One of the biggest plus points about canvas printing is the number of options that are open to you. Firstly you can add a number of effects and finishes in order to achieve a highly unique piece of art. Secondly you have a huge range of canvas sizes to choose from as canvas is so versatile. Did you know that the world’s largest canvas painting is 100m wide by 12m high and was created by an Australian artist (below)? We can print both images and artwork on to our canvases but as yet no one has ever commissioned one that large!

Large canvas prints look fantastic on office and creative workspace walls and are a great way of showcasing design work and making dull spaces look bright.  Many couples are choosing to have their favourite wedding pictures printed on canvases as a special memento of their big day. They also make great presents for birthdays and mother’s day and father day (coming up in June)!

Click here to check out our great range of canvas printing options!

At Stuart Morris we celebrate such occasions by printing commemorative tea towels and other memorabilia. We thought that we would take a few minutes to look back through time at some of the memorabilia that had been released to celebrate different milestones and occasions:

A century of girl guiding coin

This commemorative coin was released in 2010 to celebrate a century of the British Girl Guides.  The Scouts had been up and running for a couple of years when, in 1909, a group of girls turned up at a Scout rally wanting something similar to be started up for girls. It was then only a matter of months before the guides got going and gave girls a sense of purpose and adventure that they had never before been allowed.

Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Cup

This mug was made to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee which was in 1897. In the previous year she had overtaken her Grandfather George III as Britain’s longest reigning monarch. It was at her request that the celebrations of this were delayed until the following year in order to be combined with the celebration of her diamond jubilee. It is now an antique that would set you back a pretty penny! As part of the celebrations there was a march through London that involved troops from across the empire and a thanks giving service.

William & Kate Royal Wedding Memorabilia

We couldn’t really write about memorabilia and not mention the latest royal wedding. There was a memorabilia explosion with all sorts or weird and wonderful things popping up. There were mugs, t-shirts, plates, imitation engagement rings, ties and even garden gnomes. This event stirred up a lot of patriotism with the capital really going mad for all things Will & Kate!

Do you want to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee this year? Contact Stuart Morris today and ask about our range of tea towels and other memorabilia!

As a dad or grandparent to small children, the responsibility often falls on you to make sure mum gets a great gift and here at Stuart Morris we are full of inspirational ideas. Get the children to draw a picture of themselves and their mum doing something they enjoy; this can then be used as your design for many possible items. Continue on as we explore some of the options for Mother’s Day gifts with a difference.

Aprons

If she loves to bake for the family, a great present is an apron that features her children’s artwork on the front. This way you can rest assured she will have a smile on her face every time she prepares a an evening meal or a special sweet treat.

Mugs

Whether she stays at home looking after young children or she works in an office, all mums need a good cuppa at some point in the day, so why not choose a personalised mug? Select either earthenware or high quality china and simply upload the picture you wish to have printed on it. For that extra brownie point, set your alarm a little earlier and make her a cup of tea in the mug, then take it to her in bed with the help of the little ones of course!

Canvas Prints

A fantastic alternative to simply framing a photo is our canvas prints that are available in many different sizes, providing a beautiful gift for Mother’s Day. Perhaps she has an existing treasured photo of the family you can use or you wish to take the children out for the day and take a few snaps in the park for a never before seen picture. Whatever you choose we guarantee a high quality canvas print that never fails to impress.

Tea Towels

A customised tea towel is a fantastic choice for those seeking an unusual present this Mother’s Day that doesn’t cost the earth. Consider ordering a tea towel for each child to create a set and tie neatly together with ribbon ahead of the special day.

Get creative ahead of Mother’s Day with personalised printing from the team here at Stuart Morris, we assure you of a present she will simply love no matter what item you choose.

It has long been known that plastic bags are harmful to both the environment and wildlife because of the fact that they are not biodegradable.  Over 13 million plastic bags are used in the UK each year with a large portion of those being shopping bags. There have been a number of companies who have started to produce biodegradable plastic bags as well as a number of big retailers such as WHSmith, who now charge for them in an attempt to make customers really consider whether or not they actually need a bag.

At Stuart Morris we have long be advocates of canvas shopper bags and are overjoyed by the fact that many shops and supermarkets now encourage their customers to purchase and reuse one. Canvas shopper bags have many benefits such as being made from 100% biodegradable material, they are easily customisable, have many style options (choose from a selection of handle sizes and fabric thickness) and are very durable when compared to their plastic counterparts.

