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Warrior Beach Retreat - Wounded Warrior Tribute - Spring 2014 - Panama City Beach, FloridaSteve, Sheila and the Creative Team are honored once again, to be a part of The Warrior Beach Retreat. Twice a year Wounded Warriors and their families from all across our country are brought to Panama City Beach to enjoy a week long retreat. This is all made possible by the many generous donations from the Northwest Florida community. We hope you join us to honor our troops tomorrow, by lining the streets with flags along the Welcome route below.

Welcome Route: The warriors will be passing by the following locations on Thurs, April 24th, starting at the Laketown Wharf Resort at 4:15pm and ending at the First Baptist Church around 5:15-5:20pm. You can show your support by lining the streets of the route with signs and flags.

Opening Ceremony: Thursday, April 24th at 5:45 pm. Location – First Baptist Church, 640 Grace Ave, Panama City, Florida. The public is invited to attend – please come and show your support for the Warriors!

Parade Route - Warrior Beach Retreat - Panama City Beach, Florida

Image courtesy of Warrior Beach Retreat 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Warrior Beach Retreat is not affiliated with Wounded Warrior Project.

Our son, Sgt. Joshua Cope (retired) and his wife, Erica... are our Hero’s. They have turned a tragedy into a triumph. It hasn’t been an easy journey... they have chosen to preserve amidst unimaginable hardships...their lives are an inspiration to us all.

On November 12, 2006 Joshua was severely wounded by an IED blast in Baghdad, Iraq. He lost both of his legs above the knee and both hands were injured. We have witnessed first hand, the tenacity of the American Soldier. We’ve also witnessed firsthand, the love and compassion of a soldier’s wife through Erica.

When a soldier goes to war, a family goes to war... Lest we forget!

Let us all come together and bring hope and healing to so many heroes and their families. We all have something to give. We can make a difference... together.

Linda Cope, Founder & President

Warrior Beach Retreat - Spring 2014 - Panama City Beach, Florida

 

If you would like to donate to help the Warrior Beach Retreat click here. Any donations are greatly appreciated. Are you interested in being one of the honored participants for a future Warrior Beach Retreat? Find out more information here.

We are absolutely honored to be a part of the 2014 Warrior Beach Retreat. We understand the importance of our soldiers and the huge sacrifices they make for our freedoms and want to do anything we can to help our men and their families. It was a pleasure working with the Cope family and we thank them for all they do with and for the soldiers and their families. We hope our great community does their best to show their support to these great men by donating to the retreat or just come and show your support on parade day. A list of activities, how to donate, and the parade route/time are all on the Warrior Beach Retreat website.

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As 2013 draws to a close, we all enjoy the happiest and most optimistic time of the year. It’s a time when we pause, gather family and friends close to us, and appreciate all that we have. And, as we gaze at the horizon of 2014, we have hopes and dreams to be fulfilled through dedication and hard work. At this time, we reflect on our good fortune to live in America, a land of unlimited opportunities.The Magic Of Christmas - Christmas Eve In Bay County - Creative Printing - Panama City, Florida

 

The past year in Bay County has been prosperous for Creative Printing. Our business team has worked long and hard. Our clients have been helpful and loyal. Working together, our family, friends, co-workers and customers have made 2013 a great year!

And so, as we take a little time off to celebrate this special season and everything that it means, we wish all of you, and your families, a very Merry Christmas filled with peace and joy.

Happy Holidays and God Bless,
Steve, Sheila, and the Print Shop Family

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Here at Creative Printing we have many customers that like to create their own artwork or design and email it to us for printing. This is a great way to save you money; however, it is important for the print job to be production ready, meaning the file has to be appropriately set up in order to print.

Our goal is to prevent problems that may delay your production schedule, incur additional expense or produce an unexpected product. To see our full guide to setting up your own print job, take a look at “Submitting Print Ready Artwork.”

Print Ready Artwork - Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida

 

  1. Call Your Printer First - All printers have different production ready requirements, so call before you start.
  2. Resolution - Always use high quality images and graphics. Image resolution should be no less than 300 dpi, and re-sampling does not count!
  3. Bleed - If your final artwork has an image that goes to the edge of the paper, you will need to have bleed around the final piece.
  4. Color - If your job is printing offset all colors should be converted to CMYK.
  5. File Type - Submitting a high quality PDF with fonts embedded or converted to outlines is the best way to submit your artwork.

