the Bb blog.

I just finished updating the website of vagabond photography. I recoded a bit of it to make it easier to update in the future, cleaned it up some and re-organized. Guess you could call it spring cleaning. Then for the fun part, I got to add more of her amazing pictures to the photography page and vagabond has reduced the prices of her belts!

Did you hear that? You can get your very own vagabond belt with reduced prices!! You’ll just have to check out her site for yourself and find your belt. A vagabond belt seems like a perfect gift for mom too, after all Mother’s day is just around the corner! If you don’t find that perfect one, you can always go for vagabond custom… contact her for more info photography@vagabondstyle.com. See some pics below and to get the whole story check out the site. { www.vagabondstyle.com }

It is refreshing to have a client who realizes the value of marketing and good design. I have been working with Oakwood Industries on several promotional projects… the latest is a table tent. They will be used to place on Oakwood furniture mostly at their dealer locations. They wanted something to grab attention, but also be informative and let folks know about the quality finish they use, their 10 year warranty and last but certainly not least all their furniture is handbuilt in the good ol’ US of A.

{Of course I was able to use a couple of the photos taken by vagabond at our initial photoshoot… have I mentioned how nice it is to be able to have images galore to choose from and how it makes my job as a designer easier?}

Back to the table tents…we looked into a one piece paper-only table tent, but for the custom size they needed it was more cost effective to go with an acrylic A-frame table tent that holds two 8×10 flyers. The acrylic frames won’t be easily knocked over, will last a lot longer and the flyers can be replaced/refreshed if needed.

This is what Oakwood had to say… “We needed assistance in marketing, so we turned to Britta burrus design. Britta has done a superb job throughout the entire process of directing the photography, layout and design of our new catalog and brochures and other point of sale items. We are pleased with the high quality of work for a reasonable price and have gained a valuable resource for future marketing needs. We are very satisfied and would recommend Britta burrus design to anyone.” {note from designer: Happy clients make me happy!}

And check out the table tents below…

Recently I had the opportunity to work with Dayna, she was interested in an ad design for a newsletter put out in their community in Austin, TX. Cool beans! I love that technology allows me to have clients all over. And of course I always wonder ‘how did you hear about me?’… well she is a friend of vagabond {www.vagabondstyle.com}. Word of mouth is still one of the best ways to grow a business.

Anyway… she is a realtor in Austin and wanted her ad to stand out from the crowd, but provide enough info for those looking to buy, sell or lease homes. She provided info that she wanted to include and an amazing pic of a home she has sold. I had the pleasure to design & layout and I found this cool pic of an old-time fireman’s hat to use in a section to highlight an incentive for firemen only.

If you are looking to buy, sell or lease a home in the Austin area… I would say Dayna is the lady to contact. Check out the ad below. And if you are in need of ad design {print or web} I would love to hear from you. design@brittaburrus.com or 509.429.1989

Thanks for stopping by!

So, we’re back-tracking a bit… but just wanted to share this fun project I did before Christmas. I had the fun time of designing a Christmas card for the McKee family. It is a flat Christmas card designed to fit in a beautiful Red #10 envelope that opens from the top. It is a simple yet fun design not taking the focus away from the pic but maybe actually complementing it… what a concept. The photography is by the one and only vagabond photography, it is always fun to work with Amanda. It makes my job as a designer so much easier and more fun when I have amazing pics to work with.

Tina wrote…”We had an abundance of compliments on the cards. Everyone loved them, they thought they were just a little different than everyone elses.” {note from the designer: I love that they were just a little different than everyone elses, sounds like maybe they stood out from the crowd a bit. }

It is never too early to start thinking about your custom Christmas {baby, anniversary, save the date, wedding, you name it} cards. If you are interested in custom stationary I would love to hear from you… design@brittaburrus.com or (509) 429.1989

Thanks for stopping by and taking a step back to 2009 with me! Have a great weekend!

Catalog Design & Layout

It has arrived! I just received the NEW Oakwood Industries, LLC catalog… and was so excited that I had to take a moment to share. This project has been one of the most extensive Bb design has had the opportunity to work on. We started fresh with all new photography. Bb design teamed up with vagabond photography for a photoshoot. {check out that post here} It made the design & layout so much easier to have such amazing photos to work with. From there the single shots of each image were extracted and everything organized to work with their collections. Of course we had to put some cool details throughout to make it stand out from the crowd.

You gotta check out their stuff… not only is it quality, will last forever {well, they do guarantee their furniture for 10 years, amazing!} and they have some very beautiful pieces. I have enjoyed working with the Oakwood team and am thankful for this experience. Check out the photos below and you might just keep Oakwood in mind this Christmas for that special someone who is hard to shop for! Stop by their showroom – HWY 136, Memphis, Missouri – to see what’s new and what you can get on your list.

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This was an easy one. Not only did i have one of the cutest babies ever but i also had vagabond (mom) taking the pics. All this made my job pretty easy. I got to do the shower invites as well and pulled some of the theme – zoo animals – into the announcement, notice the giraffe on the vellum overlay. Check out these custom baby announcements below. And if you (or someone you know) is interested in custom baby announcements give me a jingle (660) 883-5523 or email and i would love to discuss your ideas and give you a FREE estimate.

Britta burrus design is working with Oakwood Industries, LLC on some of their marketing materials. They were in need of a fresh catalog and realized that with all their NEW furniture they would be needing images. Native to Memphis, MO, Amanda Pulley with vagabond photography was the photographer of choice. Not only does she have a great eye for detail and cool shots, she also has the skill set to work in different settings with a variety of lighting. What a fun & crazy week we had! It was our privilege to work with the Oakwood team.

