Knock Knock

I'm currently writing an article about Knock Knock, the California-based design company that turns out smart, witty and often downright irreverent gifts, books and stationery. If you've ever crossed the threshold of a paper and gift shop, you've probably seen their stuff, but what has surprised me is how much they do—or rather, how many popular products are their output. Those sleek magnets and clips that encourage you TO DO, TO FILE in a Rosewoody typeface... the checklist pads and sticky notes with snarky themes ("Things You Do That Really Piss Me Off", "Fashion Citation")... the Choose-Your-Relgion and Dial-an-Excuse wheels—all these things are coming from Knock Knock.

A look at their website lets you see the products that some retailers are too cautious to stock: the Hand Signals sticky notes (communicate via simple icons—give a thumbs up, thumbs down, a peace sign… or flip the recipient the bird), the Yo' Mama comeback list (my personal favorite), the slang flashcards. All good for a well-designed laugh.