ThatMutt.com Features RIC!

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Stacey Lauren

Check out this interview and chance to win a free RIC tee on ThatMutt.com! Original is here.

Note: ThatMutt.com is an affiliate of RIC by Stacey Lauren. Save 15% off your order with RIC by SL by using coupon code THATMUTT.

I love the dog-related graphic tees and tops from RIC by Stacey Lauren.

“Love Rock Live” is the brand’s motto, and each shirt makes a statement.

Stacey Lauren is the entrepreneur and graphic designer behind RIC. The brand is named after her late father Ric who Stacey said will always be an inspiration. She believes he continues to help her in ways he never could.

Dog-themed shirts to help animals!

RIC by SL offers three clothing collections – LOVE, ROCK and LIVE.

The LOVE collection features animal-related designs.

Stacey is quite the dog lover, and a portion of the proceeds from her LOVE collection are donated to the Humane Society of the United States.

“The reason I began designing animal-related graphic tees is so that animal lovers like me can proudly and fashionably display their passion for four-legged creatures,” Stacey said.

Some of the tees have specific messages of adoption and love for breeds, but hopefully each top can be a conversation starter, she said.

My favorite shirts from RIC by SL so far are the tops featuring a cute pitbull with the words “Lover not a fighter.” Ace and I are modeling it for you at the bottom of this post Although Ace is most likely not a pitbull mix, many of his friends are pit mixes.

Stacey owns a rescued pitbull mix named Theo.

“I love him immensely, and he has taught me so much about what it really means to rescue a dog,” she said.

While she would love to say Theo is perfectly behaved and the ideal representation of a lovable pitbull (and he is very lovable), she said he has many issues.

Theo is very fearful, she said. He was probably taken from his littermates at a very young age. He was a stray, and he may have been abused. He has developed a territorial aggression, which is clearly fear-based as he shakes and cries whenever the door bell rings.

“I do not blame any of this on his breed, but rather his circumstances,” Stacey said. “He is a learning experience for me, and I cannot wait to rescue more pitbulls.”

It is important that no matter what breed you decide to rescue that you are prepared to help the dog through any issues he may come with, she said.

In addition to the “Lover not a fighter” graphic, other dog-related designs from RIC include paw prints or various dog breeds.

I love “the golden life” shirt with a golden retriever and the “guardian” shirt with a German shepherd. Other designs feature the doberman, the Chihuahua, the bull dog and others. I’m hoping to see a design featuring big, black lab mixes at some point!

The ROCK and LIVE collections

Additional graphic designs are available through RIC’s ROCK and LIVE collections.

The ROCK collection features music-related designs and helps raise funds for kids’ music programs across America. I am a band geek at heart, and I truly appreciate these designs.

The LIVE collection features inspirational sayings such as “hakuna matata,” and proceeds from these shirts are donated to The Adventure Project to help fight extreme poverty.

RIC by SL coupon code

I hope you will visit RIC by SL on Etsy! I think you will love the designs as much as I do. Check out some of the designs below, and don’t forget to use the coupon code THATMUTT to save 15% off your order!

Win a free shirt from RIC by SL

RIC by SL is offering a free “Lover not a fighter” v-neck unisex tee to one lucky That Mutt reader. You will be able to choose the color and size from the available options.

For your chance to win, please visit RIC by SL’s site. Then leave a comment below telling me what other RIC designs you like. I will select one winner at random Feb. 12 and notify the winner by email and in the comments of this post. Must have a U.S. mailing address to win.

Ace and I thought we would pretend we are models, too!

Don’t forget to check out the original post to enter to win!

RIC Tank Trending on Wanelo.com!

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Stacey Lauren

RIC Tank Trending on Wanelo.com

I just learned about Wanelo.com. It stands for “Want, Need, Love” and is a social store curated by the community. Our Hakuna Matata Tank has been the #1 trending item for the past two days! A portion of the proceeds from this tank is donated to The Adventure Project to help end extreme poverty. Save it to your store to keep the trending going!

