Slap Watch Summer Fun – Tips for Protecting Family from the Sun

Warm weather!  Sweet, blissful warm weather with the cool scent of flowers and fresh air.  We’ve been cooped up by cold, storms, rain and severe weather for too long.  As things begin to heat up we’re just itching to shed the clothes, switch to sundresses and bathing suits and enjoy the sun-kissing rays.

You have to be conscious about your skin when you’re lounging, and your children’s skin as well.  As you’re digging through closets and boxes for that old suit and summer gear, keep these tips in mind to protect yourself from the sun: Continue reading

Posted in slap watch | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Slap Watch Goes Creative – How to Make Great Memories with Instagram

At Slap Watch, we have got some awesome memories from back in the day instagramcaptured lovingly by Polaroid photos and pictures hanging out of shoe boxes under our beds.  The digital age makes it so much easier to capture memories and even tweak the way our photos look.

Kind of helps you avoid some of those mug shots people managed to snap.  With the right filters you can even get all hipster/pro-photo with nothing more than a simple digital camera or camera phone.

Instagram is gaining popularity for this, especially since they’ve recently opened up to Android users under the new Facebook buyouts.  If people weren’t clamoring to use the app before they certainly are now.

With summer on the horizon, this is the perfect time to slap on your Slap Watch, get into your summer gear, grab your camera and start making some memories!  Here are some tips on how to get great looking photos with Instagram so you’ve got awesome memories saved forever.

Knowing Your Filters

When you got your first Slap Watch, you couldn’t help but play with it to see how it worked.  Do the same with the filters on Instagram to figure out which settings work best for different environments and aesthetics.  Keep in mind that filters go in place after you snap the photo, to shoot away!  Don’t worry about shadows when lining up your memory shoots.

Dealing with Flat Images

The downside to simple apps like Instagram and typical quality camera phones and cheaper digital cameras is that photos tend to turn out kind of flat and very much two-dimensional.  Anyone who has seen a professionally shot photo understands the depth I’m talking about.

Instagram does give you a “tiltshift” option though to help you add a little depth when you want some of your photos to pop.

Not unlike the fulfilling “pop” of a Slap Watch.

Get Creative

We’re not all professional photographers and artists, but that doesn’t mean we have to live with boring pictures when we’re making memories.  Instagram can add some serious cool-factor to your pictures but the app can’t do anything about shoddy camera work.  Try different angles and perspectives when you’re shooting pictures to create some really imaginative, captivating shots.  You’ll look back in a few years and think “wow what a great picture!”

Although you likely won’t share it if there’s even a chance someone might think your thighs were fat.

Be Inspired

Everyone takes pictures of the hum drum and the mundane things around them – trust us we’ve seen enough pictures of dinner plates on Facebook.  People love photos that show them things they don’t normally see, or don’t normally have access to.  You don’t have to be a celebrity-stalker but you can capture people, nature and objects in ways people don’t often see them.

Whatever you do when you’re snapping pics this summer, try to tell a story with your photos.  Be inspired to really capture memories, not just moments.  And don’t forget to get some pics with your Slap Watch.  We want to see them on our Facebook wall!

Posted in slap watch | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Slap Watch on Fashion – Spring Summer Fashion Trends for 2012

Get Sporty This Spring with Slap Watch!

slap watch sporty fashionThe weather is finally changing and we’re heating up toward summer. With the changes in the weather comes the change in wardrobe.  That means it’s high time to start thinking about what you’re going to wear outdoors when you head to the park, beach or for a social outing with friends.

At Slap Watch, we’re all about fun and staying active.  With that in mind, let’s take a look at the new fashion trends for the changing season.  Fashion in 2012 is going sporty!

