We are firm believers in the power of a mid-day dance party here at FRSH Studio, and think you should be too! Today we’re especially feeling sunny, chill beats perfect for a beautiful Tuesday. Enjoy!

whistle while you work from christine.chandasack on 8tracks Radio.

Tracklist | 1. MTI(TWRK remix) – koreless 2. Someone To Call My Love(Giraffage remix) – Janet Jackson 3. Go With It(ft. MNDR) – Tokimonsta 4. Say My Name(Cyril Hahn remix) – Destiny’s Child 5. Left Alone – Flume 6. It’s Too Late(Snakehips remix) – Wild Belle 7. That Thing(Golden Boy Bootleg v2) – Lauryn Hill 8. Disparate Youth – Santigold

I’m getting more and more settled into this new life in Los Angeles everyday. The original discomfort of being alone in a new place is quickly being replaced by a sense of knowing that I am exactly where I need to be at this very moment; Los Angeles is home.

Realizing this has enabled me to recognize exactly what I need to do to grow FRSH to it’s fullest potential- expanding studio operations, opening a WordPress theme shop, and pursuing my ideal clients more actively, all of which has been going at full force this past week.



After spending some time exploring West Hollywood, I found this amazing little plant nursery- perfect timing because I needed to find a raffle prize for an exclusive group of cool LA-area entrepreneurs. The winner not only got a cute little Tillandsia in a glass orb, I donated a $200 off gift certificate for a Brand reFRSH. True Connection in Venice was the winner, and I cannot wait to get started helping such a great cause.





On the home-front, I’ve been making a conscious effort to relax a little more. The farmer’s market was the perfect place to relax on a cloudy LA morning, followed by some delivery pho from my favorite pho place in Hollywood.

from top, left. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7

How great is this taqueria branding from the folks at Manifesto Futura in Monterrey Mex? I love the modern, fresh minimalist aesthetic(uh, obviously..). It pairs especially well with a taqueria boasting a simple, modern take on rather traditional food.

After months of brainstorming and finessing details, the Urban Palate crew and I finally got to enjoy the fruits of our labor at the Cream Event hosted by the genius ladies over at Bash, Please. I really don’t know how to describe it any other way than incredible.

Collaborating on Urban Palate’s booth with Bramble Workshop + Chaparral Studio was an absolute dream.





This paper installation is begging to be recreated at Casa de FRSH, paper cuts be dammed!






Note to self: MUST find gold flatware.





I really loved the geometric forms created by this seating chart. Also, the gold lettering.. obviously






This moss covered tipi was a huge hit. Another gem by Chaparral Studio.

As I recently mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been baking lately. A lot. Breads, hand pies, cornbread, you name it- I’ve baked it. Which brings me to croissants. Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to bake croissants but never could work up the courage to do so until finally.. I just had to. So I did. And. they. were. AMAZING.

Here’s how I did it(thanks Martha)-

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 package dry-active yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt (i used sea salt)
• 1 1/3 cups warm milk (definitely used unsweetened almond milk here)
• 3 1/2 cups AP flour, plus a bit more for work surface
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 1/2 sticks chilled, unsalted butter
• 1 large egg yolk


1 To make the dough: Combine water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar. Stir to combine. Let stand 5 minutes to allow yeast to proof(look for a foamy texture on the surface). In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 2 tsp sugar, and the salt in the milk.


2 Whisk the flour in a large bowl. Add both the yeast mixture & milk mixtures, and oil. Mix everything with a rubber spatula, ensuring all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be very wet!


3 Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Let stand for 2-3 minutes to allow the dough to absorb some of the liquid. Start kneading by lifting near edges and flipping it over. Quickly repeat until the dough feels smooth, about 8 to 10 times. Do not over-knead!


4 Transfer dough to a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, for about an hour and a half. Punch down the dough, and turn out onto a floured work surface. Using lightly floured hands, push the dough out into a rectangle about 12″x10″. Fold the dough into thirds. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet or plate; cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for about 45 minutes.


