Sunday, April 02, 2006

Ship Shape

Beach glass inspired copper wind chime. Shipping something like this is a challenge. After years of experience, it's now routine. For more information, or to buy this wind chime, Click here.

If only I made little paintings— something easy to ship! No, I have to make huge beach stone wind chimes and fragile glass things. Visitors to my home often ask, "How in the world do you ship these?".

After years of packing, I'm really good at it. Nothing has broken in over three years.

My most recent shipment to the UK was an expensive wind chime consisting of some of my more fragile glass. The air mail postage was staggering. Shipping something like that so far is nerve racking. Canada Post insures against loss, but not against breakage of glass. If it breaks, I'm out for the sale price plus all that postage. I mean, I pack really well, but maybe customs unwraps everything... stuff happens. So, getting an email from a happy customer is especially nice on a shipment like that.

Today I will spend time packing a deluxe bird feeder wind chime and a large, heavy beach stone wind chime. They are going to separate destinations, so that simplifies things~ when stones and glass are in the same box, it's extra tricky. Still~ it's going to take time. I'll need to cut special strips of wood to protect the wire on the stone wind chime. I will have to make a box for the big bird feeder. They will both require plenty of expensive foam. There will be a lot of packing material, because you don't want these things rolling around in the box. And lots of tape to reinforce the boxes. The customs forms will have to be completed.

Well, it's raining again, so a perfect day just to take my time and do a good job. It's worth it~ I get many compliments on my packing. People appreciate getting their order in great condition~ and it shows them I care about my work. That's true: I do care.

3 comments:

  1. This should be a museum piece and a priceless collector's item.

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  2. Well, thank you Very much Orikinla~ that's quite a compliment. Appreciate it! Tim.

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  3. you are doing absolutely great work. Good luck.
    Doris Joa

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