Make It

Good News and Bad News

So the bad news is, that magazine issue I thought I might be in is out on newsstands and I'm not in it.

The good news is: the magazine was Domino (!!!!) and they contacted me. They somehow found me via the Internet or Etsy late last year and requested some paper samples. So, even though this month won't be my big magazine debut, they still have all my info and some samples and maybe I'll pop up in another issue somewhere down the line. Also good news: my former employer, Mod Green Pod is on the cover and featured in a few interior pages! This month is their "Green Issue."

I'm putting this in the You Can Do It! category because just the fact that I was seriously considered for a national magazine less than 6 months after starting my business is still pretty cool!

Thanks for your feedback!

Thank you for your input on the folded vs rolled paper issue! I always find it funny how the most mundane topics can be a source of endless discussion amongst crafty/entrepreneurial types. That's part of the fun of having your own business though, being able to make decisions about every aspect of your product every step of the way.

I think I will plan to offer folded paper as an option for shipping but keep the rolled option as my primary shipping option, since I already have a huge roll of poly tubing anyway. It's true that different consumers want different things. I myself would probably purchase the folded paper (because I'm a stingy shopper) but as the creator of these items, it would break my heart to have to fold up all my freshly printed papers and have them arrive to the customer in a less-than-ideal state.

Speaking of shipping, did you hear that USPS is going to raise the price of a stamp again!? Didn't we just have it raised last year. Stamps will now be $.42.

In other news, the Boston edition of the Sampler will be released this Friday. A pic of my submission and a link to my shop is on the site now, though they've actually got it down as riffraff with a link to "riffraff's" Etsy page, so hopefully that will be changed shortly. I'm interested to see what the response will be from contributing.

I did a bunch of printing yesterday of the gift wrap designed by Black Pearl Press. It looks great and I'm excited to see how Elisabeth will incorporate them into her custom wedding invites. Pictures to come later this week.

Rolled or folded paper?

I've got a question about wrapping paper packaging.

Right now I package my wrapping paper by rolling it up into clear poly tubes. This means that the packages are approx 19" x 2", the paper doesn't get any creases in it from folding and the shipping is relatively high, due to the length of the 20" tubes I send it in.

I've started to wonder if I should explore the alternative: folding papers up and packaging them like this gift wrap sold by EtsyLabs. The paper will have crease marks, but it will take up less space and will be cheaper to ship. So I thought I'd throw it out there and see if any of you had strong feelings on this matter one way or the other. Which way do you prefer?

Success in printing!

I'd been frustrated with screeprinting lately. It seemed like most of the stuff I printed I had to cut up for 12x12 paper sets or scrap packs because it wasn't coming out right. So today I consulted the screenprinting forums at gigposters (such a great resource) and found the answer to my problem.  It turns out, the ink was drying in my screen and therefore not letting all the ink go through when I printed, giving me blotchy prints. So I mixed in a little retarder and glycerine to get my ink to the right consistency, and I also wet down the screen before I started printing and then I flood immediately after printing, instead of flooding immediately before printing. The combination of all these small changes was that I had an amazing print run. Every single piece I printed came out perfect, the first time that's happened!

Here are the results, my "dots" pattern in bubblegum pink. Would make a great wrapping for a Valentine's Day present! Place your order by Saturday to ensure that you get receive it in time for V-day.

I also packed up a bunch of successful prints from earlier this week. I'm building a little inventory. Now, where to keep everything...?

p.s. I saw a great movie on Tuesday: There will be blood. Very intense in a Wild West kind of way.

Warning: Disaster zone

My craft table - I don't have a craft room- is a disaster zone.

I really need like 2 more tables, one for printing, one for paper cutting and one for packaging. Right now I do it all from my trusty Ikea Norden table (just looked on the website to find the link and it looks like they don't make this anymore). This was one of my proudest Craigslist finds- $50. It's now got ink on it and we drilled holes in the side for my hinges to hold my screen. I don't think I'll ever give this table up. I should do a tour of all the items in my home I've gotten from Craigslist, it's about 80% of my apartment, including the apartment itself!

I mixed up some inks today to print my Jigsaw pattern (the original) in sky, butter and rose. A magazine contacted me late last year and I sent them samples of this paper. I had to fill out a bit of paper work for the mag but I won't know if I've made it in the issue until later this month (the March issue). So I want to get these items up in my store in case I do in fact make it in the magazine and someone wants to purchase. Fingers crossed. Is it totally bad form to spill the name of the publication before it comes out...? I really want to tell you guys because I'm SO excited they contacted me.  When do March issues start hitting the news stands?

Weekend Work

I've been working hard this weekend. In addition to putting together the Sampler package, I also started putting together some card sets and I think I may have perfected the technique for folding my own patterned envelopes. I picked up a bone folder which makes the creases much more crisp and professional looking.

I used a scrap piece of my "Dots" pattern on the box of Sampler packages. I think I'm going to start using scrap pieces to adorn all my outgoing mail for Rifferaff. (I don't think I've shown you this pattern in full, better shots of this paper to come)

I've got two cut-paper card designs that I will be uploading to Etsy later, here's one of them.

A set of patterned envelopes.

Another card set idea, patterned envelopes in the background. I lost my rifferaff stamp but I'm ordering another one so I can stamp the small white sticker with "rifferaff." Also, I'm using the backsides of misprinted papers to wrap up the card sets. Simple and eco-friendly packaging.

I'm not sure how much I'll get up on Etsy today because I've got a few more things to do before we head out to a Superbowl gathering but these will get uploaded within the next few days.

The Sampler

I decided, pretty last minute, to participate in The Sampler:Boston after getting an email reminder on Thursday via the Boston Craft Mafia email list.

The Sampler is now doing city-specific sample boxes and Boston is the first city, more details here. What this means is that I contribute 10 - 100 samples of my products for inclusion in the boxes. The boxes are then sent out to people who have purchased them and also local media and storeowners. It seems like a neat way to get my name out there and I like that it's Boston-specific.

Luckily I had just the right items for inclusion. I put together 50 little packets that contain 2 gift tags and a few mini patterned paper pieces. Then I wrapped it all up with a band of scrap paper and sealed it with a pink sticker. I really enjoyed putting together the little packages and I can't wait to see what kind of response I get from contributing to this month's box.