Signs

I always joke that when you turn into our neighborhood, you've entered the 1950s. We have children playing in the streets and many neighborhood events and gatherings. What I've noticed lately is that with all the events we have going on (lemonade stands, neighborhood association meetings, Friday meet and greets, rummage sale, etc.), we have a real need for signage that can be reused throughout the year, something that looks a little more polished than the spray painted sheets or plywood that everyone uses currently. ...read more

Father’s Day is fast approaching and that means it’s time to start brainstorming new and exciting ideas to honor the special dads out there. Dads love to grill, but since it’s his day, why not let him hang up the tongs and relax? Instead, pull the kiddos together and start creating a day of backyard fun, complete with customized lawn games and a picnic. Read on for a few tips to get started…

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming, and we here at Out of Office are grateful for the teachers we had and those who are inspiring young minds now. To that end, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite projects for teacher appreciation gifts. We hope one of these ideas will be the perfect fit to honor your child’s special teacher for a year of fun and learning. And keep a look out for another great project coming your way next week from guest blogger Patricia! ...read more

We moved into our house over two years ago, and once I got those last boxes unpacked I was over it. So, I never really got around to any formal decorating. Sure, we have a few pictures out and draperies hung…but overall, I’m just not feeling the “decoration motivation.” Except for one place – my son’s room. I had the best time transforming his tiny space into a cheerful, colorful little nest. Today’s project is one of many that I did for his room – wall art. ...read more

If you’ve walked into a store lately, it certainly feels like the holidays are right around the corner – and this year’s promotions are in full swing. It seems like the ads for special seasonal offerings and the hottest toys start earlier and earlier each year. There are even entire days dedicated to saving money on holiday items – Black Friday and Cyber Monday! But how do small businesses stand out from the crowd during the holidays, especially with so much big competition? ...read more

If I haven’t told you before, fall is one of my favorite times of year. I like the weather, the pumpkin-flavored baked treats and – let’s face it – the Halloween candy! I always try to put out festive pumpkins, mums and scarecrows on my front porch, but this year I’ve added some new décor to the ensemble – a lawn sign to welcome the trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood. ...read more

As kids are gearing up to go back to school with the lazy days of summer coming to an end, there’s no better time to get back to business. For small businesses, a great way to reach customers is to create marketing materials such as postcards that make your business stand out from the crowd.  ...read more

Let’s say your small business is a resort offering picturesque sunset cruises to vacationing tourists. Undoubtedly other local resorts offer similar excursions and comparable marketing (e.g., flyers, business cards, brochures, website, etc.) as you do. So how can you make sure visitors know your cruise is the one to choose for beautiful panoramas and instant memories?

Everyone who sees my son does not believe he is 3 years old. In fact, for a year people have been telling me he is the size of a 5 year old! The doctor has placed him in the 99th percentile for height since he was 6 months old – and I wanted to keep track of my little beanpole!  I created a growth chart to measure his progress, but the paper one I received at his baby shower just wasn’t cutting it. I wanted to design something more durable and unique, something just for him.

I used Adobe® Illustrator to design my chart. I wanted to create something that he could use as he gets a bit older and his tastes change (for example his walls are now BRIGHT superhero red – a color he picked himself!)  I used many bright colors and bold shapes. (Tip: the ruler tool was very helpful in making an accurate scale.)
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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. ...read more