Custom Pens Make Just the “Write” Gift

 

Every year around this time I get nostalgic about the days of back to school shopping. I looked forward to picking out new clothes for the upcoming school year, but I enjoyed selecting my school supplies even more! Maybe I was a weird kid, but I loved organizing my fresh paper, unused folders and binders, and brand new pens into my backpack for the first time. I still get really excited about school (now office) supplies and I’m always on the lookout for something new or unique for my collection. ...read more

A Very Special Pregnancy Journal

 

As many of our regular readers know,  my husband and I are expecting a baby later this year.   It’s a special time, and I don’t want to forget any of it later – the excitement, anticipation, and even the not-so-pleasant things like cravings for cheeseburgers. I decided to make a pregnancy journal to record all the details.   ...read more

Do-It-Yourself Wedding Favors: Wine Charms

 

A few years ago I made wine charms as wedding favors for my friend to give to guests on her special day. Guests were really excited to take home a gift they could use all year around. They are a simple, DIY project that adds a personal touch to a wedding or dinner party. Just follow these easy steps for making the wine charms.


Supply List (per charm): 


·         1 inch silver or gold ring with clasp

·         1 charm

·         12-14 small beads

·         Ribbon - 1/8” wide (3mm)

Gimme A T(ee)!

 

Whether you own a bakery or an online boutique, you’ve probably put a lot of thought into building your brand. From designing the logo to setting up a perfect website or storefront signage, the visual impact of your brand is usually the first interaction customers have with your company.


These days, it seems like you can put a logo on anything, and I do mean anything. While the abundance of branded merchandise is great, it also creates a lot of “clutter” in the marketplace. So how do you stand out in the crowd? There are lots of ways, but one of the tried and true methods is wearable branded merchandise – think hats, bracelets and t-shirts.

Why do these work? Because they’re something you can actually use. Unlike squeeze balls and desktop puzzles, they don’t frustrate you or end up in the junk drawer at home. Instead, creatively designed merchandise catches peoples’ eyes in a crowd and helps get your name out all over town. Branded t-shirts, for example, are also versatile. You can use them as:

An Ode to the Sticky Note

 

Ah, the sticky note. Despite its simplicity, I think it’s one of the greatest inventions! That small yellow square is a staple in every office – whether home or business. Better yet, now it seems that you can get sticky notes in every shape, color and size imaginable. In fact, about a year ago I found the ultimate sticky note – a preformatted to-do list!

With my blank sheets dwindling, a replacement was definitely needed so I decided to make my own. I created a template and uploaded it to FedEx Office® Design & Print Center, but there are a variety of pre-made options there as well. You can access my template here and watch the video above for step-by-step instructions for uploading your design to the FedEx Office site!
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Do YOU Know When Mother’s Day Is?

 

Quick – without looking at a calendar do you know when Mother’s Day is? If you’re like more than half of Americans polled in a recent survey from FedEx and FedEx Office, the answer is NO! That’s likely because Mother’s Day is incredibly early this year – falling on the earliest possible date for the holiday, May 8. So will you be ready?

The majority of Americans polled in our April survey said they planned to give a personalized Mother’s Day gift this year, customizing their present in some way to mirror her tastes and styles. We here at Out of Office are glad to hear it, because we’re all about getting creative in thoughtful or unexpected ways. 

For those readers out there who haven’t gotten started on their Mother’s Day shopping list, it’s not too late to take the personalized route. A few ideas from the Out of Office crew:


Baby on its Way to Friends or Family? 
Let the World Know!

 

Having a lot of little cousins in my family, I get to see the joy when a new baby enters the world. I also have a few friends expecting this year, so I wanted to test out a fun baby gift. Because we know the name of the soon-to-arrive baby, I decided to use FedEx Office Design & Print Center to make an “It’s a Boy!” baby name sign to share the news of her arrival. You can also do this right after the baby’s birth if the new parents want to keep the name a secret.

Parents can put this sign in front of their house for a month or so after the birth, and then save it as a keepsake.

Creating the sign online is simple – just search for the keyword baby to get dozens of design templates and free shipping.
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Personalized Photo Party Banners

 

One of my good friends just turned 30 and in the days leading up to his birthday we were working hard to find a creative and fun idea for his party. We finally came up with something that was a big hit: a personalized photo banner


First, we went through lots of old photos to find just the right one. Then we had it blown up and printed on a 3’ x 5’ banner with a “happy birthday” message. The banner even came with grommets, which made it easy to hang at the party. 


We set out permanent markers so guests could sign the banner and include short notes. The banner was a huge hit! Besides adding to the décor, it also made a great keepsake.

A personalized photo banner doesn’t just have to be for birthday parties. You can also use them for:

Anniversary Gifts

 

Here at Out of Office, we’re kicking off the month of April with a month-long series of celebrations – anniversaries, retirement parties, baby showers, weddings and more. Spring has sprung and we feel like partying! I’m first up in the queue and today I’m sharing anniversary gift ideas.


It’s hard for me to believe that it’s almost been a full year, but I will be celebrating my first anniversary this April (you can read one of my wedding-related posts from last year here). I know the traditional gift for the first anniversary is paper – and because I’m a pretty traditional person it seemed natural that I’d find a special paper gift for my husband.


I decided to make stationery using our new monogram. I still love hearing my new married name (true story: it took a while to even recognize people were talking to me when they used it), so I thought this would be a perfect gift for both of us to use.  

Put Your Stamp on It: A Personalized Touch for Your Handmade Gifts

 

When a birthday or holiday comes around, I like to show friends and family how much they mean to me by making gifts based on their personal taste. I make everything from customized jewelry and baked goods to quilts and handmade card sets for birthdays, weddings or holidays. For Christmas this year, I made a photo book for my parents with all the memories we shared in 2010.


To highlight the fact that these gifts are handmade, I ordered a customizable rubber stamp that I’ve turned into a “signature tag” to accompany all of my handmade surprises.

 


 
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