sparkle and shine

Everyone getting ready for the “Wrap Battle” kickoff on Friday? Here’s some inspiration (and a giveaway)!

Wish I could say I was ready — but I am so behind. I still haven’t sent out any of the e-mails that need to be sent in advance. I haven’t even read half my e-mails today yet! As such, things may be rocky until mid-week next week when I get more holiday cards finished and off to the printers, ordering galleries complete and e-mailed to clients, packages wrapped and off with my “bend and snap!” man, plus get myself through another column debut and new deadline… Oh yeah, and I guess I should fit my kids and husband in there somewhere as well. Shall I continue? It’s the same song and dance we all do every November / December and ask ourselves “WHY?!?”

But even so – even with a 39th birthday under my belt this week – I still took the time to “show you mine”. Now you get ready to show me yours!

I’m sending these “gift wrap kits” with client orders I know contain gifts so it’s easy for them to turn around and re-gift the contents to their families.

Never fear! To make sure we all get through the holidays alive, the contest entry deadline won’t fall until the week between Christmas and New Year’s. When hopefully this will all be a distant memory thanks to the spiked eggnog!

     How do you get the above? Here are the vendors:

     1.  Custom boxes – HB Photo Packaging
     2.  Eco Tote Bags – HB Photo Packaging
     3.  Custom logo stamp – Ampersandity
     4.  Alphabet letter stamps – Michael’s $1 bin
     5.  “Merry Christmas” stamp – Martha Stewart Crafts Scandinavian Set
     6.  Christmas buttons – Dress It Up
     7.  Button stickers – Martha Stewart / EK Success Woodland Buttons
     8.  Santa hat stickers – Jolee’s / EK Success
     9.  Clear Bags – ClearBags.com
     10. Holiday Ribbon – Michael’s
     11. Satin Ribbon – Paper Source
     12. Christmas stickers and labels – Moo.com (free templates here)




And what’s a Paperie post without a cool vendor and a little summin’-summin’ you can win? One of my favorite knitters Boondock Studios Fiber Arts has launched a fun tiny little division called “Narrow Wear” and they’re here for a quick guest post!

Narrow Wear makes funky and eclectic skinny scarves, from a huge variety of fibers and textures. Use them as hip accessories for older kids and teens, or wrap them around / pile under newborns for texture and color.

And now one lucky Paperie reader can win the “Mrs. Claus” by Narrow Wear.

How do you win? Easy! Just leave a comment here and let us know what your favorite item in the Narrow Wear Etsy Store is (or what you’d like to see)! That’s it. The winner will be picked this weekend with Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 48-72 hours of the winner-announcement to claim their prize. Good luck!




Packaging supplies out. Cameras up. Ready? Set. Go!
-Robyn & Todd

it’s better to give…

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! To show you how thankful we are for our Paperie readers, we’re offering up this free baby tee design for use at Zazzle – it would make the perfect client holiday gift! (And read on, because through 11.27.11 shirts are now 50% off at Zazzle!)

UPDATE: You can now see how the shirts look when you get them from Zazzle here. Try using code HOLIDAYSALE2 for 50% off Zazzle infant t-shirts / onesies!

You can either download the .psd file below and move things around to add your own logo — or if you prefer to just print the design as-is, use the Paperie Zazzle Store and choose between a baby onesie, an infant t-shirt, an infant organic creeper, or a baby long-sleeve tee in sizes 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.

  → download link ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file — I do not provide technical support for this download)

You can edit the background color in this .psd file and move layers around. However, you cannot edit the text as-shown or make changes to the graphic. If you choose to print the design with a vendor other than Zazzle please make sure to check the size and crop guidelines first! Paperie is not responsible for mis-prints.

If you prefer to print the shirt without a logo, or do not have the ability to edit .psd layers, you can order it directly from Zazzle here.

And through 11 p.m. EST tonight / Friday (8 p.m. PST on 11.25.11) take an extra $5 off t-shirts at Zazzle with the code “ZBLACKFRIDAY” (see UPDATE above).

Shown above is a similar onesie that Buttons and Bows Photography gifted to clients in 2008. They were a HUGE hit!

Template is ©Robyn Pollman, 2011. All rights reserved. Templates may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.




We also have a couple of winners to announce! First up, the winner of the Martha Stewart heat embossing tool is…Tatiana Fowler!

And the winner of the ONA Venice camera bag is…Jennifer Stuart Photography!

Congrats to both of our winners, thanks to everyone who entered, and a huge thank you to ONA Camera Bags for such a fantastic giveaway!

I’ll be e-mailing both winners this weekend so make sure to check your e-mail soon!




Check out our Facebook page if you haven’t seen it already – both Amazon and B&H have been running huge specials on Adobe’s Lightroom 3 today! It’s been as low as $89.99, and as of 2:45 p.m. EST on “Black” Friday, November 25th it’s still on sale for as low as $149.00!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
-Robyn & Todd

P.S. The 2nd annual “Wrap Battle” kicks off a week from today on Friday, December 2nd – get ready!

here we go loopty-loop

Like me, many of you are packing client orders like crazy right now or are about to… In the past I’ve shared a demo on how to make a “flat bow” for shipping.

