About Sheryl Checkman

Sheryl Checkman is an award-winning designer with more than 25 years' experience in applying innovative yet pragmatic solutions to the full range of communications and design challenges. Before opening Checkman Design, Sheryl was Vice President & Manager, Design Services, for the public relations agency Burson-Marsteller from 1981-1992. Prior to that she was an Art Director at the The Barton Gillet Company, a marketing communications firm. Sheryl graduated from Cornell University and attended a Masters program in Communications Design at Pratt Institute as well as a three-month design program at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. She graduated from the High School of Music & Art in New York City. Sheryl is an avid skier and scuba diver. She swims, plays tennis, practices yoga and enjoys taking pictures, both above and below the water. She adds her creative signature to her photographs by creating Digital Fine Art which she currently exhibits in her online gallery. She recently launched a line of inspirational sports-themed T-shirts under the name Life is Balance®. In addition to her design work, Sheryl also creates custom photomontages for a variety of corporate and consumer clients.

Summer – A Time for Balance!

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Sheryl Checkman

A Perfect Balance

Summer has always been one of my favorite seasons. When I was a child, my family spent the summer at an upstate bungalow colony to escape the city’s heat – my mom and brother and I would move up for the whole sumer and dad would come every weekend after the work week. Then there was sleep away camp – with days filled with general swim, archery, softball games, visits to the county fair, reading True Confession magazines during “bunk activity” and where life-long friends were made and life lessons learned. Those innocent summer days of my childhood may have passed, but my love for summer still holds strong.

Summer is a time to kick back, relax and take things a little slower. It’s a time to reflect upon the months that have passed and to gear up and energize for the balance of the year to come. It’s a time to take time out for yourself – learn something new, read a good book or two (or three or four!), stop and smell the flowers (or plant them!) and just slow down.

There are so many things to do in the summer that help rejuvenate and add balance to our lives. Here are some of the things that I love to do. Please leave a comment below with your favorite summer activities.

Go to the beach and read a good book
Go for a bike ride
Yoga outdoors
Swim in a lake or the ocean
Hang out in my garden
BBQ’s!
Play tennis
Wear a pretty sundress and have an outdoor meal or cocktail
Go scuba diving!
Go sailing
Explore and see or do something new! (below is a description of my something new for July!)

On a recent bike ride along the Hudson River, my friends and I rode up to the little red lighthouse that sits under the George Washington Bridge. In all the years I have lived in NYC and crossed the GW Bridge, I never knew this charming little lighthouse existed! According to the plaque on the site, it was originally known as Jeffrey’s Hook Lighthouse and was built in 1921 and decommissioned in 1932. According to The Historic House Trust, a not-for-profit organization that works in tandem with the NYC Department of Parks, it was actually built in 1880 and moved to the site under the bridge in 1921. It was immortalized in the children’s book, The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge by Hildegard H. Swift. It is the last surviving lighthouse on Manhattan Island.

The Little Red Light House under the George Washington Bridge

Jeffrey’s Hook Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge, NYC. The last surviving lighthouse on Manhattan Island.

If you like to bike, check this historic landmark out. Want a cool t-shirt or tank top to bike in? Check out the Life is Balance Cycle the Distance biking shirts here.

A $250K Grant for Life is Balance – wishful thinking? Maybe not!

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Sheryl Checkman

Life is Balance wants to win the $250K Mission Small Business Grant

Vote for Life is Balance for the Mission Small Business $250K Grant

Sometimes you just got to go for it. What would you do if you had the chance to get a $250,000 Small Business Grant? I asked myself that very question the other day and my answer was simple… go for it. Never mind that every small business in the United States is after that very same prize. You have to believe that your business is worth it and just put it out there. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

So, I have until June 30th to get 250 votes in order to be considered for this life and business-changing Grant sponsored by Chase and LivingSocial. As many of you know, I recently launched Life is Balance®, an inspirational line of apparel that celebrates the various sports and activities that balance our lives. Getting this Grant will enable me to grow this business in ways that I’m not able to do on my own. And, if that happens, it will enable me to really make a difference and give back to society.

But I need at least 250 votes at missionsmallbusiness.com to be considered for this $250,000 Grant! Here’s where you can come in. Please support Life is Balance and help me reach 250 votes before the June 30 cut-off.

1. Go to missionsmallbusiness.com

2. On the Right-hand side of the home page, click on Log-in & Support

3. On the next page type in “Life is Balance” where it asks for business name. The city and state is New York, NY and click Search

4. When you see Life is Balance in New York, NY come up, click Vote!

That’s it. You’ve now helped me get that much closer to qualifying for this incredible $250,00 Grant!

Below are some screen shots showing you what to do:

Vote for Life is Balance for a Mission:Small Business $250K Grant

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

If you want to read more about the Mission: Small Business℠ Grant, check out this Press Release.

Thank you so much for supporting Life is Balance by voting now and please share this with your friends!

Watching My Garden Grow

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Sheryl Checkman

Urban Garden on the upper east side of Manhattan

My zen garden!

Some of you might remember how the tree in my backyard came tumbling down last October in the freak snowstorm that hit our area. The heavy snow, falling on the tree still full of its autumn leaves was just too much for my poor wild cherry! The massive tree took out both my deck and the fence to my neighbors yard as well. The good news was that insurance covered the replacement of my deck so I got to start from scratch (almost) in planning my new garden oasis on the Upper East Side of Manhattan!

I thought I’d bring you up to date on my progress so far! The contractor and his workers got the new deck built (based upon my design) in just over a week. I was amazed at just how efficient and ON TIME they were. Oh and did I mention that their craftsmanship was really first rate too?

Once the deck was completed, it needed some color! So I went to my local garden center, Urban Garden Center on 116th Street and Park Avenue (yes there is a garden center in Manhattan). Dmitre was very helpful in suggesting plants and flowers that would do well in my northern facing garden. I bought as much as could fit in my friend’s Mini Cooper and spent Saturday afternoon planting away. I still need a bit more but I think my garden is starting to shape up nicely! In the rear of the garden I placed some black river stones to create a zen rock garden. I plan on adding a Buddha fountain as well (as soon as the one I want is back in stock!). Stay tuned for more updates and photos as my garden continues to take shape!

My Rhododendron is starting to bloom!

Hostas in the deck cut-outs and impatiens and vinca vine in the baskets on the fence.

If you love to garden, or know someone who is, take a look at this gardening t-shirt from Life is Balance! It makes a great gift for any gardener, urban or otherwise.