Last Minute Trip (New Office for a Week)

So, next week we are going to Miami to visit Addy's Auntie and Uncle. It was a pretty last minute decision. Mommy and I packed up any weather appropriate clothes that we had. We decided that we needed to take a fun outing to buy Addy a whole new wardrobe, which I guess could be called vintage inspired tropical toddler chic : ) We had to pick up this bathing suit...

Well, I didn't get a whole new wardrobe, but I did get a travel case for my computer. Although this trip is going to be fun and games, I still have a tone of things to get done, so this guys new office is potentially going to look like the for the next week...

...although, I'm not so sure that I'll be able to get my imac set up on the beach. I'm not sure about getting power... maybe there is a balcony off of the hotel... maybe I should use the laptop...

But I digress.

This is going to be Addy's first time in Florida, and I haven't been there since last time I went there on tour... come to think of it, I don't think Rach and I have ever been there together. I must thank my brother Adam for housesitting for us while we are gone (sucker). Don't be surprised if some of the new designs this coming week have palm trees in them : ) until then, I thought I would share a new simple sleek blog design that just went up this week. It's a brand new domain and site for Jenn, so stop by and say hi. www.thefortunateplight.com

Blog Design Pointers

So, I've decided to start a new little series here that will happen once a week. If you are in need of some ideas of how your blog design and layout could look better just email me a link to your blog with a little info about you and your blog to adelinesdaddy@gmail.com with a subject line of Addy Daddy Blog Pointers. I'm going to pick a blog or 2 each week and do a consult and post some images. Keep im mind, I'm not going to do the design and layout for you, but help guide you to do some changes on your own. Hit me up, I'm here to help.

Illustration from Start to finish

I was approached last week by Katie from Passive Juice Motel about helping her with an illustration/ logo that could be used on tags for her store and business cards etc. I've been wicked busy and backed up, but I really liked the imagery that she was describing... A fox, top hat, bow tie, monocle holding a tasty beverage. I took a quick look through her instagram account to see some of the dolls she had made and I saw these cute foxes.

 I was thinking, "when I get to this it's going to be fun, I'll use one of her dolls for inspiration on the look of the fox" and I closed the screen. Later, after I had finished some other work (building a site, not all that fun) I grabbed my sketch book and decided that it would be fun to mess around with the idea for the fox illustration as I sat in the living room with my wife and daughter. I liked the way the sketch was moving.

I didn't notice at the time, but I had actually mixed up the name, I was thinking of some yummy passion fruit drink, but it actually is "Passive Juice Motel" didn't notice until I had sent the first draft and put up on instagram. In any event, I was excited to see where this was going to go once I started working it more in illustrator.  SO... when Rach took Addy in to get her to sleep for the night I scurried into my office and scanned in my sketch. I really moved on it and was almost done when Rach emerged from the bedroom. I decided to be a good husband and stop for the night.

The next day I really wanted to see this thing done and previewed. It didn't take that much longer. She said they are going to be printed on a material like craft paper, so I set up the preview like that. The print was supposed to be just be 2 colors, but it was too much fun to color, so I had to send both. 

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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.

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

Designing for Bloggers.

     Lately I feel lucky, to be working from home doing something I love and being able to be near my wife and daughter all day... I'm not sure what I did to deserve this. Along with a ton of great projects, I am really enjoying meeting new people. When I do a full blog design for someone I really get to know the person in a way that I don't get with other design projects that I do. Ultimately I need to translate my impression into an online representation of them and their chronicling of life as they see it. 

     Earlier this month I was stoked to giveaway a free blog makeover with Danielle from Sometimes Sweet  (I did her blog design, and it was one of my favorite designs I've ever done, and it didn't hurt that she is such a rad girl to deal with) The winning blog was Brandilyn and Cats and Cardigans. I've decided to share this process with you, you can consider this like a HGTV show but instead of me redoing her kitchen... I'm going to be putting in a granite counter top on her blog (not literally). So far she seems like a super sweet nice girl, I'm going to enjoy learning more about her. (posts coming early next week)

     On the topic of blog designs, I finished up a couple this week, and I'm liking the way they turned out. It was great working with/ getting to know Krista and Samantha. I'm even starting another design for Krista's art blog soon. Check out their blogs, let me know what you think.

Pin It Full blog can be seen here

Pin It Full blog can be seen here

It's So Much Harder Doing Things For Yourself.

