< insert witty title here >

Rare weekend post for something very special! You know that awesome magazine I write for – Profesional Photographer Magazine? Well they’ve announced on Twitter that they’re doing a special for their Facebook fans and it’s the lowest subscription rate they’ve ever offered.

Hurry – this offer expires on Monday, October 11th at midnight EDT!

Big plans just got ironed out for 2011 – I’ll be sharing those soon. And I’d love to have you reading along with me there next year! So go subscribe today!




We have the winners in our Beyond Red and Green contest and our Wild Hearts Photography contest, and they are…..Kristen Schueler Photography, Rene Pfahler and Dana Rogers Photography!

Congrats to Kristen, Rene, and Dana, thanks to everyone who entered, and thanks to Beyond Red and Green and Wild Hearts Photography for more amazing giveaways here at Paperie!




And now a tip as we all gear up for holiday season…did you know that you could order FREE Priority and Express Mail shipping supplies (including Flat Rate) from the U.S. Postal Service? And not only that – they’ll also deliver them straight to your door for FREE!

You can get a variety of box sizes, address labels, stickers and envelopes, and there’s no charge to order or have them delivered. You can also print “Click-N-Ship” postage at home (some rates are discounted), and request FREE front-door pickup online for Priority and Express packages.

So make your life a little easier this year and let your mouse do all the work!




If you missed it earlier, we have a great advertiser special going on right now – and it includes a gift certificate to Paper Source! Check it out…

P.S. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured here at Paperie – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

golden ticket

I’m so excited to have Stacey Duncan of La Pomme Design and Goldapple Photography back for another guest post (January 2010, October 2009)! Make sure to read all the way to the end, because one Paperie viewer will get very lucky this week!

It’s a pleasure to be back at the Paperie Boutique! I have received so much inspiration from this blog and from the generous souls who are featured on here, so I love that I get to be part of it!

I have spent several months developing my branding, my marketing materials, and really, my business, and have fallen in love with it. Last year was my first year in business, and I didn’t realize how important it was to really LOVE the business side of my business. I mean, as photographers, we love the photography side of the business, but there is so much more to it! Even if you aren’t a business-oriented person, as a business owner you have to be somewhat savvy (or hire someone who is!), and you can enjoy the business more when you develop it to your tastes.

After determining my ideal client, my market, my business plan, and it was time to let my branding follow accordingly. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, and I knew how my main competition is branded, so I knew how to NOT brand myself as well! My logo was my starting point.

I developed a brand that is elegant, timeless, and is adaptable to all different types of portrait photography. It is appealing to my ideal clientele, and I am absolutely in LOVE with it – which is the most important part!

When a client books a session over email/the internet, they fill out the info form and contract online and pay online. I then mail the client a welcome packet in an envelope from Paper Source. The welcome packet includes a general information brochure, an investment brochure (which is my full price guide), a client gifts card, a session card that is specific to their session type (maternity, newborn, engagement, etc), a personal note handwritten from me, a fashion wallet guide, a set of paper examples, and a couple business cards.

If a client wants to meet in person for a consultation, I will bring the physical info form and contract for the client to sign. I bring the exact same welcome packet, except I bring it all in a large Paper Source envelope with the forms.

Some of my other marketing materials include a gift certificate, referral card with personalized image wallets, and a personalized 11×17 wall calendar. I also print stickers for my welcome packet mailings, shipping labels for client purchases, and copyright stickers to put on the backsides of image enlargements.

I get so many compliments from clients about my marketing, so I know it is successful in that they recognize it and admire it. I actually did a family session last Sunday night for two graphic designers, and they both were thoroughly impressed with it, which I took as a WIN. It’s like when another photographer admires your work, you take that as a higher compliment than when a client admires it.

Many of you know I am the owner of La Pomme Design, The Photographer’s Boutique. I have taken all of my marketing templates and made them completely customizable, able to work with any branding, and a perfect jumping off point for photographers who don’t have the time, inclination, or knowledge to create a full marketing campaign. I have even included a couple templates that I know other photographers use that I haven’t incorporated yet!

