Empty After Thought Syndrome

here is the scenario - there are two empty boxes on the floor
here is the decision - final must be made off the top of your head
here is the action - operation stuff as much stuff as you can
here is the opening - turn the key to the nest
here is the celebration - Christmas and your birthday
here is the predicament - lost and found or find and seek
here is the quandary - conglomerate or bestow
here is the remorse - why?

welcome home

The New Sophisticated Look

Yay! My rubber stamp order came in from Custom Stamp & Engraving Ltd.

These stamps are mainly for the packaging of the Northern Faerie Line. I wanted to keep this box clean, simple but sophisticated. I am not sure if I will re-order the Kraft Pinstripe style of boxes or whether I will go with a colour and I haven't really done much research yet but will definitely need to decide soon.

The smaller Generation 1 faeries have a cubed box that is 4x4x4 inches in diameter. I have always put my company name and the larger icon stamp around the outside. On the top of the lid, there are 4 jewelled flat back gems and then it is tied off with two strands of raffia (purple and gold {the gold was one of my original colours for the company until I changed it to green as gold was too hard to find in tissue paper and other packaging items}). I loved the fun look to this style of packaging.

The original packaging for the Northern Faerie Line was quite similar to the smaller Generation 1 style. The box of course is larger being 4x4x6 inches in size. I did not include tying it off with raffia though.

The Northern Faerie Line has a more grown-up look and feel to it. As these faeries are being promoted as collectables - collect the whole line idea - I wanted boxes that looked the part. I'm very happy with the outcome.

Now, I have had to blur out some of the wording as those faeries have not yet been released. The winner of the Northern Faerie for being my 1000th visitor to 'like' my Facebook page did choose a faerie that will not be released until the end of the year and this is her packaging.

So, what do you think??

GENERATION 1 PACKAGING

ORIGINAL NORTHERN FAERIE LINE PACKAGING

NEW NORTHERN FAERIE LINE PACKAGING

The new stamps with everyone's names :)

The New Digs and the Watchers!

I was fortunate enough to get a hand-me-down wooden cabinet. Now as my little nursery is already full to the brim with...well...shelving units (7 of those), tables (4 of those), chairs (3 of those), little drawer cabinets (8 of those), old microwave stand, computer tables/stands (2 of those), corner stand, behind the couch table that has drawers at the bottom, wooden night stand, rolling plastic tray shelving unit (two of those), shelving units hubby built...oh and almost forgot 2 hanging wooden cabinets. So...where on earth was I going to put this new cabinet?? And, what was I going to put in it.

Well with a bit of rearranging....I found the perfect spot for it. Right beside me now. Just to the right of me up against the slated wall hubby built.

And what do you think I found to put in it?? The Clay Potters!! Instead of them being in long skinny boxes with cut out flaps (everything has to be protected from Lady Isabella, the mean ole puddy tat!!) they now have a new home! They are all lined up with little name tags placed on the shelf so I know who is who. I even printed out each of their pictures with their full names written on them!

My only problem is...I feel soooo guilty! Sure, they are now not squished, all together, no worries about breakage, easy to get to...but but but....doesn't the picture look like they all belong to the movie I, Robot when they find Sonny in the warehouse?? All standing so neatly in a row!!

http://www.wittybadger.com/top-movies-featuring-artificial-intelligence/

And the faeries have their own watchdogs...LITERALLY!!  Fionn and Ciaran watching over everyone.

You can see more of the pictures in their Facebook photo album.

Secret Project??

It seems that while I was out of the nursery the Faeries started a project all on their own. As I am only hearing snippets here and there, I can't say for sure I know exactly what they are up to...but I did manage to snap a few photos!

I have been finding little piles of 'stuff' tucked into baskets and hiding behind boxes and containers? It certainly is quite the collection that they have been gathering.

And are those sparkles in those bottles?? Where on earth did they find those? And I'm thinking that someone must have snuck up and raided my pantry for the food colouring bottles... they are pretty colours though :)

A basket of the pretties blue marbles I have ever seen. Sure hope they didn't drop any as I don't want anyone stepping on one and falling! Best I check the floor VERY carefully.

What on earth are they doing? What an eclectic collection this is...what all is in there...a stamp, beads, buttons, coins, ribbons, feathers, sequins, string...and is that a bread bag clip?? What???

Having to Say 'Goodbye'

So, okay....I get the whole big picture thing, really I do. I understand that I make Flower Petals Faeries and that these said Flower Petal Faeries are for sale. I get it!!

But, this past week I made my first sale to someone that I didn't know, or wasn't a friend of a friend, or a family member or or or....this sale was to a complete stranger.

Which remember, I get it. I make Flower Petal Faeries and that they are for sale.

I have a website, Etsy, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest and this blog.....all advertising that I make Flower Petal Faeries and that they are for sale.

