Author Archives: AtlasSigns

5 Great Artistic, Christian Decorations

Example of Manmade and Natural Beauty

Whether you’re a believer or not, you have to admit that Christianity is a symbolically and visually appealing religion. It’s artwork (like the Sistine chapel), symbols (the cross), and traditions like lent, fasting, and communion all contribute in building the word’s most widespread faith.

Today’s blog will focus on outstanding and beautiful Christian decorations in the form of handmade items from etsy.com.

The first Christian home decoration is the Celtic cross. This piece is made with corian substrate and quietly delivers bold detail that is both complex and muted. This allows the cross to gather attention in the way any great religious piece does—through quiet and subtle brilliance. You can find this product and other products from its curator here.

History. Tradition. Art. In many ways Vatican City is one big work of art. Every building, walkway, structure, and memorial is calculated to maximize beauty. This next piece then, could be considered a work of art of a work of art. Using a panorama technique, this photo of St. Peter’s courtyard creates a stunning effect. At 13” x 36” its size and appeal are great. But act quickly, this piece is a limited edition and is sure to sell quickly. Find yours here.

This next piece is what happens when film and art meet. From the utterly outstanding film “The Shawshank Redemption,” this handmade piece from Jenny Moore Designs is a very accurate representation of its source material. In the film this sign hung in Warden Norton’s office, concealing his safe and ledger books. Its message “His judgment cometh and that right soon” depicts God as vengeful, jealous, and wrathful. If you are a fan of the film then this embroidered sign is a must have. It’s listing on etsy.com is here.

In part because of the prominence, beauty, and symbolism of the cross, I couldn’t resist featuring another in this blog. This particular cross uses fleur de lis styling and is inscribed with a transcript of the Lord’s Prayer. This would be a beautiful piece to add to a church, home, or personal space. The Christian religion is  rich in meaning. This wonderful symbol is a fine example of that. You can find the Fleur Lord’s Prayer Cross here.

For the final piece we have a welcome sign from Atlas Signs and Plaques. This sign, called the Proverb Welcome Plaque, is customizable to feature any verse, a multitude of colors, with your choice of raised or recessed lettering. High in style, low in excess this sign uses few “grabby” visual cues while retaining a classic shape that is sure to bring the Lord’s glory to your home. In addition to this welcome plaque, Atlas Signs and Plaques has an entire category of religous signs and church plaques that you can find here.

Where Do I Hang My House Numbers Address Plaque?

 Every House Has Room for House Numbers

So you just received your brand new address numbers sign from Atlas Signs and Plaques and you’re ready to show it off to the world. You eagerly review the installation directions and excitedly head outside to hang it. It’s only then that you realize—“I have no idea where to hang this sign”.

Sound familiar? Not knowing where to hang your sign is stress forming and scary—placing it in the wrong spot limits your house’s visual beauty. But Don’t worry; just follow these 6 easy tips and you will do great.

Note: There are (not so) strict building codes that your city employs. Though often unenforced, you may want to review those codes before hanging your sign.

 6 easy tips to remember when hanging your address plaque

1. Visibility
2. Symmetry
3. No on-door hanging
4. Higher than 4.5 Ft., lower than 6 Ft.
5. Hanging to the right of the door is traditional
6. Make sure you’re happy

1. Visibility. The Cardinal rule of sign hanging is to place the sign somewhere it can be seen. The whole point of a sign is to be seen and hiding it behind a tree, bush, or plant, undermines the sign’s effectiveness.
poos sign placement

In this example the sign is hidden behind a palm tree, severely limiting its visibility. Simply moving the sign to the right of the door makes it much more visible in this case.

2. Symmetry. You want your sign to “line up” with other visual cues on the façade of your house. A sign that is off-center can make the entire house look awkward and unappealing.
Notice the sign placement in this photo. The sign is placed (roughly) on level with the door-knocker and the window divider to its right. Think of this as lines on a sheet of paper. You wouldn’t start a sentence on one line and then switch to another. Signs are the same way. If there’s a visual cue near your door (doorknob, lock, doorbell, window, mailbox) line up your sign with it and benefit.