Now I’m sharing a demo on how to make a “loop bow” that will also survive the pack’n'ship process.

First, you need to have 1 – 1½” ribbon on hand and a hot glue gun. Wired ribbon is optional, but will hold a prettier shape. Cut four strips approximately 8½” long, and one shorter strip approximately 3½” long.

Take your hot glue gun and put a line of glue down the ribbon’s edge on one side – then press the other side down on top of the glue to create a loop.

You will end up with five ribbon loops – four large and one small.

Divide the four larger loops into two pairs. For each pair you will want to glue one loop on top of the other making an “X” shape as shown. All this takes is a dab of glue in the center of one loop, and then pressing the other loop on top of it to make an “X”.

Now take your two “X” loop pairs and keep one as an “X”, and turn the other to make a “+” sign as shown.

Put a dab of hot glue in the center of the “X” and place the “+” on top of it – gluing the two loop pairs together as shown.

Now take the small loop that remains and run a line of hot glue down the seam on the back side. Attach it to the center of the larger loops already glued together.

If you wish, take additional ribbon to wrap around the package length-wise and width-wise and hot glue into place. (I place a business card under the areas I’m gluing so that no glue accidentally gets on the box.)

Now glue the bow to the ribbon around the box, or the box itself. Puff up each of the loops with your fingers and voilà!

Here are a couple of other examples showing wired ribbon and grosgrain. You can also hot glue embellishments to the center of the bows.

And there you have it – a pretty loop bow in ten steps or less! Just in time for the upcoming annual packaging contest…

Have a great weekend!
-Robyn & Todd

P.S. We have two awesome giveaways right now, so don’t forget to scroll down and enter!

haute couture

Remember the amazing packaging contest we had last year? Well it’s back this year and it’s going to be even more amazing!

Don’t forget when you’re busy wrapping up your client and / or holiday orders to stop for a minute and take photos of your beautiful creations before delivering them. The second annual business and holiday packaging contest kicks off on Friday, December 2nd!

Don’t know where to start? Paper Source always has great video tutorials! And with just one of the prizes being a $500 store credit to HB Photo Packaging, it will definitely be worth your time!

Watch this space for more updates in the coming days! And happy wrapping!




New week, new deal for Paperie readers! Today we have a vendor / guest post by Beth Forester of photoDUDS!

“Be Artsy!”

Beth Forester of photoDUDS has just released a new line of templates created just for Artsy Couture Gallery Blocks.

Let’s face it, Artsy Couture Gallery Blocks are one of the hottest items this year. With these designs you’ll be able to impress your clients by offering these upscale custom designed items in your studio.

There are SEVEN different templates designed to work specifically with the Artsy Couture Line. These fully-layered templates are super-easy to customize so you can change the colors to match your photographs.

Not using the Artsy line yet…well look no more because all of these templates also include files for deep Canvas Gallery Wraps.

So, you get two products for the price of one!

And as an introductory offer, these designs are on sale in the photoDUDS store for 20% off. Or you can save 50% off and buy the bundle!

Plus, Beth Forester of photoDUDS is offering Paperie Boutique followers an additional 20% off* the already reduced items or anything else in the photoDUDS store. So not only can you get the special introductory prices but you can save an additional 20%. So head on over to the photoDUDS store and use the exclusive Paperie code: paperie20

*Offer expires November 9, 2011.

Thanks to photoDUDS for stopping by with this incredible offer for our readers!




Earlier this year we featured MamaThredz maternity portrait ensembles from The Art of Pregnancy and Newborn. (TAoPaN)

Yesterday I was lucky enough to photograph a maternity session for Buttons and Bows Photography using the “Sassy – All Mama” gown. You can see the results above (click images for lager pop-ups). To purchase, visit MamaThredz.




Have a great week everyone and check back soon!
-Robyn & Todd

I’ll have what she’s having

The digital edition of the November 2011 Professional Photographer Magazine is now online for digital subscribers.

For this month’s holiday-themed article I contacted everyone’s favorite photographers and asked, “What are YOU giving your clients this year?”

Those who answered the call include:
•  Michele Anderson (pinkletoes.com)
•  Lena Hyde and Design Aglow (designaglow.com)
•  Beth Jansen (bethjansenphotography.com)
•  Beth Forester (foresterphoto.com)
•  Alycia Alvarez (alyciaalvarezphotography.com)
•  Kelli France (francephotography.com)
•  Shannon Holden (shannonholden.com)
•  Lori Nordstrom (nordstromphoto.com)
•  Jamie Schultz (jamieschultzphotography.com)
•  The Boudoir Divas (theboudoirdivas.com)
•  Heather Lickliter (stylizedportraiture.com)
•  Sarah Petty (sarahpetty.com)
•  Kelley Ryden (kelleyryden.com)
•  Clark+Walker Studio (clarkwalkerstudio.com) -and-
•  Me / Robyn L. Pollman (buttonsandbowsphotography.com)

There’s also a bonus-supplement on holiday cards featuring designs and kits by Design Aglow, Jamie Schultz Designs, Simply Color Lab, The Album Cafe, Designs by Taz, and My Lil’ Creations.

