award ribbons - Ribbon Impressions

Avoiding Boring Badge Ribbons – Part 1

The boring badge ribbon makes its debut at many business conventions, corporate retreats, or any number of other professional gatherings. One can usually find these badge ribbons attached to someone’s name badge or possibly just pinned onto someone’s shirt or jacket. The boring badge ribbon is meant to be functional in presenting a word or short phrase, usually in all capital letters and a very plain font. Please note that there is nothing wrong with this ribbon type if the purpose is to simply designate a particular person as a “Speaker” or any other title.

Badge ribbons that are going to be given out as prizes or promotions are ribbons that aim to get the viewer interested in asking about a particular topic, business or cause you are representing. These badge ribbons are meant for something more, but sometimes they look just as plain as the examples described above. It is this ribbon type that deserves a little extra planning to really perform in their function the best way possible.

TIP #1: Remember what medium you are working with.

You are printing on a ribbon not a brochure or flier. Your text should be concise and to the point.

TIP #2: Consider the badge ribbon size you are ordering.

A horizontal ribbon that is four inches wide can fit words like “promotional” or “team leader” and still be big enough to read from a short distance. But, if you’re getting a vertical ribbon that is only two inches wide, try to use shorter words.

TIP #3: Vertical text should be limited.

Vertical ribbons typically have printing running vertically stacked down the ribbon. Usually you can only get away with having one word like that; any more and it becomes hard to read.

TIP #4: When lots of text is acceptable.

There are promotional ribbons with entire poems that are used as bookmarks, ribbons with wedding details for favors, and keepsake ribbons from family reunions or church events. But, if you want your ribbon to say a lot, plan on having small letters and be prepared to order a metal die to be able to imprint the fine details that are required to have this small print.

TIP #5: Consider the tone of your words.

A corporate meeting would be a great setting for the boring badge ribbon with a simple ribbon saying “President” but, if you have a smaller or less formal meeting why not have a ribbon saying “Man In Charge” or “Big Cheese” instead?

Take some time to consider these five tips when choosing which badge ribbon is the best for your purpose. There will be five more tips to follow up after you make your choice to help solidify what you really need. These final tips will help you maximize your badge ribbons and promotional ribbons.

*Tips and graphics provided by guest author Melanie Bunch, Graphic Artist at Coller Industries.*

Summer Reading Reward Ribbons

summer reading alpha mom award ribbons reward ribbons

It’s hot outside, the barbecues have been dusted off, the lawn chairs have been pulled out, and all the kids are out of school for the summer. They are running through the neighborhood without a set schedule to keep them entertained and out of trouble. Places like libraries and book stores seem to experience a decline in seeing the younger crowd around for now. Enter the summer reading programs!

But, enticing kids to keep their minds active can be a difficult and sometimes daunting task. How do we help kids stay reading throughout the summer? Why not a summer reading program with reward ribbons as recognition for completing the program? Many libraries, school districts and book stores are all on this summer reading bandwagon.

From reading charts to freebies, there are many ways to keep those youngsters involved in their books. Local libraries strive each summer to provide these reading programs, yet it is still difficult to keep any child’s attention when it’s so nice outside. This is where providing reward ribbons for any made effort to keep on reading helps out. It also helps them to stay interested and not distracted from completing the books they have selected.

Reward Ribbons

Personalized ribbons are a great way to keep the kiddos involved. Design each reward ribbon to make a great marketing and reward tool for all of these reading programs. When selecting prizes your company might use for a summer reading program, make sure they are both diverse and as inclusive as possible. Make sure to know how tactile your prize needs to be; if the reward ribbon is high in contrast, it will better suit a wide age range.

Getting the word out using personalized ribbons makes any summer reading program easier for children to find and join. Give them a reward that says “congratulations” or “good reader,” or just create your own saying. Try a ribbon bookmark with pinked edges to brighten up any book. Or, create full color bookmarks as a reward for children who meet their summer reading goals.

How To: Rosette Award Ribbon Wreaths

During this early spring season, many shows are happening. And during these shows, many awards are given. Whether it’s for a prize animal, winning in a race or competition, or for a school or sporting event, all of these received awards deserve a special place to call home. There are many different ways of displaying these honors. This is a guide on how to make a rosette award ribbons wreath. These ribbon wreaths are not only easy to create, but they are also a fun way to show off several awards in one place. Follow these quick and easy steps to create your own wreath.

Step 1: Gather any rosette award ribbons that you will want on your wreath.

The first step is to gather all your items together onto a flat work surface. Only four items are needed to create this one-of-a-kind decoration. You will need to find a wreath that will fit with your needs. We purchased a 14” grape vine wreath from a local craft store. You also need all the rosette award ribbons you want to attach to the wreath. Make sure that you are willing to trim these ribbons; you don’t want to trim streamers off ribbons that you might regret at a later time. Lastly, you need a hot glue gun with glue sticks and a pair of sharp scissors.

Step 2: Preparing your ribbons for the wreath.

The ribbon wreath that we created had two ribbons that we left the streamers on. You can have as few or as many as you would like. Take the ribbons that you want to leave the streamers on, and set them aside so you don’t accidentally trim the streamers. The remaining ribbons will need to have the streamers cut off. The best way to do this is to turn them over so you are looking at the back of the rosette. Trim each streamer as close to the backing as possible so that nothing will show underneath from the front side. Turn the rosette back over to make sure the streamers are not showing.

Step 3: Arranging the ribbon wreath.

Once this is done for each rosette, arrange them however you would like on the wreath. Start with the rosettes you set aside with the streamers still attached and work around the wreath from that point. It is ideal to place the rosettes first before gluing them down to make sure you like the look as well as have enough room for each ribbon you want to incorporate onto the wreath. If you run out of room, consider leaving some of the ribbons out or try stacking or layering them. In our version, we wanted some of the wreath to show through, so we only used a handful of ribbons.

Step 4: Assembling the ribbon wreath.

When you are completely satisfied with the look you have now created, start gluing each ribbon down. Use the hot glue to permanently set each ribbon into place. We found that by putting the glue directly onto the wreath’s surface, the rosettes stayed in place better. Once the last rosette has been firmly secured, the final step is locating the best place to hang your new treasure! Whether you’re creating this ribbon wreath for personal or professional use, have fun with it and make it something of which to be proud.

Displaying Award Ribbons and Rosettes

It’s that time of year again when we are all receiving award ribbons. Whether it’s from a prize horse or dog show or just a recognition award, they sure come in hoards! So, what are we to do with all of them? Many suggestions have been offered over the years. In fact, if one was to browse Pinterest or equestrian show sites, others who have faced this problem are offering solutions. Here are a few of them.

Use each of your ribbons to create a one-of-a-kind wreath for your home. These can even be holiday themed or color coordinated.

homemade rosette award ribbon wreath festive holiday

Or, make something a little more homey, such as a pillow or quilt. While this idea may take a few more ribbons, there is no need to worry about where to get the extras you might need. Check out our outstanding collection on https://www.personalized-ribbons.com/rosette-award-ribbons.

If you want something a little easier, create a shadow box or custom frame to show off your hard earned, and well deserved, award ribbon. Or create a scrapbook using your award ribbons for the cover or inside as embellishments on the pages. Need a unique frame for that special show picture? Use the rosettes as a border or to update an old frame and give it new life.

scrapbook embellishment award rosette ribbon

Whatever your decision, display your ribbons proudly! You worked hard for those and they deserve a place in the spotlight and in your life. Use them in any way you can think, these are only a few brief ideas. And don’t forget that, especially if you don’t have enough ribbons to create one of these wonderful crafts, to visit our website for even more ideas and more custom ribbons.