It really *is* all about the packaging.  Shortly after I started CBT, I wanted to stand out from the crowd a little bit.  Create a little bit of excitement when our packages arrived.

What better way than in the packaging?  

Normally we have our famous Owl tissue paper, but our supplier was out of it when I went to pick up my supplies this past Saturday.  I brought a friend along who is creating goody bags for an event, so we decided on colourful tissue paper, of which I gave her a few set of to get her started - it was a BIG batch of tissue paper!  But no worries, I'll be popping back to my suppliers'

I picked up my boxes though...and stamped all 80 of them this morning!  They might last me a few months (more likely not at the rate we're going!).  I find the stamps make us stand out, and get customers excited when our orders arrive.  I also enjoy being able to provide a personal touch to every order (aside from the toys I create!)

I picked up this cute Feather Stamp from an Etsy seller - I'm all about supporting other Small Business owners, and this was the perfect stamp to add to my growing collection 

I also found a cute set of mini Owl & little bird themed stamps while picking up some supplies from the UPS in Ogdensburg, New York.  

It is a bit of a project, but after doing this for a few years, I just get into the stamping zone, and get them all done at once.  It's much easier for me to do big batches vs only a few.  

We won't go into how in the beginning I hand stamped Every. Single. Business Card/tag.  Thankfully Husband was kind enough to buy me business cards the first Christmas after I started CBT.  I could NOT keep up with stamping 

That's all for today for a bit more insight into the workings of Crystal's Bird Toys. 

We forget how busy the days are at times. 

I wake up early (5:30ish) when my husband wakes up for work. By 6am the pups have been out once, lunches are made, and Husband is out of the house.  Then it's time to feed the dogs, go downstairs to take care of the bird waters/food/papers. Rosco usually crawls out of his water dish hole, and we make our rounds back upstairs to let the pups back outside.  Then it's shower time, time to respond to a few customer emails, check out my favourite sites and blogs, and time to put Rosco back so I can leave for work.

Then it's an hour drive, work work work, and an hour back home.  Running with the dogs and Husband as part of our goal to run 9 minutes, walk one minute (we're at 5 and 1 currently), then time to make dinner.  Merlin tends to help us out with making dinner, and Stryder gets time on top of his cage (with Mesi if she's in the mood). Then it's time to veg out in front our tv for some downloaded X-files with dinner, and at one point and time we'll have Gideon on the couch, Fynn beside the couch, Kitten (Sax) on the side table, and Merlin on my knee. 

Our lives are sometimes an act against nature, but it works for us. I just bask in the quiet times we have together.  Whether it be nuzzling with one of the dogs, being groomed by one of the birds, or sitting reading with a few members of our zoo while reading our latest novels in our beloved Poang chairs...it's nice to just relax, smile, and know that it's a good life that we've made for ourselves. As sappy as it is, we have each other and the animals, and that really makes us happy. Anything beyond that is just the cheesecake of life (*drool* cheesecake).

Take a moment today and give each of your loved ones (including feathered and furry family members!) a hug.