If you have any question regarding this checklist please call or email us. Our goal here at Creative Printing of Bay County is to help you submit your own files and have them print perfectly!

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Do you have a special little one having a birthday soon? Are you having trouble deciding what kind of birthday party theme to help make the day “extra” special? You’re in luck, over the next couple of months we are going to share several creative, fun birthday party themes. Here at Creative Printing we just LOVE getting creative. This month we are sharing 2 birthday party themes one of our wonderful team members has used. These are just adorable!

Remember here at Creative we offer custom birthday party invitations, posters and banners that can be designed to match any theme. Give us a call or stop by and our friendly team will gladly help you get started. Don’t you feel like getting creative?  

 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Who doesn’t just adore this sweet story? This theme is a great way to incorporate reading and bring the story to life! For an added touch serve food from the story.

 The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Creative Printing - Panama City, FL

 

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Recently we had to honor of printing a couple posters for Master Sergeant (MSgt) Aguilera’s  room dedication at Tyndall Air Force Base  Panama City, Florida.  MSgt Aguilera is “amazed” to have this room dedicated to him.

Creative Printing of Bay County worked with Mr. Wolf to help finalize and print this project. Mr. Scott Wolf owner of Wolf Designs, designed the posters and did a magnificent job.

We want to wish you all a Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all the military, past, present and future that have served to protect the United States of America.

Posters at Tyndall Air Force Base- Panama City, FL

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Do you recognize Apple, Nike, Pepsi, and McDonalds logos every time you see them? Why is that? A lot of time and work are put into the logo design process to get it just right so it makes a big impact on consumers. Logos need to be distinctive and stand out among the others. Branding your company begins with the development of your company logo.

So what goes into the Logo Design Process? Below the process is explained and you can visually see how much work it takes to get the logo desired for your business. From client meetings, to sketches, editing and digital design, this is a tedious process.

Here at Creative Printing our graphic designers work closely with you to get the logo that you envisioned and help your brand stand out. Call or stop by to get started and we will gladly assist you throughout the entire process. Remember, here at Creative, we are a one stop shop, for all of your printing needs.

Logo Design Process - Infographic - Graphic Design - Creative Printing

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A+ Smiles,a Pediatric Dental Office in Panama City is now open! Dr. Eric Berry and Dr. Matthew Ticola are experts in their field of dentistry and look forward to serving the dental needs of children in our area.

From logo design, business stationary, office décor, signage, door vinyl, outdoor signs and everything in between .... A+ Smiles chose to Get Creative! They are a great example of how to utilize our graphic designer and printing services to create and keep a professional consistent image. Large format prints make great décor and can be mounted to either black or white foam board or printed on canvas to give your office a new look. Use large format prints as an easy way to display your logo at the office!

Logo

Logo-A+ Smiles - Pediatric Dentistry - Creative Printing

 

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Graphic Design is everywhere! We see it on street signs, billboards, television, online, in restaurant menus, business cards, books, and many other places. Graphic design combines text and images in a creative manner in order to reach a particular audience visually. They make things “look pretty” in order to grab the target audiences’ attention.

A logo is not just something that is visually appealing it is creating a brand and communicating what a company is/does without much needed explanation. The first stages do not involve much designing at all, but more so research.

Creative Graphic Design - Logo - A+ Smiles

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Wedding Season is quickly approaching and "many brides to be" are busy planning the wedding of their dreams. At Creative Printing, our designers stay on top of the latest design and color trends so we can create your custom designed wedding invitations and RSVP cards. With all of our designs you can change anything from colors to fonts, or we can create a unique design to meet your theme and budget. The possibilities are truly endless! Why worry about going through store after store to find a wedding invitation you “might” like, when you can have them designed to match your wedding perfectly!

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - 2013 Wedding Colors

By the Sea

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Custom Wedding Invitations - By The Sea

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Arranging a funeral or a memorial service for a loved one can be an emotional and overwhelming task. There are so many details to consider before your final goodbyes. Here at Creative Printing we can help ease this difficult time by helping you create programs, large prints or collages, book marks, prayer cards or any other mementoes can be personalized to remember your loved one. You can choose to turn this time into a celebration of life and recall all the good times through the use of these keepsakes that will honour the memory of your loved one.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Funeral Programs

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Are you preparing a shower for a special “Mommy-to-be?” Are you trying to decide on the perfect theme to shower her in love? We want to help you get creative by sharing several unique and creative baby shower ideas.

