Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is breast cancer awareness month.  This disease has affected countless people either themselves having the disease or by it having affected a loved one.  Breast Cancer Awareness helps to keep this deadly disease in the forefront to accomplish numerous things.   You can wear pink, wear breast cancer awareness buttons or T-shrits or even display a Breast Cancer Awareness Garden Flag.

One purpose is to educate.  To point out both risk factors and steps toward prevention.  I just learned that just simple physical exercise is one of those prevention methods.  I read that just three hours of exercise a week helps to boost the immune system which helps to fight off this disease.  Another important purpose of  Awareness Month is to remind women to get their mammograms and routinely do self exams.  It is so easy to forget these things in our busy lives,even though they take so little time.
Encouraging donations by stressing the importance of these contributions .  Giving either your time as a volunteer or a gift of money can help a woman who is both financially and mentally drained get through a challenge of a lifetime.

So as the month of October comes to an end, the need for Breast Cancer Awareness does not end.  The simple act of occasionally wearing that pink T-shirt or displaying a pink ribbon garden flag can help remind people to do what they have withing their power to help fight this disease.

There are countless awareness decorative flags to be found.  We offer two that are also personalized flags   These flags help you support a loved one fighting the disease or remember someone you have lost.  Using personalized banners such as these with an actual person's name on it makes the devasting affects of breast cancer more real and therefore hopefully creating more action.  Our thoughts and best wishes are with all.


Thank you for reading.
Josie and Marilee
Custom Flags and Gifts

Fall time is Pumpkin Time

Nothing says fall quite like pumpkins, they are everywhere this time of year.  There are pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin muffins just to name a few.  I'm not complaining, I love just about anything with pumpkin in it.

People make such creative fall decorations and Jack-O-Lanterns.  They're not just for carving anymore.  They paint them, use decals, wrap them in cloth, use rhinestones, googley eyes and the list goes on.  I've wasted many an hour browsing the internet looking at all the different ways people decorate with pumpkins.  Here is an article of 45 Pumpkin Decorating Projects from Midwest Living. 

 I also enjoy all the fall garden flags with pumpkins on them.  There are so many nice ones.  The Pumpin Welcome Applique Fall Garden Flag above is one of my favorite with the blackbird and large sunflower.  There is also the Autumn Wagon Applique Flag and Pumpkin Birdhouse Autumn Flag to name a few.  I haven't had a lot of time this fall to do much with pumpkins myself, even though I had grand plans.  For right now, I'll just settle with a nice decorative yard flag or two with the orange symbol of fall to add color to my outdoor autumn decor.

 

Thank you for reading.

Marilee & Josie

Custom Flags and Gifts

Decorative Halloween Yard Flags

Halloween is just around the corner and we are taking inventory of our Halloween Garden Flags  and Halloween House Flags.  I can still remember as a child going trick or treating door to door. Back then we didn't worry about if we knew the people or not.  Neither did we worry about what was in our bags.  Our parents didn't inspect our goods before we could eat them.  We just came home, marveled over our spoils and down the hatch they went.  That included homemade cookies, cupcakes, unwrapped candy in baggies all sorts of dangerous stuff.  Those were different times.

Although people are much more cautious today as far as trick-or-treating goes, enthusiasm for the holiday has not waned one bit.  Outdoor Halloween decor seems to get more sophsticated and abundant each year.  One of my neighbors this year had a yard full of extravagant Halloween decorations before the end of September.  Its fun to see the creative ways people express their love for the season.  My favorite are the handmade items; stuffed scarecrows and witches and pumpkins carved with imagination. I also enjoy, of course, seeing all the different decorative Halloween yard flags.  There is such a wide variey of Halloween flags to choose from, and if you are too busy to do a lot of decorating this year, a Halloween Garden Flag displayed in your yard is a quick way to show you are in the spirit of the fun that this holiday brings.



Here are some decorative flags we are offering this year for Halloween.  We even have a few that can be personalized and a couple that are Custom Made Garden Flags.





Thanks for reading.
Josie and Marilee
Custom Flags and Gifts

Decorative Yard Flags Featuring Pets

Decorative flags exist for every occasion and every holiday.  There are garden flags that promote a cause and house flags that say congratulations.  Some of the most popular yard flags are those that feature people's beloved pets. 
I have always heard owning pets can actually be good for our health.  That the act of petting an animal is actually soothing to us also and helps to reduce stress.  They are also great companions for elderly folk who cannot get out much and gives them a feeling of usefulness and boosts mental heath.  But after finding the article on CNN at this link ,I was amazed at other health benefits owning a pet creates. Like its been shown that children who are exposed to pet dander at an early age by growing up with pets, tend to have less allergies.  That's a new one on me.  So give them some recognition and show your love by displaying yard flags with pets.

