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February 14, 2012

How to Make Business Flyers

Filed under: Marketing & Sales Promotion Techniques — Tags: , , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Book Club Border PaperIf you think making a business flyer is way beyond your creative ability, PaperDirect can change your way of thinking by providing step-by-step instructions for making business flyers. We can show you the steps of how to make a business flyer that looks professional, eye-catching and memorable. Using PaperDirect’s flyer templates, you can save money and time by doing it yourself.  Simply follow these easy steps, and, in no time at all, you’ll be making business flyers like a pro!

  • First, pick out the flyer you want from the over 500 choices PaperDirect offers.
  • Next, customize your flyer template by using personalization tools such as text boxes to fill in all the necessary information. Spring Grass Border PapersChoose the font and text size, add images, borders, tabs, and continue to format your business flyer to achieve your desired look. If at any time you need assistance, simply click the big blue “help” button in the upper right hand corner.
  • Previewing your business flyer is the next step in the process of making business flyers. Once everything looks exactly how you want it to look, click the “next” button to see what your business flyer will look like.
  • Click the “checkout” button to pay for your purchase.
  • Finally, load blank stock paper (available from PaperDirect) into your printer and start printing. You can print one single flyer or hundreds at one time.

Ripples Border PapersYes, it’s that simple!

Flyers are a great marketing tool to get your company’s information out there to a lot of people quickly. Making business flyers has never been easier with flyer templates from PaperDirect. Everything you need (except the printer) is available at PaperDirect’s online store, and we even have some ideas to help get your creative juices flowing. Read these PaperDirect blogs to get more information about how to make a business flyer that really works: “Unique Flyer Design Ideas…” and “How to Design Flyers…”

February 10, 2012

How to Make Your Own Invitations

Filed under: Designing Your Invitation — Tags: , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Filigree Stripes Pocket InvitationsIf you are getting ready to host a party or some other special event, you may want to consider making your own invitation to send to your guests because it’s not a difficult process, and you will save a lot of money if you make your own invitations. PaperDirect has everything you need (except the computer) to make professional-looking, festive invitations that will surely entice your guests to attend whatever event you’re hosting.

If you have ever bought invitations for a special event, especially a wedding, you know they can be expensive, and the process of choosing the perfect invitation can take hours. When you make your own invitations, you will not only save money, but you will save time, also. Here are the simple steps involved in making your own invitations for any occasion:Stylish Specialty Z-Fold Invitations

  • First, choose the size and shape you want for your invitations. PaperDirect has flat, fold up and layered invitations (just to name a few) and invitation templates to fit all occasions.
  • The invitation template is used to make your own invitations on your computer; you will choose the font, text size, borders, tabs and images you’d like to use and can make the invitation as simple or as fancy as you like.
  • Include all details regarding the event such as location, time, purpose, an RSVP box and any other information you need to include.
  • Load invitation paper into your printer and print as many as you need.

Dainty Daisy Fold Up InvitationsMaking your own invitations has never been easier with PaperDirect’s selection of paper for invitations and invitation accessories including response cards for wedding invitations.

February 9, 2012

Save the Date Postcards for Weddings and Other Occasions

Filed under: DIY Invitation Ideas — Tags: , , , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Roses Save the Date Oversized PostcardsSave the Date postcards are a great way to send your guests a reminder about an upcoming event such as a party, shower, reunion or wedding. PaperDirect has an extensive line of save the date postcards in a variety of styles and designs, sure to please all different types of tastes. Save the date postcards are standard size (3.5″ X 2″) and allow you to send out an informal reminder once the formal invitations have gone out.Heart Shaped Wishes Photo Postcards

The large selection of designs allows you to express your personality and sense of style while reaching a large number of people in no time at all. We have save the date postcards  in vibrant, festive colors, and we have more subdued, earth-toned save the date postcards for a more conventional look. Our selection includes balloons, daisies, daffodils, tulips and black tie-themed save the date postcards, and with such a large variety of postcards from which to choose, you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for the wedding or other event you’re hosting.Finishing Touch Save The Date Postcards

Save the date magnets are hugely popular, and PaperDirect has a number of those to choose from, also. Take a look at our vast selection of save the date magnets and  find one that matches your invitations.

If you’d like to read more creative DIY save the date ideas, check back to the PaperDirect blog in the coming weeks for more great ideas to save the date!

February 8, 2012

Certificate Design Ideas for All Occasions

Filed under: How to Design Certificates — Tags: , , , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Renaissance Standard Certificate PaperPaperDirect has a large variety of certificates you can design yourself for just about any occasion you can think of! If you are looking for some certificate design ideas, you have come to the right place. You can use certificates for so many different occasions, and they’re also a great way to show your appreciation for an employee’s hard work or your child’s improvement in school.

PaperDirect has certificates based on theme, occasion, professions, seasons and holidays. The dozens of choices we offer allow you to pick the ideal certificate design to mark the special occasion you’re acknowledging or celebrating.Scroll Specialty Certificates

We have casual certificates, specialty certificates, cachet certificates, award certificates, gift certificates and letter top certificates in a variety of lovely designs for all tastes. We have floral and tropical designs and plain designs, so you can choose the style that best fits the occasion. Certificates are often used to recognize and motivate employees and students, but they are also an excellent marketing tool to offer special deals, promote your new business or announce an upcoming event such as a big sale or grand opening. Certificates are so versatile that they can be used for virtually any occasion just as a flyer would be used.

