Sunday, July 24, 2011

My Business Was Carded...

So 20 years ago I was living in Tallahassee and formed a business to create photo business cards.

Unique. One of a kind.

I showed people they could have their face, their store, their product on a VERY personal card.

Oh, a few people had tacky cards printed on flimsy Kodak photo paper.

But, mine were real cards, printed on a 6-color high speed press in Toronto, Canada. You could even write notes on the back.

Find a need, fill it better than anyone else for a fair price and you'll succeed.

When I came back to Charleston I still would keep my eye out for a suitable business for my cards.

Say you were on Folly Beach about 12 years ago and you owned a bar/restaurant that overlooked the ocean

Now, THAT's the picture you should have on your card!

Of course, a few years later, the view was completely blocked by a 4-story Condo but you see my point.

A pretty scene. A pretty card.

Sometime you just wanted your face on the card. Or be pictured in front of the sign on the front of your place.

It was fun giving out MY card for Boyd Multi-Media

Keep in mind that picture of me WAS taken 20 years ago. The phone number is accurate though after all these years.

Well, the area code was updated when we changed from 803.


Actually, I did meet a guy when I was still in Florida who had a unique card.

His you could even call MORE unique because it was printed on a thin, thin piece of wood.

And it's one of the few I've kept.

Wonder how many trees died for his cards?

Now, you can go online to design and order your cards to hand out. The price is a LOT less than I used to charge so I guess I'm no longer in that business.


I get mine online and was able to be fairly creative.

My Smartphone also now can display my QR (Quick Response) code.

Other Smartphones can scan it and bring up and store my web site.

Good thing too because I just changed to Gmail so I have to order a batch of new cards now that I'm no longer on Comcast.net.


(As usual, click on the photos for more details.)Thanks for stopping by to read my blog. Leave your card.

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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Giving Up Boating ....


I had to stop going out in my boat for medical reasons.

No, really. I went to a dermatologist about 7 years ago and found I had skin cancer.

As they say, if you have to have it, I had the "good" kind. It was a basal cell carcinoma and a surgeon removed it.

But I grew up in the South Carolina Lowcountry and, as a youth, had a long history of getting sunburned, peeling, then going back for more so I could have a tan.


I was raised believing that bronzed skin looked nice and healthy.

But CANCER is an ugly prospect.

So I got rid of my boat.

And I sold the snappy-looking convertible.

I put myself on a schedule to see the skin doctor every six months. And even sooner if I saw something unusual.

I bought a Tilley wide-brim hat and I stocked up on 30+ sun block.

Sometimes I miss the wind in my hair and the smell of salt air.


That's when I dig into my photo files and take a look at a client's 50-foot yacht down in Florida.

I had snapped it years ago to use on a business card I was making for him.

He had even let me take a picture standing at the wheel of the $$$ yacht.... for about 10-15 seconds.

Wow. I was afraid to move!

I was never that nervous with my own little 14-footer.

Saw the skin doctor today and I'm doing fine she said.

(Click on pictures for more detail. These are old photos so they don't appear too much larger.) Thanks.

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