by WallCandy Arts on August 20, 2010
by Amber Bryant
If I try to picture a classroom, it always looks like the ones I grew up sitting in – rows of lift-top desks, a wall of cubbyholes for stashing backpacks and umbrellas, and the horrible analog clock hanging near the ceiling, just so we could all watch as those precious daylight hours ticked away.
The focal point was always the chalkboard, which stretched from one corner of the room to another and had to be sectioned so the teacher could stay organized between subjects. The capricious teachers would scribble words that ran into each other or suddenly went vertical due to a lack of space.
The systematic teachers drew neat boxes with chicken-scratched labels like “math homework” and “for next week,” but the board still ended up looking like a chalk game of Tetris by the end of the day. Kids who couldn’t handle too much visual stimulation would complain of headaches… or maybe I just wanted to visit the nurse and read her copy of the latest Vogue Living. I’ll never tell.
Now that I’m all grown up, I have the privilege of calling a few great teachers dear friends. When one of their birthdays rolls around, I usually have no problem finding the perfect gift. I like to think this particular skill of mine is sharp because I’ve spent so much of my life staring at one teacher or another, studying the moves and wondering what makes teaching such a one-of-a-kind job. The briefcases and corduroy jackets are just fabulous, but there’s more to it. Adults who are normally shy come to life behind a podium if given a chance to teach others something they feel passionate about. Young or old, seasoned or newly trained, teachers possess their own brand of style. Even Lilly, who will be a kindergartener this fall, appears to recognize teacher chic and has recently shown an interest in helping me browse for gifts to usher in the new school year for my academic pals.
Teachers can always use help staying organized. Some of my favorite teacher helpers to give are laptop sleeves made from recycled wetsuits, stamp-making kits for grading with personal flair, and funky bookends for holding up a collection of inspiring books. Chalkboard decals or whiteboard decals are also great for classroom decorating and eliminating the need to split the main chalkboard into more manageable sections. A space for homework or project deadlines is harder to miss if it’s separated from the regular jumble of instructions, field trip notices, and sentence diagrams. The school nurse’s regulars will just have to find another reason to visit.
by wallcandy dad on August 11, 2010
Sharing the spotlight with “Hollywood’s Hottest Moms” may be one of the most flattering compliments WallCandy Arts has received this year. Thanks to Pregnancy & Newborn magazine for categorizing our funky Rococo chalkboard decals and our giant ice cream lamp as “Cravings.”
The issue is on newsstands now.
Our 28-inch ice cream lamps, which come in either vanilla or strawberry, were paired with Ben & Jerry’s recipes and pickle-flavored lip balm as items the editors “can’t get enough of.” Hey, maybe we should branch out into pickle-themed wall decals and furnishings 
Lastly, Pregnancy & Newborn gave a shoutout to our Smarts Bees & Trees collection, which was a special “Black and White and Cute All Over” pick. As the mag points out, studies show that simple black-and-white patterns stimulate babies to “learn, develop and grow in an optimal environment.”
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a newborn’s vision is most attracted to high-contrasted patterns such as checkerboards, bull’s eyes and stripes. And color recognition really doesn’t kick in until about four months. The Smarts collection was designed with this science in mind.
Do you have any decorative pregnancy cravings? Let us know how your nursery walls are shaping up at hello@wallcandyarts.com. We’d love to share your creativity with other wall decal enthusiasts!
by wallcandy dad on August 8, 2010
I’ll set aside all the heavy political sentiments about our national trade imbalance and national debt. You know why? Because this is a fun blog about cute stuff that makes us happy.
Nonetheless, what makes me smile about the above photo from the recent Shanghai International CBME trade show is that the girls are enjoying a product that says Made in America. That’s the way it should be. Our country produces stuff. Another country produces stuff. And we sell each other’s stuff in both places.
So it’s always fun to see the kiddos write on our Chalkboard Decals in other languages:
And it also gives you that warm and squishy feeling to see the universal squiggly children’s drawings look the same no matter what part of the world they come from:
Removable chalkboard decals, which come in all sorts of shapes ranging from apples to rhinos, instantly give your rooms personality and variety since the kids can constantly express themselves with art or language. The more traditional geometric shapes are ideal for dorm rooms, too.
According to the Shanghai trade show, there are now 250 million children under age 14 in China.
That’s an enormous amount of chalk! And did I mention that WallCandy chalk is dustless and won’t make a mess in China, America or anywhere else?
