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A Division of UnderConsideration

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We are big on the hand made gifts around here, and those that bring a group of people together get extra credit. Involving not only family members, but friends and colleagues spanning 38 years is daunting, but I expect truly satisfying once all the stories are cohesively packaged in a handsome book.

My brother and I wanted to make something really special for my dad’s retirement from JCPenney, which actually coincided with his 60th birthday.  So two birds, one stone, right?  His idea was to reach out to twenty or so of my dad’s closest colleagues from his 38 years with JCPenney.  My brother contacted everybody by phone or email, transcribed them, and emailed me the copy.  This went on for a couple of months until we had everybody, and then it was my turn to choose fonts, work on the layout, the cover etc.

The vellum “cover” page before everybody’s story really adds a fun touch and mystery to what’s behind it, with the text faintly showing through.  Red and Black were the main colors as that’s been JCPenney’s main color scheme (well, Red at least).  A heavy use of rules was used that’s inspired by James Cash Penney’s (founder of the company) “Golden Rule” ideology.

This was an insane labor of love and probably one of the projects I’m most proud of.  Everything was designed, printed, hand trimmed and assembled by me, in between making dinner and feeding my at-the-time 5-month-old son.  Which lemme tell ya, ain’t easy.

Trimming everything by hand was probably the most time-consuming aspect of this.  And numerous trips to the paper store when the printer would jam when trying to print the cover and back cover. I also hand-punched every page, using the cover as a template—I wish I would’ve had them drilled.  But I like that this project was completely done by hand (aside from the printer and computer, of course).

Notm Ormon Certificate and Envelope

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Cottrills Invitation

Celebratory Book for Dad

Production Method

Design

Design: Chris Halverson
Writing/Editing: Matt Halverson

Printing

Chris Halverson