unfold uk

invasion of the sprogs

Kids' toys at Kate's?  What?  I so don't get it.  Yes, I do understand diversification, and I guess this is a further extension of the Kate's at Home, but still.

when you care even a just a little

I have no idea how I missed this one, but miss it I did.  Last month I looked at a couple of e-card sites but only recently discovered what is now my favorite - someecards.com.  It certainly isn't because of the wide range of design styles [there is one style, period], but because it's funny as hell. 

Created by two ad agency guys, someecards.com looks as though it's trying to fly under the radar with its low-key, distinctly unflashy site - but they aren't fooling anyone.  Click on the small 'press' link in the bottom right-hand corner and you'll see it's been featured everywhere, and although there is just the tiniest bit of 'we're too cool for school' about it, I do think it's really, really clever.

The site is easy to use - just enter the text and recipient info [screen shot above].  The message as it appears to the recipient is a bit hard to see  [screen shot below] - and I wish the message was rendered directly on the card, as I've seen on some other sites. I guess I'll just have to settle for hysterically funny desert-dry wit in the meantime.

Here are some of my favorites:

all loved out

I used to love Valentine's Day when I was in school; it was just a fun day.  Then I grew up and realized how phony it all was.  That sounds like such a curmudgeonly thing to say and I'm all for love etc. etc. but the holiday just seems so forced.  Lots of people feel the same way about it, yet we bow to the pressure every year.

However, as I'm never one to shy away from a good greeting card, I thought I'd collect a few that are interesting. My friend Heather Perlman, graphic designer extraordinaire, gets to the heart of it [crap pun, I know]:

And here's a damn funny one from Bald Guy Greetings, which gets right to the point:

But I do like the sentimental ones too; I'm not completely without a sense of romance [this one's from Cartesian Graphics]:

My friend Monica has done something really clever in creating a line of cards called Style Diaries.  Basically, she creates cards out of fabric that holds a sentimental value to someone.  The story behind the card is one that lots of us can relate to, and it makes for a really interesting twist. 

Monica made a Valentine's Card out of a dress that Monica's friend Helene donated: 

... and here's the story behind the dress [plagiarized from Remanents' website]:

The diary entry on the back of this outfit is..."I went on many dates in this dress, too many actually. This was the dress I always pulled out when I wanted to impress. I looked good in this dress, maybe too good. My mom always said you have to kiss alot of toads to find the one. I felt like I went through the entire pond. I thought I would get lucky in this dress...funny how things turn out. I am not really sure why I decided not to wear this one with the last guy I dated. He seemed more of a jeans and t-shirt sort of guy. But maybe that is where it's true luck lies because now he's my husband.."

Each card is numbered and 20% of the online sales will be donated to the Global Fund for Women.

For a really pervy twist, you could use a pair of your underwear that has sentimental value... I'm laughing at the thought of Monica receiving a pair of dirty pants in the mail with a note saying 'can you make a greeting card out of this'?  I think I'm going to do just that...she'll never speak to me again. 

Have fun today, no matter what you do or with whom. 

dig deep

I'm not a big gadget person, so I don't spend hours on Firebox like many males I know.  But I did see this Carve Your Own Message and I think it's really clever.  I would have ordered it if Valentine's Day wasn't... oh, three days away... good thing I have some other good Valentine choices.