What, How & Why: A Closer Look - Featuring Lauren Alexander

At iPrintfromHome.com, we work with artists and photographers from across the United States and Canada. We're inspired everyday by the images that they send to us and by the stories they share.

In our "What, How & Why" interview series, we take a closer look at some of these fascinating people.

We've asked each participating artist or photographer three simple questions:

1. What do you do?
2. How do you do it?
3. Why do you use iPrintfromHome.com?

Please read on to find out more about Lauren Alexander.






Lauren Alexander
Watercolor Artist
Overland Park, KS



What do you do?
I am a watercolor artist and I paint fun and colorful things for your home, nursery, or office. I love to use color in new and interesting ways. I am most influenced by nature, animals, music, and kids. I am an art teacher too, so being around people and art every day is a great way to stay inspired.


I love making people happy with my work.

It is the greatest feeling in the world to do something that can make someone smile.





How do you do it?
I generally paint really small 9"x12" or smaller. It makes it easier for me to paint a lot of different things at once. My favorite thing is to paint really small - ACEO size; 2.5"x3.5". I love to do many layers of paint - probably more than a typical watercolor artist, and I think that is how I get my colors so vibrant and bright. I like it when my watercolor paintings don't really look like watercolor anymore!

For a step by step visual of my painting process visit this blog post: Photo Diary of My Painting

Why do you use iPrintfromHome.com?
I use iPrintfromHome.com because I don't print from home! I am frustrated by all that goes into home printing with the ink, paper, etc. I have found that iPrintfromHome.com has an amazing quality print that is extremely professional. When I needed a way to print my small ACEO paintings, I went to iPrintfromHome and decided to have them printed on 3.5"x5" paper - a perfect fit for framing. People really like that size and they are a big part of my online store! Fast and friendly service is also a plus - I am big on customer service and I love working with a company that operates on that high of a level.

Contact Information:
Lauren Alexander
www.laurenalexander.etsy.com
www.laurenalexanderart.blogspot.com

Love is in the air.

Although we're not even into February yet, people are already talking about Valentine's Day.

Love is in the air, but Valentine's Day isn't just for sweethearts.

It's for mothers and children, brothers and sisters, best friends, buddies, & classmates.

It's about taking a day to let the people around you know that you care, to shower your friends with compliments, to thank them for making a difference in your life.

In the spirit of love, appreciation and gratitude, we've got something special planned for the entire month of February (because we're so excited about it, we're actually starting a little early).

Starting today (January 22nd) and running through February 2010, we are going to double the number of "Thank You Dollars" you can earn for spreading the word about our company. That means you can earn $12 in account credit for each person that you send our way.

An overwhelming majority of iPrintfromHome.com customers first came to our site because they heard about us from a friend, which means a bunch of you are already out there talking us up. We want you to know that we really appreciate every little thing that you do to help spread the word about our services. This month, we're putting our money where your mouth is. :o)

While we're running this "Love is in the air" promotion, we're also going to be sending you eNewsletters featuring iPrintfromHome.com customers as part of our "What, How & Why" interview series. We're excited to share their stories with you and hope that you find them as inspiring as we do.

Here's how "Thank You Dollars" work:
As a small token of our appreciation, you will be awarded "Thank You Dollars" that can be applied to orders placed at iPrintfromHome.com when you refer your friends, family and colleagues to iPrintfromHome.com.

You will receive $1 $2 in "Thank You Dollars" when your friend creates an account at iPrintfromHome.com and enters your name in the "Referred by" entry box.

You will receive another $5 $10 when they place their first order. As you earn "Thank You Dollars," they will be automatically deposited into your account and you will receive notification by email.

To redeem your "Thank You Dollars", please click on "Use Thank You Dollars" just before placing your next order. You can also review your "Thank You Dollars Account" by going to the "My Account" section of iPrintfromHome.com.

What, How & Why: A Closer Look - Featuring Jamie Ribisi-Braley

At iPrintfromHome.com, we work with artists and photographers from across the United States and Canada. We're inspired everyday by the images that they send to us and by the stories they share.

In our "What, How & Why" interview series, we take a closer look at some of these fascinating people.

We've asked each participating artist or photographer three simple questions:

1. What do you do?
2. How do you do it?
3. Why do you use iPrintfromHome.com?

Please read on to find out more about Jamie Ribisi-Braley.




Jamie Ribisi-Braley
Artist & Owner of Sweetland Retreat
Manchester, Maine




What do you do?
I'm an artist working primarily in encaustic paint (beeswax, resin, & pigment) and oil paint. I live in Manchester, Maine where I have just opened up Sweetland Retreat, an artist retreat where you can create in a relaxing setting. We currently have workshops available and are renovating our home to become a Bed & Breakfast for artists and art lovers.



How do you do it?
I make my own encaustic paint and medium from the finest ingredients of pure beeswax, damar resin, and artist ground pigments. I melt my paint on a hot plate and brush it onto my surface, fusing each layer together with a heat gun. It's a very ancient technique and I love that it's making a comeback! It's the best mixture of painting, collage, sculpture, & photography.

