MI Printing: Flyers For All Your Advertising Needs

Quality flyers are among the most used advertising media that can help draw more prospective customers to your business.  It our job to make sure you are satisfied with those advertising materials.  We are proud to produce printed materials that you are proud to distribute.

We can help bring your companies' image into your companies' printed materials used in communication and advertising.

Call Paula at  623.582.1302  to discuss how we can show you our Customer Satisfaction model for your printing needs.

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

Offline Ads in a Online World continued

Promote your site in everything you do. By phone, by mail, handouts and in person.

Including your web site address or URL in all your print media. But don’t stop there. Realize that readers don’t necessarily take your web site address from your ad and type it into their Internet address bar. Often, readers remember some other key item from your ad, such as the product name or tagline, and search that phrase in a search engine. That means your print media needs to prominently display your company name, product name, tagline, or any other pertinent descriptor or keyword your customers would remember. Therefore, before you design your ad, think like your customer and create a list of keywords they would likely search for if they were looking for your product. Then, include those words in your print media so you can reinforce the message into the readers’ minds.

You can make some of the following changes as the need for reprinting arises.

• Annual Reports
• Return Envelopes
• Appointment Cards
• Sales Sheets
• Business Cards
• Shipping Containers
• Business Reply Cards
• Statements
• Customer Survey Literature
• CVs
• Estimates & Proposals
• FAX Cover Sheets
• Flyers, Door Hangers, Coupons
• Holiday Cards
• Instruction Manuals
• Invoices
• Letterhead
• Menus  Tent & Comment Cards
•  Postcards
• Price Sheets
• Product Literature
• Products & Product Tags
• Reminder Cards & Letters

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

Offline Ads in a Online World

To reach today’s consumers in the most efficient manner, you need a mix of offline and online ads. And while many advertisers are already aware of the power of television advertising to drive sales and online traffic, few realize the potential of print advertising and how it impacts a company’s bottom line.

New research from iProspect and Jupiter Research that looks at the influence of offline channels on online search found that 67% of online search population is driven to search by offline channels. Of that percentage, 30% come from print ads. Even more impressive is the fact that print advertising topped the list of offline media sources that led to a purchase, with 30% of search users who opened their wallet and bought online coming from a print medium.

So what does all this mean to today’s advertisers? It means that if you’re not using print media, such as flyers and brochures, to advertise your company, product, or service, then you’re missing out on not only sales, but also web traffic that could in turn lead to future business. Stay tuned for more tips.

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

North America’s Top Paper Companies

With total annual sales in excess of $130 billion and production approaching 100 million mtpy, North America’s Top 25 producers employ nearly 400,000 workers.

It’s no surprise that International Paper Co. continues to be the top paper producer in North America, in fact the world’s No. 1 paper company in terms of sales and production volumes.With net sales of $24.097 billion, a production portfolio of some 16 million metric tons per year (mtpy), and 68,700 employees worldwide, IP is a firm No. 1 on the PaperAge list of Top 25 North American-based pulp and paper companies.In compiling this listing based net sales and earnings include all categories such as lumber, wood products and other building materials, converted paper and paperboard products, molded pulp products, plastics and other specialty composite products, chemicals, distribution services, and in some cases waste/secondary fiber collection, recovery, and sales. However, production capacities, as accurately as possible, include just pulp, paper/tissue, and paperboard. Likewise, employee numbers are company-wide for all business segments, not just pulp and paper. Capital spending and research and development allocations are, generally, also consolidated for all business segments, except as noted. Canadian sales, earnings, and expenditures were converted to U.S. dollars, and all production capacities were converted to metric tons.

In terms of net sales,Weyerhaeuser is a close second at $22.629 billion, followed by Georgia-Pacific at an estimated $18.7 billion, which was acquired by U.S.-based Koch Industries and now operates as a private company.Weyerhaeuser had nearly 14 million tons of capacity and 49, 887 employees. In No. 4 position based on net sales of $8.396 billion and a production capacity of 8.184 million mtpy, The Top 6 - 25, in order of sales and production are: Boise Cascade (now owned by Madison Dearborn Partners investment group), Temple-Inland, Abitibi-Consolidated, Domtar, Sonoco Products, Bowater, Canfor, Tembec, Cascades Group (40% employee-owned), Graphic Packaging Corp. (formerly Riverwood), Packaging Corp. of America, Rock-Tenn, Catalyst Paper (formerly Norske Skog and Fletcher Challenge Canada), NewPage (Cerebus Capital Management/formerly printing and writing paper business of MeadWestvaco), Potlatch,Wausau Paper, Appleton (100% employee owned), Longview Fibre, Caraustar Industries, and Pope & Talbot.

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com 

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

“Merry Christmas” Say It Loud With Christmas Banners

During Christmas you come across attractive Christmas banners saying, “Christmas Sale Up to 50%.” No matter you are a big brand or a small business, Christmas is the time where you get maximum business exposure. Decorating storefronts, halls, entrance and booths is something that you cannot miss during Christmas. You can use attractive Christmas banners to display holiday offers and discounts.  Keep these tips in mind:

Christmas theme will add festivity flavor in your Christmas banner design. The most popular Christmas themes are Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gifts, stars, bells, snowman and much more. You can choose the most appropriate one for your Christmas banner. Whether you are running annual sale or showcasing your products, add Christmas theme in your Christmas banner. Be innovative while you design Christmas banners.
Incorporate Christmas colors in your banner design. Popular Christmas colors are red, green and snow white. Make sure you use a mix of these colors in your banner to add Christmas zest. You can also select the colors that represents your business or brand.