Above Beyond Deluxe Embossed Foil SealsPaperDirect also has a large selection of certificate holders and frames to jazz up your certificate design. Employees and students will be proud to show off their award certificate, and for an added touch you can add an embossed certificate seal. Adding certificate seals to certificates you’ve designed and printed makes them look professional and elegant. Use a word processor, download the free template for your certificate and then custom print a certificate for the special recipient. Apply an embossed certificate seal and voila’!  It’s that simple with printable certificate designs from PaperDirect. Creating certificates using templates is easy and inexpensive. You can create a single certificate or hundreds in just a few minutes. Why spend a lot of money on a variety of certificates when you can make them for any occasion right from your home computer?

PaperDirect has everything you need for great certificate design ideas to celebrate an achievement, recognize a much-improved student or employee or give a gift certificate at the holidays. Shop PaperDirect, your one-stop online certificate headquarters, today!

February 3, 2012

Employee Motivation Ideas for the New Year

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — Tags: , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Extra Mile NotebookThe start of the new year can be a slow time for many companies, especially retail companies (post-holiday down slide) and other types of businesses involved in sales. Businesses often tighten their belts after the holidays, and your sales staff may be lacking motivation to pursue new leads. To get things moving and keep your business going, you should try to implement tactics designed to renew your staff’s interest in selling. In doing so, you can create enthusiasm, boost incentive, and help your business thrive in the new year. While these ideas are geared more toward the sales industry, these employee motivation ideas can be applied in some fashion to most any business.

Contests are a good motivator to get Extra Mile Tote Bagemployees off to an enthusiastic start to the new year. A sales contest can be a way to re-energize your sales team and fire up their competitive spirit. Design a competition based on your sales needs: focus on new customers, for example, or who can get the most new leads. Instead of having a long-term contest where prizes are not awarded until the end of the year, aim for short-term contests to keep the excitement going and give recognition to winners as the contest progresses to provide added incentive to keep up the hard work. Make sure the prizes/recognition are worthwhile. Receiving a reward that has no meaning or value will not motivate your employees to keep up their pace.

You can’t deny that cash is the greatest incentive for most employees, especially after the holidays most people are a bit strapped for cash. Choose a specific goal you want your staff to achieve, one that will help your business address a weak area or achieve a strategic goal. Set a time limit and individual goals and then reward your staff with cash when the goal(s) are met.

Extra Mile NoteCardsBe flexible in your employees’ work schedule and location of where they work. In the dreary winter months at the start of the new year, give your staff the freedom to work from wherever makes them most comfortable, whether it’s a coffee shop or from their own home, if that’s feasible. By giving them the freedom to design the working environment that works best for them, you may see an improvement in performance. Some employers feel that allowing staff to work from home will decrease their productivity, but, many businesses have found that the opposite is true. When given the privilege to work outside the office in a more comfortable environment, many employees tend to be even more productive. They want to prove that it’s not necessary for them to be tied to their office desk nine hours a day in order to meet or exceed company and individual goals.

If you sense your staff members need motivation to improve their sales, reward progress with power. Announce that the top sales person will get a special treat: the ability to hire an assistant, for example, or the ability to lead a meeting or make sales assignments.Extra Mile Water Bottle

Motivational gifts are also good rewards and serve as an incentive to keep up the good work. Learn a little bit about your employee before purchasing a gift; make sure it’s something he/she will value and actually use. While trophies and plaques make very nice rewards and employees appreciate recognition such as an “Employee of the Month” certificate, there are many other employee motivation ideas out there.

Check out the PaperDirect blog for more ideas on boosting employee morale and other ways to motivate your employees.

January 26, 2012

Greeting Card Messages That Impress

Filed under: Designing Your Invitation — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Birthday Hats Custom Greeting CardsIn this age of everything electronic, the act of sending greeting cards via regular mail has fallen by the wayside. It seems that now everything from party invitations to thank you cards are sent via email, or even worse, text message. But most people will tell you that they really enjoy receiving greeting cards via “snail mail.” PaperDirect has a full line of greeting cards for all occasions, and you can make your greeting card even more impressive by including a heartfelt greeting card message that the recipient will truly appreciate.

Whether you are sending a birthday greeting, anniversary, sympathy, congratulatory or thank you card, hand-written greeting card messages will add a special touch that will let the card recipient know you truly care. PaperDirect has greeting cards for these special occasions (just to name a few):

Blank greeting cards with decorative designs can be used for any occasion, and there is plenty of room for you to hand write a greeting card messages regardless of the event or occasion.

PaperDirect greeting cards also come in a variety of themes including:

  • Kids’ events
  • Church events
  • Patriotic celebrations
  • Tropical designs
  • Floral designs

When writing greeting card messages, be sure to write a personal message rather than a generic message that obviously has been used in everyone’s card. If you have relatives or friends who live far from you, you can send a greeting card just to say hello and that you’re thinking of your loved one or childhood friend. You will be amazed at how much joy a simple greeting card with a thoughtful message inside can mean to someone. Photo greeting cards are a great way to show off your beautiful family, especially to those friends and family members you have not seen in years.

