Category Archives: SLAP Boards

by | July 26, 2016 · 1:43 pm

Sunshine!

anne shirley 1

Anne Shirley of Green Gables talking to Matthew when he picks her up from the train station.

Recently an Etsy customer asks for an ARTBoard commission. Usually I get requests for Marcel the Shell commissions but this one is for an Anne Shirley of Green Gables quote.

This client has seen my other Anne with an e quotes and loves them. She wants her board background to be either a rainbow of color or a focus of blues and purples. She leaves it up to me but asks for a few stars scattered about if they will look good.

She puts down her deposit in the Commission ART Deposit section of my Etsy shop and after we discuss board size and price I work up a couple with her background color choices and send her photos.

She loves them both. I decide to put her quote on the blue and purple board as it is the size we talked about plus I am thinking it will be a better fit for the celestial theme room that she is decorating.

anne shirley 2

Anne to Marilla on the morning she is to be sent back to the orphanage because she is not a boy.

I complete the piece and take a look at the remaining board all primed and waiting for something cheerful. I decide to do another Anne Shirley quote and list it in the shop.

I set the original commission aside because I always like to live with a completed piece for a bit before sending a photo to a client to be sure everything stays satisfactory in my eyes.

bag of sunshine 1

I made her a surprise bag to hold her art.

I read endless pages of script discarding perfect quote after perfect quote because none seem quite right for this rainbow board. Finally I find just the right one.

After both boards are ready I send photos to my client. At this point she is under no obligation to purchase anything although her deposit (which goes toward final payment) covers my work so that’s spent. I explain why I am sending her two photos and assure her that she is under no pressure to buy either but she can have both (or just her original board) for x monies.

“Sandy,” she replies, “I absolutely love both of these! You had no way of knowing, of course, but my friends call me Sunshine, because they know how much I love sunshine.”

She bought both boards.

 

 

 

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by | May 1, 2015 · 2:18 pm

My Little Sunshine OBX = Success

val

Val beaming as she heads off to the store.

May 1, 2015 marks the grand opening of good friend and soon to be family, Valerie Netsch’s, awesome store, My Little Sunshine OBX. It’s a blend of new and may as well be new off beat items for that youngster everyone has at least one of or knows someone that does.

When she tells me of her plans I am in awe of all the work ahead. I cannot get beyond the thought of hangers and tags by the hundreds. Plus everything else that goes into opening a new store. But she’s done this before so she knows the drill. Val and Robert knock it out in their impressive to witness work ethic mode. All the while smiling. And being cleverly creative as well as economical.

My job is encouragement plus a plethora of little people SLAPBoards I create just for her shop. And some SandyBands for the younger set of course. And lastly, I need to be sure that she is launched properly. I dream that I am her first official paying customer (she is so successful at marketing she has people begging to buy before opening day). And so I set out to make it so.

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My Little Sunshine OBX

I arrive a bit before 10AM. I sit a few minutes in the car and then go up to the door. Val and helper Gail are doing last minute things. Like try to figure out just where the key to unlock the iPad is so music can be played. Tiny panic when Val thinks that she has thrown it away. It’s found. Music floats through the air. I select my items and hand Val paper money. Who keeps their first dollar bill anymore but I think it’s a fun tradition and want her to have all the right karma. She takes a picture of it.

Customers are filling the store. A lady checks out. I’m not sure if she uses cash or credit, but I am next with my real purchase using my credit card. Surprise for goddaughter Haley Rea when she graduates. Donny later tells me that he thought of Haley when he saw the item too.

So I may have been first cash and credit customer on opening day. At any rate my job is done. I have brought my dream to fruition. And brought in customers for Val. Not that she needed me for that. But Donny & I are awesome customer magnets. Everywhere we go a shop can be completely empty and sheer moments after we step inside it fills up. We have considered hiring ourselves out. Customer magnet anyone? We are willing to travel.

Congratulations Valerie! You are a ray of sunshine in everyone’s life and your store beams.

 

 

 

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by | March 18, 2015 · 4:03 pm

Jog Me to the Moon

Bitch SLAP Broads

The initial OBX group. Me, Debbie, Ron, Vicki, Terry (-Rachel)

My running has gone through many iterations. Marathon madness (7 full 4 half in one year). The attraction of the bling. And interesting places to see in an interesting way.

Then a few years ago the virtual bug gets me. I join Moon Joggers and invite power walker friend Debbie to come along. We decide to form a group. My motivation is to beat the Kenyan group. The only way we mere mortals could even beat Kenyan runners.

Bitch Slap Broads is born. Named after my SLAP art boards line. Guys welcome. Joining Moon Joggers is free. Or for a small fee you get some swag. Like these shirts. 2014 is the year for The Voyage to Venus. 2015 is a longer jog, to Meet Me on Mars. All former miles count. Each year another planet is the goal.

bitch slap broads

photo credit Donny Ball

leader board

Only four places below the Kenyans!

Logging miles is easy. Everything counts. Running, walking, biking, swimming, strolling, work out on the elliptical. By yourself or with a friend, or group. Basically if you’re moving, add up your miles and log them. By the day, week, month. You can even backtrack a few years to help the Moon Joggers overall total. If you’re short on time list your miles in a lump. Up to 177 miles per day is the max.

Recently Debbie posted in our FB message board to check out the Moon Joggers store page. Half way down. Hey I recognize that group. We’re international!

Nope we haven’t beaten the Kenyans yet. Moon Joggers is working out team statistics parameters. But in checking out the leader board page I see that because I have logged miles as far back as Moon Joggers allows I’m on the same page as the Kenyans.

Come on along. Find Bitch SLAP Broads on the log your miles page and meet us out there.

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by | January 21, 2015 · 10:14 pm

PigDog Schweinhund

pigdog

PigDog and I had a tussle today. He shows up a lot but I can usually keep him in check. I was at the monument running in circles when the wind picked up and the temp dropped fast.

The day I decide to wear minimal clothing because it was supposed to be warmer. And it was warmer when I left the house. I keep options in the car but not a closet full.

I am always colder than I like at the start but things warm up fast and I end up carrying a football shape of odds and ends. I have learned not to leave anything in a tree nook or whatever because I forget to retrieve, every time.

I tough it out and actually the legs in shorts are fine. But the hands are miserable.  My hair is whipping in my eyes. Two-thirds of the way through my rounds I head to the car to get reinforcements. It’s so COLD!

The car is warm. I ponder getting back out.

“Stay,” urges PigDog. “You’ve done enough.”

“Oh shit, it’s you,” I sigh and get out of the car. He will not win. He does score a compromise. I only stay out for half the time.

Take that PigDog. A compromise is not a win.

 

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