Preppy Podcast

Finding Silver Pennies

• Patricia Mae Olson

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0:00 | 40:29

Danielle is a self trained watercolor artist and designer. She lives in Scituate, MA on Boston’s South Shore with her husband, two sons, and rescue dog. She found her creativity when starting her blog, Finding Silver Pennies, which has grown into a lifestyle brand and shop. Her work is inspired by the nature in her coastal town. Her work has been featured on WCVB’s Made in Mass and in What Women Create, South Shore Home Life, and Style, Boston Globe Magazine and more.  It’s her goal to help everyone find their inner creativity. Use code PreppyPodcast for 10% off at https://www.findingsilverpennies.com/ 

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SPEAKER_02

You're listening to the Preppy Podcast, and I'm your host, Patricia May Olson. I'll be interviewing the brands, businesses, and influencers who are keeping the modern preppy lifestyle alive. Each Tuesday, I'll bring you a new episode, but if you're craving more preppy, then shop the merch and listen to past episodes at thepreppy podcast.com and be sure to follow at the Preppy Podcast and me, Patricia underscore May underscore Olson on Instagram. I've been a fan of her art and her business for many years. We met at the New England Coastal Creative Conference, but today I really enjoyed learning more about her. I had no idea her previous background working in TV and production, or even how she started her blog, and that sort of led to this business. I think you guys are really going to love learning about her journey and her art. And if you know me, you know that I love watercolors, and she has some great watercolor books as well as paints and paintbrushes. So that was really interesting to learn about how she came up with those products and why and her teaching watercolors and art. We just had such a wonderful conversation, and I highly encourage you to check out her watercolor books and materials if you're interested in getting started in that hobby. I just love it. It's something I really enjoy doing on Sundays and relaxing or doing with friends at coffee shops. So I think you'll really love this episode. But before we get into the interview, just a few reminders. The upcoming Camp Preppies for 2026 are now at the PreppyPodcast.com. We have so many great ones. The first one is going to be in June in Beaver Creek, Colorado, which I cannot wait for. That time of year out there is just so beautiful out west. So I know we're going to have the best time. I've been working on the activities and the brand partnerships and the gift bags for those. And we have some really, really good ones. And then following that, we have Barnsley Resort, which is in Georgia. Um just a great full resort in the South. There's golf, there's um, you know, a pickle, there's a spa, pools, everything that you could ever want is there at Barnsley. Um and that is going to be such a fun celebration. We haven't really, I think, done one like in the true south, so that'll be a first. And then lastly, Kenny Bunkport will be in October. That one, though, I mean, when this episode comes out, we might not even have any tickets available. That one has gone really fast. Um but all of those camp preppies are all going to be a little bit different from one another, uh, depending on where we're at and what the vibe is. You know, I always change up the logo for them. So you can expect a lot of fun though with all of them. And then if you're not ready to dive into camp or travel, then check out Club Preppy, which is our monthly membership. We do at least one virtual um event per month. Think about things like floral arranging, watercolors, um, wine tastings. Plus, members get an exclusive little gift mail to them. So I highly encourage you to do that. We have a great group, a little group chat on Instagram as well. Um, it's just so fun. You can share your preppy finds and some of your favorite businesses and just support and encourage the preppy lifestyle. So, all of the information for Club Preppy and Cam Preppy is at the PreppyPodcast.com. But let's get into this week's episode. All right. So why don't you first let everyone know who you are, where you live, and what you do.

SPEAKER_00

I'm Danielle Driscoll. I live in Situat Mass, and I'm an artist designer and the creator of Finding Silver Pennies.

