Connect with KAP Art.

Wedding Website Live!

2012-01-30T10:39:00.000-08:00

It happened…our new KAP Art website focusing on wedding invitations, save-the-dates, reply cards, directional cards, thank you cards, programs… most things wedding, is now live.

We thought it was important to have the sight go live before the Lane County Wedding Show opened in mid January. In doing so we were able to direct many brides to the sight, which offered them the opportunity to gain a better overview of what KAP Art has to offer. The two-day event was successful, and connected us with brides we are now working with to create beautiful invitations.

Each year Eugene Magazine publishes a special edition glossy called “Eugene Weddings”. Each bride registered at the show was given a complimentary copy. Several of our invitations and save-the-date cards were featured in the magazine (pg. 72 & 74), as well as beautiful examples of cakes, cupcakes, and flowers. If you are a bride and groom, or involved in the planning of a wedding, the magazine is a great resource and gives full details (pictures included) about four weddings. Every aspect of each wedding is documented; from the venue, to rings, to dresses and tuxedos, to the photographer, caterer, flowers and cake. “Eugene Weddings” is full of inspirational ideas with great information, a perfect resource for the planning process.

Make sure to check out "Weddings by KAP Art" for even more inspiration. In the future we plan to design unique invitations you can order on line, with the ability to change the quantity, text, colors, and photo (where applicable). For now, all our designs are created in collaboration with our bride and groom, and are original one-of-a-kind invitations exclusively for them.

2012 Resolutions and Trends

2012-01-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the year 2012. It seems every year passes a little more quickly than the prior year. In turn, the making of “New Years Resolutions” seems to come at much shorter intervals. Have you made resolutions for the coming year?

One of my favorite bloggers and social media gurus Ray Hiltz posted “3 Self Improvement Tips for 2012” full of good ideas as well as links to other suggestions for the New Year. A resolution to follow him would be a great resolution for 2012.

If you want your new years resolution to focus on up coming trends, here is a blog post (a Ray Hiltz recommendation) by Aaron Lee: “5 Social media trends that will lead 2012”. Are you wondering where to put your marketing dollars? This article could be pretty helpful and is worth reading through to the end.

Here’s my resolution, I’m saying this out loud…I resolve to follow the blogs that will help me become better informed and understand the world of Social Media Marketing. There, I said it. I will pass on good information to you to help keep you informed as well.

Happy New Year!

Time Managing Social Media

2011-12-06T15:17:00.001-08:00

In past blogs I have talked of the importance of posting regularly, unfortunately I have neglected to follow that advise. During busy times social media seems to be the first place we tend to cut back when we have time constraints. It has been a busy season here at KAP Art, no excuse, but hopefully we will get up to speed in our exploration and integration of our social media goals in 2012.

Here is a link to a blog, which gives great information about web marketing, even focusing on time management. Authored by, Rich Brooks, President, Flyte New Media.

“3 STEPS TO BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING" When talking about social media marketing I’m often asked “how much time does this take,” …more

I have recently subscribed to this blog and look forward to further educating myself on the world of social media marketing, and will continue to share information with you. If you have a favorite blog you would like to share with us, please do. There are so many great blogs and articles available on the web. Recommendations are always welcome.

Marketing Via Facebook

2011-10-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

The power of facebook is amazing. We recently picked up an apparel/screen print job because someone saw one of our sweatshirts in a facebook photo. They were in need of a similar item, liked our design so followed-up to see where it came from. It was that simple, and now we are creating a design and having sweatshirts screened for them.

We developed our facebook page as a means for creating a two-way conversation with you. If you are not our friend we would love you to become one. Facebook has become so much more than a two way conversation… it has become a great way to market a business or event with little or no budget required. I recently came across this blog, which really gives a great testimonial to “Small Budget… Event Marketing” using facebook, written by Joshua Ramsey, a guest blogger for a branding company.

“No budget, no marketing dollars, no existing clientele, a business name, great event ideas, and a drive to succeed…

This was me, six months ago, when I decided to leave my job and embark on a journey of entrepreneurial passion. I had the winning idea, but — with my limited budget — how was I to promote it and spread the word?” more-

I hope this article gives you great ideas to help create your own facebook marketing strategies. If you do some marketing or event promos via facebook, be sure to share them on our facebook page as well.

KAP Art Weddings

2011-10-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

We have learned that the last remaining wedding invitation representative in Eugene has closed their storefront. For the newly engaged this may mean traveling to Salem or Portland to order invitations. No need… KAP Art is close by and ready to serve you. We carry not only commercial invitations, but also custom invitations and all the related items imaginable. Our team of designers, and wedding consultants are available to create and guide the bride and groom as they prepare for one of the most important days of their lives.

We are dedicated to filling the void left as the wedding stores have disappeared, and will soon be launching a second website dedicated to everything wedding. The site will include some samples, both original and from the book. We hope the sight will inspire the newly engaged to make an appointment to come and see us.

Our doors are open and our creativity is flowing. We hope our presence will make it easier for future bride and grooms to find what they’re looking for right in their own back yard. With attention to detail, and our friendly demeanor our goal is to insure they feel confident and comfortable with all their wedding day decisions.

I will let you know when we launch the new site. Stay tuned.

New Website Up and Running

2011-08-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Introducing Ag Energy Northwest…
Made up of a “nationwide network of not-for-profit organizations designed to empower rural communities, by providing local control to National Farm Bill programs”. RC&D’s (Resource Conservation & Development) as they are called, “each covers a local, multi-county geographic region and has a Board of Directors made up of local people”. Their goal is to help “deliver national programs to local agricultural producers and rural small businesses, in an effort to help farmers remain economically viable. The RC&D program supports rural development, natural resource conservation and community growth.”

