Lots of fun projects going on!
the pink carpet
I opened up this month's Access magazine and saw this...
Kinda scary to see yourself on this silly "pink" carpet. But, oh well—it is what it is!
I accepted both ADDY awards for my client, Roberts Brothers, which is the largest real estate company in South Alabama: the first Silver ADDY Award for Product or Service Sales Presentation and Silver ADDY Award for the company’s television commercial, “Finding Your Dreams a Home”.
We recently launched their new website and company intranet. NOT a small feat believe me—both took at least 6 months to complete. Check out there new home search. Our goal was for this site to have the best home search in South Alabama.
View the award-winning TV commercial here.
See this recent post about the ADDY awards, my dreams and what really matters...
Happy Friday
Wow. What a great way to start this Friday! Thanks @daily_bibleverses for featuring my design today. This verse will always be one of my very favorites. http://instagram.com/
Here's the original post and design in case you want to pin it or print it.
New Branding: Chapel Farm Collection
I just finished this branding board for Chapel Farm Collection. Chapel Farm Collection is a carefully curated assortment of antiques, jewelry, and vintage gifts discovered by a mother and her two daughter-in-laws. Many more details coming soon about this project and lots of surprises ahead.
As a designer, there's nothing more rewarding than stepping back from a project and thinking, Wow, this is so them. After a lot of hard work and several rounds of concepts, that's exactly how I feel about this branding board. I think we finally nailed it. The "Chapel Farm" font was designed by one of the Pilot's close family friends years ago, who has since passed away. It was very important to them to integrate this font into the new design. The steeple is a replication of the beautiful steeple at Chapel Farm (see below). There are many other hidden meanings throughout the entire design, which makes it that much more special.
Check out how gorgeous Chapel Farm is. The entire time I was there during our first brainstorming session, I couldn't help but feel the Lord's presence there—in a very strong way. It only seemed right that He was represented in the identity of this new business. I'm truly honored to work with this fabulous Pilot trio, Jeanna, Jordan and Brooke. Website coming soon, but for now check out their facebook page.
More on this fun project and new business coming soon. Word is that they'll be hosting a show at their fabulous barn the weekend of March 14 during Fairhope's Arts and Crafts weekend. We will be some busy, busy bees until then!
Local Goodness: Sneak peek
I just finished the branding, invitation set and print ads for this Farm-to-Table event, hosted by Local Goodness. All proceeds benefit the USA Women's & Children's Hospital. Despite the time crunch, this has been one of my very favorite projects. Over 1,500 invitation sets were mailed out today! Wait until you see the final product...EACH invitation set was hand wrapped with red and white twine, and a custom designed seed packet (filled with basil seeds) was tied to the top as a favor. The "real" favor will be given to each guest at the event. The seed packets were hand stamped and read "Plant seeds of GOODNESS." More pics coming soon.... What a special event this will be—and all for a great (I mean, GOOD) cause. My job's not over yet...billboards, tickets, menus and many other items to come. Stay tuned for more details.
ADDY Awards
Exciting news: Hadley Binion Designs won two ADDY® Awards last week at the AAF Mobile Bay Advertising ADDY® Awards. One award was for a print brochure and one was for a TV commercial. See this post about the commercial I produced for Roberts Brothers—what a special project this was to be a part of. The pretty gal to the right is Karen Sullivan with RSQ. Don't let her single award here fool you—Karen and the RSQ team took home dozens of these bad boys the other night. Check out their site. They are the real deal, no doubt about that.
Sorry if I get a little nostalgic here, but Hadley Binion Designs has been my baby for as long as I can remember. I have learned—as cliché as it may sound—that if you dream big and work your tail off, your dreams can come true. I feel an unbelievable amount of gratitude to be here today DOING WHAT I LOVE. I am by no means the picture of "success" (whatever that is). Lord knows I have A LOT to learn, and have NOT mastered the life of a balanced working mom. At the end of the day, my family comes first, and if I miss a deadline or a meeting gets pushed back, life goes on. I may have to work crazy hours to get my to-do list done, but I also appreciate the flexibility of my job. If I want to take a day off just to play with Calder, I can and I do. That was one of the main motives (among many others) behind pursuing this dream.
