art-see!

New week – new winners – and a new $100 gift card giveaway!

We want to thank all of our readers and vendors for two very successful recent promotions! First up, the winner of the MOO.com $75.00 gift card…

…is CPMarketing! Congratulations to Chris, and thanks to MOO.com for the fun giveaway!




Next we have the winner of the Artsy Couture “prize pack”…it’s Carrie Hanna!

Thanks to Carrie, and also to Artsy Couture for such a great prize!




But as they say…that’s…not all! Artsy Couture is having an amazing sale through the end of May! ALL Artsy products are 22% off + free shipping! For more details see image below and visit artsycouture.com!

And one lucky Paperie reader will win a $100 Artsy gift certificate this week! How do you win?

Easy! Just tell us your favorite Artsy Couture product in the comments here.

You can have up to two additional BONUS entries by following Artsy Couture on Facebook and / or Paperie Boutique on Facebook (or stating that you follow one – or both, in separate comments – already).

Comments must be posted here by 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 25th. U.S. residents can enter up to THREE times total. Post that you have met the individual requirements in three separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to three times total – one entry each for each option 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 entry method multiple times. Duplicate entries will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win! See official rules for more details.

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.

Thanks once again to our sponsor Artsy Couture for being so good to our readers!




P.S. Don’t miss our FREE Father’s Day template downloads.

Check back soon!
-Robyn & Todd

the one thing

Guess what? Today we have one of our favorite sponsors back for another giveaway and guest / vendor post! Please welcome Artsy Couture!

What’s up for grabs? An Artsy Couture “prize pack” that includes two Sweet Frames (up to 11×14) and a $50 gift certificate good on any Artsy products!

WHAT ARE SWEET FRAMES?
Sweet Frames are a collection of distressed and aged looking frames hand crafted from high quality wood. Every frame is meant to inspire whimsy and wonderment, like being presented with a life sized piece of candy. Join in on spreading the sweetness.

How do you win? Go to Facebook and / or Twitter and answer the following question:

“If there is one photography mistake you’ve made along the way and could take back, what would it be?“

When posting to Facebook, make sure to tag @Artsy Couture in your answer – and when posting to Twitter make sure to tag @ArtsyCouture in your answer. Then don’t forget to come back and link your Facebook and / or Twitter post(s) in the comments here so everyone can see. (These must be on a public Facebook or Twitter account so we can verify it’s there – if we have to register to see your entry, it is not public, and the entry will be voided.) That’s all there is to it!

You can have an optional, BONUS entry by telling us your favorite Artsy Couture product in the comments here.

Comment(s) must be posted here by 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 11th. U.S. residents can enter up to THREE times total. Post that you have met the individual requirements in three separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

You can enter / post up to three times total – one entry each for each option 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! See official rules for more details.

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.

Thanks to Artsy Couture for having such an amazing prize pack for our readers!




And heads up that we currently have a $75 gift card giveaway to MOO.com:

Find more details on how to enter here! And don’t miss our FREE Mother’s Day and Father’s Day template downloads.

More on the way – see you here soon!
-Robyn & Todd

pick a card!

We’re excited to have MOO.com back for another guest / vendor post and giveaway! One lucky Paperie winner will win a $75 gift card to MOO! And read ’til the end because we also have FREE Mother’s Day and Father’s Day templates up for download!

As blogged about here on Paperie, I recently had the chance to try MOO Luxe Business Cards. “Printed on Mohawk Superfine paper, Luxe Business Cards are the cashmere sweater of Business Cards – they look as good as they feel…At triple the thickness and weight of most ordinary cards, Luxe boasts a rich seam of colour within the layers of paper, and a stunning, tactile quality that you won’t find anywhere else on the web.”

I’ve also used MOO standard, recycled and rounded-corner business cards for years. There’s just nothing like thickness and feel! And with MOO’s “Printfinity” you can print a different design or photograph on every single card in the pack! This is perfect for running seasonal promotions or if you shoot different styles of photography – you could print wedding, maternity, and newborn business cards in one pack.

And now Paperie readers in the U.S. have a chance to win $75 from Moo – all you have to do is visit Moo’s site and tell us what your favorite business card design is in the comments! You can find several examples to choose from here:

1. http://us.moo.com/design-templates/luxe/business-cards/
2. http://us.moo.com/design-templates/business-cards/

Entrants may also get one additional “bonus” entry by posting a photo of your own MOO business cards to your Facebook account (and link to @moo.com in your post) -  or  - post a photo of your own MOO business cards to your Twitter account (and link to @overheardatmoo). Then come back to the comments here and post the link to your Facebook -  or  - Twitter entry so everyone can see. (These must be on a public Facebook or Twitter account so we can verify it’s there – if we have to register to see your entry, it is not public, and the entry will be voided.) Don’t forget to come back here and post the link to your shared post. That’s all there is to it!