Rubber Ducky Theme

At one point or another, you have all most likely played with a rubber duck in the bathtub as a child or with your children. Why not take this cute little toy and have an adorable, fun baby shower. Then the baby will have plenty of bath toys!

 Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Rubber Duck Baby Shower Theme

 

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As spring approaches many “brides to be” are busy planning the wedding of their dreams. Trends change from year to year and with each season. We would like to share several popular wedding trends for 2013. These trends can be used for both spring and summer weddings.

1.  Wedding Colors

Right now Mint appears to be the most popular wedding color for 2013. It is calm and can be  used in a variety of ways that make your wedding look elegant.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Mint WeddingImage from Wedding Paper Divas  

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Creative Printing is celebrating a special birthday this month. We would like to wish Stephen (aka Papa), owner of Creative, a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Stephen Ruff

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Did you know that 75 million Americans believe having pets in the workplace makes people happier?  Have you ever been to an office or work environment that allowed pets? Here at Creative Printing we have two very special print shop pups, Pepper and Polly Ruff. Have you met them yet?

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Print Shop Pets - Dogs - Polly and Pepper - At the Print Shop

Our print shop pups were born in December 2009 and have been joining their proud parents, Steve and Sheila Ruff, for the past 3 years. These two cuddly and spoiled dachshunds are often found curled up in Steve’s lap while he is working at his desk or waddling around the shop looking for friends with food.  Our customers sure love to see our furry friends and they have truly become a part of the Creative Team.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Print Shop Pets - Dogs - Polly and Pepper - Laying on Each OtherCreative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Print Shop Pets - Dogs - Polly and Pepper - Laying on Each Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purrina is an advocate of pets at work. They created a video to share how their employees feel about bringing their dogs to the office.  Want to learn more about bring animals to work? Here are some tips for preparing your workplace for pets. We invite you to share your pet story with us and the next time you are at Creative Printing of Bay County say hi to Pepper and Polly.

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Graphic designers create visual materials that effectively communicate information for advertising, publications, movies, posters, signs, websites and many more. They use a creative process that combines art and technology to efficiently communicate ideas. The designer works with a variety of communication tools in order to express a message from a client to a particular audience.

In today’s technology driven world, a Graphic Designer is a “must have” for a business. Most people do not use the phone book to look up your number or address anymore. They go straight to Google via their phone, tablet or computer. Graphic designers help your brand stand out; whether it is on paper or online.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Graphic Design - Logos

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Have you visited our NEW website? Creative Printing of Bay County is very excited about the new website and would love to hear your thoughts! In 2012 we celebrated 30 years of business. We are proud to be a part of the Panama City community for so many years and look forward to many years to come.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Website - Home

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Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Merry Christmas

 

To our friends and customers,

Warm wishes for a Joy-filled Christmas Season and a Peaceful and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from our fantastic team at Creative Printing!

 

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Our Team - Merry Christmas

We are looking forward to 2013 and getting CREATIVE!
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Receiving mail, that is not a bill, is always exciting! Why not bring a smile to your family, friends, and co-workers faces by sending them custom Christmas cards? It’s not too late to get them out before Christmas.

Take a look at these custom samples to get your creative juices flowing!

 

 

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Tis the season to be jolly…!  Christmas is right around the corner. Have you started shopping yet? If not, we have 10 ideas to help you get started. All the items below are customizable and that makes them extra special.

1.     Custom Calendars

Christmas is the perfect time to give the gift of custom calendars. The New Year is coming and everyone is going to need a new calendar. Why not spend the time selecting pictures for each month? This makes the calendar extra special. You can also include birthdays and special days to remember on each calendar you have printed. Don’t forget you can add your business information as well as friends and family.

 

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Custom Calendars

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Panama City's Local Print Shop is excited to introduce you to our new series, Promotional Items for Your Industry. That’s right; each industry needs and uses different advertising products to get their name out there and promote new business.As you may know, here at Creative Printing of Bay County we offer a wide variety of promotional items to meet every need. When considering promotional items it is important to include your business logo. People may not remember the name of your business, but they sure will remember what your logo looks like. Also include your business name and contact information. 

