Steve, 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!

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

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.

A lot of advanced technology and professional expertise are required to produce the product you expect. And that’s particularly true when you desire an archival-quality canvas print. At Creative Printing, we start and finish your canvas here in the print shop to ensure the highest quality.

However, before we get into the critical details, you should know that all of the products we use on our canvas prints meet the archival standards set by the Fine Art Trade Guild. Now, here is how we assure a product you’re pleased with.

First, to produce your canvas print with ultra-high-quality imaging, we use a state-of-the-art wide format printer.

Life on the Gulf Coast is beautiful!   A local carpentry company is a great resource to keep your home maintained and beautiful!  In need of home repairs? Home remodel? Maybe just in need of a trusted company to perform home maintenance on your vacation home? Young Carpentry & Home Maintenance is for you. They have been proudly serving 30A and surrounding areas since 2006 and look forward to meeting new home owners. 

They offer a wide variety of services:

• Home Cleaning Services
• Kitchen/Bathroom Remodels
• Home Watches
• Hurricane Preparedness Deployments
• And many more

Christmas is 7 weeks away! This year is definitely flying by. Are you looking for Christmas gifts for your employees? Promotional items always make great gifts, and they help get your logo and brand out there. We want to share several Christmas gift ideas in which are unique, but you can also incorporate your logo, company name, etc.

When you are ready to Get Creative, come on by our print shop and we can help you. Our friendly staff is always ready to help you get the most “bang for your buck.” Don’t procrastinate any longer, because Christmas will be here before you know it. Happy Shopping!

While ordering off the internet can be convenient it can quickly turn into nightmare. When trying to save money, many companies are turning online for their printing needs only to find it can end up being a costly and frustrating decision. Businesses especially, should think twice before ordering their professional print material off the web. Just like your website, your print material is the face of your company and should be high quality and professional. Unlike a local print shop, online printers do not care about the individual client. They serve thousands of customers and gang print jobs together to save them money, sacrificing your job in the process. Many online companies (not just in the print industry) have offices in the US, but the actual printing or manufacturing is done overseas hurting the US economy.

Do you have a design idea in mind and are not sure how to create it? Are you starting your own business and need a logo? You know that you need a graphic designer to create your vision. Hold on a minute before running out and just using any designer! It is important to do your “homework” and find a graphic designer that knows what they are doing. We have customers come in all the time with graphics that needs to be re-designed in order for them to print properly or the designer they originally went to did not get the design right. Our Panama City Print Shop wants to help you get quality work without incurring extra costs. Take a look at these 6 questions to ask a graphic designer before hiring.

Our permanent vinyl adhesive is perfect for indoor use and can even be used outdoors temporarily. It has a matte finish that renders beautiful results when combined with our state of the art, wide format printer. Our vinyl adhesive is water resistant and durable enough to be used for many applications, including outdoor advertising. Keep in mind it has a permanent adhesive and can be very difficult to remove from some surfaces once applied. We do not recommend applying this vinyl adhesive over textured surfaces. For the best results we recommend only applying to smooth, flat surfaces. We can also laminate the vinyl adhesive for extra protection or to add a gloss finish.

Have you heard about the new local business “A Taste of Panama City Food Tours?” Now you can receive a guided tour of historic downtown Panama City or take a stroll down Beck Avenue in St. Andrews, exploring and learning all about the history of several of the finest historic restaurants.  While on either tour you are treated to many culinary delights and learning local history. This is a fantastic way to give back to the local community as well as enjoy some unique family time.

Did you know our graphics department can restore your old photos? That’s right, we can make your photo look new again. If you do not have a digital copy, that is just fine, we can scan your photo and then restore it from there, creating a photo that looks just like the original.

We can repair photos that have any of the following damage:

• Water damage
• Torn
• Molded
• Faded or discolored

Steve, Sheila and the Creative Team are honored to be a part of a wonderful local event here in Panama City, Florida. The Warrior Beach Retreat Fall 2013 will be held Tuesday, September 17 through Tuesday, September 24 2013.  

WARRIOR BEACH RETREAT, INC

We became a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation on September 03, 2009 to provide a forum for combat wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan war and their families to bring honor and respect to those who have served our great nation. Wounded warriors and their families from all across our country are brought to Panama City Beach twice a year to enjoy a week long retreat sponsored by local businesses. These retreats are made possible by the many generous donations from the Northwest Florida community.

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.”

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!

Do you have a sweet tooth, but are trying to eat more healthy? You are in luck! This month we share another small business spotlight,  our very own local Sweet Frog of Panama City. They serve premium frozen yogurt and other sweet treats sure to entice anyone with a sweet tooth! They are located at 748 West 23^rd street in the Stanford Station Shopping Center.

