step up your packaging: thumb tack and magnet boxes

Do you remember how I packaged my thumb tacks and magnets for my final 2011 show?

The tacks worked all right in the jewelry boxes, but the magnets didn't work so well.  I had so much else to do for this show that I let it be and focused on other things.  People still bought lots of the magnets.  But it was something that I wanted to return to in the future.

Usually I let people choose their own magnet and tack sets instead of packaging them myself.  I'm going to continue doing that, BUT I will still provide packaging.  Better packaging.

My plan is to have a few boxes out on my display table that people can grab and fill as they please.  We'll see how it goes.

What did I use for the inserts?  The metal is from one of these sheets.  I bought several of those sheets a few years ago for a project for Jake.  He hasn't used all of it yet.  I know that the piece photographed is smudged, but 1) you don't notice when magnets covering it and 2) most of the metal pieces aren't like that.  You can slice this metal (fairly easily) with regular scissors.

The cork is left over from my coaster project.  I was surprised how readily available it is.  Just about any big box store or chain office supply store carries it.  It isn't the thickest cork out there by any means, but it works just fine for packaging.  I used a craft knife to slice my cork.

I propped the boxes up so you can get a good lighting angle.  The inserts look better when they sit naturally in the boxes.

I had different labels on the boxes at my final 2011 show that I had designed specifically for that show.  In the future, I'll be using the labels pictured above.  You really can't include your contact information too many times.  In addition to giving it to the buyer one more time, you may be passing it on to a different recipient if the items are given as a gift.

If you sell thumb tacks and/or magnets, how do you package them?  For those who don't sell either of these items, what have you done to improve your packaging lately?

Stay tuned later this week for some more developments that I've been working on for my upcoming open house.

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I included this post in Michelle's Delicately Constructed Friday - 2/3/2012.

button magnets in the works

I decided to follow up on my in the works post from last week and show you some of the progress that I've made with my button magnets.

This is my first new batch of magnets for the 2011 holiday shopping season.  Generally the larger magnets and the magnets with shaped buttons do well so I mostly focused on that.  This is the first time that I used sequins for the magnets.  I have a bunch of the stars left over from my Christmas tree project.

I got out a cookie sheet that I hadn't used for gluing so I could organize everything.  No, I don't use these cookie sheets in the kitchen.  I got a couple very cheap packs from Wal-Mart a couple years ago with the intention of using them for these types of projects.

Here's what I have left over from last year's shows.  As you can see, most of the simple and smaller buttons don't move as quickly.  Generally people pick up one or two of them to coordinate with some of their larger button picks.

I'm also trying some button pins for the first time this year.  I've been wanting to do this for a long time but just haven't because I've always focused on the magnets for shows.  I'm attempted to do both this year, though, as well as button tacks, which I have more about below.

 These are the last two batches that I did this past week.  I took both pictures before I'd started gluing. All of the narrow heart buttons with two small buttons stacked on top are going to be tacks, which is another project that I've wanted to do for a long time.  I'm planning to use a bulletin board to display some of my earrings at the fall shows this year and can put the tacks around the edges and sell them, too.

As always, if anyone is interested in anything that you see here, please let me know.  I'm not planning to list magnets, pins, or tacks on Etsy any time soon but they are always available.  Just contact me for pricing and close up shots of specific items.  Custom colors/styles are welcome.

I used this post for a link party over at Artful Rising.

in the works...with some thoughts about time management

The current EtsyBlogger Carnival is hosted by Edi of memoriesforlifesb.  Here are the topics:
1. How do you prioritize your time? How do you get more hours out of the day?
2. Are you a multi-tasker? Or do you prefer to finish one project before starting another?

I wrote a hub last month about this topic: Time Management Strategies and Techniques: How to Find Time For Your Hobbies and Personal Goals.  I am constantly asked, "How do you find the time for this?" about a number of my different projects.  This hub is my way giving people an honest answer because truthfully, there is no way to answer it in 2 sentences.

However, the basic answer I do give people is that I get a lot done while I'm watching TV, and I don't do a lot of random online browsing anymore.  I am constantly amazed how many people watch 2-3 hours of TV every day after work and don't get anything else accomplished during that time.  If you don't know where to start, cut out half that time or start getting something done while you watch.

As far as multitasking goes, I'm sure that you can tell from a lot of my "in the works" and "sneak peek" posts that I almost always have at least two beading projects going at one time, if not three or four.  I enjoy working up shorter projects in the middle of longer ones to help break things up.  I give myself plenty of time for the deadlines I do have, such as the EBW Challenges, so I don't get stressed out.

With all of that being said, here's a look at what I've been working on this past week.

I have been assembling my button magnet supplies this past week.  I haven't done a craft fair in almost a year, and it's been a long time since I worked on magnets.  I'm also going to try to develop some button tacks and button pins for my next show in November.  Does anyone have any ideas for how I could display pins?

I got out an old color combination when I remade this pendant recently.  I originally made a peyote cuff to match that I sold a while back.  I decided to make a herringbone piece this time.  It will be part of my new line that I'll release in 2012.

I've also been making a few purple/red pieces.  This is a brand new one that I'll be listing sometime this fall.

