fast pass

HB Photo Packaging is giving away TEN (10) complimentary Full WPPI Registration Passes (a $399.00 value each) with Paperie Boutique.

A random generator will be used by HB Photo Packaging to pick TEN (10) people who tag HB Photo Packaging on Facebook with the following – each will receive one (1) pass:

“I’m going to see @HB Photo Packaging at WPPI in Las Vegas!”

BEFORE you hit post, make sure that you’ve typed out “@HB Photo Packaging” (rather than pasting it) so that it creates a tag that will appear on HB’s wall. (More information on how to tag on Facebook can be found here.)

You don’t want to miss the HB Photo Packaging booth (# 1247) at WPPI this year! Paperie and HB have a big secret to share, and those lucky enough to attend the WPPI trade show will get first peek / dibs! Stay tuned here in the upcoming days for more details (and photos)!




The digital edition of the February 2012 Professional Photographer Magazine is now online for digital subscribers.

In this issue I reviewed web services for your business by ProPhoto Blogs, Zenfolio, Miller’s Professional Imaging Art Department, Photo Cart by Pictures Pro, Colorati, RadLab from “Totally Rad!”, PhotoBiz Website Templates and Blog Sites, IntotheDarkroom.com Vend Photo Cart and Flaunt Photo Slideshow, Photo Shelter, Showit Fast & Pass, and Creative Motion Design.

Click the magazine pages above to read a larger .pdf version of the article. You can also find the article on page 46, page 48, page 50, and page 52 of the print-version when it hits mailboxes – and you can see the online supplement here. Plus you can download the digital edition now if you’re a PPA member or digital subscriber.




Don’t forget that you have a chance to win this POMPIDOO leather camera bag until 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday, February 14th. It would make the perfect Valentine!

Happy weekend -
-Robyn & Todd

tag you're it: 2012 • album design • Android • app • bag • blog • camera • camera bag • Cologne bag • contest • custom artwork • Facebook • February • February 2012 • galleries • gallery • gear • giveaway • guest post • handbag • HB Photo Packaging • Idle Turquoise • image editing • iPad • iPod • Las Vegas • magazine • marketing • mobile device • passes • photo blog • photo cart • photo ordering software • photoblog • photographer • photography • pocketbook • Pompidoo • post-processing • presentation • prize • processing • Professional Photographer Magazine • Professional Photographers of America • proofing • published • purse • retouching • sales • seminar • SEO • slideshow • social media • speakers • strap • supplies • template • templates • tickets • tote • tote bag • vendor post • weblog • website • Wedding & Portrait Photographers International • Wedding Photography Association • widget • win • WPPI

clean green slate

The digital edition of the January 2012 Professional Photographer Magazine is now online for digital subscribers.

For this column I got to review eco-friendly / “green” products by Miller’s Professional Imaging, Moo.com, Botanical Paperworks, Loktah, HB Photo Packaging, Globe Guard Products, Kraft and Jute, Nashville Wraps, Rice Studio Supply, ReBinder, and ProDPI.

There is also a supplemental mini feature by Nathan Welton of Dreamtime Images that discusses carbon-offsetting for your business with carbonfund.org.

Click the magazine pages above to read a larger .pdf version of the article. You can also find the article on page 78, page 80, page 82, and page 84 of the print-version when it hits mailboxes – and you can see the online supplement here. Plus you can download the digital edition now if you’re a PPA member or digital subscriber.




If you went to Imaging USA 2012 in New Orleans, you might have seen Paperie Boutique and Buttons & Bows Photography sprinkled about. Here are a couple of peeks if you missed it:

You can see more over at our Facebook page! Thanks to Ryan at HB Photo Packaging for these photos!

If you have photos from Imaging USA 2012 that you’d like to see published here, contact Robyn at: robyn AT paperieboutique DOT com




It’s the New Year and it’s time to restock your arsenal. A few of our favorite merchants are running sales!