That being said, the road to get here has not been easy. At. All.
Flashback: A little over three years ago I was working a full-time/8-5 job as a graphic designer/marketing director for a real estate company. After a long day + a 30 minute commute, I would come home and and continue to work until the wee hours of the night on my freelance design work. I did this for YEARS. My desk was the dining room table. I ate. slept and breathed this dream for many years.
I have definitely learned along the way, and could write a novel about "what I wish I had known." I do hope to post some freelance design/business tips here someday soon. Of course, I don't have all of the answers (not even close), but if I can help one freelance designer out there, that is far more meaningful to me than any award out there.
In the end, awards don't matter at all. What matters is creating work that you're proud of and that you BELIEVE in. It's all about helping people and businesses grow, and being passionate about your work and loving what you do. So to everyone out there with a big dream, I encourage you to follow and pursue it wholeheartedly—even if it requires some sacrificing along the way. It's won't be the easiest road as it requires giant leaps of faith, but looking back now, I wouldn't change it for the world.
New Branding: Mobile Pediatric Dentistry
I've had so much fun working on the branding for Dr. Stephen Greenleaf's new practice: Mobile Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Greenleaf has been such a joy to work with, and I know Calder will be visiting him as soon as I can get the courage to schedule her first dentist appointment! Check out the website for more info.
Lately
Here are some snapshots from my computer and what I've been working on lately. Don't get me wrong, I'm VERY grateful to be so busy, but these days I can barely come up for air. Whew! It's been such a huge blessing, but burning the candle on both ends can only continue for so long...especially when chasing a toddler around is my #1 priority! That being said, I'm thinking about hiring an assistant or maybe a summer graphic design intern. I don't know all of the details yet but will post more info soon, so please keep your ears open or contact me if you're interested.
My business has been growing steadily for a while now, and I figure, like my dad has been telling me: "you have to grow with it too, Hadley." I'm realizing (or maybe more like it's slapping me in the face)...I can't do it all my own. It's hard to give up control or trust that anyone else can help, BUT I know it's the truth. I'm praying for balance and the ability to say "no." Remember that girl who talked about white space and balance? I need to find her again!
To be continued soon...
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.
Proverbs 4:23
Proverbs 4:23 has always been one of my very favorites. I just printed it out and hung it in my office so that I can be reminded daily of this foundational truth.
Happy THANKSGIVING week everybody!
New Branding: Friends of the Delta
Whew. Life has been crazy lately. I feel like we've been going 90-to-nothing, and as much as I love being busy, I'm ready for some slow-down time. I can't wait to spend Thanksgiving in Chattanooga with our entire fam. Oh, to be away from the computer for a few days with nothing to do but sit around, eat good food, talk and laugh with the people I love, eat more good food and of course, play with our Calder-bear!
I can't wait.
On another (somewhat related) note, I'm going to try to take the time to share some of my recent design projects on the blog. I haven't blogged about a lot of my work because I've been so busy working on new projects. Every time I think about blogging, another deadline gets priority...OR I attempt to begin writing, but my brain is so fried it literally makes NO SENSE. Yes, I know, my typos are out of control these days! Needless to say, all of my clients are very special to me and deserve their own post(s)...hopefully some day soon I will have time to share the stories, sweat and tears that went into each project. My goal is to post at least one branding board a week, so here goes...
Here's a recent branding design I did for the Friends of the Delta, which is a group of folks who work together to promote a new National Park in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. See the website here. A new website is currently in the works. It was such a fun project to be a part of, and I can't wait to see what the Friends of the Delta do to help promote and restore our beautiful Mobile Delta.
It was a true honor to be a part of this project. We explored many logo options (many is an understatement) because the Delta means so many different things to everyone, but in the end, we chose the father and son image above. I loved learning about our Mobile Delta on a three hour morning boat ride with Bill Finch. Bill is the Mobile Botanical Gardens executive director and the Press-Register’s garden writer—and he was an amazing guide to say the least. He taught me so much about this incredible treasure we have right here in Mobile Bay. Did you know we're getting a National Park in 2016? Pretty amazing to be a part of this project—and it's these times I'm reminded how much I love my job.