Valentine’s Sale!

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Stacey Lauren

This Valentine’s Day, express your love for animals! A portion of the proceeds from our LOVE tanks & tees is donated to The Humane Society of the US!

Use coupon code HEART for 15% off your order at shopRIC until Feb 14.

Fresno Bully Rescue & RIC Join Forces to Raise Funds for Bully Breeds

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Stacey Lauren

Fresno Bully Rescue

Attention bully breed lovers! Check out Fresno Bully Rescue, an organization dedicated to rescuing bully breed dogs. Based out of Fresno, CA, FBR has rescued over 500 dogs since its founding in May of 2008. They currently house and shelter over 40 dogs at any given time. Many of these dogs were designated to be euthanized. Here is their mission statement:

FBR’s job is to provide a healthy and loving temporary home while we look for forever homes for our bullies. In addition, FBR is committed to promoting responsible ownership of bully breeds, fighting against breed discrimination, spaying and neutering pets, reporting dog fighting, and demonstrating to the community that bully breeds are loyal, loving, and wonderful forever companions.

RIC by SL is donating $2 to FBR for every shirt sold using coupon code FRESNO5. As an added bonus, you will also receive 5% off your order! AND a portion of the proceeds also goes to the Humane Society of the US. Spread the Bully Breed Love!

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ Fresno Bully Rescue on Facebook!

Lemon Dear Interviews RIC by Stacey Lauren

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Stacey Lauren

Check out the original here!

Interview from Lemon Dear copied below:

Today we meet Stacey Lauren, who loves basics and followed her dad’s advise: ”be independently wealthy, while helping others” and combined her love for animals with her graphic designer knowledge to open RIC, a wonderful t-shirt shop with a message: We talk about her collections and how they benefit different worthwhile causes such as helping animals, music for kids and the end of extreme poverty. Also, she advises sellers how to raise money for causes they are passionate about and takes us on a walk in a day of her creative life. Enjoy!

What’s the inspiration behind RIC?

First, I love basics. On any given day, you’ll likely find me in a t-shirt and jeans, or a long sleeve shirt and jeans, or a tank top and jeans.. you get the point. I wear jeans a lot. But I really love comfy, easy-to-wear t-shirts. If I could afford to own every item from LnA Clothing, I totally would.

Second, when I graduated college and still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, my father told me to “be independently wealthy, while helping others”. While that’s easier said than done, I believe I’ve stumbled on my niche to make it happen. I am a graphic designer and an animal lover, and I decided to combine these two passions and put them on the other love of mine, clothing. My dad loved the idea and encouraged me to achieve success with it. He took days off of work to come to meetings with me, and even offered to try selling my shirts door-to-door. Sadly, he lost his battle with prostate cancer last year. His name was Ric (always signed in all caps). I have changed the name of the line to his name so that he can always be a part of this adventure. I now believe he helps me in ways he never could before.

Could you tell us more about the causes you support through your shop?

The motto of the line is “Love, Rock, Live”, and for each there is a collection benefiting a different cause:

The LOVE Collection is simply based on my (near-obsessive) love for animals, with paw print designs and a soft spot for rescued animals. A portion of the proceeds from this collection is donated to the Humane Society of the United States to help protect animals from abuse and neglect.

The ROCK Collection is for music lovers. I grew up listening to rock ‘n roll, and played a couple different instruments in school. I believe a song can instantly change your mood. Also, my husband runs a music business, putting band programs into schools that don’t have them. He told me about the Fender Music Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money for kids’ music programs across America. A portion of the proceeds from the ROCK collection is donated to this cause.

The LIVE Collection consists of life quotes and inspirational messages, encouraging wearers to make the most of every day and live life to the fullest. My dad was an avid believer in pursuing your dreams, and so am I. I want to encourage others to do the same! A portion of the proceeds from this collection is donated to The Adventure Project to help end extreme poverty. This organization was established to “increase investments in positive social enterprises around the world”, contributing to projects that “spur economic opportunity, promote dignity, & save lives”. Who wouldn’t want to support them?

