Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Enjoy this wonderful holiday weekend as you take time to remember all the things we all have to be thankful for. Have a very safe and warm Thanksgiving, from the entire LoneStar Team!

The Musical Talents of The LoneStar Team

This week, we wanted to get to know a little more about the many talents here at LoneStar. We asked the Team: "Do you play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument would you like to play?". Check out all the responses we received:

*Jason* Well...not to brag, but I'm basically Beethoven when it comes to tickling that ivory.

*Rob* I've played the guitar since I was 9 years old. I've always wanted to learn how to play the Glockenspiel.

*Joe* GUITAR HERO!!

*Mat* I wanna play the banjo so when my family gathers at the mud hole we could have a good ole fashioned jamboree, eat crawfish, and go four-wheelin' til the sun sets.

*Tasha* I have owned a beautiful Alvarez steel string guitar since I was 19 years old. I've learned some chords and a couple of diddies, but can't get myself to focus long enough to master it. Adult A.D.D. is a horrible affliction.

*Levi* Music is basically my life.
Drums are my main instrument which I've played with several musicians, but on the side I play djembe, guitar, bass, mandolin, piano, and sing.

*Alicia* I did play the saxophone in high school, but I would absolutely LOVE to learn piano! I plan to take lessons with my daughter when she gets old enough (unless I get to it before then).

*Chad* I play the Xbox.

*Lana* I would have to say the Piano. I took Lessons when I was a child and loved every minute of it. I would love to play again!

*Lindsay* Well, for the past couple of years, I've been learning to play the guitar. But, I started out playing the flute for quite a few years in my school band, then briefly tried out the piano as well. Just recently though, I've also been thinking that it would be cool to play the drums, so maybe that will be my next project.

Another Overstock Lanyard Sale!

This week, our featured items are the L41 and L411 Lanyards. These unique styles are perfect for a million uses and right now, they're also on sale as part of our Overstock Lanyard Sale. Check them out online today!

As you can see, these lanyard styles are quite unique. The L41, measuring a total of 9" long, features the convenience of having both the bulldog clip and the swivel hook clip fasteners. They come in handy for carrying items from your wrist or attaching name badges to a set of keys, and with the durable cord material, they're sure to be a long-lasting style.

The L411 Lanyards are also made from the same durable cord material. This style measures approximately 9 1/2" from end to end. They also feature dual fasteners, however this style comes standard with the bulldog clip on one end and the cellphone keeper on the other. They're the perfect lanyards for attaching your camera or flash drive to your key chain, or to wear conveniently around your wrist as well.

Both styles are pre-packaged in handy bags of 100 lanyards for your ordering convenience. They unfortunately are only available in black, however they are also an in-stock item so you can order today with confidence, even if your event is just a few days away. Hurry and place your online order now and save while supplies last!

Additionally, when you order either of these styles online right now, you can save 5% as part of our Overstock Sale. When you order, simply include the discount code "OVRL41B" in the notes section at the very end of the ordering process. We will manually adjust your invoice to reflect the discount as soon as the order is received and processed. If you have any questions about our products or services before you order, please don't hesitate to contact us at your convenience via phone, email, or Live Chat. We look forward to shipping your L41 or L411 Lanyards out today!

Thanksgiving Dinner

So, keeping with the holiday theme, this week we asked the LoneStar Team about Thanksgiving. In specific, we wanted to know the Team's favorite foods served for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Check out what they had to say:

Alicia - Broccoli and rice casserole! My Grandma makes the best!!

Corina - Stuffing, it just goes so well with turkey.

Tasha - Mom's turkey dressing! No one makes it like Mom.

Rob - When the first cold front finally gets here, usually around the beginning of October, that's when I start thinking about the holidays. When I think of Thanksgiving feast, my mom's home-made stuffing with gravy on top was always my favorite!

Chad - I love stuffing because I'm full of it.

Levi - I guess my answer is maybe cranberry sauce? Maybe that's just because I want some right now though...

Lana - Pumpkin Pie! I remember helping my mom make pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving and I always got the first slice with Whip Cream!

