Happy Thanksgiving, Queensboro Nation! Today’s the day we all give thanks for all of the good in our lives, even amidst the hardships many of us have experienced throughout the year.  It is always fun to ask everyone what they are thankful for.  Here’s what we’re thankful for at Queensboro.

Kevin – I am thankful for my garden, and the serenity that exists within.

Chance – I’m thankful for my wife

Mandy – I am thankful for the amazing group of people that I have the pleasure of working with each day!

Fred – I am thankful for a lot, but one of life’s great treats is a wonderfully
sunny fall day in North Carolina.

Steph – I am thankful that I’m going to Charlotte’s for dinner and don’t need to
host Thanksgiving at my house!

Claire – I am thankful that it isn’t snowing here, because it is snowing where I’m from in New york.

Donna – I’m thankful for all the family and friends that have helped, supported, encouraged and believed in me throughout this tumultuous year.  This time last year, I was in a very low, dark place, with no idea as to how to get out.  I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by people whose positive energy has made an incredible difference on my life.  I am ending THIS year at an incredible, unexpected and exciting peak!  I am grateful to anyone and everyone that has had anything to do with helping me achieve this metamorphosis, including Queensboro!

Charlotte–I’m thankful that I have work friends to invite for Thanksgiving, like Steph!

Kate-I’m thankful for my wonderful husband.  He’s a trooper!

We hope all of you have a restful and fun day today!

Some of you might have received a pre-Thanksgiving funny in your inbox today.  For those of you who didn’t, feast your eyes on this:

Kit, who does Queensboro’s email creative, got, well, CREATIVE today with our “Don’t Be a Turkey Chihuahua.”  If you got the “regular turkey,” I didn’t want you to miss out on this one, ’cause I almost fell off my chair, I was laughing so hard when I saw it this morning!

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you haven’t decided upon gifts for your clients and customers this year, time is starting to run short!  Even with tough economic times, it is still nice to give a little something to your loyal customers who have helped make it a great year for you.  Here are some ideas for logo items that will get used again and again.  They aren’t your “typical” corporate gift items, so they’re even more valuable, in terms of getting your brand name, and some thanks, out at the same time.

Fleece Beanie

One can never have too many winter hats.  Even if one lives in North Carolina or Arizona.  Because, SOMETIMES, it does actually get cold.  And, if you rarely need a hat, it is difficult to find one.  This little fleece beanie is great to tuck in the glove box so you can keep your ears warm while you scrape off your car with your CVS Extra Care card or any other non-essential plastic card in your wallet.

Personal Lunch Bag Color

I’ve waxed poetic about this bag on multiple occasions.  Read more here and here.

It really is one of my favorite things that we sell.  You can fit a six-pack of sodas (or beer) in there, ALONG WITH a complete lunch for two.  It has a shoulder strap and a regular carrying strap.  The front pocket is good for holding napkins, silverware and miniature candy bars.  Everyone can ALWAYS use another little cooler.  Because it is soft-sided, it is great to take on vacation, too. It packs flat in the suitcase.

Military Strength Large Canvas Tote

This bag is, quite possibly, the PERFECT beach bag.  It is also great for lugging around toys and craft supplies.  If I went to the library regularly, I’d take it there, too.  (I don’t like to return books, which is a bit of a problem for the library.)  You can carry dog supplies on a trip, or yoga supplies to the studio.  They are great for the Farmer’s market, and the grocery store.  Especially if you are making a quick trip. You can also use them as airport carry-on bags, ’cause they’re HUGE.

Washed Twill Sandwich Bill Cap

This is consistently one of our best-selling caps.  Probably for two reasons:  1) It’s super-stylish.  Pre-curved bill, sandwich accents, etc.  2) It is super-comfortable.  As even a step up from our brushed twill cap, it is still only a couple bucks more, and sure to be grabbed as a favorite by clients on their way out the door.

Washed Twill Cap with Soft Mesh Back

With its mesh back and soft front, this hat is a stylish alternative to the oh-so-yesterday trucker caps.  It still has a sport look and feel.  The mesh back keeps your head cool.  Several of our barbeque teams wear this hat to stay in peak barbequing condition!

