In honor of old-school day at aha creative...

I have deemed today to be old-school day at aha creative.  The waters of Sandusky Bay are rolling by, white cap by white cap, and I have decided to make today "manual" work day, getting back to my creative roots.  I've handwritten the first draft of a client's newsletter with scribbly pen ON PAPER, the elevator isn't working so it's 6 floors up and down on the stairs, and I have just assembled a cute little mini paper cut & paste mock-up of an idea/project I've been working on recently.  What fun!  As is typical, you probably think I'm a little nutty for getting giddy about that kind of work--but it's inspirational and sends me back to my days as an entry-level graphic designer.  Okay, this is WAY more fun, but sliding the keyboard away is good for all of us once in a while.

To honor this old-school mantra, I am sharing the fun little tool that currently tops my most-wanted list.  And, no, it's not the iPad.  Of course that's on the list, but I didn't really think I wanted or needed an iPod at first either....  Right now I would just love to get my hands on 2010's answer to the ultimate old-school rebel-rousing device:  The Polaroid Instant Camera. 

Have you seen the modern version—the Fuji Instax Mini Instant Camera?  Wowie...here it is.  Doesn't it even just look modern and cool on the outside?  I imagine that nice white exterior could cause a little problem with late-night diner photo sessions or crazy mud-sliding teens at Lollapalooza, but hey, it will look good for a while.  This thing looks just great, pumping out cute little credit-card sized mini prints for the crazy middle-schooler in all of us.  

And in case you want to buy it, I'm sending to you a store I found that I've just fallen in love with-the Photojojo store.  It's a magical must-see for everyone who likes photography (even if you're like me and don't have much time for it).   Make SURE you check out the sweet jelly camera phone filters.  I have to get some of those for certain.  Happy snapping!

Thinking about design in new ways

The days at aha creative can't get much more busy than they are right now!  Phew....new clients seem to be pouring in at an alarming rate and new projects even more quickly than that.  I think about getting on here to share things with you (and the list is a mile long right now!), but every time I begin I get swept away by a ringing phone or 37 emails that have come through.

I have been thinking quite a bit lately about how design pervades each aspect of our lives: the drive to work, our purchases, leisure time, meals, events, news and information and so much more.  Design (the good and the bad) affects us all in profound ways; it can cause us to be comfortable, content, angry, safe, healthy, hungry, informed, entertained, irritated, beautiful, and cautious just to name a few.  Think about the feeling you get when you enter a building or home that is well-lit, warmly decorated and inviting.  Is this the feeling you get when you enter the typical hospital?

Metropolis Magazine had a great article (click here to read it) about the future of designing for the senses, part of which was design for hospitals.  It includes design and aesthetics in everything from the carpet and the technology all the way to the smell of each room.  I love thinking about every sense when I design a piece, even if it will only be used by one or two of the senses.