• Essential Steps to Preserve Your Vintage Movie Poster Collection

    Vintage movie posters are inspiring to look at and fun to collect. However, they must be framed and preserved properly to ensure they maintain their clarity and value. Your local framing store will be the best place to learn how to properly protect and preserve your posters . San Jose and Santa Clara’s framing professionals can suggest the right supplies and techniques to combat the common elements that can destroy your collection. Let’s take a closer look at the steps you need to preserve your vintage movie posters. movie - poster

    Understand Damaging Elements

    There are certain enemies of vintage posters and artwork, such as moisture, light, and pests. These elements can cause extreme damage to any type of collection, so it is important to understand the different destructive elements and how to combat them. Moisture, humidity, heat, pests, light, and acid are the most common forces that may damage your vintage poster collection. You can prevent many of these damages by storing your collection in dry, climate-controlled areas and display them using the proper supplies.

    Use the Correct Supplies

    There are several ways to display your poster collection, but the posters must be displayed with the correct supplies found at your local framing store. Protect your movie posters by framing them with acid-free materials and protective display glass. These materials can prevent damage from higher acid backing, light exposure, and extreme temperatures. Keep your poster frames out of direct sunlight and away from high-humidity areas. Do not use heat or adhesives to mount your posters. Only use sturdy nails or hanging supplies recommended by your framing store.

    Work with Professional Framers

    Your local framing store is going to offer the greatest amount of help and supplies to properly preserve your vintage movie posters. Professional framers have experience and knowledge in different framing techniques and supplies to protect various types of artwork. They can also recommend the right frame and mat colors to match each poster and your interior décor. This knowledge and experience will help preserve your poster collection for years to come.

  • Rewarding Productive Employees

    Gifting corporate awards to your employees is a great way to improve morale and acknowledge their hard work. There are several types of awards and personalized gifts that your employees will appreciate, such as a day off, free lunch, and plaque awards in San Jose and Santa Clara. Here is a closer look at how you can reward your productive employees:

    As you can see in the attached video, corporate awards and gift ideas are only limited by your imagination. You can reward productive employees with physical gifts—like crystal and plaque awards—or with job-related activities like paid time off or promotion opportunities. No matter your choice, it is important to consistently acknowledge your productive employees. This habit will encourage continued productivity and keep your employees happy.

  • How Can I Frame an Oddly Shaped Picture?

    There are times when a picture or piece of artwork is oddly-shaped, but it is still important that these items be properly protected with a customized picture frame in San Jose and Santa Clara. You may wonder how an oddly-shaped picture can be framed, but your local framing store has the tools and skills necessary to keep your possessions protected and showcased in an attractive manner. Read on for a better look at custom framing and how it can protect your memories.

    Your local framing store will inspect the picture you wish to frame. Your frame designer will go over different matting options, frame shapes, and various color options. These details are important to discuss with your frame designer, because he or she will have the required knowledge and tools to design the right custom frame that will protect your oddly-shaped picture. It is possible that your designer may suggest shaping the matting around your oddly-shaped picture and framing it in a traditional frame design. No matter the outcome, your framing store will ensure your picture or artwork is protected and well-framed.

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  • The Coach’s Guide to End-of-Season Awards Ceremonies

    Sports awards are a popular way to acknowledge players’ achievements, improvements, and contributions to their team. Trophy stores near San Jose and Santa Clara can help coaches make a memorable sports award that players and parents will love looking at. As your team’s season comes to a close, you might plan an awards ceremony with customized trophies or plaques that should be ordered well in advance. Here is a quick guide to help you create the awards you need in time: sport - award

    Reserve Weeks in Advance

    Different athletic programs will terminate at various points in the year, since some sports are only played during certain seasons. Therefore, it is important to reserve and order the league’s or team’s awards as soon as possible to ensure the order comes in at the right time. You’ll also want to book your venue and send out invitations early, so that everyone is able to come to the ceremony.