So, I have recently decided that I'm going to throw a new site/blog design project into my already packed schedule for myself. I've neglected mine whilst working on other sites every day. I'm realizing that it can be hard to visualize what you want to have made, especially when you are the maker. When I get a new client and send them out my questionnaire and get it back filled out nicely with direction, ideas, color schemes and personalty profile it makes it a lot easier for me to detach my personal expectations of what I want to end up with and think of what my client wants to end up with (with my interpretation and touch).

Taking on the role of the designer and client makes me really appreciate the people I have worked with over the years, because in some ways I am a terrible client. So, thanks goes out to everyone that I have worked with that have made what I do so enjoyable, because I know that it isn't easy. I hope to get my new sites up some time in the next month, including a new blog and a new design site.  For now, here are a couple of rough drafts. We'll see how many times I change my mind.

Start of the design site..

Start of the blog feel...

The Process: Concept

A couple of weeks ago I started a new project that made me think of some interesting concepts. The Blog is for an author, she stated that she really liked the idea of vintage library themes and book related images. I decided to make the blog look like an opened book with a ribbon bookmark hanging down the spine, a library catalogue card for the navigation and paper bookmark for the social networking links. I foun a cool old hardcover book that I photographed for the main section. It's not done yet, but it's getting close. This is going to be an interesting one to develop and launch, I'm hoping to get it up in the next two weeks.

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

Design Update

I have had a pretty busy design schedule lately. I was very excited to get the new Sometimes Sweet design done and up a couple of weeks ago and last week I had a couple more blog designs go up. I already have my schedule just about filled, but it is great to have worked on something and finally see it up live. Especially when about a month and a half ago the SS design was just a sketch in my composition book. (see below)

From this sketch, I worked it out... and ended up here...

Full blog can be seen here

I went to a talk give by Michael Bierut regarding his use of composition notebooks over his 30 years of design. It was an amazing presentation, I left there very inspired. The next day I bought 5 composition pads and have been sketching everything out in them since. From blog layouts, to a new desk that I built, to Tea with Dad's interview questions, the pages are filling up fast.

I wish I had started using them when I started nearly eight years ago... I guess better late than never. I'm going be excited to pass these down to Addy some day as a record of what her Daddy spent most of his days doing. I'm sure I will enjoy looking back someday as well.
Here are a couple of new finished designs that started in my composition book.
Full blog can be seen here

Full blog can be seen here
I will probably be sharing some more from sketch pad to finished design soon.

Reposition Gadgets on Blogger using CSS

So, today I've decided to share a little trick for moving around gadgets on Blogger, which can be super helpful when you are working on fine tuning the design of your blog... or if you want to add something a little special (like the hearts logo with angled banner that trails off the page at the top left of my blog). I'm going to try to present this in the easiest way possible, and hopefully it will be useful to you.

First, find the gadget name:
•In the design screen right click on "edit" located to the bottom right of the gadget you would like to adjust and open in a new window.

•In the address bar there will be an address similar to this http://www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=3833409852568378890&widgetType=HTML&widgetId=HTML4&action=editWidget&sectionId=sidebar-right-2-2
what you are looking for is the widgetId name which I have bold.

Next you are going to go to template designer/ advanced/ Add CSS
•in the white box you will add this CSS and adjust (instructions for options are below)

#HTML4{
position:relative;
left:0px;
top:0px;
}
••#HTML4 - this will be the name of the gadget as we found in the first step (make sure you keep the #)
••position: - this option relates to where to position originates. Being that we are just doing a reposition, we are going to use "relative" because it moves the gadget in relation to where it originally is on your blog.
••the left and top options are what you use to move the gadget. You can put a positive or negative number in there to move it left to right and top to bottom. You can mess with the numbers which in the "add CSS" box and adjust values until you get it where you want it.

•If you would like to move multiple gadgets uniformly, you can add multiple IDs separated by a comma. like this:

#HTML4, #BlogArchive1, #Followers1, #HTML3{

position:relative;

left:0px;

top:0px;

}

If you have ever been troubled by the space between your posts content and your header, you can use this CSS to move your content up closer to your header buy using this code just like we just did for the gadgets.

#Blog1{

position:relative;

left:0px;

top:0px;

}

I just thought I would share this quick, I hope it is helpful. If you need blog help, contact me, and check out my blog design service.

The Paper Mama Blog Re-design is up.