Introducing the Goldapple Photography Premier Marketing Kit! The kit includes unflattened .psd templates of the following:

- Business Card (front and back) (ProDPI)
- 2010 Calender
- Copyright Sticker
- Gift Certificate (WHCC)
- Special Occasion Gift Certificate (WHCC)
- Information Card (ProDPI)
- Investment Card (ProDPI)
- Session Type Card (ProDPI)
- Notepad (VistaPrint)
- Post-it (VistaPrint)
- Paper Texture Wallets (WHCC)
- Referral Card (WHCC)
- Referral Wallet (front and back) (WHCC)
- Shipping Label
- Limited wording is included

The Premier Marketing Kit is on an introductory sale for only $48 through April 30, 2010, only at La Pomme Design. On May 1st, the price will go up to $68, so now is the time to invest in your business and create a solid marketing campaign!

Also through the month of April, use the code “PBROCKS*” in the La Pomme Design Shoppe and get 20% off your purchase – no minimum!

*This discount does NOT apply to the Premier Marketing Kit, but does apply to everything else.

And just because I love getting free stuff as much as you, here is your opportunity to win the Premier Marketing Kit!

Step one to win: Either subscribe to the La Pomme Design newsletter or become a fan of the La Pomme Design Facebook page.

Step two to win: Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

I want the @goldapplephotos & La Pomme Design / lapommedesign.com Goldapple Photography Premier Marketing Kit – visit paperieboutique.com!

Step three to win: Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 8th.

Please note: The link you post must direct to a public account. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account.

You have four chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your 1-4 separate links in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize. Good luck everyone!

(P.S. If you win and have already purchased the kit, you will get a refund of your purchase!)

UPDATE The winner Sean Walker Photography has been announced here! Congrats and thanks to La Pomme Design and everyone who entered!

Thank you so much Stacey – you’ve been so good to the site and I know everyone appreciates it! Drop by and see her work at Goldapple Photography.

Don’t forget to enter the new Design Aglow contest (open until 11:59 p.m. EDT) if you haven’t already!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. Check the sidebar – several new advertisers are joining us this week!

wrapper’s delight

First things first… We are ELEVEN comments away from our 1000th published comment! So to say thanks, the 1000th commenter will win the following prize – two 2¾ x 4″ wallet albums (one black, one pink) with peel-and-stick pages.

UPDATE: We have our 1000th comment by raphotographs – thanks so much!

Today’s big giveaway is an “Apples to Oranges Packaging Set” courtesy of Paperie Boutique & HB Photo Packaging. Read on to see what’s included and details how to win!

The “Apples to Oranges Packaging Set” includes:

• one 5×7 1/2″-deep Kraft photo box from HB Photo Packaging
• one 5×7 1/2″-deep Red Ribbed photo box from HB Photo Packaging
• one 5×7 1/2″-deep Copper/Paragon photo box from HB Photo Packaging
• one 5×7 stretch ribbon loop in gold from HB Photo Packaging
• one Event Proof Box in Vanilla Rosebud from HB Photo Packaging
• one medium Earth Friendly Eco-Tote in Kraft from HB Photo Packaging
• 1.5-yards of Martha Stewart Crafts decorative ribbon tape
• one 1-foot acid free ribbon roll in multi-dot
• one Paper Source letterpress orange and red “thank you” note with kraft envelope
• one “To / From” gift tag
• one sheet (six total) metal-ringed circle greeting-tags
• one HB Photo Packaging “Professional Photography Presentation Packaging” guide

To win, it’s simple! Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Win an “Apples to Oranges Packaging Set” from Paperie Boutique & HB Photo Packaging / h-bphoto.com – visit paperieboutique.com for more!

Please note: The link you post must direct to a public account. I cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this promotion.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account. Post the URL to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 a.m. EST on Wednesday, March 31st.

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize. Good luck!

UPDATE: The winner was announced on Thursday and it’s Marcia Todd / mtoddphoto! Congrats to Marcia, thanks to everyone who participated, and stay tuned – more goodies on the way!

Thank you for reading, and please make sure you check out our new sponsors in the sidebar!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

just say Julie!

