HEY THERE. I’ve got 20+ years of design and creative direction experience under my belt. And you...you’ve got some kind of project that needs to come off just right. This is what you might call a serendipitous encounter.
RETAIL PRINT PROMOTION I genuinely considered doing this 15-card assignment on trade.
RETAIL PRINT PROMOTION When this nationally-recognized online chocolatier opened a brick-and-mortar shop near their California corporate office, they reached out to have some promo work created. Chocolate can be very inspiring.
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Oh look. Another dessert-related design project. Just a coincidence. Really.
MONTHLY GALLERY SHOWCASE This monthly publication is the educational and inspirational arm of an online community of digital art subscribers. Don’t mess with these gals. They’ve got Photoshop and know how to use it.
DOWNLOADABLE CLASSES For a series of downloadable lessons and classes, I put together a different visual twist on the “tab” motif for the same client.
DOWNLOADABLE CLASSES You know that “365” photography trend? It all started with a talented gal who owns Capture Your 365. I enjoy designing her monthly downloadable lessons (and—BONUS!—I learn a lot about photography as I do it, too.)
CORPORATE SALES INCENTIVE Everyone needs a little encouragement. How about a trip to New York City? This multi-piece campaign brought the opportunity to also develop some unique and playful program branding, using the book shape from the client’s logo as a substitute for the triedand-true “I Love NY” heart.
CATALOG DESIGN This photo gift catalog and idea book inspires endless creative possibilities... all presented neatly in a concise 48-page book.
CATALOG DESIGN Believe it or not, sometimes a makeup company needs a makeover. The challenge for this project was in creating a current, in-trend look for the product line, while downplaying its existing weaker packaging design (which couldn’t immediately be updated). Beauty, eh?
CATALOG DESIGN When a company is marketing stunning photo gift products, you’ve got to showcase it all with equally stunning photography. Need help with more than just design? I handle photo-styling and product shoot art direction as well, because a well-crafted picture is worth a thousand words—not to mention your next quarter’s revenue spike.
CORPORATE TRAINING COLLATERAL This series of six brochures covers the why, what and how of the company’s mission in an engaging, energetic presentation.
WEBSITE DESIGN Marketing to a creative, largely-female audience means you can’t simply put everything in a box and expect it to sell itself. The thrust behind this website makeover was to give the company’s aesthetic-savvy demographic an online home to feel inspired, understood, and engaged.
WEBSITE DESIGN When a major die-cut manufacturer back east wanted to put on a more friendly face and compete with other online retailers, I was happy to oblige with their new site’s brand identity, graphic touches, and witty conceptual presentation (including the “Fetch!” button next to the search field).
WEBSITE DESIGN This company’s new, bold and energetic site is coming to a browser near you in early 2015. For this project I was happy to provide art direction for the company’s outsourced development partner, Red Design.
WEB ADS
WEB ADS This online educational hub for women hobbyists doesn’t just follow one trend, it follows all of them—and the web ads for their many workshops and classes have to follow suit. (Pssst....that’s where I come in!)
MAGAZINE RE-BRAND A year after the original title was introduced, the publisher decided it needed to re-boot its visual presentation and asked for some input. I proposed a smarter, sexier design to match the magazine’s tech-savvy female audience. And guess what? We lived happily ever after.
MAGAZINE DESIGN This project was one of many special issues I had the pleasure of working on under the Simple Scrapbooks brand. When the editors mentioned they’d be providing project instructions in a recipe format, I pitched (and directed) an amusingly fresh concept for the photography, and completed the look with graphics that rivaled the best cookbooks out there.
MAGAZINE FEATURE DESIGN During my tenure as an art director at CK Media, I was determined to portray scrapbooking as something other than a soft and frilly hobby. Because trust me—the gals that enjoy it are anything but those things. (It’s all about style, girlfriend.)
MAGAZINE COLUMN DESIGN Presenting product each month in a fresh and engaging way is the best kind of design challenge there is.
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FA BU L OU S F I N D S
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We’re seeing stars!
Wendy Smedley | Creative Editor
No, we’re not talking about the hydrogen-and-helium sort that brighten the night sky or the Hollywood type that light up the silver screen. We’re talking about the chipboard, acrylic, paper, and felt varieties that are sitting on store shelves right now, ready to liven up your layouts. So go ahead! Choose one of Wendy’s fabulous product picks, and add some star power to your next scrapbook project.
Bright idea: Fill a star-shaped Open Up Album (by Melissa Frances) with photos of your favorite people, sharing heartfelt sentiments along the way. This 8 x 9½ album features a sturdy chipboard cover and ten bound-in pages. Other album shapes: Christmas tree, heart, flower, oval, rectangle, arrow, octagon, and scalloped circle. Bright idea: Pick up a star-studded Celestial Frame from Magistical Memories,
m a t e r i a l s star chipboard album (Melissa Frances) • patterned
paper (My Mind’s Eye) • letter stickers (American Crafts) • jewel stars • stamping ink • album by Wendy Smedley
and use it as the centerpiece of a birthday layout. This 7 x 7 chipboard piece is thin and flexible, and it’s just the right size to frame a 4 x 6 (horizontal) photo and a 2-inch title block.