My oils have been a bit neglected since I fell head over heels for encaustic. But I'll always love oils for their luminosity and preciseness. The difference between the two are great and that's why I'll always use both of these mediums- oils are great for the Virgo in me who needs to have control; encaustic is perfect for just letting go and following the nature of the wax, never knowing what will happen next.




Why do you use iPrintfromHome.com?
My colors are very important to me! I work very hard to have pure vibrant colors and I would only use a print company who cared about it as much as I do. I had tried others in the past and none made me as happy as iPfH does! The care that they put in to their packaging alone is enough to make me drool. But their quality is outstanding and their prices can't be beat. I use the Giclee printing option as an affordable way for my customers to have top of the line prints of my work. I know that the color will match perfectly to my specs and that they layout will be exactly as I had ordered. Most of my customers think my Giclees are actually paintings! They look so real. And as if all of that isn't enough-- their customer service is the highest caliber I've come across in a long time.

I have sung the praises of iPfH from the rooftops for a long time now and I'm not about to stop anytime soon!

Contact Information:
Jamie Ribisi-Braley
http://SweetlandRetreat.com
http://jamieribisi.etsy.com
http://jamieribisi.com

Happy New Year!

In 2009, we put a lot of energy into social networking programs. Those of you who were with us through the year joined in the conversation on this blog, on Twitter and on Facebook. And, many of you took advantage of our Tweet Treat specials, which we ran every Tuesday in the Spring/Summer and weekly in the fall.

We started all of these programs with one goal in mind: we wanted to connect more with you, both our existing customers and those of you who had never heard of us before.

Pretty early on in the history of iPrintfromHome.com, we noticed that an overwhelming majority of iPrintfromHome.com customers first came to our site because they heard about us from a friend.

Word-of-mouth advertising, fueled by customer loyalty, allows us to focus our energy on providing a high-quality product and excellent customer service instead of spending time (and money) on advertising.

So how did we arrive at that position? What makes our customers want to go out and spread the word about our company?

The answer is surprisingly simple: We take care of our peeps.

At iPrintfromHome.com, we make photographic and giclee fine art prints from digital files for artists and photographers. We help people create the prints that they need to run their own businesses, sell in their Etsy shops or hang in galleries.

We've been working with artists and photographers for 30 years. We know who you are, what you need, and how important it is to you that we get it right and on time. And we don't just tell you that we know these things - we show you every day.

What it all boils down to is this: we exist as a company because we have customers who take advantage of our services. We know how important you are to our business and we do our best to not only meet your expectations but to exceed them. At iPrintfromHome.com, we provide you with a high-quality product that you value, with consistency that you trust, and customer service you can rely on to help make things right if you run into a problem.

As a result, many of you are tweeting about how happy you are with your prints, raving about our services to a friend, and referring new customers to iPrintfromHome.com. We've also seen a great increase in participation in our Ambassadors program.

It's pretty clear to us that one of the best business decisions we can make is to invest in you. We made some changes in 2009 that we hope made your experience at iPrintfromHome.com even better: we increased the number of "Thank You Dollars" you could earn for referring a friend from $3 to $6, offered weekly Tweet Treats, and started offering free FedEx Ground shipping.

We really appreciate every little thing that you do to help spread the word about our services. If you have any suggestions about things that we can do to make your experience with our company run a little smoother, or if there is a service that you wish we'd offer, please contact us to let us know. We can't promise to act on all of your suggestions, but we can promise to listen and do our best to meet your needs.

The more I look, the more I see this pattern repeated - this pattern of people and businesses playing a role in promoting virtuous cycles (the opposite of vicious cycles). And, the more I see it, the more hopeful the idealist inside of me becomes. Nice guys don't always finish last.

There is an old, torn and yellowed photocopy taped to the refrigerator in our lunch room that reads:

"We know that no one shop can have all the business. We also know that business goes where it is invited and stays where it is taken care of."

Living true to that philosophy has allowed my father to stay in business for 30 years and it continues to drive our success today. We look forward to working with you in 2010 and for many years to come.

Thank you for your continued support of iPrintfromHome.com! Happy New Year!

Say What? Christmas is Next Week?

It's getting close to Christmas and we are getting lots of calls asking if it's too late to order prints in time to give as gifts. The answer is, you still have time!

At iPrintfromHome.com, our standard turnaround time for Photographic Prints is as follows: if you place your order by 6am EST, we have it ready for shipping the same day, Monday through Saturday. Any order that comes in on Sunday will be shipped on Monday.

Please note that the turnaround time for Giclee Fine Art Prints is 3 business days (weekdays), and that the daily production cut-off is 6am EST.

If you're planning on ordering before the 23rd - which we would encourage (hint, hint) - please feel free to choose whichever shipping method meets your needs:

* FedEx Ground - $6 (FREE if your order totals $30 or more)
* FedEx Ground to Canada - $18
* FedEx 3-Day - $10
* FedEx 2-Day - $12
* FedEx Standard Overnight - $20
* FedEx Priority Overnight - $25
* FedEx Priority Saturday - $35.

For more specific information about each shipping method, please click here.

