Business, Blogging
Lauren Hooker
40 Ways to Use Adobe Illustrator to Improve ...

Adobe Illustrator is my go-to software for anything and everything design-related. It's the one program I truly couldn't work without.

And while it's easy to assume that the program's primary focus is illustration based on the name, there is so much more to this design software. 

With tools for type, color, photo cropping, image tracing, drawing, and much more, it has innumerable benefits for bloggers and business owners, alike.

To get your creative gears turning, here's a look at 40 ways Adobe Illustrator can take your blog and/or business to the next level.

40 Ways to Use Adobe Illustrator to Improve Your Blog and Business
Blogging, Business, Branding, Design
Lauren Hooker
How to Create Eye-Catching Blog Post Graphics

First impressions are crucial, especially in business.

Potential customers and clients make judgments about your business within the first few seconds of coming into contact with it, whether it’s through your website, your social media accounts, or a simple blog post graphic.

And those initial thoughts - whether they’re spot on or far off from what you want them to be - are within your control. You have the opportunity to make a killer first impression through high-quality, branded visuals.

If your blog is a large part of your business or you’re hoping to drive more traffic back to your site through your blog, you have to have eye-catching blog graphics to not only generate a positive first impression, but to encourage readers to share your posts on sites like Pinterest and be seen by an even wider audience.

So how do you create eye-catching blog post graphics? And better yet, how can you set them apart so they’ll stand out from the rest and be recognized time and time again?

How to Create Eye-Catching Blog Post Graphics
Business, Visual Marketing
Lauren Hooker
40 Easy, Engaging Video Content Ideas for Your ...

“When I discovered YouTube, I didn’t work for 5 days.” - Michael Scott

Video platforms like YouTube (and more recently, Periscope) are easily the world’s greatest time-wasters. We’ve all been guilty of losing track of time on YouTube at least once, because videos are easily consumable, very addicting, and highly entertaining.

As a matter of fact, studies show that a whopping 78% of us watch videos online every week and 55% watch videos online every day.

Which is why Youtube is also the world’s greatest overnight-success-maker. If you’re on the production-side of a video and you’ve come up with a clever idea, you might just have a viral hit on your hands.

Video holds a lot of potential for interaction, engagement, and shares for creative businesses. And for that reason, it’s one of the best visual marketing tools you can use.

But it producing videos can be a little overwhelming, can’t it? Even with helpful video tools out there like Animoto, many of us struggle to come up with simple ideas for video content that would appeal to our audience. 

And that’s where this post comes in. I’ve rounded up 40 easy, engaging video content ideas to help get your creative gears turning. My hope is that you’ll find a few ideas to implement and as a result, bring your business more exposure.

40 Easy, Engaging Video Content Ideas for Your Creative Business
Business, Visual Marketing
Lauren Hooker
Why You Should Be Using Infographics for Your ...

If you’re looking for a good way to kill at least an hour of your time, type in the word “infographic” in the Pinterest search bar.

Thousands of clever graphics will pop up on everything from “how to make a salad taste awesome” to a baby’s first year in a review. There’s even an infographic that answers the pressing question, “Is your dog sleeping a little too much?”

Then, after you’ve admired the genius creativity behind them, take a gander at how many repins and likes each of those infographics receives. Thousands upon thousands.

In fact, infographic volumes have increased by over 800% in 2 years. Publishers who use infographics grow in traffic an average of 12% more than those who don’t. 

What is it about infographics that makes them so appealing? And better yet, how can you come up with some clever infographics for your business so it gains more exposure through likes and shares?

I have all the answers for you in this post.

Why You Should Be Using Infographics for Your Business (And How to Create Them)
Blogging
Lauren Hooker
How to Create Catchy Headlines

Is your headline the first thing you consider when you sit down to write a post?

Probably not, but creating a catchy blog post title is one of the most important aspects of each blog post. It's the gateway to your content; it convinces people to click or scroll right past your latest post'. 

In fact, studies show that 8 out of 10 people will read your headline but only 2 out of 10 will read your entire post. 

Here are a few pointers for drawing in potential readers and a couple "templates" to help you create a catchy headline for your upcoming posts. 

