Client Spotlight :: Noteable Progressions

When Noteable Progressions came to us in need of an identity, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a unique client.

Owned and operated by Darcy Lipscomb, a Board Certified Music Therapist and Neurologic Music Therapist, Noteable Progressions helps people of all ages and abilities realize their potential through the use of music-based therapeutic interventions.

Darcy needed us to create a new brand identity for her company—something to give her a professional and respected look, while still representing her work in the field of music. We first created her logo, combining the form of the human head with the treble clef symbol, to give a harmonious mix of science and music. The logo and color palette were applied to business cards and stationary, as well as a website and facebook banner. Last but not least, we worked with Noteable Progressions to create super fun egg shakers to use with her clients and at other events.

Recently, we were awarded a Silver Addy for the Noteable Progressions logo design in the 2013 American Advertising Federations Addy Awards. We are so fortunate to have great clients like Darcy at Noteable Progressions, who allow us to flex our creativity!

Kalico Joins the {ADDY} Circus!

Yep, we did it. We ran off and joined the Circus. OK, OK, so we didn't join the actual circus (though imagine what it would be like to swing from a trapeze or walk a tight rope!) But we did attend ADDYs Under the Big Top—and boy did we have a great time!

The AAF Greater Frederick, our local chapter of the national trade organization, the American Advertising Federation, hosted a vintage circus-themed awards event this past weekend—complete with sword swallower, unicyclist and other amazing circus acts. The ADDYs is a three-tiered competition celebrating the best creative work in the advertising industry—from graphic design, to illustration, video and web design. We were honored to join our fellow creatives and cheer on the amazing and talented advertising community in our region!

Best yet, this year Kalico was awarded two silver ADDY awards: one for the editorial design and layout for the "Trip Across the Sky" article in Find It Frederick magazine as well as the logo design for Noteable Progressions Music Therapy. We are so lucky to have such wonderful clients and are truly honored with these awards!

Congratulations to all of the Frederick-area ADDY winners. We sure are lucky to be in business in an area so rich with creative talent, and so blessed with such supportive colleagues! 

Client Spotlight :: Wholistic Woman Retreats

While we love working with a wide variety of clients, there's a special place in our hearts when we get to work with those promoting healthy, organic and/or holistic lifestyles. So, naturally, we were thrilled when Wholistic Woman Retreats approached us with a need for some updated branding and marketing materials.

The mission of Wholistic Woman Retreats is to provide a variety of retreat and networking opportunities for busy women to refocus, rest and grow their whole self: body, heart, mind, and spirit. The group empowers women to reconnect with their inner wisdom while supporting personal and professional growth in an atmosphere that is relaxing, fun, and supportive.

When we first started working with Wholistic Woman Retreats, they already had a number of marketing materials in use, but were looking for a more uniformed and professional brand. Starting with small tweaks to their existing logo, we expanded on a new design direction for their web header, print advertising and eBlasts. Using the organization's own photography,  the new marketing materials focus on showing the personal connections, experiences and relationships of members and retreat attendees.
 

We've had a great time working with Wholistic Woman Retreats and can't wait to attend some of their retreat events (including one this weekend…yay!). We look forward to working with this amazing group of women and helping their organization grow!

Operation Fancy Wall :: Office DIY Project

While I've mentioned it a few times in previous posts, I realized that I haven't actually posted any pics or blogged much about Kalico's new office space! After working in my home office for the first 4 years of business, this past Fall, Kalico branched out and moved to an office space in Historic Downtown Frederick, MD. Check out a few of our before and after shots on our Facebook page. (PS-have you liked our page yet?!) Last week, I was able to complete the first of many DIY projects for the office. We'll call it Operation Fancy Wall. Here's a recap of the process, note how it is very similar to our design process:

1. Inspiration: I had fallen in love with this wallpaper by Brocade Home (which apparently doesn't exist anymore) on a recent trip to NYC. Unfortunately the wallpaper was very expensive and hard to install due to the metallic silver back.

2. Problem Solving: After doing lots of research (different possible wallpapers, wall decals, and fabric), I decided fabric would be the easiest and most cost-effective approach, while still maintaining the original look I was hoping for. So, I found a fabric swatch I liked the best, figured out the amount of fabric needed (even accounted the fabric repeat for the pattern…what a pain!), and then placed my order via fabric.com.