This month we are going to take a look into 10 promotional items for the Medical Profession.

     1.    Bandage dispensers

  • These are great to give out when you are at a health expo or to have in the waiting room of your office. Patients are always in need of Band-Aids,   especially if they have children.image
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Wow! 2012 has flown by! Can you believe it is time to start preparing for 2013? Now is a great time to start thinking about calendars for next year. Custom calendars are designed specifically to meet your needs and are affordable. 

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We are very excited to be Celebrating 30 Years!!! 

We would be honored for you to share this special day with us here at
Creative Printing of Bay County.

Save the Date Wednesday, September 19th!  

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Are you trying to decide on a design for your business cards? You want a design that is unique and will stand out to your customers or clients. You always want a design that will leave a lasting impression so that potential customers/clients will remember your business when the need for your services arise.

Check out these awesome ideas!

 

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Shape and size will help your card stand out in the pile. So think about veering away from the traditional shape and size of your business cards and see what happens.
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USB business cards! Now that is amazing!
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Die cut business cards are a great way for your card not to be stuffed into a drawer and forgotten.
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Eyecatching

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Business cards are your number one marketing tool and one of the easiest to use. It is to your benefit to work with a professional printing company that can design what you are envisioning. Creative Printing’s design team can help you leave a Creative, yet lasting impression with custom designed business cards. Come on in today and get started!  
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We all have thought about writing a book at some point or another. Whether it is a biography, novel, children’s book, the thought has crossed your mind at least once.  Creative Printing of Bay County will publish your books for you. We can even create designs for your book. Below are some book ideas to help you get started.  
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Books Printed at Creative

  

Children’s Books   

  • Moral Lessons
  • Introduction Stories
  • Travel and Adventure Stories
  • Personal Experiences
  • A Child’s Perspective
  • Fantasy
  • Animals
  • Rewriting
  • Fiction/Nonfiction
  • Poetry
  • Picture Books
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More examples of books we have printed for customers

    


Biographies

  • Biography
  • Autobiography
  • Memoir
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More examples of what we can do


 

    

Educational

  • History
  • Math
  • Language Arts
  • Science
  • Technology

  

Mystery

Travel and Adventure 

   Romance Novel 

 Cook Books 

 Dance books

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Dance books we have designed and printed
 
Creative Printing offers Self-publishing for individuals or businesses that want to publish their own book. Self-publishing is where an author pays for their own editing, formatting, or cover design of their work, the printing process, distribution and marketing. We will gladly design the cover for your book and inside images as well. If you use a publishing company we can design the graphics for your book and send them to your via email or straight to the publishing company.  Come on in and let us help you get started writing that book you have always dreamed of writing! 
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So the love of your life has finally popped the question! You’re both thrilled to actually tie the knot. What do you do next? 
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Of course you tell everyone! Then set a date and now it’s time to start planning. In the midst of preparation there is one important item you need to remember, your wedding invitations. Your wedding invitations are a very important part of planning your wedding. They are often the first contact made between the bride, groom and their guests. It is important to make sure all the necessary items are included on your invitations.


Take a look at 6 things NOT to forget on your wedding invitations.

1)    Name of Bride & Groom 

    This may not be forgotten very often, but we wanted to make sure you don’t forget to proudly announce who the special couple is that is getting married!


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2)    Day & Date

 Believe it or not people have forgotten to include this on their invitations before. You get so busy and overlook the important details. Guest need to know when   the wedding is being held. If you forget this important detail; you spent all that money on invitations only to have people calling for the information. If you have a good printer, they will catch this critical detail. 
 
 
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3)    Time

Yes, the time of the wedding is very important. You want your guests to all be there promptly, right?  Of course, the bride can be a little late, that always helps spice things up a little.

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4)    Location

Oh, the location is very critical. Guests need to know where you will be having this special occasion. Be sure the address in included. Directions or a small map can even be inserted with the invitation if you feel it is necessary. In today’s technological world many guests will have a GPS, but several may not.

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5)    Reception

You can’t forget the information about the reception! This is the FUN part! Include details if it is at a different location than the ceremony or at a later time. Basically this would be the location, time and directions to the reception site. This information doesn’t necessarily have to all be on the invitation; it can be inserted into the envelope separately. We do suggest that you do include that there will be a reception to follow on the wedding invitation though.

