Unique Custom Wedding Favors on Etsy

Tomorrow marks my 8th anniversary as Modern Typography on Etsy! Never in a million years would I have imagined I'd leave my job to become a full time mom and entrepreneur. Nor did I anticipate the satisfaction I'd find in being a part of the handmade community. I am truly blessed.

I make all sorts of paper goods from retro inspired recipe cards to custom jewelry tags, but my best selling designs are custom wedding favor tags. It warms my heart when I think of how many special occasions I've had the honor of playing a part in.

I attribute my success to the creativity of my customers! As our CEO, Josh Silverman put it, "In a sea of sameness, Etsy stands for something special." For me, that something special is a customer's vision come to fruition in each custom design. 

The designs you see in my shop today are a melting pot of designs inspired by special request. If you are looking for gift ideas for an upcoming event, I hope you'll find inspiration here.

Hugs & Kisses from the New Mr. & Mrs.

I laugh a little each time I see the sample photo I created because I have the names backward (and they are from The Bachelor)! This is why I send digital proofs before printing every order. 

These are perfection for bags and boxes of candy to thank wedding guests.

Thank you for BEEING our guests

Whether you are planning a rustic, outdoor garden or barn wedding or a traditional, minimalist cake reception, honey jar favors are a sweet (and practical) gift.

Meant to bee, Love is Sweet and Made with Love also work well.

Make it your own with jam, jelly, sauce, seasoning or whatever homemade goodness you find too good to keep to yourself.

Brides are loving this honeycomb (hexagon) shape.

Love is the Key

Thank you for being a key part of our lives is such a lovely message. These are commonly tied to key shaped bottle openers but I love them on vintage keys.

Your Glass for the Night

Who doesn't love mason jars?! Spell it out for your guests with this popular design.

Eat, Drink & Be Married is another great choice, often tied to cutlery.

Mint to Be

These are perfect for adorning traditional wedding mints and other minty fresh favors. I picture it tied to a small mint plant, mint tea bags, or peppermint bark.

Now I'm hungry.

Coordinates

Planning a destination wedding? Coordinates are clever for save the dates, invitations and arrival bags. I also have a fancy pineapple design for tropical destinations. I love the idea of flip flops, sunglasses or blanket favors.

Love, Laughter and Happily Ever After

If you're planning your fairytale wedding, this one's for you. I love the variation Love, Laughter & a Snack for After. Edible gifts are my most favorite kind, but you can tie them to pretty much anything.

Clearly I have a thing for kraft brown cardstock, but I lately I'm loving how color pops on crisp white. 

His & Her Favorites

This is the biggest wedding favor trend of 2019 and I have to say I just love it! Treat your guests to his and her favorite candy, snack mix, coffee blend, loose leaf tea or soda. 

Choose Your Own Adventure

No, I didn't invent an adventure themed favor idea. But I'd love to!

It feels impossible to represent the endless possibilities here but just know, I've pulled together a lot of Pinterest wins and I'm up for a challenge.

Ready to get started on your personalized tags? Send me a message or visit my shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/ModernTypography

Thank you for shopping handmade.

When your Creative Outlet Becomes a Source of Income

Raise your hand if you're a bit of a nerd. Most people don't realize I'm a dietitian! I worked in healthcare for over 10 years, but you won't find it on my resume. In fact, you won't find my resume. When baby #4 came along, I left the traditional working world. 

Since, I've done several gigs trying to find the perfect balance between caring for and providing for my family. Initially I panicked and took a position at Stitch Fix working as a stylist from home. Sounds like a dream, right? One step forward, two steps back. I was still letting someone else spend my time.

Now I'm running my own Etsy shop and calling all the shots. Before I left my medical career, I'd created Modern Typography as a creative outlet. I was casually listing items for sale, and really never thought it would become anything. When I quit my job I was able to devote more time to developing it. I'm happy to say it's become a constant stream of income for my family.

This reminds me of something I recently heard at a conference.

"There is no downside to a side hustle. There are only benefits to building more than one source of income. A side hustle is the new job security." Forbes.

The number one objection I hear when I suggest Etsy as a source of income is "I'm not creative". First of all, I believe everyone has creative talent, some haven't developed it, others haven't pursued it. Second, not all work on Etsy is creative! Folks sell supplies, antiques, party supplies (store bought items with slight modifications) and much more. There's unlimited potential on Amazon handmade, as well.

The second objection I hear is "Etsy charges fees". It's 20 cents to list an item folks, 5 for a dollar. If you need a spot, I've got you. Etsy takes 5% IF your item sells and the customer pays shipping. Normally I would say you have to spend money to make money but that's hardly the case here. You can fill an Etsy shop with 100 listings (the same items listed several times) for $20. If you sell a blanket for $30 that cost you $5 to make, you've started to turn a profit.