Click the magazine pages above for a larger .pdf version. You can find the article on page 42, page 44, page 46, page 48, and pages 50-51 of the print-version when it hits mailboxes. And you can also download the digital edition now if you’re a PPA member or digital subscriber.




I just put together my own charging station / valet using a much less expensive desk organizer from Amazon.com – I saved half of the Pottery Barn counterpart.

You can read more plus pricing comparisons at Pinterest if you’re interested.




Don’t forget Wednesday is the last day to win an album box full of ECO CHIC goodies from Rice Studio Supply:

Happy November everyone! Check back this week for MORE fun giveaways!
-Robyn & Todd

Have a BOO-tiful day!

Happy Halloween! Today we have a treat instead of a trick for you – a giveaway and vendor/guest post by one of our new multi-advertisers Rice Studio Supply!

While traveling in India, Scott Rice visited a village where the art of paper making has been practiced since 1590. Handmade paper is crafted from 100% recycled cotton fiber. The stock is acid free, archival quality, and simply beautiful. Scott knew this was the answer to your requests for stylish photo packaging that is safe for photos and safe for the environment.

The Artisan Portrait Case is an eco-friendly presentation package with natural deckle edges. The paper is handmade one sheet at a time, using natural products, so no two deckle edges are identical. The deep cocoa color is available in 5×7, 8×10, 8×12, 11×14, and 16×20 sizes. Rice Studio Supply will sell these handmade products from eco-friendly paper at the same cost as mass produced wood pulp papers.

For one week from the date of this post, Paperie readers can order the new Artisan Portrait Case at the 500-quantity price, regardless of how many you order (that’s a 30% discount off the each price). Shipment will begin the first week of November.

“We can’t brag enough about how wonderfully your product presents our photography! Our clients comment all the time about how beautiful our packaging is. Thank you so much for offering such an outstanding product and service.” -Leeann and Winnie Greer, Lexington, KY

And now one lucky Paperie reader will win a 12×12 album box stuffed with ECO CHIC goodies, value $120.00! Here’s how to enter:

1. Like Rice Studio Supply on Facebook and come back here and let us know (or tell us you’re already a fan)

2) Post on your Facebook account what your favorite product is from Rice Studio Supply (then come back here and tell us where you did it)

3. Post the following to Facebook or Twitter (then come back here and tell us where you did it):

Win a 12×12 album box STUFFED with Handmade Packaging goodies from RSS ( http://ricestudiosupplies.com ) at @PaperieBoutique – http://is.gd/nWIMrf

4. Leave a note in the comments here saying what Rice Studio Supply product is your favorite

Each entry requires its own separate comment here. (In simple terms: If you want FIVE chances to win, you have to do the FIVE separate things listed above, and then make five separate comments here telling us how you did them.)

Comment that you have liked their Facebook account(s), or already follow them – and / or posted your favorite product to Facebook – and / or posted to your Facebook or Twitter accounts about the giveaway – and / or list your favorite product in the comments here (in separate comments) to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, November 2nd. You can enter up to FIVE times total. Post that you have met the individual requirements in separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to five times total – one entry each for all of the options listed above. (PLEASE NOTE: Comments are held for moderation and may not appear immediately. Please be patient! They will show up eventually.)

You have FIVE chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 48-72 hours of the winner-announcement to claim their prize.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

And thanks to Rice Studio Supply for the wonderful giveaway!




Don’t forget we also have a contest going on right now to win the “Organic Bloom frames for the Photographer’s Wall Display Guides” set!

-Robyn & Todd

seeing is believing

Today we’re in full-on catch-up mode here at Paperie. Since our Chinese drywall ordeal, we literally have no immune systems to speak of in our family. And now that the weather is changing, once again we’ve been down for the count for a few days with horrible colds. If you’re waiting to hear from either of us, please be patient – we do apologize!

But couldn’t let the weekend start without a big giveaway / guest / vendor post — some new packaging photos — contest winner announcements — and a big Halloween sale from my favorite packaging vendor. So read on and make sure you don’t miss anything…

Hi everyone, Ariana here from Photographer’s Wall Display Guides. If you aren’t already familiar with us, we create stylish, fresh and modern wall guides that use REAL room backgrounds to help your clients “picture their pictures” on their walls!

What happens when you SHOW your clients how amazing the images you took look on the wall instead of just talking about it? A huge increase in sales of large wall prints and canvases course!

And now, Photographer’s Wall Display Guides have teamed up with the Organic Bloom, to bring you Organic Bloom frames for the Photographer’s Wall Display Guides!

If you didn’t already know, Organic Bloom is the premier company creating beautiful, whimsical frames sold exclusively through photographers.

