The Hardest Thing To Brand Is Yourself

I would consider myself pretty good at branding and design considering I've been practicing it for my whole educational and professional career. I have so much fun designing logos and developing the look of new brands. 

Until, of course, I quit my full-time job to freelance instead and had to develop my own brand. Only then does it become a massive struggle. 

It's like this insane little voice in your head saying "YOU are a designer, your brand has to be the best thing ever in the history of things! It has to appeal to the masses, yet stand out and be different, it has to perfectly capture your personality and all of your expertise & experience, it has to be versatile and simple yet different from every other creative person and it has to convince clients to pay you money to do work for them." No pressure, right?

My logo and branding looks incredible simple now, but it's taken at least two years to get there. Unless you're a creative yourself, you may not realize that for every finished product you see, there are bazillions of unfinished, rough drafts, sketches, scribbles, hidden layers, alternate versions and countless abandoned thoughts and ideas. 

I feel like I finally had the breakthrough for my current logo when I stopped trying so hard. I was literally doodling in the dirt with a stick in Nepal or India or somewhere when I made this M shape the looked like a rune. And I've committed it ever since then. 

Anyways, I thought it would be fun to look back at the evolution of my Mirambling brand. It's both humbling and hilarious. 

Moral of the story: Keep doing, learning and growing, y'all. 

I'm happy with where I am now, but it was and still is a journey of personal development. 

Which of these is your favorite? How would you brand yourself? 

Much Love,

South Carolina's First Food Cooperative

There's kind of an adrenaline-fueled feeling of pure ecstasy when you finally finish and release a project you've been working on for a while. I got that rush yesterday when I posted this video that I conceived, produced, filmed and edited for Hub City Co-op in Spartanburg. 

This is South Carolina's first food cooperative so this video will be integral in educating people about how and why it's important to shop local and support smaller farms and businesses. 

Have a look and let me know what you think in the comments below and/or like/comment on youtube and of course I always appreciate new channel subscribers. 

New Tee & Bag Designs for Hub City Co-op (200 Words)

Just wanted to share my latest design project for Hub City Co-op.

I designed these t-shirts and tote bags based on the original mural I painted inside the store. They came out so great and hopefully they are gonna fly off the shelves. 

I put a lot of thought and research into sourcing these.

The tees are super soft polyblend material that people will actually love to wear. They are manufactured in Nicaragua by Next Level, a socially and environmentally responsible and WRAP certified (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) which means no sweat shops, no child labor and environmentally responsibility. 

The 100% organic cotton tote bags by econscious donate a portion of sales to non-profit Partners like 1% for the Planet, the Rodale Institute the Organic Trade Association and Green America. 

They were printed and delivered by a local business, Carolina Headwear

Not only are they fun & functional merchandise, but they also serve as grassroots marketing, as long as customers wear and use them in public. My focus here has been ideas and promotions that are win-win-win and benefit all parties involved, especially the local community. 

So thankful that these peeps let me keep experimenting with and expressing my creativity! 

Mural Methods, Madness & Monsoons (550 Words)

I'm a little late in writing this. I'm still getting acclimated to the full-time freelance schedule which entails a really inconsistent but exciting work-life balance. 

The original design.

Anyways, Hub City Co-op liked the first mural I painted outside enough to commission me to paint another one inside. The space is approximately 17' x 9' (5.1 m x 2.7 m). They requested a creative way to display the Seven Cooperative Principles, which are supposed to guide all cooperatives. 

In retrospect, I slayed this project. It took me five days from concept to completion. Most of my git-er-done motivation came from the fact that the block party to celebrate the first mural was being held that Saturday and I couldn't stand the thought of the mural being seen as anything less than awesome by all the people I anticipated would attend the event. 

Projecting/tracing: my least favorite part. 

In contrast to the rainbow garden of yummy colors outside, I kept this one much simpler. It's important to consider the mural surroundings when planning the design. I selected just three fonts and two colors to contrast the hodgepodge of endless products surrounding it that are already competing for your attention. 

