Exciting News!

I developed a heart for branding in design school. Amidst studio deadlines, portfolio preparation, and design theory, I saw an opportunity to make an impact on the success of a business through great design. 

Visually communicating a business's mission, service, and personality continues to be a joy for me. I love meeting creative business owners, learning about their goals and the facets of their company, and reflecting it all through a strong brand. And now that I'm a small business owner, my passion for helping other businesses has gone through the roof!

After taking on freelance branding projects for the past couple years, I am excited to announce that I am officially offering branding services through Elle & Company.

There are 3 different design packages to choose from:

Brand Design Package

This package is for new businesses or businesses in need of a rebrand. It includes an inspiration board, logo variations, a custom color palette, brand elements, 2 font recommendations, and 2 patterns. Collateral materials include business cards, stationery, stamp/sticker design, and social media design.

Andrea Pesce Photography

Website Design Package

Our all-inclusive package includes everything mentioned in the brand design as well as the design of your website. A homepage, 5 interior pages (About, Services, Contact, etc.), and a basic blog design. 

In-House Design Package

This package is for already branded businesses who need consistent, professional design work on a monthly basis. I will be an on-call, in-house designer to only two clients at a time. These clients will receive exclusive priority treatment with same-week turnaround on projects. Project ideas include marketing material, invitations, blog graphics, newsletter design, website revisions, etc. 

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For more details on pricing the branding process, please visit the new branding page. 

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I'm passionate about giving my branding clients the time and attention their project deserves, so I'm currently accepting 1 brand design client, 1 website design client, and 2 in-house clients each month. I guarantee 4-6 week turnaround times, and I am available to work on branding projects as early as August. Please contact me for my availability!

How to Start a Blog: Creating Quality Content

The secret to success in blogging? Content. You can have the prettiest blog on the internet but it all amounts to nothing if you don't have anything to offer. Providing worthwhile content for your readers will keep them coming back to your blog time and time again. 

Today's post is all about creating a content plan that inspires you, gives you room to grow, and most importantly, provides value to your readers. 

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What not to do

Let's walk through some habits that might be holding you back from producing worthwhile content. I learned a lot of these lessons the hard way so if you're currently doing one of these, don't be discouraged! 

Mistake #1:  Fly by the seat of your pants

I posted sporadically when I first started blogging. There was no pressure to create new material, so if I didn't have anything to write about I would simply skip a day or two.

But when I committed to blogging daily, it became a little more difficult to come up with ideas. I would wake up, realize I didn't have anything planned, and scramble to throw something together for the sake of posting. And the next day it would happen all over again. I wasn't putting adequate thought and intention in my posts, and inevitably my content suffered. Being unprepared left me with posts that I didn't enjoy writing and material my visitors didn't enjoy reading.

So I started to blog smarter by planning out my posts. The saying "a little planning goes a long way" couldn't be more true. It felt strange saving posts for later, but creating a blog schedule gave me control and saved me stress. More importantly, it provided my readers with better content. 

Mistake #2:  Get too wrapped up in a schedule

It didn't take long for the pendulum to swing hard in the other direction. I got so wrapped up in my blog schedule and my weekly blog series' that I never deviated from the list. I was achieving my goal of posting daily, but there was something missing. The blog got boring fast.

I've learned that the cure for "blog boredom" is staying actively inspired, which I'll talk more about in a minute. Just because you have blog series in place doesn't mean you're done. If you aren't growing and enjoying your posts, what's the point? 

Mistake #3:  Do what everyone else is doing

This is by far the greatest hindrance to creating quality content. With so many great bloggers out there, it's easy to be inspired. But if your blog is too heavily influenced by other blogs, you're going to run into trouble. A photocopy is never as sharp as an original. Don't be an imitation; stand out from the crowd by coming up with ideas and content that is distinctly and uniquely you. 

Related Post: 4 Tips for Finding & Embracing Your Design Style

This Blog Calendar printable is available for unlimited use in the Elle & Company Library!

Creating a Content Plan

Now that we've combatted some common mistakes, let's get to work on your content plan! Take time to work through these exercises and fill out these questions - this is a pivotal step in the success of your blog.

1. Brainstorm the content you want to write about.

If you read last week's post, you've probably noticed that I'm a big fan of brainstorming ideas. Use your "areas of interest" list (last week's homework) and spend some uninterrupted time creating broad categories that you would like to cover on your blog. Once you have those listed, create subcategories under each one. Get every topic on there, big and small.

If you're like me, this step will start a whirlwind of ideas. I've found that my best content is created when I'm inspired and excited about a topic. 

2. List the content you don't want to write about.

This is just as important as #1. There are several things that I'm interested in and passionate about that I choose not to include on the blog. Some don't go along with my mission statement, some are just too personal, and some I'd like to keep as hobbies without the added pressure of using them as blog material. There's something to be said about setting boundaries up front and knowing what you aren't interested in writing about. 

3. Set your expectations.

How often do you plan on posting? Twice a day? Three times a week? Once a month? Keep in mind that there is no standard; no one else is setting these expectations. Consistency is good for both you and your readers, so choose a schedule that works best for you.

4. Start a series.

It's often helpful to start a series of posts to share weekly or monthly. These features provide consistency for your readers and give them something to return for, but they also provide you with material to blog about. Plan the series that you want to blog and decide how often you plan on posting them. Keep in mind that you can always reevaluate these features and make adjustments every few months. 

