Month: January 2015

New Year, Same Old Me

Blog

I’ve created blog posts before to try and keep myself accountable to the lofty goals we all try to set for ourselves every January. Spoiler alert: I just tallied, and last year, I went 1 for 15…

In the 24 days of 2015, it’s been increasingly weighing on me to put some semblance of commitment to myself into words. I take on too much and leave too little for leisure. I have so many lofty goals but they’re always on hold as I catch myself saying yes and yes to more and more. I’m declaring 2015 as the year of ME. I’m taking my life back.

I’m off to a good start, at the end of last year I shed some much needed skin and started working at a place that values me as a human being, has a no working on weekends policy, and actually told me they were happy I was finding my voice instead of stifling it under impossible expectations and even more ridiculous deadlines. I cannot tell you how much happiness you find when you simply feel supported.

But, beyond all of that I still need to make room for more of what I want to do. Truly, you only live once, (cringe-worthy YOLO, and all that jazz).

2015, the year of ME includes more:

  • Painting
  • Being Outside (will this be the year I finally go kayaking?)
  • Yoga (thanks to my relentless and incredible friend Chantil)
  • Vegetables (and other healthy habits)
  • Seeing the world (this is simply non-negotiable)
  • Languages (I’m going to finally learn spanish, or get damn close)
  • Reading, Exploring, & Learning
  • Budgeting
  • Spending time with the people I loveThe 2015 year of ME includes less:
  • Dairy & Carbs (I’m crying already, but we’re doing the Whole30 starting in Feb..)
  • Negativity (which thanks to my new work life balance, this has almost disappeared anyways)
  • Excuses
  • Projects I don’t want to take on
  • Stuff (I LOVE buying stuff – see oniochalasia – but I need to focus on doing it less)And there you have it. Habits are hard to break, but wish me luck – and expect some very different recipes in the coming weeks…

 

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B-I-N-G-O

Graphic Design
My repurposed designs and these beautiful vintage bulbs placed in a modern installation created a larger than life event feel.

My repurposed designs and these beautiful vintage bulbs placed in a modern installation created a larger than life event feel.

Branding and identity challenges are always fun, but couple that with a clean slate, a retro game, and a vintage feel and I’m more than intrigued. When I was asked to create the event identity and collateral for Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum‘s Inaugural Black Tie Bingo fundraiser, I jumped.

Through many logo concepts, and countless font choices what you see here is where we landed. I think the outcome was very well-suited for the event – a mixture of vintage simplicity and clean modernity. Upon arrival, I was elated to find that the artwork had been recreated large scale on the walls (and of course, obnoxiously had to pose with it later in the evening – see final image).

My logo design on the wall behind the event's stage and podium.

My logo design on the wall behind the event’s stage and podium.

The event itself was nothing short of incredible (which is both indicative of how much fun we had and how much more I should get out) with a silent auction, artists calling each round of Bingo, and delicious food by recently named Bon Appetit “Best New Restaurant” and local gem, Hot Joy. I can’t say if I will be asked to design the invitations again next year, but I can say we’ll be back with bells on for the next one!

(If you’d like to see more pictures of the event try here, here, or here)

The final event invitations and collateral.

The final event invitations and collateral.

Posing with my name on the wall.

Posing with my name on the wall.