Tuesday, May 10, 2011

nO.5 "Moisturize your body from head to toe"

I personally recommend using Vaseline's Cocoa butter deep conditioning lotion. 
It's phenomenal! 
And it has vitamin E which supposedly is very good for your skin in terms of anti aging and sun protection.


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.38 "Re watch Avatar"

I've officially watched Avatar, from beginning to end, about 12 times now.
And I'm not exaggerating.
That's approximately 32 hours and 24 minutes of awesome blue people (navi) and beautiful, unimaginable creatures.


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

Monday, May 9, 2011

nO.26 "Shop online"

Good thing the internet is open 24 hours.
Online shopping is the best. I make most of my purchases between 11pm and 4am.

Here are some of my favorite sites.
www.shopbop.com
www.revolveclothing.com
www.singer22.com
www.shopnastygal.com


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.23 "Measure your bust, waist, and hips with a tape measure"

May 9, 2011 @ 12:10am

Bust 32"
Waist 28"
Hips 30.5"


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.21 "Cut off all your split ends, one by one"

This is probably the habit I spend most of my time on.
In fact I think its safe to say I'm obsessed with doing it.

It all started with a fear of cutting my hair. I have a think for long hair and every time I would go to the hair dresser and ask them to cut off 1 inch they'd chop off three!

So in an attempt to avoid getting pissed off every time I got my hair cut I decided to take things into my own hands. 

Now whenever I get the chance I'll sit and pick through my hair and cut off all the split ends. And let me tell you I have some epic split ends. I found a hair split in 14 ways once.

Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.20 "Read all your tweets from the past week."

Although this is tedious, it is actually a good habit to keep. Even if you aren't an insomniac. 
I find that I usually miss a lot of good tweets when I check my twitter through out the day.
I tend to skim through everything and I often miss out on some good articles.
So re reading all the tweets of the week can actually be fun.


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.19 "Watch someone else sleep."

This is considerably less creepy if you have a significant other whom you live with.

In my case ... not so much


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.17 "Look through your old pictures"

...and untag yourself!

some pictures were good once upon a time. Today, not so much. So keep your pictures up to date with the times...


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.15 "Google translate different words and phrases"

Just the important things you know...


yes i would love to go to st. tropez with you --- Oui, je voudrais bien aller à st. tropez avec vous


you are very handsome -- vous êtes très belle



i'll have a glass of malbec please --- Je vais prendre un verre de malbec s'il vous plaît

please take me to a 24 hour cafe --- s'il vous plaît me prendre pour un café 24 heures



Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com


nO.14 "Floss your teeth"

Flossing is such a tedious task and one that most people don't regularly do.
It's that white lie we always tell the dentist when they ask us, "have you been flossing regularly?"

Good thing I don't fall asleep easily because God knows I would never floss if it weren't for my insomnia...


  Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.12 "Stumble upon weird shit"

My latest stumble was the "Air Umbrella"
I actually think its a pretty wild idea. I could definitely use an air umbrella

check it out: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/23a4Ml/www.yankodesign.com/2010/01/12/try-air-to-stay-dry


  Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.10 "Play random opponents on words with friends"

For those of you who don't know, words with friends is an app where you can play scrabble against people you know or random opponents. 

However, usually none of my friends are awake at 3AM so I often play random opponents.


Word to the wise, although playing scrabble with strangers is ok I wouldn't chat with them through the game. There are a lot of weirdos out there.


  Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.9 "Stalk your own Facebook page"

In my opinion you can never log in enough facebook hours...

Here, http://www.facebook.com/malubarreto , you can stalk me too if you want to... got to friend me first though.


  Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.4 "Apply all of your creams and moisturizers on your face"

Some of my favorites....


You can never have too many :)


  Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.2 "Experiment with your makeup"

This is a personal favorite, as I am a super fan of makeup.

So when the mood strikes I head over to my computer and visit my favorite you tube channel,
 Tanya Burr. 
She has the best make up tutorials and they're always step by step so it's easy to follow!




I think I got it about right....





Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.1 "Cook something"

And by cook I usually mean reheat.
Leftovers are an insomniac's best friend.
Or if I'm so inclined I sometimes do "instant" - tomato soup is a personal favorite.


All you need is a can of Amy's organic soup , a can opener, a bowl, and a microwave.


