Makenzie’s Creations

A little over a month ago I was asked by Makenzie Bolz of Makenzie’s Creations to create a logo. She told me she had been watching my work on my Facebook and decided it was time to ‘pick my brains’ for a new logo.

For the past five years, Makenzie has been making cakes, cupcakes, cookies, sewn items, and several other crafts that she sells. Be sure to check her out on her Facebook to see her talent! She does an amazing job!

She needed a logo that she could use on business cards, clothing tags, stickers, a blog header, and many other items. I couldn’t have been more excited because I love creating the look of a business (except when it comes to mine!) The only problem is that Makenzie wasn’t exactly sure on what she wanted for a logo. She had the basic colors that she wanted and knew she wanted to incorporate sewing with baking. Good thing is that as I read what she was looking for, I knew exactly what I was going to do for her (which ended up being the logo she went with!) I had her send me some styles that she liked of other logos so I could get her personality into the logo. I couldn’t have asked for a more cooperative client!

The logo I started with ended up being my favorite. As soon as Makenzie spoke with me about a logo that incorporated sewing and a cake, I thought why not have a cake make of buttons?

This design was a lot of fun to work on and it turned out better than I had imagined. It also got the most hits on my Facebook when I posted the album.

The second logo that I designed for Makenzie turned out great as well but I didn’t think that it showed very much of the ‘sewing factor.’

I still love the way it looks though. I think it’s the pattern on the top layer that catches my eye. She had mentioned that she would like some patterns in her logo (as long as it’s not zebra) so I had added some to a couple of the layers.

The third logo I created was my second favorite (which was surprisingly nobody elses!).

The cupcake turned out exactly how I wanted it too, which is why I think I loved it so much. I had never done a cupcake before so it was fun to create. I’ll definitely be sure to use this in the future!

This next logo I went a bit ‘retro’ with. I loved the font so I decided to design a logo around the font. (I tend to do this a lot when I first get a font!)

This was the weakest logo that I designed for Makenzie. I should’ve designed a better cupcake, but at the time I thought it was adorable! I haven’t designed ribbons all that much and I thought this one turned out rather well. The font looks great of course, so I’m sure I’ll be using it again very soon!

The last logo I designed for Makenzie had mostly the ‘sewing’ attribute.

My favorite part about this logo was how the border looked like it’s stitched onto the backsplash. I wasn’t sure how to incorporate the baking into it because I didn’t want to create a really long logo.

Are you ready to see what logo we ended up with? 

When Makenzie emailed me back, she told me that she loved all of them and many aspects of several. She explained what she wanted to do and then she ended up doing what none of my clients had ever done before . . . she manipulated several logos together so I could understand what she was trying to explain to me. This is what she emailed me . . .

I loved that she did this because I completely understood what she wanted me to do. Most of the time when clients try to explain what they want it’s hard to put their thoughts together.

The final logo design that Makenzie chose for her logo ended up being . . .

She also asked for the cake by itself that she will use for stickers and she also asked for the banner without the cake. The great thing about this logo is that it can be easily taken apart and used for several different things. I personally feel as if this is one of the best logos that I have designed that fits the personality of the owner and business. I can’t wait to start seeing all of it on her packaging!

Hope you enjoyed the post.

Which one would you have picked?

5K Design

So it’s been a month since my last posting. Sorry about that!

College + Applying for jobs + Running a club + Working 35 hours a week = One tired person!

One of the main things I’ve been working on lately is a 5K run for my organization. This 5K was created to raise money for a scholarship that we are giving to a student coming into the Communication Department at Pittsburg State University. To check out more about the event, head on over to psuprad5k.com.

There have been several logos, posters, flyers, tickets, and t-shirts that have been created for this event. Some of the work is my own, and some of it is the work of Stephanie Sheldon.

Enjoy!

 

This is the logo design that I created for the event. I wanted to incorporate our club’s colors into the design. I had come up with two different logos for the 5K and this is the one that won when the club voted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the logo that I created for the Communicator of Tomorrow scholarship (which is the scholarship that we will be giving away). I went with the Pittsburg State University colors on this and created the word bubble to symbolize “communication.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below is the poster design that I created to play off of the logo design. I didn’t want to overuse the logo (since there is so much wording on it) so I decided to not place the logo on the poster. I have no idea what made me design at an angle… but I thought it made the poster more interesting to look at.

 

Next are the t-shirts. My favorite. They’re simple, yet drawing to the eye.
I created two different ones. The volunteers on the day of the event will wear the red shirts and the runners will receive the white shirts with their registration.

 

 

Next came the Pancake Feed designs. Every year, PRAD hosts an All-You-Can-Eat pancake feed at Applebees in Pittsburg. This year, we decided to have it after the race. I asked Stephanie to come up with the poster design for the event. I love the design that she came up with so I played off the style to create the tickets to go with the poster. A big thanks to Stephanie for her creativity!

