We saw our shadow, too! Who's ready for another 6 weeks of creative uncapping?

This sassy little print can be all yours! The DIY monster blog,  Little Pink Monster shows you how to create this snow leopard cover and the best part- you can make it for anything you want! Just imagine; pillows, pouches, couches, chairs! An entire snow leopard lair!

… Ok, that may have gotten a little carried away. BUT it does have the power to really spice up your space- take a look!

Before... booooring

After!!

To see more visit Little Pink Monster!

NOTE: LPM shows using a regular Sharpie marker but our NEW specially designed fabric markers, Stained by Sharpie, would be PURRFECT for this project!

Be sure to check out the brand NEW Sharpie ANZ page on Facebook- all that awesome Sharpie content but with an accent! BONUS!

(Kangaroo inspired by depositphotos.com)

Keep on scrollin’ to see what Dan has to say about his life in the design world and his AWESOME Sharpie chart…( it may have been the best thing to happen to my week)

ENJOY!

Sharpie Artist Interview– Dan Cassaro

WHAT. A. STUD. Dan Cassaro, Sharpie world.

Tell me about yourself! Where are you from? Interests? Likes? Dislikes? Pet Peeves?

I’m a designer, animator and illustrator living and working in Brooklyn. I live in the adorable Italian section of Williamsburg and I love it. The area seems to have acclimated to the gentrification more organically than other parts of Williamsburg. There are tons of great old butcher shops and old neighborhood mainstays that seem to exist pretty harmoniously with the new restaurants and bad art school haircuts. I grew up in Long Island and still have complicated feelings about the mall because of that. 

Instead of typing out a list of my likes/dislikes I decided to make a little chart for you (using a Sharpie, natch). 

 What inspires you and your work?

 Powerful rock and roll music, old train cars, Dads, the bric-a-brac section at the thrift store and various other ephemera. I think it’s important to try and pull from things that go deeper than a aesthetic level. Bruce Springsteen’s music is good because it sounds great and is fun to sing along to but there is something happening on a much more visceral level. I think it’s good to try to create work from that angle instead of just trying to make visually pleasing images. You don’t want to be making graphic design elevator music you know? 

How would you describe your style?

I don’t know, this is hard. As a designer I’d like to think that style is adapted and applied depending on the project. The illustrator part of me definitely has a common thread that runs through all my work though. I’ve been thinking that “clumsy modernism” is a pretty good way of explaining what I’d like to achieve with my work. I like the economy and boldness of modernism but all the pretentiousness surrounding it makes me want to barf a little. I want my work to be succinct but just “off” enough to give it charm and approachability. I spent a lot of time in college learning how to kern a headline and now I feel like maybe I’ll earned the right to intentionally UN-kern it. A little wonk goes a long way. 

 You seem to be quite the jack-of-all-trades; working as a designer, animator, and illustrator, what IS it about your work that gets you goin’?

 It’s a gift to be able to do this for a living. To be able to explore a bunch of different things and put them all under one roof. I’m kind of a poster child of a very non-committal ADD generation and it’s a real stroke of luck that I found a career that allows and often rewards that sort of eclecticism. Honestly, I am equal parts overachiever and lazy teenager. Doing something that I love for a living helps me bridge that gap I think and find a middle ground between the two. 

 How did you get started?

 I went to School of Visual Arts when I was a bit older (23) because as I mentioned before, I am a really non-committal person. I fell in love with design because it was so open ended. After school I started freelancing right away. I didn’t make a ton of “connections” at school (read: smooching your famous design teacher’s butt) but the Internet is the most democratic tool we have and I just tried to get a lot of my personal work out there. I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of that personal work eventually turn into a paycheck. That sounds too romantic though. I have also taken tons of s****ty ( gotta keep it PG, here folks) soul-sucking jobs and made tons of things I am not proud of just to pay the bills. A little bit of both.

How did you come to contribute to the ACE Hotel’s (NYC) décor?

That place is so cool. I had worked on a project called 50 and 50 and had been talking to some people there about having an opening to showcase all the pieces. They invited me to work on a piece for one of the rooms because of that. It was a really fun project for me. I got to stay at the hotel for a couple of nights and draw all over their walls with Sharpie Oil based paint markers. They last time I got to draw on someones wall was at my friend Dan Volpe’s house when I was 16. That was mostly inappropriate reference drawings though. (sorry for the edits… This is a family establishment!)