Festive Graduation Photo Greeting CardsOnce you’ve chosen your greeting cards from PaperDirect, the challenge of writing the perfect greeting card message comes next. Depending on the occasion, your message will vary. Many people take the humorous route and write funny greeting card messages. The best tool for writing a funny message in someone’s greeting card is to use familiarity by thinking of something you know that the recipient is familiar with. Use that topic, information, or situation, to make up something funny. This will take some creativity on your part, but the funny greeting card message lets the recipient know that you thought about your message.

If your card is more serious or romantic, you may write a greeting card message that will bring the recipient to tears (but in a good way). If your goal is to make someone cry with your greeting card message, you are going to have to put a little extra effort into your writing. We suggest getting a really great gift, delivering the card in a special way, and writing an extremely personal message. Love poems are a great way to express specific romantic thoughts. The more specific you are the better the chance of bringing about the tears. If you are hand delivering your card, set the scene for romance and love by playing mood music, lighting candles, and cooking a fabulous dinner. All of this, combined with a beautiful greeting card message will let your significant other know how much he/she is loved.

Take a look at PaperDirect’s full line of greeting cards and order online today. Lovely cards, like those from PaperDirect, with greeting card messages from the heart will make anyone’s day special.

January 23, 2012

Do-It-Yourself Certificate Tips

Filed under: How to Design Certificates — Tags: , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Scrollwork Standard CertificatesCertificates are an excellent means of recognizing someone’s good work, improved academic standing, superb attendance, work promotion, retirement or any other type of achievement you can think of. Designing and wording your own award certificates is a great way to save money, expend creative energy and make someone feel good all with one piece of paper and a few minutes of your time. And the great part is that you can do all of this by shopping PaperDirect’s online store.

If you have been asked to prepare award certificates for your company or you have decided to reward your employees or students with award certificates, you have come to the right place. PaperDirect has some great do-it-yourself certificate ideas and everything you need to get started creating your own certificates today!Above Beyond Deluxe Embossed Foil Seals

Certificate Tips and Accessories

PaperDirect offers a huge selection of printable certificate paper, and using certificate templates is super easy! PaperDirect has award certificate templates to help you design and print certificates. Free desktop printable templates actually format your certificate automatically and set up the margins, borders, tabs, and font. Our certificate template CD is a great idea if making certificates is something you do often or will now be doing regularly at work or at home. The certificate template CD includes 25 headings in three different styles and includes suggested wording for over 20 different types of awards. Once you design and print your certificates, you can jazz them up even further by placing them in a certificate folder, certificate holder or placing an embossed certificate seal on them. The possibilities of DIY award certificates are endless with PaperDirect on your team!

Lexington Certificate Diploma FramesDo-it-yourself certificates can be printed using a word processor in a matter of minutes. The templates do all the work for you—all you have to do is fill in the personal information such as the recipient’s name, date, etc. Just hit the “print” button and voila’! You can print one single award certificate or generate several with the touch of a button.

PaperDirect has DIY certificate templates for virtually every occasion, and if you have an occasion that may be a bit unique, you can simply make changes to an existing template to custom design a very special certificate. By placing the award certificate into a frame, the honoree will certainly feel special and appreciated. Check out PaperDirect’s selection of DIY certificate frames; we’re sure you’ll find one you love!

January 18, 2012

Thoughtful Student Recognition Ideas

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas,Student Recognition Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

All American Casual CertificatesRegardless of what grade students are in, they all want some type of positive reinforcement when they do something well or improve on something they have been struggling with in the past. Whether it’s good behavior, improved behavior or good grades, teachers must show each and every student that they are valued and appreciated. Even the students who seem to do very little good in the classroom can be recognized for something positive during the school year. It never ceased to amaze me (as a former school teacher) how far a little positive reinforcement went, especially with kids who were used to only getting negative feedback.Perfect Attendance Award Casual Certificates

There are hundreds of creative, inexpensive student recognition ideas you can use in the classroom, and all you have to do is tweak the recognition to fit the age of your students.  You don’t want to embarrass a student by offering a reward that is too childish for his/her age.

Most children, regardless of age, love having special privileges. Asking a student to be the office delivery person, to take messages to other classrooms, or to leave a few minutes early for lunch or afternoon dismissal are student recognition ideas that kids in any grade will love. This works especially well when the student is one that many teachers would not trust with these privileges. When you offer a student with a reputation for being “trouble” the privilege of delivering a message to the office or having your copies picked up from the copy room, he/she will feel that you trust and respect him and that will go a long way in how he behaves in the future. When the “perfect” students are given privileges like that, it just doesn’t mean the same because it’s usually the well-behaved students and students with high grades that get privileges like this. So, this is one student recognition idea that really, really works.

Good Sport LetterTop™ Certificates by PaperDirectOne of the great things about this student recognition idea is that it cost you absolutely nothing. The best student recognition ideas are usually the ones that are monetarily inexpensive but are priceless when it comes to intrinsic value. If you have not tried giving privileges to poorly behaved students who show improvement in their behavior, give this one a try.

Writing a short note to parents or making a phone call home to report good behavior or an improvement in classroom performance is also a great student recognition idea that really does wonders to keep the student motivated to do well. Phone calls home are so often associated with bad news that a good phone call home will probably surprise the student (and parents) so much, he will want to continue to do even better to get future positive reinforcement.  This takes very little time, and you can even schedule one afternoon a month to make these positive phone calls home to students who are doing well.

