award ribbons - Ribbon Impressions

Retirement & Planning the Perfect Party

Getting from a job to having a career is a goal for which most people strive. And once you have this career, sticking to it can be difficult. When someone reaches certain milestones on this career path, it is always worth celebrating. And the best milestone anyone can reach is retirement.

Once someone has retired (whether for age or tenure), they deserve recognition for their hard work. Celebrating this incredible feat with a party is the perfect way to honor the retiree. And this party will take planning! Here are some easy party suggestions to use to ensure that any retirement party goes off without a hitch.

So, let’s get that retirement party planned!

The first thing to remember is that this party is for one person: the retiree. So make sure it is planned according to their tastes. From the party’s theme (which every event planner you ask will say is a must) to serving drinks and refreshments, everything must be something the retiree will enjoy.

And the best way to accomplish this is to ask the retiree what they want. Don’t guess at what they would find enjoyable, even if you have known them for a while. Make sure they want a party, and that they want to be there. Ask them who they want to attend and where they want to have the party hosted. After all, it is their retirement.

This party is a great way to express your gratitude toward the retiree. It will help those in attendance reflect on all of the things this person accomplished during their chosen career. So, the next thing to remember is to make sure everyone in attendance understands what part they need to play in showing this gratitude. The more memorable you can make the party, the more the retiree will feel how much they impacted your life during their career.

Pieces of the Party (Don’t forget the ribbons!)

Guernsey Rosettes are the perfect gift for a retirement party.

You already have the theme and the guest list, now what does your party look like?

Speeches: Whether it is a toast given by the boss or short remembrances shared by everyone in attendance, the retiree is sure to feel the love with speeches prepared about them. Once the speech has been presented to the retiree, give them a printed copy of it tied up with a ribbon.

Music: Use comical songs like “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen for sending off your cherished co-worker. A timeless tune to have playing in the background at your party is “Happy Trails” by Roy Rogers. And spice up your decorations around the DJ’s table with ribbon rolls with some song lyrics imprinted in a bright color.

Refreshments: Cake, drinks and finger sandwiches are only a start to the list of yummy foods you can have at your retirement party. From sweet to salty, pick your retiree’s favorite foods and make sure they are on the menu. Don’t forget that ribbons are now your best friend especially for decorations for the snack tables and room centerpieces. You can put them everywhere!

Games: Does your retiree love Scrabble? Or is there another game that fits their personality to a t? No matter which games are chosen, get everyone involved in making new memories with their old friend. Use badge ribbons or rosettes and create a game specifically for the party.

Rosewood and Floating Acrylic Plaques are perfect for any retirement gift.

Recognition: You’re going to miss the retiree. So, why not celebrate them with an award! From an extravagant rosette ribbon to an award plaque, create something that reflects the importance that for which the retiree has worked so hard.

Favors: Make all the attendees something to take home that will always remind them of the fun and wonderful times they had with the retiree. You can even ask the retiree for help on this. Then wrap it up and tie a ribbon around it with the retiree’s name imprinted in their favorite color.

After the Retirement Party

Your final planning task is to make sure that both your retiree and attendees have a way to stay in contact with each other. Use a memory book that people can post a picture in and then sign with contact details. Or encourage the use of social media. But, no matter what you choose, make sure both the attendee and retiree are happy to participate.

Using this information to plan a retirement party accordingly, will make it not seem like a huge task, and your party will be the best ever.

Have we forgotten something? What would you add to this list of retirement party suggestions?

Fall Ribbons from Home to Office

With the current trend being pumpkin spice, everyone knows Fall is on its way!

Every season and holiday deserves some fun with ribbons. That being said, Fall is no exception to this! Here are some past and current ideas to get your creativity flowing with all of your festive Fall ribbons.

celebrate fall in style with custom ribbons

No matter what you are celebrating this Fall, custom ribbon roll decorations are a must. Make everything from weddings to festivals better with Fall ribbon roll decorations. Whether you are hosting a company party, Fall Festival, bridal shower or wedding, custom ribbon rolls have you covered. Use them to accent centerpieces, wrap party favors and create ribbon garlands or chandeliers. Not only do these ribbons come in Fall colors, but they let you add your personal touch with custom names, graphics or logos. From double face satin to organza, we have the ribbon rolls you need to impress your attendees.

