Work it Out Part 1

When starting a new blog design there is an email that I always send that describes the process we will go through along with a set of questions so I can get some info to get the feel and personality of the blog (and writer). Today I'm starting a new series of posts chronicling the process of the design for the Sometimes Sweet/Adeline's Daddy giveaway winner Brandilyn and Cats and Cardigans. I'll start by showing the questions that I sent along with Brandilyn's answers, then I'll show you a little of the though process and finally the rough draft.

QUESTIONS / ANSWERS
•What is the title of your blog as you would like it top appear in the design?
cats & cardigans

• for your blog makeover, do you want to keep any elements from your current look?
 not particularly...i'm pretty flexible when it comes to changing things up. i've designed my blog myself using picnik.com, paint, and googling "how to.." so it's kind of a hodge-podge mess right now.

• do you have a color palette that you are leaning toward / any color combinations that should be avoided?
I always love blues and greens (especially pea soup green or turquoise), although i really can't think of any color combos i wouldn't like (maybe pink...i generally don't do lots of pink). i like crazy color combos, and i also like subtle, muted palettes. so i guess whatever you think will look awesome, i'd probably be cool with!

• is there any imagery or elements that you would like to see involved?
I am a bit of a crazy cat lady, so i'd be pretty excited about something cat-themed in the header (or really, anywhere else on the blog).

• what are your favorite things about your current blog design?
I like that it's fairly simple, but once again, i'm not terribly attached to any one thing on the blog and i'm ready for some change.

• what are your least favorite things about your current design?
I have like 12 different fonts going on; i'd love a more streamlined look in that regard. i'd also love more color and a little more personality. it feels very vanilla and messy to me right now.

• do you have a list of blogs that you would like to reference for design inspiration?
I scrolled through the "blog design" section on your blog, and seriously, i love all the blogs you've redone.  my favorites are probably the Paper Mama, Small House by the Sea, and Nice Girl Notes.

• Is there anything special that you would like to add to your blog that isn't there already? Like buttons, links, navigation.
I'd love a nice, organized way to get to my twitter, pinterest, etc., similar to what you did for Nice Girl Notes (i love the little buttons).

• Please include anything else (including photos) that you think would also be useful. 
I've attached the picture i have in my "about" button thing at the top right of my blog right now.  i like that one to have on the blog as a "hello" kind of thing, although it definitely doesn't have to be as big as it is now.

THOUGHT PROCESS

I started by looking at her current blog to see what she has going right now and to reference her notes against it. IT's not offensive, kinda cute, but I do agree there isn't a cohesive feel to it. I see we have a cute stylish type and also a self proclaimed "crazy cat lady" so I'm envisioning so cool fabrics, sewn buttons, and of course some cat themed graphics. I don't want the cat themed aspect of it to overwhelm the overall feel or make it look frumpy, so I want it to be more subtle and mostly in the accents. So, here is the sketch I put together and the notes.

• The top section will be a fabric that is almost like a sideways button up sectioning off the header with fabric patches sewn on for the navigation and logo.

• The logo patch will be something similar to the sketch with an "&" symbol in cat nose with whiskers to the sides.

• there will be one sidebar to the right of the content, with a background color that goes top to bottom of the blog. 

• for sections in the sidebar I'm thinking that sound cool cat oriented accents like a cat collar that wraps around it with cat tags hanging that will contain the social media links. Also other collars with bells.

• This is just the rough, so let me know if you liking it and I will do some more elaboration. Keep in mind that the Sometimes Sweet site started here and ended here.

QUICK COMPUTER MOCK

• Here is a mock of the feel and colors I was thinking.

Pin It

...next week, adjustments and reworks...

New Designs & Giveaway winner

So, I finished up a couple more blogs last week, I'm almost getting caught up now : ) If you are in need of a new look I'm ready for you. It was fun working on these projects with Suzanne and Kim and getting there new look just as they want it. I've heard good things from them, and that is what I'm aiming for, I'm not trying to make a statement, I want them to have the look they want. Check out their blogs, they are both pretty great, one you would even say... is pretty swell.

Click here to check out Suzanne's full blog

Click here to visit Kim's full blog

ALSO, I need to pick a winner for the last Tea With Dads giveaway. After a 1-2-3 choice from my wife, the winner is Sara from Sarbear's Journey

Tea With Dads 3 Giveaway Winner

I was sitting in my office trying to come up with a clever way to pick this weeks winner, but I was at a loss. My wife and Addy have been out all day... I decided to call my wife and ask here to pick a number 1-12 in an unprovoked kind of way. A number flew right out of her mouth, a strange number, 12 which for some reason is unexpected.

Let me look at the entries, including the last entry received through twitter as the #12... that means the winner on the tea and print is...

Check your email! You've Won.

I have the next chat scheduled for this weekend, so be on the lookout next week for the next Tea With Dads. Thanks - ADDY's DADDY

Tea With Dads 3

Today I'm excited to chat and share some tea with Kevin, a great Dad, amazing designer and just all around good dude. Kevin is co-owner and principal designer for Iron to Iron, and writes about design on his personal blog Encourage Others. We met indirectly through the blog world and his wife's blog JenLovesKev, and it just turned out that we live within 15 minutes of each other. Our families have quickly become very good friends... 2 Moms, 2 Dads & 2 one year old Daughters... and A LOT in common. I have 2 videos below of our tea time Dad talk covering topics from our Daughters dating to enjoying the first year.

