Good morning! Today I'm talking packaging here at Rose & Ruffle. I think it's important to show my customers that I truly appreciate their patronage, so I try to make my packaging pretty, and I always include a thank you card. Each item is wrapped in basic white tissue paper and secured with either raffia or pretty white craft string, which I got in the knit/crochet aisle at Wal-Mart; it may even be a crochet thread/yarn/string? (It was around $2-3.)
I shared this photo on my family blog earlier this month.
I prefer to make my own cards, either with fabric scraps or stamps, or both. Since I always have fabric scraps available, I cut up little bunting flags or triangles to use for the cards (I do this when we're watching a movie or waiting around somewhere) and store them in plastic baggies- one bag with girly colors, the other with boy. I use regular old 4x6 blank index cards, folded in half. They're cost effective, and they fit better than typical cardstock blank cards.
A close-up. More often than not, I simply tuck the card into the string, but sometimes I'll use the hole punch.
I use an ink gel pen (a skinny marker does fine, too) to draw the bunting line --if that's what you even call that clothesline-type thing there-- and print or script the "thank you." Then I dab the wide end of the fabric triangle or pendant with a little glue stick and press it right on. Sticks great and dries clear.
Here is a sample of a stamped thank you card. Since I began making cards with the buntings, I usually stamp this - or Thank you - on the back of the card because I like the look of the colorful little fabric scraps better.
Lastly, I use poly (waterproof) mailing envelopes in a variety of sizes. I found mine on ebay- there are tons to choose from. I tried printing out my own postage labels and that was kind of a fiasco, so I make weekly trips to the post office. Most of the time I use the self check-out and am in and out within 10 minutes, but international orders make me a little nervous so I stand in line for the pros for those ones.
Here is a kind of lame picture of these happy little packages about to mailed out, but it shows you the type of plastic mailing envelope I'm talking about. I address these envelopes in the pretty Sharpie markers you can see in one of the pictures above, usually pink, sage green, or lilac.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when sending your items to customers:
1. Don't send your high quality items in re-used materials - it's kind of like serving a fine meal on a garbage pail cover
2. Keep things simple - simple (but nice/pretty) always works
3. Include at least one thing that's handwritten - you don't have to write a novel (or even a letter or note), but whatever thank you card/note you do use, at least sign it by hand
Happy Packaging!
