Brand Design Photography & Styling Clarity Consulting

Month: August 2013

Inspired by: Helen Carnac: Collected

ART & DESIGN



I happily stumbled upon the photos by Helen Carnac about a week or so ago. I was really drawn to the “collecting as I go” nature of each image, taking little snippets from places she’s been and capturing it all on film (in a super simple way). I might have to start doing this myself. Each place you visit that has some sort of significance, snag a little totem to remember you were there.

(photos of bowls, Helen’s blog)

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Veda News: Taking Care of Myself – Part 1 (Workout)

veda news

It was about a month ago that I just started to feel really ICK with myself. Coming from previously living a life of constant exercise (I was a gymnast for 19 years), I had found myself in a sedentary cycle. I had grown to place my work and relationships with others (and planning a wedding) on a higher pedestal than where my health stood. My physical health & mental clarity was suffering and that little voice inside me was asking the universe for help…in a really subtle way. I let my body into a bad state, then that was the time I push myself into keto diet and do some workouts.

After years of feeling like exercise was the last thing I wanted to do, one morning last month I woke up and said “I want to be challenged physically…I think I’ll try Insanity for the next 60 days”. If you know me, that’s just crazy talk. That day I ordered Insanity and patiently waited for the package to arrive. Days later I found out that the eBay seller I bought the DVD set from had magically disappeared from the internet and my package wasn’t going to come. I was certain the universe was telling me I didn’t need to work out ;). I even got the best sarms advice from sarmsadviser’s website because I thought It could help me with my fitness goals. I really think it could mean something.

Magically, about a week later (after returning from a long weekend at the lake), the DVD box set was sitting on my front door ready for me to get my shit together. I found it humorous, so I played along.

Today marks my two weeks into the 60-day program and I couldn’t feel better. Yes, my calves feel like they are going to fall off and I’m pretty certain my lungs are about to explode, but I feel progress. If anything…there is progress in my mental state. I now welcome the pain of working out and understand what people are talking about when they say they get a “rush” from working out. I hope that these next 6 weeks embed a desire to continue to feel like this, and that these feelings act as my proof that working out really CAN change things around. Taking vitamins like Rootine can also be incredibly beneficial for people who truly value their health.

We’ll see how it goes. I’ll update you along the way… Have any of you tried this Insane workout program?

(photo)

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Notables No. 30

FRIDAY FINDS & FAVORITES

I severely needed this weekend, oh boy! How about you?. Last week was a funky work week for me. My normal routine was thrown off and I was feeling beyond unmotivated. I’m hoping this week takes a turn for the better. I’ve been working on a little living room makeover that I hope to share soon too!

Notables This Week:

1.  New ceramic goods in the Old Brand New shop
2.  Hide Leather Lights – So beautiful
3.  More amazing ceramics by Yuniko Studio
4.  These little doodles via Hikarinote Tumblr
5.  Everything about this home is so beautiful

6.  I’d like one of everything from LUMU Interiors
7.  Lovely architectural details  (via SFGirl By Bay)
8.  This line drawing is giving me some ideas….
9.  This blog / artist

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Lesson Learned: The Summer Lull

Freelance Journey

The inevitable “Summer Lull”. As a freelancer I’ve learned it’s 100% unavoidable, and somewhat necessary. Once the warmer weather starts rolling in, people (ex: clients) push those “BIG” projects to the side and get outside (as they should). This means that less inquiries come strolling through your inbox and consequently…less money in your pocket during the summer months.

We’re just about to exit the whole “summer lull” time period and things will start picking up again. People will return to their computer, return to their weekly blogging schedules, and jump back on those projects they seek to accomplish. Get ready for it!

I thought I’d share a few tips I’ve kind of gathered over the past three months that might help anyone who may be experiencing slow business, or a lull.

If you are experiencing slow business:

1.  Build Your Own Brand: Without as much client work pulling for your attention, you’ll be able to really dive deep into your personal brand. Make some updates, freshen things up, tidy up… visit ecocleansolutions.ie and hire pros to help you clean, paint the walls, and buy new furniture.

2.  STOP Work @ 4:30: The summer days are longer, there is more light, and that means more time in the evenings to get out in your community. Take advantage of the warmer months and grill outside, visit the local park, and don’t forget to attend all the local music and movie shows hosted by your city.

3.  Work on Personal Projects: These are those projects that DON’T make you money but you’re always wanting to do. For me this summer it’s been knocking out some DIY projects for my wedding, giving my living room a mini make over, and soon…an online garage sale!