SPEAKER_02

Excellent. And I have loved your watercolors. Um, I have some of your notepads from over the years, and recently I got your watercolor um book that kind of walks you through how to watercolor, which I love. That's my new favorite hobby. Um, I just find it so relaxing, and it's nice to create something for yourself. So I'm so thrilled to chat today and learn more about you and your business.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I find watercolor so relaxing. So I'm excited to chat to you too. I listened to your podcast, so it's such an honor to be on.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you so much. Um, so let's start at the beginning. Tell me a little bit about you as a kid. Were you someone that was artistic as a kid and maybe playing with paint and watercolors, making greeting cards for family members? Um, or did you have like a little entrepreneurial spirit? Tell me about your childhood.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, um, well, I grew up, I grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, in a cul-de-sac, and you know, I was outside mostly. Um, you know, I I loved being outside, and um I I have older sisters, but I grew up pretty much as an only child, so I was mostly on my own, and I would like make up these imaginary worlds, I'd pretend there was fairies outside and stuff like that. And when I was little, I really wanted to be an actress. So um I used to always be doing like little shows, and um, even when I went to college, like that's what I went for. Um, and so I didn't really do art until I had kids. Um but yeah, we can get more into that. But um then when I was like in sixth grade, my parents opened a restaurant, and so um it was completely different than what they did before, and it was in a colonial mansion in Wuburn, and it was a beautiful restaurant, and it felt like you were coming into someone's home, and um, so I really learned a lot from my parents about kind of being an entrepreneur and you know not giving up and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_02

Definitely, how cool is that um to be able to watch your parents start a business and and be entrepreneurs. And I know the restaurant business is hard, but I'm sure it was fun as a kid, like you know, running around a restaurant and seeing the creativity and enjoying delicious food.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I mean, my um my mom did a lot of the design, and so like my love for design kinds of comes from that, and I feel like my love for kind of the business side of things and um coming up with ideas maybe comes from my dad. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Definitely that's so interesting, and it sounds like you've always been creative that you know, making up um little fairy worlds or wanting to be an actress, which also is creativity. So tell me a little bit more about that then. You mentioned um when it came time for college, you actually wanted to be an actress still, so it sounds like you went to ever since I was little.

SPEAKER_00

I said to people, Oh, I'm gonna be an actress, I'm gonna be an actress, and so I did theater, you know, I did theater in high school, middle school, high school, and then college. Um, I went to Mount Holyoke College in South Halle, Massachusetts. I studied theater and English, and in that program you had to kind of create sets and costumes, so it was a lot of creative stuff and writing scripts. Um and then I went to England my junior year and I met my husband. Um, so we started dating then. Uh he's English.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, I was gonna ask that.

SPEAKER_00

Yep, he's English, and then um I went back, finished my degree at Mount Holyoke, graduated, then I went back to England and I did my master's in film and television production.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

And then we ended up staying, and I worked in TV for a bit.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, cool. Okay. So even though you know you might not have necessarily been a TV actress, let's say, you were still in that industry then, right? It sounds like your first career.

SPEAKER_00

Yep, yep. I did kind of more behind the scenes in TV and I worked on programs. So it was a it was a great kind of first job, and I loved it. And then we um we actually came to my parents retired when they when they um sold the restaurant, they they had that for 10 years. They retired to where we live now, and we were visiting them, and we fell in love with this town, and so he applied for his green card, and then we moved over, and um, yeah, so we've lived here ever since, and you know, we just really love situate. So my gosh, that's so and so then I worked in an um independent uh film distribu distributor um before having kids. Um, and then I was a stay-at-home mom after, and kind of like the I started my blog when the kids were little as like I just needed to do something creative.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, and so then the watercolors grew out of the blog. So I've I started the blog 15 years ago. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