Caroline Ceramics
I can't tell you how much I LOVE this girl and her beautiful pottery. We've been working on her new marketing material so stay tuned...fabulous, round letterpress business cards, postcards and new stationery system coming soon. Here's a repost from my old blog about her recent branding, website design, and her NEW ONLINE SHOP!
The new Caroline Ceramics website is live! This was a true labor of love, and we so worked hard to make sure this site was everything it needed it be, including an online shop and blog. I can't tell you how much I love this girl, and it thrills me to see her beautiful work come alive on the site. The site design and branding is so Caroline, and that's what matters most in the end.
Check out Caroline's new site and buy her work online from her NEW ONLINE SHOP. Caroline is the complete package. Her work is so original and beautiful, just like her sweet little self!
Before/After of Home Office
I didn't show a before/after picture of the office, so here's the best I can do! The "real" before picture didn't have a a window (which changed the entire room), new insulation and of course, no electrical/lighting/etc. What a far way we came in 2/3 short weeks! This project taught me so much, but primarily about the power of space. Although small, when done right, a small space can be just as efficient as a large one.
New Office!
THE OFFICE (and connecting 1/2 bath) are FINISHED!!!!!!!!
As of today, I'm no longer working in our kitchen or the guest bedroom! No words can say how THRILLED I am to have my own space to work and spread out.
Our handyman/contractor extraordinaire, Robert Shotlander and his assistant Aubrey (who are honestly more like family these days) did an AMAZING job. I can't say enough wonderful things about their work and attention to detail. They were here for 2-3 weeks straight (see the before pics here...they really started from scratch). I cannot believe this used to be the disgusting (this word deserves to be bold, trust me), bug infested storage room for Bruner's tools and lawn equipment.
I feel like a kid on Christmas morning! It's everything I desperately needed in order to keep my work and life together. And it turns out Bruner's likes his new, real shed even more, so it was a win-win situation.
Of course, there are some loose ends that aren't finished like the wall decor...I want to add an inspiration board/bulletin board as the back splash underneath the bottom shelf. I'd also like to add some kind of simple window treatment, and the awning will be here next week, etc. BUT...those details mean nothing to me right now—I finally have space to breath!
Here's a peek at the connecting half bath below (separate post coming soon). There's a closet door separating the two rooms, and that bathroom also leads out into our den. I love having access to the outside (especially when I come and go during the day) AND to the house, so I'm right there anytime too!
Love the exposed brick, which was a hidden treasure we found when gutting the room.
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This cabinet was a must for storage. It holds all of my binders (I'm a huge binder junkie/dork), paper samples and books. I can't wait to get in and have time to organize everything, but for now, it's all there and in ONE place which is what matters!
Someday I'll get around to making pretty printed labels for those binder spines...someday...
I found these old hand-crafted letters at Charles Phillips Antiques a few weeks ago. I spent a good 30 minutes digging through a huge bucket in a hot barn for these treasures...so we will definitely need to find them a home here soon....
Outside entrance is in progress.. The awning will be installed next week and we're adding some stones with mondo grass...
And Calder says:
"That's it for now folks! We need to get back to our real work."
lately
Here are some recent shots from my desktop and camera. I tried to mix up work and life—just like my real life balance I guess. I had a hard time narrowing it down from the gazillion options....sure wish I had time to do this post every day. And I really wish I had time to post more of Calder lately. I have thousands of pictures I've never done anything with. I try to place a big print order every 4 months or so and store them all in albums (we help keep shutterfly in business). It's so easy to forget to PRINT in this digital world—but I do hope that print will always win.
Calder is 22 months and growing like a weed. Gosh, she's fun. I rocked her to bed tonight and got so sentimental (and saaaad) about how fast time is going by. I'm trying to soak in every minute with her while maintaining a busy work schedule, which can be challenging to say the least. BUT, we're making it work and I love our schedule right now. She goes to MDO 4 days a week from 9-1. I cherish our mornings together and that's "our time" until she runs to the door with her backpack saying "schoooo, schoooo!!" She loves it which makes it a lot easier! From 9-1, I either have work appointments or work from home. It's amazing what you can get done in such a short time, when every minute is intentional and time can't be wasted.
