This is one of the more interesting stories behind the art. I relaunched Ride or Die Designs in July of 2023 and hadn't received any orders for custom car stickers or prints yet. I had just finished sending off the free order for @iammtheprincess which you can read about here. I needing something else to work on so I didn't lose any momentum. I decided to go ahead and draw this cool ride that I had seen in my neighborhood. I walked over there and of course a different neighbor was hanging out in their garage so immediately I am NERVOUS. However, I just strutted (super casually) over to the car and snapped the quickest pics of my life.
Afterwards, I came back to my house and got started. I designed the stickers, printed, laminated, and cut the stickers. Then packaged them up with a note. I then had a whole thought process of where am I about to take this? If i just leave it on the windshield of the car and it isn't a daily driver, then it will be in the weather. And the stickers will be fine but what if they blow away? I decided to make a rig to put it on their door handle to the front door, we live in a community where we get that kind of stuff for lawn car, pest control, etc all the time.
I walked my way back over to the house fully expecting to drop and dip. I ended up walking up to the front door and could see someone's silhouette through their window. Now, I'm worried that they have seen me walking up and what am I going to do? Just walk up and leave something on their door like tens of people do every year in this very neighborhood?? NO! That would be weird (it wouldn't). Then my eyes made DIRECT eye connection with the ring doorbell. I'm caught. They know. They have already gotten a motion detected notification on their phones. They know I'm here for sure. (This is all ridiculous though processes but the honest path that my brain is taking). I decide it's best to just ring the thing and hand it to them. I haven't thought of an eloquent explaination for the reason that I've done this or the why. But here we go.
The wife answered the door and I ask if they own the veloster out front... dumb question. Of course, they do. Why would it be parked in front of their house everyday?? After a rough explanation and disclaimer that I do live across the street they thanked me. And I went home.
BUT THEN.
He shares my stuff on his Instagram story which he didn't have to do by any means but was a super thoughtful thing to do.
The wife ended up messaging me from her account and offered a free tattoo. My work is not the equivalent cost to tattoo (even the smallest) by any means but I went to her page and MY GOD. She is an amazing tattoo artist so if I ever do want a tattoo, I know who I would like to do it.
We ended up going on a double date with them and I have to say we have met quite a few people since moving and these were the first people that we are genuinely excited to get to hang out with. We haven't talked much since the double date but I know that they are busy and are hoping that they understand that adult friendship time is difficult to make. Especially when running a business and ahving a full time job.
I'm so glad that I decided to do some random neighbors ride as a sticker design and cannot believe how well it went.