Friday, January 22, 2010

PRESS RELEASE


2010 Brings A “New Look” for The Merry Bird Designs


January 2010, Trumbull, CT -- The Merry Bird Designs flys in to start the New Year with a new brand identity.

For four years, a flying, pen and ink Humming Bird represented The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design. Today a new logo flys in its place to represent The Merry Bird Designs.
The Merry Bird featured services include: Logo creation, Book Cover Art, Ad design as well as custom pen and ink motif's for stationery. All design work is contract guaranteed. Paypal, Check or Money Order are the preferred methods of payment.

The new logo projects the quality design services offered to future and present clients by Kristine Sheehan, TheMerryBird. You will still find a flying bird when you visit http://www.themerrybird.com/ but this bird will fly into the sunset along with “Your Stationery in Flight”.



Company Bio:

The Merry Bird Designs company of Connecticut has officially been in business since March 2006. Kristine Sheehan, the owner, began working in the design/art industry because her passion is drawing with pen and ink, painting and photography and computer graphics. Her company offers Logo Development, Book Cover Creation, Ad Design and a line of pen and ink motifs on note cards, holiday Tags and invitations. The Merry Bird Designs is ever changing and adding more beautiful ideas to choose from, come take a peek, Fly in! http://www.themerrybird.com *********************


Contact:
The Merry Bird Designs
Kristine Sheehan
http://www.themerrybird.com/

Thursday, January 14, 2010

"BEN FRANKLIN, WHERE ARE YOU?"


The Business Week (BW) quoted title above refers to global patent races. USA is coming in last, to Japan, South Korea and China.


Hey Ben! Where the hell did all the "aha-bulbs" go?

Offshore is only part of the answer, taxes are another. Other countries, where research and development takes place have sliced the "tax bread" sort of speak and left USA tax credits in the dust.


Should we have a Tea Party now? Nah! Taxes or not, we have to go with the flow anyway, I'd say get yourself into social networking and GO GLOBAL! It's easy, accessible and there is no better time than now to reach as far as your business can take you.


Ok so, there are still some light bulbs on out here, and what my thought is: all this patent stuff shouldn't keep you down. If anything, it should make an innovator more innovative. So if your big time or small the world is literally your oyster.


Water and electricity don't go together anyway!


Kristine Sheehan

(ref: Business Week 2009)

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Women in Business, This Ones For You in 2010!


As another year comes to a close, we make resolutions or promises to reach new goals or to renew ourselves in business. 2010 can be a great year ahead but there is only one way to make it happen.......
Open the doors to experienced business women willing to give their expertise to guide you and your business. Women Business Owners is a fantastic group of educated and empowered women willing to give away some secrets to running into success!
Check us out at www.womenbizowners.org
Join us for the 2010 WBO Annual Convention in Napa Valley, CA. Read our online magazine for more information:
Wishing you a happy, healthy and successful holiday and New Year Ahead! The Merry Bird Designs, Kristine Sheehan

Friday, November 20, 2009

Pointers for Business Savings


Every business big or small has seen customers gone MIA. Due to less consumer spending business owners are forced to learn how to hold down the fort. With a few adjustments to the mother ship, the mother load can be made lighter during the economy recession.

Simple changes can make small businesses (and large ones!) save a few dollars throughout the year and relieve monthly pressures. Contact your electric service provider and take on a new one. Find a service provider that offers cheaper provision costs. One phone call and a switch in electric service provider can save you several hundred dollars per year. Let’s keep the change in your pocket…Why not? It’s easy enough!

Travel less and have online video/phone conferences more. Your business won’t
miss luggage charges or/and lost luggage hassles. By traveling less business expenses and high fees for plane and train tickets will be eliminated. And there won’t be any delays or “waiting” to get where you want to go.

Slash your ad budget and step up your internet presence. With the loss of customer spending selecting the best place to advertise to entice your customers is paramount. For print ads – popular newspapers and magazines are still key – but be choosy – take on only the most successful papers and magazines for your business. Big and small businesses alike know where their customer base is and how to reach them. By scaling back printed ads and utilizing FREE social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin etc. can open new doors near and far while exposing the business brand as much as possible.