KAP Art helped design and develop this website. Cascade Pacific RC&D in partnership with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funded the project, which focuses on ways to “Save Water Save Energy” through conservation and education. The websites main audience is farmers, and it was necessary to keep all elements clean, clear and to the point, as well as easily maneuverable. A great goal for any website no matter the audience.

As with any type of advertising whether through a website, newspaper, radio ad, or…designing with your audience in mind provides the most benefits and positive response to your brand. It is our hope this website will provide quick and clear information to all farmers in the northwest, and at the very least give them contact information, where their questions can be answered.

It has become increasingly important for most businesses to have an active website. I always Google a businesses name I am considering doing business with in hopes of finding a website which will give me insight into the business. Location, what to expect, do they carry what I need, or provide the service I am looking for, and contact information, who should I call. Once the questions have been answered the call can be made. It’s reassuring to have a base knowledge of a business before a commitment has been made.

A website which is easy to maneuver through allowing you to find the answers you are looking for quickly is a great marketing tool and can only increase your brand awareness. Best wishes to Ag Energy Northwest and the launch of their new website!

What is your most important branding element?…Your Logo

2011-08-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

It has taken me a while to figure out a blog that would best serve you and KAP Art is a blog based on our expertise, what we do best, and that is design and making sure those designs give you what you need. Whether a logo, a brochure, an ad in the newspaper or magazine, an advertisement on a moving vehicle, or…it needs to produce returns on your investment.

What do you need to help your business flourish…definitely, a social media-marketing plan. Social networking can put you at an advantage over other like businesses. By using facebook, twitter, writing a blog or keeping your website current you create the ability for a two way conversation with current and potential customers.

Social Media Marketing is important, it allows you to get your brand out there and recognized, but what is your brand. Does it depict who you are, what you have to offer and who you are offering it to? Your logo is only one part of all your branding efforts. A logo is the most important part, recognizable at a glance, memorable, setting your business apart from your competitors.

While the logo is the most important part, it is also may come at a shocking cost. Few are not shocked by the cost necessary to create the “heart” of your branding. I came across an article by Jacob Cass, a designer, and the author of the blog “JustCreativeDesign.com”; he has posted a great article focusing on just those costs.

“Logo design in today’s world is totally under rated. People do not understand how important a good logo is and how valuable it is to their business and this is why I am going to outline some very important facts telling you exactly why logo design should not cost $5 and why your logo is not something you should take lightly.” more—

After reading Jacob’s article it becomes clear what is being paid for in the endeavor to achieve the perfect logo. He also has a list of “popular articles” you may find interesting and informative. Knowledge is power, read-up and enjoy.

Another Successful Run-in-the-Country

2011-07-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

A year ago I published a brief piece about the Coburg Run-in-the-Country, a half marathon race that KAP Art helps support because our spouses are the race directors.. Well, it has come and gone once more and on reflection I have realized how much time and effort is put into making it successful. The race directors (Brad, Mark, Mike and Dave) spend months coordinating the event. There are all sorts of hoops they have to jump through, from applying for permits and arranging for online sign-up to processing all registrations, ordering t-shirts, medals, organizing and buying race food for aid stations and for the end of the race. This is only a small sampling of what they do to prepare for a successful race.

KAP art is responsible for the design and ordering of the t-shirts. We have kept the logo consistent from year to year, but do tweak it a little as a reflection of what has been a dominant theme in the world of news. This year we focused on the rise in gas prices by replacing the windmill with an oil well spouting oil. On the back we added a tag line…RUN! It’s cheaper than gas. The prior year we focused on the crazy weather and long season of rain (I think the rain has been worse this year). We added a raincloud to the logo and included a Bill Bowerman quote: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.” When the Olympic Trials were here we paid tribute to them. In the year of swine flu we added a pig with the runners.

Each year flyers or posters are also produced and displayed around town to bring attention to the half marathon. But outside of that and the website, the race relies on word of mouth to get runners. For example, this year Brad posted on his Facebook page an invitation for runners to sign up at a discounted rate following an evening training run at the Eugene Running Company and came away with entrants. Since that was successful, we will encourage the use of more social media next time. Perhaps a fan page with updates and a place for a two-way conversation. The use of Social Media Marketing is perfect for this event. It’s cheap and can reach a broad audience.

The race directors do all the hard work. What we do at KAP Art takes time, effort and planning but nothing compared to the heart and soul the race directors put into the race. Brad, Mark, Mike and Dave are not paid. All proceeds go to various non-profits or High School Athletic Teams, including but not limited to: Harrisburg Cross Country, Sheldon Dance Team, and South Eugene High School Cheer team. So all you runners out there make sure you say thank you to the race director of your next race. They deserve it.

Happy Running.

Building Loyalty

2011-07-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

One of the things I enjoy most about being a repeat customer is the familiarity I eventually form with the business I frequent. Over time it is only natural for loyalty to build. When my coffee order is ready before I even reach the barista, my loyalty is secured.

We use a lot of the same local vendors for most of our work at KAP Art. Central and Bourland do most of our printing. If we need signs or banners we use Image King and Harris Design. The biggest part of our silkscreen and embroidery work goes to Willamette Valley Screen Print and Embroidery. Not only have we found that we are able to depend on these businesses to deliver a high quality finished product, but we are also confident they will be timely and accurate.

My favorite result of this frequent patronage is the personal bond created. Being able to talk to our vendors about family, the kids, and the dog makes every transaction that much brighter. We appreciate our vendors and they reciprocate often, referring their customers to us for design work.