How to Create Catchy Headlines

Coffee Date with Kate Durrett

A couple years ago I volunteered to tag along with my church's youth group for summer camp. The week was filled with great teaching, outdoor activities like mountain biking, horseback riding, and white water rafting, and quality time with the students. But one of my favorite parts of the whole week was talking to Kate on the 5 hour bus ride down to North Carolina.

Anyone who has spent more than 5 seconds with Kate Durrett will agree with me; she is the epitome of the word 'sweet'. I can't remember a time when Kate wasn't assisting children with disabilities and volunteering her time in our church.

She's currently a student at JMU and I was blessed to spend time with her over a coffee date while she was in on winter break. I can't say that I was surprised when I heard about all of the discipleship programs and causes that she's become involved with; Kate has always sought out ways to serve. Her heart is golden, and I know you'll be encouraged after spending a couple minutes with her this morning. Friends, meet Kate!

What's in your coffee cup this morning?

Dominican coffee that I saved from yesterday :) Last spring break when I traveled there with a team from JMU, I bought a couple bags in town on our last day. This particular kind of coffee, Monté Real, has cocoa powder in the grounds and they made it for us every day on base. So no matter how long it takes me to drink it, I savor every sip.

What is the first thing you did this morning?

This morning, I had an early class so when I got myself out of bed after two alarms (I always set three…I have trouble waking up!), I went downstairs and heated up my coffee and packed my lunch. I gathered books and papers for my class and meetings throughout the day. I struggle to carve out time to spend with Jesus in the mornings, but I stopped my hurrying about 10 minutes before I was supposed to leave  today and sat on my living room floor to talk with Him, be still, and read the Word. Quiet time away with him is definitely a place for improvement.

What is something you struggle with and what are you learning as a result?

I struggle often to trust God enough to walk into the unknown and unchartered. Lately, there have been so many chances for me to do just that, in schoolwork and leadership opportunities and even on the mission trip I just took to NYC over spring break. God is good, and He is constant. By seeking Him in places where I am very aware of my lack of control, I get to see His sovereignty and strength more clearly. It has taken me a while to realize that, but God has been faithful to keep teaching me. What a patient, understanding Father we have.

Life can get stressful. What are some things you do to simplify?

I wish I could say I always know how to simplify and slow down, but that wouldn’t be true. This week, because of some health concerns, I have had to slow the pace of my life and schedule a ton. I think I often really need God to stop me in my tracks and remind to take a few minutes to listen to my favorite song or sit with Him in silence or count the moments I have instead of how many I don’t. To simplify, I really just have to stop and breathe. :)

And lastly, what is something you've been loving lately?

I have been loving all the men’s college basketball games! I grew up watching Duke University with my family, and I’ve carried on the tradition in college. March Madness started yesterday and Duke plays its first-round game today!! NCAA.com streams all the games live online so I’m loving the chance to watch them like crazy for the next couple weeks.

Kate's Cause

Something both tough and beautiful in my life lately has been how God is re-breaking my heart for the injustice of human trafficking. I first learned about it when I was a freshman at JMU and hearing about it changed me for good, kind of like the William Wilberforce quote: “You may choose to look the other way but you can never again say you did not know.”

I serve as the Fundraising Coordinator for a student organization called Shenandoah Valley Justice Initiative at JMU, which God led to be involved in after I first saw the documentary Sex + Money: A National Search for Human Worth. One thing I will be forever thankful for is that we were given the opportunity to take what we had seen and learned straight to Jesus in worship right after the screening. Because of that first experience, I learned that my response to being exposed to injustice has to be asking Jesus to carry it because I am unable to do that by myself and He doesn’t call us to.

Over winter break, I was worried that I had become numb to the heartbreaking reality, so I prayed God would soften my heart once again to make me empathetic and newly sensitive. And He answered by doing just that. With International Justice Mission (IJM) estimating that there are currently 29 million slaves in the world today (both in labor slavery and sex trafficking), the injustice continues to be present and on my mind. All of us have a unique role to play in fighting injustice based on the gifts and talents God has given us, and we have to continually seek Him to understand what role that is. I do believe we all do have one, and I love having the opportunity to help people understand theirs through SVJI-JMU and my personal sphere of influence.