In addition to running my Etsy business, I also contract myself out to Chloe + Isabel and Discovery Toys. Yes, yes, these are network marketing companies, you caught me! But technology has made it possible for me to use my skills to share links, pictures, promotional materials and incentives online and meet new friends and customers. I use my blog, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook accounts to share the products I love with people who have similar interests. I provide reviews, insight into how to get  the most out of your purchase, customer service, and my customers appreciate me and I them. 

I have to add, I've made more meaningful friendships in just two years doing this than I have in all my years of working anywhere else. It's so much more than a source of income.

Maybe you're reading this and wondering if it's time for a change. I posted this the other day, maybe it will resonate with you. The world needs more women like you. You are uniquely talented and brilliant by God's design and have something wonderful to offer.

Are you giving the best of yourself, your talents, your skills to something or someone that doesn't serve you or your family? Maybe it's time to make a change.

I'll leave you with this. I once went job hunting. Hired myself. Never looked back. 

The Pinnacle of Network Marketing - Paris in the Spring

About this time 2 years ago I found myself frustrated with the task of looking for the perfect job. Healthcare beat me down and wasn't worth the commute and cost of child care. And my first work from home job with Stitch Fix felt just as demanding as a "real" job, locked in to hours and quotas. I was working hard trying to figure out how to monetize my blog, reading endless articles about ways to improve my Etsy shop. Some days I wondered if going back to work was eminent.

That's when I bought the magic beans. Did ya'll grow up watching Mickey & the Beanstalk? I was obsessed.

It seems the perfect metaphor. Network marketing sounded so ridiculous to me at the time that rather than pursuing it directly, I went about representing Chloe + Isabel as a blog affiliate rather than just buying the Koolaid.

I like Kool-Aid, by the way. I grew up drinking the Kool-Aid, both literally and metaphorically. My mom sold Avon, and I thought those tiny tubes of lipstick were the greatest thing ever. And I still call anything that keeps food in the fridge Tupperware.

But then, with this company? Why am I so giddy about Chloe + Isabel? It could be that I finished my taxes and see that I made 5 figures last year from this crazy thing. Perhaps it's the check I just wrote to a friend, made possible by fundraising. Or it could be that I just got back from a trip to Paris my company paid for. I truly found the perfect "job" as a Chloe + Isabel merchandiser.

Want to see pictures of Paris? It was so magical! Monet's Gardens....

Proof I was there.

The waterlily pond

Endless flowers

Monet's home, Giverny

I did all kinds of other magical things in Paris, I spent a whole week there with my CandI sisters visiting museums, shopping, and eating everything you can imagine. And I woke up every morning, to this!

And, of course, I saw this.

And this.

Obviously this.

I bet you're wondering how you earn something like this. Is it plausible? Could YOU do it? Do you need magic beans? I've never been able to say with more confidence - you can do it!

Did I mention I have 4 kids? Did you catch the part about me running my own Etsy business? If I can do this, so can you!

You really must have 1 million questions, I know I did. I've written several posts on the subject. In short, I don't throw endless home parties or peddle my wares around town; I almost exclusively sell online. I don't pester friends & family. We have minimal quotas, no hidden fees. We enjoy 25-40% commission on sales, a 30% discount (50% when new items launch), get a ridiculous amount of free jewelry and clearly have the best travel incentives in the business.

Regarding our product, it's gorgeous jewelry with a lifetime guarantee. Our designs are exclusive, have unique convertible features and are ahead of the trend while somehow remaining timeless. Our finishes are lead free,  hypoallergenic, and made to last.

We treat our customers like royalty awarding 15% back in rewards and have the most competitive host rewards program around.

If you're thinking about joining at this point, send me a message? You are welcome to click to apply, easy peasy. But talk to me, I want to make sure you're getting the best incentives for joining! Timing is key. If you're reading this May 2018, you really don't have to write. The timing is THE best; if you reach $500 in sales come end of June, receive a full rebate on your kit!

It happens to be pretty rad right now. Come May, we started the earning period for our fall trip to Charleston, South Carolina. The kit is just $175 and includes all this goodness.

Don't hurt your eyes, I did the math. The jewelry in the kit is worth $725! Dude, I wish this was my kit. Silver, gold, rose gold goodness!

There's something though, not quantifiable, about the beauty of this thing. A culture, a community you won't find anywhere else.

If you need to know more, you're longing for adventure, hoping for success, let's talk! Find me on Facebook or click on this link: Magic Beans Let's make some magic today. I can't wait to meet you!

If you need to try before you buy, come shop with me! Discover our latest summer collection, Côte d'Azur. We're taking is to the south of France where the sand meets the sea and it is to die for!

Come hang with me, join a party and enter to win prizes for shopping in my VIP group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChloeandIsabelInsideScoopVIP/

Hope to "sea" you there!

