Branding: Bayou Some Cake & Cookies

Not too long ago, one of my bosses approached me about designing a logo for his wife. She was going to have some of her baked goods at an event that would help spread the word about her small business. He told me the name, which I immediately fell in love with..."Bayou Some Cake & Cookies." I thought it was pretty clever, and he gave me a brief description of what he believed should be on the card (a raccoon picture). I quickly let him know that I would discuss it with his wife and was internally praying that the raccoon would disappear, pronto.

Thankfully, Janeen and I were on the same page about the direction of the design. After a few revisions and discussion of colors, we were done. I wanted to share the result here.

Ever Wonder?

I have a very strong desire to be great at my job, and this desire pushes me to learn new things, never settle for less, admit mistakes, and to keep striving to give 120%. The rest of my life could be completely chaotic, but my work life is organized, planned, and detailed. It's the only way to make sure all the different deadlines are met.

This causes me to ask myself sometimes, "Am I really good at what I do? Do people truly like my work?" Everyone must ask these types of questions, right? I mean...you'll know if your doctor isn't good because the results will be evident in your health. But, how do you know when your field is completely subjective like mine? I realize that this is partially answered by when clients continue to hire me or not, but how would you ever know without feedback?

The other day, I was reminded of how great if feels to be genuinely validated in what I do. No, my boss didn't tell me I'm terrific or anything (even though I am), but it came out of the blue from a close friend.

It was sincere, emphatic, and wasn't provoked by me. It absolutely made my day. So I'm giving a shout out to this anonymous friend and saying thanks.

Today, I'm going to try to make someone's day or at least encourage wherever I can. I hope you'll do the same because you never know when it will be just what the other person needs to hear.

And for crying out loud...take some pictures. :)

Cards, Cards, Cards

Christmas is over, yay! I had the privilege to design a couple of Christmas cards this year, and I wanted to share them with you. If you like what you see, hire me next year in November to rock out your 2011 Christmas card.

Finally!

I've needed a website to promote my freelance design and photography for a long time now. I put it off for awhile because I just couldn't seem to consistently find the time. Well, the time issue was cleared up as soon as I heard, "We're going to have to let you go."

Since my unexpected unemployment, I've been working fast and furiously to get my website together. You see, most people don't realize how much work goes into a designer applying for a new job. It's not just about your resume; it's about your resume, your online portfolio, and your printed portfolio. These portfolios don't just come together without some effort, especially if you're working from scratch like me.

I'm happy to report that I'm finally done, at least with the initial site. Wahoo! A few good heel clicks and a happy dance should be involved in this moment. I couldn't be more relieved to have this completed. Check it out, and let me know what you think. If you see any problems or links that aren't working, let me know.

Branding

I've been trying to brand my freelance design and photography for awhile now. It is a really important step, and I've had a hard time being decisive about what I want.

A logo and consistent branding can do so many positive things for a company. It also exudes a certain feel that will either attract consumers or send them packing. Think Apple or Nike. When you see the Apple icon or the Nike swoosh...you know who the products belong to, even without the wording. In my opinion, that's great branding.

My indecisiveness about my own "logo" has been so amusing to me because I have no problems making decisions for clients. I can decide what I think would be best for them, but it has been difficult to step away and do that for myself.

I had too many ideas, of course. In the end, I went with something that felt like New Orleans to me. A hint of modern with a little old school, urban flare.

Let me know what you think, but if you don't like it, too bad! It took months and a job loss to finally come to a conclusion on this, so I'm sticking with it.