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

Saturday, May 7, 2011

nO.22 "Weigh yourself"

116 lbs - April 22, 2011 @ 3:37AM

Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.6 "Come up with a list of things to do when you can't fall asleep"


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.8 "Do push ups"

For the life of me I can't understand why I'm incapable of doing more than 30 push ups. 
No matter how much I try, and I've dedicated a few sleepless nights to this habit, I can never do more than that.
I will update you if I ever manage to beat my record.

Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.7 "Do sit ups"

This habit usually comes about right after I've eaten a whole box of teddy grahams.....
It really counteracts that guilty feeling.

Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.11 "Pluck your eyebrows"

And the tweezer of choice is......


Take it from a girl who has lots of brow, these are definitely the best. 
http://www.tweezerman.com/scripts/item.cfm?gc=B&sc=TZ&itemsku=1231T

And let me not pass up this chance to give some quick eyebrow tips...

1. Resist all urges to over pluck! I know it can be fun and all but there's a reason over plucked brows don't look good on anybody.

2. Do not try and shape your own brow. More likely than not it will end tragically, but i understand if you must so check out these tips: http://makeupblog.janeiredale.com/Blog/bid/28814/How-To-Shape-Your-Eyebrows-Like-a-Pro

3. Please avoid what is called sperm brow! If the name doesn't say it all check it out here: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sperm%20eyebrows

Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

nO.13 "Look through your old yearbooks"

Insomniac habit number 13: look through your old yearbooks. 
Or don't, because what you find might not be so pretty. 


But it's also kinda sweet to see how much people loved you, or thought you were "awesome"
And never forget always K.I.T. 



although i know most of us never did, but the random run ins are always fun :)


Check out my website for more insomniac habits, www.marialuizabarreto.com

Monday, April 11, 2011

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Dress how you feel...

Today I thought.... I'm so excited and happy that I want to dress exactly how I feel... hence the fun m&m shirt and my suspenders. I found that the way I dressed helped me keep the feeling going all day long.
So next time I wake up in a bad mood i'll make sure not to dress accordingly.
I think from now on I'll inspire my mood and my creativity with my clothes :)

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Great Idea

I recently came across an article about yet another smart phone app, but this one was quite impressive.
The app is called Parkopedia and it claims to find you available parking wherever you may be! It's a great idea, in fact, one of the best I've heard recently, but as usual I am a skeptic.
I'll download it now to see if it actually works. I hope it does!

Check out the article here >> 

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Exploring

For the past week I've been exploring ways to solve an outdoor advertisement for my Quizno's Good food makes noise campaign.
It should speak to the freshness and quality of the product.
I've come across two potential solutions: An elevator ad where the sound of the elevator would mimic the sound of the toaster once the sandwich is done and the other is a billboard of a sandwich that seems normal in the dark however when the sun hits it, the cheese appears to be melting off the sandwich.
Now I have to explore these solutions visually to see if they actually fit in with the message...
So this weeks assignment is to create several different executions of the same concept with copy choices and different visual executions...

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Down time

Most of a creative's life consists of downtime. It's when we are sitting in that bar with a beer in hand that an idea will hit us. The solution is usually so obvious and simple it's almost ridiculous it didn't come to us when we were looking for it. 

It's the downtime that helps us come up with ideas and it's the subsequent 24 hr work load that allows us to perfect it.

so this week I encourage a happy hour special, friends, and just in case that idea comes.... a pen.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

What a mess...

The best sort of eating is the messy kind.
The images that pop into my head are of guys eating with their hands. Big, juicy hamburgers, steaks, corn, and anything else you can pop on a grill.
This is the fun of eating. The casual atmosphere, the good flavorful food, and of course the sauces, which is where tabasco comes into play. In our eagerness to eat there is always some flavor left behind... on our cheeks, chin, lips, and any other place near or far to the mouth.
My idea then is to "savor the flavor". Enjoy every last bit of flavor. Don't let any of it go to waste and save it from being lost to the messiness of eating....

Headline: "The Dive" Tagline: Savor the flavor
Image: Close up of mouth with red tabasco sauce running down the chin. Their tongue is stretched out just enough to catch the flavor before it's lost.



Headline: "The Swipe" Tagline: Savor the flavor
Image: Close up of mouth with tabasco sauce smothered all over lips. Tongue is slowly wiping across the lips to recover all the potentially lost flavor.

