A Happy Slappa’s New Year

Wow what an amazing year it has been for Slappa’s Thongs. New colours, New website, New branding, New stockists and lot’s, lot’s, lot’s of New Slappa’s clients.

The year started with a very quick trip to China to see the new shipment be produced, packed up and sent to Darwin ready for the start of the Mindil Beach Sunset Market season. I was very excited as the new colours Red, Orange, White, Olympic Blue and Purple/White looked fantastic and I couldn’t wait to sell them and of course wear them.

The first market of the season was on ANZAC Day, so it was an early start for us as the kids and I always attend Dawn Service. The markets fittingly started with one minute’s silence and the Last Post was played to remember all of those who serviced our country and fort for what we have now. There was such a great vibe to the market as I think everyone was so excited that Mindil Beach Sunset Markets were back on for another year of food, fun, entertainment and new things to buy. The crowds were fantastic and it was so good to see all my market friends again. The night ended with fireworks and lots of cheers to mark the opening of the 2013 season.

The year saw lot’s of travel for me to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide to meet potential stockists, trade fairs and arranging the New Website.

I teamed up with Janette (Dusty) Symonds from Squiggle Graphix and Phil Peet from Phil Boss Designs to design & implement the new website and branding for Slappa’s Thongs. What a huge job for all of us especially Dusty and Phil. We managed to get it launched just in time for the Christmas rush. What was even more exciting was the site was not even fully launched and we started getting orders. I would like to thank Dusty and Phil for all the hours, late nights and patience on achieving such a wonderful result. The website is so professional, easy to navigate and works a treat. Just perfect, perfect, perfect. I would also like to thanks my photographer Mark Hamilton from Mark Hamilton Photography in Darwin and Laura Bradley – model for the fantastic photo shoot. The photos are what makes this website. Also Donna and Ashley for being brave and enduring their first ever modelling experience and Darwin Waterfront for allowing us to photograph in such a great location.

Slappa’s Thongs were also very proud and happy to announce new locations where Slappa’s could be purchased. Slappa’s can now be found in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales.

In South Australia Slappa’s Thongs are located at The People’s Markets West Lakes Shores Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In Victoria I have three people selling from markets in Echuca Moama, Bendigo, Geelong, Laverton, Docklands, Oceangrove, Torquay and Portalington. All dates of markets are posted on Facebook. Indulgence Gifts in St Helen’s, Tasmania is the newest stockist and I am very excited to say Sole Therapy, podiatrist’s at Ramsgate Beach a suburb in Sydney are stockists.

Slappa’s Thongs has also teamed up with Barefoot Fishing Safaris, The Fish Grips Australia and 2nd year sponsors to the Waratah’s Juniors Football Club.

We have also donated over 1000 pairs of thongs to the refugees at the Darwin Airport Lodge and over 500 pairs to the Filipino Australian Association of the NT to help the people affected from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Slappa’s Thongs is a continued supporter of Cystic fibrosis SA with donations of thongs and money.

So a very successful and busy year for Slappa’s Thongs in 2013 and with lot’s of new things on the drawing board we are certainly look forward to 2014.

Thankyou everyone who has supported Slappa’s Thongs. It is great to meet lot’s of new people at the markets and see familiar faces who keep coming back with their friends and family to buy Slappa’s.

Special thanks to my lovely friend Jeannie from Natural Wonders Darwin and her family for looking after Slappa’s Thongs for 2 weeks while we were away in December. You are amazing!

A very Happy, Happy New Year and may 2014 be a wonderful, prosperous year for us all.