5 Punch down dough. Cover the dough again with plastic wrap, and transfer to refrigerator for 20 minutes.


6 Roll in the butter: Place butter on a lightly floured work surface and beat with a rolling pin to soften. It must not become soft and oily, refrigerate if necessary.


7 Place dough on a lightly floured work surface, roll it out to a roughly 18″x10″ rectangle. Spread butter as evenly as possible over the upper two-thirds of the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Fold the bottom (unbuttered) third of the dough up to the middle. Fold the top third down to cover it.


8 Lightly flour the top of the dough, and work surface. Turn the dough so the edge of the top flap is to your right. Roll the dough into a rectangle, about 18″x18″. Roll rapidly, starting an inch from the near end, and going to within an inch of the far end. Fold again in three, as above. Wrap in plastic wrap, and transfer to refrigerator for an hour.


9 Remove dough from refrigerator. Sprinkle lightly with flour, and deflate the dough by tapping lightly with rolling pin. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 8 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding process twice more, as above. Butter must extend the length and width of the rectangle inside the dough as you roll it out until it has softened. Refrigerate for 2 hours.


10 Shape the croissants: Place chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface, and deflate. Roll the dough out to a 25″x12″ rectangle. (If at any time the dough becomes too elastic to work with, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and let rest 10 minutes.) Cut in half lengthwise. Working with one piece of dough at a time, cut into triangles with a roughly 5″ base.


11 Roll the triangles out to enlarge slightly. Roll towards the tip; the dough should overlap 3 times with the tip sticking out from underneath.


12 Place on a parchment lined baking sheet leaving 2 inches between croissants. Curve the ends of the croissant inward, forming a crescent shape. Repeat with second piece of dough. Cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place until very spongy, about an hour.


13 Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, then lightly brush over tops of croissants. Open the oven door, spritz the oven heavily with water from a spray bottle, and quickly close the door. Place croissants in oven, and spray bottom of oven with water once more. Bake until puffed and golden brown. After 10 minutes, rotate pan. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.


14 Enjoy





I won’t lie, this is BY FAR the most time consuming, messiest baking project I have ever taken on, but man is it worth it.

I recently made the trek from Texas to beautiful, sunny California. After passing Lady Gaga in and UFO spotting through New Mexico, driving through winter storms in the mountains of Arizona, and staying the night in a town that somehow managed to not change a thing after 1958, we made it safe & sound.



Well. Safe & sound & exhausted.



Slowly I’ve been finding ways to make this new loft feel like home. These croissants (despite taking a full day and a half to make!) helped in their own little way.. (Recipe on Foodie Friday!)



..As did Tilly lu.



I still find it hard to believe that we live here sometimes. I also find it hard to believe that I failed to take into account the fact that tourists may very well outnumber actual residents in my new little corner of the world. C’est la vie.

I recently made the trek from Dallas to beautiful, sunny Los Angeles. Despite the move taking some unexpected turns(like my loft not being available for a whole week after we were supposed to move in!) I really do love it here and am slowly getting a feel for the kind of decor that will make this space a home. Clean minimalism will always be my go-to, but for this particular space I’m thinking a more polished version than the rustic-industrial vibe I filled my house with in Dallas. All of this is to of course say I’ve been ogling over house&hold’s gorgeous Pinterest boards a bit more than normal.

I’ve found myself being drawn to very strong, simple design lately. Well, more so than usual. Maybe it’s my subconscious helping ease the Pre-Cross-Country-Move Jitters? Who knows. Either way, I think there’s a lot to be said about maximizing impact by minimizing visual ‘noise’ which Daniel Olsovsky has seemingly done with ease.

If you’ve spent any time around here lately, you will have noticed things have been a little quiet. Very quite, let’s be honest. While much of that time off was unplanned, it did prove to be beneficial. My natural inclination is to just focus on the task at hand and power through, but sometimes you’ve got to really listen to yourself know when to slow down, which brings me to my first point:


1. Observe. Observe yourself, your thoughts. Observe your clients, their thoughts + comments, their history. Observe your surroundings, past + present.