That’s something decorating moms and dads can appreciate in any language!
by WallCandy Arts on August 5, 2010
Moving to a campus dorm room can feel like going to jail, minus the bars and bedside metal toilet. Each new resident is given a few standard issues – a bed, a chest of drawers, some sparse closet space, a desk, and two out of four blank, ugly walls (the other two belong to your roommate, who will probably also be in limbo between excitement and homesickness). If you’re willing to pay extra to snag a suite, you could get some low-traffic bathroom space to inhabit. Don’t worry – the most successful people on earth have showered in flip-flops at some point, whether they were in jail or just away at college.
If Doc Brown’s method of time travel were real, I’d go back to my first Campus Moving Day, get some Andy Capp’s Hot Fries from that wonderful vending machine in the lobby, and meet my terrified former self outside my dorm room.
“Before you go in,” I’d say, “you should know that you’re about to perceive this room as a barren jail cell. This is merely an illusion brought on by a sudden life change. In jail, you wouldn’t be able to eat cereal between study sessions held at ungodly hours. In jail, you wouldn’t experience the fun of an all-doors-open Saturday night. In jail, you wouldn’t have such a cute new bedspread.”
I would then put on some music and help myself decorate, and I’d have a ton more fun the second time around.
The key to dorm room decor is personalization. Don’t spend much on the standard items back-to-college aisles have to offer the hoards of students who will all end up with the same stuff. The majority of your hard-earned money should go toward quality accessories that will ease the stress of your new schedule and lure you back to your comfy space after a long day of classes and campus activities. Move in with furnishings that will help you build your own happy, independent life.
I wish there’d been such a thing as dorm decals when I lived on campus. The residence life czars decreed that students weren’t allowed to hang things on the walls unless we used that blue poster putty. My calendar, family photos, and prized Olivia Newton-John poster wouldn’t stay up for more than five minutes if anyone in the building even thought about humidity. Because I feared peeled paint and a negative room inspection, I avoided the tape temptation and compensated for sad, undecorated walls with a patterned papasan chair and throw pillows. So I guess you could say I did my time.
by WallCandy Arts on August 5, 2010
Unless you possess super monk-like qualities and can go years without spending money on anything other than absolute necessities, you’re probably one of the many, many people who find it challenging to balance feeding the hungry shopping bug and feeding your savings account. Sure, it’s easy to avoid dropping big bucks on sprees that end with nothing in particular, but what about those moments when your inner consumer leaps at the thought that you could own something you love, adore, and simply must have? If your mid-year resolution is to spend a bit less and save a bit more, here are a few honest statements you should be able to make before splurging on an expensive item that has captured your heart.
1. I’ve been thinking about this particular item for at least two weeks. This one’s easy – if you’ve forgotten about it, you definitely don’t need to spend money on it. Consider putting it on your holiday wish list and move on. Of course, there are those tempting tag sales and one-day events that require a much quicker decision and some serious willpower…
2. The last time I impulsively spent more than $100 on a single item was at least three months ago. Rewarding yourself for good saving vs. spending behavior is easy when you truly deserve it. If you’ve been defeating your devil-may-care urges for three months, you have the money, and you’re sure you’ve come across a fantastic deal you could never replicate once you walk away, go for it.
3. I have researched this item and know that I’m getting the best price and the best quality. You’re a professional now, so do some homework. Reading reviews is a start, but keep in mind that reviews can be biased and riddled with circumstantial evidence. A better idea is asking someone whose opinion you trust to be generally close to your own. Channel your inner scientist and do some research to find out what makes this particular product worth the money. What materials and processes were used to make it? Is it one of a kind, or could you write down the UPC (universal product code) and compare prices online?
4. This item will last a long time. Spending on trends is tempting, but fruitless in the long run. It’s painful to see something expensive in your Goodwill pile after only one or two seasons. It’s even more painful to watch the fruits of your labor fade, yellow, or crumble as each day passes. If it will bring years of good use and pride, you’ll be able to look at it without feeling the awful pinch of dissatisfaction.
5. Purchasing this item is the best way to fulfill a true need or solve a problem. This one could be true on it’s own every time you’re licking relationship wounds or feeling just plain bored, but dropping big bucks on anything but therapy isn’t usually the best way to deal with personal snafus. A $10 trip to your favorite dessert or manicure spot is a much cheaper way to self-soothe.
Patience is your best asset when deciding to part with your assets. Avoid big-ticket buyer’s remorse by cultivating better shopping habits and you’ll eventually find that you’ve accumulated more cash flow, fewer regrets, and an impressive shopping portfolio.