And then what was the blog like when you started it? Was it just more about like mom life and creativity or um because I feel I feel like 15 years ago blogs were so different than they are now. I was like on blog spot.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, yeah. On Blog Spot, then I moved over to WordPress. I'm still on WordPress. Um, but it was so different. I mean, it it all my old blog posts are still out there, so people can go back and look. I mean, it was like bad pictures, bad writing, but I wrote every day. I mean, for the first year, I wrote every day. Um it was mostly about like being a mom, living in situate, kind of discovering my decor style. Um, I was doing a lot of painted furniture, so I did stuff with chalk paint and milk paint, and then I started selling furniture, and so it kind of the blog kind of allowed me to realize all this creativity really that I didn't know I had, you know. Um, and this creative outlet was kind of being fueled, and so I got really interested in photography, really interested in styling and antiques. I mean, I knew I was always interested in antiques from my mom. You know, we used to go to tons of the antique stores and yard sales, and I used to watch her style things. But anyway, so then I was doing watercolor and I started sharing the watercolor on the blog, and then I'd share free printables, and so that's kind of everything kind of grew out of that.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, I love how natural it seems like it grew. Um, and starting from just wanting a creative outlet as being a mom, right? Um, and I remember back in those days, like blogs were more like journals, like it wasn't these, you know, highly stylized professional pictures. It was just like you mentioned, writing every day kind of about what's going on and um your daily life. And I think it's it's so cool to look back at those blog days. They were so fun.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, they were, and and I made such good friends too through blogging, just readers and also people other bloggers. There was this Haven conference, and um, I'm still in touch with those pe those friends from that those days, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's funny when I talked to other women who had blogs back then. Um it it was like the original Instagram because you'd comment on each other's blogs and then pop over, and there'd be like sort of like blog pods where like every morning you'd um have your friends that you'd go and check out what they're doing and support and um then.

SPEAKER_00

I can't remember what it was. It was like a feed that you would get. Yes, and you can just go to each blog and read them. I would do it like having my coffee or whatever. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Those are such good days. So, okay, then you started painting furniture, and then that led into watercolors. Um, how did you decide, you know, watercolors as being sort of your your art form and sort of how did you develop your style, I guess, without having any formal background in art school or anything like that? Was it just trial and error or were you taking lessons?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, um, so when Connor, my my now 16-year-old, went to kindergarten, I signed up for a local watercolor class at an art center. So that was my first kind of proper class. Like I hadn't done anything. And um, I went into the class and it said beginner, so I was so excited but kind of nervous too, you know. And um I got there and I had just gotten stuff from Michaels. I didn't really know what I was doing, and um, everybody, I was the only first person in the class, like the new person. Yeah, everybody else had been taking the class and everybody knew what they were doing, and the teacher was nice, and everybody was nice, but I had gotten these brushes that were kind of cheap. Yeah, and I'm sitting there painting, they have like a still life setup, and all the bristles are falling into my painting. And like I felt like my face getting um, you know, like warm. Like I was I felt like I was gonna cry. Do you know what I mean? And I was like, why have I put myself in this position? I should have just stayed home, you know, like and cleaned up.

SPEAKER_02

Just like your save school jitters from that when you were little, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So then like it was a good lesson because you know, you need good materials and and and and such. But um I stuck with it. I mean, I I think with watercolor, it takes time to get better, like anything. And um slowly I kind of fell in love with it. I find it really mesmerizing to just there's something about watercolor. Like I feel like watching the paint on the paper mingle and just how it changes and the and the water kind of moves it on the paper. I love, I say to people, that's my favorite part, just the whole process of watching it. And I think as you and you probably know this by doing watercolor, like as you practice, you you understand how it's gonna react on the paper. And so I I mean I like it as a medium. I love how I love I feel like acrylic paint is so thick. I love how thin watercolor is. I love that you can layer it. And um yeah, I just love the transparency.

SPEAKER_02

So yeah, it's kind of like ballet for art, for lack of a better word, because it has so much movement and it's like so elegant how it glides almost, right? Yeah. So, you know, when I think of your art, I think of coastal and um uh you know, blue and white. How how did you define like that sort of style? Or like is that just something you're naturally drawn to?

