It’s Tebow time in Colorado, and at Bloomin’ this week. Most of our staff had on our orange and Blue, and Sue was sporting the official number 15! We will all be gathering around the tele with friends and family to watch our Beloved Broncos make the magic happen again this Saturday night.

In honor of Tim Tebow mania, we’ve mocked-up a limited edition version of our popular Growfetti in orange, blue, and white seed paper. The name of our newest addition to the Growfetti line–you guessed it…. Tebowfetti! Let us know what you think!

There’s plenty of time to get your orders in so you can have it on hand for tossing in the air when the Broncos win Super Bowl XLVI on  February 5, 201. Go Broncos!

Tebowfetti!

We started off the year with a BANG at the 2012 PPAI Las Vegas Expo. With over 1,000 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees, it’s an understatement to say I was a little overwhelmed at my first trade show. Luckily I had the veterans, Katie and Don,  there to help me out. Katie thought it was, “great to meet everyone and finally get the chance to put some names to faces.”

The Bloomin sales team got to stay in the luxurious Luxor hotel, and I’ll tell you we had quite the time navigating that labyrinth of a pyramid. I guess that’s what they try to do in Vegas, get you so lost in the hotel so you’ll never leave!

Our new 2012 products were well received, and our new and improved booth looked great. People were most excited about our plantable seed paper confetti packs and mini-planting kits. We are in the process of whipping up some samples of those so we can send them out to the hungry masses. The rest of the month holds two more trade shows, ASI Orlando and Toronto. We better rest up and get ready to do it all over again!

Katie and Lauren looking good at the booth!

We have all heard about the declining bee populations, and the dramatic impact it will  have the on world’s food supply. But although everyone is aware of the problem, most are not aware of the positive impact their individual actions can make toward helping this cause. Here at Bloomin’, we are looking for a way to help make this empowerment process easier for the American people. And it comes in the form of plantable seed paper.

The transformation of wilderness into farmland has greatly impacted pollinators, such as bees. And the trend of monoculture (growing a single crop over a large space of land) means that only a small portion of bees and insects are getting the nutrition they need. The result? The bees don’t come and pollinate the land, resulting in lower crop yields, and bees having to fly farther to get the pollen they desire. An estimated $18 billion worth of fruits and vegetables grown in the Unites States depend on bees for pollination. Without bees, this profit won’t even come close to what it is now. Imagine the devastation on the American agriculture industry, and the people who will go hungry because of it.

Other reasons for the bee population decline include pesticide use, introduced diseases and pests. Yes, there needs to be new government regulation on the pesticides used and subsidies for farmers using methods and growing crops that bees find favorable, but the solution to this problem will take more than sitting back and waiting for these bills to pass. It takes the initiative of a population on an individual level: people need to take this matter into their own hands to solve the declining bee problem. And Bloomin’s plantable seed paper is the perfect tool to help you get started on this path.

By combining a diverse mix of annual and perennial wildflowers that bees are highly attracted to and are native to numerous parts of the country, we have made planting your own wildflower garden easy and affective. Simply take the seed paper, plant it under a thin layer of soil, and water it. Bees prefer gardens that are diverse, with many colors and different species. Fortunately, many of the plants that bees like are attractive to humans too. So you will not only be helping save the bees, but enjoying a vibrant floral landscape as well.

Initiative can be taken beyond individual gardens and backyards. America has an abundance of suitable land for planting, right along the 4 million miles of roads that stretch across the country, resulting in 10 million acres of suitable land. Imagine the impact if all those stretches of highway also served to save the declining bee population.

Let us know if you have any other ideas regarding the “Save the Bees” movement. We are really looking forward to helping make a difference!

Here at Bloomin’, we love when clients show us their seed paper sprouting into wildflowers. Our latest testimonial comes from NK Promotions, a promotional products company based out of sunny Hawaii. We worked together on a PB1-Value used as a gift for people attending a memorial service. The bookmark came out beautifully, and from the looks of those sprouts the flowers will too!

Thanks again for the order NK Promotions and hope we can continue providing you and your clients with some exceptional seed paper products.

Here's the bookmark we made for them

And here it is growing!

There are so many great ways to get creative with our plantable seed paper wedding invitation suites. In a recent order, the happy couple decided to get crafty and add their own unique style to our Persimmon suite. They took the printed pieces from us, and tied each complete suite together with a simple knot, making each invitation its own little package.