WIP

I picked shapes that, to me at least, represent traditional Southern cooking and culture: a lemon (lemonade), a skillet, a mason jar, etc. I knew there were some obstructions on the wall but I wasn't sure exactly where so I intentionally created a design with puzzle pieces that I could move around if necessary. Of course it ended up being necessary.

So here's how it happened:

Monday: Design (5 hours)
Tuesday: Projection & Tracing (4 hours)
Wednesday: Painting (6 hours)
Thursday: Painting (10 hours)
Friday: Painting (17 hours)
Total: 5 days, 42 hours

See what I mean about the inconsistent schedule? Now I wish I had started at least one day earlier to save my sanity during that last marathon painting session where I started talking to my wall, specifically, Missiour Poulet, the French-speaking rooster. (Read the full, funny story on Buzzfeed.) 

WIP

When you look at the finished product, it looks easy. Except that it's not and its a pretty tedious process: paint 2-3 coats of white, outline with black, fill in with multiple coats of black. Each "puzzle piece" averaged about 3.5 hours to complete. 

But it's totally worth all the effort. I'm happy with how it turned out!

Finished! 

I just wish I could say the same for the Block Party. The party had infinite potential but attendance was no doubt hindered by what seemed like a monsoon sent by some spiteful, mural-hating deity that I must have unintentionally offended.

It literally hadn't rained a drop all day until minutes after the celebration started. There was thunder, lightning, a diagonal deluge of rain and all of our smartphones chimed in unison with flash flood warnings. I had an epiphany and realized where the term fair weather friends must have come from. 

I want to thank all my friends and family who did come, especially my bestie Christina who is a face painting pro and helped me transform kids into butterflies, cats, dogs and other assorted, creative creatures. We did it for free but had a tip jar that collected $51.51 which we donated to the Children's Advocacy Center here in Spartanburg. 

I definitely earned my monthly massage for July!

 I really enjoy creating public art & design and think more places should have it, but obviously I'm biased. What do y'all think? 

Rocky Mountain Wedding Retreat (300 Words)

Colorado is my favorite of our 50 United States, so I was beyond thrilled when my friend Bianca (and her fiancé Chris of course) decided to have her wedding there. 

The venue was amazing; a retreat called Wild Basin Lodge that was hidden so deep in the Rocky Mountains that there was no cell reception. I shared a room with Michelle and Mary and we slept with the door open all night, enjoying the cool night breeze and the sounds of the water rushing in the river below. The balcony was perfect for my morning yoga sessions set to the soundtrack of nature. 

Instead of buying a stereotypical wedding knickknack, I prefer to offer my time and talents as a gift instead. I was happy that B felt the same way and did my best to beautify some handmade wedding signage. 

It was a lovely, little ceremony surrounded by only a few dozen close friends and family and tall, alpine trees. What followed was your typical dinner, dancing, mingling and desserts; but the fun, casual kind that included a s'mores bar, giant Jenga, Cornhole (aka Sack Toss) and polaroid pictures with props. 

The next day, Mary and I went hiking in the Wild Basin Natural park because that's what you do in the Colorado mountains in the summertime. The temperature was tolerable amongst the shaded trees but didn't block all of the scorching sun. Eventually we took a break to dip our toes in the water. Mary is far more acclimated than me so I had to take turns dipping my feet in then thawing out my toe-cicles. 

I had such a wonderful week(ish) out west and wish nothing but the best for the newlyweds! 

My First Solo Mural (600 Words)

I'm back to my regularly scheduled blogging now that I have completed both my European wanderlust and painting this 130 x 10 foot (40 x 3 meter) mural in my hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina. 

 

It's incredible that less than two years ago I was planning and organizing this massive mural project for Whole Foods Market in downtown Miami, secretly fantasizing about doing street art myself, and now it's reality. 

 

I was home for Christmas during a break from my year-long travels. My dad excitedly told me about a call for mural design submissions in the local newspaper placed by a local Co-op opening soon. I immediately started brainstorming and sketching since the deadline was about a week away. 