Examples of blog series: Monday's Letters, Weekly Truth & Coffee Dates

5. Keep a few backup posts on hand.

Sometimes things don't always go as planned, and that's okay. Keep one or two easy backup posts on hand in case one of your blog posts falls through or requires more time to complete. If you get through the month without having to use them, you have a few bonus posts to double up on!

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A few questions to keep in mind

Is your content plan attainable?

I'm guilty of getting a little over-ambitious when I'm writing out my schedule. If you're like me, this question is one that you may need to ask yourself often.

Identify which posts will be more time-consuming and space them out throughout the month. Throw some "easy" posts in the mix that won't require as much time and effort to lighten up your load.

Are you excited about your planned content?

Creating a blog calendar should be helpful, not stressful. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your content plan, you may want to reconsider your post frequency and switch things up a little. You're bound to come across a post that takes a little more brain power and effort, but preparing for your posts should never be daunting. Make it a priority to stay inspired and beat blogging boredom by choosing posts that excite you.

Do you see any fluffy posts?

Fluffy posts are filler posts that don't serve any greater purpose. These posts may even be popular with your readers, but they won't make you successful in the long run. Why waste your time putting fluff out there when you could be providing people with useful content? If you see fluffy posts, mark through them on your blog calendar and replace them with something worthwhile.

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If you've followed these steps, I guarantee you'll be left with an inspiring, quality content plan. And if you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out to me! Like I said - I love brainstorming, and I love encouraging other bloggers even more. 

Read other posts in this series:

Weekly Truth

Although I would like to say that I'm always able to declare Psalm 73:28 with the same certainty of the psalmist, I don't always draw near to God in the midst of my day. Seeking Him for refuge isn't always our first inclination, is it?

But for me it is good to be near God

One aspect of wisdom is having discernment and good judgment. Whenever we pursue something or someone we are making a decision, whether it is conscious or subconscious. God is always willing to draw near to us, but are we making the decision to draw near to Him? Not every choice is cut and dry, but drawing near to the Lord will always be a good decision. Those who are wise know what is good for themselves.

I have made the Lord God my refuge

I have never been through a tornado, but I'm aware of what to do in case I'm ever in that situation. I think we've all heard the drill: head for the basement, stay away from the windows, etc. These tips can be summed up in two words: SEEK REFUGE! We trust that our refuge will protect us. Hopefully you see where I'm going with this. Is the Lord your refuge? It's easy to place trust in finances, jobs, and family, but all of the above are subject to change. The Lord is constant. We must daily commit to making the Lord our refuge.

That I may tell of all your works

If your refuge protected you from a tornado, isn't that something you would share? If we are trusting in the Lord as our refuge and source of wisdom, we will want to tell of His great works.

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Each Tuesday I design a new iPhone background with a different verse and share it on the blog. Seeing scripture several times throughout my day is always an encouragement to me - it reminds me of truth and helps me memorize new verses. Feel free to download, pin, and share these backgrounds as many times as you would like! 

A Simple Recipe & Library Addition

Recipes are much more fun to make when they're written on pretty recipe cards, wouldn't you agree? This week I've added three recipe card designs to the Elle & Company Library:

Not only would these be a colorful addition to your kitchen, but they also make a great gift idea for a friend or bride-to-be. Simply print them on your favorite cardstock, trim, tie with baker's twine and a gift tag, and you're all set. 

Are you a member of the Elle & Company Library? Log in to access these new designs or sign up today by clicking the link below:

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And just for fun, here's a simple recipe that I've been making a lot lately. I love it for several reasons: it puts those week-old brown bananas to good use, it doesn't leave me with a lot of dishes, it's a good go-to breakfast for weekday mornings, and it's super simple to make. 

Lauren's Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter (I substitute margarine)

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 over-ripe bananas, mashed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
4. Enjoy!

Monday's Letters

Dear Mr. Hooker, did you know that my birthday week is right around the corner? After all the hype you made about your own birthday week in May, I have high expectations. Breakfast in bed, thoughtful compliments throughout my day, full control over the car radio... Looks like you're in trouble. What goes around comes around, my dear.

Dear Rhonda the Honda, after two and a half weeks in critical care, you're running better than ever. Your AC has never been so cool and you're no longer making funny noises (although I think I heard your engine purr a time or two). We are oh-so grateful for a kind man in our church who donated countless hours nursing you back to health. No more problems for a while, okay?

Dear Allyson, you and your Mr. could have chosen anywhere to visit for your 10-year anniversary and you chose Charlotte, North Carolina. I would like to think that a visit with your favorite sister and brother-in-law motivated your decision, but I'm not that naive - I know that IKEA had a little something to do with it, too ;) If that's the case, you need to make IKEA trips more often! We loved spending time with you two. 

Dear Jake, have you ever met a stranger? There's no telling exactly what you're going to say to the guy at the gas station or the waitress at Macaroni Grill, but it almost always involves a joke and a friendly smile. You have the best way of striking up conversations and making new friends wherever we go, and I love that about you. 

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Each Monday I write four letters: two letters to my husband and two random letters to whatever else is on my heart each week. What originally started as a fun way to record events and funny stories pleasantly developed into a weekly habit of practicing thankfulness.

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Past Letters