Pick from bouquets of brand knowledge. It is my quest to dig down to the root of great design and let great ideas blossom. I welcome your comments and feedback, and hope that these design tips for your brand identity, web and print design can help you make informed decisions to benefit your business.
Are you tired of Times Roman, Verdana, Georgia and the standard lineup of software-specific fonts you are using in your materials? Fonts convey feelings, emotion, personality and presence.
I am a closet font fanatic. I love fonts the way other women love shoes.
Here are some GREAT free font resources that provide font options for you to liven up your materials and breathe some life into your message. These are only just a few sites that offer free fonts for your use:
urbanfonts.com offers a selection of featured free fonts
- an entire A-Z library of free fonts - an option to test your text in the fonts of your choice to see how it looks before you download the font - option to download the font for either Mac or Windows - font searches in multiple ways, either font type or alphabetically
Simply click on the downloadable fonts and save them on your desktop. In some cases you need to unzip the font file you have saved on the desktop. You then just copy and paste the font file (the file(s) with a .ttf file extension) into your Windows/Fonts folder in your computer, et voila!
Contact me through my website, ideasinbloom.ca, if you have any font questions.
Did you find this blog helpful? Please let me know by commenting below or sharing it on facebook or twitter!
Watch for our next Bloom! blog: Why am I having color issues in printing?
Tonia Lenk is a brand specialist and owner of Ideas In Bloom, a brand design studio specializing in collaboration on projects with clients who are dedicated to excellence, committed to the community and sustainability in the environment. She is a proud mother of four, and writing her first novel in 2010. She recently took up flute, and shares her knowledge on print, web and brand design freely!
In my experience, most of my clients come to me with brilliant ideas, and just need me to translate their concept into a visual reality.
I call it playing in the garden.
We get to have fun, and the space between my client's ideas and my creativity is a palpable energy that blooms into the most amazing results.
Often, my clients do know who they are, what their business offering is, and why they do what they do. I turn that information into fonts and color, and when called upon, graphic images or photography.
I select colors based on what I have received from communication with my clients: through email, over the phone or face-to-face. I use my creative intuition and curiosity to learn about my client, and what has attracted them to their area of business. I want to know what excites them, and who they love working with. I encourage my clients to take time to write a paragraph to me of their ideal client. Then, I get to work.
I open up a host of color palettes to work from and seek to appeal to the specific customer base my client is seeking to attract. One of the tools I am proud to use is Colourlovers. It is an amazing online resource to peruse all kinds of colors, palettes and patterns.
You can search by Palettes, Patterns and Colors through
keywords and phrases.
You can search by color and even keyword, such as "fish" and get a hoard of results. You can search "geriatric" if you are seeking a colour palette to appeal to the retirement crowd. You can search "toys" and get a whole different result for new parents. It takes all the guesswork out of what colors match well and is psychologically targeted!
So, bring your ideas to the table, and watch them blossom into a million possibilities of color
Look for our next blog: Two Words: FREE FONTS!
Tonia Lenk is a brand specialist and owner of Ideas In Bloom, a brand design studio specializing in collaboration on projects with clients who are dedicated to excellence, committed to the community and sustainability in the environment. She is a proud mother of four, and writing her first novel in 2010. She recently took up flute, and shares her knowledge on print, web and brand design freely!
Send us a cause. We'll design a web site. A cool one. FREE. We're not joking. Our custom design team has gone mad with good feelings!
The organization must fulfill the following criteria:
1. Must have non-profit status.
2. Must have a cause we can stand behind.
3. Must believe that they are making a difference.
4. Have a positive influence on people, their community and the world at large.
Come on, you know you know a cause. Send it to us, and we'll pick the winner by July 1, 2010. Send us any questions and your suggestions at info@ideasinbloom.ca.
Having enjoyed a Friday evening of dancing and hanging out with Patch Adams, we made our journey home from Seattle's Fremont district to our home in South Surrey. The purr of the car engine and the lull of the road put me to sleep almost immediately. We arrived home and quickly fell into bed around 2 am.