I first researched the top fruits and vegetables grown in South Carolina to speak to the fresh, local produce and the important community-owned and supported aspects of Hub City Co-op. These foods include: corn, wheat, peanuts, oats, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, squash, beans and sweet potatoes. 

 

I nixed two of my original three ideas since the designs didn't really answer the brief nor work well on the wall, which was rife with obstacles like windows, doors, fences and other equipment. My final submission included designs inspired by Mandalas - or “Mirandalas” when I design them in my own style.

 

In traditional Indian art and culture, mandalas represent microcosms of the universe working together in harmony, but have become positive symbols of happiness and relaxation in the west due to the recent popularity of adult coloring books.

 

The collages of produce also represent a diverse yet cohesive community. I felt it was important to incorporate the business name to maximize the potential of the space and attract new residents and visitors that might not otherwise be aware of Hub City Co-op.

Work in Progress

I submitted my design in March, a few days before boarding a plane to India and didn't receive any further correspondence from the Co-op until I was in Nepal in April. I was ecstatic that my idea had been selected despite the fact that I wasn't able to start the project until June when I returned to the States. 

 

I arrived home on Saturday, June 4th, slept most of Sunday and then had a meeting with the client bright and early Monday morning. It turned out to be great timing, since the buzz around the store had died down since their April 1st opening and this would be some fresh, local (pun intended) publicity. 

Everyone I worked with at the Co-op was helpful and friendly including Russell, kind of their mural consultant, who ended up doing me a solid by helping me project, trace and therefore tame the intimidating wall beast that night. I'm also thankful that he introduced me to Jamarcus Gaston, who invited me onto his local show to talk about the mural

So 109 hours over 15 hot and (thankfully) dry summer days later, I can say I successfully completed my first official solo mural project. I've been a longtime admirer of the street art community and now I can say I'm a member of it and have a deeper/more sincere appreciation of it. 

 

I have to give a quick shout out to all the artists I've met and worked with that inspired and/or helped me to pursue and achieve this dream: Jessy NiteAtomikJenny Perez, Jorge-Miguel Rodriguez, Kazilla, Luis Berros, MONz, Nate Dee, Noah Levy, Rei Ramirez, Trek6, Yuhmi Collective, Paul Walsh, Russell Bannan and Eli Blasko

Keep dreaming, y'all! 

Painting Tibetan Thangka in Kathmandu, Nepal

If you've been to Nepal, you will see some beautiful, incredibly detailed paintings for sale everywhere from the urban capital in Kathmandu to the rural villages. Thangka (also sometimes spelled tangka, thanks or tanka) is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist art form. Paintings of Buddhist deities, scenes or mandalas are painting on cotton or silk and used to be displayed only in monasteries and during religious festivals. They can be also be used as teaching tools or for meditation, but nowadays are mostly sold as souvenirs to tourists. (And they are worth every rupee, by the way.) 

But wait, why are they all over Nepal if they are Tibetan? Ever since China annexed Tibet in the 1950s, many refugees, including the Dalai Lama, fled the country and many ended up in neighboring Nepal. 

Many of the galleries that sell these paintings had signs advertising schools so I assumed that they would accept foreign students, if for nothing else than the money. Many of these studios were understandably clustered around Boudhanath, the famous Buddhist stupa on the outskirts of Kathmandu which is one of the largest in Nepal. It's normally a very impressive structure but it was under renovation, partially due to the earthquake last year so I mostly saw scaffolding during my visit. I inquired about painting at one of these schools and was advised that it would take 7 days and cost 5,000 rupees (about $50 USD). This was a bit out of my budgets for both time and money and was too far to travel from my home stay in Swayambhunath (aka the Monkey Temple). 

Swayumbunath Stupa (aka the Monkey Temple) near Kathmandu, Nepal

Swayumbunath Stupa (aka the Monkey Temple) near Kathmandu, Nepal

When I got back to my home stay, I explored the immediate area hoping to find another Thangka school since Swayambhunath is also home to a Buddhist stupa. I found no schools but I did discover Swayambhu Environmetal Park, which was free to enter and enjoy and boasted three huge Buddha sculptures representing (left to right) Avalokiteshvara, Amitaba Buddha and Padmasambhava (aka Guru Rinpoche) all over 19 m (60 ft) tall. 

