What Makes a Product Really Stand Out & Get Noticed??

Although I don't consider myself to be an expert of marketing or digital product branding, I do get asked this question quite a bit...

I really enjoy what I do and I thought I would share some of the tips and advice I have learned over the years. I often feel like I fall short when it comes to my own product brand and marketing, but I seem to excel when helping others.. go figure!!

I believe that there are three KEY ingredients to making sure your digital products really stand out...

#1 LAYOUT & DESCRIPTION

Your layout is not the actual colors or clipart you've included in your design, but how you have placed those items in a product preview to draw people in. I always work in grids.. I like to see that elements are placed evenly, proportionately, and balanced on a page - no matter what type of page you are creating. 

Now... I do have a Masters degree, but I did not earn my degree in art or design (maybe now I wish I had..lol). This is just my own "eye" and how I am able to creatively and objectively look at different designs elements. 

Think of it this way... the layout of your design tells a story... what story is your layout telling? 

Is your story random, messy and not well thought out? Or does  your story show you took great care and time to think about how to use the space you had?  Having white space is also not always a bad thing... especially in design. Just because there is space for more images, doesn't mean you need to fill it up with more.

Having too many elements in a layout will distract people from the visual story you are trying to convey. Keep the design and layout simple - I know you have all probably heard the saying, less is more.... but it's true... LESS is MORE.. in design. You want people seeing your product preview to know exactly what it is you have and to focus on the content. 

Leanring how to design an effective layout takes time, practice and many do-overs to get it right.. haha.. Just take a look at some of my old previews.... OR DON'T!!! There is always more to learn and I take pride in knowing that I am a life long learner of as many things as possible.. LOL

#2  FONTS HAVE FEELINGS TOO

Using clear and easy to read fonts on your product covers is VERY IMPORTANT!! If I can't read it, then I surely will not be buying what you are selling. Keep it simple, clean, and bold and people will be able to read the previews even when they are only 200 pixels wide on the web.

Every font has it's own "personality" and tone... Use fonts that reflect a "personality" that complements the purpose of the product. If you take a little peak at my PORTFOLIO, notice how the fonts I chose for each design takes on its own personality that complements the overall design and nae of each blog. Those choices didn't happen by accident, people. I often spend more time choosing fonts than doing anything else in a custom blog design. I can literally spend hours searching for just the right font that complements each design. It is a process, but it's an important process. 

Think of the fonts you choose as your online "body language".. what are your fonts relaying to those reading?  I recently read a great article about WHY FONTS MATTER that talks about how fonts can relay our emotions and what we are feeling... just like colors (but I'm not getting into colors today.. that could be an entirely other post). It might be a good idea NOT to create a product cover while you're mad.. haha

I love design messages that help us learn... like the design of this T-Shirt from Amazon

If you thought the shirt was funny, there is an entire Facebook Community dedicated to spotting reasons as to "Why Fonts Matter". Check out this Facebook page, WHY FONTS MATTER and be prepared to laugh, but also be prepared to start thinking about your own font choices and what messages your font choices are conveying... it's really important!!

Here is an example from this FB page:

I am pretty sure the person who chose this font was not thinking that the style would make this company look like it says KKK boxing!!! Font styles can play tricks on our eyes and on the way we feel about a company or product... start thinking about your fonts.

I have had clients in the past ask me to use specific fonts together that look terrible when paired. Even when I have literally begged that client to "trust" me, I end up having to appease the client and use the font combination requested... 99.99% of the time I do this, the client will ask me to change the fonts once they have seen their decision and how it looks in relation to the overall design - I kid you not!! 

Make sure if using more than one font, that those two fonts complement one another as well. test it out, print it or get some fresh opinions if you are unsure. There are so many of us Teacher or former teacher bloggers that would jump at the chance to help and share our knowledge and input with you. Don't end up sitting for hours by yourself feeling frustrated when you have a community of amazingly talented peeps to give you some tips.  

#3 EXCLUSIVE CLIP ART AND REAL PHOTOS

Do you want to really make your products stand out and get noticed?? Use real photos taken by YOU or create your own clip art that no one else has. There is nothing more appealing than a high quality image or unique clip art! In my Clip Art 101 Course, I am teaching teachers and bloggers- just like you- to create their own images! Come join us - I would love to teach you what I know... 

