Why do I like Wine Bottle design?
Why do I like wine bottle design? When you watch people choosing wine you often find them wandering up and down the aisle, or in my local supermarket, slowing down, looking up and down each shelf at a steady pace and then staring at one particular bottle that has caught their eye, picking it up,…
Church Easter Theme Ideas
It’s my aim to help you to get ahead of the game, look professional and have Easter program design you are proud of. One of the most pinnacle moment sin the Church diary is Easter, and coming up with a new theme year in and year out can sometimes feel like a bigger task than…
Map Pixels IS LIVE
Map Pixels IS LIVE on Fantasy Map Market I’m so excited to announce that after a long wait, lots of discussions and even more drawing and designing, Map Pixels is now LIVE on Fantasy Map Market. With the expertise of Nathan Smith of Vancano and the World Building community at WBS this has been a…
What a Church needs from a Designer
Experience of working in the Church as a designer can be rewarding and also painful, here’s a guide to help a Designer and a Church leader build a strong relationship. I have worked with churches for over 15 years as a graphic designer, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly; both with…
Conquering Imposter Syndrome
This blog is short, simple but empowering 8 years ago I was the only female in an office of domineering male co-workers, just finding out I was pregnant and that I suddenly had a brand new line manager who blocked me off from speaking directly to the two company executive I had previously had a…
The Power of Kindness
“How often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~ Leo Buscaglia Every act of kindness, no matter how small, can have a huge impact. From a…
What an Author needs from a Designer
In the past 12 years or so I have helped over 20 authors publish books; whether that be with a cover design, the formatting or both; and also publish it through online resources. Sometimes people come to me with their finishes article and I just smarten it up, add essential details like publishing rights and…
Countdown to Christmas in Colour
Join me for a special Colour Palette exploration as we countdown 8 weeks to Christmas. Christmas, to me, is a season, and I don’t know about you but I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE going into shops and staring at, walking around and exploring all the Christmas decorations. I always feel inspired and happy – so…
Logo Costs
What should I expect to pay for a logo? This is almost an impossible question to answer as each project is different, each outcome is unique and each process is completely different. However I can lay out some generalisations and look at what other professionals say about this in order to help answer this and…
CREATED . the second edition
CREATED . the second edition It is with great pleasure that I release the second edition of the CREATED . magazine in November 2011. I’ve been overwhelmed with the interaction with the first edition released earlier this year and this second edition comes in just in time for the festive season. I am so pleased…
Simple Christmas Designs
It’s my aim to help you to get ahead of the game, look professional and have Christmas program design you are proud of. Sometimes you have a whole media & design team who can explore the Christmas theme and produce amazing concepts for you to have a whole month of Christmas in Church. Other times…
Church Christmas Theme Ideas
When it comes to Christmas, do you struggle to come up with a great theme for your service? Does your media team start asking you in August what the plan is for Christmas? or do you leave it to the last minute to come up with a December service schedule? Having been part of planning…
Things I wish I knew before becoming a Designer
If you’ve come to this blog, welcome. And thanks for stopping by. As time goes on I tend to spend a few days, sometimes weeks, looking back on the year around September time. September is my birthday month and the start of the school year and it always felt like a reset time; and still…
Continue Reading Things I wish I knew before becoming a Designer
Promote your Church this Christmas
Ways to Promote on Social Media this Christmas Social Media is your biggest platform for promotion. Make sure you have a Facebook page & Instagram account. These are the main platforms. And if you want to push the boat out a bit, get a Twitter account too – most of your church congregation will connect…
Mastering Your Story.
What’s your favourite story is the kind of question you ask your kids when they are settling down to bed at night… In 2021, the answers from our kids often include famous books like Harry Potter, The Famous Five, Twilight, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and lots of others. But when it comes to YOU and…
Why is Peanut . pink?