This contest is open from Monday, May 7th – Sunday, May 13th (11:59 p.m. EDT) to residents in the U.S. You can enter up to TWO times total. Post that you have met the individual requirements in two separate comments here to have multiple chances to win!

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

You have TWO 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! See official rules for more details.

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.

Thanks to MOO.com for such a great contest! Good luck everyone!




Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching. If you need a quick last-minute gift (for clients or your own mum), don’t miss the free downloads we posted last year! Here’s an example of one mini-storyboard:

And in plenty of time for Father’s Day, here are two templates up for download. Both look the same – but one is designed to print as a 5×7 photograph collage. The other is designed to print as MOO postcards. With MOO’s “Printfinity” you can insert different images in each postcard, and make a customized “Happy Father’s Day” card for each of your clients!

     5×7 photo collage template

     Moo postcard template

The images you insert should be 300 dpi – pixel dimensions needed are given in a layer you will hide.

→ download link for 5×7 ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file)

→ download link for postcard ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file)


PLEASE NOTE: We do not provide technical support for these downloads.




More great stuff on the way this week – stay tuned!
-Robyn & Todd

All templates are ©Robyn Pollman, 2010-2012. All rights reserved. They may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.

a senior moment

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

In this issue I reviewed products for the senior photographer by Gradybug Designs, Design Aglow, Black River Imaging, Jamie Schultz Designs, and the PURPOSE Senior Posing Guide.

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

Don’t get Professional Photographer Magazine? Subscribe here!




And my latest “Web Exclusives” column went live yesterday on Professional Photographer Magazine’s website.

It’s titled “Best of Bags Guide: Pompidoo Cologne Bag and Shootsac Tote & Shoot” and reviews a Pompidoo Idle Turquoise Cologne Bag and a Red SHOOTSAC Tote & Shoot – including ‘equipment test’ photos of just what each bag could hold. Check it out here!




Check back soon for more great features and giveaways!
-Robyn & Todd

P.S. “Like” the new Panache Collective Facebook page!

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

the envelope, please!

We’re excited to name the winners in the 2011 Wrap Battle from Paperie Boutique and HB Photo Packaging—sponsored by Artsy Couture, Bad Sass Backdrops, CPQ Professional Imaging & Hardwood Frames! (Official rules are here, and a list of this year’s prizes is located here.)

(There were two mail-in ballots. One for Chubby Cheek Photography and one for Persian Kitty Kat Photography.)

The award for “Most Original” goes to…Persian Kitty Kat Photography!

The “Fan Favorite” award was selected from the most pinned Paperie Boutique photos on Pinterest, and that contestant is…Chubby Cheek Photography!

Our remaining finalists will receive a $25 Sassy Designs Inc. gift certificate and a $25 Bad Sass Backdrops gift certificate.

Thanks to everyone who entered, everyone who voted, all of our wonderful vendors who donated prizes, our judging panel, and CONGRATULATIONS to all of our winners this year!

I will be sending out prize notifications later this week as I get each prize set organized. Please be patient with me! (I have a big meeting coming up later this morning, and a column deadline this week – I’m juggling everything as best / as quickly as I can.) So if you’re listed as a winner above, watch your e-mail over the next couple of days!

This year’s contest was amazing – thanks again for making it possible!
-Robyn & Todd

déjà vu all over again

We’re ready to reopen the vote in the 2011 Wrap Battle from Paperie Boutique and HB Photo Packaging—sponsored by Artsy Couture, Bad Sass Backdrops, CPQ Professional Imaging & Hardwood Frames! (Official rules are here, and a list of this year’s prizes is located here. Please see Facebook for updates on why the voting was temporarily suspended yesterday.)

Especially today, one more round of applause / show of thanks for our judges:

• Alycia Alvarez – Alycia Alvarez Photography
• Beth Forester – Beth Forester Photography / photoDUDS
• Marsha Mifsud – The Savvy Photographer
• Heather Lickliter – Stylized Portraiture / Fairyography
• Lisa Hoang – Windwardskies Photography / Simply Baby
• Marie Cox – Phreckles Photography

Without further adieu, I bring you the – new – six Wrap Battle finalists (all listed in order of submission with photos linked to their original entry)…

As you go through the finalists remember to look at the packaging and not just the “pretty pictures” (i.e. product staging). As this is not a photo contest, try to keep in mind what will actually be received by the client… The goal: best packaging!