PaperDirect is your online shopping source for other types of student recognition such as trophies, plaques and certificates to keep students motivated and provide incentive for continued good work and behavior. Read more Great Ideas for Classroom Recognition on the PaperDirect blog.

January 13, 2012

Types of Wedding Invitation Packages

Filed under: DIY Invitation Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Heirloom Vine Specialty Pocket Invitation by PaperDirectIf you are planning a Do-It-Yourself wedding, you must look at wedding invitation packages and choose one that best fits your motif and overall theme. Before you looking at wedding invitation packages, you know the answer to two questions: how many people are you going to invite and how much can you spend on wedding invitations? Unless you know the exact answers to both of these questions, why bother looking at wedding invitation packages that may not fit your budget or that just don’t go with your wedding theme?

Take some time and sit down with your groom see if you can agree on how many people Floral Vine Rounded Gatefold Pocket Invitationswill be invited and how much you can spend on wedding invitation packages. With DIY (do it yourself) weddings, there is no wedding planner to bring you a bunch of invitations and then you just pick the one you like. (And that’s no fun anyway!)

One more thing to consider when purchasing wedding invitations is the cost of the postage. Some wedding invitations are designed in such a way that additional postage might be required when mailing them. Typically, this occurs more frequently with custom-made wedding invitations. Simple wedding invitations can be just as beautiful and much less expensive when it comes time to mailing them out to your invitees.

There is something else to factor in when deciding how many invitations to get: you may want to consider purchasing extra wedding invitations because no matter how careful you are when addressing the envelopes, mistakes will happen. Better to have a few extras around and avoid the headache of what to do when the addressee realizes that the names are spelled incorrectly on the envelope. Also, additional people might suddenly make it to the guest list, and if you don’t have any extras, you will not be able to formally invite these last-minute guests.

Timeless Elegance Flat InvitationsWedding invitation packages are typically put into one of three categories: modern, classic or destination. Modern wedding invitation packages will feature the latest trends in invitation design and have contemporary patterns and motifs in modern layouts. Classic wedding invitation packages will reflect the timeless beauty of elegant, traditional wedding invitations, and destination wedding invitation packages will offer a wide variety of invitation designs that span the globe.

PaperDirect is your online shopping destination for many of your DIY wedding needs. Wedding invitations, thank you notes and even wedding placecards and other accessories can all be found right in one place: online at PaperDirect. Looking for some creative DIY wedding invitation ideas? Read “How to Dress Up Invitations” from the PaperDirect blog.

January 5, 2012

How to Throw a Surprise Party Successfully

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Fiesta Streamers Casual InvitationsThe key to throwing a surprise party is keeping the guest of honor from ever finding out, which is not easy. Another challenge throwing a surprise party presents is making sure the guest of honor actually shows up, and while many people say the only way to ensure this will happen is to hold the party at the guest of honor’s home, this can be very difficult to pull off. While you may know the schedule of the guest of honor and have help from his/her family members, something may come up that will make the guest of honor come home and catch everyone in the act of organizing the party.

Once you decide where you’re going to hold the surprise party, you must enlist the help of several friends and family members to make sure the party goes off without a hitch. There is nothing worse than the guest of honor finding out ahead of time that there is a “surprise” party in their honor. Then they’re forced to act surprised so as not to hurt the host’s feelings. Before you decide to host a surprise party, be sure the guest of honor will enjoy the occasion. Some people hate surprises so much that they may not even appreciate the gesture, which is the party host’s worst nightmare. Here are some suggestions on how to throw a surprise party in which your guest of honor will truly be surprised.Candle Confetti Casual Invitations

If the party is being thrown for someone in your household, ask a neighbor if you can store all the party supplies at his/her house, and make sure your neighbor keeps them well hidden just in case your guest of honor decides to stop by the neighbor’s house unannounced. If the celebrant does not live with you, then you can decorate your house in advance and just make sure the guest of honor does not stop by. Be sure that the people you ask for assistance can keep a secret because some people just cannot keep something this juicy to themselves.

Another suggestion on how to throw a suprise party is to have the the party held at a location the celebrant won’t consider suspicious. If you’re not having it in someone’s home, then choose a restaurant or bar that is familiar to the guest of honor. If you suggest going to someplace you’ve never been and don’t have a good excuse for going there, he/she may become suspicious.

Birthday Bash Casual InvitationsMake sure all the guests park their cars far enough away from the party site so as not to arouse suspicion. If the guest of honor shows up at a house with twenty cars, he will surely figure out what is going on.

Another great trick to surprise your birthday guy or gal is to take them to a birthday dinner and let them think that is the gift or the party. Then, after dinner you can suggest stopping by another establishment for dessert or even a friend’s house to pick up a gift and that is where the actual surprise party will be.

If you are thinking about throwing a surprise party for a friend or a loved one, you must carefully plan and also plan for the unexpected. PaperDirect is your online source for party invitations, banners, and all the party event accessories you will need. The PaperDirect blog offers some great party planning tips.

January 2, 2012

Golf Party Supplies and Ideas

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

The Fairway Casual InvitationsAvid golfers dream about golf year round, but with inches of snow on the ground, it’s not realistic to think about having a golf party or a golf-themed party, but you can certainly start planning your golf party for the coming months. If you’ve been given the task of hosting or planning a golf party, you are going to need golf party ideas, especially if you’re not a golfer yourself.