Swayumbh Park (or Buddha Park) near Kathmandu, Nepal

Swayumbh Park (or Buddha Park) near Kathmandu, Nepal

The next day I searched the internet and found a supposed school located just inside the city and well within walking distance at around 3 km/1.8 miles (one way). After walking the dogs, I headed into town in search of said school. When I arrived, I found it boarded up so I kept walking and ended up at a school in Durbar Square. I was thrilled to find a secret entrance where I wouldn't be hassled by the tourist police to pay the 10,000 ($9.50 USD) rupee World Heritage entrance fee, which I had already paid upon my first visit during Holi, but no longer had my ticket to prove it. 

The owner of the shop, Dev, gladly agreed to let me paint my own and we bargained a price of 3,000 rupees ($28 USD) for the process and supplies. After I looked at a few paintings for inspiration, he agreed to prep a canvas and sketch out a simple mandala shape based on what I liked. I agreed to come back the next day at 10:30 AM.

Day One

Day One

When I arrived the following morning, my canvas was waiting and the pencil-sketched skeleton on it was about 20" x 20". (I actually still haven't measured the full canvas.) I could tell he used a compass for the circles but freehanded all the straight pieces so I had to spend a little time erasing and realigning parts of the sketch with a ruler. 

I had an assortment of acrylic paints but kept a limited palette of blue, orange, green, red and black. I sat next door on a cushion on the floor of a shop that sold masks and singing bowls. Everyone was very friendly, not to mention curious about what I was doing so I frequently had an audience of locals watching me paint, all offering words of praise and encouragement. I painted for five hours that day, stopping only for a quick lunch break from a nearby vendor who make me a fried egg sandwich which others called a 'Nepali Burger.' I finished the first layer of colors (phase 1) and most of the '[out]lining' (phase 2). 

Day Two

Day Two

On the second day, I arrived around the same time and painted for six hours. I got through the majority of the gold detailing. This color was literally powdered 18 karat gold mixed with a bit of water. I wanted a gradient of blue rings around the main image so Dev MacGuyvered a compass together out of string and pushpins and penciled in some perfectly circular guidelines. 

One day three, I walked to town with two other girls from my home stay. I showed them my painting-in-progress and Dev bought us all tea. We all chatted for a bit while I started working and once their cups were empty, they headed off to find the Horse Festival. Gotta love Nepal! Another day, another festival!

Day Three / The Finished Product

Day Three / The Finished Product

It took me about three more hours to design & paint the outermost gold border and paint the blue rings and the background. I was so thrilled to paint those final few brushstrokes around the edge of the canvas. Even though I knew I had just spent days doing it, the painting still didn't feel real. All the locals that I got to know over the past few days complimented me on my work and one even volunteered to take pictures of me holding the finished product. 

The painting process itself was somewhat meditative - especially the intricate detail work with the tiniest of brushes. It's complete focus and concentration, trying to translate the design from my mind to the paper. Maybe one day I'll be able to return to Nepal or Tibet and study at a proper school with a Lama. In the meantime, I'm going to keep seizing every opportunity I have to be creative. 

My Taj Mahal Experience

Greetings from one of the most famous and most photographed places in India. 

Our train was a couple hours late arriving at the station in Agra so our Taj time was cut short but I still managed to get some decent shots. Except one. I started doing a handstand and was stopped by a guard. Apparently you can only stand upright for pictures here. 

The money shot, sans scaffolding

Taj Mahal translated from Arabic means Crown Palace, which is misleading because no one actually lived here. Quite the opposite, actually. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the mausoleum built in 1632 to house his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. He was later buried there as well. 