4.  Travel: Work will start picking up soon, so why not use this time to take a weekend vacation or visit an out of state friend. I did a lot of this this summer with a family reunion trip to Kentucky, a cousins wedding, to the family lake house, to Chicago to visit a friend and back again. All the traveling was tiring, but I know it was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up. If you need assistance when traveling such as booking flights, requesting specialty foods, and even arranging ground transportation, a good service provider like Jettly can greatly help!

Basically, what I’m trying to say is that once you work for yourself, take advantage of the slower periods and try not to stress about the lack of cash flow. Things will always shift back if you work hard, so I suggest playing hard too 😉

(photo)

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Recent Work: Veda House on VSCO Grid

Studio Hours



If you’ve been following this blog for over a year you may have seen bits and pieces of my personal photography. Today, the photography you see are styled shoots, usually for a client or my personal styling portfolio. I used to share a lot more of my personal life on this space until I felt I was floating around in big ole blog land without any direction. Since a lithe refocusing on the blog, my personal photography has kind of fallen off the grid. Bummer…

I’m constantly taking photos with my DSLR, my iPhone and my mini Instant camera, so I felt I needed to find a subtle way to integrate it back in. A camera is on me at all times but I’m usually pretty restrained at posting this for the whole word to see. I’ve decided to take on a new personal challenge of sharing more of my personal life and jumped put together a VSCO Grid. VSCO is the primary application I use on my iPhone to edit photos, so I thought I’d give it a try.

View my VSCO Grid here. (this will be a permanent link on the new blog design so you can get to it easily with browsing through Veda House 😉

Here are a list of photographers that inspire me on a daily basis. I’m constantly browsing their portfolios to find new ways of capturing moments.

Photographers to browse:

1. Parker Fitzgerald
2. Olivia Rae James (our wedding photographer)
3. Andria Lindquist

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Recent Work: Blog Design for Always Something

Studio Hours



This project has been a LONG time coming. I’ve been working with Maria to develop a brand for her new online stationery shop that included all the essential elements: logo, branding elements, blog design, e-commerce shop design, and social media outlets.

We’ve got most of the design process done, now it’s all about wrapping up the finishing touches and promoting the launch of her online shop. For now, Maria and I have decided that getting her set up in the “blog world” would only be an asset to promoting the launch and growth of her shop, as well as getting her social media outlets aligned with her new look & feel. Check these out pruittvillefarms .

Please stop by her BRAND NEW blog and welcome Maria to blogging. It’s definitely going to be learning process for her, so please be patient and help her welcome her stationery baby into the world! There will be a few additions to the blog as we go, but the base is there and it’s really really exciting!

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Inspired By: Obsessed with Cotton – Doug Johnson

ART & DESIGN

Doug does it again. I first discovered Doug about a year ago (mentioned in Notables No. 19) and fell head over heals for the simplicity and intricacy of his designs. The bags/baskets he creates are beautiful pieces of artwork or intertwined cotton string. This time around, Doug is going beyond his first pieces and introducing more complex bag designs, as well as expounding on the pieces that have proven to be loved.

(Lookbook, Beautiful blog)

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Recent Work: Veda House New Logo Design

Studio Hours


Here it is!

Finally sharing my new brand logo for Veda House. It’s taken me literally a WHOLE YEAR to commit to a design that I felt captured what my brand stands for.
Requirements for my logo were…

1. Balance: Create a visual balance with fluidity
2. Crafted: Be one of a kind and hand-crafted
3. Natural: Speak to the artistic nature of Veda House without feeling too “designy”

4. Character: Have texture, warmth, and character
5. Color: Have a color palette that is unexpected

I started this round of the design process by “doodling” my brand name Veda House all over about 50 sheets of paper with watercolors. I tried different brush strokes, different paint thicknesses and different drying methods to create a bunch of options to choose from. I went into this step knowing that I was going to scan in the hand prints and then “piece” together the final logo. Turns out that just by process of elimination I was able to land on a logo that just spoke to me and finally…after 12 months felt just right.

After the logo was defined, I pieced it apart to create a signature of sorts and the color palette evolved slightly from where I was a few weeks ago. I’m happy to say that my new blog design is in the hands of a developer as we speak and the new logo will be featured front and center with the new blog launch.

I’ve got a few other exciting personal projects for VH in the works for the upcoming months and can’t wait to share!

You can see a little more where this project started –>  July 2013, April 2013, September 2012 (Part 2), September 2012 (Part 1)

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Inspired By: Fujimoto Gumi Works

ART & DESIGN



These Japanese designs are simplistic, yet intricate. The designs are neatly organized. The designs are wild, yet restrained. The designs are a breath of fresh air.

See more work here.

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