It's the end of the world as we know it - Patti's Recap Part V1

Happy Tuesday! Muahaha! Okay. I know some of you are all like "Tuesday? It's not Tuesday," and you're all confused, but this is a trick I've learned and it really works, so get on the train already!!

You know how, for some inexplicable reason, 4 day weeks seem to take forEVER To pass? Like, seriously. Is this a joke? I have a theory on how time warps work, but I've found a way to beat it on short weeks, and voila! It's like a fancy party at the end of the week.

I tell myself it's Monday on the day back from work. It feels like a Monday. It looks like a Monday. So I call it Monday. And then I tell myself all week, "oh my goodness... four whole sleeps until weekened" or, on 'Wednesday', "thank goodness it's hump day.. only two more days." Then, all of a sudden you find yourself at the end of the week and it's all "wait! I don't have to come in tomorrow?" It's like a SURPRISE day off! Which DOUBLES the benefit of the long weekend prior! Winning in every sense of the word! It makes the week fly by, really. Try it! And even though I've spent some time explaining this concept to you now - Happy Tuesday. I'm sooo good at tricking myself. 

I should market this train of thought. Really.

Anywho - back to the recap, and HAPPY TUESDAY!

Fact: As a graphic designer, I've encountered many different types of clients. Many clients who could be described as difficult. But throughout this process, I quickly learned that I was, in fact, the most difficult client I have ever encountered.

The pressure I put on myself! I figured that everyone would have an expectation of something super fancy because I'm a designer. That I could ruin my reputation and career if the design elements were not perfect. That the world would end if everything wasn't absolutely fantastically amazing!

I was stuck. Totally stuck. And not for a lack of ideas. In this case, my first-world problem was that I had way, way, WAY toooooo many ideas. So many ideas. Sewing! Glueing! Typography! Illustrations! Textures! Paper! Posters! Twine! Wood! Die-cuts! I didn't know where to begin, I had way too many different concepts in my head, and since I was the client, I couldn't decide what I liked most, and so, didn't know where to begin.

TheGuy was a champ. He tried to console me as I shared my devastation with him. I was going to have to change careers. I was a hack of a designer if I couldn't even design my Save-the-dates without a bazillion meltdowns. I may as well hand in an application to McDonald's, except that I was paralyzed by options and HAVE YOU SEEN ALL THE TOPPINGS YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM at McDonald's? The moment I'd been looking forward to for my entire graphic design career: designing my wedding invitations to the love of my life, became a crippling, game of: "that might look nice! NO, that's stupid! What about this? That's dumb, too." And time was running out.

In my career, I'm usually able to manage stress. I adore working under pressure, I do my best work when under the gun. I like being able to manage my time, prioritizing the needs of others - it's a thrill, really. And I've never missed a deadline. But this was just nuts.

TheGuy said that I couldn't postpone the wedding because I was over-inspired, and that the show must go on. He also let me know how sad he was that I wasn't having fun with it, because, really, shouldn't it be fun? I was finally able to regroup. After weeks of agonizing (ok - actually months, because I'd been thinking of marrying him for a long time.)(Okay, actually - years), I decided to just go for it. To design something for Ryan and I, and not for anyone else. And a Save the Date could be whatever I wanted to be - simple, easy. As the initial panic of the blank paper in front of me wore off, I figured to go with what I loved - typography, and hand rendered typography. So I did it. It wasn't fancy, it wasn't award winning, but it was us. And that was the most important thing.

So, I didn't actually have time to take a photo - so I just made this in photoshop. And that's not our real website address, because I feel like being sneaky.

Finding Me-mo - Patti's Recap Part III

Catch-up. Jan-December, 2011.

So. I've been trying to catch you all up on the stuff that's happened to me over the last two years by writing about it in first person, as if it's happening right at that second.

But my forté is really more creatively related than it is about following tenses and all that jazz, so I figure I'll just write as I chose and fill you in to the best of my abilities.

