WallCandy® Arts + French Bull = One of the Today Show’s Favorite Designer Collaborations
Jan.11
In case you missed last Monday’s Today Show, your favorite baby products have a new look thanks to the latest designer collaborations. Skip Hop has teamed up with Jonathan Adler to make diaper bags you’ll plan on recommissioning for use long after your little ones have graduated from high school, and Bugaboo met with Missoni to create adorably solid strollers (and matching bonus blankets) to inspire longer constitutionals through your local park.
And let’s not forget our own fantastic collaboration! WallCandy Arts has been working with the modern design masters at French Bull to bring you new wall decals, new ways to play with your kids, and new additions to our collection of removable wallpaper.
During the Today Show segment, one host dubbed WallCandy wall decals the “easiest and cheapest way to decorate a kid’s wall” as she finished designing a set wall with our French Bull city wall decals. We might be a bit biased, but we think she’s on to something. Decorating your child’s nursery, playroom, or bedroom should be fun and peel-and-stick simple, not to mention completely nontoxic and safe for the surfaces you spent time and money painting. The city wall stickers kit is the perfect complement to your preexisting colors, no matter how you decide to arrange baby’s very first city skyline. Once you’ve designed an initial look, feel free to reposition the whole shebang. (Of course, you might want to take a photograph first, just in case you find yourself at the end of a rearranging frenzy and wish you could go back to where you started. Hey, it happens.)
What you didn’t see during the Today Show segment is our new French Bull Cupcake Land wall decals game. Gather your family and work together to arrange over 50 repositionable wall decals and design a classic game that doubles as cheerful wall art. Use the numbered square stickers to create the game’s path from start to finish and add stars galore, adorable animal faces, clouds, flowers, fruit, hearts, rainbow shortcuts, and arrows to make the game super challenging or easy-breezy. It’s an effective way to teach younger children how to count up to 40, and you can remove and reuse each piece to start a fresh game without damaging your walls in the meantime.
Our French Bull collection doesn’t end there. Stay tuned for a host of new removable wallpaper designs in striking, extraordinary patterns to inspire your coolest, most commitment-free room designs to date. Whether you’re planning to decorate a nursery in the near future or revamp your kitchen to include kid-friendly color and style, removable wallpaper is the easiest way to transform a space from so-so to stunning in no time.
Did you watch the Today Show spot? What did you think of the latest designs by Skip Hop and Jonathan Adler, Bugaboo and Missoni, and WallCandy Arts and French Bull? Join the conversation by leaving a comment or sending us an e-mail at hello@wallcandyarts.com!
Allison Krongard Tells Fox Business Center Why WallCandy® Arts is Made in the USA
Nov.8
For Allison Krongard, WallCandy®’s founder and president, owning a company that proudly manufactures its product in America is well worth the extra labor costs.
During a Fox Business Center segment on the value of the “Made in the USA” label, Allison explained to anchor David Asman that she never once considered paying less to produce WallCandy in China, simply because quality is a top priority.
Choosing to manufacture the product domestically meant that she could always visit and revisit each design’s creation at any given point in the production process, including getting someone on the phone to discuss a detail in real time.
“As a parent, I put this product in my children’s rooms,” she told Asman. “I think of other parents and I want to know that what I’m doing is safe, always.”
An infographic displayed during the interview showed that, of the product recalls since November 1999, 1800 were products made or partially made in China, while only 600 were products made or partially made in America.
Sure, manufacturing any product in U.S. costs a little more – approximately $10 to $12 an hour compared to China’s $1 or $2 an hour, according to Asman – but the extra cost ensures that WallCandy’s wall decals and removable wallpaper will be created with high quality, non-toxic vinyl and manufactured without BPA, phthalates, and VOCs.
Despite China’s cheaper labor costs, sacrificing safety and American jobs for a lower price tag wasn’t that tempting, Allison explained.
“Maintaining the quality was the most important thing to me,” she said, “and keeping jobs in America.”
“I think what speaks to the quality is that, in 11 years of having this company, I’ve had less than a 1% failure rate on the product, and I think that’s American manufacturing.”
In March, World News with Diane Sawyer aired “Made in America,” a three-part report in which an American family allows ABC to replace every imported item in their home with American-made versions. At the end of the first segment, journalist David Muir reported economists’ findings that, if every American spent 18 cents more on American goods each day, which amounts to only $67 each year, the impact would create 200,000 American jobs.
If you didn’t catch Allison’s two-minute interview on Fox Business Center, click on the image at the top of the page to watch.
