Cakes for a Cause

I was contacted over the holidays by Ohio wedding planning superstar, Emilie Duncan. Emilie and I "met" over Twitter and have recently decided we may have been separated at birth. Our paths have seemingly crossed many times over the years, and we were completely oblivious. We both attended Michigan State University, roomed in the same dorms, got married at the same place, etc, etc, etc.

Anyway, back to the holidays: Emilie needed a logo for a charitable event she was spearheading. I happily volunteered, mainly because I was helping Emilie, helping hungry people, and because there was cake involved.

Here's the gist:

Cakes for a Cause is an evening of fun and networking benefiting the Mid Ohio Food Bank and Operation Feed. You'll find something to satisfy every sweet tooth, including live and silent cake auctions and raffles. In a word - YUM.

If you are in Ohio, you can get all the details right here.

I tried a few different logo treatments for this event, and this design won out. The only real requirement was something in a fun orange shade, so I chose bold typography paired with a more delicate scalloped cake platter. I think the juxtaposition works well -- it's a serious cause, but it's also going to be fun and delicious.

Thank you, Emilie, for this wonderful opportunity. If you're in Ohio, please consider attending this event. Something tells me your tummy will thank you.

Kelly Ashworth Design Holiday Greetings are Back!

I figure since the red cups are out at Starbucks and Target is already decorated top to bottom in holiday decor, there is no better time to announce the arrival of my 2009 Holiday Greeting Cards!

I'm showing three designs below and you can also view the entire line in my Etsy shop. (And while you're there, maybe you need a baby announcement, invitation kit or Highlight book?)

Each Holiday Greeting design can be customized with your photo and color palate. I can also customize the greeting verbiage to fit your specific needs. You'll have your choice of three paper styles -- metallic shimmer, textured linen or smooth cover-- and each includes matching white envelopes with your return address pre-printed. How convenient!

For those of you who have a very specific idea in mind or just like the idea of sending out a custom piece, just shoot me an email! info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

To view the entire collection, click here. Special thanks for Jennifer Bowen for sharing some of her amazing photography! If you are looking for an amazingly talented photographer, Jen is your girl. Visit her new blog to view all of the gorgeousness. Happy Holidays!

Logo Design for Green Orchid Events

Another logo project to share!

Juliet Douglas, owner and lead planner of Green Orchid Events, contacted me recently to create a new logo to go along with her new website and other rebranding efforts.

In addition to having Juliet fill out a lengthy questionnaire, we also had a great chat about what she envisioned for her new look. She previously made use of a cartoon figure throughout her website, and wasn't sure if she wanted to retire it entirely. In the course of the design process, we tinkered with color, typography and various design elements. Here are a few designs that I presented:

And here is the winning design!

After a few tries, it became apparent that we needed to in some way incorporate Juliet herself into the design, thus replacing the cartoon figure of yore. So I had Juliet send some photos of herself, traced her silhouette, and voila! She now has a fresh, modern look that still incorporates her fun and sassy personality. What's great about this logo is that she can use it interchangeably. If she just wants to use the silhouette (perhaps as an avatar for social networking sites) or just the typography -- she can.

Thank you, Juliet, for such a fun project! If you're looking for a fabulous event planner in Las Vegas, be sure to give this lady a call.

And obviously, if you're looking for logo help -- info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

Business Cards for Splendid Communications

I recently completed a logo design and business card project for the lovely and talented Liene Stevens of Splendid Communications. You may also know Liene as the owner Blue Orchid Designs. (If you haven't read the Blue Orchid Blog, please do so now. Really.)

Liene just launched Splendid Communications, as a way "to help companies discover and maximize their online voice in order to effectively increase their brand presence and add to their bottom line." Liene was headed to Grand Cayman to speak at Engage!09, a conference for wedding professionals who work in the luxury bridal market, and needed some business cards to share with her fellow attendees.

This was a very last minute job, but the cards came out beautifully, and I was excited to see that Liene had even taken a quick snap of her new cards with her iPhone and shared with all of her devoted Twitter followers.

Here is the finished product. I'm so excited to have had the opportunity to work with Liene on this fantastic project. If you are in need of a logo design or other business collateral, please get in touch! Shoot me an email: info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

Logo Design for Aspire to Plan

You may recall the design work I did recently for Wendy Robinson of Sacred Moment Weddings. (If not, click here to see what we did.)

In addition to planning weddings, Wendy has recently started a new blog for aspiring wedding planners, aptly named Aspire to Plan. Wendy contacted me to create a logo for her new venture, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her again.