Before I could digest Friday, Saturday arrived.
We awoke at 7 am to prepare for the 6th Annual Woman of Worth event. As I arose, I prayed for strength, positive spirit and to be able to be of service to my dear friend and life coach, Brita McLaughlin. Brita had been nominated in two categories, and had been selected as finalist for Leader of the Year 2010. I was excited to support her, and join the table for Women With Heart, hosted by Brita McLaughlin.
Torsten and baby Adam in tow, we drove to Brita's for a morning meditation to center us before the event. I was tired and fragile. I did my best to stay positive and share in the excitement of Brita's selection as finalist. I was so proud of her.
I was ready to weep at the drop of a hat.
Some time in April, in more alert days, I had sent out an eleventh hour call to ask for nominations from those closest to me on the day of the deadline. Four wonderful people took the time to nominate me in the award category of Spirit, Success and Soul.
We drove into Vancouver to the event, and met up with the group, and quickly found our table as the event began. From the moment the MC, Candace Newton, took the stage, I knew this was no ordinary event. Candace energetically and humorously got everyone to witness, participate in, and enthusiastically dance to the Flash Mob video of The Black Eyed Peas birthday gift to Oprah, "I Gotta' Feeling."
Apparently, I needed to produce more seratonin.
Each speaker that came up, from Dov Baron, to Susan Biali, as well as a Prosperity Panel and a Nia dance instructor, pointed to the fact that a woman holds intrinsic value, regardless of circumstances. The empowering movement of dance, exercise, sound movement and humour injected at points throughout the day was testimony to WOW's founder, Christine Awram. Christine shared her own grief with us, her challenges, her sadness and success in preparing for the annual event. She had what she described as an Annus Horribilusin 2009.
Annus horribilus doesn't mean Bad Ass.
It means horrible year. In the light of my own circumstances, I had a fabulous year in 2009. We welcomed my beautiful son, Adam, into our family. We bought a house. We got two cute Morkie pups. I founded my brand design company, Ideas In Bloom, and had GREAT clientele, and fantastic projects. However, underneath it all, a post-partum depression was developing that I pretended wasn't there. Well, in the thick of it, I needed something more than my own will power to make it through this emotionally "Annus horribilus."
Torsten stood in the shadows during a major part of the day as my biggest fan and Super Dad to Adam. He is a gifted and intuitive life partner. He brought our bubbly boy to to me for a periodic nursing, and enjoyed overflowing sampling of comfort foods during the event.
Brita won WOW Leader of the Year 2010!
In a room full of almost 800 women, and about 5 unsuspecting men, I was able to support Brita. She humbly and ultimately won Leader of the Year. As they called out the names of the 15 finalists in all categories, my name was called. I was stunned. Here I was, praying to make it to the end of the day in a positive space and help Brita to celebrate her success. I was a cheerleader, and getting happier and more infused with energy by the minute.
And, then something happened. Brita was clapping and pointing at me, pointing at the stage, and her face registered a pleasant surprise.
My name was called out as one of the award finalists!
A couple of days later, I emailed Christine Awram to ask her about the nominations. I asked her to send me the nomination letters she had received.
In spite of a terrible family tragedy one day after the event, Christine offered to send the nominations to me. Humbled, I reflected on the award criteria:
WOW of Spirit, Success & Soul Award
Taken from thewowevent.com website, Each Woman Of Worth award candidate leads a successful life by:
Valuing and respecting herself, as well as others.
Acknowledging her true power from within, and leading through inspiration.
Cherishing ALL her relationships, and appreciating their purpose.
Experiencing challenges, and moving through them with fortitude and grace.
Embracing her vulnerability, as well as her inner strength and courage.
Celebrating life, and bringing much-needed kindness and radiance into our world.
