Button packaging

Now that I have a few "craft" shows under my belt, it's time to ramp up the packaging before the next round of shows starts.  I've been working on different packaging options for a couple of weeks, and thought I would share the process for what I have decided on for button packaging in case anyone wants to make their own.

Please note that these were made with a standard printer, card stock from the office supply store, and the Paint program that came with my computer.  A totally DIY project if you have some time to invest.

I started by googling (that's a verb now, right?) an image for free border clip art.  There are a few you can download for a couple of dollars, but since I wasn't 100% decided at the time, I decided to go for a free one.  Make sure you save it as a .jpg file.

Then I opened it in Paint and used the text application to add "Handmade Buttons" at the top in the same font as my logo and my contact info at the bottom.  You can adjust the location and the size of the font while the text window is open, but AS SOON as you click anywhere else on the screen it will close the text window and if you want to remove it, you have to erase it, or undo.  NOTE: make sure you save the file under a new name every time you add something.  That way, if you need to go back to edit something (like if you don't like the size of something) you can just erase the one item without having to start over from scratch. 

For the shorter button cards, I just used the "Cut" function and removed a piece from the center, moved the bottom to line up with the top, and then cropped the whole new card as a square without the blank bottom portion.  (This will make much more sense if you have Paint open in another window while you read this - you know, if you're trying it out).

To print multiple cards per page, I had to be in the documents section of my computer (not in Paint).  Left click on the file and it will give you the option to print (as a photo) and then I just put 4 per card for the large button cards (the blue buttons at the beginning of this post).  It happened to be just the right size.  For these little guys, I had to open a WORD document, set the page to 3 columns, and then insert them into what would normally have been the text.  You may have to play around with your margins to get them to fit.

This is the basket I found for them at the thrift store for $1.00!  It's like it was made for them.

NOTE:  I used to have "Remembrances" written on the top of my old button cards and at my last craft show someone asked me what they were.  Like a goober, I answered "They're buttons" not knowing what she meant...and then I realized that my business name wasn't up anywhere in the booth (other than on business cards) because there were three of us sharing as part of the Potters' Guild.  So, long story short...I have changed the wording from "Remembrances" to "Handmade Buttons" and hopefully they will get the name from the bottom of the card.

So, what I'm saying is...even though I keep reading that you should "make what you make" and pay someone to do the rest of it, or outsource jobs--- at the beginning stages of growing your business, I think it is perfectly fine to try things out yourself.  You may just surprise yourself.  I did.

Linking up with:

Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm Craft On 

There's still about one week left to get the 15% discount on items in my etsy shop...

head on over to this Frontier Dreams post to find the discount code.