This Christmas many businesses are wanting to improve their green credentials and cutting the usage of plastic bags is a very good way to start. As well as promoting an eco-friendly message to customers, canvas shoppers can be printed with your logo in order to promote your brand. They also make great gifts for loyal customers and business associates!

So, this Christmas, whether you are a business owner or an enthusiastic late night shopper try and spread the goodwill a little further and replace your plastic bags with a sturdy and reusable canvas shopping bag!

The logo is the visual embodiment of an organisations values and personality, and many have now achieved global recognition. Think MacDonald’s and you will immediately picture those golden arches. Think Disney and you will be transported to those fairy tale towers or think Twitter and you immediately hear the chirps of the little blue bird. Logos are profoundly powerful but how did it all start?

Well we can trace it back to the Ancient Egyptians. If you look at Egyptian writing you will see that their hieroglyphics are all small symbols. They would brand their livestock with these symbols as a mark of ownership. The Ancient Greeks scored logos into their pots when they were being made as a sign of who had made them. Roman coins bore the faces of their emperors and roman shields were marked with the symbols of their legion. The romans would also mark their pottery and craft ware.

These kinds of symbols later become known as hallmarks and were really popularised by medieval craftsman. However, it wasn’t just craftsmen that used logos and symbols during the medieval period but noble families too. Kings began to create coat of arms which were emblazoned on to their shields. A lot could be gleaned from a good coat of arms such as the wealth of the family in question and their status in society.

The onset of the industrial revolution in the 18th Century helped the craze for logos to boom. In the same way that medieval craftsman had done before them, manufacturers wanted to mark their goods so that their work could be easily identified. These manufacturers had a whole host of new machines and inventions, such as the printing press, to help them do this. And so begin the age of advertising and the corporate brand that we are still living in now!

Today all sorts of organisations have a logo such as businesses, schools, charities and churches. The logo or emblem of a company is no longer just about ownership but it also serves as a promotional tool. Many organisations choose to have their logo’s printed on to things like bags and t-shirts etc as a means to increase awareness. If you think that your organisation could be doing more to get its brand out there in the public eye, give us a call and together we can discover the perfect promotional product for your business.

We can print logos onto any of our promotional items. For more information email info@stuartmorris.co.uk.

So how does screen printing work?

Well in its simplest form you would start the screen printing process with a stencil of the image that you want to print. You then tape your stencil to a wooden framed silk screen. Next, the fabric which is being printed on is laid on to a flat surface. The silk screen is then positioned in such a way that the stencil is exactly where you want the image to be printed. Ink is then “passed” across the stencil using a squeegee. Lastly the image is set using heat. You can build up your image by passing and setting different colours on top of each other.

What’s the history of screen printing?

Screen printing originated in China during the Song Dynasty. They made their screens by stretching hair across a wooden frame and their stencils were made from leaves. The Japanese later developed this technique and instead of hair they used silk to cover their screens and thus the term ‘silk screen printing’ was born. The first patent in regards to silk screen printing was applied for in the early 1900’s but it wasn’t until the First World War that this method was used on any great scale.

Famous screen print art

There are a number of really famous screen print pictures with the most definitive definitely being Warhol’s screen printed depiction of Marilyn Monroe.  Other talented screen printers include Arthur Okamura and Rob Ryan whose work you can see below.

Events:

-Pick a central and accessible venue. You want to encourage as many people to come to your charity event as possible and the venue will usually make or break it.

-Pick a sensible date. Allow yourself plenty of time to prepare and plan everything properly.

-Spend time building relationships with local hoteliers, restaurateurs and retailers. They may be willing to sponsor events or offer venues, services and gifts for free.

-Think of more than one way to raise money on the day. Including a charity auction, a
raffle or some sort of prize draw may just help you to reach your targets a little bit quicker. You could also consider selling promotional products such as tea towels, mugs and aprons to raise awareness and extra cash.

-Make sure that you have all the necessary health and safety procedures in place. Don’t assume that because it is a charity event you are somehow exempt from the law!

-Contact your local press to see if they will do a feature about your event.

Sponsoring:

-Make sure that your sponsor form is clear and that people fill it out fully and accurately.

-Your chosen charity may be able to claim gift aid on the sponsors you receive. Look in to this and make sure that your sponsor form is laid out accordingly.