So my reading audience....tell me this....why did I go through 3 days of anxiety, withdrawal symptoms and separation issues for 2 wee little faeries that I had to loving fill out their guardianship papers, gently place them on top of the crinkled paper and slowly, ever so slowly close the lid. Then I bawled!

All of the those bad 'what if' questions just started to pour into my head and there was NO stopping them. What if they had a cat that would be allowed to paw at them, knock them over and go hide them under a bed somewhere? What if they had a dog that just ate them? What if they had put them away on the back end of a shelf just to collect dust? What if they didn't like them and they just tossed them into the garbage? What if? What if? What if? What if?

After holding my breath for long enough....off I went on Tuesday morning and said my final farewells through a packing box and then into their individual boxes. So long Faerie Jewel. So long Faerie Goldie. I love you with everything that I am. I will miss you. Please take care. Please know that all of the other little Faeries in the nursery will miss you.

Good bye.

Newest News from the Nursery

It has been a week of getting little things done that don't really seem to amount to much but still they need to be done.

Check list:

Order new paper cutter. I figured the nursery needed a paper cutter of its own so I could cut out the new guardian ship papers and all of the little cards that go with an order. Note to self....paper cutters are sharp! Figured I had it all under control with just two little bandaids and a larger on top until I bent my fingers down. Next step off to find hubby to assist with stopping the bleeding. I hadn't even cut one piece of paper and I was banned from using the new paper cutter for almost a week! Back to normal now, good scars mind you....but I have developed a good working relationship with my new paper cutter (it was a wee bit tense there for awhile).

Order new business cards. Yes, this is now my third set of business cards. Now that the Faerie Nursery has an official logo and font and website I have now attempted hopefully my last for awhile order of new business cards. Just got my notification from Vista Print that they have been placed in the post :)

Order a new monitor for the iMac. My computer screen has now developed the most annoying mind you pretty coloured lines on it. While the lines themselves are quite attractive and make the coolest of designs I have finally broken down and ordered a new stand alone monitor so I can see things a bit better. On a side note, I ordered the new monitor from the same place I got the new paper cutter from. I was ensured that there would be NO sharp corners on the new monitor. 

Business meeting with 'secret partner' Debora. We had another awesome brainstorming session earlier on this week. A new work schedule has been developed so we can get a good handle on hopefully a VERY successful upcoming Christmas season. 

Etsy, who would have thought that there was sooo much to do behind setting up an Etsy Shop. Almost done though and should be able to place my first faeries on this weekend.

Website is up and running and a big thank you goes out to Shawn. There are still a few tweaks that we find but only stuff that is behind the scenes. I think it looks fantabulous myself. 

Doors are now being drawn out. As I am unable to actually cut out the doors, hubby dearest will be doing this daunting task for me (as from above, me and sharp objects do not get along that well). With it being the long weekend this will be a great time for the doors to be cut as it will allow me to do the sanding when it is nice out. 

Order new miniatures. We have decided to allow the customer to customize their kit when ordering a faerie, door and trinket chest. As getting these new miniatures in take added time to new guardians receiving their faeries, we have decided to preempt and order a few things ahead of time. The trinket chests themselves will not have any products removed or substituted out but these specialized items will come in their own wee little paper bag for you to give to your faerie.

Accounting books are always a daunting task but I have been able to keep things in line and am completing my log entries once a week. The paperwork behind a company is always the must UN-FUN part of it all. 

Packing boxes, we are in the process of ordering new packing boxes as we never thought beyond our faeries! There will now be boxes available for shipping out doors, faeries and trinket chests both in the gift box style for local purchases and in the corrugated cardboard for mailing. There will also be shipping boxes for the teacups and faeries together as well. 

So as you can see, lots has been done over the last week or so but only the stuff that is behind the scenes. 

The nursery staff will be doing another walk soon to see if there are any new seed pods that need to be collected...that's the FUN part :)

Progress...

Yes, we are making progress :)

Great news on the webpage. Shawn is now just doing the final testing of the page links and setting up the domain. We have set a target launch date of May 1st for it coming on-line. This site will list all of the petal faeries that are available to find new guardians and new adventures. 

I have commissioned a wonderful story written by Meagan that will be presented on the 'about us' page. She was able to come and visit the nursery for inspiration, I am very pleased with the outcome and I can't wait for you all to read it. 

Along with the website, shortly afterwards the Enchanted Pathways Faerie Nursery Etsy store front will open. 

All of our disclaimer and box labels along with our new 'guardianship' cards have been printed. Thank you so much to Sherry with The Business Center. Please visit her website for any of  your printing needs, websites and soooo much more. You can reach her through this link: The Business Center

So many great things happening. I hope you all come along and enjoy the development of our little project. 

We guardians of the nursery are heading south for a few days (I have a new grandson Dominic, that needs to be held and my little granddaughter Rebecca needs to have her Amma Emm to play with). 

I look forward to sharing all these new and exciting events once I get back.