Christmas is Almost Here!

Rather than go on and on about all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, I would like to remind everyone the reason for the Holiday began nearly 2000 years ago in a small town in a far away land, a child was born to mankind that would forever change the way the world measure time and faith. That being said, this next part is for a good friend serving overseas this Christmas season..
Paul Yerkin, this is for you!

Twas the night before Christmas.
He lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of
Plaster and Stone.

I had come down the Chimney,
With presents to give.
And to see just who In this home
did live.

I looked all about
A strange sight I did see.
No tinsel, No presents,
Not even a tree.
No stocking by the mantle,
Just boots filled with sand.

On the wall hung pictures
Of far distant lands.
With medals and badges,
Awards of all kinds,
A sober thought
Came through my mind.
For this house was different,
It was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier,

Once I could see clearly.
The soldier lay sleeping,
Silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor
In this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle,
The room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured

Was this the hero
Of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a Poncho,
The floor for a bed?
I realized the families
That I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers
Who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world,
The children would play,
And grownup's would celebrate
A bright Christmas Day.
They all enjoyed freedom
each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers,
Like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder
How many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve
In a land far from home.
The very thought
Brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees
And started to Cry.

The soldier awakened
And I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry,
This life is my choice."
The solider rolled over
And drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it,
I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours,
So silent and still
And we both shivered
From the cold nights chill.
I didn't want to leave
On that cold, dark, night,
This guardian of Honor
So willing to fight.

The solider rolled over,
With a voice soft and pure,
Whispered, "Carry on Santa,
It's Christmas Day, All is secure."
One look at my watch,
And I knew he was right.

"Merry Christmas my friend, And to all a good night."

Carry On Soldier, Everyone at home waits for your return..

Terry

Happy Thanksgiving!

Was up at 5am to get the ham and baked mac and cheese started, all was quiet in the house. I was thinking of all the missed opportunities I have let pass me by because of a perception of time and the lack of spending it wisely. On that thought, there is a list to help us remember the way we should spend each day, not just Thanksgiving.
1. Let the turkey be the only one to be mute and thankless at the Thanksgiving table.
2. Base your thankfulness not on circumstances but on God’s faithfulness.
3. Make a plan to eat right, spend wisely, breathe deeply and maintain realistic expectations.
4. Cancel all relational debts and be the first to bring healing.
5. Choose to create beautiful memories found in the investment of quality time and shared experiences.
6. Remember that unexpressed love is the greatest regret of all.
7. God entrusted you with some family members that you did not choose because he trusts you to love them unconditionally.
8. The early pilgrims sought the freedom to worship God and a true celebration of Thanksgiving will never be found in a mission less noble.
9. God rested on the seventh day of creation and in so doing taught us to pace ourselves.
10. The holidays are prime for having a profound effect upon the life of another at a time when they are most receptive.

May each of you have a blessed Holiday Season, a terrific Thanksgiving gathering of family and friends and a life filled with love and joy.
I know as this day progresses I will be with a group of family and friends that I cherish, some will not be able to be here and some will have passed on ahead of me but all of them I carry with me each day.
Don't miss an opportunity to speak a kind word or to share a smile, a chance missed is one you never get back and couldend up in regret.

Gods Love and Mercy be with you all.

When all else fails. Check the dryer!

Mornings are colder now, the sun sets way too early but things are better than ever these days. I set a goal to drop 35 lbs and as of this morning I am just 4 lbs from that goal. Heck, I am just a one inch away from wearing a size 30 pant again!
The holidays are closer now and shopping is on my mind. I think this will be a great season for me, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving more than any other holiday, it has become the thing I look forward to the most each year, just ask me why, I love to share the reason.
Oh, back to the dryer! Debbi was laughing and calling me as she was doing laundry. I come down the hall to find Maci exploring the dryer from the inside and not sure how or if she was gonna get out of it. Only after she heard me in the kitchen did she leap out and come running. She is now sleeping at my feet on the end of the bed, let's see if she stays there or ends up on my head or debbi's before the night is over!

Mondays Stink!

No way I am even gonna begin to rant and ramble about what a crappy day this was! I am so so so glad it's over! If tomorrow starts out like today I am heading to the islands for the rest of the week!