3. Application: Once the fabric was in, I recruited the help of my very handy husband, and we installed the fabric. Honestly, the fabric was hung just using a staple gun, and the fabric pattern was lined up "by eye". Then we applied a white trim around the entire wall to give it a finished look and to help hold the fabric up. Here's the before, during, and after look:

All in all, I love the new look of our office! And I love that I was able to do it ourselves (and by me, I mean my husband did most of it—Thanks Jimmy!), for a much more cost-effective price. Plus, it will be much easier to take down should we move office spaces. What do ya think? What was your latest office DIY project?

Can I Get 25 Hours in a Day!?

Last week I attended a Women's Business Lunch through the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. (and yes, if you've noticed from my last few posts—I've been getting around the town lately. I'm workin' it, baby! I'm enjoying meeting new people and businesses!) OK, so back to my story…

At the recent business lunch one key thing most of us wanted help with was better time management and increased productivity. Who doesn't want that, right?  I'm always searching for ways to better my time management skills—I hate that feeling of being so overwhelmed you don't even know where to start, it's the worst. SO, I was very interested to hear the advice of other successful businesswomen. Here's a few ideas I liked and will try to implement in my everyday tasks (business OR personal):

• For email productivity, one women suggests the "FAD" technique. A way to quickly sort through your email: F-file it, A-act on it, D-delete it. It seems simple enough, right?

• Create a work log to track all the large tasks you've completed. A few women did this and said that after reading through the tasks they actually had completed, they felt a great sense of accomplishment. It's a way to focus on the positive, celebrate the tasks you've completed instead of stressing about the ones you didn't.

• Throw in the towel! As women, we tend to want to do things on our own and have a hard time asking for help. One women's advice was to basically to get over ourselves and know when to ask for help. If someone in your business is better at a certain task than you are—ask them for help, so you can focus on the tasks that you are best at. It's more productive for everyone that way.

• Get the "ick" out of the way. Set an hour each day (preferably towards the beginning of the day) to take care of the tasks you don't want to do. You know, the ones you keep putting off but are still weighing on your mind because they need to get done. 

• Don't be so reactive. Work on distinguishing the things that need to be address immediately versus the ones that can wait. Don't immediate react to something, especially if you're already in the middle of another task.

• And last, but certainly not least: Learn to say "No". Along with most women, I constantly struggle with this one!

So, what do you do that helps you with your time management and/or productivity skills? Have you tried any of the suggestions above? How did they work for you?

Solving the Mystery of Who Won It…

This past weekend was award season! Yes, we got to watch Hollywood's elite at The Oscars (complete with J-Lo's possible "costume malfunction" and Angelina Jolie's leg). But, more importantly, in my hometown, we celebrated our local ADDY Awards, the American Advertising Federation's awards competition celebrating the best in advertising and design. As president of my local organization, the AAFGF, I couldn't have been happier with the success of our local awards gala, and was thrilled to celebrate the creative and talented advertising community in our region!

This year's ADDY theme was Clue, with an old Hollywood Glam feel to it (yes, I even tried to dress the part, white gloves and all!). The decor and location was amazing, as were the many professional and student entries on display. Despite being extremely nervous (as in practically shaking, people!) about having to start the night off with a welcome speech as well as give an award presentation, the overall night was extremely fun and exciting.

And, best yet, Kalico Design walked away with a Silver ADDY award for our cover designs for Find It Frederick Magazine! We love working with Find It and are thrilled with the accolade! 

Congratulations to all of the Frederick-area ADDY winners. We sure are lucky to be in business in an area so rich with creative talent, and so blessed with such supportive colleagues!

(Event photos to come soon!)

Kalico Design Featured on Want2Dish.com

Yay! We were recently featured on want2dish.com, a "hyper-local online news magazine that serves up comprehensive and trusted local coverage of community-specific information and happenings." I'm thrilled to be featured in want2dish's Business: Best Practices section. The article discusses how I got into the business, what we do, and what sets us apart—check out the full story here. (And, again, my dog Kai makes it into the main photo…he's so photogenic!)

Holy Hell, Where Did January Go!?

Seriously! How is January over already! Historically, January tends to be one of our slower months at Kalico, usually a nice and quiet month— a breath of fresh air after the craziness of December. But, not this year! This January we have been extremely busy with lots of fun projects such as magazines, logos, custom invitations, conference materials, etc. (see some examples above). Trust me, I'm definitely NOT complaining, I just don't know where it all came from!

As I've met with fellow designers and other creatives in my hometown, it seems to be the same across the board. Everyone is uncharacteristically busy for this time of year! What does it mean? Are companies getting smart and starting to put money back into their design, advertising and marketing budgets? Or is this just a surplus from last quarter (which, according to multiple economic reports was one of the fastest growing quarters in the past year...).