2. Think. It strikes me as odd that what is really the most important step here is the one that is so often bypassed. We get stuck in a rut, in a pattern of Observe > Respond > Observe > Respond > ∞ and I think that’s where the hardship comes in. It’s not that we’re saying or doing things we don’t mean, it’s that we simply don’t know what we mean. We haven’t set an intention. So, process your observations. Think.

3. Respond. (Thoughtfully.) Being more thoughtful is something I’m trying to make part of my approach to the world. Life, interactions, experiences can all happen at such a breathtaking pace that it is sometimes difficult to take a step back and think about how to respond before responding.


These are the things I’ll be making a conscious effort to make part of my routine in 2013. Is there anything in particular you’ve brought with you into 2013? Let’s hear it! Facebook + Twitter.

I’ve been published!

My very first guest post is up over at She Owns It, which is a fantastic portal and resource for women entrepreneurs.


If you’d like to learn how to increase your brand’s value in 3 easy steps, I definitely suggest you check it out.


Please help spread the love and keep up the FRSH momentum! Like + Connect + Pin +

SHARE THIS POST

My apologies for the lack of updates lately. I’ve been more than a little busy with finishing up projects, starting new ones, and working on a bit of a facelift for this site. I’m also prepping another product launch, which I can’t wait to tell you about! It goes without saying that there are overwhelming moments, but the truth is- even the longest to-do list is made all the more manageable when you’re doing work you love. Needless to say, I love what I do.

My friend Leo Babauta at zenhabits has written some wonderful words on the subject, if you’d like to know more.

In talking with clients and people in general, I’ve noticed one thing: it’s easy to not commit.
On the other hand, it’s so much easier to go along with an idea, to nod in agreement, to go with the flow and fantasize about the possibilities.


But here’s the thing-

that will get you nowhere.

I’ve noticed this to be most obvious in the persons vocabulary. So many times after a consultation I hear “Wow, that sounds great, I’ll try to implement these steps.” Or “This might be something I can do to address x, y, and z.” And secretly, as much as I really do want for them to take my recommended action steps, I know they won’t. Why? They’ve just told me. While their statement might indicate otherwise, the words they’ve just used to communicate speak volumes. Try and might are half-assed sentiments. Are you trying to be successful? Are you probably living the life you want? Or are you successful? Are you living the life you want?


What I’m asking is simple: take full ownership of your thoughts and speak with intention. That small difference in saying (and meaning) “I will” instead of “I will probably” sets your mind on a path of action, and thus sets you up to accomplish your tasks and goals.


So be mindful of your words; remember that thoughts become things. It takes courage + will + mindfulness + ovaries to do something. Don’t try. Don’t probably. Do. Take action. Commit.

Let’s chat, don’t be shy! Email, Facebook, Twitter- let me know!

In doing a bit of research for a future client, I came across this rather incredible branding for Hotel Daniel by moodley. What I love most about this, is that it’s masculine and minimal yet still warm and inviting.

I’ve been really inspired lately by Kinfolk Magazine. I first picked it up at a local coffee shop/gastropub and haven’t been able to step away from it since.

Kinfolk is a growing community of artists with a shared interest in small gatherings. We recognize that there is something about a table shared by friends, not just a wedding or once-a-year holiday extravaganza, that anchors our relationships and energizes us. We have come together to create Kinfolk as our collaborative way of advocating the natural approach to entertaining that we love.
Every element of Kinfolk—the features, photography, and general aesthetics—are consistent with the way we feel entertaining should be: simple, uncomplicated, and less contrived. Kinfolk is the marriage of our appreciation for art and design and our love for spending time with family and friends.

Happy Monday! Hopefully your weekend was as wonderful as mine. Either way, this new desktop background is sure to add a delicious bit of eye candy to your day. Enjoy!

Welcome to Foodie Friday! Food is, without a doubt, one of my top 3 favorite things. And since this blog is in the spirit of sharing, I figured why not share some great food while I’m at it?


I’ll be honest- that post title is more than a little deceptive. This isn’t a post about your normal, everyday pecan pie. No, it’s about more than that. Much more. It’s about a pecan pie so delicious, so insanely perfect that it converted me from a Pecan Pie Hater to it’s #1 fan. I give you: Mini Chocolate Spice Pecan Pies (without corn syrup!).