I have all of the pictures done for my clasp pattern and new right angle weave pattern (which I'm using my Picasso piece for).

I'm on track to list both the Picasso piece and the pattern for it well before the October 5 deadline.  I'm planning to release the clasp pattern before the end of October.

new button pieces

In addition to making new button charm bracelets, I've been working on a couple more button projects this week.

One of my promotions for Christmas is that every order through Dec. 18 comes with a free pair of these Christmas button stud earrings.  I've been going through them quickly and just got an order for a single pair of them yesterday so I've been making more.

I want to have some new button magnets for my stash before I set up my work for my co-workers next week.  My larger buttons and buttons with novelty shapes (stars, hearts, clouds, etc.) keep selling out so I've been working on a few new designs.

The pair in the back are pretty dark, but the bottom buttons are a gorgeous shade of teal.  I've picked out some more clouds and stars to work with, too.

crazy weather, new buttons

As I'm sure some of you know, the midwest has been hit with a lot of storms this past week.  It rained off and on all night and was still stormy this morning.

As promised here are some pictures of the new buttons that I got from my mom over the weekend.  She hit the vintage button bin at Vogue again and gave me most of the stash.

I keep meaning to make some more turquoise and red pieces.  I think that I have to now, right?

I also played around with some possibilities for new button magnets.  Most of my inventory is in great shape, but I really need to make some more button magnets before my next show in a few weeks.

Normally I design individual magnets.  I have only made a couple sets so far, but people have consistently asked for more.  I'm going to made a handful of the green, red, and marbled blue set (I have enough to do 3-4 more than what's pictured there).  While I'm working with all of the turquoise and red, I'm going to make half a dozen or so of those as well.  I have some pink/mauve/cream from my existing button collection picked out for a set, too.

wrapping up the weekend

Overall it was another productive weekend. I photographed all of my finished bead woven projects and a handful of button stud earrings. It was pretty cloudy most of the weekend, but I was able to get some decent photographs in the natural daylight. I finished a couple dozen button magnets. If I complete all the magnets currently in process, I'll have just over 50 for the Arts Festival. I will probably work to get at least a dozen more, but if not, I'm still pretty happy with I have. I made progress tagging my items. I'll finish that up sometime next week when I finalize my inventory.

I also got my cash apron in the mail yesterday. I ended up getting the RTG - A HENRY PICNIC vendor - craft apron from PoppysGardenGate. Poppy and Cinders have a couple really cute Hello Kitty aprons in their shop. It took all of my self restraint not to get one. Hello Kitty has been one of my favorite things ever since I was little. I'm 27, and a lot of people think that I look younger than that. I don't want to do anything to encourage that notion so I resisted. I'm still pretty happy with the Henry Picnic print. I was a little worried that the apron would be long (I'm 5'2 and skinny), but it's just right. I will be 100% honest here: It's not the finest craftsmanship that I've ever seen, but for something that I'll wear/use pretty infrequently, that's okay.

I almost finished a pair of peyote triangle earrings to match my new fall embellished cuff. I have a few more small projects that I've lined up for this week as well. I spent the majority of the rest of the weekend cleaning and doing laundry. I have spared you from the full washing machine drama here, but we do have a new washer (this is new #2) that is working so we are caught up again. I cannot tell you how good it feels to say that!

I hope that everyone has a good week. :)

organization

I spent the last day of my long weekend doing a lot more organizing than creating.
I know that this probably still looks messy to some people, but that is the most organized that our closet has ever been here. I filled four big Target bags full of clothes that we've pretty much never worn in Iowa. What's left that's not in this closet now fits neatly in our dressers or in the closet in our second bedroom (which I also cleaned out and organized).

Among other things, I also tried to create some sense of order in my living room craft supplies/current projects/etc.
That was just an in between storms shot from today. We've had a lot of rain the past few days.

Finally, I got some supplies to make more magnets, tacks, and stud earrings today. I started assembling more buttons for them tonight!

revisited design and more button magnets

Happy Christmas Eve everyone!

I have not had an opportunity to photograph in sunlight in a couple weeks now. Most of the time that I'm at home now, there isn't even any natural light. Since I'm at home more during the day now for Christmas break, I finally caved and shot in natural light sans sunlight yesterday. I was pretty pleased with the results.

I finally finished my blue embellished cuff (revisited) that I picked out the beads for back at the end of the summer. The listing on Etsy is now updated with new pictures and measurements.

The green version is still available here in my Etsy shop. I'm pretty sure that I'll be making a red/purple version next, but as always, am open to other suggestions, too.

I made two more sets of button magnets for Christmas presents. I did go with the color combinations that I previously mentioned: pink/green and black/white. I don't know if this is something that I'll be offering in my Etsy shop at some point, but I am having fun with them. Any thoughts about this would be appreciated! I would like to try some button tacks at some point, too.





Cheryl (littlestonedesign) posted a great message on the Etsy Beadweavers' message board earlier this month about her success with sending a monthly newsletter for her Etsy shop. It's no secret that I don't have a ton of Etsy sales and would like to do more with what time I have to promote my shop. Has anyone else had a lot of success with sending a newsletter? If you have, I would love to hear more details about it!