Just imagine if you could create a quality product and then illustrate the entire thing using your own unique art!! You would certainly have something unique. I get asked all of the time why I do not sell the art I use in my Hello Business Planner or my End of the Year Memory Coloring Book.  The reason I do not sell the art I used to create these two products is because I wanted to create a product that was completely unique each time. 

I noticed the other day just how many product covers look exactly the same while scrolling through TeachersPayTeacher (Actually, Teachers Pun Teachers right now... hilarious!), so why not stand out with your own clip art OR photos. 

I like being different... I really do..  Try it... try it, Sam I am... (lol)

Last Thoughts/Tips

Staying consistent in your preview designs with branding will also benefit you in the long run. This is something I have a difficult time doing, because I like to change things up! It's hard to be consistent. Its NOT impossible, but it does take work to become recognizable and familiar. If you create a good brand identity or hire someone to do that for you, then you are on the right track already.

If you don't yet have a TpT shop and you are struggling to figure out how to begin, I always suggest starting out with a blog and begin connecting with people. Blogging was really my starting point and I had no idea how much it would positively impact my life. I have made incredible friendships, learned so much, and I have grown both as an artist and as a business owner through the relationships I made through blogging. 

If you need a little help, you can always hire me to create a custom blog or website design -that's right... I also design Weebly websites! You will have to email me for my website package pricing. Click HERE to hire me or email me at 3amteacher@gmail.com I am always ready to help create a unique design and get you started on your own blogging.business journey OR to help you get a fresh new look. Either way, I really do love what I do. 

(I do not design Wordpress blogs - email me about my Weebly package instead)

I certainly continue to grow and learn - and I am far from being an expert in design, but I do love sharing my knowledge - I hope this little bit was helpful.

Have some suggestions or tips on how to make a product really stand out and get noticed? Comment below with your tips! I would love to learn your secrets as well!!

Your friend,

Michelle

Custom Blog Designs: Time to Show Some of My Work

I am way over due to show you some of the designs I have completed over the past couple of months, so I am going to post a few of them below and I will try to post more in the weeks to come. I also have a little freebie set for you to enjoy at the very end. 

With each and every design, the client drives the inspiration and direction of the design. Each person I have had the honor of working with brings their own unique vision to the mix - and that is what makes creating these designs so much fun! Each design turns out completely unique and I love getting the opportunity to work with so many amazingly creative ladies and gents!! 

First Up.... Get Your Teach On
I actually get a chance to work with Deanna quite a bit and I just love when she has a project for me to do. This website had to be finished and up and running in a couple of days and I was up for the challenge, of course. Keep in mind that they had all of the colors and design ideas already prepared when she contacted me. I had the honor of meeting Hop King in person this past July in Vegas.. and what an AMAZING person she is!! I have really enjoyed getting to know these ladies. Make sure to check out their website and sign up for their conference in Orlando. I believe the space is limited and there IS a discount if you register early.... Who wouldn't want to get a chance to meet these two power-houses in person!!  Click on the image below to check out the site. 

Next up.... Is Jen Martel from Miss Martel's Special Class!  Click on each of the blog buttons below to check out the blogs below. Jen had a very cute vision for her design and I loved getting to do something nautical!! I grew up by the beach and I really miss the ocean. While working on this design, I couldn't help but imagine being at the beach everyday... maybe that is why I took a little longer than I should have finishing it.. haha... Actually, life - family and Vegas got a little jumbled and put a strain on my productivty - but I managed and my clients were the best!! 

I can't say enough good things about Michelle from Fabulous in First. Her design makes me feel calm and welcome and I just LOVE how it turned out. She was so patient and kind during the process and her vision really ended up translating into such a beautiful custom blog design.

And last, but certainly not least.... is Lindsay Jervis' blog, the Kodaly Inspired Classroom. Before doing this design, I had NO IDEA what Kodaly even meant. It was not a word that had entered my vocabulary and I had to Google it before I set up her phone conference. I don;t think I ever even admitted that to her..haha. I got a chance to give Lindsay a HUGE hug in Vegas this past July... I wish I would have snapped photos of every person I have worked with over the years while I was there!! Next year... I plan to make a board in my office that I can be proud of. Everything I do is digital, so I often forget how much I have accomplished over the years. I do get many emails from clients who tell me that their designs increased their traffic, motivated them to consistently blog, and made them feel unique, but I  rarely get a chance to meet everyone in person and put a face to the names. 

