joyeux juillet

One of the most popular features on the site is the combined guest post / packaging displays. With many retailers offering “Christmas in July” specials this week, the timing of this post could not be better! Jeanine McLeod of Cloud 9 Studios in Tampa Bay, Florida, is here to spread a little (pre) holiday cheer!

I look forward to our Christmas in July Open House every year. It gives us a chance to celebrate my favorite holiday twice! Each year in July we build miniature versions of our three Christmas sets and invite our clients to come choose which one(s) they would like to reserve in November. It is great for our clients because they can actually see what their different options are, and it is great for us because it solidifies our November calendar in July when clients pre-book and pay for their sessions. This is a great way to get some momentum in the middle of the Summer and to market to our clients for Christmas before anyone else does!

Since this is our 4th year doing the open house, I wanted to add a little something extra to the celebration. I wanted to create Swag Bags to give the first 25 people to book their Christmas Session. Our premiere limited set this year is “A Peppermint Forest”, so we went with a red/white theme for our bags. Many of the components of the Swag Bag came from different posts here at Paperie Boutique.

I used the free Holiday MOO Tag design … but changed it a bit to fit as a tag for our swag bag. (Purchase mini cards at Moo.com.)

The snowflakes came from Paper Source.

The bookmarks were printed at WHCC and have the 2nd half of the year calendar on them from the free calendar template post last week.

The wine glasses are full of cinnamon candy and we made red/white wine charms for the bottom. The wine glasses I ordered from threadartfl.com and the wine charms we made out of jewelry making materials purchased at Michaels.

The lip balm was custom ordered in a peppermint flavor to fit our theme from threadartfl.com. We ordered enough so that during Christmas we can keep them out on the front desk in a pretty bowl.

Extra items included were a Christmas ornament, tea light candles and a set of 3 blank note cards that preview a greeting card line we will be releasing this Fall.

I hope this helps to inspire you guys to put some “Paperie Boutique” ideas for good use in unique packaging for your next special event.

Thank you so much, Jeanine, for not only sharing your adorable packaging – but also how easy it is to put Paperie’s free product downloads to good use! Stop by the Cloud 9 Studios blog and tell her how much you appreciate it!

Have a great weekend!
-Robyn

P.S. Don’t forget the Photographer’s Wall Display Guide giveaway ends late tonight! Hurry up and enter to win!

drop it like it’s hot

First up before the big giveaway (yes I said “big giveaway” so read ’til the end), I have a freebie download. To celebrate surviving the year being half-over I recently made mini-calendars for my clients. I had them printed as folded bookmarks from ProDPI, and they look fantastic if I do say so myself.

You’ll have to come up with the front and back design (I used a business card front/back for mine), but I’ve attached a download for the inside-spread that includes the calendar. I have included the crop-guide layer. You’ll have to add your logo if desired and the month names, calendar dates, and month box background colors are not customizable (unless you delete the layers and add your own in their places) – but the background color and bar-stripe are easily changed with the click of the mouse.

The white background color can be changed with one click as shown in the Photoshop background color fill layer in the Layers Palette. The text for the month names, the date text, and the box backgrounds for each month cannot be changed. However, the top stripe CAN be changed and your logo can be added using the included lab crop-guide for ProDPI.

→ 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)

And now as promised…the big giveaway by Heather Green of The Drop Shoppe! Heather has stopped by for today’s guest post…

The Drop Shoppe (thedropshoppe.com) sells thick, matte, high quality vinyl backdrops in large sizes that are affordable for photographers. You can use these with studio lighting or natural light. Each image is created in Photoshop or Illustrator to be the absolute sharpest possible when it’s printed in large format. Currently we sell two sizes; 5 feet by 8 feet and 10 feet by 8 feet. The 5′x8′ drops are $90.00 and the 10′x8′ drops are $150.00 All prices include free shipping to the continental United States. If you are out of the country you do have to pay shipping, but we work hard to find you the fastest and most affordable shipping solution. Each backdrop has an extra 1/2″ white border around the outside, which is perfect for you to clamp to your backdrop stand. This way you’re not clamping directly onto the backdrop image.

Here we have a simple set up of hooks screwed into the wall, a metal pole and three large clamps holding the backdrop.

There’s a variety of ways to hang these backdrops. You can just clamp them to your horizontal pole on your backdrop stand (with large clamps you can purchase at a hardware store), or you can hang hooks on your wall with a pole and clamp to that. We used the hooks/wall method in our small office since we couldn’t fit my larger backdrop stand in there. A quick Google search will also turn up quite a few do it yourself backdrop stands that you’re able to make at home for very little cash.

