Christmas Time Is Here!: Part Deux

Good morning friends! I am usually not up this early on Christmas break, but I have a sort of interview with Quicken Loans about interning or working for them next year. The guy sounded really relaxed and friendly so I think it will go pretty well! Then I might just go back to sleep, being the lazy bum that I am.

One of the reasons I sleep in so late is because I stay up so late. One of the reasons I stay up so late is that my body has been trained to do this because of homework and hanging out with my roommates not doing anything (one of our only common times of being home is midnight and beyond). One of the other reasons I don't go to bed so early is because my boyfriend tends to go hang out late and I like to talk to him on the phone while he's driving back home.

Yes, I have no life.

Anyways, in the time last night that I was not sleepy and having nothing important to accomplish, I started fiddling around with Christmas cards. Because I love the idea of sending them! I have never done it -- stamps are for rich people at this time in my life -- but someday, I would like to. And the nice thing is that I can just print them out and hand them to people or attach one to a gift. Either way, well, I just like Christmas and I like making things that look like Christmas.

Ahhh, Christmas ornaments. They're just so bright, shiny, and seem to shout, "I am Christmas in a little ball! Hang me on your tree or it will just not be right!" I played around with the same image in a couple of different ways last night. (It was also an excuse to use some of my favorite fonts ever. Drooly Mcdrools.)

I am seriously considering using the first one to put on things from me that I give out for Christmas... which I would need to buy first. Ugh. I also need to change the name on it. I like making up my fictional families, but someday they have to be from real people! That is my hope!

Well, here's hoping you get lots of rest this holiday season! I am about to...

- Lara

A Winter's Tale

Well, yesterday, I was feeling very springy and sunshine-y. Like a bright bouncy daffodil. I was envisioning grass, flowers... in particular the smell of jasmine, which is my favorite thing about Florida springtime. It is just intoxicating!

But today, I am feeling much more wintry. On the real, I am tired of this weather. I would love to wear a jacket outside instead of shorts in December. Is that so much to ask, oh tropical peninsula? When will we have the slightest chance of lighting a fire in the fireplace without our faces melting off?!

Sometimes, when you can't get what you want, you have to pretend! (Within healthy reason, anyways. I am not saying you should forsake reality for delusional fantasy worlds.) Especially by making things that remind you that it's supposed to be winter.

Red, white, and black. It doesn't get much more classic than that. I really like white space when communicating winter and modernness. This is what I feel like Little Red Riding Hood would use on her stationery -- a little mysterious and dark but with a pretty, sexy pop of color. See, now who doesn't like fairy tales? Even if real winter isn't always that picturesque and lovely, it has its moments. Which I eagerly anticipate.

Stay dreamy!

- Lara

P.S. Many thanks to the efforts of the Graphics Fairy! She is responsible for this beautiful winter tree. I wish I could design things of that caliber. But for now, I appreciate what others provide for use. :)

A Peep of Springtime

Hello! I am betting some people in this country are already counting down the days till spring. The weather is all over the board, some people snowed in every day, while we here in the Sunshine State are looking at high 70's every day. Maybe that's why I am still thinking in pretty, happy, bright colors. Yes, I love my burgundy nail polish and black scarves -- which a futile attempt at making it feel just a little more like Christmas-time to me -- but for some reason, today, I was thinking a lot about a very pretty bright fern color.

Very clean, modern, but definitely a little taste of springtime. :) The flourishes are a little less swirly and fancy, but fresh. Not 100% in love with the sans serif font and size yet... this is probably more of a prototype. See a trend with my love of ovals? (Observe the logo.)

Anyways, I hope your weather is treating you right and that you can love on whatever colors you want no matter the season!

- Lara

Christmas Time Is Here!

Howdy, y'all! It is that time of year again... cold fronts, so that we Floridians are forced to get out our sweaters for once. Decorations hanging all over our apartment. Exams hanging over my head for me to ignore, thereby enabling me to keep procrastinating. Yes, it is all of those things. Must mean Christmas is on its way!

I really can't even believe it's already December 7th. A whole week of December? Gone? What on earth is going on around here! 2011 flew by so fast that it's just silly. So many things have happened. A year ago, I never imagined that I would be spending my next Christmas in a place that is a bit much colder than it is here.

That cold place being Detroit.

With a boy. (Nah... man.)

Who I am in a relationship with.

And am spending the holidays with.

Along with 1273981723 other members of his family.

SO EXCITED!