As if that wasn’t enough, these little babies are made from pecans from my very own front yard; I’m not exaggerating when I say these pies can’t be beat.





Ingredients:
Pie
 • 2 eggs
 • 1/2 cup butter*
 • 1 cup light brown sugar
 • 1/4 cup white sugar
 • 1 pinch nutmeg
 • 1 pinch cinnamon
 • 1 tbsp all purpose flour
 •1 tbsp milk*
 •1 1/2 tsp vanilla
 •1 1/4 cup chopped pecans
 •1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Crust
 Martha Stewart can do no wrong in my eyes, so I referred to her Easy Pie Crust for this recipe.
 *Milk and butter aren’t things I really love consuming, so I substituted an equal amount of almond milk and Earth Balance.


Let’s Do This:
 •Preheat oven to 350
 •Beat eggs until foam forms
 •Stir in melted butter
 •Stir in dry ingredients(brown + white sugar + nutmeg + cinnamon + flour + pecans + chocolate chips)
 •Stir in remaining wet ingredients(milk + vanilla)
 •Pour into unbaked mini pie shells
 •Bake for 25-30 minutes
 •Eat them all

Hi, I’m Alex. I’m a recovering Workaholic, Comparison Junkie.


And I’m not even exaggerating. By nature, I’m a very analytical person. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, in fact I think it’s what gives me an edge. But it wasn’t always that way. When first getting started I would spend hours upon hours upon days, even, immersing myself in the work of other bloggers + designers + entrepreneurs that I admired. After each time I read their entire blog or learned their designs inside and out or studied their business philosophy I came back to my own blog + designs + philosophy and froze.


How was I ever going to live up to the standard they’ve set? How was I ever going gain the readership + the awards + the business success they had? Why even bother?


And then it clicked. Those people I admired got to where they were not by fretting over the work of others. They got there by trusting themselves and their process enough to let it flow. They trusted themselves and their process enough to through it out into the world and not force it to be what it’s not.


It’s human nature to want to see how you stack up against your peers. And for sure, great things can come from comparing your work against those you admire. But if there is one thing I want you to get out of this post, it’s this: give yourself a break.


To be clear, I’m not saying to settle for your own mediocrity. Push yourself to your furthest limits! Reach for the stars, yadda yadda. What I mean by give yourself a break is we, especially creatives and entrepreneurs, etc for whatever reason tend to put the work we admire up on the highest pedestal we can imagine. And while putting the work on the pedestal will give you something to push yourself toward, you can’t beat yourself up the whole way there.

This is such an exciting day for me, it’s been all I can do to not spill the beans before now!
Today is the launch day for the Because Nothing is Better Than Freedom Manifesta: for Women + Creatives + Entrepreneurs On The Verge!!


Click here to get the goods!


This manifesta is the first in a 3 part series to be released over the next few weeks; it’s purpose is to motivate those not quite living the life they dream of.



Part 2 will focus more on those of us currently en route to our dream life, but have encountered a roadblock or two. I’ll teach you how to find your niche, identify your ideal client, and.. well, I believe the phrase “harvest your money tree” is used a time or two. You get the picture. The first two manifestas are free. Think of it as a token of appreciation from me to you.

The 3rd and final part of this series is something I’m UNBELIEVABLY excited to share with the world- it’s a DIY guide on how to start the Business of Your Dreams from the ground up. Because of the depth and scope of this guide, there will be a small fee- think of it as an investment. I’m still working out the kinks in this, so expect an update soon!

I’d love to hear your experience with this product. Any questions I can help clear up, or thoughts you’re dying to let me know? Let me know! Also, if you feel like this manifesta might be just what your friend/relative/neighbor/person sitting next to you needs in their life, please SHARE!

I mentioned over the weekend that I had an AMAZING up-all-night, top-secret secret to share with you today, and I am SO EXCITED to finally do so! Here it is!

The “Because Nothing is Better Than Freedom” Manifesta: for Women + Creatives + (future)Entrepreneurs On The Verge.