We have all sorts of patterns and styles for you to choose from. There’s plenty of grunge, messy paint, realistic background photos, wallpaper, doors, floors and much more. The possibilities for these backdrops are endless. Use them in your studio, use one for the popular ‘photo booth’ set ups at weddings, even hang them outside for big parties or family get togethers. The backdrops arrive in a shipping tube, which we ask you to keep so that you can store your backdrop in it when not in use. The best ways to store these are either rolled up, hanging or laying flat. If you should wrinkle them, usually laying them flat in a hot room or outside in the shade will remove the wrinkles. These also wipe clean with mild soap and water. No worries about that baby or toddler making a mess, just wipe it up!

I’ve also included a size chart for the 5′x8′ drops, showing the size of an adult woman and the size of our backdrops – a good way to show how big these drops really are:

Here’s an example of our backdrops in use! The following photo was taken by Holly McCaig with our Aged Red Doors backdrop.

Another backdrop photo by Chrissy Avila.

The backdrop I want to give away here on Paperie Boutique today is our Aged Copper Wall, sized 5′x8′. It’s one of my favorites and works well when shooting just about any subject…from kids to women to men.

Here’s a few sample photos taken with that Aged Copper Wall backdrop – first by Chrissy Avila Photography:

And one by me using more of a cross processed/vintage technique:

Winner will receive one Aged Copper Wall size 5 feet by 8 feet backdrop with additional 1/2″ white border around it. Backdrops do not come with any kind of rods, clamps or pockets to hang them – you must supply your own way to hang it up. Backdrop will be shipped to the winner 3-7 days after the contest ends.

There are three different ways to enter between now and 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 9th – each entry requires its own separate comment:

1. ‘like’ The Drop Shoppe on Facebook, come back and post here that you did so

2. post on Twitter (then leave the link here):
I entered to win an Aged Copper Wall backdrop at paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog from The Drop Shoppe/ thedropshoppe.com/store

3. leave a comment here on the blog about what your favorite backdrop is from the shop (thedropshoppe.com/store)

UPDATE The winner has now been posted here – check it out!

And last but not least…everyone gets $5 off their purchase from The Drop Shoppe by using the code paperie at checkout!

Huge thanks to Heather and The Drop Shoppe for such a fantastic prize giveaway! Head to Facebook and tell them thanks ‘in person’!

And to wrap things up for today, I’ve been posting photos of my new office setup over at Flickr as things progress (including info on how to create the wrap station yourself, and the Photojojo poster). Here are a couple of teasers for now.

Stay tuned this week. More fun ahead!
-Robyn

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.

Earthen-wares

In honor of the upcoming Fourth holiday weekend in the U.S., we’re celebrating our independence from boring packaging. Today’s guest post and giveaway is by Loktah. They have products so beautiful you really must see / hold them in-hand to believe!

Loktah is inspired by the natural beauty of the earth, featuring products that recall the planet’s majestic form. Loktah’s essential element is the organic paper, a renewable source in the foothills of the Himalayas.

This green product rises from the earth to showcase your work to your client. Each product is dipped in bee’s wax to preserve the quality of the paper yet allow the product to age with natural beauty. Soft twine encircles the product with an organic bead completing the look. Created by hand, each case is slightly unique.

Portfolio folders feature sleek rounded edge corners on the cover flap and have the ability to hold a 8.5 x 11 size sheet on both sides, and can hold multiple sheets.

The mystery and beauty of the Himalayan region offers inspiration like no other place on earth.

Loktah cases will give your CDs and DVDs a gorgeous presentation that you and your clients will enjoy, and cases have the ability to order a logo add-on.

So now that you’re sold on Loktah, now you have the chance to win some of their products, too! Up for grabs are:

1. Two lucky winners will each win 5 Loktah DVD/CD Cases (any case)
2. One lucky winner will get 2 Loktah Portfolio Folders (any color)

First follow Loktah either on Facebook or Twitter.

Then post the following to either your public Facebook wall or public Twitter stream:

Celebrate your Independence from boring packaging – win from Loktah.com / @loktah at Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog

Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 5th.

Please note: The link you post must direct to a public account. 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 or page or request permission to see it, you will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter / post your links up to two times total – one entry each per public, non-private Facebook and / or Twitter account.

You have two chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your separate links in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

Comments are moderated and may be slow to be added today but they will be added by late afternoon or early evening.

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning numbers will be chosen by Random.org, and the winners will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prizes. Good luck!

UPDATE: The winners have now been posted here.