We think it’s a match made in heaven, and think you will too once you see this little video (click to launch Vimeo player):

The Organic Bloom frames can be used with ANY of the 15 Photographer’s Wall Display Guides rooms and it’s loaded with features:

•   Includes ALL 16 Organic Bloom frame styles in 10 different sizes from
    a 5×7 to a 20×30
•   Cross organized by both style and size for easy reference
•   Includes an incredible 101 (yes, you read that right!) designed
    groupings!
•   Includes both swatches AND a Color Book of Organic Bloom frame
    colors that makes showing your clients ACCURATE frame colors a breeze!
•   Actions for glazing, resizing and inserting your images
•   Create Double and Twin Double stack frames automagically!
    **{Stacking only supported in Photoshop CS3-CS5}
•   Use images of your client’s home as a background if you wish!
•   Easily create custom sizes and groupings not included with the product.

Although the Organic Bloom frames look STUNNING in all of the wall guide rooms, we did create a special new “Kid’s Pack” { Girl’s Room, Boy’s Room, Baby Room, Playroom } to coincide with the release of the Organic Bloom frames pack that can be purchased separately or as a bundle with the Organic Bloom frames.

Right now through midnight Eastern on November 4th, all Paperie readers will receive 15% off from Photographer’s Wall Display Guides with the code paperie.

And now the best part – we are giving the WHOLE thing away to one lucky reader! That’s all 15 Photographer’s Wall Display Guides rooms with the Organic Bloom frames pre-installed, currently a $385 value.

Ways to enter:

1. Like the Photographer’s Wall Display Guides Facebook page

2. Follow the Photographer’s Wall Display Guides on Twitter

3. Sign up for the VERY occasional Photographer’s Wall Display Guides newsletter (by occasional we mean maybe 2-3 times a year when we release new products!)

Each entry requires its own separate comment here. (In simple terms: If you want THREE chances to win, you have to do the THREE separate things listed above, and then make three separate comments here telling us how you did them.)

Comment that you have followed the Twitter and/or Facebook account(s), or already follow them – and / or have signed up for the newsletter – in separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, November 1st. You can enter up to THREE times total. Post that you have met the individual requirements in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to three times total – one entry each for all of the options listed above. (PLEASE NOTE: Comments are held for moderation and may not appear immediately. Please be patient! They will show up eventually.)

You have THREE chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 48-72 hours of the winner-announcement to claim their prize.

That’s it, thank you! Good luck to everyone who enters!

And thanks Ariana / Photographer’s Wall Display Guides for the amazing prize!




I’ve posted a couple of my own photos to my Pinterest “Pretty Packaging” board recently, in case you’ve missed them:

We have a winner in our Hardwood Whimsical Frames contest and it’s…mhs Photography!

And the winner of our mini-camera magnet set giveaway is…Jammie Lopez!

Congrats to our two winners, thanks to everyone who entered, and a special thanks to Hardwood Whimsical Frames for the fantastic prize pack!

Winners, you’ll be hearing from me this weekend with information on how to claim both of your prizes.




Last but not least…guess where Paperie is this week? New York City!

We have a photo in a beautiful Organic Bloom frame at the HB Photo Packaging booth for WPPI NYC @ PhotoPlus.

If that isn’t scary enough, they’re also having a Spooktacular Halloween sale!

Happy Haunting, everyone!
-Robyn & Todd

gallery opening

Today we welcome Design Aglow back for another guest / vendor post – they have a new product with special introductory pricing!

Ever wish you had an interior designer waiting in the wings? Straight from the Design Aglow team comes the answer: couture style, professionally designed wall displays, complete with hand drawn and painted furniture, frames, mats and accessories.

Now you can share these 25 stunning room ideas as representations of wall groupings your studio offers as an added studio design service. Not only can your client collect fine art, you have the power of a full-service design consultant right in your studio at your fingertips! This luscious set includes a cover, along with a customizable price list, welcome page, studio policies, colors and logo; and because our actions are bundled, you can simply place client’s images into the templates, saving you precious time, while making presentations more personal.

With this stunning collection you can put Design Aglow’s attention to detail to work for you.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
   •  25 gorgeous, professionally designed wall displays complete with
      hand-drawn and painted furniture, frames, mats, and accessories
   •  Each template is in fully layered Photoshop PSD format for unlimited
      customization including color changes
   •  Includes a cover, price list, and welcome page that are able to be
      customized with studio policies, prices, colors, and logo
   •  Bundled action will automatically place client’s images into the
      templates, saving time and making presentations more personal
   •  Each collection has been given a lovely, stylish name for easy reference
   •  Includes 12 page tutorial to learn how to use the guide, plus info on how
      to post it online and make mini copies

BONUS:
   •  InDesign version of the 8.5×11 galleries for easy drag-and-drop workflow
   •  4×5.5, 8 panel pocket mini inspire guide to plant the seed of investing
      in wall galleries; give to clients at the end of your session/event

Click here to see this incredible “Inspire Guide” collection at Design Aglow with introductory pricing!




And we are currently running a fall special with advertising rates up to half-off (or more) — and we’d love to have YOU join us!

Swoone is a specialty design boutique created to meet the specific needs of the small business photographer. We create products to help photogs reach their business goals and to bring out the most in their work. We have two primary product categories; branding and marketing packages to help photographers develop brand presence and a variety of templates to highlight their work.