New logo translated to new sign.

GeoTagged, [N33.67802, E79.00009]

Today was brrrrrrrrrr cold! Last night was in the upper 30s! Time change is now in full effect, got more sleep or atleast I had the opportunity to get more anyway. Spent most of the afternoon working on converting most of 161 files to useable artwork for a client. Man I hate crap pulled off the intense and submitted to me as artwork! Lol so goes my day most of the time.
Can you believe how close Thanksgiving and Christmas is now? Another year is almost gone, birthday is closing in on me fast, anniversary is in just a few days and we will be celebrating 18 years of wedded bliss!
Looking forward to some new business ventures in the next few months, time is right and things are looking very good.

**** Remember, We Print Large Format Full Color On Banners, Canvas, Signs & More! We Won't Be Beat On Quality or Price! ***

Posting the sign plaque.

GeoTagged, [N33.67775, E79.00615]

Forgot to post the plaque photo. See more on my facebook page. Just search out Terry Elvis on facebook and add me!

Boooooo! Or, Hallows Eve at the Common.

Nothing like a great day at the shop, the common was all abuzz today. Everywhere you looked, people were going about the business of life. Builders were hard at work while shoppers and residents alike were strolling all over Howard avenue. My beautiful wife and both of my daughters were here having modifications to their hair by Darci at The Grand Strand Styling Salon, if you have never been there, you are missing out on a great place to get a brand new hair style. There are several stylist salons in the common and each has it's own ambiance, Darci always puts out some great work!
I worked on some projects for clients and something for myself as well. Several new customers visited today and left with a new appreciation for custom graphics done right. Lunchtime rolled by but that did not stop us from closing up shop and heading to Gordon Biersh for a great meal with some of the finest people around ( ask for Helen or Joseph ) next time you are in the area and looking for a place to eat or a great place to grab a locally brewed glass of amber!
I had time to work on a brand new Family/Business plaque, the holidays are almost upon us so stop in and take a look at this personalized unique gift idea. Made to order to suit your style and needs, this is bound to please!
Ended up at home around 6pm and got comfy in my chair with my dog on my lap while waiting on my wife and youngest daughter to get home from a mini shopping spree. Just as I was getting really comfortable, the phone rings! Was called back to the shop after dark to put graphics on a tow truck so it could be put into service tonight. Oh the things I do that others refuse to do. So back home again and getting comfy again, dog at my feet, beautiful woman who married me and whom I love dearly is lying by my side, daughters tucked in and called my son to see how his day went. Could life get much better?
Church/Sunday School in the morning, trick-o-treating tomorrow night and friends that I can count on, family almost fully intact these days, I tell you truly I am blessed beyond words!

Have a Safe Labor Day!

As I sit here this morning, I ponder the speed at which time passes, old photos and memories flood my thoughts and stimulate my senses, it is strange how you can remember a scent or a taste as much as a place or a time.. I think of the people that have moved on or passed on, the ones that have grown up and the ones that have just faded away. I find myself wondering why it is we don't have the huge family reunions from times gone by and in an age where travel is effortless, why it is that we don't just visit more often the ones we love. Even when seperated by only a few miles, we find it hard to close the gap and just go.

How many of you know the origins of " Labor Day ", come on now, don't cheat and google it! I asked a few dozen customers over the last week and some of the answers I got were.... well lets say at best " not quite right ".. so for you guys, here is the answer...

http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm

This is the best version and the most fact filled that there is.

Satuday.... life lessons and stuff you need to know.

I was reminded this week of the value life has and the true value of friendship. While in the process of living, I had a customer stop in and ask a small request, I was not busy and decided to give it a shot. During the whole process we started a conversation that revealed he had been a Law Enforcement Pilot in New Jersey and had retired to the area. He asked if I could duplicate some items from his past position which was not a problem at all and I was glad to assist. After a bit it became clear that this guy ( Jim ) was going to become a friend. I don't remembber ever meeting anyone that exuded confidence quite like this guy, he and his wife both just looked so happy and healthy.