 Any cool new projects you can tell us about?

This is a dream project but I really want to do it. I want to put on a classic rock laser light show. Like rent out the planetarium and serve beer and blast some Zeppelin while watching some amazing animated horses or something. Wouldn’t that be great? I think that there are a lot of outdated but brilliant art forms out their that are just waiting to be brought into a more modern context. These are the kind of projects that I dream about. 

 Your designs are have a cool edginess to them; how do you come up with new ideas?

 I try to stay open to things just happening. Too many people treat design like an assembly line and it makes for a lot of visually acceptable, but flaccid design. I’d like to treat it more like an adventure, more like fine art. I don’t stay too married to the sketches that I do (if I sketch at all) and that lets me discover new ways of working. I like having that moment when you discover that you can create something that you didn’t know you were capable of before and have it happen almost by accident. My end results often looks very different from my original intentions. That system isn’t really conducive to the standard system of client approvals but it’s a very exciting way to work. Adventure! 

How do you use Sharpie markers in your work? Favorite Sharpie? Why?

I do a lot of my pen work and doodling with Sharpe Fine Point. I usually like using cheap paper and letting the ink pool up in the edges and bleed a bit. It’s nice to take those drawings that show a human hand and bring them into the computer and add that dimension. Using pen on paper helps keep me tied to the physical which is something I never want to lose touch with. I used Sharpie paint markers for the mural at the Ace Hotel. It was all kind of fancy type work so I wanted to keep the line work loose and fun. I made sure to only use really wide tip pens for this to keep myself from getting too fussy. 

Mural for the Ace Hotel... I know where I WILL be staying...

 Best part of your “day job” and if you weren’t doing this what would you be doing?

The best part of my day job is that I don’t have one. It’s more of this amorphous work blob that floats around and gloms onto other parts of my life infiltrating weekends and late nights. I mean that in a really good way. I’m sure I end up working a lot more than 40 hours a week but there is nothing better than fitting your work life into your regular life and not the other way around. This summer I spent three months driving around the country in an old camper with my girlfriend and a laptop, seeing America and doing design work. It really got me excited about work in a totally new way; driving across the country is like being in the most amazing graphic design inspiration blog. I feel like I am the luckiest guy in the world to be able to do my job in my basement or on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. 

If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

To have a magic playlist that plays the right song all the time, even when you don’t know what the right song is. I am willing to accept that 90% of that playlist would be Heart’s “Crazy on You.”

 What trends do you see making it big in 2012/ what are you pumped about in 2012?

More pizza parties, true love triumphing over evil, and a renewed interest in Brenden Fraiser’s “earlier, funny films.” 

 Umm who doesnt love a solid pizza party!?! Aka count me in for Dan’s 2012 plans, FO SHO! And that, ladies and gentleman, concludes one of my favorite interviews to date; to check out more on Dan, his work and his sparkly personality- pop on over and check out his website and follow him on Twitter and tumblr!

Ed recently got his hands on some of our new Stained by Sharpie fabric markers for the launch of his NEWEST book; Stencil 201 and he even made us a little video …( keep on scrolling to check it out!)

So without further ado, allow me the immense pleasure of introducing you to Mr. Ed Roth, the man behind Stencil1 and the unofficial Stained By Sharpie commercial

Who DOESN'T love a stencil self-portrait? Ed Roth, ladies and gentleman.

Tell me about yourself! Where are you from? Interests? Likes? Dislikes? Pet Peeves? 

My name is Ed Roth. I grew up in Northern New Jersey, 20 minutes from NYC. I had crafty parents, you know, in that suburban way. Mom did ceramics, Dad painted murals on the garage walls with left over house paint, etc…With their influence and being a bored suburban teen, I would raid thrift stores and buy old furniture and refinish it- paints, stains, faux finishes, you name it as well as up-cycling clothes. I was the kid that wrote his favorite band names on his Converse with, yep, a black Sharpie!

Personally, I live for design and art and have a need to be creative. After working for decades for tv networks and ad agencies as an art director and animator, I then started my own design company, Stencil1, in 2004 in Brooklyn, NY.