Recently a café in town re-opened as Chiefs and we gather there for our weekly office meeting. Sometimes it is necessary to be away from the office and the phone in order to be productive without interruption, and discuss what’s on the to-do-docket. Most of our jobs overlap so it’s a good thing when we have a general idea of everyone’s needs and expectations. The café doesn’t seem to mind we spend an hour over coffee, oatmeal and eggs discussing business. As time goes on they will get so they know us by name, and probably by order. We will build a relationship, and most likely some loyalty to them.

Whether its returned patronage to a restaurant, coffee shop, or vendor, if the service is good and dependable a bond is created, trust is established, and loyalty is built. We strive to build strong relationships with our clients. We remain loyal to them and appreciate them every day.

Social Media Marketing…what’s it all about?

2011-06-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I attended a conference focused on Social Media Marketing presented by SkillPath Seminars. I am a bit skeptical of one-day conferences and seminars. There is usually so much information it’s overwhelming and ends up going in one ear and out the other. An example: I have attended daylong seminars about Photoshop basics. Anyone familiar with Photoshop knows how big it is. It takes hours, days, and even years to come close to mastering all it has to offer. Even basic skills require a lot of practice. I finished the seminar more lost and overwhelmed than I was before I attended.; feeling like I had wasted my time and money. So, going into this Social Media Marketing conference I was a bit skeptical, but hoped to at least glean something I could use and share with our clients.

My advise to you…if you can take time out of your busy schedule to attend a seminar which will enrich your understanding of a subject then go for it. You may be as pleasantly surprised as I was after this conference.

We are in an age where pretty much all correspondence is computer generated. Most of my correspondence with clients is via email, with an occasional phone conversation thrown in. While email is probably one of the best ways to communicate one-on-one or to a small group, getting information out to a broad audience falls to tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs, Twitter, and websites. It is still beneficial to do printed collateral, as it is can link to all your other social media pieces.

Attending the seminar opened our eyes to some changes we need to make at Kap Art. It is recommended if you have a blog you post it regularly. I plan to post the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month instead of the sporadic schedule I’ve used in the past. Another thing we did which is easy to do is make sure your email signature includes links to your Facebook page, your blog and your website. This allows anyone you email to have an instant connection to those places. We have become more active on our Facebook and, have joined some LinkedIn groups which have helped build our following. Pretty cool stuff and easy to do.

There is a lot to learn about Social Media Marketing, and there is a lot of information available on the web worth reading so take time to search and empower yourself and business. At KAP Art we have so much more to learn and implement in regard to Social Media Marketing. I’ll keep you posted. If you have any good information to pass onto us we would love to hear your comments. Here are a couple of links to get your reading started: http://newraycom.com/ and http://servedfreshmedia.com/

I would be remiss if I didn’t make a correction to our last blog posting. KAP Art did not order the helmets mentioned, but only the decals. Not to say it is not something we can do. Missy is able to find and order about anything you can imagine, so let your imagination run wild.

Your Name Here…

2011-06-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

We have been inundated with orders for high school sportswear for the 2011 Fall season. Warm-up and practice uniforms for football, booster club orders for students and parents, even ordered football helmets and had decals made and applied to them.

Sportswear and spirit packs have played a big part in our Markit success. Markit, is a division of KAP Art that focuses on advertising specialties, screen-printing, and embroidery. Missy is instrumental in making the Markit division successful, through her perseverance, knowledge and ability to provide great service to her clients.

The collaboration between Markit and KAP Art’s design department is a natural fit. We do a lot of t-shirt designs, not only for school sports teams and booster clubs, but also for a variety of companies, and organizations. Katy just updated the “Day of Sharing” t-shirt the Delta Rotary Club wore along with Sheldon High school students when they spent a day working on projects in the Sheldon area doing needed maintenance projects around school grounds to upgrade and/or beautify the school setting as well as spending time with the elderly at two nearby retirement centers.

Missy provides clients with more than sportswear to advertise their organization or business. Do you need ideas, or Missy’s know how to find the perfect gadget to represent your business? Pens, cups, hats, sportswear, lighters and…your options are endless. It’s amazing what items are available to be embossed, embroidered or printed on… Missy is happy to guide you as you explore the possibilities.

A day in the life...

2011-05-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

KAP Art Inc. is located in Coburg, Oregon farm country, amongst fields of kiwis, grass seed, and grass-for-sod as well as some roaming livestock. Our office, which is built on property belonging to KAP Art’s owner Katy, looks out onto a field where we frequently see deer roaming and dogs playing. We even have a view of chickens in their coop. If you haven’t been to our office it would be a worthwhile trip, especially on a beautiful sunny day. Just don’t park in the field.

Not too long ago one of the tall fir trees on the property required trimming. The remnants left behind included large branches slated for firewood. Typically driving a pickup truck out into the field is not a problem, and in an effort to position the truck in close proximity to the branches soon to be firewood, field driving was necessary. Due to the increased amount of precipitation over these last few months the ground was a lot softer than expected, and here begins the unfortunate series of events….

It was a weekday, and all of KAP Art was present to witness the events of the day. First enter the truck, lightly loaded with only a chainsaw. It had only been driven for a few moments before it got stuck in what had seemed to be firm ground. Next, Katy, in a skirt and blazer more appropriate for client meetings, came to the rescue on her tractor. With chain in hand, she hooked the tractor up to the small truck and proceeded to pull, unsuccessfully. Then came the tow truck, which attached a winch to the pickup and also made efforts to save the day. Unfortunately it got stuck as well. The ongoing comedy of errors ended with the call for another tow truck to pull both vehicles from the soggy earth. Success!

You just never know what each day may hold. There will always be fires to put out, and emergencies to tend to. Most days are uneventful here at KAP Art, and we are content to enjoy our surroundings while attending to the needs of the day. But we invite you to bring it on. We are always at the ready to face any challenge that comes our way.