When someone asked me about my peanut branding they were surprised to learn I don’t actually like pink. Recently I have had a discussion with someone who complimented my Peanut branding (first time for everything and I think I actually shed a happy tear) but this person was surprised to learn that I pink isn’t…
Food is bringing us back together
As things slowly start to return to normal and businesses such as cafés, bistros, bars and restaurants return to full capacity soon, there might be the need to offer new, refreshed and vibrant printed menus, flyers or business cards to your new customers. It’s been my privilege over the years to design such items for…
Good Design is Good Business
Good Design is Good Business Are you a business in need of a professional graphic designer but would like to keep employment costs down? Hiring a freelance graphic designer could be the solution to your problem. WHAT DO YOU NEED? A rebrand Business Literature including Business Cards, Letterheads and Compliment slipsBusiness Advertising including Flyers, Folded…
Branding is a conversation
There are times we get caught up in crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s that we forget that branding is a conversation. A two way conversation. You tell me your story and I’ll tell you mine. We’ll have something in common and we’ll learn something too. When it comes to starting a business, organisation…
Rediscovering my passion. Repurposing my business.
My Passion: Peanut Designs in 2021! When 2021 hit I had high hopes and great plans for what I wanted to do with and through Peanut Designs…and beyond. I had never really committed a lot of time to promotion, defining the purpose of what peanut design is and who it is for, or launching products,…
Continue Reading Rediscovering my passion. Repurposing my business.
CREATED Magazine published.
In early 2021 I felt inspired to collate some blogs, thoughts, creativity from friends and colleagues and inspiring articles into a digital magazine for people to read completely free of charge. CREATED was born. The word “created” is a past tense verb meaning ‘to bring something into existence’. As a creative, I spend my whole…
Map Pixels is launching
Sometimes the bets things in life come through partnership and collaboration, or at least this is my experience. Over 10 years ago I met a guy in Huddersfield who has long been a great friend but also a cohort in business. Working together now for over a decade, I am pleased to announce that Vancano…
The great power of a rebrand in 2021
In recent weeks, Burger King and McDonald’s, two of the largest fast food restaurants, have released a rebrand of their logo or point of sale and product design. Burger King was founded in Florida in 1953 with a black and white sunshine logo, but it wasn’t long before colour took over as they headed into…
You are as unique as a snowflake
There are things in this life we can control, we steer life this way and that way, but then there are many, MANY things in life that we can’t control. The weather being one. In the UK this past 2 weeks, snow has invaded our land and many people have been having fun and making…
Designer, You Can Overcome The Wall
Sometimes being a freelance designer, or perhaps any self employed/sole trader, can feel like you are hitting your head against a wall or running with weights on your legs while everyone else is running at ultra speed on the clouds. There have been times over the past 12 years or so that I have felt…
How a Working At Home Mum Survived The Pandemic of 2020
During 2020, we all went through a turbulent year; so much uncertainty and for many so much loss. People lost jobs, lost homes, lost loved ones and lost themselves in the chaos; so when schools closed and my then 2 year old and 5 year old were both at home all day every day; my…
Continue Reading How a Working At Home Mum Survived The Pandemic of 2020
Colouring In With Design
Over recent years I am discovering how important colour is when I am designing. Colour is EVERYTHING in design. When to use it. When not to use it. What specific colour to use. I know what you’re thinking “wow, she can’t be any good if she’s had years experience and has only just figured this…
When it all goes wrong
Ever had that moment when it has all just gone plain wrong? When planning to design something, sometimes in your head you can see the finished article straight away (oh…just me then!) You get out the notepad (no lines….lines just aint’ right) and you get your pens and start drawing… It’s going well, the design…
The battle of a freelance designer
As a startup or a common place freelancer it can seem like a mountain to climb when you’re starting out as a designer in this industry. People are bombarded with design everywhere. You can’t even drive or walk down your street and not see posters, banners, signs, shop logos etc everywhere. Go on the web and…
Design is important…Church
In my time as a designer and being a Christian, design and church have gone hand in hand. Ever since I can remember wanting to be a designer I set about making posters, bookmarks, postcards and flyers for my own church and the church at large. I remember in my childhood, designing and printing so…