The Sacred Moment project called for more of a logo "refresh" than a complete overhaul. So with this new project, we literally built something from scratch. Here's a peek at a few of the concepts we liked best:

Concept One:

Concept Two:

Concept Three:

Concept Four:

These concepts were derived from the answers Wendy provided to my creative brief. In addition to consultation, I also have clients fill out a simple questionnaire with questions about the client, the business, the goals and some of the desired creative elements. These briefs are mutually beneficial as it will give you (the client) a chance to really think about your business and how it should be presented, and it will give me (the designer) an opportunity to get in your head and create concepts that are both relevant and aesthetically pleasing.

After much discussion, we did finalize the logo and Wendy has since updated her site with the new look. If you are interested in the wedding industry and would like to learn more about becoming a wedding planner, this is a great site with loads of pertinent information. Thank you, Wendy, for the opportunity to work with you on this great new venture!

If you are in need of a logo or other design services, please shoot me an email: info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

Birth Announcements for Niece #1

Last month I went to Denver to meet my very first niece, Leah Mae. During our visit, we staged Leah's first photo shoot. As you can see, she's already a pro in front of the camera -- she didn't cry once. In fact, I'm pretty sure that aside from eating and sleeping, Leah's favorite things include modeling headbands and having her picture taken. 

As you may already know, I recently introduced my own line of baby announcements on my Etsy site. You can select one of the styles available in my shop, or opt for a custom designed announcement. Contact me: info@kellyashworthdesign.com for more information.

Happy Anniversary, Phoenix Bride & Groom!

The new issue of Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine is out, and they really went all out for their big 10th Anniversary issue! 

Check out the amazing cover photo, shot by the amazingly talented duo at Sedona Bride:

Kelly Ashworth Design was featured for a section devoted to all things papery, as well as an amazing on-site photo shoot orchestrated by the amazing Victoria Canada of Victoria Canada Weddings & Events. Here's a sneak peek of the invites, image courtesy of Eyes 2 See Photography (Stuart, you rock!)

I love this paper, with its mod quatrefoil pattern on the most perfect shade of green. I was so excited I had the opportunity to share it with the world! (Or at least the greater Phoenix bridal market).

To get more info on the magazine, check out the Phoenix Bride & Groom website. Congrats on 10 amazing years, ladies!

Sacred Moment Weddings

Wendy Robinson, planner extraordinaire and owner of Sacred Moment Weddings, contacted me to freshen up her existing logo. Mainly small, cosmetic issues that she wanted addressed. So once we had that squared away, I designed some snazzy new business cards for her (all part of my February Promotion). 

Just a reminder, the February Special ends Saturday! Book now and receive 1,000 free business cards. (Get all the info here.) Special thanks to Liene at The Smart Planner for giving me a shout! Now take a look at Wendy's new biz cards - classy, sophisticated and feminine. Just like Wendy!

Baby Finley

My friend Amy had baby number three recently and wanted to combine a New Year's greeting with a birth announcement. I suggested incorporating some patten that would be printed right on the card with the photo and was psyched when she agreed. 

I have a big folder filled with tear sheets of cool patterns I want to try out in design projects, so after a few tries, here is the finished product:  

Love this photo so much! Baby Finley looks so content. I'm actually working on a baby line and I think I'm going to include the "Finley" in my collection. More on that later!

Amy's Floral Design

I recently had the privilege of working with Amy Garza of Amy's Floral Design here in Phoenix. Amy needed some collateral materials to pass out at a bridal show and wanted to use some of the images she had received from a recent photo shoot.

As a graphic designer, I cannot stress this enough – good photography is critical to the health and success of your business. If you are selling a product and you have opted to shoot said product with your camera phone, you might as well close up shop right this instant. A professional photographer will ensure your product is shown in the best light. Literally. If you are hoping to receive editorial coverage from a magazine or website, professional photographs of your product or service will greatly increase your chances for coverage.

I completely understand the need to slash budgets, decrease overhead costs, etc. in this tough economic climate. But if you skimp on the way you present yourself and your company, you're as good as dead anyway.

OK, I have stepped off of my soap box. Check out Amy's snazzy new postcards:

{ images courtesy Tunnel Photography }

An Asian Inspired Christmas

Just got done working on some Christmas cards for one of my all-time favorite clients! Her only requirement was to incorporate the color red somehow, so we used this insane red floral Japanese paper as the focal point. I love how it looks with the metallic paper and shimmery satin ribbon band. And now I need to figure out how to hang this stuff as wallpaper because it is just that cool.

Letterhead for Imoni Events

I recently had the pleasure of working with Ms Jennifer Thye, wedding planner extraordinaire and owner of Imoni Events.

I have always been a fan of her feminine but not too "girly" branding, so I was flattered that she asked me to help her with some letterhead. 