A stencil isn't enough for THIS face. .

Likes? Well, I like design with soul. Clever street art. Customized belongings. Things with meaning.

Dislikes?  Generic cookie cutter spaces.  Overpriced clothes. 

Pet peeves? Overly designed items or spaces. Good design doesn’t have to be over the top.

What inspires you and your work? I usually find inspiration in my design work from things outside my field such as music, a trip to the museum,  being in nature, traveling , vintage shopping, being in Brooklyn. For example, a trip to the Museum of  Natural History will inspire the need to make an octopus stencil!

How would you describe your style?  Eclectic. I’m all over the place but have always liked nostalgia, nature, pattern, urban imagery, graffiti and pop art. Hence the range of stencil designs on the site!

Stencil and send!

You have done it all, including working as a graphic artist, animator and gallerist; as well as what we love you for, your stencils- what is it about stencils that really jazz you up?

How flattering. Thank you. I love perpetuating the art of stenciling. I love their history – their use for political outcry, their highly decorative use in castles of kings. It’s a tool without clear definition. It’s also so utilitarian, it allows someone who may not feel comfortable drawing to make art and be creative, it provides satisfaction. I love seeing how everyone who uses one of my stencils will have a different end result. Love it.

How did you get started?  In late 2004, I was needing a break from ad agencies . I had run a successful art gallery in Williamsburg with friends and wanted to continue doing something art related. I wanted to design a book. I did just that. I made a prototype book of 50 stencils. I shopped it around to publishers who liked it but weren’t sure how to produce it. I decided to just sell the stencils individually so I built a website (my other background is web design). I got press right away on CoolHunting.com, then the NYTimes, then Blick Art Materials called and wanted to carry Stencil1. I have figured it out along the way, slowly growing the company, adding designs, adding art supplies. Then I started making books with Chronicle Books. We released Stencil 101 in 2008. Since then, we released Stencil 101 Décor, Stencil Stationery, Stencil 101 Journal, and now Stencil 201. Next year you will see Stencil 101 Style. I continue to release new designs on Stencil1.com

Your stencils are super trendy and, not only hit the basics when you think of a “stencil,” they also have a cool edginess to them; how do you come up with new ideas? 

I think sometimes it’s simply what I like but also I have always been a trend watcher.

Do you have a personal soft spot for one of your designs in particular?

I have a few favs. I love my 7 foot grizzly bear! I recreated him in a small size for Stencil 201, this way he can fit right on your shirt!  My Stencil Graffiti Mini Sets are also some of my favorites since they were some of the first designs I put out and I think define Stencil1. People seem to like these since they are smaller and super easy to use.

Get grizzly with it... can you imagine? 7 FEET!

How do you use Sharpie markers in your work?

Well, With the release of Stained fabric markers, I am like a pig in the mud, haha. I do a lot of t-shirt design work, many of my stencils are really designed with apparel in mind. Sharpie has made customizing t-shirts way easier with these new fabric markers. While painting is great, everyone can use a marker with perfect results. The tips of these markers are more brush like with a point so you can stencil into fine details or fill in larger areas easily. I used the markers at by events for people to stencil with, amazing results. Make sure you watch the video!

Favorite Sharpie?  Why?

I guess now it would be a black Stained fabric marker because it’s basic, multi-surface and allows me to customize t-shirts, canvas sneakers, anything really.

Best part of your “day job” and if you weren’t doing this what would you be doing?

Well, the best part of being the Stencil1 owner is  getting to create creative tools that people use to make things with. I love seeing what people make, it feels like you provided someone some fun.

If not this, I would still have to be creative. Textile designer? Landscape architect?

If you could have one super power what would it be and why? 

Fun question! Maybe to spray paint out of my wrist like Spiderman throws webs!

What trends do you see making it big in 2012/ what are you pumped about in 2012 ( in the art world, in design, whatever)?

Trends for 2012 – I think customizing your wares and space is a big movement. The quest for authenticity.  I am very excited about 2012 as I am reaching out to do a lot of collaborative work. I will not only be introducing more stencils, art tools and supplies but also working with companies to create apparel, décor, and home items. 