1. HB Photo Packaging – 15% off through January 22nd with code
    WinterBlues

2. Moo.com – 10% off all printed products through January 25th
    with code MOOPRINTJAN

3. ReBinder – 20% off all ReSleeve and RePlay products through
    January 31st here

Hope everyone is having a wonderful 2012!
-Robyn & Todd

tag you're it: 2012 • album • album box • bag • bamboo paper • bio-degradable • biodegradable • Botanical Paperworks • boxes • branding • business • canvas • cards • CD case • corrugated mailer • cotton paper • crinkle ribbon • DVD case • earth-friendly • eco • eco friendly • envelope • envelopes • environmental • flat pack • folder • gallery wrap • gift bag • Globe Guard Products • green • HB Photo Packaging • hemp • Imaging USA • January • January 2012 • Kraft and Jute • laptop bag • Loktah • Louisiana • magazine • marketing • materials • Miller's Professional Imaging • Moo • Nashville Wraps • New Orleans • notecards • office supplies • organic • packages • packaging • paper ribbon • photographer • photography • presentation • presentation folder • press • press-printed • ProDPI • Professional Photographer Magazine • Professional Photographers of America • published • raphia • ReBinder • recycle • recycled • recycled paper • recycling • ribbon • Rice Studio Supply • supplies • thank you card • tote bag • wrapping • • wraphia

c’est fini – giveaway 32

Happy 2nd birthday to Paperie Boutique!
Visit PaperieBirthday.com for all events!

Winner announcements started on Monday, July 25th…


The title from the last giveaway (#31) is the French translation of “My Way” – I thought the lyrics quite appropriate for what turned out to be an 8-day event! I also have a special connection to the song. It is one of my first memories as a child, and I could not have been more than 4 years old at the time. I remember walking up to the counter at TG&Y with a 45-record of the song, and plopping down my ‘hard-earned’ allowance on the counter. I felt so big and so proud at the time, and now it just makes me giggle (as I’m sure my family did watching me). No Bay City Rollers for me! Even at an early age, it seems I always overshot my mark and did it “my way“! But now that I’ve lost 75% of my audience with Sinatra, Bay City Rollers, TG&Y, and 45-record references…before you can all run off to Google to figure out what in the world I’m rambling on about after a week of sleep-deprivation…I’ll just say, “And now, the end is near“…and we’ll move on to the fun stuff! PRIZES!

In a week that’s seen over $8200 in prizes donated (that averages out to over $1000 / day!), you didn’t think we’d go out any other way than with a “BANG!“, did you? In our final giveaway – #32 – one lucky Paperie reader will win a prize pack from WHCC, HB Photo Packaging, and Kaleidoscope!

WHCC Float Wraps are a new, unique option to display images. Float Wraps are similar to Gallery Wraps or Standout mounted prints in that they add dimension by extending out from the wall. Float wraps are unique in that they appear to be floating on the wall with the main focus on the image! Create a modern display with a Float Wrap wall collage that is ready to hang once removed from the box!”

Included in this prize pack is a 16×20 float wrap with laminate in your choice of lustre or metallic photographic paper, or as a fine art or metallic canvas.

Also included in this prize pack is a “Boudoir Collection” sampler by HB Photo Packaging. (I recently featured the “Boudoir Collection” products in the June 2011 issue of Professional Photographer Magazine.) You will receive five large “Eco Totes” in black, ten small “Eco Totes” in black, five 8×10 boxes in “Razzle Berry“, five 5×7 boxes in “Razzle Berry“, five 8×10 boxes in “Black Velvet“, five 5×7 boxes in “Black Velvet“, ten 8×10 tissue folds in “(hot) pink”, ten 5×7 tissue folds in “(hot) pink” and “polka dot”, three rolls of “Bella Terra” paper ribbon (Black, Beauty, and Zebra), a “Hot Pink Tiger” ribbon sample, and ten assorted black “stretch bows“.

