Bridal Shower Planning Checklist

I always joke with whoever is asking me to be in their bridal party that they probably only asked me because they know I am going to be super extra with their bridal shower and bachelorette party (I mean, isn’t it necessary that each guest have their own puppy, wrapped up in a handmade basket while Beyonce sings a song she wrote exclusively for the event?) Ok so that might not ever happen, but if I could make that happen I would. Beyonce hit me up if you’re looking to expand your portfolio.

I know that not everyone out there is as comfortable with planning an event as I am. It’s ok, I totally suck at driving a stick and folding a fitted sheet (it always looks like I’m in a UFC match with a ghost whenever I attempt it) so we all have our strengths.

Print out my bridal shower planning checklist below, three hole punch that sucker and throw it in your binder. You can see all my checklists here and if you need someone to, like, I don’t know create beautiful custom graphics for your next event I *think* I might know a girl (ok, it’s me, I’m the girl)

If you want to see how I designed other’s bridal showers then check out my events page! Don’t hesitate to contact me if you want to work together, in case you couldn’t tell I really really REALLY like what I do!

Wedding Decorations Checklist! (Girl, I Gotchu)

Planning a wedding can be stressful AF. There are so many things you need to do and all of the sudden you’re just supposed to be an expert at something you haven’t done before. When I was buying my home with my husband I remember feeling so overwhelmed. I had never bought a home before and here I was invest a lot of money into something and not feeling very confident in the decisions I was making.

The same thing happens to people when they plan a wedding. You have so many thoughts swirling around in your head, so many pinboards, so many ideas and so many people telling you what you should and shouldn’t do that you’re tempted to just give up and spend all your wedding money on a few rescue dogs, a boat, a new wardrobe and a fabulous puppy condo for all those rescue dogs you just got.

Hopefully this wedding decor checklist will help take some of the stress out of wedding planning! I’m going to be making more checklists so come back and check those out!

You can either print out the below graphic, or click here to download the jpg! 3 hole punch that bad boy and throw it in your wedding binder (don’t forget to print one out for your bestie who is also getting married!)

Be sure to check out my wedding shop for some inspiration for your own day! I always love hearing from you so please don’t hesitate to reach out and shoot me a message if you need any design help for your big day! (sending cute youtube videos of puppies optional but highly encouraged)

How To Word Your Wedding Invitations

Planning a wedding is *a lot* of work. There's finding all the vendors, making sure they're available for your date, scheduling payments (bye money, maybe one day we'll meet again), vendor meetings, finding a dress, getting wedding rings, picking wedding colors, finding flowers, organizing your bridal party....and that's not even all of it! 

The one thing I really loved about my wedding planning experience was actually my bridal shower.  It was wonderful because I didn't have to plan a thing! I just showed up, looked cute, ate great food, played fun games and got to go home with a ton of gifts (by the way check to see what your future husband is registering for or else you might end up with a drone at your bridal shower...) I didn't have to think about my shower at all, which is why I created this fun info graphic to help you figure out the right wording for your wedding invitations! Take the energy you would've spent figuring out the right way to word your wedding invites and put it towards a mani pedi. If you're feeling extra fancy grab one of those instagrammable cupcakes too (you know the ones with the pretty colors and crazy thingy-ma-jiggies all over it) 

If you're still overwhelmed do the following steps: deep breath in (ooooohh) deep breath out (ahhhh), grab another cupcake (cupcakes don't count as calories when you're planning a wedding) and shoot me an email telling me what you need help with! I love creating invitations because it is literally the first taste your guests will get of your wedding! It is super important to not wait too long to order your invitations, you don't want to end up at your local kinkos printing out some rushed Microsoft word invitations with smudged ink and flimsy paper. That is not the tone you want to set for a day that you have spent so much time, energy and money planning!

This is the Wow Factor You Need on Your Wedding Day

Wedding season is upon us! I absolutely love this time of year, between being a hopeless romantic and a total design nerd I enjoy crying during sappy vows (and testing the staying power of my waterproof mascara) and seeing how the bride and groom used color and design to evoke their personality on their wedding day.  After planning my own wedding, designing weddings/events for my own friends and family and being a bridesmaid 6 times I've experience enough weddings from all different angles now to see what simple steps a bride and groom can do to really elevate their day.

