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kbonsall Oct 5, 2005

When you guys ship your bears to their new mommies, do you have "special" boxes that you order or do you use "any old box"?  I ususally use priority mail boxes but with my tiny bears it is kind of a waste I need one that is really tiny . any suggestions?  Thanks! 

WildThyme Oct 5, 2005

I just ran out of little boxes today!  At my old house we had a fabulous scrapbooking/paper /art supply store right down the street that sold THE cutest boxes! Anything from a one inch cube all the way up!  I just went to JoAnn Fabrics to find something similar... I did find, in the cake decorating isle, little 5 x 5 x 3.5 inch boxes plain white and made for slipping a piece of wedding cake into as a take home favor..... They weren't exactly cheap.  I think they were close to a dollar a piece, but in my opinion, presentation is always a good thing!  I wrap my minis in acid free white tissue paper, then put them into a little box that I've lined with more white tissue.  I then close the box and place a cute little sticker that I printed from my computer (with one of my bear's faces & my company name) over the edge where the box opens.  It seals it up a bit!  Then that goes into a 6x6x6 inch brown cardboard shipping box along with a note from me.  I remember when I was a kid (and still now!!!!    )  I had a few bachelor uncles who would buy us the nicest gifts, but they didn't wrap it!!!!  They'd just leave it in the store bag and hand it to us!  Even if the gift was pretty cool, it just wasn't the same as unwrapping something in a box with shiny paper and bows and such!   
Wedding cake favor boxes could probably be found a whole lot cheaper if you bought in bulk from a wedding supply place... and I know that there are lots of web store that specialize JUST in boxes... but if you are looking to pick up something local... try a craft store or a cake decorating supply store... They'll have the wedding cake boxes... Oh, you know what I just thought of!!!!  When I got married our cake boxes were actually engraved with our names and the date in silver script with the date etc.... I bet if you went to a wedding printer you could order those!!!!! That would be pretty neat... but probably  fairly expensive... I can't remember for the life of me how much ours did cost.

Beray truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

kbonsall Oct 5, 2005

you are just full of info!  I love picking your brain!  I have two of my needle felted critters to be shipped overseas (if they win the auction - there are a few days left) - two of our TT girls   so it will be a new experience...  I will try your suggestion, thanks!!! I want cute boxes and relize that just shoving them in a reused box would be kind of tacky but i didnt know where to start to look!    So exciting all this is!!! 

Wisdom Bears Oct 6, 2005

Hi,
       I order all my boxes from Viking supplies. I do think anyone buying a bear should receive it in a nice clean box.I also line mine with tissue paper too.  Hugs Rita xx

kbonsall Oct 6, 2005

I checked out walmart last night and they didnt have any in their crafts dept... I am going to check Michaels today... I agree, a clean box is better... just having trouble finding them!   

WildThyme Oct 6, 2005

Oh.... you know what, i should clarify something, since the topic of the post is "shipping boxes."   The wedding cake boxes I use to pack my minis in would NOT be strong enough to with stand the horrific amount of abuse that a poor package goes through during the shipping process.  I double box.  The wedding cake box is like the "gift box,"  but that box is shipped in a nice sturdy corrugated cardboard shipping box.  I get the 5x5x5 or the 6x6x6 shipping boxes at Wal Mart!

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

WildThyme Oct 6, 2005

I am going to check Michaels today... I agree, a clean box is better... just having trouble finding them!   :angel:

Hi Kim!  Our Michael's here in Ohio has them.... look in cake decorating/candy making..... and also in wedding supplies.....  Or look in your phone book for a wedding cake shop or candy making supply shop... we have those all over the place in Ohio... you guys must have them in PA!?

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta

kbonsall Oct 6, 2005

Yeah we do   I will try michael's and party city (I think maybe party city will be cheaper)

Tammy Oct 6, 2005

Kim, I don't know if you have Dollar stores in PA, but I get boxes there.  They are very sturdy gift boxes with lids. They have nice designs, some even have teddy bears on them.  They come in many sizes and are usually $.50-$1  per box.  Wrap the bear, add tissue , wrap for mailing and voila, a great gift to open !

kbonsall Oct 6, 2005

Yes we have plenty of dollar stores!  Great idea tammy!  And they will have tissue paper and ribbon and stuff too!  Now I have to think which one is closest.... hmmm.... I'll check out all these great ideas tonight since my hubby will be working a 36 hr shift 

Judi Oct 6, 2005

I like the idea of packinga bear in a attractive inner box but for the actual shipping box I use FREE boxes from the post office that are shipped directly to my house alongwith preprinted shipping labels.  All free, even to have them shipped to my house is free.  These boxes are sturdy and strong.  Just ask at any post office.  These are priority mailing boxes so you have to use priority shipping...which many bear buyers want you to use anyway.