Here are some resources if you want to learn more and/or join the fight for freedom:

http://slaveryfootprint.org/ (Slavery Footprint - how many slaves work for you through the purchases you make and the lifestyle you live? …know, learn, pray)

http://exoduscry.com/ (Exodus Cry- a prayer movement for freedom…learn, pray, give, work for legislative change)

http://www.ijm.org/ (International Justice Mission-one of the leading organizations fighting on the front lines and in society…advocate, fundraise, pray, sign petitions, educate yourself and others)

http://svjijmu.wix.com/svji-jmu (SVJI-JMU- the student organization I’m involved in that strives to educate and empower JMU and Harrisonburg to join the modern abolitionist movement)

Crepes, Chickens, and Throwbacks

How is it already Thursday?! It's time for another roundup of fun moments from this past week. I don't know about you, but those chickens make me smile. Which #sweetspots post is your favorite?

@picatoria Oh England! You are always charming me with your flowers! #sweetspots

@picatoria Oh England! You are always charming me with your flowers! #sweetspots

@allyduncan13 You know, just some chickens in the city as you walk to the store. I love #grandin. #sweetspots

@allyduncan13 You know, just some chickens in the city as you walk to the store. I love #grandin. #sweetspots

@jennykayc It's a #tbt on @sar_fraz's birthday EVE! Oh how I've loved working the bowl cut and dog sweaters with you. I can tell you've enjoyed it too. #whymom #sisterlove #sweetspots

@jennykayc It's a #tbt on @sar_fraz's birthday EVE! Oh how I've loved working the bowl cut and dog sweaters with you. I can tell you've enjoyed it too. #whymom #sisterlove #sweetspots

@laurenelizhook Sending a little cheer to someone's mailbox on this rainy day. Have you taken part in this month's Be A Blessings challenge by writing someone a letter? I had forgotten just how much fun it is! #elleandcompany #beablessing #sweetspots

@laurenelizhook Sending a little cheer to someone's mailbox on this rainy day. Have you taken part in this month's Be A Blessings challenge by writing someone a letter? I had forgotten just how much fun it is! #elleandcompany #beablessing #sweetspots

@sjpeters Bubblecake, Frozen, and my best girlfriends make for the most perfect girls' night!

@sjpeters Bubblecake, Frozen, and my best girlfriends make for the most perfect girls' night!

@taylorsschumann Seriously @dearsweetheartevents?!? You are my long lost sister friend. How do you know me so well! I was busy throwing myself a little pity party this morning when my cute little mail man brings me this package. I am SO SO thankful …

@taylorsschumann Seriously @dearsweetheartevents?!? You are my long lost sister friend. How do you know me so well! I was busy throwing myself a little pity party this morning when my cute little mail man brings me this package. I am SO SO thankful for your encouraging heart. You are a blessing to my soul! And thank you for reminding me that I'm too legit to quit. #sweetspots #sweetfriends

@kaitblanken Today my "little" brother took me for a drive. Crazy! I can already tell he's better than me. #sweetspots

@kaitblanken Today my "little" brother took me for a drive. Crazy! I can already tell he's better than me. #sweetspots

@laurenelizhook Here they come! #sweetspots

@laurenelizhook Here they come! #sweetspots

@laurenelizhook So grateful for new mercies every morning. #sweetspots

@laurenelizhook So grateful for new mercies every morning. #sweetspots

@laurasowder A beautiful breakfast is a great way to start the day #ourdailybread #sweetspots

@laurasowder A beautiful breakfast is a great way to start the day #ourdailybread #sweetspots

Are you new to #SweetSpots? Visit this post to learn more about this daily thankfulness movement.

Decluttering Your Desktop

Oh, that dreadful computer desktop. It's my go-to place for saving photos, design files, links, notes, and everything else under the sun, but it is always a cluttered mess (just like that junk drawer in the kitchen). Most days I leave my browsers up so I don't have to look at the 75+ icons staring back at me, waiting to be filed away and organized. And oh how I hate hunting down files - things are never where I need them to be. Can you relate?

Lucky for both of us, I've come up with a solution for battling the stress and the chaos of that cluttered desktop.

Today I'm going to show you how I went from this...

