The Happy Sole

MORE!

2012-01-30T10:31:00.000-08:00

So the whole “less is more” theme from the last Happy Sole post is still my motto this year, but Ihave to say that sometimes people just NEED MORE! Regardless of what it may be (chocolateinstantly comes to mind), there are times when a few just won’t do. Here are some examples of thiswhen it comes to custom socks:

Party favors

Your guests willalways remember the great time they had at your party when you send them homewith a pair of custom socks. Check outthese fun and bright socks we printed for a Sweet 16 party. They were such a hit our customer came backand ordered MORE!

Team sports

Straight out ofproduction, these no show socks are for two high school girls soccer teams. Why not have some fun off the field too withsome no show socks? As you can see we’restill digging the idea of different designs on each sock!

Go Sea Hawks! Beat your rivals!

One sock issporting the team name and the other is personalized with each player’s number.

Create and order these online inmultiples of 3 until you reach the number of players on your team. Need help with these? Not a problem. Just send us an email at contactus@sockprints.com.

Branding

Our golf distributors, The Winston Collection, went to the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida last week to show custom printed socks to PGA professionals from around the world. Golf club logos turn ordinary blank socks into a great teegift for tournaments. Do you coordinate a golf tournament in your local community? Give us a shout out and put our design teamto work for your next event.

So when a fewjust won’t do, go for MORE! Ask us aboutquantity discounts too!

Less is More

2012-01-06T14:40:00.000-08:00

While having anice conversation with a couple of friends last fall, one of them brought upthe topic of “less is more.” The thoughtlingered with me as 2011 was winding down and I found myself revisiting itwhile shopping for gifts, packing for our holiday away with family, and it wasa good reminder at Christmas parties as the dessert plates came my way!

With a week of2012 under my belt now I’m still hearing that “less is more” voice inside myhead, and instead of writing a long list of goals for this year I think I’lljust stick with this approach for the time being.

That being said,how on earth could this apply to socks? Well, for starters how about cleaning out that sock drawer and keepingonly your few favorites and leaving some room for some fun, new custom socksthat you and only you create? No morebig packages of mass-produced, bulky socks filling your drawer to the rim! Instead, go online to sockprints and indulgein the creation of a few pairs of your very own personalized socks.

Whether you’re aretail or wholesale customer, sockprints minimum orders are low. And with prices unheard of forone-of-a-kind, personalized socks, you can’t beat what we do. Using our design gallery, you can selectartwork from a variety of themes or if you’re fluent in programs like Photoshopor Illustrator, you can upload your own images to be printed on our socks. So, out with the old and in with the new!

If you haven’ttried creating your own custom socks before, give it a shot! Here’s a special coupon code for 30% off good through themonth of January 2012. Enter JAN2012 at checkout to receive your discount.

Happy New YearHappy Soles!

P.S. If you’re into jotting down your goals forthe year, check out our New Year’s post from 2011. You’ll find a creative way to do it on socks!

5 Great Custom Sock Gift Ideas!

2011-12-05T19:31:00.001-08:00

Everyone's looking for perfect gifts this holiday season and sockprints has a few ideas to help complete your shopping list!

1. Custom Coach Socks- Say thank you to your coaches for a great season or simply wish them Season'sGreetings. Using the sockprints onlinedesign gallery, it’s easy to select an image representing your sport andcustomize it with your coach’s name and your team name.

2. Naughtyor Nice Socks – “He knowsif you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake!” How about wearing apair of “naughty” socks on a bad day and on a good day, put on a pair of “nice”socks? And for those days when you wantsome leeway, create your own custom “naughty and nice” variation socks! We think these are really fun for the holidayseason.

3. Group gifts – Areyou looking for that special gift for friends in your book club, bunco group, bowlingteam, or other organization? Personalizeeach pair of socks with your friend’s names. They’re sure to be a hit! We havesome ready-to-customize bunco, book club and bowling artwork in our designgallery.

4. Business socks –We’ve printed lots and lots of socks with company logos on them. They’re a perfect way to say thank you toyour customers and to keep your brand on their minds.

5. Party favors –Everyone loves a great take-home gift and custom socks are a fun way for gueststo remember your hospitality! Take apeek at these “mistletoe” socks I created for our family Christmas party lastyear.

Share a customsock gift giving idea with us by leaving a comment below and your idea mayinspire a sock sample to share online with our followers and facebook fans!

30 Days of Gratitude

2011-11-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

After reading afriend’s Facebook post today, I’m inspired to take her challenge ofacknowledging one thing that I’m grateful for each day during the month ofNovember. I probably won’t post my gratitudelist on Facebook every day, but I am going to take a minute away from the busyhustle and bustle to focus on one thing in my life in which I am grateful, forthe next 30 days.

Hmmm… Maybe I’llcreate a few pairs of custom gratitude socks to remind me to take a moment andappreciate. I also think some gratitudesocks would make nice thank you gifts! Ithink I’m on to something!

Day 1 – Family. This one can (and I’m sure will) be brokendown into several nuggets of gratitude throughout the month as I’m fortunate tohave great family. There’s mom, dad,kids, etc. and each one deserves a day of acknowledgement this month. Here’s’ an old black and white photo of myparents on a pair of crew socks. MaybeI’ll send his and hers socks to my folks this month as a little way to let themknow that I’m thinking about them. They’re awesome parents and grandparents, and I’m sure I could let them knowhow much I love them more often than I do.

Speaking offamily and gratitude, I’m reminded of a time when my nephew’s pre-schoolteacher asked him what he was grateful for during a Thanksgiving program. He responded confidently that he was gratefulfor chickens! We busted up with laughterin the audience and wondered where on earth he came up with that one! Perhaps he thought chickens were neglectedsince the buzz all month was about turkeys? Who knows, but this pair of socks is inspired by my nephew Carter!

Day 2 – Not tojump ahead a day here, but I’m feeling pretty grateful for the opportunity tocreate custom socks for happy soles at Sockprints with my business partner andfellow mompreneur. Our vision started onthe sidelines of a soccer field while watching our daughters play. We’ve gone from “soccer moms” to “sock-er moms!”

We’re constantlyamazed and amused by the fun custom sock creations our customers produce on ouronline store and we’re feeling pretty fortunate to get to do what we do. If you haven’t had a chance to create yourown custom socks at Sockprints or if you’re a big fan of ours and a repeatcustomer, we’re offering a 25% discount code this month to show ourgratitude! Enter GRATEFUL at checkout toreceive your discount.

What’s on yourgratitude list? Share what you’regrateful for and enter our November Sockprints giveaway. Two lucky winners will receive one set of 3 custom printed no-show or crew socks! Enter below by telling us one thing on yourgratitude list. Winners will be selectedon November 30, 2011 at 9pm pst.

Thank you inadvance for participating in our November giveaway! We’ll be even more grateful if you’ll “like”us on Facebook and if you’ll share this giveaway opportunity and our Novembercoupon code with your friends and family via Facebook or Twitter!

www.facebook.com/sockprints

www.twitter.com/sockprints

The Pink Badge of Courage

2011-10-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

A year ago in October of 2010, Sockprints created custom printed socks for the annual Girl’s Night Out event held at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California to raise money for the Cancer Support Community (formerly The Wellness Community). A year has passed and Torrance Memorial Hospital once again contacted us to create a unique take-home gift for the 240+ women in attendance at this year’s event.

