicate that you will have to constantly fidget with it, or that is difficult to put together in the first place.
Think about protecting your goods.
I know, I know, a plastic sleeve is great protection- but you’re smart, I’m sure you can think of something else.
Let your product be accessible, even through the packaging.
Don’t cover too much of your design with your packaging. If it’s something that needs to be touched to be believed, leave it open! (Or else, consider having an open one everywhere your products are sold.)
These little owl and hedgehog ornaments from Yardia each come in their own origami boxes, with a little raffia nest. It’s a perfect example of whimsy, and added value.
Don’t be too practical.
Read all the advice above, and disregard what you want. You are the best judge of how your products will gain value from packaging. If you want to hand-cut gift boxes for every item, do it. (But make sure to pay yourself for it.) Gift packaging it a great way to reinforce the special nature of your product, and appeals to the thrifty (and lazy) who won’t have to come up with wrapping.
It might not always be feasible to hire a graphic designer for each thing you make, but a clever designer can help you develop some design solutions that you can work with yourself. It might not seem like the best way to spend your startup money, but I truly believe the right help can make the difference for you- especially as you start to work with stores and shows. Here are a few things they can help you with (be sure to make a list before meeting with anyone.)
Designing a logo that tells your story, and can grow with your company.
It’s tempting to make a logo with your favorite typeface, but chances are your tastes will change. A designer can help come up with a logo that can adapt to your changing tastes (a different color combo, perhaps) and your ever-widening product line.
Come up with some basic design solutions that will solve all your packaging dilemmas for years to come.
Most of the designers I know love a challenge. If you ask them to come up with a basic label design that can be used in a variety of ways, chances are they will think it’s the best puzzle they’ve ever met.
Think of things you’ve never heard of.
While you’ve been off perfecting what you make, they’ve been obsessing about labels, labels processes, materials, and all the nerdy stuff you don’t have time for. They might have a few tricks up their sleeves that will save you money and time.
Will be a great resource for you as your company grows.
Working with professionals is usually a good idea, whether it’s a designer, a plumber, or an accountant. As your needs change, they can help you clarify your goals, and keep you on-track. They can refer you to the right kind of helper, and make you think of things you might have overlooked otherwise.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
. I use it for my 
. I thought I’d share!
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to carve the extra pieces out of the rubber. Because the stamp is so small, it’s important to work slowly on small sections. Actually, the marker makes it a lot easier to carve, and kept my other hand away from the sharp tools.
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