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.

INVITATION :: IN THE WOODS

Every wedding has their own tone, their own look, their own way about them. Invitations are a great way of setting the tone and giving a glimpse of what's to come on the big day. This lovely invitation is for a wedding ceremony held under trees – pretty suiting don't you think?

These beauties were designed by Chase Kettl of San Diego for her own wedding. The design was created in Adobe Illustrator and then laser cut into thin planks. She then simply printed her design on the accompanying mustard stock, threaded it through, and voila! Definitely the kind of invitation you'd hold on to forever. But I think my favourite part was the envelope seal...

Aww, love it, almost too special to open! As always, with seeing such special invitations as these, I always get highly curious as to what the actual wedding day entailed. After a slight amount of stalking, I found out! Check out their cute wedding video here.

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!

REBRAND :: COFFEE SUPREME

By the time Coffee Supreme had grown to be one of the largest coffee roasters and suppliers in the country, they knew it was time to take the next step in their branding. The folk at Hardhat Design took the brand up a notch. OK, maybe like four notches. It's pretty darn lovely, and really reflects Coffee Supreme's personality – their expertise, their hand-crafted attention to detail, and their absolute love of coffee.

PINK GLASSES

How much fun is this bottle design for a rose wine? Giving a whole new spin to the phrase "seeing the world through rose coloured glasses," just having this bottle on the table would get the party started. I love the simple design that Luksemburk created for this packaging, and the way they let the colour of the product do a lot of the talking.

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).

TWEET-A-BRIEF EXHIBITION

Illustration agency Handsome Frank turned to its Twitter followers for inspiration in their latest exhibition. Known as 'Tweet-a-Brief', HF's twitter followers sent through over 200 briefs that the agency's artists responded to. It's on for a couple more days in London, so if you're over there, you've got to check it out. Read below for details. Or if you can't make it, see below for a couple more of my favourite pieces.

INVITATION :: COME CLOSER CLUB

I don't know what the Come Closer Club is. Heck, I don't even know what the Come Closer Club does (except for perhaps getting closer...?). But I sure would love an invitation, and I'm pretty sure you can see why. Foils? Badges? Boxes full of cute stuff? All branded consistently and beautifully? Yes please.

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!

SPIT BUBBLES

Who knew that spit bubbles, tongues and lips would make such fascinating subjects for coloured pencil illustrations? That's right – it's hard to believe that Julia Randall uses coloured pencils to create these photorealistic images. Even if they are bizarre, her works are too beautiful and mesmerizing to ignore. Go on, take a gander.

WEEKENDS :: ART + DESIGN MARKET

Nothing beats kicking off the weekend by checking out the morning market produce... especially if it's at an art and design market! Organised by the Ministry of Art and Design (MOAD), this market boasts a collection of ceramics, homewares, textiles, leatherware, jewelry, prints, and more from local artists. The market is held once a month at the Tyler Street Garage in the Auckland CBD and is definitely worth a stop-in if you're in the hood. Aside from that (and going a little crazy buying lovely paper stock this morning, oops!), it was great doing some baking with my sis-in-law Rachael (Made From Scratch). What better way to cap off a weekend than sweet treats with a sweet lady?