So it's been awhile...

Yes, I've broken a crucial blogging rule since it's been about a year and some since I last wrote but I ain't apologizing for it. I retreated for good reason and now that I have had that time to reflect, I am coming back with a new set of dreams, goals, and direction.

You see my personal world was rocked by an unexpected happening shortly after my last blog post and I had a difficult time finding my footing again so rather than continue on the path I was going, I decided to use the opportunity for a little soul searching; I took a few trips to still my mind and gain some perspective and upon my return I changed neighbourhoods, found a new circle of great people, and rediscovered my creative spirit. It's been an interesting ride and the scenery has been to die for! ;)

Since my return I've been working on a book which is finally ready for the world to see and I am excited to finally be able to share it with you.

It's a book that showcases my travels through Europe capturing my experiences through photographs and snippets from blog and journal entries I wrote along the way. My design approach was to take my audience on a 'journey' through the book as if they were travelling with me through Europe; Moving, experiencing, discovering, and uncovering. To achieve this, I kept the design clean and simple so the focus was on the large photographs and journal entries. Can't forget the lovely white space I weaved in there and the supporting quotes to further inspire a potential journey of the reader.

Creating this one has inspired me to create more photobooks that capture a more unique perspective of life so we'll see what other editions I decide to put out there in 2013.

You can also check out the blog that inspired the book - and one that will hopefully inspire other books in the future.

Enjoy!
http://www.blurb.ca/bookstore/detail/3831883

Travels of a Free Spirit - Europe 2012 (hardcover) by Amanda Weedmark | Make Your Own Book

Monopoly-themed Wedding Invitations

Just recently, I finished these wedding invitations for a couple looking to throw a Monopoly-themed wedding.

Property cards were chosen as the concept for the invitations due to their linkage in the game to location or destination. The key to making these invites a success was to ensure that they weren't an exact replication of the Monopoly graphic style but were simply inspired by it. Black outlines, black text, one solid colour, and lots of white space were elements used to make the cards recognizable to the game while flourishes and accents were added to portray the formality and elegance the couple were looking for.

The RSVP cards reflected the Chance cards from the game to indicate an opportunity to respond.

These invites were featured on Design Edge magazine and it was definitely a proud day for the bride and groom as well as myself. With this came a little bit of drama on the comment boards but it has been exciting to see so many people conversing about them. Not to mention all the tweets, re-tweets, and Likes I received from it all.

My client are esctatic with these invites and their guests are using them as keepsakes for the occasion so in my mind, these were an official success and a job well done.

Congrats guys!

Outside of the Bubble

Since a young age, I was always snapping photos with my Polaroid. I loved to oogle over my dad's camera gear and spent most of my grade 12 year in the darkroom. Until recently, it never really dawned on me to turn this into a hobby since design had been the focus of my life for so long. Design was my inspiration. My hobby. My love. But now it's my day job so I need a new inspiration, a new hobby, a new love; Something outside of the design bubble.

While casually walking the park one afternoon, snapping some spring photos, I happened to snap a shot of this little guy and it sparked something in me. Something I hadn't felt since I first dreamed about being a designer. Pet photography. As the thought hit me, I started dreaming of a company name, marketing campaigns, print materials...without even having a client yet!

With a love for animals, the outdoors, and photography, it made sense to combine these ideas to create a hobby that was fun, rewarding, and challenging in it's own right.

Granted there are many pet photographers out there but that's not really my concern. I'm not out to compete and prove I'm the best. I'm out to have fun, to grow my skill, develop my artistic eye, and help capture fun and quirky moments of a family pet. It's a refreshing switch from always pushing the boundaries, trying to stand-out from the plethora of designers out there, begging to be 'the chosen one'. It can be quite mind-numbing so this is a perfect offset to the chaos of the design world.

I've started a blog to update visitors on the new furry friends I've been meeting and a SmugMug album to showcase the photographs.

Check them out & tell me what you think!