it's a happy friday...

It seems that everything in my life is an event. I can't just get something done on my first try, there are fiery hoops I have to jump through to get something done. Needless to say this has been a long time coming. The cards I put my jewelry on in my gift boxes have been a pain in my rear since I came up with the idea. However, I love them.

It is a really long process to make these little cards, I start with the bronze metallic card stock in 8 1/2 x 11 and I cut the paper into 6 - 3 3/8" squares. Then, I use a custom made rubber stamp. Sprinkle gold embossing powder, heat it up and voila beautiful cards! Like the old adage, beauty is pain. It was getting to be rediculous though, I was spending more time making my cards, than actually making jewelry! (I will post pictures later tonight of my card-making process).

I have spent many hours brainstorming other ways to make this easier on me. I have tried printing them myself. But the card stock is so heavy I broke a printer...oops! I have contacted numerous printing companies. But the response has been horrid and truly makes me wonder about customer service:

• one company told me they wouldn't work with a small company.
  
• another made a meeting with me and then when i got there she wasn't there.
  
• the third and last company scheduled a meeting, spent 2 hours with me and then never got back to me with a quote. even after numerous emails from me, to which I started to feel like a stalker. hmph!

I found one company, Imagers, that was very helpful and was working with me but they didn't have the capabilities to do thermal printing which was what I really wanted. So, I went to Sam Flax. I ordered my first business cards with them and was super happy with them, plus I have been purchasing the bronze metallic paper from them. The only thing that kept me from going to them first was the cost. I broke down and set up a meeting with the Paperie, which is Sam Flax's wedding invitation and paper department. It was a wonderful experience. I was told with normal printing methods I could not print on the color card stock I had been using, but they offered to help me find something that works better. They brought me paper samples and we figured out something that I was really happy with.

Yesterday, I got an email saying they were ready. hello. i love you.

I have to say these turned out better than I even expected. They are beautiful. I can't wait to ship off the order I am working on with this new packaging!