Blog

We got the beat

Sometimes I think of the younger me and try to fathom my reaction at hearing the next big thing in music is not only going to be smaller than cds, smaller than cassette tapes, smaller than mini-discs (remember those?) in fact, it's going to be virtually invisible AND you'll be able to get most of it for free. Basically I picture my little head exploding. I remember the heyday of Napster and the evenings lost in downloading euphoria. Truth be told, due to a phobia of losing any digital media I still have most of those songs, but it's becoming rapidly apparent that I won't have to worry about this much longer.

Deskercise

 

Between snacking on office candy, sitting all day at our desks and staying inside due to Augtober, you can say that we all have a little more padding around our waistline than we would like. In favor of fitting back into our skinny jeans, we’ve scoured the internet for in-office exercises to get us one step closer to our six packs. Curious about deskercise, we wanted to test how viable it actually is. So, we've rounded up a list of the most popular moves and rated them on a scale of 1 - 5 sweatbands based on the level of embarassment, the burn, and the practicality of the exercise. 

 

Hats Off North Shore Credit Union!

 

(The BRANDFX team with North Shore Credit Union's Andy Toxopeus.)

On Friday June 17th we participated in the Annual North Shore Credit Union Charity Golf Tournament by sponsoring their Beverage Cart. To show our support, we served drinks and snacks on the green, dressed in our finest golfing attire, golf cart included.

We discovered that there can be many trials and tribulations when it comes to constructing a 4ft x 5ft golf hat. Here are some photos of the hat leading up to the big day.

Facebooooo!

Over the years Facebook has morphed into a stream of consciousness catchall where everyone and their dog wants to update you on what they had for breakfast. We decided it was time to stop the madness and offer a few simple suggestions that might make everyone's time wasting more enjoyable. 

THINGS TO AVOID...

WEATHER UPDATES

 

BFX: Sometimes when it's cold out I feel sad. Then it gets hot and then I'm glad....Wait, you too?

Brand Me

Cinco De Mayo: put a hat on it

Given the fact that we each have such close personal ties to the Mexican Battle of Puebla circa 1862, we decided to commemorate the special day on our – typically majestic – patio. You know, nothing crazy, just a couple of bottles of Cachaca, a few Thuggies, and a healthy dose of denial (of the weather variety) to kick off the celebrations.

Although we had a lot of fun, the photo evidence wasn't looking particularly "festive"... so we decided to take some creative liberty and spice 'em up. And what better way to do that? Put a hat on it!

...much better.

 

 

Do it yourself...and like it!

 

There are plenty of DIY tutorials online but let's face it, most of them look a little too... um, DIY. We've been slowly stockpiling projects that seem interesting (in the non macramé teacozy sort of way) and have even accomplished a few of them ourselves. Give 'em a try, happy crafting!

El Día Del Niño

I was just looking at my calendar and was reminded of a very special day; a day and experience that I want to share with everyone.

A year ago this weekend, on April 30th, Tim and I were vacationing in Puerto Vallarta staying in a 1,400-square-foot condo with a 1,300-square-foot private deck overlooking the ocean. No, we didn't pay for this. It was lent to us by a family member. I remember standing on the deck that first evening thinking "Does it get any better than this?" Well, it did.

Did you know...

One of the perks of working in an advertising and design firm is getting to learn all about different products and companies. Even seemingly dull projects can boost your arsenal of trivia, and ours is now full of scintillating factoids. For instance, did you know that If you are allergic to latex, you are likely also allergic to kiwis? Or that Ambrosia apples originated from a chance seedling in Kelowna, BC? Riveting, isn't it?

Here are some of our favourite knowledge nuggets from working in the biz:

Being Productive or, How to not Suck at Your Job

During my research for a luxury jeweller I came across the world of haute horlogerie ( ie: fancy, luxury watches). I was amazed at the precision, craftsmanship and focus involved in creating these beautiful timepieces. Some of the methods haven't changed for over 200 years and a lot of the work is still done by hand. The patience and attention to detail is also astounding; some of the pieces used to make these watches measure no thicker than a strand of hair. I can hardly assemble my Malm nightstand. Needless to say, this impresses me.