Each month, we feature a holiday or theme from the Customer Engagement Calendar in hopes of supporting our community with social media assets and inspiration for in-store engagement. For February, we’ve put together resources for President’s Day, the first big sale day of the year! A time for patriotic celebration and remembrance, President’s Day also falls on the first three-day weekend since the holidays—a great time to clear out Holiday/Winter inventory and get ready for Spring. Three Sales Tips Timing – Limit the length of your sale to create a sense of urgency (cashing in on “FOMO” (Fear of Missing…
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Happy National Handwriting Day!
January 23rd is National Handwriting Day, and we’d like to share a demo by artist Shayda Campbell: how to turn favorite quote into a beautiful work of art. Try it out today and set up a try table tomorrow with whatever you come up with; make testers out of various lettering pens, markers and surfaces to inspire customers to participate. Check out Shayda’s YouTube page for more art tutorials; discover projects involving painting, drawing, hand-lettering and more. We leave you with a quote from Shayda, a nice reminder that supporting creatives in any way we can is essential, meaningful work:…
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Blaine’s Art Supply Bounces Back After 7.0 Earthquake
Earthquakes are simply a part of life for Alaskans; tremors and quakes are commonplace when your home is on the edge of what is known as the Ring of Fire. But that doesn’t make the 7.0 quake on November 30th of 2018 any less intense – it just means that communities who brave the tectonic activity become more prepared and more resilient every year. Blaine’s Art Supply was one of the many businesses impacted by the recent earthquake; despite about $10,000 worth of damage (and mess to clean up) owner Dave Haag and his store crew had the 9,000 sq.…
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Art Dog of the Month: Faithful Copper
Introducing Copper, the ambassador of Blaine’s Art Supply! Her human Dave and his wife Renee rescued her from death row when she was just a puppy. “There are people who come here just to pet her. Little kids are eye to eye with her, she won’t lick their face, steal their food… she’ll come up and lean against someone until they decide to pet her,” Dave explains affectionately. Since Alaska’s state sport is mushing (dog-sledding), dog-friendly establishments are much appreciated; Copper greets customers at the door, pokes her head into the classroom to say hello and stands obediently at the…
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Demo Day With Excel: Floral Wall Decoration
Excel Blades is excited to share a new video made by artist and influencer Maria Marinoni for Paper Crafting Month. Maria shows you a very simple floral project and papercutting technique with a few tools. You do have the option to add the colored background however, it is not necessary. Free your imagination and doodle as you want. When you’re done, follow the contours with your blade and poke the paper out to give it a 3D effect. Whether you want to use the white paper or a color, the outcome will be beautiful! Materials Excel Blades K1 Aluminum Knife…
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Venerable Vintages: All About Paper
“Everyday and everywhere, paper is used as a medium. It passes from hand to hand, eyes to eyes. We often touch it, almost always read it, but is is rarely contemplated…it is a medium with nearly inexhaustible resources…[Paper] is one of the most modest materials, but one that can be shaped in the most complex ways.” Mademoiselle Maurice, Artist, Savoy, France (1) In honor of Papercrafting Month, we’ve delved into the history of paper. While the digital age has eliminated a lot of paper trails, paper still influences our everyday life. It is arguably one of the most important inventions…
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Engage Community Via Instagram Live: Flax Art’s Maybe Mondays
Flax Art & Design is a Bay Area institution and a local art supply staple for over 80 years. Flax Art has two stores, one in Oakland, California and the other San Francisco. In addition to a broad selection of art supplies and a framing station, they also specialize in fine art papers, pens and gifts, with a comprehensive e-commerce site as well. Their San Francisco store recently relocated to a space in historic Fort Mason, right on the water between the city’s famous Fisherman’s Wharf and a neighborhood known as “The Marina.” Social media can grow business, foster relationships…
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Erase for More: Introducing Sakura of America’s New SumoGrip Electric Eraser
Compact, Cordless and Capable: The SumoGrip (SKEE3000) is the electric eraser of choice for many professional illustrators, animators, and architects alike. It has been redesigned to a rounder and more ergonomic body for longer periods of use while maintaining precise pinpoint accuracy. As part of the SumoGrip family line, the pocket-sized eraser provides a firm grip and is best known for its high eraser capability and durability. Unlike bulky AC electric erasers, the AAA battery-powered motor ditches the cord and weighs only 2.9 ounces. With over 10,000 RPM, the strong torque makes it easy to remove graphite marks and create…
