I Did It!

I am obsessed with Etsy.

And it's getting to be a problem.

An expensive problem. I have the app on my phone and when I can't sleep, it's just way too accessible.

Dang Paypal.

Anyhoo, a few months ago (well over a year), I was on Etsy and found the most adorable round address labels I had ever seen. 

I knew immediately that I had to have them.

(Even though it's sad that correspondence via USPS is getting really outdated. Remember when it used to be fun to check the mail?! Now all that's waiting at the corner are bills and junk mail that I immediately throw in the trash ----> the junk mail, not the bills).

Anyway, I am trying to go old school and send more cards to loved ones. If nothing else, to at least make checking the mail a little more exciting. Plus, I have 100's of cards in boxes in a random closet that should probably go to good use. You know, from back in the day when I had time to make cards. I kind of miss it.

So, back to the labels. They were cute, so I ordered some. Which happens way too often when I peruse the Etsy merchandise. There is a ton of cute crap on that site. I was not disappointed when I received them in the mail a few days later. They were super adorable and fun to use.

But, they were expensive. I can't remember how much, but I remember thinking that it was silly that I was spending so much for something that isn't really that necessary. I mean, I could just write my return address for crying out loud, right?

So, like most cute & un-necessary stuff, there had to be a way that I could make it myself. After all, I do know a thing or two in Photoshop. So, I set out to learn for myself. It actually turned out to be quite a labor-intensive project. Not only did I have to figure out how to design the label {find images, learn how to type in a circle - aka: type on a path (thank you YouTube), figure out sizing and resolution}, but I also had to figure out how to print them. I ordered blank labels online and downloaded the template from the same website and excitedly skipped (not really) to the print shop last week, certain that I was about to reap the cute rewards of my hard work.

I was really bummed when the copy girl handed me the printed sheet and I saw that the images did not match up with the labels at all.

It was a total bust.

However, I was so close to figuring it out that there was no way I was stopping.

I'm happy to say that all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears (not really all of those) culminated into success on Saturday.

Hooray!!

I've done a few designs but am too tired to post more than one.

I know it's not a cure for cancer or really anything super impressive or important but I believe that achievement builds confidence and to be truly happy in life, it's important to find joy in the small things.

The small round things.

Plus, it's fun when you're able to create something new.