What's Up with Sharpie?

Some of you may already know that I'm a member of the very awesome Sharpie Squad.  It's a band of artists, bloggers, and other creatives who use Sharpie markers in their work and play, then share their experiences, new product developments, and opportunities with their readers.  So why, do you ask, am I on the team?

I know.. it seems a bit unbalanced.  I am neither creative nor artsy.  I blog, but don't ooze the certain kind of magic that people like Mark Rivard and Man One do.  I don't design any of my own stuff, and my writing isn't exactly what you'd call "creative."


But I do love me some Sharpie.

I'm a freelancer, a homeschooling mom of 5, a forgetful person, and a performance-based nightmare.  I want things to be just right, but lack the vision to get it done.  Sharpies are my solution to so many things, and so while I don't doodle with style, envision great projects for making my artistic mark on the world, or even make a very good stick figure, I do the best I can.  Sharpie, I believe, gives me a bit of an edge that I wouldn't otherwise have.

Here are some ways that I love Sharpie daily:

Marking freezer bags when I cook up a giant mess of hamburger to store in the freezer (or green peppers, or chili, or fresh cherries that I've just picked.)  Believe me.. you don't want to be pulling out UFO's (Unidentified Frozen Objects) to reheat for dinner.  I'm just sayin'.

Signing checks for my business.  (The Sharpie pens don't smear or bleed through the checks, and I love endorsing a fat freelance check with the orange color.)

Letting the kids cut loose.  (Yes, I give my kids under age 8 Sharpie markers.  They have fun with them, and we have had a relatively few incidents that caused me to get "angry.")

Highlighting the important stuff.  (My kids use the highlighters to mark passages in their homeschool books and bibles.  They work really well!)

So there you go.  I'm less likely to paint a huge mural or decorate my sneakers as some others on the Sharpie Squad, but that's OK. Sharpies are for everyone -- even those with slightly less talent.  As a freelancer and a blogger, however, they give me a professional edge (just check out this piece I published on napkin rings for kids).  As a Mom and wife, they give me tools for doing the jobs I need to do every day.


And that's what Sharpie's about... no?

Disclosure: I am a brand advocate for Sharpie by being a Sharpie Squad 2010 participant. I receive product from Sharpie to use, and in return share my opinions of Sharpie news.   All opinions are 100% my own.