Winter Hues

I have to admit that I am not fond of winter. It is my least favorite season. I hate the cold, the snow, the ice and everything that goes with it. Living in northeast Ohio, winter seems to linger a bit too long and by February, I'm beginning to count the days until spring.

But even though I truly despise winter, there is something calming about the winter hues—the soft shadows in the freshly fallen snow, the stark brown branches of the trees against a bright blue sky, the dried red berries hanging off a branch and even the icicles hanging from the roof—all showcasing nature's simplicity at its best. Below is a color palette of the winter hues surrounding my home. What are yours?

Spring is only 48 days away but in the meantime, I will enjoy the hues of winter as I patiently wait for the daffodils to bloom! Enjoy!

Creating mood boards for design projects

A mood board is a wonderful way to present your ideas and design direction to your client. Not only does it keep you on track and focused throughout the design process but it also helps to keep everyone on the same page as the concept evolves and is finalized. I create mood boards all the time, especially for identity and packaging projects. I have found if I skip this step, my mind will wander in a thousand different directions, resulting in wasted time (and money). And my clients do love the mood boards—it's definitely another way to reinforce your design choices.

If I am presenting to a group, I prefer mounting photos, fabrics and color swatches on a piece of large foam core. This way, it can be displayed and viewed by all as I'm presenting my concepts. But sometimes I create a mood board simply on paper, pulling images into my Indesign file and exporting the page as a pdf for my client to view.

Mood boards are definitely a visual thing but it can also be tactile. One time when I was presenting a mood board to a client, I had him close his eyes and touch the board which contained many different textures—rough stone, suede fabric, embossed paper, etc. It was important for him to understand the concept which was focused around the sense of touch. Needless to say, he loved the concept and totally understood where I was going with it.

Below are a few examples of mood boards I have created for various projects. Enjoy!

the mood board kept me on track with the organic feel of the pieces below

simple and to the point – rough layouts shown below

Vivesan mood board on foam core

the final pieces for Vivesan, plant-based cleaning products

a mood board for a project in the works – I love this color combination!

a fresh start

The holidays are over and a new year has begun. This is a perfect time to clean and organize your studio or office. I don't know about you but my studio is overflowing with paperwork, publications, graphic samples, color chip books and the list goes on and on. I love starting the new year with a fresh start. This means going through old job folders, throwing out unnecessary papers and backing up completed projects—basically organizing and getting rid of all the unnecessary clutter to make room for those new projects.

Here are some fun things to help you organize the "necessary clutter" in your office space. Happy organizing and here's to a fresh start!

I love russell+hazel linen-covered binders. They are perfect for organizing important client information or to store samples. 

These rubber bands from russell+hazel are fun and practical.

You can never have enough folders. I was color coding my different clients until my client list started to get out of hand. From the Container Store.

If you use color swatches constantly, I recommend using a bulletin board. This one is made from linen by Pottery Barn. 

I love this rustic board with burlap from Pottery Barn. Hmm...where can I put this?

 A fun shape from the Container Store.

Every office needs something to hold magazines. This one is from Crate and Barrel.

Baskets are so practical and can hold project files or samples—from Crate and Barrel.

merry christmas + thank you!

I want to take a few moments to wish everyone a very merry (marigold) christmas and thank you for following me! Your support means a lot to me. I'm looking forward to 2010 and sharing more of my inspirational finds with all of you.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you!

Unique holiday gifts!

I love the holiday season but it can be a stressful time, trying to pick out that "perfect" gift for a friend or relative. I'm always looking for unique things to give and keep a stash of extra little gifts for those "unexpected" people that might drop by during the holiday season. I also love to take a small hostess gift with me when I visit friends during the holidays. This can be as simple as an ornament tied to a bottle of wine. 

Here are some unique gifts—perfect for those "special" people in your life.

Gold Jeweled Ornaments from Gaiam. I love adding an ornament to a package or bottle of wine.

You can't go wrong with a candle. This monogram one is from Anthropology and masculine enough for your male  friends.

Beautiful Murano Glass wine stoppers. Need I say more!

Simple handmade journals found on Etsy.

A beautiful planner  from Yellowthreads.

I found this on Esty also—perfect for the "artist".

Books are always nice for your "book lover" friends. These two are on my wish list so I hope my husband reads my blog!  You can find them at Anthropologie.

Helping to keep NE Ohio warm.

The homeless shelters are in need of your help and with Thanksgiving only days away, this is the perfect time to ask everyone for their support in helping the local shelters with donations of food, clothing and blankets.

Marigold is taking part in organizing a blanket drive—collecting gently used and new blankets for NEOCH, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. If you would like to donate blankets, please email me at mcole@marigolddesign.com to make arrangements for dropping them off. Or you can deliver them directly to 2100 Lakeside Shelter in Cleveland on your way to work, at lunch or on your way home.

Thank you for your support in helping to keep NE Ohio warm! 

Hues of Autumn

I love the fall—especially the brilliant colors you find in the landscapes this time of year. So it was my honor and pleasure to design the October cover for AAF-Cleveland Portfolio. Since I'm also a color marketer, my inspiration for the cover came from the current colors found in the home and fashion industries. The foliage definitely takes on a different look with those colors!

View the entire publication at aafcleveland.com

2009 color trends at Pantone and Color Marketing Group (CMG)

Perfect fall hues in these pillows by Crate and Barrel.

Beautiful colors, beautiful bedding by Exclusively Home.

I love the muted grey and brown tones of these products —classic colors for an economically challenged time.