In addition to the amazement that another year has flown by and the annual event is already here, I’m amazed and inspired by the women in attendance and especially those who share their breast cancer survivor stories. I’m also in awe of the generosity of those in our community who make the event possible. Thank you Torrance Memorial for thinking of Sockprints again this year and for the opportunity to share in this magical event.

The color pink and the pink ribbon are symbols of hope and a commitment to the cause. There are many opportunities for us to show our support for breast cancer awareness and if you’re looking for some inspiration we have a few new ideas.

Custom socks for your running crew

Enough said

Whooo wants a cute pair like these?

We’ve made it easy to create your own custom pink awareness socks. Our artwork gallery now offers pink designs ready to be personalized by you.

Enter our GIVEAWAY for a chance to win a set of 3 no show, Pink Ribbon socks personalized by you! Two lucky winners will be chosen. Contest ends October 10, 2011. Enter below by telling us what the color PINK means to you.

The Intentional Mis-Match

2011-09-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

I’m the first toadmit that before sockprints, there were times whenmy sock drawer was bare and I had to make a run to the dryer to grab two sockshoping to make a matching pair before I ran out the door. You’ve been in the same situation before too,right?

I figured as longas they were the same color and a similar style I should be ok and I justhoped that no one would notice. Now,thanks to sockprints and a fun new twist in creating custom socks, I’mintentionally mis-matching socks and hoping that people will take notice!

Yep, there aremis-matched socks out there you’ve never even thought of creating before. I mean, why would people want socks thatdon’t match? Because it’s fun, it’scool, and now it’s possible! Here aresome images to inspire your custom mis-matched socks:

This southern California middle schoolhas added custom mis-matched socks to their line of spirit wear.

One of myfavorite college football teams stomped all over our rival team last weekend andI created this pair to remind me of the sweet smell of victory!

Here’s a fun wayto tell a joke…

Creating yourown, personalized mis-matched socks is easy to do with the sockprints online design tool. Using our knee highs as anexample, simply create one pair of socks with one design and then the otherpair of socks with another design. Ourknee highs are sold in sets of two so it’s easy to get two customs pairs ofmis-matched socks at one time.

Having a partyand need multiple pairs of mis-matched socks for a hip party favor? Not a problem. Our no-shows and crew socks are sold in setsof 3 so it’s easy to create 3 pairs with one image and then 3 pairs with adifferent image. Voila – you’ll have 6pairs of custom mis-matched socks!

If you need helpwith your creation, we’re easy to reach at contactus@sockprints.com. Our design team and graphics department canhelp with super-custom, mis-match socks for large orders.

We’re so excitedabout the endless possibilities of mis-match socks that we can’t wait to seewhat you create at sockprints! Pleaseshare your ideas with us by commenting below and feel free to tell us aboutyour sock creations in the “notes” section when checking out of your shoppingcart.

And to inspireyou even more, use coupon code MISMATCH at checkout to receive 25% off yourorder through October 31, 2011.

Back to School

2011-08-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

It's already the end of August, and we all know that means Back to School…

Shopping for books, school supplies, backpacks, lunch boxes, clothes, shoes and socks (of course) and more! Completing forms, forms and more forms (registration, emergency contacts, lunch orders, PTA memberships – all in triplicate!) Getting kids registered for fall sports and after school programs. Figuring out carpool and so much more! We already miss summer and it's not even over yet!

While sockprints may not be able to help you with carpool, we can help you create some cool new custom socks for your upcoming Back to School activities. Take a peek at these new Back to School ideas.

In Southern California we are gearing up for a lineup of fall sports including football, soccer, volleyball, and cross country track. Our socks are great for teams and fans alike to wear throughout the season. We can personalize each pair of socks with player numbers and your team or school logo. Why not print the team fight song on the side of a knee high?

Heading off to college? We've got lots of ideas for personalized socks that are perfect for everyone from the freshman to PHD candidate!

Never created custom socks at sockprints before? Here are a couple insider tips to explore.

Sign up for our newsletter and receive a 25% off coupon toward your purchase. This discount is a great way to try our socks for less!
Giveaways! From time to time we host giveaways on our blog, The Happy Sole, and we also work with other sites for reviews, promotions and giveaways too! Here are three sites currently running Back to School sockprints giveaways. Check out their websites for rules and to enter. Contests end soon!

Personalized Sock Give-A-Way

2011-08-10T23:03:00.000-07:00

We think the best way to let people know about sockprints is to give some away! Since our "sole" purpose is to custom print quality, personalized socks, why not let some lucky people try us out for free? Customers are pleasantly surprised at the incredible detail and colors we can print on our socks and so happy once they discover us!

It's simple - to enter our give-away leave a comment at the bottom of this blog and if you are one of our three lucky winners we’ll contact you via your email address. We'll conduct a random drawing after 9 pm PST on August 16, 2011.

Here's what we are giving away - our three winners will receive 1 set of personalized socks and they can choose the sock style to print on!

Just a few ideas for inspiration!

Please visit our website for more on sockprints and be sure to join our blog and Facebook page to recieve updates on more give-aways and exclusive discounts in the future!

Ink

2011-07-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

While I’ve never had the “urge”, or probably better stated, “courage” to get a tattoo I’ve always been fascinated by those who have them. Some tattoos are elaborate with intricate details and colors while others are a simple word or symbol. All carry significant meaning to the adorned.

I’ve had a few friends get tattoos over the past couple of years and they absolutely love them! One of my soccer mom friends has three linking hearts on her ankle… one heart for each of her children. Another friend has the Angel of New Orleans tattoo.

I love the artwork and creativity behind tattoos, but honestly, I don’t have the guts to get one. Just so I’m not feeling left out of the tattoo group, I’ve decided that I’m fortunate to have another blank canvas to decorate… yep, socks! Now I can use those cool tattoo designs I’ve been eye-ing to create some custom socks! For me, this is the perfect solution. One day, I can put a design on some no show socks to decorate the top of my feet, another day I can decorate my ankle on some crew socks, and if I’m feeling really crazy I can decorate the entire side of my calf on some knee highs! Now we are talking!

At Sockprints we’re inspired by a vast array of artwork and we love the creative designs that people come up with to create their custom socks. Some customers use our design gallery as a starting point to select an image to personalize. Just like tattoos, some of our in-house designs are extremely detailed with lots of colors while others are simple and waiting for decoration.

We’ve made it easy for customers to browse our art collection by categories and themes. If you’re looking for an image to create socks for “him” click on “Guy Design Ideas” or if you’re looking for a way to send a message, click on “Talking Socks.” There are several other categories and we’re always adding new artwork and categories so check out the design gallery frequently!

Take a peek at some of our other blog posts and like us on facebook.

You Had Me At Customize

The One That Got Away

Red, White and Black Widow?

2011-07-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

Wow- I’m still buzzing about the US Women’s World Cup quarter-final win over Brazil! I think my daughter’s club coach summed it up nicely when he said, “Determination, guts and perseverance!!!”

I’m also still buzzing about the team’s uniforms (or kit as they’re called in the futbol world). First the team wore their white visitor uniforms in pool play and the chat was all about how they looked like nurse’s uniforms. Then for the quarter-final match vs. Brazil they broke out their all black, Black Widow inspired uniforms with red piping.