Choosing the right material and message

Vinyl is the most popular banner printing material. Vinyl material is ideal for outdoor purposes. It is the most durable, weatherproof and UV-resistant. You can convey your message in the public with high quality vinyl material.

Choose the short and clear message in your Christmas banner design. Include necessary call to action in the text. Encourage visitors to take necessary actions. Use attractive fonts and styles to display your message. Use appropriate images and graphics in your banner design. Use high resolution images. You will get the finest quality images and vibrant colors printed on vinyl material.

Mounting banners at the right places

You should know where you are going to place your Christmas banners. You can place them at storefronts, near church, schools or anywhere to draw audience’s attention.  Remember displaying banners at the right place will help you increase sales and ROI. Mount the banners at the places where it get maximum exposure.
You can make this Christmas more special with attractive Christmas banners. All you need to do is, use your imagination and creativity to design a perfect banner. Banners are really helpful in conveying your message, offers and special festival discounts.

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

A Charlie Brown Christmas

The half-hour special first aired on Thursday, December 9, 1965, preempting The Munsters and following the Gilligan's Island episode "Don't Bug the Mosquitoes". To the surprise of the executives, it was both a critical and commercial hit. None of the special's technical problems detracted from the show's appeal; to the contrary, it is thought that these so-called quirks, along with several other choices, are what lent the show such an innovative, authentic and sincere feeling. For instance, Linus's recitation was hailed by critics such as Harriet Van Horne of the New York World-Telegram who said, "Linus' reading of the story of the Nativity was, quite simply, the dramatic highlight of the season."

A total of 50% of the televisions in the United States were tuned to the first broadcast.  A Charlie Brown Christmas won an Emmy and a Peabody award, and is today considered to be one of the most beloved animated holiday specials of all time. The success of the animated special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, has given rise to numerous other Peanuts specials (including ten others that are also holiday-themed), a miniseries devoted to America (This Is America, Charlie Brown), a Saturday morning cartoon (The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show), and four full-length Peanuts feature films.

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!"

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

Christmas & Holiday Cards Around The World

Photo by Malene Thyssen

Christmas is the largest card-sending holiday in the United States with approximately 2 billion cards sent annually. In the UK there are over 7 million Christmas cards sent out. Annual e-card sending industry-wide is estimated at less than 500 million More than 20 paper cards are sent for every one e-card.

There are more than 3,000 greeting card publishers in the United States, ranging from individual studios and small family-run companies to major corporations.

Many businesses, from small local businesses to multi-national enterprises send custom printed Christmas and holiday cards to the people on their customer lists, as a way to develop general goodwill, retain brand awareness and reinforce social networks. These cards are almost always discrete and secular in design, and do not attempt to sell a product, limiting themselves to mentioning the name of the business. The practice harkens back to trade cards of the 18th century, an ancestor of the modern Christmas card.

Many organizations produce special custom printrd Christmas cards as a fundraising tool. The most famous of these enterprises is probably the UNICEF Christmas card program, launched in 1949, which selects artwork from internationally known artists for card reproduction.

From the beginning, Christmas cards have been avidly collected. Queen Mary amassed a large collection that is now housed in the British Museum. The University College of London's Slade School of Fine Art houses a collection of handmade Christmas Card.

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

History of the Christmas Card

When London's John Calcott Horsley invented the first Christmas card in 1843 as a favor to Henry Cole, neither man had any idea of the impact it would have in Britain and later in America. Even the early Christmas card manufacturers believed Christmas cards to be a vogue which would soon pass. They operated on a quick turn basis and did not bother to document the cards they produced. However, the Christmas card was destined to become an integral part of the holiday season. By 1880 their manufacture was big business, creating previously unknown opportunities for artists, writers, printers, and engravers.

The "trick card" was the most popular Christmas card of the Victorian era. While infinite in variety, it always featured some element of surprise. While seemingly simple at first glance, the turning of a page, the pulling of a string, or the moving of a lever would reveal the unexpected, showing the card to be more complex than first imagined.

For more than 30 years, Americans had to import greeting cards from England.  In 1875, Louis Prang, a German immigrant to the U.S., opened a lithographic shop with $250 and published the first line of U.S. Christmas cards. His initial creations featured flowers and birds, unrelated to the Christmas scene. By 1881, Prang was producing more than five million Christmas cards each year. His Yuletide greetings began to feature snow scenes, fir trees, glowing fireplaces and children playing with toys. His painstaking craftsmanship and lithographic printing have made his cards a favorite of collectors today.  Christmas Cards have changed since the days of Sir Henry and Louis Prang.  They now sport comics, jokes and clever verses.  But those that picture timeless and simple settings such as excited children around a Christmas tree, Nativity scenes, nature scenes and carolers singing in the snow are still in the highest demand today.


Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

MI Printing: AZ History One City At A Time: Bullhead City

In the 19th century, the current site of Bullhead City was called Hardyville, named for early resident and politician, William Hardy. A New York native and an entrepreneur, Hardy established a ferry service across the Colorado River and raised Angora goats. He was a colorful and somewhat controversial figure who is considered by many as the founding father of Bullhead City. He was a postmaster, county supervisor and a member of the Arizona Territorial Legislature. In 1864, his personal worth was over $40,000.00, making him the second richest man in Arizona.

From 1852 to 1909, steamboats made regular trips up the Colorado River from Port Isabel, Sonora, passing Hardyville regularly. These stern-wheeler riverboats played an important part in the early development of the areas bordering the Colorado River. The small town saw the construction of a general store, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, a quartz mill, a billiard hall, and a respectable public hall.

Although the 19th century saw a population boom in Hardyville as mining became more profitable, the beginning of the 20th century saw mining activities move away from the Colorado River and Hardyville. When the railroad was constructed from Needles, California to Kingman, Arizona, Hardyville was abandoned and became a ghost town. A small cemetery, now a historic landmark, is the most significant existing remnant of Hardyville.

Decades later, Hardyville would be resurrected as Bullhead City with the construction of Davis Dam between 1942 and 1953. The dam was originally called Bullhead Dam after Bull's Head Rock, a well-known landmark along the Colorado River. Bullhead City became the headquarters for the construction project, which was completed in 1953. Thus the name "Bullhead City" was born. As the nearby Lake Mohave developed into a major tourism destination, and as the casino and resort town of Laughlin, Nevada, sprouted up across the river, Bullhead City grew rapidly.

In 1970, Bullhead City was the name of the six blocks that ran north-south along Highway 95 across the river from Don Laughlin's casino. About a thousand people lived in original Bullhead City at that time, about 3,000 people in Riviera. In 1984, the small communities of Bullhead City, Riviera, and Holiday Shores voted to incorporate, choosing the name "Bullhead City" for its historical significance. The annual celebration Hardyville Days pays homage to the history of the town, and the man that first settled this shoreline along the Colorado River.

MI Printing: Flyers For All Your Advertising Needs

Quality flyers are among the most used advertising media that can help draw more prospective customers to your business.  It our job to make sure you are satisfied with those advertising materials.  We are proud to produce printed materials that you are proud to distribute.

We can help bring your companies' image into your companies' printed materials used in communication and advertising.

Call Paula at  623.582.1302  to discuss how we can show you our Customer Satisfaction model for your printing needs.

MI Printing: AZ History One City At A Time: Goodyear

Goodyear was established in 1917 with the purchase of 16,000 acres of land by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company to cultivate cotton for vehicle tire threads. The small community that formed as a result of the Goodyear Farms cotton industry first became known as "Egypt" for the Egyptian cotton grown there and then, finally, was called "Goodyear." The community thrived as long as the cotton industry was strong. But after the war, cotton prices plummeted and Goodyear's economy suffered.

The town of Goodyear was incorporated in November 1946. At that time, the town had 151 homes, 250 apartments, a grocery store, drug store, barber shop, beauty shop and service station. The town became a city in 1985.  

However, World War II brought a recovery in the early 1940's when the Litchfield Naval Air Facility and the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation located here, employing as many as 7,500 people at one time. Dirigibles or "blimps" were built at the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation.

Then, in 1949, a long history of aerospace and defense programs began in Goodyear when the Goodyear Aerospace Corporation replaced the Goodyear Aircraft facility. That plant was later sold to Loral Defense Systems and eventually evolved by merger and acquisition into the current Lockheed Martin Corp.

The Litchfield Naval Air Facility was the training base for the Navy Blue Angels aerial demonstration team until 1968. After the war, the Naval Air Facility served as a storage base for thousands of World War II aircraft that were moth balled and salvaged. Then, in 1968, the Navy sold the airfield to the City of Phoenix which named it the Phoenix-Litchfield Airport. In 1986, it was renamed the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport.
 
In the 1980s, the 10,000 acres that remained of the original Goodyear Farms was sold to SunCor which developed much of the land into the Palm Valley master-planned, mixed-use community located north of I-10 in Goodyear.

MI Printing: Special Carbonless Forms

At MI Printing we can take care of all of your carbonless needs far beyond just carbonless forms.  These can be used for employment applications, order forms, job tickets, invoices, estimates or proposals. If needed, backside printing is available.

Please let us know what type of padding you expect for your forms.  For best results a PDF file is required for the customer supplied artwork.

Need to know more about all the uses for carbonless forms contact us at MI Printing.

We are ready to help just give us a call at 623.582.1302 for our current special pricing on carbonless forms.

MI Printing Donates 5% to Somalian Relief (UNICEF)

In response to the news we see and read, we at MI Printing want to help the people of Somalia and the surrounding region.  From August 16th to September 16th we are donating 5% from each of our printing jobs to UNICEF.

Like a wildfire that has been smoldering for months, the crisis in Somalia Africa is now raging, impacting more than 10 million people and spreading through three countries. The worst drought in 60 years – fueled by skyrocketing food prices (more than 120% in some areas), tribal conflicts and limited humanitarian access – has brought the region to suffering widespread famine.

