Add A Little Texture

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.

Add A Little Craftsmanship: Salt & Light Designs

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I love seeing people doing what they love and using their creativity to make a living. We are so excited for the chance to showcase Salt and Light Designs and their beautiful wood signs on our blog! It was a joy to interview my dear friend and owner, Kait Waggoner. Check our her answers below!

Store Name: Salt and Light Designs

Owner: Kait Waggoner

Product: Hand Crafted Pallet Art

TDC: How did you get started making wood signs?

Kait: We got married in May 2012 and had a DIY rustic wedding. We had tons of extra handmade decor after the wedding so we had the idea to open an etsy shop to sell the excess. It started out with simple wood slice chalkboards and only one wooden sign. Things started to sell, and we were both jobless at the time, so we figured- what the heck, let's get creative. We started by pulling apart pallets and redesigning them. Once we realized what a pain it was, and that pallets contain mold and harsh chemicals that you don't want hanging around your home, we decided to go a different route. We explored options and our first two signs were born, "home is wherever I'm with you" and "all you need is love". They started selling and as sales kept increasing, we realized this turned into our little business. Never in a million years did we think we would be doing this, but we love it and we are so humbled by all of the awesome customers.

TDC: What does the process of creating signs look like?

Kait: First, Chris collects the wood and measures, cuts, and cleans it up. Anything with serious imperfections or big cracks will get scrapped. After this, we put the wood through a natural staining and aging process to give it the rustic feel. I put everything together and bring it up to the office for painting!

TDC: Which sign in your store is your personal favorite?

Kait: I really love the colorful "let your light shine" sign. It still has that wooden/rustic/vintage feel but incorporates fun color at the same time.

TDC: What is your favorite part of the job?

Kait: I love my job. God is really so wonderful to give me the opportunity to do what I love, which is work with my hands and be creative. Honestly, my FAVORITE part of the job would have to be the fact that I get to meet all of these people from all over the world. Without etsy, I would never come in contact with any of these awesome people. Etsy is pretty amazing.

TDC: We know you recently had a baby, so the shop just re-opened. (Congrats on baby Noah; he is beautiful!) Are there some new products we can be on the look out for?

Kait: Thank you! Yes! I really am excited about re-opening. There are lots of new signs, and I'm super excited. I've been using some new materials, which has been fun. It's really great to have this time to create some new things since I've been making a lot of the same things over the past year. Hopefully the new items are as loved as the other signs. :)

TDC: What is your favorite Etsy shop to visit?

Kait: I love Katie Daisy's work at The Wheatfield. I have some of her art in my office and if I had more wall space I would have more!

TDC: You make all of your products in Charleston, SC. What is your favorite activity to do there?

Kait: Charleston is awesome. As a northern transplant, I really love it down here. The weather is beautiful so I pretty much enjoy anything outdoors. The beach, parks, scenic walks, all of that is fun. :)

Kait, thank you so much for your time! We love your shop and your beautiful craftsmanship!

Visit the store here and like SaltAndLightDesigns on Facebook to check out more images of their products and updates on the store!

All photos courtesy of Salt And Light Designs.

Add A Little Kitchen Love: Unique Tea Towels

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Some of my favorite things include: fabrics, textures, colors, patterns, typography, and baking sweets. What combines all of those loves?! Why these beautiful hand towels!!! Freshen up your kitchen with these lovelies or give them as a gift! (Great wedding gift or hostess gift if you're looking for an idea!) Just had to share these great finds!

MONKEY MIND DESIGN

These modern towels are hand sewn by mom and hand printed by daughter.

I love both of these patterns - simple and eye-catching. And If you like this look, you'll

definitely want to check out the other items in this Denver based shop.

I SCREEN YOU SCREEN

Having grown up in Georgia, these screen printed towels speak my language!

I love the creative typography! You also have to check out the multitude of

fun-saying screen prints in this husband and wife shop located in Michigan.

KITCH STUDIOS

I LOVE the graphic element of these screen printed towels - bold, fun, and whimsical!

I especially love the arrow towel in teal, but it also comes in a neon pink! Check out the shop

and definitely read their "about" page; it is so interesting to hear how shops got their start!

1Canoe2

Not only are these towels absolutely precious, but they are also informative! 1Canoe2

is a shop owned by two childhood friends who made their dreams come true by opening

up shop together and creating products they love. Cheers to them! (definitely check out

the rest of their store...so many great gift ideas)

A big thank you to all of these shops; we love your creativity!

Add A Little Excitement: Shout for Joy!

Psalm 98:4

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music."

I love these words and the celebration that occurs when we praise the Lord for what he has done in our lives! A close friend asked me to design this print for her, and I like thinking about the excitement in this verse. David (the writer) wants to shout to the Lord in joy as he reflects on how the Lord has saved him. I'm sure he's dancing in celebration! The ultimate joy comes from serving the Lord and giving your life to him.

As a creative person, I look to God and see the ultimate creator. Everything sings of the glory of God! "...who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders: where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy." Psalm 65:6-8

"…burst into jubilant song…"

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