Taking more photos of pillows today… it always amazes me how long it takes to photograph things for the shop. Working hard to get more stuff added, I know many of you are working on spring cleaning already, and will want a fresh new pillow to liven up your newly organized living room.
2012 was a great year here at Cotton & Flax! It was our first year under the new brand, and it was wonderful getting to debut new products and patterns all year long. I loved sharing my process and behind the scenes peeks here on the blog, and I am excited to share even more with you all next year. I thought it would be fun to look back at the top three most popular posts on the Cotton & Flax blog for 2012!
Every month, I share a new iPhone wallpaper featuring one of my pattern designs, and it’s absolutely free to download! My third most popular post this year was the wallpaper download for October.
The second most popular post on the Cotton & Flax blog this year? My gift guide for guys! Gotta love a good set of coasters, right?
My most popular post, by a pretty wide margin, was the hand printed gift wrap DIY I posted in August! It’s a great, simple DIY that can be personalized in so many ways. The hand stamped envelope liner DIY was similarly popular, as well!
So farewell, 2012! It was a great year, but 2013 promises to be another year of fun projects and new products to share. What are you most looking forward to in 2013?
The coasters I debuted this year turned out to be a huge hit! In fact, I only have one set left, the adorably festive red wool coasters with the white plus pattern. In the spirit of the holidays, I’d like to give this coaster set to one of you lovely readers!
TO ENTER:
1. Leave a comment on this post, telling me your favorite holiday beverage. Make sure to leave a way for me to contact you (email, twitter, etc.)
2. For an additional entry, follow Cotton & Flax on Twitter or Facebook, and let me know that you did in the comments here on the blog! If you’re already following, just let me know as well.
The giveaway is now closed, congrats to Kaitlyn Miller who won the coaster set! Thanks to everyone for playing, hope to do another giveaway sometime in the coming months.
Have I ever shown you how I package up my online orders? With the holiday season approaching, I’ve been looking for simple ways to make sure my items arrive at their destination safely, but also retain a special quality that will make you feel like you’re opening a gift. Obviously packaging things safely and securely is my number one concern (no one likes to receive a damaged item), but I also want my customers to enjoy the process of unwrapping their new item.
I’ve been guilty of leaving gift buying to the last minute, which is why I offer lots of different options for shipping. If you need something in a rush, just send me a message on Etsy, and I’ll get you upgraded to Priority Mail or Express Mail (and I can often send your items out just a few hours after you buy!)
There’s nothing worse than receiving something in the mail, and then having to discard a million packing peanuts, or those weird plastic air packets. I strive to use beautiful recyclable or reusable materials, and to be conscientious in how much material I am using to ship an item. I love to offer free gift wrapping to my customers, too! Upon request, I generally wrap all of my items in 100% recycled tissue paper, and then secure it with a patterned sticker (my own design!), a cute piece of washi tape, or cotton twine (see the first photo above). I can also include a thank you note, which is also made from recycled paper and decorated with my original designs.
The holiday season is fast approaching, and I have been searching for ways to personalize my holiday gifts this year. This week, I’ll be featuring five posts about how to make your gifts look pretty and polished, and sure to bring a smile to your loved one’s face.
First, did you know that Cotton & Flax offers free gift wrapping both online, and in person (at Unique LA, Renegade LA and SF)? Well, it’s true! I am always happy to wrap up gifts with a little tissue paper and beautiful ribbon or cotton twine, and I’ll even include a handwritten note so you can send items directly to the intended recipient. I’ll be posting photos of standard Cotton & Flax gift wrap tomorrow, so stay tuned.
I’m feeling very thankful around here. Thankful for my blog readers, thankful for my customers, thankful for all the wonderful, creative people I’ve met this year. Just wanted to pop in to say that I’m truly grateful for the kindness you readers have shown me since I started Cotton & Flax, and I feel so lucky to share my work with you all. Next week I’ll be featuring lots of DIY projects and even a couple freebies as a token of my appreciation.
For those of you who celebrate the holiday, Happy Thanksgiving!