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6.    Forgetting to Include RSVP Date


Your invitations or response cards should clearly state the deadline for a response from your guests.This date is usually two to three weeks ahead of the wedding. Most people will respond by this time.
But what if you forgot to put the RSVP date on the invitation or response card? Don't worry. Many invited guests will automatically send you their response. For those who have not responded, it is perfectly fine to call them and ask for a response to your wedding invitation.

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As you can see, there are really only 6 basic important things to remember to include on your wedding invitations. Here at Creative Printing, we offer CUSTOM wedding invitations. That means, we will design them the way you want! Creative is a one stop shop, so if you’re needing RSVP cards, printed napkins, wine glasses or other items for your wedding we can help you out. Come on in today and let us help you CREATE the WEDDING of your DREAMS!
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When it is time to make a purchase or use a service, do you shop local? Are you familiar with the importance of supporting local businesses? Many people are under-informed about the important values that local businesses provide for you as an individual as well as for the community. 
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Although it is our recommendation to seek a professional graphic artist like ours here at Creative Printing we understand the desire to save money on set-up cost. Below you will find some tips to help you insure your files are production ready.

Submitting Print Ready Files - Artwork - Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, FL
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Are you looking for a banner to promote your business or event? Here at Creative Printing of Bay County we have a NEW Wide Format Printer that can print banners up to 3 feet wide by 12 feet long. We offer a variety of banners sure to meet your needs. From your standard hanging banner complete with grommets to retractable banners perfect for carrying to events. Our banners are weather resistant and can be used both indoors or out! Need your banner in a hurry? No problem, We offer quick turnarounds!

Most of our banners are printed right here in the shop using high quality 15mil scrim vinyl. We use the highest quality inks and check to make sure your images are of the highest quality before we print. If something is wrong, we will let you know right away!

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If you’re a business owner, you use some type of business form. Whether you have them printed or have a digital form in which you later print, they are a Creative Printing of Bay County - Custom formsnecessity when running an effective business.  Business forms are most often printed so that they can be handwritten and are usually in a set format. You can record almost every type of business information on these forms.

Each business is different and does not need the same type of forms. This is why Creative Printing offers, fully Customizable Forms to meet individual business needs. Let us share with you some of the types of Custom Forms we design and print.

Non Carbon Required (NCR) Forms – are forms that were developed to eliminate the problems associated with using carbon paper. These forms are great for office or commercial documents that come in multiple copies without the use of any electronics. Each copy in the NCR forms are coated with special dye and reactive clay that are sensitive to pressure.

 
 
 
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Did you know that May is MADE IN AMERICA month? Let’s join together and help build our economy! By purchasing made in the USA products and shopping local we are supporting our COUNTRY and our COMMUNITY!
 
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Downtown Panama City has many locally owned shops. Come on down and visit Creative Printing and all the local stores this month!
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Creative Printing of Bay County - how color makes you feelDo you ever wonder why you feel calmer in a brown room? On a cloudy, rainy day, do you want to wear comfortable pants and a sweatshirt? Gloomy days tend to make us want to lie around and not be motivated. Could this be due to the color?
 
As we previously discussed there is psychology behind color and how it makes you feel. Let’s take a look at a variety of different colors and find out how they make you feel.
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Panhandle Pediatric Dentistry is a locally owned pediatric dentist office that specializes in treating young children and adolescents. Dr. Eric Berry and his wife Creative Printing of Bay County - testimonial - Dr. BerryTricia opened the practice a little over 3 years ago here is Panama City, Florida.  They chose Panama City due to being near the coast and close to family. Dr. Berry was inspired to open his own business due to his love for children.
 
Panhandle Pediatric Dentistry was in need of a logo when they opened. They began working with Creative Printing after interviewing 2 other shops. Creative stood out due to how personable they are and how easy they are to work with. Mrs. Tricia states, “I like their style of approach and excitement about helping getting our company going.”
 
Dr. Berry and Mrs. Tricia love their logo! Mrs. Tricia states, “It was difficult to design a shark that didn’t look mean.” “Creative continued to redesign the shark until it looked friendly and was exactly what we wanted.”
 

 

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Did you know that Creative Printing will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year?
 
We are proud to have been part of the Panama City Community for so long. Over the years we have grown and changed to better serve the print needs of our customers.
 