What do you think? Did it just happen to be a busy January, or is it a forecast for designers and related professionals in 2012?

Kudos & Snapshots

We are thrilled to have been awarded two American Graphic Design Awards from GDUSA. The American Graphic Design Awards is a national competition open to everyone in the graphic arts community – graphic design firms, advertising agencies, in-house corporate and institutional designers, publishers and other media.  It honors outstanding new work of all kinds including print, packaging, point-of-purchase, internet, interactive and motion graphics.

Kalico's winning work includes business card designs for A Tasty Nosh, a start-up boxed lunch delivery and catering service in Frederick, MD. Additionally, our own self-promotional design for the 2010 Kalico Holiday cards were awarded as well. It is always an honor to have our work recognized!

Plus, check out some of the newest photos of Kalico work samples and headshots! A huge thank you goes out to my ol' college friend, Aaron Haslinger of Aaron Haslinger Photography, for taking some great shots!

Madame President

I think I've mentioned a few times in previous posts about my active involvement in our local American Advertising Federation chapter, AAF-Greater Frederick. Last year I served as the vice president, and this year I am happy to announce that I will be serving as board president! I am thrilled to be a part of this organization, and have a wonderful group of volunteer directors who will be helping me out!

So what exactly is the AAF-GF? Glad you asked:
The AAF – Greater Frederick is the regional professional organization for individuals who work in advertising, marketing and related fields within central and Western Maryland. Established in 1989, AAF – Greater Frederick is one of 210 local chapters of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the national organization that acts as the “Unifying Voice for Advertising.” The AAF is divided into 15 districts and our local club is part of District 2, which includes New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.

The AAF promotes and protects the ethics and principles of good advertising, advocating the rights of advertisers as well as educating policymakers, the news media and the general public on the value of advertising and its importance to our economy.

At the local level, we offer a variety of programs, including meetings featuring industry-related speakers, professional development workshops, educational seminars, scholarships, public service initiatives, social events and award competitions recognizing excellence in advertising.

If you are in the advertising, marketing, graphic design, web design, or other creative industries in the western Maryland region, please be sure to check out the AAF-GF and join us at one of our upcoming events this Fall!

We're Still Here, We Swear!

OK, OK, so I've definitely been MIA the past few weeks on the blog scene. But, let me tell you, it's been a very busy past few weeks at the Kalico homefront! Take a look at just a few of the recent projects we've been slaving away happily working on and let me know which one is your favorite!

1. Find it Frederick Website: This exciting, fun, Frederick web site launched in March! Check it out here.

 2. Find It Frederick and Frederick County Guide Spring Issues: A few of the quarterly magazines we do the design and layout for.

3. NAVTA Rack Cards: We designed a series of rack cards for this national vet tech association to use at trade shows around the country.

4. Frederick Atlantic Website: This Atlantic League baseball team is looking to move to our area, and they needed a general information website for press and locals to refer to. Check it out here!

5. Various Logo Designs: Just a few samples of some of the Spring logos we've been working on, including a logo for a start-up lunch delivery company, a management company, and a nonprofit's anniversary logo.

So, there you have it, just a few samplings of Kalico's past 2 months. Which project do you like the best and why? What other kinds of articles and information would you like to see on our blog? Stayed tuned for more exciting news and sample project work to come!

And the Award Goes to…

This past weekend was a big time for awards. Never mind the Oscars (although I was happy with Natalie Portman's Best Actress award!), but I'm talking about the ADDYs! The ADDYs is an annual awards competition honoring exemplary advertising and design work. This past Saturday, the AAF-GF (the local chapter of the national American Advertising Federation) celebrated local talent with their ADDY Awards Gala—"Through the Looking Glass". AND…yours truly was awarded with three silver ADDYs—YES!!

Winning awards for our work with the Downtown Frederick Partnership and Find It Frederick magazine, plus for our own self promotion was, well, awesome! (click on the links to view the work) But, what really struck me as special about the evening was the camaraderie and support among the companies in attendance. Sure, we all wanted to win awards, but we were still cheering, hootin' and hollerin', when our colleagues were awarded for their work as well. I was very appreciative of the mutual respect and feel honored to be part of an organization full of so many creative folks!

The AAF-GF member roster consists of many small businesses, including a lot of single business owners like myself. Rather than being tight-throat and competitive, most members of the organization lean on each other for support, guidance and collaborative efforts—it truly is an amazing network of people! So, while I definitely thank my clients for allowing me to work on such fantastic, award-winning projects, I also want to thank all the AAF-GF members who have played a part in helping me get Kalico Design to where it is today. So, THANKS!!

