If you have not shopped at Johnson Plastics in a while, or have not visited their booth at a recent trade show, perhaps now is the time to pick up a current catalog or go online to see their new products for sublimation. You will enjoy seeing new sublimatable accessories for the home and office.

The new items are crafted from natural wood and will accent any living space. These products have a maple wood finish and are distinguished in appearance. The wood surface is smooth and handsome for a sophisticated appeal. They offer a perfect way to display those special photos or logos.

Pen Holders

The new wood line from Johnson Plastics includes two pen holders; one style sits flat on a table top, and the other one has a rotating stand that allows the pen holder to swivel. Each pen holder has a sublimatable insert on each side, allowing someone to enjoy a variety of pictures while sitting at their desk. The pen holders have a felt bottom to protect most furniture surfaces. Images are sublimated on metal inserts measuring 2” x 3”.

Recipe Box

There is a recipe box that has a recessed top for a sublimated image or message. The recipe box is deep for large recipe cards. Images are sublimated on metal inserts measuring 2 1/2” x 5” and adhered to the top of the box. The beautiful natural wood will adorn any kitchen. A filing system for the inside of the box can be purchased at most office supply stores.

Square Wood Coasters

Square wood coasters are functional and perfect for any décor. The natural maple wood has a recessed area to house a sublimated image. Encourage your customer to use a variety of images to create the perfect set to accent a home or office. The coaster set also comes with a maple wood coaster holder for an upright display. The bottom has felt pads to protect furniture. The sublimatable inserts for the coasters are metal and measure 3 1/8” x 3 1/8”.

Valet Tray

A valet tray is ideal for the gentleman of the house. The valet tray protects furniture from bumps and scratches from keys and loose change. Also, no more looking for lost keys when keys are placed in the tray upon returning home. Make this a special gift by sublimating a photo image or logo on a masonite insert measuring 5” x 5”.

Wood Boxes

There are two maple finish wood boxes in this line from Johnson Plastics. The larger box houses an insert that measures 4” x 4” while the smaller box holds an insert that measures 2 3/8” x 4”. Both are ideal for a photo image of a special time or place. The inserts are metal and sublimate with vivid clarity. The boxes have a hinged lid, and the bottom is felt-lined to protect contents.

Metal Inserts

All the wood products from the new Johnson Plastics line come with the metal inserts that will sublimate brilliantly. Additional inserts can be purchased for a small price, which comes in handy when mistakes are made in your shop.

To illustrate the versatility and appearance of this line, we sublimated a couple of items with a logo and various photos. Here is the process we followed:

Sublimating The Valet Tray

First, we will make a valet tray. Our customer was a college student with a new apartment. Keeping this in mind, we wanted to create a youthful design.

1)We started by creating a new design, using his fraternity Greek letters as a starting point. Additionally, we found out the fraternity colors are green and white. So green was used as the background because it will look handsome when combined with the natural wood. Plus these colors add value to the product by making it more personalized for the customer.

2)An appropriate size canvas of 5.25” x 5.25” was opened. The actual size of the insert is 5” x 5” but we build in extra size in the background to make sure the entire substrate is covered when pressed.

3) The design was simple to put together. The Greek letters and university name were dropped in and sized to fit the available space. Several special effects were added to the text to give a modern, pleasing appearance for the customer. Some of the Photoshop effects that were used include drop shadow, inner shadow, bevel and emboss, and a black stroke.

4)Once the design is completed, send it to the printer. Be sure to print the transfer in mirror image, and be sure that the color settings are correct. Once the transfer is printed, let it dry a few moments before pressing.

5)Remove the protective plastic film from the metal before pressing, by peeling the corner away from the substrate with a fingernail.

6)Secure the masonite to the transfer with heat-resistant tape. Be sure to align the transfer image properly to the substrate.

7)Position the product on the heat press with the coated side up, and the transfer down.

8)Press the product with medium pressure for 60 to 75 seconds at 400 degrees.

9)Use care when removing the transfer from the substrate to prevent smearing the image. Since the product will be hot, use a protective glove to prevent burns.

10)Once the product is cooled, secure the insert to the wood base with aggressive two-sided tape or glue.

11)Repackage the finished valet tray in the original shipping box for delivery to the customer.

Sublimating The Rotating Pen Holder

The next product we will make is the rotating pen holder. We used four different photos for each side of the holder. This type of photo gift will complement any desk for a working parent or individual.

Photo gifts are unique because they capture sentimentality that is unmatched by any other product. Individuals welcome the opportunity to enjoy favorite photos in unique formats. Handsome displays for the home enhance special occasions, including life milestones such as graduations and weddings. Images of children or grandchildren help the long hours at a desk pass more quickly.

1)For our example, we scanned the photos into Photoshop at 300dpi.

2)Using the auto color menu option in Photoshop, the color in the photo was improved dramatically. Review the photo at this point and determine if additional manual adjustment to the color levels is necessary. In our case, no additional adjustment was necessary. The photos were then cropped and sized to the proper dimensions of the substrate. We placed all 2” x 3” pictures on one sheet so they will be printed on one page.

3)Once the photo is ready, submit it to the printer to create a transfer. Be sure to print the transfer in mirror image, and be sure that the color settings for the print are correct. Once the transfer is printed, let it dry a few moments before pressing.

4)Remove the protective coating from the metal inserts.

5)Place and align all four metal inserts on the transfers. Be sure to cover the entire image area. Secure the inserts to the transfer with heat-resistant tape.

6)Place the coated side up on the heat press. Sublimate for 60 seconds with medium pressure.

7)The metal gets extremely hot; use care when removing the product from the heat press. Remove the transfer paper carefully to keep from smudging the image on the metal.

8)Once cool, secure the insert in the wood product with aggressive, double-sided tape or glue.

9)Repackage the finished pen holder in the original shipping box for delivery to the customer.

Fall is the perfect time to get your customer ready for the holiday season by introducing the new natural maple wood personalized gift products from Johnson Plastics. These gifts will be warmly received by you and your customer.