Changing Identity — Updating and Rebranding

2011-04-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

It sometimes becomes necessary to redesign, or update a logo. Bringing freshness and current trends to an identity can be the act of merely changing colors, manipulating elements, changing a typeface, or changing the identity completely. If an identity has a complete makeover there is typically a transition period to phase out, and phase in the new logo identity.

We have made adjustments to many client logos in an effort to refresh and create a new vivid and fresh identity. What seems like a straightforward process can become involved and expensive depending on all that needs to be changed. Typically identity modifications require reworking letterheads, envelopes and business cards. Increasingly when the change is major, it may include changes to signage, websites, domain name, additional business collateral like checks, catalogs, mailing labels, and fax cover sheets, to name just a few. Furthermore, there could be licensing and legal matters that may require attention as well.

Your logo represents your business. Making sure it appeals to your core market group, and is memorable should be your goal. If neither is true of your current logo then perhaps you are due for an update, or a complete renovation. Is it time for you to rebrand?

Bottom line… updating an old identity is often challenging. An existing logo keeps you locked into a lot of elements, whereas starting from scratch leaves the possibilities wide open. For Katy and I, designing a logo is probably our favorite kind of job. Whether there are slight edits or full on design or redesigns, letting the imagination be creative is just plain fun, and we embrace the challenge.

The Great Pen Giveaway

2011-03-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

Missy recently ordered 1,250 pens for one of our clients, unfortunately there was a printing error and we chose not to give them to the client, and instead placed a re-order, which we than delivered to a satisfied client. So, what to do with 1,250 pens?

KAP Art uses a lot of pens every year, but 1,250 are way more than we could use in a year, or two, or three. We chose to hand them out, in large quantities, to some of our most valued customers. The 4J School District is facing major budget cuts for the 2011-2012 school year so we gave several of our neighborhood schools boxes of pens. Coburg Elementary, Corridor Elementary, Cal Young Middle School, and Sheldon High School were all recipients of the pens. We have designed and printed numerous sweatshirts, tee shirt, and spirit packs for them; it was nice to be able to give back.

MLK (Martin Luther King Education Center) received several boxes of pens as well. They are great people who do good work for the youth of our community; it was our pleasure to provide them with pens. We still have more pens to distribute and will do so over the next few months.

It‘s pretty great we are able to share our surplus, and turn what was initially a mistake into a giving opportunity.

MLK Website Goes LIVE

2011-02-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

After many months of planning, designing, editing, and more editing… Martin Luther King Education Center now has a live website. KAP Art participated as designer, and website director to get it up and running. I encourage you to check out their site—it has in depth information about the Education Center. Few people realize the tremendous, positive impact the MLK Center has on the community and our youth.

We have been consulting with the MLK Education Center for close to two years, giving insight and direction on how to effectively bring awareness about the center to the public. Cost is always a factor, especially for state run facilities that use taxpayer money. I was happy to learn that the MLK Education Center provides learning opportunities to youth through several programs that actually pay for themselves and do not require any state or federal funding!

One of the offerings at the education center that I love is the Catering Program. Kids who are trying to pull their lives together and become contributing members of society learn how to cook. Starting with fresh vegetables produced by the MLK Horticulture Program, the Catering Program prepares fine food that is served within the Center, and offered in special menus that are part of the MLK Catering offerings. Another bonus, the Horticulture and Catering programs work together to make sure all vegetable scraps are recycled back into the soil through composting. The Catering program is self-supporting, through the talents of its students, their hard work, and willingness to learn and serve. Not only do they acquire food preparation skills, they learn about the business side of catering. They become educated in the planning, ordering, and the cost of doing business.

A major goal of the MLK Education Center is to help kids who are in the Department of Youth Services system get an education, or finish their education which often has had multiple set backs. The Center gives these kids an academic education, while at the same time teaching skills that will lead to success in life. The programs and goals of the center are critically important to getting these kids back on track, and the nurturing spirit of those that run the center are evident in the smiles on the face of the kid’s, many of whom will graduate from the program with a high school diploma or GED.

Check out the new site and learn what the MLK Education Center is all about. KAP Art is proud to have helped develop the site and tell their story.

Loss

2011-02-15T11:00:00.001-08:00

We are all affected by the loss of two teens in our community. Connor Ausland and Jack Harnsongkram’s lives were cut short by a sneaker wave on the Oregon Coast. Both seniors at South Eugene High School, they were leaders in the school and well liked by all.

There has been an outpouring of support given to the families of the boys. Within days of the tragedy, students came together to show support by wearing white t-shirts with the number 35 on the front, and Connor and Jacks’ name on the back. Connor as a member of the varsity basketball team wore the number 35. South basketball games have been overflowing in white. Not only are South students wearing the t-shirts, adults of students, and students from other high schools are wearing the shirts to pay tribute to Jack and Connor. The sea of white can leave one speechless, one of those “wow” moments.

While M Squared Printing, a company owned and operated by South student and co owner Tyler Marquardt, seems to have been instrumental in starting the white t-shirt memorial movement, Willamette Valley Screen Print and Embroidery (WVSE) helped pick up the slack due to the high demand. Missy jumped in as well and became instrumental in acquiring additional white shirts for WVSE to print so they could be sold at Sheldon for kids to wear at the Sheldon vs. South varsity basketball game, Friday, February 11. Again, another sea of white was created. It was an honor for KAP Art to be able to participate in their tribute by making shirts available to the Sheldon community. All proceeds went directly to the families.

It is amazing how we all come together in times of grief, and loss. I did not know Jack or Connor, but their loss has affected all of us at KAP Art. Their loss will continue to affect Eugene and neighboring communities for years to come, and they will forever be held in the hearts of all who knew them, and those who did not.

