Staying True to Your Brand: Bricks & Baubles

When it comes to running a small business, it’s important to stay true to your brand so that you can build a targeted clientele base. But it’s not the easiest if you’re on a budget. Ashley Ramsey of Bricks & Baubles has been working on a formula to do just that. The jewelry business’ mission statement is “Live beautifully, give generously.” To Ramsey, living beautifully is not just about personal style, but how one spreads kindness and positively affects people around them. She said her beloved nanny always told her, "Pretty is as pretty does."

So besides showcasing a glitzy, sparkly and natural style, Bricks & Baubles also gives back to the community and to the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of Ramsey’s nanny. They donate 10 percent of every piece of jewelry they sell. Ramsey originally chose rubber stamps as a professional labeling solution for Bricks & Baubles’ seasonal home accessory line, stamping on canvases and pillows. Happy with the result, she decided to use stamps on the business’ packaging as well. Stamping the jewelry boxes was much cheaper and faster than her old process of attaching business cards to the lids.

Throughout the process, Ramsey always had her mind on the continuity of Bricks & Baubles’ brand. “Finding the right color to contrast on my boxes was difficult though. I really wanted to use a metallic gold or silver, but neither popped on our signature pink boxes,” she said. “Black was the most legible and crisp, but wasn't in keeping with our brand, so I landed on loading my stamp with both gold and black ink so that the label is clearly read, but also has some sparkle. It is so pretty!”

Ramsey also started stamping the tissue paper used in her packaging to add a custom touch. “It is perfect for packaging larger orders and the hard-to-wrap items like pillows,” she said. “I use a light pink ink on a white tissue paper – but I think I need to invest in a self inking stamp before the holidays!”

Tell us how your small business got started, why you do what you do, and how you decided to use rubber stamps in your business. We'd love to share your story with others and inspire more people to support small and dream big!