Even though the background on this design took quite a while to paint, I just love how it turned out. I had a hard time with creating just the right type of silhouette for this design, so we actually turned to another designer for those - and I think it turned out just lovely!!

P.S. If any of you have never heard of the Kodaly Method before.. here is the definition copied and pasted directly from Wikipedia (I provided the source link below):

The Kodály Method, also referred to as the Kodály Concept, is an approach to music education developed in Hungary during the mid-twentieth century by Zoltán Kodály. His philosophy of education served as inspiration for the method, which was then developed over a number of years by his associates. 

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kod%C3%A1ly_Method) 

I hope you have enjoyed looking at these new designs as much as I enjoyed creating them... you can check out all of my work from my online portfolio on my website by clicking HERE.  It has been a while since I updated my portfolio, but I plan to do that some time today. 

FREE on TpT just for YOU!! Thank you so much for all of your support and love over the years!! I hope you can use these in your own creative work! Click the image below to grab this free set of digital papers from my Teachers Pay Teachers Shop...

A Thank You to My Amazing Clients!!

I feel a little embarrassed to admit how long it has taken me to actually sit down and write a post! I had so many great topics planned for the summer, but blogging often gets placed on the back burner when my schedule gets over-loaded.  The picture above is one I took last month and I thought I would share it with all of you because puffy clouds make me smile.

The past few months have been crazy and I got super backed up on custom blog designs during the last few weeks in May when we were planning my daughter's high school graduation and other end of the year stuff. I also hadn't realized how much time I would be putting into my presentation for the TpT Conference!!! I was trying to juggle it all at once and I felt that I was doing a lot, but never completing any one thing.

Once night I finally sat down to put together a schedule to figure out how to manage the custom blog design work in progress and complete everything I needed to for the conference. As I looked down at the work load, I felt quite overwhelmed, but confident that I could manage to get it all completed.... HOWEVER... I had not really considered how difficult it would be to work the extra long hours needed with everyone home in the house for the summer.. oops!!

Two weeks into my plan, I felt like I was letting my clients down. When I work on too many custom designs at once, my creative bursts tend to be more like creative plunks. The designs weren't looking the way I wanted them to. My clients were loving the designs, but I knew I could do better and I knew they all deserved better.  I was getting behind on emails and unable to get to smaller custom requests that are a vital part of keeping relationships and my sales consistent. At this point, nothing was consistent and I knew I was letting everyone down.  I had not posted anything new in my shops for weeks and I had not offered anything free or fun in over a month.

Yet another evening I sat down and came to the realization that I could not do it all and I had to figure out a way to figure something out or I would not be ready for the conference. I decided that my only option was to email the clients I was currently working with and the ones I had scheduled to begin before the conference and ask them if they would allow me to push their designs out until after the conference. Writing the email to each client was, BY FAR, the most difficult thing I have had to do as a business owner. I felt terribly embarrassed and unprofessional in every way. I thought for sure they would all want to cyber punch me and never work with me again.

Within a few minutes the email responses were already beginning to show up. I looked at each one and could literally feel my heart drop out of my chest as I hesitated to open the first one. I truly could not believe how understanding, loving, and patient EVERY SINGLE client was in response!! I literally started tearing up and felt so beyond thankful that I work with the most caring men and women on the planet!! Teacher bloggers are truly the best kind of peeps!

Without the extra time, I would have not been able to get ready for my session in Vegas and I wanted to make sure they knew just how much I appreciated their willingness to wait on their designs and how much I love them!!

I am really close to having everything ready and I will be posting more in depth about my session, From Sketch to Digital Masterpiece, later this week.

Sometimes, we really can't do it all and we have to be willing to just ask for help when we need it. I am so thankful I asked for the extra time when I did and even more thankful that I work with so many incredible people!!

I can't wait to see as many of you as I can when I am in Vegas!!! I will be arriving on Tuesday, July 7th with my Arizona blogger buddy, Teresa Wilson from Confessions of a Teaching Junkie! I have my room to myself, so please make sure to find me... I'll be the short one with curly hair who might appear lost. I have the worse sense of direction, so anyone who wants to be my guide is welcome to the task..haha!!