Continued support can be given through contributions set-up by the families:

A memorial scholarship fund has been created to honor Connor, awarded to a South Eugene High School scholar athlete who best exemplifies Connor's compassionate commitment to learning, athletics and community service. Donations can be made in his name to: The Oregon Community Foundation, 440 E. Broadway, Suite 160, Eugene, OR 97401 or on the Foundation's web site at www.oregoncf.org .

The Harnsongkram family requests donations be sent to Food for Lane County, ShelterCare or the Eugene Education Fund in Jack's name.

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is just around the corner, have you figured out what to do for your sweetheart…. how about a gift certificate to Bello Day Spa?

Bello comes to mind as we have just finished up a bit of art for them celebrating the holiday. There are certainly a lot of sweet valentine options out there: dinner for two, a movie with popcorn, maybe champagne and chocolates. The list is endless. Here at Kap Art we’re hoping Missy will make her fabulous frosted sugar cookies, shaped as hearts of course. We have found Missy to be an extremely talented baker and it shows since she is always generous to share her creations with the rest of us.

Holidays are, in some cases, a good excuse to do a little marketing. If you look in the paper there are usually pages dedicated to any given holiday. Just today, the Register Guard had a two page spread full of advertising dedicated to the celebration of Valentines Day. There were ads for florist, restaurants, spas, jewelry stores, and even chocolatiers, all enticing participation in the special day.

Having your logo, or the name of your business brought to mind, whether as part of a holiday blitz of advertising, or as part of your annual marketing budget, encompassing all avenues of media, advertising makes a difference. Consumers need to be reminded you are there to serve them. Not all business fit into a Holiday theme of advertising, but there are more days in a year than just Holidays. Be sure to get your name out there. Not sure where to start….KAP Art, it’s what we do.

Here Comes the Bride

2011-01-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in an earlier blog that one of our many offerings here at KAP Art includes Weddings. We are able to provide books of pre-designed invitations for brides to look through, as well as create custom invitations for their special day. Whether the need is for Save-the-Date Cards, Invitations, Reply Cards, Programs, and Thank You Cards. We’re pretty much a one-stop shop. If you’re looking for wedding favors, groomsmen or attendant gifts we can help you there as well.

KAP Art recently manned a booth at the Oregon Wedding Showcase held at the Lane Events Center. There were over 100 vendors ranging from caterers to formal wear and wedding dress retailers to photographers. Katy and Missy spent two days talking to anxious brides, some recently engaged, others long engaged, wrapping up their planning with a wedding date just around the corner.

I am happy to say we have already seen positive results due of our participation as a vendor in the show. Not all of are past tradeshow ventures have been as successful; we are extremely pleased with the outcome of this Wedding Showcase.

It’s always fun to get out and meet people. The Wedding Showcase is the perfect place to get pulled into the excitement of “the special day”. Now that we have been involved in weddings for over a year, we are finally getting in the groove of how it’s done and feel we have become a great asset to the brides we have been fortunate to work with. It’s always a pleasure to be involved in the planning of such a positive and life-changing event. We look forward to many more weddings this year, and have already, to date, surpassed the number we participated in last year. The scariest thought in regard to this whole wedding thing is, it wont be long until it is our own children’s weddings we will be involved in.

Field Trip Time!

2010-11-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

Not unlike field trips we use to take in grade school, or experience with Mr. Rogers when he would take his viewers to see how crayons were made, we made a visit to one of our vendors to see “how-it-is-made”.

Over the last couple of years we have increased the number of orders we contract out to have apparel screen printed. When Missy joined Kap Art she brought along with her an expertise in the sale of imprinted team apparel, as well as unlimited resources for anything imaginable that can be printed or embroidered on. From aprons to lunch boxes, to water bottles, lip balm and USB drives. As a result of taking Kap Art in a new direction we added “Markit” to our offerings. Markit represents pretty much all that does not fall under our typical job queue of graphic design.

In an effort to gain a better understanding of how our silkscreen vendors work we went on a field trip to visit Willamette Valley Screen and Embroidery. They do the majority of our screen printing for many of our clients, which include local schools and their athletic teams, not to mention Booster Clubs. Although Katy spent the early years of her design career working for a t-shirt screen printing business, each company has their own way of doing things, so there is always something new to be learned.

We were met by Bob Canaday co-owner of WVSE, who introduced us to Ron Prisco one of his experienced screen printer. Ron has been screen-printing for 20 years, and had a wealth of information to share as he took us through the process. The ink you use and the amount of time a garment stays in the dryer, as well as the temperature the dryer is set is variable and dependent on the fabric. Whether the garment is 100% cotton, 50/50 blend, polyester, or a different synthetic fabric, they all have specific ink and dryer recommendations. The ramifications for the wrong combination could mean cracked and peeling ink, over or under saturation of a design as well as smudging. Knowledge is definitely power, and lack of this knowledge is costly.

Working with WVSE has been a positive experience for us. They do beautiful work. They are organized and on time. Their great work ethic allows us to deliver a finished product to our clients that is clean, crisp and on schedule.

Let’s Bottle Some “Grape Juice”.

2010-11-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend Katy and I participated in wine barrel bottling at RainSong Vineyard a small family-operated vineyard and winery. This was actually the second time we participated in bottling for the McKenzie River Trail Run (MRTR). A bottle of wine was part of the swag given to runners who completed the 50k run at the September race. It was such a big hit they decided to do it again. Since our husbands are two of the race directors we are naturally a part of the event. Last year we designed a new logo for the run. We also designed a custom label for their wine, and look forward to creating a label for next year’s bottles.