Water is scarce. Acute malnutrition is evident in many children and adults. Animals are dying at a rate 40 to 60 percent above normal in communities that depend entirely on livestock to survive. The hard, cracked ground produces nothing for them to graze.

Increasing numbers of refugees from Somalia are crossing the border into Kenya – up to 2,000 a day in some places. Refugee camps are overflowing, with tens of thousands of people living outside the camps with no access to food, clean water or sanitation.

The forecast is bleak. August is expected to be dry.  Every small donation helps and during the next 30 days we look forward to working with you to bring the 5% donations to these desperately starving  peoples.

Thank you Paula and Matt Iannacone

MI Printing
623-582-1302

MI Printing: Indoor Magnets

Make your advertising message STICK!

 Indoor Magnets... Several Sizes and Styles available  4/0 (Full Color One Side), 17pt UV coated stock.   From customer supplied art. Art should be 300dpi PDF file.

At MI Printing we can take care of all of your specialty printing needs.  Learn about the many options we offer for your business printing needs.  Questions... Please give us a call at 623-582-1302.

Please ask about money saving larger quantity print runs.  For best results a high quality PDF file is required for the customer supplied artwork.

Thank You
Matt & Paula

MI Printing: AZ History One City At A Time: Sedona

Sedona is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of Arizona.

Sedona's main attraction is its stunning array of red sandstone formations, the Red Rocks of Sedona. The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. The Red Rocks form a breathtaking backdrop for everything from spiritual pursuits to the hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails.

Sedona is named after Sedona Arabelle Miller Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness.

The famous red rocks of Sedona are formed by a layer of rock known as the Schnebly Hill Formation. The Schnebly Hill Formation is a thick layer of red to orange-colored sandstone found only in the Sedona vicinity. The sandstone, a member of the Supai Group, was deposited during the Permian Period.

Number 10 Custom Window Envelopes

Custom Envelopes, #10 White Window Envelopes; One Color (Any) Ink on front from customer supplied art +  Deliverd + Sales tax if applicable.

Many times the first impression a person will have with your company is to handle and open correspondence that arrives in your company envelope.  There’s something about receiving a custom printed company envelope. You can feel the importance and significance of any document with the help of logo, printing and the quality of the paper.  In fact, correct envelope printing adds greatly to the image and credibility of a company.

While your letterheads are standards for businesses and companies, the envelopes that carry that important document can not be a poor quality product.

Envelope printing is crucial because it contributes to the image of professionalism and reliability that a company projects. The image of a company can be picked up from the documents that they produce and use in communications with the public.

Your company's formality and credibility is also reflected in your envelopes.  Envelopes in fact, have the power to affect a response from the recipients whether its favorable or not.  Depending on the look, appearance, color and quality, your envelope can greatly influence the way your recipients think about you and your company's message.

Contact Matt or Paula at MI Printing for help with your professional quality envelopes. Let us know how many you need and we can get you a fast and very fair quote.  623-582-1302

MI Printing: AZ History One City At A Time: Patagonia

The area's original inhabitants were Native Americans who found that the lush area along the Sonoita and Harshaw Creeks provided ideal living conditions with plentiful hunting and fishing opportunities. In 1539, Spanish explorer Fray Marcos de Niza entered the area near present-day Lochiel on the Mexican border. A century and a half later, the Jesuit priest Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino traveled through the region, establishing missions and mapping the territory.

Spanish mission records indicate that in 1698 Father Eusebio Francisco Kino encouraged his group to leave the San Pedro River and make their way up to Sonoita Creek. There they encountered clusters of indigenous people living along Sonoita Creek in Patagonia, and in 1701, Father Kino designated Sonoita as one of his visitas. The area then became part of the Mission at Guevavi.

The year 1851 saw the historic visitation of U.S. Boundary Commissioner John R. Bartlett, who was one of the first to publish descriptions of the Sonoita Valley. He designated it too dangerous and impassible for inhabitants, and suggested the U.S. boundary lie farther north. But by 1853, the Gadsen Purchase made the southeastern corner of Arizona, then the northern part of Mexico, part of the United States. The vast Spanish land grants began to break up as Easterners moved west to homestead and ranch.

Starting around 1857, prospectors mined the silver-rich mountains east of Sonoita and the boom was on. The Patagonia Mountains were filled with rich ore bodies, and by the 1860s, the mining industry procured vast amounts of silver and lead each year. The growth of mining towns such as Mowry, Harshaw, Washington Camp, and Duquesne reflect the extent of the mining boom that last until the early part of the 20th century.

The area got a big boost when the New Mexico & Arizona Railroad connected the area to Mexico in 1882. The villages of Sonoita and Elgin came into being with the arrival of the Benson-to-Nogales Railway, which at one point had three daily stops in Patagonia. Despite the dangers of Apache raids, prospectors headed west to mine silver, gold, lead, copper, and other minerals. Ranchers thrived in Sonoita's rich grasslands and the railroads allowed as many as 3,000 head of cattle a day to be shipped to the East.

A direct rail line from Tucson to Nogales, Sonora, as well as the decline in mining activity, cattle shipping, and population caused segments of the New Mexico & Arizona Railroad to be abandoned between 1926 and 1962. In July 1929, after the tracks were washed out near Patagonia, the bridges were salvaged and the rails picked up between Flux Siding and Patagonia.