SPEAKER_00

I think so. I mean, I live in coastal New England. The town, our town is like a fishing town, you know, they call it the Irish Riviera because um we have the most descendants uh from Irish descent in our town. So, you know, St. Patrick's Day, there's a huge parade on the Sunday before, except ours has been rescheduled till April this year because of the weather. Yeah, yeah, just because of the snow before. Yeah. Um, but I am hugely inspired by that like New England style. So I I've always loved blue and white. Um, one summer I lived on Martha's Vineyard, so I think just seeing those like shingle houses, and it's just kind of I love that style. And I we walk our dogs to the beach, and um like I I'm always collecting sea glass and shells, and I mean I have so much of that stuff in my house. So yeah, it sounds like a natural fit with where I love painting coastal things. Um, I also have other things in the shop too, you know, like flowers and I love nature, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Definitely, that makes sense. Um no, so you started playing around with watercolors. You said you initially started with um like workbooks, I want to say, or um like printouts. What's the word that that I'm thinking of here?

SPEAKER_00

Um so you mean in classes?

SPEAKER_02

I just were like after you developed it, then I think you said on your blog you had um some sort of sheets that people could print.

SPEAKER_00

No, I would do like I would do like free printables for people. Like if they that's kind of kind of I don't know if people even use them anymore, but like, you know, for Easter, like a printable for Easter that they could use, like place cards, stuff like that, I would give on the blog. And then I started showing kind of techniques on the blog. Um and then and then we my son does art too. My my oldest son, he's now at RISD, he's studying illustration. So he's in his second year. But he, John, is amazingly talented. Like at three, we were just drawing with crayons, and I went in the other room, I came back, he drawn a toucan. And I said to him, Did you trace that? And he's like, Oh no, mommy, I drew it. Like he is he's very good with portraits of people. Oh my gosh. Yeah, and he just went to Provence and studied um in January there. So um, yeah, so we so back in 2019, we decided, well, let's just have do an online shop. So we didn't know what we were doing, and I had some cards that I made. Um, I had them printed, and John had some art, and we were like, oh yeah, Christmas is coming up. So this was November 2019, um, that we put stuff up. We just had a couple things. So, and then COVID happened. So then we weren't pushing it too hard because nowhere was open to print anything.

SPEAKER_02

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00

So that kind of having COVID made everything kind of slow down, and I got really more into watercolor, painting seascapes, and yeah. I mean, we would wear masks with the dogs walking to the beach, you know, at six in the morning. Yeah. And then I'd come home and I'd paint and I'd cook, and Luke would make bread. So um, so then um that so then like after kind of things started picking up again, we um I started making more things, and I found I did a I did a wholesale show. This was uh a couple years ago now, up in Maine, and I met a new printer at the wholesale show. The wholesale show wasn't a success for me, like we had a bunch of things, but um a lot of people, it was like New England May that was the show, and a lot of people were like, Are you Maine made? And I was like, No, I'm Massachusetts made. And so we got a couple of orders, but I found my printer, so that was the successful thing of that.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Well, I feel like wholesale shows can be hit or miss and people get pretty discouraged by them.

