Add A Little Texture: June 2014

Adding A Logo: Branding for Melissa Griffin Photography

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We are doing a little "Throw Back Thursday" this week. About a year and a half ago, Texture Design had the wonderful opportunity to work with Melissa Griffin Photography to formulate a logo and brand identity. Her business was starting to build, and she needed a cohesive look that reflected her style and personality as a photographer. Read more about the process below!

T H E C H A L L E N G E

Melissa Griffin's portfolio is full of natural, candid portraits. Her favorite photos are the ones where people are not paying attention to the camera (like the one below). Her portfolio is full of people laughing (not on cue) and families just being themselves. The idea of being very real, candid, and natural needed to be conveyed in the logo. As we were brainstorming, Melissa explained to me that she would like to keep the feeling more organic and have less of the straight-lined, architectural feel. She was drawn to the script fonts, so the key would be to find a script that was still casual and legible.

Photo Courtesy of Melissa Griffin Photography

T H E S O L U T I O N

An earthy approach would fit the laid back personality of the photographer. It would be great to include the idea that she is capturing a brief moment in time. That is when the idea of the dandelion formed. It isn't an overly girly flower, but it is very organic. Looking at it from a metaphorical point of view, within seconds a dandelion can blow off into the wind. It is a special moment in time; but it takes skill to capture it quickly before it is gone. The idea fit so well with Melissa's goal. After finding the perfect script font for Melissa's name, the letter "g" was mimicked in the stem of the dandelion. The repetition of elements lends to a more eye-catching logo. A little more tweaking, and we were set! I don't think either one of us could have been more excited with the final product!

After completing the logo design, we began designing the business cards, client thank-you cards, cd envelopes, and website. We carried the colors and dandelion concept throughout to create a unified look that people recognize as Melissa Griffin Photography. It was a fun and rewarding project; and it has been even more exciting to watch her photography business "blossom"! (sorry for the pun)

Check out more of her work here

www.melissagriffinphotography.com.

Add Some Blooms: Lovely Peonies

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Last Friday, Martin surprised me with peonies from Trader Joe's. At the time, they were sweet little delicate blooms. I had no idea that two days later they would be in full bloom and absolutely stunning!! On Sunday, I walked into the living area, and they were just gorgeous! I felt the need to snap SEVERAL pictures of them when we got home from church. I'll spare showing you the multitude of photographs (probably 50, ha!), but I thought I'd put up a few of my favorites!

It also inspired me to change my screen savers. So I thought I'd share the screen saver images. Click on the links at the end of the post to download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

God Bless!

"See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:28-34

Adding A Little Fun: Our Summer Wish List

I love this time of year! The sun stays up later, people are gathering for cook outs, and ice cream never tasted so good!!! I especially love the bright colors associated with summertime! Check out Texture Design's summer inspired wish list full of pops of color and fun! These unique finds can make a great gift or a fun treat for yourself!

ALEXA Z DESIGN

Being from the peach state...I had to put this precious print on the list. It is so cheery!

Perhaps it makes me think of homemade peach ice cream :)

Definitely check out the rest of the store's cute and colorful prints!

COCONUT BEECH

These brightly painted boat cleats are perfect for hanging towels, hats, or purses!

The set includes 4 - 6" cleats. The color combination is absolutely delightful!

SMALL LIFE STUDIO

These balancing blocks are a great toy for young ones but they would also be cute on a shelf in a nursery! What's even more awesome is that 100% of the profits from the sailboat sales will go to "That Others May Live Foundation".

LANDON LACEY

This is one talented jewelry designer! All of her pieces are amazing, but I especially love this turquoise pendant. It is the perfect piece for a summer wardrobe!

COBALT SKY STUDIO

Check out these buoy pillows from Maine! They are great replicas of the buoys on lobster traps. You can also get them personalized with a name, date, or zipcode! They look great hanging on a wall or sitting in a chair.

CATHERINE PICONE

This fish pillow has so much personality! It would be the perfect accessory for a beach house or a child's room. Need a different color? No worries, the shop has a variety of fish to choose from!

JILLIAN AUDREY DESIGNS

I absolutely love all the colors and textures in this photograph! It is one of those images that takes you to another place. You can purchase the Cape Cod photo in various sizes and with or without a matte to frame it.

ATLANTIS SHELL CO

What is not to love about these little sea urchins? They would be perfect for a nightstand, coffee table, or bookshelf. Definitely my kind of house warming gift!

PRINT STITCH & PASTE

Ta-da! We've found the cutest pocket notebooks! This shop's goal is to "make beautiful, well-crafted and functional items that add life and whimsy to the daily grind." I would say goal achieved!

POTTERY LODGE

It is a little whale plant holder! A smiling face and tiny tail included! If you're looking for the perfect succulent or cactus holder, we have found your guy! Add a plant and give it to your friends! These clay pieces are all hand pinched and brush glazed by hand.

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Well folks, that concludes our bright, summer-y wish list! I hope you can check out some of these hardworking shops! AND HAPPY SUMMER!

(All photos provided by the individual vendors)

Adding A Little Vacation: Refueling Your Creativity

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Nothing fuels creativity better than getting away and relaxing for a few days. We spent last weekend at Lake Burton in north Georgia. I may be a little biased, but I consider it one of the most beautiful places in the world. It was so refreshing to get away from our usual scenery and take time to enjoy our surroundings and the company we were with.

I love waking up and going down to the dock where I can just sit and stare out at the water. The lake is like glass, there is usually a little mist rising, and the ducks have the lake to themselves. Sitting there looking out over God's creation, my mind and creativity just start pumping. Before I know it, I'm jotting down all sorts of ideas. You should see my notebook!

However, this is no new concept. "Taking a break to observe new surroundings" is widely proven to be effective for increasing creativity. Google "how to fuel your creativity" and you will find all sorts of posts about this very topic.

"Give yourself a break. Being able to write down creative ideas whenever you get them is a great start to fueling your creativity, but - if you’re like me - that isn’t going to be enough. In order to fuel your creativity you need to take time to relax and find creativity in everyday life. If you feel overwhelmed or stressed, your creative juices will be running slowly; but if you feel relaxed and comfortable, your mind will be more open to new, creative ideas." http://creativesomething.net/post/24890802/top-10-ways-to-fuel-your-creativity

Another writer talks about observing:

"Observe. Life happens. Everyday. It seems obvious, but we walk around most days oblivious. Take a moment and just watch. I bet you see something that you could write about, that your audience would love to hear. One of my most popular posts came from noticing a partially-eaten donut in the lounge at work. Somehow, I made a connection to it, and my readers loved it." http://goinswriter.com/fuel-creativity/

This writer explains what happens when you take a break:

Do Something else

• As the old saying goes, “A watched pot never boils,” so stop waiting for inspiration to strike.

• Your brain is a marvelous multi-tasking machine, so go do something else. Ideally, you should pick something monotonous like mowing the lawn or washing the dishes.

• Once your mind starts to wander, you’ll be surprised how quickly it will start generating ideas.

• The trick is to record them as soon as they pop up, so you don’t forget them. http://artbistro.monster.com/benefits/articles/11950-5-unique-ways-to-get-creative-juices-flowing?page=3

So in summary, if you're having trouble being creative or coming up with new ideas and solutions, it is time to take a break! Go on a walk, sit outside somewhere, take time to observe. You may not be able to go on a vacation at the moment, but you can still change up your scenery and relax. It may seem at the moment you're wasting time, but trust me...it will be worth it when you're brain is overflowing with new ideas! (Now I'm off to start on some of those new ideas.)

All photos and typography by Texture Design Co.