Sporty fashion for spring and summer in 2012 is all about a few key elements Continue reading

Posted in slap watch | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Vacation Time at Slap Watch – Fun Ideas for Spring Break 2012

slap watch spring breakIs it just me or did winter pretty much disappear with little more than a sputter of snow for most of us?  I’m happy the warm weather is here but it almost seems like Spring Break shouldn’t be here yet.  I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth though, and I’m ready for a rocking vacation.  I queried some of the staff here at Slap Watch along with some of our customers to see what folks are up.

Here are some great ideas that seem to be the most popular this year Continue reading

Posted in slap watch | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Slap Watch Fun! 7 Awesome White Elephant Gift Ideas

White elephant parties are growing in popularity as a means for fun, functional gift giving.  The fun comes from the fact that sometimes there are great gifts that people can use, but you can always guarantee there’s going to be some kind of crazy gag gift. These little parties are so popular in fact that they become family traditions in some circles.  As the warm weather draws close for many of us, we’re often planning different types of home parties and group socials.  White elephant games are great for just about any kind of party

  • Fourth of July BBQ’s (great way to pass the time)
  • Tupperware Parties
  • Scentsy Wickless Candle Parties
  • Kids Birthday Parties
  • Graduation Parties
  • Wedding and Baby Showers
  • Office & Retirement Parties

What is a White Elephant Party You Ask?

This is a gift exchange party game where the gifts are often inexpensive, silly, humorous, or even simply functional items for around the house.  The term “white elephant” refers to a gift that requires more maintenance cost, maintenance that exceeds the usefulness of the item.

The exchange is simple: Each participant supplies one wrapped gift. Participants determine in what order they will take turns choosing gifts. The first person opens a wrapped gift and the turn ends. The second person then chooses whether to open a wrapped gift or “steal” a previously opened gift. If a person has his gift stolen, he also has the option of choosing a wrapped gift or stealing an unwrapped one. When a wrapped gift is opened, the turn ends. When all gifts have been unwrapped, the game ends.  Ultimately, if you’re playing you want to end up with the best gift.

So now that you’ve got the basics – here are some great gift ideas for a White Elephant party Continue reading

Posted in Gift Ideas, slap watch | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Waffles and Slap Watch Forever – 8 Things We Can’t Live Without

This Sunday is International Waffle Day.  It’s a day that lives on, one we all celebrate, because it doesn’t matter who you are – you simply cannot live without Waffles.  I’ve petitioned to have waffle makers installed in convenient locations throughout the Slap Watch offices but apparently some are concerned about the mess.

They’re so easy – can you imagine the convenience of a waffle machine with the little batter dispenser like those cheaper hotels boast?  It’d be a continental breakfast all day long. Continue reading

Posted in slap watch | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Slap Watch Memories – Stuff We Miss From the 90′s

We used to live in simpler times.  A time when pants exposed no butts, where a simple Slap Watch was a raging style trend.  The 90′s was a time before we had faces buried in smartphones, before Facebook, and before Justin Bieber (there are reasons to want to go back…)

We had the Nintendo 64 (Goldeneye…amazing), Tamagotchis and some ultra-awesome things that are hard to let go of.

Life was simpler then.  It didn’t cost you an arm and a leg to see a 3D movie, and TV was good, wholesome and educational.

*cough*BeavisandButthead*cough*

Not that I would really petition to have a lot of things come back, because they don’t mesh with the hip new cool that we emulate now, but it’s always fun to remember.  If you love the Slap Watch for its retro-appeal then take some time and reminisce with me.

Carmen Sandiego - We all played the game at least once, and then they had the show!  Where in the world did she go?  I like to think she moved up in the gaming world and took over as some super-suited rough and tough on of the newest Call of Duty games.  Considering her stealth skills, she could probably teach Captain Price a thing or two..

Giant Cell Phones - You can’t say you don’t miss these.  You might be like “oh GAWD” but you and everyone else knows that feeling of nostalgia when you stick in an old movie and someone is walking around talking on one of these.  You can’t help but point and go “AH!”.