Tell me about the video and background on the event !!

The video here was shot the day of the official book launch for my new book Stencil 201. I always have a DIY event during my book signing so people can be creative. I partnered with Etsy to have  their craft nite coincide with the signing at Powerhouse Arena in DUMBO. I tested the project at my studio. I cut up canvas into patches and provided Stained by Sharpie markers with stencils from Stencil 201 as well as some other Stencil1 designs. Some even brought their own canvas bags and t-shirts to customize. As you will see, the crowd really enjoyed it!

For more BOMB dot com (this phrase is making a comeback! trust me…) stencils and to check out his books, be sure to stop by his website and check him out on Twitter and Facebook.

EXCLUSIVE Sharpie perk alert! Be sure to LIKE Stencil1 on Facebook to receive the special discount code exclusively for Sharpie lovers… AND for 20% off be sure to join his mailing list (scroll down and its on the left!)!!

Trent Schmick, artist and teacher extraordinare

Tell me about yourself! Where are you from? Interests? Likes?

I was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin but I moved a lot while I was growing up, so sometimes I consider the Midwest my home.  I did however move back to Wisconsin to a city just outside of Madison and following high school graduation, I chose to study graphic design and earned an Associates Degree in Commercial Art.  With my parents again on the move, this time to Utah, I was really at a crossroads about what I was going to do with my life.  I had a piece of paper and some newly learned skills, but sadly, I realized advertising wasn’t my passion.  As my parents moved West, I stayed in Madison to figure out what I was going to do with my life.  I spent the next year working various jobs, trying to get my rock band out of the garage and basically having fun.  Then one day I knew, college was the answer.   I gave up everything and put all my energy and resources into putting myself through college and proudly walked away with a BA in Art Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and walked straight into a school art room and have enjoyed every second of that decision!  I passionately believe in the arts and it’s really an honor to spend time working with young artists as they discover the joy of creativity.

My other great passion is music.  As a songwriter, combining words and music allows me the opportunity to express myself differently and though it’s now just a hobby, I do spend quite a bit of time writing and recording my songs.  Sometimes when my love of music diverts my attention from my art, I think of Vincent Van Gogh’s short, but productive art life that lasted just over 10 years. He amazingly created something like 2,100 pieces of artworks, 860 were oil paintings and the rest were watercolors, drawings, sketches and prints, which is pretty prolific. I whole-heartedly blame music for the reason why I probably won’t reach half of Van Gogh’s creative output in my lifetime… but I’m ok with that.

A few of Trent's masterpieces on display!

Did you always know you were going to be an artist?

Yes, without a doubt.  Although I have at different stages in my life pondered other career possibilities… fireman, zookeeper, comedian, football player, guitar player, full-time college student…just to name a few.  But the truth is being an artist and a teacher was always my true calling.   Even though I gave other careers some thought, deep down I’ve always known that art was going to play a role in my daily life. I vividly remember in second grade when my classroom teacher announced, matter-of-factly, we would not be able to have our normally scheduled art day and that art class was cancelled.  After giving this quite a bit of thought, I knew what to do.  I opened up the 1^st – floor window, climbed out, and headed for home.  Now this was going to be a bit of a problem since I took the bus to school!  I didn’t get very far before I was escorted back to the school building.  I knew then how powerful art was to me and the real reason I went to school. 

 What inspires you as an artist? 

Some one said, “Creativity and love come from the same source, and both have no boundaries.  It all depends on how we use them.”  Whether I’m writing a song, a poem or creating a piece of art, my art is just an extension of my heart and soul.  The goal always is to honestly express and convey that particular thought or feeling that is within me.  Fine art gives me the opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings when there are no words available to do otherwise.

“Creativity and love come from the same source, and both have no boundaries.  It all depends on how we use them.” 

My inspiration is really shaped by the way I see the world.  I can get easily lost in the details of objects, like the veins of a leaf or the texture of an old barn.  In my Sharpie permanent marker drawings I’ve been specifically inspired by people and more specifically the face.  I’m drawn to the eyes and have been for most of my creative life.  You can gain a lot of insight into a person by reading their eyes.  It’s the eyes that reveal truth, joy, love, fear, sadness, and heartache.  Because of my limited vision, I’ve always had a special appreciation for sight and the single eye has been a recurring motif that appears in all my Sharpie permanent marker drawings.  It’s the eye shape in each work that gives my art its emotional focus.

