Continuity using the 'White Theme'

So to start off the New Year... the Nursery has a NEW look for all of its printed materials.

I'm calling it 'The White Theme'!!

This new line covers two styles of business cards, thank you cards, disclaimer cards, gift cards, guardianship cards and magnets. All of which I did on a white backdrop and using the company's coloured flower icon. I opted to go with sizing down the letterhead design which I think worked really well to tie in the font colour and to add a bit of a garden theme since I took away the stump and rose vines (see Blog banner above). Oh, and there was a new one added in the mix this time around - the 'A Little Something Extra Just for You' card. As I always like to give little trinkets away with each sale, I thought that this card would do the job perfectly.

Since I changed over the website, Blog and all other social media sites last year (2017) to using a white background, finishing off this project completes the look of continuity throughout the company.

A massive thank you goes out to Sherry (Elite Business Services Ltd.) who created our updated QR code and again to VistaPrint who did an outstanding job again.

So, what do you think? Do you like the clean white look?

Card # 1 - Business Card (with contact information on the back)

Card # 2 - Business Card (with QR code and website address on the back)

Card # 3 - Thank You Card (front only)

Card # 4 - Disclaimer Card (front only)

Card # 5 - A Little Something Extra Just for You Card (front only)

Card # 6 - Guardianship Card (folded with all four sides printed)

                           







Card # 7 - Magnet

The Best Rules to Follow

"There is no law stronger than that of magic. - Kian'

Author: Kialin Gow,
'Bitter Frost'

A Sparkly Rolling Pin

"Just roll me in fairy dust and call me a unicorn"

Author: Lita Burke,
'Ephraim's Curious Device'

A fair fight

"It's a sword, not a fairy wand, you know."

Author: John Flanagan,
     'The Outcasts (Brotherband Chronicles, #1)'

Playing out-of-bounds

"It's fun to do the unexpected"

Author: Walt Disney Company,
'Nursery Rhymes & Fairy Tales'

Erosion can only bring the old to new light

As there are always things that are evolving here at the nursery...perhaps not actually evolving...more like...I love change. Well, that should be rephrased....I love change on my terms. Example...when growing up, I was the one that would change the bedroom around at least once a week. Why you ask? Because I could! This habit in a way has never left me. I love to change and move furniture, decor and well pretty much all of a room to this day. And, isn't it strange that both of my children, particularly my son, do the same?

So to continue on with the original thought...change here in the nursery of course due to space, table, shelving and well everything has really limited and stymied this habit...which isn't a good thing! so instead I have taken this 'need' and funnelled it to my on-line presence instead.

I'm  not sure if some of the last month or two changes here on the blog you will have noticed but this last week in particular has seen some dramatic updates. Of course, the phone call has been put through to Shawn, the nursery's website guru, to just tweak the background, okay, I will admit it...this whole coding part of which I have no clue on how to do....and okay, I will admit it....I'm kinda not allowed to touch as I am the type to do big oooop's that take a few more that just a couple of minutes to fix! Example...just like with everything else to do with the nursery...I do not care for disorder...that even goes towards my iMac's desktop! And ummm.....well, I had decided that there was this really UGLY icon on my desktop that for some reason I was unable to change...so off it went into the trash. So ummm...yeah, that was my hard drive, my operating system, ummm the umph of the computer! And well, this wee little icon movement caused a few phone calls to Apple Helpline and more than a few calls from my son to try to retrieve it. Hence....I am not/do not add or delete any icons from my desktop without permission from my son and ummm....I really doubt it if with this knowledge in hand, would Shawn appreciate me getting behind the scenes into this whole coding changes/updates that he has worked so hard to put into place.

There are still a few small and some quite dramatic changes/updates that will be happening over the next few weeks. I'm hoping that they will improve the look and feel without losing, hampering or compromising the actual look of this blog so it doesn't lose the coherence and flow from one site to another.

A Personal Leap

I had mentioned on this blog a few day before that I was learning so many things that lie silently behind the scene to only once in awhile to bare its face.

Oh, about a lifetime ago I worked in a flower shop. To say my creativeness 'bloomed' is an understatement. I was so happy working in the front where I dealt with flowers and people but then I got a chance to start working in the back. Ordering flowers and then actually going to the local suppliers to pick and choose which flowers I would need for the next few days was a real eye opening process. I could actually see a warehouse filled with every colour, every shape, every kind of flower imaginable...and then every cost to them!

After about 6 months of being on both sides of the table (or at least I had figured that was all there was to it) I was offered the opportunity to buy right out the whole flower shop. Now being in a very well established area and having an amazing clientele and that the owner had been the original and so the shop had a fantastic rating and profile. With this all being in mind, I did up my whole proposal, business plan along with financing requirements in order to go in for a loan. After that intense but successful exercise I ended up having an epiphany! There is so much more than what I knew to run a small business.

Off to school I go, granted in my 30's but still young enough to not take for granted the ability to learn. I ended up with my diploma in business management with an accounting background. Now I figured with all of the education I had enoug
h to arm myself to see if I was ready to go it alone.

And of course, after a 3 year program the little shop that I had wanted in the beginning and lead me to this point in life had been sold. Sigh.

Off onto another adventure. I ended up with 7 years of experience being in council chambers and working side by side with a mayor and SAO (senior administrative officer). This was the best job and life that I had up that point in my life.

With a few years in-between then and now, life has taken me down many paths with so my curves and one-way roads that I have now ended up here.