To defray the cost of custom printed envelopes, we opted for a snazzy mailing label that can be affixed to the envelope of her choice. Here are the results of our collaboration:

I really enjoyed working with her, and I can tell she's a great wedding planner, too. So if you're planning a wedding or event, give her a call. You might just get to see this letterhead and label up close and personal!

The Flower Studio

I just finished up the design portion of a new website for Christine Siegel at The Flower Studio! Christine has the portfolio to end all portfolios, and now she's got the website to prove it. I was constantly amazed at the work she was sending me to include on the website. She is ridiculously talented. 

So check out the site and call Christine for all of your floral design needs. But only if you want the most rockin' flowers ever invented. She doesn't do anything in half measures. Sorry.

Bright Dance Night

The Bright Girls are hosting a Dance Night at FireSky Resort & Spa on July 9th and they asked me to design a pretty flyer to get all of you to attend. 

Oh, how I wish there would have been a dance night before I got married! I do not enjoy lots of people looking at me, especially whilst dancing. I think this definitely would have eased my fears. So for all of you engaged klutzes out there, go to Dance Night! Even if you're not a klutz, go! You can eat, drink and shake your groove thang. And there will be prizes!

Other sponsors involved:

Victoria Canada Weddings & Events

Eyes 2 See Photography

Jonathan Lindsey & Aaryn Greene

Ray the DJ

Tri-Rentals

BBJ Linen

Table Tops, Etc

AZ Photobooth

Fumar Cigars

Messy Mandy Website

A few months back, I blogged about the identity work I did for Messy Mandy. Once we had that hammered out, we put together a simple website to match her branding. So visit now and if you're in the Chicago area, give her a call. 

And if you are in need of graphic design services for your business, let me know! You can email me at info@kellyashworthdesign.com to get the ball rolling. 

New Logo for Carolyn Wells

I had the pleasure of working with Carolyn Wells just a few weeks prior to the birth of her beautiful baby girl, Maya. What struck me about Carolyn was that she was not only a truly talented photographer, she was also very patient, flexible and thoughtful. (These are not qualities I assume I will possess weeks before the birth of my child. PS - no mom, I am NOT pregnant!)

Carolyn came in with some specific ideas about the look and feel of her new logo, which is always helpful to a designer. The thing that seemed most important to her was that her logo be flexible, so that became my main focus. She wanted something that she could play around with and utilize in different applications. In keeping with her organic/free-spirited/earth mama vibe, we went for a sage green and deep brown with a pop of orange. 

Carolyn recently emailed me her new ad that features her new logo, pictured below. Notice that it not only works as a branding tool, but also a cool frame to show off her beautiful work. Thanks, Carolyn! 

 

Messy Mandy

Happy New Year!

This time of year always makes me feel like a bit of a slob. Every home/garden/decor magazine devotes its January issue to organization. I'd love to go on a spending spree at The Container Store, but all of those pretty binders and trays would undoubtedly be buried under a stack of paper and ribbon by the first of February. It's not that I'm not organized -- I know where everything is. I'm just more "organized chaos" than your average HGTV host would like to see.

Enter Messy Mandy, my sister-in-law and professional jack of all trades. She recently started her dream company and needed a logo and identity to go with it. (See her new postcards below). Amanda will organize your closet, walk your dog, do your grocery shopping and help you throw a dinner party. Unfortunately for us desert dwellers, she currently resides in a trendy Chicago neighborhood. But I'm sure her new business will be so successful she'll be able to "winter" in Arizona and help all of us who take pride in our organized chaos. 

PS - this is also a shameless plug for my graphic design services. If you need help with branding/collateral/logos/etc., email me.

TaKen Video Productions

I recently had the chance to work with Christa Middleman and Kendra Davidson of Taken Video Productions. What a team! I had a lot of fun on this project as they were both open to a lot of ideas for the branding of their company. We came up with a new logo, some snazzy business cards and a website. Pictured below is the front of their business card.

new websites

Just finished up two new websites for some super cool gals. Emily Estfan with EME Photography www.emephotography.com needed an update to showcase all the amazing work she's been doing. So many pretty photos! -and- Nancy Cummings with Feelz Like Home www.feelzlikehome.com wanted a new website to go with her new color scheme and logo. Nancy will redesign your home using the things you already have. Check out the before and after's -- she really knows what she's doing!

New Website

I just finished up a website design for the lovely and talented Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings and Events! Please check it out: www.inaweweddings.com In addition to working with Sandy on her branding and marketing collateral, I had the chance to work with two of her brides on stationery for their recent weddings. I will post images from both when the photos become available. Thanks for the opportunities, Sandy!