Lindsay - Well, I can't decide between the cranberry sauce and the pumpkin pie, so I'll have to just say both.

LoneStar's Soft & Comfy Cotton Lanyards

LoneStar's soft and comfortable lanyards, more specifically our C210 and C810 styles, are our featured items this week. Both are produced using a soft and breathable cotton material. The C210 is the 1/2" wide version and the C810 is our wider 1" version. They both measure to be about 16" long down each side, not including the added fastener length.

C210

C810

Both of these comfy cotton styles are available in your choice of one of 19 material colors and can be custom imprinted with your unique company logo or text. You can choose your favorites of our 17 bright and vibrant printing colors for the screen imprinting to add your company's personal touch to the order. The printing is available in multiple colors as well, along with printing on either one or both sides of the lanyards (additional charges will apply per color on each side). Additionally, you can choose your preferred end fastener, in both metal and durable plastic options, for even more comfort and convenience.

With the soft and comfy cotton material and the many convenient fastener options, the C210 and C810 styles are great for use in schools or other applications around children. They also serve as great lanyards for in hospitals, healthcare centers, or even just for daily use at your large or small company. Check out these soft lanyard styles online now and contact us at any time with any questions you might have about our products or services. We look forward to producing your cotton lanyards soon!

A Closer Look into LoneStar's Printing Processes

**Dye-Sublimation, used by LoneStar on a variety on name badge and lanyard styles, is a process that uses large sublimation printers to heat and transfer your artwork from an ink ribbon onto the badge or lanyard you choose. Dye sublimation enables you to print a more varied spectrum of colors as the sublimation printers are great for shading as well as producing gradients. Sublimation will be a great choice for you if your badge or lanyard layout will include many colors.

Check out these dye-sublimated LoneStar styles...
Name Badges:
BCP
BEP
WBWE1
Lanyards:
C232
C732
C832


**Laser engraving is a process that uses a laser to transfer light energy into heat. As the laser heads move over the surface of your badge or custom sign, they will engrave away the top layer of colored plastic exposing the underlying core color to create your unique two-toned layout. The laser heads are often computer system guided for precision and extreme accuracy. The high resolution achieved by the lasers, up to 1,200 dots per inch, allows for detailed artwork or text to show through on the two-toned plastic for a long-lasting effect. The laser engraving process is great for producing name badges, as well as signs, that will only include a couple of colors in the artwork, but might also include finer details.

Check out our engraved styles...
Name Badges:
BLP
BTP
WBWL1
WBWL2
WBWL3
WBWT1
WBWT2
Custom Signs


**Digital printing is another one of LoneStar's full-color printing options. It's great for capturing the small details of your artwork, and even better if you need to match the colors in your art to a specific Pantone color. The digital printers simply reproduce your artwork by printing a thin layer of ink onto the badge surface, then overlaying with a protective clear top coat. Since the ink is non-absorbent and is placed directly onto the surface of the badge, there is less waste ink and additional materials to worry about when printing, therefore generally making digitally printed name badges a less expensive full-color option than the dye-sublimated badges.

Here are some of LoneStar's digitally printed styles...

Name Badges:
BMP
BZP
W110
W210

Meet LoneStar's Production Department

from left to right...Chad, Rob, Mary, Benito, Tasha, Mat, Corina, James, Joe, and Robert

Their wide range of talents and incredible personalities are what sets LoneStar's production team apart from the rest. When it comes to custom name badges and lanyards, there isn't anything that these guys and gals can't handle!

www.LoneStarBadge.com

The LoneStar Team's Favorite Name Badge of the Week

This week's favorite name badge was chosen by Lindsay. She likes this BMP badge, ordered by the Baltimore Woods Centers for Nature Education, because she loves the detail in the artwork and the crisp and colorful digital printing.

Holiday Excitement

With the big holiday time of year just around the corner, we asked the LoneStar Team to start thinking about their favorite holidays. They were asked which one holiday are they most overly excited for each year. Check out what the Team had to say...

~Mary~ Groundhog Day... We stay up all night in anticipation of whether that furry little guy will see his shadow or not.