It’s great fun to bottle your own wine for consumption and gift giving, or to celebrate an event. We bottled two barrels (49 cases) for MRTR, which by the time the McKenzie River Trail Run roles around, will be perfect for consumption. Not to say it wasn’t already pretty tasty. Yes, we got to taste test our barrels as well as some of the wine from other barrels of different varietals.

I know I have mentioned the MRTR before as our summer ends up being pretty full of running events and KAP Art projects leading up to the September race. So far this year we have designed t-shirts, arm warmers, hats, wine labels, brochures and registration forms, as well as posters for several running events. Next year looks to include more of the same. Something about designing for such events seems not like work at all. It’s more of a way to support our spouse’s passion as well as our personal passion. I should clarify…Katy actually likes to run too, me on the other hand would prefer to be on the sideline yelling words of encouragement to those crazy enough to participate. I assure you all yelling is done with passionate enthusiasm.

If you are interested in bottling some wine give RainSong a call. They are only open twice a year for tasting; over the Memorial Day Weekend in May and Thanksgiving Weekend in November. The only other way to visit is to set up a barrel-bottling event. It requires as few as 6 people, but they can accommodate a maximum of 30 people. RainSong owners Mike and Merry Fix are a delight, and are sure to help you create lasting happy memories. Watch out though, it may become a tradition.

Cheers.

80’s Ranch—Renovate to Great!

2010-11-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

Having artistic talents, including a great color sense, along with spatial proportion awareness, and home décor aesthetics, Katy has been able to take on interior as well as exterior home design. By partnering with one of our clients G.Christianson Construction in Corvallis, Katy has helped on both remodel and new construction projects.

Most recently Katy has been instrumental in the remodel of an 80’s Ranch Style Home. Debby Gerdes, the homeowner hired Katy through G. Christianson to help her completely renovate her home. Windows and doors were replace, all flooring, was rededicated to either new wood floors, or replaced carpet. A stairwell was opened up, welcoming visitors into a soon-to-be renovated kitchen. The interior walls have been repainted in beautiful variations of green and natural colors, bringing a little of the outside in. Exterior changes took place as well. The siding was replaced and repainted, creating a beautiful flow of color as you walk in from the out of doors.

There is still more to be done, with the remodel of the kitchen and the final interior decorating. Knowing how to place objects from furniture to pictures on the wall doesn’t always come easy. Katy’s natural aesthetics really contributes to a beautiful outcome.

The Holiday Season is upon us.

2010-10-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

Halloween is around the corner, followed closely by Thanksgiving and Christmas. How quickly the year has passed. With the holidays come a plethora of new recipes and enticing eats for snacks and meals. We (all of us at KAP Art) frequently will discuss evening dinner menus and often will spend our lunch hour together creating a meal: One of us in charge of a recipe, all of us contributing the necessary ingredients, resulting in a yummy dinner for each family’s consumption. Just another one of the perks of working at a small office.

What really got me started on this whole food thing was a recent photo shoot for one of our clients focusing on food. Katy styled and directed the photo shoot with Photographer James McCormick. It focused on the wonderful food served in one of our clients dining halls. Our client Pinnacle Healthcare owns and manages a number of Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation properties in Oregon. With a growing elderly population, the number of elderly living facilities is on the rise and the competition is fierce to create the best environment for our loved ones. The quality of care, therapy, and nutrition has got to be top of the line.

The images Katy was able to capture really are a testimonial to the wonderful food provided to the tenants of Pinnacles’ Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation facilities. The Head Chef, Vernon Collins, and his team of talented assistant chefs created some beautiful and tasty food. Next step…creation of a brochure to showcase the magnificent images.

We really do have great jobs here at KAP Art. We have the pleasure of working with wonderful clients, who give us the freedom to create pieces that enhance their marketing portfolios.

We Appreciate You!

2010-10-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

In the middle of August we held a client/vendor appreciation Open House. A lot of the people we work with had never been to our office, a location we have been at for just over two years. It was wonderful to finally get a chance to show our appreciation and share our location with everyone.

We had pizza, and dessert catered by the MLK Culinary Program. Beverages and fresh fruit rounded out the mix to make a delicious lunch. The day was beautiful and the turn out was nice.

The people we have been fortunate enough to work with are who keep KAP Art Inc. running. It is our goal to serve, with honesty, kindness and timeliness while maintaining our professional obligation to you. It is you who make each day a pleasure, and each project puts our imagination into play.

Another Race Report

2010-08-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

Two weekends in a row Katy and I have been involved as volunteers. Over the weekend we volunteered at the Mt. Hood PCT 50 Mile Trail Run. Yes, people run all day long without stopping for 50 grueling miles. This course runs along the Pacific Crest Trail and travels through a lot of tree cover, thank goodness since the temperatures rose into the upper 80’s.

I have spent the better part of the last five months working with Jerry Mark the race director re-develop a logo, order shirts and arm warmers, culminating with volunteering at the aid station. Thankfully, Katy and I were joined by Brad and Mark, who really know what the runners need as they are usually one of the runners. We all worked together well. I choose to believe we were the best aid station out there, and had the most fun.

It was nice to see how all the efforts put out for the event came together. The tee shirts were well received; unfortunately there were some sizing issues. The arm warmers turned out so cool, and even though it was hot it sounds like the runners appreciate them. Come fall with the temperatures dropping you can be assured there will be some MT. Hood PCT 50 arm warmers out on the trail. I even got a pair, I plan to wear them tandem cycling on those cold mornings training rides.

Pictures to come (hopefully).

Run in the Country 2010

2010-07-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

Another road race was successfully completed last Sunday. Brad and Mark, the better halves to Katy and I were 2 of the 4 race directors for the event. The event, “Run in the Country”, is a ½ marathon that meanders through the Coburg countryside. KAP Art helped with their promotional pieces, including an updated logo, brochures, posters, certificates, medals, and tee shirts. Katy, Missy and I were also at the race bright and early to provide aid station, registration, and clean-up support. What a team!