Toast the Royal Wedding with Hip Housewares and a Fairytale Sale
Apr.28
Only 24 hours to go! (Photo credit: Chris Ison/AP)
With Prince William’s marriage to Kate Middleton only one day away, Royal Wedding Fever is at its most contagious. If you find yourself scowling at your spouse’s sudden obsession with E!, your dental hygienist’s plan to host a WilliKate lookalike party, or your cubicle neighbor’s suspicious new accent, just breathe and remember it’s perfectly natural to find the British monarchy fascinating, if only because any governing organization that dates back to 400 A.D. makes our own political pot look so shallow. If you’ve watched even 20 seconds of The Tudors by accident (or the entire series in one shameless sitting, thank you very much), you and I probably share a category – temporarily interested, but only because it’s more tantalizing than baseball or bickering politicians. Yawn.
If there’s one thing about the Royal Wedding I’m enjoying, aside from a wicked case of gown anticipation, it’s the opportunity to save on a few Kate-inspired fashions or home accents for my own Buckingham Palace, which is slightly smaller and much more prone to hosting city mice but still my favorite place to fix up and Feng Shui. I appreciate any occasion that inspires my favorite designers to add new items to already fabulous collections and oft-visited stores to knock a few bucks off the things I’ve been eyeballing for weeks but avoiding due to a mysterious wallet drought. (If you know a few stores who are taking advantage of the Royal Wedding by allowing me to take advantage of a sweet sale or two, post a comment and clue me in!)
Brandon and his Union Jack
I admit that I never paid much attention to the Union Jack until I visited the humble abode of WallCandy®’s leading lady. I’d seen that most famous of flags numerous times on postcards and flagpoles – and once on a well-sculpted forearm – but its place in the Hall of Style Icons is hard to recognize without the proper medium. As a high-quality home accessory carefully planted among complementary shades and shy standards such as, say, a quilted maple bench purchased straight from the furniture maker’s dusty warehouse, the Union Jack truly stands out as a lovely bit of geometry done up in bright, classic colors. One of the most noticeable items in Allison’s house is the crown in her son’s bedroom, a thick Union Jack throw rug, which I daresay he’ll enjoy as a bit of warm-but-masculine décor well into his teenage years.
The Union Jack toolbox
In case you were wondering how cool the Union Jack can get, take a look at the newest addition to WallCandy’s hip housewares collection, the Union Jack metal toolbox by Alice Supply Co. What better way to commemorate Prince William of Wales’s terrific taste than to treat yourself (or your hosting dental hygienist, who just might know the secret to making homemade Aero bars) to the most stylish method possible for keeping up appearances? Use it to keep jewelry in a safe place, corral day-to-day supplies, or give an inherited tool collection a proper home. However you use this sturdy does-it-all, you’ll surely fall in love with a classic historical icon that just happens to be an effective space-sprucer all on its own.
WallCandy’s own Royal Wedding celebration doesn’t end with a groovy toolbox. From now until May 7, every item for sale on the website is 10% off – simply enter the code royal10 during the checkout process and save on a few fun things that will surely last way longer than the televised exchanging of vows.
Queen Elizabeth II prefers sprinkles.
Anyone itching to start a new season can score a pack of large whiteboard wall stickers or a chalkboard wall decal for planning a warm weather bake sale to christen the newly green front yard. Once rampant Royal Wedding Fever has subsided and we can all unglue our eyes, help your kids plan a menu of royally decorated pastries on our spacious cupcake chalkboard wall decal, throw those windows open, and let the scent of springtime baking permeate the neighborhood with the sweet smells of reality. When the first batch is sold out and everyone’s enjoying a sugar coma, it’s a cinch to move any of our reusable chalkboard decals to the playroom wall for an entire summer spent pretending to be the Royal Family’s official caterers.
WallCandy® Arts Inspiration for the New Year: Dreaming of Starting Your Own Family-Friendly Business?
Jan.3
If launching your own business — or turning your passion into a part-time income — is one of your New Year’s Resolutions, check out the latest issue of Star Lee Magazine.
The business publication, which features inspiring entrepreneurs, takes us for a tour inside the psyche of WallCandy CEO Allison Krongard.
Allison took the daring step of quitting her furniture design job to pursue her dream of catering to the most fickle clients of all — children. And much like the stories of many entrepreneurs, she jumped in the deep end and never stopped swimming.
Of course, bringing new removable wall stickers and wall decals to the market was not as simple as organizing her sticker collection when she was a kid. Insisting that her products be made in the USA, Allison traveled across the country to find the best printers and materials to meet her standards.
She immersed herself in the most meticulous details, participating in adhesive conferences. Yes, there is such a thing!
Star Lee Magazine notes the ups and downs of running your own business, particularly the unpleasant realization that there are cheaters in the world:
“One of the most painful issues is watching WallCandy’s ideas and products unscrupulously copied and sold by others for their own profit.
Allison has a patent and business attorney who help her protect her intellectual property in these cases, but often she has to make the very hard decision to not do anything.