Check the blog again tomorrow for details and your very own free copy!

I’ve noticed that the desktop/iPad background world has, unfortunately, been inundated with less than stellar design lately. I don’t need much, really. Something easy on the eyes, not too distracting, but with enough edge and je ne sais quoi to make me look like the badass I am to the over-shoulder glancers at the coffee shop down the street. So, I’ve decided to conquer this challenge with my own backgrounds. Please enjoy!

I firmly believe that black + white is the be-all and end-all color combination; there is hardly a case where it’s use is inappropriate(you know, like your grandma’s 92nd birthday garden party). All at once, it’s chic + modern + classic + just. so. damn. cool. So, here we have it.






clockwise from top | ball- unknown | salt- designisplay | lae lae- Fabian De Lange | the store- mark weaver | layout- unknown |
tee- bambinos + bunnies

Train for Water is the first NPO I’ve had the pleasure of working with. When Dylan + Ishaan approached me to help bring to life their vision of using their personal training skills to provide access to clean water across the globe, I knew I had to jump on board.



We decided to let their message do the talking and keep the overall design and aesthetic very clean + minimal + modern- right up my alley!

Confession: I have a weird obsession with all things Gold. Gold sneakers. Gold shorts. Gold swim suit. I even got married wearing gold ofxords. Needless to say that the recent shots of black + gold designs I’ve seen popping up on Pinterest have me so excited! (Also, just in time for Halloween!)


Clockwise from Top Left: 1. unknown. 2. Markus Mostrom Design. 3. Rifle Paper Co.. 4. Catherine Dimalla.

The reFRSH of FRSH Studio has got me feeling so stoked and ready for new clients that I’m making an offer too good for all of you creatives + entrepreneurs + awesome people out there to pass up:

For the rest of this week, I’m taking $200 off the total investment price of my Brand reFRSH service.

What does this mean for you?

+ New Logo
+ User-Friendly WordPress website
+ Social Media Branding
+ Marketing Strategy
++You will also receive every bit of guidance and tech support I can provide you with.

Don’t think you’re quite ready for a reFRSH? No problem! I also do consulting and à la carte design! Send me an email to get started!


See those links below? If you know of anyone that could benefit from a reFRSH, let them know!

Though it doesn’t quite feel like fall yet here in Texas, I’ve can’t help but feel very fall-esque; pumpkin flavored everything is everywhere, and slowly but surely I’m seeing more + more holiday items creeping in to the forefront. All of that coupled with my undying love for the vintage + rustic aesthetic is the inspiration behind the Rustic Neutral moodboard above.

Clockwise from Upper Left: Scandanavian Retreat + Party in A Box + Muerte + Wood + French Chalk Pencils + Mule

Mary Anne was such a pleasure to work with, and just a really inspiring person. If ever you’re in need of some inspiration or encouragement or grounding, do yourself a favor and take a moment(or five..) to read through her Growing Edge Coaching blog.


“Thank you FRSH Studio for doing such a wonderful, professional job of designing my logo and web site. I provided a brief idea of what is important to my coaching business and instructions how I planned to use the site. FRSH Studio created my amazing new logo and set up the site in a clear and easy to navigate layout. I received personalized attention, immediate website changes/edits, and excellent web knowledge. I highly recommend FRSH Studio to anyone starting a business or wanting to grow a business. Thank you FRSH Studio for a job well done.”
Mary Anne Flanagan, Owner, Growing Edge Coaching

Let me be the first to tell you how amazing the people over at Urban Palate are. After our initial consultation led me to a Wes Anderson marathon(which.. you know, I didn’t mind a single bit), I knew I was in for a treat. The overall indie, quirky, Mid-Century-Cool style of the site was a slight departure from my typical style, but I really did enjoy pushing my limits; I’m all about being as well-rounded and versatile as possible and this project helped me fulfill that need.







Definitely take a peek at their Facebook and Twitter pages. (And if you love food even half as much as I do, be sure to Like/Follow- their food photography is AMAZING!)

Please view the site in all it’s glory. Mobile site coming soon!


