Quote: Come Sit Next to Me

Quote: I've Had a Perfectly Wonderful Evening. But This Wasn't it.

Duly Noted Notepad

This holiday season, I made this notebook for my coworkers. I almost didn’t do anything as the holidays just sort of snuck up on me and suddenly I had little time left. I was ready to resign myself to doing nothing, when I had a burst of inspiration to create a notepad that was fairly simple in design and doable in my short time frame.

Things are constantly being reworked, edited and overhauled in advertising. I feel it all the time as a designer; “It’s great, but…” and then a list of things I need to change. It’s normal. Coworkers and clients look at something and want edits, then see those edits and want more edits. It’s a long ongoing process.

Thus, I thought this notepad would amuse my coworkers since they probably receive at least one of these suggestions daily. On the back I chose a quote that I felt was appropriate.

I also I created a bellyband for my holiday message. It has been “proofed” in red, and these changes should improve the copy.

I Swear Mini Cards

Inspired by swear words (and substitution swear words), I created mini cards that each convey a swear word moment. I was actually inspired by substitution swear words first; when I posted What the Fudge! I thought of various faux swear words and “blowhole” stood out in my mind. I envisioned a cute whale with “You blowhole!” on it, and I thought I could create a series of cards using swear words and drawings.

Fairy Tale 2013 Calendar/Post Card Set

Most everyone grows up with fairy tales in some variation or another because they not only entertain children, they often have morals attached to them. They’re an ingrained part of our culture; they’re in our books, movies, advertisements, and often alluded to in everyday life.

In my post card set, I drew selected fairy tales that each contains a moral that I take from that story.

Evil Twin Notebook

How do you distinguish the “good” twin from the “evil” twin? Beards, moustaches and goatees all denote evil. It’s all about facial hair. Facial hair covers the face so it can mask the person themselves and their true maniacal intentions. When I think “evil twin”, I think about the parallel universe in Star Trek where evil Spock has a goatee. It’s been a long time since I saw that episode, but the “facial hair is evil” moral has stayed with me over the years.

You’re #2 Card

Everyone wants to be number one. Number one is (obviously) the best. We play to win; we don’t compete to be number two. We want to be number one with the prestige and big trophy (that we can then lord over everybody else).

Tasty Money Robot Card

Sometimes when I give presents I don’t bother giving a card. It’s lazy but if it’s a present given in person, then it’s pretty obvious that I’m giving that person that present. It seems redundant to give a card, because usually cards are fairly generic and people will barely read them before they quickly move onto the main event: the present.

However, when a present is not thoughtful then I feel like I have to make up for it with a more personal or interesting card. A prime example is when I give money (or gift cards), a card seems more necessary not only as a vehicle to hold the money but also to show that I put a bit of thought into the present (instead of just opening my wallet and handing over some money).

So I decided to make a very simple card to hold money. The entire card is a robot head and it has two slits in the mouth to hold the money in place. (He just loves the taste of money and his eyes match its leafy green color when he’s eating his most beloved treat). The design is quite minimal using very basic shapes. It’s a silly card but it makes me smile.

Lip Service Coupon

Lip service is what makes the world go ’round. We are all participants, with coworkers, classmates, friends, family, strangers; we all tell those little white lies that help to make social interactions go more smoothly. We generally know when we’re getting or giving lip service, but that doesn’t stop its persistence.

Animals Gone 7 Deadly Sins Calendar

Spring 2010. Although it was early, I thought that I should get started on my “Make Something Present”. I like making calendars, so I wanted to make another and came up with the format first. I wanted to create something with layers, so I decided on using different sized sheets that would go from the smallest size in the front to the largest size in the back.

Once I figured out how the calendar would be put together, I thought about what the calendar should be about. Suddenly it came to me: 7 Deadly Sins. With seven sins, I could divide the months up to two a sheet plus a cover sheet. But I didn’t want it to be a straight up “sins” calendar; I wanted to do something that would amuse me.

Retro Fake Ad Mini-Notebooks

Last year, I created mini-notebooks based upon my Retro Fake Ad Calendar. So in addition to the six fake ads I already had: Mad Cow Burgers, The Rabid Robots from Outer Space!, Princess Purge Dishwashing Detergent, Apollo Cigarettes, Candi Doll and Tasty Sucker, I created two new fake products: Spiked Punch and Mocha Mayhem Cereal.

Retro Fake Ad Calendar

Fall 2009. My two designer friends and I decided to continue our one-year tradition of “Make Something Present.” This year, it was going to actually be “make something” (rather than the previous year of everyone specifically making calendars). But I decided to make a calendar anyway because it’s one of those useful things to make and giveaway. This year I wanted to make something more amusing (because I like to amuse myself).

While watching Mad Men, I got inspired by their fake ads and wanted to make my own. So I thought of not only plausible products from that time period, but also how I could incorporate some humor into it (since I love a bit of cheekiness). I took into consideration what housewives, teenagers and kids might buy and narrowed things down to six products:

Check-the-Box Card

Birthday. Anniversary. Valentine’s Day. The year is full of events (granted some are more important than others) but forget one of them and suddenly that’s the most important event. Because isn’t it the thought that counts? People want to be remembered. They want to feel special. Forgetting someone’s “momentous day” (whatever that day may be) is a slight on them, because basically, you just weren’t thinking of them at all.

So I made this all-purpose card so I can just check off whatever holiday/event I want it to be used for (so for those lazy/forgetful moments, I can at least pretend to have remembered that special day).

The Estate Game Pad

Growing up, my family often trekked out during the height of summer to visit relatives in California. We went by car, and as children this was an especially long drive. Being cooped up in a small space isn’t really pleasant for anyone, and there were certainly bouts of whining and complaining by my brother and me (mostly about the heat since we didn’t have air conditioning in the car for many years).

Car games could amuse us for a bit, and one of the games my brother and I would play was the “Estate Game”. We would take turns and select the possessions we wanted when our parents died. (A cheery game, I know. And don’t worry, our parents were not offended by this game—I dare say that it amused them.) Inspired by this childhood memory, I decided to create a game pad for this game.

Sympathy Birthday Card

When I was about 12 years old, I was at the supermarket and stumbled upon the greeting card aisle. My mom’s birthday was around the corner and she was turning the milestone age of 40. I hadn’t planned on buying her a card but my eyes caught sight of one with a flower on it and I read it and laughed. It was perfect; I bought her a sympathy card for her birthday.

Cock and Bull Story Pad

I enjoy wordplay. Words carry so much within them: the meaning of the words themselves, the sounds they create when spoken and the surprise of unexpected words strung together in an interesting fashion.

You Must Be 20

Beer-chan pad (front)

Food with personality is funny to me. Characters that you can eat or drink, well, their fates are already sealed…and they were delicious.

I’m Going to Hell Pad

As I was roaming a paper store, I came across blank pads and wanted to do something with them. I didn’t have an idea per se when I bought them, but what eventually came to mind was that a pad has two sides, and I wanted to use this double-sidedness to my advantage; like something dealing with opposites. Opposing forces. Polarizing sides. Good vs. Evil. And finally settled on heaven and hell.

Death Picnic 2008

Death Picnic card (front)

Some relatives I don’t see very often because they live far away. Funerals and weddings bring us together. This was the case in summer of 2008. Not one particular death, but a memorial service for a number of people who had died over the years.