Invitations

You can make the golf party invitations out of material that looks like a putting green or have invitations made in the shape of a golf ball or club. Using scorecards from an actual golf course, you can create golf party invitations from the scorecards and include “Tee Time” (the time the party begins), the name of the golf course (venue location), “Course Length” (length of party) and “Water Hazards” (whether the opportunity for Majestic Greens Casual Invitationsswimming is available). You may also include “19th Hole” information, which would be any additional information you’d like to include about the party such as whether or not to bring a dish or drinks, whether children are welcome, and if there is a certain attire required (golf attired would be a great idea here). Of course, it only makes sense that golf attire be required if you’re hosting a golf party! Guests can even purchase “Caddy Shack” costumes and old time golf costumes including knickers and the little golf hat men used to wear decades ago. The possibilities for golf party ideas are endless. You can also include golf photos on the invitations. If the party is honor of one person, you can include a picture of him/her playing golf.

Decorations

As far as golf part supplies are concerned, you will need golf decorations. You can set Tee Off Vinyl Bannersthe golf tone by hanging a golf banner at the entrance with some clever golf saying or just a simple “welcome” message. You can create golf flags to note important spots in the venue such as where the food and bar are located. You can also line the walkway to the front door of your home with colorful golf flags. You can even create numbered flags and give guests a program upon their arrival that says something like, “Hole 1–appetizers,” “Hole 2–salads,” “Hole 3–entrees,” and so on. You can also have your local copy shop blow up photos of golfers to have life-sized photos of some  of your favorite professional golfers throughout the party.

If you have extra golf bags, balls and clubs in your home (or donated by guests), you can use them as golf party supplies and place them throughout your home or golf party venue. You can even buy putting green-like turf to put along the walkway to your home or around the food/bar area.

You can set up a putting green and have a putting contest and offer prizes to winners. The possibilities for your golf party are endless, so with some creativity and some great supplies for PaperDirect’s online store, your golf party can be the best one ever! Here is an idea about golf party awards you can offer to adults and children.

Shop PaperDirect online today to buy banners, invitations and any other golf party supplies that will make your party a huge success.

December 30, 2011

Valentine’s Day Wedding Tips

Filed under: DIY Invitation Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:02 am

Heart Shaped Wishes Casual InvitationsIf you are planning a romantic Valentine’s Day wedding and want to save money, a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) wedding may be your most sensible option. Many people consider Valentine’s Day to be most the romantic day of the year, so why not pledge your undying love to your partner on Cupid’s day? While it may seem cliche, it truly is a magical day and many couples plan their special day for February 14th. If you are considering a Valentine’s Day DIY wedding, here are some tips that may save you money and give you some ideas you had not yet considered:

Book a romantic location early. This is a popular day to say “I do” so you must choose your venue and make your reservation to ensure you get your dream location. The more romantic the location the better. How about a country inn, romantic hotel, or quaint little church? You can choose a sentimental location such as the restaurant of your first date or the park where you shared your first kiss.Double Happiness Casual Invitations

Send heart  invitations. Ok, this may seem corny, but, after all, you did choose to get married on Valentine’s Day, so you may as well go all out with the love theme.

Keep the decor in the traditional colors of Valentine’s Day, so if you despise the color red, then don’t have your wedding on Valentine’s Day. Place cards, napkins, candles, and all other wedding accessories should be shades of red and white and/or cream.

Maybe a red wedding dress is just a bit too much. If so, how about a bouquet of beautiful red roses or red flowers in your hair? You could choose a pretty shade of red for your bridal party–always keep in mind their taste and don’t choose a shade of red that will make them uncomfortable. The groom could certainly wear a red bow tie and cummerbund. A red tux may bring back memories of a prom in the 70’s or a scene from a disco movie. A simple black tuxedo with a red boutineer is classic and elegant.

Flower Hearts Casual InvitationsThere is nothing more romantic than Italian opera music. If you can’t afford to hire an opera singer, you can play romantic love songs throughout the night, or hire a band whose specialty is romantic ballads.

A white and red wedding cake will accentuate the Valentine’s Day theme. If you serve a sit-down dinner, think of romantic foods and chocolate-covered strawberries are a must.

Party favors may include heart-shaped boxes or some other momento of the occasion. Heart-shaped picture frames will also provide your guests a fond remembrance of your special day. They can put a picture of you and your spouse or a picture of themselves in the frame.

PaperDirect is your online source for DIY wedding invitations and accessories. Here are some DIY wedding program ideas that may spark a creative idea for your DIY Valentine’s Day wedding.

December 23, 2011

Unique Bachelorette Party Ideas

Filed under: DIY Invitation Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Bubble Bash BannerA bachelorette party is a really great way to celebrate your womanhood and the end of your single life before you settling down with the man of your dreams and the one you will hopefully be spending the rest of your life with. Having all your friends and family there to celebrate with you and getting a carefree and crazy are the top two requirements of a great bachelorette party. Along with those requirements, here are a few great bachelorette party ideas.