[PS-I would be remiss to forget one other thank you. Apparently I forgot to thank my husband who helped me assemble the Kalico holiday cards as well as encouraged me to enter the Find It Frederick magazine covers, two of my three ADDY award winners. So, Jimmy, THANK YOU, now the whole world knows (or at least the three people reading this blog)]

And to conclude, I leave you with my cheese ball photo, taken right after accepting my first award. I like to title this one "Ode to Dork-ness".

Check out the latest Frederick-area Magazines!

As most of you may already know, the past few months have been busy, busy, busy here at Kalico headquarters! Two of our December projects can now be found on newstands, or feel free to read them online too! The Winter 2011 issue of Find It Frederick features stories about the area best hot cocoa, a horse rescue, maple syrup festival and much, much more.

Plus, the Winter issue of The Frederick County Guide (FCG) is also now available! A brand new client for us, FCG provides straightforward facts and interesting articles about real estate, banking, insurance, childcare, education, health care, senior living, and leisure activities in the Frederick area. It also includes detailed reference information about town offices, elected officials, and community services. Plus, don't miss the full calendar of events section on the back pages!

We love working on both these magazines and look forward to the Spring issues! Take a peak below to view the online versions of either magazine, or pick up your own copy at local Frederick locations!

FIND IT FREDERICK!

Open publication - Free publishing - More travel

FREDERICK COUNTY GUIDE!

Open publication - Free publishing - More travel

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Let us know what you think!

It's Not Going to Our Head…We Swear!

I am happy to announce that Kalico Design was recently awarded two Creativity International Print Awards for our work! The beer label designed for Downtown Frederick Partnership's 20th Anniversary special brew, Opera House (by Brewers Alley!) was awarded a Silver Award and the logo design for Luna Soma Jiva (a women's retreat center in Hagerstown, MD) was awarded an Honorable Mention Award. We are thrilled with these awards, but, even more so, are grateful to have such wonderful clients!

About Creativity International Awards:

Established in 1970, Creativity Annual Awards is based in Louisville, KY and is one of the longest running independent international advertising and graphic design competitions in the world. A print, web, advertising and media design competition, each year the judges choose the best from all over the world to be reproduced in the 400-page Creativity Awards Annual Book published and distributed by HarperCollins.

For more information on Creativity International Awards, visit their website! Also, all winners will be listed by October 30—be sure to check out ALL the award-winning work!

Plus, for a full look at the winning pieces, check out our own website: Logo  |  Beer

Find It Frederick Fall 2010 is here!

Open publication - Free publishing - More travel

The latest edition of Find It Frederick is now online. Take a look before it hits stands! Or pick up a copy at participating local venues next week, which you can find here.

What's Find it Frederick, you ask? Here's a summary:

FiND iT FREDERiCK is the distinctive shopper's magazine that fuses funky with functional. This (FREE!) portable shopping companion mixes entertaining articles and audacious graphic design (by yours truly!) AND it's small enough to fit in a purse!

Both residents and day-trippers alike are reaching for FiND iT FREDERiCK to see who's who and what's where in and around Frederick, MD—from the newest in noshing to the area's best bargains and most unique finds—to what's hot in culture, arts, and nightlife.

We LOVE working with Find it Frederick! Such fun graphics and great stories, plus ads and information on a ton of local businesses. How do you like the latest issue? Your feedback is encouraged!

Find It Frederick Summer 2010 is here!

Open publication - Free publishing

The summer issue of Find It Frederick is now on news stands! Pick up your copy at one of the participating locations, which you can find here. OR, check out the online version above!

FiND iT FREDERiCK is the distinctive shopper's magazine that fuses funky with functional. This (FREE!) portable shopping companion mixes entertaining articles and audacious graphic design (by yours truly!) AND it's small enough to fit in a purse!

Both residents and day-trippers alike are reaching for FiND iT FREDERiCK to see who's who and what's where in and around Frederick, MD—from the newest in noshing to the area's best bargains and most unique finds—to what's hot in culture, arts, and nightlife.

Make sure to pick up your copy today!

Client Spotlight: DFP Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Downtown Frederick Partnership recently launched their 20th Anniversary program, which will take place starting this holiday season through all of 2010. And Kalico went along for the ride, donating design services to create the 20th anniversary logo, as well as postcards and product posters.

