I'VE MOVED

Come and join me at my new home. I'm still settling in, so excuse the mess... but head over to www.lucyolive.co.nz and check it out!

See you there kids.

FOR YOU :: HEART OF GOLD WALLPAPER

Love is in the air... and not just because it's Valentines Day tomorrow. I'm feeling all happy inside because I've reached 300 lovely likers on Facebook! PLUS I'll be unveiling my blog's new look very soon – oh yes indeed, I can't wait to share it with you. It will still be crisp and clean, but done up a little bit... including a hint of delicious gold. As a sneak peak, I created a Heart of Gold wallpaper to preview the style of my new design! All you need to do is click here to download, and read below for further instructions.

1 :: Click on this link to access the free calendar desktop wallpaper.

2 :: Click 'File', then 'Download'.

3 :: Set to your computer's desktop, or print it out and tack it to your wall!

So.... who's doing something for Valentines Day? Ben and I don't really celebrate that kind of thing to be honest, I think we like to show our affections all year through rather than one extra-lovey day! Are you doing something special? Do you want to do something special, but have no one to be all lovey with? Fear not – take my wallpaper as a token of my affection for you. N'aww, be mine?

TYPOGRAPHIC TEA TOWEL

Finding the perfect gift isn't always easy. But imagine being a business wanting to send something out that will appeal to hundreds of people – it gets pretty tricky. This year my workplace (Tenfold Creative) tackled the Christmas debacle with a bit of kiwi flair. It was a fun little typographic project that everyone took part in! I crafted the words 'mint' and 'whanau' (Maori for 'family') for it.

The gift arrived on the recipient's desk folded as a shirt, displaying the words 'it's time to loosen the tie... another sweet as summer is about to unfold'. The shirt then opened out to become a tea towel – one that celebrates everything New Zealand in the summer season. Ka pai! (Awesome!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS :: 2012

It's that time again... that time when we spend lots of time with family friends, put our feet up, and eat lots of goodies! It's also the time when Ben and I give out our Christmas cards – we have heaps of fun making our own cards each year. This time we used shots from our engagement shoot to create a little postcard. Ben cracked me up when he decided to make himself a Christmas tree, I couldn't stop laughing, what an egg! You can check out last year's card here.

I hope everyone has a relaxing break and enjoys Christmas. Thanks for keeping me company on the blog, I really appreciate your time and comments! Much love! x

SUMMER FRUIT

I think you'd agree that one of the best things about summer is the amazing fruit that come into season. Delicious, sweet and juicy – yes please! I've done a fair share of packaging for delicious fresh produce were I work (Tenfold Creative). It's funny when you go to the supermarket and see your own designs – sometimes side by side, like these!

I guess that's one of the neat things about being a designer – you get to see your work out there, interacting with the rest of the world.

FOR YOU :: DECEMBER WALLPAPER

Santa Claus is coming to town soon, but Lucy Claus is already here! Here's a little pressie with your name on it – a free calendar design for your computer's desktop (let's face it, it's more design than calendar... but hey, who needs functionality?). Aww, I love giving gifts, I hope you enjoy it. Simply click here to download, and read below for further instructions.

1 :: Click on this link to access the free calendar desktop wallpaper.

2 :: Click 'File', then 'Download'.

3 :: Set to your computer's desktop, or print it out and tack it to your wall!

Hurray! I hope you've all got some neat plans for the final month of 2012. I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone, having a holiday and warming up in the sun's summer rays. Gosh, I'll have to start adjusting to the idea of it being 2013 soon... but it's not even Christmas yet – one thing at a time Lucy, one thing at a time! Yeesh.

PRETTY EVENT DESIGN CO.

In every corner of the internet, you will find a blog. Big blogs, little blogs, blogs about dogs, blogs about clogs (it's true!), but I am lucky enough to know some clever ladies who do the blogging world proud! I created a little look for Pretty Event Design co.'s lovely space which is positively overflowing with event inspiration. Niamh has an eye for style and is super crafty, you've gotta head on over and have a look around!

When Niamh and I were chatting about the kind of look she'd like, she was thinking about something minimalistic, creative, professional, light and fun. She also loved the idea of using the vintage scroll/ribbon shape. I had heaps of fun making something that is versatile in it's appearance – it's a chameleon, and can change to suit the situation! I'm glad Niamh loves it. Now head over to the Pretty Event Design co. site and absorb some gorgeousness!

INVITATION :: ABBEVILLE ESTATE

As the weather warms, wedding season begins. It's amazing how far weddings have come since mum's day – the trends, the availability of items, and the flexibility in following wedding tradition seem to change every year. Here is a little invitation I designed for a faux wedding shoot. The theme was rustic, feminine, charming with a hint of sparkle and contemporary style, so I wanted to create something a little different to the norm.

The invitation, which was tied shut with sparkly string, unfolded to reveal the information within. It consisted of three pieces – the main invitation, a map card and and RSVP slip. I had so much fun creating this! Will definitely post more photos from this stunning shoot soon.

MEMORY TOUCH-UP

When days have gone and passed, often we are only left with a memory... memories that can get a bit fuzzy sometimes. No wonder people often nominate the photo album as the one thing they'd save from a house on fire! But even photos, one of the best ways for us to keep our memories, can fade and get worn over time.

