Slippin Southern Giveaway {Feb 7 - Feb 13th}

I am super stoked for this weeks giveaway.

Born and raised in the south, makes me partial to charm of southern words.

When I stumbled upon Slippin Southern, it was like taking a long refreshing sip of ice tea on

a Florida summer day.

Gregory was so kind do a little interview with me {Barbara Walters I am not, hehe}.

- Share a little about yourself and your shop.

I was born and raised in Milton, Florida in the early 60s, a click over the Alabama/Florida State line. Graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and had a full career as a graphic designer/art director in Chicago for the past 25 years. My lovely wife and creative partner, Susan, whom I met in Art School, is the creator of Middleburg Folk Art Studio (Middleburg) on Etsy as well. I also co-run another Etsy shop called The Barn of Middleburg. About a year and half ago we purchased a charming, yet dilapidated, 19th century farm house in Eastern North Carolina called Nehucky Farm. We are in the process of bringing the old girl back to life while running our Etsy shops. We have two children that are nearly grown up that live with us too. We also have a pug dog, a cat, two bunnies, a hen and rooster.

Slippin Southern is all about Southern sayings and lifestyles. Everything moves slower in the South (the people do, traffic does, transactions lol, etc). Everybody goes home at 5:00 pm. No one works on the weekends. People do things to cut corners where ever they can to make ends meet. Hence, I think that's where a lot of our sayings come from like Y'all, Fixin' and Darlin'. It's a culture of having a lot to do with limited resources.

- What drives your creativity?

Trying to sum things up in a little space with a few words; wrapping up ideas in pictures. Figuring out how to get to the "ah-ha" moment. I had a professor named Mr. Duke who really inspired me when I was in junior college back in Pensacola. He was a department head/ really inspiring. As far as art goes, I'm a big Grant Wood fan. His rural themes and landscapes are just so reminiscent of my child hood and upbringing. "American Gothic" is probably one of my favorite pieces at The Art Institute. I also love a good cigar and a good deal at the flea market!

- Describe your perfect day.

Okay, my son and I go for a 6:30am one mile run on the dirt roads around the farmhouse; soaking up the sights and sounds of the rural early morning. Next we drive over to the Dunkin' Doughnuts for a dozen assorted and four of the biggest, and hottest coffees money can buy. We surprise my wife and daughter with breakfast in bed, and make plans for the rest of the day. We agree on BBQ in Kinston, but I want to kayak up the river instead of driving. I'm good for about ten of the sixty miles, so they pick me up and we get some great pulled pork sandwiches that afternoon. Next we drive over to Chapel Hill for an antique car show and a smokin' cigar (no pun intended). We recently went to see "It's a Wonderful life" at the Byrd theater in Richmond on Christmas Eve, so if I could get the same thing going on in Chapel Hill that evening with "Diamonds are Forever" I think that'd be a perfect day.

- Bought anything cool lately?

Yes, the farm house I mentioned earlier. The oldest part of our house was built in 1880 with the newer front added on in 1901. It is the family farm house for a 300 acre farm in Eastern North Carolina. It once housed and employed over 100 workers and their family. It is a 19th century farmhouse with a 2 over 2 layout and has 12 foot ceilings. We are in the process of renovating it. We love working on the house on the weekends, studying how it was made and then re-building floors and porches back the way they used to be. It's a work and love in progress.

- Where do you see your shop in a year?

I hope to have at least 100 items for sale that are truly Southern in concept. There are a lot of Southerners displaced all over the US and abroad. And you don't really think much of Southern lifestyle until you are not in it anymore. It is like comfort food for your ears. Along the way there are many other items that interest us that we will be making because it's hard to get them like our "Ampersand" and "Grits". It's my love for typography that won them over in my mind. I have plans for several oversized items, sorta display inspired that would look great sitting on a shelf or hanging on a wall with our southern phrases. I also have several words on the near horizon like "Shrimp," "Dixie" and "Boot Scootin'." And we are always listening for more...

Speaking of listening for more suggestions, Gregory has a fun and unique to hold this giveaway. He wants y'all to come up with a fun new word sign. Things to think about before commenting, it needs to be "southern" in theme, charming, fun, unique, and lets keep these family friendly. Winner will get their word created and sent to them. Um, pretty cool.

PLEASE ONLY TWO SUGGESTION PER PERSON.

So get those creative juices flowing. And if you are not from the south, you have to have friends or family who are, get their help, or at least watch a few episodes of Paula Dean.

Get creative!

I am excited to see what y'all come up with.

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