Event Blanket

Don’t you hate going to the stadium after a rain?  Or, after a snow?  The seats and benches are drenched, and soon, so are you! Wanted to have an impromptu picnic, but can’t find a spot that isn’t soaked in dew?  What about spending a lazy day at the beach?  The Event blanket has a soft top and a plastic bottom.  So, it keeps you high and dry, regardless of the conditions under it.  It also folds up and snaps into place with a handy carrying handle.  Good for travel and trips.

Microfiber Fleece Blanket with Pouch

An extra blanket is always handy.  This one’s nice because it comes with a drawstring pouch so you can keep it snugly tucked away in the car or the closet when you aren’t using it.  They’re great as couch throws in the winter, too.

If you’ve been high and dry for holiday gift ideas, these items should give you some new ideas.  Order soon for delivery before you need to give ‘em out!

When you have Queensboro!

I just read an article about a well-known celebrity from the E! network loving her new snuggie.  I suppose when your husband is a pro-football player, you can get something that serves only one purpose–to be a blanket with arms.  However, in these lean times, why not get something can function in a multitude of ways?  Like, an actual fleece blanket?

Queensboro’s Microfiber Fleece Blanket with Pouch

I have one of these, and I LOVE it. This past week, my nephew visiting from Idaho has been sleeping peacefully under it, along with his Thomas the Train buddy, Molly the Train.

During the extra-long flight from Charlotte, NC to Portland, OR, last fall, Heather, our Customer Service Manager used the blanket to cuddle up and sleep on the way out.  You could also fold it up to be a pillow, or act as a neck pillow AND a blanket.  WAY more versatile than a snuggie.

Almost every single emergency preparedness article you see lists a blanket as one of the integral components.  Perhaps if someone goes into shock, you need to put a blanket over them?  In North Carolina, in the Wilmington City Limits, the chances of getting lost in a snowdrift are rare.  But, I still like to have a blanket with me.  This one’s great because it has its own drawstring pouch, which keeps it from getting dirty and un-folded.

We also took my Nephew to see the movie “Where the Wild Things Are” last weekend.  (For the record, he loved it!  He’s four.)  Max builds some pretty fantastic forts in that movie.  Blankets are essential ingredients for fort building.

If you move, you can use the blanket to wrap furniture, or layer between dishes, or sleep on before you unpack your sheets.

Blankets make perfect superman capes.

If you find a litter of puppies that needs to stay warm, you can cover them with your fleece blanket.

With a blanket, you can play hide and seek almost anywhere.

Of course, you can always use a blanket for a picnic.

So, if I had to choose between our fleece blanket and a snuggie, I would definitely choose the blanket.  Everyone can use a superman cape!

The Haiku madness here at Queensboro was entirely concocted by Fred.  He was a comparative literature major in College.  One day, when I went to pitch something to him, he said he’d only listen if I spoke in Iambic Pentameter. True Story.

So, I’ve been waiting for his spendiferous examples of Queensboro-related Haiku since I started fanatically promoting the in-house contest and the customer contest last week.  Here’s Fred’s Haiku Ode to Queensboro, and Fall, and our Operations Manager, Jon.

1.
Yo tribe Queensboro
Holiday time again here
Hope we survive it

2.
Logo shirts crisp air
Fall in Wilmington nc
Live breathe work hard wait

3.
Many great people
Work at Queensboro shirt co
Wilmington n c

4.
Hello smart people
Logo shirts help your business
Buy logo shirts now

5.
When do you need it?
You’ve got to be kidding me
Let me talk to Jon.

Pretty nifty, huh?  Well, keep those pencils sharp, because I predict another Haiku contest just around the corner!

Queensboro accepts donation requests from nonprofit organizations.  One of our recent recipients was “Twin Rivers Delivers,” a program of the Twin Rivers Associates, an adult day center in Exeter, NH.  Several of the program members are pictured, above, wearing their Weather Resistant Hooded Sport Anoraks from Queensboro.

Four times a week, Twin Rivers Delivers does “bread runs,” picking up day-old baked goods, and taking them to area shelters, food pantries and senior centers.

They also offer a free errand-running service.  Seniors can call in orders between 9am and 2:30 pm, and TRD will run their errands.  The bank, movie store, grocery, and drug store are popular destinations.

The participants fully enjoy their role in helping the community.  Because they operate in all weather conditions, and they visit the homes of many people, matching uniforms are important to lending a professional image and building trust and comfort with their clients.