Furby - These amazing little creatures had their own language and were one of the freakiest little toys you could get your hands on.  I miss them, but at the same time  I kept waiting for them to come to life and destroy my home like a scene from Gremlins.  I remember opening a closet and having two of them tumble out while rifling through box.

One hit the floor and started babbling in its strange little noises… and I hadn’t changed the battery in years.

Stick on Earrings - We’ve got a history of keeping it classy here in America, and there was nothing more… American… than buying a pack of stick-on earrings.

Buy em in the 30 pack so you had a pair of stick-on earrings for each day of the month.  Do I miss them?  Well..  sometimes you have to take the good with the bad in order to miss an era.

 

Gameboys - We’ve always had something to distract us, but before gaming became super-mainstream it was mostly kids that buried their faces in Mario, Tetris and Zelda games on the portable gaming system.  They might not be as high-tech as an iPad but who cares?  You hand me a game boy and I’ll rock it out right now.

Mix Tapes - Miiiix taaaaapes.  Back when it took hours to painstakingly record all your favorites onto a single cassette tape.  Now we’re spoiled with digital music and playlists.  Mix tapes meant something because of the time it took to make one.  If we dug deep into our old belongings I’m sure many of us would turn up with one.

Pogs - Americans are versatile at finding ways to entertain ourselves, but it’s made easier when big brands push the stuff.  Pogs grew popular, really fast, thanks in part to McDonalds distributing the things.

The only people who had more Pogs than kids where teachers, who routinely filled their desks by confiscating them.  I’m pretty sure they just wanted to add to their own Pog collection.

Modem Connection Noise - You know the noise.  Why was it good?  If you remember back when AOL first launched and it cost $3/hour to surf the web, and servers were overloaded to the hilt, that connection sound was sweet bliss.  That meant “You’ve Got Mail!”, countless hours surfing chat and downloading .wav files.

Sky Dancers – OK, so the Sky Dancers didn’t really do a whole lot but for a young girl they were pretty, and who didn’t wish they could fly when they were younger!?

As I was finishing this, I thought about including Jurassic Park – my friend Jack was reading over my shoulder.  He told me I was living in the past and needed to let go.  Absolutely not Jack.  I love the 90′s.

I’ll never let go Jack… I’ll never let go.

Posted in retro watch, slap watch | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do You Dig Pinterest? Slap Watch Does!

Are you hanging on Pinterest yet?  This is a great sight that can suck hours of your time away as you get caught up in board after board and image after image of great stuff that people share.  All of us here at Slap Watch love a good run of retro goodies and thanks to the rapidly growing Pinterest community (they’re growing faster than any other social network before them) we’ve stumbled across some super fun Pinterest boards, with everything from Retro Goodness to Mustache Hilarity.

Here are a couple of our faves.  Bask in the visual mastery and sharing beauty, just keep an eye on your Slap Watch.  We’ve discovered a Pinterest Blackhole similar the one on YouTube that keeps you locked in and engaged!

#1: Retro Love from user Oni Bella

#2 ‘S Marvelous from user Cornelia Leroux

There’s no doubt that Americans have always had an eye for fashion.  Here’s a look all the way back into the black and white age with some stunning models, 50′s fashion and more. ‘S Marvelous Dahling.

#3 DIY – Alternatives to the Infinite Marketplace

If you’re ever shy on creative concepts and feel like you need to get hands-on, this board is packed with pins from paper stars to baby swaddles and painting.  Even if you’re not the crafty type, there’s plenty to oogle – and isn’t that the point of Pinterest anyway?

#4 Urban Kids

Want to give your kids or their rooms a hip urban look?  Mix a little retro Slap Watch style along with some of these great urban kid ideas for a real eclectic mix.  The big benefit to this board and #3 above is sheer volume of people interacting.  There’s great discussions to be had as well with Jane Wang’s Pinterest board

#5 The Perfect Palette

The Perfect Palette I s a really great series of boards that explore the color palette possibilities for wedding.  On orange wedding?  If you’re serving Crush then send us an invite.