A few days passed and Jim and his wife paid me another visit, this time it was a little different, Jim asked me some questions about faith and we entered a new level of friendship. He then informed me that he was just diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, had a chemo pump attached and the Doctors had given him a month to six months to live. You could have knocked me over with a feather, here before me stood a guy that was the picture of health and happiness telling me this? Yet thru all of this he still had a calm confidence that God had placed this in his life to set him on a path or for some other reason but it was not by chance. He is a rock to his wife that day and you could tell it was not an act. I can tell you that I personally feel honored to be considered by Jim to be his friend, I have placed him and his wife on the prayer list in our Sunday school class and will continue to keep him there. Jim's wife stopped in the next day to pick up some little things I had completed on his request and informed me that he was feeling a little sick from the medication and could not make it there with her. While I know that this is not the normal stuff you read from me, I feel the need to let everyone know that while time is something we put a dollar value on most of the days of our lives, this week I have placed an even higher value on the friends I come into contact with each day, a high value on family and even the people I do business with. I will try and make sure that each and every person that I consider a value to me knows that I value them by the actions I take and the words I speak. I encourage you to let those you love know today how much and repete it every chance you get.

I thank God for the family I have, for the friends he sends my way and the people he sends to me as a business each day, If you are in one of those catagories then I want you to know how much each of you mean to me. A special thank you to Jim and his wife for sharing with me one of the most valuable conversations I have had in years and a prayer for them for healing and happiness in all the things yet to come their way.

Have a safe and happy Labor day Weekend and tell someone how much they mean to you before the day goes by, you never know how many breaths yo have left, use them to the fullest.

See you guys soon!

PS, here is the golf cart license plate that Jim requested, If you see him or his wife around Market Common, stop them, give them a word of encouragement and meet two of the nicest people you may ever run across! oh and if I rambled on and bored you this time around, sorry for that, just felt blessed and wanted to share it with everyone.

Saturday... or How I Spent Midnight On The Beach With A Friend.

Saturday actually started off a few seconds after midnight on Friday, venturing a few dozen miles from home to a secluded beach area north of Myrtle Beach, I was honored to witness the wedding of a friend and allowed to try and capture a few photos for them to have as a momento of this union. Arriving on the beach I was only there a short while before the local patrol officer became curious as to the intentions of my wife and I. When I expalined the reason for our visit ( remember it was at this point only me and my wife there ) the officer looked a little bewildered. I was informed that the norm for a car parked there at that hour was teenagers drinking and having sex on the beach... not to be outdone I without even batting an eye stated " well officer, that over there is my wife and if you have anything to drink in the cruiser there, I will gladly try and follow the norm. Actually amused, the officer chuckled a bit and said the car was fine where it was and to have fun. Just about the time the officer was leaving, Nathan pulls up and backs up my story, the minister arrived a few seconds later and then the bride to be.
The moon was high over head but afforded only a small amount of light, just enough to see the billowing clouds, the beautiful sky, sand and surf. I don't think it could have been more perfect for a wedding, just the two of them, the minister and God's wonderful creation as a backdrop. ( oh and a my wife and myself lighting up the night with flash after flash, hoping forthe best! ) It is hard to describe the joy and the peace that was in the air, it was like a tingle that you get as a kid on Christmas morning.
My greatest wish for them both is that thru the years the love they share for one another will grow and deepen in such a way, that many many years from now they look back on this special day, their wedding day, and say that this was they day they loved each other the least in all their time together!

After a short nights sleep, my wife and I took our youngest daughter Morgan to have 4 teeth removed so as to make room for the existing teeth and ready them for braces in a few weeks, It is NEVER easy to see your child in pain! Back home and then off to the shop for a short day, got a bit done, delivered and installed a HUGE wall graphic, designed and new art carved sign for a new shop soon to be announed in Market Common, saw a few friends, shared a few laughs and then home. A late evening walk with my beautiful wife and the Yorkie around the block and then back home to sit and compose a few thoughts here.

Sunday is just around the bend, a day of rest and worship... much needed on both accounts.
See ya soon!

Friday,, ok ok I know where did Thursday go? DONT ASK!

Here it is.. Friday already, another day errrr make that week all wrapped up, speaking of wrapping up, take a look at this guitar! This was done for a good friend TJ Walsh, he plays some great music at Tommy Bahama's in Market Common if you have never been, GO! The guitar and a pair of bar stools are for the Coast of Carolinas Parrotheads to donate for raffle to a good cause for battered and abused women I think, not for 100% sure so go ask TJ.

