Sometimes My Friends Ask For Help...

And when they ask, of course I jump at the chance!

So when my fabulous friend, Marek, asked me to design some business cards, etc. for her scarf and pillow business, I eagerly agreed. I'm happy with how it turned out, and I think Marek is too.

Let me know what you think of her branding.

Sometimes I Get Bored...

And when I get bored, I create.

I was given the opportunity at work last December to expand my position to include more graphic design work. I had done several projects when we were in between in house designers, and I had really grown to appreciate and love the art of graphic design.

So, on one such boring day, a certain, wonderful man urged me to think outside the box. I came up with this project to stay within the lines, state lines, that is. I downloaded templates of all 50 state and began creating 8x10 posters for each state, spelling the state name out, but always staying within the state borders.

I am excited to share a few of these prints.

Phantom Blogger

I tell myself all the time that I am going to finally sit down and force myself to blog. I look at blogs all of the time for inspiration for design projects, DIY projects, or just for a good laugh, but I myself am a TERRIBLE blogger. I vow to make this part of my (dreaded/cliche/silly/ridiculous) New Years Resolution. Along with buying a house, getting in shape, and this finally being the year that Ryan Gosling decides that we are MFEO.

To 2012, may you be my best year yet.

Aaand DONE!

So, it's been a long time coming. I sat with pages cut out in to circles, finally made the rosettes and then glued them to my wreath, just to find out that I still needed MORE pages! One book just wasn't enough. So much to using just my favorite book, Great Gatsby, for the project.

So, I thought a lot about how to finish it off, so I selected another tragic love story to complete the project. I settled on Romeo and Juliet. I used only the dialogue pages to finish it, and used every single page.

Needless to saw this project was a total labor of love, but I am so pleased with how it turned out. Although I don't have a tutorial, my friend Marek posted hers.

Hope you love it as much as I do.

Unfinished Project

Story of my life. I start a project with the best of intentions. I buy all the supplies, set time aside, and then something happens to hinder the completion.

Ever since I saw this beautiful wreath on my friend Marek's blog, I've been itching to make it. You'll notice that she posted about it in March, I started mine in...April. And it is still sitting in my room, unfinished. My problem is that I ran out of pages. (I had a brilliant idea to use my favorite book, Great Gatsby, alas, the book was not big enough to complete the wreath).

I vow to finish this by the end of June. It's just too neat to sit, unfinished, any longer. Pictures to be posted as soon as it is complete.

Summer Delight

So, while browsing one of my FAVORITE blogs today, i was struck by this image. Delicious looking, right? Okay, so I had to look at the post that contained the origins of this yummy treat and where I could find more like it. I searched the post to the link for this mysterious "Sweet Paul," and low and behold, I found it.

I immediately clicked and this is what I found, the Sweet Paul Summer Magazine. I have already printed four spreads including: salads, cakes, soda fountain treats and garden fresh dishes. I'm in heaven. I will have to try one of these this weekend and report back on Monday on just how sweet Paul really is.

For now...I will dream of these recipes while I finish up my day.

A.D.D.

So, I have recently realized that I get REALLY distracted REALLY easily. Today's distraction came as a result of a post on one of my favorite blogs, How About Orange.

Jessica posts fun projects and ideas, and in her post about an emergency project she had to do to not forfeit her Groupon, she inadvertenly gave me a 15 minute project, that I didn't need to do, and added something else to a list of things I want to have in the house I don't own yet.

In browsing the Cafe Press website, I learned I could make my own shirts, mugs, and even my own coasters. I immediately clicked on the coasters, and found this little gem.



I LOVED this idea, but wasn't crazy about the graphic, so instead, I made my own.



I can't wait to order a set of these for my house. Some tweaking may come between now and then, but for now, I'm smitten.

Wednesday, My Favorite Day

Wednesday is my favorite day for a few reasons:

1. It is in the middle of the week
2. I tutor on Wednesday mornings
3. DesignSponge posts DIY projects every Wednesday

I look forward to Wednesday all week. I start my day with the two smartest 2nd graders and then spend my "lull" time at the office browsing the DIY projects.

I found it fitting to re-start my blog on Wednesdays because DIY projects are one of my favorite topics to read and talk about, so why not write about it?

In my current life, I rarely have any down time or time to myself, but when I do, I enjoy completeing a good 'ol fashion DIY project.

My latest creation is the Kristen Griffing inspired splatter canvas that hangs directly behind me in my office at work.

But the project I have been DYING to complete for weeks now is the Marek Ferguson inspired wreath, like this. I will post pictures when mine is complete.

Until then, keep being crafty and creative, and I promise to do the same.

Glorified Party Planner

Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I would graduate college and become an events planner.

I remember my first day in PR Research my junior year in college. Sitting in front of Dr. Katerina Tsetsura, Russian PR Goddess and every PR students worst nightmare. I was terrified to be sitting in her class, but excited at the opportunity to soak up every word she spoke.

Not long in to her introduction, Dr. Tsetsura posed a question to the class. A question that had me re-thinking my response to another question she would ask me a year and a half later. She stopped, took a step towards our class, and calmly asked, "Who in here plans to walk out of this university and become a party planner?" She waited a moment before she spoke again. You could tell that many students in the class (mostly sorority girls, which I say with the kindest regard as I, myself, am a veteran sorority girl) wanted to raise their hands, but would not. She then smiled, and spoke again. "Good, because if you plan to become a party planner or wedding coordinator with your four year, highly regarded, PR degree, you should quit school now and save your parents a lot of money."

Certainly put the fear of the PR gods in me. Particularly when a year and a half later, after she ripped me a new one after my PR Campaigns presentation. She followed me out in to the hall, told me how much she loved my project and how great our point of view was (Even though she had just ripped us to shreds in front of our client), then she asked the current popular question. With graduation mere weeks away, she asked me the one question I did not want to answer. "So, Katy, what are you going to do after your graduate?" I quickly responded that I had been offered a job at United Way in Oklahoma City. She then said, " Wow, what a great organization. What will you do for them?" I shuttered at the question and then quietly responded that I would be planning their events. She smiled, looked at me, and said, "No shame in that, everyone starts somewhere, you will do great things."

And with that, I felt relieved. My college PR mentor had given my first job the stamp of approval. But, to do her proud, I am not the conventional party planner. My take on planning events? Easy. Make each event relevant. Make it memorable. And, if need be, bring a 5'7 chicken to finish the job.

That's me, in a nutshell. Enjoy.

A Year in Review

So, I haven't updated my blog in quite some time, so it seems I have missed all of my 2010 events.

Here are some highlights. Enjoy!