3. No on-door hanging. Avoid on-door hanging for address numbers (welcome and phrase plaques are acceptable, however).
As you can see in the photo, having numbers on the door is a big no-no because they will usually look awkward.

4. Not too low, not too high. Generally you want your sign to hang anywhere between 4.5 ft. and 5.5 ft. high. This is well within the average person’s visual plane and will allow them to naturally view the sign without craning their necks to see it.
Notice in the picture how a guest on the front porch has to look down in order to see the numbers. By placing the numbers higher, their visibility increases.

5. To the Right. Though not a “rule” in the traditional sense—most house signs are placed to the right of the door. Why that is, I do not know; all I know is most people choose to hang on the right. Remember, there are no guidelines for this–the choice is yours.

For Most, Hanging on the Right Works Great

6. Make Yourself Happy. If you aren’t pleased then you’re doing it wrong. Don’t overly concern yourself with how you think other people think it looks. That’s silly. If you’re happy with the placement then the sign is well placed.

Try Not to Overthink Things

Don’t feel the urge to completely follow these rules because every home is different. Simply following tips 1 and 6 will lead to great results. Good luck and have fun!

The Pefect Valentine’s Day Gifts

Cupid. Doves with hearts. Flowers. Chocolates. Hallmark’s© super bowl. When these things are being talked about then you know that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.

Little is factually known about the genesis of Valentine’s Day; but historians believe it was initially observed as a day to remember several Christian martyrs named St. Valentine. Valentine’s Day held this association for nearly a decade until 1382 when Geoffrey Chaucer associated the day with love birds in a famous poem.

“For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.”

For those of you who aren’t middle English professors that line translates to:

“For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”

 Soon after this passage’s writing, Le Jour de St Valentino (the day of St. Valentine) was associated with intimate, romantic love.

Valentine’s Day is also correlated with the giving of gifts; and today’s blog will highlight the most personally perfect gifts available this Valentine’s Day.

I am a believer that personalized custom gifts are the best possible gifts to receive on Valentine’s Day. It lets me know that someone out there cares enough about me to resist buying a lame hallmark card, and took the time to fish out a great and unique gift. This Personalized Valentine Beach Stone by SJEngraving is an example of such a unique gift. It is customizable to feature you and your loved ones initials and would make a great fixture in the bedroom, bathroom, or garden.

Next is another personalized gift, this time from Atlas Signs and Plaques. Like the beach stone, this gift is fully customizable to feature the initials of lovers. Designed to emulate the look and feel of a carved heart in a tree, this plaque is not only tree friendly, but guaranteed to bring a big, sincere smile to whomever the lucky recipient is. But get it soon, because custom orders always take longer to create.

What is steampunk, and what does it have to do with Valentine’s day? Frankly, If you have to ask what steampunk is, you’ll never know (or, you know, give Wikipedia two more seconds of your time). We live in a big world with all sorts of people. Some people like traditional cutesy, lovey dovey gifts. Some people like gifts with a lot of personality and soul. And some people like standout zany gifts. The Steampunk ring by LondonParticulars is both zany and full of soul, and is ready for those of you with a more…off-the-beaten-trail sort of romance.

This wooden jewelry box from HappyFlying has everything a great Valentine’s Day gift should have: attractive lines, usability, and eye catching aesthetics. Plus, it looks like something out of “The Lord of the Rings” (a huge bonus in my book).

Finally we have the oval birds on a branch wedding/anniversary plaque. This sign is a great custom gift option, featuring two lovebirds touching (or kissing) beaks. This charming gift is sure to be adored, just like your love.

 

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more great gift ideas, and sign up for the Atlas Signs and Plaques email newsletter for even more custom options!

What Do you Find in a Man Cave?