 

 

 

 

 

That’s all the design for now!

If you’re interested in running the 5K or donating to the scholarship, check out psuprad5k.com or email psuprad5k@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!

Amazing Things

Today I was having my typical afternoon internet surfing and came across some amazing things. And after I about an hour, I figured why not share these things with everyone? So here are my Amazing Things : ) Enjoy!

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The first thing that stopped me in my tracks today was Square.

Square

Have you heard of it? Talk about amazing. I can’t believe how far we have come in technology that we now have a card reader that you simply plug into your phone! You can accept credit cards wherever you are. This is definitely a great idea for traveling salesmen, organizations, recruitments, and registrations.

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A blog that utterly amazed me was http://www.thedieline.com/.

Geek Twister in CMYK

This blog is all about package design. FABULOUS package design. As quoted from the website, “Its purpose is to define and promote the world’s best packaging design, and provide a place where the package design community can review, critique and stay informed of the latest industry trends and design projects being created in the field.” Hope you enjoy it just as much as I do.

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My all-time favorite Etsy shop.

mylavendercottage planner

Yes, this is my “girl” moment. I just had to mention something about Etsy because it’s my favorite place to browse. So I figured why not talk about my favorite store? I searched for what seemed like weeks for the perfect planner. I’m one of those picky planner pickers. Nothing is right, there’s always something I don’t like. Then I came across mylavendercottage’s shop on Etsy. She sells handmade day planners, address books, business card files, mileage logs and notebooks which she likes to call ‘creative alternatives to business as usual.’

I wish I would’ve taken a picture of her package as well. When I received my planner it was packaged with lavender seeds. It smelled and looked fantastic when I opened it. I will definitely be going back to her every year : )

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Need to learn a few tricks or just get some inspiration? Check out http://veerle.duoh.com/!

Veerle's Blog

It seems like whenever I have a question on design or am just interested in a new design technique, I can go to this blog and learn. She has a lot of fun tutorials and  inspirational pieces. Even the layout of her blog is eye catching. So if you have some time, be sure to take a look at Veerle’s Blog.

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This next thing is so fantastic I needed three photos . . .

BookBook Case

BookBook

BookBook

Yes, you are seeing things right. It’s a Mac Book cover that looks like a book. How amazing is that? I can’t wait to have this case someday. I’d be so proud to carry this around. Want one for yourself? Check them out at http://www.twelvesouth.com/products/bookbook/. Once you go to this site you won’t ever want to leave. Be sure to look at their other Mac based products such as their SurfacePad Colors and BackPack.

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UP

UP Movie Poster

Love, Love, LOVE this movie, mostly just because of the colors that are used in the film. I would do anything to have this poster in my room, but it seems to cost quite a bit. I don’t think there were many of this version made!

When the house is floating up for the first time and the colors light up the little girl’s room I am in awe. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, next time you see this movie look at her walls as the balloons pass by her window.

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Well, hopefully you enjoyed this! What are some of your amazing things?

Until next time, have a good one : )

Yay for Job Hunting!

Now that I am about to graduate from college, I am on the hunt for that perfect job. I couldn’t have been more excited to graduate . . . and then I started the job searching process.

Who would’ve thought this took so much time?

A couple of months ago I went to a conference where they spoke to us about how to get that job that you want. They said things like, “Personalize your information to the company. Make sure you check on your status, but don’t bother them too much! Don’t leave voicemails if you can’t reach them but don’t give up! Have an amazing portfolio to WOW them. Be Unique. KNOW SOMEBODY!“ I could go on and on.

So I start job hunting, keeping everything in mind that they told me to. Wow . . . that’s a lot of work. I believe the hardest thing is finding the contact person, you know, the one you are supposed to address everything to. If there’s one big no no in applying for jobs, it’s putting “To Whom It May Concern” at the top of your cover letter. You mind as well just throw that dream away. I’ll be on a roll applying for jobs, then it’s ten at night and I have no contact person. I guess I’ll be on hold for the next day!

I’ve always told myself, go big. I’m young and can do anything, go where ever I want right now. So I’m applying to whatever job makes me excited when I read it. But I still get nervous. There’s no doubt about that. When I come across that New York job, my heart skips a beat as I click the send button. And then I find a job I really, really want. I think my hand starts to shake a bit when I email the company my resume and portfolio.

So far this week, I have applied to:
• Names and Numbers – Pittsburg, KC
• Noble Marketing, Inc. – Orlando, FL
• The Design Image Group, Inc – Chicago, IL
• Helzberg Diamonds – Kansas City, MO
• Barkley – Kansas City, MO
AND McCord Design Group – St. Louis, MO

Let’s hope that I’ll be hearing back from them soon!