Big thanks to Loktah for such amazing prizes. Stop by their blog to tell them thanks in person!

Don’t forget you have until 11:59 p.m. EDT Friday to win a “Get it Together Kit“. Have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!

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 5×5x8.5 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.

she’s kraft-y

You might remember the recent “PAWS for CAWS” pet packaging guest post by Monica Burby of Photoumbra Studios. Now Photoumbra is back for a gorgeous quick-teaser of their new design guide along with a teaser-peek of the amazingly elegant Photoumbra Studios packaging.

More to follow soon. Stay tuned—you won’t want to miss it! Have a great week!
Robyn

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.”

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!

The Photo Professional:
      It’s a total ExPROsion!

Today we are extremely lucky to have a guest post / prize giveaway by Michelle Black of The Photo Professional.

The basis of the giveaway spreading the word about our blog, Twitter, and Facebook page. You will need to do at least one of the following and then leave a comment here to state which one you have done and where (viewable on a public link – links to private, passworded, or friends/family only sites are not eligible):

• PROMOTE OUR FACEBOOK FANPAGE by suggesting us to your Facebook friends and letting them know about this giveaway – a then leaving a comment on this entry telling us just HOW MANY friends you suggested us to. You will receive one point for each friend’s first name that you list – each friend’s name you list is worth one point. *IF WE REACH 3000 FANS ON FACEBOOK BY NEXT FRIDAY, ALL FACEBOOK FANS WILL RECEIVE A $20 GIFT CERTIFICATE CODE! That’s ’cause we love you!

• Post a link to the giveaway on your Facebook page (and provide us with a link to your update in the comments)

• Leave a comment on our FACEBOOK FANPAGE

• Join our affiliate program

• Follow us on Twitter and/or Tweet about the giveaway

• Subscribe to our blog via RSS or by email

BEST OF LUCK! WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER ON SATURDAY, JUNE 19TH, 2010 AT 9AM EDT!

*Don’t forget to let us know what you’ve done to win and earn points by leaving comments here!*

The winner will receive:

1. The all new Spritzers Action Sets I and II (Photoshop 7 & above – $40 value)
2. The new Picture Perfect Workflow Action Set (Photoshop CS & above -
    $49 value)
3. Magic Vintage Textures and Actions ($50 value)

You are only required to do one of the above and leave one comment stating which option you have chosen and completed in the comments. However, if you invite friends for the Facebook Fan Page and list those names you will collect “points” and be eligible for the following prize:

“I’m giving away a separate, additional $50 gift code to the person who invites the most friends on Facebook. Remember to list the people you invite in the comments!”

Good luck and have fun!

Thank you so much Michelle – it’s great to have you back at Paperie again so soon!



   ”contest: Is your packaging the fairest of them all?”

So for almost a year now this blog has helped you kick your packaging and presentation up a notch. Now the Design Aglow blog is calling you (yes, you) out. Do you have what it takes?

Packaging that’s so pert it’ll tickle you pink. That’s what Design Aglow wants to see.

Send us your best packaging ideas for the opportunity to be immortalized in Issue 11 of Design Aglow magazine: The YOU Issue. The more creative the idea the better.

Shoot us your pictures in full res/full size, with at least 2 shots of each package, along with a paragraph blurb extolling the packaging, the design process, who inspired or designed it, where you bought it, any obstacles in the process, why you love the packaging so much, what your clients/peers say, and anything else you think readers might want to know.

Make sure to give credit if it’s an idea you’ve borrowed, give a nod to the designer/company, and be sure to shout out the company that makes the packaging.

Whether it’s cinched, pulled, gathered, glued, tied or taped, make us proud and you’ll receive a free copy of the magazine issue along with a $100 Design Aglow shop credit. What’s more, you’ll forever be worshipped as the prime purveyor of packaging magnificence.

So go ahead, ladies and gentlemen: pimp your packages. Send us your entry here by July 1, 2010.

I’d love to see a Paperie reader win. Please share what you submit if you enter!

let them…win…(cup)cake(s)!

Today is our 14th anniversary – so to celebrate, we’re doing a sweet giveaway!

This giftwrap kit includes:
• 20 sheets of wrapping paper
   (17¾ x 27½”) in four designs
• 20 gift tags
• 2 rolls of ribbon (2 colors, 9 feet each)
• 2 rolls of string (2 colors, 9 feet each)
• 30-40 stickers
• Instructions for basic bow-tying and wrapping

To win just go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Win a sweet cupcake confection-themed giftwrap kit over at Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog

Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 3rd.