How would you describe your style? 

My art moves between Abstraction and Non-Objective.  Although I have the ability to create realistic works of art and have done so on and off my whole life, there is something about abstraction that sparks my creative energy. 

I find beauty in line, shape, texture and color.   Each of these elements is like separate instruments.  But, when you put them together in a pleasing way you create beautiful music.  I love spiral shapes and twisting, overlapping shapes and lines and use them a lot to create rhythm and to suggest movement and to express emotion. If you look at a work like Bowl of Notes (above), you can see the kinetic energy that’s created by overlapping lines, shapes and colors.

I also really strive to create an illusion of space in my work.  This is achieved by the way I draw and color the shapes. Making the shapes appear to be 3-dimensional is a very central part to my style.  In Guardian (below), you can see a culmination of all these components.

Guardian

How did you get started working as an artist? How do you get the creative juices flowing?

I look back and I can’t ever remember a day when I wasn’t creating.  It seems I was born with a crayon in my hand. (You mean a Sharpie right. wink wink :) )  It sounds simple, but to be creative you have to give yourself the opportunity to create.  You have to exercise that part of your brain.  When I’m not creating, I’m still thinking and observing the world around me.  My creative energy flows back and forth from one creative discipline to another like water with no beginning or end. I’ve always felt a song is still better than silence, a poem is still better than a blank piece of paper, and a painting is still better than a blank canvas. The expression of creativity starts with a note, a letter or a dot, so start. I did! I’m really grateful I am able to actively express myself in variety of art forms.

How do you use Sharpie markers in your work?  Can you explain the process you use to create your artwork?

My work is created entirely with Sharpie Permanent Markers.   I free hand all the shapes either with a pencil or a black Sharpie marker.  I choose not to use rulers or any other drawing tools to create the shapes.  I really like the challenge this creates as I draw each shape.  I usually start with the “eye forms.”   Once I’m satisfied with them I’ll outline the shapes in black Sharpie and then add any additional details.   Next I’ll pick a color scheme and begin coloring. Often times, I’ll be layering different colors to create new colors.   Now that Sharpie has expanded their color range, it’s much easier to produce the colors I desire for each artwork, but I still like the challenge of creating new colors.  I usually work on several pieces at the same time, so I’m continually rearranging and adding additional shapes together to create the finished design.  Once the design is finalized and all the shapes are outlined and colored, I cut them out.  The parts are then assembled together with some of the pieces literally raised up from the flat picture surface creating areas of relief, although these raised parts are hard to see in the photos.

Your art seems to resemble a human form, does each piece have a “persona” for you or are they strictly expressions of art?  

Yes, my work is based on the human form and more specifically on the face with an emphasis on the eyes.  Each portrait is created intuitively, so the persona often doesn’t reveal itself until the piece is finished.  Sometimes I get more clarity by talking to people at my art exhibits.   They see the work with fresh eyes and they can be quite insightful.

In the end, each work has two layers. The 1st layer is what you physically see and this is the design (line, shape, color, texture and value) and their arrangement. I call this the beauty layer. The second layer is the psychological/emotional layer. This layer gives the work its emotional depth. As in all works of art, the viewer gets to decide how deep they want to understand the idea.  As the artist I just give you the opportunity to decide.

How do you decide what to name your pieces?

Since my work is spontaneous, I don’t always know exactly what form the piece will take once I begin. As I work through the process, the picture’s does reveal its true essence to me subconsciously towards the time I begin assembling the pieces.  Many times it’s been several weeks before I can fully understand the finished work and title it.  Other times the idea reveals itself quickly and the title is quite easy, which happened with Social Anxiety.  To most people walking somewhere is pretty easy, but to someone with social anxiety, it literally feels like walking through a thick jungle. The simplest tasks can be overwhelming and I believe the piece’s dense overlapping shapes and the wide-eyed, sad facial expression really captures that anxious feeling.

Social Anxiety

Favorite Sharpie?  Why? 

My favorite color is orange and I use it quite a lot in my work, but my favorite sharpie is Marigold because it’s very useful for mixing other colors.