~Levi~ Christmas!!!! BY FAR! My birthday is two days before (on the 23rd) and my sister's is in the same month (on the 3rd), so all this stuff is going on at once and it's crazy!

~James~ I usually get excited around Christmas and New Year's Eve because it's all about a time of togetherness, a whole new year and a whole lot of FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!

~Chad~ St. Patrick's Day. I'm always worried I will forget to wear green and then I'll get pinched!

~Tasha~ Christmas! It brings me back to exciting childhood memories.

~Shealee~ Most definitely April Fool's Day!!! The plotting and the scheming! Oh, the anticipation of a practical joke being pulled on you is enough to bring anxiety with a hint of joy into your life!

~Lana~ I like any holiday that I can decorate my house! I like both Christmas and Halloween the best, but the one that gives me an anxiety attack would have to be Halloween! I love it, love it, love it! Just talking about next year makes me excited! Next year's party will be even better than this year - I can't wait!

~Lindsay~ I always get excited about Christmas. It's just a fun time of year and I enjoy the extra time off with my family.

~Jason~ The month was December, the frigid Texas air gave me a feeling of a sub-zero environment. The date was the 24th, yes, it was indeed Christmas eve. As a miniature Mikal, Matt, and Jason rode in the back seat of the family Suburban gazing at all the Christmas lights and trying to take in all the holiday spirit, something truly amazing happened...
I can't be sure if it was all the caffeine, the driving, singing, and bouncing, or all the lights, but my little red-headed circuits overloaded with Christmas spirit and I lost my breath while rapidly repeating "CHRISTMAS IS TOMORROW".
My mom was the first to realize that I was overdosing on the seasonal joy and made me put down my coffee, open the window, breathe deep, and stop screaming about Christmas. Of course I obeyed her because I was thinking about our once yearly game of Monopoly Mikal and I played every Christmas eve.
The rest of the evening was a blur, but I'll never forget the year I almost died from Christmas-fueled happiness.

H260 and H261 Badge Holders

Right now, at LoneStarBadge.com, we're currently featuring our H260 and H261 badge holders. They will be the perfect addition to your next large conference, Trade show, or other corporate function. With many stock, pre-printed titles to choose from for the colored imprinted extension bars, your orders can usually ship the same day you place order online!

The H260 and H261 badge holders are made from a clear vinyl material and perfectly fit a 3" x 4" name badge or paper insert, such as our H900 or H910 inserts. They include a 5/8" colored extension bar with an assortment of some of the most commonly requested titles.

The H260 holders come standard with an attached bulldog clip fastener and are available in the following color and title combinations:
ATTENDEE (in blue with white text)
EXHIBITOR (in red with white text)
ADVERTISING/MARKETING/PR/AGENCY (in gray with white text)
BUYERS (in red with white text)
CONSULTANT/SUPPLIER (white text with all yellow vinyl)
MEDIA/PRESS (in green with white text)
MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE (in blue with white text)
VEHICLE MANUFACTURER (in black with white text)

THE H261 holders don't come with any attached fasteners, but do have a slot along the top for you to attach your preferred fastener or lanyard. They're available in the following color and title options:
ATTENDEE (in red with white text)
VISITOR (in green with white text)

Both the H260 and H261 badge holders are on Closeout so check them out online now to save BIG! Additionally, we're also currently offering both styles with FREE SHIPPING. That's right, we'll ship the H260 or H261 badge holders to anywhere in the U.S. for FREE (expedited or international shipments are available for additional fees). Hurry and place your badge holder order today while supplies last!

Photographed or Photographer?

This week, the LoneStar Team was asked,
"Do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it?"
Check out the responses:

*JASON* Behind it because I take great pictures OR
in front of it...because I take great pictures!

*TASHA* Neither...I've never been a picture taker.

*MAT* In front of it because if I was behind it I would just be wasting these good looks.

*LANA* I love to be behind the camera! I love to catch people when they least expect it. My family calls me the Paparazzi and I've got some really good pics of them! I always have my camera with me. So look out at our company parties. I'll catch you when you least expect it!

