Gifts of Laughter

Wedding Planning Can Be Fun

2016-05-03T15:54:00.000-04:00

If you're newly engaged and doing a little wedding planning on your own AND you plan on making your Big Day a fun affair, we have here a few items which might help. First thing you'll probably need are save-the-date invitations so guests can set aside a day to attend, or a few days if they'll be in the wedding party. My selection of funny invitations feature cartoon art. One invite which is especially popular in the UK, Ireland and Australia feature a goofy bewildered groom in a top hat and tails holding his equally bewildered bride in his arms as if he's about to carry her over the threshold. The text says, "We are DOIN' it!" What are they doing? Getting MARRIED, of course! There's a special invitation for destination, poolside or beach weddings featuring a cute smiling little cartoon goldfish with little red hearts rising from his mouth like bubbles. Another is especially for an older couple or one whom friends may think of as very staid and proper; maybe even a little stodgy. It features two familiar characters; the subjects of Grant Wood's "American Gothic" painting...but in a different configuration than that pictured in that famous work of art. The painting, by the way, is in the public domain, so "borrowing" the characters in this way is entirely legally. (My end product which you see here, however, is copyrighted.) Any of the invites in my collection can be tailored for use as either save-dates or as actual wedding invitation depending on the text you choose to include. In addition to invites, I also offer luggage tags, humorous honeymoon shirts and aprons, gifts for groomsmen and bridesmaids, wedding rehearsal hats and more. Click the image link to take a closer look!

Funny Bees in Rose Garden Cartoon Mug

2014-05-12T16:20:00.000-04:00

Funny Bees in Rose Garden Cartoon Mug features two enthusiastic little insects who love every variety of your favorite flower --Climbing, Heirloom, English Tea, Miniature or Groundcover, in every radiant color. One says to her pal: "Know another great thing about being a bee? No matter what happens, we always come out smellin' like a ROSE!" If you're a backyard gardener who loves nurturing this gorgeous bloom, or if you know someone who does, this Funny Bees in a Rose Garden Cartoon Mug might put a big smile on her face. It's a great way to thank anyone who's ever presented you with a bouquet from her own backyard. If you're interested you'll find a link to the product page to click on right below the picture.
Funny Bees and Roses Cartoon Mug For Gardener

May Flowers Bee Cartoon Tote Bag For Gardeners

2014-05-07T22:53:00.000-04:00

This May flowers bee cartoon was submitted to multiple gardening, childrens and general magazines in the late 1988 as part of my "Best Buds" series during my self-sydication stint and landed on this tote bag for gardeners. Toon depicts a honeybee who considers the month of May to be his busiest...or buzziest. Would this make a good gift for a gardener mom on Mothers Day? It's bound to be a conversation starter at the garden supplies store. To purchase, click link below image.

May Flowers Bee Cartoon Tote Bag For Gardeners

Honey Bee Cartoon

2014-05-04T19:26:00.000-04:00

Simple honey bee cartoon was shotgunned to multiple small business and specialty magazines in the late 1980. The concept of tying a sales chart to a particular aspect or feature of a business was one I used often. And, again, this toon like others in this series were quickly rendered using a minimum of elements. This particular toon shows a honeybee zipping past a sales chart of a company selling bottled honey, the path of her flight showing the company's up-and-down fortunes. This toon, like others on this blog, is available for licesing in black and white or in color.

End of School Year Teacher Gift From Class

2014-04-27T14:55:00.000-04:00

End of School Year Teacher Gift From Class features a school of cute goldfish, including one with an inspirational message who stands out from the rest. Remind you of anyone? Got an especially inspiring teacher who's always looking for new ways to motivate the class, to be more creative, to let nothing hold them back? Accompanying text says, There's always one; BE the one! There's room on the back to add a special message of appreciation for your special teacher to thank her for all she's done. Simply replace the sample text in the slots with your own. When I was a kid, one of my favorites had a rocking chair in which she'd sit as the class took a test or put our heads down for naptime. Does your favorite teacher have a special chair? If she does, this soft wrinkle-free throw pillow will make it doubly comfortable! Summer vacation's almost here. Don't wait til June! This throw pillow makes a unique and lasting End of School Year Teacher Gift From Class and an appropriate way to thank an especially dedicated and inspirational educator. Same happy little fish is also featured on several other inexpensive gifts for a favorite educator, including bookbags, coffee mugs, classroom posters and tshirts; even ultra lowpriced buttons and magnets, all bearing the text, "There's always one; BE the one!" Machine washable throw pillow is available in a 16x16 inch or 20x20 inch size and in 100% cotton or 100% polyester.

Wildflowers Gardening Cartoon Mug on Hydrangeas Blue Blog

2014-04-26T10:53:00.001-04:00

Was surprised and delighted this morning to find my wildflowers gardening cartoon mug spotlighted on the Hydrangeas Blue blog; a well-put-together site for flower gardeners with an emphasis on that beautiful variety. It's written in an appealing conversational style by a knowledgable gardener from New Hampshire and is loaded with photographs and tips. Spring is here! And Springtime is the perfect time to check out Hydrangeas Blue blog!