Summer is coming to an end. Fall is right around the corner. Many "brides-to-be" are busy planning their weddings. If you are dreaming of a fall wedding, these invitations just may be the inspiration you need! Our graphic designer has put together a display of wedding colors and trends for this Fall. See her new designs for 2013 Fall Wedding Invitations below.

Fall Wedding Invitation Sample
Carafe, Koi and Linden Green

Are you looking for a local print shop that provides copy services for an upcoming event or the new school year? Here at Creative Printing of Bay County we offer copy services for a wide variety of items.

Copies and Documents

Our print shop offers a wide variety of paper choices, colors and more. Worried about your budget? Don’t be, we have a solution for any budget.

Sheila, Steve and the staff of Creative Printing of Bay County want to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our contest and helped us reach our goal of 350 Facebook fans. We are thankful for a great community and all the individuals who stay connected with us. Our website and our Facebook page are places where you can connect with us and learn about Panama City's  "One Stop Print Shop" and how we can help you with all your design and print projects.

We are excited about adding the ability to print and wrap canvases here at your local printing company. Learn more about our canvas prints and how they can be a great addition to your home or office. For yourself or as a gift.

Who is ready to Get Creative?

The WINNER of our Gallery Wrapped Canvas Print is Teresa Roberts. Congratulations Teresa! Check your inbox for details on how to redeem your prize.

More contests? Yes, we think so. Comment below with any ideas you have for future posts or contests.

Update: The Winner of the Canvas Contest

Teresa chose and sent us the image she wished to have as a canvas. We created her beautiful canvas and mailed it out to her. After she received her Canvas she took this photo. Thank you to everyone who participated and we look forward the having another contest soon so keep a look out and you could be the next winner. Thank You Teresa for you participation in our Canvas Giveaway and your continued support. 

Fall is just around the corner and many “brides to be” are busy preparing for the wedding of their dreams. Sometimes wedding themes and color schemes are hard to choose from, that is why Creative Printing of Bay County would like to help. Here we will share several new fall wedding trends and colors.

Pantone has recently shared their new fall colors and they would make wonderful wedding themes. What do you think? Our favorite is Emerald.

Are you in need of banners for an upcoming event? Do you want to catch the attention of those passing by? Creative Printing has you covered! We offer a wide variety of banners for any occasion and the best part is, we offer custom design. Banners are perfect for advertising or announcing events.

Do you use brochures as a marketing tool for your business? If not, you should, because this type of marketing material is a great way to provide important information about your company, products or services. Brochures are a great way to get your business brand in the hands of potential and current customers.

Terms & Conditions:

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to Creative Printing of Bay County and not to Facebook. The information you provide will be used in order for you to receive Creative Printing of Bay County’s emails related to the contest and our once a month eNewsletter. Unsubscribe at any time.

When we hit the 350 Facebook fans milestone Creative Printing will conduct a random drawing to determine the winner of the canvas. The winner will be notified via the provided email address. The winner will be announced via our blog to publish to social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, etc. The winner will receive a gift certificate valued at $75.00 to go towards a canvas of their choice. The winner may provide any image or art that has no copyright, any current professional photographs will need a print release from the photographer to reproduce. Creative Printing reserves the right to determine if the image is suitable for reproduction on canvas print. Creative Printing also reserves the right to use Images or content about the winner and the canvas as marketing material. The issued gift certificate expires 90 days from the day of the drawing.

Use this image for sharing and pinning to your favorite site!

Update:

Click here to find out who is the Winner of the Summer Canvas Contest.

Summer is finally here! Do you have your promotional items ready to hand out? If not, now is a great time to get your name/brand out into the public. With vacationers here on Panama City Beach, you can hand out promo items big or small quite easily.

Here are several unique promotional items that can help you get your name out into the community.

1. Beach Spike Cup Holders

• Whether you’re headed to the world’s most beautiful beaches (Panama City Beach)  or any beach for that matter, these spike cup holders will come in quite handy. Simply lay out your blanket and stick your cup holder in the sand. That’s it, no more sandy cups, cans or sunscreen for that matter! Have your logo and contact information printed on the side and these unique promo items are ready to hand out.

Did you know that font actually has a psychology of its own? When working on a project, whether it is for the web or print, the fonts need to be legible. Some fonts tend to be more legible on the web rather than printed, therefore it is important for designers and local print shops to know which font is best.

For instance, Verdana is a clean font used more for conferences or seminars, where Eurostyle is more fashionable and used for private events. Remember, fonts have a psychological side and should be chosen carefully and wisely.