m a t e r i a l s chipboard frame (Magistical Memories) • glitter cardstock (Doodlebug
Design) • patterned papers (My Mind’s Eye) • foam letter stickers (American Crafts) • rhinestone brads • acrylic paint • 8½ x 11 page by Wendy Smedley, Centerville, UT
Celebrate Die-Cut Sheets
Star Dies
Nighttime Stars Buttons
Super Star Stamps
Felt Fashions Stars
scenicroutepaper.com
Chipboard Stars
quickutz.com
doodlebug.ws
gelatinstamps.com
provocraft.com
cover, paint, ink, or doodle on them; then
mymindseye.com
punch stars from any paper
Use thread or liquid glue to
Nest and layer these 13
Felt can be tricky to
adhere them to a layout using liquid
you’ll love these die cuts from
you choose, and attach
attach a few buttons to a
different sizes and patterns
adhere, but these are
adhesive. The bond is permanent, so be
the Boy and Brothers themes.
them using decorative
layout. If you use glue, add a
of stars to create a one-
self-adhesive. just peel
sure you like your placement before gluing.
just pop ’em out and plop ’em
brads or glue.
jewel on top to hide the holes.
of-a-kind background.
and stick!
on a layout! 30
jANUAry/FeBrUAry 2008
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FA B U L OU S F I N D S
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Something wickedly cute this way comes!
Wendy Smedley | Creative Editor
With Halloween just around the corner, Wendy Smedley decided to take our team on a witch hunt…and a bat hunt…and a pumpkin, skeleton, and ghost hunt. We scared up boxes of papers, stickers, brads, and more, then narrowed it all down to eight great favorites. So pull out your best Halloween photos, and see what scrapbooking tricks you can come up with using these tempting treats.
2 Spectral Stickers ghosts, cats, and witchy things by EK Success
3 Scary Stripes and Dots orange-and-black bookplates by Junkitz
4 Creepy Clears cool self-adhesive accents (called “clears”) by Making Memories
6 Big, Bad Brads monsters by Eyelet Outlet • bats, pumpkins, and more by Karen Foster Design
7 Eerie Epoxy B U and L OU letter FA stickers owlSbyF I N D S Around The Block
5 Bewitching Buttons epoxy squares, stars, and circles by Making Memories
m a t e r i a l s patterned paper, stickers, monogram (Heidi Grace Designs) • brads • 8½ x 11 spread by Darci Dowdle, Lehi,
We sent the entire heidi Grace desiGns halloWeen line to designer Darci Dowdle, asking her to document Ty and Brooklyn’s trick-ortreating exploits. We were dying to see which pieces she’d choose for her page. An Use | FA B UL OU S F I ND S spider webs, letters, and word stickers did the trick. What assortment of spiders, ghostly plans do you have for these products and those on the next page?
1 Subtly Spooky Product Line patterned papers, monograms, tags, and stickers by Heidi Grace Designs
Are you the kind of person who has to reach out and
touch the beautiful papers and embellishments lining the walls of your local scrapbook store? Well, now there’s one more reason to give into this urge: manufacturers are adding tantalizing textures to everything from patterned papers and letter stickers to brads and borders. Wendy and company ran their hands over hundreds of items to track down the most touchable treats on the market. Here are a few you’ll want to feel for yourself!
Show your Softer Side by dreSSing your pageS in Subtle textureS. For this flashback to her youth, Wendy pulled together fuzzy products from three different companies, creating a cozy look that supports her sisterhood theme. Follow Wendy’s lead by combining these touchable treasures with your fuzziest—er, fondest—memories.
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Wendy Smedley | Creative Editor
silicone, giving them a unique and ultra-chic look.
features simple shapes—like borders, photo turns, buttons, and hearts— some spot-flocked, others fully flocked, and others
mayaroad.com These velvety blossoms are textured on both sides, making them ideal for dimensional projects. each tin is packed with 96 flowers in four rich colors and three stackable sizes, so you can build bouquets to your heart’s content.
Corduroy Button Brads by Imaginisce
and tab stickers (Making Memories) • leaves (EK Success) • 11 x 8½ page by Wendy Smedley, Centerville, UT
NOVemBer/DeCemBer 2007
Flocked Add-ons by Heidi Grace
Velvet Blossoms by maya road
m a t e r i a l s felt letter stickers (American Crafts) • paper flower, label
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Finery by Tinkering Ink tinkeringink.com Create fashion-forward layouts using these innovative accents from Tinkering Ink. They combine the texture of felt with the durability and dimension of
s e p t e m b e r / o c to b e r 2 0 0 7
8 Dressed-up Designs
| Use pumpkins and other patterns by Junkitz
Designs heidigrace.com Decorate your next page with a few yummy stickers from Heidi’s Cute Cakes collection. This 12 x 12 sheet
simplescrapbooksmag.com
totally
imaginisce.com These adorable button brads will make you want to pull on a pair of comfy cords. each package includes eight corduroy brads in two sizes. Add them to a layout for a bit of dressed-down charm.
bare.
Fresh Flowers by Deja Views dejaviews.com Deja Views’ fabric flowers have soft linen petals that naturally curl toward the knotted centers. Try them on layouts, décor projects, or handmade cards.
Felt Border by Queen & Co. queenandco.com Wrap your next page in a fabulous felt border! At 3 inches wide, this intricate trim really makes a statement. You’ll love running your hand over the plush pattern—whether it’s fresh out of the package or stuck to a layout.
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BUT WAIT,
THERE’S
MORE Nope. No bonus Ginsu knives here, but I can direct you to my LinkedIn profile for more details on my experience and career. Take a look, then shoot me an email and say hi. Or offer me some work. Heck, we’ll just play it by ear. linkedin.com/in/marinmckay
@
marinmckay
gmail.com