Funny Flower Mug For Gardener

2014-04-25T23:13:00.000-04:00

Funny flower mug for a gardener features a debonaire flower and his admirer. Makes a cute Mothers Day gift for a mom who's into gardening.

Sick Bee Cartoon

2014-04-25T17:32:00.001-04:00

Another simple bee cartoon gag intended primarily for gardening magazines, this one is more than a little outdated since it references outmoded analog televisions which used rabbit ear antennas. Toon was sent to multiple publications in 1988 as a shotgun submission. Although aimed at gardening magazines, among the periodicals who purchased one-time rights for the black and white version of this cartoon was a teen magazine which, if I remember correctly, was called Freeway. Canadian Readers Digest subsequently purchased reprint rights to this cartoon bee humorous illustration.

Gardening cartoon bee

2014-04-25T16:12:00.000-04:00

Gardening cartoon bee is typical of the type of toon I drew when I self-syndicated in the late 1980's. Nice and simple, quick and easy to draw, I submitted hundreds, using the "shotgun submission" technique, to lower-paying gardening, business, kids and religious magazines who purchased one-time rights. The same batch of 5 to 15 gag cartoons would be sent to several periodicals at once. The checks were small, but they added up. As with any cartoon you see on this blog, this gardening cartoon is available for licensing.

Turning-50 Funny Milestone Birthday Tshirt

2014-04-24T13:07:00.000-04:00

Turning fifty or know someone who is to celebrate the big 5-O? A Turning 50 Funny Milestone Birthday Tshirt makes a cute gift for anyone whose trips around the sun end in a zero beginning at age 40 because that's when many people start thinking about getting older. The day on which you turn forty, fifty, or sixty, is commonly called a milestone birthday and if you ask me, these are truly days to celebrate! Think of it this way: next year, you'll start off with a brand new set of LOW numbers! fifty-ONE...fifty-TWO...fifty-THREE! Shown here are three funny Turning-50 tshirts; one for a guy...one for a gal...and one for either sex. Warning: These shirts are NOT made of asbestos, so the birthday honoree might want to stand back a bit when blowing out all those candles.

Funny Grey Hair Cartoon Cap

2014-04-23T17:29:00.001-04:00

Funny grey hair cartoon cap makes a cute gag birthday gift for a wife or girlfriend who's been joking about finding a stray gray hair among beautiful locks. Maybe you better wait til she mentions it. And make sure she's smiling when she does. Or if you're a lady who proud of her new silver streaks, you might want to get one for yourself!

Bored Cat with Green Eyes Mug

2014-04-20T11:08:00.000-04:00

Bored cat with green eyes is featured on this coffee mug. Here's one feline you can take to the office without fear of incurring your boss's wrath. Well-behaved kitty won't walk on your keyboard or scatter the papers you have strategically arranged on your desk or knock your coffee on the floor! Perfect gift for the cat lover in your family or a coworker who hates to leave her pet at home alone. Added bonus for an ailurophile who also happens to be allergic to them: this one's HYPOALLERGENIC!

Unique Wedding Video Shows Priest Surprising Bride and Groom

2014-04-20T09:35:00.000-04:00

In this unique wedding video, Irish bride and groom Leah and Chris are surprised and delighted as impish priest Fr Ray Kelly wows them and their guests with this amazing personalized rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." You'll probably want to listen to this video more than once. The lyrics, I've learned, were written for the occasion by a 10-year-old girl (!) by the name of Lucy Pitts-O'Connor from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, who is the bride's goddaughter. As of this writing, almost 31 million people have seen this video on YouTube. And Lucy is, today, fourteen--the wedding ceremony having taken place four years ago.

Benjamin Franklin Cartoon

2014-04-19T11:11:00.000-04:00

Benjamin Franklin, printer by trade, newspaper and book publisher by profession, civic leader (he organized Philadelphia's first fire department and founded the first public postal service, becoming the first Postmaster General of the United States), revolutionary and one of America's Founding Fathers was also an amateur scientist and inventor. Two hundred sixty two years ago, on June 10th, 1752, he performed an experiment which brought him international fame; "capturing" electricity from a bolt of lightning in a key suspended from a kite flown during a thunderstorm, thereby verifying the electrical nature of lightning. The cartoon below, originally drawn with the National Enquirer in mind, shows that behind every successful man, there is likely a woman...telling him exactly what he should do.

Mensa Cartoon

2014-04-16T19:24:00.000-04:00

Mensa is the international high IQ society whose membership is limited to those who score in the top 2% on a standard intelligence test. One hundred ten thousand men, women and children worldwide call themselves Mensans with 57,000+ of these residing in the United States. This cartoon wrote itself one April about 30 years ago as I struggled to do my taxes. Mensa, by the way, is Latin for "table," the idea being that members would gather around a table to discuss, and perhaps solve, the problems of the world. Alas, that fine organization notwithstanding, we are still all confronted with the same problem every April 15th: the IRS.

Happy Cat Welcomes Mistress Home

2014-04-14T08:57:00.001-04:00

Happy cat is overjoyed to welcome her mistress home after three days apart. I'm not generally a cat guy, but this video made me laugh out loud the first time I saw it and heard it. I think it was the long extended MEEOW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW that got me. You can HEAR every anticipatory step as she comes bounding down the stairs.