The last ore was shipped to the smelter in 1960, and the last of the original railroad line was removed in 1962. The Patagonia Station grounds were donated to the Town of Patagonia and made into a Town Park. The Patagonia Depot was sold in about 1950 to a local businessman, but a local Rotarian purchased it from him. After the Patagonia-Sonoita Club's partial restoration, the Town purchased the building, which still serves as the Town Hall.

Today, the mining camp ghost towns of Harshaw, Mowry, Washington Camp, and Duquesne bear mute testimony to the boom days of yesteryear. Cattle ranches, no longer the vast spreads of the early days, still remain a vital part of the economy and culture. Fourth and fifth generation ranchers and miners still live in the area, as do newcomers such as artists and retirees. Residents have restored historic buildings, and many are in use today, constant reminders of the boom years of yesterday.

Looking for a Short Run Post Card Deal?

Wednesday July 27th 2011 and it is time again for a message from our sponsor.  Well from Paula and Matt at MI Printing.

This week let's take a moment and talk about "Post Cards!"

Direct mail is a very effective way to reach your customer and let them know about your latest products, newest services, up-coming events or your website. There are so many ways to use post cards in today's marketing environment.

With our new digital printing we can even make short-run post cards a very cost effective tool.  You can target a smaller group of potential customers and get out your sale notices even faster.

We can also do your long runs in many popular size Post Cards.  If you have a motel / hotel or tourist attraction we can help you with Post Cards that promote your location and even sell to your customers.

Post cards for sales and For Sale!

If you need help from start to finish MI Printing is here to help meet your Post Card needs.

We are known for our fair prices and quick turn arounds.

Call us for your post card solutions at 623-582-1302 and ask Paula about current our pricing!

MI Printing: AZ History One City At A Time: Bisbee

Bisbee, Arizona is located just 90 miles east and south of Tucson.  Bisbee is nestled in the Mule Mountains,  and is the picturesque county seat of Cochise County. Bisbee was founded in 1880 and named after Judge DeWitt Bisbee, a financial backer of the Copper Queen Mine.

The city was known as “the Queen of the Copper Camps”, this Old West mining camp proved to be one of the richest mineral sites in the world, producing nearly three million ounces of gold and more than eight billion pounds of copper, not to mention the silver, lead and zinc that came from these rich Mule Mountains.

By the early 1900s, the Bisbee community was the largest city between St. Louis, MO and San Francisco, CA.

Bisbee, with a population of over 20,000 people in the early 1900’s, had become one of the most cultured cities in the Southwest. Despite its culture, however, the rough edges of the mining camps could be found in notorious Brewery Gulch, with its saloons and shady ladies. Brewery Gulch, which in its heyday boasted upwards of 47 saloons and was considered the "liveliest spot between El Paso and San Francisco".

Bisbee offered other recreational pursuits in that it was home to the state’s first community library, a popular opera house, the state’s oldest ball fields and the state’s first golf course. Bisbee is the Nation’s southernmost mile-high city. In the year 1908, a fire ravaged most of the commercial district along Main Street, leaving nothing but ashes.

The residents of Bisbee quickly began reconstruction and by 1910, most of the district had been rebuilt and remains completely intact today.

Robert A. Bates Memorial Print Shop

Robert A. Bates Memorial Print Shop is part of the Sharlot Hall Museum located in Prescott, Arizona. The museum is named after its founder, Sharlot Mabridth Hall (1870-1943), who became well known as a poet, activist, politician, and Arizona’s first territorial historian. Sharlot Hall was one of the West’s most remarkable women. As early as 1907, Ms. Hall saw the need to save Arizona's history and planned to develop a museum.

This print shop represents a small job/newspaper shop of the Arizona territorial period, 1863-1912. The presses used in this shop are of the 1860s, and use the centuries-old letterpress process. This Washington Hand Press was built in 1868 by R. Hoe & Co. for the production of weekly newspapers.  It is the Imperial #5 model, weighing 2,150 lbs.  It was sold with a one-year warranty.

This press was used to produce the Sacramento (Calif.) Bee in the 1870s.  It is typical of the many presses hauled by wagon or train to the outer reaches of civilization during the western expansion period.

Look Around the Frontier Print Shop. The objects used to produce material by the letterpress printing process are found in our territorial print shop.

MI Printing: Let Us Help With Door Hangers

Door hangers are the one of the least expensive and most effective of the print media.

The key to an effective door hanger promotion is the right design and the right call to action. Your design must reflect your company’s personality and your message has to induce the customer to take action now.

“On Door” Advertising: Because your advertising message is displayed on your prospect’s door, it is likely to be carried into your prospect’s home. The door hanger typically stands alone without competition. With a correct design, your message is very likely to be read.

Buy Now & Later: Most door hangers include a call to action such as a special promotion, limited time offer or coupon. Because they are printed on a heavier weight stock, they are perceived as less disposable than a text-weight flyer. Not only is the customer prompted to buy now, he will keep the door hanger to take advantage of your offer later. Your message will be on-hand the next time your prospect is in need of your product.

