2025: Personal Projects
With 2025 in the rear view, I can’t help but look back.
I use to be a real big new-years-resolution-list kind of gal.
This year, I’m really feeling the need to look back at what I’ve made, and just…be proud of it.
So here are a few highlights of some personal projects from this past year that I’ve had the opportunity to create for friends, family & community.
Weddings!
My brother got married this year. I made him & his wife a logo design that we used on stickers. They had a destination wedding at Zion National Park; the place they had their first date! The design celebrates this beautiful national park with desert themed colors. I also got to dust off the ol’ hand lettering skills for a handful of chalkboard signs used throughout the venue.
One of my good friends got married in London this summer, too. She already had a start on the design direction, so I just polished it up a bit, in keeping with the style of a vintage postcard feel.
And lastly my partner’s sister got married this year, too! I designed her & her husband’s invitations. Their wedding was in the fall, so the invitations incorporated custom hand drawn autumnal illustrations in a lovely, warm fall palette.
Politics!
One of my friends decided to run for City Councilor At-Large to oust an anti-LGBTQ candidate out of office. I designed a logo, lawn sign, and some social media graphics for her grassroots campaign. (And by the way – SHE WON!!!) Out of the options shown, I knew she’d be drawn to the Bowie-inspired lightning bolt (one of her fave artists). It also felt like the perfect representation of her leadership - a big, bold jolt of energy, a needed spark bringing a new perspective to the city council.
Community!
I’ve been on the Open Studios Committee for a couple of years now, and this year I took on more of a leadership role. Learned a lot, and honestly, I’m just very proud of the work we did. We sought out enough sponsorships to try out some new advertising avenues, upgraded our lawn signs & parking signs, replaced our old participant flags, and so much more. Plus we had cute little stickers - who doesn’t love a free sticker? I’m already looking forward to next year’s event!
Lastly, I’d like to close out with one of my favorite lettering pieces I did this year. This was inspired by Drag Queen Pattie Gonia’s ted talk. (And if you have 10 mins, definitely give this a listen!) She said, “We are a meadow, not a machine.” And I still think about this line a lot, in relation to how I show up in the world, more aspirational than actual, at times.
This also happens to be one of those pieces that kind of just flowed out. The inspiration hit, I knew exactly how I wanted it to feel, and it came out exactly how I envisioned. Alignment; we love to see it.
It’s such a joy to use my skills for friends, family & community. Sometimes the world is just so overwhelmingly chaotic and disheartening that you feel like there’s nothing you can do.
But sometimes, doing what you can, with the skills you have, where you are can be enough. Think of the meadow, and where you thrive in it. The small gestures of joy in your own life help build community. And we all desperately need community. And joy!
Wishing everyone a restful new year.
And that you too can take a moment to pause and celebrate your own accomplishments & projects & successes.