    Know the Details

    There are several details a coach should have when placing the final order for sports awards. A coach should know the exact number of players he is awarding. He should also have their correct names and player positions if he is giving out personalized awards. If the coach wishes to award specific types of awards—such as Most Valuable Player or Most Improved—then he should also have the titles and names prepared before ordering. Coaches might also select players, parents, or volunteers to announce various awards at the ceremony.

    Consider Original Designs

    Sports awards come in a variety of designs, including cup trophies, plaque awards, and certificates of participation. Coaches can create a fun and original trophy design to award their players. This original design will stand out among other trophies, and the players will be excited to remember their time playing. Work with your local trophy store and research ideas to find the best, original trophy that every player will enjoy. At your ceremony, present each award with a short, customized speech or song to represent each player being recognized.

  • Highlight Your Kids’ School Achievements with a Custom Shadow Box

    It is important to show off your kids’ achievements in school and sports. You can show off their sports awards, school projects, and science fair ribbons with a custom shadow box made by your framing store near San Jose and Santa Clara. You can customize your shadow box to fit your kids’ different projects and to match your interior décor. Let’s take a closer look at this type of framing that can showcase your kids’ proudest school moments. shadow - box

    Customize to the Size of the Award

    Shadow boxes, just like custom frames, can come in several different sizes and shapes to fit the item you wish to showcase. If your kids have special poems, sports awards, or science fair ribbons, then you can order a shadow box in a small or large size to hold as many awards as you wish. Shadow boxes can also be customized into different geometric shapes to showcase your kids’ achievements in an interesting format. This customizability is a great asset when you have different projects and awards from each of your kids.

    Match the Surrounding Décor

    If you prefer a clean and matching décor style in your home, then it may seem difficult to display all of your kids’ different awards and school achievements. However, a custom shadow box that’s designed and fabricated by a qualified framing store can easily be made to match the rest of your frames and surrounding décor. Speak with your shadow box designer about the frame colors and designs already in your house. Your designer can use these details to customize a shadow box to complement your house’s current décor.

    Showcase a Variety of Achievements

    Your kids will have many achievements throughout their time in school. They will win school awards, complete colorful projects, and write memorable papers. These achievements deserve to be displayed, so your kids, your family, and friends can see everything that your kids have accomplished. This is a great way to show your pride and joy in your kids’ achievements.

  • Basic Elements of Corporate Retreats

    Corporate retreats are a great way to bring your team together and improve employee productivity. Teambuilding retreats and corporate awards in San Jose and Santa Clara help improve morale and encourage your employees to work harder and smarter for your company. Watch the video and continue reading to learn the basic elements of a corporate retreat.

    • Decide the primary goal and secondary goals of the retreat. These definitions will help steer teambuilding exercises to benefit your team most.
    • Assign a team of retreat participants and management to plan an effective itinerary of teambuilding exercises, corporate awards ceremonies, and downtime. These activities are important to create a successful retreat.

    Break everyone into teams for exercises. These teams should be filled with employees who do not often work together. They will gain more benefit from working with new business strategies and corporate imaginations.

  • Ways to Celebrate Your Employees’ Achievements

    There are several ways to celebrate your employees’ achievements. You can offer free food, give personalized gifts , or award extra time off. These simple ways of celebration will show your employees that you recognize their efforts and appreciate the hard work they bring to the office every day. Read on to see how free food and personalized gifts in San Jose and Santa Clara are the perfect ways to recognize employee achievements. personalized - gift

    Offer Food

    Free food is almost always a welcome sight at work, so it is a great way to show appreciation for your employees’ achievements. You can surprise them with sweets, snacks, or pizza. You may also consider having lunch catered at the office or taking your team out to a nearby restaurant.

    Give a Gift

    Personalized gifts—like a custom award or engraved business card holders—are great ways to show each of your employees that you notice and appreciate their contribution. You can commission personalized trophies or framed certificates that specifically state the reason for the award. You may also prefer to give everyone the same gift, such as a clock or pen holder, to celebrate a big sale or team achievement. This is a great way to personalize your celebration.

