• Linkspirations: January 2013


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  • Design Love: Black & White


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    Good design comes in all shapes, sizes and styles. Today I would like to focus on color – or the lack of. This is one of my favorite types of art: the classic black & white design. There’s nothing more elegant than traditional black & white; plus, if you can make a great design with the simple black & white color palette, then it will surely look amazing in every other way. Here are some of my favorite black & white designs from my Pinterest Design Board. Enjoy:




  • Design Love: Wynwood Art Walk, Oct ’12


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    It’s the most wonderful time of the year month! Art Walk, every second Saturday of the month, is always a good time. This weekend, I looked forward to visiting Arlene‘s updated piece in the Wynwood Cigar Factory. She started work on a modern Indian girl – pictured above. Her next step is to incorporate typography treatments; can’t wait to see it finished!

    Walking on the way to the cigar shop, I snapped some shots of Wynwood Art Walk‘s beautiful pieces – inside the galleries and throughout the streets:


    If you missed out the cultural event that is Art Walk this month, you can visit the next one on November 10th.  After a great stroll through the area, I finally got to the music-filled and energy-driven Wynwood Cigar Factory. I snapped some photos of the updated venue, with new artwork. Check it out and enjoy:



  • Web Dummies: Blogging? Choose WordPress!


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    Almost 1,500 people can’t be wrong!
    Wordpress.org is where you should open, create,
    and customize your new and soon-to-be-amazing blog.

    It’s an open source blogging platform with extensive customization capabilities. You can install themes into the program and customize everything from layout, to fonts, to colors, and much more. It’s also notorious for its plugins and widgets servicing pretty much everything you need on your blog. From newsletter sign-ups to running SEO keywords for individual blog posts, WordPress plugins do it all. It also incorporates spam protection in your comments, has a mobile-app where you can quickly update and respond to comments from, and is always easy to upgrade. This blogging platform just gets better with every update. So don’t wait any longer, start blogging about whatever you want!

    Ready to learn more about blogging and WordPress.org? Join me for a one-on-one consulting session. We’ll go step-by-step and in-depth as to how to start your WordPress blog site – plus tricks to make the site more user friendly and attention grabbing. Not sure exactly what you need help with? Contact me and I’ll help point you to the right starting-location.



  • Branding 101: Portfolio Update


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    Hello Digital Darlings! I’d like to introduce META, Miami Elite Tennis Academy, who launched they’re official website this week. I was fortunate to work with META by designing and creating their website and social media outlets.

    The overall layout of the site is minimalist; throughout all of the pages, you will enjoy the clean-cut yet exciting style. What really stands out, in the design aspect, is the highlight color of lime green which is also META’s identity color. Plus, the vibrancy of the images really “pop!” against the darker background, and the information is simply detailed in order for the viewer to know what they need to know and go!

    The META project was actually a collaboration with my design partner and friend, Arlene, who did all the fun stuff like designing the brand identity for the company; of course, this is all while I stayed up late-nights, drinking coffee, and coding the back end of the website! But all kidding aside, I am so happy with the end result and to have had the opportunity to work with META on their website.

    META is all about having fun and improving your tennis game. They have a special pyramid-system for their Juniors program, where the children go up in levels to become the best athletes they can in the appropriate amount of time and practice. They offer a 2-Week Free Trial when you register online, and are currently enrolling for Summer Camp! Check META out on Facebook too, or visit them as they are conveniently located in Kendall, Miami. Plus, I think you’ll really love what they have to offer.

    [ www.metennis.com ]



  • Design Love: For the Love of Pinterest


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    Hellooooo Inspirations…

    Today, I would like to offer you all an insight to my favorite designs on Pinterest; because, well, there are just some great finds on the site and it’s only right to share! When a client ask you for something extraordinary, great designers know that you start by getting inspired. Some visit their favorites – the gurus of design in their eyes. Others rummage through the internet and google images looking for ideas. Yet I prefer Pinterest, where I am able to find some of the most useful, modern, and inspiring pieces of art from all over the internet-world.

    Ps. If you don’t use Pinterest yet, get to it! It’s a virtual pinboard for all things wonderful. Plus, it’s turning into a major marketing tool; but I’ll get into that some other time. For now, please enjoy these gorgeous designs (click them and you’ll go to the single post) and check out my Pinterest page for more fun pinboards.


    Simplicity is key in great design; so is the use of an accent color!


    Free fonts downloads, with a fun-font-filled promo image


    I don’t know about you, but golden yellow makes me smile


    I truly appreciate the minimalist branding of “filthy”


    Hand-written type is pure gold in a world of overdone fonts


    Don’t be square – patterns serve as design inspirations as well


    Designs aren’t just 2D… Plus, mustaches are a great party accessory


    Type may also turn into an image. Simple yet classic, and on point


    Chalk type: another beautiful, and impermanent, art medium


    Brown paper bag and hot magenta branding. This screams original!



     Want more? Take a look at my pinboard, Design Design Design



  • Branding 101: Beautiful Package Designs


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    Gosh, I love packaging design. I really do. I mean, what is there not to love? Plus it’s one of the most important – if not THE most important – parts of marketing a product. Because we all know, if something doesn’t look attractive, then we most likely won’t grab it from the store shelf. And that’s the truth! Keep that in mind. When selling a product (or even a service) it’s all about presentation and appearances. I suggest you follow “The Cool Rule” (yes, I just made up that title) and that is that: “Even if you have the coolest business idea ever, but you’re branding isn’t cool, then people won’t think it’s cool and might never actually buy it.” Like that rule? I hope so, because that as well is the truth! Ok, enough silly – but true – talk. Let the inspiration begin. Here are 10 of my favorites from the top 50. See all 50 via the link at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!



    Simply Bliss: sleek & minimal, but still lets the consumer know exactly what they are getting at the first glance. In my eyes, this is design-perfection!



    Waitrose: breaking away from the conventional “paper” label, this is a great way to show the contents of the item while still keeping the design fresh.



    12 Inches: who says there’s a right way to wrap a bottle? this style is eye-catching and the typography is fabulous!



    Font Vella: clear and blue, showcasing the pureness of the water, while delicately designed with an almost paisley feel. It works very well together.



    Absolut: a big name brand with clean-cut style. Never shifting from their branding techniques, yet always coming up with a new engaging look.



    Coca-Cola: another brand giant, with simple taste. This summer collection stands them apart from other soda’s on the shelf, and it’s easy to see why.



    Citro: little mints in little packages with a little window. With minimal yet matching colors and attention to the “flavor,” I believe they nailed it.



    Project 7 (Water Bottles): hand-written type is amazing, and the way it’s executed here is exactly right. Simple but fun, showing each bottle’s meaning.



    Project 7 (Snacks): continuing the hand-written feel, but incorporating more color and heavy text; but they still get you to focus on the important headlines.



    Oats: Sweet and sleek design that just feels right for bath soaps. It gives off the vibe of warm but still modern and new. A perfect mix!


    Take a Look at All 50 Designs [Source]