Posts like this make me smile. Not just because the packaging is so fantastic (which it absolutely is), but because all the counteless hours people have poured into this site are really paying off and helping people. What a fantastic way to “pay it forward”! Grab a Coke, a smile, and kick back. Another great packaging feature / guest post coming up…by Julie Rollins Photography…

This past October 2009 is when I decided to move full steam ahead with my photography business. I scoured the Internet daily, trying to soak up everything I possibly could on how to get my business off the ground and running. I constantly read about how important branding is and I knew I had a ton of work ahead of me. I came across the Paperie Boutique website and turned to it almost daily looking for inspiration for the packaging I would eventually come up with.

My New Years Resolution for 2010 was two parts. The first part was to get my blog (julierollinsphotography.com/blog/) up and running. The second part was to design my packaging and Welcome Kit.

All of the colors in my packaging are a direct spinoff of my logo. I wanted to stick to that same color scheme, which made things easy for me.

My bags, tissue, ribbon, raffia, large Kraft boxes and Kraft pillow boxes are all from Gift Box Corp of America.

My large and small round stickers are from Zazzle.

My brown photo boxes are from DNL Photo.

My rounded hangtags are from 48HourPrint.com.

Inside the chocolate boxes you will find clear bags with backing boards, which are from Clear Bags. Also included in the boxes are 5×5 cards with portrait care and copyright information.

When my clients call to book their session, the first thing I do is send them out their Welcome Packet. The packet is full of information about my photography, pricing and session details.

♦ Please see this updated entry for the vendors used. ♦

The Kraft colored presentation folder is from Paper Presentation.

Inside my Welcome Packet you will find a chocolate petal envelope with my referral cards in it and a 5×5 card detailing the program. The envelope is from Paper Source.

Also included in my Welcome Packet are a pen and a sticky note pad. These two items along with my 4×8 rack card are from Vista Print.

The remainders of my press printed products are from local printers. I love being able to have all of this information together in my Welcome Packet, because it’s so nice to mail this right off to my clients when they call to book their session. The last thing I include in the Welcome Packet is a Session Reminder Card, which is also from a local printer.

Designing all of my press printed products took a while and then ordering all of the packaging was also a huge job. That being said, having everything done is such a relief. I felt great today when I had a new client call to book a session for next week and I dropped her Welcome Kit off at the post office this afternoon. Knowing that I have this all finished, I probably would still be trying to figure things out if it hadn’t been for the inspiration from Paperie Boutique! Thank you so much Robyn – I love your site!!!

-Julie

Thank you so much, Julie! Make sure to stop by her blog and say “hi”! (You can also see a lot of the photos above bigger and in greater detail there.) And don’t forget to submit your own packaging photos to the site (instructions at post’s end)!

In case you didn’t see today’s newsletter, Paper Source just announced a new recycled kraft paper collection. Check it out:

Don’t forget there’s just over 24 hours left to enter the “Pink Boutique Packaging Set” from Paperie Boutique and HB Photo Packaging. Go here to enter!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

just a splash of color

This guest post is a double-win – it has a packaging feature and a separate vendor-promo at the end! Jamie Brokus of Color Splash Studio LLC recently contacted me to see if I’d like to feature her packaging? Are you kidding, Jamie?!? I almost want to switch my color-scheme after seeing the photos!

I was so inspired by all of the awesome packaging I saw other photographers put together, so I am sending you what I came up with following Heather Garland’s guest post at Paperie.

After hearing Sarah Petty talk about boutique packaging, bringing your brand together and then seeing all of the wonderful things other photographers have been so willing to share on this blog, I was inspired to put together my own. It is so cool to watch people walk out of my studio with bags with my name on them and tissue and have them feel like their money was well spent on the the prints they just bought.

My kraft paper shopping bags, tissue and raffia are from Nashville Wraps. I also am using their gourmet food shipping box for a shipping box. It fits up to an 8×10 box.

My shipping labels are from 123print.com.

My photo boxes are from Rice Studio Supplies. I am also using their portrait cases for 11×14 and 16×20 prints.

My logo stamp is from Simon Stamp with the big and juicy stamp pad.

My square thank you sized business card tied on the bags is from prolabexpress.com.

