Help Plant Another 500 Trees

Our posts this past week focused heavily on Environmentally Friendly products and innovation. Several years ago we started partnering with family owned business whose innovative and ideas extend beyond products. How?

For every wood or recycled cork project, BCG plants a tree. Last year over 500 trees were planted and counting! We partnered with BCG Creations  on several products last year including custom awards and keepsake ornaments like these for Peak Lab Rescue and lapel pins.

 What types of products can be made from wood or recycled cork? 

• coasters
• gifts, employee messages right at the desk, easy to package direct mail
• key tags 
• new home owner, rentals, customer loyalty redemption's
• log Cut Items- key tags
• bottle openers
• Expo item, beverage stores, bar, home services, home products- grills, hardware
• ornaments
• fundraiser, collectible images, thank you for business
• door hangers 
• hotels for pet inside room, shhh new baby, invite to local businesses to patronize 
• garden stakes  
• perfect gift for new home owner or prospect looking to plant roots locally
• name plates
• unique desk item
• pins 
• recognition, commemorative, unity, identification
• bookmarks
• incentive to read, thank you to customers, campaign to "bookmark" services

Keep in mind for wooden products there are 2 sides-  
Sponsor logos or variable data can be added to the second side! 

Beyond wood and cork- our friends at BCG have proven to be a great partner for custom metal work. Ask us to share some of our favorite promotions with you!

Help us plant another 500 trees with products created with this innovative partner.

Pencil Me In

PPPPPP- that's the sound of pencils tapping on desks around the globe. Why? It's National Pencil Day!

Yesterday we teased that there is a perfect pair to paper and I hope you figured out it was a pencil. Pencils are the perfect promotion for so many reasons. Don't believe me, let's grab some paper and make a list.

1. Do you need to divide attendees into discussion groups? Use assorted pencil colors to hand out at registration

2. Would you like to change the attitude of a new program at work?
3. Shop local? Try using USA Made
4. Target audience is kids? This one's a gem, a jewel and attention seeker
5. Corporate challenge? Stock themes are the answer- race to see the winner
6. Cause? Awareness? Yep, we have those stock images
7. Does your business save others money, help make wise financial decisions?
8. Maybe you want to draft a new way to looking at an old idea?
9. Colored lead- not just for correction.
10. Earth Day connection- recycled currency and denim newspaper
11. Tradeshow booth with golf game? Sponsor of golf event?
12. Budget friendly? How about this special $.15 each! 
13. Even craft a custom pencil!

Now that you've considered 12 new ways to make your mark with your target audience- enjoy a quick video showing how pencils are made and a video showing how they become decorated with your message!  If you are ready to craft a plan, no better place to sketch out your ideas than with our professional team. 

A Picture's Worth A 1000 Words

Surely you've heard the saying, a picture's worth 1000 words. Being a visual person, I'd agree with that statement! 

Yesterday I wrote that NC partner JournalBooks was creative; today I'm showing you. Whether you are look for smart pages to scan, holographs, tear away information bands to highlight key sponsors, die cut logos, full color photographic images, punch out business cards, special gift packaging or adding in custom bookmarks- JournalBooks prints and cuts innovation. 

Ready for new ideas? Take a closer look at some new ways of looking at paper here. 

What pairs well with paper? Check in tomorrow for the answer.

When Magic Happens

If you've noticed our blog posts this week have been featuring Eco-Smart products, in celebration of next month's Earth Day. Creativity is important to our company, so we look for partners that deliver on creativity. Our North Carolina, yes homegrown, partners at Journalbooks has a company motto that reflects their commitment to bringing you the newest, most innovative and most interesting products. Their motto is: Bold, Fresh, Current and the “Magic Happens” in our facilities right here in North Carolina.


You might be thinking that paper is not an Eco solution, after all it requires trees. However you might be interested to learn that JournalBooks has been Eco for years. Think about it, while a product might be made with Eco properties is the manufacturing process also considering the environmental impact? What's been the commitment from this company? Environmental stewardship is a long-standing pillar of their corporate culture. It is a commitment they make to their customers, to their  employees, to their community and the world. Each year they challenge themselves to develop more "green" products made exclusively from recycled materials and produced according to environmentally-friendly standards. Search EcoBooks products.

What are some of JournalBooks EcoFacts?

• Their very first cover materials were 100% post-consumer recycled paperboard back in 1996.
• They use vegetable-based inks and water-based press solutions that can be absorbed quickly and safely back into the environment.
• Their standard wire binding is lead-free and made from recycled scrap metal.
• They stock over 50 recycled cover materials including recycled paperboard, poly and leather options.
• Their stock filler paper contains 30% post-consumer recycled content, with optional upgrade to 100% recycled EcoFill

Here's an image of a journal we created for ourselves with this partner and you'll find more success stories in the case studies section of our website.  Are you inspired to create some magic for your next event? Let us show you some innovative ways to tell your story with this Eco Smart company.

Gifting The Earth

It's always exciting as a woman business owner when I can partner with another woman owned business. Besides doubling up on the girl power; bonus points are created when we partner with a supplier that is also artistic! Yep, as an art teacher I made paper with many students over the years .

Earth Day is less than a month away. It seems fitting to highlight a product that offers a wow as a promotion and then "re-gift's" itself when complete; by growing flowers - now that's a worthy Earth Day celebration. 

One of their most notable campaigns from Symphony Seed Papers , a woman owned company, created a holiday ornament card (ORC-Dove) for The Ellen Degeneres Show, shown here.

Cardstock for this creative line is made from 100% recycled materials, meaning it is also recyclable. (Ask me about how much fun it is to make your own pulp, creating your own special blend)

What are some of types of seeds or papers can you find in the pulp from this partner? 

• Shredded money
• Written prayers
• Lavender buds
• English Daises
• Even Basil or Dill

All seed paper products are biodegradable, organic, locally-sourced and laboratory tested. The seeds are so real, that their owner, Laura, once shared with me that paper that's been stored for a long time often starts to germinate.

We've done a variety of fun promotions using seed papers. Papers have been designed for:

• Ground Breaking Ceremonies
• Weddings
• Recycling programs in the workplace
• Dollar signs for saving money for corporate travelers at area hotels
• Corporate Events- like the one here for Maple View Farms 

One of my favorite's- The Scared Pancake, for BugFest. The intent of BugFest is to educate kids what happens when they bring non indigenous bugs into the state. The maple leaf (OR-M-55) insert shared a story detailing how the Asian Longhorn Beetle eats the maple tree, which is where we get maple syrup. No syrup=Scared Pancakes!

Are you interested in learning more about what Eco options for your next promotion?

Our April newsletter will detail several of our favorite partners for earth friendly products.