What Makes a Great Little Monster (2010)

Wee Adam was turning one. The week before we (Jo (his mum), Adam and me) brunched and I was struck by how he crawled everywhere, bashed everything (hmm, maybe he was conducting an orchetsra and the table got in the way...?), and anything within reach went in his mouth. I thought I'd commermorate this as a t-shirt. The monsters were created for another (unsuccessful) gift (hence it's not here) and were inspired from long deleted references.

70 things at 70 (2009)

My Da turned 70. What to get for the man who wants nothing? How about a trip down memory lane with 70 things that have happened to him in his 70 years on the planet. True story: I thought he was 70 the year before, worked on the list with Ma and sister, only to realise he was 69 and had to wait an entire year to finish the present. His gift-pack included a rendering of him in chocolate on a chocolate-iced chocolate cake.

Wheel of Attitude - 30s (2009)

Dan was turning 30. Dan is a Mighty Muggs collector. Dan loves Star Wars. Put the three together, plus some inspiration (more than a little) from Wry Baby's 'Wheel of Responsibility' and viola. My favourite part is the bit you spin is Luke's arm, which he lost in The Empire Strikes Back, and which Dan worked out immediately!

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Sponsor a Star - 30s, 29s, whenever (2004)

Sponsor a Star was inspired by a request. I have gifted it twice. Favourite bits; connecting the real threat of space pollution with the sponsorship, inventing the IUAC (the International Union of Astronomy and Cosmotology...ahem), writing the personalised message from your star, and generally designing something badly (fonts, over-the-top layout, earnest words) for a laugh.

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40th Wedding Anniversary (2009)

Ma and Pa celebrated 40 years marriage in '09. They haven't changed a bit.Well, maybe a bit.

Anatomy of Love (2000)

This is an romantic novella - illustrated...anatomically-correctly illustrated. My absolute favourite bit is page 6: "She smiled"

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Devilish Delights (2004)

This was an attempt to corner the Thorndon Fair market for drink carrier novelty gifts. There is a convenient handle at the top for that go-anywhere portability, recipes on the images (cocktail for the gals, beer BBQ recipes for the blokes). There were snacks in the glass for you to eat, while you make a drink/BBQ, and are the hit of the party because you came with such a bitchin' functional novelty item. Two sold.

Bridesmaid Manual (2005)

A comprehensive manual for the junior bridesmaid – a profusion of excitement, advice, jealousy, and exclamation points!! For a friend of Jo W who was getting married and had a nervous/excited 18 yr old first-time bridesmaid I went all out with cheesy–American enthusiasm for this, the second greatest experience of your life (the first being when you yourself get married) style manual. Much thanks must got to bridesmaid101.com. I hardly had to change a word.

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Lil Hands (2000)

I used to work in a framing shop and mothers would often come in to frame their kids hand prints with the poem "Sometimes you get discouraged because I am so small..." I decided to write one for grandparents.

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FareWell-ington (2010)

A great friend was leaving Wellington to return to Auckland. I wanted to commemorate the leaving with one of my favourite devices - putting a bit of ocean and earth into a sealed bottle and labelling it like ye olde science specimen. NB: The inside joke about Brooklyn is that when they lived they had burglaries, tyre-stealing, safe stealing et al.

Wellington Photos credit: A Different Perspective

Cheezels Saves (2006)

Made as an iron on t-shirt decal, this was for my friend Jo (who resided in London). She was coming to NZ for Christmas and by hokey does she love her cheezels. To the extent that she said in an email "and I dream of hugging a packet of cheezels, is that wrong?" No, no it's not wrong. I merely combined Jo's Cheezel-loving ways, and the 'reason for the season' (that's Jesus).

Crayonie (2008)

Nonie is a friend in London. I was about to stay with her - free - for a month. So I came bearing gifts. 'Crayonie' came from one of those annoying 'fill this out so your friends can know you better!..if you don't send it on you'll have bad luck forever, etc'. I hate these, Nonie loves these. I used the info Nonie entered to inspire and complete the gift based on one question: "If you could be a crayon what colour would you be?" she answered Red. Ta-dahhhh. (Huh, I guess the questionnaire did help me get to know her better.)

Bearded Buddha (2001)

This came out of a complex and serendipitous combination of wandering through the supermarket bulk-lolly section - where spearmint leaves *drool* were positioned next to white chocolate frogs, looking at logos I’d photocopied from a book, and wanting to use Adobe Illustrator to design something. Viola Bearded Buddha Bodhi Tree Spearmint Leaves (including the chocolate frog of enlightenment). In hindsight perhaps it should be a chocolate frog of enlighten-mint...? *chortle*

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