We have 2 giveaways for this week:
•Another awesome flavor, Lemon Meringue Pie, from californiateahouse.com which we sampled this week and it is awesome. More information is available here.
•This week, we also are giving away a tea print from DESIGN IT TOGETHER. This is an awesome design, print and all things related company, located right in my city. These guys are awesome, be sure to check out their site and check out their store. And don't forget to check them out on twitter @DesignIt2gether

There are two ways to enter to win the tea and print:
1) Leave a comment blow with info on how to contact you.
2) through twitter: @addydaddyblog & @ENCRGothers are talking Tea, Design & Daughters today (with giveaway) www.adelinesdaddy.com

Video 1: In this video we are talking balancing a design business and a baby, fatherhood in the first year, and our future daughters.

Video 2: We tackle our future Dadding approach to dating, soundtrack to fatherhood and advice from the first year.

Thanks for joining me again as I share some great tea with some great dads. I'm going to be announcing the winner on Monday, don't forget to enter. Next week I will be sharing tea with an awesome Dad, much more experienced than I... and I look forward to learning from this dad-jedi master.

Tea With Dads 2 Winner! AND... about being busy

So, I've been a little behind on almost everything that I've had to do lately. But one thing I just had to get done was prepping for our new fireplace that was to be installed on November 2nd (that was yesterday). It was a lot of work preparing the house, but it turned out awesome. Today Rach and Addy saw it for the first time, and they were stoked... I mean, look at this thing.

And one thing that definitely has been running behind is some things on the blog including my new "Tea With Dads" feature. But I have a new one that will be up early next week, and I am a little behind on announcing the last winner, but I had Addy pick tonight. (5 entries, 5 fingers)

The winner is comment #2, ERIK... a fellow DAD... what a fitting winner. Contact me to hook up getting the free tea. 

Check back early next week for another "Tea With Dads" with a very special Dad Guest.

Tea With Dads Part 2 (with giveaway! & video)

Today we have a three-Dad chat over tea, with the little ones joining us for moral support. Today I'm Chatting with Thomas and Nathan... and it's all caught by hidden camera. Nathan is a musician and artist and teaches printmaking at SUNY. Thomas is a musician, producer, video game music composer and stay-at-home-Dad. Definitely a crew that you would commonly see at the Farmer's Market downtown on a Saturday afternoon. Today we are drinking vanilla cream earl grey, yet another awesome tea from californiateahouse.com. Be sure to leave a comment below or share on facebook to be entered to win a package of the earl gray tea and a special signed print (by me) that I will be posting an image of in a couple of days.

I have split out discussion up into a couple of Videos. In our first video we are discussing keeping your pre-baby identity and stay at home parenting (while our kids look on a mock us).

In our second video, we are talking father figures, having more kids & changing feeling toward pets. (and cats in diapers)

Thanks for sharing some thoughts and tea with us. Be sure to leave a comment or share on facebook to be entered to win this weeks tea and a signed art print (by me). The winner will be announced on Monday and will lead into our next installment on Wednesday... 

Tea With Dads1 Giveaway Winner.

If you weren't here last week, we are doing a series of talks and Giveaways called "Tea With Dads". All teas are provided by Californiateahouse.com. Today we are announcing the winner of The package of Jasmine Pearls. Part 2 of the four part series will be up on Wednesday with more Dads, More Tea, More baby talk, and More giveaways (and some video)... but now, without further ado...

AND THE WINNER IS...

Tea With Dads Part 1 (with giveaway!)

I've partnered up with californiateahouse.com for a little series, in which I will be talking tea, and babies, with Dads. From a soon to be dad to an experienced Father, from giving advice to getting advice,  I will be chatting over tea (presented in abridged form) and doing tea giveaways of some awesome flavors from californiateahouse.com. Today we are sipping and chatting with Russ, who lives with his wife across the street from me. He's a Nurse in his late 20's, a great guy and is having his first child in about 6 months, so he was the perfect candidate to start the series. Also, please leave a comment below to be entered to win a package of the Jasmine Pearls tea that we are sharing, which is also for sale here.

Interview Key:  AD= Adeline's Daddy    RS= Russell

AD: Russ, this isn't the first time we have shared a cup of tea, and you had told me that you began to drink tea a lot when you lived in Russia.

RS: Yeah, I lived there for about six months, over there tea is a national drink. They drink tea over there like we drink coffee here. And I brought that back with me.

AD: I know that would basically lead you more in the direction of black teas, but today I have a more flowery green tea, and I'm really liking the smooth, soothing taste, and aroma. What are your thoughts?

RS: Yes, this tea is much lighter and I haven't had too many flowery teas. This is nice, like you said it has a very soothing feel.

AD: It's pretty rad that this tea is actually rolled by hand into the pearls, you don't get that attention to detail with every tea.