It was such a pleasure working with the owners of Parlour, Rebecca and Chris. Their desire for something contemporary and modern with a slightly vintage feel fit perfectly with the direction of FRSH Studio, and their gallery was full of inspiration. Designing and developing this site really allowed me to push my technical limits(hello, HTML5 and jQuery!) and gain some useful knowledge.

Happy September! This time of year is always my favorite. Not only is my 24th birthday is a mere month away, but fall just has this warmth and coziness that is inescapable. It’s still nice enough to enjoy life outdoors, but cool enough for deliciously warm drinks and a nice blanket. That being said, I live in Texas where it’s 103 degrees today so that cool weather fantasy may be just that. We’ll see.


My family owns a wedding/event planning business and last week my mom hired me on as a designer to help out with the details. The space were the ceremony took place at Winfrey Point in Dallas, which is beautiful in that simple, rustic sort of way. I have to admit, though, that my favorite part was exploring the floral warehouse. The most beautiful, sweet smelling flowers everywhere I turned!








I’m preparing for a juice cleanse at the end of this week. Currently, I’m in the “ease-in” portion which means eating even more raw fruits and veggies than I usually do. These fresh Lychee were both beautiful AND delicious. I love finding little treats like this at the Asian markets- they have some fantastic produce. As for the cleanse, I’ll report back with details and results.





It seems that every time I put a little more on my plate than I can easily handle, the Universe comes up with a crazy obvious way to tell me to slow down a bit. This time? A cold. Thankfully, though, sweet Penelope has taken up residence in bed with me to keep me company and make sure I don’t work too much.

Hi, my name is Alex and I’m a procrastinator. (The first step is admitting that you have a problem, right?)

One of the perks of being a web-based professional is the infinite flexibility it provides- I can essentially do anything I want, precisely when I want to do it. It doesn’t get much better than that, right? Right. Well.. unless you’re a serial procrastinator such as myself. Procrastinating can be both fruitful(hello organizing kitchen, taking the dogs out, poking around Pinterest, etc.) and a terribly inefficient use of time(..hello organizing kitchen, taking the dogs out, poking around Pinterest, etc.). Recognizing these things gives you, fellow web-based professional procrastinator, a great advantage though! You can plan ahead!

Make Lists

Lists are an absolute must. Though I am web-based, I rely heavily on hand writing my to-do lists. There’s something about hand writing my tasks that both commits them to memory and verifies their importance. For this, my handy little Moleskine. I should say, too, that having one notebook that is for to-do lists and to-do lists only have proven beneficial for me because I won’t get lost in sketches and doodles in the process of getting sh*t done.

Routinize Your Day

Another absolute must, in my opinion. While I LOVE the ability to do as I please, when it comes to the bulk of my day-to-day activity I resort to a routine. This does two things for me:
1. It keeps me on task and on time.
2. It allows me scheduled time to do the things I would typically do while procrastinating!
My Daily Routine:
- 6:45am Wake up, run.
- 7:45am Shower, then breakfast
- 8:30am Read my daily reads(I’ve set all of these to bookmark tabs in my browser to prevent having to hunt them down), catch up on the Twitter-verse.
- 9:00am to 11:00am Work! During this time I work to complete the most important to-do’s of the day marked off my list. Marking these off first both alleviates the dread of knowing they are still to-do and motivates me to complete the less important tasks.
- Noon to 2:00pm EXPLORE! This is my time to do whatever I please. Sometimes I continue working, sometimes I read, sometimes I make a particularly exciting lunch. Oh, the perks of freelancing.
- 2:00 to 5:00pm Continue marking off those pesky to-dos until they are to-done(..how could I resist?)!

Calendars Are Your Friend!

Being a visual person, it’s of utmost importance for me to be able to “see” my day, week, month, etc. I’ve tried a lot of different apps for this, but to be perfectly honest, none of been as quick and easy as good ol’ iCal. After consulting with clients, I send them my contract to be signed and an invoice for the initial payment. Once I receive the signed contract and initial payment I mark that date as the start date of the project in iCal and extend the end-time through whatever date my client and I have agreed on as completion date. (*TIP* Marking yourself as “Busy All Day” leaves a solid line from start date to finish, which is a perfect visual reminder.)

