Dollar Store Nail Packaging
Taking something old and making it new can be fun, right? Taking these five-dollar, low quality press on nails, I created a custom package based on the popular brand, KISS, to make these nails really shine. The inner display piece is built from shaved foam blocks wrapped with a silky black fabric to imitate the classy, upscale feel of velvet packaging often found in jewelry packaging. The back of the packaging includes original illustrations that capture the dainty nature of this brand to tie the packaging together.
Bushels of Love
Bushels of love is a care packaging company that delivers the sweetest surprises to those who are nursing home patients with Dementia, Alzheimer's, etc. In a place where your loved ones many feel lonesome, our packages aim to provide them with increased mental stimulation, creativity, and an overall improved and peaceful state of mind. These packages can be as customizable as our customers desire them to be. Loved ones are able to write notes, have custom engravings, order a picture memory book with photos they treasure, and much more! The box, custom made with wood, wood stain, and hand painted lettering, is a valuable itself. Users can use it for extra storage or just to make their rooms feel more like home. Each package comes with a specially made acrylic magnolia flower on the outside, a coloring book, markers, and personalized notes from loved ones. Within the package is a textured paper filling that cushions the products and provides a more stimulating experience when opening the box with loved ones.
About the Company
Bushels of love was founded in 2023 by Madison Whitley, a college student at James Madison University, looking to bring sunshine into the lives of nursing home patients by sending them customizable care packages. She has been inspired to start the company to help bring comfort and joy to her Granddad, a dementia patient living in a nursing home.
"I started the Bushels of Love project because of my Granddad. He is a kind, gentle, and loving man who, alongside my Grammy, has inspired me, loved me, taught me, and given me so many fond memories and smiles that I will always cherish. Him and my Grammy have helped make me the person that I am today. My mission is to provide families with the opportunity to brighten the day of a loved one in a nursing home through sending these meaningful packages that help stimulate brain activities and bring comfort."
Now, you may ask, why the magnolia flower? Why Bushels of Love? When I was little, my Grammy and Granddad had a beautiful magnolia tree at their first house. The flower is a common symbol of health, beauty, perseverance, and joy. It has the sweetest smell, bringing a calming effect, and its symbolism is everything I aim to capture in this experience. The magnolia brings back so many memories for me, and it is very nostalgic to my family. Every time we spent the night with my grandparents, we would sit on the porch in front of that very tree, and they would sing my sister and I a song... "I love you, a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck..." and then we'd be tackled with the best hugs! It was the most comforting feeling, and I want others to experience this, too.
Prototyping
Construction
During this phase, I worked closely with the wood shop staff to create the best dimensions for the magnolia shaped box. Using Adobe Illustrator, we finalized the file and transferred it to the CNC machine to cut the perfect, clean-cut shape. Afterwards, I layered the outlines of the wooden flower together to built up a tall, sturdy wall to create depth in the box.
The Final Product
The final product includes the fully assembled, stained, and painted wooden box with the acrylic flower mounted on the inner cutout of the logo. The stain used is a mahogany stain and the paint is an acrylic green that is used in the logo. The lettering and magnolia logo are hand painted on. Using laser cutting technology, the acrylic flower pieces were individually cut based on color to resemble the original logo design. All of the pieces were then sanded and assembled using spray mount.
The inner package includes a fun, textured paper filling to provide a colorful and stimulating experience for the receiver of the care package. A booklet about the company and the package is included within the box so the receiver is aware of what is included. Additionally, two coloring books, a set of markets, and a box of hand written letters from loved ones.