I always thought it was just the white centerpiece and surrounding four towers topped with minarets but the complex encompasses 42 acres and several other structures. It's flanked by two red sandstone structures on each side; one is a mosque and the other is thought to be a guest house. It took 20,000 workers over 20 years to complete the project and would cost 52.8 billion rupees ($827 million USD) by today's currency (source: wikipedia). 

One of the reasons for this insane pricetag is that all the colored details are not painted but in fact it is inlayed marble. No wonder this incredible piece of architecture is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Don't forget to look down

Don't forget to look down

Mirambling Muses: Singapore

Well that week pretty much flew by. It was so nice to catch up with my sister and just let my guard down and relax for a bit. We didn't have anything really specific planned beforehand, so I just kind of made things up as I went along. 

The typical Singapore tourist comes here for perpetual shopping trips, fancy hotels and/or cosmetic surgery. Therefore, I didn't notice a ton of backpackers and probably wouldn't have stopped here had my amazing sister not been here with a free place to stay. However, there is a ton of budget-friendly culture, fun and excitement to be had if you know where to look.

Here are my highlights:

Red Dot Design Center

If you're a design geek like me, you have to visit the Red Dot Design Museum. It's a bright red building on the outskirts of Chinatown and it's full of all kinds of innovative and modern design including industrial, product, packaging and concept. There are lots of interactive iPad displays and you can touch and play with everything! There's some neat stuff in the shop as well. I picked up a couple letterpress postcards and seriously considered a recycled vinyl laptop sleeve. Learn more about Red Dot and their international Design Awards here

Chinatown

Of the designated traditional ethnic areas, Chinatown was the most fun. The streets are lined with lanterns small shops selling everything from silk robes to custom cut paper portraits and any & all kinds of Singapore and traditional Chinese souvenirs. And there is also no shortage of meal options. You'll find fresh produce (including the spiky, stinky-foot-smelling fruit, Durian) street food vendors and more traditional restaurants. I'm quite sure I need to start employing a food chaperone that is more familiar with these exotic foods, because I've made some regrettable decisions. The most memorable being a delicious-looking mountain of rainbow snow cone bliss, which turned out to be more like miscellaneous, dessert nachos. The base was beans, mystery jelly and pieces of mangosteen supporting an odd-tasting assortment of flavored ice and then topped with creamed corn. Taste, texture, everything, was just weird. 

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is a must-see with its colorful, ornate decor and literally hundreds of statues and I was quite surprised to see people square dancing (to modern, English pop music, no less) near the Chinatown Complex. 

Gardens by the Bay 

These giant greenhouse gardens are located in the shadow of the huge and hideous (IMO) Marina Bay Sands Hotel. There are actually two Gardens by the Bay, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Jamie and I opted to only do one as we were short on time and didn't want to pay double the cost. The cloud forest was a nice respite from the city summer heat and we walked past the waterfalls, up the ramps, around the top and back down to the educational area. The flora was immaculately maintained and they even used misters to simulate foggy clouds. At the end, there is a dark room full of colorful, projected info graphics that educate you about the environment and it's biggest threats and you end by watching a short doomsday video about climate change where they describe a dying earth over the next hundred years. Then they rewind and give you hope again saying all that can be avoided if we take action today. They're preaching to the choir with regards to me and my sister but I hope it had an impact on everyone else passing through. This time, I didn't mind exiting through the gift shop because they had a bunch of awesome & eco-friendly stuff. I found some beautiful post cards designed by Peranakan Inspirations as well as this awesome little travel backpack that folds up into a small pouch. 

And I can't forget the super trees! They are these hybrid plant/solar structures that stand about 16 stories tall and collect solar energy so they can light up at night so they're self-sustaining. And the look pretty cool too. 