Neighborly Effect: Door hangers also act as a personal calling card. To leave a door hanger on your prospect’s door, you had to have visited them first. Door hangers demonstrate your knowledge of the prospect’s presence while making him aware of your presence in his neighborhood as well.

Additional Uses: Door hangers are not limited to promotional advertising. They can be used to spread information, build name recognition, service reminders, even to let your customer know you paid them a visit. As a direct marketing tool, door hangers also offer a unique opportunity at very personalized messages. Some of our customers have directed their messages to specific neighborhoods and apartment complexes, calling them out by name on the door hanger. The customer reached their target and created the perception that the offer was special and exclusive to their target.

We are ready to help just give us a call at 623.582.1302 for our current special pricing.

MI Printing: AZ History: One City at a Time: Bagdad

Bagdad Arizona was begun early in 1880.  Copper ore was found there by prospectors.  Because of its isolated location and low grade, however, ore was not developed. Although the Giroux Syndicate gained rights to the mine in 1906, it was not able to establish a thriving copper mine. Between 1906 and 1927 a number of companies tried to work the mine with the greatest (yet still unsuccessful) effort being that of the Lewishon interests.

In 1927 the Bagdad Copper Company began operation. The timing of the Great Depression in 1929, slowed but did not stop their efforts. The company managed to continue development through the 1930's and, in 1941 received a government loan that enabled them to add new equipment. Since the low grade ore made underground mining unprofitable, General Manager, Ernest R. Dickie, began converting to an open pit operation. Dickie used large trucks for haulage, and Bagdad became the testing ground for much of the change taking place in large ore trucks. All underground mining at Bagdad had ended by 1950.

Cyprus Mines Corporation formerly operated the copper mine until Cyprus merged with Phelps Dodge. This copper mine does open pit mining and currently runs on an around-the-clock schedule. The copper concentrate is either trucked to southern Arizona, or taken by semi to 20 miles outside of town to a small railroad community named Hillside.

Freeport-McMoRan (which acquired Phelps Dodge in 2007) owns all of the housing and commercial buildings in Bagdad.  The town has a main shopping center named Copper Plaza, with a small Bashas' grocery store and other businesses. Copper Plaza used to have a bank, but Stockmen's Bank pulled out due to lack of profits. However, the Arizona State Credit Union and the Bashas' Associates Federal Credit Union both installed ATMs inside Bashas'.

The Bagdad Community Health Center operates a clinic and provides Bagdad with medical care. The clinic is operated by registered nurses and one doctor. The one doctor is out of the Prescott area is in charge of the facility. Fry's Food and Drug operates a pharmacy in this clinic as well.

MI Printing: Famous Printers in History

Benjamin Franklin, born January 17, 1706 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat.

He became wealthy publishing Poor Richard's Almanack and The Pennsylvania Gazette.

As a scientist, he was a major figure in the Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove and a carriage odometer.

For many years he was the British postmaster for the colonies, which enabled him to set up the first national communications network. He was active in community affairs, colonial and state politics, as well as national and international affairs. From 1785 to 1788, he served as governor of Pennsylvania. Toward the end of his life, he freed his slaves and became one of the most prominent abolitionists.

His colorful life and legacy of scientific and political achievement, and status as one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, have seen Franklin honored on coinage and money; warships; the names of many towns, counties, educational institutions, namesakes, and companies; and more than two centuries after his death, countless cultural references.

Mi Printing: Word Origins: Carpe diem

The phrase "Carpe diem" is one you hear when someone is trying to make a point. The meaning translated from Latin is usually "seize the day". However, Latin scholars will tell you that is incorrect. "Carpe" translates literally as "pluck", with particular reference to the picking of fruit, so a more accurate rendition is "pluck the day, when it is ripe". The extended version of the phrase "carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero" translates as "Pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the future".

Based on Google information more people search for the little-used phrase "carpe diem" than they do for any other phrase.

The meaning of "carpe diem" is similar to that of many phrases we continue to use in English and can be thought of as a warning to make the most of the time we have, with the implication that our time on Earth is short. Other related phrases are "Strike while the iron is hot" and "The early bird catches the worm".

The original source for the phrase is the lyric poet Horace (1st century BC). The term is first found in Odes Book I: Dum loquimur, fugerit invida Aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero which translates as: "While we're talking, envious time is fleeing: pluck the day, put no trust in the future".

Many authors have quoted the Latin original, but it was Lord Byron's use of the phrase that first began to integrate it into English. He included it in his 1817 work "Letters", which was published in 1830 by Thomas Moore: "I never anticipate, - carpe diem - the past at least is one's own, which is one reason for making sure of the present."

The noble George Gordon Noel, sixth Baron Byron, is better known as a womaniser than as a Latin scholar, but he was well versed in the language and was a Horace aficionado. He was taught Latin as a child by the son of his bootmaker and went on to write his version of Horace's The Art of Poetry, as "Hints from Horace", in 1811.

MI Printing: Special 20% Off All Carbonless Forms

At MI Printing we can take care of all of your carbonless needs far beyond just carbonless forms.  These can be used for employment applications, order forms, job tickets, invoices, estimates or proposals. If needed, backside printing is available.

Please let us know what type of padding you expect for your forms.  For best results a PDF file is required for the customer supplied artwork. 

We are featuring 20% off all carbonless forms this week at MI Printing.