So there you have it, fellow Procrastinators. Be fruitful. Be productive. And procrastinate.

This not updating my blog thing has become an unfortunate habit of mine. Today is a new day, though, one that begins with blogging! I’ve become a bit of a blog post hoarder as well, so times are definitely a changin’.


I feel as if I say this more than I should, but I’ve been hard at work for the past few weeks. I’ve discovered that having one or two really great clients is infinitely better than several so-so clients. Trust, creative control, and open communication are powerful things.





Because of my work load, I’ve had to make it a point to get myself away from the computer every so often. I’ve taken up refuge in a few books: Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port and The Philosophy of Warhol by Warhol himself. I haven’t quite decided if I like Book Yourself Solid. While Port makes some great points, his writing style is just.. well, it’s a little too salesman-like for my tastes. Anyhow, the Warhol book is fantastic and crazy and (surprisingly) riddled with great little ah-ha moments.





Fort Worth is experiencing a bit of a Delicious Food Boom right now, so I’ve made it my mission to experience as much of it as I can before moving to Los Angeles(can’t wait!). Thai food is my absolute favorite, so Thailicious(I know..) was an obvious choice for dinner last Friday. Turns out, it was an obvious choice for most of Fort Worth- the line for this 10 table place was out the door! It was well worth the wait.





I love finding humor in unexpected places! Central Market on a Friday night is never a let-down.





Tea has become my go-to for caffeine and comfort. I love these little bits of wisdom on the tags- it gives you something to reflect on while the tea steeps.


As I mentioned earlier, I’ve come to terms with my blog neglecting ways and have made it a priority to make this space flourish. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I have!

I feel like I’ve just been tested in a major way.
Before starting this studio, or really revamping my former endeavor, I was a Small Business / Creative Life / Freelance How-To Junkie. All day and all night I read nothing but how to get my studio off on the right foot and sustain forward momentum; I could very well be a small business coach by now given all of the knowledge I took in. What I’m learning now, though, is that one small but very important bit of information was left out:


What do you do when things go a little too well?


To start this studio, I spent hours contacting other business’ and people I wanted to work with and for a while it was nothing but dead-ends. Then it happened. I got a client. And then another client. And then my first client referred me another client, and so on. Before I knew it I was (very gratefully) swimming in clients! And that’s where my pursuit of knowledge left me high and dry. What do you do when you get exactly what you’ve asked for and worked so hard to obtain?

The short answer is work. And work some more. And then probably work a little more after that.
And then unwind in what ever 5 or 10 minute break you can carve out for yourself.
Case in point:
This is what my everyday looked like-






I did get to enjoy some time outdoors by working on my front porch(that bistro set was the best $30 Craigslist find EVER!). A neighbor’s cat, Moesha, tried to help me out from time to time.





Also, Winson.





As I mentioned earlier, the only way to get through such an intense workload to make little breaks here and there a priority. Frozen treats don’t hurt, either.








I guess on a semi-related note, I found this over the weekend:





Initially I was drawn to the type, but once I actually read what it was I was a little less(or perhaps more..) interested.

In the spirit of bringing about more (and greater!) success, you’ll have to excuse me a second while I toot my own horn(what a weird saying..)

FRSH Studio was recently featured in a few web design galleries!

You can check it out on QNT Gallery and CSS Design Yorkshire.

Edit: Also featured on Q Index and CSS Garden. Hooray!

What a week! Despite completely forgetting July 4th was a holiday until the day before, I managed to squeeze in a week full of celebrations and fun. I did learn a very important lesson though- never launch a business near a holiday. This should have been obvious, but for some reason it just didn’t click with me until it was too late. Never thought I’d say this, but I’m happy business as usual has resumed.

The week got off to a great start with my mom calling to say she was in town. We had lunch at one of my favorite Fort Worth restaurants- Yucatan Taco Stand.