There is one detail that sometimes gets overlooked at weddings and that is the table decor. Hear me out, yes you spend weeks picking out flowers that you cant even pronounce or even new existed to create the perfect centerpiece, but there is more to a table than that! The tables are essentially little mini hubs, they're the place people congregate to when they want to catch up with friends or family they haven't seen in a while, it's where they're seated when you're introduced for the first time as husband and wife, it's where they will be chowing down on your awesome food, it's where your guests will go when they need to give their dancing feet a break and don't forget a place setting is pretty much the first thing people really take in when they walk into your venue for the first time.

Your guests will be hanging out at their tables A LOT, if you really want to elevate their experience on your wedding then adding little extra details to their "hub" is the way to go!

I believe that food tastes better when you order it off of a nicely designed menu ;) It's so easy to accidentally ignore this detail or *gasp* use the menus that the catering hall supplies to you (you know the ones, they're black and white printed on flimsy computer paper and often times cut unevenly by their intern and photocopied multiple times at kinkos) you are investing SO MUCH in your day, don't overlook your menus, table numbers and place cards! They make a world of difference!

if you're ready to elevate your day let me help you! Design is my passion, I pour my heart into it and treat every single event and wedding like it is my own (go ahead, ask my husband) You can check out more of my designs here or shoot me a line here (sending videos of puppies is option but highly encouraged)

Custom Branding Design: Elizabeth Carroll Photography

I am so excited to share with you all the recent brand design that I created for Elizabeth or Elizabeth Carroll Photography. She came to me a few weeks ago for a logo design. She loved geometrics, blush and gold (a girl clearly after my own heart) so I of course jumped on the opportunity to create something for her!

This was a lot of fun for me to design because this was the first time that I ever incorporated a pattern into a logo. I absolutely love how it turned out!

If you have a great idea for your own personal brand but are having a hard time with the execution of it then I would love to collaborate with you! Let's connect and chat about your blog or business!

I also love to chat with boss ladies about how to improve their own business to have it reach next level awesome! To see my coaching services click here!

Why Your Business and Blog Needs a Mission Statement to Succeed

Mission statements are such an important tool to your business/blog. Mission statements let your customers and readers know what goals you want to achieve and outlines your purpose. It's an intimate connection you make with your audience and it helps make your brand trustworthy.

Mission statements are different than "about" sections. An about section is more so about the people behind the brand, which is just as important but doesn't explain your business or blogs intentions and direction. Mission statements are usually short and sweet but super powerful.

Think about it, the internet is SUPER saturated. It's full of everything from awesome discounted hard to find vintage pearl earrings to pointless videos of cats in shark costumes chasing baby ducks while riding on a roomba. If someone stumbles upon your site for the first time ever you want to create that instant connection with them and retain their attention. Which is why it is really important to get your brand's mission across in one paragraph, people want information quickly and in an instant.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to help create your mission statement:

1. What are some adjectives that help describe your business or blog
2. How do you want your brand to be perceived by others
3. What problem is your business or blog solving/improving for others
4. What is your brand's intention
5. What are some goals you want your business or brand to achieve
6. What is your brand's purpose
7. What makes you different from your competition

Here are some of my favorite brand's mission statements, as you can see they are detailed yet to the point.

J.CREW: We side with style over fashion, think timelessness is underrated and find that clothes look best when they’re lived in. We love color-blocking and pattern mixing and temper tomboy with heels. We’re fans of tousled hair and think everything’s right when something’s left just a little imperfect. We wear sneakers with suits, wing tips with jeans and chambray on chambray. We don’t believe there’s such a thing as overdressed—and we don’t rent tuxedos. we’re an American brand, but we source fabrics from around the world: Japanese seersucker, Irish linen and Italian wool. We don’t believe there’s just one way to wear an outfit, but we do have a few ideas on how to pull one together. For us, the magic is in the mix.

LUCKY BRAND: Our jeans are made for the free-thinker, the artist, the dreamer; they’re made to dance, work, run, jump, play and rock ‘n’ roll (just like you). Our inspiration doesn’t just come from the rugged workwear of denim pioneers, but from the free spirit and laid-back lifestyle of our Southern California roots. We find inspiration everywhere, from the secluded outlooks of Big Sur, to the old-school tattoo parlors of Venice and the beautiful beaches of Malibu. We reference music, art and photography — old and new — to create truly unique pieces that you’ll wear over and over again. You’ll find Lucky Brand all over America — in 209 stores (and counting) — as well as select department stores and online at LuckyBrand.com.