Criteria of a successful nominee: In addition to the above 6 elements, the recipient enriches her community and/or organization through the mentorship of others. She has a strong connection to the core of her spirit, and champions the potential to fulfill personal dreams. Her skillful use of compassion, motivation and facilitation empowers the lives of others.
Door Prizes were later announced and given to the attendees, and something magical happened. My name was called out in succession for two major prizes. I stood up with a gritty, sparkling smile on my face, and said, "Share the love. Give the second prize to another one of these ladies." Later, a woman approached me, thanked me for being generous, gave me a hug for the Deepak Chopra package she had won, and shared with me how much it meant to her to receive it.
So, hubby and I get to spend three days in a $2000 Couples Workshop, courtesy of Corequest Counselling Group. Yay for us! Yay for Torsten!
He has no idea what he's in for...bless his soul.
Somehow, somewhere, the Universe knew what I needed this past weekend, exactly at the moment that I needed it. When we think we can bear no more, relief comes in an unexpected package. I started out the weekend wanting to be invisible and hiding from the world. I ended the weekend full of energy, spirit and a love for the empowerment of women, and more connected to women around me.
A new day was dawning. Everything was OK.
The feel-good boomerang that I had sent out last December (not expecting anything back) had landed at my feet. I never expected that the goodwill I had shared with others would one day help me get back on my feet. I was humbled and grateful, and ready for a new day.
Those of you who know me know that I am passionate about helping others. This was especially true when I joined forces with Brita McLaughlin and Denise Wooten to co-host last December's Glam & Glog, supporting families through the South Fraser Women Services Society.
I did it because Brita and I connected in our desire to empower women in a time of need. I did it because I was once a single mother, struggling to make ends meet. I did it because I cared.
I did it because it felt good.
Time rolled on. My then 3 month-old son, Adam, grew and grew. My business continued to prosper. Contracts continued to roll in, new clients called. Then, something happened. One day, I woke up and didn't want to get out of bed. Extreme fatigue, depression and burnout had overtaken me, and I was physically incapable of performing my basic daily functions. I was heading for burnout and suffering a post-partum the likes of which I had only heard about in baby magazines.
What the hell was going on?
Here I was in the midst of a joyful life with an awesome mate, surrounded by beautiful kids, operating a successful business. I was on my knees. I could not will myself out of this state of mind.
Mother's Day came, and I was at my lowest. My husband handed me a card, and two tickets toPatch Adams 65th Birthday Partyfell out. I couldn't see how this was going to come to fruition. I mean, I had to actually drive to Seattle? Was he crazy? I couldn't even bring myself to take a shower, let alone dress up for an event.
I wanted to stay home under my covers. My doorway had scratch marks, and I had slivers of wood under my nails as we made our way to Seattle last Friday afternoon. My husband was giddy with the prospect of seeing Patch Adamsagain. (He had two opportunities to clown as "Torte" with Patch in Germany with the volunteer organization, MediClowns.)
What good was a clown's birthday going to be?
We arrived at the Fremont Studios in Seattle at 8 pm, and walked through the doorway. I was tired, and just wanted to be at home in bed. I expected this to be an event whereby Patch Adams would be addressing the crowd of attendees from a podium. What we walked into, however, was a party atmosphere, much like an awards after party. People were milling in the lobby, live music was playing from the stage, greeters were directing us to the bar and lounge area. And, of course, there was a dance floor, complete with clowns in full garb. Every one was happy, damn them.
"Torte" pointed out that Patch was among the people in the lobby. I was stunned. One of my iconic heros, a fighter for the cause, in full costume, was shooting the shit with his guests. We approached him, and I addressed him by saying,
Hi Patch, we'd like to introduce you to your inverse.
Our son, Adam Hunter Lenk, isyour name in reverse." Patch proceeded to take Adam from my arms and hold him up by one hand like a beacon on the bow of a ship. We took photos, we laughed. I laughed. Hmm, something was happening.