SPEAKER_00

But when I I felt like it was gonna be like we were gonna be successful, you know. Um so I borrowed um some walls from a friend, and I had prints, my prints framed. It looked good, the booth looked good. I got like a seagrass rug for my KEA, and I had a desk, and we laid it out. You know, I mean you set it up kind of like it's a shop, um, if people don't know that are listening. And so I was like nervous going up there, and we were up there for three days, and I'm more introverted, like I can be extroverted, but I'm kind of more introverted, you know, like I would rather be painting, and um, so it takes a lot of energy for me to kind of be on, I guess. Um and so like it was kind of discouraging kind of going every day and just like standing there, and um, but it was it was good, it was a good learning experience. And then um so I found the my current printer, TPI Solutions Inc., which is amazing. So if anybody is looking for a good printer, um they are so great to work with. Um, like I couldn't have done the watercolor workbook without them, so um, so I just want to give them a little plug. Um, but I met them there, and then after that market, I said to my husband, okay, we're gonna go on fair. And so going on fair really helped like catapult the business.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, good. So interesting. I feel like everyone's journey with selling their products is so different. Like some people do so well at markets, some people, you know, don't get a lot of accounts, but maybe make a great connection that helps them down the line. Some people with fair they do so well, and others, you know, they feel like they're just lost there. So um, I think it's just all about trying and seeing what works best for you, really, right?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. Well, for me, especially now, we just got a puppy, so especially now, like it's hard to do anything. Um, so doing as much from home as I can is the best for me. Um, and I mean our house is kind of inundated with products currently because I have so many now. Um, but it makes it easier that I can pack things. Like, you know, I have boxes in our bedroom. We live in a Dutch colonial, 1927 Dutch colonial, so it's not big. And I don't have a garage, and I can't put stuff in the basement.

SPEAKER_01

So Yeah, we need to be creative.

SPEAKER_02

So you mentioned, you know, now you have a lot more products. Um, but can you talk to me about adding new products to your line and sort of growing and what the thought process was and and the journey along with decisions there and what products to add versus skip some?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So well, we started with um, I can I don't know if you want me to show you some products. Yeah. So people know. Yeah. Um what we started, let's see, everything's gonna fall here. I have like propped on the we started with cards. That was kind of like our first, and I feel like that's a easy kind of price point. These are um, these are some new cards, but we started with cards. Oh cute. Um so we were doing card packs and single cards, and now I've pretty much like now I'm just doing single cards. Okay. Um there are some things I do packs of cards, but mostly I'm just doing single. It's easier for wholesale and for markets. Um and then our sec the other product we were doing were these notepads. Yep. This size. I don't know if you can see them.

SPEAKER_01

Yep.

SPEAKER_00

Um so they're like 50 sheets. So those were like our main products to start with. And we were doing G-clay prints.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

And then with my printer, I decided I wanted to go into the list pad. And my printer is great because I can say I have this idea, how much will it cost? You know, sometimes they work with me on like numbers, like so I could do like 50 to see if it works. Yeah. And then I'll do 100. Um, so we we went into that next, and then we started doing um these mini pads. Okay. Um that was like the next thing that we offered, and then oh, we were we've always done these calendars, and these are one of our best sellers. So these have kind of morphed over the years. So this is the box now. Pretty comes in a gift box, and my husband makes the wooden stands.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I love that. I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we sold out this year, so um, I'm gonna have to print more next year, and then they're double-sided. Cute.

SPEAKER_01

So you can save it then, right?

SPEAKER_00

You can print it.

SPEAKER_02

You can save it. Excellent.

SPEAKER_00

So that was new this year that we did the double-sided. Um, so they were really popular. So those were kind of like the things we've been doing. And then slowly we brought in more things. So then we brought in tea towels, which um those have been really popular. Hang on, I'm gonna just move this stuff over here.

SPEAKER_02

Um and I have to say, your little the card that you showed um with like the L-O-Botes, I sent that to my friends for Galentine's Day. It's so cute.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, that's sweet. So these the lobster, the I really like these are really heavy, the um the cotton. And I use them in my home. Like everything that I have, I use myself. So um, I feel like that's important when you're you know making things that you will want to use your own products. Yes. Um, those are two like kind of bestsellers, the whale and the lobster, which are so kind of New England and coastal. Yeah. Um, and we also do stickers, vinyl stickers. So those are kind of, and then more recently, these are like examples.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So they're waterproof. But um then last year I developed paint brushes, and um, because I started teaching classes at a um this shop called Noted. Um, Noted Candles, and um, she does candle making there, and and she has this artist in residence program, Ashley. And um, so I started teaching up there once a month, and so my desire to help like people learn watercolor morphed into like helping people find like the right materials, um which it sounds like full circle, then based on your story, but you showed up to a watercolor class, your first one, and didn't have the right brushes. Yes, I saw people at the class, and so in my classes, everybody gets a watercolor paintbrush to bring home so they can continue. But we also sell sets of the brushes, okay. And then um, you know, classes have changed as I've learned like what people engage with. Before it was like, this is how you paint a crab, and here's an outline, and you can trace my crab, and they were getting like a print of the crab. And then what was happening is people were like looking at my crab and then trying to paint it, and like it was their first watercolor class. So, you know, it may have been discouraging for some people, or it might not have been as free. So now instead, what we're doing, like we just did a techniques class last Saturday where people I just taught them washes and like let's throw salt on the paper, what happens, you know, and like experimenting more. And then we did the color wheel, and then I matted that and they brought that home. And so our next class is gonna be flowers, and I'm gonna teach different techniques of flowers, and they're gonna make their own flower painting.