Street Art

I found the biggest concentration of street art in the Malay/Muslim district on Haji Lane. While admiring the incredible colors & designs, I turned the corner and found a group of  girls with American accents doing inversions in front of one of the murals. Turns out, one of them is kind of a big deal and teaches all over Asia but is based in Sinapore. Marysia invited me to one of her classes at Pure Yoga and I enthusiastically accepted her offer. I actually ended up doing two classes in a row the following morning; first a moderate Hatha class followed by a class called Upside Down, which is the hardest class I’ve ever attempted. The main focus was handstands and arm balances. I got a ton of tips from both Marysia and a pretty petite yet bad ass yogi next to me named Sen. The poses seemed almost effortless for her and she had short black hair with blonde streaks and an asian/egyptian pair of eyes tattooed at the base of her neck that stared at me everytime we posed facing the left wall. I was so satisfied with and grateful for the classes and really feel like I made significant progress in my practice. 

 

Public transportation is plentiful and my sister and I took trains, busses, Uber and cabs. My biggest gripe is that stamps and letter boxes are nearly impossible to find here. 

Mirambling Muses: Cairns, Australia

I had so much fun in Cairns that I wanted to share my favorite cheap, free, local, sustainable, inspirational and/or must-not-miss things to do there. It's incredibly tourist and backpacker friendly, boasting tons of hostels, rentals & hotels and there is free community wifi in several spots throughout the city. The main part of town is relatively compact and easy to walk to all of the locations listed below. Oh and one last tip: the locals drop the i and the r pronounce it like cans

7. Snoogie's Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant 

This gem is a bit hard to find, tucked away in the Main Street Arcade (82 Lake Street) a bit north of Gilligan's. I found out about it myself after chatting up a local shop owner after lusting after her lunch. It's pretty much the most affordable and delicious healthy food and juice bar you'll find in Cairns. I really wish I'd discovered it sooner because this was my favorite food place. And I'm not alone; it's ranked #1 out of 381 restaurants in Cairns based on its 42 glowing reviews on Trip Advisor

6. Cairns Regional Gallery

An eclectic Art Gallery with a variety of exhibitions where you can escape the sun or the rain and see lots of work from Aussie artists. Admission is only $5 per adult and they're open 7 days a week. Or just visit the shop which offers a unique collection of design, crafts and jewelry by local and national artisans. You'll find much better souvenirs and gifts than the generic, tacky tourist shops you'll find everywhere else. 

Image Source: Trip Advisor

Image Source: Trip Advisor

5. The Night Market

Located 71-75 on the Esplanade, the quirky Night Market is not to be missed! There is a self-serve food court serving up a variety of Asian favorites, hair and nail services, lots of souvenir shops and the famous $15 massages. You can find everything from locally crafted clothing & jewelry to custom airbrushed hats to postcards to kangaroo scrotum keychains. Shops are open 5-11 PM, Food Court from 10 AM - 11 PM and Massages from 12 noon - 11 PM. 

Note: I do not endorse the sale nor purchase of these. I just needed pictorial proof of their absurd existence. 

Note: I do not endorse the sale nor purchase of these. I just needed pictorial proof of their absurd existence. 

4. The Esplanade

A super fun and free place to hang out, situated along 2.5 km of the Cairns coast. The lagoon is a free, public swimming pool, there's a boardwalk for exercise and/or people watching, plenty of open grassy areas and playgrounds and free community wifi. I often saw street performers and lots of people relaxing with a book or enjoying a picnic. If there are any events or festivals going on, they'll most likely be here. There are some free Active LIving classes you can take advantage of as well. I participated in yoga on Fridays at 6:30 AM. 

The Lagoon

The Lagoon

3. Graff Alley

The largest concentration of Street Art I could find in Cairns. Located off of Grafton Street almost across from Gilligan's (the biggest and most infamous hostel in the city). Amongst all the murals, there's also a rather popular coffee shop called Caffeind and the Alleyway Paint & Skate shop. 

2. Rusty's Markets

Great place to buy local groceries or grab a bit to eat. I found all kinds of foreign fruits I can't get back home and I found the stall owners are really friendly. There's also a fresh juice bar and reflexology & thai massage as well as jewelry and clothing for sale. However, it's only open on the weekends; Friday & Saturday 5 AM - 6 PM and Sunday 5 AM - 3 PM. (Also located just past Gilligan's on Grafton Street.) 

