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There are so many creative ways that AD can help support your small business or organization. With decades of experience in desktop publishing, logo design, promotional materials and other graphic design assets, you can feel confident that together we will get your design-based project there.

We all have our unique talents. But we still need each other to really shine.

Keeping all that text legible at such small sizes is one of the bigger challenges with CD design.

Another year, another CD project ~ You had me at "hello again"!

This project was a collab between a story-teller, a local river-keepers organization, and a group of elementary school students. I was given the information and asked to use my imagination to come up with a style to fit the theme. I enjoyed the challenge immensely. It was so fun creating each of the little animals represented in the stories.

Are you looking for a personal touch when it comes to showing appreciation for your loyal customers? This client has discovered that these little candy-filled reusable tins (image) leave a lingering sweet taste in her clients' and potential clients' mouths. We have designed her a new tin for the holidays for several years now. Client favors are a great way to reward loyalty.

It can be quite a challenge to convey your organization's message clearly AND concisely in an ad. Print or online, ad space is always at a premium. You want to be confident you've made your pitch in an attractive and clear way. Advertisements are a bit like puzzles - the image will be much clearer when arranged with care. That is how you unleash the power of your advertising dollar.

This local pizzeria has been giving back to the community for over twenty years. Sponsoring local sports teams, schools and other charitable organizations. It shows in the love that the loyal customers express, and the second and now third generations of families that keep coming back to this little neighborhood pizza joint. Deno's is a family owned business that I really enjoyed working with for the reasons mentioned above. Community-based projects are a personal favorite of mine!

Not every idea is the perfect one, but all the ideas are leading to the "one". The brainstorming stage of designing towards a purpose cannot be skipped. Your message is refined during this step. We've all seen terrible design make it all the way to print. It is important to think about your design from different perspectives. Is your message clear? Does it read? Will it be memorable for the right reasons?

For a few years I donated design time to the local Junior High. There were many different projects, but two of my favorites are represented by the next slides. Both the Parent's Club and The Auction Committee needed new logos. The school symbol was the 'L' over the lightening bolt.

A challenge for any parent club is to attract and keep engaged members. Parents often felt they would embarrass their t'weens by getting involved at the school. After a little discussion, I suggested an image makeover. The goal was to give parent volunteers a new Rock Star image. Because they are indeed rock stars, after all.

We created business cards for lead members, call-to-action posters and an awesome dry-erase announcement board (image). We updated the website with the new look and logo. The parents really responded well to the new vibe. And I think a lot of the kids were impressed, even if it wouldn't be cool to admit it.

In 2014 the Auction Committee needed to come up with a new fundraiser. They settled on an Annual Oktoberfest fundraising party. They requested my help with the design aspects of the undertaking. What fun! This was the resulting logo design. It was used on business cards, the web site, flyers, posters, postcards and outdoor banners. To my knowledge it is still in use today, as the tradition continues. Prost!

This thirty-foot banner was a challenge and taught me how to handle really big files. Getting advice from the printer was a great place to start.

This 3x5 foot sponsor banner hangs over the event gates on the day of the fundraiser. The fun challenge here as a graphic designer was simply collecting all the logos from the sponsors in a format that was scalable. Collaboration is a challenge that brings big rewards.

Some print materials before an early organizing meeting. Looks like a it will be a great party.

Social Media needs some love, too.

A bit of an empath, I enjoy getting a feel for my clients and what motivates them to do the things they are passionate about. When I come back with my first drafts, I want my client to already see their passion taking shape in the project. My design process is inspired by the client's vision. And I want my work to add fuel to the fire that is their vision. That is what drives me to use my creativity in service of the community. We all have a passionate vision to nurture. Part of mine is helping others realize theirs.

Any good business person is clear that the quality of their work matters above all else. As a graphic designer, my work represent both of us. I am always learning new skills. I need to stay up to date on best design practices, current trends, and sometimes I will steer clients toward better design choices they may not have considered. I want the logo or ad we are creating together to bring about the desired results, so I will take the time to get it right.

This design took third place in a challenge to create a t-shirt for a fun local coffee shop.

My prize? Coffee, of course!

Plus a collection of tees in my shop that feature the dog. She was just too cute to not have a life.

This project was a labor of love. Painted for an up-scale beauty salon and art gallery, the theme was "The Temple of Beauty". This mural was the talk of the town for a number of years, among the well-quaffed. Sadly, this huge, two-wall mural was covered over when the salon eventually moved and the landlord leased the space to another business.