One of our long-time, best-selling product lines is our Seriously Simple collection. The clean, sharp design of this line translates well into albums, proof boxes, and wall displays. With so many combinations and varieties, there are an infinite number of ways to mix and match these templates.

We are also proud of our holiday card collections. One of our newest, Adornaments, is inspired by our favorite holiday shapes. It’s perfect card template set for the coming holidays. In fact, we think these templates look so incredibly cute/awesome/fantastic, that we know they’ll be perfect for any space – from the mantle to the dining room table to the family tree, these sets are worthy of a place front and center this holiday season.

Head over to our Facebook page for a complimentary Halloween Photocard template. Get ready to Swoone!

Congrats to Kelly Ann and thanks to *emera for a truly incredible prize!

If you didn’t win, never fear – check in early next week to find out how you can win another *emera bag!




I have a “pretty packaging” board on Pinterest if you haven’t seen it ’til now.

Today I added a new photo with Organic Bloom frames that Buttons & Bows has given clients recently.

One of my favorite boards is “Cool branding and packaging“ by Phreckles Photography. What’s yours?

Leave a link to your favorite pinner or Pinterest board in the comments – one Paperie reader who does will win this cute camera magnet set:

Last but not least, we have another giveaway right now from Anima Dolce Design Boutique.

Go enter to win while you can!

Have a great weekend -
-Robyn & Todd

capture this!

Excited to have another guest / vendor post for a product I use (and love!) – a giveaway for two camera straps from Capturing Couture!

Capturing Couture is a company founded a little over 2 years ago by two working moms; one with a fervor for design and the other with a profound passion for photography. Capturing Couture breaks out into the accessories market with a collection of fashion forward camera straps, adding color and style to a category that has been, to this point, severely monochromatic. The time has come for fashion, form and function to completely merge.

We create two types of straps: One for the SLR/DSLR camera worn around the neck and a second for smaller cameras worn around the wrist. The straps are designed with comfortable padding in the neck to help distribute the weight of the camera, (SLR/DSLR camera straps only) velvet backing, nylon webbing for durability and adjustable hardware for preferred positioning.

Not only do we have fashion forward straps for women, we also carry a hip men’s line. [ Note from Robyn: Shhh! Don't tell anyone but my Capturing Couture strap is from the men's line! ]

And now two lucky Paperie readers have a chance to win a Capturing Couture camera strap of their very own! The style is the winner’s choice, up to a $39.00 value (shipping included).

1. Go to your Facebook and Twitter accounts and post the following on either or both (then tell us where you did):

Win your choice of camera straps from @CapturingCoutur / CapturingCouture.com @PaperieBoutique / PaperieBoutique.com – http://is.gd/z6j0gV

2. Friend / Like / Follow Capturing Couture on Facebook and come back here and let us know (or tell us you’re already a fan)

3. Follow Capturing Couture on Twitter and come back here and let us know (or tell us you’re already a follower)

4. Post your favorite item from Capturing Couture in the comments here

Each entry requires its own separate comment here. (In simple terms: If you want FIVE chances to win, you have to do the FIVE separate things listed above, and then make five separate comments here telling us how you did them.)

Comment that you have posted to your Twitter and/or Facebook account(s), with a link to where you did it – or that you’ve liked Capturing Couture on Facebook and/or Twitter – or your favorite Capturing Couture product – in separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, September 19th. You can enter up to FIVE times total. Post that you have met the individual requirements in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to five times total – one entry each for all of the options listed above. (PLEASE NOTE: Comments are held for moderation and may not appear immediately. Please be patient! They will show up eventually.)

You have FIVE chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 48-72 hours of the winner-announcement to claim their prize.

Good luck to everyone who enters and thanks to Capturing Couture for the awesome giveaway!




We have a few contest winners to announce!

The first three winners of the “Fit to Print” giveaway…Susan B, thougham, and Jenn S.

Congrats to all three of you, and thanks to everyone who entered! I’ll be in touch with download information for the winners within 24 hours!

And the winner of the One King’s Lane $25 gift certificate…Larissa pavei! Congrats to our winner, and thanks to those who entered. I’ll have your gift card sent within 24 hours Larissa!




Last but not least, we just finished assembling the first round of goodie bags coming soon to a workshop near you! (The batch after this goes here.)

The toy cameras can be found on eBay. The little bags are from Celestial Gifts on Etsy. And they are stamped with a polymer stamp from Write with Moxie. You can read more detail on the candy bags here.

Check back Friday – another special offer for Paperie readers on tap!
-Robyn & Todd

sign on the dotted line

Recently I shared my purchase of the Design Aglow “Essential Birth Announcement Worksheet“. Even if you’re not a newborn photographer, if you sell press-printed cards, this post is for you!

Since that original post I have added to my purchase with birth announcement quotes and religious phrases I have collected, and the press-card print release form I have created, during my five-plus years of being a newborn photographer. (Read to the end to find out how to win!) This makes a stunning presentation to your clients, and also makes their ordering much easier, sparing you both countless time spent back-and-forth during the design process.