I was busy. Between booking our wedding venue, finding the dress, and falling in love with theGuy all over again (hey! This is my blog, I can be mushy if I want to), I also left my job (totally a "Hey, everyone - you guys are great, and I'm engaged! YAYAYAYAYA! Be so happy for me....Oh yeah, and um.. here's my two weeks' notice.. I'm an asshole" moment), started the new one, and got moving on freelance stuff.


I love graphic design. I really, really do. And part of working in a corporate environment meant that I had the freedom to pursue the jobs I wanted to pursue, in my spare time. It meant that I didn't have to take jobs that I didn't want to, and that I could really flex my creative muscles when I wanted to. I had a blast. I worked way too much, but it was great.

One of the exciting projects I got to work on was working with a team of super bright guys who wanted to develop a real estate magazine. It was the beginning of an awesome relationship, where I was able to design a lot of logos, design and direct the overall look and feel of their magazine, and work to create ad, etc. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed their vision and creativity.

It kept me busy. No time to update blogs, no time to socialize. But I felt totally stimulated and creative, and like I knew what I was supposed to be doing with my life. It was a fantastic feeling - I could see my future ahead and it looked so bright (it still does!). For the first time in my life, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be, and that was a totally amazing feeling. Life was looking up!

Baby got back - Patti's Recap Part I

Well, I haven`t posted anything in like two years, but I have good reasons.

It's been a very busy couple years and I have so much to share! I miss putting my thoughts in cyberspace. So I'm going to start by sharing where I left off.

 In Sophia, from Golden Girls' voice:

Picture it. It's December 23, 2010. Patti has been shopping, shopping, shopping, in order to prepare for Christmas, mixed with working on her portfolio and attending a series of interviews for a new job. A new job that's going to be THE job, because it would allow her to pursue her own freelance. It's in an industry she loves, and it seems to good to be true. She's beside herself with hope and anticipation:

 I'm sitting here at my desk. It's the last half day of work before Christmas holidays, and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to find the time to fit all the exciting holiday festivities into the week that I have off. IHOPEIGETHEJOB. Between parents, step parents, the Guy's parents, the friends.. will mom like her gift? IHOPEIGETTHEJOB. Will theGuy be excited? Will it be nice weather? JOB! JOB! What will I wear? JOB! JOB! I'm exhausted already and the crazy antics of the Christmas season haven't even started.

 "Okay! You guys can take off now!" That's my boss. I go to close my browser window where I've been hitting refresh on my email all day, waiting to hear from the potential employer, and I see that there's something waiting for me. Can't look now, it's time to go home.

I run. I really do, I run all the way home. Don't get too excited; I'm not a graceful runner. More of an arms flailing runner. I'm like a cartoon of the most uncoordinated run put into motion. The whole time, in between trying to catch my breath while simultaneously attempting to look like I'm not totally having a heart attack and trying not to slip on ice, I'm thinking "you got the job! NO! Don't get too excited! They could be letting you down gently! You got the job! Don't get your hopes up, Patti. This could be IT. But don't get excited."

I get home, check my email.

They'd like to extend an offer.

WHAT!? I got the job. I got the job! I GOT THE JOB! And I start two weeks after the Christmas break!

I'm walking on air. I got the job.

Things are going to change around here.

Better Together

I am so excited to share with you the project I have been working on for Family and Childrens' Services. It was a capital campaign called Better Together, and I got the wonderful job of branding it in its entirety - from logo to print pieces.

This brochure can also be found here, as an online .pdf

Unfortunately, life's been busy so I haven't had a chance to photograph these pieces for you and the computer mock-ups just don't do it justice, but I'd like to share with you anyway!

It's called Better Together, because it's based on the concept that families operate when they can learn together. They want to build a family center, so instead of splitting up families, they can enable and encourage everyone to work together as a team, with classrooms and courses - to give families tools to stay together and create healthy environments. It's pretty awesome. Click here for more details about it!

If you're looking to make a donation, this is such an excellent cause, and such a wonderful team. I can't wait to see the completed building. It was such a pleasure to work on something that is so wonderful.

I don't know how to do 'jumps' on a blog yet, so I'm sorry to drive you bonkers as you wait for these to load, but here are a couple more pieces:

Signing off!