I am too much in the Christmas spirit for studying for tests. I am beyond tempted to put A Christmas Story in the DVD player versus writing notes for all the essay questions that can appear on my final exam tomorrow. My final final exam. Praise the Lord.

No, really, praise Him for all He has done!

This truth is so very easy to forget. He came and was born among humans to suffer every day of His life as we do, in order to be crucified for our sins, and then come back to life, trumping death and revealing to us our glorious future in Him! How incredible that really is! I am not sure what this graphic is intended for, but I was inspired by the gravity of this verse along with it being Christmas-y indeed. Perhaps to frame on the wall in December as a reminder of why we celebrate this holiday in the first place.

I think red, gold, and silver are my favorite Christmas colors. One day, my house will have to be color coordinated to all fit into the same scheme... the idea of everything looking random and different will drive me crazy! It could last until I have some little kid handmade decorations to put up. Hmm, let's hope that is far away because the thought of that is kind of scary. Haha!

Anyways, meditate on the beauty of Christ's birth and life this holiday season! Oh, and study for your exams. They will be over so very soon. Have fun drinking hot chocolate and singing some carols!

- Lara

Melon-licious

Good afternoon, y'all! Life has been busy like a bee for me, lately. I can't believe my last fall semester is winding down already... in two weeks I will be driving home for my Thanksgiving holiday! My boo is coming down to hang with my family that whole week, which I am a little more than pumped about. :o) (Clown nose smiley face is so cute!)

In between writing research papers, doing odd jobs of the campus ministry variety, and the other things going on in these parts, I still like fiddling around on the computer in my spare time. Because I can't do something normal like read a book or watch a movie, I guess.

Maybe the pretty melon color and neutral gray combo will go out of style soon, I don't know, but at the moment I think it's just lovely! I am a little unsure of the font combination at this moment but for now, I feel like this is cute. This kind of style would suit a chic springtime feel for sure.

Anyways, there is not much to say today. I hope your Monday started off the week as good as a Monday can!

- Lara

It's Ombre, Hombre

It seems Mondays are my day to put things up, just for fun. I have really been liking the ombre trend that has been circulating all over the place. Cake tiers, stripes on cloth, and even hair... everything is ombre these days! I don't know that it's that brand new, but either way, I wanted to put my own spin on it.

These dusty fall colors are all the rage these days, too. Is it gray? Is it purple? I like to think it's both! :)

I think people finally got excited about paint chips sitting around at Lowe's and Home Depot and decided to put their majesty to good use in their crafts, art, and designs. I remember covering a notebook with paint chips in middle school. It's addictive. I made a picture frame using them as well. It has nothing in it yet and isn't hanging up, but I am waiting for the right thing and the right place to become evident to me. Until then, I'll be making more ombre magic happen elsewhere!

Have a delightful evening!

- Lara

P.S. Duhhh, it's Halloween! Totally forgot. Goes to show how spirited I am, and how I don't live somewhere where children are likely to show up at my doorstep, haha. Happy Halloween! I'll see you tomorrow in line at Target with my twelve bags of half-off candy. :)

Up With The Times

Hello, everyone! (Every... no one, haha. That is totally fine by me.) Even if I am writing to an essentially pretend audience, I am practicing what it is like to write to real readers and connoisseurs of all things eye-catching and clean, when it comes to design.

I really like things that are simple and have the right balance of colors, straight lines and curves, and have a really sharp, polished look. All the weird neon gradiation and moving GIF graphics of the past? It just doesn't look 2012. Using only typefaces that come with MS Office 2000? People's eyes tend to glaze right over those things. My hope is that if I ever get to put my brain to good use for someone else, I can come up with something that is attractive enough to pull in the right people's attention and convince them that they can expect professionalism in every way. Up-to-date use of our social media and communication. Good organization. Good communication. This generation wants everything available and answered at their fingertips and will move on to someone else who does that if the first company/firm doesn't fit that bill -- and if they haven't touched their website since 1995.

This all has nothing to do with what I am putting up today at all, really! I just wish I could help out some of the businesses I see online or around town without someone really putting time & effort into their advertising. So much potential!

Anyways, this was a quick and not-so-exciting little flyer, but I think it looks pretty and sophisticated enough:

There isn't really that much crazy stuff going on here, two fonts and two colors (besides black). But simplicity does the trick! I love that I get the chance to make up invites and flyers for Cru at my university and can play around even more on my software and see what I am capable of and get better and better.

Here's to modern aesthetics! (At least, what I think is modern-ish. It's okay to have a different idea!)

- Lara