Musical Therapy

I never (or very rarely) blog about music bands...but I'm a HUGE music junkie and anyone who knows me well, knows this to be true. We went to a concert last night on a whim (last minute bday gift for Bruner) and I can't tell you how freaking awesome Shovels & Rope and Shakey Graves were. I'd bet that in less than 5 years, neither one of these bands will be playing in a small music hall in Mobile, AL and we'll tell everyone about the time we stood a few feet away from them at the Alabama Music Box. Last night's concert seemed to take me back in time for a while. It took me HOME. Back to Chattanooga. This kinda bluegrass/folk/country music is what I love. It's what makes me dance and sing, even though I'm pretty terrible at both. It reminded me of my childhood, the carefree high school days and the beautiful Tennessee mountain land. I felt like I was back in Monteagle swinging on the Wayside porch with my best friends from college. It reminded me of the Mississippi Delta and road trips back to Oxford. It took me back to the good ole days: when it was better to have the windows rolled down than the AC cranked up ... when dinner was cooked for you and we had no real worries at all.

I first discovered Shovels & Rope in 2012, when I read this article in Garden & Gun. See this previous post: Shovels & Rope in 2012. I immediately fell in love their music and their story too. I'm a sucker for a harmonica. Always have been. Always will be. "Lay Low" is my favorite song they sing. I was so bummed they didn't play it other night. Don't think I wasn't requesting it from the front row :)

Shakey Graves is a new fav for this household's pandora station.

I hope this the first of many posts featuring different musicians I love. Oh the ideas I have for this blog are endless. Too bad about 90% of those ideas are never implemented. What I'd give for some free time!

Branding: Mobile Mardi Gras style

I'm killing two birds with one stone today. Here's a “Throw Back Thursday Wednesday” post + branding project. Thankfully, tomorrow I'll be far away from my computer and in the Tennessee mountain land—eating lots of turkey and being thankful for a much needed break! I'm so excited to re-share this branding project I designed back in-the-day (see original blog post here). I completed this design project in March of 2011...so it's pretty old school now...but still one of my all-time favorite projects. Throwback from Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Kings and Queens and Beads, Oh My!

Yes, Mardi Gras was last Tuesday, but I wanted to share with you some design work I did for the King of Mardi Gras Juvenile Carnival Court, Benjamin Partridge Cummings Jr. I met with his mother, Laura Cummings, before Christmas and we have been working diligently ever since. Laura was an absolute joy to work with and I loved getting to know her and her family.

As you should know, Mobile is the original Mardi Gras. Believe me, as a "transplant" to this town, you can't help but notice the pride Mobilians have in that title. For weeks, the streets of downtown Mobile are filled with the sights and sounds of live marching bands, brilliant-colored floats and of course the crowds of parade goers that is Mardi Gras in Mobile. I've grown to love it, but when you experience it for the first time it is a very foreign culture and like nothing you've ever seen. There's a lot that goes into Mardi Gras, especially for the King and Court's family...whew...it's a different world around here. It really reminded me of planning a wedding!

King Ben's royal monogram was custom designed and began with pen and paper. The rakes and cowbells symbolize the history of Mobile Mardi Gras. Ben's family played a major role in the Mardi Gras history, which made it even more special. Here is excerpt from the Press Register article: "Most Mardi Gras royals have relatives who were involved in Carnival festivities in the past. But Benjamin Partridge Cummings Jr., the 2011 juvenile king for the Mobile Carnival Association, has a unique claim to fame. His fourth great-grandfather (that’s the great-great-great-great grandfather) was an antebellum Mobile hardware store owner whose rakes, cowbells and other tools helped found Mobile’s very first mystic society."

This hand-assembled pocketfold Coronation invitation featured a custom-designed royal monogram for the MCA's Juvenile King.

Here's a great picture and article of the fabulous King Benjamin in the Press Register I designed these neckties for the family to give out as gifts. I've never designed clothing before, let alone neckties, so this was a fun and challenging project.

And finally, one of my favorite creations was Ben's royal crest, which illustrates and symbolizes everything that he loves.

What an incredible memory for the entire family, and I'm truly honored to have been a part of it.