Several weeks ago, some friends of mine mentioned they were going to start their home brewing for their holiday beer. They’re very good at this, for home brewers, so I asked if I’d be getting any. They laughed, but I wasn’t joking.
“What are you going to call it?” I asked, hoping to be rewarded for naming the beer with a beer.
No such luck. “We’re calling it Bunny Slope.”
“Oh, cute,” I said, my hopes nearly lost. But then, because I tend to be very resourceful when it comes to beer, I asked if they labeled their beer. They did not, but they had a design in mind.
“I could probably put something together,” I said, pulling graphic design talent out of my you-know-what.
I don’t know if it’s because I was getting ready for finals, or because I had a half marathon coming up, or because I still had all of my Christmas shopping to do but mention the words “free home brew” and apparently I magically generate spare time. Amazing, I know.
But I was committed at that point, so I had to come up with something. They drew a sketch of what they wanted and I went home and started searching for skiing bunnies, snowflakes and, oh yeah, some kind of Photoshop skill I could learn overnight. Well, the skill didn’t come, but it did help that I was putting off all the important things I had to do. Nothing is so motivating as procrastination.
This is what I finally came up with:
I think it’s safe to say that while I won’t be participating in a Layer Tennis match any time soon, I probably learned more about Photoshop in that one night than I had since I installed it. And it’s really hard to be edgy and different (ha) when you are dealing with the image of a bunny. On skis. Next year, they need to name it something like Drunken Santa Ale or Stumbling Elf Stout. Those I could work with.
The reward, though, was what really made it all worth it in the end.
Now I’m just going to have to find the right occasion to drink up. Like Christmas Eve, while waiting for Santa. Or New Year’s night, while reflecting on my year. Or Thursday.
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Speaking of drinking beer, there are quite a few people out there I’d drink a beer with, including a lot of my Internet friends. Some whom I’ve met in person, and some who I just dream about meeting in person because, my gosh, we would just have so much in common, right?! Every time I tell my mother about this, how I’ve met people from all over the world through running and blogging, she looks at me like I’ve grown a second head. A second head that’s spitting nails into her eyes. She’ll never wrap her mind around how people could connect, and have things in common, and become friends because “YOU FOUND THEM ON THE INTERNET!” In her defense, though, I think she’s also afraid of mass transit and Wal-mart. You can understand how the Internet would be a little intimidating.
Anyway, last Friday Sizzle held the Second Annual Blog Crush Day on her site. Me, being the completely indecisive person I am, subconsciously made myself forget that I had agreed to participate. That’s my story. Being fashionably late never hurts either, though I’ve been told I can’t get away with saying how I love everyone and isn’t that good enough because love for all is better than love for one, right? Okay, thanks. Bye.
So, my blog crush, because first, I adore her and second, she’s been my blog buddy for as long as I can remember and third, I feel I owe her something for an email that said “Don’t take this in a weird way, but sometimes I dream about coming to Philadelphia and going on photography excursions together. OMG, we would have so much fun!!!!!” is Bre at Win or Lose, We Go Shopping. She’s lovely and entertaining and knows the right thing to say so often, I just can’t help but have a crush on her. And, I really do want to go to Philadelphia and not have her think I am insane or that the fifty exclamation points I use in emails is how I really talk. Even though it is.
Danielle says:
That is a very cute design. I had some beer recently that was home brewed called “lucky cricket” (there had been a cricket in the keg, it was still living when it was found, having been in there a while…hence, lucky cricket).
I’d love to sit and have a home brew with you. Aren’t parents funny? What you need is an event that your mom can come with you. My parents were leary about it I think too until they came to Chicago and met all the people I had talked about for so long (from a yahoo running group I’m in) and they kept telling me how great everyone was, how nice and how much they liked them…so ended the “people on the internet are weird” thing…some still are obviously, but there are cool ones too!!
December 17th, 2007 at 6:54 am
sizzle says:
yay for bre! yay for crushes!
and yay for beer!
December 17th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Joe says:
Sweet logo. You did a great job. Photoshop is huge and daunting for sure. Myself, I use the free Photoshop clone called GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/). Unfortunately, it is every bit as daunting as Photoshop. Sigh…
> some who I just dream about
> meeting in person
You dream about meeting me? How sweet of you to say that! Yeah, I have that effect on female bloggers. Just kidding…
December 17th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Joe says:
I do the same thing when my friends tell me they are making home brew. That is, I also hint that I want some. And you know what? They always say “I’ll give you some when its done” but they always forget. I guess I suck or something. Or maybe I smell. Dunno.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:10 am
JACC says:
I can’t see the logo. For whatever reason my work software has them blocked, so I’ll just assume it’s awesome.
As for mom, tell her if it makes her feel an better I’m also afraid of mass transit and Wal-mart. Though, I think you and Bre should come to MN for a M.O.A. shopping spree.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:27 am
barbara bruederlin says:
Wal-mart scares the hell out of me, although some of my best friends I found on the internetz.
Isn’t it wonderful how the more daunting one’s to-do list is, the more free time one finds to learn new software or how to paint or that stack of books that should be read …
And the label is pretty sweet!
December 17th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Jacinta says:
Love the bargaining method… and well worth the effort. Good job!
I’m not a beer drinker particularly, though I did once drink banana beer in Belgium which could easily have become a habit. Given that it’s quite a walk to the local Belgium bar, I’m thinking I will have to convince a brewing friend of mine to give it a go… And offer to make the label in exchange for a bottle or two!
Cheers!
December 17th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Cat Chaser says:
Not too fond of beers, but I am swayed by the name
December 17th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Airam says:
I would love to get that as a gift!
December 17th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
desireenb says:
Very creative… love the logo.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
girlgoyle says:
Ummmm…beer good! BURP!
But something tells me your name for it may have been better than Bunny Slope….beer for beginner drinkers?
December 18th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Bre says:
The thing is, you’d better come!
Also!! I enjoy!! The exclamation points!!
December 19th, 2007 at 7:57 pm