I also opened up the month of October for new custom blog design orders!! I just know I am going to be so pumped, inspired, and ready to get some new designs up after spending time with all of you in Vegas!!  Visit my WEBSITE and click the ORDER NOW button to be the first to reserve a spot in October to get a complete make-over for your blog!! 

My Latest Work & Only 3 More Spots Left for the Year!!

Hi everyone!! I know it's been a while since I've posted about completed custom blog designs, so I thought I would share some of my most recent work with all of you. I also want to share some news about some projects I will be working on that I am very excited about. 

Although I LOVE doing custom blog designs and I LOVE working closely with clients, I will be taking a break from custom work after March of this year to work on some other projects.  I have three  open spots and once those spots are filled, I will close the order form for the year,  

I know this might seem drastic, but taking most of the year to work on some projects that I am really passionate about will be exciting and a nice change of pace for me. If any of you are interested in ordering a custom blog design from me then now would be the time to place your order. 

Click HERE to find out about how to order a custom blog design. I plan to possibly open up the order form again after the summer, but I am really looking forward to getting some amazing projects started and finished this year. 

Now that that is out of the way, I would love for you to take a peek at some of the most recent work I have completed and visit these AMAZING bloggers!! Some of them are new and some of them are seasoned, but all of them are resourceful, motivated, and amazingly talented bloggers that I have had the honor of working with this year (and a few last year..haha)!!

Each client I work with has his/her own style, which is why every design looks and feels completely different. I hope you enjoy the new designs below... Click the blog buttons to visit each blogger below. 

I hope you had fun browsing through my newest custom blog  designs  and I hope you found some new great blogs to follow and learn from this year!!

YES! I Actually Did This...

I have been so focused on getting caught up on custom blog design orders and going through my list, that I did not read carefully when working through a small set of revisions for a current client of mine. I laughed so hard when she emailed me back that I thought I would share the story and my creation with all of you.

Although rare, I have been known to make a wording or spelling mistake every now and again when working on a custom blog design. This week, I had a DOOZY!! I am also not one for using profanity in my posts, but I HAD to make an exception in order to tell you this story...Being that this is a NEW year, and this mistake technically happened LAST year, I can now laugh about it with a little more dignity.

I am currently working with 6 clients right and I have 3 that are in the test blog phase {the last phase before the blog design is published live on the clients' blog}. I always work through one at a time, get everything that needs to be revised finished and sent, and then move on to the next one on my list until I am done with each client.

I keep a folder for each client and when working with revisions, I always print out the email because I like seeing it in front of me and checking things off as I complete each one.

For this particular client, the post signature was the last thing on the list because this client wants to remain anonymous. We waited until the end of the design phase to figure out what she would like me to create for her signature and she was able to include her request at the end of her revision request.

I read through it quickly and then got straight to work.. not even thinking twice about the words I was using.. Keep in mind... this is a TEACHING BLOG!!!

Here is a snippet of the specifications for the signature she sent me in the email:

"Custom Post Signature- Ok I spent all morning trying to think about the post signature as I am trying to be somewhat anonymous. lol SO after pinning several fun phrases and what not I found a Tina Fey quote " Bitches get stuff done" and I thought it would be hilarious to play off that with Teachers get stuff done and maybe add a arrow through an apple."

Now... I always take every clients requests into consideration, but I don't always create exactly what they ask for...as far as the specific design in concerned. 

I got to work and created the image you see at the top of this post {minus the copyright line}, uploaded it to Photobucket, and then inserted the code into the blog design so the image showed up at the bottom of each post as the post signature. I did not think twice about the word, "bitches", and I had no reservations whatsoever about this being a signature for an education blog published by a teacher. Sometimes, I get in such a work zone, that I am just working without really thinking critically. 

I was thoroughly happy to have all of the revisions finished and ready for my client to view & immediately sent her an email to let her know to check out the test site. 

Within a few hours, I see an email response form her that begins with... 

"It's looking great! Ok don't hate me but I think I miscommunicated about the signature..."

Being the complete sweatheart that she is... she didn't even call me out on MY mistake... 

I seriously have the BEST clients in the world!! She continued to rave about the rest of the design and asked if I wouldn't "mind" changing the word, bitches, to teachers. 