My business cards are from overnightprints.com and then I score them myself.

Gift card is from Miller’s Lab on water color paper and trifold brochure is from WHCC.

Circle Stickers are from Zazzle.

Small orange suitcase is from Paper Source, and costs half the price of a custom proof box.

Note from Robyn: It’s harder and harder to get the retro-suitcases from Paper Source. Land of Nod recently started carrying them, so try there as well!

Thank you so much for sending these along Jamie! (Don’t forget to visit her blog.) It should not only inspire others, but also show how quickly you can pull a look together once you decide on the direction.

And now…the promo! It’s no secret this blog is a big fan of Moo. Not only am I excited to find out I’m in “The Moo Ideas Book” (pages 3 and 33 – see the book here on display at a trade show) — I’m also excited to share a new Moo.com promo just for Paperie readers.

Using the code SHUTTER10 will give you an extra 10% off a 200 pack of Business Cards (classic or green stock) OR a 400 pack of MiniCards.

The code:
• is valid for one pack
• expires midnight PDT on March 31st, 2010
• is only valid for one use per customer
• is an additional 10% off the cost of a bulk pack (Bulk packs are already discounted, so this makes it even better value!)

Please note: the code will not work on 4 separate packs of 100 MiniCards. It must be used on the bulk-pack of 400.

Thank you, Moo! If you haven’t already, check out the sidebar to the right for free Moo template downloads from Paperie…

P.S. Don’t forget the My Funky Camera contest is still running through 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 4th!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

Heather, be thy name

I am so excited about this guest post—it has really inspired me to change things up a bit and add a few new items to my packaging arsenal. Sit back, take five, grab and drink, and prepare to be wow’ed by Heather of Heather Garland Photography!

“Wow, I feel like it’s Christmas and I just got handed the most beautiful present under the tree.” When a client told me this one day, I knew why I put so much work into my package. It wasn’t just because I loved packaging, it was because my clients loved it too and it made them feel special. Of course, I do love packaging too. It is so exciting to me and I am always working to improve my packaging. Most people think it is silly to put so much investment and work into handing clients who have already booked you their prints. I think that is quite wrong, our clients that have had sessions are photographers MOST important marketing tool. Every one of them has friends, family, and co-workers who get married, have babies, and want family portraits. Making my clients happy is my biggest goal, not just for referrals but because I genuinely consider them friends after our sessions. Because of this, when I hand them their prints, I want them to feel like I handed them something worth the hundreds of dollars they paid for it.

First off my amazing marketing products and logo are from Amy Grace at candyapplestudios.com. She is absolutely incredible. I already had my logo done before and just switched to her to give me a somewhat new look. She made me feel so professional and amazing. Every design she handed me I was in awe because they were so incredible.

Above is my packaging. I have 3 different sizes of bags (one for sizes up to 5×7, one for prints up to 8×10, and one for sizes up to 16×20), a few different sizes of boxes (wallets, 4×6, & 8×10), and multiple shipping boxes (4×6, 8×10, and DVD sized).

My bags, boxes, tissue paper, and shipping boxes are all from papermart.com.

My tags are from cpq.com, are tied with raffia from bagsandbows.com.

My 8×10 boxes (apparel boxes), which I place inside the bags, have ribbon from Hobby Lobby and are secured with a 2 inch sticker I made myself. (I am probably going to start an etsy store eventually, just because there aren’t a lot of places to get quality round stickers. I’ve tried tons of places like Zazzle and can’t stand the shift.) I also have a 2×3.5 inch sticker from whcc.com on the bottom of my boxes and in the middle of my bags.

Inside my boxes I put the prints, an envelope with a copy of the contract, a business card, a referral post card with referral cards, and usually a little post-it note with a note to the client.

Here is a close-up of the envelopes with the contract. They are from vistaprint.com.

I include referral cards that share my referral program, along with a baggie from clearbags.com with 5-10 referral cards. The large postcard is from whcc.com and the business cards are from gotprint.net.

These are the post-it notes from 123print.com.

My prints are secured with the appropriate bag from clearbags.com and have white backing board.