Read more about Twin Rivers Delivers in an article by the local paper here.

]]> http://queensboro.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/twin-rivers-delivers/feed/ 0 Kate twinriversdeliversgroup twinriversdelivers1 DSCN0124 twinriversdelivers2 http://queensboro.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/vote-for-your-favorite-haiku/ http://queensboro.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/vote-for-your-favorite-haiku/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:57:48 +0000 queensboro http://queensboro.wordpress.com/?p=1970 ]]>

Congratulations LUCKY NUMBER THREE!  You’re the big winner!

It’s time to pick your favorite Queensboro Haiku!  The winner gets a $150 Queensboro gift certificate, so pick a good one!

Email your friends, tweet it, and put it on Facebook to get votes for your Haiku!

Voting until 5:00 pm EST Wednesday, November 18.

1
Wandering naked
Beautiful hats, shirts, blankets
Ah, yes Queensboro

2
The dog lay sleeping
Alone in the Autumn leaves
Peacefully dreaming

3
Creative logos
Given embroidery lives
through Queensboro’s art

4
often my soul laughs
at emails from Fred Meyers
alas, no money

5
My logo complete
I advertise with great pride
Queensboro, allied

6
comfy, cozy fleece
collects pet hair like crazy
my logo looks great!

7
Creative designs
Hats, shirts, logos and much more -
Colored Perfection

8
cuddly fleece, wrapped tight
blocking out cold scary night
safe in Queensboro

9
three tai chi players
a flock of geese overhead
glad I wore Queensboro

10
daily grind too much
holidays just around corner
ahhh, Queensboro fleece

11
need to get away
escape with Queensboro gear
kiss on the forehead

12
With Queensboro’s help
Our presence grows shirt by shirt
Teamwork at its best

13
beautiful logo
cap graceful upon the head
the cold is coming

14
Hats, scarves, and jackets
Warm winter schwag for all from
Queensboro’s magic

15
Fine polo love spread
Shirt by shirt by shirt; Fred’s old
Gators keep smiling.

Find your inner poet today, and write a Haiku for the Queensboro Haiku contest!  Post your Haiku as a comment to this blog, and be sure to enter your email address (which we won’t show, but will need to contact you if you win a prize).

The Grand Prize is a $150 Queensboro Gift Certificate!

So, this is one contest that is definitely worth Entering.  We’ll post the top ten in a Poll next Tuesday for customers to vote for the winner.

Feeling confused about a Haiku? Tongue-tied?  Here’s some more information:

What is a Haiku and Where did it come from?

You don’t need to know all of the following information to write an inspiring Haiku.  However, it is pretty interesting.  So, read on about the history, or skip to the next section with Haiku instructions and examples.

Haiku is a form of poetry that originated in Japan.  The exact date of its origin is not definitively pinned down, but one of the most famous poets, and the one to elevate the visibility of Haiku was Matsuo Bashō.

He wrote during the Edo Period of Japanese history (late 1600s).  His most famous poem, and, possibly, one of the most famous Haiku ever written is this:

Furuike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto

– Basho

The poem title, translated, is roughly “The Old Pond.”  Because it is almost impossible to translate directly from Japanese to English, there are many different translations.

This is the closest literal translation:

The old pond–
a frog jumps in,
sound of water.

In Japan, a Haiku is composed of 17 syllables.  In the United States, and other English Speaking areas, Haiku are generally written in three lines.  First and third have five syllables, and the second line has seven. Generally a seasonal reference is included in the poem.  Basho roamed the countryside, writing Haiku about the world around him, and almost always included a natural reference.

Here’s the Wikipedia entry about Haiku, for more information than you ever wanted to know.

Haiku Examples

Here are some Haiku from famous and award-winning writers:

The low yellow
moon above the
Quiet lamplit house

-Jack Kerouac

waves in the spiral
of a seashell. . .
summer vacation

-Natalia L. Rudychev

day moon
a trail of goose prints
in the snow

-Timothy Russell

How to Participate in the Haiku Contest

It is quite easy!  Simply comment to this blog post with your Haiku!  Grand prize is a $150 Queensboro Gift Certificate.  We’ll also draw a winner from the participants to receive a different prize.  To be eligible for the GRAND PRIZE, your Haiku must be somehow Queensboro related.  (Shirts, small business, logos, hats, golf shirts, etc.)