Look at how much our building has changed since we purchased it in 1999!

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Remodel - Before and After
 
We are looking forward to celebrating our anniversary with an Open House Celebration later in the year!  Stay tuned for details at our office, on our blog, our Facebook page, Twitter page or sign up for our monthly eNewsletter.
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Posted by on in Meet the Print Shop
Are you ready to meet another member of the "Get Creative" Team?  We hope you are enjoying our Staff Bio series. In December we introduced you to Steve and Sheila Ruff, owners of Creative Printing of Bay County. We have so many wonderfully talented people on our team and we want you to get to know a little about them all.

This month we introduce you to Sandi Sciolino. Sandi has been with us now just over a year. She takes on many roles here at Creative Printing. Her primary roles are invoicing and proofing, however she often works in customer service. She is a cherished member of our team where every role is very important in getting your print jobs completed by our deadlines.
 
 
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Meet Sandi - Print Jobs - Proofreading
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Posted by on in Print Shop Services
Did you know that here at Creative Printing we offer Mailing Services? That’s right, if you need to mail mass quantities of presorted mail that is at least 150 pieces or more, we can mail it for you. For instance, NAJU Boarding & Grooming has 7,000 post cards printed; labels added and mailed every month. In return they are getting an average of 200 new customers per month.  We take care of everything so they have more time to do what they love, spend with the pets at their facility.
 
Now let us explain what is meant by Presorted Standard Mail.

Presorted Standard Mail typically includes sales flyers, form letters, or other printed pieces that are identical in content. Each piece must weigh less than one pound. Presorted Standard Mail refers to mailing at least 150-200 addressed pieces (or 50 pounds) of mail sorted and arranged according to postal standards. Presorted standard Mail is a job-sharing program; Creative Printing and the Postal Service share the work of processing the mail. When businesses do some of the preparation and organization, it saves the Postal Service time and money. They pass these savings on to the business through postage discounts. Due to it being geared toward business mail, Standard Mail rates do not apply to correspondence such as personal letters and these other types of mail.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Mailing Services - Bulk Mailing
But is direct mail marketing effective for your business? According to DMA (Direct Mail Association) statistics, "15% of all consumers receiving at least a catalog and 12% receiving at least a letter, postcard and/or flyer from a company made a purchase on a company's website." NAJU, along with many of our other clients have seen great success come from using mailing services to market their business.
 
So if you’re thinking about marketing your business with direct mail and printing and mailing large quantities, but don’t want to have to worry about stuffing your envelopes or pay full price for stamps, come on into Creative and let us take care of it for you. We are a One Stop Shop and We Understand Budgets and Deadlines.
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Have you seen the NAJU Boarding & Grooming Shuttle around town?
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - NAJU Boarding & Grooming Shuttle
 
If so, you have probably been curious and want to know more. NAJU is a local business that is family owned and operated. This thriving business was originally started on the property of Biff Hunt’s parents in the 60’s and 70’s where they were breeding American Foxhounds and show dogs. The property was an old dairy farm which still had the runs and covered facilities out back. This was used for the dogs. People loved their setup and how clean and consistent the facility was. This then led to the conversion to a public facility in 1975.
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Do you ever wonder what type of paper you should use for your CREATIVE PRINT PROJECTS? Often people do not realize how many choices they have available. Then when it is time to choose, the many varieties of paper can be overwhelming. What color? What finish? What style? Paper selection can make a huge impact on your print project whether it is for yourself, your family, or your business.
 
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Creative Paper Projects
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Whether you are a business professionals or an individual, we have all had to make copies at some point or another, but have you ever thought about the wear and tear on your printer? If you are coping large quantities in house, then it typically more cost effective to go to your local print shop. It’s important to take into consideration employee time, the amount of toner/ink you’re using, and paper. Many businesses don’t realize how the cost adds up over time when coping in house.

So what kinds of copies are people making these days? Let’s take a look.

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At some time or another many of us have used signs. We see them all over the place, from yard sales, to baby showers, political signs and even for real estate. There are so many uses for yard signs such as, parties, now hiring, now enrolling, sales, special events, schools and sports. The choices are endless. Yard signs are a great way to grab people's attention and it’s important to learn how to use them in your business. 

Do you ever wonder why you should use yard signs? Where they should be placed to grab attention? How about what information to include?

