Countdown to Christmas #1!

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, Christmas EVE is finally here!!!!

And for my final Christmas Countdown post, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from my family to yours!!! Thanks for being a part of my little creative world this year... I would not be here without all the support from my wonderful clients!!!

I also wanted to give a BIG shout out to the lovely and talented Courtney, owner of Courtney Lee Photography, for the awesome family photos featured on our card. I had the honor of designing her new Business Logo earlier this year and in turn got to have an amazing photo session with her!!! I love my photos and I am so excited to have a new found friend as well. THANKS Courtney.. you rock!!

ENJOY and Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Countdown to Christmas #2!

We are getting closer... Christmas is just a few days away. YAY!!!!!

I am so excited to share todays Christmas Countdown with you today. I have actually been waiting patiently since right after Thanksgiving to show these off. This is the 3rd year I have had the special honor of designing Christmas Cards for this family.. AND to top it all off they were in my neck of the woods early enough that I got to take their photos for the card as well. It really does not get any better than that.. except in this case, in which the 6 kids in this family are just too stinking CUTE!!!!

We had a super fun chilly photo shoot downtown and these kids were rockstars through the whole thing. I can not say enough how much I love this family and have enjoyed watching these kids grow up and be excited with them as more kids are added to family. (Check out their Baby Announcement from earlier this summer.) Just wish I still loved closer so that our kids could all be crazy together.. hehe!

Love you Young's and many Christmas Blessings to your fabulous family this year!!!

ENJOY!

Oh and here are a few favs from our downtown photo shoot!

Countdown to Christmas #3!

Good Mourning!!! We are now knee deep (ok, knee deep for my 3 year old) in snow and I am loving it. So excited for a chance of a nice White Christmas!!!!

Todays countdown, however, is brought to you by a lovely friend of mine who is PERFECTLY happy with her southern, non-snowy, Christmas!!! I present to you the too-cute-for-words Smith Family!!!

Mandy is such a dear treasure to me. Always encouraging and positive and the wonderful stories on her blog Seventh Smith help me to know that, as a mom, I am gonna be ok!!! This is the second year I have had the honor of designing Christmas Cards for this family and I am so excited how they turned out.... Just with I lived closer so our little ladies could all play tea-party!!!

AND as if taking care of 6 little ones is not enough, she also hosts an awesome freebie blog, Fabulous Friday Freebies. If you have not checked it out you need to... I love being able to win adorable stuff for my little family.

Thank you friend, for being you and many warm Christmas Blessings to your family!!!

ENJOY!

Countdown to Christmas #4!

Hello friends! The snow is falling, the lights are lit, and family is home for the Holidays!!!! I figured it is finally time to share with you the wonderful fun designs I have been working on for Christmas this year.

First on the list is the Party Poster for Garfield & Hecht's Annual Holiday Party. This is the 3rd year I have been honored to design a poster for them and I just LOVE the ideas and color schemes I am given each year. BUT I do think that this one is my favorite!!!! Eggplant purple with a fun twist to the traditional Holiday look just makes my day.

Garfield & Hecht, I hope your party was a wonderful event and I am blessed to once again be a part of your Holiday Season!!!

ENJOY!

Joining the Black Friday Craze!!!

Ok, so not really... However much I love a good deal, I prefer my sleep and family time a little more. So no, I was not up at the crack of dawn.. nor did I stay up super late to hit the midnight sales. Yes, I confess, I did step into a few stores today.. but only to get things I already needed and it was afternoon but the time I got there.

So why am I blogging about joining the craze? Well, I could not let this wonderful Black Friday go by without taking the time to share a little discount marketing project I have been working on with Colorado Mountain College. I was asked to help spruce up a few little ads and signs they were needing for a new  marketing campaign and I just think that they turned out so fun and simple I had to share.

So Ta Da!!!! I have contributed my 2 cents into the Black Friday madness.
Now let the Holidays Begin!!!!

ENJOY!

11/11/11...

Yep, today is truly a unique day! 11/11/11 does not come around too often and there is just something fun about having a string of all the same numbers lined up next to each other. From an artist viewpoint it is nicely organized and symmetrical, or if you are a little bit nerdy like me and have any programming experience it is a rather fun string of code hehe!

Ok, so since today is such a fun and unique day, I wanted to debut my wonderfully talented fun and unique Brother-in-Law at Opee Cellar/Studio. Today his is having his first Art Show/Gallery Opening and I was honored to help design his invite cards for this event. This guy is so amazingly talented and I just can not wait to see all of his work on display tonight.

Here is a sneak peak of some of his work that we used on the invites.

ENJOY and best of luck tonight Opee!!!!!

Oh ya, and I also designed him some business cards that turned out super fun as well!!!

Fabulous Friday Feature!!!

Hello and Happy Friday!!!!

YAY! I am finally able to share that I am honored to be featured on Fabulous Friday Freebies blog giveaway contest today! My good friend Mandy hosts an array of amazing giveaways and I am super excited to be joining ranks with her this week. I don't know about you but I love winning free stuff. So head on over to Fabulous Friday Freebies and check out this weeks contest!!!

