Letterpress Holiday Cards

In early December I decided I had to print a vintage Happy Holidays plate I got from eBay. So my boyfriend and I headed out to the presses and set out to print greeting cards in a garage in 20° weather. 

The presses live in my friends garage. So we let the Chandler and Price warm up with the motor for about 15 minutes while it spread ink. I pre-cut my cards, so we just went for it. My friend PK also assisted a few prints, as Josh hand turned the fly wheel. Our motor is WAY too fast for our beginner hands, so we are just taking it easy doing some hand turning. Makes sense for winter, really. 

We printed about 100 cards total, and it was super fun despite Michigan being pretty wintery this year. I used French Paper Co. paper, they are a Michigan company that has been in business for over 100 years, and I just like supporting Michigan peeps. 

Looking for some letterpress? Let's make something! 

Free 2018 Calendar Download!

It's the season of giving, so I made this little calendar available to download for free. It has some original Charmellow artwork about traveling on it to inspire you the whole year through. 

Tell your friends! Happy Holidays! 

FREE DOWNLOAD

Case Study: Great Lakes Hop & Barley Conference

Michigan is stout with natural resources and regions that grow perfect beer ingredients. The Great Lakes Hop & Barley Conference, put on by Michigan State University each year, brings together those resources, farmers, brewers and scientists. Erin Lizotte, one of the organizers and educators for MSU Extension in Cadillac, approached me to tackle a new logo for them. I was invited to come to the conference in 2017 and analyze their existing branding and how the conference flows. I attended lectures, dinners and more lectures. I learned a lot about the farming aspect of craft beer and gained a totally new level of appreciation for our region's beer especially. 

The GLHBC needed a newer, brighter, more attractive logo that targeted their audience more directly. The logo they were working with was a bit dainty for the mostly male audience. They wanted the new logo to speak to the science of the beer industry, and the connections people make while they are at the conference. It needed to be strong, and to also work with the MSU logo. 

The process started with a pinterest board after multiple discussions about the direction they needed to go. The audience drove the visual research - farmers, brewers, equipment manufacturers - all needed to be reached. From the board, the organizers I worked with chose colors and a general direction that included a farmer. I took that and made the first round of logo options. They chose the early versions of the direction you see displayed here. The icons in the logo kit make up the elements of the conference by representing Michigan, water, beer, hop & barley, farmers and the geometric shape becomes the every growing connections throughout the industry. They got a full set of files and variations, as well as a detailed branding guide to help them effectively use the new graphic design. 

The results I will report back on, as the next conference happens in Spring of 2018. It was amazing to work with their dedicated team to make something bold and new for them. I'm excited to see how they use it and how it transforms their conference. 

Let's make something together! Get in touch! 

12 Ways We Can Work Together

12 Ways We Can Work Together

I do a lot of different projects for a wide range of businesses and people. Things like logos, websites and merch are common. I love learning new things and taking on challenging projects. Here are 12 ways we could work together. Got an idea? Let’s chat!

1. New Website (or an update!)
   Maybe you have never heard of websites or maybe you need an update to a site you’ve had for 10 years. Either way there is usually something I can do to help get you current on the internet. I like to make new sites in Square Space or Wordpress for the ease of handing it off to the client. 

2. Event Campaign
   I have a lot of experience making posters and other event advertising collateral. Print, social media, websites and merch are some of the things I’ve designed for events, musicians, and city governments alike. I can design you a poster, or we can work together to come up with an entire campaign strategy. 

3. Pitch Deck
   Pitching a new event or idea can be stressful, and making a good impression is imperative. Having a well designed pitch deck can be the boost you need in a presentation. I can provide a print or digital deck experience, you provide the content.

4. E-book Design
   Sometimes what we do is more complicated than a simple tagline and needs a good explanation to really sell it. A well written e-book designed with simple to follow formatting can help you seal the deal. A designer can make sure your content sticks with whomever reads it by creating interesting page designs. 

5. Infographic
   Picture this: you’ve got pages of great stats and info in a Word doc. Are you sleeping yet? Jazz up those little info snacks with some icons and pie charts for more impact. I can make your info come alive with original illustrations, icons and other fun design elements.

6. Logo Design
   Logos are a major investment for any company, and its best to get it right! My process involves getting to know you and getting to know what you do. I become your biggest fan and your logo becomes my personal mission. 

7. Letterpress Business Cards
   I own some big huge antique presses and can make your business card a unique experience. We can pick paper and get a plate made of your logo. It could be printed in gold. Just saying.

8. Illustration & Lettering
   Hand drawn style isn’t for everyone, but it does lend character to whatever it’s used for. If you are looking for illustration, you probably have an idea. Share it with me. I’ll draw you something magical. Also, I like lettering enough to dedicate a couple sentences here. Need a hand drawn logo for your band? Just say so. Need some fancy script for a chalkboard? Let’s do this.

9. Editorial & Publication Design
   I have a considerable amount of experience in this department. Do you need a visitors guide? I used to design official visitors guides for over 25 US cities and states. Updating your official state map? I can handle the task. From brochures, to catalogs, to editorial design — I have the skills to get it done for you.

10. Menu Design
    I have a ton of actual food service experience (bartending & serving), and happen to love great food and cocktails. Those experiences make me an expert at menu design. Making menus organized and creative is one of my favorite things. A well designed menu can elevate the experience for the customer and increase sales! 

11. Screen Printed Posters
    Screen printing adds character to design that digital and offset printing doesn’t have. My studio can handle 2 color prints and up to 11 x 17 poster size.

12. Invitations
    Between the antique printing presses and my fine art handmade book making skills - I can make the invitations of your dreams. Let’s make those letterpress invites and hand sewn program booklets you always dreamed of. It’s your day after all...

There are countless other ways we can work together to help your business, band, conference or festival. I want to make great experiences for customers everywhere using my design and art skills.  If you like what you've seen and read, let's connect!