Could you please share some advise to fellow Etsians who would like to raise money for good causes?

Anyone can do it! Once you’ve picked a cause that means something to you, you have a couple of options. You can donate a portion of all of your proceeds to that cause, or a portion of the proceeds from any particular item you sell. Many organizations accept donations through PayPal, which makes it very simple for Etsy sellers to do, since that’s where most of your income goes.

On top of the good feeling you get for supporting a cause that’s dear to you, your customers get to know you a little better by learning what’s important to you. And it adds an extra special meaning to their purchases.

A lot of your creations are organic, why?

I print many of my designs on Alternative Apparel blanks because the quality is amazing and their fabrics are super soft (the most important feature in any t-shirt). They offer so many organic styles, and they’re all amazingly soft and flattering! Being good for the environment is a fabulous bonus. But not every style I use is organic.

Could you walk us through a day in your creative life?

Um.. it’s different every day, but usually goes something like this: Walk and feed Theo, gym (sometimes), breakfast, purchase blanks for incoming orders, print shirts that arrived that day, a trip to the post office, freelance graphic work (still a freelance graphic designer as well), upload things to Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, Theo rings his bell to be walked again, play fetch with him for a little, call my husband to see how his day is going, design a new shirt, read articles about entrepreneurship, photograph some samples, volunteer at the local rescue center (on Tuesdays), hubby comes home, maybe cook but probably take out something, watch reality tv, then go to bed and dream about the day I’m selling in Bloomingdale’s.

What is your favourite RIC item?
The pink Pit Bull Tank Top. I don’t know why I haven’t made one for myself yet.

What are the future plans for RIC?
Selling in retail stores and designing my own line of basics to print on.

Where can we find you and RIC?
Stacey Lauren, facebook, twitter, and of course, etsy! Thank you!

Customized RIC Shirts

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Stacey Lauren

I love it when customers ask for custom color and style options; it gives me perspective on what they want and what will sell! Customer requests are responsible for the variety of options in my line, and are often what sell the most! Here are some of my favorites:

Treble Clef Music Tank in Black

Men’s Crew Neck Pit Bull Tshirt

Lace Paw Print Slummy Tshirt Dress in Cocoa

LOVE Tank Top in White

Hakuna Matata Unisex Vneck Tee in Military

Pit Bull Unisex Vneck Tshirt

Happy 2012! New Year Sale!

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Stacey Lauren

I’m so excited about the upcoming year! With so many exciting things on my schedule, it’s already looking like a much better year than the last. I can’t help but share my excitement by offering 10% everything in my store! Use coupon code newyear at checkout to receive the discount.

Tshirt Giveaway from RIC by Stacey Lauren

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Stacey Lauren

We’re giving away a t-shirt of choice to two lucky facebook fans! Available prize options can be found at shopRIC.etsy.com.

To enter:

1. ‘Like’ us on facebook.
2. Click ‘Enter’ on our giveaway page.

You will be asked to provide your email for notification if selected. This information will not be made public or shared with any other party.

Two lucky winners will be selected at random on December 31 at 11:45 pm ET.

Good luck, and Happy Holidays!

RIC Tshirt Featured in Etsy Newsletter

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Stacey Lauren

Yay! I’m so excited, my men’s Pit Bull Tee was featured in yesterday’s Etsy Newsletter!

RIC Photo Shoot: Beach, Candy & Balloons

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Stacey Lauren

Yay!!! They’re here! The photos from the photo shoot came out soooooo amazing, I couldn’t be happier. It was such a fun day and I can’t wait to do it again.

A special thanks to Adam Martin for taking beautiful photos, Maria Vlantis for the awesome hair styles, Melissa Polito for the gorgeous makeup, and the beautiful models Joannie Noutsis and Liz Wilczek for freezing in t-shirts on the beach! You guys rock.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

RIC by Stacey Lauren