Note: There are 2 giveaways this week, I are featured in the second one... so don't get confused. Oh and don't forget to enter the first giveaway as well.. Lots of fun prizes this week!!!! (Can you tell I am excited?)

Ode to the Pumpkin Patch...

The costumes are hung
in the closet with care.
The snow is now falling,
November is here...

October was fun,
we all had a ball.
Hello Winter,
Goodbye Fall...

Ok, so maybe it is not officially winter, but today it is SNOWING out my front door! Today also marks the end of my 3rd season working out at Anderson Farms. I love this time of year when I get to spend my days in the wonderful fresh Fall air, greeting thousands of field trip kids all excited to pick their own pumpkin fresh from the patch!

Not only do I get to work with the kids that come to the farm, but I get to be the official photographer on select weekends. WOO HOO!!! This year I did several photo shoots for both Fall Festival and Terror in the Corn. Here are a few of my favorite glimpses into Fall on the farm!!!

ENJOY!!!
(And just in case you were wondering, the last 2 images are from Terror in the Corn so be warned.)

Common Reader Program

It has been a while since I have posted anything from my wonderful alma mater Colorado Mountain College.. so I thought I would take the time to post this one.

CMC has a super fun program every fall where students and non students can read a book together followed up by a visit with the author. I love the idea of being able to meet with the author and discus their book in person. This is a program I know I would have loved when I was in school.

I just realized that although this is the 3rd year I have designed the materials (Bookmark, Postcard & Poster) for this program, this is the first year I have posted anything about it. So without further ado.. I present to you The Common Reader Program. ENJOY!

Bookmark

 Postcard

Poster

All in the Family...

Hello October 1st!!!!!!

My favorite month is finally upon us and I am just sooooo excited!!!! Not only because I have a birthday this month.. but because I love the changing of the seasons. The cooler air comes in and visions of cider and crunchy leaves start floating through my head, along with fireplaces, warm fuzzy mittens, and Family...

Yes, of course Family!!! I have been blessed with an amazing set of in-laws that I love dearly, and the beginning of October has once again marked their annual Family Reunion. This year I was honored to be asked to design the invite for the festivities. YAY!!! I can not wait to party with the rest of the gang this weekend. I love you all!!!!

I loved the idea my Mother-in-Law came up with for the theme and I had such a fun time designing this little invite that I just had to share it with you all. ENJOY!

Happy Fall!!!!

Yep Fall is HERE!!!!! The air is getting crisper, the leaves are starting to change and according to the calender it has officially arrived. For me however, the start of Fall is marked by the opening of Anderson Farms in Erie, CO. TODAY is that day!!!! The farm is finally open, pumpkins have been picked, bows have been tied and the sun is out. Yep a great day for Fall to be here.

Last year I was asked to design Anderson Farms a new map and this year we needed to do a little updating since the farm has so many new fun things this year. I am so excited to show you all the fun new things that have been added. So without further ado.. here ya go!!!!!

ENJOY and Happy Fall!!!!!

New Business, New Life...

I do believe that this has been the year for Logo Design. And I LOVE it!!! I find it super exciting to be a part of a start up business, a change of occupation, or just a new look for all my wonderful clients and friends.

This logo is no different.. with one exception. It is not only a New business.. but it is a business helping bring Newness into this world.

Recently a friend of mine started up a Doula business called Origins Doula Service, and asked me to design her a logo. YES!!! I am sooo excited for this dear friend and I wish her the best of luck and safe deliveries. There is nothing sweeter than the newness of a little life taking a breath for the first time. Thanks for letting me be a part of all the precious new lives yet to come!!

ENJOY!

Baby Drew...

I love being an Auntie. I love my Niece. I love my Nephews. And the older my daughter gets the more she loves her Cousins. I am so glad that these little ones have the opportunity to grow up with each other and learn the precious love of family. The newest little one in this crazy rabble of cousins is Andrew Herman, named after our wonderful Grandpa Herman. Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to take some newborn photos of this little guy (you can see those here). I was then asked to use some of these photos to design a birth announcement for him. YAY! I love projects that I get to be a part of start to finish. And since today is Drew's 3 Month Birthday I thought it was fitting to share those with you now.

ENJOY, and I love you little nephew!!!!

Pretty in Pink!

I have a confession. I take lots of photos. AND I take lots of photos of my daughter.

BUT it is not often that I get the chance to take her photo with a fancy camera vs. my trusty always-by-my-side little point-and-shoot.

A few weeks ago I was getting ready for another photo session and had said fancy camera in hand. My daughter, all dressed up of course, wanted me to take some photos of her. So we headed right outside our front door and played photographer. Taking turns, mind you, of who was behind and in front of the camera. Sorry to say I am not posting any of the ones she took that day as I am not sure you would like to see 100+ images of her toes hehe. 