Create a wish list. Whether you’re the bride-to-be or the hostess for the bachelorette party, After Midnight Casual Invitationa bachelorette wish list is a great way to make sure that everyone is having a great time. The bachelorette writes down three to five things she’s always wished she could do as a single woman. Of course, keep it clean and don’t do anything that will get you in trouble with the husband-to-be! Maybe you’ve always wanted a trip to Vegas or to buy a certain item. This is the bride-to-be’s night so see if you can fulfill some of her wishes before she takes the plunge into marriage.

Create a scavenger hunt type of task list for the bride-to-be. For instance, give her a sweatshirt with men’s names on it. The goal is to find one man to match each name and get him to sign the shirt. Send her on a scavenger hunt at the venue where the party is held. Create a list of items she must find in the hotel or restaurant or wherever the party is held. Take photos of the event as this will create memories for years to come (and some laughs!).

A day at the spa instead of a nightclub or restaurant. Not only is this extremely relaxing, but it will give the ladies a chance to bond over manicures and massages.

Azalea Casual InvitationsHold a progressive dinner party for the bachelorette party. This is a great opportunity to visit several homes in a single evening. A progressive dinner party involves everyone going from home to home to enjoy a different course at each home. Keep the number of guests manageable if you plan a progressive dinner bachelorette party. You can only eat so much and the travel can be a bit tedious of there are too many locations to which you must travel.

PaperDirect is your online source for just about everything you need to throw a great party including festive party invitations, response cards and banners.

December 20, 2011

Business Holiday Cards Do’s and Don’ts

Filed under: Marketing & Sales Promotion Techniques — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Ribbon and Crystals Deluxe Holiday Greeting CardSome business owners struggle with the idea of sending customers and clients holiday cards.

If you’re trying to decide whether or not to send your customers and clients cards this holiday season, we advise you to do so.

Not only are holiday cards a tradition but sending one lets your customers know that they’re important to you.

One thing to keep in mind when sending holiday cards to clients is to remember that not everyone shares your religion. If you don’t know all of your c’ religious affiliation, it’s best to send a neutral “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings.” If you do know the religion of your employees, then you can choose cards appropriate for each of your coworker’s religion. While this may require more time and maybe even more money, your customers will know that you care enough to go the extra mile and send a card that fits their religious background.

Do send only business holiday cards that are of high quality.

Sending cheap Christmas cards will make you look cheap, so buy the best holiday cards you can afford to send.

Do send handmade Christmas cards if you are in the art business, but sending handmade Christmas cards just to save you a few bucks will also make you look cheap.

Don’t Send Funny or Edgy Christmas Cards

While you may find Christmas cards with some type of risque saying or picture funny, the recipients of the card may be offended. Keep the cards festive and clean. Stick with traditional themes and sayings to make the best impression on the recipients as possible.

Do include a personal, hand-written message above your signature.

This personal touch is very important. Also: Do place your company information below your signature.

Majestic Tree Greeting CardsDon’t stamp your signature.

This is impersonal and shows lack of effort on your part. You want to make your client feel special, and an impersonal signature stamp may make the recipient feel as though you could not even take the time to sign your name.

Do include a business card

Only do this if you include a personal, handwritten message also. Simply placing your business card inside the holiday card will appear as though you only care getting more business from the recipient.

Unless you send out hundreds of holiday cards, don’t use computer-generated address labels as this looks tacky and appears as though you have mass mailed out your cards, which is impersonal. If you are sending hundreds of thousands of cards out, computer-generated labels are OK but should still be avoided, if possible. Handwriting the address of the recipient is personal and warm.

Don’t send business holiday cards to the home address.

…unless you know the person in a social way. If you send the holiday card to the recipient’s home address, be sure to include the spouse’s name in the address (if there is a spouse or partner).

Do use titles when addressing the recipients.

For instance, “Dr. and Mrs. Brian Taylor is more appropriate than “Brian and Carol Taylor.” If you are sending a card to a couple with different last names, be sure to address the envelope and greeting as such. For instance, “Dr. Michael Thompson and Ms. Linda Arnold.” Traditionally, the man’s name comes first in the address if the couple is married and if not married, put the names in alphabetical order: “Ms. Linda Arnold and Dr. Michael Thompson.”

Do send your business holiday cards in time

December fifteenth is the standard cut-off date for cards to arrive on time in the states. If you’re sending cards internationally, you should send them much earlier than those going to U.S. addresses.

PaperDirect is your online source for beautiful holiday greeting cards for Christmas and Hanukkah.

December 16, 2011

Money Saving Tips for a DIY Wedding

Filed under: DIY Invitation Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Formal Party Folded Place CardsLet’s face it–weddings can be expensive. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on your wedding, you can still have a beautiful ceremony and reception that will be memorable for all of your guests. Do-it-yourself (DIY) weddings can be planned, organized and performed for much less money than you may think. You just have to do some research and find bargains. You have to know how to negotiate prices and accept help from people you know who can contribute to the wedding. Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for the wedding, but nowadays there are many couples who pay for their own wedding. If you are fortunate enough to have parents who can pay for your wedding, then count yourself lucky because you will be entering marital bliss without huge credit card debt and loans to pay off, which can make the first few years of any marriage stressful. The cons of having the bride or groom’s family pay is that sometimes they tend to want what they want and you may feel obligated to allow them to make decisions for you. If family members pay for your wedding, you can set ground rules so that your special day is just that–YOUR special day. When both families contribute to the cost of the wedding it’s important that you voice your desires and stand your ground when decisions start being made without your approval.Supreme Black Flat Invitations

Many contemporary weddings are paid for by the couple getting married. While this may put a strain on your finances, it does give you complete control over all decisions regarding the ceremony and reception. The pros of paying for your own wedding is that if you want a wedding on the beach in bathing suits with a Beach Boys cover band playing all night, you can do that. If you want to have your wedding under water in scuba suits, you can do that, too. You are not obligated to please anyone but yourselves.

