Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#9) – “127 Hours”
Feb.21
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: 127 HOURS
Starring: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDB): “A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.”
Odds of Winning*: 10:1 (Audiences can’t bear to watch the infamous amputation scene).
Best Wall Decal Match: Forest Friends
While some of us get understandably squeamish about seeing a hiker lose his arm, this kind of thing happens in nature all the time. Take for example, the tragic case of this chipmunk who snapped his arm in half after trying to carry too many acorns:
OK, so this never happened. And I don’t wish any ill-will on any chipmunks or other Forest Friends on the planet. But as durable as Wall Candy Arts removable decals are, they can be sliced with a scissors or torn under extreme duress.
Great thing about the wall stickers is that they can be (almost) seamlessly repaired with careful surgery.
I don’t think that James Franco’s character was so lucky. We wish him well at the Oscars though!
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#10) – “Winter’s Bone”
Feb.20
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: WINTER’S BONE
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt
One-Sentence Summary (IMDb): “An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact.”
Odds of Winning*: 10-1 (Make sure to refill your depression medication prescriptions.)
Best Wall Decal Match: Happy Flowers, My Sunshine.
Yes, this won Sundance Film Festival awards and is based on a critically acclaimed book. But when I go to the movies, I want to escape from my problems and the world’s problems.
Rural poverty? Home foreclosure? Crystal meth? No thank you! As an antidote, I am desperately in need of an optimistic cheery infusion. And that’s why I am turning to WallCandy’s Happy Flowers wall stickers with a little My Sunshine wall decal to help process the plants’ chlorophyll.
No child should have to deal with his or her father running from the law. And if you’re fortunate enough to have a happy family, take a moment to appreciate the smiles.
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Invaluable Advice for Storing Your Removable Wall Decals
Feb.2
Any guess what this is?
Perhaps a futuristic barcode? Some kind of post-modern art?
Once you pan a little over to the right, you’ll get a few more clues!
The elongated rectangles are the light beams and the identical lemon wedges are the sun from WallCandy’s vibrantly upbeat “My Sunshine” removable wall stickers.
I foolishly threw away the slick paper backing from my “My Sunshine” kit and so when it came time to take advantage of the removable and reusable features of the wall decals, I was up the creek without a paddle.
My solution: Find a blank hallway wall and use it as a temporary storage canvas. So far there have been no complaints from family members about the unorthodox decoration style, but at some point I will have to figure out another way to salvage the sun.
Moral of the story: SAVE YOUR STICKER SHEETS!
In a pinch, you can also stick the reusable decals on your refrigerator. I’m a fan of displaying WallCandy’s Polaroid-style Frames on the fridge. You can put photos or kids’ drawings in there for a slick retro presentation.
But back to the mysterious barcode at the top of this post. Maybe scrambling up the pieces of WallCandy sticker sets could be the basis for a new game show. Stay tuned!
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!
Sticker Survival 101: How to Use Wall Decals in a Bathroom Emergency
Sep.19
Wall stickers might not be one of life’s barebones necessities. It is very unlikely that they will ever be one of the personal luxury items brought into the wilderness by a contestant on “Survivor.”
But nonetheless, WallCandy removable wall decals can be used to solve some urgent real world problems outside of the home decorating universe.
I found these funny “How-To” instructions on Facebook. As you can see, they suggest a simple way for women to instantly transform a men’s room into their turf if the lines are too long at the women’s bathrooms — as they always inevitably are.
As the New York Times eloquently puts it, long lines at public restrooms “have plagued women since the dawn of the porcelain age.”
Some enlightened places, such as New York City, require restaurants, sports stadiums and other areas of public gathering to have two women’s bathroom stalls for every men’s toilet — reflecting the reality of how much longer it takes to sit 100 percent of the time (and presumably, cover the disgusto toilet seats with 17 layers of protective paper).
But let’s say you are in a backwards place where officials don’t recognize the problem of bathroom inequity. Then it’s time for some guerrilla stickering to get those extra toilets by any means necessary. Since an early age we are conditioned to stay out of the opposite gender’s restrooms, though I will admit to sneaking into the one-person Women’s Room at gas stations when the Men’s Room is out of soap. Women’s bathrooms never run out of soap, because women are smart enough to demand it.
This tactic wouldn’t work for a huge multi-stall bathroom unless you are the first to get there in the morning and make the transformation believable to the first bladder-strained patron.
So where do you get YOUR WallCandy sticker-skirt and do they come in different sizes?
Well, most of the sticker sheets you order have plenty of blank scraps left over (the negative space between the stickers). You can cut these into any shapes you want and use permanent marker to add color.
The great thing about using WallCandy products in these situations is that you can do it with a clear conscience. Unlike those pesky bumper stickers that activists plaster all over street signs and newspaper boxes, our removable wall decals leave absolutely no sticky residue when you pry them off the door. You can pull off this practical joke (or genuinely save yourself embarrassment in a potty emergency) without feeling like a vandal.
Humor aside, it is probably not a great idea to commandeer any public men’s room even for emergency women’s use. Believe me, you will be horrified at the condition of the floor and the ratio of flushed-to-unflushed toilets.
Take my advice: Choose the long lines!
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).
Meet the New Cupid: Can wall decals really bring more romance into a marriage?
Feb.11
Monster Patrol wall decals not only engage children's imaginations and dispel nightmares, but they also heroically restore parents back to their rightful place in bed!
Meet the new Cupid! His name is Heinrich — his friends call him “Henry” — and he’s the cutest, most powerful toddler superhero in the history of childhood.
Henry is the squad leader of the Monster Patrol, an elite anti-nightmare unit dispatched to your child’s bedroom to give them the confidence that they can sleep restfully knowing the homefront is secure. His popcorn-like “Monster Pops” magically make monsters disappear in an instant!
There’s another proven way that kiddies can find safe refuge from monsters, and that’s by hopping in bed with mom and dad. Depending on how many kids you have, and their level of monsterphobia, this nightly migration can turn the grown-ups into refugees.
That’s what used to happen in WallCandy CEO Allison Krongard‘s house, when her children, Lilly and Brandon, would scamper into her bed at all sorts of ridiculous hours of the night.
“It was crazy,” laughs Allison. “Nobody ever woke up in the same bed they started in!”
Allison’s husband ironically would scrunch himself into Brandon’s WallCandy toddler bed, despite the option for stretching out in Lilly’s queen bed. She suspects the pink girly decor may have been a subconscious deterrent.
But now with the Monster Patrol on guard 24/7, everyone sleeps in their own beds — thus restoring the natural order of husband and wife elbowing each other in the night.
“Telling your kid that monsters aren’t real doesn’t work,” says Allison. “You need something imaginary to fight something imaginary.”
While we can’t guarantee that your love life will improve if you bring the Monster Patrol into your home, we’re pretty sure the imaginary monsters will be scared out of their wits!
– WallCandy Dad