Need to know more about all the uses for carbonless forms contact us at MI Printing.

We are ready to help just give us a call at 623.582.1302 for our current special pricing on carbonless forms.

MI Printing: Word Origins: A Shot In The Arm

A Shot In The Arm; that is a phrase we hear a lot these days and it usually has something to do with improving the economy.  No argument there. 

While the word "shot" has many meanings; a gun being fired, small lead weights, projectiles in a shotgun shell and a loud noise, to name just a few.

When we use A Shot In The Arm we generally mean a "stimulus" of some kind. 

The origin of this expression derives from the invigorating effect of injecting drugs. A "shot" is of course normal slang for an injection, either of a narcotic or medicinal drug.

That term has been in use since around the beginning of the 20th century, for example, this piece from the San Francisco Chronicle Supplement, October 1904:

"I varied hardly a minute each day in the time of taking my injection. My first shot was when I awoke in the morning."

'A shot in the arm' came soon afterwards and the first mention of a figurative use of it in print that can be found is from the Maine newspaper The Lewiston Evening Journal, January 1916:

"The veterns can give politics a shot in the arm and the political leaders realize it."

MI Printing: AZ History One City At a Time: Pinetop-Lakeside

The Town of Pinetop-Lakeside is in northeastern Arizona.  They invite you to experience some of the nation’s most stunning forests, lakes and streams.  The Town of Pinetop-Lakeside is nestled in one of the largest stands of ponderosa pines on the planet, and has abundant wildlife and natural discoveries.

Located about a 2½ hour drive north-east of Phoenix, Arizona, in the White Mountains, Pinetop-Lakeside is a true four seasons area that has many great things to do year round.  In the summer you can hike, plan a picnic, dine, play golf, mountain bike, go horseback riding, swimming, shopping and enjoy nature at its finest.  In the winter you can add snow skiing and snow boarding to that list as well. The beautiful Apache Sitgreaves National Forest has camping and fishing as well as many types of wildlife and birds for nature lovers.  Always bring your camera to capture the sights of the forest and surrounding area.

History
Settlement started about in the late1880s.  Pinetop-Lakeside was first called Penrod after David Penrod, a local settler. The area was on edge of Fort Apache Indian Reservation. A bachelor named Johnny Phipps ran a saloon for the black soldiers from Fort Apache.

The Penrods built and ran a saw mill here as early as 1891.  The United States Post Office abandoned the name Penrod and accepted the name Pinetop. Until 1906 the residents were thirteen Penrod children.

MI Printing: History of Printing: Farmers' Almanac

Farmers' Almanac is an annual North American periodical that has been in continuous publication since 1818. Published by the Almanac Publishing Company, of Lewiston, Maine, it is famous for its long-range weather predictions and astronomical data, as well as its trademark blend of humor, trivia, and advice on gardening, cooking, fishing, and human-interest crusades. Conservation, sustainable living, and simplicity are core values of the publication and its editors, and these themes are heavily promoted in every edition.

The Farmers’ Almanac was founded in Morristown, New Jersey, in 1818 by editor David Young and publisher Jacob Mann; this was, co-incidentally, two years following the "year without a summer" which was an ecological disaster for farmers in northeastern America. Astronomer Samuel Hart Wright succeeded Young in 1851. Over the years, the Farmers’ Almanac has had seven editors.

Ray Geiger served as the Farmers’ Almanac's longest-running editor, from 1934 until shortly before his death in 1994. In 1955, Geiger moved production of the Farmers' Almanac from Newark, New Jersey, to its current headquarters in Lewiston, Maine. Today, his son, Peter Geiger, Philom., continues the legacy, along with Managing Editor Sandi Duncan, Philom. Duncan is the first female almanac editor in United States history.

MI Printing: Word Origins: As Mad as a Hatter

Meaning: Completely mad. This is now commonly understood to mean crazy, although the original meaning is unclear and may have meant annoyed.

Origin: Mercury used to be used in the making of hats. This was known to have affected the nervous systems of hatters, causing them to tremble and appear insane. A neurotoxicologist correspondent informs me that "Mercury exposure can cause aggressiveness, mood swings, and anti-social behaviour.", so that derivation is certainly plausible - although there's only that circumstantial evidence to support it.

The use of mercury compounds in 19th century hat making and the resulting effects are well-established - mercury poisoning is still known today as 'Mad Hatter's disease'. That could be enough to convince us that this is the source of the phrase. The circumstantial evidence is rather against the millinery origin though and, beyond the fact that hatters often suffered trembling fits, there's little to link hat making to the coining of 'as mad as a hatter'.

The earliest known printed citation of the phrase that I know of is from Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, January-June 1829. It appears in a section of the magazine headed Noctes Ambrocianæ.

10,000 #10 Window Envelopes MI Printing

Business Envelopes, #10 White Window Envelopes 10,000 for just $348.60 One Color (Any) Ink on front from customer supplied art (PDF Format) +  Delivered + Sales tax if applicable.

Many times the first impression a person will have with your company is to handle and open correspondence that arrives in your company envelope.  There’s something about receiving a custom printed business envelope. You can feel the importance and significance of any document with the help of logo, printing and the quality of the paper.  In fact, correct envelope printing adds greatly to the image and credibility of a company.