1. The Great Barrier Reef

The harbor is packed with boats that will take you to see and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. I can recommend Passions of Paradise ($159/adult + $10 reef tax) since that's the eco-certified boat that took me out to discover their natural treasures. But there are other sustainable options like the Reef Daytripper ($124/adult + $15 reef tax) and Ocean Free Green Island & Reef Pinnacle Tour ($190/adult includes reef tax). There's a full list of options on the Cairns Visitor Centre website


Wedding Season Officially Over

As of this weekend, I've attended three weddings in two months so I declare the season officially over, for me anyways. Yesterday was the long-awaited union of my friends Carol & Ty. (Although I have a personal theory that this wedding was actually just a front for a Sapient reunion because the majority of my team from my agency days was present and accounted for.)

We were all smiles and it was great find out what everyone has been up to since my bittersweet departure over three years ago. Even better, it was awesome to see Ty and Carol finally take the plunge after a decade and a half of dating. It was probably the most creative wedding I've been to, but of course I would expect nothing less from my favorite quirky couple. 

The venue was beautiful; a historic old house in Winter Park with immaculate gardens leading down to a lake. The ceremony was held outside amidst this natural beauty and was only briefly interrupted by a rather inconsiderate woodpecker and one or two rubbernecking jet skiers. And if I had to guess I'd put the temperature at (approximately) a million degrees Fahrenheit (500,000º Celsius). 

The copywriting and Eames-inspired design was impeccable and I love the humor injection, as often times weddings can take themselves too seriously. Everyone loved the kid walking down the aisle with a sign that said "Its About Time." Ty's Transformers cuff links were spot on. And the effort was wasted on me personally but I could appreciate their reception offering the best craft beer selection in the tri-county area. (I chose instead to be a schizoholic drinking, pinot grigio water, a tequila sunrise, water again and a Shirley Temple.) 

Then there was the music. I was beyond thrilled to hear not one, but two Led Zeppelin songs as part of the ceremony. And the band at the reception was fantastic, fusing together an eclectic medley of mostly classic rock with a few more modern hits mixed in. This included the Doors, Steve Miller Band, a few Michael Jackson hits, Uptown Funk and the full Eruption/Girl You Really Got Me Now by Van Halen to name just a few. 

Also at the reception were old pictures of the happy couple from the early days at UF, which confirms that neither of them have aged properly since then. I suspect part of the curriculum of design program in which they both participated included creating enchanted self-portraits that age for them and ensure their perpetual youth. 

I have one more interesting anecdote from the ride to the wedding which is also worth mentioning. My uber driver asked what kind of music I listen to. I said "classic rock, like Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, etc." So of course he plays Celine Dion for the duration of the trip from my hotel to the venue. SMH. -_-

Best wishes to the newlyweds Mr. & Mrs. Stalnaker! 

Gorgeous wedding invitation & RSVP designed by the artist formerly known as Miss Montoto. 

Gorgeous wedding invitation & RSVP designed by the artist formerly known as Miss Montoto. 

Short and sweet and hot ceremony

Short and sweet and hot ceremony

Friends, fun & festivities

Friends, fun & festivities


My Best Friend's Wedding...

...Was actually nothing like the 90's rom com starring Julia Roberts. 

Beth and I have been friends for over a decade (ugh that makes me feel old) and it was an absolute honor to be a bridesmaid at her wedding and to create a custom welcome sign for the ceremony.

It was the simplest, sweetest, stress-free soiree I've ever been a part of. Of course Beth was an absolutely beautiful bride, and us bridesmaids were pretty awesome too, but lets be honest, the flower girl really stole the spotlight. I was just a tad disappointed that neither of their big, orange cats were trained to walk down the aisle with the rings tied to their tails. And I will never wear that blue dress again because strapless dresses and tops are one of my most notorious pet peeves, next to cigarettes and people talking in movie theaters. THE SACRIFICES I MAKE FOR MY FRIENDS! LoL

Seriously though, I couldn't be happier for Mr. & Mrs Clark! 

ElizabethandMichaelWeddingSign
Bridesmaids
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