It's Gotta Be the SHOES!

That's my ode to Spike Lee and the awesome Nike commercials of the 90's.  But now to this week's Threads Talk topic....Embroidered shoes.  Ahhh, this is a question that we get asked quite a bit especially for weddings, "can you embroider shoes?"  Sorry to say...we can't.  Not because it's not possible but because we do not have the shoe clamp equipment that is required to mount the shoes on the machine for embroidery.  It's a pricey little thing and we just aren't able to justify the cost at this time.  But not to worry, just because we can't do it doesn't mean all is lost.  We try to help in any way we can so we've scoured the web and found a couple of places that offer some options to spiff up those wedding kicks after all.  Dig your Chuck Taylors and Vans out of the closet and get ready to pimp them out.  Please note that we've never actually ordered from these places before so we can't vouch for them.  Please do your due diligence before ordering.  Hope this helps.  If you do order, let us know how the shoes came out, we'd love to know!

Option 1: Etsy

The sellers on Etsy use flossing which means they are actually hand embroidering your name/design on the shoes.

Etsy sellers:
baileybanksgirl 

Photo Credit: Etsy

Flossworks
 

Photo Credit:: Etsy

Option 2: DesignMySoles.com

This site uses machine embroidery and also donates $1.00 of every sale to various charities according to its website.

Photo Credit:: DesignMySoles.com

Subtle Touches for a SUPER-Wedding!

Photo Credit:: Dulce

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a SUPER-wedding!  So what makes a wedding super?  Well, that's an easy one.  When two people who are in love are able to share their special day with their family and friends with great food and fun...that's a super wedding in my book.  :)  This post will be a little biased since the wedding I'm calling "super" is my very own.  I recently married the love of my life and we had the best day ever.  Being able to celebrate with our loved ones was more than we could ever ask for but the fun that we had was icing on the cake.  We incorporated our interests and favorite things (i.e. Superman and love birds) to create a theme that was all our own and represented US.  By personalizing and customizing our gifts and favors, we were able to add some subtle and not-so-subtle touches to make our wedding unique to us.  C'mon now, you knew I would tie in custom printing and embroidery somehow! :)  It is Threads Talk after all.  Check out what we did and feel free to comment.  Enjoy!

Man, those are some "fly" socks!  Photo Credit:: Dulce

It's all in the packaging.  Photo Credit:: Dulce

That's "off the cuff!" Photo Credit:: Dulce

Word play w/ transfers - Wedding Date: 12-22-2012  Photo Credit:: Dulce

Embroidered favors...classy!  Photo Credit:: Dulce

Name droppin'!?!?

In most cases, name dropping is used by those obnoxious guys who act like they know anybody and everybody or by people who are trying to get a discount.  You know those people who say, "Oh, do you know Jim?  He's my brother's best friend's cousin's son in-law."  It's usually not so great when people name drop.  But in the wonderful world of embroidery, name dropping is AWESOME!  By using pre-digitized stock designs such as the ones below, we can create a custom logo for your sports/school team easily and efficiently.  No setup fees, no fuss, just let us know your team or school name and VOILA, it's done!  Name dropping is terrific for people who don't have a custom logo and/or limited design skills or budget.  Cool huh?  Drop it like it's hot, drop it like it's hot... :)

BEFORE

AFTER

   

Product of the Month: Calculator Business Card Holder

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Welcome to 2013!  We hope all of you had a fantastic holiday season and are raring to have another terrific year.  Last year was fabulous for us and we're looking forward to having even a better 2013.  So let's start things off with something totally practical and will help to get your business off to a great start.  This handy dandy business card holder is not only a carrier for your contact info. but it also has a built in calculator to help you seal the deal or at least figure out tip for lunches or dinners. ;)

Calculator Business Card Holder
SM-3105

Product Features

Includes solar calculator with business card holder/dispenser. Silver metal twist ballpoint pen with blue ink.

Material
Plastic

Item Size
2-11/16" H x 3-7/8" W x 7/16" L

Decorating Information

Silkscreened
1/2"H x 2"W

Item Size
2-11/16" H x 3-7/8" W x 7/16" L

• Setup Fee: $50.00 per color
• Min. order: 150 pieces
• Turnaround time: 10-15 business days

•   $2.57 each

  *shipping cost not included

Promotional Product of the Month - Book Light w/ Laser Pointer

Help your clients see the light this new year with this nifty Book light w/ Laser pointer!  They'll thank you for helping them read their sales reports and zapping out the numbers that they don't want to see with the laser!  Okay, it's really not that kind of laser but it's cool nonetheless.

Book Light with Laser Pointer
SM-9755

Product Features

Single white LED book light. Red laser pointer. Adjustable neck. Magnetic base. Durable metal clip

Material
Lacquer-coated brass

Item Size
6-1/2" H x 1/2" D

Decorating Information

Silkscreened
5/16"H x 1-1/8"W

Laser Engraved per side (silver engraves gold, black engraves silver)
5/16"H x 1-1/8"W

Item Size
6-1/2" H x 1/2" D

• Setup Fee: $50.00 per color
• Min. order: 150 pieces
• Turnaround time: 10-15 business days

•   $4.37 each

  *shipping cost not included

Promotional Product of the Month: Tech Tip Stylus

With the newly released iPad Mini, Nexus 7 32GB, Galaxy Note and the iPad 4 aka the 4th generation iPad, it's a sure bet that tablets will be more ubiquitous than ever.  It's likely that some of your best Clients will be toting these babies around to meetings or just for fun.  The holidays are just around the corner so what better gift to give than an accessory that they can use with their tablet (with your biz name on it of course).  Check out this handy dandy Tech Tip Stylus.  It has a stylus to help keep the tablets fingerprint-free and when it does get smudges, there's a built in microfiber cloth.  Double bonus!  No way!  Yes way. :)

Tech Tip Stylus
#CA500

Product Features

Soft rubber stylus for touch-screen devices.  Pull off cap to expose microfiber screen cleaner inside.