The night continued, folk music played, and I sat quietly, trying to be invisible on one of the lounge couches. Patch took the stage after dancing like a 20 year old college student. Remember, the boy is 65, right? He invited all of us in the audience to come closer and sit on the stairs of the stage. He asked us into his circle of love, his down-to-earth passion for the cause of good, peace and laughter. He said that birthday means dance to him, and asked us to dance with him.
So, we did the hokey pokey.
We laughed, we talked with other partygoers. Adam partied with diehard clowns dedicated to laughter and the joy of simple things. We ate handfuls of cake, because Patch never cuts his cake, he dives in. Yum.
The night was young, and my intuitive hubby approached me while he saw the light of a smile on my face for the first time in a long time. He gently inquired, "I think we can go home now?" I agreed. As we left the party, I reflected on the vision of Dr. Patch Adams to inject humour into healthcare, how it is just as important to healing as traditional medicine. I was evidence of the power of good feelings and a smile.
For those of you who know me and have worked or kanoodled with me, you know that I am an extremely motivated and inspired woman.
I love what I do.
Heck, I get to draw, write and create for a living. I work with purpose, and seek out clients who share my vision with a commitment to excellence, a drive to help community and a sense of accountability to the environment.
It pays the bills. But, that's not why I do what I do. I work in brand management because I care about making a difference in lives, even in a small way, and it is that commitment which is felt by my clients in every project I choose to undertake.
Where does the motivation come from?
Back in December, I received a welcome email from Enterprising Moms Network, of which I am a fervent and cheerleading member. I believe Kelley Scarsbrook has hit the nail on the head for entrepreneurial moms. In the email footer, I saw an offer from Brita McLaughlin Coaching for a 30 minute leadership coaching session.
What the heck, I thought, let's give it a whirl. My goals for a successful business, the inception of my first novel, and my desire for work-life balance drew me to the concept of coaching in order to fulfill my purpose. I had no expectations, and jumped in with eyes closed and ears open.
What ensued was an entirely unexpected reconnection to my inspired self, my intuitive heart-based thinking, and a tap in the direction of my own definition of success. I am extremely grateful to Brita for her weekly telephone coaching calls, the proactive homework assignments, and the paradigm shifts I am experiencing.
Brita and I connected ideologically and emotionally, and she invited me to be a part of co-hosting the 2009 Women With Heart annual Glam and Glog with herself and Denise Wooten. This experience has motivated me to further action, and connected me to a community of women who inspire me on a daily basis.
Denise, Brita and Tonia at the 2009 6th Annual Women With Heart Glam & Glog
I am proud to say that I was nominated for the 2010 Woman of Worth Award in the category of Spirit and Soul. More importantly, I am privileged to say that Brita was honoured last week to be nominated and has been named a Finalist for the 2010 Woman of Worth Award in the categories of both Leader of the YearandSpirit and Soul.
This is an official invite to you to make time for yourself on May 29, 9:00 - 5:30, to attend this enriching and powerful event to celebrate yourself along with 800 other Women of Worth.
Imagine the possibilities when you join with 800 empowered women and ignite your body, mind and spirit on every level for an entire day of world-class speakers, entertainment, food, fun, laughter, gifts, prizes, meaningful connections, celebration and ... chocolate!
Brita, Denise and I are offering the 4 remaining seats at the Women With Heart table at a dramatically reduced early bird rate of $143 until April 30. Thereafter, the price will raise to $239 per ticket!
Please contact me today to obtain your ticket or more information. Look forward to seeing you there!
I cannot tell you how many times I have worked with spectacularly brilliant, savvy business women who have compromised their vision in the interest of being nice. Have you ever paid for a service that you don't feel meets the standard or vision you have set for yourself? Have you ever paid for or bowed out of a project even though it didn't work for you, and then go elsewhere to see if you could receive what you are looking for from another service provider?
Herein lies the snag: you won't get what you are envisioning if you don't ask for it in a way THAT WORKS FOR YOU. We, as women, are trained to be nice to others. Don't be angry. Don't say how you really feel. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all.