I’m an avid sports fan and while I get a kick out of it when pro teams wear throw-back uniforms, and I appreciate it when they support a cause by wearing pink or arm bands or special helmet stickers, I have to admit I’m a purist when it comes to the Red, White and Blue uniforms for USA teams. During the Brazil match I kept looking at my TV wondering if I needed to adjust the color a bit because I thought the black uniforms must be a really, really dark navy blue. It wasn’t until the announcer made a comment about how hot they players must be wearing black in the sun that I realized that my eyes weren’t deceiving me.

As a sock printer, I see all sorts of color variations of logos, artwork and even fun filters applied to photos. When I see deviation from typical colors I generally get excited to see how creative people can be and I’m thrilled to apply their creation to a pair of socks. In fact, changing logo colors for special events or to reach a different audience is a trend we’re seeing more and more with our customers. I suppose I’m just a traditionalist when it comes to US athletes sporting red, white and blue! (By the way, I wasn’t a big fan of the US gymnast who wore pink for her individual competition at the Olympics either.)

Of course the “kit” wouldn’t be complete without socks and here I go with my opinion again, but… I would prefer to see USA on the front and the Nike swoosh on the back! Maybe next time the US soccer team orders uniforms they will give sockprints a call and we can create some custom socks just for them in red, white and blue!

What do you think about the US women’s soccer uniforms? Share your comments with us!

Other posts by The Happy Sole -

Red, White and Blue
You've Come A Long Way Baby!

Online article about the US women's uniforms-

U.S. Women Likely to Wear 'Black Widow'

Red, White and Blue

2011-07-01T15:11:00.001-07:00

Summer’s here and the 4^th of July is right around the corner! Independence Day conjures up images of BBQ’s with friends and family, the American flag, and the grand finale of the night… fireworks!

With the colors red, white and blue out in full force this time of year, I’ve been wondering about the meaning of those colors on the American flag. Thanks to google,I did a quick search and found a great website dedicated to the flag of the United States of America. It turns out that the colors of the flag did not have specific meanings when it was adopted in 1777, but the colors in the Great Seal did have meanings. The website shares a quote by Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, about the colors of the seal and their meanings, "The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."

Inspired by the Stars and Stripes, here are some fun new 4^th of July ideas for custom printed socks.

To create your very own one-of-a kind socks, visit us at www.sockprints.com.

T-ball to College Softball -- Custom Socks for All!

2011-06-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

The month of June plays host for many events: graduations, Father’s Day, first day of summer, and one of my favorites… the Women’s College World Series. This year, the Arizona State Sun Devils face the Florida Gators in the finals and I’m watching (and calling) every pitch on my television. I could never be an umpire behind the plate, but I think I’m pretty good at calling balls and strikes from my couch!

I played softball growing up and have many fond memories associated with the sport. I had some great coaches and teammates, and am grateful for the support my parents gave me as they schlepped me to practice, games, and tournaments all over the place.

Before my daughter made the decision to exclusively play soccer, we spent many hours on the softball diamond together. I signed up to be a t-ball coach with a couple mom-friends when our daughters were in Kindergarten. We decided to take on the baseball dads coaching the other girl’s teams in the league. It was a great decision, because I had an awesome 8-year, girl’s fast pitch coaching run. We made it to the league finals a couple of times, won a league championship, an all-star district championship, and took that all-star team to nationals finishing 7th. Not bad for a bunch of girls (ha-ha!)!

We (girls) know how to get it done. At our t-ball practices we had 4-5 moms at different coaching stations as we had a lot to cover: throwing, catching, fielding, and hitting. The first half of the t-ball season the little girls hit the ball off the tee, but during the second half they started by hitting off a coach’s pitch. Teaching the girls to hit a moving target proved to be a challenge for the 5 year olds so I concocted a hitting gizmo made out of a sock (how ironic), a ball and a long stick to help them hit. Oh the things we come up with!

Speaking of ingenuity, that’s exactly what we’ve done at sockprints; we’ve taken an apparel item everyone uses to a whole new level! No more boring, plain white socks because custom printed socks are now an option thanks to the cleverness of two moms (yep- patting ourselves on the back right now). Our combined experience in the hosiery industry and apparel printing has brought a fun, unique item to the marketplace. Our original idea may not have happened on the softball diamond, but it did come on the sidelines of a soccer field. We love sports and our first sock creations were made for our daughters’ soccer team.

Some custom sports socks we’ve printed include golf, tennis, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, volleyball and… softball! Whatever your sport may be, our custom socks are sure to be a hit!

GIVEAWAY CONTEST!

For our softball fans out there, take this opportunity to enter our contest. We’re giving away 1 dozen custom printed socks for one lucky girl’s softball team. They’re perfect for upcoming summer tournaments to show off your team’s logo, name or players! Enter now by signing up to follow our blog, The Happy Sole, and leave a comment below with your softball team’s name and where you’re from. You can also receive additional entries when you sockprints on facebook and follow us on twitter!

Cheers to Friends - Old and New!

2011-05-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

I recently learned on Facebook that it’s Old Friends, New Friends Week (May 15-20). I promise I don’t get all of my news on Facebook, but I do enjoy hearing about the latest happenings from friends old and new through that social network. I joined Facebook a couple of years ago and was amazed at how much fun it was to reconnect with childhood friends, high school friends, college friends and sorority sisters, neighbors, work colleagues and many others.

I’ve seen some pretty fun photos from years and years ago on Facebook. The memories those photos bring back of good times are always just a quick login and a few clicks away. Since many of our sockprints customers upload photos to create custom socks I’ve been thinking about finding some of my favorite photos with my best friends to put on a pair for myself!

A group of my very best friends who have kept in touch over the years with and without Facebook are my sorority sisters from college. In fact some of the first pairs of custom socks that we printed were for a sorority sister’s baby shower. Each guest received a fun pair of socks as a party favor. After the baby shower I started to think about how great our custom socks would have been for our sorority back when we were in college. We could have had custom socks for Bid Day, Big & Little Sister events, Greek Week and more. We explored Greek Licensing and we’re thrilled that we have launched a special sockprints site dedicated to custom sorority socks. If you haven’t seen the new site, you’ve got to check it out http://sororities.sockprints.com/

Just as my personal Facebook friend list has increased over the past couple of years as I continue to connect and reconnect with people, so has the number of fans or “likes” we’ve gotten on our sockprints Facebook page! It’s very cool to watch the number of people on Facebook check out what we do and click the “like” button! We’re very appreciative of our old friends and we welcome our new friends to explore what we’re doing to provide custom socks for happy soles! Click here to “like” us!

Cheers to Friends - Old and New!

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words - and more!

2011-04-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a picture on a pair of socks must be worth two thousand! Why? Great pictures always have a story behind it, and people love to share the details - that is
easily a thousand, right? A one-of-a-kind pair of socks with pictures printed on them is certainly worth at least another thousand words, maybe more!

Pictures are some of the most frequent uploads we see at sockprints.com. One of the nicest comments we have heard so far is when socks are given as a gift, not only do the socks become THE favorite pair in the sock drawer, but whenever the recipient wears them, they think of the person who gave them the socks and the story or event behind the image. More "Happy Soles", we love it!

With the popularity and ease of digital cameras, everyone has a great supply of photos. And with the simple use of a scanner, old photos are easy to upload too!

