Where Watermelons Grow

Hey Everyone!

We are super excited to announce a new line of jewelry we are carrying in the shop called, Where Watermelons Grow, by our friend Sarah.  It's all handmade pieces that are absolutely beautiful and unique.  As I'm sure you all know, we take pride in selling one of a kind locally made items, whether it be skateboards, T-shirts, or prints, and her jewelry definitely fits the bill.  Her prices are insanely reasonable (ranging from $15-$32) We did a little interview with Sarah to put a face behind the art!

Why do you make jewelry?

Jewelry is a way for me to express myself artistically. It is an awesome feeling to have someone else appreciate your artwork and to be able to share it with them.

Do you surf?

Yes, I started surfing about two years ago. It has been a great  way for me to enjoy the ocean year round. This past summer I moved to Massachusetts where mellow point breaks prevail. It's been good for keeping my toes on the nose as much as possible. 

Does surfing inspire your jewelry?

Definitely. The idea for the design and style of each piece reflects my lifestyle. The color scheme is inspired by natural earth tones. I also like to incorporate some of natures more vibrant colors, like the blue hues of the ocean or the coral pink of the setting sun. Every piece is unique yet still portrays a similar theme. 

Why did you choose to sell to Natures Shapes?

I want to promote my designs and the best way to do that is to market my jewelry to people who share similar interests and style.

She also adds; 

I started creating and selling my own jewelry as a little girl when summering with my family on Fire Island. It began with macramé necklaces and friendship bracelets sitting atop a sandy beach towel draped over a weathered bench. My jewelry has come a long way since then and yet still reflects that simple pace of the beach life. 

Most of my supplies come from recycled jewelry, antique stores, travels, family and friends. This wide variety of materials is what makes my jewelry one of a kind. I hope that you enjoy wearing my jewelry as much as I enjoy creating it.

        Remember, Valentines Day is Thursday, February 14! Don't get stuck in the dog house, and pick up something for your better half.  (Rebecca may even wrap it for you!) 

With love,

Natures Shapes

Some new creations

Happy Holidays!

Sorry for our absence! 

We're back to let you all know about our annual holiday party and sale!

It's that time of year again, and this year we don't just want to celebrate the holidays, we want to celebrate our amazing customers! Stop by the shop for almost $400 dollars off SUPS, big discounts on stock boards, 50% off select apparel and accessories, and other sick deals! 

 We really want to let you, our customer,  know how appreciated you are!  Your support over the years has been immense, and it has not gone unnoticed.  Without you, our store would be nothing, and for that, we are eternally grateful.  

So....

Come down to the Half Penny Pub in Sayville around 8pm after our sale for some free food, drinks, and surf movies!  

RAIN WON'T STOP US!

Mother Nature definitely showed us who was boss this past Saturday, but it won't stop us from celebrating! Our party & swap sale has been rescheduled to this Saturday, August 4th.  All of the same deals & the same bands.  There will be an art and skating demo in the parking lot, tons of food for everyone, and the best sales of the year. There will be special surf footage being played at night, and some really sick live music. The party starts at 6pm! Stop down and check it out!!

Mike is on 20 years of making boards, and 5 years of owning a successful store, come congratulate him! 


**If you have any used funshapes, SUPS, or longboards that you want to sell bring them down! They will sell quickly!**

SUMMER!

....and we're back! Everyone at Natures Shapes has been working their butts off making tons of boards of all shapes and sizes.  The warm weather is finally here and we are getting out there (all while praying for waves) and enjoying it.  We're excited for all of the contests, trips to Montauk, seeing old friends, and all of the other things summer holds for us. We do have a few quick announcements!

• We are really excited to now be able to offer early morning yoga classes in the store geared towards surfers, taught by Rebecca, a 200 hour Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher.  These classes will change your entire body, as well as mind!  Your first class is free, check back for schedules and times shortly!
• We are going to be holding group stand up paddle classes as well as our regular one on one sessions.  This is a really great way to meet some new people, all while being in the water and getting fit. Moonlight paddles and other exciting things will be coming.  
• Mike is coming up with new designs and using carbon fiber to create some really interesting short boards that will be an interesting and fun ride. Keep an eye out on the blog for some new designs shortly.