Post your Haiku to the blog NO LATER than Monday, November 16 at 5:00 PM EST.  We’ll set up a poll to pick a winner on Tuesday.

Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Queensboro has many veterans as customers.  We also count among our customer groups people who provide services to veterans and family members of veterans.  Several Queensboro staff members have served, and many have family members who have served, or are actively serving in the military now.

To all of those people we know, today we say “Thank You.”

In addition to the many servicemen and women we do know, there are thousands we have not yet been fortunate to meet.  However, we have tried to to a little something to help when we can.  So, for this Veterans Day, in addition to expressing our gratitude in this blog, I wanted to give you some links to places you can visit in order to help or say thank you to veterans and their families.  Please, click one of the links below and find a way that you and your family, school or community organization can help.

Blue Star Families

This organization provides support and community for family members of actively serving military personnel.  They have a fantastic program, in which Queensboro participated earlier this year, called “Operation Appreciation.”  You can write a card to the parent, spouse or child of an actively serving member of the military, or to a veteran, to say thank you for their contributions and sacrifice.  Too often, the families are overlooked for the contributions they make by supporting and sharing their family members with us.

Visit the Operation Appreciation page of Blue Star Families for instructions for writing and sending a card.

Honor Flight Network

World War II Veterans are passing away at an accelerated rate.  Because the World War II memorial was only recently completed, many have not had the chance to visit the memorial erected to honor their sacrifices.  The Honor Flight Network partners with Southwest Airlines and other sponsors to fly WWII Veterans, free of charge, to visit the memorial and tour the Washington, D.C. area.  This year, Queensboro outfitted the guides for an Honor Tour leaving from Missouri, which is how we learned about the initiative to help Veterans see their special memorial.

Once World War II Veterans are no longer able to travel, the network will begin focusing on Korean War and Vietnam War veterans.  It costs $15,000 to send a full plane of veterans to the D.C. area.  Visit the Honor Flight Network page to find out how you can help make these trips a reality.

Carolina Canines for Veterans

This organization is near and dear to my heart because my husband found a dog that we vetted and, ultimately had to turn over to Tails U Win, here in town, who then donated her to Carolina Canines.  We loved that dog, but we couldn’t keep her, and we are so grateful for both Tails U Win and Carolina Canines for taking her.  She was part of the pilot program to train dogs to help wounded Veterans.  Queensboro will be donating shirts for their 2010 Walk for those who Can’t here in Wilmington, NC.  If you’d like more information about helping this organization help Veterans, please visit their website.

The above organizations are just a few that work to support veterans and their families.  For all of the veterans we know, and those we have not met, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your sacrifices and your service to our country.

If you’re reading this blog post, you might have a small business.  You might have a logo, but need a new one.  You might have designed your own logo using clip art.  Your kid might have designed your logo.  If you’re reading this blog post, you might need a new logo.

You might also think: There’s no WAY I can afford a new logo.

For starters, because your logo is one of the most important aspects of brand identity, using a less-than-professional, clearly clip art logo isn’t putting your best foot forward.  If you’re worried about spending $5,000 or even $1,000 on a logo, and can’t do that, don’t despair.  CALL QUEENSBORO.

A little-known aspect of our business (we’re working to make it more prominent) is our logo design option.   We have various logo design and logo-editing packages that cost between $10 and $35.  A simple logo creation-text and a very simple image could be as low as $10.  For just $35, though, you can have help from our logo design team which will create you an ENTIRELY NEW LOGO.

No, you did not just read that wrong.  You can have a WHOLE ENTIRE BRAND NEW LOGO for just $35. (Wow, that just sounded like Fred!)

If you’ve been stuck with a clip-art logo or something similar email or call us today, tomorrow, or soon!  We’ll help.  Here’s an example!

3-2-1-CONTRACT

Here’s an example of the logo design process.

After the logo has been created, it will be available for embroidery and printing at Queensboro.  Customers can elect to purchase the high-resolution artwork of their logo, for use on stationary, advertising, or other uses for $50.

All in all, an affordable option for small busineses and organizations to project a professional image.  Contact Queensboro today for help!