And last but certainly not least…



The lucky “grand finale” winner will also receive a $200 Kaleidoscope gift card! (You can see their recent Paperie feature here.)

So how do you win? It’s simple!

1. Go to your Facebook and Twitter accounts and post the following on either or both (then tell us where you did):
The BIRTHDAY FINALE giveaway with @WHCC & @HBPhotoPkging & @pattibrownphoto / Kaleidoscope by @PaperieBoutique – http://PaperieBirthday.com

2. Like WHCC on Facebook.

3. Like WHCC on Twitter.

4. Like HB Photo Packaging on Facebook.

5. Like HB Photo Packaging on Twitter.

6. Like Patti Brown Photography / Kaleidoscope on Facebook.

7. Like Patti Brown Photography / Kaleidoscope on Twitter.

Each entry requires its own separate comment here. (In simple terms: If you want EIGHT chances to win, you have to do the eight things listed above, and then make eight 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 Thursday, July 28th. You can enter up to eight times total. Post that you have met both requirements in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to eight 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 eight 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.

PLEASE NOTE: I hit “publish” a bit too soon and people were following the wrong instructions to comment and enter. They have been contacted and their comments automatically validated due to “Robyn-error” (as noted below each comment).

For those of you who commented due to admin error before this post went officially live, do not worry. Your comments have been left here with an admin note and THEY WILL COUNT. However, each commenter gets EIGHT chances total to win, so please make sure you do not exceed this number of eight-total-entries with any comments that follow your originals. Thank you!

Good luck!

Heartfelt thanks go out to WHCC, HB Photo Packaging, and Kaleidoscope for this amazing birthday finale! And a big thank you to each and every vendor and site visitor over the last 8 days. This has by far exceeded our expectations (and wildest imaginations) and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Our other birthday giveaways you may have missed…
Contests # 1-32 now all closed – winner announcements ongoing!

ATTN. VENDORS: Don’t underestimate the power to reach your target-market during the Paperie birthday celebration! We’ve had 5.43 million hits and over 387,000+ page views during this event already.

In addition to deep-discounts on our normal ad rates, we are also going to include each new vendor (that signs up between Monday, July 18th thru Tuesday, July 26th) in a blog entry for better Google indexing through text links!

Here’s all YOU need to do to sign up… Just select your ad-purchase in the pull-down menu below, send your payment via PayPal, and voilà! [more]

click here to order now



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!

Th…th…that’s all folks! Thanks to EVERYONE for such a great birthday!
-Robyn & Todd

tag you're it: 2 • 2nd • action • actions • anniversary • birthday • bow • bows • boxes • branding • business • canvas • celebration • contest • custom • decor • designs • digital • elements • favors • float mount • float wrap • giveaway • guest post • H-B Packaging • HB Packaging • HB Photo Packaging • lab • laminate • lustre • materials • mettalic • packaging • party • photo • photograph • photographer • photographs • photography • photos • Photoshop • print • print lab • prints • prize • ribbon • supplies • templates • texture • textures • two • WHCC • White House Custom Color • wrapping

joyeux anniversaire – giveaway 9

Happy 2nd birthday to Paperie Boutique!
Visit PaperieBirthday.com for all events!

This giveaway is a triple threat – there will be THREE winners! HB Photo Packaging is giving away three $50.00 giftcards!

The above packaging photos are of my “Buttons & Bows Photography” boxes from HB’s “Print Your Own!” line. See this post for more…

So how do you snag one of the three gift cards 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 one of three $50 HB Photo Packaging / @HBPhotoPkging giftcards at PaperieBoutique.com / @PaperieBoutique – http://PaperieBirthday.com

2. Follow HB Photo Packaging on Twitter.

3. Like HB Photo Packaging 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 HB Photo Packaging! And don’t forget HB Photo Packaging is offering 15% off purchases in their webstore for all Paperie readers thru midnite on July 21st! 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!