It is amazing how much work goes into putting together these races. I have a great admiration for all Race Directors, or any Director or Organizer of any event. It seemed there were hoops to be jumped through, city regulations and codes to be met, permits to be acquired, let alone organizing volunteers to cover race day activities.

We had the fun job of creating, but enjoyed being race day volunteers as well. The day came off without a hitch. The runners seemed appreciative and the Race Directors content.

The Smiling Faces of the Sheldon Dance Team who volunteered on race day.

Sheldon Volleyball at aid station 5

4th Annual Golf Tournament for Team Cure ALS Foundation

2010-07-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

While KAP Art provided the t-shirts for the annual event & used our connection with Richardson to orchestrate the free caps, this event was more than that. The founder of the Team Cure ALS Foundation, Mike Lopez, is a college friend of Missy's husband, Lane. Mike has lived with this debilitating disease, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, for 13 years. While he has lost the ability to speak or have any mobility on his own, he has not lost the fight to find a cure. This is just one of many fundraisers that Mike organizies throughout the year.

The golf tournament took place on June 25th at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. Another good friend of Mike's and mutual friend of Lane and Missy, Ann Anderson, was a big part of putting this event together. Ann's son, Peter & Missy's daughter, Laken got some great community service hours by volunteering to work at the tournament. They traveled around to the hole's selling raffle tickets for an iPad that had been donated & became the expert photographer's.

USB Promotional Tool

2010-06-07T11:48:00.001-07:00

A USB Drive is a great promotional tool that can be used by the customer in various ways. Just this month KAP Art has had two customers select this promotional item.

Sheldon High School purchased these as gift for staff as part of National Teacher Appreciation Week. They purchased the 128MB capacity drive and felt this was something all staff members could find benefit in using within their daily applications.

Travel Lane County has purchased the same capacity drive and they are attaching it to a key tag that has their logo & website on the tag. Their intent is to give this out with a variety of their marketing materials pre-loaded onto the drive.

Both customers took advantage of a promotion that the USB drive vendor was offering in the month of April. It is our job at KAP Art to continually find the best priced vendors and products without sacrificing quality. This particular item comes with a lanyard attachment & is individually packaged in a snap enclosed bag. The company is in Seattle; so shipping is minimal with a 1 day standard ground ship rate.

Keep on running, and running, and running…

2010-05-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

It is true, we become interested in things we are given the privilege of being exposed to especially when it is a passion of our loved ones. Katy and I both are married to Ultra Runners. Yea, you know, the crazy people who are not content to run “just” a marathon. Ultra Runs are typically run on trails and exceed 26.2 miles. Both our husbands get a thrill out of running out on the trails, in beautiful country, mostly in the mountains and along rivers. They have both trained and run 100-mile events, the goal being to complete the 100 miles within 24 hours. Many do it in way less time say 15 to 16 hours. Trail runs usually mean elevation gain. Up and down, they go for hours. Ultra Running affects everyone. The time it takes to train and plan for such runs can’t help but overlap with family and friends, and work schedules. So you either choose to support it or take away their joy of pushing the limits and challenging themselves beyond most people’s endurance level. We choose to support them!

Running is part of our lives and a pastime we participate in, in the effort to stay fit. It has lead us to seek out and support other races not only as volunteers, but also as designers and swag makers. To date we are working on three races, two of them Ultra Runs. We are in the process of re-designing a logo, creating tee-shirt art and finding suppliers for the swag bags of a half marathon called Run In The Country, which will happen July 18th. We’ve ordered medals for all finishers as well. Only a week later, July 25th there is a 50 mile Run we have been working on, the Mt. Hood PCT 50. So far we have created a new identity for them, ordered shirts we will have screen printed with their new logo, and are in the process of ordering some awesome arm warmers. The arm warmers will even have the logo woven in. Pretty cool. And finally, we are working on a new identity for a run in August called the McKenzie River Trail Run. It is a 50k run that leads you along the McKenzie River, a beautiful run for sure. We will be ordering and printing shirts for them, as well as giving them options for swag. Last year we ordered beautiful jackets from Brooks and had them embroidered. They were presented to all finishers, and were a hit.

We will physically be volunteering at all of these races. Hopefully the weather will improve since we will be camping at the Ultras. Having the understanding of what is required to compete in and direct these races has really given us the knowledge to help the Race Directors. Whether we create art or hunt down the perfect swag from t-shirts, to water bottles, to finisher medals, hats, or chap stick the list goes on. Leave it to the imagination; if you can think of it, it is probably out there and available for your race.

It all starts with good design

2010-05-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

We recently designed a logo for Heartfelt Gifts the gift shop located on the first floor of Sacred Heart Hospital at Riverbend. Heartfelt gifts is run by the Sacred Heart Hospital Guild, a 100% volunteer organization. All gift shop proceeds are contributed to Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation, and used to fund state-of- the-art medical services and technology.

Not only did we get to design a logo, we were able to take the logo to a third dimension and design a sign for the shop. It is amazing the different materials available to fabricate signage. We had the pleasure of working with Image King Signs, a local sign manufacturer, creating a sign representative of Heartfelt Gifts.

Other project for Heartfelt Gifts have included having their new logo embroidered on aprons, and polo shirts. Also, we are currently working on vinyl lettering to be installed on the interior walls of the shop.

Once you have a great design the applications for use are countless. From aprons to business cards, to signs, to pens, to water bottles, and on and on….It all starts with good design.

We Do Weddings!