#6 Hilarious

With the internet, you can always trust there to be humor involved.  Pinterest offers up the same laughs (in unending boards).  Just do a search for boards using “hilarious” and you’ll get everything from Derp faces to “Stop Looking at me SWAN”.

I mu ask you a question – do you have enough time to waste for this?

It never ceases to amaze us how technology can bring people together to share things.  With that said, here’s some food for thought on technology as we close out this post.

Your mobile phone has more computing power than all of NASA in 1969.  They launched a man to the moon.  We’re launching birds into pigs.

Go figure.

Do you have a Pinterest board?  Share it in the comments below or let us know on our Slap Watch Facebook Page.  We’d love to know what pinterests you.

Posted in slap watch | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Slap Watch for Men – What Does Your Watch Say About You?

Slap WatchYou would probably think that most guys like you wear a timepiece or a watch of some kind, like a Slap Watch, just to be able to keep track of time.

*buzz* Incorrect!

Watches are about more than time, guys.

Men wear watches to make fashion statements as well, because a watch has a lot to say about the personality and sense of fashion of the individual.

Here’s a rundown on some of the common types of watches out there and what they might be saying about you and your personality.

That Simple Timex – Timex is one of those ageless pieces that guys love.  In my social circle, I know several men who have small collections of Timex watches for different occasions.  Timex tells people you’re a no-nonsense type of guy.  The great thing about this type of watch is that it says you’re not pretentious but you’re aware of being fashionable without attempting to make a fashion statement unlike those bourgeois guys sporting the luxury watches.

The Glitz of a Rolex – Speaking of luxury watches… there’s nothing wrong with owning a Rolex or similar spendy brand of watch.  It tells people you’re successful.  Some guys wear them because it makes them feel like “money.”  This type of watch shows off that you feel like you’re good at what you do.

Unless you’re sporting a fake that was plucked from a crane game on your trip to China.  Then you’re just posing and preening.

Wide Band Watches – The wide band watch, especially wider leather bands, screams quietly about how cool you think you are, and – oh, yeah, hey there’s a watch attached to the cow wrapped around my wrist. Look at it.  LOOK.  You know you want to look at it. Yup – I’m cool, dramatic and I’m “in”.

The Leather Band Watch – A simple leather band watch, regardless of the brand, gives the presence of sophistication.  It says that while you can afford something super glitzy, you choose to wear something incredibly simple because you don’t need to attract attention.  You appreciate the understated, you’re confident and you feel rich… but not nouveaux rich.  It’s good to be content with the middle of the road.

Ditching the Watch – A lot of guys ditch the watch in favor of other wrist accessories, or nothing at all.  Why sport a watch when your iPhone tells the time with the press of a button.  You’re already looking at it anyway.

Of course, if you replace your watch with a bracelet made of some fiber from a rare tree in the amazon you helped save by making a loan through Kiva to a random tribe that is now running a business making those bracelets then… welcome to the hipster revolution.

A Casio Calculator Watch – If you have one, and it still works, then you’re nothing short of old school cool.  Join the revolution, we’re bringing back the 80′s and 90′s and we can do it together.

The Sports Watch – The sports watch says “I coulda been a contendah’”.  It tells your colleagues and the soccer moms oogling you in the grocery line that when you’re done here, you’re going to go swim the English channel, ride your bike for 20 miles, run a 5k and then post it all to Facebook.  If you’re not sure how far a 5k is, or the farthest you’ve traveled on a bike was to school in 7th grade, then stop wearing a sports watch you lazy bon-bon eater.

The Slap Watch – The Slap Watch takes cool to another level.  It says you’re completely aware of your appearance and you know how to dress up every inch of your manly physique.  Men wear watches, but real men wear a Slap Watch.  Don’t believe us?  It’s true.  It took the latest technology and massive amounts of machismo to create the original Slap Watch.