I also have little wallet boxes and 4×6 boxes (jewelry boxes) that are inside the bag (if applicable).

l

They have small 1 inch stickers on them, which I use on a lot of my products. I also make these myself.

If clients order a gift card, I package them the same as prints but in a 4×6 box. Here is a close-up of my gift cards.

My shipping boxes are new for me, I figured if I was professional in my other packaging I should have the same look for my shipping too.

I get my shipping labels from 123print.net and use a 2 inch sticker to seal it.

I include a tag (unpunched), the pictures, and tissue paper. This a 4×6 sized box with 4×6 prints and wallets.

For my wedding clients, I have my contracts printed and put in a folder from Office Depot. My folders are the only thing I am changing soon. I am looking into brown folders from paperpresentation.com. I put a 1 inch sticker in the corner and a business card in the slot inside.

When they book I send them a copy of the contract, a thank you card, and a candle. The thank you is from whcc.com and the candle is from Bath & Body Works.

I also include a link to a personalized site. This site has dates their payments are due, a copy of the contract & model releases, a get-to-know-you email form, and special tips for the wedding. If you want to see an example you can check it out here: http://heathergarland.com/bridesite/

Here is a close up of the thank you cards, referral cards, and business cards again.

The only thing not shown is my DVD cases, they are from jewelboxing.com and designed by my amazing designer. They are personalized with pictures from the shoot, along with a print release, and a panel explaining cropping of the photos and recommending Mpix.com.

My marketing materials change all the time, but I feel like now finally my packaging is established and I will only be adding on new and more exciting pages in the future. I am so excited to be able to share my packaging and hope it can inspire someone. This blog has definitely inspired me in my packaging and I love Robyn’s packaging and every person featured on the blog. So I hope I can pay back in a way, what has inspired and helped me so much. Thanks!

Love, Heather

Did I tell you that you would be wow’ed or what? Please stop by Heather’s blog and / or leave a comment to tell her “thanks!” What a way to kick off the new week!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

let’s be Petty

Paperie Boutique has hit the marketing jackpot! Today’s guest post is by none other than Erin Verbeck for Sarah Petty’s Café Joy from the Joy of Marketing.

Café Joy was named a PPA 2009 “Hot One Award” winner in the educational resources category!

Here’s a little background info… Café Joy is going up to $59 for the mailed version (will stay $35 for a downloadable version) on February 1st. So this is the last chance for Paperie Boutique readers to join Café Joy to lock in the $35 / month rate for the mailed version of Café Joy.

Here’s the additional info.

Some of you may have heard of Sarah Petty’s The Joy of Marketing from the FREE Websummit and Telesummit events we recently had for photographers. That’s right, we put those on. At the Joy of Marketing, we teach marketing! But not just any kind of marketing. BOUTIQUE marketing. What¹s boutique marketing? It¹s a philosophy that teaches you to grow your business by focusing on building your brand and strong relationships instead of relying on price discounts to create sales. At the Joy of Marketing, we draw from our 30+ years of marketing experience, successful photography studio ownership, ad agency backgrounds and MBA’s to teach you how to grow the business you want without having to work so hard!

One of the ways we teach photographers is through our monthly subscription program, Café Joy, which we¹re giving a free sample of to all of your readers! Yay! Unique in the industry, Cafe Joy is a hands-on subscription program that takes much of the guesswork out of planning your marketing. Follow us, month by month, as we guide you to success. Cafe Joy provides you with gentle reminders and consistent deadlines to achieve amazing goals for your business throughout the year. Café Joy is what I wish I had access to 10 years ago when I started my photography business. It¹s filled with the marketing inspiration, ideas and secrets I¹ve learned over the years in growing my multi-million dollar boutique photography studio. And the best part is it¹s not overwhelming. Each month as a Café Joy member, you receive a proven, actionable, practical marketing lesson from an expert, a promotional idea, or professionally designed piece. Café Joy will save you valuable time spinning your wheels trying to figure out what works for your boutique business.

