Just a Tiny Giggle

I have a constant running joke going on in my head as I take in the quirks and comedy around me, even in situations that aren’t quirky or comedic, like, say, the Olympics these last 2 weeks. Impressive athletes, every one of them, but isn’t there something just too funny to ignore about the gymnastic dismount salute, or the fact that the US relay team didn’t hold on to a 1.5″ inch stick, as though they’ve had no practice with objects of that shape? Just saying.

It’s not a mocking or belittling kind of joke, but rather just a little observational giggle about everything that we all do in our daily lives that’s just plain silly and if angled in just the right way, really is funny. I’ve informed my husband that should this laughter ever come out in a way that doesn’t fit with the surrounding scene (like I’m in the grocery isle and I just start laughing out loud, making all shoppers in my isle want to move to isle 6 where there are only pickles and olives instead of whackos) that he has full permission to tell me it’s time for the “pills”. Hopefully that day never comes.

A few months back while I was still working on the business plan, I was festering over how I might bring my vision of a sense of fun and laughter for the brand to reality. It just seemed so lame to make the logo, make an image, and then sell that for the next umpteen years. Here it is. Here is my stuff. Buy my stuff. It’s fun. Well, really, that’s not fun at all. That’s boring as hell and I don’t want it to be boring. I want it to be fun. This is Lizzy’s Fresh Coffee, after all, and yes, by fresh I mean just that: Fresh, cheeky, funny, fun, and new.

As I imaged the elaborate photography shoots that I’d set up to create these images to grace the front of the coffees, I got stuck on one thing. This is going to cost a truckload of money, which I don’t have. Plus, even if I get the fun shots and the coffee labels look great, my customers and I will be bored with them within months, and then we’d just be un-fun again. This is when it hit me. I need new labels all the time. Like every month all the time. That’s just insane, though, that will cost more money than peddling coffee beans can possible bring in. What if these pictures existed out there somewhere? What if I could get them for the cost of a few bags of coffee? What if just regular people–the amateur photographers of the world–were sending me their snapshots for only the simple joy of some free coffee and sharing them with other coffee drinkers? Could it work?

Sometime in July I started scanning the internet sites where everyday photos are posted to share with others. I was laughing so hard on my first time out. I was like that annoying person at your office who just got an email joke and is howling in his cubicle, and you’re the guy in the next cubicle over telling me to simmer down.

I started emailing the snapshot owners to request permission to use their images, and had an overwhelmingly great response. I did come across a few pros, and some were even willing to jump in and play along. People were into sharing their funny, quirky, “this is my life” pictures, and my inner self-cracker-upper felt so at home laughing along with their snaps and comments. I can’t wait to share these pictures with everyone each month (yes all 5 coffee labels will change every month with YOUR pictures on them)! I’ll share a few of my favorites with you right now, my blog readers, because it would be rude not to. Once the Lizzy’s Fresh Coffee website is up in September, there will be a place that anyone can go to submit a photo to be considered for one of the coffees (it’s ok if you can’t wait, I’d love to get your pictures now at snaps@lizzysfreshcoffee.com). Hope you get just a tiny giggle

Bad Dog...photographer says this is how his bad dog gets off the hook

Nothing like an unplanned spill into a mountain lake to wake you up!

Bad Dog...bummer about the frosting

Easy Tiger...some of us just don't need more energy

The Swingers for Swinger Coffee