I have designed the following as a supplement to the Design Aglow “Essential Birth Announcement Worksheet” (although it can certainly be purchased / used stand-alone with much more limited function). The Design Aglow “Essential Birth Announcement Worksheet” includes one full page of birth announcement quotes and phrases for boys, girls, twins / multiples, sibling-welcomes, religious-themed cards, adoptions, and all-purpose introductions.

My new four-page supplement includes three pages of additional quotes and phrases – plus religious quotes / scriptures – for baby boys, baby girls, and seasonal / holiday-themed birth announcements (Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s, Fourth of July, fall / autumn, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). And a one-page release for your clients (see below) saving you from expensive reprint costs due to their errors, omissions, or typos on press-printed cards.

Included in this supplemental packet:

1. Press-printed card print release for clients (applicable to
    announcements, invitations, seniors, etc.)

2. Boy-themed birth announcement quotes and phrases
    (including religious and scriptures)

3. Girl-themed birth announcement quotes and phrases
    (including religious and scriptures)

4. Holiday and seasonal quotes, phrases, and scriptures for
    birth announcements

In addition to that, I have included my “Press Printed Card Release” (wording included). This is a form I make all of my clients read and sign off on before their cards and announcements go to print. It eliminates reprints at my expense for their misspellings, typos, and failure to include information. Once this form is signed off on, the customer is liable for the cards or announcements as they approved them (unless the error is a print lab defect or I failed to order the cards as they were approved, for instance if I accidentally submitted the lo-res version for print).

If you’ve ever been burned with the reprint of an expensive card order – this form is for you! And if you haven’t, you need this now before it happens!

This form wording will work for birth announcements and / or any kind of press-printed card you sell (Christmas / holiday card, birthday invitation, wedding announcement, graduation announcement, etc.)

I use the “Press Printed Card Release” text in an online web form that my customers sign off on digitally. You can print and use the text as presented if you do ordering in person, or convert it for online or e-mail use.

These forms are bare-bones to work within the template by Design Aglow (which I highly recommend purchasing). The one .psd file is divided into four folders of text. The only graphic included is a division line. There are no additional graphics or design-elements. Just the text, ma’am! If you choose to use them as a stand-alone product rather than a supplement, space has been left at the top to add your logo / letterhead to each of the pages. See below for excerpts from the different pages.

My holiday / seasonal wording quote sheet helped a customer create this design:

Purchase this now at a special rate before it’s available on Fit to Print:

Purchase this four-page kit:

Special Paperie Price $15.00

This is a layered .psd file design created in Adobe Photoshop CS2 and should work in Elements, but I cannot provide technical support for Elements purchases. The background color can be changed from white with just one click. Purchases will be e-mailed the download link during “normal waking hours” (U.S. Eastern Daylight Time). Please ask any questions before you buy! You are responsible for checking these files for spelling and formatting before presenting to your clients.




And just because we care, three lucky Paperie readers can have a chance to win the card / announcement four-page supplement. If you buy it and win it, we will refund your purchase!

1. Go to your Facebook and Twitter accounts and post the following on either or both (then tell us where you did):

Win birth announcement / holiday / religious card wording & press card release @PaperieBoutique / PaperieBoutique.com http://is.gd/KPTM5W

2. Friend / Like / Follow Paperie Boutique on Facebook and come back here and let us know (or tell us you’re already a fan)

Each entry requires its own separate comment here. (In simple terms: If you want THREE chances to win, you have to do the three things listed above, and then make three separate comments here telling us how you did them.)

Comment that you have posted to your Twitter and/or Facebook account(s), with a link to where you did it – or that you’ve liked us on Facebook – in separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Saturday, September 10th. You can enter up to three times total. Post that you have met each of the requirements in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to three times total – one entry each for each of the options listed above. (PLEASE NOTE: Comments are held for moderation and may not appear immediately. Please be patient! They will show up eventually.)

You have three chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 48-72 hours of the winner-announcement to claim their prize.

Good luck!
-Robyn and Todd

guess who’s back – back again

A few days ago we featured the new “Modular Holiday Card Sales Kit: Merry Modern Collection” by Design Aglow.

Now they’re back for another guest / vendor post to promote their new “Modular Holiday Card Sales Kit: Nostalgic Splendor Collection“.

Design Aglow presents a revolutionary way for your photography studio to sell holiday cards. We’ve designed the mix & match studio sales system to enable you to work smarter, not harder, save time, increase sales, and streamline your holiday workflow. This product is more than just vintage holiday card templates, it’s like having a stationery shop in your studio and comes complete with everything you will need to launch your holiday card line within minutes of download.

INCLUDES:
• A 10-page holiday card sales catalog. This catalog is a turnkey, professionally designed way to present your holiday card offerings to clients. The catalog easily walks clients through every step involved in designing the holiday card of their dreams. It includes a built-in order form on the last page on which your clients will note their design choices, keeping their information impeccably organized, and saving you lots of valuable time.

But, by far, the most unique feature of the catalog is that it includes professionally, studio-shot stock photos of finished holiday cards. This means you won’t have to worry about taking the time to photograph your holiday cards for the catalog – this step is already done for you. All that is required is that you add your studio logo, update the policies to reflect your own, and add your pricing on the last page.