As I read the email, I burst out laughing and completely turned BRIGHT RED!!! Obviously she would not have wanted her signature to include the word, bitches!! The mistake was most certainly my own for not taking the time to read the email carefully, but she thankfully got a little giggle out of the mistake as well!! I did change the signature for her; however, I ended up falling in LOVE with the quote and decided to create and order a mug from my own Zazzle shop, so I can place it on my desk and laugh!! Feel free to order one for yourself if you'd like to!! I placed the link below (-; You are also more than welcome to use the image I uploaded at the top of the post for personal use. 

Motivation Mug by 3AMTeacherDesigns
View Message Mugs online at zazzle

Forgot about this earlier, but Zazzle has a promo code you can enter to get 20% off.. just in case you wanted to order this mug for yourself...and laugh every time you have a cup of coffee!!  Here is the promo code: Code: BRINGIN2015Z  (not sure when it expires, but I used it and it took $6 off my order!!)

I also have my TPT shop marked down 20% until the end of today and I am leaving the Custom Blog Design TPT Seller Special up for ONE MORE DAY!! Order now and get $100 in FREE clipart!!

I hope you got a little giggle from reading this... Happy New Year!!! You ALL ROCK!!!

One More Day to Get The Teachers Pay Teachers Custom Blog Design Package & $100 in FREE Clipart

I hope you all had a very nice holiday with your families and friends & you are enjoying the rest of your time off!!

I had a really nice Christmas and was surprised to get a NEW camera from my husband and the kids this year... However, my mind has been a bit pre-occupied with the health and well-being of my nephew and my sister.

For Christmas, my nephew had to undergo open heart surgery and he is still struggling with every breath. His esophagus is swollen and doctors have been struggling to figure out why he is still struggling to breathe. They are unsure what is specifically causing the swelling and they are forced to keep the little guy on steroids to help him breathe until they can determine the underlying problem. It was the swelling that actually got him admitted and life-flighted to RADY's Children's Hospital in San Diego. After being admitted, doctors discovered that Jackson's aortic valve in his heart was swollen and causing him to suffocate.. or so they thought. After the heart surgery, the swelling to his esophagus has still continued and his doctors are fervently trying to determine what is causing the swelling.

At only 6 months old, Jackson is back in the hospital and continues to be in a lot of pain. Because my sister lives about 2 hours away from Rady's, she was given a room at the Ronald McDonald House across the street for her prolonged stay, but had her laundry STOLEN after she was called back to the hospital on Monday when Jackson stopped breathing. When she got back to the McDonald House, all of her clothes were gone but whoever stole them, at least, left Jackson's clothes and blanket. I could not believe that someone would do that!!

We continue to pray for both of them and I am asking that you place my sister and her son on your prayer lists as well. So many of you have reached out and asked me how you could help them both. A professional photographer will be setting up a Go Fund Me account, but I am not sure when that will be up and running. I will make sure to share the link as soon as I have it. I believe the photographer will be taking pictures of them today. What a blessing that will be for them both!! Feel free to print the pic above, stick it in your Bible or on your fridge as a reminder to pray for baby Jackson this week.

Thank you so much for your support and your continued prayers for my sister and nephew!!

I was actually just going to post a little reminder that the last day to order the Teachers Pay Teachers Custom Blog Design Package is tomorrow, but with so much on my mind, I couldn't seem to hold back and not ask as many as I can to begin praying for my nephew and sister.

My Ultimate TpT Seller's Package includes $100 towards ANY of my clipart sets for you to pick out, a FREE coordinating TpT Shop Banner, and a FREE Facebook cover as well. A total of $150 worth in freebies!! Although January is completely full, I have openings in February and March... but they won't be there for long!! You can check out my QUEUE to see available dates before you place an order.

Well, I have a ton of work to get caught up on at the moment, so I will leave you all for today!! Thank you so much!!

I ALMOST forgot!! Everything in my TpT Shop is marked down until the 31st!! Happy Shopping Everyone!!

Black Friday Deals!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast!! I LOVE turkey and spending time with my family! We had such a nice time together! We even got all of our Christmas shopping finished!! I purchased all of the big gifts online and all I need are just a few little goodies for stocking stuffers. I love to get creative with stocking gifts, so I will need a bit more inspiration to figure out something I can put in the stockings that won't end up in the garbage within a week. I will save that topic for another day. TODAY IS TIME TO MARK DOWN PRICES!!!  I will be running my black Friday sales starting today at 10am to Saturday at 10am (Arizona Mountain Time). Even though some of the sets have already been marked down since midnight, I was not able to get this post up and published until this morning...haha

ONLY from my TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS SHOP... ALL Christmas and Winter graphics sets will be marked down 50%; INCLUDING BUNDLED SETS!!! Click the images below to get the deal!! Remember to leave me some sugar in the feedback section - your feedback helps keep me motivated, thank you!