STARBUCKS: We’re not just passionate purveyors of coffee, but everything else that goes with a full and rewarding coffeehouse experience. We also offer a selection of premium teas, fine pastries and other delectable treats to please the taste buds. And the music you hear in store is chosen for its artistry and appeal. It’s not unusual to see people coming to Starbucks to chat, meet up or even work. We’re a neighborhood gathering place, a part of the daily routine – and we couldn’t be happier about it. Get to know us and you’ll see: we are so much more than what we brew. We make sure everything we do is through the lens of humanity – from our commitment to the highest quality coffee in the world, to the way we engage with our customers and communities to do business responsibly.

WEST ELM: Since it launched in Brooklyn, NY in 2002, west elm has been helping customers express their personal style at home. Our mission is three-fold: 1) we offer CHOICE in our products and services, helping customers create a home that tells their story, 2) we build COMMUNITY with customers, collaborators and associates, connecting like-minded strangers through inspiration, conversation, events and activities, and 3) we focus on CONSCIOUSNESS and honest business practices in everything we do, from handcrafted and local products to supply chain transparency + sustainability.

COACH: The Coach brand represents a blend of classic American style with a distinctive New York spirit, offering a design that is known for a distinctive combination of style and function.

What are some of your favorite brand's mission statements? If you're having a hard time crafting your own mission statement we can always work together to help you get there! click here to learn more about my coaching services or contact me for custom brand designs!

Style Your Tech - Calligraphic Inspirational Quote

Wanted to thank Ashlyn Carter for this inspirational phone wallpaper! If you haven't heard of Ashlyn I recommend giving her a page a visit, she has some great tools for business owners that really come in handy when you're a one-woman-show.

The Dos and Don'ts of Designing Your Logo

I thought today's business tip might be fun in the form of an infographic. It took a while for me to make but I think it's so fun to read! What are some logo tips you have learned or been told?

What other types of business and/or graphic design tips would you guys like to know? If you want one-on-one attention to help your business grow you can click here to learn more about my coaching services! If you're happy with your business but feel like you're struggling with your brand I would love to chat with you about your brand identity and working together to design a look that is perfect for you!

How Not Properly Branding Your Business is Hurting Your Sales

I'll never forget the first time I realized I had made one of the BIGGEST mistakes ever in my business. I sell home decor prints for my shop, Yellow Heart Art. A lot of them are cheeky quotes that I come up with myself and people seem to really respond well to them. Coming up with the sayings is one of my favorite parts about the shop.

Whenever someone bought one of my prints I would always do the same thing. First, get stoked every time I heard that "ca-ching!" sound go off on my Etsy app meaning that I had a sale. Second I would print my art, add my business card that contained all my information, place my print in a cello sleeve to prevent it from getting wet in case it was raining in transit, and then stick it in a cardboard sleeve to prevent it from bending. Then off it went to it's new home!

I had taken all the steps possible for the person to find me again by adding my business card in my package, but hey since they bought my print through Etsy I figured that if they wanted to purchase another it would be fairly easy for them to find me again since they can always look in their "purchased orders" to find me.

I was scrolling through instagram one day and someone who I happened to follow on there had purchased one of my prints and shared it to their following. I instantly "liked" the photo and started to read through the comments. That is the moment I will never forget. The moment where my stomach sank and I realized I had made the biggest mistake ever in my retail shop.

As I scrolled through her comments I saw that people were commenting and saying how cute the print was and asking where they could buy one themselves (yaaaasss people love my stuff and want it in their homes!) except what I saw next was shocking. As I scrolled down more the person who had purchased my artwork, and had shared it on their instagram, responded back to all the commenters saying "Oh, I just purchased it on Etsy!"

And that, right there, was the moment that changed me.

For those of you unfamiliar with Etsy it's basically an online site where a bunch of artists like me (and maybe you) can go and upload your products and sell through their platform. Imagine it being like an eBay or even a craigslist (except, like, way more professional than craigslist). Now imagine for a moment you compliment someone's shirt and you ask them where they got it and their response to you is "Oh, I got it at the mall!". Was that information helpful to you at all? No, because the mall is a big place full of a ton of stores and the odds of you finding *that* shirt that they wore is pretty much not gonna happen.