• Three beautifully designed card modules (a cover, an inside design that includes 12 different greetings, and a back), consisting of six different designs each. These are in fully layered Photoshop PSD format and will allow you to design your clients’ cards with just the click of a mouse, all in under 15 minutes per card. Simply mix and match the front, inside and back (which are completely interchangeable) for virtually limitless combinations.

• A comprehensive 10 page tutorial that will easily explain everything you need to know about launching your holiday card line. It also includes ideas for presentation, selling, and publishing your catalog online.

Don’t forget we have a giveaway going on now for a Shoot Baby!™ beanbag!

Have a great weekend everyone!
-Robyn & Todd

you’ve been carded

Did you know there’s only 132 days left ’til Christmas? Design Aglow is to the rescue with a special offer in this new vendor / guest post!

Design Aglow presents a revolutionary way for your photography studio to sell holiday cards. With a mix & match studio sales system to enable you to work smarter, not harder, save time, increase sales, and streamline your holiday workflow, this product is more than just holiday card templates. It’s like having a stationery shop in your studio and comes complete with everything you will need to launch your holiday card line within minutes of download.

INCLUDES:
• A 10-page holiday card sales catalog. This catalog is a turnkey, professionally designed way to present your holiday card offerings to clients. The catalog easily walks clients through every step involved in designing the holiday card of their dreams. It includes a built-in order form on the last page on which your clients will note their design choices, keeping their information impeccably organized, and saving you lots of valuable time.

But, by far, the most unique feature of the catalog is that it includes professionally, studio-shot stock photos of finished holiday cards. This means you won’t have to worry about taking the time to photograph your holiday cards for the catalog – this step is already done for you. All that is required is that you add your studio logo, update the policies to reflect your own, and add your pricing on the last page.

• Three beautifully designed card modules (a cover, an inside design that includes 12 different greetings, and a back), consisting of six different designs each. These are in unflattened Photoshop PSD format and will allow you to design your clients’ cards with just the click of a mouse, all in under 15 minutes per card. Simply mix and match the front, inside and back (which are completely interchangeable) for virtually limitless combinations.

• A comprehensive 10 page tutorial that will easily explain everything you need to know about launching your holiday card line. It also includes ideas for presentation, selling, and publishing your catalog online.

I am completely in love with this – talk about impressive to clients and a time-saver all in one! If you sell birth announcements, you must check this out!




We have two winners to announce in our See Jane Work giveaway…and they are…Jamie Delight Photography and Jessica Hester Photography.

Congratulations to both winners and thanks again to all of our vendors and readers that made our birthday celebration such an amazing success!

-Robyn and Todd

too much time on my hands

Recently we featured the new Specialty Shaped Metal Prints from Black River Imaging. Here’s a great example of what you can do with them!

Angela Spieker (of Artistic Impressions Photography & Design) combined Black River Imaging‘s 5” round metal prints with a Karlsson Wall Clock for this stunning, functional wall display. (Frames shown are by The Organic Bloom.)

Angela made the clock as a personal project, but will offer it to her clients upon request. Thank you so much for sharing with our Paperie readers, Angela!




If you’re looking for hosting, Hosting Matters is offering a special deal for Summer 2011. I’ve mentioned here before that I have been a Hosting Matters customer for almost a full decade, and I can’t imagine going anywhere else!

The summer special offer currently running through Labor Day (with discounts for quarterly, semiannual, annual, and bienniel contracts) is just $8 USD per month. You’ll receive unmetered resources to allow you to do what you need with your site without worry. Blogs, photo albums, mailing lists, and content management systems are just a sampling of what can be installed with one click using your account’s Control Panel – no programming knowledge or uploading required! You’ll also receive 24/7 technical support, and if you already have an established site, Hosting Matters will move it to their servers for you, saving you the time and effort involved in completely reuploading everything. Check out their unmetered plans special for more details!

P.S. Don’t forget there’s just under two hours for the “See Jane Work” gift card giveaway – it ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

bonne fête – giveaway 14

Stickers only. One pack per person. Your choice of all sticker types shown below:

Good luck to the first 50 posters – can’t wait to hand the sticker codes out!




And heads-up – MOO is offering 30% off all printed products through midnite PDT tonight. You can find more details in the birthday master-coupon code list. (Several new codes added today!)

Pssst… We have a special template sale going on here at Paperie this week! It will help you make the best use of that 30% MOO discount – several Moo template designs are included in the sale!

Click over here and see what you missed. A special sale, and a teaser of the great giveaways ahead this week, were posted over the weekend!

There’s a limited-time offer for advertisers / vendors this week, too. Over half-off some ad rates for new advertisers. Check it out!




Prizes! Prizes! We got your prizes!
-Robyn

P.S. Vendors, if you are interested in being a part of the birthday celebration, e-mail me at “robyn AT paperieboutique DOT com” ASAP!

joyeux anniversaire – giveaway 5

Up for grabs now is a “prize pack” combo from two popular vendors – Flourish Emporium by Nichole Van and WHCC – one lucky Paperie Boutique reader will get both prizes!

