New Name, New Packaging

In my characteristic Cart before Horse style, I made all the changes to the shop name etc and then forgot that I would need to update my packaging to match - most importantly the little label I attach to the front of each package with my shop name prominently displayed...so short of scribbling 'formerly' in front of the Paperpennies labels I had left I quickly put together this alternative:

I quite like it! I say that in mild disbelief because my amateur attempts at product testing - leaving it lying around where random family members will see it and noting their reactions - haven't been great...Maybe in time I will see what they see, or they what I do, or maybe the label wasn't the problem at all - it was presented alongside my new packaging which (cart followed by horse remember) I also threw together at the last minute. I need the rigid board backing, so kept my reclaimed cardboard covered in coloured paper, but instead of leaving it at that with a band of matching paper wrapping around to hold it all together as before, I attached the board to a small piece of white tissue paper, and that to a larger piece of green tissue, creased the tissue so that it would open up like a present, and then used my paper 'belt' to keep it all together, topped with my new label as 'buckle'. 

Again, dare I say it, I like it! I wouldn't have chosen the green, as it is very dark, and I think the two pieces of tissue should be the same size to avoid that dark band down the middle, but otherwise it looked neat and inviting, and didn't take too long to do (so many of my orders are for single cards, that's a big consideration.)

Must say, just writing that last sentence made me wonder if it's too much for one card...Oh, good, more to think about!

Meanwhile, the thank you card I included cheered me up - I made a full sheet of handmade paper flower heads on one of the very VERY few occasions when I planned in advance, and they are now very handy to stick onto blank cardstock when I'm strapped for time.

And the final product, Irish Element's first sale:

Never Rains But it Pours

I have been tinkering with a new series of cards based on the Irish weather (naturally, it being an all-consuming topic here). There have been a few incarnations, over months and months now, but finally with Inkscape in my life I thought I was happy with the images, and just needed to print...

Sigh. Something still seemed wrong! I decided that it was my home printer - and since I didn't want to outsource the printing, and couldn't afford to train in and buy the equipment for something really gorgeous like Letterpress printing, I thought I could make the Paper my USP (unique selling point!).

I wanted the really thick almost fluffy card, but could only find suppliers outside Ireland which meant shipping costs were awful so...I thought I'd make it myself! I tried white pulp, newspaper pulp, and mixes of both.

Then printed as many variations of my images as I could.

But I can't help but think it still isn't working that well...

And bizarrely, they are improved in the photos!

Not sure where to go with this next, but actually really like the newspaper ones with the white pulp strategically positioned so might make up a batch of these and offer them as supplies on Etsy. A few of my efforts were thwarted by my printer's rollers leaving marks on the uneven surface of the handmade paper, but I'd say someone who uses stamps and other embellishments might like them as cardstock...

'Course then my USP is gone out the window! Frustrated!