Wednesday Webs: Earth Day

April 24, 2013 Leave a Comment

Earth Day garden plant

I think we should make Earth Day a weeklong event. One day a year simply is not a big enough nod to the importance of taking care of our Earth. Our very beautiful Earth!

So I’m extending my Earth Day celebrations all week.

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Earth Day and the Ultimate Designer

April 22, 2013 Leave a Comment

Do you ever do mood boards? Graphic designers often do them. So do interior designers and fashion designers. They put together these collages of images, type, color, texture and anything else that helps them visualize a sense of style for the project they’re working on.

So it being Earth Day and all, I couldn’t help thinking of mood boards as my husband and I hauled wood. I’m always amazed how the elements of design actually are elements of nature. Even in this monochromatic, pre-spring time of year, there is artistic beauty everywhere I look.

God, the Creator of our Earth, is truly the ultimate designer!

colors of split wood

It’s fascinating how the colors of nature naturally go together. Here, I loaded my photo in Photoshop and touched the eyedropper tool to various points. Eureka! A very Arts and Crafts color scheme.

 

split wood shows color scheme

Historically, brown is considered to be down-to-earth, wholesome, stable and of substance. Yet, combined with black and near-white hues, these browns takes on a luscious and upscale image. Think ambrosial chocolates or a richly-paneled law firm.

 

natural rock shows complimentary colorsCheck out this rock from one of my gardens. The pinks and greens are opposite each other on the color wheel, meaning they are complimentary colors. Such a demure and romantic color scheme, yes? Perhaps a women’s clothing boutique or a hotel master suite.

 

lichens growing on a cut of wood

Aren’t the lichens growing on this slice of wood beautiful? So delicate and interlaced. And then there’s the blue with brown, a color scheme that’s rather ubiquitous these days.

So, here you have it. Mood boards straight from nature! This week, in celebration of Earth Day, take a walk outside and really open your eyes. Check out work of the ultimate designer!

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Filed Under: Communicating Christ, Items of Inspiration, Stepping Out
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Market Now for Business Ahead

April 8, 2013 1 Comment

cuttingWood

Here in Wisconsin winter is finally loosening its hold on us. See there in the right corner of my picture, there’s even a tinge of green poking through the ground.

That’s my husband cutting wood. We burn wood for nearly all our heat so he spends many weekends sawing away. I know, with spring around the corner you wouldn’t think he’d need to do this, but the guy just never sits still. He’s also the epitome of planning ahead. Our wood storage is always filled and what he’s cutting now won’t be used until next year, or maybe even the year after that.

I posted this picture because Earth Day is coming up in two weeks. It also reminds me that I need to keep up with my marketing.

I’ve noticed an interesting pattern in the eight years I’ve been in business for myself. It seems to take a good 6-12 months to see results on my marketing efforts. This means the projects I’m working on right now are a result of the marketing I did last summer. And whether or not I have projects in my pipeline next winter depends on how much marketing I do now. Obviously, I need to keep my saws sharpened and running!

What do you think? Have any of you noticed this in your business?

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Filed Under: Creative Thinking: Good Business, Where I Work
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Wednesday Webs: First Day of Spring

March 20, 2013 Leave a Comment

cedar waxwing in crabapple tree

Happy first day of spring!

This past weekend our crab apple trees were invaded by masses of cedar waxwing birds and one lone robin. The waxwings over-indulged on the apples and sure enough, by the end of the day they were drunk on fermentation and banging into our windows.

The robin, well behaved as he was, was my first spotting of this loyal indicator of spring. And true to tradition, he’s brought one last snowstorm (at least).

Anyways, it’s the first day of spring and here are some delightful links for the season:

  • This Chalk Guy is popping up all over the web. His work is truly amazing!
  • Why spring came a day early this year? Think vernal equinox and other science-geeky things.
  • In spite of the snow and cold, I’ve been hearing songbirds I haven’t heard in months.
  • All you need to know about gardening: Here at Seed Savers’ free webinars.

Happy Vernal Equinox!

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Filed Under: Stepping Out, Wednesday Webs, Where I Work
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These 4 Trends are Everywhere

January 25, 2013 2 Comments

CRS Lappset playground equipment

Lappset playground equipment, Commercial Recreation Specialists

I’ve been doing some interesting copywriting for Commercial Recreation Specialists (CRS). They’re an award-winning Verona, Wisconsin company that provides exciting land and water recreational products to businesses like campgrounds, camps, YMCAs, hotels and municipalities. Really, for the sole purpose of effective product research, I need to spend a day playing on them, don’t you think?

All fun aside, this project is intriguing because it’s a style of writing different than I normally do. A majority of my copywriting is business-to-consumer (B2C), however, the writing I do for CRS is business-to-business (B2B). And while consumers and businesses are normally quite different in how they’re motivated to buy (a topic for another day), it’s also important to note their similarities.

Recently, while briefing me for our latest project, CRS Marketing Specialist Carrie Petty mentioned four trends jumping out in the commercial recreation industry:

  1. Active play: Active, as in get off your duff and get going! These days active play is a common buzzword as we strive to improve our health.
  2. Multi-generational play: Multi-generational living, in general, is making a comeback. So why not play, as well?
  3. Sustainable play: Americans are now red, white, blue and green. Of course, we want the places we play to support, rather than take away from, their environment.
  4. Back-to-nature play: Here’s that green factor again. “Natural playgrounds” feature time-honored childhood delights such as rocks, sand and water.

Interestingly, these four trends—active, multi-generational, sustainable and back-to-nature—aren’t exclusive to the recreation industry. From B2B to B2C, they’re showing up everywhere. Have you noticed?

Do you use them in your marketing? If so, how?

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