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!

the hem of your garment...

Get it as a t-shirt!

Zazzle.com

I think this might be the beginning of an addiction!

Fertigo 'aint no Alfred Hitchcock.

So, I just thought I would share with you another new favourite font of mine, Fertigo. It's delicate and lovely, and it's available free here. Can't believe I'm giving that one away.

Anyway. My life is crazy busy - as usually happens this time of year - and I've been in a flurry of activity! Excitement! I do have some challenges in mind for the upcoming weeks; it'll just be finding time to do them!

Happy Friday!

Rain on my parade, why don'tcha

Just a little quickie with my new favourite font, Museo (with a few little tweaks, of course), which, incidentally, became my favourite just in time for Dell to swoop in and make it theirs ... hiss.

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring or something. I know that rain is all spring like, and hey, I'm not against the whole April-Showers-bring-May-Flowers thing, but it is making me yawn and yawn and yawn, and I need a little pep in my step!

Typwnd

I did NOT do this glorious book, although I wish I had!

Graphic designer Lauren Kaiser is the brain behind this amazing take on your typical picture book. Instead of using standard fairy tale imagery, she used type to convey the emotion of this tale. I found this tale over at Type Theory and, wow.. am I ever glad I found them. I thought it would be nice to share a little tidbit with you since I've so been on the absentee side, and that is a blogging no no!

Thinking about it, what a brilliant idea this book is... it would help with kids reading outloud, learning to emphasize the big words to make the story come to life. Or, if the type is a little hard for them to read, at least the parents can get a kick out of it! 

Ooooooh. Scary, ominous typography. Nightmarish and delectable at the same time! 

I may just have to keep this up my sleeve for my  next (not-so) daily design. Cheers!

Closed-circuit

I adore typography. Adore. So, as a combined effort of today and yesterday, I decided to design a font. It's called circuitboard because it reminds me of the inside of a computer. Pretty as it is. The intended purpose of this font would be for each letter to be used as a drop cap. You could write about computers!

Getting ready for the move. Two weeks from yesterday! Purging, purging, garbage, garbage. Spent the entire day running around yesterday for some crafty items, to come back with only a couple shower curtains. Seems like the crafts may not happen till we're all moved in. Something tells me we have our work cut out for us!

Case of the Sickies

Obviously, my last design challenge didn't exactly turn out as I had planned.. my last week kind of went by in a haze. Between the cold medication and the congestion in my head, it was like a crazy mental block! So, I went to a cartoon doctor, and the official diagnosis is in - I had booger brain!

So, sorry for the lack of posts; life has been a crazy whirlwind, and this booger brain really took me out of the game. I am going to put in loads of effort to get back on track, because I miss my design challenges!

Next week, we're watching theGuy's parents house, so I may not be at the computer much, but I'll see what I can do!

Snow Day.

On the weekend, theGuy had to borrow his step dad's snow blower so that we could clear our driveway, because it was almost impossible to get in or out. While watching him carrying out the hard labour (I like watching), I thought of how similar the snow blower is to a lawn motor. And then I realized that in any Canadian winter, I would likely use a snowblower more than the lawn mower.

Okay, snow. I've had enough - is it time for spring yet?

spbbbbbbt!

Have you ever wondered how to spell the sound that you make when you stick out your tongue and sputter at someone? There has been an entire study on it - I saw it online somewhere - if I find it, I'll post it. Anyway - the title of this post is my approximate spelling of that action - I sounded it out.

Mondays - what is it about you that makes me want to just spbbbbbbt at you? Poor Monday - the most loathed day of the week - I wonder if it has a complex? 

Edit: This is not the article I read - but apparently I spelled it wrong!

Wiki Answer

Ah-HA! Found it! The Sneeze is a hilarious blog - Here's his article on that topic!

Can you say no to a dare?

Working on making this blog pretty! I wanted to come up with something to brand my blog, and this is one of the millions of sketches I came up with. I think it'll do for now. What do you think?

Home Sweet Home

Very exciting news has hit theGuy and I this week - we're moving! I am so very excited and keep thinking of all these crafts that I can do in the house! There is an amazing website that has so many diy projects that I can't wait to take on, it's called Design Sponge and you should really check it out.

So, moving day will be April 1st - there might be a lull in activity around then (not unlike lately!), but hopefully I will be able to do a ton of creative projects and post them on here to share! Whee! I am so excited for my new studio - hopefully it will be inspiration headquarters!