We want to provide you with some tips to make the most of your Yard Signs.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Yard Sign Tips
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Do you ever look at a sign going down the road and think, “That is too much”? The key to designing signs, business cards, etc. is to make them stand out and not look too busy.

The less you use in designing the better. You want people to read your signs and cards.
 
Let's take a look at some Tips to show how less is more in Graphic Design.
 
  1. Often people think that every area of white space has to be filled. This is not the case. White space is okay!
  2. Don’t use too many effects. This will take away from the message you are trying to give.
  3. Avoid using more than 3 fonts per design. This will make your design look unprofessional and busy.
  4. Don’t choose a font just because you think it is cool. Be sure it goes with the theme and is the right height so that it is visible.

     

    Letter Height Visibility Chart

    Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - How Less is More in Graphic Design - Font Size Chart

     

  5. Avoid using too much information. If there is too much, potential customers will skip it all together. The less that is on your card or sign the more it attracts attention to your main points.
  6. When using graphics or pictures, make sure they look professional and only use one or two. Too many will make your design too busy.
  7. It’s important to have a focal point, something that draws your eye and then everything should flow out from there. You want your eyes to move to all parts of your design.
  8. When aligning your text, don’t feel like it has to be centered. Left or right justified looks more professional.
  9. Remember when choosing your colors, that different colors affect the way you feel.
  10. The best way to ensure that your text will be clear at a long distance is to use a high contrast color, such as White on Black.  Blue on Green is more difficult to see from a distance.

    Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - How Less is More in Graphic Design - High Contrast Colors

     11.   When choosing colors for your company logo or any design project, it's important to look at the color wheel. You don't want to choose colors that are beside each other. Choose colors that are across from one another, so that they stand out and better.


Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - How Less is More in Graphic Design - Color Wheel
 
     12.    One more important tip to remember is to trust your graphic designer! Their skills and experience will bring your images to reality. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
 
As you see there are many factors to consider when designing your company logo, business cards, signs and more.
 
At Creative Printing our friendly design team is here to help you! So when you’re ready to begin your design, come on in and let us help you Get Creative.

 

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Ever wonder why you feel cheerful at Christmas? Could it be all the red and green lights?  Have you ever felt tired in a blue room or full of energy in a red room? Colors can change our mood, make us motivated or feel tired – – the colors that surround you may be the reason for your lack of productivity or lower creativity!  The human eye sees about 7,000,000 colors. That’s an incredible amount of color!

Artists and interior designers have long understood how color can intensely affect moods, feelings and emotions. According to about.com, color is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood and cause physiological reactions. Certain colors can raise blood pressure, increase metabolism or cause eyestrain.

Let’s find out how different colors make you feel. 


Red

  • (Think passion) stimulates, arouses, increases awareness.
  • Elevates a room’s energy level. It’s a good choice when you want to stir up excitement.
  • Pumps the adrenaline.
  • Draws people together and stimulates conversation.
  • Love.
  • Has been shown to raise blood pressure, speed respiration and heart rate.
  • It is usually considered too stimulating for bedrooms or classrooms.
  • May trigger feelings of anger in some people.
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - How Color Makes You Feel - Red
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If there's one thing we know how to do at Creative Printing (besides, you know, creative printing), it's get down and spooky for Halloween! For years, we've been dressing up as our favorite monsters and villains, ghosts and ghouls, and just having fun.

We wish you a safe and happy Halloween this year and invite you to take a sneak peak at some of our favorite Halloween photos from over the years!

 

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Is there a high school senior in your life? 

Chances are, they've already been given information about ordering expensive graduation announcements through their school. They might have a few options to choose from but one thing is certain: those announcements will look an awful lot like the announcements all their classmates will be sending out.

Why not make your senior's graduation truly special and get them a completely custom graduation announcement that not only shares the news of their graduation, but also includes their photo?

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Custom Graduation Announcements
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It's been a busy summer around the office at Creative Printing. Of course, we've been busy printing your business cards, letterhead, postcards and party invitations, but there's more! We've been busy implementing a ton of exciting new equipment with the help of our technology partner Garner IT Consulting. We're so excited about it that we couldn't wait any longer to share the changes with you! 
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - New Technology
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Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Proof Print Jobs - ProofreadingYou've worked on a design with your graphic artist. You've decided whether your business cards should be matte or glossy. You've settled on the quantity of new brochures to order for your small business.
 