The only con to paying for your own wedding is the debt you may rack up, but if you shop around and take advantage of good deals, you can have a gorgeous wedding on a reasonable budget. Enlist friends and family to help. For instance, if you have a friend who is in a band or who plays a harp, ask if they will provide entertainment for your wedding (that could be their gift to you). If you aunt is a florist, ask her for her help, and if you have a seamstress in the family, you can save hundreds, if not thousands, by having your wedding attire handmade by someone you love.

There are other ways to save money on your do it yourself wedding. The day of week you choose can make a big difference in the cost of the ceremony. Vendors are going to Cherry Chocolate Photo NoteCardscharge higher prices for more popular days/nights like Saturday. If you choose an off-day, they would rather charge a lower fee than have the venue completely unused. some establishments loosen minimum guest requirements on off days. You’re also likely to get better service because you’ll have management’s undivided attention on a less busy day.

PaperDirect is your online source for everything you need for your do-it-yourself wedding including wedding invitations, wedding place cards and wedding thank you note cards.

December 12, 2011

December 8, 2011

Christmas Party Ideas for Teenagers

Filed under: Christmas & Holiday Party Tips — Tags: , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am
christmas party ideas for teens

Teenagers are a tough crowd when it comes to throwing a party. Teenagers usually want to appear cool to their friends, so if you do something that hurts their “coolness,” they blame you for the rest of your life for ruining their chances of being in the “in” crowd. If you are hosting a Christmas party for teenagers, there are some things you must consider before setting your plan in motion. Teenagers can also be unforgiving, so if you mess up, they may give you the silent treatment for a few days, weeks, or even years!

Involve Your Teenager in the Planning

Rich and Radiant Tear Off Tickets

First of all, make sure your teenager wants a party as there is nothing more embarrassing for today’s teen to be forced to attend a party they want no part of. The gesture, while greatly appreciated by most adults, may just put you in the doghouse for a while. When planning a Christmas party for teenagers, involve them in the planning process as much as possible. They know what their friends like, and they know what will go over successfully and what will fail miserably. Allowing the teen to take part in the planning will give him a feeling of “ownership” of the party.

Choose a Theme & Venue

Christmas parties for teenagers should have a theme and decorations to match the theme. Winter Wonderland, White Christmas, and Silver Bells are holiday favorites. Design decorations, invitations, and food to match the theme.

When choosing a venue make sure to think of your guests. If the party will be filled with athletes, a trip to the ice skating rink could be fun for all. A more artistic group of teenagers might appreciate a movie night or trip to the museum. You also can’t go wrong with hosting the event in a popular nightclub. Even though no alcohol will be served, the teenagers will love that grown-up nightclub feel at the party.

Plan Some Activities

Cobalt Christmas Casual Invitation

Every party should have one or two activities; you don’t want bored teenagers! A Christmas tree can be decorated with homemade ornaments, or the teens can bring a toy or other gift to donate to a local children’s shelter. White elephant gift exchanges are also fun and inexpensive. Maybe you can convince a small group of the attendees to go caroling around the venue’s neighborhood. Most high schools have choirs and bands with very talented young singers and musicians that would love the opportunity to show off their skills

Christmas party ideas for teenagers are challenging but not impossible. The best way to find out what teenagers would consider a fun Christmas party is to ask them. Wouldn’t you rather have their input ahead of time, then do it all on your own only to find out you made all the wrong decisions?

Feeling prepared to plan a Christmas party for teenagers? When it comes to Christmas greeting cards and Christmas event accessories, PaperDirect is your one-stop online source for everything you need, even teen-friendly stationery.

December 7, 2011

Holiday Gift Certificates

Filed under: Christmas & Holiday Party Tips — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Presents Fill In The Blank Gift CertificatesDeciding upon the perfect holiday gift for each person on your shopping list can be quite a challenge, especially for those friends and family members who seem to have everything or are super picky. When it comes to finding just the right gift for each and every person on your list, holiday gift certificates are a great idea that can be used by men, women and children of all ages and backgrounds.Calligraphy Fill In The Blank Gift Certificates

Holiday gift certificates can be given to any person on your list, and all you have to do is fill in the blanks: name, amount of gift certificate and the store where the gift certificate is to be used. PaperDirect has quite a selection of blank gift certificates and printable gift certificates perfect for holiday gifts. Holiday gift certificate paper can also be used for marketing around the holidays.

Kris Kringle Fill In The Blank Gift Certificates

December 1, 2011

Fall Party Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Fall Brilliance Folded Place CardsWith winter only a few weeks away, time is running out to throw a great fall party. No matter what the occasion, whether it’s a school event, football tailgate party, wedding anniversary, bridal or baby shower, or just a neighbor or family get together, fall is a beautiful time to throw a party. The crisp, cool autumn air and changing of the leaves just seems to put everyone in a great mood. While it may be too cool in your area of the country to throw an outdoor fall party, there are plenty of great fall party ideas for indoors.