While your letterheads are standards for businesses and companies, the envelopes that carry that important document can not be a poor quality product.

Business envelope printing is crucial because it contributes to the image of professionalism and reliability that a company projects. The image of a company can be picked up from the documents that they produce and use in communications with the public.

Your company's formality and credibility is also reflected in your envelopes.  Envelopes in fact, have the power to affect a response from the recipients whether its favorable or not.  Depending on the look, appearance, color and quality, your envelope can greatly influence the way your recipients think about you and your company's message.

Contact Matt or Paula at MI Printing for help with your professional quality business envelopes. 623-582-1302

MI Printing: Word Origins: Jack Of All Trades

A man who can turn his hand to many things. 

With any phrase that includes a name, it's natural to consider whether its the name of a real person. In this case, as was the case with many other literary Jacks - Jack the Lad, Jack Robinson, Jack Sprat, Jack Horner, Jack Frost, etc, Jack of all trades was a generic term rather than a living and breathing individual. In fact, the very long list of terms that include 'Jack' exceeds that of any other name in English and this reflects the fact that, as a derivative of the common name 'John', 'Jack' has been used just to mean 'the common man'. This usage dates back to the 14th century and an example is found in John Gower's Middle English poem Confessio Amantis, 1390:

Therwhile he hath his fulle packe,
They seie, 'A good felawe is Jacke'.

We now use 'Jack of all trades, master of none' in a derogatory way. Originally, this wasn't the case and the label 'Jack of all trades' carried no negative connotation, the 'master of none' part being added later. Nevertheless, mediaeval Jacks were pretty much at the bottom of the social tree. The OED defines the generic meaning of the name Jack thusly:

Jack - A man of the common people; a lad, fellow, chap; especially a low-bred or ill-mannered fellow, a 'knave'

If 16th century commentators wanted to imply that a person was stretching their talents too thinly they resorted to the disparaging Latin term Johannes factotum ('Johnny do-it-all'). In 1592, the English writer and member of the literary establishment Robert Greene wrote a pamphlet entitled Groats-worth of Witte. In that he ventured the opinion that a new writer on the scene was:

An upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that supposes he is as well able to bumbast out a blanke verse as the best of you. Beeing an absolute Johannes fac totum, is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey.

Sadly for Greene's ongoing reputation the 'Upstart crow' was William Shakespeare.

Various trades were populated by Jacks - lumberjacks, steeplejacks for example, and sailors were Jack-tars. There can't have been any trades in the Middle Ages that didn't make use of a jack of some sort.

Happy Fourth of July

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.

 In 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across  the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.

 In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.

 In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.

 In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann  Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".

 In 1791 the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day" occurred.

 In 1820 the first Fourth of July celebration was held in Eastport, Maine which remains the largest in the state.

 In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.

 In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.

Today we celebrate Independence day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue, watching parades and firework displays and take advantage of the day off.

We hope you have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Matt and Paula

MI Printing: Printing as Part of World Events and History

When you look at a list of the 50 most important events in all of history it should not be surprising that the world of printing is mentioned 10 times. Communication is ranked right up there with fire, the wheel and metallurgy.  With communications, publishing and printing mentioned as 20% of the top 50 events in human history you can ubderstand how proud we are to be part of the tradition of printing.

3200 BC Invention of writing in Mesopotamia: the means to record and understand human history.

1600 BC Modern alphabet invented: the essential means of communication of complex concepts and culture.

AD 105 First use of modern paper: this replaced stone, slate, papyrus and vellum as a cheap and convenient medium.

AD 730 Printing invented in China: an essential step in mass communication/ administration/cultural dissemination.

1088 First university founded in Bologna, Italy: the start of a modern conception of higher learning and universal knowledge.

1455 First book printed with moveable type: Johannes Gutenberg’s revolution in printing technology makes mass-market reading possible.

1651 Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan is published: this is the origin of the modern idea of civil society, equality before the law and egoistic individualism]

1687 Isaac Newton publishes Principia Mathematica, the foundation of modern physics.

1859 Publication of Darwin’s The Origin of Species. His theory of evolution transforms the view of Man and his environment, and belief in God.

1905 Einstein’s theory of special relativity published. It transforms the nature of modern physical knowledge.

Have a great day.

Matt & Paula

MI Printing: Word Origins: High Time

High TIme - Double Meaning

We normally think of this phrase as meaning that "Now" is the time to do something.  An example might be, "We are almost out of black ink. It's high time we got some more on order."

This phrase has also been used to mean 'a heated argument', but that meaning is unused and archaic now.

The origin of "High Time"

'High time' derives from the allusion to the warmest time of day - when the sun is highest in the sky. High noon is another way of saying it. Shakespeare used it in his Comedy of Errors, 1590:

There's none but witches do inhabit here;
And therefore 'tis high time that I were hence.
She that doth call me husband, even my soul

Origin "A High Time"

'High times' comes from the same root as 'high days and holidays', i.e. days of religious note and festivals. High in that sense has been used in English since the middle ages, although there are few references to it in print until the 19th century, as in this from the Canadian newspaper, The British Colonist, 1858:

"The Johns had a high time, drinking brandy and eating fried hog."