SPEAKER_02

So I love that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And it sounds like because almost the fact that you didn't go to formal art school and you you did this, you know, kind of on your own and taking a class, it sounds like you're the perfect teacher then almost because you've been in their place, right? Like, so you understand that.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, I I want just people to have fun, you know. I feel like maybe in an art school, I don't know because I haven't been, but you know, I've taken some classes with people that are like there was one art teacher that I took a class, a drawing class, and she said, if it looks wrong, it is wrong. And she would draw, she would draw on your paper. And I used to be with her ebony pencil, and I used to be so scared to go to this class. And I know you know, some people maybe would thrive in that environment, but that's that's not me. Like I if I'm nervous, like I can't create. If I'm feeling like, oh my god, I'm gonna make a mistake, I can't create. So when people come to my classes, I don't want them to feel like they're gonna make a mistake. I want them to come have fun, you know. We're you know, we're here to play. Um I I feel like people are really creative, you know, like everyone is creative. Yeah. And I feel like there's something when we become adults that we feel like we're not creative anymore, or we're gonna make a mistake. And if we make a mistake, that is like the worst thing that could happen. Yeah. And really, if you make a mistake, you're just gonna learn from that mistake, right? Or, you know, I I I I just I feel like kids can be more free. You know, think about yourself as a little kid. Like I loved finger paints and just smushing it all over the paper. Or, you know, we never thought we were gonna make a mistake. And so that's my goal with the classes, and that's my goal with the products that I'm making. So, so then out of that, like the the paint brushes, these are made in um the US. All my products, except for the the tea towels themselves, are made in India, but the they're printed in the US. Um and then I've just I've just launched paint palettes with paints, so those are made in China, but everything else is made in Massachusetts or the US. Um, but so I think I sent you you you ordered a pack of these. So these are um paintable cards, and then they have instructions, and then so this kind of grew out of my watercolor classes, and then the workbook grew out of the classes, and the workbook has videos that go with each tutorial.

SPEAKER_02

So my gosh, that's genius.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so it's kind of this is one that's kind of like half-painted, yeah. Um, but it just has an outline, really. Yeah. So that's the workbook.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, that's the best. And I love that you did that because people who aren't local to you and can't go and take your classes, this is a way for them to be able to learn and and learn from you, which I think is so smart.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, it was so fun. I really enjoyed um creating it. The hardest thing was printing on watercolor paper and finding watercolor paper. So that was kind of the hurdle with that. But um, I'm brainstorming for the next, I'm trying to figure out what should be next for I want to do another workbook.

SPEAKER_02

So Okay. And did you um work with your original manufacturer then that does all of your other paper goods for the workbooks, or did you have to go and find another one? Yeah, that's great.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, they were so great to deal with. And so when we were selling them, people were like, Oh, do you have paint to go with it? So that was the other thing. And I was like, No, we don't have paint yet. So I spent over a year trying to find just it's so hard to find something that like there's paint. I I love Daniel Smith tubes of paint, but I can't afford to wholesale that, you know what I mean? So finding something. So I do have these. We've just launched these this week.

