russell + hazel goodness

I generally am not envious of the various annual conferences my hubby has to attend every year. So when his travels took him to Minneapolis last week, I thought "better him than me!" But when he returned filled with excitement about an über-cool store he and some colleagues visited after the daily workshops had wrapped up, I must admit I felt a tinge of jealousy.

You see, he didn't just visit any old store, he visited the mecca of well-designed desk accessories: Russell + Hazel. You may have seen their binders, planners, note book and pads on the shelves of big retailers like The Container Store. I first encountered R+H online about four years ago and I was so impressed, I promptly ordered some supplies that I use to this day.

"So," I asked full of anticipation, "what was it like? How were things displayed? Did they have an oh-so-cool studio? Show me, show me!"

Well, hubby didn't think to snap any pix but he did bring me back a stash of goodies that more than makes up for the lack of store visuals.

I'm now the proud new owner of a spiral bound note book, presentation folder, note pad and two small daily planner pads.

Everything is so well-designed, all the details well thought out, right down to the cool little envelope that holds the receipt!

And I'm inspired by their innovative tabloid-sized product catalog! Rather than follow traditional catalog design, R+H broke all the stereotypes: theirs is oversized, folded as opposed to stapled, multiple signatures (4-pagers), and printed on uncoated paper that still reproduces rich color and fine detail.


These are so beautiful that I'm seriously considering hanging them on my office wall!

LogoLounge 2011 report

For years, I've submitted work to national and international design competitions in the hopes of winning some accolades from my peers in addition to the many kudos my clients bestow upon me. It's always very satisfying and validating to have your work recognized by other designers, and past awards have included Summit, Creativity, and American Corporate Identity as well as How Magazine.


And while this most recent accomplishment is not an actual award, it does feel great to have one of my logos included in the LogoLounge 2011 Trends Report. LogoLounge is an online resource of over 145,000 logos uploaded by designers across the globe. They regularly publish books showcasing the best of the best, in addition to releasing a yearly trend report.

This report is published in the current issue of Graphic Design USA, a news magazine for creative professionals. It's been very interesting to read about today's trends in logo design.

As a designer, I strive to create logos that will stand the test of time, serving companies for years to come. That said, for some clients having a logo that is fresh yet trendy and eye-catching is just as important, as was the case with Candywinkel.

Amy wanted a slightly nostalgic look that incorporated the popular brown-and-pink color palette, appealing to today's sophisticated shopper. The result has not only served her company well, it's now also caught the eye of the LogoLounge trend spotters!

silver summit award

When I went through today's mail, I came across a letter from the Summit Creative Awards. I immediately tore it open – did I win, did I win?

Yes!!!

I'm very excited: my 2011 day planner won a silver award! This is the third time one of my client holiday gifts has won this particular award, and I'm thrilled that my hard work is being recognized by a panel of international judges, all professionals in the field of marketing and design.

If you want a refresher of what the planner looks like, simply click here.

So now I get bragging rights AND a cool trophy to add to my shelf! Can't wait to get started on this year's holiday gift...just have to figure out what exactly it will be – it's only barely May, after all!