Well, that's how it was for me when the customer who purchased my art responded to her commenters by saying she "bought it on Etsy". There would be virtually no way for those people to find my print. Maybe they could type into Etsy the quote that was on my print and maaaaybe it would pop up, but the odds were slim.

I instantly got mad at myself because I knew exactly what happened. I didn't properly brand my product. I had assumed that throwing in my loose business card inside the package with my print would be more than enough for people to know who I was. I had assumed that people knew they were buying a print from Yellow Heart Art and not Etsy. I only had myself to blame because I didn't take the proper steps in helping my customers know that Yellow Heart Art had created that print, and because of that I was hurting my business in a big way because it was preventing me from getting new customers and repeat sales.

How did I fix this problem? I did the following steps to help my business reach it's full potential while using my brand as a helpful tool.

1. I threw my logo on EVERYTHING. I started to print my logo and contact information on the back of my prints. I really kick myself over this one because IT WAS SO EASY TO DO and I had totally dropped the ball on that. Just taking this easy extra step has helped people recognize my business. It also took Yellow Heart Art to the next level and gave me a more professional appearance, which allowed me to gain trust in my customers. How are my customers supposed to know who I am if I don't tell them? Think about it, whenever you purchase a shirt the company name is printed on the hang tag as well as inside the shirt, so even when you rip off the hang tag (or in my case, when my customer throws out my business card) the company name is still on the actual product. Every time you see the shirt the brand's name gets ingrained into your head with out you even realizing it, allowing the customer to form a connection to the brand. The more a customer recognizes YOUR brand the more likely they are to refer your product to friends and to be a repeat buyer.
    
2. I started to include a marketing postcard in my packages . The postcard had my logo on it and some information about my product and business. The postcard also included my instagram name and I encouraged people to share my item that they had just purchased on their own instagram *and* to tag me in the photo. This helped me in 2 ways. Firstly my postcard had some fun facts about Yellow Heart Art on it that mentioned how I designed this item by hand, which helped give it a more human factor. My customer knew that their artwork wasn't mass produced in some factory in china which helped my brand tell a story. Second, by encouraging my customers to share with me on instagram how they styled their Yellow Heart Art print in their home it allowed my item to be seen by their followers, and now my product had my business tagged to it, so if someone wanted to purchase the artwork they were sharing they could click on my name and see where to buy it.
    
3. I made Yellow Heart Art stickers for the outside of my package. They see my company name before they even open the envelope, causing them to connect my name to my product. It also helped make my product stand out in their mail. When they see "Yellow Heart Art" printed on the outside of their package there is a sense of excitement to rip open the envelope and see their print. I want that feeling and emotion to be connected to my brand, so why not put that out there BEFORE they even see my product? Give people a reason to get excited over your items, the more excited they get the more likely they are to be a repeat buyer. They will always remember how your product made them feel. Everyone loves those 3 special words "out for delivery".
    
4. Make your package stand out. Not only do I put a Yellow Heart Art sticker on the outside of my package, but I also include fun confetti on the inside of my prints. I got confetti custom made with the shop colors and of course little gold yellow hearts. The confetti is inside the cello sleeve, so when they take out the print the confetti stays towards the bottom so it doesn't get everywhere and make a mess. It's memorable and adds that extra step of excitement to a package. Think about your favorite brands, Anthropologie always wraps their items in tissue paper and sticks an "Anthropologie" sticker on the outside and then places it in a nice sturdy well designed bag. Kate Spade always uses patterned tissued paper in bright colors to go with her fun bags. These little extra steps go a long way in maybe your product recognizable and letting your customers feel good about spending money in your store.
    
5. Offer an incentive to come back for more. Along with the marketing postcard (that is encouraging people to share your products on their social media) you can also include a coupon code for them to use on their next purchase.

Are you struggling with ways on how to brand your business so it'll help you reach more customers and get more sales? Do you want your items sold in big box retailers but don't know how to do it? I now offer coaching services where I give you a one-on-one skype call where we discuss your shop, your product photos, your branding and how to improve it. If you're interested please go here to learn more! I only open it up to an exclusive number of just 5 people a month!

If you have a great product but are struggling with how to brand it properly then I would love to work and connect with you! I hate seeing businesses with amazing items and products not get the sales they deserve because their brand wasn't designed to its full potential. I offer branding design services that is tailored specifically for your company, go here to contact me for more information about this valuable business investment.