Headline: "The Dig" Tagline: Savor the flavor
Image: Close up of mouth with tongue in between teeth in search of that hidden flavor lost to tight spaces.

The execution of these images will be tricky. You don't want to make it unappetizing to the viewer, but you want them to relate to the experience of eating and savoring every last drop of that delicious tabasco flavor.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Fail...

So my solution really doesn't seem to be working... so it's not much of a solution at all.

I have to rethink my idea and also develop new ones...

so the assignment for this week is

3 new executions for the charmer idea and 30 completely new concepts...

see you guys again at the end of the week....

Friday, February 11, 2011

A solution...?

so i've evolved the idea....

#1
Playful, like the charmer
Image: several bottles of tabasco sauce, all different flavors

#2
Shameless, like the charmer
Image: Original red pepper tabasco

#3
Adventurous, like the charmer
Image: Habanero tabasco

The first is suppose to speak to the variety tabasco offers. It's a parody of how charming guys are conversational and versatile, never the same, never boring.

The second is suppose to speak to the added flavor tabasco gives food and how that makes people eat it so much and love it. The parody here is that the charming guys are shameless because a lot of women fall for them.

The third is suppose to speak to the numerous things tabasco can do. All the different foods it can enhance. The parody here is that charming guys are adventurous and you can have exciting moments with them.



Time to test the thought...


Do you think it works?

Thursday, February 10, 2011

A thought....

Is tabasco a charmer? A guy who appeals to a lot of women and takes that to his full advantage. The guy everyone wants. Or wants to be.

He's bold, charismatic, adventurous, spontaneous, surprising and essentially a good time…

He'll make you fall so much in love with him… it's almost shameless

And Tabasco is….

fun, popular, has several flavors, makes everything more exciting (flavorful), can be put in any situation (food) and still do well, all foods love it, and it loves all foods….

hmmm I think there is something there... I'm just not quite sure what yet....

I'll blog again when I've solved this problem.....

or moved onto the next....

A better question...

Who is that guy that everyone wants to be?

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

A new train of thought....

Today I decided to change my thinking.
Stop thinking about Tabasco and start thinking about eating. 
More specifically, what does eating like a man mean?

To eat like a man is.... ?

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

enhance

Enhance is...
              raise, heighten, increase
              improve... value, quality desirability attractiveness
              it is to perfect, refine, upgrade

the photography, angle, and light... enhance the message

other enhancements....






Some random facts to think about...

Condiments are usually applied by the diner whereas spices are added by the person cooking.


Dairy products combat the effects of Capsicum, which is what gives peppers their spicy/hot quality.


Each 2 ounce botthe of tabasco contains at least 720 drops


Avery Island is one of the 5 salt dome islands rising above the flat Louisiana gulf coast.


Tabasco is aged for 3 years in wooden barrels, before being bottled and sold.

Monday, February 7, 2011

hitting the wall

Once you've gone at your sketch book for an hour or two, it;s always good to step away from the problem and do something else.

Distract yourself...

maybe do something that inspires you

for me at the moment, that thing is "stumbling upon" for a few hours...

Creative Exercise

If tabasco were a person, how would you describe their personality?

20 words to describe tabasco

hot
red
spicy
sexy
bold
shocking
tasty
reactive
powerful
strong
blazing
audacious
saucy
fresh
brazen
simple
concentrated/pure
genuine
constant
enduring

The first stages....

First and foremost, read the creative brief. Get your head wrapped around the single minded message.
In my case, at the moment, the client is Tabasco and the SMM is the ultimate flavor enhancer.

For the next three days I'll be talking, thinking, and eating Tabasco. It's important to live with the product, let it be part of your life in order to familiarize yourself with it.
And as you "hang out" with Tabasco try and think what that ultimate flavor enhancer message means for people who love and even people who don't particularly eat Tabasco.


Once you've begun to love or hate tabasco, then sit down with a sketch book and crank out 60 concepts. Let the good the bad and the horrible come out of you. It's the only way to finally get to the best ideas...

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Creative Exercises

I started this blog in order to keep track of my creative process. This is one of the hardest things to understand and decipher, because by nature it is scattered and disorganized. The most important thing to remember is that it is still a process and if documented you can create a relatable creative message from a very simple and sometimes obvious truth. So if you are reading this I hope you have fun in following and even participating in my creative exercises.