I can’t get enough.

- Laura

Side note: I’ve been terrible at taking our “real” camera with us when we’re with people because I know I’d go even more photo crazy. So my apologies to the quality, but the subject matter speaks for itself.

Pretty awesome, huh? Life is good.

- Laura

by Signify. Location: Cinque Terre, Italy

I can’t believe it’s been over a month since my last post! That is terrible. I also can’t believe that I never explained why I am no longer doing my regular Link Lineup posts. The reason is this – I got busy! The last month has been a good one for Signify as far as new business and new outlets for my creativity so I’ve been focusing on my projects and less time on my blogging. But I’d like to at least post once or twice in a month with either project updates, featured photography or Signifycant thoughts, with an occasional Link Lineup thrown in
the mix.

Speaking of Signifycant thoughts, here are my latest personal musings as they relate to life and business…

• Running from challenges doesn’t allow for growth.
• Giving up when frustrated is the road to failure.
• Proper communication is key.
• Great connections are invaluable.
• Getting involved and putting yourself out there is the easiest way become known.

I realize none of these are new concepts, but they are great reminders for me as both an entrepreneur and individual.

Anyway, I hope to have a post up by the end of the month with my latest projects, so until then…

Happy June!
Laura

In any case, I took a few shots of the loveliness all around me on my first couple delightful walks in May. Enjoy!

I absolutely love flowering trees. I mean, flowers in general make me happy. So thank you, spring.

- Laura

leave behind . takeaway . ad

Last week I took on a new role that is not exactly related to what Signify does tangibly, but is in the same family of creative communication. I became a local Golden travel writer for Examiner.com. This opens up a lot of fun creative for me, such as pursuing travel writing and photojournalism which are things I’ve had an interest in doing for several years now. So please feel free to subscribe to my articles if the content is of interest to you, and look for new ones each week!

In the meantime, I’m still trying to fit in the design of a new branch of Signify into my increasingly busy schedule – weddings! We’d like to have our photography featured on its own site, and we want to create a separate website to promote our wedding photography and custom correspondence for Denver-metro brides. The thought has always been to do this – have one website for business and one for weddings/lifestyle photography – but we wanted to wait a bit until we got more established.

So I’ve started the wireframes of the site but just haven’t yet gotten to the actual design. Probably because I keep adding on more side jobs like writing… But I’m trying to figure out whether or not to give it a totally different look, or keep some of the same elements of its parent brand.

Decisions, decisions.

- Laura

by Signify. Location: Tabernash, Colorado

Nothing could be more fitting for how I want to live my life:

“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am — a reluctant enthusiast… a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.”

From a speech to environmentalists in Missoula, Montana in 1978 and in Colorado, which was published in High Country News in the 1970s or early 1980s under the title “Joy, Shipmates, Joy.”, as quoted in Saving Nature’s Legacy : Protecting and Restoring Biodiversity (1994) by Reed F. Noss, Allen Y. Cooperrider, and Rodger Schlickeisen, p. 338.

Thanks to Frank for the insightful find (original via justinthomaskay).

In the end, worldly success is meaningless but living life to the fullest reigns supreme. I’m on board with that.

- Laura

Since we’re outdoor enthusiasts and photographers, we can’t resist getting some “fine-art” nature shots on our walks around town and in the foothills – even if it’s just with our little Canon point-and-shoot. We admit we have an obsession with documenting everything, so you can imagine the amount of photos we’ve already taken now that we live in one of the most beautiful places in the U.S., if not the world (I believe I estimated our average to be 12 a day…in only four months time).

And I’d like to give you a glimpse into our life here and join us in our obsession. It’s a bit drier where we are so sometimes it’s not the most beautiful in panorama, but we love the variety in the details – rocks, plant life, etc. By capturing those tiny details, it allows us to see our hikes and nature in a totally different way.

So enjoy our nature walk on Chimney Gulch Trail!

Makes spring even more appealing, doesn’t it? Bring on the warmth and new growth!

- Laura

by Signify. Location: Florence, Italy

March is definitely in like a lion…it’s been snowing all day today with no signs up letting up any time soon. This means sledding will be in our near future. In the meantime, enjoy a flurry of links.

