The Story Behind SunnySlab

When my son got deep into Pokémon trading cards, I jumped in with him. We opened packs together, sorted cards, and geeked out over the artwork. It was pure fun — but something about it started to bother me.

I realized I was participating in something very passive and consumerist. We were buying, opening, chasing rares… and then mostly just storing them. I kept thinking: There has to be a more productive, creative way to engage with this love of beautiful cards.
That’s when my mind went back to something I’ve quietly admired for years — Golden Age playing cards.

I’ve had the same old Crazy Eights deck sitting in a drawer for decades. Every time I pulled it out, I was struck by how charming and well-designed those illustrations still are. No massive marketing machine. No speculation frenzy. Just honest, joyful artwork that holds up beautifully decades later.

Why not rescue and celebrate these cards? Why not turn that quiet admiration into something I could build with my hands — something that brings warmth and nostalgia into people’s homes in a permanent way?

That spark became SunnySlab.

SunnySlabs are handmade wooden wall art pieces that frame and protect vintage playing card illustrations (and other beloved paper ephemera) in routed hardwood with clear acrylic windows. Inspired in part by the popular world of collectible card grading — where cards are permanently sealed in clear plastic “slabs” by services like PSA to preserve and display them — SunnySlabs do something similar but warmer and more artistic. Each piece locks the card in permanently behind acrylic, protecting it while turning it into beautiful, displayable wall art. They’re designed to feel like little windows into a brighter, simpler time — “sealing sunshine” from the Golden Age so it can shine again in your space.

I chose this particular Pokémon card to feature here because there are so many wonderful modern cards out there, yet some of the more modest ones like this are incredibly charming without commanding high prices. I love this card with two birds and Red plumage because it reminds me of someone who had a profound effect on my life and will always be near and dear to my heart.

Making SunnySlabs lets me combine my lifelong loves: woodworking, mid-century design, while rescuing beautiful printed art that deserves a second life. And best of all, it’s something I can share with my kids — turning passive collecting into active creating.
Thanks for being here at the beginning of this journey. More stories, process photos, and new slab releases coming soon.