Taking on a new view of your product and its worth may help sales. For example luxury product producers are now down playing their logos and focusing on the ”Quality” of their items vs. the old consumer thought “let’s purchase an item for the FUN of it ". Another way to tap into your customers thoughts is to use Amazon.com Community Reviews which tells us about consumer desires/opinions. It’s now the top source of product reviews.

If there’s a will there’s a way. Find it and keep up the good work. We need businesses to stay afloat in this economy especially if we business owners plan on winning the recession war.

Kristine Sheehan
TheMerryBird.com
“Your Stationery in Flight”

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

New Wedding Stationery Rules for 2010


Times are a changin’! So long white and ecru wedding papers! The stationery industry is moving forward by utilizing its staple Wedding Invitations to create a stir. Today’s brides are requesting hot colors and bold styles that reflect a personal destination.

Top stationery designer Anna Griffin clarifies that texture is hotter than ever. The Merry Bird can attest to this style as Merry Bird stippling is a texture that is unique and everlasting in black/white or bold colors. Look for jewel tones, navy for winter themes, tangerine and aqua for spring. Get the point? Stipple!

Brides will find pocket invitations are still on the forefront as each piece of Wedding Day information has its own card and a place to keep. “Tribal prints, outdoor chic, and seasonal styled” invitations are what makes today’s bride tick.

Wedding invitations are now expected to be delivered in/on the unexpected. Invitations mounted onto wine bottles or cigar boxes make a memorable statement…. the fee is, well, worth it!

Ref: Joanne Fink, Design Drive, Wedding Invitations Nov/Dec 2009

Kristine Sheehan
TheMerryBird.com
"Your Stationery in Flight"


Thursday, October 15, 2009

Festive times approach!






Even though today's slower economy keeps many peoples spending at bay, local festivals are still active. I consider festivals the best place to shop and find an interesting gift!

Recently working at the Plasko Farm Festival, CT (Oct. 12th to be exact )- in my cozy tent, (of course!) the farm fresh air set the mood for pumpkin picking and corn maze walking. Many vendors set up and were eager to sell their wares to the many families that ploughed through the trail. Families seemed just as eager to take part in the 25-30 vendor event.



Smaller venues are not a bad idea when the economy holds products hostage for the season. Exposure for business is great and word of mouth - "that old fashioned grass root marketing" helps!



This season TheMerryBird was able to create an addition to its product line and display holiday tags in new wall pouches which make it easier for customers to view and choose the right tag. Two walls, soon to be three and four!




It's only $7.50 for an 8 pack of gift tags! These high quality, sturdy, gloss stock of Gift tags can be placed not only on boxed items but tied around bags of cookies, wine bottles, written with a special note can be hung as an ornament for the tree, or kept as a momento from that special gift giver. I like to let my customers know that CUSTOM images can be illustrated, created or printed exclusively for them if they wish!








As Festive Times Approach - remember to recognize that holiday spirit and love is in the air.

Let the festivities begin!
























Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Art Festival Success!






September is the perfect time of year for an Arts Festival! The sun was shining, a cool wind was blowing and people were ready for fun!






Early as 7am TheMerryBird Tent was set up and ready for business! By 10am, the hustle and bustle of people walking through the tent lined yard of the town green and the scent of sweet popcorn were floating in the air. Giggling children and creative adults that were looking for that "special" gift or momento had all vendors on their toes!


Next door to me, a fine watercolor artist had his easels up with lovely landscape art, across the way another fine artist had paintings and collage type works ready to hang. As we round the bend of the town green craft artists and music lured people to explore the magic of ART!











I'm happy to report that TheMerryBird had an exceptional day for Pet Portrait requests and notecards! 10% of Festival earnings and earnings up until Oct. 31, 2009 will be donated the JDRF - now customers know they are contributing to not only a happy feeling for themselves but to the research of Juvenile Diabetes.

With the future in mind - and business concepts in development, new images will appear on cards, holiday wrapping and tags will be on the forefront! See you next festival!



Keep in touch and fly in soon to support the JDRF!
Walk in Newburgh NY on Sept. 27, 2009 with "Christians Crusade"!

Kristine Sheehan
TheMerryBird.com
"Your Stationery in Flight"