Who doesn’t love movies? While it may not be the most original idea, hosting a movie night is a great way to get together with friends and family, eat some delicious food and watch some classic movies. You can make your fall movie party a themed party such as everyone brings his/her favorite romantic comedy or horror flick. You can offer snacks Umbria Fold Up Invitationssuch as popcorn, chips/dip and hot appetizers, or you can make it a pot luck (which certainly takes some of the pressure of cooking off of you).

Game night is also a fun way to spend the evening on a cool autumn night, and some games like Pictionary and Taboo make for some good laughs. You can have a couple’s only game night and separate the couples to make things a bit more interesting. Since couples usually have their own “language” not allowing couples to be on the same team makes the game more challenging for everyone.

For the kids, you can host a fall arts and craft party where the kids are provided art supplies and asked to create some fall-related piece of art. They can paint, sculpt from clay or build something that reminds them of fall. Carving pumpkins (with careful knife supervision, of course) is a fun activity that is not reserved for Halloween. You can provide gourds so the kids can paint faces on them, and you can use them as Thanksgiving dinner party decorations.

Show and Tell is another fun kids’ fall party idea. Each of your child guests can bring one sFall Freshness Casual Invitationspecial item to the party and explain what it is, what it means to them and why it’s special. The children will learn a lot about each other, and this game also teaches them to be good listeners and respect individual differences.

Fall party ideas are aplenty, so when you decide which of these fall party ideas sounds good to you, shop PaperDirect for your fall party supplies. We have fall invitations, banners, place cards, personalized napkins and everything else you will need to make your fall party a huge success. PaperDirect is your one-stop online shopping source! For more Fall party ideas visit PaperDirect’s blog.

November 30, 2011

Employee Rewards and Recognition at the Holidays

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Rich and Radiant Lettertop CertificatesWill you get a Christmas bonus this year? Have you ever gotten a holiday bonus at your job? If you’re the boss, are you giving holiday bonuses this year? If you’re not the boss, have you been recognized or rewarded in some other way besides monetarily during the holiday season at other jobs or in previous years? If not, maybe you can slip an anonymous suggestion into the boss’ “in box” at work or casually leave a note in the break room. If you are a boss, and you have good employees who work hard all year, you really should think about employee reward and recognition at the holiday season.

In these tough economic times, if you are the owner of a thriving business, you need to remember who is behind your business’ success–you and your staff. If your business is not doing well, you can still show your appreciation to those who deserve recognition without spending a great deal of money. Fewer team members, larger workloads and job stress may have your staff needing a little “atta boy” to keep up morale and provide incentive to keep plugging along. Any small token of appreciation will make your employees very happy and make them feel valued. This, in turn, provides incentive to keep working hard.

If you’re the boss, why not show them you appreciate all their hard work with one of these employee recognition ideas:Red Ribbon and Pine LetterTop Certificates

  • Paid time off. If you cannot afford to give monetary bonuses, then offer your employees an additional day off around the holidays. Those traveling, especially, will greatly appreciate this generous reward, and those with small children may appreciate the extra day more than money. Time with family is priceless; money comes and goes.
  • Surprise your staff with an “early dismissal.” Remember snow days in school when you got to leave after lunch because a snow storm was coming? Adults will be no less excited with an early dismissal the day before their first real day off for the holidays. If Christmas falls on a Friday, and they’ have Thursday and Friday off, why not close down shop Wednesday afternoon? You will be amazed at how excited your employees will be about such a small gesture that surely won’t cost you much at all.
  • Gift card to an employee’s favorite store or restaurant. Regardless of the amount, a gift card to a store you know an employee frequents lets him or her know that you genuinely care about giving just the right gift. Gift cards are one of the most popular ways to reward and recognize employees’ good work. Be careful about giving different amounts to employees. They will talk about the amount, so be as fair as possible. If you give one hundred dollars to one secretary and twenty to another, you may have a problem on your hands. Sadly enough, instead of just being appreciative, there may be feelings of resentment if one workers gets “more” than another.
  • Group recognition activity such as a lunch or dinner out or an in-office party with food, drink and even a gift exchange. Even something as simple as having pizza delivered one afternoon will be appreciated. More extravagant events such as a holiday party at a local hotel’s banquet room will be greatly appreciated, and your employees will know you really do recognize their hard work.
  • Monetary bonus. If you can afford it, your employees will be THRILLED to receive a little extra money in the paycheck before the holiday season. Give what you feel is fair and what you can afford. No matter the amount, your employees will be very appreciative of this kind gesture. Bonuses can be based on how long the employee has been there, their status in the company, and their contributions that year. Even though bonuses should never be discussed amongst employees, they will be, so if you devise a system for deciding who gets what amount, stick to itRemovable Star Award. If the vice-president gets a thousand dollar bonus, and the receptionist gets a $1500 bonus, people may talk. Bonuses are like salaries; they should never be discussed with coworkers, but, amazingly enough, some employees do share this information with their colleagues (which often leads to jealousy and resentment).

If you are looking for ways to reward and recognize employees, PaperDirect has a wide selection of certificates, trophies and plaques, and our blog also some employee recognition ideas that really work.

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