On the other end of the spectrum, we might feel that we have to force our way in a man's world, thus presenting ourselves as aggressive, career lusty, hard-edged business woman. We alienate other business women, and might feel that we are standing alone in our success, and lack connectedness in the business arena.
The ideology that if a business woman asks for what she wants, she is a bitch. Conversely, if a businessman states what he wants, he is a go-getter. I am here to tell you, sister: Times, they are a'changin'!
You are paying for a service.
You deserve to get what you are paying for.
Many of my design projects require multiple drafts for review and modification. It is the nature of graphic design. Often, when requesting revisions, many, many of my female clients start their statements with, "I am sorry to be a bug..." or "I am sorry, I don't want to be difficult, but..." or "Am I your most difficult client?"
Don't apologize when asking for what you want!
Try this on for size. When facing a conversation with an employee or a service provider, write down what you want, and HOW IT IS GOING TO WORK FOR YOU.
For example, your designer is creating concepts for you that have nothing to do with what you are hoping for. The work is quick and unpolished, the emails brief and rushed, and you are not receiving timely responses. Challenging. Avoid the tendency to be passive aggressive. Be clear about what you WANT, and avoid stating what you DON'T want.
Call your designer. "You know, I am not sure if the work you sent me this morning hit the mark, and I think I need you to take some time to explore my requests further and come up with something a bit more polished, AND I would like you to send me your new concepts by the end of the week." Then, pause. Don't say a word. Let your statement sink in.
You are clear in your request. You have told your designer what works for you, and how you want to receive what you are asking for. I know the tendency is to go to a place of doubt and question ourselves as business women or worry about receiving a negative response to our requests. I tell you right now that the opposite will happen.
You will open up a HOST of possibility to your own vision and business goals by following this simple advice. Go get 'em, Tigress!
Yes, folks. I have finally lifted my head up from my design work long enough to join the social media universe driven by Generation C. For those of you who are familiar with Generation X, Generation C is after Generation Y. Generation C owns the social media, and functions daily using digital interaction.
There are more text messages sent and received daily than there are people on the planet.
Why should I care that 12 year-olds are blogging? Why should I ask about Twitter and Facebook pages? What is HootSuite? LinkedIn? Xing? Is Social Media a Fad?
After 22 years in the design industry, my garden bag is full of great tools to share with my clients, colleagues and curious people seeking answers to common questions surrounding graphic design. But how do I share this knowledge and help business blossom under the umbrella of my brand studio, Ideas In Bloom, without emailing everyone in my contact list? Now, that is just annoying. I don't know about you, but if I receive another monthly email newsletter, I am changing my email address. Again, I ask, what is the most effective way to reach people?
You have answered my question. You are reading this post aren't you? You have likely "touched" the links I have suggested, such as the YouTube presentation above or my own home page. Call it an experiment of sorts. In any event, social media, by far, surpasses any technique or material tool a designer like myself can implement to create brand visibility. Why?
1.People trust PEOPLE, not marketing or products. It has been proven that Twitter icons showing a face have greater traffic than icons that show logos. People are longing for connection on the Internet, on a very basic level. If people cannot see you or touch you, they cannot trust you.
2. People buy VALUE, not products. Why are some online companies successful, and some crash and burn? Value. Core values. Who is buying your product? What are their values? How can your social media align with and speak to their values?
3.People have short attention spans. People spend 0.6 seconds on an Internet page before clicking. You can keep their attention longer by engaging them in the content of your page. Enjoy the example of Urban Dictionary for a site full of words and phrases created and written by users of the site as yet another example of Generation C exercising their right to stretch the Internet to its full social consciousness potential.
On that note, I welcome your feedback, and thank you for sharing a few of your moments with me. Send me an email, and let me know your design questions. I might just dedicate one of my blogs to your question! If so, you can win a free design consultation for your business or project.