Jellybelly Bears Oct 7, 2005

I post mine in the sturdy post office boxes...I make them pretty inside, but never considered adding another box inside the sturdy box lol.
Will have to keep a look out...I suppose you could really make an impression with your own style box :)
thanks girls for the ideas 

kbonsall Oct 7, 2005

I already use the Priority boxes but since the two little ones going out are only about 2 -3" tall and thought that packing it in a 9X9X9 box was a "waste" - I found tiny little white boxes at Michaels (I think they are probably about 3X3X3 or something close and then I lined the little boxes with tissue paper, closed the box, tied with raffia, put in a bigger box (can you use priority mail boxes to go overseas of just for us priority mail???) and filled with packing bubble wrap and packing bubbles (bubbles are what I consider the "bubble wrap" that is just single "balloons") and they are ready to go to their new mommies.. Good luck you two wonderful gals from  TT who bid on them! they are waiting in their boxes and ready to go!  Hopefully they wont take too long to get to you, especially since the post office is closed monday for Columbus Day..... thank you gals for all your tips!!!   

kbonsall Oct 7, 2005

OH, by the way, before I decided to package my bear in a box inside a box, I just took tissue paper and tied it at the top, kinda like a little pouch and put it in the box with the packing materials... I just wanted something more "professional"

psichick78 Oct 7, 2005

Gina, thanks for the knowledge. I was wondering if we could get free boxes from Canada Post. Too bad really. It always seems to cost so much when I ship stuff. I really wish there was a cheaper way.
I also have always packed my creations in another box, inside the large shipping one. I find it's almost like a present when you open it. And really, buying stuff like a teddy, is a present to yourself.
Heather

Tammy Oct 7, 2005

Gina and Heather you are right.  It seems so expensive to use Canada Post.  The boxes start at about $3.50 for a small (5X5X5) box I think !!!  That's crazy. 
I find the $ store gift boxes are certainly strong enough for shipping  ( the largest is only big enough for a 6" bear though).  I wrap my bears in tissue & and organza bag tied with ribbon, bubble wrap, more tissue sealed with a bear sticker , and then in the gift box.  I then wrap the box in brown kraft paper.  Whew !  Poor bear is probably suffocating in there ! 

I'm sure we all find what works best for us  !

kbonsall Oct 7, 2005

Wow! i am glad that USPS give free priority mail boxes ... so I guess I am making out when I send something priority because if it costs you guys $3.50 for a box ours are free and its if you use a 9X9X9 box and it is under 1 lb only $3.85 or so....

Judi Oct 7, 2005

They make you pay for the spit to lick the stamp with!!

GINA !   

You can buy packages of white tissue paper at the Dollar Store.  The very same can be bought at craft store for over $2.00 a package.  I stock up when I go to the Dollar Store.

WildThyme Oct 7, 2005

I got a good chuckle out of that statement too Gina!

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta

Eileen Oct 7, 2005

Alas, Gina's right!

Canada Post now allows us to print a package label and pay for the postage online, but this applies only to 'private' posting.

The gifts I send to my relatives in the US usually cost less than the postage!  :mad:

Eileen

psichick78 Oct 7, 2005

Mandie, I always seem to get dinged for customs as well. I can pay up to $30 sometimes for a package. Makes it hardly worth it.
I sure wish there was a better way.
Heather

kbonsall Oct 8, 2005

Mandie - when i sent you the ebay bill one of the options was UPS and the cheapest service was $73!!!

kbonsall Oct 8, 2005

I should have had you send some with chow mein!

Eileen Oct 9, 2005

I second that thought, Gina!

It's even worse when your husband beats you to the door and finds out what the shipping costs!!!  :doh:

Eileen

psichick78 Oct 11, 2005

Canadians beware.....UPS is $$$$$$$

I have gotten many packages from the US and they have been sent UPS.  UPS charges a 'service fee' of $30-$50 to clear you package through Customs for you!!!  That's not including the Customs fees.  Imagine my surprise when I got my order for $50 and ended up paying $80 to UPS for delivery/Customs clearance & Customs fees.  Canada Post charges $8 per package for Customs clearing.

I  :twisted: UPS

Oh my!! I guess I better be on my toes. I'm going to have to ask when i order stuff then. If I were to pay $50 plus another $30 on a package of mohair I would die!!

Thanks soo much for the heads up. Scary, they do sound Evil.

Heather