Winner will receive a $125 gift card to Flourish and a free WHCC Image Box with custom cover! Image Box will be winner’s choice of size and paper type. WHCC Images Boxes are a great way to present and store proofs, photographic prints on black styrene, or a Press Printed Album! Image Box is a $42-$110 value depending on size and depth selected.

So how do you snag these great prizes for yourself? It’s easy!

1. Go to your Facebook and Twitter accounts and post the following on either or both (then tell us where you did):
Win the @WHCCpro / WHCC.com & shop.nicholev.com prize pack from @PaperieBoutique / PaperieBoutique.com – visit: http://PaperieBirthday.com

2. Like Flourish Emporium on Facebook.

3. Like WHCC on Facebook.

Each entry requires its own separate comment here. (In simple terms: If you want FOUR chances to win, you have to do the four things listed above, and then make four separate comments here telling us how you did them.)

Comment that you have posted to your Twitter and/or Facebook account(s), with a link to where you did it – or that you’ve liked one or both vendors on Facebook – in separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 22nd. You can enter up to four times total. Post that you have met both requirements in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to four times total – one entry each for both the options listed above. (PLEASE NOTE: Comments are held for moderation and may not appear immediately. Please be patient! They will show up eventually.)

You have four chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 48-72 hours of the winner-announcement to claim their prize.

Good luck!

Thanks to Flourish by Nichole Van and WHCC! And don’t forget Flourish Emporium is offering a 25% off coupon code to all Paperie readers this week! You can find that code, and several others from our vendors, continually updated this week here!




Don’t forget several of our merchants are offering discounts and coupon codes to all Paperie readers this week! Check and see if your favorite vendor is there!

Click over here and see what you missed. A special sale, and a teaser of the great giveaways ahead this week, were posted over the weekend!

There’s a limited-time offer for advertisers / vendors this week, too. Over half-off some ad rates for new advertisers. Check it out!




Check in often today! More fun is on the way…
-Robyn

P.S. Vendors, if you are interested in being a part of the birthday celebration, e-mail me at “robyn AT paperieboutique DOT com” ASAP!

a tip of the (party) hat…

Paperie Boutique started on July 18, 2009, with this simple little post:

“Welcome to the new Paperie Boutique blog. This is an expansion on my popular “Fit to Print” set on Flickr where I have shared 3 years worth of new products, marketing materials, packaging, and how-to assembly demos for professional photographers…”

I never dreamed that in just two short years we’d have crossed the 1-million visitors milestone and have over 10,000 comments. Nevermind that just under a year after launch that we’d be featured in Rangefinder Magazine and I’d start writing for Professional Photographer Magazine (eventually being promoted to technical, then contributing editor and also tapped to write for the “Web Exclusives” section of the website).

There are so many people who have made this all possible – and without them, there never would have been a Paperie Boutique. First and foremost my amazing husband Todd who buckled up in his computer chair and learned his job on the fly. For over a year he has been handling most of the backend of the website communications and advertising. I would never be able to get through the volume of e-mail we receive without him! Stacy for taking this blog design’s code out back, showing it who’s boss, and keeping things afloat over on the technical side. And Hosting Matters, our host of almost 10 years now, for supplying the bandwidth and dedicated server space that makes it possible for us to stay online.

I also need to thank our loyal vendors who have kept the site stocked with amazing content in addition to supplying countless prizes and giveaways. They not only keep you coming back, but wanting “more! more! more!” This has been a place to share, showcase, window-shop, and educate. And then last but certainly not least, our loyal readers who have patiently stood by during the health-hiccups I’ve had along the way, and always came back to help us plow forward. You have always been there to teach and inspire, to “pay it forward” to your fellow peers, and you make this all worth it every day / week / month / year.

We can’t wait to see what the next year has in store!

And many more…
-Robyn & Todd

P.S. More giveaways will be posted tonight. Keep refreshing the page!




We have another new advertiser we’re excited to welcome into the Paperie family: Handmade Paper Album Boxes by Leah Gibbons Photography.

Handmade Paper Album Boxes by Leah Gibbons Photography – Shop my brand NEW Album Boxes for photographers page! Here, you’ll find handmade paper boxes that are eco-friendly and gorgeous! All boxes are quality made, sturdy & archival safe (acid and lignin free). Offered in two very versatile colors, they have a gorgeous natural look, and are earth-friendly! They’re quite lovely all by themselves but are also very easy to “doll up” with ribbons and/or accessories to match your branding!

The boxes are made with all handmade and eco-friendly papers, recycled board and organic glues. They are strong, heavy weight and perfect for book & album packaging. I’ve been searching for high quality and eco friendly album packaging myself for quite some time and am so pleased to offer these to other photographers! Visit them at: leahgibbonsphotography.com/albumboxes/albumboxes.html

And check this post for a birthday discount code from this vendor.

Click over here and see what you’ve missed. A special sale, a teaser of the great giveaways to come, and more were posted over the weekend!

P.S. Vendors, if you are interested in being a part of the birthday celebration, e-mail me at “robyn AT paperieboutique DOT com” ASAP!