“I have to choose between spending my money litigating or innovating,” she said. “Am I going to come up with new designs and products, which is what my customers want to see, or am I going to go after these people? I just can’t do both, and that is what is really painful.”
And Allison is also a role model for achieving work-life balance, seeking out other working mothers to be part of her business team:
“Probably if we all moved to an office and had that face time together, we would be more productive, but I am willing to give that up in exchange for getting that balance I want, which is what I have now.”
“I think that having balance doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be equal balance all the time. Sometimes I need to work more, and sometimes I need to put it all aside or delegate and spend more time with the kids and play hooky.”
The joys of making a living while still watching your children grow up cannot be understated. To learn more insights into starting and running your dream business from home, check out the full Star Lee Magazine feature.
In the spirit of those New Year’s resolutions to pursue any business dream, here are Allison’s tips:
Are you also a mom entrepreneur? We’d love to hear some of your tips for success without sacrificing your home life! Please drop us a line at our customer feedback page.
What do Wall Stickers and Actress Julianne Moore Have in Common?
Nov.1
In the latest issue of New York Family magazine, actress Julianne Moore (Frannie Hughes on “As the World Turns,” and Nancy Donovan in “30 Rock”) dishes about her childhood as an insecure girl with freckles.
The popular actress has written two autobiographical “Freckleface Strawberry” books to encourage children to be happy with who they are.
Fittingly, in the very same issue, WallCandy’s Dottilicious wall stickers are featured as an editor’s pick! I say “fittingly” because these colorful dots (which have ice cream-themed colors) are really just freckles in disguise.
Yes, WallCandy removable wall decals are more cost-effective than hiring a painter. But they are also a heckava lot more fun. When they were younger, my own kids loved grabbing the cardboard paint color samples at Home Depot and Lowe’s and then tossing them on the floor to give me something to do. But chalkboard decal elephants and giraffes are much more exciting than paint.
But back to Julianne Moore. If you happen to be a fan and want to simultaneously pay tribute to her AND make your kids’ rooms look fantastic, I have some ideas:
* To commemorate Julianne’s role as Dr. Sarah Harding in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” check out our Dyno-Mite Dinosaur Wall Stickers!
* To honor her gig as Linda Partridge in “Magnolia,” how about some other flowers such as these Roses Wall Sticker Frames!
* And for her role as Alec Baldwin’s girlfriend in “30 Rock,” these lovesick deer stickers should do the trick!
As for the Dottilicious stickers featured in New York Family magazine, we have some other exciting news. Stay tuned to this space to find out how Dottlicious designs have been recently used to brighten up an arts education center for impoverished women in South Africa!
Decorative Cravings: WallCandy® Arts Scores a Pregnancy Trifecta
Aug.11
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!
If WallCandy® Arts Removable Wall Decals Could Blush…
May.31
We’re absolutely flattered to be endorsed recently by two of the media’s most influential parenting venues, blush Magazine and MomFinds.com.
Blush Magazine just named WallCandy Arts CEO Allison Krongard one of its “Featured Mompreneurs,” and as a busy dad, I really appreciated how she tackled their question about the ongoing challenge of finding the right work-life balance:
Allison: “When I’m with the kids, I turn off my phone and computer. I try to give them quality mom time by being present. For example, I make it a point to talk to each of them privately every day. Instead of reading to them at night, I rub their feet before they nod off. It provides us with the same intimacy as reading in bed but they’ll talk in a relaxed state instead of just listening. It’s too hard to get any real scoop out of them after school before tennis or play dates. My pediatrician gave me the idea last year and it’s become a treasured ritual.”
“Also, since my husband has a flexible schedule, we often go out to breakfast together after dropping the kids off at school. This gives me the rest of the day to work but also the comfort of having made a connection with him.”
You can read the rest of Allison’s blush Magazine interview here!
And Momfinds.com, the popular parenting shopping guide, just named WallCandy Arts removable wall stickers their “Find of the Day.”
Momfinds expressed high regards for the latest offerings off the WallCandy press. They say that our Race Me car decals will “satisfy every little boy’s need for speed.” And they kindly recommend our Sweet Dreams Fairies as a “sweet deal.”
Check out the race cars, the candy fairies and dozens of other designs that will delight your children in our stylish Wall Sticker Gallery.
Sign up for our email newsletter and score an even sweeter 10 percent off your next order as well as upcoming scoops on subscriber-only coupons and sales!
The Universal Language of Fun: Wall Stickers & Wall Decals
Apr.21
It should come as no surprise that our removable wall decals and wall stickers are popular in many countries around the world. After all, most of our themes of wildlife, flowers, forest scenes, dinosaurs, automobiles and childhood fantasies are universally cherished.
