How I Turned Birthday Party Dreams into a Thriving Etsy Business

Shared By Luana Ortega, Founder of CraftyLulusbyLuana

Hi! I’m Luana Ortega — a wife, a stay-at-home mom of two girls, and a passionate creator. I began crafting in 2022 after having my first daughter. I own an Etsy shop, CraftyLulusbyLuana, where I sell personalized gifts and party decor. In my shop, you’ll find party items like cake toppers, party favors, and banners, along with gifts such as frames and puzzles.

My business vision came to me right before my daughter’s birthday.

I wanted to be able to create everything for her special day. I designed her cake topper, banner, party favors, 3D letters, and so much more. After that day, I knew I wanted to share my creativity with the world.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was shipping.

It was — and sometimes still is — very intimidating. I often wondered what size box to use, whether I used enough bubble wrap, and where to purchase shipping labels. This challenge is something I’m slowly overcoming with each order I ship. So far, I’ve only had one package arrive damaged. I now use about 3–6 box sizes regularly, which has helped eliminate sizing worries. I also do a “shake test” on every order to make sure nothing moves inside the box if it’s shaken or handled roughly.

When I started selling my products, I realized there are endless themes for parties, and some themes are harder than others to find decor for. That’s when I decided that party decor like cake toppers, banners, and party favors would be perfect products to offer because they can be fully customized to fit any theme and age.

The first branding item I invested in was packaging labels.

I love adding my branding to everything I send out. For local orders, I add a label with my branding and QR code to all bags. For online orders, I also place similar branded labels inside and outside the shipping boxes. I’ve found that adding labels allows my brand to be seen by everyone who comes across my packages. In fact, my branding has even caught the attention of the post office workers I hand my boxes to!

Some budget-friendly steps I’ve taken to build my brand include creating my own logo, designing and printing my own thank-you cards, and making my own packaging labels to add a personalized touch to each order. I also enjoy taking product photos on solid color backgrounds so the product remains the center of attention. MUNBYN has played a huge role in helping me print shipping and packaging labels for all my orders, both local and online.

My advice to other solo sellers is simple: just start.

When orders are slow, use that time to create and come up with new ideas. Sharing those ideas will attract more customers. I’ve been doing this consistently, and I truly believe it has helped my Etsy shop grow.

If you’re a solo seller like me, I encourage you to join the MUNBYN “Highlight Your Hustle” campaign to share your business story and connect with other creators. Hearing from others who are going through similar challenges helps you learn, share knowledge, and build a supportive community. Creators need to come together and support each other!