Here are some tips for creating great photo socks:

Avoid photos with shadows or dark colors
Use crisp, clear photos
Crop your photos to accentuate the image
Use Photoshop or other programs to brighten your image
Remember that we’re printing on a soft surface, not paper so some variation is expected
Your photos are the best! We cannot print copyrighted or licensed images.

Check out some related posts:

Now that I'm a Pet Owner

You had me at Customize

Black and White

You've Come A Long Way Baby!

2011-03-29T10:52:00.001-07:00

The last couple of weekends I’ve been back on the soccer sidelines cheering for my daughter’s club soccer team in Las Vegas at some college showcase soccer tournaments. I’m in awe as these girls show what they can do on the soccer field in hopes of catching the eye of a college coach. They’ve all come a long way from the little girls who started playing soccer when they were five and six years old.

It seems just like yesterday that those little girls were learning how to play soccer and that’s also how it feels at sockprints. While we got our start on the soccer sidelines just a couple of years ago in 2009, I look in amazement at the progress of our entrepreneurial endeavor. Our first printed socks were for our daughter’s soccer team and from there the possibilities have grown!

Sports teams and themes are a favorite at sockprints. We’ve printed socks for basketball, volleyball, softball, and soccer teams, and we are thrilled to be featured in the latest issue of Impressions -Team and Spirit magazine. A great photo of our custom cheer socks were highlighted in the article about wholesale blank socks available to the apparel industry.

Since our inception, we’ve also teamed up with national distributors and sales reps to spread the word that custom printed socks are now available! Our exclusive golf distributor, The Winston Collection, sells to country clubs and golf pro-shops. Here are a couple photos from some recent golf orders. These customers took advantage of the 16 million color possibilities available with our printing process to create an updated look using their golf logos on no show socks.

Sockprints can also be found now at bridal shows and expos. We’re teaming up with vendors in this market to bring our fun and fresh custom printed socks to Brides everywhere. Check out our bridal listing on OneWed.com.

Sockprints is also delighted to be a licensed sorority vendor! We even have a new online store dedicated to custom sorority socks. We’ve created socks for sorority recruitment, big and little sisters, and we recently printed custom socks to be sold on one of our national licensor’s websites. Take a peek at our new custom sorority socks and create your own at http://sororities.sockprints.com

Stay tuned for more exciting things to come from sockprints. We have come a long way in a short period of time, and the possibilities for sockprints are as exciting as they are never-ending! Create your own, one-of-a-kind socks at www.sockprints.com.

Cookies + Socks = A Perfect Pair

2011-02-21T21:11:00.001-08:00

It’s cookie time and you know exactly what I’m talking about. Thin mints, Do-si-does, Samoa’s… yum!

One of the many hats I've worn as a mom over the years is that of a Girl Scout leader. When my daughter was in elementary school three other moms and I volunteered to take on the leader roles for her troop. As a girl scout myself growing up, I was excited for my daughter to experience all the things the girl scouts offer: meetings, camps, cookie sales, and earning badges. As a young girl I loved checking out my scout badge book looking through the requirements to add another badge to my sash.

My feelings about the badge requirements changed one day while the three other leaders and I met to plan which badge the girls would work toward next. As we were looking through the list of badges we came across a requirement that asked for an "old girl scout" to come to a meeting and share her scouting experience as a young girl. Not being from the area we live in, I wondered where I could find an “old scout” to come to our next meeting. Suddenly, and without pause the 3 other leaders looked directly at me. They found the "old girl scout" they needed to help complete the badge requirement! Funny, at the time I didn't see myself that way, but the shoe fit and I was the "old girl scout!"

So, this old (actually I prefer the term “experienced”) scout, was inspired after placing my cookie order this season to create some socks especially for scouts!

How about adding some cute scout images and your troop number to some knee highs? Your troop will be a hit wearing custom socks at your next neighborhood activity.

Is your scout troop going camping? Personalize multiple pairs of socks with each camper's name on them. There will be no question about whose socks belong to who!

Check out our design gallery for ready-to-customize scout images! We've created a special scout folder just for these fun designs. Click here to see more scout images.

If you're looking for more inspiration and a fun activity for your troop. Check out a project we did a few months ago on our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkkhbjddB-w. While you don't have to do hand and footprints, you can scan any artwork your troop creates and then upload to sockprints for a fun new craft project!

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Thank you Ellie for my Thin Mints!

Old Girl Scout...

Black and White

2011-02-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

While one of the coolest features about sockprints custom socks is that our direct-to-garment printer can print up to 16 million colors, sometimes it’s fun to see designs in simple black and white. Take a look at some of our favorite ideas for black and white images on our socks.

How about socks for the wedding party? Classic black text with decorative framing can showcase the Bride and her party. You can customize these designs with names too!

Monograms are also a hit in black and white. The stylized crown can be customized in our design gallery. Simply select it and add your initial using a fancy font.

Use design elements to surround your text as shown in these ladies golf socks.

This skateboard company’s logo looks great on a white sock backdrop. Mad Cow Skates purchased wholesale socks from us to sell on their website. Check them out at www.madcowskates.com.

There’s just something about an old black and white photo. Here’s an old family favorite of my uncle and me on a pair of no shows. It’s easy to scan your image and upload it at sockprints.com.

Create your own personalized, custom socks now at www.sockprints.com. We love seeing our customer’s creative ideas when they place their orders at sockprints. We also like to post selected customer designed socks on our facebook fan page. Perhaps the next pair we post on facebook will be yours!

Fore! Look Out Golf Industry - Custom Printed Socks are Here!

2011-02-01T18:12:00.000-08:00

The handsome guy (yes, I'm biased!) second one from the left, is my dad back in the 1960’s at a golf tournament. I love that picture of my dad because it shows him in his element – on a golf course. He gave me my very first job at The Country Club fixing ball marks on greens when I was 12 years old. In the wee early morning hours I would go from green to green fixing the wounds in the grass that the ball makes when it lands. While most golfers fixed their own ball marks, there were apparently enough golfers who didn’t fix them, thus providing me with a job! I walked around the green with a special fork-shaped tool scouring it foot by foot to make sure that I had fixed each mark before I moved on to the next green. After fixing a billion (ok, exaggerating perhaps) ball marks, I was promoted to raking sand traps and a whole host of other jobs keeping the golf course in pristine shape summer after summer. As a kid I didn’t recognize what a great job it was, but in hindsight I appreciate the opportunity I had to be outdoors on a golf course, around a great sport on a daily basis. I even learned how to play!

Many years later, this soccer mom/sockprints entrepreneur had the opportunity to revisit my golf roots at the 2011 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida with The Winston Collection. Sockprints has recently partnered with The Winston Collection, a respected name in quality durable goods, to exclusively distribute our custom printed socks to the golf industry. The Winston Collection features premium leather products perfect for gifts and branded merchandise for golf shops. We were thrilled when the Winston partners saw our socks and expressed an interest in adding sockprints to their custom line of products!

The feedback we received at PGA Merchandise Show was great! Sockprints makes impressive gifts for Member/Guest events and golf tournaments as well as custom socks bearing club logos for golf shops. For more information regarding our exclusive line of golf socks or to place an order for your next event, visit The Winston Collection at http://www.winston-collection.com/ or contact a sales representative at service@winston-collection.com.