This is a slight improvement from last week. I got so fed up with a screen full of little icons that I created a "to file" folder and dumped them all in. Not the best solution... 

This is a slight improvement from last week. I got so fed up with a screen full of little icons that I created a "to file" folder and dumped them all in. Not the best solution... 

to this! And guess what? It took less than a half hour from start to finish.

STEP 1 : Categorize

First, I created folders and categorized them into broad subjects. I created a "Design" folder for all of my freelance design work, an "Elle & Co." folder for Daybook files and blog photos, and a "Miscellaneous" folder for all other odds and ends.

Your folders might look a little different depending on what works best for you. If it's a shared computer, it might be easiest to create a file folder for each family member. If you use your computer for business, you could organize them into folders for invoices, clients, or forms. However you categorize them, it's best to keep the number of folders at a minimum.

Designating a different label color for each file helps me easily differentiate between the three.

Screen Shot 2014-03-19 at 8.45.01 AM.png

Then I created subfolders under each main category. 

STEP 2: Sort

Then comes the fun part - placing your files into the categories you created (yes, there was some sarcasm in that statement).

I found it helpful to rename files as I was putting them away; I knew it would benefit me in the long run. Photos were renamed according to date (year/month/day) and files within folders were given new names according to how they related to the whole group (for example, separating design files into "draft 1", "draft 2", and "final").

I also took this opportunity to weed out files and delete some that were out of date or no longer needed, then I said goodbye to the files in my trash can and deleted them forever.

Screen Shot 2014-03-19 at 9.09.13 AM.png

Step 3: Download

After all my files were snug in their folders, I needed to make sure that things never went back to the way they were before. So I came up with a pretty solution for keeping my desktop clean - this lovely wallpaper!

CLICK HERE to download this wallpaper for your desktop!

Now all of my files have a place to go when I save them to my desktop. Files that I'm working on go right into the "Work" section, articles and blog posts that I want to read later go right into the "Read" section, and that cute idea I found on Pinterest today goes right into the "Misc." section.

A clean desktop is a happy desktop. Happy organizing, friends!

As a recovering desktop hoarder, I would love to hear your tips! What helps you keep your desktop clean and your files organized?

Weekly Truth

One thing I love about the Word is that it's living. I can read a verse a thousand times and probably pull something from it that I never noticed before. I also think it's neat how the Holy Spirit impresses different things on each of our hearts while we're reading the same verse. So this week, I would love to hear about what God is teaching you through this 1 John 2:17 as you memorize it. 

Click here to download this week's verse for your iPhone background.

I know that this phrase is on repeat around here, but I truly want Elle & Co. to be an encouragement to you. I'm learning that encouragement comes through community, and I think that's why #Sweetspots and Coffee Dates are so much fun - they're an opportunity for all of us to share tips and life lessons with each other. So please feel free to join in and leave a comment, because goodness knows I do enough of the talking! 

I would love to hear from you ladies. Happy Tuesday :)

Note: Since tilting your iPhone re-adjusts the background, iOS7 automatically zooms in on background images. The text may seem small on the downloaded image, but once you set it as your background it will size correctly. 

Monday's Letters

Dear Mr. Hooker, I gave you a hard time after church yesterday when you wanted to take a nap, and I may have boasted a little that, despite waking up early, I wasn't tired at all. Well, wouldn't you know... I cozied up on the couch with a book and woke up 3 hours later, all while you were reading for class. Oops! Thanks for putting up with me.

Dear Charlotte Bobcats, you might not be the greatest team in the NBA, but I'm not complaining. If you were any good, we might not have scored $4 tickets to your game tonight. Thanks for providing a cheap date night with my husband and a couple friends - I can't wait!

Dear Allyson, yes, you have a letter! Thank you for sending me love each day through thoughtful texts, funny stories, and precious photos of my nieces and nephews. It makes it feel as though 220 miles were just a few feet away. I sure do miss you.

Dear Jakester, we are officially old. I could sense it last year when I started enjoying trips to Lowe's, but it was confirmed last night when we talked about our plans this week for spring break. Taxes, papers, reading, and cleaning? Maybe we can redeem ourselves by throwing a couple trail rides and date nights into the mix :)

Happy Monday, friends!