Want a QUICKER way to see all of the discounted sets?? Click the links below...

TPT 50% OFF SELECT HOLIDAY CLIPART SETS

TPT 50% OFF SELECT HOLIDAY BUNDLED SETS

Below are just a few of the sets I have marked down 50% off...

My Silly World Holiday Bundle is marked down 50%!! $18  ONLY $9

Individual sets are also marked down 50% off

My Holiday Lights Bundle is marked down 50%!! Normal price for the bundle is $8.00 - today only $4.00!!

Cozy by the Fire $4.50  $2.25!

Rompin' Reindeer Clipart Set  $7.00 $3.50!

$5.00 $2.50!!

$4.00 $2.00!!

AND MANY MORE!! 

TPT 50% OFF SELECT HOLIDAY CLIPART SETS

TPT 50% OFF SELECT HOLIDAY BUNDLED SETS

Ready for another deal that I have NEVER offered before??  Here it is.... 

My custom blogger designs have been growing in popularity because I offer designs that are completely unique to each and every client. I have never offered discounts on my custom designs because they take a great deal of time and work to complete; however, TODAY.... I am giving every person who orders a CUSTOM BLOGGER DESIGN PACKAGE some FREE GOODIES!!

Every custom blog design order submitted today will receive the following FREE add-ons for a total savings of $170!!!

FREE 

• Coordinating Pinterest Hover Image ($20)
• Social Media Icons with Hover Effect ($45)
• Coordinating Facebook Page Cover Image ($25)
• Teachers Pay Teachers Shop Banner ($25)
• AND... a One-Sided Business Card Design or Custom Profile Picture w/ welcome message ($55)

TYPE, BLACK FRIDAY DEAL, IN THE LAST BLOG FORM ENTRY TITLED, CUSTOM ADD-ON REQUESTS. YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING EXTRA TO GET THESE FREEBIES INCLUDED, EXCEPT TO SUBMIT YOUR ORDER FORM. DO NOT CLICK TO ADD ANY OF THE ADD-ONS ABOVE WITHIN THE BLOG REQUEST FORM OR YOU WILL BE CHARGED. 

*****If you accidentally forget to type in Black Friday Deal in the last entry within the order form, you will STILL RECEIVE the FREE goodies*****

Once you complete the order form, you will receive an email from me to confirm your request and set a date in January or February. At this time, I will ask you whether you would like a one sided business card design or custom profile picture. I will also confirm all of the free add-ons that will be included in your design package!!

I am currently booking for JANUARY & FEBRUARY of 2015!! Check the Queue for available spots left!! There are a total of 6 available spots. I book the dates in order as each design request is submitted. 

***********************************************

Visit the following links to find our more about my Custom Blogger Designs or click HERE to submit your order now and reserve your spot!!

1. My Portfolio

2. The Design Process

3. Custom Blogger Package Details

4. Blogger Add-Ons I Offer

5. Custom Design Terms

Place Your Custom Blog Design Order Now

I hope you all have a wonderful day shopping and/or cleaning up the mess... tehehe!! Today, I will be staying far away from the kitchen because I have a weight loss goal to lose 30lbs and a pumpkin pie in the refrigerator that keeps calling my name! I did have a piece yesterday... I'm not even gonna lie!! haha 

What I've Been Up to the Last Two Weeks!

WOAH!! How is it almost Thanksgiving??

Today's post is just a bunch of randomness, but you might find some things I am going to share with you quite interesting!! haha

First of all.... I had the HUGE honor of working with Deanna Jump to give her blog a new look! It is not the first time I have worked on custom work for her, but I was waiting for the day that I would get to re-design her blog! Seriously... she has got to be the sweetest woman I know AND the easiest to work with. She has such a caring heart and she wants those around her to succeed... I just love that about her! However, I never expected to be so nervous once I had the design concept ready to show her!!

Why don't I just start from the beginning..

Deanna has a close relationship and loyalty to Mel Lloyd {Graphics from the Pond} and before she completed the order form a while back for a new custom blog design, she asked if she could use some custom graphics from Mel in the design.