New Year's Resolution Socks

2010-12-29T16:41:00.000-08:00

A few New Year’s Eves ago, I made a resolution to never make resolutions again. It’s the only New Year’s resolution that has ever stuck with me. Resolutions seem daunting and overwhelming so instead, I write a list of goals each year that I hope to accomplish. Resolutions and goals are probably the exact same thing, but goals sound better to me so I write down the typical goals like everyone else (exercise more, healthy eating) and then I add a couple others (read more books, get monthly massages). Looking for inspiration for some new goals for 2011, I Google searched New Year’s Resolutions and found the most common resolutions are:

Spend more time with family & friends
Exercise – get fit
Lose weight
Quit smoking
Enjoy life
Drink less alcohol
Get out of debt – manage finances
Learn something new
Help others (volunteer)
Get organized
Get a better job
Get an education
Travel

If you need some help sticking to your New Year’s resolutions, we’ve come up with a fun solution for you. Try listing your goals on a pair of socks! Whether your list is short or long, we have the sock style to fit your needs. You don’t have to carry around your list of resolutions on a piece of paper or type it in your smart phone, because you can wear your list! Gently pull up your pant leg for a reminder of what you want to accomplish. This may sound like a silly idea, but hey – we make custom socks so you can create whatever you want on them!

Best wishes for a prosperous New Year!

Holiday Traditions

2010-12-25T11:42:00.000-08:00

Throughout the holiday season I've been thinking a lot about our family traditions. Some are a bit quirky, like the holiday season opener: The Annual Thanksgiving Pea Fight (of which my immediate family is always crowned the champions -we have the custom t-shirts to prove it!) or the disco ball on top of our Christmas tree. When I asked my kids to name a couple of our holiday traditions, those were the two they mentioned. I can't blame them, they are on the top of my list too!

It's Christmas morning as I write and we're staying with my husband's aunt, uncle, and family in northern California. We had a wonderful dinner and gift exchange at a nearby cousin's home yesterday evening. The tradition of family coming together from near and far was complete with children of all ages celebrating the holiday. One of my husband's family traditions is to sing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" as people leave the party. They also read, "Twas the Night Before Christmas," before we call it a night.

I always let my kids open one present on Christmas Eve. They know what they're getting, but it's a tradition to give them a new set of pajamas to wear that night. As hard as I try to trick them and tell them they're getting something else, they know it's PJ's.

When I was a little girl, my grandparents slept at our house on Christmas Eve so they could be part of the Christmas morning festivities watching my sister and me go through the gigantic (it seemed huge at the time) pile of toys Santa brought. I remember waking up my grandma before dawn each year to ask her if she thought Santa had come yet. My grandma was the best! She would tell us that Santa had definitely arrived and she'd go through the house and wake everyone up for us. I think she was just as excited as we were to see what Santa brought.

When Santa comes to our relative’s house, the kids aren't allowed to go see what he brought until everyone is awake. The kids line up in the hallway and as soon as everyone arrives at the starting line they take off running into the living room to check out their gifts.

This year I added a new tradition... Custom printed socks for the ladies in the family!

Whatever your holiday traditions may be, here's wishing you and yours many more to come!

In keeping with tradition, here's a little send off "our family style"...

Merry Christmas!

P.S. Thank you Aunt Peggy, Aunt Janie, and cousins Amy, Haley, Kristin & Carrie for the video footage and another wonderful time spent with you!

Crafty Soles

2010-12-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

When my kids were younger I loved capturing their age by doing craft projects that included their hand and footprints. I remember tracing my kids hands on construction paper and cutting them out to make Christmas wreaths and putting their footprints on cards for Mother's Day.

Here’s a new way to show off your child’s hand and footprints on a pair of socks. Check out this fresh, creative gift idea in our latest video!

Do you have a creative idea that you’d like to see on a pair of socks? If so, let us know by sending us an email at contactus@sockprints.com. We love crafty soles!

Here Comes the Bride

2010-11-22T09:23:00.000-08:00

The news of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement last week got us thinking about some fun, custom socks in honor of the upcoming royal wedding.

Here’s a pair to congratulate the couple on their engagement. These socks are also a great gift to take to an engagement party.

How about these socks for Kate’s bachelorette party? Just in case Kate doesn’t head to Las Vegas with her gal pals, keep this gift in mind for your best friend.

And, socks for the happy couple! Look for our new, men’s performance sock available in 2011.

Tis the season for gift giving and I’m sure some lovely ladies will receive some bling under the tree and a marriage proposal! On the way to saying, “I do” those lucky ladies will have fun shopping for wedding dresses, tasting wedding cake and looking for all of the finishes touches to make her special day the very best.

Sockprints is now listed at http://www.onewed.com/ where brides can find everything they need. Check out our listing at OneWed.

Sockprints are great for bridesmaids, flower girls, mothers of the bride & groom and more!

A Perfect Pair

2010-11-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

As I’m sure you can imagine, at a sock printing company we talk a lot about pairs. In addition to our socks, there are several pairs of things that go together contributing to the success of our company. For starters, sockprints was founded by a pair of entrepreneurial soccer moms who had a vision to print images on socks. We paired up my experience in direct-to-garment apparel printing with my partner’s expertise in the hosiery industry and sockprints was founded.

One of the first things we did after we perfected the sock printing process was contact AnaJet, Inc., the manufacturer of my printer. I purchased my AnaJet printer in 2007 to start a t-shirt business and over the years I’d check in from time to time to see what was new at AnaJet. We were excited to share with them another cool product their printer could embellish and one that no one had tried before. We sat down with an AnaJet staff member, showed him our new invention and discussed our plan to share sockprints with the world! Another pair was born! And, talk about a win-win situation… we have it with AnaJet! To create the incredibly detailed and colorful socks at sockprints, we designed our blank socks to work with AnaJet’s AnaBright environmentally friendly, water based inks. Our socks are also specially woven to provide an optimum print surface to take advantage of the millions of colors the AnaJet printer can produce as well as the super fine detail and print registration.

While we’d love to print socks for everyone on the planet, we recognize that’s not totally realistic (even though I like to dream BIG… real BIG). So, in addition to our online retail site for custom printed socks, we offer print-ready blank socks to wholesale customers who own their own direct-to-garment printers. Now AnaJet owners can print on socks too. Our minimums are low and the printing process is easy to learn. It’s just like printing a t-shirt, but now you can print multiple pairs of socks.

AnaJet is a partner in our mission to share sockprints with the world! They have invited us to tag along at several trade shows to demonstrate how socks are a new print medium so customers don’t have to rely on old methods of woven images in socks and embroidery. At the last trade show we attended in Las Vegas, they demonstrated how to create foil prints and even 3-D t-shirt images. What’s next? 3-D sock images? You never know! We’re thrilled to add sockprints to the number of cool things AnaJet printers can decorate and we love working with the people at AnaJet, Inc.
Sockprints and AnaJet make a great pair!

For images of custom socks we've created using our direct-to-garment printer, check out our facebook fan page and photo albums.

