Bringing in the New Year with New Packaging, and YoYo Pretties


Happy 2011!
To be honest I haven't really started the new year off on the best note.
After weeks of suffering from anxiety attacks, and crazy mood swings
I lost it yesterday in fit of anger and pure defeat.
I had a good cry, the kind that comes without explanation
and the things that roll off your tongue seem so ridiculous
and yet feel so right.
Although I fought with my poor husband
to let me have a "time out"
he chased me right up to our room
and just held me as I cried uncontrollably.
yeah, like I said not quite the way you want to start off a new year.
But now I'm feeling much better
and hopefully now that i've gotten all that "crap" out of my system
I can get back on track for what I hoped to make of 2011!


One of the things I've been working on during the last few months
is piecing together a more profession, and charming way to mail out my orders.
it's a project that was way overdue
but it's not easy coming up with the concepts let alone the cash.


There is as I always hate a trial and error stage.
For example I found out that stamping is not for me
nor are business cards!
But I still wanted to send a "thank you" that seemed personal and special
and that might also not finds it's way to the trash cane instantaneously.
My solution was to have labels made that I could then attach
to vintage children's playing cards.
I've been really happy with the result - it's both practical, and whimsical!



I designed a new banner for my ittybittybirdy shop last August
along with a few other fun graphics
which I had made into a series of labels
created and printed by Playing with Paper.
I probably could have done all this on my own
but as I have iwork instead of Word
I have found label making extremely aggravating.
so I just ending up deciding to source the project out.


Most of my items will arrive in tissue paper or cute little lunch style bags
but for my smaller items I've come up with this really cute
collection of yoyo embellished boxes.
I'm really excited about these for kind of a dorky reason.
I never quite knew what to do with the one or two left over yoyos
that I no longer had matching fabric for
plus sometimes I make a bunch of yoyos
in some crazy fabric which turns out to be just that CRAZY!
I also have quite a stock pile of what is called B grade cabochons
and other small embellishments which I'm not that crazy about.
Nothing makes me happier than finding smart solutions for silly problems.
YEAH for up-cycling!


So what might you receive in these boxes?
I'm working on creating a whole line of jewelry items.
One such item that I just introduced into my shop
are double yoyo brooches.
These brooch pins are connected be vintage bead chain
and look smashing on a sweater, jacket,
or connecting your collar on your favorite blouse.


I can't believe the changes that my little shop has gone through
just in the last few months!
I can't seem to keep up - I need to find myself a yoyo making robot!!
if only - sigh^^


I hadn't realized until just a few days ago that I started this crazy
yoyo making adventure only just last year.
I guess when you really invest yourself into something
time just gets the best of you.
haha kind of like marriage :D


So now I guess I better get going on making sweet valentine pretties!
I knew I should have gotten started in December but
LOL I guess time just got the best of me in this too.


I really need to get some good shots of my new brooches on,
but every attempt just hasn't quite worked out
so I took what I was able to salvage
and made this whimsical little banner.

Well that's quite enough shop talk for one day!

Thanks for stopping by ~ Chelsea Ann

8 comments:

Jenny Holiday & Aaron said...

aww...so sorry to hear about your panic/anxiety attacks. I too suffer from them. :(

I am really happy to see that you are currently on a lighter, happier path. :)

Loving all of your new things! And the playing cards idea....super cute!!

Here's to 2011 being a really really GOOD YEAR!!

Love to you from the snow covered Jersey Shore!
xoxo Jenny Holiday

agravette said...

sweetie, i'm so sorry you've had such a bad time of it. i sometimes struggle with feeling down and blue too, but trust me, things are gonna get better! i adore the vintage playing cards with the labels on them. makes me want to order something right now just to get one, haha!! love ya!

Megan V said...

Sorry to hear that you had a bit of a crummy start...but I hope that was the worst of it and now you can get on to better things! Your double yoyo broches are adorrrable! You always amaze me :D

Jessi Nagy said...

hey sweets,
i know you will have a fabulous new year!!!
we all have bumps, i know this will be a great 2011.
love ya doll
oxoxoxo,
jessi

Tara said...

Sorry to hear that your New Year didn't start out so great, but maybe you got it all out at once and that's it! ^_^ A good cry is sometimes very refreshing. I know I told you already, but I LOVE the new brooches. I think they really turned out great and the packaging for them is so cute! Who wouldn't be totally excited to receive something so adorable in the mail! I hoping 2011 is a profitable, happy, and healthy year for you! <3

Yuri said...

Hey, I really like your blog here, I'm glad I found it, I had so much fun reading your blog, it's so colorful and fun to read, I am now your new blog follower ;)

And you know what, I have anxiety disorder too! but i read that it's all only in our minds, if we can try to control our minds, saying to ourselves that it's nothing wrong, it's just my mind making up things.. i'm sure everything will be a bit better. I am still trying to control mine, good luck to us :)

YURI
http://tigerlilysbook.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Happy New Year Chelsea Ann, Congratulations on your ongoing success. Your packaging is so lovely and so you. I wish you all good things in the coming months! Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

I'm madly in love with everything in your shop! I don't know what to buy first.. everything is adorably girly.
ahh ♥