We recently connected with Shandy Shafer and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shandy, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

It is my hope, that one day, once I am gone, people will speak on my willfulness to accomplish tasks at hand, and resilience through out my life journey. Along with my ability to overcome any and all obstacles that cross my path. Like the mystical and mythology creature the Phoenix (featured in some of my designs) I rise from the ashes, time and time again.

Shandy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My legal name is Shandlyn, but I go by Shandy (which is way more fitting to my personality). Born,in August, making me a proud and loud LEO. We tend to get a bad reputation, but that is only because we are not afraid to tell people like it is. The general public tend to cringe when you hit them with the truth without hesitation.

In 2006, two weeks post my 18th birthday, I was diagnosed with an incurable disease, called Multiple Sclerosis. This is an autoimmune disease that can be very debilitating. Later studies and doctor analysis have determined that I have actually battled with the illness since the young age of 12. Over the summer, half my face had gone paralyzed. So bad to the point that every night, I had to put ointment into my eye, and tape it shut at night, to prevent it from drying out. This is considered to be the first appearance of symptoms of MS.

Now, at the age of 34, and having lived with this disease for more then half my life, I have determined the most difficult challenge with having MS is learning how to handle everyday stress. This, is because stress is the number one trigger for flareups and exasperations with MS. A prime example of this, is in 2014, after my grandfather (Bailey W. Shafer) who raised me unexpectedly passed away, the unmountable level of stress and turmoil I was experiencing during that time, caused me to suddenly lose the use of my legs. For a stint of time I was wheelchair bound. During December of that year, my neurologist ordered me a number plasma exchange procedures, in hopes that it would bring me legs back to life.
Good news, is that it worked.

That following year, is when I discovered my craft and passion for creating and designing. It was the type of therapy I had been searching for and never realized that I needed. It was the overwhelmingly sense of relief and release it provided that made it so addicting. It was almost like a breath of air, putting paint on canvas. Being able to release my inner demons and emotions that had been building up was exactly what I needed.

Not, long after, is when I opened my business of Painting &Designs By Shandy. I not only sell my artwork but also take commissions. Later, I would dive into digital art and designs.

I was even excepted in Parsons New School of Fashion and Design. This was a huge triumph for me. I was only two months shy of competing my fashion certificate when tragedy came rearing it’s awful head again. This one felt as bad as before, yet at the same time much worse. Since a little girl, I had dreamed of creating a family of my own. I’m 2018, after my husband, Robert Denton and I, reached our one and a half year of marriage we had an unplanned pregnancy. We were elated, but fearful at the same time. Unfortunately, the doctors hit us with some very disheartening statistics. The reality of our miracle baby reaching full term was very slim to none. Yet, we were still hopeful. The problem layer in the fact that during the time of conception I was still not only on all my mental medications but my treatment for Multiple Sclerosis, at the same time. Even though I discontinued all of my medications after the news of the pregnancy, it was too late. Our angel baby Harper Lynn Denton died at the brink of the beginning of my second trimester. This broke me, in ways I did not even know were possible. I was soon after hospitalized in a mental institution for suffering not only from post pardon but psychosis as well. I even went as far as to grabbing a pair of scissors and more or less chopping off all my long hair to the scalp. It was at this time, that I had made the difficult decision to go on a long winded sabbatical of my art and design career. After experiencing the loss of what would have been my first born, I felt as though, the spark I had once had, suddenly had been sniffed out.

This sabbatical lasted for 4 long years, until I felt like I was fully ready to return.

Luckily, just as quickly as the spark was snuffed out, it had ignited again.

Not, only do I currently have my Paintings & Designs By Shandy, and feature my designs on ShopVida, but I actually have my own brand GOODOLSHANDY.

This is a name I was given many moons ago when the social media platform XANGA was around. Over the years the game kind of always stuck, and I found it very fitting for my own brand.

I design custom hats, lighters( sold to local smoke shops), stickers, and starting this month I will have my own hand designed vintage band teeshirt dresses available for sell.

I have two different FB pages one, Goodolshandy, and Paintings and Designs by Shandy, along with my personal page, which are growing in followers. I also have two Instagram accounts, my one for my brand, and one personal which are also steadily growing in followers.

I hope that my brand helps to empower; not only those who are suffering from a disease/illness or mental disorder, but those that recognize their own humanity in suffering from the everyday and even the rare stresses of life.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

During, my endeavors, and attempted claim to success, I had to unlearn being so trustworthy and learn to trust my own gut feeling and intuition.

Especially, with the growing advances of modern technology, the world has become a playground for; the low life scammers, of this generation.
They prey on the weak and un-experienced. All while, stealing hard earned wages from the hardworking individuals, who fall victim, to their evil deeds of stealing your money, that can sometimes take years to build.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

My personal Facebook has over 5.3K followers. Then my personal Instagram has 19.8K followers and my brand IG has 20.5K.

I was able to do this by being my true genuine self. I try not to fall into the Façade of posting only what you think people want to hear. I share my struggles and never back down on my beliefs.

To me it is of upmost importance to be and represent, only what you truly stand for, and believe in. There are people, like myself, who immediately see through the bullshit. It is best to always be honest in what you say and want to world to hear. At the end of the day you will end up gaining at lot more respect that way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vida-studio.com/collections/shandy-shafer8688
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/goodolshandy8688?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shandlyn?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shandy-shafer-3a1718137
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/paintingansdesignsbyshandy?mibextid=LQQJ4d https://www.facebook.com/Goodolshandy88?mibextid=LQQJ4d https://instagram.com/goodolshandy?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Image Credits
Brad Barton, Robert Denton, Shandlyn Shafer