Material
Plastic

Item Size
2-1/2" W x 1-1/8" L x 7/16" H

 

Decorating Information

Silkscreened per side
3/8"H x 1-1/2"W

Item Size
2-1/2" W x 1-1/8" L x 7/16" H

• Screen Print Setup Fee: $50.00 per color
• Min. order: 250 pieces
• Turnaround time: 10-15 business days

•   $0.99 each

  *shipping cost not included

Jersey Time....

Nope, we're not talking about the Jersey shore or the New Jersey Nets moving to Brooklyn but about some good old b-ball jerseys for your leagues.  The NBA season tips off in a week and you know how we all get when we see the stars do their thing....we start wadding up paper balls and tossing them towards the waste basket at work and shooting imaginary jumpers to practice our form.  Next thing you know, you've signed yourself or your kids up for three b-ball leagues at your neighborhood rec park.  So since you're gonna act the part, why not look the part too and get your team some nice jerseys to show off your team pride.  Those duct tape and sharpie name and numbers on your old, nasty t-shirts aren't going to cut it this season!  While you can get some uber-fancy get ups, most of us just want something simple and affordable like this Holloway Halfcourt Tank.

HOLLOWAY HALFCOURT TANK
Style 229508

Description

• Dry-Excel™ Perform close-hole micromesh, reverses to dry-Excel™ Fresh Micro-Interlock, polyester knit
• Wicking and anti-microbial n Fully reversible
• Bottom hems not sewn together for easy decoration access

Sizes

XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL

Available Colors

Black/white, Forest/white, Light Gold/white, Maroon/white, Navy/white, Orange/white, Purple/white, Royal/white, Scarlet/white

$30.00 each (XXS-XL)
*Includes team/school name and 6" number on the front and 8" number on the back.

Minimum order: 12 pieces
Turnaround time: 10 business days

Quick Tip: Claim your listings!

In this day and age, virtually anyone can post information on the web.  People have their own blogs, post reviews and often times we take what is posted as fact.  Sites like Yelp, Facebook places and foursquare more or less rely on crowdsourcing for their information.  A lot listings of businesses are created without the business owner's knowledge.  This is why it is so important for you to claim your listings on these various sites so that you can make sure that the information is accurate.  YOU want to be the one saying when you are open and closed and what your services really are.  Whether you like it or not, people or companies will create a listing for you that may be intentionally or unintentionally incorrect.  We once had a customer call and asked how much we charged for tattooing eyebrows.  While I could probably attempt to do it with a needle and thread, I don't think she would've been happy with the outcome.  ;)  But she must've gotten the wrong information from some where.  There are numerous directories and sites that allow business listings to be created and many of them are FREE.  When used correctly and populated with accurate information, these listings can be a great tool for your business.  So take a little time and 'google' your business and see what information is out there about you.  If things are all good, great...if not, claim your listing and tell everyone the real scoops about your business.  You know your business best so don't leave it up to random people and companies to disperse the information.  It's like people who interpret art at museum or gallery, they see the anguish and pain that the artist went through in his childhood when really the artist was just hungry and wanted a cheeseburger.  Okay, not the same thing but you get the point.  Here are some sites that offer free listings...check them out and CLAIM what's YOURS!

Product of the Month - Cutie Patootie Slingpack

Normally when we feature promotional products, we simply tell you how beneficial it would be for businesses and their clients but promotional products can be used for much more than that.  It can be used for 1st birthdays where the number of attendees is usually the highest, anniversaries or even as free swag for members that join a fan club or any club for that matter.  Clubs can offer a bag as a perk for being one of the first 1,000 members to join.  Costco does this all the time outside of their warehouse when they try to recruit new members.  We got a cool shopping cart freezer bag that we use all the time when we signed up years ago.  This month's product of the month the perfect piece of swag to entice potential members to join the club!  When we came across this item, we got really excited because other than the fact that we learned how to spell "patootie," it's fun, functional and a terrific buy.  Check it out!

AP5080 Cutie Patootie Slingpack

A sporty backpack with zippered main compartment and mesh water bottle pocket keeps everything in its place, all within easy reach

Zippered main compartment Mesh water bottle pocket Extra-wide adjustable shoulder strap

Materials: 600 Denier Polyester

Product Size: 13"w x 17"h x 3-1/2"d

Product Colors: Apple Green, Charcoal, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Royal

Price Includes: 1-color imprint, 1 location

Standard Imprint Method(s): Screen Print: Front, 4-1/2"w x 3"h, 4 color(s) max  Screen Print Setup Fee: $50.00  Min. order: 50 pieces Sale $5.82 each until 12/31/2012 *shipping cost not included

Promotional Product of the Month - Lodger Pen

Classy-looking yet lightweight, this month's promotional product is one that your client's will surely keep.  Sure, we know that a lot of places give away pens as they are one of the most common promotional item handed out but which ones are the ones that people actually keep?  The ones that write well and look good.  Style + Substance = Happy Clients.  The cheap ones get tossed before people even have a look at the business name and number that gave it to them.  The Lodger pen is a keeper and your clients will remember exactly who and where they got it from.

9160 Lodger Pen

Available Colors:
Black, Blue, Burgundy, Silver barrel with Gold accents.

Ink Refill:
Black

Imprint Area:
1 3/4 X 1/2 

• Standard production time is 5 business days from art approval.

• New orders are subject to a $25 setup charge.
• Repeat orders' setup charge is waived.

• Min. order 300 pieces
  Sale $0.39 each until 12/31/2012

  *shipping cost not included