If you head over to The Paper Mama, you will see that her new blog design is up. (courtesy of yours truly) I'm still doing some fine tuning, and there are some more sidebar images that need to go up. But, I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out. I have a couple more that are in the works right now, so check back for some progress posts. I'm planning on covering the process when I do a re-design for my wife at Local Honey Baby (ewww, gross! free design work). In any event, if you would like to work with me on your blog design, or just a component for your blog... or anything design related, write me for pricing, I would love to hear from you. Thanks for stopping by, leave me a comment, let me know what you think of the new TPM blog design.

Please use the link below to vote for us on Top Baby Blogs : )

How To: Pacifier Illustration

I was talking to my friend Kevin recently about some interesting things to add to the blog here. He suggested maybe a step by step process of one of my baby designs. So, here we go. I had an idea the other day for a new illustration to add to my line of childish tattoo style kids designs... a pacifier with clip attached turning into the text banner. So, I'm going to throw this thing together with a basic step by step. 

First: brew up a nice cup of tea and clean up the pump and parts off of your space that your wife has left behind, as she had to rush and get your daughter into bed.

Next: I usually use a lighter colored pencil to do very rough sketch (in this instance pink) then add slightly more definitive lines with a pencil.

Next: Trace out lines that you want to keep on tracing paper with an art pen. I decided not to keep the rose or the embellishment scrollwork. I'll draw something in illustrator later.

Next: Scan the traced image, to get into the digital world.

Next: In illustrator, make the original sketch transparency around 50% and redraw the lines and shapes, fix curves to make it tight and smooooooth.

Next: Finish up shapes and color. I drew some rough stars in the background for texture. I think I may redo this... but you get the idea.

Last: Go to bed and cuddle your wife and baby... it's 12:30am and you are writing a blog! (I guess this last step is mostly directed at me)

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Stacked to the Chin With Prints

Today I got in 4 of the first baby design. Pretty happy with they way they turned out. I got different color onesies and rompers of each design. The stack came up to Addy's chin.

I had to spread them out on the couch and step back, it almost looked like a baby store.

 I made a quick label for the weekend

 I'm trying to figure out which I like the most. Design wise, I'm really happy with the "Babes in Troyland design. (not shown, but can be seen here) It probably doesn't make sense to you, it's a local thing, and you are way over there.

I will be at the River Street Fest in Troy NY selling these, some new shirts and hoodies for Moms and Dads, and artwork, if anyone wants to stop by and make my day. I'm going to have a new store up soon, so be on the lookout. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Please use the link below to vote for me on Top Baby Blogs, Dad's need votes too! : )

Finally got them ordered

Today, after stressing the details, and trying to narrow down what colors, what sizes, what styles, what, what, what... I finally put my first order in for my line of onesies and rompers for babies. This weekend I will be selling them at the River Street Fest in Troy, NY if you are around : ) I am hoping to get them up online for sale next week, along with Anchor No. 5 boutique. They should be in by the end of the week. I spent a lot of time sketching, it's going to be cool to see some of the designs come to life and modeled on Addy, I'll get some photos up of the final product as soon as they come in.

Please use the link below to vote for me on Top Baby Blogs, I appreciate it.

Help Me Choose.

I'm working on my new kids line of merch, but there are too many possibilities. This is the first 4 designs (more about illustrating them here), I'm not sure what colors and what styles to start with. Please leave me a comment with your top 3. I have a store that is going to be carrying them, along with my own online store that I'm started... and, if you are in Troy NY, anytime this summer you can stop by Tight Knit and I'll have a table. You can click on the images to see them a little bigger (sorry for the stupid watermarks, I don't want people to steal them before I get a chance to use them).

So far, Addy and Mommy Like...

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Up Past Daddy's Bedtime

Rachel and Addy have gone to sleep, it's time for Daddy to make a mess...

I really need to get a good lamp for my work area, I tend to be most focused (and have more time) later in the night, but If there are too many lights on it makes it hard for Addy to get in a deep sleep. I have been working on some more illustrated designs, and had an idea of a new way to present the images...

I did the illustration, colored it and cut it out with an exacto. Then on a painted piece of wood, I used decoupage to finish it... in very low light. It is the first draft of the idea, but I think I can work with the new style. The following day I used some of wife's ribbon to set up some cute edges (not pictured). There is a great downtown shop, called Anchor No. 5, that carries stuff that I make, I drove down today and did a drop off of the 4 new kids oriented pieces along with some shirts and hoodies that I had left from the last market season. I'm going to stop down to the shop tomorrow after the farmers market and get some photos of the final product on display. Be on the lookout for that.

Please use the link below to vote for me on Top Baby Blogs, I appreciate it.