Had a helper in the shop today, always a treat to have my beautiful wife visit and help me with anything and everything. Without her I would never have gotten thru the day or any day for that matter.

If you are looking to have just about anything wrapped, let us price it for you first, now is the time to wrap your service trailers for maximum exposure and a great way to advertise your business! Dollar for dollar it can reach more people than most any print media you use.

Till next time......

PS.. You know if you CLICK on the PHOTOS, THEY GET BIGGER!

Wednesday Aug 25th 2010 HUMP DAY

Well, here we are on HUMP DAY! At first glance, HUMP DAY would appear to be the term used to reference the middle of the work week WEDNESDAY so to speak, but for some of us the term has a more sinister meaning! Seriously, just head over to King Street Grille or one of the other places in Market Common and the real meaning starts to become much more clear. For us married guys, well, there is a whole new meaning to that term also but again I will not go into detail!

Today started off the way most days do, up at 6:30 ish and then off to the shower at 7 ish, had to make a pit stop near Pine Lakes this morning to give an estimate on a job then on to the shop. Got a wild hair and decided to move some stuff around to make more effective use of the room, man was that a BAD idea! Not 15 mins into the move the deluge began... Phones ringning off the hook, people walking in the door, it was a never ending day of excitement. Once everything was back on pace, I was able to get back to work on some wholesale jobs for some local customers.

The day was productive and went by fast.

After I closed up the shop, I went to see Mike at Dockside Realty and helped him mount his sign face on his new office, then back to the shop to start some files for tomorrows work day.

Randall from The Common Spot ( a very nice place to grab a snack if you are in the area of Market Common, and the BEST low prices in the area! ) stopped in for a chat and to recount the days events. Took Randall and his number one employee Sky down to the entrance to their home above Gordon Biersh only to have him laugh at the mess in my passenger side floorboard! Arrrgggg I got to clean that mess up soon! I wont live that one down for awhile I am sure.

\

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Tuesday... The Day the Loonies Roamed The Market Common!

What a strange day! Started off with the trip to work, I seriously think WalMart is issuing Drivers License these days....

Several jobs completed today in spite of the never ending flow or silly or just plain idiotic ideas that walked in the doors, I am sure that somewhere today, a loonie bin lost a few dozen residents.

Second day of school for horry county, already feels like something is missing from the day with both the girls back in school. My son spent a little time with me today, always nice to have him stop in and just hang out. Then the loonie business started!

First up was a seni fake gift certificate for a friend to give to his daughter for her birthday, mind you it was a momentary stroke of pure genius on his part but still........... :P

Then there was the one that just could not make up her mind ON ANYTHING about what she wanted..... I still think Mike next door set that one up and got a good laugh at my expense... not that I did not have it coming but still... Loonie number 2 down.

Got DockSide Realty sign completed and on time and several other jobs out of the way as you can see in the photo, oh and Kelly from Little Shop of Flowers here in the Common refilled my pot with the best flowers! If you have not been there, shame on you, next time you need flowers or plants, see Kelly FIRST! ( shameless plug ) :P

Tomorrow is HUMP DAY.. oh you know you want to see what gets posted for that!

Mondays are for New Starts...

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Sunday Mornings.....

While not always the easiest day of the week, it is most certainly one of the best. Getting the girls up and ready for Church can be a task a military commander would shy away from, I have to admit that they are almost always up and ready by the time I am.

The drive is either crazy or calm, never anywhere between those two extremes. A stop for coffee and goodies all around and off we go.

In the hour before we leave I usually work on emails and personal photos or art for printing on canvas or posters at the shop. This is one of those creations posted here.

Saturdays Bring Out The Unusual!

You never know what a Saturday will bring here in Market Common, could be a concert in Valor Park or some student driver trying to parallel park for the first time ( which is by far the single most amusing thing to watch when it is between two cars whos worth would easily go over the average combined wealth of two small third world countries ). But then again I have always been easy to amuse, just look at the photo here of how I spent my early youth!

Then there is the Happy Hour at King Street Grille which has the greatest staff you will ever meet.