SPEAKER_02

They're perfect in the perfect size.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so they come like wrapped. So this is them. Um they're they come wrapped, yeah, but then they look like this, and it's great for travel, you know. Yes. That's how they look. Perfect.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so I'm so excited about that. So was I guess you know, the paintbrushes and the paint, that sounds like that probably you mentioned took like a year to find because that's so different than you know, getting your art printed um on paper or or working with paper products. I feel like finding more technical products takes a lot of trial and error, right?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, because I it's like you want to try them and make sure that they're gonna be good. Like the paintbrush company I worked with, these are um synthetic sable, Kolinski Synthetic Sable. And um, I like the synthetic because it holds a point. Um like when you're using pure like bristle brushes, like hair, um, they can hold more water, but sometimes they don't retain a point as well for as long. Yeah. So um, yeah, I tried all different brushes that they had, but the round you can do a lot with. I I might add flat brushes in time because those are good for landscapes. Yeah. But yeah, it's hard to do everything.

SPEAKER_02

I I hear you. But it sounds like you were so intentional with all the products that that you have and continue to add. Um, so I'm curious, what's like the hardest part? And then what's the best part, your favorite part about having this business?

SPEAKER_00

Um I think the hardest part sometimes is like I want to do a lot of things, and right now I don't have the space, and it's just me packing everything. I mean, my husband and the kids will help me, but it's just me. And so like I'm limited sometimes by that. And then I would say the best thing is that like you know, I I love coming up with new products and coming up with things that inspire people and bring people joy. And I get messages from people saying, Oh, you know, my I sent my daughter your calendar, she lives in England and it brings her so much joy. Like those messages mean so much to me. And like, or when people leave a review on the site that is positive and that you know, my products made them happy. Like that to me, like art, I feel like in the time we're living, like to know that art can bring joy to people is really is really nice, you know, or or creating with my products could make people happy or could make them see that they are creative too.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Oh, that's such a good note. Because I did love when you mentioned that with your classes that you you think everyone is creative and has creativity. It just might like you might have forgotten as an adult and just need to pull it out. So I think that's that's a great message there. Um, what about a pinch me moment? Like something that you're really proud of that you were able to do with your business?

SPEAKER_00

Um, there's a couple, I would say. Um, John and I were featured in Yankee magazine. Oh my gosh! And um, so that was kind of a pinch me moment because Yankee is so New England, you know, and to be featured with John meant so much. Um, last year, um Channel 5, uh that's our kind of local ABC, WCBB, they have uh a program called Made in Mass, and they came and interviewed me. So that was another pinch me moment. Um and we're at the airport at Logan Airport, so um yeah, so that's really nice to work with them. And I kind of go and paint at the at the shop. They have like a a thing once a year, so it's coming up in April.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my gosh, that sounds so cool because so many people, you know, go through the airport, and um that that's a really cool place to have your products then. So yeah, it is, it is, and they're so great to deal with, so which I feel like no one thinks of the airport as being great to deal with, so that's good to hear.

SPEAKER_00

They are, yeah. News it's news link at the airport, they're great. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um, now, since this is the Preppy podcast, I always ask everyone what does Preppy mean to you? So, how would you describe Preppy?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, you know, I've I've listened to everybody talk about this um question on the podcast. And I always f my first thing I think of is because I'm a child of the 80s, right? I think of like pink and green, the pop collars, the tree-torn sneakers, you know, that kind of 80s preppy. Yes. But I also think preppy is like, you know, Ralph Loren and Pearls and kind of like um kind of like that classic but worn style. Do you know what I mean? Like the Oxford shirts, like very Ivy League style. Yeah, but kind of even like an understated. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, a worn imaginary sweater, and yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Whereas my husband thinks something completely different, because like Preppy is like prep school in England. So like school uniforms and stuff.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that makes total sense though. And I love when people are like, my daughter thinks preppy is like a company. Oh, I know. Yeah, there's so many interpretations.