There are lots of very nice dog flags by your favorite brands. Most of these can be personalized with the pet's name. One popular brand that does dog flags and only dog flags along with some other dog products is Best of Breed.  This Chocolate Lab flag is by Best of Breed., the Boxer flag is by Evergreen.

 

There are also several custom dog and cat garden flags.  Some support the cause of Rescue Dogs others just declare the master's love for their pet.  One of the newest custom cat flags we offer is this Spoiled Cat Custom Flag.  It allows you not only to personalize the flag with the cat's name, you also get to choose from four different adorable cartoon cats as to which one will represent your cat on the flag. 

Custom flags make such fun garden flags to display.  They are made just for you and have your personal touch. These custom dog flags and cat flags would make great gifts for someone on your list that loves their pet. 

Thanks for reading.
Josie and Marilee
Custom Flags and Gifts

Frequently Asked Questions about Applique Flags

There are two main types of decorative flags; printed art flags and applique flags.

 So what is applique?  Applique is a form of needlework where pieces of fabric of different colors and designs are sewn together to create a picture or design.  Applique garden flags and house flags are made this exact way.  Because of the way these decorative flags are constructed they may have less detail than a printed flag, but they make up for it with other types of detail such as embroidery and other embellishments that often make them three dimensional.  For example, on this Just Married Wedding Garden Flag by Two Group,which is a double applique flag, they added some netting material for the  bride's veil

What is the difference between single applique and double applique?   Single applique is just one layer.  The pieces of fabric are sewn together with topstitch embroidery and the flag is hemmed so there are no raw edges, but it is a single layer. very often a single applique flag can be viewed correctly from one side only.  This Love Birds Garden Flag is single applique, but is a very lovely, well maded quality flag. A double applique decorative yard flag is basically two complete flags sewn together.

Why are double applique flags sometimes more expensive than other flags?   Since double applique flags are basically two complete flags sewn together, it is twice the material and twice the labor.  You do end up with a nice heavy durable flag, usually well worth the money.

What does it mean when it says double sided?  Double sided means the garden flag or house flag can be viewed equally from either side, including being able to read the text correctly from either side.  Double applique flags are almost always double sided.   With single applique it varies, but more and more, decorative flag companies are making an effort to make flags that are double sided.  Just check the description or ask the company if having the flag double sided is important to you. The Autumn Wagon Applique Garden Flag shown here is one of our heavy double sided, double applique flags by FlagCenter.  These are wonderful high quality flags. 

If you have any other questions about applique decorative flags you can e-mail us at info@flagsandgifts.com

Thank you for reading
Marilee & Josie
Custom Flags and Gifts

Adding Colors of Autumn with Fall Garden Flags

Autumn is such a beautiful time of year.  The colors that represent this season are my personal favorite.  By displaying fall garden flags in your yard or garden you can add even more of these glorious colors to your yard.  These double applique autumn garden flags by FlagCenter show fall leaves in all their glory.  These decorative flags are just wonderful and so pleasing to the eye. They also can be viewed equally from either side.

 There are other applique flags for fall along with many lovely printed fall flags with scarecrows, pumpkins, mums and other fall elements. 















There are also some custom fall flags that you personalize with your name or monogram.  This Magic of Autumn Monogram Flag is one example.   

 

 



Enjoy browsing the colors of the season while shopping for your fall garden flags at
 Custom Flags and Gifts.

Garden Flags - a way to show support

September 11th is quickly approaching and as our 9/11 Garden Flag says, to "Always Remember" is so very important.  Remembering any tragic times or particular days is important for those who suffered, those who lost loved ones and to help prevent them from happening again.


Displaying our "Always Remember" Flag or any patriotic garden flag is a small thing you can do with very little cost or effort to show that you care.  An American Flag is another perfect choice.  For those who find dealing with full size flags difficult, there are garden size American Flags.  These are great to have in your flag collection to display on various patriotic holidays.   

 

There are any number of patriotic garden flags or house flags that would be appropriate.  But whether you display a flag or not, give a small prayer for those who suffered and be sure to never forget.

 

Thanks for reading.

Josie and Marilee

Custom Flags and Gifts

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