Nope, pick two. You may have heard it before; it's certainly not a new concept. (There are plenty of variations floating about: quality, time, money; quality, service, cost; good, fast, cheap..it's all the same.) But I often find myself explaining to clients that as much as I would love to provide top-notch stellar quality at lightning-fast speed at the lowest rock-bottom price, I can't. Nobody can, without sacrificing something themselves. Between quality, speed, and price, you're going to have to pick two to optimize. Gosh, life is just full of tough decisions, isn't it? Let's look at "a day in the life of Jane" to illustrate this point. More

There are lots of titles floating around for people like me. And I'll be honest here, lots of people don't know what those titles mean. I call myself a Graphic and Web Designer. I used to just say Graphic Designer, but many people would have no idea that also includes websites. When possible I'll say "Graphic & Web Designer/Developer" because I not only design websites, but I build them too. On my formal resume, or when I know the audience will understand, I specify by saying "Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Front-end Web Developer".  So what does all of this mean? Here's my breakdown: More

Being a Graphic Designer means I design for both print and web. While there are many obvious similarities—design principles don't change, I use many of the same software programs— there are differences between the two that people may not be aware of. Aesthetics and communication are parts of the equation, but the experience also has to be designed, and that experience will differ between the two. In addition, there are technical considerations and marketing considerations for each one. More

The funny thing about design is that it has to be perceived by people who may have very different perspectives...which opens the door to other interpretations that can sometimes leave you scratching your head. Well, guess what? This phenomenon isn't unique to graphic design...it's a part of life! Have you ever looked up at a cloud and saw a bunny rabbit, or a horse, or a face? And if you try to point it out to somebody else, they may not see what you see in that cloud... More

It's time for me to restock on my business cards, and since I have been redesigning my logo, of course I have to redesign my cards as well. In the spirit of exploring my options, I decided to design a vertical version of my new business card as well as horizontal one. And dangit, now I'm stuck. More

Every so often, my dear hubby comes home with a new addition—be it a kitchen gadget, filing cabinet, piece of furniture, etc, that was "just too good of a bargain to pass up." This is generally what happens next: I look at it, look back at him, look around at our already full home and say, "Where exactly are we supposed to put this?" His response, "I'll make it fit, I've got a plan." See, he considers himself a master engineer when it comes to "making things fit".  When we're packing up the car for a road trip, sure, that comes in handy. When it comes to our living space, well...not so much. More

Sometimes, if you call me up, you may hear a voice in the background. This voice may say "Drink your water", or "Xooma Worldwide", or "I love you", or...just shriek obnoxiously. (Yes, I love that.) This is the voice of July the parrot. July will also occasionally say "Pretty bird! Who's the pretty bird? Pretty bird!" She's a little vain, if you ask me. But it's always reinforced when people see her for the first time. They'll say, "what a pretty bird!" More

"Well those are too close to Redskins colors, soo....let's go with this one instead." This was a comment a client (apparently not a Redskins fan) made after I had presented some color options for his new logo design. Ah, the good ol' red and gold (or shades thereof) combination.   More

As I write this, I am watching the Super Regionals of college softball, which are leading up to the Women's College World Series. (I am, and forever will be, a lover of fastpitch softball and this is the only time of year I watch ESPN of my own free will.) In watching this particular game between Alabama and Stanford, I'm struck by a phenomenon: the apparent lack of color variety in the sports world. The two teams playing now are both maroon and white! Where's the creativity here? More

Have you heard of "Quirky"? It's a website that allows you to submit your ideas for inventions, has people comment on and vote up the ideas, and if yours is chosen, the Quirky team actually brings it to life — they manufacture it and make it available for retail. Quirky functions in the spirit of open collaboration, and there are some pretty useful products that have come about because of it. I think it's a fabulous idea. But... More