Subscribe today for a monthly subscription fee of $35*, and you’ll receive a BONUS recipe tin, starter recipes for success and marketing samples. Each month, for a minimal $35* investment, you will receive more recipes, an audio cd or dvd of marketing ideas and strategies, printed samples, design templates plus so much more. This monthly program was created by demand for niche photography business owners who desire more specialized marketing support. The emphasis is on building your brand by focusing on beautiful promotional pieces that encourage client interaction while also paying attention to the important details in your business. For less than the price of a skinny, triple grande latte, your marketing will benefit from this monthly shot of caffeine… without the jitters.

*International rates apply.

To get your FREE Café Joy sample, an hour-long Promotional Planning movie that our Café Joy members received in January, chock full of ideas to get you started on the right foot in 2010, go to:

https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:Join/signupId:67167/acctId:11781

To sign up for Café Joy just go to:

thejoyofmarketing.com/product/cafe-joy-monthly-jolt-marketing-caffeine

It’s your last chance to lock in the $35 rate for the mailed version of Café Joy. On February 1 the price goes up to $59 / month*

So hurry – there’s not much time to take advantage of this amazing offer! And big thanks to Erin and Sarah for hooking up the Paperie readership!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

calendar girl

The very first year I was in business in Tampa, Karen Leslie (of KarenLeslie Photography here in Orlando) shared a client desk calendar template on a forum I was on – the members there were always trading ‘gifts’ back and forth as a ‘pay it forward’ kind of thing. My 2007 calendars using Karen’s template were such a hit, I made them again for 2008 with my own design after we’d moved to Orlando. By 2009 they were ‘expected’ by my clients as an annual tradition, and they are honestly the only real form of mass-marketing that I ever do.

They have brought me so many referrals, and the word of mouth based on them is incredible. Everyone wants to show off their little Miss or Mister [insert month name]. The front and back covers have become a sort of ‘bragging rights’ with my clients. (View the above image larger.)

I decided to switch things up a bit for 2010, and instead of doing the 5×5 prints in a CD-style case, I went with landscape cases (style SF22) and 4×6 images. Although I’m very happy with how they turned out overall, I’m not very happy with the cases. They were sold as being able to hold a 4×6 photo. Actually they can hold one 4×6 photo if it’s slightly bowed. Multiple 4×6 photos at full size? Well not so much. Once again my paper trimmer became my best friend, because I have nothing but time right?

I created an original 4×6 image template for my calendar pages with a .20″ solid black bar down the left hand side. That black bar was my trim-guide and I just lopped it off and voilà! Suddenly the images would fit in the case, no problem. However, where the square cases would hold up to 22-23 images / calendar pages inside the plastic “lip”, this particular landscape case design only holds about 16 pages max. The “lip” on the landscape SF22 cases is much thinner than its square counterpart.

Since I’ve been so busy over the holiday and through the New Year, my client calendars are going out a couple of weeks later than usual this year. I included pages for January and February 2011 to compensate for this. I made a separate little packet for these extra pages plus my alumni program, my referral program, and the spring Stylized Portraiture fairytale event here in Orlando which I’ll be sponsoring for the second straight year.

If you view the above collage larger you can get a better look at the pages in the 2010 B&B client calendar that’s just now hitting the streets.

Hey, I found something that just might be your bag, baby! The cool kids over at Photojojo are launching a brand new SLR Sloop camera bag.

“Weary, sick, and tired were we of the drab camera bag, trapping our dearest of friends in black nylon drag. (It nigh made us gag.) So we sailed a strong breeze across the seven seas, to summon an SLR chum, second to none. (Plus, much more fun.)“

“A part time camera satchel, full time stripey sultress, the SLR Sloop is the siren song to any camera’s heart. With five adjustable and padded compartments for your camera plus a wallet, keys, cellphone (er, compass), windbreaker, flash, and extra lenses.“

“Fashioned from the same super-durable material used for boat sails, she’s water repellent, never fades, and is a cinch to clean. She slings across your back like a messenger bag, saving your neck and shoulders from the hardships of long voyages. And with zippered pouches inside and out, she’s a terrific tackle tote for all types of bait.”

The bag dimensions are 11x14x5″ – stop by the site for details & color options!

Please check out helpingheartsphotogs.org and follow on Twitter – it’s a small, grassroots effort by photographers to help in their communities and in the world.

