Sweeney Curations

{ Curation } Did you know that curation means to select, organize & present information or content, etc., typically using professional or expert knowledge? Cue our business name.... Sweeney Curations. This week we’ve been working at curating colour palettes, font selections and so much more to incorporate into our designs and some incredible branding projects. We have the most amazing clients and can’t thank you enough for trusting us to bring your designs to life! This colour palette has been a labour of love, playing with suitable colours to incorporate and that represent the business while ensuring they will be well received. So here’s the million dollar question, which colour resonates with you the most? We cannot wait to share the final project with you, in a few short weeks! #Branding #LogoDesigner #BrandsYouLove #Colour #ColourPalette #Pantone #curated #valueofgreatdesign

{ Design Elements } Did you know that tulips are known for their bold colours and beautiful shape and that most varieties are almost perfectly symmetrical? Tulips are actually known for their ‘perfection’ and because they are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring, they also represent rebirth.... This is a little sneak of one of the design elements we are incorporating into a current rebrand we are working on and it has nothing to do with a flower shop. The meaning behind elements and the incorporation of them into your brand, is all part of the job. Sometimes they fit and sometimes they don’t. In this case, let’s just say the tulip fits, perfectly. Stay tuned! Tomorrow we will share a sneak of one of the colour palette options presented. #BrandsYouLove #Rebrand #Rebranding #DesignElements #FloralArt #Tulips #GraphicDesign #ValueOfGreatDesign #LoveWhatYouDo #LogoDesigner #CreateALifeYouLove #OttawaValley #LineArt #WomenInBusiness #BossBabe #CreativityFound

{ Gentle Reminder } Have you ever heard of imposter syndrome? It can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success.’ Self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence. Well it exists and we along with many other individuals deal with it on a regular basis. We came across the quote you are enough, with the following definition and it’s powerful!... You are enoughmeans thatyouwere made to beyou, asyouare, on purpose. It is no mistake thatyouare this person, in this place, at this time.That's allyouhave to be and allyouhave todo.You're alreadyenough. Kick self-doubt in the a** and start believing in yourself, in your talent, in your skillset and especially in your worth. TAG someone who is doing a fantastic job and could use a gentle reminder of how amazing they really are! #Empowerment #YouAreEnough #Quotes #Inspire #Typography #GraphicDesigner #GirlBoss #MyOwnBoss #BelieveInYourself #Power #ImposterSyndrome #SelfDoubt #LoveYourself #BelieveInYourself #Mompreneur #Designer #DigitalPrintShop #TheFutureIsFemale #WomenInspire #CreateALifeYouLove #WomenSupportingWomen #FemaleHustlers #BeYourBestSelf

How many cups have you had? It’s a busy Monday around here, with some big and smaller projects in the works! We are so excited for you to see what we’ve been working on. Tea is my go to drink, whether it’s morning, afternoon or night. I have a slight mug addiction and love switching them up daily.... Avid tea drinker over here Are you a tea or coffee drinker? Maybe you’re one of amazing individuals that can function with neither (that’s my hubby?!) #TeaDrinker #Tea #HappinessInACup #MugAddict #Designer #CreativeAtHeart #MondayMotivation #CoffeeLover #Typography #Mompreneur #GirlBoss #ValueOfGreatDesign #Branding #LogoDesigner #CreateALifeYouLove #MyOwnBoss #DoWhatYouLove #WomenInBusiness #WomenWithAmbition #CalledToBeCreative #WomenWhoHustle

{ The Real M’V’P } Playing with some monogram concepts this weekend! Which one speaks to you? Design Concepts, Brainstorming, Behind the Scenes. This is what our weekends are made of! #WorkHardPlayHard

{ Love What You Do } Hey it’s me, Amber It’s #FridayIntroductions around here and I thought I would post this candid shot from the lovely @brittanynavinphotography!... Have any of you heard the saying, ‘choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life!’ Well Confucius I hate to break it to you but the opposite is true and in my opinion you will never work harder. Blood, sweat and tears fuel this passion turned business and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Entrepreneurship is a constant roller coaster. It’s overwhelming, it’s fuelled by passion and let me tell you... it’s rare that your mind shuts off long enough to not think of your never ending to-do list or new innovative processes to implement and pour back into your business. Last night I wrapped up two projects, while finessing some details for a larger project and I stopped to reflect. I thought about how even while working late into the evening hours, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think that the saying should actually read ‘choose a job you love, because you may work harder than you ever have BUT it’ll be rewarding!’ As I sat there staring at my computer screen last night, it hit me. What I’m doing was a far off dream of mine only a few years ago, and dreams do come true (with a lot of work!) So chase those dreams, but not for the sake of not wanting to work hard, because that’s just not the reality. #TruthBeTold Happy Friday Everyone!