You had me at "Customize"

2010-11-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

Perhaps my love for personalized products stems from my childhood when I couldn’t find products with my name on them. Growing up in the 70’s & 80’s the personalized product industry was limited. I envied my friends with names like Angie, Traci, and Judy who were able to get name plates for their bedroom doors, among other fun products. When our family went on road trips I would always check the various gas stations and souvenir shops just in case I found a mini-license plate from that state with my name on it. It wasn’t until college that my craving for something personalized was satisfied when I got a new car and ordered personalized license plates. At last, I could put my name on something!

Times have changed since then and now it’s common for me to meet young women and little girls with my same name. It’s also common now to find a wide variety of products to personalize. When my mompreneur partner and I started sockprints we did our research to see if custom printed socks were being offered. We searched high and low and found custom t-shirts, mouse pads, coffee mugs and more, but no personalized socks! We knew we were on to a unique and fresh idea by filling a new product category with custom printed socks. Our socks are so original that we even have a patent pending on the printing process.

Take a look at some recent custom sockprints orders from two of our customers. The first photo shows how our customer, Sandy selected a snowman design from the sockprints gallery and personalized a pair of socks for each gift recipient. What a great holiday gift idea!

This photo shows how our customer customized her own artwork before uploading it to sockprints. This pair of socks features an aspiring singer and showcases artwork for her first cd cover. Carolyn, you’re on your way to fame!

While custom printed socks are our favorite, we still love other personalized products. Some of our other favorite sites for custom products are http://www.zazzle.com/ and http://www.milkorsugar.com/. We like Zazzle so much that we’ve created a Zazzle store, Hearts And Soles, featuring some of our custom artwork. Check it out at www.zazzle.com/HeartsAndSoles. We’re also thrilled to be listed on http://www.milkorsugar.com/ as the only company to offer custom printed socks!

Just like my personalized license plates from long ago, custom printed socks, you complete me!

The One That Got Away...

2010-10-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

Whether it’s an old love, a big fish that came off the hook, a wild pitch, or a sock that was somehow lost in the wash making your favorite pair incomplete, we all have “the one that got away.”

As I’ve been thinking about this I realized what an advantage it is to be able to create 3 customized pairs of no show or crew socks at one time at sockprints. Just in case you happen to fall victim of the dryer abyss (by the way -- I blame it on the dryer, not the washer) and you lose one of your socks, you still have some spare socks to make your pair complete!

One of the cool things about the sockprints design tool is that you can upload your own artwork or customize one of the images in the sockprints design gallery. If you want 3 different designs on 3 different pairs of socks, no problem! Or, if you want all of your socks to match with the same design, no problem! Each pair of socks starts as a blank canvas for you to personalize.

Whether you want knee high designer socks, novelty, athletic, sporty socks or anything else, sockprints is the answer. We have perfected the direct to garment printing techniques that produce fun and unique socks! Get as creative as you like knowing that just in case you happen to lose a sock, you can always create more at sockprints. No more fretting about the “one that got away…”

Girls Night Out - raising funds, awareness, and laughter!

2010-10-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

October 5,6,7 marked the 8th Annual Girls Night Out fundraiser for The Wellness Community held at the Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California. One of the event’s major sponsors for the October 6th evening, Torrance Memorial Hospital, chose sockprints as the official party favor. We were thrilled to work with Torrance Memorial’s staff to create a unique take-home gift for the 220+ women in attendance. Sockprints came up with a fun image incorporating the Girls Night Out logo and Torrance Memorial’s logo for the socks. Take a look…

Sockprints fan and friend Anne Marie Quillin, was a featured speaker sharing her breast cancer survivor story that night. Her story is an inspiration to all! We also heard from Dr. Patricia Sacks who mentioned new developments for breast cancer treatment, and reminded us that the best medicine is laughter… so fitting for the comedy show that followed!

In addition to the great information and stories shared, I am always touched by the people who live in my community and contribute to events like this. I am truly grateful to those who volunteer and work at places like The Wellness Community and Torrance Memorial Hospital. I’m also inspired by the individual and corporate sponsors who donate to this cause. From individual women breaking out their checkbooks at the auction, and Shape Shift, our neighborhood pilates studio, to Trump National Golf Club in Palos Verdes -- all donations raised over $90,000 for the 3-night event. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the generosity of the comedians and the Comedy & Magic Club.

For those of you who were at the event check your goodie bag for a special coupon to use on your next online purchase at www.sockprints.com. We’re offering 10% off your order and we’ll also donate 10% to The Wellness Community through the month of November.

For those of you who shared our Girls Night Out event by reading our blog, we’re offering you the same special! Use the coupon code “GNO-BLOG” and you too will receive 10% off your order and we’ll donate 10% to the Wellness Community in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Thanks ladies for the ooh’s and ahh’s about our socks and for a great Girls Night Out!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Anne Marie's Story

2010-10-05T20:29:00.001-07:00

With Breast Cancer Awareness month upon us, I am reminded of my dear friend Anne Marie Quillin, who has survived breast cancer four times over the last 12 years. Annie is a happily married mother of three teenagers and has undergone a myriad of treatments (surgery, reconstruction, chemo, radiation, gene therapy, clinical trials and Gamma knife radioactive surgery). Talk about a survivor!

I met Annie 10 years ago when my daughter started Kindergarten and we had just moved into the neighborhood. Not knowing many moms in the area, she was one of the first to introduce herself and tell me about a new bunco group she was starting. She invited me to join and that’s where I learned about this inspiring woman and her battle with this disease.

Annie’s mother, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was seven years old. Her mother fought the disease and even had a recurrence when Annie was 13. Her mother’s illness and death lead to Annie’s fervent belief that early detection is one of the greatest weapons against this disease. She began having mammograms at the early age of 27 and at 37 she was diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer.

When Annie was first diagnosed her doctor told her about several support groups and educational programs offered through The Wellness Community. She found the groups to be a welcoming place where she could talk about her fears and gain the information she needed to help make her own medical decisions. Annie is grateful for and has relied upon the support of other cancer patients to share their journey, family and medical experiences as each breast cancer obstacle has arisen.

Just as Annie has been fortunate to receive the gift of support from others, I am fortunate to have the gift of her friendship! Annie is an inspiration to so many in my community and I admire all that she does.

Annie will be sharing her story of strength and resilience at the annual Girl’s Night Out event hosted by The Wellness Community at the Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, CA this week. Sockprints will be there to honor those courageous women who face this disease. We’ll post some pictures from this great event and also tell you about a special offer as a fun way to support the cause.

Homecoming

2010-09-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday marked my alma mater’s Homecoming and going to the football game with some of my sorority sisters from 25 years ago (yikes!) has become an annual tradition that I treasure. To make the journey home I woke up at the crack of dawn to catch an early flight for the big day. It was dangerous to take such an early flight because I knew there was potential for a very late night and all that comes with it. While I may think I can still party like a rock-star, reality usually sets in around 4 p.m. and my body reminds me that I’m not actually in college anymore! This could’ve been a problem because the game didn’t start until 6 p.m. I’m thrilled to say that just like in college, I rallied and wish the night had never ended. This soccer mom with a weekend hall pass had a great time catching up with old friends, meeting new ones and spending time with some very special people in my life.

While tailgating and reconnecting with people the question, “So what are you doing now?” always seemed to pop up. Engaged in conversation, I can’t wait for that question because I’m so excited to share what I’m doing with sockprints. As I describe how we print custom images on socks, I love watching the looks on people’s faces. They’re great! I can see the wheels starting to spin in their heads as they envision what we do. Then, the light bulb goes off and I can see in their eyes that they have already created their first pair of custom socks in their minds. Everyone has an organization, business, team, cause, or message they are passionate about. Putting that passion on a pair of socks is a new option and one that anyone can do using our online design tool or by uploading their own images! It’s an exciting new invention and one that I love to talk about.