Decorating Your Home

Christmas, Easter, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day are all great ideas to display themed candles. Use a color theme that will help them stand out. And, personalize them with sayings, greetings or names to make them unique.

Do you have a pool noodle or two that are falling apart from summer use? Here’s a great idea! Use one to form a circle and create a door wreath with festive colors. Make it unique by using different types of ribbons such as organza or grosgrain. These ribbon rolls are sure to make an impression and leave your guests a little bit jealous; you might have to give them your secrets to amazing Fall decor.

Ribbon Topiaries

fall and halloween ribbons used to make a ribbon topiary

(These faux trees) are fun to decorate with as well. First, choose several different, festive ribbon colors. Find a foam or floral ball and dress pins. You will also want a small dowel, or a pencil works well. Finally, you will need a base such as a vase or other stand that can hold the topiary upright.

Cut each ribbon piece into approximately four-inch strips. The more strips you have, the larger the topiary will look. Then start rolling the ribbons, so the ends meet. Secure these together with a pin and push it securely into the foam ball. Cover the entire ball with these ribbon rings. Make sure to stagger the ribbons and colors and alternate directions the ribbons are being placed to give it a fluffy look. Add a finishing touch with a bow on the dowel that has a spooky message.

For your holiday parties, don’t forget your award or badge ribbons. Maybe even incorporate the ribbons into your costume! But make sure those who attend your party know how appreciated they are with awards for everyone. From “Best Dressed” to “Spookiest Costume,” create exactly the awards you need. Or, go for a blank badge ribbon and make the whole thing up as you go.

Making Your Office Ready for Fall

Decorate your office door with fun, festive ribbon rolls. Choose from your favorite Fall colors such as Torrid Orange, Scarlet, Willow and more. Or use traditional brown, black, orange and green. No matter which colors you end up choosing, make sure to have fun, and set your creativity ablaze with these fun ribbons. Create a draping or curtain effect or weave the ribbon rolls for fun designs.

Use badge ribbons as gift tags on treats for employees, customers and other visitors you might have. Or, use custom top ribbons to announce your Halloween office party. Is your company having a costume contest? Rosette ribbons are perfect for that first prize winner.

Get your colleagues into a festive mood with new badge ribbons for their name tags. Translate their job titles or functions into something Fall themed to have imprinted onto ribbons. Your sales team could now be the Acorn Gatherers or your customer service representatives can now be part of the Cornucopia Team. Get creative and give your clients something new to smile about.

But, no matter what you decide to do with your fall ribbons, don’t forget to share your ideas with us!

Best of Show: Festivals and Fairs

State festivals and county fairs have two things in common: the elusive best of show and award ribbons. From incredible horse shows, food demonstrations and live music to fried food, butter sculptures and roller coasters, festivals and fairs can be an incredible experience. And, don’t forget the best part: those best of show ribbons! But, before we get into our favorite topic of ribbons, let’s talk about the difference between a festival and a fair.

a festival and a fair both have something in common: best of show award ribbons

FESTIVAL vs. FAIR

Briefly, a festival is a gathering of people to celebrate something, historically religious holidays (feast days), but now also secular ones, e.g., Kwanzaa, or the Burning Man, initially held to celebrate the summer solstice. Mardi Gras is a famous New Orleans festival, a religious one celebrated more quietly in other areas.

A fair is a gathering of vendors or tradespeople for the entertainment, commerce or other purpose. There are job fairs (hardly a festival), book fairs, farm shows (also called fairs) where people show their prized livestock or farm products for the entertainment (and often sales for charity) of both fellow farmers and non-farmers alike, county fairs (mostly just summer entertainment), etc.

So now that we know the difference between a festival and a fair, we can focus on more important things. Things like how to win your Best of Show ribbon!

While we do not have specifics, especially when it comes to things other than ribbons themselves, on what the best looking cow is or if you have the best tasting chili, we do have a little bit of advice. No matter your location, from Texas to Minnesota, the best thing you can do to win that coveted prize ribbon is to try your hardest. Work on your craft and put the required time in to make sure you know what you’re doing.