Here's what you need to do if you're really waiting until the last minute:

If you order Photographic Prints: Please place your order by 6am on December 23rd and choose FedEx Standard Overnight so that you receive your order on December 24th.

If you order Giclee Fine Art Prints: Please place your order by 6am on December 21st and choose FedEx Standard Overnight so that you receive your order on December 24th.

We will be closed on December 24th, 25th & 26th.

Happy Holidays!!

Team Photo Cards

Help your team stand out this holiday season.

Combine your team photo with artwork from the Paint Box Project to create a personalized holiday card that makes a difference.

When you purchase Paint Box Project Photo Cards, the proceeds from the sale directly benefit cancer research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The Paint Box Project uses the healing power of art to help young cancer patients and their families express themselves during and after cancer treatment. Each year, volunteers at Roswell Park host Paint Box Project art parties where children create original designs that are featured on holiday and all-occasion cards and gifts.

For more information about Paint Box Project Photo Cards, please click here

You've still got plenty of time to get your order in! Our turnaround time for Photo Cards is as follows: if you place your order by 6am EST, we have it ready for shipping the same day, Monday through Saturday. Any order that comes in on Sunday will be shipped on Monday.

Holiday Cards That Make a Difference

Combine your family photo with artwork from the Paint Box Project to create a personalized holiday card that makes a difference.


When you purchase Paint Box Project Photo Cards, the proceeds from the sale directly benefit cancer research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The Paint Box Project uses the healing power of art to help young cancer patients and their families express themselves during and after cancer treatment. Each year, volunteers at Roswell Park host Paint Box Project art parties where children create original designs that are featured on holiday and all-occasion cards and gifts.

For more information about Paint Box Project Photo Cards, please click here

You've already got the perfect gift.

Today marks the beginning of a pretty hectic few weeks. This year, which was a tough year on everyone, is probably going to be a little more stressful than usual. We're all counting our pennies and trying our hardest to make good decisions with the resources we have.

To help ease the stress, we want to remind you about something we've been talking about all year. We've been making one specific suggestion to you over and over again:

Don't bury yourself in your studio, surrounded by an inventory of prints you haven't quite figured out how to sell. Give those prints away. Let people see your work. Once you do, you'll be surprised by how quickly you start hearing from people who want to see more. You'll also be giving a very special gift, a gift that only you can give.

We're celebrating 30 years in business this year. We first published the image featured above in 1982. It's a picture of my Dad and my brother, Chris. Although the picture is old & dated (note the antique light meter in my Dad's hand), the message still rings true.

You've spent a lot of time creating beautiful images. You've poured your heart and soul into your work. This holiday season, when you're thinking of all the people you're thankful for, consider giving them a little bit of yourself. Nothing could be better.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This holiday season, the thing we're most thankful for is you.

We know this year has been tough and that everyone can use a little help making their dollars stretch further. Starting today and running through December 23rd, we're offering Free FedEx Ground Shipping on any order totaling $30 or more. (NOTE: This offer is only valid on orders shipped within the United States.)Thank you for your continued support of iPrintfromHome.com. It's been a pleasure working with you and we look forward to continuing to do so for years to come.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks,
the iPrintfromHome.com team

What, How & Why: A Closer Look - Featuring Chris Lazzery

At iPrintfromHome.com, we work with artists and photographers from across the United States and Canada. We're inspired everyday by the images that they send to us and by the stories they share.

In our "What, How & Why" interview series, we take a closer look at some of these fascinating people.

We've asked each participating artist or photographer three simple questions:

1. What do you do?
2. How do you do it?
3. Why do you use iPrintfromHome.com?

Please read on to find out more about Chris Lazzery.








Chris Lazzery
Photographer
Boston, MA


What do you do?
I'm a hobbyist photographer living outside Boston, Massachusetts. I've only really been interested in photography for a couple of years now, but it has easily become my favorite pastime. I love to photograph anything and everything, but I think I've found that my favorites are landscapes and cityscapes, especially during sunrise and sunset.

There aren't many weekends when I'm not out and about searching for something to shoot in the area. Or out of the area, for that matter.

I will often times get in my car to explore a lighthouse or waterfall hours away, just to spend some time with camera, relax, and shoot the beauty around me.


How do you do it?
Well, I've been drawing pretty much since I have been alive, and I went to school for graphic design, so I'd like to think I have a good eye for composition. Photography just seemed like another fun creative outlet with which to express myself. I currently shoot with a Canon 5D, very often with a wide angle lens attached, and an array of useful filters.

I often like to use rich, eye-catching colors and contrasts in my photos, really striving to make the viewer wish he or she was alongside me when I shot the scene.






Why do you use iPrintfromHome.com?
Short answer: Because they are awesome. They offer incredible quality, reasonable prices, and a myriad of printing styles and products. I've yet to hand a print to someone and didn't receive a "Wow" in regards to the quality. Turnaround is lightning fast and their customer service is among the friendliest and most personable I've encountered, which are key components in having a satisfied client in myself and, more importantly, those interested in my photography.

Contact Information:
Chris Lazzery
onefiftyeightphotos.com
flickr.com/photos/onefiftyeight