We do a brisk business across the European continent and if you notice the wide variety of magazine genres above, our overseas press coverage reflects a diverse customer base and appeal across all ages. In this newsstand sampling, we have mags covering nature, parenting, celebrity gossip and women’s lifestyle/fashion.
WallCandy Arts is a natural magnet to parenting and childcare magazines, but it’s always a pleasant surprise to see where our instincts for interior decorating take us. For example, take a glance at the shopping spread below where our retired “SophistiKit” sticker collection shares the spotlight with new bikini fashions, kitchen appliances, designer furniture, luxury skin care products and chicken or veal recipes (I can’t tell what kind of meat that is, but it looks absolutely dee-lish!).
For some reason, the SophistiKit design never really caught on. Now, I’ve never been a teenage girl — or even come close to understanding their mindset, but I think these young sleek women walking their Paris Hilton-sized dogs look quite hip and fashionable. If you’d like them to make a comeback, please start a petition drive. We’d love to hear from you about this style or any other wall sticker design.
The thing that makes me the happiest about this magazine clip is seeing the words “Made in the USA” beam out of a paragraph in a foreign language. All too often, it is the other way around, and it is personally important to me to support a company which supports American workers.
As with the teenage girls, I do not profess to have any special insights into the psychology of Jessica Simpson. But from her facial expression above, it seems to me that she would much prefer to be holding some WallCandy stickers than yet another designer handbag.
We are flattered by the company in the above magazine layout, though. But the reality is that you don’t have to be wearing gold jewelry or talk on a Giorgio Armani smartphone to afford our reasonably priced collections of adorable glow-in-the-dark owls or whimsical chalkboard animal wall stickers.
And our pediatrician and opthalmologist approved “Smarts Bees & Trees” nursery decoration set improves vision and gives babies a head start regardless of which language they may be cooing gurgling in.
Are you loving this cross-cultural wall decal experience? Please visit the media coverage section of our European distributor, Da Da Kids, for an afternoon’s worth of fun reading material!
Chalkboard Decals: What Toddlers and Sophisticated Foodies Have in Common
Mar.24
WallCandy’s removable chalkboard decals were just endorsed by Bon Appetit magazine. But not for the dust-free taste of our special chalk!
The influential foodie publication just offered readers its Top 50 tips for “Easy Kitchen Updates” that make a dramatic impact. And our peelable, stickable chalkboards came in at #31, surrounded by trendy appliances and eco-friendly decor.
Here’s what the Bon Appetit editors wrote:
“CHALK IT UP: For playfulness and practicality in one, hang a chalkboard. These are intended for kids’ rooms, but our features editor put them in his kitchen and his family uses them everyday for menu ideas, shopping lists, doodles and reminders.”
Well, there you go… another testimonial about the versatility of our chalkboard decal collection, which features traditional rectangles in addition to shapes of a Big Apple, Safari Animals (elephants, giraffes and rhinos), Circles, Royal Palace Crests (Rococo), and a School Bus (Vroom!).
The Rococo style chalkboard was recently featured on NBC’s Today Show, with host Ann Curry giving it her personal blessing. “I’m groovin’ on that!” she said.
Sure, kids love these chalkboard decals, but they also make great conversation pieces and practical message boards in teacher’s lounges, offices and artists’ lofts. Please let us know where you love to hang ‘em!
Parents Magazine: Wall decals stimulate baby’s vision
Feb.15
The latest issue of Parents Magazine (March 2010) praises the style and science behind Smarts Bees & Trees
Q: What’s Black and White and Red all over?
A: A sunburned penguin.
Q: What’s Black and White and Red all over?
A: A newspaper covered with spilled strawberry syrup.
If you are decorating your first baby’s room, you likely have been spared from the onslaught of mundane jokes and riddles you’ll find on Popsicle sticks, cheese stick wrappers and Dixie cups. But rest assured, your time is coming.
In the meantime, black and white patterns should be especially relevant to you when you think about how to adorn the walls for your precious bundle.
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.
With pediatrician and ophthalmologist guidelines in mind, we designed the adorable Smarts Bees & Trees collection ideal for both girl and boy babies. Bees are especially appropriate since it was the birds and the bees that got you in this situation in the first place!
Our removable Smarts decal set includes more than 30 inches of checkerboard, seven small bees, two large bees and six wall sticker photo frames.
We’re flattered to have the Smarts Bees & Trees decorations be endorsed in the latest issue of Parents Magazine (March 2010). And as the magazine notes, our Bees & Trees can be enhanced with a splash of color at age four months (when your baby will appreciate it the most) and with photos of your family in our snazzy removable frames.
We’d love to see pictures of how you’ve incorporated WallCandy Arts into your children’s world. Become part of our Customer Inspiration Gallery!
(But please don’t send us any riddles. Right now, WallCandy Dad is already feeling a bit overwhelmed).