    Plan an Outing

    Your employees may also appreciate a break from the office to enjoy a team outing. This planned outing does not have to be business-related. Your employees will appreciate a family picnic event. However, you can also plan a team-building excursion to give employees time away from work, while still working on being a better team. Team-excursions may include cooking lessons, ice skating lessons, or hiking.

    Award Time Off

    Your employees will always appreciate extra time off. If they meet a large sales goal or complete a big project, then consider awarding paid time off during the following week. You may also offer a coupon that allows each employee to choose the day they would like off or choose when they would like to leave early.

  • What Are Olympic Medals Really Made Of?

    Sports awards have been given to star athletes for thousands of years. The winners of the original Greek Olympics were awarded olive branches, and now Olympic athletes are awarded medals. Depending on their placement, winners may be awarded a gold, silver, or bronze medal. However, these medals are not made of pure gold, silver, or bronze anymore. Continue reading to see the materials that typically make up Olympic medals and personalized trophies in San Jose and Santa Clara.

    As seen in the video, the 1912 Olympic games were the last time a medal or sports award was made of pure gold. Now, The International Olympic Committee requires that gold medals only need to have six grams of gold. The rest is made up of silver and copper. Bronze awards are also made of tin, copper, and zinc. Silver awards are almost completely made of silver.

  • How a Frame Designer Can Help You Showcase Your Artwork

    It is incredibly important to keep your artwork—whether personally made or purchased—protected against dust, light, and accidents. It is just as important to have your artwork enhanced and showcased for your viewing pleasure. Your framing store near San Jose and Santa Clara can help you in both endeavors by creating a custom frame to protect and showcase your artwork. Let’s look closer at why it is so important to work with a professional frame designer.

    A professional frame designer will have the required knowledge to advise you on the right framing materials to protect your artwork. A frame designer can advise on the proper matting, glass, and frames to work with your artwork’s medium, whether it is an oil or watercolor painting or a charcoal sketch. Designers can tell you why seemingly minor details, such as spacing, can enhance or detract from your art. If you are looking to keep your artwork protected, yet showcase it for everyone to see, then work with your local framing store to design the perfect custom frame.

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  • Looking Back at the History of Engraving

    Trophy engraving and engraved, personalized gifts are popular ways to award someone or show appreciation. However, the art of engraving personalized gifts has come a long way over thousands of years. From prehistoric water containers to artistic masterpieces, engraving has a long history. Here is a brief look back at the history of engraving and customized gifts near San Jose and Santa Clara: engraving - egypt

    Prehistoric Water Containers

    As early as 60,000 years ago, prehistoric humans were engraving designs in emptied ostrich eggshells. Hundreds of eggshell fragments have been found in a South African cave named Howieson’s Poort Shelter. The carvings show a variety of patterns that indicate the prehistoric humans followed specific artistic details. Based on current tribal action, archaeologists assume that these prehistoric eggshells were likely used as water containers.

    Ancient Storytelling

    One of the most famous types of engravings can be found inside Egyptian pyramids. Hieroglyphics were largely used by the Egyptians to record data, such as the height of the Nile and the import of goods. However, pottery, funerary pots, and pyramid walls were used to engrave stories of the Egyptian people and their gods. One of the earliest Egyptian engravings is known as the “Pyramid Texts” and can be found on the walls and sarcophagi at Saqqara.

    Fifteenth Century Mass Production

    During the 1300s, paper was being mass produced, but people were still required to copy texts and pictures by hand. This changed in the 1400s when ambitious engravers began carving religious art and devotional texts into metal plates for mass production.

    Golden Age of Engraving

    During the late 1400s and early 1500s, the Golden Age of Engraving included the artists Albrecht Durer, Martin Schongauer, and Lucas von Leiden. These artists—likely learning the art of metal-working and engraving from goldsmithing—were regarded as master artists. Masterpieces like Adam and Eve by Durer and Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons by Schongauer are still regarded as artistic feats in the world of engraving.