UPDATE: Voting is closed – winners announced here!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered, and good luck to the six finalists!

Thank you for your patience & understanding -
-Robyn & Todd

Super Tuesday

Even if you don’t live in Iowa, never fear – today you can vote for something that really counts! We’re ready to rock the vote for the 2011 Wrap Battle from Paperie Boutique and HB Photo Packaging—sponsored by Artsy Couture, Bad Sass Backdrops, CPQ Professional Imaging & Hardwood Frames! (Official rules are here, and a list of this year’s prizes is located here.)

I am so glad I had a judging panel to select the six finalists this year. I’m not sure I could have done it myself, and as things were, the voting was extremely close! One more round of applause / show of thanks for the following judges:

• Alycia Alvarez – Alycia Alvarez Photography
• Beth Forester – Beth Forester Photography / photoDUDS
• Marsha Mifsud – The Savvy Photographer
• Heather Lickliter – Stylized Portraiture / Fairyography
• Lisa Hoang – Windwardskies Photography / Simply Baby
• Marie Cox – Phreckles Photography

Without further adieu, I bring you the six Wrap Battle finalists (all listed in order of submission with photos linked to their original entry)…

As you go through the finalists remember to look at the packaging and not just the “pretty pictures” (i.e. product staging). As this is not a photo contest, try to keep in mind what will actually be received by the client… The goal: best packaging!

UPDATE: The voting has been reinstated. Please see this post to vote (or vote again if you originally voted on Tuesday)!

-Robyn & Todd

the final four

These are the last four entries in the 2011 “Wrap Battle” packaging contest!

Submissions closed late last night for the 2011 Wrap Battle from Paperie Boutique and HB Photo Packaging—sponsored by Artsy Couture, Bad Sass Backdrops, CPQ Professional Imaging & Hardwood Frames! (Official rules are here, and a list of this year’s prizes is located here.)

The prize package for our 1st place winner is worth OVER $2000 – and we have well OVER $4500 in prizes donated total!

This year judges will select the top half-dozen from the submitted entries, and then this week (January 3rd – 8th, 2012) winners will be selected from the remaining finalists by public vote. This year’s judges include:

• Alycia Alvarez – Alycia Alvarez Photography
• Beth Forester – Beth Forester Photography / photoDUDS
• Marsha Mifsud – The Savvy Photographer
• Heather Lickliter – Stylized Portraiture / Fairyography
• Lisa Hoang – Windwardskies Photography / Simply Baby
• Marie Cox – Phreckles Photography




Entry #27 is from Laura Winslow Photography – so bright and feminine!

click each Wrap Battle entry photo for a larger pop-up version

click each Wrap Battle entry photo for a larger pop-up version

“I sell a full list of packaging details via my blog – the blog post has more (larger) photos of our new everyday eco-friendly packaging.“

Vendors used:
• Michael’s
• Amazon
• Kraft and Jute

“I have been researching for over a year to find the perfect solutions for product presentation. Most of the time I have to ship items to clients, so I wanted them to feel like they were opening something very special. Everything is wrapped in crisp white tissue, boxes are finished with a satin bow and EVERY package includes handwritten note for a personal touch. It was very important to me that the look and colors were consistent throughout.

My branding uses chartreuse green, black, white, gray, and a little orange, so for my holiday packaging I just switched out the orange for a cheerful red. I wanted to keep the sleek, clean, modern look that my packaging usually has, but jazzed is up a little with extra details for fun. I also included a metal Christmas ornament from Black River Imaging as a gift for each client. The photos below also show a couple of the cards I’ve created which are sent throughout the year.“

click each Wrap Battle entry photo for a larger pop-up version

“This is my wedding packaging. My photography style is light, elegant, and natural, so I tried to incorporate that into my packaging. I searched and searched for a long time for exactly what I had pictured in my mind. Many of the items, I simply made myself.“

Vendors used:
• Light blue wedding DVD case – Loktah
• DVD case for the engagements and bridals – Northwest
   Professional Color Lab (The inside of these are not fully
   pictured, but they include a dvd holder on their tri-fold and
   bi-fold cards, which I customize with images for the bride
   and groom. Love these!)
• Cream box – I couldn’t find the exact size and natural feel
   that I was looking for, so I made them myself with thick
   cardstock from Hobby Lobby.
• Little flowers, ribbon, and Kraft bag – Hobby Lobby
• Tissue paper – Target
• Supplies for handwritten thank you card – Wal Mart
• Cloth – local quilting and fabric stores
• Logo – printed on cream colored cardstock

We have been nothing short of blown away by the 2011 entries! So much inspiration (and so many ideas to file back for our own packaging)!

