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Trophies and Awards

March 2014

  1. 5 Award Trends for Spring 2014

    It’s time for Spring!  Daffodils are blooming, birdsong fills the air, and longer days are ahead.  Springtime not only brings new trends in fashion and home décor, but also in the awards industry.  Three weeks ago, I attended our annual trade show in Las Vegas and scoped out the hottest new awards for 2014.  So what are the must-have top trends for spring?

    Trend #1: Bamboo

    It’s the hottest wood in awards!  Sustainable and renewable, bamboo's hard surface and pretty honey color make the perfect material for plaques, picture frames, cutting boards, and even travel mugs!  Beautiful when laser engraved, bamboo awards and gifts are easily personalized.  Great to look at and good for the earth, these awards are a win-win!

    Trend #2: Mixed Media Pieces

    Many new awards combine more than one type of material together in exciting new combinations.  One of our suppliers, Victory, combines acrylic with sustainable bamboo (See Trend #1), displayed in an iron stand.

    Trend #3: Wine

    When you are invited to a friend's house for dinner, what do you bring?  A bottle of wine, of course!  According to the Wine Institute, in 2012, the total wine consumed per resident in the US was 2.73 gallons.  Personalized wine products , such as engraved wine bottles, wine storage boxes, and wine tools, are a current trend this year.  With the popularity of wine, it's no surprise.

    Trend #4:  Custom, Custom, Custom

    Just like last year, unique, personalized pieces were everywhere in Vegas.  Awards with full color photos, 3-dimensional acrylic awards made out of logos, and crystal awards filled with custom designs were hot at the show.  Nothing says "wow" like one-of-a-kind!

    Trend #5: Olympic Style Medals

    With the recent Winter Olympics in Sochi, a new style of medal has come on the scene.  The neck drape remains flat, threading through the medal, instead of being clipped on with a ring. This more modern look was available for marathon racing medals and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

    Medals with a one-of-a-kind design and printed neck drapes are also all the rage (see Trend #3). Create your own personalized Olympic medals; if your group has a design in mind, we can make it a reality.

    Mix things up with your awards this spring by picking a trendy piece! Just like with your wardrobe, adding one fun new item can really jazz up your awards program!

    Cheers,
    Jessica

  2. St. Patrick's Day Ideas

    If you can't go to Ireland, celebrating St. Patrick's Day is the next best thing! If you can't go to Ireland, celebrating St. Patrick's Day is the next best thing!

    Monday is St. Patrick’s Day, the luckiest day of the year!  Get your Irish on with games and laughter with friends, family or co-workers!

    Tunes

    Start things up with your favorite Irish songs.  While I was in college, my favorite hang out was an Irish pub called Kell’s.  Live music was a staple at Kells with lively sing-along drinking songs.  My favorites are The Rattlin’ Bog and Molly Malone (Cockles & Mussels) . Check out the renditions above to get in a Celtic mood!  You just gotta smile and tap a toe while listening to these sappy songs!

    Awards

    Host a "wear green to work"contest at the office or get the green beer flowing with an after hours game of beer pong!  Recognize your friends for being lucky to know you with these awesome awards!

    Pot of Gold Award – It's at the end of the rainbow, guarded by a greedy Leprechaun!

    Lucky Horseshoe – Forget 4-leaf clovers, horseshoes are the best symbols for good luck!

    Flora Leaf Block -   Perfect for spring! Lovely crystal green leaves decorate the side of this clear optical crystal award.

    Food

    A kid-approved favorite! A kid-approved favorite!

    The traditional Irish-inspired meal for St. Patrick’s Day is Corned Beef and Cabbage.  Other ideas include shepherd’s pie, Irish stew, and Irish soda bread.  Find great recipes to try at Allrecipes.com.

    My favorite St. Patrick's Day treat is an American, kid-approved classic – green shamrock-shaped sugar cookies!  Yum!

    Don’t forget to wear your green and enjoy St. Patrick’s Day!

    Cheers,
    Jessica

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