• These lamps are fantastic. Gave me some good ideas.
• I would love to have these for my house once I get my home decór more cohesive (gotta eventually replace the 1980’s La-Z-Boy couches…)
• Loving these soap tins sold at Anthropologie. They would be great for storing my crafty items, fun travel souvenirs or jewelry once the soap is all used up.
• Frank Chimero came up with a great list of inspirational designers and here are some more I’d like to add: David Carson, Marian Bantjes, Louise Fili and Paula Scher.
• I’m a fan of the updated twist on the classic, decorative look that’s being done lately. These books are no exception.

That’s it. Just a little list for you all today. Now it’s time for me to enjoy the outdoors!

- Laura

I’m pretty excited about finishing up a new web design project I’d been working on these last few weeks for my old co-worker and friend, Ryan Wynia, through his company, Firebone. Here are some screen shots of the project in progress, and soon it will be live!

The Road: McCord Road Christian Church Landing page

Events page

Messages page

I’m also currently working on a publication for another client and friend who followed us in our move to Colorado. I am SO grateful to have this support from people back in the Midwest, especially since it’s a job in and of itself to get plugged into a new community and develop new business relationships here in Golden. So thanks to everyone who stuck with us in this transition! And all this new work will soon be featured on our website, sgnfy.com.

So hopefully I’ll be better at putting new work up here in the future. But as the title says…that, too, is a work in progress.

Cheers,
Laura

by Signify. Location: Murren, Switzerland

It’s springtime in the Rockies and I’ve got the sliding door wide open as I sit by the computer today. Ahh. Can’t wait to see the landscape start changing from brown to green with little bursts of color from the soon-to-be flowering foliage. Just waiting for the day when I can take my computer breaks poolside. I’m ready for summer! Now onto some link mania.

• I’m definitely considering getting this rug for the entryway. Not only is it fun, but it’s a great way for gravel to get knocked off people’s shoes upon entry. Two for the price of one.
• We love our dog which is why these are the best commercials ever. Entertaining and beautiful.
• Duke University’s collection of historic American sheet music is fantastic.
• Loving these necklaces. Great use of found objects that create a modern and unique accessory.
• I’m one of those people who has a great idea or remembers something I need to do right before falling asleep but don’t feel like getting up to write it down. I think I need to keep this journal by the side of my bed.
• I have an obsession with scarves. And now these lovelies by Phillipe Roucou for Reborn are on my wishlist.
• A great daily collection blog, and this ensemble is one of my favorites so far. Ooo, and this one, too.

That’s it for this week’s goodie blog. Happy, sunny weekend!

- Laura

]]> http://blog.sgnfy.com/link-lineup-3-12-10/614/feed/ 1 http://blog.sgnfy.com/the-funny-thing-about-work/577/ http://blog.sgnfy.com/the-funny-thing-about-work/577/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:05:25 +0000 Signify http://blog.sgnfy.com/?p=577 If only work was called “fun.” What a great life we’d have then, right? Well, unfortunately it’s not our reality. Work is called “work” for a reason and complain as we may, it’s what we’re called to do in order to survive in this world. Whether it’s working on a relationship, finances, perspective, skills or working on actual work…it’s just what we do. And this is something I’ve been reminded of often by my husband and business partner whenever I say, “this is hard” or “I don’t want to.”

If jobs were only for those who truly and deeply enjoyed what they did and loved going to work every day, would we have trash collectors, janitors, factory workers or morticians? I’m not so sure. I know there are jobs out there that really do fulfill people’s lives completely and they truly love what they do. But every single day? Highly doubtful. Everyone has bad days and days where they feel like giving up. It’s natural, but it’s a feeling to overcome. And here’s what what Seth Godin has to say about that:

Working on the “stuff” in my life isn’t always fun or easy, but if I get to it with the right attitude, perspective and motivation, I can be proud of a job well done. And then take the weekend to congratulate myself.

- Laura

by Signify. Location: Lake Como, Italy

This week I got behind in my Google Reader RSS feeds where I find all my great links for these posts. So when I got around to reviewing them today, I was very overwhelmed with the quantity of cool finds. I may have to get rid of some of my subscriptions or I’ll drive myself crazy spending so much time looking at fun things. In saying that, I’d like nothing better than to overwhelm my readers as well – for the sake of camaraderie. So here goes!

