Thursday, April 26, 2012

Back To My Roots...

As I look at my blog I'm feeling a bit discouraged.  It's been so long since I have posted anything that I figure I have probably lost all of the people who were kind enough to "Follow" me.  If per chance you are still out there, and care a lick about things I'm doing - well, thank you!  

So where have I been?  What have I been doing?  Well, once again illness overtook me, and everything, including my blog pretty much came to a screeching halt.  I suffer with something similar to Chronic Fatigue/Epstein Barr.  When it rears it's ugly head it takes everything in me to get to work every day - only to drag my butt home and go to bed.  Anyway, once I go back into remission I have to be careful not to overdo, so projects are few and far between. 

The one thing I have been able to do, is kind of go back to my roots... my "graphic design roots" that is.  When I originally started my company I was doing a lot of wedding designs (thus the "I Do" Designs).  Since then I have expanded to doing all types of graphic designs.  I love creating something that is truly unique and tailored to each individual.  I sit down with that person, get a feel for what they like or want, and go from there.  I never have done "cookie cutter" designs where you pick a design from a list and I modify and print.  Every single thing I do is from scratch and one-of-a-kind.  I've never really shared any of these things on my blog, but thought maybe I would post some of the things I have done.  I figure as long as I'm going to post them, I may as well go back in time to share some of my favorite designs. 

Last year, about this time, one of my friends at work asked if I could make a simple little birthday invitation for her daughter.  It was going to be for a skating party, so she sent me a little graphic she had found that I could use.  Ok, let me just say... "simple" does not seem to be in my vocabulary, and "cute little graphics" are rarely used as a starting point.  Oh my, the wheels starting rolling (no pun intended), and before long an idea began to form in my mind.  In this instance I DID start with a graphic of a skate that I loved and went forward with my design from there.  Each invitation was cut by hand and individually embellished.

This is a picture of the front of the invitation...


As you can see, it's not your "ordinary" invitation.  (I just can't leave well enough alone.)  The skate itself was really cute, but I felt it needed a bit more.  Enter some fur for the top...


Add in glitter, jewels, and glitter paint...


And of course some ribbon and pom-poms for the lacing... (thanks to my friend Michelle for suggesting the pom-poms!)


Each invitation had its own decorated name tag tied on with a ribbon...


Now, what to do for the inside?  Well, I HATE just plain white, so I reused a lighter version of the skate...





What is the back like you ask???  Well OBVIOUSLY it's going to be the skate!!


So that's it, now you know another side of me.  Whatcha think?  Can't wait to share some of my other custom designs.  While this is not "exactly" a DIY or makeover project, I think I'm going to link up to a few parties just so people know I am still alive!!




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