We love when brides and grooms show us their finished product, and we think their addition is adorable. Hopefully we’ll get to see some new custom touches soon! To check out all of our plantable seed paper wedding invitation suite, please visit www.bloomininvites.com

It may be the beginning of winter, but Bloomin’ is still sprouting up new ideas, new products, and introducing new team members into our awesome mix.  Our new Sales Coordinator, Katie Kennedy, comes to us with a background and passion for sustainable products. Katie says that, “living in Colorado for the last 13 years has deepened my appreciation for our environment and inspired me to work towards its preservation. I’m proud to be part of a company that runs on renewable solar energy and creates products out of 100% recycled materials”.  Other than saving the world one piece of seed paper at a time, Katie enjoys backpacking, whitewater rafting,  skiing the killer slopes of the Rocky Mountains and gardening on the Front Range (with Bloomin’ seeds of course).

Katie Kennedy - Bloomin' Sales Coordinator

What else is new at Bloomin’ you might ask? Brace yourselves for the upcoming release of new growfetti shapes, mini wildflower growing kits, seed paper envelopes, and our gorgeous eco-friendly premium invitation line. Until then, don’t forget to take advantage extended special pricing on our “Holiday the Easy Way” greeting cards.  Um, can you say “free set-ups?” We will, but only until December 1st!

Be sure to check out and download the full and complete catalog of Bloomin Holiday Promotions at http://bloominpromotions.com/BloominHolidayCatalog11.pdf

The most recent PPAI Newslink article informed readers that President Obama will issue an Executive Order instructing all Federal agencies to limit spending on “non-essential items used for promotional purchases.” When the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) President and CEO Paul Bellantone caught wind of this order, he quickly petitioned the President saying that, “while it might be tempting to limit the purchase of promotional products in order to yield some short-term savings, in the long-term…promotional products have proven themselves to be the most cost-effective way to reach a very targeted audience in a tangible, long-lasting and memorable manner.”

Here at Bloomin’, we believe the future of promotional products lies in the use of eco-friendly materials that won’t end up in a landfill. Perhaps if President Obama knew about Bloomin’ seed paper promotional products, which are made out of 100% recycled materials and grow into wildflowers when planted, he would reconsider his Executive Order. Instead of decreasing promotional spending, people should be re-thinking how they choose to promote their business and what that says to their target market.

We think Bloomin’ President Don Martin should add to Mr. Bellantone’s petition persuading President Obama to use plantable seed paper for all Federal agency promotions and for his 2012 reelection campaign. Now that would really show the world Obama’s commitment to the environment and renewable energy as he attempts to be reelected for his second term as President of the United States.

Progress to SEED PAPER

Bloomin’ employees T.J. Ingraham and Michael Sethney (a.k.a Seth) recently opened their food truck Verde, which is proud to be the first, authentic Sonoran style Mexican food vendor in Colorado. The guys were nice enough to stop by the Bloomin’ office building today and let everyone try their famous cuisine. I made sure to order their Machaca, which is shredded beef stewed in a special blend of spices.  It was delicious! The meat was bursting with flavor and my tacos perfectly satisfied my mid-day hunger. I ordered three, but could only finish two!
Verde’s name not only stems from the Spanish word for “green”, but their commitment to serve the freshest food available, using products and methods that will protect the environment as well. Now there’s an earth-friendly mission statement we agree with here at Bloomin’. Maybe we can even get Verde to print their menus on seed paper!

Thanks for stopping by today Seth and T.J. Hope business is blossoming and can’t wait for some more Verde next week!

Verde Food Truck

Bloomin’ is proud to introduce our newest employee, Lauren Shapiro. She is a recent marketing grad from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado. Her interest in sustainability is what led her to Bloomin’. She thinks the idea of eco-friendly promotions and greetings is really great, and so do we! Besides seed paper, Lauren enjoys skiing, cooking, practicing yoga, shopping, and traveling. Last summer, Lauren was on Semester at Sea and traveled throughout the Mediterranean. Her favorite stop? Greece!

Bloomin' is proud to introduce our newest employee, Lauren Shapiro.

Speaking of introductions, Bloomin’ just released our latest line of holiday cards. “Holiday the Easy Way” features 20 new stock card designs. Simply select a greeting or submit your own wording, send us your logo, and we’ll make sure to send you a proof within 24 hours.  It’s the easy way to create this holiday season’s greetings.

Lauren’s favorite from the new designs is the reindeer on the plantable seed paper card. Which design is yours?