If you happen to hear or know of any Graphic Design/Production Artist job openings, feel free to email me or leave a message! : )

 

BlueBird Cakery Logo

I recently had the pleasure of working with a lady from my hometown. Jennie Brevitz started up a Cake Business on the side called BlueBird Cakery. She’s made cakes for birthdays, special events, wedding rehearsals, and many other events.

Jennie contacted me on my Facebook page Design Avenue asking me to create her a logo since she is wanting to begin working more with the small business in April and she needed a face for the company. She showed me the image that she had now, but informed me she was willing to go in a new direction as well.

To start off, I began drawing different logos that I thought would fit her business. With the first logo, I wanted to stick with a silhouette of a bird and incorporate the type into the illustration. The final outcome ended up being this…

BlueBird Cakery Logo 1

For the next logo, I wanted to go with more of a fun, modern look. I mostly wanted to do this because I was in love with the font, which by the way is Eight One. I created a more simple bird, but had a hard time when it came to placing the text on, within, around the bird. In the end, I went with this look.

BlueBird Cakery Logo 2

This next logo I created ended up being my least favorite. I wanted to try and create the branch-bird like look that Jennie had sent me and that she was currently using for her Facebook photograph. I still liked the outcome, but I liked the other logos that I had created better. But I’ll still let you have a look at the logo…

BlueBird Cakery Logo 3

The final logo I drew was the one I had been thinking about the entire time I was designing. I wanted to create a cake, but also include a bird somewhere in the design. The font worked beautifully with the cake and bird. It’s a rather simple design, but I had the most reaction from this logo when I created it. Here you go…

BlueBird Cakery Logo 4

In the end, Jennie’s favorite was the fourth logo I had made, but she wasn’t quite satisfied. So she asked me to create something with a vintage feel to it. After research on vintage logos, I found a font I adored (and thought she would too) and created a look that looked more vintage than the other designs I had made. I also changed the blue to a popular baby blue that is used quite a bit in vintage looks. Jennie ended up choosing this logo for her small business, and I’d have to say she made a great choice!

So drum roll please . . .

BlueBird Cakery FINAL Logo

I had a lot of fun working on these logos and Jennie was pleased with the outcome of the logo.

If you’d like for me to create a logo for personal use (such as on resumes), your small business, or an organization that you’re involved in, don’t hesitate to email me today at sienna.m.miller@gmail.com or find me on Facebook or Twitter.

Do you have your QR Code?

QR Code

You’ve probably seen them in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards, or on just about any object about which you might need information off of. You can take a photograph of the QR Code with your wireless device and the QR Code will display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in your phone’s browser.

This is a great way for graphic designers like myself to display their portfolios by placing the QR Code on their self promotional pieces and having the QR Code linked to their website! It can also be used by Universities to recruit students and easily have the students linked to their website, for magazines to forward readers quickly to websites they’re talking about, and a quick way for companies to forward their interested clients information.

So what are you waiting for?
I got mine free at http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

FINALLY! A Portfolio Workshop in KC!

Recently I went to the AAF Career Day in Kansas City  so that I could gain a foot in the door with the Advertising world in Kansas City. I not only took in a lot of information that I needed to know about the industry, I was able to learn about an opportunity that is coming up in Kansas City this January.

It’s called CAMP Portfolio!

It’s a portfolio boot camp for Art Directors, Designers, and Copywriters. They help you to create the book that is going to get you your next job! Those of us from Kansas no longer have to go out-of-state to go to a great portfolio school!

“Like” them on Facebook or find them on Twitter @campportfolio today!

First PRAD Meeting of the 2010 Fall Semester!

The Public Relations and Advertising Club will be having its first meeting September 1st, 2010 at 4pm in the Inaugural Room of the Overman Student Center. We will be talking about what the club has to offer its members and what the members will be involved in throughout the year. Pittsburg State University students, please, feel free to come by. All majors are welcome! You can join for $5 a semester or $10 for a year!

So come see us!

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2010 AT 4PM
INAUGURAL ROOM, OVERMAN STUDENT CENTER

We look forward to seeing you there!

My Logo Designs

Throughout the past couple years, I have worked on a couple different logos. This is my showcase of my logos. I’m sure there will be more to come soon!

Billings Area Family Violence Task Force Logo

This is a logo that I recently designed for the Billings Area Family Violence Task Force. They were looking for a more modern logo and to move away from a “kiddy” feel. This was a very hard task for me. As designers know, long names make for a challenge when it comes to logo design. I was very pleased with this logo that I came up with. I’m still awaiting approval, but I love the design so I decided to post it. Let me know what you think!

Design Expressions Logo

For one of my classes, we were required to come up with a business to create a logo and brand for. Design Expressions was a business I came up with. After creating the business for the class, it really got me thinking about creating my own someday. That’s how I came up with Design Avenue.

