making every day a happyday!

VANS custom culture

erin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:39:41 +0000

I can vividly remember drawing black checkerboards on the sides of my Vans “slip ons” back in the 80s…ok, might have even been late 70s. I was thrilled and honored to be asked to design a pair for the upcoming Vans Custom Culture contest! They are highlighting designers from all industries and encouraging high schools to register for the contest by March 1st. Entering its third year in 2012, Vans Custom Culture has inspired tens of thousands of students at more than 700 participating schools. Last year, Vans awarded $50K toward the art programs at Ward Melville High School (Long Island, NY)

My kids helped create this one-of-a-kind EC pair for display…I went for a flashy, party look by painting copper glitter and glueing bells around the seams. One shoe reads: LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! and the other shoe reads: I’LL BE THERE WITH BELLS ON. I couldn’t resist adding my signature stripes to the back. I hope these inspire many schools to sign up! spread the word and find details at www.vans.com/customculture

viva italia!

erin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:25:24 +0000

I like to say that we know how to put the FUN into FUNdraising! We host a party each year with another couple that is “for sale” at a live auction at our annual school fundraiser for the public school our children attend. Each year the price of the party seems to go higher, putting more pressure on us to deliver an incredible night worthy of the big bucks it raises for our school. This year we went with an Italian theme that was an absolute blast (and big surprise!) to our guests. The night started with champagne bellinis and cocktail hour at the home of our co-hosts…we excused ourselves to prepare for dinner (our guests assumed it would be at my house across the street), but when cabs arrived and “boarding passes” were handed out they were blown away by what came next!

are you gonna go my way!

erin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:44:55 +0000

I couldn’t help but sing this Lenny Kravitz tune as I saw this photo of him using the same old fashioned phone receiver for the iPhone that I have. I got it from one of my best gals for a birthday gift and i love it! So much easier to rest on my shoulder while i chat and work at the same time, just like my mom used to do in the 80s

She bought it for me at Forever 21 (i suppose i can still love that store even tho I’m Forever “twice that”) but you can also find on Amazon. Of course, it attaches to my super stylish iPhone case made by yours truly.

how’s it hangin?

erin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:39:30 +0000

One of my favorite things about December is the special deliveries from the mailman each day! My kids divide the stack of Holiday Cards and open each one (twins, always need to be even!). My work days are long, so I don’t usually get to enjoy the cards until i get home late at night. (hence the dark photo) We hang grosgrain ribbons from the eaves in our ceiling, and attach the cards as they arrive. Eventually, my living room is covered wall to wall with seasons greetings! How’s it hangin at your house??

oh, and because i know you’ll ask…yes, those are my grandparents on the Photo Canvas on the wall! I will sure miss them this year at the holidays, but this photo captured their spirit that lives on forever in all of us.

thankful for FAMILY

erin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:17:11 +0000

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving! This time of year is just so action packed, but this special holiday gives me the excuse to just put life and all it’s swirling chaos ON HOLD. No school, no work, no sports (well, all day on TV), no errands to run, no boxes to ship…it is the one day of the year that I truly just get to STOP, count my blessings, and enjoy every minute of family time. I’m sure many of you are cursing my name as you grocery shop, set tables, and get the impossible accomplished for the annual Feast, but lucky for me, I just get to show up and spend time with my favorite people on earth. My parents are soooo supportive of my work schedule and busy family life, my mom still cooks every bit of the meal so that we can just enjoy. They happen to be the BEST entertainers and the GREATEST grandparents of all time. Can I say that? Sure i can. I might be biased, but it would be tough to prove me wrong. I love this photo of my dad with all the grandkids….next year there will be ONE MORE! We are thrilled with the news of a precious baby girl due in April to my sister in law and bro who already have 2 wonderful boys. SOO much to be thankful for, I hope you can relax and reflect as well…

Flat Stanley goes Hollywood!