Even though I LOVE some of the work I have seen form other artists, I prefer not use graphics from other artists in my designs. The reason I don't like using other graphics with my designs is because I am forced to have to change my own creative style to try and "match" it with someone else's. For some this is an easy task, but for me... I like working with a clean slate and endless possibilities.... haha

HOWEVER...in this case.... I thought..."I could be designing Deanna Jump's blog!!" PLUS ALSO (in my best Junie B. voice), I couldn't say no to an incredibly talented gal with a southern accent!! So, I said, SURE!!

I am sure most of you are familiar with Mel's graphics...if  not, then you're missing out... they are super cute! Most of you might look at her graphics and think, "I could EASILY" draw that myself." But what most of you might not realize is that, sometimes, the most simplest form of art  is often the most difficult to draw! Mel is incredibly talented!

Before working on this project, I knew of her, but had never actually chatted with her..and let me just say that  I am in love with her sweet, easy-going personality. When I first contacted her about using the graphics she custom made for Deanna, she had the cutest response....

"You can do whatever you need to do to the graphics... It's Deanna... she basically owns the copyright to them... haha."

It wasn't until I got started on the design process that I began to get really nervous. I always place an incredible amount of pressure on myself, but the more I thought about how many people follow Deanna's blog, the more pressure I placed on myself to create something amazing... I literally created about 3 different designs and as soon as I thought I was ready to send over a preview, I would question that design, scrap it out and start over. Nothing I was coming up with was working quite right with Mel's character graphic. I played around with different options for hours.

One night...after scrapping another design concept, I finally just sat down and decided to read through Deanna's Facebook posts, blog posts and watch her interviews again. I completely cleared my mind of the amount of people that would see her design and just focused on who she is as a person to try to come up with a design that would best reflect that. I wanted the design to be a reflection of her and I just could not do that without completely illustrating every element within the design. From the background to the title letters, every element in the design is hand-drawn. I wanted the design to be clean, but also friendly, inviting and unique.

When I had the test site ready for her to look at, I can't even describe how nervous I was to send her that link. My palms were sweaty, my heart was a racing and I had that weird roller-coaster feeling in the pit of my stomach. All of her previous responses had always been, "I trust you" and "Sure, whatever you think. I know it will be great".  I really didn't want to disappoint her.

As we were about to sit down to eat dinner I heard a little ping notification from my phone, which at the time, was about 10 feet away from me on the couch. I walked up close, but did not dare pick it up. I glanced down and ...sure enough... Deanna's floating head in a round bubble was on the face of my screen. I contemplated whether or not to wait and read the message after dinner, but couldn't muster up enough self-control to wait. I pushed on the floating bubble of her head (haha) and read...

"I LOVE IT!"

I can't even tell you how exciting that was for me to read!! I felt like I had just won a gold medal and bounced around the house... "SHE SAID SHE LOVES IT!!"

Yes, I am a Geek... and YES, I get that nervous every time I send over a new design concept. I always put a great deal of time and effort into every design and, more than anything,  I want to "get it right" -  and for every client to be in love with their completed design.

Deanna is so wonderful to work with and I am beyond thankful for this experience! Here is a little fun before and after screenshot for you to enjoy.

Well, I hadn't planned on writing so much about Deanna's blog design, so I will just give you snippets of the rest of some things that happen...

Yep, this happened.... on Facebook
I caught a glimpse of Ginger Zee's coat and felt compelled to announce my obsession... little did I know, she would RESPOND!!! To think, Ginger from Good Morning America, just happened to see my post.. I wish I had written something more profound.. hahaha!! Either way.... It was definitely the highlight of my day!

I became a Team Beachbody Fitness Coach... yes, you did read that correctly... haha
In the midst of getting healthy, I decided to take a leap of faith and become a coach! I started a 30 day self challenge to really get my eating in check. I hope to start a challenge group soon, but I need to get organized before I start in on another project. Even though I have been on track for three months, I still have been struggling to change the way I eat... I have lost 6 pounds, but I am on track to losing 30! I have been drinking a Shakeology shake once a day and doing PiYo religiously now. I don't really want to go into much detail about my experience quite yet, but I am in LOVE with the PiYo workouts and completely obsessed with Chalene Johnson!