Lillian Rose Photography Logo

This is another logo that I came up with for class. We had 20 minutes to sketch up a drawing of a logo of a random business, and then the rest of the hour class period to design the logo on the computer. I love the logo that I ended up with in only a class period. (Lillian Rose is actually what I want to name my daughter when I have kids. Who knows, maybe she’ll be a photographer!)

Lone Cedar Logo

This is a logo that Jason Landrum and I were asked to create for a club at the Pittsburg State University College of Technology. The logo was the combined efforts of the both of us.

Public Relations and Advertising Club Logo

Public Relations and Advertising Club Logo

The Public Relations and Advertising Club, which is the club that I am currently the President of, needed a new look. I asked my officers to create some logos and we would vote from the ones that we designed. At the end of the voting period, my design was chosen (which is the blue logo) but it seemed like it needed more.

I got together with my officers and by using angles, 3D manipulation, and adding the type at the bottom, we finalized on a logo that we all love.

Transport Your Future Logo

This is a logo that I created for the Automotive Department out of the Pittsburg State University College of Technology. Transport Your Future is a summer program for kids that are interested in Automotive Industries and want to learn more about it.

Simplicity Paints Logo

Simplicity Paints is the business of a local Pittsburg artist named Brittany Morris. I had done her wedding invitations and other designs, so she asked me to create her logo for her freelance business she just started up. She gave me free rein. I immediately had an image in my head of what I wanted to create for her. I started drawing on the computer and quickly came up with this logo. Love it.

Need a logo done for yourself that’s cheap and unique to you and your business? Please don’t hesitate to contact me today!

sienna.m.miller@gmail.com

Get That DREAM Job!

Ever wonder what you can do to get ahead of everyone else out there? Worried about not standing out when you apply for a job?

On March 31, 2010 the Public Relations and Advertising Club had a guest speaker for their Inspiration Cramsession. Her name is Christel Benson and she is a professor at Pittsburg State University in the Department of Graphics and Imaging.

Christel spoke to us about her portfolio, how to advertise yourself to the job market, the best way to build your resume, and many other things. After the session, many who attended were filled with inspiration and new ideas on how to get themselves their dream job.

Now it’s your turn to learn how to get that job . . .

• KNOW WHAT YOU’RE APPLYING FOR •
The first and most important point is to BE AWARE of what you are APPLYING FOR! Be sure to go over what you are sending to the company and make sure your information applies to that company. You want your resume to be exactly what they are looking for, so be sure to tweek it so it will relate to the job.

• FIND OUT ABOUT THE COMPANY •
Also, make sure you know about the company you are applying for. Take an interest in the business you want to work for. Find out what they are doing in their community, their biggest clients, their treatment of their workers . . . ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. These companies want to know that you are interested in them.

• MAKE YOURSELF STAND OUT •
After sending your resume and cover letter, follow up with a packet of your work. Make yourself stand out and show that you want this job and are willing to work hard to get it. If you have a unique name, quality, etc., then make that stand out about you!

• INFORM YOUR REFERENCES •
Be sure you don’t just write down references, call them up and/or email them to let them know what you’re applying for and ask if they are willing to help you out. That way when the employer calls them, they already know what to talk about.

• KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES •
Everybody has their weaknesses. Understand yours. Turn them into something positive. You will be asked what your weaknesses are, so be ready to talk about them in a good way rather than being completely negative.

• SHOW OFF YOUR GOOD QUALITIES •
If you’re good at something, talk about it. If you worked hard for your GPA, point that out. If you have great team collaboration, inform them about it. Talk about jobs that you held for a long time, coordinating events, the signage you created, your public speaking abilities. All these help make you into a better candidate!

• LEAVE A PIECE OF YOU BEHIND •
Finally, you’re leaving the interview but there are still 10 other candidate to interview. What can you do so that the interviewer will remember you out of all of them? Leave something behind. Whether it’s a brochure, piece of work, business card that stands out. I have heard of applicants leaving drumsticks behind because that was their hobby. It stood out to the employer. Figure out what this piece will be for you! It’s an easy way to market yourself to them!

• PORTFOLIO •
If you are still in College, look at ever assignment as a portfolio piece. This is when you have the students and teachers surrounding you to make sure your piece is as good as it can be. Work hard! The more work you do now, the less that you have to worry about later.
Just like your resume and cover letter, customize your portfolio to fit the job. BE CONFIDENT about the way it looks, the way it’s assembled, and the pieces you have in it. You have to be able to talk about the pieces of work comfortably. Talk to others about your portfolio. Practice makes perfect. Talk to other companies you know aren’t hiring about letting you sit in on a mock interview. It’s a competitive job market out there, so you have to be your best!

The job is going to go to the one who is most prepared. Do what you can to be THE person they need.

To check out more about Christel Benson, go to her blog at www.funxionology.blogspot.com.