Funny Golfer's Coffee Mug

2014-04-13T17:13:00.001-04:00

There are 29 million duffers, old and young, in the United States today! If you're shopping for one of them, this Funny Golf Cartoon Mug makes an affordable Fathers Day choice. Could also work as a minor trophy in a friendly round or in a local charity tournament

Mynah Surgery Medical Cartoon

2014-04-10T20:39:00.000-04:00

Sold this Mynah Surgery medical toon to a physicians leisure magazine called, Diversion, so long ago that I was still using my real name, instead of my pen name, SWISS. This was published in either 1979 or 1980. As I recall, I was paid $100 for one-time use. My drawing style has changed over the intervening decades. At least, I hope that's the case.

Cute Goldfish Baby Bibs

2014-04-10T15:07:00.000-04:00

Cute Goldfish Baby Bibs feature happy little fish blowing tiny hearts instead of bubbles. Two of these are easily customized to include baby's name. Several feature blue eyes making them especially suitable for infants who share that eye color. Is your little kid smarter than average? Check the one depicting a whole school of fish including one who thinks for himself! He's swimming against the tide. Text says, "There's always one - BE the one!" Of course, this bib could also describe a baby who insists on doing things his own way. Find other cute bibs at my Zazzle shop.

Undertaker Funny Coffee Mug

2014-04-08T22:41:00.000-04:00

Dark humor your cup of tea? Undertaker Funny Coffee Mug features a mortician watching his favorite TV show. Cartoon mug makes an unusual gift for anyone, especially on Halloween, but might be especially suited for anyone in the business of mortuary science--an undertaker, a funeral home owner, a hearse driver, a student working toward a degree or even a morgue worker...provided that person has a sense of humor.

Humorous Cat Gifts

2014-04-07T09:53:00.001-04:00

BATKEI, aka humorous illustrator Keiko Wado of Osaka, Japan, is one of my favorite artists. She specializes in humorous cat gifts as well as invitations. Her collection also includes gifts featuring humorous flying bat illustrations--but it's mainly about cats. Her beautiful and imaginative work is available on a wide variety of products on such sites as Zazzle, Red Bubble and Skreened. The feline designs shown below can be seen at Society6. If you're gift-shopping for a cat lover, you're bound to find something to put a smile on that person's face. Themes include weddings, exercise, ballet, food, rock and a variety of Japanese-themed items. Stop by her Society6 shop for a closer look at BATKEI'S humorous cat gifts

Funny Stir Fry Apron

2014-04-02T20:22:00.001-04:00

Funny stir fry apron is for anyone who loves to stirfry at home. Are you a Chinese food fan who loves to sizzle up a healthy colorful meal of sweet onion, garlic, fresh ginger, red and green peppers, broccoli, mushrooms and thinly sliced chicken in your wok? Know someone like this? Cute funny wok cartoon apron is for that person. And it's 15% off with code SURPRISEDEAL at checkout if ordered by midnight on April 3rd.

Humorous Gardening Gifts for Women

2014-03-30T14:09:00.000-04:00

A humorous gardening gift is a great way to thank your mom or grandmother, or perhaps the neighbor next door, who keeps you in flowers or fresh vegetables all Spring and Summer long. Such a gift doesn't have to be expensive either. As they say, it's the thought that counts. A lowpriced funny garden-theme fridge magnet or coffee mug featuring a funny flower cartoon makes a perfect little thank you gift, sure to brighten her day. Or maybe you're the one with the green thumb! If you're the sociable type, a humorous shirt makes an excellent conversation starter or icebreaker in the checkout line at the gardening supplies store. If you're simply looking for a smile today, you'll find lots to smile at if you click on the cartoon below.

Funny Thanksgiving Turkey Kitchen Cutting Board

2014-03-29T12:48:00.000-04:00

Funny Thanksgiving Turkey Kitchen Cutting Board makes a great gift for the hostess of that holiday feast you'll be attending. Whether the host carves the bird on the platter at the table or in the kitchen on this board, all the guests should get a chuckle out of it. And, of course, it can be used year around as a regular kitchen surface for preparing meats to be cooked. When not in use, this Funny Thanksgiving Turkey Kitchen Cutting Board can be propped up inside the china cabinet during any holiday dinner to add to the festivities, or placed on the kitchen counter up against the wall the rest of the year to amuse anyone who enters your kitchen to lend a hand in meal preparation. The roast turkey cartoon you see here is part of the original Laftovers series of food cartoons I created in 1995.

Cardiologist Coffee Mug

2014-03-23T14:38:00.002-04:00

The cute funny cardiologist coffee mug you see here probably won't make much sense to anyone who's unfamiliar with #cardiology. But wouldn't it make a perfect gift for anyone who is--such as the doctor himself, or a medical student, a nurse or a medical office manager or receptionist? You can see three additional mugs designed specifically for anyone involved in this medical specialty, and familiary with the language of the profession, by clicking on the image of the #cardiologist coffee mug pictured.