The Silhouette Cameo 3 Review and Recommendation

In the market for a new cutting machine and wondering which to choose? Or decided on Silhouette but not sure which model is best? While I don't have a Cricut or alternate brand to compare it to, after working with different versions the Silhouette Cameo over the last 3 years I feel confident recommending it and here's why.

The Pros

1. Value
Chances are if you are considering a Silhouette you are either looking for something to replace long, laborous tasks you were doing by hand, a newer tool that works better than what you currently have, or you want to try something new. The Silhouette Cameo has become an affordable option for all.

Let's say in the past you were cutting paper shapes or vinyl stickers with hand tools, tools costing $10 to $20 each. They needed replacing frequently due to dulling? For the same amount of money you once spent on 10-20 paper punches or cutting mats and blades, the Silhouette Cameo 3 has the technology to cut an infinite variety of shapes in any size up to 12 x 12 inches.

Still not convinced? When these machines first came out they were well over $300. With competition raging and so many variations out there, the cost has dropped drastically. They often come with extra tools or add-ons (bundles) like a heat transfer kit, vinyl starter kit or sketch pens, too.

If you don't need all the extras, I recommend this basic bundle on Amazon. Admittedly, I couldn't resist spending a little more to get the heat transfer kit.

Now I know, the earlier versions are cheaper, but you'll see in the next section why paying extra for the latest version is worth it.

2. Upgrades
I've spent countless hours working with early models of the Silhouette Cameo including the first version with button controls and the Silhouette 2 with the touch screen. While I didn't see much difference between the 2, #3 has some pretty significant upgrades:

• Fully enclosed with cover down
• Digital touch screen (also present in model 2)
• Dual cutting tool cartridge 
• Autoblade
• Bluetooth capability
• Compatibility with the latest software updates (glitches with earlier models)

I am in no way knowledgeable about software or technologically savvy, but I have had conversations (in tears) with support over the limitations and problems I've had with the earlier versions of the Silhouette. There's really no way for me to know if those problems were because the earlier machines and the latest software weren't compatible, or there were flaws in the early machinery that they've corrected. All I can say is that I don't have nearly as many problems with registration marks with the latest version. For this reason alone I will pay a little bit more for the most recent model.

Here's just one of many pictures I sent my poor husband when I had trouble with the Silhouette Cameo 2. Shortly after I took this, customer service informed me that registration marks this close to the edge of the page are not read easily by Silhouette Cameo 2. This was about the time I caved and bought the 3.

Regarding the other upgrades, truthfully, I hate the new autoblade. It takes forever to "adjust" before each cut.  I've reverted to using my regular old cutting blade which works perfectly fine with the new machine. I've also never used the bluetooth function or the dual cartridge features. I can see the advantages of having these features though and hope to test them in the near future.

Cons

For me there is just one.

The original Silhouette Cameo did a much better job of "searching" for the registration marks, to the point I could move the paper significantly and they'd still get found. This gave much more life to my mats and allowed me to be lazier with paper placement. This disappeared with the Silhouette 2 and did not return with the Silhouette 3.

You can see in this picture, I've done my best to perfectly align the corner of my page with the corner of the cutting area on the mat.

You can read more on mats here. (as well as some money saving tips).

No matter which machine you choose, you're sure to find some flaws. However, I doubt you'll find a better cutting tool out there. All 3 of mine have endured a good beating from 3 little boys, the shoving of small toys into every crevice, and hours of daily use for my Etsy shop.

Seriously, if you are still cutting paper shapes using squeeze or lever punches, don't wait another minute to make the switch. My hands were numb for months before my husband surprised me with this amazing paper crafting tool for Christmas.

Good luck with your new handy helper, you won't regret it!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I only blog about things I love.

Last Minute Gift Ideas - Holiday 2016

Inevitably, every Christmas I forget someone on my holiday gift list. I shop early for nieces and nephews, my kids remind me daily to shop for them, and I pretty much remember anyone related to me. But when it comes to teachers, neighbors, and miscellaneous other friends, I always manage to have a blindspot until a week before Christmas. Then I start entertaining unrealistic ideas of baking or crafting. This year, not only am I checking my list twice, I'm buying back up gifts and have several other ideas I know I can get last minute without it looking like I did.

I thought I'd share a list of last minute gift ideas with my bloggers too, as a gift to you!

A Stitch Fix Gift Card

At first glance gift cards can come across as generic and last minute, but a Stitch Fix gift card is to a woman like Chuck E. Cheese tokens are to kids (there's another last minute gift idea, too!) When I think about gift buying, I consider my favorite things. Many people when talking about Stitch Fix describe it like "Christmas morning". It's Santa, for adults!

When you give the Stitch Fix experience to someone, you're really gifting a personal stylist. For anyone who hasn't already tried it, the concept is fun and exciting, and if they've tried it already then they are likely already obsessed.