Keep me encouraged people.. I need it! I hope that by coaching, I will keep myself in check...

Here is a link you can check out if you have been in search for a fitness program. I will be posting about it very soon!

When I first signed up, I purchased the challenge pack with PiYo and Chocolate Shakeology... The chocolate is really yummy... not sure about the other flavors yet.. I was too afraid to try them out.. haha. Here are a couple of links you can check out.


 I ALSO finished an amazing website design project with two of the BEST NERDY gals I know!! This project took a great deal of time and many weeks to complete, but the website turned out beautifully and the girls were AMAZING to work with!! You must check out Getting Nerdy with Mel & Gerdy's newly designed website! They have a ton of amazing science resources. They will be adding resources and products to the site, so make sure to check them out!

Last, but certainly not least, I spent a great deal of time updating the design pages on my own website { www.3amteacher.com }!  I am also booking custom blog design orders for January 2015!! I have three spots available and if you place your order now, you will have another business expense to write off for tax time! ha! Click the image below to check out the Blogger package details and reserve a spot by completing the custom blog design order form!! You can check the Queue page to see what spots are open.

I know I mostly rambled through this post, so I planned a fun surprise post with a gift for all of you tomorrow!! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

LAST CALL OF THE YEAR & A WEEKEND 30% OFF SALE!!

I can't believe how quickly this year is passing by!! At the beginning of the year, I posted an all call for custom blog design orders and I was amazed by the response I received and the interest from so many of you who wanted ME to create a custom design.

I have had so much fun this year coming up with designs that reflect each blogger's personal style, personality and targeted needs. I don't create a design that I would prefer, but instead, I create a design that each client will love and be proud to call their own!! I had planned on booking blogs for the year - about 2 a month, but as my skills improved and my efficiency increased, I was able to accept about a blog a week.

Some weeks have been tough, because I have had a lot to deal with personally this year. However... I have had amazing clients and I have created some amazing designs!!

Here is a little sneak peek at the work I have accomplished this year...
These are in no particular order and you can CLICK HERE to go to my PORTFOLIO page and visit any one of these AMAZING bloggers I have had the honor of working with so far this year!!

Even though 37 Custom blog Designs may not seem like a big deal or a huge number, each of these designs was completely created from scratch and every element is hand-drawn and digitally illustrated to ensure that every design is completely unique to each blogger!! I exceeded my goal of only 24 custom blog designs and I am excited to set new goals for next year and begin to expand my work by hopefully finding someone to teach and work with me in the next coming year!!

Although I am completely booked for the next two months, I am opening the month of December for those who want to get in a custom blog design before the end of the year!! The month of December is completely open as of right now and I am only taking on THREE (possibly 4) custom blog design orders for the month due to holiday happenings.

I want to have fun too this holiday season...hahaha!!

I fill orders as they are completed...and once the 4 spots are filled, the form will close for the year...
When completing the form, feel free to be as specific or vague as you need to be. I have no preference and I give the option to add as much detail as possible for those who may have something  quite specific in mind. If your blog is a business investment, get an extra tax right-off for your business before the end of the year!!

CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR CUSTOM BLOG DESIGN ORDER AND RESERVE A DECEMBER SPOT BEFORE THEY ARE ALL FILLED UP!!!

Visit my WEBSITE to get more details about what my custom blogger bundle includes...

To celebrate all of the wonderful bloggers I have had the honor of working with, I am throwing a "Just Because Weekend Sale" at my Etsy Shop or my Website!!! The SAME code can be used at either one of these shops during the checkout process!! Make sure not to forget to add the code, SALE30 to receive a 30% discount on anything in my shops ALL weekend long!! This includes already discounted items, like my Hello Business Planner!!!  Thank you to all of you who have trusted in me to create a custom design! I have enjoyed working with each of you this year and I look forward to those I have yet to look forward to working with!! Please feel free to share or PIN the image below... I could really use the help in spreading the word about the sale and last call of the year for a custom blog design!!

Click the image below to visit my web shop or click the links below the image to visit my Web or Etsy shop.  My Web shop does not yet have all of my clipart sets yet, so if you are planning on stock-piling clipart, I suggest visiting my Etsy shop for a larger variety to choose from

Click HERE to visit my WEBSITE to hoard clipart or snag the new HELLO PLANNER

OR

Click HERE to shop at my ETSY store!!