Celebrate Downtown Frederick Partnership’s 20th Anniversary by purchasing unique, limited-edition merchandise from downtown shops — share the wonderful tastes and treats of Downtown Frederick with family and friends! Products will range from a limited-edition snow globe featuring Frederick's famous spires, to specialty hot chocolate, wines, beer, BBQ sauce and much much more! A portion of purchases will
benefit the Partnership as it continues to enhance, promote and preserve Downtown Frederick as a great place to live, work, shop and play.

You won't want to miss these great products from some of your favorite downtown shops! Download a calendar of products and participating shops here!

Glamour Shots!

I recently was luckily enough to have headshots shot by Mary Kate McKenna Photography. Mary Kate is a lifestyle photographer who now resides in the Frederick, MD region. She was gracious enough to donate some of her talents to members of the Greater Frederick Advertising Federation, and offered members free business headshots. Now, as you can see, Mary Kate stays far away from your typical, boring, stuffy headshots, opting to shoot outdoors, and encouraging her clients to wear comfortable clothing. Basically she takes shots that really show you, as yourself.

If you're a small business owner who uses personal headshots to help promote your business (I strongly recommend using one on the about section of your website, at least), I encourage you to get some professional photography done. Try to use fun, creative shots that will give your clients a sense of who you are. This will help set you apart from your competition and will make everything a bit more personal.

Now, I am in a bit of a dilemma, as I can't seem to choose which image I like best (although I think I am leaning towards one). I'd appreciate your input—let me know which one you are drawn to the most, and I will start using it on the Kalico website. After all, I want the image to stand out, be fun, and set me apart from my competition, which will hopefully help the viewer to remember me the next time they need some graphic design work!

Kalico Sponsors MicroBusiness Roundtable

Kalico is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Greater Frederick Advertising Federation's first roundtable series dedicated to freelancers and solopreneurs.

The Greater Frederick Advertising Federation’s Breakfast Sessions at The Coffee Table are an outstanding way for micro-business owners and freelancers to connect with each other to gain insight on the latest trends and innovations, while collectively solving problems associated with running the smallest of small businesses.

Each session will cover a topic of interests to individuals who wear many, if not all, hats when it comes to running their business. Finance, networking, sales, and home-based issues are the just the start as the conversations will generate ideas and resources to ultimately help your business thrive.

Our first session will be held on Wednesday, September 2 from 8-9am at The Coffee Table in Frederick, MD. Here is more detailed info:

Support Networks
A Chinese proverb states, “one generation plants a tree, another gets the shade.” Who or what is planting the trees for you? As individuals running small businesses, we rely on the help of others for guidance, financial support, and an array of other needs that are sometimes difficult to take on ourselves. What people or products are in your support network? This session will focus on topics to help strengthen our networks in order to meet the needs of our growing businesses.

For additional information, please email me or visit www.greaterfrederickadfed.org.

Goodbye Lazy Days of Summer!

Let me first apologize for my 2 week leave of absence on the blogging. It's been a very busy August at Kalico Design. Goodbye lazy days of summer, hello busy busy fall! Of course, I can't complain about the slew of work that has recently come in (I did just buy a new house, after all!) Check out some of the exciting projects I'll be working on in the upcoming months:

1. Downtown Frederick Partnership's 20th Anniversary: I am super excited to be working with the Downtown Frederick Partnership to celebrate their 20 years of promoting and preserving the vitality of Downtown Frederick. Be on the lookout for an anniversary logo, plus lots of great commemorative products courtesy of local downtown businesses.

2. Find It Frederick: I remember picking up the premiere issue of this Frederick-based magazine and thinking it was the coolest thing ever! I have lived in the Frederick area all my life, but Find It Frederick manages to report on the unique finds throughout the Frederick region—even the things the "locals" don't know about! I am very excited to be working on the the Fall issue of this publication. I'll be sure to let you know when it is available, b/c you won't want to miss it!

3. Damascus Dental of Mt. Airy: I have loved working with this laser dental office over the past year, developing a whole new identity with them. It started with a logo and ended with a new state-of-the-art cosmetic and laser dental center in Mt. Airy MD. (ok, well, the logo at least helped with the office decorating!). I'm getting ready to start revamping this company's website to reflect their new look!

4. Interior Design Services (IDS): Just finished with the logo and business cards for this start-up interior designer who focuses on green, eco-friendly and energy efficient residential and commercial interior design services. I really enjoy working with start-up companies and helping them to develop their brand image! IDS even offers an online consulting services for those DIYers.

These are just a few of the amazing jobs I have coming up! I'll keep you updated on the status of some of them and will also showcase some of the final results. Now, back to the graphic designing...