show ‘n’ tell

Today kicks off the first in what I hope will be a series of “guest spots” here at Paperie Boutique — “May We See Your Packaging, Please?” The photos in this entry are courtesy of Christina McCall of Christina McCall Photography (formerly Reflections of Life Photography).

I asked if she’d mind sharing some of her gorgeous packaging photos and tips here and she graciously said “Yes!” I’ll let her say the rest!

• No need to buy the vendor’s belly bands — dress up wallet and announcement boxes, as well as cd cases, with ribbon and buttons (or even pewter charms!) instead. When I find ribbon I love, I stockpile enough to last a while (usually whatever amount they have on hand). The ribbon on the announcement boxes and cd cases is my ’signature ribbon’, so I periodically raid the stores that carry it to buy up all they have on hand.

To finish them off, I add a button or two over the seam to hide it from view.

• What’s even better about the boxes I use for wallets and announcements? I don’t stamp my logo on them and encourage clients to reuse the boxes and belly bands for gift wrap rather than tossing them after distributing the prints/announcements enclosed.

• My clients love the fact that I package orders to look like a gift — whether delivered in person or shipped! After I package everything, I use paper ribbon bows on sacks and wrapphia on mailed orders and to bundle items within sacks. To complete the look, I tie on a tag I designed with my logo or one of my business cards.

• My absolute favorite packaging item are Moo stickers! I use them as envelope seals, to seal print bags, on proof disc cases, and when tissue wrapping odd shaped items (usually on the lower right corner).

I have a variety of phrase stickers — from ‘Thanks’ to ‘Memories Enclosed’ along with designs including dingbat images and my logo.

• Paper Source’s baby envelopes are my newest love: they’re great for mini wallets — my client thank you gift — as well as for holding referral or business cards. I seal them with a Moo sticker and stamp my logo on the front.

Thank you so much, Christina! Please visit christinamccall.com for more!

If you would like to feature your packaging / marketing / product lines here, please drop me a line. My e-mail address is over in the sidebar (robyn @ this site’s URL) or you can just leave a comment. I’d really like this to be a full sampling of all the different options available out there, and not merely a showcase of my own items.

And if there’s anything of mine you’ve seen in the past and would like to know more about, post it in the comments. I’ll do a free-for-all Q&A entry when I have enough requests.

tag you're it: assembly • bow • bows • guest post • marketing • materials • Moo • packages • packaging • photographer • photography • stickers • supplies • tutorials • wrapping