Please note: Only U.S. mailing addresses please! The link you post must direct to a public account. 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 or page or request permission to see it, you will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account.

You have four chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your 1-4 separate links in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

Comments are moderated and may be slow to be added today but they will be added by late afternoon or early evening.

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 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize. Good luck!

UPDATE: Winner & runner-up have now been announced in the comments!

P.S. If you’re waiting on an e-mail from me, please be patient. Still extremely behind and doing my best to catch up as quickly as possible!

green is the new black

I love the packaging feature guest posts! And today we’re particularly lucky because Michelle Black is stopping by to show off her new gorgeous ‘green’ rebranding. Without further adieu…

This year I decided to re-brand. I kept the same logo but changed the overall feel of my packaging and marketing materials, to better reflect myself as a person. With nature in my blood and having practically grown up in the woods (okay not really, but I was a major tomboy and spent a LOT of time outside, haha) I thought the change was only fitting, and I wish I’d started out with it from the beginning! With all eco-friendly, recyclable, and biodegradable materials, the new packaging just feels good, it gives off a good vibe. Less is more in my book, and keeping the packaging / materials simple, clean, and quietly sophisticated is something that now has a lot of importance to me. My first set of proofs went out the door wrapped in Earth last week and I wanted to share some photographs. I’ll be getting the remainder of the products this month (print folders, mailers, CD cases). I’m also looking for a new portfolio for my prints, does anyone have suggestions? I’ve searched far and wide and haven’t really settled on anything yet.

*Ink on the bags and boxes is acid-free and non-toxic.*

*Borders / frames on the proof image shown above are available for purchase at The Photo Professional [ here ] .*

Order deadline cards were printed at home on natural, recycled paper.

Recycled tissue paper from Nashville Wraps.

Cards with rounded edges from GotPrint who is a green company!

Beautiful soft twine from Hobby Lobby.

Logo on boxes and bags is a stamp I had custom ordered. (Stamp info now included in the comments.) I purchased both brown and black inks – they both look beautiful!

Tags are made at home, printed on recycled paper.

Tags are made at home, printed on recycled paper. *BAGS AND BOXES ARE RECYCLED KRAFT PRODUCTS.*

Thank you so much for sharing Michelle! Make sure you stop by her blog and website “The Photo Professional” to say thanks in person!

P.S. If you’re waiting on an e-mail from me, please be patient. I’m extremely behind right now and doing my best to catch up as fast as I can!

Look around the sidebars and say “hi” to several of our new advertisers. 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.

sold!

I love being able to put up posts like this. It’s confirmation this site isn’t just random words floating out there into the ether. It really is helping people kick-start their businesses and launch their brand. Keep ‘em coming and pay it forward, I say! But first, enjoy a new guest post right-quick featuring a beautiful charity auction gift basket by Elizabeth Sethi Photography.

I started my photography business about a year ago, and have avidly read your blog for 6 months.

Through you I found Leah Remillet / GO{4}PRO who did my custom logo – and I have learned so, so much about creative packaging and marketing.

Last week was my very first charity auction, and my basket (thanks to all your blog posts and vendor ideas) was the hit of the auction! The ladies setting up the show spent at least 15 minutes “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” over my packaging, my basket items, and my very own ‘Martha-esque’ bow. Without this blog I never could have created something so special, and set my photography business apart from the rest of the donors. I just had to share.

P.S. – I just got my Zazzle stickers in the mail…I’m in love!

ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS: Show us your packaging! If the features here have helped you pull together your own look, please share with the class and pay it forward. Contact Robyn (e-mail link in the sidebar / robyn @ this domain) to be added to the posting schedule.

ATTENTION VENDORS: We tuck business cards, coupon inserts, and promo pieces inside of our prize packages. If you are interested in having yours included, please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment). Also contact me if you are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured on Paperie Boutique.

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

cats and dogs. living together.

Recently Monica of Photoumbra Studios provided Paperie readers a recap of WPPI 2010 in Las Vegas. Today she’s back for another guest post that will leave you sitting up and begging for more!

This past fall I lost my dog to an unexpected illness and I was devastated since he wasn’t even 2 years old. As we began searching the local shelters for a new pet a couple of months later, I was struck by how much fuller the facilities were since the last time we had been searching. Each person we spoke to at the shelters expressed how very much in need they were for donations this year. With this in mind, I conjured up an idea to do a fundraiser for a local animal charity in honor of my lost pet. Inspired by others, such as V Gallery, I put together a very simple marketing plan for the idea. We chose CAWS (Community Animal Welfare Society) as our local charity and the founder was extremely grateful for the idea. We decided to incorporate the event and branding into a Valentines promotion and call it our PAWS for CAWS fundraiser.