erin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:55:51 +0000

My precious nephew lives all the way across the country in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina. Sadly, we don’t get to travel to see them as often as we like, I sure love the energy and style of that great city! Quinn recently sent his cousins in Cali (my kiddos) a flat mailing envelope with Flat Stanley and a darling note (in his very impressive 2nd grade printing) asking that we show Stanley a good time in California. Well, last week was nothing extraordinary at the Condren house…nightly homework & swim team, a football game, basketball clinic, science projects…and more of the same, until our last minute invite to attend the taping of DANCING WITH THE STARS! We were over the moon to see that we had FRONT ROW seats, and although there were strict rules (and a search!) to not bring in cell phones, I just had to bend the rules to bring my iPhone and Flat Stanley in my purse. So glad I did, we sure showed Stanley a great time! I danced the tango with Stanley in our front row seats (across from the Kardashians on the other side that never looked up from their texts/tweets/emails on phones that were NOT concealed) and Brooke Burke was gracious enough to take Stanley into the makeup room with her! Brooke has been a loyal customer of mine for years and says our “Oh What a Week!” Schedule Pad is a lifesaver with her busy schedule and 4 kids. The whole night was studded with celebrities, but Flat Stanley was the STAR of the show!

katie costello in BERLIN!

erin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:45:46 +0000

as many of you know from our Life Planner video, my dear friend’s daughter is an insanely talented songbird named KATIE COSTELLO. (she looks JUST like her mama!) I have become quite the “groupie”, following her tour dates and dropping everything when she performs in Los Angeles. Since she grew up on our street, we occasionally get a private concert when she is in town for the holidays She had these concert posters made and we printed them for her to sell on her tour through Germany with her boyfriend, the ever talented Mr. Greg Holden. I just adore this song they sing together, and I’m pretty sure you will too. You can order on iTunes and support these touring musicians! Now, let’s get “out of our minds”…

click here to watch the video out of our minds

Go fish!

erin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:34:08 +0000

Okay, this is just to good to be true! (and I doubt it is true/real?) I grew up competitively swimming, the pool was a real passion of mine. Now that I have my own kids, I would LOVE for them to fall in the love with the sport too. We recently joined a local swim team and my daughter is LOVING it. My son? Not so much. Practice is every night, which most kids (and parents dread), but but my daughter and I are both really enjoying the time together and she is thriving in the pool. Well, that’s what i think…apparently my husband is questioning my motivation here and sent me this email today that just about made me fall out of my chair. You really need to know my husband and his humor, hope this doesn’t offend anyone, he kills me! (and i must have a pair)

“Maybe this is how you can relive your childhood rather than subject my children to a life of misery in a pool all day going back and forth over and over. You and your high school friends can go clubbin’ together on your next PS or Vegas run!! I can see you doing the running man with some 22yr old telling him how great a swimmer you once were and how much you hate that girl from Greenbrook that took all your records. Wear fins, save a child!”

HATS OFF to my team! (or on!)

erin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:00:17 +0000

wow has it been nuts around this place…since the launch of our Life Planner in July, we have literally tripled in size! The growing pains have been rough on all of us, and we are sooo thankful for our loyal customers who have stuck with us as we grow and improve. It takes time to find talented designers and a dedicated team that can keep up the quality and integrity of the company i started from my “toolshed” at home just a few years ago. We have all had to “wear many hats” lately as we reorganize and grow, so we decided it was appropriate to have a MANY HATS day, for real! I just love this crew, each person so talented and unique in her/his own way, just like their hats

back to the blog!

erin — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:07:43 +0000

wow, what a whirlwind this past year has been! the blog was on the back burner while we got through the crazy holidays and managed growing pains as we more than tripled in size last year! After many months of remodeling, we are finally moved into our fabulous new “state of the art” printing facility and design studio. Now the fun part begins…designing wallpaper for our many offices and adding my signature COLOR SPLASH to the white walls. I’m like a kid in a candy shop, ready to add pizazz to this place! I promise to send photos soon, thanks for your patience as we moved AND improved. i’m excited to be back on the blog!