• A handmade CMYK study and Gill Sans poster by Evelin Kasikov.
• Not a 4-color process – check out these fun Pantone® make up concepts.
• When I get into glasses again someday (it’s inevitable even with Lasik), I’m totally getting a pair of sexy specs by Warby Parker. Inexpensive yet stylish.
• Interesting artwork made with corrugated cardboard.
• This chair is wonderful. As is this clothes hanger.
• Date night in Paris at this restaurant, please?
• Stop motion videos are all the rage now. It’s no wonder with videos like this (featuring my talented cousin Lexia’s work) and this out there.
• Custom lettering each day of the year…a fun and beneficial experiment.
• Simple, but beautiful. And I know it’s tequila, but the design is oh so lovely…makes me want to head to a beach.
• Irresistible logo and corresponding packaging. Love it!
• I love this site for the concept and content. One of my favorites out of the bunch is the typographic playing cards.
• A funny yet practical way to show the world you love photography while drinking your morning cup of coffee.
• It’s our new house!
• And let’s end on a more girly note, shall we? Some shoes (select black) to go with that handbag.

Spring is in the air! Enjoy the weekend.

- Laura

8 Ways to End the Internet

I found this article that speculates on ways the internet will end. I figure I should make my own list of ways the internet will end. You know, for the sake of punditry. They had 10, but geez, I could only figure out 8 possible ways. Just imagine the other two are some wicked water-to-blood Old Testament type of apocalypse stuff. Anyway, 8 ways the internet could end:

1. Locust swarm at Farmville, ruining crops and causing mass e-starvation.
2. O shortage on Ggle Search Results.
3. Bird season at Twitter.
4. Rick Astley gives up and lets us down.
5. MySpace v3.0 (with 3D glasses)
6. Dancing Baby and Hamster Dance make another go at it in light of the recent success of other come-back tours.
7. All server farms = Transformers.
8. Facebook homepage redesign.
EDIT: Uh oh. I thought of more.
1. Large Hadron Collider operated by this guy.
2. A Tumblr blog about hipsters is started. It does not receive a book deal.
3. Ban imposed on list-based blog entries

I especially like his last one and it makes me laugh. Because not only is my Link Lineup series list-based, I also have another blog about our daily life in Golden that includes many lists as well. I LOVE my list-based blogs. And don’t even get me started with the Facebook redesign…

- Laura

by Signify. Location: Cinque Terre, Italy

Because it’s a wintery day and I am already wishing for warmer weather, I thought I’d share a bright, cheery photo with you. And here are my finds for this week!

• A unique and cheery pop can that correlates nicely with my photo. (and yes, being from the Midwest I do say “pop”). This one is interesting, too.
• I love this chair art piece. Great statement piece for the modern house.
• Fun postcard reminders that technology should take the back burner to relationships and non-digital experiences.
• Don’t underestimate cups made from Styrofoam – espeically ones with artwork on them.
• Um, Deuce Creative has an amazing work space.
• Best door hanger ever – make sure to scroll over the images for the full effect.
• A great type evolution diagram by the oh-so talented, Jessica Hische.

Links are fun…please share!

- Laura

by Signify. Location: Gimmelwald, Switzerland

From the ever insightful, creative Frank Chimero:

“There are no recipes.”

Stop looking for a recipe for success. You want it? So far as I can tell, it is to relentlessly do what you’re best at, keep at it, and to keep moving and take advantage of opportunities.

Stop looking for recipes about how to find work. You want it? Do what you’re best at, tell people about it, make incredible work and every once in a while remind people you exist in a way that best represents you. There’s no one true way to promote.

My take: Don’t worry about the right way to be a better entrepreneur/creative/person…just be yourself, nobody can do that better. So while there is no one recipe, the key ingredients are to be smart, be persistent, be proactive and be unique. And success will follow in some form or another.

- Laura

ps. in case you didn’t realize, my photo represents a “kick in the pants” for those of us who need it.