My studio branding wasn’t lending itself too well to the Valentine’s/pet idea, so I quickly created a new branding set for the event which was a huge hit. To completely brand for the event I only had to purchase 1 pack of 50 stickers from WHCC ($12). The rest of the items I found on clearance at IKEA from their Christmas decor line with hearts. I just recreated the heart design in Photoshop, added text, my logo, and a damask background and voilà, we were on our way!

Of course most people had no idea that the matching hang tags, thank you cards, napkins, and wooden heart decorations that we hung all over the studio, were from IKEA. We got loads of compliments about how nice our branding looked from the bottles of water we passed out (whcc sticker on a bottle of water) to the pricing menu and ordering sheets to the goodie box they went home with. The trick here was keeping our costs LOW, because I wanted to donate as much money as possible to the organization and I knew this was a 1-day event.

For the goodie box, we contacted all the vendors who are partners with CAWS and asked them if they would like to donate anything to the fundraiser. We had 5 other companies donate items to put in the box which made it a pretty sweet deal for everyone. We had one of the volunteers for CAWS bake up some all natural doggie treats in the shape of bones, hearts, and cupids to keep with the Valentines theme.

Keep your eyes open for good deals at your favorite stores for unique products that you could use to help promote a mini-session or special events such as our PAWS for CAWS fundraiser. This isn’t something I would recommend for your regular studio branding as you may have difficulty finding the items in the future, but I think this can be a great way for you to put together something really impressive for a limited event. One last thing I should note is I did not change my logo for the event. I simply applied it to design of the event branding to keep things somewhat consistent with my studio branding.

This event was a blast to put on and I think I’ll do it every year. We raised a few hundred dollars for CAWS, met a lot of great people and pets and mostly just had fun!

Thank you so much for sharing this Monica! The packaging looks fantastic, and with the cause behind it, makes it just that much more special! Make sure to stop by Photoumbra Studios and the Photoumbra Studios Blog.

And don’t forget you have until 11:59 Monday night to win the Nate Berkus™ 26-piece Gift Wrap Kit! Check back often this week – more goodies on the way.

ATTENTION VENDORS: We tuck business cards, coupon inserts, and promo pieces inside of our prize packages. If you are interested in having yours included, please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment). Also contact me if you are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured on Paperie Boutique.

ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS: Show us your packaging! If the features here have helped you pull together your own look, please share with the class and pay it forward. Contact Robyn (e-mail link in the sidebar / robyn @ this domain) to be added to the posting schedule.

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

weekly wrap-up

When I saw the “Nate Berkus™ 26-piece Gift Wrap Kit” at Apartment Therapy recently, I knew it would make the perfect prize here at Paperie.

It’s minimalist and classic, so if you’re just starting out or haven’t quite settled on a look yet, youy’re not tied down by a color scheme or print – but can still present your clients with something expensive looking and stylish. The kit includes:

•  6 – gift bags 12½” x 10″ x 5″ (3 black stripe, 3 gold stripe, die-cut handles)
•  4 – 10′ x 30″ wrapping paper rolls – 25 square feet of each (4 designs)
•  12 – 3″ x 3″ gift cards with envelopes (4 designs)
•  2 – black raffia 20′ rolls
•  2 – natural raffia 20′ rolls
•  storage box

To win just go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Win a Nate Berkus™ 26-piece Gift Wrap Kit at Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog and get a FREE Mother’s Day template!

Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 10th.

Please note: If you have won a prize within the last 30 days, please sit this one out and give someone else a chance to win please! The link you post must direct to a public account. 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 or page or request permission to see it, you will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account.

You have four chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your 1-4 separate links in separate comments 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 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize. Good luck!

UPDATE: The winner has been announced! See the announcement here!

Recently I put up a download for a 10×5 inch “mom” storyboard. This morning, I put up a link to download the following 8×8 inch story-art on my Flickr account.

The editing instructions for the 8×8 are the same as for the 10×5.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend!
-Robyn

ATTENTION VENDORS: We tuck business cards, coupon inserts, and promo pieces inside of our prize packages. If you are interested in having yours included, please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment). Also contact me if you are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured on Paperie Boutique.

ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS: Show us your packaging! If the features here have helped you pull together your own look, please share with the class and pay it forward. Contact Robyn (e-mail link in the sidebar / robyn @ this domain) to be added to the posting schedule.

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

The 10×5″ and 8×8″ templates are ©Robyn Pollman, 2010. All rights reserved. They may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.