# label question for guest sized soaps



## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I am looking for ideas for packaging and labeling smaller soaps such as guest bath soaps, wedding and party favors, etc. For the party favors I am putting them in little organza bags My normal bars are shrink wrapped and I think that helps protect them and keep them clean, although can be time consuming and scent-limiting for tiny bars. Any suggestions? Also, for labeling, do you use a label on them, just a smaller one? And would you put it inside the bag or outside? I definitely don't want to pass up an opportunity for advertisement!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I have small cello bags that fit my 'mini' bars perfectly. Slip the soap in sideways and the bag folds around the back and is secured with a small piece of tape. In the front of the bar I have a mini version of my label....not as tall as the soap so you can see the soap too. I cut my full size bars into quarters for these and charge a bit more per ounce. They have been great sellers for me this year (first time I've had them since I started selling).


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

oh, now that's a great idea! I have mini-labels too. I love them, although I can't fit everything I want to on them. I've been cutting my soaps in half, but to me the square that I end up with is awkward to use for bathing. I've had requests for a smaller guest sized bar, and also for wedding favors and for these I cut my bars into about 5 pieces for an easy to use small sized soap. I like the cello idea. Sounds very easy! Thanks!


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

I package my guest sized soaps in 1 oz glassine bags. They fit a 1/4 square bar perfectly. If you are looking for a guest soap that is not square, I recently tested out using 1 1/2" PVC pipe. When cut 1/2" thick they make perfect sized guest soaps. I weighed them and they came in around .85 oz. These fit perfectly into 1 oz glassine bags as well. Here's some soaps I recently packaged up for a couple of B&B orders.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fayefarms/4844445591/


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

I basically do the same as Kathy but use my smaller label to seal the bag. I really love the glassine bags so much & with the antique label they would be so perfect for a Victorian B&B. I'm doing mostly rounds these days. So far I'm keeping to the 2.5 dia. X 5/8 thick. I don't have to wrap them for the hotel but the smaller B&Bs want them wrapped.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157624669603777/

I'm going to think about the glassine, tho. They are pretty sweet.

Jenny

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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

Crud, I just looked at my PVC pipe and it is a 2" pipe not a 1 1/2. I still cut them 1/2" thick.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Love that Jenny!


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Jenny, what kind of paper do you wrap your soap in, it's very pretty? Heather, do you mind sharing how you make those labels? Is it a program? I've tried doing my own labels on pretty cardstock and would love to do more, but I spend hours trying to cut them out all the same, and even then, I can't seem to get it right.


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

That's sandwich wrap from Costco. It comes in 12" square sheets & I run it thru my paper cutter to make four 6" sheets out of one. But i trim off all the corners to make it easier to wrap & not so bulky. That's my old cheese wrapping technique. The label secures it.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks! I noticed your label has a pretty background, did you order it like that or is it paper...or?


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

That's actually my Thistle Hill background. I have used it for years & years - was my cheese label background. I found a photo of Russian thistle on the web & messed with to get the shading right. It's my logo now. I use Print Shop for my labels. You can make any photo a background then put text boxes over with all your soap info. But I have found that a sort of random shot of flowers, mountains or what ever works best. If it has any very specific focus detail (a child's face, a single goat) your label is hard to read. You really want the background to just enhance the printing.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

It's how you use coffee filters, securing with your label for full 3 inch size PVC soaps, it's beautiful done like this in Christmas wrapping paper, or scrapbooking paper. Vicki


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

I use the Avery designing program that you can get for free. For my labels I used the Avery template for vertical business cards. The business card size works PERFECTLY for the 1 oz. glassine bags. I just grabbed an image of a frame from Fotolia. I put my writing and frame so that it would fill up 3/4 of the business card. This leaves a bit that I can fold over the top of the glassine bag and staple. 

FYI, I just discovered this on the Avery designing program and I'm still pretty excited about it. You can upload your own images and use them as the background of your label. The best part is that you can fade out the image as much as you like. That's what I did with the labels with the images.


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Yes, Avery is great. I started with that & then lost my templates when my computer crashed. Someone gave me Print Shop & I started using it, altho it's not all that great, really, but I'm used to it by now. But that's the thing about the label programs - you can edit your images to make some great backgrounds. 

My little guest soaps are to small for the coffee filters & even the cupcake papers. Someone here said to use a PVC couplers to mold the paper around the soap & I want to try that but the True Value store in Page, AZ & the Ace Hardware in Kanab, UT only have 2" PVC fittings. if I ever get over to a town that has a plumbing supply I'm going to get one to try.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks so much! I'm going to be looking at all of those today. I'm running very short of labels from online labels and want more flexibility anyway. I'm experimenting with different shapes and sizes for different "types" of soaps, so need a wider variety of labels. This is great!


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

okay, I've done a pretty card, but the background is too bright. How do I fade it out. (I'm using avery).


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Anita, do you have any photo editing software on your computer? You can do it thru that or maybe Avery has some functions that I don't remember. I use flickr to edit & also Gimp (a free download). I hate to tell you, but sometimes this is very time consuming till you get the hang of it. I don't even want to think about the hours I've spent working on labels. But, hey, it's good exercise for your brain. 

Send me your background & I'll mess with it & see if I can do anything.

Jenny


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

For Avery, insert your image as a background. Then to the left is the Opacity button. Slide the button to the left and right to adjust your image.


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Heather, are you happy with Avery? I have been using Print Shop since about 2005 when I lost all my Avery templates. I think I had trouble downloading it again & just went with PS. The one thing I like about PS is that I can print just the labels I need on a sheet & at any position on the sheet. But I'm having trouble printing some rectangular labels - it's just so fractious. Was thinking I might check out Avery again.


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

I'm on a tight budget so I have never had any sort of program like print shop. Plus it takes so much time to learn a new program I'm sure if I would want to devote the time to it right now anyway. With that said, I have been really happy with Avery. Especially since I have learned how to fade out images.


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Print shop cost me less than $30. I'm on my second version but my first version was given to me. For the price it's good but has some limitations. There are some great free photo editing programs. I love Flickr & just installed Gimp but it's so complicated. Not sure how much I will use it.


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