"Orange you glad you met me, Marigold?"

As a teacher you must have some great advice for young artists…

I tell students that you’ll know you’re an artist when you can pick up a rock and you see everything but a rock.  Making others feel what you see and see what you feel is a powerful yet wonderful and vital gift to give to the world.  So Dream big.  Spend time wondering what could be. Then take a risk. Many of the risks I’ve taken have led to some pretty amazing opportunities.  When I first started exploring the creative potential of Sharpie markers, I was really just trying to make pleasing artwork to hang on my walls.  Little did I know that six years later these works would be exhibited throughout Wisconsin or that I’d have my work in both corporate and private collections, or won a few awards or even gotten to share my work with so many people. I would have never experienced this journey without believing in my self-worth and not settling for less.  So I say to my students, believe in yourself and the work you create.  Celebrate the joy of creativity and embrace a lifelong appreciation for the arts and if you choose not to make art then remember—the world needs art buyers too!

“Believe in yourself and the work you create”

If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

My super power would be “wish granter.”  I’d like the ability to turn sadness, disappointment and heartache into joy, success and love by making other people’s wishes come true.  I would do it anonymously… No wish is too big!  I’d just leave my calling card in the shape of a hand that read, “A little helping hand.”

 Keep up with Trent’s work and make sure to check out his website and on Facebook!

Why not take a look back and reminisce with friends and family as you ring in 2012 and leave a wish for the new year? Personally I think its truly a “winning” idea.. c’mon you can’t talk about 2011 without a good Charlie cameo.

So, to take a page from Real Simple, how about a little Sharpie scribble to bring in 2012 in style…

Image courtesy of Real Simple

To recreate this New Year’s wreath of well-wishes check out Real Simple online!

How perfect would this be for toting around all your new Sharpie goodies from the holiday season?!

For the complete lowdown on how-to- make this purrrfectly totable gift  and more amazing ideas check out Erica’s blog!

Sharpie Squad member, Laura Kelly, may be one of the cheeriest bloggers we have  had the pleasure of working with! For the past 3 years she has brightened the Sharpie world by guest blogging and sharing her Sharpie love with the world (and across the country, in this case); so, what better way to celebrate the season than to share Laura’s cheer with you all!

What better way to spread BRIGHT and happy love this holiday season than to add a little Sharpie fun to my already planned adventure across the country from North Carolina to California.  With my backpack full of Sharpie markers to give away, sketchbooks and other random Sharpie gear, I grabbed my stuff and made my way to RDU to meet my long time BFF and get on our way.

Ready to jet set!

We started in Raleigh, North Carolina on a beautiful sunny morning.  Having arrived at the airport earlier than necessary we decided to grab breakfast at the super yummy 42^nd Street in terminal C.  When our server arrived, we informed her that she was the first lucky Sharpie winner.  From the large plastic tub of Sharpie markers, she chose green as her favorite and I used it to draw a quick “Me and My Peep” character of herself.   Our first stop was Boston and while there, I left the tub of Sharpie markers on my chair in Delta’s Sky Lounge while going to get some fresh veggies and a refreshing beverage.  Upon my return, I found the chair empty and heard the following over the loudspeaker, “Will the owner of the Sharpies please come to the front.  Your Sharpies have been turned it.”  I dashed to get them and was told that I was lucky to get them back, that sometimes valuable left like weren’t so fortunate as to be returned to their owners, like laptops and cell phones.  She was one smart concierge; she sure knew the value of the Sharpie pen collection!  I doodled a few things for some of the “business” travelers and witnessed a few overly dressed and somewhat pretentious professionals shift from uppity bumps on logs to open, connected and interesting regular folk.  Who knew that a little Sharpie doodling and laughter could create a table of new acquaintances swapping holiday stories and plans while swapping Sharpie markers from my tub to keep  or take back to loved ones at home.  My favorite guy took four, two for each daughter (pink/purple and chartreuse/lime green).

