Goodie Bag: How To Get Your Work Out There

Over time, I've tried out my fair share of sites to host my work and spread the word about me and what I do. To be honest, there's a lot out there that's either really worthwhile or totally unnecessary. I'm going to give you a list of the interfaces that I've tried out and which ones I like or could do without.

FOR PORTFOLIOS:

Squarespace is a very sleek and intuitive interface design. I highly recommend this for those of you that don't have a lot of coding knowledge. They have templates for various different needs and portfolio types. They're yearly hosting fee is a bit more pricey, but for all that they offer you, it's hard to beat. Not  to mention they have easy blog integration.

Cargo Collective is the portfolio site that I currently use. It's easy to plug in your projects and have a very profession and affordable site. This is a site I would recommend for anyone from beginner to advanced, since it lets you plug and play or write your own code.

FOR BLOGS:

Tumblr was my first blogging platform. It's extremely easy to get setup and start blogging right away with free themes galore. My only dislike about this platform is it's lack of implementing an easy commenting system. You have to go through a third party site. Also, there really isn't too easy of a way to have ads or monetize very well. Overall, tumblr is great for those just getting started and wanting to get their ideas out there, but if you actually want to run a business or the like, then look elsewhere.

Wordpress is the platform that I heard of most when I started researching blogging. Admitedly, I tried this platform and found it a bit confusing. Now, that's not to say it's not great, because a lot of people blog very successfully on this. I'm just not one of them. If you can fiddle around with it, you can make a pretty amazing blog.

Blogger is my platform of choice, though. Run by google, it has great monetization opportunities and is super easy to get started (I built my blog how I wanted it in less than a day). It also has a comment system and built in stats tracker to see who your audience is. Overall, I feel like this is the easiest platform for all levels of blogging and also gives you a chance to write your own code if desired.

Inspire Me: Pattern Fest

Today I'm feeling really inspired by all the great patterns out there. The color palettes and shape combos are killer + a little bit retro. Personally, I'm drawn to high contrast and simple shapes. These patterns have a lot of bang for your buck or in other words they have a big impact without a lot of clutter. Design with economy.

Feel free to share links to patterns that inspire you!

Keep up-to-date on all my pattern pulls right here <<

Pretty Please: Vintage Bikes

I'm not a hard-core bicycler or anything of the sort, but I do enjoy the occasional leisurely ride through the park and these bikes are on the top of my wish list. Pseudo-vintage custom bikes from urban outfitters are just too great to pass up (well, maybe after a lot of saving). You can choose from lots of different colors and various bike styles to fit your own personal groove. Check them out here.

Style Me Pretty: Mint

Despite the dreary, icy wintery days we're still having here in the Midwest, I've got my mind on spring. I'm a warm weather gal and can't wait to finally venture back outside. So in the spirit of spring, I'm getting warm weather clothes with this pretty little hue, mint! Although I'm a bit obsessed with this color all year round (hence my mint leather jacket), I'm excited to get good use out of it in the spring weeks to come. I especially love it paired with black and white (like the outfit above). You really can't go wrong with black, white and a pop of color. So get out there and get your spring wardrobe ready! (I know I am)

See more style picks right here!

Inspire Me: Greta Tuckute

I'm always looking for great black and white photography everywhere I go, and today I stumbled upon Danish photographer,  Greta Tuckute. She has STUNNING portraits and really emotional shots all around. She's definitely not afraid of the close-up (which turns out some amazing stuff). These photos capture beauty and edgy emotion all wrapped up into an inspiring portfolio. Maybe I'll even dust off my Rebel and bust out some black and whites!

Goodie Bag: Don't Fear the Internet

I don't know about you guys, but being a print-based designer definitely cause a bit of a hiccup for me when it comes to the web. Honestly, wrapping my mind around all the jumbled letters and phrases the compile the ever-complicated "code" of a website is overwhelming to say the least. So, I've found a solution!...or at least a very helpful and comical introduction to take the edge off.

Don't Fear The Internet is a collaboration of Jessica Hische and Russ Meschmeyer. It is made of short videos giving you the down and dirty details to be able to get your footing in the realm of all things web.

Have fun and enjoy! I'm almost through all of them and really do feel a bit less terrified of web design and all it entails. As I find more resources on conquering the web design wave, I'll post them for your viewing pleasure.