See everyone tomorrow – we’re not even half-way there yet!
-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!

tag you're it: 2 • 2nd • anniversary • birthday • bow • bows • boxes • branding • business • celebration • contest • giveaway • H-B Packaging • HB Packaging • HB Photo Packaging • materials • packaging • party • photo • photograph • photographer • photographs • photography • photos • prize • ribbon • supplies • two • wrapping

cure for the winter blues

So you’ve seen the new HB Photo Packaging value packs and color selections here, and the new “Print Your Own” packaging line here. So now why don’t you go and fill your closets and shelves with boxes once and for all because HB is having a sale! And it’s a good one!

HB Photo Packaging is doing a “Winter Blues” promotion this weekend, offering 10% off to their e-mail subscribers & Facebook fans.

But…..they wanted to give a special 15% off discount to their Paperie favorite customers. You can find the promo code below. But hurry! The coupon turns back into a pumpkin on Sunday, January 23rd at midnight.

THIS PROMOTION ENDED ON JANUARY 31ST AND IS NO LONGER VALID!

Don’t forget – if you signed up for a new ClickinMoms membership with the code PAPERIE2011 by midnight on January 31, 2011, you received 20% off your ClickinMoms membership. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!

If you signed up through Paperie by January 31st, you also got the following items as our ‘thank you‘:

Write Robyn if you still need to collect your goodies!

tag you're it: boxes • branding • business • code • coupon • guest post • HB Packaging • HB Photo • HB Photo Packaging • HB Photo Packaging Store • materials • packages • packaging • photographer • photography • sale • supplies • wrapping

I’ll take Potpourri for $600, Alex

Sorry for the lack of posting this week. My better half was in Vegas and between it being holiday season for my regular business (shoot / edit / shoot some more), flying solo as mommy during a costume-theme week at school every day this week, and our resident college student getting the flu – well this place was the first to give.

But now I’m back with so many goodies they won’t fit in one post! A free download, a couple of sales, and not one — but TWO — vendor / guest posts! One of those is a big giveaway!




First up, Moo is having a huge STICKER SALE through October 31st! More details in their latest MOOsLetter.

Enter the code PEFC7Q at checkout before 11.59 p.m. (PDT) on Sunday, October 31st, for 35% off!




And for Paperie readers, to celebrate being featured on Moo’s site again…

I’m making another Moo holiday sticker template available for FREE download! (You can find additional, FREE, holiday mini card and sticker download links at the bottom of this post.)

→ download link ←    “no time/presents” sticker (right-click, save-as)

Please note this sticker .psd file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file to alter it — I do not provide technical support for this download. The background color may be changed. The text layer can be hidden and replaced.

Our giveaway today has its own entry. Go here for more info!

laundry bags – a better way to deliver large prints and gallery wrap canvases!




If you’ve been dying to make a purchase from HB Photo Packaging since their last entry here…wait no more!

The 10% off sale runs through midnight on Halloween, so order FAST and don’t turn into a pumpkin!




Klassy Kouture Designs would like to introduce their line of TuTushies…a tutu on the tush…to Paperie readers.

Retail customers can get a 15% discount using the code paperie15.

TuTushies are also offered at wholesale pricing for photographers.

To find out more about Klassy Kouture Designs please visit:
1. http://www.facebook.com/klassykouture – on Facebook
2. http://www.twitter.com/kkouturedesigns – on Twitter
3. http://www.klassykouture.blogspot.com – the blog




A couple of recent contest winners have been selected! The winner of the Sassy Designs die-cut card templates contest is Lerissa Broome Photography! The winner of The Girlie Girl Bowtique feather headband contest is Roberts Family Photo!

Lerissa Broome Photography is exceptionally lucky because now instead of winning 30 templates, she’ll get 36 from Sassy Designs, Inc.! Congrats to Lerissa Broome Photography and Roberts Family Photo, thanks to Sassy Designs, Inc. and The Girlie Girl Bowtique, and thanks to everyone who entered!

