Sunny Slide Up

family, work and slowing down

First, hello. I have missed the Sunny Slide Up blog! It has always been a fun, creative outlet for me. I’m so happy to be back.

What have I been up to? Wow. Where do I start? I can’t believe it has been a year since posting last here! And at the same time – it seems like time has flown by. My dad got very sick at the end of last year. It was very scary and I dropped everything to help him. I was happy to do so. That’s what you do when your family needs you. Especially your parents that helped you through so much of your life. I am happy to report that my dad is doing amazingly well now. The whole experience brought us so much closer together. Love you Dad!

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Can you believe that is it already November? The holidays last year were a complete blur with everything going on. Then before you know it the new year was here. Unfortunately, I found less and less time for my creative outlets like this blog and I was working nonstop. My business was going really well, so I can’t complain…but I needed to slow down. I sometimes think I am superwoman and I can do it all. Don’t we all, ha. Well I am trying to be more realistic these days and stop over-commiting! It is a fault of mine. I stopped saying yes to everything and started adding more turnaround time to by work projects. I schedule my downtime. I need a lazy Sunday every once in a while…or every week. It is amazing how refreshing a day at home with no project deadlines and plans can be!

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This past summer flew by without enough beach vacations. That is what I always end up saying. I love the beach and will totally live by one someday. Talk about slowing down. I could sit on a beach everyday soaking up the sun. It is one of my favorite things ever.

And now fall is here with its beautiful leaves. It has been raining here in Charlotte this week which has been kind of blah, but I welcome the cooler weather when I can wear my fuzzy sweaters and have my fireplace on every evening.

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Halloween is over and the countdown to the holidays begins. Only 22 days until Thanksgiving! Need some turkey day ideas? Here are some from when I hosted Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. Gobble! Gobble!

I’m super excited for this holiday season. I just love buying/making gifts for people. I gather gifts all year long and stuff them in a box in a closet – then it is so exciting when I open the box to see what I have collected all year and start the wrapping! And the decorating – I would leave my Christmas tree up all year long if my husband would let me.

I’m going to try to remember my “slow down” motto through the rest of this year. The holidays can get so rushed. I’m going to sit back a bit and enjoy. And I am really looking forward to sharing some of my favorite finds from this past year with you and playing a bit of catch up here on the blog. More to come. Cheers!

(P.S. – have you entered our giveaway this week yet? There is still time!)

giveaway with dry ink designs

by sunnyslideup | diy, sunny slide up

This week you heard from Mandi and her etsy shop… Well, you are in luck as one of our readers will win a hand painted quote handmade by Mandi herself!

As Mandi talked about here, she has found a new love for hand lettering and experimenting with new pens, ink and paint. Her post on easy calligraphy from last year has been a huge hit on our blog!

And now, to the Giveaway….

This one-of-a-kind hand lettered water color print can be yours!

($35 dollar value)

TO BE ENTERED TO WIN, you must… (more…)

new shops, baby, and life… oh my

by Mandi | personal, style

Hey guys!

It’s Mandi… We are so excited to be back here on Sunny Slide Up! We took a little time away, but I will tell you it was for good reason. We all had a full plate and today I am happy to be able to share with you what I had going on.

As you all know, I have been running my own graphic design business, Dry Ink Designs, for almost 4 years now! It has been an amazing journey that continues to grow. I love design, I love everything logo and brand, and I love working with clients of all shapes and sizes to communicate their best selves graphically.

However, in my free time (we all have plenty of that, right) I caught myself drawing, experimenting with new pens, ink and paint. I continued to push my hand lettering and calligraphy. I wanted an outlet to be able to share these with others and Etsy felt like the right fit! It is a platform that allows me to easily sell world wide and I have had the most amazing luck so far! Please go and like my page for all new items that I put up there!

As we get closer to the holiday season, I have had many people ordering these custom gifts for babies with first christmas, for loved ones with quotes and as gifts! They turn out great who doesn’t love custom, one-of-a-kind items!

I love packing off things to ship to their new homes, I love getting custom orders and work with people on making something special for their home!

I have also partnered with Little Ornery to do custom shirts for mamas and babies! These are just to cute and you are going to want to snatch up one of everything! How cute is this little one for Thanksgiving?

Here are a few more – I literally could live in these sweatshirts!

With all of this, you wouldn’t think it could get more exciting, but I tell you… I have had the most amazing year not because of shirts or business, but this one special amazing little boy.

I didn’t know my heart had this capacity to love. I didn’t know a smile so small could be so big and warm me to my core. I didn’t understand that I no longer did for myself, but that I would do everything I do, with every ounce of my soul, for another person. I love who I have become, I have fallen in love with my husband in a new, unexperienced way, and I live for each moment I get to see his special face. I live now to see him live, see him grow grow and watch him learn. He has all of our heart!