It's getting to be that time of year again................oh yeah.........as if I hadn't already had enough to do regarding the crab shells. Yep, time passes by quickly.........maybe too quickly. Every waking moment of my time has been consumed with painting and crafting the crab shell ornaments. I always try to create and add new artwork on the shells and so far, the reaction and responses have been positive. It is a great honor for me that there are people that like my work enough that they are willing to part with their hard earned money in order to take it home with them or give as a gift to someone. It is very gratifying for me.

Lately, I have been adding some Christmas crab shell dioramas to the mix. 

I can also report that special requests and custom orders have increased. I love challenges and some folks have asked for some unusual things on their shells. Needless to say, I give them what they want and they have been happy with the results. 

Since we are approaching the Christmas shopping season, I recommend that folks that come to see me for some painted crab shells and request custom shells or boxes, do so sooner rather than wait until the last minute. I am not planning on staying awake all night on any given date in the two weeks before Christmas.
Order ahead!

For the most part, I have encountered many very nice and wonderful people. Some have been customers and some simply like to stop by at the flea market and have a chat. On the other hand, I have also encountered critics of my work. I do not mind constructive criticism or suggestions........however, I get a bit irritated by some people who try to somehow attempt to negate or devalue my efforts. I can handle insults and the like.........but I haven't very much tolerance for total idiots with no appreciation or comprehension of the amount of work it takes to create these crab shell ornaments. For those people, all I can say is that if they can make these themselves.............."go do it!". There may be some that can and don't...........and some that should and won't.........and still some that did and nobody wanted them.............and then there is Signtopia :)

So stay tuned folks, I have more pictures coming and lots more to say. I promise not to take so long to put in on the blog.
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Oh.........and by the way...........if you are in the Baltimore area and want a crab shell or two........stop on in at the Northpoint Plaza Flea Market in Dundalk. If you have special requests, please contact me via this blog by commenting, or contact me via email : signtopia@aol.com. Be sure to type "crab shells" in the subject line.

 Busy.......busy.......busy. The crab shells have been taking up most of my time. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Here are a few of the latest painted crab shells. 

 Even number one son has taken up grabbing a brush and helping Ole Signtopia.

 Display cases. If you can find a better price and better quality........go for it.

 Baltimore, hon!

 This was another special request.

 If you like what you see here on the blog, come on down to the Northpoint Plaza Flea Market on Saturdays and Sundays. Also, come see us at Hunter's Sale Barn in Cecil County on Mondays from 3pm until dark.

 A small girl and her mother needed a gift for her schoolteacher........and here it is.

This shell on a plaque was made at the request of another girl and her mom. It was a Father's Day gift.

More photos and videos to come, so stay tuned!

Often copied......never equalled.

Signtopia

Hand Painted Crab Shells - Maryland

Here's the latest group of photographs of my crab shells. Each week I am asked to paint something new on a shell..........and nothing amazes me anymore........people ask for just about anything!

I know.......I know.......I have been so wrapped up with the crab shells that I have been slacking on writing about other things............yes......I do actually have a life.

For quite some time I have been very busy with all sorts of things.........and in my busy times I have to squeeze in some very necessary stuff such as hitting the road and making my presence known in Tennessee.......and flying to Texas to be introduced to Signtopia Expansion Pack 2.2.

The trip to Tennessee was to visit with my mom........the Queen of England. It was wonderful to spend some time with her while she still knows who I am. Let me explain.........she is getting a bit forgetful in her young age and this concerns the family. For now, its an occasional short term memory loss thing..........ultimately we know where this is heading. My sisters all have been taking good care of her...........for example, keeping her from physical altercations at bowling alleys where other bowlers might "invade her space"........hehehe.

And of course, my three sisters.........lots of laughs, fun, horsing around..........I love my sisters. They treat me like a king when I am there..............did I ever mention how I am the luckiest man on the planet?

I saw this sign in a shop in Franklin, TN.
Anyway..........let's be brief here and move on to Texas...........

Me and Supernurse did our share of expanding the surface population...........and now our expansion keeps continuing on..........our youngest daughter, Signtopia Expansion Pack 2, has released yet another rugrat into our existence.

We all had a plan to help her out when the baby was due........family would stagger visits to Texas and help her recouperate.................well...........a wrench was tossed into the fray and the baby came about a month early. The most important thing was that my daughter and granddaughter are fine as can be.....and they are.

There she is.........Signtopia Expansion Pack 2.2!