Since the gift card is just a code, you can buy it last minute and tuck a printout in a pretty little box, or even an old Stitch Fix box if you have 1 or 7 laying around.

If you buy a gift card or decide to treat yourself, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link: click here

Subscription Boxes for a year

This sounds redundant, and Stitch Fix IS somewhat of a subscription box (you can schedule regular fixes). But this idea is like giving a magazine subscription to someone, only it's a box full of something they are interested in. Here are a few of my favorites:

For the cook: Mary's Secret Ingredients
This is a curated culinary box full of foodie goodness like ready to eat treats, seasonings, kitchen tools and recipe ideas.

For the geek: Loot Crate
This is ideal for those hard to shop for guys, but not exclusively. They have different categories to pick from like Marvel, Gaming, Sanrio and J.K Rowling's Wizard World. If you have a fan in your life, this is perfection.

For the naturalist: Etsy Subscription Boxes
This is for the friend who always smells like candles or the cousin who loves to make things. There's a subscription box for just about anything you can imagine on Etsy, from soap of the month club to sew-alongs. You can even subscribe to pie of the month!

Shop Local

I'm not talking about running to Walgreens at the last minute (been there, done that). Rather, I was thinking about those hard working small business owners in direct sales and makers who, like me, are all stocked up on merchandise and ready to help you put together a personalized gift.

I've got you covered for a pair of earrings or wrap bracelet for your sister-in-law, or a nail polish set for your child's Kindergarten teacher. I'll even wrap them for you. 

If you are in Orange County, California I have several contacts who would be happy to put together a makeup gift set (erinlovesmakeup.com), an ornament filled with nail wraps (https://kristieg.jamberry.com/us/en/) or unique planter filled with succulents (www.facebook.com/succulentsbybeverly).

Even if your direct sales friends are out of stock or live far away, most online businesses have fairly reasonable ship dates for receiving items in time for Christmas. I just visited a friends Scentsy website (https://ssiemers.scentsy.us/) and right there on the front page it says you have until Dec. 19th to order!

Make a Donation to Charity

For the philanthropist, the do-gooder in your life. Chances are if you're friends on Facebook with someone you know what causes matter to them. Perhaps they just ran a marathon for awareness. Maybe they volunteer at a shelter. Donate in their name, this is a truly special gift.

Along these same lines, I'm buying ornaments for several teachers on my list this year, the proceeds benefit a friend who is in the process of adoption.

I know it'll warm their heart to hear this story: https://www.adopttogether.org/andersonadoptionadventure

Give the Gift of Time

I don't want to get all sappy, but the older I get the more I appreciate time spent with the people I care about. Even if you decide to buy a few books for your child's playmate/family (Usborne Books) or fill a stocking with Perfectly Posh (https://www.perfectlyposh.com/Getposhedwithjackie/), when you give a gift to someone tuck a card inside with a coupon for a lunch date or make plans to have coffee over the Christmas break. Invite them to your church and share a pew this Christmas. Invite them over to watch a Christmas movie together.

In case I forget to write again before the year's end (boy is life busy these days) I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

As a small token of my appreciation please enjoy this coupon code for 25% off my entire Chloe + Isabel boutique good through the 8th! Coupon Code: FFHOL16

Happy Mother's Day + Spotlight on DK Designs on Etsy

Wedding season is in full swing and my Etsy shop is super busy with bridal shower tags, graduation party supplies and wedding favor labels. Between that, baseball season, the end of the school year and AWANA, it would be easy to come up with excuses instead of Mother's Day gifts.

But the more years I spend as a Mother myself, the more I realize the sacrifice many women in my life have made for their families. I've been looking for ways to express my gratitude and thought I'd share a few with you.

The first thing I thought of was corsages, but as you know their beauty fades. Recently I noticed a trend in polymer clay flowers in the Etsy Weddings Section. Genious, right? Gorgeous flowers that last forever, a keepsake of your special day.

So I began looking for a local maker as I was a bit pressed for time. I narrowed the search and found an Etsy seller in my own backyard, DK Designs.

I was ecstatic when Diane messaged me back saying she could work with my requests. I was looking for 3 delicate corsages in specific colors, and needed them quickly. Before I knew it, they arrived on my porch, carefully packaged in cute little gift boxes.

After I'd ordered these pretty little flowers I began to look through Diane's Etsy shop and noticed she has been featured on Martha Stewart. Naturally, I did the stalkery thing and found this video. I probably watched it years ago. Amazing, right?

The colors in each arrangement represent my children's birthstones. I can't wait to give them to special Mom's in my life as a token of my love and appreciation.

I'm also working on a few DIY clay projects (nothing Martha Stewart worthy, but fun) for my sister and friends that I hope to have time to share with you later this week. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I want to wish all of the Mom's out there a blessed Mother's Day!