There is little question that the man cave is an utterly necessary part of manhood. Man caves allow men to retreat from social and family responsibilities and pretend, if only for an hour or two, that they’re still a kid (which is kind of funny because men are really just grown boys). They still love things that crash and boom. They still have a nose for recklessness. And of course, they still have their toys (albeit bigger and more expensive).

Today’s blog celebrates the best toys that you may find in a man cave. Enjoy.

Altoids Rock!

First up is a truly one of a kind guitar amp my by Hesslerk. Made out of a Altoids container, this amp comes in all the regular Altoids flavors. Coming fully loaded with a 10x gain function (a LOT of crunch), this amp is soft on the battery and heavy on the metal. Just the way things should be in a man cave. This stylish amp also comes in a more risque variety for the more bachelor-oriented man caves.

Wise Words from Mr. Franklin

No Man Cave is complete without a reference to beer. This picture by Unlock My Story has humor and plenty of beer references. No matter your favorite flavor, everyone can appreciate Mr. Ben Franklin’s keen, astute explanation of Beer’s place in this world: “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”. Thank you, Mr. Franklin, thank you.

The Word's Greatest Man Cave Sign

Enter at Your Own Risk

Finally, we have a man’s sign in the truest meaning of the word. This sign made by Atlas Signs and Plaques is the  crown jewel of any man cave. It’s looks are great AND it prevents wayward, unfortunate souls from unwittingly entering the man’s lair. Buy the World’s Greatest Man Cave Sign today!

 

How To Customize Your Sign

Metal American Flag

Always Made in USA

The Atlas Signs and Plaques website features over 300 complete, customizable sign options that are available to you at the push of a button.

Our website features many, many sign designs that are embedded in our database and ready to be customized. Each sign is like a burnable CD—the foundation (the CD disk, or sign) needs data (your custom text). Once those two requisites are met, smooth sailing ensues.

To help your shopping experience here are a handful of pointers and reminders.

Our Design Team Works Hard for You

I found the perfect sign on your webpage. How do I customize it?

This is very easily done. To make a sign yours simply find the sign you like and pull up the sign’s page. On this page you will find a box roughly halfway down that says: “Customize Text. UPPER & lower CaSe”. Enter your custom text here, paying SPECIAL attention to ensure all the text is exactly the way you want it. Once this is done, you can complete the order. Our designers will take care of the rest.

 

But what if I don’t find something I like on your website?

 A common question. If you want something else you can send us your custom idea. Simply email your ideas to us (janey@atlassignsandplaques (MAKE SURE to include: height, width, budget, text, icons, etc.)) or you can submit a custom request by following the orange text on the leftmost column of our homepage. This links you to a page asking for specific details. Fill that page out to the best of your ability and send it to us. Once we receive your request we will contact you via email and begin a correspondence.

 

What if my text will not fit the sign?

For 95% of our signs this is not a problem. For the rest, like memorial and phrase plaques, we ask that you use restraint when filling in your custom text. Say ONLY what needs to be said using your best spatial judgment. We will do our very best to format your sign and your text in as beautiful a manner as possible. If your text does not fit, we will contact you for edits.

Our Signs Can Handle a Lot of Text

How Do I Submit a Custom Graphic Design?

We accept images in: Adobe Illustrator (ai), EPS, or vectorized PDF. (Vectorized PDF means that the file was created in Illustrator and then saved as a PDF.) Some CAD/CAM formats (DWG or DXF) are usually ok. However, even these acceptable file formats are not without some conditions. All text must be converted to outlines. Artwork should be vectorized. Rasterized images (common to photo editing software) are not acceptable.  Caution should be used to assure that lines are joined (welded), and that there are not multiple overlaid lines. Embedded or linked files are equally unacceptable.

How Can I Support Atlas Signs and Plaques?

The best way to support us is to buy a sign. That’s not always feasible. Another real way to support us is to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Social media matters, and we are very grateful for every fan.

That about does it! If you have any questions please leave them in the comment space below.