I pick her up a little before 1, and we come home and have lunch. She rarely eats her lunch at school, so we make grilled cheeses and eat together everyday. From 1-2, we play together, usually outside, especially on these beautiful fall days! I love that time with her so much. She usually naps from 2-4ish (thankfully the girl loves her sleep), so that's my crunch time in the office working on deadlines and projects. When she wakes up, my work is over until she goes to sleep. Oh yes, sometimes I do have to work after 8 in order to make deadlines, BUT I wouldn't give up my day and mommy time for anything. It's a crazy schedule I know, but it works for us. Bruner goes to bed early and wakes up at the crack of dawn, so usually when he goes to sleep (8:30-9) I put in a few more hours if I have to. Not always, but I won't lie, I work a lot...but I get my time with my c-bear too, which is the most important thing to me.
Whew, sorry about that schedule info overload!
I will say that one of the MANY things I've learned since becoming a mother, is that there are MANY different ways to do everything and none of them are better than the other. Every situation is unique, and you just do what you have to do to make it work for your family. I've learned so much from other moms about scheduling and prioritizing. Believe me, our journey has been a trial and error process—and we don't have all the answers, that's for sure. But, I wanted to share this in case it helps any working moms out there. It's not easy finding a balance, but I do think you can make it work. I'm very thankful I'm passionate about what I do and love graphic design and everything that comes with it.
Of course, a few years down the road, things could be different and what works now won't work then. Schedules will change and life changes...so you have to change with it. But, I'm constantly reminding myself to soak these moments in. They are precious and time is flying by—so the focus has to be on what matters.
Office demo-Round 3
Making progress on the office! Floors are supposed to be put in tomorrow...we shall see, but no doubt the guys are working hard and we've come a long way in 1 week.
Several people have asked about where it attaches to the house. Here's a better idea..see that open storm dorm behind the pretty lady in hot pink?
And the window to the far right is new and makes all the difference in the space. It's almost like it should have been there the whole time...
Imagine a dark charcoal awning (with great looking iron spears...my favorite), a new paint job around the door, and stones or pavers leading up to the door... YAY FOR PROGRESS! Stay tuned. More coming soon.
And here's one from our Halloween playdate last Saturday. It was rainy so we opted for Sarah's house over the pumpkin patch. If this doesn't brighten day nothing will. That peeeeeecock was hanging in there like a champ!
Sarah Otts Paintings
There's nothing I love more than helping talented, aspiring artists' businesses grow. I find it a true honor to work for every single one of my clients, but there's something especially special when that client is one of your best friends too. I just love Sarah Otts AND her paintings. Her work is amazing—there's no other way to put it. I have two of her paintings in our home, and I'm telling you, each one of them makes the entire room. Our kitchen and living room wouldn't be same without Sarah's artistic touch. Seriously, investing in her art is worth every single penny in my opinion! I can say that with 100% honestly, but let me remind you, mine were all 100% barters...lucky me for sure!
EXCITING NEWS! We just launched her ONLINE SHOP and revamped her website! You can now buy her paintings anywhere, anytime, which is HUGE!!! Check it out! Isn't she fabulous??
And bare with me as I get a little sentimental here about our little girls who are only 3 1/2 months apart. They've been best friends since birth, regardless of whether their mom's had anything to do with that or not!:)
Love you Sarah and so, so proud of you and all of your hard work!
And finally, I can't believe it's already that time again! We're headed to the pumpkin patch this weekend with the same crew for pic #2. Calder's gonna be a peeeeecock!
Welcome!
Welcome to my new website and design blog!
I can't tell you how much hard work, sweat and tears (not to mention sleepless nights) have gone into this site. I honestly don't think I've ever worked so hard on any design project in my entire life. This site redesign started Spring 2013 and has taken me many months to finish. I'm thrilled to finally have this redesign behind me and in front of you!
Thanks for stopping by and following my design work and life as a wife and mom. I can't wait to share more with you soon!