Our mission: Stage 17 different sets {dining room, living room & office} and get that shot! for each furniture collection & take a single shot of each piece of furniture that Oakwood Industries offers to be used in their upcoming catalog, website & various marketing materials.

Day One: My house was the place to be on Monday of the photoshoot. The Oakwood truck showed up bright and early full of all the furniture to be staged & shot! My newly-remodeled living room was cleared out and ready to be set up! We staged a bedroom and 4 dining sets in this room. My main living room was used for an office & living room set. Each stage looked so amazing that I didn’t want them to take anything away! All day, the Oakwood guys moved furniture in and out & switched out rooms while Amanda & I staged each ‘room’.  I am sure my neighbors were wondering what I was going to do with all the furniture that was lined up on my front porch and in the driveway. It was a blast, but were we all worn out after that day only to start over the next morning.

Day Two: On Tuesday morning I met Amanda at the Dave & Melinda Burrus residence where we were quick to start moving things out of the way for the arrival of our next lineup. Once the truck arrived we were hustling through the day. We staged six dining rooms, a living room & two bedrooms in several of the Burrus rooms and even one outside using their beautiful view as a backdrop. We also had fun shooting some different ways of using their furniture. Look soon for their new catalog!

Day Three: With most of the staged shots out of the way we headed to the warehouse on day three where we went through about half of the pieces of furniture. The Oakwood team was there to move the furniture through as Amanda shot each piece. After we finished up at the warehouse we decided it was a perfect evening to set up one of Oakwood’s signature sets. Their reunion table looked beautiful in the setting sun as we staged it for a wedding dinner. What fun! I know those who drove by wondered why they weren’t invited. It was hard to put it all away after the photos were taken, seemed like we needed to have a party and enjoy the evening even more.

Day Four & Five: We finished up the single shots at the warehouse these last two days. As always the Oakwood team was there to move furniture through as we directed and took photos.

Details: A lot of prep work & thought had gone into the scheduling, gathering props & figuring out where each line would be shown off best before & during the shoot! Both Amanda & I had prayed that God would help us and take care of the details, as with such a huge project something is bound to be forgotten or overlooked. Let me tell you, He definitely did just that, we are so thankful! We were also blessed to have some great resources and generous people. A friend of Amanda’s shared his lighting for the warehouse shots, Aunt Vicky was excited to let us use some of her amazing ‘props’ & the Burrus’ were so kind to let us tear apart their house for a day! I cannot tell you how much fun it was to work with Oakwood. They are very gracious & such hard workers. Everyone thought it was perfect to have the designer working with the photographer, that way we could discuss what kind of shots were desired for each of the different projects! With all the preparation, prayers & such amazing people I would say our Photoshoot was a huge success! Whew! What a week! I think that each of us was worn out and Amanda did all this all the while being 8 months pregnant.

Check out some of the sneak peeks and look soon for Oakwood Industries new catalog. If you haven’t already, stop by their showroom on HWY 36 in Memphis, Missouri. They have come out with some new collections that you are sure to fall in love with. And don’t let their name fool you, they are much more than oak… now offering Cherry, Maple and more with a variety of modern finishes and lines! The quality, new & classic finishes & their amazing customer service is a mix that will keep you coming back & spreading the word.

Pick Up Value : -adjective Everything that makes your potential client/customer want to pick up that business card and know more. Its what makes them want to check into your biz and see what you are all about.

Once you have a logo, the next step is to start using it to brand & market your business. Use your logo as a foundation and build from there. I love to use the logo as inspiration for future designs in the whole marketing package.

The business card is underrated. It is one of the least expensive ways to market your business. The design, print & paper are essential to the ‘pick up value’ of the final piece.

Check out the business card designs below. I am thinkin the ‘pick up value’ is pretty high. Who wouldn’t want to pick up a card that uses color or the lack of color to its highest potential. Not only that, but when the card is flipped there is even more to pull them in. The paper used is heavy weight, smooth or textured, gloss or dull matte finish is chosen depending on what the biz is about. Add some rounded corners to set yourself even more apart. The options are endless.

Use this inexpensive tool to entice the client to visit your website where you answer more questions and give them the full story of what you are about. Check out more designs at the Bb portfolio.  If you (or someone you know) are in the need of business cards with a high ‘pick up value’ feel free to call (509) 429-1989 or email for pricing & ideas.

Arlys & Co. Business Cards :: Even though this business card is very simple, it is classic, using Black & White. The back has a blank spot used for appointments.

vagabond photography :: using the guitar & keeping the urban, edgy feel she uses in her photography was important to this client.

Whispering Pines Winery :: This beautiful logo was best captured by using a vertical layout. Even with all the info, it is still clean by utilizing both sides.

violet love :: she already had her logo & look in place, so it was not difficult to make this card delicious.

Mention CODE: Bbblogbc09 and receive $10 OFF business card Printing. Offer expires April 30, 2009

What do you get your someone special for Valentine’s Day? That has been on my mind for about a month now! So, I have a few ideas to pass along…

What a perfect Valentine gift for the coffee lover in your life! Pair it with a pound of your favorite gourmet coffee beans and a cool mug, then watch their eyes light up as they open this hand-crafted, made in the USA, burr coffee grinder. The best part… you can buy it online and have it shipped to your door. www.camanocoffeemills.com

For the fashionista in your life… a vagabond valentine is sure to add some trendy fashion to their wardrobe. I am excited to wear my vagabond valentine! Call or email vagabond to order yours today! (949) 335-2285 or photography@vagabondstyle.com Or to see the rest of the vagabond collections visit www.vagabondstyle.com

And of course… I have to mention the latest Bb valentine cards. Buy them online at www.shopbrittaburrus.com and receive a FREE card for that someone extra special!