Personalized Banking With Kitschy Checks

I've long been toying with slapping the Kitschy Kitschy Coo poodle on checks (she is just too darn cute!), but the funny thing is, once you start thinking of what you could all put on personalized checks -- and who would see them -- you start to want them in the dozens.

I'd forgo cute kids and corporate logos, and put something seemingly incongruous on them. Something they'd actually look at (and no offense, but other than grandma, who looks at your kids?)

I want something on my checks that would make the envelope opener and the cashier pause and wonder just what kind of person they are dealing with here. And then smile and laugh at it so hard that they have a cute work story to share at the family dinner table -- and maybe even want to break the rules and photocopy the check for show-and-tell. (In some cases, maybe even run to their supervisor and ask if they should really do being business with this person.) Now that's real personal checks.

Of course with this household of kitsch collectors that's a rather long list of possibilities.

If I had to pick just one (which both budget and banker would prefer), I'd go with the "you've been kitsch-slapped" image. I'd love to at least send that message to those I owe money to.

And the thought of some future ephemera collector finding & coveting such a prize is equally delicious.