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

…Robyn laid an egg…

‘Tis the season to cross-post. Sorry things are so quiet around here lately, but I’m swamped. Just posted the above photo (of my Holiday 2009 packaging) to Flickr.

Card templates shown (printed at ProDPI) are by:
1. beyond red and green (circa 2007)
2. Pink Ink Studios
3. Melissa Davis Designs

More on the packaging here and here. Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

the great beyond

Ready for another fantastic guest post? Me, too! I’m excited to share the following by Sherri Sanchez of Beyond Red and Green – “Christmas and Baby Templates for the professional photographer”.

Make sure you read ’til the end for a special discount!

Hi everyone! My name is Sherri Sanchez, and I’m the designer behind Beyond Red and Green! Photography is my first love, but I have always enjoyed creating in many different ways. Four years ago when I was looking at templates for my photography business, I found that there really wasn’t much out there that suited my tastes. I didn’t like the traditional bright red and green colors and styles that I saw. I wanted something “beyond” all that so to speak, and decided to put something out there that I felt other photographers might appreciate as well. I love the simple and understated. Crisp and beautiful elements. Pretty colors and vintage touches. I feel that my design work expresses a little of each of those things, and I hope that you do too!

Beyond Red and Green offers a completely new set of Christmas templates each year. (One thing I’ve always offered on my Christmas templates is the ability to order them individually.) But I have also found a way to express my love of newborns with my beautiful baby announcement collections. I try to make each set with care and attention to detail…only creating something that I would be willing to send out for my own baby.

All of my templates come in complete layers, so that each element you see can be moved around to your liking. Colors can be changed, and image boxes can be duplicated, moved or deleted to meet your client’s needs. Text can be deleted if needed as well. Each template is sized for whcc’s specifications, and come in psd format.

Come by and check us out! And as a special thank you to Robyn for featuring my work, I’m offering $10.00 off any order of $50.00 or more to Paperie Boutique readers! Simply mention that you saw me on The Paperie Boutique, send in your order as usual, and I will make sure to refund for the discount!

Thank you so much Sherri! Make sure you stop by Beyond Red and Green and tell her “hi”!

If you’re interested in having your packaging, marketing ideas, or products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

beginning to look a lot like…

I’ve been sitting on my fingers all weekend long to make sure I didn’t spill the beans on this new guest post. Melissa Davis of Melissa Davis Designs dropped by to spread a little Christmas cheer.

Make sure you get all the way to the end for the very special gift!

I’m so excited to be sharing my Holiday templates with you! I know it’s only August, but people are starting to think about family pictures and Christmas cards right? You probably have some clients booked right now who want their holiday session done before the mad rush! So as the holidays approach and clients are wanting Christmas cards, keep Melissa Davis Designs in mind!

My card templates are fun and unique and really are different from what you will find everywhere else. I love bright colors, polka dots and fun patterns, so I try and work those into my templates as much as I can. But on the flip-side, I love soft classic colors, so you will see that in my templates as well.

All templates come in both .png and .psd format for your convenience and colors and text can be changed. If you love the holiday ones, I offer them in sets or as singles so you can mix and match to make your own favorite set. I’d love for you to come take a peek!

As a special favor, Melissa Davis Designs is offering paperieboutique.com viewers a special “20% off discount” until the end of September 2009.

Just enter code PB0809 at the website when checking out (enter code at the website and not in PayPal)!

Don’t forget to bookmark the Melissa Davis Design Blog and follow her on Twitter. There are frequent weekly giveaways and surprise free template downloads.

Spotted over at the Stacey Bishop Photography Blog: Need a new photography-based template for your Blogger / blogspot.com account and can’t afford a designer quite yet? Check out the free Photoblog templates at “Our Blogger Templates“.

There are more guest features in the queue for the week ahead so please stay tuned! If you’re interested in having your packaging, marketing ideas, or products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

many-MOOs

HEADS UP from Twitter!

@overheardatmoo: Keep this a secret! You can get 20% off all products at MOO this weekend, head to http://moo.com/products – remember, don’t tell anyone!

Don’t know what to do with your Moo? Well then…get a clue!