Thanks to each and every contestant who took the time to share their photos, their tips, and their vendors with the rest of the class. Thanks to each of our sponsors and prize donors for their promotion and gifts for the winners. And thanks in advance to each of our Paperie readers for voting and selecting the winners later this week.

Watch this space for details. As soon as the judging panel (linked above) selects the finalists, the voting will commence right here on Paperie and run through 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 8th.

Happy New Year!
-Robyn & Todd

P.S. If you just didn’t get enough “pretty“, make sure you check out our packaging contest entries from last year!

home stretch

There are just a few hours left in the HUGE Fit to Print “Buy the Store” sale on Paperie – just $5 (yep, five bucks) gets you EVERYTHING Fit to Print sells – plus other templates exclusive only to Paperie.

The only place to get this deal is right here on Paperie Boutique. Just look for the “Buy Now” button in this post to get the $5 deal!

This great bargain ends late tonight – Friday, December 30th, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. EST – after midnight the deal turns into a pumpkin and won’t be seen until December 26th, 2012! So grab it NOW while you can and get a jump on the New Year with your business!

Just over 24 hours left for submissions to the 2011 Wrap Battle from Paperie Boutique and HB Photo Packaging—sponsored by Artsy Couture, Bad Sass Backdrops, CPQ Professional Imaging & Hardwood Frames! (Official rules are here, and a list of this year’s prizes is located here.)

The prize package for our 1st place winner is now worth OVER $2000 – and we have well OVER $4500 in prizes donated total!

This year judges will select the top half-dozen from the submitted entries, and then next week (January 3rd – 8th, 2012) winners will be selected from the remaining finalists by public vote. This year’s judges include:

• Alycia Alvarez – Alycia Alvarez Photography
• Beth Forester – Beth Forester Photography / photoDUDS
• Marsha Mifsud – The Savvy Photographer
• Heather Lickliter – Stylized Portraiture / Fairyography
• Lisa Hoang – Windwardskies Photography / Simply Baby
• Marie Cox – Phreckles Photography

Entry #24 is from Little Bubbles Photography – love the embossing!

click each Wrap Battle entry photo for a larger pop-up version

“I have been working on the perfect packaging for awhile and finally decided I wanted to keep things as local as possible. My packaging includes Kraft paper boxes and bags, turquoise & white ribbon and custom button. I also incorporate my custom rubber stamps and embossed them on my packaging.

I decided to create a small spinoff when it came to my holiday packaging but also wanted something simple that everyone could enjoy. So I added 2 simple white snowflake ornaments & silver tissue paper. Nothing better then snow for the holiday!“

Vendors used:
• Embossing by Tatiana Fowler – Martha Stewart heat tool & powder
• Ribbons & button – Michael’s Craft Store
• Frame – Jasper Lilly
• Thank you cards- WHCC
• Custom logo stamp – My Rubber Stamp
• Kraft bags – Michael’s Craft Store
• Tissue paper – Target
• Snowflakes – Target
• Boxes & Bella Terrra Ribbon – HB Photo Packaging
• Stickers / tags – WHCC

Entry #25 is from M.A. Photography. Such a pretty, yet bold, statement!

click each Wrap Battle entry photo for a larger pop-up version





Entry #26 is from Lindsey Clare Photography – not a single detail missed!

click each Wrap Battle entry photo for a larger pop-up version

Vendors used:
• Kraft folder – HB Photo Packaging
• Bella Terra Ribbon – HB Photo Packaging
• Kraft bags – Hobby Lobby
• Raffia and blue ribbon – Hobby Lobby
• Water bottle label – OnlineLabels.com
• Stickers, thank you card, and REP cards – WHCC
• Tin CD/DVD case – American Digital
• Tin wallet case – McKenna Pro
• DVD – MPixPro

For information on how to enter your own packaging photos, this Paperie post will walk you through it!




Have a wonderful New Year’s weekend everyone!

Check back soon for our final Wrap Battle entries…
-Robyn & Todd

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