Due to popular demand, we’re extending our “6-month run” sale for over HALF OFF on our 125×125 and 185×185 ads. They’re now on sale through 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, October 31st, 2010.

We’d love to have you grow with us in 2011!

Please welcome the latest member of our advertising family – gradybug designs! Hope to see you on the site soon as well!

Trade you a pack of Peanut M&Ms for a Snickers…
-Robyn

P.S. Don’t forget to scroll down one more post for today’s giveaway!

Sticker template is ©Robyn Pollman, 2010. All rights reserved. It may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.

tag you're it: boxes • branding • business • contest • giveaway • guest post • HB Photo Packaging • HB Photo Packaging Store • holiday • marketing • materials • Moo • packaging • photography • prize • sticker • stickers • supplies • templates • wrapping

leader of the packs

My favorite packaging pusher…errr, I mean supplier, is back for another vendor post / giveaway! But first… Have you heard HB just launched “pick two colors” for their 10-pack skinny value packs? Now you no longer have to buy in bulk – AND you can combine more than one color in a packaging set!

HB is giving away three “10 Pak Boutique” credits ($85 value) to three lucky Paperie Boutique readers. The “10 Pak Boutique” includes:
1. ten – 8x10x1/2
2. ten – 5x7x1/2
3. five – 11x14x1
4. and ten – wallet boxes
Winner can add tissue, loops, stretch bows, etc. of their choice for additional cost if desired. (Your credit will be good on any “Value Pak” on this page.)

How do you win? It’s easy! There are three different ways to enter!

1. “Like” HB Photo Packaging on Facebook (or let us know you have already)

2. Post the following on Twitter (and tell us where you did it):
Win “10 Pak Boutique” photo packaging set from HB Photo Packaging / h-bphoto.com @paperieboutique / PaperieBoutique.com – http://is.gd/gawEZ

3. Post about HB Photo Packaging on Facebook (and tell us where you did it)

Then come back and comment here that you’ve done so – each entry requires its own separate comment. (In simple terms: If you want THREE chances to win, you have to do all three things listed above, and then make three separate comments telling us how you did them.)

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 22nd. You can enter up to three times total. Post that you have “liked” the Facebook fan page, posted to Twitter (with link), and / or posted to Facebook (with link) – 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.

You can enter / post up to three total times – one entry each for the three options listed above.

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 24-48 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize.

UPDATE: The three winners have been selected and you can see them here!

Good luck, and thanks to HB Photo Packaging for an amazing packaging giveaway!

Oh yeah – almost forgot! Don’t miss HB’s new Boutique Color Line colors!

And in case you missed today’s MOOs-Letter, Paperie Boutique is featured! It links to this holiday gift wrap article with more from Paperie Boutique and Buttons and Bows Photography.

P.S. If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

tag you're it: bow • bows • boxes • branding • contest • givewaway • HB Photo Packaging • HB Photo Packaging Store • materials • packages • packaging • photo box • photo boxes • photographer • photography • prize • ribbon • supplies • wrapping

you’re on the list

If you’ve been wanting to order from HB Photo Packaging after seeing them featured here, looks like today is your lucky day!

As part of our week-long birthday blowout, HB is giving Paperie readers 10% off in the webstore on Tuesday, July 13th – but the sale ends at 3:30 p.m. EDT so don’t miss out! Check out their Facebook page for more (and order here)!

More fun is on the way – check back often!
-Robyn

tag you're it: anniversary • birthday • celebration • HB Packaging • HB Photo • HB Photo Packaging • HB Photo Packaging Store • one year • party

birthday packaging

I’m closing the first day of the big birthday celebration by leaving visions of pretty packaging floating through your head…

Get ready because tomorrow – Tuesday, July 13th – from 8:00 a.m. EDT until 3:30 p.m. EDT, HB Packaging is having a special sale in honor of Paperie’s 1st birthday. All webstore items will be 10% off. More details on the birthday sale at their Facebook page (order here).