What's left?

Once the design and layout of your print job are finalized, you'll be asked to review a proof. A proof is a document or image that will show you exactly what your item will look like when it's printed. This is your last opportunity to change your mind about design elements and to check all the details to ensure there are no mistakes.
 
Here is what to look for when you review a printing proof:

  1. Check the colors. Make sure the colors you see are what you expected. Do the font and background colors coordinate with your company logo?
  2. Check the graphics. Make sure the correct, current version of your company logo is being used. If you've been thinking about redesigning your logo, consider doing that before ordering new print supplies that will soon be outdated.
  3. Check the text--including phone numbers and addresses. Your print professionals can help with colors and graphics, but they might not realize that your office phone number ends in 2354 rather than 2345. Check and double-check these important details.
  4. Take a step back and review the overall print job. Is it generally pleasing to the eye, interesting, and easy to read? Remember, this is your last chance to make any changes, so if you have reservations, now is the time to speak up.
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Print Jobs - Proofreading

What happens if there is an error or change needed on your printing proof?

Don't worry! We'll make the changes and create a new proof for your review. You'll have to sign off on all the changes and approve the proof before we proceed with the print job, giving you final control over what we print.

We understand budgets and deadlines. A careful review of your printing proof can save you both money and time, important resources for any small business.

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Custom party invitations are growing in popularity and they're a great, easy way to add personal touches to your special event or celebration.
 
It's no mystery that a lot of folks are scheduling special events later this year on a noteworthy date. November 11, 2011 -- aka 11/11/11 -- will be a memorable day for many. If you're planning an 11/11/11 event, now's the time to start thinking about making your event even more special with custom invitations.
 
No matter when your event date lands on the calendar, you don't have to be a design whiz to get custom invitations, or even know exactly what you want. We can build custom invitations around your event's theme and help you choose a design that represents you. We know what questions to ask, and we understand how to listen to your answers, work with your goals and budget, and develop a solution that meets all your needs.
 Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Custom Party Invitations - Announcements
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Business cards are the most important marketing tool that your company uses. They are often the first representative of your business and easily the one that sticks around the longest. How can you make sure that your business cards are doing everything they can to promote your business in a positive way?
 
Here's what you need to know:

1. Go with the pros. Running a small business on a budget--or starting a new business from scratch--might require some creative financial planning, but don't skimp on business cards. DIY cards look cheap and make your potential clients think you don't care about the details. Hire a professional printing company to print your business cards, and show your clients that you're serious about your business.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Need to know
 
 
2. Short and sweet. Don't try to write a novel on your business cards. Only include the information that is actually pertinent, such as company name, your name, basic contact information including your e-mail address and website.
 
3. Don't be cute. Every small business owner wants their business cards to be memorable, to stand out from the crowd. Don't try to do this by being cutesy with your business cards. This means no knock-knock jokes and no cartoon characters (unless you happen to be in the cartoon business). Instead, stand out by using a sharp design and textured paper. Or, if you're really feeling adventurous, consider something really out-of-the-box like a structural aspect, like this business card with tear-tabs: 
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Tear Tabs

Or these clear plastic business cards: 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Clear Plastic

4. Use a smart design. The design of your business cards should be appropriate for your business. If you run a landscaping business, don't put wine glasses on your business cards. Choose graphics and layouts because they represent your business, not because they're your favorite color or because they remind you of your favorite vacation spot.
 
5. Catch the typos. Handing out typo-ridden business cards is a death sentence for your marketing efforts. Be sure to check and double-check spelling of names and especially addresses and phone numbers. And if you get a new number or your website URL changes, it's time to get new cardsand toss your old ones in the recycling bin.
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Toss old
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In our first blog post (of many!), we didn't want to start off with the same old boring marketing lingo. We're not here to toot our own horn, push our services on you or anything like that.
 
We just want to get to know our neighbors.
 
We're also ridiculously excited to start this blog and to get connected with more of you in internet-land. As a matter of introduction, we thought we'd invite you to take a stroll through our print production facility. We're located in Bay County, Florida, and we love working on print jobs for small businesses as well as individuals.
 
Come on in!
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Welcome to the Print Shop - Front Desk - Carol
Carol at the front desk    
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