As I’m getting ready to head back to life in Redondo Beach I have to say that I can’t wait until next year when we get to do the whole thing all over again. When I get home I’m going to print some “thank you” socks for our tailgating hostess. She threw quite a party! We sang old sorority songs, laughed a lot, teased each other and more. We may only see each other once a year, but you’d never know it when we’re together. At the party I was thrilled to share with my sorority sisters that we’re now officially “Greek” licensed. Sockprints can now print custom socks for sorority women across the country! We’ll be launching a sorority portal through our website in the near future. Look out ladies, I think some sorority, Homecoming football party favors are a must for next year!

Dear Diary

2010-09-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary,

It’s September 22nd and I’ve recently learned that it’s Dear Diary Day. I figure a good way to pay tribute to this occasion is to write a new blog entry for The Happy Sole. I mean, isn’t a blog a diary anyway?

As I started to do some limited online research on this topic I found that indeed, blogs are very similar to diaries and journals. So what are the differences? Well I’m not an expert, but to me a diary is a private place to write your secret hopes, desires and experiences guarded under lock and key. A journal on the other hand is a more public place to record events and daily happenings, and a blog is typically an online venue to share thoughts on specific topics.

Sockprints’ blog, The Happy Sole, was created to share our thoughts on socks and life. Looking back at our early blog entries is like going back and reading my diary. It’s fun to go back and look at what we’ve done so far and then think about where we plan to go.

Until next time diary…

-Hayley

Get ready for some football!

2010-09-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Football season is here and I couldn’t be happier! I’m starting my research for my NFL football pool to ensure that I make the right picks each week, and last week two of my favorite college football teams started off their seasons with victories! Both college games were televised and I found myself watching a marathon of football that night. In addition to watching the exciting games on the field I love it when the camera pans the stadium. Seeing coaches wearing headsets, marching bands, cheerleaders, students, and fans in the stands invested in their team’s success is what makes the game complete. I’m convinced that camera operators are instructed to look for the few who go shirtless and use body paint to show their team spirit. They tend to get the close-up camera shots. It’s also fun to see the posters fans make and I catch myself trying to read the t-shirts fans wear. Now that I’m in the sock printing business, I’m planning to print some custom socks to show my team spirit as I’m heading to my college homecoming game later this month. If only I could get the camera to show my feet they’d see what a true fan I am!

Whether you are cheering for pee wee, high school, college or professional football, show your team spirit on a pair of socks! www.sockprints.com

*official logos cannot be used without expressed written consent of the owner.

Express Yourself

2010-08-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

One of my all-time favorite songs is Express Yourself by Madonna (yes, I went to high school and college in the 80’s) and whenever I hear it, I sing, dance and smile! I’ve even had a moment on an airplane when the song came on and I broke out in song and dance. I’m sure I made an impression that my girlfriends on the plane will never forget!

What on earth does the song, Express Yourself, have to do with sockprints and The Happy Sole?

The title, Express Yourself, is exactly what our customers get to do on socks. We have a design gallery where customers can select images and customize to their heart’s content. Customers can also upload their own images or simply write some fun text to have printed on their favorite style. Think, “express yourself" on a new blank canvas… socks.

The song, Express Yourself, is about female empowerment and never going for “second best.” At sockprints we’re thrilled that we’re “the one, the only” online custom sock printing company doing what we do. We know we’re not “second best” because we’re the “only best.”

Like Madonna, I believe at sockprints we’re trendsetters. It started with a conversation I had with another mom on the sideline of our daughter’s soccer game. I’ve been in the t-shirt printing business and she’s been in the hosiery business for a number of years. She asked if I thought I could print on socks. After printing some test socks for the team and receiving a great response from the players, we knew we were onto something new and exciting.

Our company is always looking for new ways to make sockprints better and our latest enhancement will be launched in the next couple of weeks. We’ll be introducing a new website where customers can preview their custom socks prior to purchasing them. We’re very excited about this improvement!

Just like having a favorite pair of jeans or sweatshirt, I have a favorite pair of custom printed socks. I’ll have to put them on and dance to my favorite song! The joy I feel when I hear Express Yourself and the great memories I have associated with it makes this Happy Sole a very happy soul!

-Hayley Mullin (Madonna wannabe)

photo taken at my husband's retro b-day party 2003

Get Well Wishes

2010-07-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

As many of our readers know, Sockprints was founded on the sidelines of a soccer field by two soccer moms in the winter of 2009. As soccer moms watching our kids play over the years we've unfortunately seen plenty of injuries. Soccer is one tough sport and we admire the athletes who take the challenge on the field game after game, and especially after injury.

Our latest sock inspiration came while visiting an injured soccer player. During a college showcase tournament, she suffered injuries to her arm and knee. After two surgeries this athlete is now on the mend for the next few months. Sending her wishes for a speedy recovery, custom printed "get well" socks are on the way to her front door! We look forward to seeing you back on the soccer field!

Summer of Color

2010-06-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months we have been watching the lifeguard stations along our beaches transform into a large public art project called "Summer of Color", installed by Portraits of Hope. We love the ideas behind this project, and for the complete story be sure to go to their link.

There are 156 LA County lifeguard stations from Malibu to Palos Verdes that have been "customized" with 52,000 hand painted, brightly colored panels for the walls and rooftops of the towers with over 8,000 volunteers participating in this project. The exhibit will be on display through October, and when it is over, many of the panels will be shipped to Haiti for temporary shelters.

We are inspired to share this very cool project. Here are some pictures we took:

This is the ultimate way of customizing and we thank artist Ed Massey for his incredible vision. Also, if you want to see an exhibit of Ed's fine art, you should check out the lobby at the Casa del Mar hotel in Santa Monica through July 31st. Happened to be there last week for a meeting, and it was a pleasant surprise!

Now that I'm a pet owner...

2010-06-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

Animal lovers are known to do some pretty crazy things in the name of love for their pets, and never in a million years would I have believed that I would join the ranks! My 10-year-old son and I rescued a kitten at a local shelter last October and I have to say that I’ve completely fallen in love with our newest, furry, family member. I’ve officially become a proud pet owner and have to confess that while experimenting with some designs on socks, I printed our cat’s picture on a pair of no show socks! I’m still a shy about printing and wearing a “I ♥ Cameron” plus his photo on a t-shirt, but hey can’t a girl have some fun with some custom printed socks? Crazy or not, I love looking down at my feet and seeing Cameron’s photo. I just smile when I see that little guy…

Celebrating Graduations

2010-05-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

What would a graduation celebration be without a cake?
Here are just a few examples we found of some interesting graduation cakes.....perhaps one will inspire you!

It might seem silly and a bit odd to talk about socks here, but now it seems normal to us being that you can customize our socks for any occasion including graduations! Like a cake, you can print a personal message or custom image on a pair of socks, just don't try eating them!

Happy Graduation to the Class of 2010!

A Camping We Will Go

2010-05-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

While brainstorming some design ideas for custom printed socks, one of the first groups we thought of were personalized socks for summer camp!

