2010...A Banner Year

Or was it, "the year of the banner?"

My love affair of all things Vista Print is no secret. As I've mentioned before, my motto is, "If it's free it's for me!"

I have such fun designing new things and just about pounce on the mailman when my boxes of goodies arrive. I heart the postcards and shirts and magnets and posters and yard sale signs and key chains and lions and tigers and bears oh my!

But, my mostest favoritest of all the items is the banner.

Oh, the banners! Oh, the possibilities!

Thanks to the free banners, I got to be that over-the-top mother who has banners printed for her kids' birthdays. Because seriously, who does that?

People who get free banners that's who!

Thanks to the free banners, I have recently implemented the all-time-numero-uno-super-bestest thing ever to grace my classroom. Well, next to Find it/Fix it. It's "the clip chart" and you'll have to come back tomorrow (or maybe the next day) to read about that.

And thanks to the free banners, I have made bulletin board creation super quick and simple and yet oh-so-colorful and wonderful and kind of even professional-looking.

A commenter (That's you, Amy) had asked about sign in the center of my board. And I realized that I had never posted about my new addiction to banners as bulletin board time saver accessories. So here goes.

Vista Print is always offering amazing deals that allow you to get a whole heaping helping of freebies for super cheap. Yeah, I know the free and cheap part can be confusing. See, you pay for shipping. Or not. Sometimes, you can can spend $30.00 and get free shipping and up to 10 free items. Those are my favorite promos.

Anyhow...

While you can get up to 10 free items, you can only get 1 of each type of item (i.e. post-its, postcards, magnets).

But...

Vista Print views banners that are designed vertical and banners that are designed to print horizontal as two different types of items so you may get one of each.

You can use their easy templates and create major cuteness. Or, you can design and upload your own image. If you do that simply rotate the image 90 degrees and print it as a vertical banner. That way you get 2 horizontal banners in one order.

They fit perfectly in the center of a typical bulletin board with plenty of room to display student work around it.

You could also design just titles for boards and print several onto one banner and cut them apart.

The options are endless and there are lots of creative folks who have uploaded images of what they have made for you to find for inspiration.

As an added bonus, teachers often pop in to comment on the banners. It's nice to have adult contact. :)

FYI: At the time of posting this, the following links were working and offer great deals.

Giving Away the Farm (free shipping with $30.00 purchase)

and this is my personal favorite because it offers FREE 7 DAY SHIPPING with a $30.00 purchase...and uploads count towards the $30.00)

Vista Print - Frugal Friday

I feel like I need a disclaimer before I write this post.

You will either love me or hate me for what I am about to enlighten you with.

You'll love me for the free/cheap goodies you will obtain.

You'll hate me for the time suckage it will bring to your summer vacation.

Trust me.

You will spend sunny days hunched over your computer, frantically processing orders before the deals end.  

Oh, and if you think "I'll just order a rubber stamp and some labels," you won't.  Because much like a chain smokers first cigarette, you won't stop there.  It ALWAYS starts with one rubber stamp and some labels.

You've been warned.

Vista Print is an online paradise for teachers who love free stuff.  You can ooh and ahh coworkers and parents and look like you've spent tons of money.  If you are creative and have some photoshop skills you can make cool custom things.  If you can barely check your email without cursing technology, they have tons of templates to make it look like you are a graphic designer.

I could go on and on.  Vista Print is an addiction and a science.  There is ALWAYS free stuff to be had.  The catch is the shipping.  Some deals are better than others.  Some deals are amazing.  Last weekend they had an amazing deal that offered $5.00 shipping.  I literally stayed up until 1:00 a.m. putting orders through.

I spent under $50.00 for 7 orders which included 70+ items.  There are colored postcards, banners, birthday party invitations, magnets, lawn signs and oh-so-much more.  I'm going to set up a page on the blog to share my creations and will keep you posted on any great deals when they arise.  

I was going to wait until there was another great sale to post about it, but decided it would be best to give you a "head's up."  Because what happens is that when the sales hit, you get "idea block."  So I suggest playing around with the site.  Design your items.  Look at other's work for inspiration.  Create your items and leave them in your portfolio so that when the next big sale comes...and it will...you can just click and order.

For now, here is a sample of some of the things I designed and ordered  last weekend.

magnets that we'll include in their orientation packets

a banner for my son's Toy Story birthday party

postcards to mail to my students

birthday party invitations - the party details are printed on the inside

magnets - I will add each students name and use them to label their lockers