Went to Picture People at the mall...........

.......and I painted the Daytona race track for Signtopia Expansion Pack 2.1
He was very happy.
He loves Nascar...............

That's it for now............

Stay Tuned!

It's time to reflect........it has been a very long and busy year for me.......so much to do, not enough time and yet as I look back I probably wouldn't change very much.............well.......except for maybe eliminating some of the stresses that I encountered. Time to relax........uh.........yeah right........but I have taken a couple of days off of the radar to simply chill out.

The painted crab shell business has far exceeded my expectations and the Christmas shopping rush is finally over. I could have sold double what I did if I had more time to paint more. As it was, the month of December was a marathon for me and has left me exhausted both physically and mentally. My desire to please the customers and give them what they want ......no matter how ridiculous.......kept me awake many nights painting away on the shells. Two weeks in a row, I had stayed awake with no sleep, working on shells from Friday mornings all the way through until the following Sunday nights. Entire weekends with no sleep.......not a wise thing to do for anyone and I hopefully will be able to make some adjustments and not need to do that again next year. All in all, I hope that all of my customers were satisfied and appreciated my efforts. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to some happiness this Christmas.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank those who have come back again and again to purchase shells from me. It truly has been a pleasure to serve them. I am grateful not only for those customers but that many of them have become friends. I enjoy chatting with them when they come to the flea market. I have learned much along the way as well.

As for me......I am tired........but.........a new day has begun and there is more work to do. Therefore, I am back at it again..........shells are on my dining room table.......my paints and brushes are ready for action......and I have some special orders waiting for my attention. I also have many shells to replace that were sold out. It's a nice problem to have.

All the while my mind is somewhere else..........on the water.......the beach.....the Caribbean.........as you see in the picture at the top of this blog entry. My favorite place to be..........and with Supernurse.......who I wouldn't want to be anywhere without. 

So stay tuned folks!
There is more to come.......

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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• Latest Crab Shell Ornaments

Latest Crab Shell Ornaments

To say that I am tired.........very tired...........would be an understatement. The aches and pains......muscles......bones......joints......back.....hands........oh the pain and suffering.......however........whatever........I suppose it goes with the territory.

That territory happens to be a zone that is all mine and mine alone. As it is, if you have read anything previously on this blog, I happen to be a "crab artist".........it was supposed to be a "hobby".....to make myself useful and have a feeling of contribution to the family cause. I should have known that it would become somewhat of a monster. From cleaning up the crab shells.....scrubbing.......disinfecting......priming.......attaching rope to each one....then painting them and then finally putting a clear coat sealer on each one...........well........it is a bit much on my plate. I should not complain, there are far worse things to groan about. Needless to say, there are weeks where I get a bit behind and end up staying up too late at night working on the shells. One has to do what one has to do.

Here I find myself at a point where November is practically gone already and I am trying to prepare for the Christmas shopping madness that is about to occur. I suppose you could imagine where my brain is at about now, not to mention my tired fingers. Busy.......busy........busy.

That back row of stacked crab shells are the unfinished ones that I sit and work on at the flea market.

I mount some on plaques and in display cases..............more work.....hehehe.

Here are some photos of some of the latest crab shells that I have made:

That's it for now........sorry about taking so long to post lately. Hopefully another crab video is in the offing soon........stay tuned.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Another Hand Painted Crab Shell video

Another Anniversary

33 YEARS!

I am the luckiest man on the planet.

Me and Supernurse.......

moving forward in spite of it all.

Hand Painted Crab Shells - The Perfect Gift!

Express yourself or someone else.......painted crab shells are unique and a perfect gift for anyone.

The ultimate in recycling......and American Made.

Hand painted with acrylic craft paints.

Marines anyone?

It's a Maryland thing.........and yet would look good on any wall.

Crab shells in display boxes make perfect gifts.

Your favorite sports team logo, school logo, cartoon character......you name it, I will paint it on a crab shell.

If nothing else, stop by and watch me paint........yes, I really paint them.

Surely by now, you know that hand painted crab shells make perfect gifts throughout the year. Signtopia has been painting them for years now and now sells them at the Northpoint Plaza Flea Market in Dundalk, Maryland every weekend. If you are in the area, stop by and say hello. I guarantee that you will at the very least enjoy looking at the over 200 assorted crab shells on display. 

Painted crab shells are the ultimate in recycling. Nobody is greener than ole Signtopia.

Have a special request? Ask me about it and I'll see what I can do.