Here at Coller Industries, that is exactly what we do with our custom ribbons (and every personalized product we sell). We have been working on our craft for decades, and are top in our trade. So, while we can’t really award ourselves with Best of Show ribbons (judges consider that cheating), we might just try.

But, don’t take our word for it!

Jeff Halbach, a poultry judge at the 2018 Minnesota state fair, said, “The birds that end up on champion row usually are sound in body, correct and bright in color, have been cleaned and prepared for showing by their owners. And, finally, they have that winning personality.”

Emily Griffiths, also a judge (beef cattle) at the 2018 Minnesota State Fair, said, “I have always believed that beef heifer shows are very comparable to a beauty pageant in that it is about combining desirable female traits in a well-presented form with poise and style. You want an amount of body and muscle that is proportional and well suited to the animal’s frame with excellent structure. What separates an ordinary cow in the pasture from a champion at the state fair are those heifers with an extra amount of class, style, and grace. Those characteristics are not just limited to people—cattle can have those, too!”

Okay, on to those elusive Best of Show ribbons!

Rosette ribbons are seen everywhere at a fair. From giant pumpkins to those cute baby piglets, they are the classic touch at your local state or county fair. There are plenty of titles and stock ribbons from which to choose or make custom fair ribbons. They can have any award or honor imprinted to meet all of your needs.

From county fairs to holiday festivals, personalized ribbons are sure to bring home the Best of Show! And, no matter your ribbon choice, we have something to meet all of your festival and fair needs. Whether it is a pie eating contest or a 4-H event, ribbon rolls are sure to amaze with the right customization. Rosette ribbons are available as stock titles (yes, Best of Show included) or customize your own. They are a great way to make sure all winners are recognized for any achievement.

best of show stock rosette ribbon from Personalized Ribbons

But, enough about us, what about you? Are you planning on taking home Best of Show this year? Will it be your prized pig or your mom’s best blueberry pie?

SHOP AWARD RIBBONS

Greeting Cards with Unique Flair

From holidays to weddings, personalized ribbons are your best friend!

Custom ribbon rolls and greeting cards are the perfect pair when it comes to any event. They are great for a birthday party invitation or a thank you card. And, with just the right message, these ribbons will make any recipient feel how special you think they are.

So, whether you’re throwing the party of a lifetime or need a way to express your feelings, let’s figure out some ways to incorporated those custom ribbons into your greeting card needs.

Weddings and Formal Events

weddings invitations and menus are perfect with personalized ribbons

Most people look forward to hearing that their favorite couple is finally tying the knot. And, if you need a way to make those invitations a bit more inviting, add a bit of ribbon flair. Try tying a length of ribbon roll around the stack of the announcement, the RSVP card, your photo and anything else you want in your invitations. Don’t forget to customize the ribbon with your wedding date, names and choose the perfect color to match your special evening.

Even if it isn’t for a wedding, formal events are a great place to get some incredible use out of custom ribbons. Use that ribbon roll again for tying around menus. Or, use them for place holder cards at a formal family reunion. Everyone is sure to be happy to sit where you want them with such a fancy place card on their plate.

custom top ribbons can make a unique wedding announcement or greeting cards

Another fun idea is to use custom top ribbons as your event invitation. Add fun and colorful graphics and images along with names, dates and other essential details. Slip these ribbons into envelopes and get them in the mail. People are more apt to appear at an event when they know you put some real thought and effort into the invitations.

Birthdays and Other Holidays

We’ve all seen those super cute birthday greeting cards with ribbons sticking out everywhere. Now, picture those with personalized ribbons! How cute is that? And, with our custom ribbon rolls, you can now make your own. Forget about spending all that money at the store. Buy some high-quality card stock and design any holiday card your heart desires.

badge ribbons on greeting cards for mother's day and father's day

And, don’t limit it to ribbon rolls. Custom badge ribbons are a fun accent to any card. Make an award ribbon for that special mother or father in your life. Then, attach it to the front (or inside) of your handmade greeting cards. You will get the best hug you have ever had by giving such a thoughtful gift.