When preparing for your next event contact us here at Creative Printing and we will gladly assist you. Our designers will work closely with you to ensure you have the right font.

Below is a graphic to help you decide which font to use for your website or event and why.

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.

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.

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.

Spring is in the air and there are babies everywhere! Do you have a friend or family member expecting a sweet bundle of joy? If so, you are going to need invitations for their shower. Have you thought about what type of shower to throw or has “mommy to be” mentioned what she would like? Here at Creative Printing our graphic designers will create a custom designed baby shower invitation to correspond with any theme. No theme yet? We also have samples ready for you to choose from.

Take a look at some of our newest designs.

Modern Baby Shower Invitations

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

Our Print Shop in Panama City, Florida sees a lot of customers, many of which do not know or understand the difference between digital and offset printing. We want to share the difference and help you better understand so that you can decide along with your local print shop which is best for your print project.

Digital Printing – Is a toner based printing method using high-speed copiers. Copied Type Printing has had some major advancement since it was introduced in the early 80’s. The image quality from our modern machines is as good as offset printing.

Graduation is right around the corner! Do you have a special senior in your life? Are you looking for custom graduation invitations that will stand out from the other classmates? Here at Creative Printing of Bay County we offer custom, affordable graduation invitations. Custom invitations are a great way to display your graduate’s senior portrait, creating a unique style. In need of name cards as well? You’re in luck, we design custom name cards to match your custom graduation invitations.

Here are a few of our newest designs to get your creative juices flowing.

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.

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!

By the Sea

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.

Several months ago, we shared a 2 part series regarding How Color Makes You Feel. Now we would like to share what brand colors say about your business. As we all know branding is crucial for your business and how customers/clients recognize you.  Did you know that color is the most noticed and remembered part of your business? It is important to have a matching color scheme across the board, from your logo, website, business cards and more.  Here at Creative Printing we have a wonderful graphics department that will help you develop your brand and have a matching scheme from online to print. Contact us for more information. Feel free to comment below to share how your brand color has helped your business.

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!

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.

Image from Wedding Paper Divas  

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

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?

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.

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.

VIVO Spa Salon is located in Rosemary Beach, Florida. They are a great example of a customer creating their own artwork and then having us print it for them.

Hi guys,

     " I got your message, thanks for knocking out the menus for me so quickly. That’s why you guys are the best!! I would love it if you could mail them to me."

Thanks!

Michael J.

As you can see, it is fine to create your own artwork and send it in to be printed here at Creative Printing of Bay County. It is important to make sure the files are set up properly and then there is little design expense, if any. If you have any artwork you would like printed, feel free to contact us and our friendly staff will assist you.   

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.

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.

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!

We are looking forward to 2013 and getting CREATIVE!

As we all know, our first impression are often the last impression. This is why it is extremely important to have a professional, yet creative letterhead that will make a huge impact. Letterheads and envelopes are important for sending letters, invoices, receipts, and much more. These are essentials for any business, no matter the size. You want to make sure that your stationary matches and are of professional quality.

So what do you include on your letterhead and envelopes?

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!

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.

Do you have several old boxes or signs lying around your office? Not sure what you should do with them? Why not re-purpose your signs? Permanent Vinyl Adhesive is appropriate for a broad range of indoor applications. Vinyl adhesive can be used on flat surfaces, simple curves and simple contours. It is perfect for covering the OLD! If you want to cover a low quantity of large containers, PSA is the perfect material to use. It turns a plain cardboard box into something NEW and extraordinary!

We hope your enjoying our series on Promomotional Items for Your Industry. Our goal in this series is to provide you with examples of promotional items that meet your business needs and help gain brand recognition in your community. Let’s take a look at several promo items for business professionals.

Jump Drive/USB Drive

In today’s technology driven world, these USB drives are a great portable storage device for documents. pictures, presentations or videos. What a better way to help out your existing clients and business prospects than a USB drive. You can have your business logo, website, or phone number printed right on the front. It is important not to have too much information on something so small, causing it to look cluttered and not professional.

Have you ever written a book or thought about writing a book? Do you have trouble deciding which type of book binding you need? Now is time to consider your binding options. There are a wide variety of options when having a book or booklet bound. We want to inform you about the choices available and which is the most common choice for your project.

Plastic Spiral or Coil Binding

This binding method is a punch and bind system that uses plastic spiral that is coiled through the punched holes on the binding edge. Books can be bound up to 1 ½” thick, are very strong and crust resistant. The book lies flat when opened and can be folded back. Spiral or coil binding is often used for notebooks, technical manuals, presentations, calendars, and more.