Throughout the day, from airport to airport and on the planes; I sketched “Me and My Peeps” for those around me and made LOTS of new friends.  The most popular colors taken from my collection were bright pink, lime green, red, black and purple.  I got to hear so many great stories about the ways people use their Sharpies, how amazing their artistic children are with Sharpies, what kind of Sharpies they wish they had more of and so much more.  I even got to doodle one of my all-time favorite men, Santa Claus.  He asked me if I wanted more Sharpie markers in my stocking to which I replied, “OF COURSE I DO!  

On Saturday morning we went shopping and I doodled along the way.  The workers in the t-shirt shop were psyched to get their own “Me and My Peep” drawn and put them on display behind the register.

 The dude working at the San Francisco Bath Salt store was another proud owner of his “Me and My Peep” and more than excited about the possibility of showing up in this blog.  He was definitely a SILVER Sharpie marker kind of guy…with a sparkly personality to match!

During the day on Saturday, I took my Sharpie collection along for our outing to Alcatraz, thinking I might be able to graffiti a little in the cells…JUST KIDDING!  While doodling in line I found a fellow Sharpie marker user…the girl assigned the job of marking our tickets!  She was happy as could be when I replaced hers with a new sharp tipped red and happily let me photograph her in action.  She said she wished she could use purple but that red was her only choice.  I gave her a purple to use on personal time.  She gave me a hug.  I call that a GOOD DEAL!  The boat trip over was a bit choppy so I kept my tub packed up and enjoyed the ride!

That evening we attended a wine tasting and once again, my tub was a hit!  The tasters used the markers for their customer tasting notes.  Personally, I recommend the 2010 Mendocino!  It gained a bright red Sharpie heart on my notes!

On Sunday morning, I left a black Sharpie marker with a doodled up message on the paper machine.  I watched from afar while people stopped to read it and chat up their Sharpie stories.  Finally it was taken by a teenage girl who stated as she ripped it from the machine, “I think someone left this here for me.”  She was right.  I guess I did.

That afternoon while shopping at Pier 33 and strolling Fisherman’s Wharf, I took a break to sit down and sketch only to find myself surrounded with people who waited in line for their turn to get sketched.  It was crazy fun.  I passed out Sharpies and smiles at the same time.  Some wanted to know where my tip jar was and I laughed.  Can you imagine, drawing “Me and My Peeps” for tips.  I do it for fun…for the mere pleasure of spreading cheer.  Once inside Boudans to buy some sourdough bread, we decided to head upstairs and grab a bite.  I put my tub of Sharpie markers on the bar while I dug in my backpack for my wallet and the man next to me said, “Wow, you are so lucky.  You have so many Sharpies.”  I chatted with him and ended up giving him a few doodle tips.  He practiced his skills on the postcards he was writing back home to his grandmother in Sweden.  When I gave him the handful he used for his masterpieces, he reacted as if he won the lottery.  He gave me the cheek and then the other cheek European kiss and then was whisked off with his mate to his table to eat.

I was then requested to draw the bartender and the girl on our other side so happily doodled some more, handed out some more love in the form of Sharpie marker, then celebrated my new friendships with a little time trading stories before heading back out to the piers.

I continued to doodle and hand out the markers until they were all gone.  I was invited to new places to meet strangers’ families, speak to their schools and illustrate their stories into books.  I was thanked for sharing myself, for offering inspiration and for reminding people that they too were born to create…that doodling counts too and that they are already qualified!

I learned a lot from my adventure.  The most important lesson that I was reminded of through this attempt to spread bright holiday love was that people from all over the world, of all ages and in all sizes love the joy that comes through creation and imagination.  I was reminded that although I am often teased for being a doodle artist, my gift is unique and it makes a difference in the world we share.

  Together with paper, Sharpie markers and strangers…we can connect, grow and care about others.

MERRY HOLIDAYS!  May your celebrations be filled with lots of BRIGHT, CHEERY and HAPPY CREATIVE LOVE!

To keep with Laura and see where else her Sharpie travels take her be sure to check out her website and find her on Facebook!

What better way to show your friends and family how much you care by sending them something more… Sharpie… than the generic “happy holiday” card? Inexpensive and creative, these funky fresh tidings are guaranteed to bring spectacular Sharpie season’s greetings to one and all!

Make your holidays BOOM!

Want a closer look?

have a rockin' christmas

B-b-b-b-b BOOOM

Happy Holidays!

And to all a goodnight!