The Evolution of a Board

Sorry for the absence of posts. We've been busy enjoying nice weather. Now that it's apparently winter again, we'll post. I'm sure a lot of you know that we make all of our own boards from start to finish, however, I'm not sure if most people realize all of the work that goes into it. Everyone at Natures Shapes is a serious workaholic, (I'm actually thinking it might be a requirement to work here). We work until 2, 3, sometimes even 4am pumping out custom boards for the people that have been nice enough to entrust us with their board design. We put a lot of our heart and soul into your board, it's what makes the difference between a mass manufactured chinese pop out, and a board built with YOU, the customer, in mind. We know what waves you ride (we ride them too), and we know what you are specifically looking for in your board. What beats that? Callused hands, tired arms, and sore backs are just a small price to pay for creating something that we know someone will love and enjoy for years.

So for those of you who may not be privy to the process, here's a general overview of how it goes.

1. Our boards start out as a blank, sometimes even a block of foam. From there Mike will take that blank and shape it into exactly what you want. This process can take hours.
2. Once lovingly hand shaped, and fins are installed, they are passed onto our AMAZING glasser, Ed Fawess, who is quite possibly the most meticulous man I've ever met. He effortlessly glasses, does SICK resin tins, foam stains, basically everything with complete grace and beauty, I've luckily had the privilege of learning and watching from him many times.This takes many hours, and sometimes up to 2 days. Also, he RIPS!
   
3. After the glassing process the board is then hot coated (a layer of resin) by Edgar. Anyone who knows Edgar, (most likely from seeing him out in the water at Gilgo) will tell you what a hard worker, and genuinely nice person he is. He loves his craft and more importantly is good at it. This can be a lengthy process because you have to wait for the board to dry!
   
4. After Edgar hotcoats both sides of the boards and it dries, it's ready to be sanded. Depending on the size of the board, this can take up to 3 hours. If it's just a sanded finish board, the process ends here. Phew!
   
5. If the board requires a gloss and polish, it then gets a gloss coat, (even after the initial sanding!) Once again, this is a lengthy process as you're at the mercy of the resins slow dry time.
   
6. The board is then polished. This is definitely the most tedious process and it takes a certain kind of person to do this. No scratches can be visible, and the board must have a flawless shine!
   

That's just a basic overview. Throw in customers who want copies of old boards, specific artwork or color, and the process can take much longer. We love what we do. We wouldn't trade it for the world. We are truly honored when someone comes into the shop and buys one of our boards. We love the look on someones face as they get to see a board they created in their imagination become something tangible.




*Also, come down for our swap sale, hopefully the weather will cooperate for some BBQ, Beer, Music, and Friends.

Seriously.

We love our customers, and we want to show that love starting right now. We are offering $150 off all SUPs in stock (there's TONS to choose from), buy one get one on all NS shirts, and 50% off all clothing (including hoodies and jackets) and accessories. This is an EPIC sale, so come down and check it out, it ends Sunday so take advantage while you can!

Kids can SUP too!

As the SUP craze has officially taken over, we want to make sure your little ones are not left in the dust! We've taken our Intermediate Stand up and redesigned it to a smaller scaled down kids SUP. We can make them any color you want, put their names on it, their favorite cartoon character, or sports teams logo on it. Whatever you can think of we can do! Starting around $950, with a traction pad and kids paddle, you can't beat it. They're super light and have a handle in them so your little one can carry it around wherever they go. Do you want to eventually have your kids on a surfboard riding waves? A kids SUP can also be brought into the ocean for a fun surf session. The options are ENDLESS. We can't emphasize how great Stand Up Paddle Boarding is. A wonderful workout, and a great family activity! Call or stop by the shop for more info! Enjoy this weather!

A Little Aloha

Some pictures to help you keep your stoke on this rainy day. Summers right around the corner, friends!

LOVE SUP, SUPPORT LOCAL

Have you tried Stand Up Paddling yet? If you're still in the dark about the whole thing, let us explain! We've been making as many as we can to gear up for the summer! Not only is it a fun activity almost ANYONE can do, it's a GREAT workout! They're really versatile, going from the bay to the ocean for equal amounts of fun. Our boards differ from the competitors as every aspect is made right here in America, more specifically shaped on Long Island, and they are much much lighter than other leading brands. They're made out of Epoxy foam which makes them very strong and buoyant while keeping them very lightweight. We have a great selection in the showroom right now, and we can also make a custom SUP for you including whatever color or artwork you may want! All of our SUPs come with a traction pad and a paddle.

Do you want to try it but are not too sure how to get started? Stop by or call the store for a lesson! We give lessons any day during the week or weekend and will completely work around your schedule. All you will need is a lesson or two to get you up on your feet and having fun!