Or, go all sorts of fancy with big, beautiful bows on Christmas and other holiday cards. Even if you don’t want to design a card, find some inexpensive cards and add to them with strips of ribbon rolls or bows made from custom ribbons. Don’t forget the most important part: personalization! Add a festive message to your color choice, and people are sure to know how much you care.

The Feeling of Greeting Cards

From congratulations to a simple missing you, expressing your feelings is what greeting cards are all about. So, learn how to say thank you, congratulations, good luck and so much more with your personalized ribbons.

Express gratitude, say you’re sorry or give condolences with personalized ribbon cards. No matter your emotion, you can make a greeting card with personalized ribbons that says it all.

Honoring Dad: the Man, the Myth, the Legend

Do you have the best dad ever? Let us help you show him how much you care!

Finding the perfect way to celebrate dad is sometimes an uphill battle. And finding a gift, that’s another problem (try an executive desk wedge). But, once you have found that perfect gift for dad, let us help you with the perfect presentation.

Use ribbons to make your Father’s Day like no other. And, they go perfect with nearly any wrapping. From tying the perfect bow, to figuring out the gift wrapping, everything is better with ribbon. So, head on over and grab a classic blue ribbon and get started. Or, choose your dad’s favorite color so he knows just how much you care. No matter your ribbon choice, we’re sure to have the perfect fit. And here are some ways to make it happen.

Custom Ribbon Rolls for Your Dad

Father's Day ribbon with a special message for dad

From a special hand-made card to wrapping the perfect present, your dad is sure to love your use of custom ribbon rolls. While blue is a classic color for this spectacular holiday, we have an abundance of colors to choose from. So, grab his favorite color and treat your dad to a specially wrapped present today.

Whether it’s in a box or a bag, simple ribbon bows are the perfect type of gift presentation. Wrap the ribbon roll all the way around your gift and try these simple bows now.

Classic Gift Bow

Probably the easiest to tie bow is this classic, go-to look. It’s the same type of bow we all know from when we learned how to tie our shoes as kids. Start by taking the length of desired ribbon and create two loops. Most likely you will make this bow with the same ribbon you wrap around the present or gift box. Second, cross the loops, one in front and one behind. Bring one of the loops through the hole that has been created (almost a third loop, at the bottom). Pull both sides to form the bow.

Classic Pom-Pom Gift Bow

Pom-pom bows are the fullest type of gift bows and are typically used for larger gifts. To make this bow, you will need one very long piece of ribbon. Two colored (each side is a different shade) or printed ribbon is perfect to use for this type of bow. Also, the longer the piece of ribbon, the fuller and bigger the bow will be. Start by folding the ribbon in half to find the middle of the ribbon. Once you have the middle, twist the ribbon once and create a loop on one side.

Do this for both sides until you have the same number of loops on each side with some ribbon remaining for the tails. Once you reach this step, take a smaller length of the same ribbon and tie it around the center of the bow (where you were twisting the loops) to secure the whole thing. Once it is secure, make sure the tails are the same length and then gently pull the loops apart to make the pom-pom.

Hand-Made Cards

From a woven look to embellishments, ribbons are perfect for cards. Add his favorite color or the classic blue to your message to your dad. He’s sure to love it! And, when you add personalized ribbon to a card as an embellishment, it creates a 3D effect and makes everything stand out.

Show your dad how much you care by mixing in ribbons on your homemade greeting card. Not only have you now created your own personalized card unique to your father, but you should still have plenty of the personalized ribbons to wrap any presents that coordinate with the card!

Use custom ribbon rolls to wrap a gift for your dad on Father's Day

Don’t forget the personalization!

Use fun phrases like Happy Father’s Day or To the Best Daddy for your custom ribbon rolls. Make sure to use something that will make your dad proud to be yours. Add names and dates to really make the ribbon roll personalized to that special father figure in your life.

Check out this cute idea!

strips of ribbon roll wrapped around cutlery create a bow tie to celebrate your dad

Are you hosting a dinner this year? Create unique place settings by wrapping strips of ribbon rolls around your napkins and silverware. It will make your cutlery look like little bow ties. And, who doesn’t like a tie for Father’s Day?