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.
by WallCandy Arts on July 27, 2010
This is a guest blog post written by Amber Bryant.
My friend Laura owns a lot of couture for someone with a fledgling home therapy business. When anyone asks her, “Where did you get that belt/hat/dress/top?” she usually replies, “I got it on eBay.” I once asked her how on earth she manages to come out on top in that situation and she explained that she spends a ridiculous (her word, not mine) amount of time discussing the item with the seller via e-mail, asking for additional photos of the item in very specific lighting conditions, and haggling until she can get a money-back guarantee.
I took a lazier approach when I bid on and won what I thought would be the perfect Max Azria dress for a summer cocktail party. I’ll sum up that sordid experience with three words – knockoff turquoise feathers. I couldn’t believe it. The online photos I’d happily trusted were reminiscent of the actual dress, but only the front and barely that.
Relying on photographs can be tricky, especially considering how many photo-doctoring programs exist across multiple software platforms, and that’s before I start wondering if my monitor is working properly. If I ever dared to shop with my old 1993-ish Apple computer (which was truly just a glorified way to play Oregon Trail), I’d never be brave enough to buy shoes or anything else without a solid free returns policy. But what about stores that only exist online? How can the savvy online shopper avoid knockoffs and, in turn, frenzied last-minute closet purges?
I kept these questions in mind as I was shopping for decal designers and printers for WallCandy. I wanted to emulate the quality of my favorite coffee table art books, because a photo is just as important as the art itself – how can you appreciate beauty when the pixels are rebellious and the color calls to mind those plastic tablecloths only dollar stores seem to carry?
After some research, I learned that quality printing was more than an aesthetic goal. Once the ink has been laid on our latest design, each decal gets an ultraviolet coating and becomes colorfast and cleanable. Quality ink and UV coating are to wall decals as Italian cashmere is to the summer cardigan. WallCandy is thin, yet durable. It won’t fade or yellow. And it won’t end up in the dumpster like a horrible turquoise feather knockoff.
by wallcandy dad on July 22, 2010
I’m old enough to remember shaking blank Polaroid photos to try to speed up their developing, which was like watching a picture fade in reverse. Shaking them was as effective as tapping your feet to make a long line move faster.
And I’m delighted to discover that old-style Polaroid film has been brought back from the dead in the Digital Age by some photography enthusiasts in the Netherlands! Appropriately, they call themselves The Impossible Project.
The genre is super hot. Lady Gaga, recently signed on as Polaroid’s Creative Director, just posed for a giant Polaroid portrait. You’ll find it at the MIT Museum, which houses iconic photography memorabilia dating back to inventor Dr. Edwin Land.
And now, WallCandy Arts adds its stylish tribute. These removable wall decal Frames turn any wall into a nostalgic scrapbook. They look just as fashionable with 8 x 10 color enlargements taken 10 minutes ago as they do with vintage black and whites from your grandparents’ wedding album. If you are feeling extra creative, we recommend running your photos through editing software or free Web editing apps, such as Rollip.com, to give them a subdued Instamatic look.
Completing the scrapbook or bulletin board theme are pieces of yellowed Scotch tape and push-pins. The blank white area underneath the photos are meant for your witty captions with Dry-Erase markers — the same ones you use for your office whiteboard.
Some WallCandy Arts designs are clearly targeted toward specific ages and genders. For example, unless your hubby still wears Batman underwear, it is unlikely he’d be choosing these RACE ME race cars for his Man Cave.
The beauty of Frames is that they appeal to every demographic. Here are a few occasions and locations where decorating with them would be a huge hit:
WAYS TO USE WALLCANDY FRAMES
1. Dorm Room Decor: While your roommate sticks up the same cliched shots of James Dean, John Belushi’s Animal House college spoof, or (yuck) trendy guerrilla icon Che Guevara, you can show off the fun places you’ve traveled or hope to visit one day.
2. Birthday Parties: Doesn’t matter if the guest of honor is 1 or 100, frame the cutest moments of his or her life in wall decals.
3. Graduation Parties: These are going on all summer long! Kindergarten class photos will make your grad’s friends smile.
4. Wedding Anniversaries: We hardly open up our wedding albums any more, let alone share them with new friends. Make them the central focal point!
5. Bridal Showers: Decorate the house with action shots of the honored couple!
6. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs/First Communions: Any “This is Your Life” is an excuse to line the walls with a Time Machine tribute.
7. Adult Halloween Parties: Put blank frames up on the wall with categories for a costume contest: Funniest Costume, Sexiest Costume, Funniest Couple, Scariest Couple, etc. Take digital shots and print out 8 x 10s on your printer and have people vote for the winners. Give out WallCandy Arts decals as prizes 
8. Going Away Parties: When a friend or family member moves, it’s another “This is Your Life” moment.
9. Childhood Bedrooms: Great place to showcase favorite family vacation pictures.
10. Office Decor: Show off the kids to your co-workers or your family vacation pics.
11. Playroom Decor: Kids are fickle. One day they love the Wiggles or Teletubbies. The next day they are “too old” for those characters and are Sesame Street sophisticates. Frames are ideal for displaying magazine pictures and children’s artwork, too.
As with all WallCandy Arts decals, there are no limits to where your imagination can take you.
We’d love to see how you’ve used WallCandy Frames. Please send us your photos and stories about your favorite decoration projects! Share them on Facebook or drop us a line here.
by WallCandy Arts on July 19, 2010