And check back in on Tuesday because I have it on good authority you won’t wanna miss what’s in store!

Pass the cupcakes!
-Robyn

P.S. Are you a vendor who wants in on the fun? Please contact robyn @ this domain ASAP for information on how to throw your own Paperie-soirée!

tag you're it: anniversary • birthday • celebration • HB Packaging • HB Photo • HB Photo Packaging • HB Photo Packaging Store • one year • packaging • party

pick a color – any color!

My recent aqua / aqua photo boxes from HB Packaging have caused quite the Internet stir. The company is actually considering offering that combo as an option now. Raise your hand if you’re interested in the comments!

HB Photo Packaging would also like to know, “Is there a color or packaging item you want for your business but can’t find?” If so, please post about it here in the comments – they are listening! If your branding is centered around colors like grey or orange that are impossible to find photo boxes to match, this is your chance to speak now or forever hold your peace.

HB does offer “print your own” packaging that you can design from scratch using blank templates—but these color suggestions on Paperie Boutique would be for their Standard, and Boutique, and Prestige packaging lines.

So dream it and post it! They’re waiting to hear from you…




And now the follow-up to yesterday’s guest post / photo teaser by Photoumbra Studios. Everyone loves the packaging posts here and this one will not disappoint!

Inspired by so many posts on the Paperie blog, I set out a few months ago to give my packaging, marketing, and price menus a good dose of consistency, simplicity, and of course some pretty! I didn’t venture far from what I had already been giving my clients, but I felt like I could vamp up my look and information a little better. I didn’t change my color scheme nor my logo, which I do think is important because as we all know, it is so crucial to be consistent and it was very important to me to incorporate my website and blog branding into my print and packaging.

Besides staying true to our current branding, it was also very important to me to be able to design tools that could help my clients make smarter and hopefully larger purchases by providing them with an easy to navigate price menu, a wall display design guide, and the ability to choose a portrait collection or build their own. As with any project, there are things I would do differently next time, but also things that I learned work great and I will continue to implement.

First lets start with the packaging. I’ve been using Kraft products to package with for some time, but what was new was some new little cards that I made up that I now include in every order. The cards include a blank “Thank You” card where I can hand write a message, a “Portrait Care Tips” card that is included with any enlargements, a “Spread the Love” card that talks about our referral program, and a “Copyright Info” card.

(If you are interested in purchasing the templates or a copy of our “Portrait Design Guide”) see the bottom of this post.

Our packaging includes:
• Boxes from Rice Studio Supply
• Stickers from WHCC (but I will soon be trying out
  Black River Imaging‘s die cut stickers)
• Bags, Tissue and Ribbons from Nashville Wraps
• Little stickers from MOO
• Thank You, Copyright Info, Referral Info, and Portrait
  Care Tip Cards printed by Overnight Prints

Next up is our “Portrait Boutique Catalog”. The version that I give to each of my clients is 5.5×11 folded press printed card with a 5x5x8.5 insert. The Catalog outlines each of our print and product lines with brief descriptions of each and standard size pricing. The insert features our “Portrait Collection” on one side (5 to choose from) and a “Build Your Own Collection” option on the other side. The BYOC has been very popular and I have found that most of my clients are enjoying the freedom of it.

Our Catalog and insert cards were printed by Overnight Prints.

Finally, is our “Portrait Design Guide”. This guide is given to select clients who are interested in investing in wall portraits. It includes a cover, an introduction to the guide, 14 inspiring designs for wall displays, a card for them to record measurements throughout their home where they would like to create a wall display, and a card where they can jot down any notes, or draw ideas. The cards corners are rounded an they are bound by a single hinged silver ring. Also included along with the guide is a 60″ measuring tape that we had custom branded for our studio with the tag line “Design Away – Photoumbra Studios“, they also receive a pen branded with our studio name and website. Each of these items fit into a nice 5×7 box decorated with our studio logo and a ribbon.