SPEAKER_00

People think now, right? Like on your podcast, people will say, oh, Bohemian. And I'm like, um interesting.

SPEAKER_02

It is. Um, if you could have anyone be a customer, like buy your watercolor book, or maybe um, you know, some of your art and hang it in their home, or use one of your cars and send to a friend, who would be a dream customer? Like, who would you love to have as a customer?

SPEAKER_00

You know, um I think like probably Oprah, because I mean, if she's using your stuff, then it would be like a lot of people would know about it, right? Like, I think um probably Oprah, but I'm just so grateful for you know, the everyday person that buys my my products. You know, it really, really means a lot to me. That would lie.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Oprah's a good one. I feel like if she gets her seal of approval, then now what is a resource? Whether it's, you know, a newsletter, a book, um, and just or even it could be like a piece of advice you've received. Like what's a resource or a piece of advice that listeners can take away?

SPEAKER_00

Um well, I just read um Bobby Brown's book. Oh yeah. Um The Founder of Jones Road, and I found that so inspiring to read her story. You know, I I it's a quick read. I thought it was really interesting.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um I really enjoy your your podcast. I think I I love learning how people got to where they're going and and and while they're on their journey. Um what is another? I love podcasts where people talk about themselves and their businesses. So I love Wildcard. I don't know if you've listened to that. Oh no, okay. I'm gonna tell you. Umprah's was really good on that. And um, what's her name? Brandi. I really love Brandy Carlisle's.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. I'll have to check those out then after. Yeah. Um, and Bobby Brown's book was really good. And it's a good listen, even if you're not a reader, if you want to listen, you know, to the audio. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, another one I would say, oh gosh, I can't remember what it was. Um Diane, Diane Keaton wrote a book and it was about her and her mom. Oh, interesting. That was very interesting.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, I'm gonna have to look that one up too. I didn't even know that existed.

SPEAKER_00

But that's yeah, it was kind of talking about her mom um started having dementia. Wow and what Alzheimer's maybe, and um kind of looking back at her life and her mom's journals. So I found that really interesting.

SPEAKER_02

Amazing. Okay, I'll check that one out too. Um, anything you're working on? Any sneak peeks that you can give listeners?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, well, I'm well, we just brought out the paint palettes. Um, I'm starting to work on the new calendar. So usually I launch the calendar in September. Um, but we might get it printed earlier. I'm not sure. We're gonna have to do a lot of stands this year, so that means um I think Luke's gonna have to have the kids help him uh sand the sands in the basement. But yeah, um, we're working on that, and then um I'm working on a new product, um, and then I'm working on the new watercolor book. Um and then hopefully I'm also approved to teach on Skillshare, but I haven't had time to do videos for that.

SPEAKER_02

Oh that'll be amazing. We'll have to look out for that. You'll be sure I'm sure to uh share it on social media. Yes, I will. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it's just hard, you know, when it's just you trying to do all the things. But yeah, it's great. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02

It sounds like you're up to so many great things. Uh so final question is where can people find you? Let them know your website, social media, um, even if you have a code you want to share.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Um, so on everywhere I'm at finding silver pennies. So my blog is finding silver pennies, the shop is shop.finding silverpennies, um, I'm on Spoonflowers Finding SilverPennies and Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest, FindingSilverPennies. Um, and I'm offering a 10% off to your listeners with the code PreppyPodcast.

SPEAKER_02

Excellent! Oh my gosh, thank you so much, Danielle. I really loved our conversation, learning more about you and your background and your art, um, and so excited for what you have in store.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you, thank you so much for having me. It was a real pleasure.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you so much for listening to the Preppy Podcast. I hope this put a little prep in your step for the day. Please subscribe, rate, and review on wherever you listen to your podcast. And follow along with at the Preppy Podcast on social media.