However, I could not resist sticking some of the fun photos I took that day of my little lady, all dressed to the nines in her pink ballerina dress and accessories complete with unbrushed-just-napped-in-hair. She is a true 3 Year Old Princess. Yep, it is hard being 3!!!

ENJOY!!!!!

I love you baby girl, with all my heart!!!

Because He First Loved Us!!!

I love adoption stories.

I love the hearts of families who want to share their love to a little one who needs it.

I love the symbolism of us being chosen and adopted into Gods family.

I love that this past weekend I was able to hold the newest little love of some dear friends of mine. Such a sweet cuddly little life, hand picked by God to be forever placed with this amazing family.

On several occasions I have stood in awe at the love of a mother for her child, but even more so when I see a mother love a child whom they did not carry within them for 9 months.

"We LOVE because He first loved us"... Yes, this is what adoption is truly all about.

I was so very honored to be asked by this family to design their new baby girl's Birth Announcement. Mix 6 super cute kids with some fun design ideas and we had ourselves a beautiful baby card. Congratulations on your new precious princess and thank you for letting me be a part of it.

ENJOY and welcome to the world little Amaya!!!

The Legacy of a Name...

Two months ago today I got the call that my newest little nephew was here. YAY, I love being an auntie to my niece and now TWO nephews!!! His name, Andrew Herman. Yep, not the most common middle name a little one can get. But this name is more than just a name. My wonderful Grandfather was named Herman and he will forever be one of my greatest heros as well as a true inspiration in my life and in the lives of my family. Little Drew, I can not wait to get to know you as you grow up and I wish you many blessings as you follow in the footsteps of your namesake. LOVE you lots and lots!!!

Here are a few images from the super fun photo shoot we did recently for this little guy. ENJOY!

Little Boy in Blue...

In this hot month of July there is nothing better than a summer breeze, a good fireworks show, camping at the lake, running through the sprinklers and capturing the smile of a little boy in blue. Yep, July was an amazingly busy month for me, stuffed full of excitement. BUT one of my favorite things I got to do this month was take some super cute Family/1st Birthday Photos for some friends of mine. Their little guy just lights up the room with his toothy grin and amazing blue eyes.

Happy little man + Cute little family = A super fun morning playing at the park and capturing some summer memories. Here are a few of my favorites from the day! ENJOY.

Happy 1st Birthday little Man.. and thanks for letting me share in your summer fun!!!

A Legacy of Love...

I love my job. I love being able to stay home with my daughter while still working. I love the availability to meet with clients in the comfort of their own home. I love being a witness to some amazing first hand stories. THIS story I think takes the cake, and it actually set the tone for the whole design.

It was just an ordinary day, but my heart would be filled with something special by the time the day was out. A month or so ago I was asked to help with a 60th Anniversary & 80th Birthday's Party Invite for Mr. & Mrs. H. The quests of honor actually live close me so we decided to meet at their house to go over ideas and lay out what they wanted for their invite.

We piled the table high with old photos, memories, paper samples and LOTS of ideas... Mrs. H had a particular photo she wanted to use for the front of the card, not her first pick, but she kept saying that it was her husbands favorite photo from their wedding. It was just a quick snapshot of them leaving in a vehicle.. nothing special.. right???

UNTIL, Mr. H came over to see what us ladies were working on and suddenly he smiles and pulls his wallet out from his back pocket. Slowly, carefully, he pulls out a little folded up piece of faded, falling apart paper. With well worn fingers he carefully unfolds it and spreads it out on the table.

My eyes did not believe what I saw before me, for this crumbly piece of paper was actually the original newspaper clipping from the day they were married 60 years ago! With the exact same photo of them leaving in the car. WOW!

Awestruck, I now understood why this photo was so special. Through all these years, even during his time serving our country overseas, he had kept this newspaper clipping of his bride with him. I knew right then and there that we HAD to feature this priceless heritage on the front of the invite. How memorable and honoring... what an amazing legacy of love for a 60th Anniversary! I was truly blessed to witness the unveiling of such a crumbly little paper which had stood the test of true love!!!

Here are the Before and After images of the article, fortunately for us they still had the original photo so I was able to clean up the article and fit a new scan of the old photo in for a more polished look.

Here is the Invite... complete with news clipping, wedding photos, childhood photos AND even photos of the high school sweethearts before Mr. H left for war. Ya that's right, young love celebrating 60 years together... I LOVE IT!!! (Oh and Mrs. H's photo also was tucked away in the wallet with the clipping)

AND now, last but not least, since they loved the invites so much they decided to continue with the look of the Invite and had me create a set of 4 Bookmarks that served as little trivia party favors on the tables at the party. YEP, I am a total matchy, matchy girl and this project was just so fun for me to work with. Not only did I get to be creative with my designs and think out of the box, I was honored to meet one truly amazing couple who's testament of enduring love will continue to inspire me for years to come!

Happy Birthday's Mr. & Mrs. H. and congratulations on a very Happy 60th Anniversary!!!
You have blessed me beyond belief!