Outfit Inspiration - Hamptons Dahling

My husband can attest that I own too many hats for someone who has only 1 head. I can't help it, a good floppy hat just completes an outfit (and helps me from getting gnarly scalp burn--has that ever happened to you? Because every phase of scalp burn is awful. The redness, the peeling, the itching, people thinking you have head lice and not wanting to stand with in a 4 foot radius of you...)

By the way I *really* hope this off the shoulder trend is here to stay because I am welcoming it with open day glow pasty arms. (where my pale chicks at -- wut wuuut)

ps-yes that little green tag peeking out is the price tag on the bag, I was so excited to use it that I forgot to take it off which is #soleonora (I'm Leonora by the way...)

HAT | DRESS | NECKLACE | BAG | SHOES

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SHOP YELLOW HEART  | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SNAPCHAT: YellowHeartArt

Style Your Tech - Watercolor Flowers

Every now and then your tech can use a little upgrading. Get inspired and dress up your phone with these watercolor flowers! The white background still let's you see your apps clealry, because we know how important it is to quickly find instagram so you can show off your mason jar cocktail or amazing hair day (hey, we've all been there...)

Be sure to tag us on instagram @YellowHeartArt so we can see it in action! (and of course say hi, we're always looking for new besties)

Yellow Heart Art's New Direction

Ekkkk Yellow Heart Art’s first blog post on the new site! I am so excited to share with you all the new direction for Yellow Heart Art and why I decided to take on this new approach.

Quick background, for those of you who don’t know me my name is Leonora (or Leo2theNora when I’m feeling fancy) I’m short but never rock heels, I’m a big scaredy cat but am always trying to push myself out of my comfort zone, I prefer caramel to peanut butter, I have a pet bird, I always rock winged liner, my 3 front teeth are fake and I talk loud in restaurants (not on purpose, I just don’t realize the volume of my voice haha!)

I started my home décor print shop, Yellow Heart Art, back in 2011. I started it as a creative outlet from my boring 9-5 corporate design job where I wasn’t allowed to use fun colors or any other font besides Times New Roman or Helvetica.  I loved the idea of creating something from start to finish that was my dream and my vision and the thought of people spending their hard earned money on something I made so they can display in their home was such an amazing feeling.

A HUGE goal of mine for Yellow Heart Art was to have my artwork sold in major chain stores and be a recognizable household name like Jonathan Adler or Nate Berkus or Oh Joy! I had opportunities to have my works in these types of stores but soon realized that it wasn’t easy (and don’t get me wrong no great thing is ever easy!) however I didn’t like all the corporate red tape you had to go through.  I found myself being less creative and spending more time researching suppliers, international shipments, custom fees, shipping crates, insurance quotes and other things that I really didn’t know anything about. They also wanted below my wholesale price and needed things ASAP. Some companies would love my artwork and would want to license my art to their company but I would only get 10% of all sales which to me seemed like they didn’t respect my craft.

I felt like I was getting out of touch as to why I started this business, which was to connect with people through my art and to help them upgrade their space with something I created from the heart. What I thought I wanted was really the opposite of what I wanted. People like Nate Berkus have a team of amazing people helping them with all these non-creative things that I just didn’t have. I literally couldn’t do it all and I didn’t have the money to hire help.   

So, I thought how can I still do what I love but also still have that connection to my customers? People are constantly asking me how I got to where I am today and if I do custom branding designs. I would turn down custom work because I didn’t have the time to dedicate to my Home Décor Shop *and* do custom designs. But now I want to focus solely on that. I want to help people cross items off their business bucket list and help them bring their business to next-level-amazing through brand design and coaching.

I want to share my experiences with others and tell them what worked for me and what didn’t work for me. I want to share with people how I got my artwork into major chain stores, in celebrity homes and on TV.

I am excited about this new venture, let’s hold hands and jump into the deep end together!

Oh, and as far as Yellow Heart Art the shop goes, sure I’ll leave her up for a while but I will not be spending all my time focusing on that, so new designs will not be going up in it seasonally.

Tell me in the comments what type of information you want me to share with you! Specific business tips? Graphic design tutorials? Branding questions? Hit me with your best shot! (I know you all are humming Pat Benatar in your head now...)