-Make sure that you know all about your chosen cause. People will sponsor those with passion not those who are just along for the ride.

-Be unique. We have all seen people sit in baths of baked beans and shave their hair off etc. People will sponsor above the odds for something with a bit of imagination.

-Collect sponsors online through sites like JustGiving and Virgin Money Giving.

-Ask your workplace to be your official sponsor. This way they may be able to help cover the costs of your challenge and all the money collected can go to the charity.

-Ask your chosen charity for a t-shirt and wear it when you collect sponsors and on the day of your challenge.

-Always say a big thank you to all of those who sponsor you!

To find out how Stuart Morris can help you in your fundraising email us today at info@stuartmorris.co.uk.

Jute fibres were first imported from Bangladesh to the UK in the 19th and 20th centuries, and once here they were processed in Scottish factories. Its popularity was mainly due to its combination of strength and low cost production. In the mid 1900’s, thanks to the rise of synthetic fabrics like nylon, the demand for Jute decreased and numerous Jute factories had to close. In recent years, however, we have become much more aware of environmental issues and consequently Jute has undergone a long overdue resurgence. Its major USP being that it is 100% bio-degradable!

Products made from Jute include bags, pile carpets, mats and rope. Jute also forms the basis of many other materials such as hessian. It is strong, hardwearing and heat resistant, and is therefore ideal for textile based products.

Stuart Morris specialise in producing ultra strong Jute bags with creative design and at affordable pricing. To find out more email us today at info@stuartmorris.co.uk.

There is nothing worse than ordering personalised stuff online when you have almost no idea what the end result is going to look like!. Our snazzy design tool allows you to have complete control over every part of your creation. And it’s SO easy to use!

Why not have a go now!

Possible ideas

Printed t-shirts for stag and hen do’s – t-shirts are an absolute standard part of any great stag or hen do. A team strip that unites the group and draws huge amounts of unwanted attention to the soon to be groom/bride.

A Joke apron for your mum or dad – It was the fact that it is Fathers Day that got me thinking of this, although in the case of my dad I think the best design would be a map of the house with clear directions to the kitchen, which after 15 years he is still yet to locate!

A novelty mug for your mate in the office – there’s not a lot personal about an office. Computers, paper, pens, robotic pet animals (just our office then?). Why not get something for your colleague to brighten up their desk and bring a little humour to their day? Unless you want to suck up and then it may be better to get one for your boss instead!

A personalised canvas bag for your girlfriend – if your girlfriend shops anything like mine you’ll be familiar with the ever expanding mass of plastic bags exploding out of every draw and cupboard. Not only is this pretty awful for the environment but they are often completely hopeless at doing the one thing you keep them for – carrying stuff! I only have to look at an old supermarket bag and it starts to fall apart. A high quality and custom designed canvas bag on the other hand, will not only cope with serious weight but look fantastic too!

Okay, well I thought it was interesting. Whatever its origins, the vast array of gifts that fall under this umbrella term are growing year on year. Clearly we humans have an in-built desire to relive happy times through these mementos. Isn’t it nice when they actually serve a useful purpose?!

Well that’s what we think and clearly we’re not alone, as our souvenir tea towels continue to be in hot demand. We have now worked with English Heritage, Historic Scotland, The National Trust, Scotts of Stow, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Academy of Arts. More recently, however, we found ourselves inundated with requests for Royal Wedding themed mementos, so we donned our arty hats and produced some pretty special limited edition tea towels – hats that we now wish to doff to a number of other fantastic William and Kate souvenirs….

Surprising Royal Wedding Souvenirs

Royal tea bags

There are few things more English or regal than a fine cup of tea, and now you can have yours made by the happy couple themselves! Sit back and relax while they do the very same….

Cardboard cut-out Will and Kate

If you’re expecting a future encounter with the newlyweds, you may want to start practicing those curtsies. To help you get into the zone these cardboard cut outs will create the perfect setting. Just don’t forget the one golden rule – never speak unless you’re spoken to! Which admittedly could make this is fairly quiet affair.

Prince and Princess Pez

I have to say this is my personal favourite. I couldn’t get enough of Pez sweets as a youngster but apparently it’s no longer an appropriate snack as you mature into your late 20’s. Well fingers crossed this new twist on the old classic will make it acceptable for a few months before wedding fever finally relinquishes its grip on the nation. Although I may need more time than that to save up – believe it or not this one off set was sold for £8200 on ebay!