*ROB* I like taking pictures, especially of my grand kids; just wanting to capture that perfect expression. Animals and landscapes are fun too, and oh yeah, and Halloween costumes.

*LEVI* BOTH! Taking pictures is definitely a hobby of mine. Being in control of the way the picture comes out is nice, but being a part of it and getting tagged on facebook is cool too. Haha!

*SHEALEE* Most definitely both!! I have mastered the art of taking close up pics of my friends with me still in the pic!

*LINDSAY* I really like both. It's fun to pose for the camera, but since I was little I've always loved taking pictures, too.

Happy Birthday!

The LoneStar Team would like to wish Benito a very Happy Birthday!

We hope you enjoy your day, Benito, and have a wonderful birthday weekend!

The LoneStar Team's Favorite Name Badge of the Week

The name badge featured above, ordered by none other than the Chicago Bulls, is Tasha's #1 choice this week. It's one of LoneStar's BLP Laser Engraved Series badges in the Brushed Gold and Black color combination.

Which Fastener is Right For Your Badges?

When ordering name badges, there are so many options to choose from. First you have to decide on the right material, which colors to use, the badge size, whether to use an acrylic backer or matching frame, and so on... Those decisions can be difficult enough. But then, you'll have to also select the best fastener to fit all your employees' many uses and needs. So how do you know which fastener will be right for your company's badges? Check out some of LoneStar's most popular badge fastener options to guide you to the right decision.

The Standard Pin:
The most economical option
Light-weight, therefore making them perfect for plastic and other light-weight badges
Not recommended for use around small children

The Locking Pin:

Another economical option with a little added security
Light-weight
Great for use in more fast-paced offices
Locks in place to prevent the badge from falling off clothing

The Military Bar:
An excellent alternative to a Standard or Locking Pin, with just a touch more security
More ideal for use outdoors or with heavier clothing
Applied with a heavy duty adhesive to prevent it from ever separating from the badge

The Bulldog Clip:

Long-lasting and durable
Great around children
Light-weight
No additional parts or backers to break or lose

The Swivel Alligator Clip:

Similar to the Bulldog Clip, but with the added Swivel feature and the more narrow front
Long-lasting
Light-weight
Great for children

The Deluxe Magnet Bar:
An ideal choice for everyday use
Perfect for use around small children
Great for busy or harsh environments
Long-lasting and durable
Perfect for heavy duty metal badges or window badges
NOT recommended for use with Pacemakers

The Super Grip Magnet Bar:
Great for use outdoors or with outer and heavier clothing
Ideal in busy or harsh environments, such as in restaurants or or retail stores
Perfect for use around children in schools and daycares
Perfect for heavy duty metal badges or window badges
NOT recommended for use with Pacemakers

Now that you've learned a little about some of LoneStar's fasteners, check out our Name Badges online as well and start designing your custom badges today!

Power Cords that Will Fit Your Style

LoneStar's C404 Lanyard is a very unique style and this week, it's also our featured style. They are a durable, 3/16" thick power cord lanyard that can be used in a variety of ways for a huge assortment of applications. The durability of this style will make it a perfect choice for a long-lasting and reusable lanyard.

The C404 lanyards are offered in your choice of our 11 bright colors, including 2 reflective color options. They also come standard with a safety breakaway in the back of the lanyard, as well as your preferred end fastener option. Additionally, this unique style features a length adjustment slider piece in front that adds comfort and safety to these lanyards, even making them great for use around children. The slider allows you to customize each lanyard with your colored logo or text for an extra personalized touch. There are 17 vibrant printing colors available for the slider.

Check out the C404 Power Cord Lanyards online now and feel free to contact us at any time if you have any additional questions about them. We look forward to helping you customize your C404 lanyards soon!

The LoneStar Team's Favorite Name Badge of the Week

This Silver BEP Name Badge, ordered by the Atlanta Dream, is Rob's favorite badge choice this week. He remembers printing these badges while working in LoneStar's sublimation department and adjusting the PMS colors to get just the perfect match.