Arabella On West: Logo Design

Almost two years ago now, Emma contacted me about a unique branding project for a boutique hotel she was opening in South Australia. She found Keg Design through a search on the web - I was thrilled and a bit amazed since she lived half way across the world! I jumped at the opportunity to work on the project and have really enjoyed the journey. Emma and her husband renovated the hotel property all the while living in Dubai. That takes some serious dedication and organization! It's funny, I'm just realizing that I've never actually spoken to Emma on the phone, but I do feel like I've gotten to know her over the last two years. She's a great client to work for and is a very talented & ambitious entrepreneur. It's been a privilege to be a part of the Arabella On West project. The final logo design (below), is being utilized in a number of ways, including on the hotel's website and property signage.

The theme Emma challenged me with was "contemporary middle eastern." I took inspiration from Arabic and Moroccan designs, while keeping a "South Beach" modern twist to everything. The hotel offers long term and short term accommodations. More details on the decor and ammenities soon. Here are a few of the "runner-up" designs that I explored for Arabella On West:

Happy Valentine's Day!

via pinterest

1500 Pins!

Have I told you guys about my Pinterest addiction yet? If not, it's because I was too busy pinning. I love it! I joined the social site in late 2011. The notion of having your own virtual pin board is genious. And I love that it's more visual than it is copy focused. It's a great place to find inspiration. You can follow all of my pinning escapades here. And join here if you're a a newbie...

Blackberry Clean Up

There comes a time when you just need to clean out your phone (and upgrade to a new one). I've been squeaking the last bit of life out of my Blackberry these days, so I'm planning on upgrading to an iPhone. As I was going through all of my photos, I was shocked to see so many random captures. It's a nice reminder of funny moments or (in)significant events. I thought I'd share a few:

Puppy mess (poor Mr. Tiger)

Fish Bar in Lakeview (tiny, pricey, yummy)

Obsession with nail stickers (as mentioned here)

Chamberlain (boutique hotel in West Hollywood)

Photo shoot in Malibu (perks of work)

Mercury Cougar (classic model)

Wisconsin prairie (the Midwest can be pretty)

Ocktoberfest (husband ate this, not me)

Girt & The Goat (finally tried it out in November)

80's Ex'cla-ma'tion (now exclusively at Walgreens)

Abbey (who could say no to that face?)

Destination Welcome Bags

Jordan and Ryan put together welcome bags for each of their guests traveling to the Dominican Republic. Each bag included a letter from the couple thanking guests for coming and included details for nightly events. Other items included custom lip balm, aspirin, sunblock, antacids, candy, snacks and Dominican Republic postcards for guests to send back to friends at home. Super cute!

Photos ©2012 Keg Design

Destination Wedding Invitation: Jordan & Ryan

I absolutely love how Jordan and Ryan's destination wedding invitations turned out! The full suite embodied the couple's vision of a sophisticated beach celebration. For the design, I started with the postage stamp element I created for Jordan's bridal shower invitations. This design element created a sense of consistency across communications and was the perfect vehicle to house their names, wedding date and location on all wedding pieces. The 5x7 invitation card featured an illustration of the Dominican Republic island. A star marked their wedding location in Punta Cana. The 2-sided RSVP postcard was probably my favorite piece. The front showcased an overhead photograph of their resort - Paradisus Punta Cana - which I treated with a painterly effect for a more graphic look. The back of the postcard housed the couple's return address as well as a reply section for guests. The shimmery silver envelopes tied all of the components together and featured the postage stamp design too.

Photos ©2012 Keg Design

Engagement Session: Jordan & Ryan

Last year, I started blogging about my friend Jordan's wedding (remember these pretty bridal invitations?). Since I keep finding myself dreaming about tropical destinations, I thought I'd start sharing the rest of their details with you. It's never too late, right? Jordan and Ryan had a beautiful destination wedding in Punta Cana, Domincan Republic last May. Prior to the wedding, they had engagement photographs taken by Jessica of Jessica Stacy Photography in Chicago...

Best and Worst Trends of 2011

I always love reading about the forecasted trends for the new year. Even more so, I love reading about the best and worst trends of the past year. People magazine just released a summary of 2011's hot trends. For the most part, I think 2011 was a good year for style. I always like to dabble in some new trends each year, even if they're a little silly or on the younger side. How about you? Did you drink coconut water in 2011? Get addicted to Buckyballs, Zumba or Words With Friends? How about those 70's hippy looks or Native American knits? Here are a few of my favorite trends of 2011:

1. Feather Hair Clips

Yup, I tried this one out. Back in August, I had my hairdresser put in a small, neutral colored feather behind my right ear. It was hardly noticeable. It was "permanently" affixed (like a hair extension) and lasted about a month. It was fun. I felt young and "cool." But I think I got that one out of my system!

2. Colored Denim

I love this trend. And I think it really began in 2010. Either way, I actually don't own a pair of my own. I'm a little surprised about this. I think it has something to do with my hatred for jeans shopping. They never fit right - too big, too short etc. I'd love to snag a pair of green or blue skinnies this year.

3. Animal Prints

I've been rocking animal prints for quite sometime. I love that they've become so popular. To date, I own an animal print jacket, shirt, pair of pants, multiple pairs of shoes and a drawer full of jewelry. It's one of those trends, that when styled, can look professional, classic or risque. I love it!

4. Cake Pops

I absolutely love the way these look. But I'm not a huge fan of how they taste. In general, I don't love cake, so I haven't met a cake pop that I really like. I think the consistency of the cake ball is a bit strange (wet & mushy). On the other hand, I love the chocolate covered oreo pops people are making! Check out my Bakerella post (the real master behind Cake Pops) from 2009.

5. Nail Stickers

I definitely fell prey to these pricey stickers in 2011. Not only are the designs just fun (especially for summer), but they're so easy and convenient to apply. The fact that I don't have to wait for them to dry makes the nearly $10 price tag worthwhile for me. I'm a fan of Sally Hansen designs.

6. Cheap 'n Chic Collections

2011 marked the year for Missoni at Target and Versace at H&M. Both collaborations sold out in record time. Fights literally broke out at Target stores, while the collection completely crashed their website. I didn't partake in either launch and don't own any items from either. I think the stuff was cool, but I refuse to wait in line or fight crowds. It's just not worth it to me.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Four Seasons

As we continue to celebrate a record breaking winter in Chicago (high in the 50s this week), I wanted to share with you a little project I've been working on for the past year. When we bought our Wisconsin lake house in 2010, I set out on a mission to capture the following golf course shot during all four seasons. I went to great lengths to capture the same angle and view for each so they'd look consistent side-by-side. I love how they turned out! My favorite capture is autumn with all the beautiful colors. I kept the budget reasonable by ordering large format prints from Shutterfly, and buying the frames and custom matte boards at Hobby Lobby. My Mom and I hung the series on one of the focal walls in our living room - I love the personalized touch they add to our family get-away home.

Photos ©2012 Keg Design

Hello, 2012!