2010-04-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

As technology and the economy have changed, so has our focus on our clientele. We spent many years devoted to creating and printing Bookstore Catalogs for a large number of Universities. Most of those Universities have changed their focus from the printed catalog to the online catalog. Certainly more cost effective and ultimately better for the environment. I personally like the feel of a catalog in my hand, where I can take a marker and circle all the items I think I need. Although we can still help with the design of the online catalog we found it necessary to broaden our offerings and then along came weddings.

It seemed we at KAP Art had each been in involved with the design and production of wedding invitations. I have done several family invitations all very individual and personalized. Katy also has done invites, save the date cards, for many family and friends. It seemed like a natural fit we should offer up wedding packages to our current clients as well as get the word out to potential brides. We Do Weddings!

We have several weddings under our belt now. It has been fun working with excited brides to help them realize their dream and create the perfect invite for them. Invites have lead to “save the date cards”, “reply cards”, “directional and local information pieces”, and “thank you cards” too.

Even cooler than the printed wedding package, we have been able to provide options to our brides for wedding favors and gifts. We were able to order shortbread cookies for one bride with monogrammed initials of the bride and groom in gold. They came in their own individual box tied with a beautiful ribbon. Pretty impressive I must say.

Although the printed catalog is becoming less sought after and close to extinction for some, there will always be a beautiful bride in search of the perfect components to create her dream wedding.

CAMEX 2010 at Disney World

2010-04-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

The “happiest place on earth” was home to CAMEX (Campus Market Expo) this year. College Bookstores from around all of North America including Canada, gather to exchange ideas, learn marketing strategies and find new and unique merchandise to take back to their University campuses. KAP Art, represented by Katy and Missy, were exhibitors for the event with a goal of marketing to the conference attendees as well as the exhibitors. Everyone can use a little help with market strategies, right?

The conference attendees who were sent as reps of their bookstores were often scarce at the Expo hall. I would say Mickey Mouse was the biggest competition, although Missy and Katy would have happily fashioned Mickey ears if it would have increased the expo traffic. They unfortunately, didn’t even get the chance to enter the Magic Kingdom.

They did come away with some leads as well as some good stories. Seems their expo neighbors were pretty enjoyable and often entertaining. Seasons Jewelry, and North American Licensing Company, their closest neighbors, brought enjoyment and laughter to frequent slow times. Creative Essentials Lap Desks, located several booths away was a constant source of entertainment to all. They were our neighbors at CAMEX last year in Orange County California, yes, we were at Disneyland then. We now are all happy owners of their beautiful wooden lap desks.

Ronn Crawford of Russell Athletic was one of the contacts Katy and Missy were happy to meet. KAP Art does a lot of screen printed apparel and are constantly ordering athletic wear from many vendors. It was nice to connect with Ronn to put a face to Russell and establish a personal connection to his company. Besides, it garnered an invitation to the Russell sponsored party which is one of the biggest and best put on by Exhibitors for the Conference Attendees.

Kap Art also had the pleasure of reconnecting with Margaret Lara of Mixed Role Productions. She to is from Eugene but it seems we have to travel across the country to meet up with her. Last year we spent time with her at CAMEX, as well as shared a taxi ride to the airport and the same flight home. This year Katy and Missy once again shared dinner and stories of another year at CAMEX.

CAMEX next year? Don’t think so, but a good time was had by all.

The Adventure Center is open for business.

2010-03-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Adventure Center is now open. Run by Travel Lane County, established to promote tourism in the Eugene, Cascade, and Coastal Regions of Lane County. It's pretty hard to miss them. They are visible from the freeway as you approach the Beltline On Ramp at 3312 Gateway in Springfield. It was my pleasure to go to their grand opening, which was a huge success. Although all the good food and Ninkasi Ale didn't seem to hurt the turn out.

Their space is beautiful! There is a topographic map of the area, brochures loaded with information on lodging, hikes and great adventures including white water rafting, and fly fishing. They carry a broad spectrum of gifts from glasses, water bottles, to t-shirts and sweatshirts with their imprinted logo. Which, although we didn't have the pleasure of designing is gorgeous. There are also edible goodies and one of my favorites, wine. Safe to say, you could build a picnic to take on your adventure from there.

The Adventure Center is full of knowledgeable people, happy and willing to help you plan your very own adventure. Whether you live here or are just passing through it would be well worth your time to explore the Center.

Rally Coffee Roasters...worth a try.

2010-03-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

Another day, another blog post. We wont post a new entry everyday but then again there is so much to share.

I spent time trying to do a better layout at the top of this blog. At this point I don't fully understand how I make my vision your vision, but I shall keep on trying and get some pointers from my daughter who is a regular blogger and layout extrodinaire.

We at KAP Art have decided it would be fun not only to bring you marketing news but share with you some of the amazing people, who with courage, have set out to establish their new business in a time of economic uncertainty.

Do you love coffee? I do. There is a new place in town worth your exploration. Rally Coffee Roasters have recently opened on Franklin Blvd. in the Glenwood neighborhood. Run by 3 extrodinary entrepreneurial women (Teresa, Lisa, and Delaine)who have spent the last 10 years working for Full City, another coffee roaster with great service and coffee I love. They have a great variety of coffees they roast on the premises. I'm not sure what my favorite is yet as there are many to choose from. I do highly recommend their mochas. They make their own chocolate that has lavender as an ingredient. Oh my gosh, it is fabuloso!

Finally our own blog.

2010-03-03T14:42:00.000-08:00

We are in the age of social marketing and have been encouraging our clients to get on board with all the Internet has to offer. In an effort to lead by example as well as to glean information and know how in the process, we have finally created our very own blog. Our bigger goal is to share information with you about who we are, what we do, what you should be doing, and more importantly start a two way conversation.