Professional Designer or Run of the Mill?

A company and its brand are one and the same. This is the first impression you give to potential customers. Your brand conveys information about your company and how your want to be perceived within the community. So why do companies pinch pennies when choosing a designer for their branding and promotional materials? Being in the field of design and illustration for over 10 years, working in education, in corporate and as a contractor, my goal is to know my clients and their objectives. Whether I am designing, logos, brochures, travel packets, publications or large format banners, I pay attention to the little details, making sure that the company's brand and message is evident across the board. Quite simply, I want my clients to shine. When I made the leap from a full-time designer to a contractor about six years ago it was and is very frustrating to come across websites overrun by designers trying to out-bid each other for projects with very unrealistic budgets. Frustrating because designers are underselling their skills which hurts our industry and companies are hurting themselves by cutting corners in the wrong place. I recently came across Toptal, a company that also identified this problem and came up with a solution. Goodbye "run of the mill," Toptal wants professional designers to become a part of their team. Toptal conducts in-depth vetting, from language and personality screening to skill tests. Only about 3% of applicants are accepted to work through Toptal. Not only do they ensure they have quality creatives but they boast a roster of established clients like Hewlett Packard, J.P. Morgan and Pfizer. I would love to join Toptal Visual Designers as this is the type of platform I am seeking as a professional designer. The bottom line is, if you're serious about your company then you are serious about your brand. If you're serious your brand then you need to head to Toptal where you can work with professional designers like myself who won't cut corners but will help your company grow by standing out among your peers.

Something New: Pride and Prejudice Bookmarks and Notecards

New Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice bookmarks and note cards are now available in my 10 Camelia Way shop. You will love the rich colors and the silhouetted characters in these sets. Stop by and take a look!

Something New - Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice Wedding Invitation Set

Ever since I opened my shop 10 Camelia Way. I have always had it in the back of my mind to design Jane Austen inspired wedding invitations. Fast forward to present day, I have actually made my imaginings into a reality! Introducing the new Pride and Prejudice Printable Wedding Set.  I had lots of fun staging the photo shoot. Hope you like it!

In the Swing of Summer!

I've been lost in action because as soon as the kids started school we went straight into our summer vacation. We drove to Atlanta and had an amazing time with some family friends. We visited the Amicalola Falls and went up and down about 600 steps that left me barely walking for a couple days - and I work out! We visited Red Top Mountain State Park and swam and canoed in Lake Altoona. And my favorite and I have to the rest of my family was blown away, was without a doubt  The Atlanta Botanical Gardens. I can't believe this treasure is sitting in the middle of the city. It was just an amazing inspiring place. I can truly call this a harmony between man and nature. Here are some of the photos, I'll have more to share throughout the summer. Hope you have a happy summer!

What's Cooking at a Kings Breakfast: Bacon and Cheese Frittata

Happy Monday! I can't think of a better way to start the week than with a yummy breakfast like this frittata. Egg, tons of cheese, bacon, tomatoes, I think I could have this would be great for lunch too. You can find the full recipe and cooking directions at http://www.akingsbreakfast.com/2012/10/06/bacon-cheese-frittata/

Bollywood Fever: Mujhse Dosti Karoge

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I don't know what it is about this movie but my daughter and I LOVE it! Ok, that's putting it mildly, a little bit obsessed actually, especially with the musical scenes. We dance around like crazy people. It stars Rani Mukerji as Pooja, Kareena Kapoor as Tina and Hrithik Roshan as Raj.  All three are childhood friends in India. Raj who has a crush on Tina moves away to London and asks her to email him. Emailing is really not Tina's thing so Pooja decides to email Raj instead and does so for the next 15 years while signing her name as Tina! Raj returns home thinking Tina has been writing him all those years and well you'll have to watch it to see what happens next! You can find it on Netflix. 

Summer Necklaces Big Sale!

Summer is around the corner and its time to jazz up your summer wardrobe. The studio has some fun necklaces that will look great with your favorite summer dresses, tees, tanks, etc. We are also having a huge sale on the necklaces because they will not be back next year! A little bit of a sob there but it's ok we'll have some new stuff to fill its place! Oh, by the way, they're only $10! Check out the shop http://www.diggsstudio.etsy.com