A Pocket Watch – If you’re sporting a pocket watch regularly, then congratulations sir.  You’ve discovered time travel and we’d like to welcome you to our century.  Wearing and checking a pocket watch sends the ultimate message that you control time, you’ve had enough here and you’ll be leaving soon.  It’s also a convenient way to look down your nose at people.  You may want to hop back into your Tardis and go back to a time when the pocket watch was the accepted norm.

Take a Slap Watch with you, they’ll drive the nobles crazy.

 

Posted in slap watch | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Things We Wish Would Make a “SLAP Watch” Comeback

We’ve had a tremendous response from people who absolutely love the one and only SLAP Watch, and we constantly hear praise thanking us for bringing it back.  I have to say there are some crazy “retro-loving” people out there.  In fact, there’s no shortage of requests for us to bring back other things people love from the 90′s – and even earlier.

Here’s a list of some of our favorite requests, and a few we’ve thrown in (mainly because we want to see them, too)

Orange Crush - Before anyone comments that Crush is a current brand and there are plenty of flavors available… I know.  What I desperately want (readily available without ordering from the web) is the original long neck glass bottle of Orange Crush.  I know there are people out there who would agree with me that Orange Crush just tasted better in the glass bottles.

Pogo Comics – Don’t care if I’m dating myself, I put Pogo Comics right up there with SLAP Bracelets as a big part of my memory in my younger years.

The Big Wheel - The Big Wheel was pretty much the most fun you could have as a kid.  A friend of mine told me a story about their youngest who begged and begged for one for Christmas in 85′ – and when they got it for him, he spent the vast majority of his time doing side slides with the plastic e-brake.  We need toys like that for adults!

Stores Closed on Sundays - Technological advances have given us “everything we want”, practically right away.  Heaven forbid we have to wait for anything.  Stores used to be closed on Sundays, and it forced us all to shut down the to-do lists and spend real family time together.  I could go for that.

Milkmen - I’ve lost count of the number of friends and family members I’ve bumped into who had to go out at the last minute, in the bitter cold, or at the crack of dawn, in order to make sure the house had milk because they forgot to get it.  I’d give my right arm for milk delivery if I knew I would never have to make that midnight trip for a gallon of 2%.

Affordable Ice-Cream - Who doesn’t love the sound of an Ice Cream truck?  That brings back real childhood memories, except now the trucks are always faded, smell like diesel and they want to charge $2.00 or more for a cone.  What happened to 50 cent bomb pops?! And superman ice-cream cups for 75 cents?!  Don’t even get me started on the cheap “frozen desserts” that are being pushed.  If it’s not real ice cream, I don’t want it.

Free Air at Gas Stations - A quarter?  I know.  It’s only a quarter, but really?  REALLY?  I miss free air.

Mtv - The station is there, but not like it used to be.  I’m not talking about reality television-laden Mtv.  I’m talking about MUSIC TELEVISION.  I want to turn on Mtv and see videos….in a constant stream.  I remember 24 hours of videos and V-jays and I miss it.

The Drive-In - A drive-in is hard to find, and they’re getting really scarce.  I absolutely love the theater, and being able to break out your most comfortable lawn chairs to sit under the stars and enjoy the newest release is something everyone should be able to experience.

Coke in a Glass Bottle - *points up at Crush* I don’t care if you like Coke, or you’re a Pepsi junkie, or you love Crush.  Everything seemed to taste better in a glass bottle.  You can still buy them, but prepare for an adventure-esque treasure hunt.

Retractable Vacuum cords - Cleaning days for me were easy.  Set my to-do list, throw on my SLAP watch and game myself to beat certain times at chores.  When I was done I could give the cord a tug and *zip* it disappears.  I get a new vacuum and discover that they discontinued these.  Looks like it’s back to winding and wrapping cords.

Cheap gas - The average price of regular gasoline in 1995 was $1.15 per gallon.  Feel like crying yet?

Posted in slap watch | Tagged | Leave a comment