Click to view before and after transition

Thank you, Photoshop. Here we have an old and slightly damaged photo of my grandma's brother – isn't he adorable as a youngster? After a little bit of touching up (and removing unwanted cracks and stains), he's looking a lot fresher. I really love photo retouching – I liken it to knitting, it's such a relaxing thing to do! You can just tinker away as the world spins on. The funny thing was that as I adjusted the image, the silhouette in the window become much more obvious – I didn't notice them before! I wonder who that was?

DAD :: AUTHOR, PHOTOGRAPHER, MUSICIAN

Are we born with a similar skill set to our parents, or do we subconsciously take on their skills and interests as we grow? I'm not sure how I was given them, but I have definitely adopted certain talents that my parents have. Mum and Dad both have an incredible eye for aesthetic amazingness, as well as a real knack with the written word... both skills that I utilize in my job everyday.

When Dad began hankering for a new online space, I was more than happy to come up with a little look for him. Dad is an avid scuba diver – he even discovered a new species of fish, known as the Carpenter's Perch. He has often combined his love of photography with the underwater world to take some amazing shots of life under the sea. I knew I had to include an element of the ocean when it came to making Dad's mark!

THE SWEETEST RECIPE

Creating an identity is one thing, rolling it out is another – and is always so much fun! You may remember me posting about the Made From Scratch identity/blog redesign I worked on... well, Rachael has since branched out from blogging into baking classes, and needed some cute little recipe cards for her delicious creations. I loved making these up, they make such sweet little sets!

WEEKENDS :: SEPTEMBER + SPRING

Spring has arrived, and I'm hoping it will make itself at home very soon. I've had a very laid back weekend as my body recovers from overdoing it on the computer – Friday was spent in discomfort with my head stuck on one side and a prompt visit to the physiotherapist, yeowch! Hence why I shut down the computer this weekend and got out the ol' sketchbook, doodling this homage to the first month of spring.

OUR BOOK REVEALED :: YETIS

Holy grand reveal, batman! I'm so excited to finally show you what Ben and I have been working away on in secret... we're thrilled to announce that we are the author/illustrator team behind this new book, 'Yetis... and how they discovered the cold'! Go on – click here and have a nosey!

KAITLIN CHAPMAN :: MAKEUP & HAIR

When it comes to scrubbing up good in the makeup and hair department, there's only one lovely lady that our family turn to, and that's the uber talented Kaitlin Chapman. This is the logo identity I crafted for her a little while ago – something that was soft, feminine, romantic and chic. I reckon it fits her like a charm! You can tell from her portfolio that she's pretty amazeballs. She also did my wedding hair and makeup (I couldn't have picked anyone better for the job – and it was just perfect!).

A LITTLE BIRTHDAY GIFT

I have two sisters – one of which seems to have contracted all the girly genes that should have been shared between us three. When it came to her birthday card, I knew I had to design something just like her: pink, fun,  feminine and a bit on the stinky side. Ok, so it's hard to get 'stink' into a design, so I didn't include that in this time (I kid, I kid! Last time I checked Tessa smelt pretty average).

DOODLES :: STRAWBERRY BLONDE

As I've said before, there are a few things my desk is often littered with: empty glasses of milk, pencil rubbings, paper and stationery almost always clutter the area. So when it's time to take time out from the screen, it's inevitable that I just grab the nearest pencil and start a doodle. I quite liked this girl, so I chucked her into Photoshop and gave her a quick spritz of colour. (Wait, didn't I say I was taking time out from the computer...?) I could have taken the opportunity to clean her up a bit, but hey, a little sketchy-ness never hurt nobody. Depending on the type of sketchy we're talking about, that is.

FOR YOU :: STRAW FLAG TEMPLATE

Everyone loves to celebrate. I'm particularly good at finding reasons to treat myself, but after reaching 100 likes on Facebook, I wanted to find a way to treat you, too! As a thanks please enjoy these cute straw flags – perfect for adding that little bit extra to any celebratory drink. Simply click here to download, and read below for instructions on how to make them. Cheers!

WEEKENDS :: TRUFFLES

What better way to test out a new food processor than with pistachios, ginger and apricots for these truffles? They're very tasty, though my favourite thing about them is their rustic aesthetic – and that's good enough for me!

PHOTOSHOP MANIPULATION

Click to view before and after transition

Billboards, magazines, catalogues... don't trust 'em! We all know that Photoshop is a powerful tool; a tool that can be used for good or for evil. But where is the balance? I don't trust that any printed image I see these days is the 'original'. I use Photoshop daily, and it really is amazing how much an image can be transformed. Just for kicks, I got Ben to take my photo. I then spent about 20 minutes adjusting myself – colourings, face shape, eyebrow plucking, lip plumping, hair smoothing; the works!

FRUITY LITTLE PACKAGES

After creating an initial feijoa fruit label, I was asked to create some more for other fruit, ensuring that the design was "the same, but different." Here's a little peek into the final set I completed at work (Tenfold Creative). I love getting these little label jobs as I usually have a pretty free reign over what kind of design to do... though it can be tricky; I usually only have a 5cm area to work with! Keep an eye out for these sweeties at Countdown supermarkets.