AD: Let's say that this tea was a baby, what would you name it?

RS: Well, it actually could go with two names that my wife and I had discussed using. Violet or Daisy.

AD: So, you are saying that this tea would be a little baby girl? However, you could enjoy this if you were a masculine Dude?

RS: Yeah, of course.   Here we are.

AD: So, you are mentioning a couple of names, which means that you are definitely discussing possible names. What is your process? Do you have names already decided? If so, you are way ahead of where Rach and I were at your stage.

RS: We actually decided to not know the sex of the baby ahead of time. But we are going to eventually have a girl name and a boy name on deck. Although, I'm a big believer in having the name fit the personality of the baby. When we lay eyes on him or her for the first time THE name may just come to us at that second.

AD: That leads us to the birth. You are going with a home birth with the same Midwife we used and in the house right across the street from our house where Addy was born. What made you decide to do that?

RS: No one in my family has had a home birth, I'm not positive where the inspiration came from. I know that you guys had a home birth, and it went perfectly. My wife decided right off the bat that that was the way she wanted to do it.

AD: I have only done the one home birth, which was a water birth, and It couldn't have been any better. I have never experienced anything that beautiful, and having the comfort of your home is great.

RS: That's what we are hoping for.

AD: I'm a Dad, and have many cute nicknames for my Daughter as I assume you will too. A little Trivia for you: One of the most famous all knowing Dads from TV is Ward Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver. In which Ward called his little Boy Theodore by the Famous nickname "Beaver". Do you know how that nickname came to be?

RS: I actually do not know.

AD: Well, I looked it up...  and it was revealed on the last episode that when Theodore was born that his Brother Wally couldn't properly pronounce his name. So every time he said "Theodore" it Sounded like he was saying "Beaver" and thus created a pet name and television history.

RS: Good to know, thanks for sharing.

AD: We are almost down to the bottom of our tea cups, do you have any soon to be dad questions or concerns that an old pro like me could help with?

RS: To be honest with you, I am overwhelemed. There are so many questions I don't even know what to ask. 

AD: To be honest right back to you, I don't think there are any answers that really prepare you. You kinda have to make decisions as they come. Definitely read and study up, but whenever something comes up you will make the decision and deal with it. And until that time comes you don't even know the lengths that you will go to for your child. I have done so many things for Addy (some gross) that an 18 year old me would never think I would do. That is part of all of the things that will be thrown at you, at that second you will decide what to do. And that is part of what makes you a Dad.

I would like to thank Russ, for joining me for the first installment of Tea With Dads. I will be having my next interview up next week with a different Flavor, a different Dad, and more giveaways. Don't forget to comment below to be entered to win the free package of Jasmine Pearls. The winner will be announced on Monday. 

Giveaway with It's a Wonderful Life

If you haven't seen yet, one of my favorite blogs is doing a design giveaway by Adeline's Daddy (hey, that's me). Head over to It's a Wonderful Life to check it out and enter. And while you are there, make sure you check out what's going on in the world of Allie, Henry & Garrison. Thanks so much to Allie for working on this with me... can't wait to  see who wins. Attention future winner, It's going to be fun working with you on your blog... would you like fries with that?

My First Giveaway winner(s)

Due to people making me feel bad that everyone couldn't win, I drew up a second rubber ducky that is very close to the first... and I'm giving away both! I had a special guest to help me pick the winner(s). I got all of the twitter posts and comments from my site (around 45 in total) put into my hat...

Addy was more than happy to rifle around the the hat scrunching up paper, while Daddy said "pick out two honey"...

She pulled out two, and the winners are...

Melissa from www.hibabyblog.com

&

Stephanie from www.polospearlsandpacifiers.com

(Send me an email with your addresses, so I can send you your rubber duckies - adelinesdaddy@gmail.com)

A Little Giveaway, from Me

***special note, I switched my commenting system, for now the old comments aren't showing, but I have them still for the giveaway, don't fret : ) I will be drawing soon, last chance to get in (with the new commenting system)***
I've been working on designs for some kids shirts and onesies that I'm going to be selling soon at the summer market (and online). I was messing around today and decided to to a little sketch version of the design... and why not at the end have a little fun giveaway. Let me give you a little time line in pictures before I give you the giveaway info...
While Mommy was sitting on the couch holding Addy while she napped, I sat down at my newly set up drafting spot and decided to try this out. I started to do a sketch version of a new kids shirt I designed.

I got the sketch done and inked it. (didn't do the text yet, that will come later)

I tried to color inside the lines (hehe), I need to practice this, I'm going to have to be a good example for Addy in a couple of years.

After some pointers from Rachel, I Got everything colored and looking cute, so I decided to make it legit... and signed it.

Addy woke up, I decided to show her to see what she thought.

She said... "I like it Daddy, it would look great in the bathroom, by why not give it away to one of your readers?"... This child is kind and wise beyond her years. SO, Leave a comment below AND/OR tweet this line to be entered to win it (yes with the frame).

@addydaddyblog is doing a cute giveaway, check it out www.adelinesdaddy.com/

(if you do both, you will be entered twice)

You can Enter up to 2:00pm on Tuesday.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday night.