Summer camps are something almost every kid looks forward to. The choices are plentiful and it would be hard not to find something of interest for little Ashley or Johnny. In Canada they actually have a summer camp for video game players! We discovered a summer culinary camp in San Diego we want to attend! Wish we had all these choices when we were growing up.

Sockprints custom printed socks are perfect for any summer camp. You can personalize each pair with the campers name and are oh so cute! The socks can be printed on the crew length or no show socks - either way at the end of the day, your camper is going to think of you when taking off their socks and go to sleep with a smile on their face.

Here are some other helpful links for summer camps and camp trends we discovered. We're also including a campers packing list which recommends packing 12 pairs of socks! A great idea!

The Top 5 Reasons to Custom Print Socks

2010-05-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

Because We Can - Up until now the only way customize socks was to knit in a design, add a direct embroidery, or silk-screening. All these options are fine, but usually require a minimum order in the dozens and a set up fee. We designed a way to print socks on an apparel printer that prints 2 or 3 pairs of socks at one time. No big minimums and no set up fees – that works for us!

Socks are Hot - You can see them on all the Spring 2011 fashion runways and trend magazines. Everyone is wearing them – why not put a design on your own?

A Great Way to be Creative - We know there are many talented people who are always looking for new ways to show off their designs and express themselves – the AnaJet apparel printer we use has an incredible color range and the detail is amazing.

Be an Early Adapter - Of course socks have been around for a long time, but until now printed socks were not an option. It’s a new idea with so many ways to use them – we have filled orders from high school sport teams to socks promoting a personal trainer. We can go on and on, but you get the idea…..

Good for the Sole - Most people wear socks everyday. Create some special pairs for yourself and others – it’s a fresh, fun, and unique way to personalize socks at sockprints.com!

What are Kick "A#$" Sport Socks?

2010-05-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

As sockprints develops our sock customizing e-boutique, we love the response and reaction we are getting when people see the printed socks. All kinds of ideas start coming out of them, and who would have thought anyone would get excited about socks? It really is a great way to print all kinds of designs, and we use the same type of special printer used for other apparel items, so we can get amazing detail on the socks.

A couple weeks ago we decided to start developing collections of ready-to-sell printed socks that are unique, meaningful,and a little "out of the box". The first selection is geared toward a group we know very well - teen girls who play competitive sports. These athletes are fun loving, smart, and experiencing so many life lessons while being part of a team. We also know firsthand they can have an attitude which actually works well when playing a competitive sport.

Our Kick "A#$" sport socks originated as a recent request from our teen athletes who have a passion for their sport of choice (soccer, basketball, volleyball, and softball) and wanted fun socks to wear to practice and hanging out with friends. When a discussion came up about what is really said to each other in the game day huddle the overwhelming response was, "Let's go kick A--". Naturally we thought it wouldn't be appropriate to spell out certain words on the socks, but have left little to the imagination.

These knee high sport socks are available as a two pair set along with a friendlier "peace, love" design for $22.00/set, and through the month of May you can take an additional 20% off as special introduction to our new product line.

When we showed the printed socks to the girls, we got the squeal of approval. Check them out at http://www.sockprints.com

MOTHER - Job Description

2010-05-05T15:42:00.000-07:00

**POSITION : Mom, Mommy, Mama, Mother

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Long term, team players needed, for challenging,
permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call..
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Feel free to forward this on to all the Mothers you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, letting them know they are appreciated for the fabulous job they do...or forward with love to anyone thinking of applying for the job.*

** AND A FOOTNOTE - THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!**

Sports Moms

2010-05-02T12:59:00.001-07:00

What makes a mom a “sports mom”? On most weekends throughout the year sports moms rise prior to dawn and go to sleep well after dusk making sure the gas tank is full, water bottles packed, the alarm set, and directions to the sport venue printed out. Now, the idea of a “soccer mom” or a “sports mom” is a pretty amusing stereotype that teenage and young adult women like to joke about, saying that they will never become one. The transformation, however, from a single, fun-loving and free-spirited twenty-something to the thirty-something sports mom is pretty much inevitable. That’s not to say that every parent pushes their kids into sports and that’s not to say that every kid must be involved in sports; chess club is perfectly fine too. What defines a sports mom is something truly unique and special. She is the mother who enrolls her kids in every sports clinic possible over the summer, buys the best equipment, and has a tendency to coach from the sidelines (whether this “assistance” is welcome or not). While supporting the rest of the team, she has eyes on only one player, hoping her child doesn’t get injured or make a costly mistake while in the game, or stressing out when they are sitting on the bench wondering what is wrong with the coach. Sport moms’ support, protect and defend their child when it comes to their sport, and kids learn that discipline, teamwork, and practice pay off, sometimes at a very early age. These are personality traits that spill over into all aspects of a child’s life.

As a daughter of one of these sports moms, I am beyond thankful for the drive that she instilled in me. She supported me in so many sports I now play ranging from soccer to swimming. Although I stopped playing organized, competitive sports in high school, every day for years I have been very active. I attribute this to her. And even more, as the older sister of an ardent club soccer player, I have been able to watch not only her play, but also observe the many personalities of the sports moms from the sidelines. I have been provided some great opportunities to apply my psychology studies on these parents during the games. It is pretty entertaining and funny. I think a reality show, “Real Soccer Moms of Southern California” might not be a bad idea!

10 Popular Sports Parent Blogs http://www.blogs.com/topten/10-popular-youth-sports-and-sports-parent-blogs/

Why Personalize Clothing??

2010-04-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to give someone special something really unique? Personalized gifts are the growing trend to make your next occasion – whether it is an elaborate event such as a wedding or graduation, or your child’s end of the year soccer party – that much more special. Technology has allowed companies to make personalizing gifts and clothing easier and less expensive than ever!

The new entrant into this expanding world, Sockprints, is sure to start its own trend by further customizing personalized customized gifts. Sockprints is a new web-based sock printing business that allows anyone to upload a design or photo and have it printed on a variety of sock styles. It’s personal, fun and easy!

So, the question is: why would people personalize gifts and more specifically, socks? First off, you can give someone you care about a gift that is truly unique and will be like nothing they have ever, or will ever, receive from anyone else. You can let your creative juices flow and show this person you are thinking about what he or she would appreciate. It comes from the heart. You and the recipient of your gift are both attached to this gift! Second, personalized products are great for mass producing presents for a sports team or company apparel. You can combine everyone’s ideas and create a design that looks awesome and enhances unity.

Now, onto socks. People love socks: comfy ones, knee high ones, athletic ones, and the more colorful and unique the socks are, the more fun they are to wear. Printing your own image onto socks is something completely new to the clothing world; thus, Sockprints is sure to bust into the market with more than a kickstart.

Another thing, some people may not put a picture of their dog on their t-shirt for the whole world to see, but maybe if it was slightly concealed on a sock, they would do it in a heartbeat! Then, when he or she removes their shoes at home, the dog’s smiling face pops up and puts a smile on his owner’s face! Or would a soccer or baseball mom wear a shirt that necessarily reads this “branding” (ok, to be nice, it’s a “title”)? That depends. But maybe on socks, she’d be happy to!

Visit www.sockprints.com and see how Sockprints can add your graphics, logos, and photos to high quality socks and bring happiness to your life and your feet.