I’ve had a new project brewing in the back of my mind for a while now. After finishing Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw I’ve decided to proceed at full force, with the added bonus of a step by step case study! I’ll save the details for a future post here.

We finished the week off right with a mini-roadtrip to Oklahoma to spend some time with some amazing friends. I loved all of the little locally owned and operated businesses along the route, especially Mom and Pop’s Lakeside. Got to love the DIY (spraypaint?) decor.

I recently came across, and fell in love, with this pretty spectacular new typeface by Moshik Nadav. He states that it was inspired by Parisian fashion which I think is both obvious and charming. Check it out in full on Behance.

Paris is a new typeface that inspired by the world of fashion. Paris Typeface should be in use by the most popular fashion magazines and super luxury brands. Paris typeface include awesome ligatures and sexy numerals.

I’ve sort of come back from neglecting my Pinterest account, and to celebrate I went on a designer following spree. While checking out their boards, I was struck by a few things.


1. As designers and artists, we are surrounded by more easily accessible sources of inspiration than ever before. To what degree does this inspiration influence our work? And, are we using it strictly as inspiration or as direct influence?


2. How is this effecting our work on a larger scale? The thing that briefly turned me off of Pinterest to begin with was how incestuous it became- regardless of how many boards I followed, I’d see the same poster, the same logo, the same puppy with a bow re-pinned over and over and over again. Surely this bombardment of sameness will effect the authenticity and uniqueness of our work?


I’m curious- what are your thoughts on and experiences with Pinterest? Let me know on Twitter or Facebook.

Last week was a big week for me, and a lot of fun. For Father’s Day, my family took my grandfather to the Fort Worth Stockyards to see the cattle drive and have some classic Texas BBQ. Though it was a lot of fun, I have to admit being there was a little weird for a 10 year(that anniversary also happened last week!) vegetarian. Thankfully, I was able to convince our server to bring me the BBQ Chicken Tacos without BBQ chicken.





My grandma is perhaps THE sweetest lady in existence.





I might have mentioned before that I’m all about rewards and positive reinforcement. To celebrate the launch of FRSH Studio, I decided to treat myself to this sweet little guy. I believe it’s an Areca Palm, which I’m told are great for removing toxins and bad energy from the air. He’s only 5 or 6 inches tall now, but eventually can grow upwards of 6 feet tall!





I also realized how truly lovely my front porch is. For better or worse, I tend to let my plants do as they please with little intervention on my part. Nature will be nature, you know? What started out, I believe, as Wysteria, has morphed into a monster combination of 4 or 5 different plants and vines. It does provide a good bit of privacy from the neighboring park, though.

The very first blog post is always so tough to get through, isn’t it?

After designing and blogging at whskytngfxtrt creative studio for a year, I began to feel the need for change. As a person, I had changed considerably from WTF’s birth and even more so as a designer and blogger. It became obvious to me that me that a rebirth was in store, so I created FRSH. Fitting name, eh?

My goals with FRSH are to stay true to myself, but also to where this path takes me. To leave myself room to grow and flourish. Life is an ever evolving web and the only way to make the most of it is to simply go with it.

As a designer I still believe firmly that a simple, detail-oriented approach is key and that minimalism is one sexy beast. However, I’m intentionally leaving myself more room to experiment more with color, texture, and shape. Forcing yourself into unfamiliar(and exciting!) corners is one hell of a way to learn and grow.

Blogging is perhaps where I’ve felt the need for change the most. In the beginning, I read and absorbed every blogging ‘how-to’ article Google brought me. I knew every word of every “12 Ways To Get Traffic, Now!” and “Things Your Mom Doesn’t Want You To Know About Blogging” post ever written. Corbett Barr was my God. But the more I thought about it, the less “real” it felt. The tips and tricks I had learned and used with some success began to gnaw at me; they went against everything I had ever known and felt about marketing. Clever trickery is no way to establish oneself!

Change was an absolute must, so here we are. Here I am.

As a blogger, I will promise you this: No top 10/15/57 lists. No ads. No tricks, traps, and otherwise questionable tactics.
I will be real. I will be honest. I will be human.
(And a killer designer.)