{ New Digital Prints } This is one of the Fall digital prints that hit the shop on Tuesday morning. Our mailing subscribers were sent an exclusive discount code and many have already taken advantage of it!... Digital prints are such an inexpensive way to switch up your artwork for the season, we designed this one specifically with an entranceway in mind! Digital print download comes with 8x8, 16x16 and 24x24. Shop digital prints using code FALL2020 for 50% off your order. What room would you put this print in? Your front hall, mud room, kitchen? Shop now, https://www.sweeneycurations.com/shop

{ Clever Copyright } Sometimes one of our favourite parts of the job is developing some of the fun copyright to go with our clients designs, while of course staying ‘on brand.’ In this case we’ve been working on something for @therebelcrafter and going through her feed of sarcasm and absolutely hilarious quotes had us laughing!... We made a spin-off on her ‘people are the worst’ plate and we’ve incorporated it into the design of her latest piece of marketing material, stay tuned for more. Some people really are the worst, but all of you small business supporters out there... well you’re awesome! ;)

{ Truth } We came across this quote yesterday and given the worldwide pandemic that’s occurring, we thought it was suitable to share. We’ve talked to many of you that are continuing to focus on the positives and how some of the changes imposed by recent events have resulted in more family time, less rush, and more time to focus on what we really want in life.... Pandemic aside, we’ve all been through events that are less than ideal. Whether they are business related, family related or even with friends. Rather than be reduced by them, focus on what you learn from them. Some things you learn the hard way, but you learn none the less. So focus on the positives.

{ Teaser } Some big decisions were made yesterday, and although this ‘K’ isn’t the monogram for the business; it is being incorporated into the rebrand itself! To say we are excited about this rebranding project would be an understatement, think classy, elegance, timeless with a touch of trendy.... Presenting colour palettes is next in line and we’re excited. Stay tuned, this is going to be good!

{ It’s Coming... } The first day of Fall is on Tuesday and this is one of the new prints hitting the digital print shop! One of my best friends laughed and said this is a very ‘on brand’ for me, as I have a sign out front that reads this exact line year after year.... There will be an exclusive discount code going out on Tuesday morning to anyone on our mailing list and six new prints are being released! Sign up using this link: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f636405a7faea493737b46c Have a great Saturday Everyone! We have a socially distanced outdoor party to host this afternoon for a special little boys birthday but we will be back online tomorrow, catching up on emails, proposals, projects and prepping for a busy week ahead. Cheers Y’all ;)

{ My Connor Roo } My baby boy is three today but if I ask him, he will hold up three fingers and proudly shout I’m TWO! Often I wonder if I include my family too much on this platform or even on my website for that matter.... I’m sitting here thinking about how much this little boy has inspired me over the years, how much he has changed my path of life and there’s a damn good reason my family has such a strong presence; they are a part of who I am and a huge part of why Sweeney Curations is the business it is today. Connor was six months old when I enrolled to earn my degree in graphic design. He made me a mom. He made me rethink my career path. He made me want more for my life. He made me want to be passionate about what I do. He made me want to set a good example. And now he is three and he continues to: Remind me to take breaks. Remind me to celebrate even the little wins (I peed on the potty he exclaims!) Remind me that snacks are very important. Remind me that naps are for the weak, (insert eye roll here). Remind me that laughing, crying or being frustrated are all okay. Remind me that dancing makes everything better. Remind me that negotiating is a very strong skill to have, and can often prolong bedtime when done well. Most of all this little boy has taught me to embrace life, to smile more and to ask why? He is so much a part of me and I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to thank him enough for teaching me so many things about myself, in such a little time. Happy Birthday Connor Roo, I can’t wait to celebrate you in all your glory with Lightning McQueen and all the Cars Pit Crew! #VroomVroom

{ Font Exploration } Anyone that knows me, knows that I love my wine... but I also love fonts. Fonts can be fun, modern, bold, elegant, whimsical, harsh and so much more! They can change a design so much, and they have such an impact on the overall visual identity you’re providing to your audience. ... Mix in imagery with the font and it’s a whole new ballgame of does the design still balance? We are in the midst of not one but TWO incredible rebrands right now, and font exploration is always one of our favourite steps in creating that new visual identity for a business. Check out the various explorations for the letter ‘K’, just to see how much a simple font choice can have. We can’t wait to share some more behind the scenes with you, as we bring these brands to life! In the meantime let us know which ‘K’ you love? 1, 2, 3 or 4?