The “Portrait Design Guide” vendors are:
• Cards printed by Overnight Prints
• Wall Display Design purchased from Gradybug Designs
  but altered to reflect our studio colors and I also included
  some other design elements and text into these
• Tape Measures from American Bridal
• Pens from Ink Spot

If you are interested in receiving a digital or hard copy of our “Portrait Design Guide” we are offering them for sale for Paperie Boutique readers.

** Please note that I will not include the actual wall display templates in the sale of the digital copy because I purchased those from another vendor. However, I will include the cover pages I designed myself along with a digital copy of our Thank You, Copyright Info, Referral Info, and Portrait Care Tip Cards. You can order yours HERE. If you say you are a Paperie reader you will get $20 off the digital download price ’til July 4th – making it just $29 instead of $49.**

Huge thanks to Monica Burby and Photoumbra Studios. I learned of new vendors myself with this post, and have a lot of fun ideas swirling around in my head now! Don’t forget to stop by Monica’s website and blog to say “thank you”, too.

P.S. If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

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gratitude. journal.

When word got out from a recent post, I can’t even begin to describe the response. My brain, and heart, are overflowing with joy and amazement. How do you truly say thank you for something like this? Or the forum posts full of concern? Or the vendor notes of support (like the one when Moo‘s Vice President alerted several colleagues on staff to make sure I was taken care of just because he could). Or surprise gifts in the mail. Or Tweet DMs to check in – one from Pixel2Canvas on vacation in the middle of the Grand Canyon. Or the dozens of e-mails we’ve received. Or a note from a photographer who had just lost her husband and the father of her 5 children, worried about MY FAMILY. (We are so ok by comparison.) Or the little surprises in our PayPal account just because. I mean, it’s more than the human mind can really wrap around.

You go through life trying to do good and just make it day to day. You stumble. Sometimes you stumble hard. Sometimes you even hurt people. You dust yourself off eventually, regroup, reprioritize, remember you’re not really all that (well maybe all that, but often minus the potato chips), and promise yourself that if you don’t learn from those past mistakes what’s the point of the future…so buckle down and get to it… That’s been my 2010. I’ve buckled down and got to it. I had another such gut-check / perspective experience on a CT-scan table just over a week ago to make me even more focused on what’s really important.

In my recent Rangefinder piece, I wrote about the photographer community and my close relationship with my vendors. While being interviewed about this website, the article opened and closed with the following:

I let ‘Fit to Print’ evolve into Paperie Boutique, a standalone blog, through which I’m paying it forward to those who helped me along the way…..What has this experience taught Robyn? “I’ve learned to never underestimate the generosity of people and their willingness to teach and share,” [Robyn] says. “Just when you think you couldn’t possibly be more proud of your professional community, something as simple as a ‘thank you’ or ‘I can help with that’ never ceases to amaze.”

How could I have known when I wrote that, just a few short weeks later…

I’m used to being on the organization and donation collection end of things. It’s been humbling to be on the receiving end to say the very least.

Then yesterday the latest ‘random act of kindness’ showed up on my door step.

It’s no secret that I love HB Photo Packaging, but this was just beyond unreal. This was a surprise just for me, just because. You can read more of the details over here at Flickr – please make sure to add to the comments and thank them on behalf of our professional community!

And shop their weekend sale—HB Packaging is having a 10% off summer sale!

And speaking of vendors, we have a winner in the recent Design Aglow contest! It’s Silvine Designs / Silvine Photography:

Congrats to Michelle and another huge round of THANKS to Design Aglow for being such big supporters of this site, and for donating such fantastic prizes! Thanks to everyone who participated as well, and have a great weekend!

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