So - step one - I am on the hunt for old school ornamental frames. They can be hideously ugly, plastic, glass-less, housing a painting of a seagull, whatever - but I would like as many as possible - so keep your eyes peeled, people. If you see a stash somewhere, please let me know! I can't wait for my first project!

Sketchy

A quote by Milton Glaser, the creator of the I Love NY logo. I'm not sure the last time a quote rang this true with me, but wowza. TheGuy and I were sitting in Chapters, perusing our favourite sections, and while skimming through a book on Typography - there it was - the quote of all quotes!

I'm not sure if it's because my first year of college was done completely by hand, or whether it's because these daily design challenges have brought me back to my sketchbook like never before, but it's true! Little imperfections that are created on paper make things more perfect, more human, and more real. And it's something that can't happen by accident on the computer. :)

All elements rendered by me.

Having a ball!

TheGuy: What're you doing?
Me: Thinking of what to do for my design challenge.
TheGuy: Here, draw this.
Me: Ok!

And that is the story of today's daily design (although there is a much longer, more involved story to the rubber band ball itself.. another time).

All elements were hand-drawn by me

Love is in the air!

Last night, two of my very favourite people got engaged. I wanted to do something special for them to celebrate the beginning of their new family!

Di, Mike and Elliot - cheers to a wonderful and bright future, filled with love, beauty, music and laughter! xoxoxoxox

All elements of this illustration were drawn by me and converted in illustrator into vector artwork)

Stick it to 'em

Although I'm pretty sure I've now officially ensured myself a place in geekdom forever, I'm also sure that I'll be in good company.

If you know what this is about - then you're a part of the club! If not, well, this reference will have completely no meaning on you, and I'm not sure if I should divulge this secret with you...

Okay, "Mr Pointy" is a reference from the final episode of Season Two - Buffy the Vampire Slayer. NOT that I have every episode memorized; I happened to watch those two episodes tonight, and that's what inspired me today!

Self-appointed nerd. Yep.

All elements drawn by hand, scanned, and converted to vector in Illustrator. Typgoraphy based on the font used in the Buffy logo

Computer Error...

Sometimes I wonder why we are constantly creating faster computers, better tvs, quicker and more convenient everything. Will it ever be enough? Then, on Thursday, I started this design challenge.

I was working on a monster of a file in photoshop, airbrushing artwork that ended up being 16 feet long. Files that big are very hard on your computer. Saving the file, opening the file, altering the file.. all of these things meant I had to stare at the progress bar as it hung up my machine and took it's time performing the task at hand. So, I started this challenge.

Inspired by Marian Bantjes, my favourite typographer, it reads:

"When my computer is this slow I can hear my hair turning grey."

Y'all feelin' me? :)

Decisions, decisions

I left my daily design challenge at work today, but I wanted to do something anyway. Today is one of those days where there is tons running through my head, so I came up with this type exercise tonight (instead of going to bed early - which is really what I should have done, seeing as I can't seem to shut my brain off when bed time hits!). Decisions, decisions. Ah.. how to play this game of life?

Winter Blues

Had a quasi-date-night with theGuy tonight, so I decided to do a little doodle while watching Buffy, and this is what I made.

Are you dealing with the Winter Blues? The summer seems so far away! I can't wait to go outside and feel the lightness of flip flops - instead of being bundled up.

I feel like a child in a snowsuit once I head out for my walk home in hat, scarf, coat, gloves, sweater, cardigan, shirt, two tank tops, two pairs of socks and leg warmers. For real. That's what I wear.

Oh Canada, how I love thee. But maybe we could have a couple extra months of summer this year? Pretty please?

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

My daily design challenge for yesterday; a little drawing to let my brother from another mother know that I  miss him and am thinking of him as he serves his tour in Afghanistan. I never thought I would be a part of a military family, or one with any militant affiliations. But here I am, doing my  best to support theGuy's brother in all his endeavors and having my eyes opened to the reality that is life in Afghanistan for so many innocent civillians.

I don't believe in violence and I don't believe in war - but unfortunately, I'm not the one making the decisions for the world - so I support those brave people who will be proactive to help souls they have never met and may never meet.

Miss you, Greggie. Come home in one piece!

I love hand rendered typography

Today was one of those days where the filesizes I've been dealing with are massive - so I took some time while watching that blue progress bar, slowly torture me by creeping to the right at a snail's pace - to doodle. And that's something I love to do, but don't get to do very often.

So there yo go, folks - shot with my new phone - not great lighting, not great colour, not great resolution - thought I'd share what I've been up to!

Do you love hand rendered typography?