{ Logo Reveal } It’s official, Green Bean Natural Foods has some big plans in the works for the upcoming months and we were lucky enough to be entrusted to bring their visual identity to life with this one of a kind logo set. Specially curated fonts that were presented & hand selected by the owners, a design that represents them with a clean and natural feel. Stacked, vertical, wordmark and emblem versions were developed, alongside the symbolmark itself.... We presented them with a variety of colours palettes and they felt the hues of green and dark grey/brown represented them best, and we couldn’t agree more. The sense of growth and natural look that this logo brings, perfectly captures all of the amazing products they carry in store. The staff are very knowledgeable and approachable and we wanted their logo to convey that too! Of course we love hidden meanings, so there’s a reason for 2 leaves and 2 beans, but that’s an insiders secret What’s your favourite ‘natural’ food? Ours would be raspberries or pomegranates.

Just a note to say As I write this, I’m watching the Netflix original ‘The Social Dilemma’ in the background with the hubby. Some of the statistics (actually most of them) are pretty darn scary, the way we use social media (or it uses us) is a bit overwhelming.... I’ve never been too hung up on statistics; how many likes, how many followers, how many views, etc. However, here’s what I want to say to all of you, while I consider the positive aspects that social media has had on my business. Thank you for choosing to follow me. Thank you for engaging with my content. Thank you for pushing me to grow. Thank you for allowing me to market my business. Thank you for allowing me to market other businesses. Thank you for letting me share my story. Thank you for letting me share my passion. Thank you for letting me do what I love. Thank you for being here, and for following along my business journey. Thank you for every like, share, comment, referral and especially those that choose to hire Sweeney Curations to bring their designs to life. You are the best and I’m so thankful for you. xo Amber

{ Colour Inspo } The season of colour is soon upon us and I can’t wait! While springand summer provide us for so many floral colours, there’s nothing quite like all the leaves changing too! I have started to point out the changing leaves to my son and of course he asks ‘why’. I explain that it’s part of the beauty that comes with the different seasons and Mother Nature preparing for winter (*shudder).... Soaking it all in, and enjoying the crisp air while feeling totally inspired by the gorgeous colours that are starting to show up! I think I may need to grab a pumpkin spice latte to help with my inspiration ;)

{ You Can } It’s a new week. There’s new goals to conquer. There’s new projects to create.... There’s new techniques to try. And with all of that, comes self-doubt, imposter syndrome and wondering if you can do everything on your to-do list and ‘you can’. You can do anything you set your mind to, don’t ever forget that. #NowGoConquerSomeGoals

{ kindness } Here’s a word I toss around a lot on this platform, kindness. It comes in many shapes and forms, it can be verbal, it can be silent, it can be personal, it can be professional. ... Kindness can be demonstrated in so many ways, and yet the world always needs more. Be kind to yourself, be kind to others. I’ve always been outspoken. I’ve always been the person who sees a complete stranger and tells them ‘That sweater looks amazing on you!’ ‘You have such a nice smile.’ ‘Your hairdo is amazing!’ (Oh no I totally just aged myself by calling it a hairdo, right?!) Regardless, often the compliments come out of left field and catch the person off guard. Often my friends look at me embarrassed (oh she didn’t just say that to someone she doesn’t know, did she?) But you know what? I can’t think of a time that I’ve done that, where the person hasn’t smiled as a reaction. Why? Because what I said was kind. So here’s some food for thought: When you come across content you like, tell the creator how much you admire it, whether it’s a photo, a design, a product, etc. When you see someone (behind a mask) smile anyways (behind yours) trust us, they can tell and they’ll appreciate it. When you’re thinking something nice about someone, try and say it out loud to them. And at the end of the day, just remember: Kindness. Why? Because it matters now, more than ever.

{ What’s that Font? } When creating a brand, the font selection is one of our favourite parts. Presenting clients with a variety of specially curated font choices that reflect their brand in a unique way. This font was specially sourced and selected when the dynamic duo we were working with mentioned a particular television show where they loved the font.... Let’s just say we made this font their own and can’t wait for the grand reveal, but good things take time and until they launch we will just tease you with some of the details. We posted a fun quiz on our FB page last night, ‘can you match the iconic font to the tv show?’ If you’ve ever had any doubts how important and iconic fonts can become to your brand, go take a look at how impactful they’ve been to tv shows!

While we were doing some font exploration for an upcoming rebrand, we came across this quiz and thought we would share it with all of you. If you want to see the significance of how a simple font choice can become iconic to a television series, think about what sort of impact it can have on your brand! #FoodForThought #FontChoicesMatter Let us know how you do? Full disclosure, we got 8/10. We had never seen the series for the two we got incorrect. ... https://crmrkt.com/qak1k9

{ Custom Print Design } When the Queen of Starbucks Cups asked us to design a custom card to include with all of her orders, we got to work! Shades of pink were a request and we had fun with different brush strokes of watercolour, which went perfectly with her branded colour palette.... The owner of @designedbylyss_ wanted to include the care instructions for her cups and clothing while also leaving a space to write a handwritten note on the back. Head on over to her page to check out how we carried out a similar design for her featured ‘cup of the month’ and if you haven’t already, we highly suggest ordering one of her fabulous designs!