Where is here? Here is in my wee nursery working with faeries. I can't imagine doing anything else anymore (of course eventually I will want/need to get back into the workforce).

So after all that has been said and done one of the newest gifts that I have been able to learn from and on my own is graphic designing. Prior to now I have always resourced this part of the company to an amazing friend but then as life goes on, she moved away to another area that we could only talk to each other through the phone, email and messaging.

For now, this is the story behind where I came from and where I am now.

The Forgotten Addendum

As I am scrambling to update my 'Thought of the Day' postings that have been late this whole week, I have just noticed that on all of the ones I just posted today....that on the bottom left hand side, not only have I added my amazing logo (a more than massive thank you to Alyssa) but that I had put on an address that you could either visit, stay up-to-date on or to confirm that indeed I had created this graphic.

Now here lies the dilemma with this whole thing...when I had saved them I was at the time still had and was active on the company's Facebook page!

Arggggghhhh how embarrassing! As most of the ones that I still have waiting to showcase were made prior to the closing down of the said FB page they too will have that link on them. Unfortunately by the stage of them being ready for 'print' so to speak...the rest of the ones that I still have waiting were created in a PNG format and then saved as a JPEG format. Sighhhhhhh.......Arggggggg......

As I am in the process of creating the next few graphics, I promise that the link will be changed to go back to the website! Sighhhhhh......Argggggg......

It's all about the look!

With the upcoming Fort Smith Annual Trade Show happening this April, I have been busy trying to figure out what I could do differently. You know, how to stand out, be noticed.

At last year's show, I was lucky enough to get a corner booth. Well, I thought I was lucky at the time. It turns out that having a corner booth allows people to converge on two sides of your tables and not just one. This would have been awesome if it was people that were interested in my faerie nursery but unfortunately, it was more like a gathering place to visit and catch up. I found that those that wanted to see what I had couldn't even get to my tables. I wasn't too happy in the end and knew that I would have to do something different.

So....I came up with an idea. Not sure if it will work or not but I'm going to give it a shot anyways.

When I came up with (okay, I had lots of help on this part) the background for my company. The stump, the grasses and flowers, the purple and pink sky and the little stepping stones that you had to take to come see the faeries...this allowed you to leave your world and enter mine. So...here is my world. Everyone is welcome.

I now have a tent. It is a white indoor trade show tent that measures 10'x10' in size.

photo curtesy of Costco.ca

I have banners. These ones stand outside of the tent.

I purchased 3 8' long banners that I will put up on the outside walls of my tent.

I have 4 wall panels (well actually not yet, I am still working with a few manufactures but the design is ready. These panels will be hanging on the inside of the tent.

I have indoor/outdoor artificial grass carpet that will fit the full floor size of the tent.

photo curtsey of gardenartificialgrass.com

I have my tablecloth (thinking about ordering another one but not right now) that matches the full theme.

I have hanging pink silk flowers/vines that will be attached to the rafters of my tent.

photo curtesy of eBay tiny heaven

I have twinkle lights (well, they are on order). I opted to go with just plain white ones so as not to take away from the feel.

I have carpeted cut out 'stones' that will be placed just outside of the tent for people to follow their way in.

photo curtesy of Lowes.ca

I have table accessories including vases with flowers, more risers for my faeries to stand on and other goodies.

I am still looking for the following: music, candy and a defuser that I like.

So what do this all add up to?? I want everyone to feel like they have actually entered my faerie nursery. You will walk in and be with the faeries. No distractions.

I read that you should allow your visitors to experience the whole thing by using all of their senses. So that is my goal. I think that I have done pretty good so far.

What else could I do, for visitors to feel like they have stepped out of reality and come to my faerie nursery.

Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas?

Cafe Press Store - now open!

Well I love my icon so much that Alyssa designed for me that I thought I would like to share it with the world! So I have now opened a shop with Cafe Press where you can go and purchase selected items of your choice that have the icon imprinted on it. I will be adding future logos soon that will include the icon along with the company name.

I have ordered aprons for the ladies and I for the upcoming local 2013 Fort Smith Trade Show as we will be sparkled from one end to the other playing with the sparkle tattoos. I also purchased a little white teddy bear that is wearing a t-shirt that has the icon on it. I can't wait to see it :)

I have had a link placed here on the blog (see right hand side of this page -- Merchandise button) and one on the website as well.

Drop on by and see if there is anything you like or if there is something that you would like to see added.

Next Project - Trinket Chests

Trinket Chests....approximately 70 of them need to now be taken apart and painted. Hubby has already branded them with the logo so that part is done!

Once all finished this project then it will be time to fill them with all of the wee little miniatures. 

Art in the Park

Well this will be my first official showing since deciding to go from a home crafter of Enchanted Pathways to making a go of it as an actual business.

With the new name change to The Enchanted Pathways Faerie Nursery (legal registered for GST purposes is still Enchanted Pathways); a brand new website; Facebook business page; Etsy store front; a Twitter account; banner and faerie and introducing my new icon.

This icon was a concept of mine that Alyssa brought to life. A true artistic blend of beauty, practicality and simplicity. Everything a memorable icon requires. This icon will become the symbol of the Faerie Nursery. It will be included on everything from business cards, labels, web buttons, letterhead all the way to banners.

As this icon is actually one of my Seed Pod Babies it only seemed appropriate that she represent me, represent the company as a whole. She is the beginning. She is what each faerie starts out as, a flower petal baby.

I hope you like her  :)