A Heartfelt Gift

First of all, an apology for the lighting on the next few posts. When I took these photos, we had a couple of overcast days, and by the time I got home, there was little natural light left to take pictures. I am sure many of you had seen my previous post regarding the very personal wedding invites I had created for Kevin and Kelsie. (Click on the link to get a closer look at the actual invitations) I had thought they would really appreciate receiving a framed collection of their mailed invitations combined with some of the engagement photos I shot for them. I even picked the background paper to reflect their wedding at the Zilker Rose Gardens.

I had a blast creating this and thought it would be a very personal way for a couple to remember their wedding. The frame has a magnetic background, which makes changing out the paper, or even the contents, very simple. It also comes with a series of clothespin clips to attach photos, and a gorgeous ornate hanger to mount the frame to the wall. I got the (very affordable!) frame from Mandy, and you can see her business card post below. If you are interested in purchasing a frame, please contact Mandy Rodriguez for more information: Mandy(at)MandyOrganizes(dot)com, or visit her website. She would be more than happy to help you order a frame, to commemorate your own wedding experience, or any other occasion for that matter! Jon and I head out to Texas tomorrow and are so excited to explore Austin and all the city has to offer.

The Organizing Perfectionist

One of my co-workers, and really good friend, Mandy asked me to design a logo for her new business. She gave me a couple of small ideas of what she wanted, but I based the comps mainly on her personality and style. I wanted to try and encompass her entire business idea into one logo, which was difficult. Below is the first set of proofs I sent her:

From the finalized logo, we then decided to create a business card. We first came up with her title: Mandy - The Organizing Perfectionist! This statement could not be more true. Mandy's new business will focus on using her expert organizational skills to better individuals in their own environment. From bags that have a zillion pockets to arrange all your trinkets, to software that can keep all those birthday photos cataloged. Mandy can provide organizing for home, business, photos, events and other types of organizing your mind hasn't even thought of yet! To find out more about Mandy, follow her on Facebook or visit her Website. I felt so blessed to be able to design these cards for Mandy; finished on 16 point with a matte finish, and of course printed at Vertical Printing.

 

Branding for a Wedding

I wanted to wait until our 1-year anniversary to post this, but I just couldn't wait! One of my dreams would be to brand weddings for a living. Below is an example of one I branded . . . MY OWN! From the start: invitations, rsvp, parking pass and envelopes; to everything at the wedding and reception: program, table names, name tags, and menu - I had a blast designing it all. I realize the entire printed look is very simple, especially for a professional designer, but with only six weeks to plan, simple was the theme...well that, and shabby-chic. As a side note, you can see below that I kept all of my rsvps, and am still trying to think of a creative idea to showcase them. Receiving all of them in the mail, was so exciting. Each one was personal and special, as many had full paragraphs of well-wishes for us!

 

I can't take all of this credit myself. I had HUGE amounts of help from so many individuals. I owe a giant shout out to the Kuptz and Lysander families. I could not have done it without them. Cheri helped me create each of the 90 name tags, and yes: each one has a hand-sewed fabric circle and button attached. Steve helped to paint each of the citron table runners, and the Kuptz girls helped dress the tables before the reception. (For more information on Cheri and her brilliant creativity, visit the Spiritivity website and take a look at my previous posts for her business branding) Tracey helped with everything, from booking our ceremony spot, to printing everything paper - and off her home printer no less! I really was blessed to have both families involved; I couldn't have done it without them.

And I most definitely cannot take credit for the amazing photography featured here. ABM Wedding Photography (ABM standing for A Beautiful Moment) was one of my favorite parts of our special day. Not only were they so easy to work with, they made the event stress-free, and we came away with some stunning shots. So a GIGANTIC thank you to Brian and team, you did a fab job. For more information on ABM Photography, or to book them for your next event, visit their website.

I had nothing but great experiences with all of my vendors, from our caterer, to the photo booth, to where we got our cupcakes- each business did a great job. If you would like more information on them, or our venue, just send me a line. And of course, if you would like your wedding branded (or know someone who would!), contact me. I would be happy to help give your special day a unique and consistent look.

 

Sweet Thoughts For My Sister

Ever since I could remember, I have always wanted an older sister. That was obviously never going to happen, as I was the oldest of three...and thirteen years their senior! After getting married though, I was blessed with not one, but TWO older sisters, both of which live a very long plane ride away, in England. I miss them both immensely, and although we occasionally see each other over skype and facetime, it's not the same as being together. I wanted to let Carli know, that even though Jon and I live some 5,000 miles away, we are still constantly thinking of her and Dave. So, to make the distance seem not as wide, I designed Carli some personalized cards, and sent them to her. It has been too long since I have seen (both!) my lovely sister-in-laws, and am very much looking forward to seeing Carli and the rest of the fam when Jon and I head across the pond for Christmas and New Years. Still thinking of you, Car! We can't wait to see you! xxxxx

NCCS Logo Development

Sometimes you meet people in unexpected places. This logo was for a client I met during an appointment for my wisdom teeth! Dr. Q needed a logo done for his cosmetic surgery unit that will be opening at the office in the near future. At first, Dr. Q wanted to lean more towards a Picasso inspired logo. We had a couple rounds of proofs, but overall he stuck with one of the original logos I sent him, which I agree was the strongest of the bunch. For more information on Dr. Q's work, visit The North County Cosmetic Surgery Website. 

 

From Concept to Completion!

Other than a referral, I think the best compliment a designer can have is seeing the actual finished product(s) of their work. Back in June, my mentor and close family friend came to me with a proposition of designing a logo for her new business. Spiritivity started off as a couple of logo designs which steadily became the logo you see below. That in turn became a business card, and eventually the all-in-one painting studio: the trailer! I was absolutely over the moon when I saw the trailer wrap. It's just amazing seeing your designs come to life!

Spiritivity's mission is to connect individuals with their "you"nique God given creative abilities in a safe and fun workshop environment. This workshop environment comes to you (hence the tag-line on the back of the business card), in the form of a portable art studio. I cannot wait to get the ball rolling on this, and help Cheri teach some of these workshops. What great experience for my inevitable teaching credential! To learn more about Spiritivity, connect with us through Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or check out our Website!

Welcome Back Wallpaper

Awhile back,we bought a bookshelf at ikea to store some of the many books we have collected. It's a great bookshelf. But being an artist, having a plain white bookshelf in my house is really... bothersome. So I have been on this kick to wallpaper the inside of it for probably six months. (Yes, I know, wallpaper went out of style about the same time as avocado green on kitchen appliances - but I was determined!) So I scoured the internet, trying to find the best deal, and then a friend suggested I design my own wallpaper. So I did! I found a couple of graphics and printed the design on a sticker substance called low-tack, which was finished with a matte-laminate. Installing the wallpaper took longer than I thought, and I'm sure Jon hated the fact that he had to take the whole thing apart. But I finally finished it! And my plain-jane-white-bookshelf is not so plain anymore. If you are interested in printing your own wallpaper, contact Speedpro, in San Diego, to get some printed!