Branding: Chase Hill Farm

Warwick, Massachusetts sits wayyyyyyyy up on our Northern border, New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock no more than an arm’s length away. It’s a bit of a journey up, but it’s become something of a destination for raw milk enthusiasts looking for the very best that local bovine have to offer - and that’s at Chase Hill Farm. Folks drive from hours away and miles around to get their hands on this 100% grass-fed organic raw milk.

Why is Chase Hill raw milk so good? Ben and Laura, the owners, chalk it up to two main things: grass and love. Their exclusively grass-fed cows are considered part of the family, and are always treated as such. When it came time to develop a new logo for the farm, grass and love were two things Laura identified as absolute;y key to the brand.

I couldn’t have been happier to hear it. Working in a block print style that has been inspiring a lot my work lately, I created a design that embraced the lush grass so central to all that happens at Chase Hill Farm, and illustrated a well-loved cow, blissfully munching away.

Ben and Laura were totally on board with this, but an alternate concept I had presented to them caught their eyes too. We ended up reworking it to serve as a secondary logo; in total alignment with the chosen primary logo, but a bit of a different layout that offers a wider glimpse of all Chase Hill Farm has to offer.

A cow, pig, and chicken enjoy a little chase over a grassy hill - a quite literal interpretation of the farm’s name.

The little butterfly offers a nice consistency between the two logos too, and has an awesome story behind it. Chase Hill Farm has lots of native milkweed growing around their pastures, which encourages breeding of Monarch butterflies. Every summer, the farm is a sanctuary for Monarchs; a beautiful testament to the healthy ecosystem that the Chase Hill family works so hard to maintain.

These logos were such a pleasure to work on, and I was so happy we were able to bring two concepts together to create a solid foundation for the farm’s branding. Looking forward to seeing the new look on raw milk bottles soon!

Branding: Belden Farmstand

When you’ve been farming for thirteen generations, SINCE THE 17TH CENTURY, it’s sort of a big deal when you consider updating your brand! But that’s just what Belden Farmstand in Hatfield, Massachusetts decided it was time for, and I’m so glad they got in touch as a result.

With a business that well-established, change can feel a little daunting, but I was reassured completely after talking with Jillian out on the porch of Luther Belden Farm’s big old farmhouse. Jillian’s husband’s family has been farming the land in Hatfield since 1661, and over the centuries they have offered all sorts of farm products to the community. The prevailing product has been dairy, however, and the farm sends its milk to Agri-Mart to be used for local milk and Cabot cheese. Over 300 happy cows call Belden home.

Photo courtesy of Belden Farmstand.

Jillian and her husband understand the importance of diversification though, and have been exploring new ways to get farm products directly into the hands of consumers. It was in this way that the brand Belden Farmstand was established, under which they would be offering artisanal products beyond just milk, including goat’s milk products, soaps, farm fresh eggs, beef, and more.

Photo courtesy of Belden Farmstand.

With this new endeavor came a need for fresh branding, as the farm had been primarily focusing marketing efforts on the trade side of things. Now wanting to connect directly with local consumers, they needed a brand that really told the story of Belden Farmstand: their rich heritage, farm fresh products, and new focus on farm-to-table.

So we got to work on the logo and branding.

The primary logo achieves the balance of traditional and modern style, speaking to the history of the farm while presenting a fresh, clean look. Inspired by vintage farm illustrations, a cow, chicken, and goat come together in a playful way, complemented by a traditional serif font and just a touch of curvy handwriting. It tells a little story, one that is very personal to the farm, but relevant to the customer.

Expanding this story into larger branding was the fun part, as each animal got a chance to take center stage in their own sublogo! These will make perfect labels down the road.

My favorite brand element is the pattern we created. All of the animals come together with little brand details sprinkled in. It calls to mind a farmy toile print, and really shows off the illustrations nicely.

We also created a business card, which came with its own little challenge. We wanted this piece to showcase the new branding to consumers, but also stay relevant on the trade side, where most of the milk business still takes place. We did this by bringing in the larger company name “Luther Belden, Inc.” in an attractive way on the flip side, uniting both brands in a way that made sense to all audiences.

The result of all this is an enduring story of an old New England Farm, getting new life from the next generation. That really comes through in the branding, and in all the excellent products Belden Farmstand puts forth.

Speaking of new life – you MUST check out Belden Farmstand’s Instagram for regular baby goat updates. So much cuteness - they’ve had a busy spring!

It was such a pleasure getting to know Jillian and the whole Belden Farmstand family throughout this process, and I had so much fun helping bring their story to life. We accomplished all this in partnership with CISA, who does such a fabulous job of connecting local farmers with resources to help them succeed. Local farms - reach out to CISA and see how they can help you up your marketing game! (and don’t forget I offer a 15% discount to Local Heroes!)

Thank you CISA, and thank you Belden Farmstand!

Branding: Wild Bramble Farm

The terms “pasture raised” and “free range” are thrown around a lot these days, but if you want to see what that should actually look like, take a drive up to Wild Bramble Farm in Northfield. You’ll come up a little driveway and find a farm that’s bursting with life and energy. Pigs snuffling their way through towering sunflowers, chickens strutting in and out of their coop, children chasing the chickens, and a puppy chasing the children.

At the center of it all is Chris and Shannon Goddard, who have been hard at work building a farm that embodies their values. And they’ve done a really good job. Offering pasture-raised pork products, cut flowers, and farm fresh eggs from their farm stand, the Goddards don’t cut any corners in producing humane, sustainable, fresh, and local farm products.

All photos by Megan Haley Photography

They thought it was about time to manifest this in their branding, and I was so excited when they reached out. It was clear to me Wild Bramble Farm was truly living and breathing the concepts of pasture raised and free range; they weren’t just taking these terms on as marketing jargon. We needed some branding that would illustrate that authentic story, and truly show customers what goes into producing food this way.

And boy, was I excited to make a pig logo. Pasture raised pork products are at the heart Wild Bramble’s labors, and their mindful, humane process makes for an exceptionally delicious and healthy product that you can feel good about (I can attest; there may have been a bacon exchange involved in this project). Capturing that ideal in a brand was the challenge here, and I love the way we ran with it, especially in the primary logo.

Integrating pigs and florals in a very folksy, rustic style, this logo was all about the energy, life, and joy that is present on the farm every day. It aims to be a true embodiment of the quality of life granted to every living thing on the farm, allowing each the freedom to be wild. This is a strong visual for what pasture raised ought to be, and tells the story of what it means at Wild Bramble Farm.

We developed lots of secondary logos, illustrations, marks, a palette, and patterns to help fully tell that story. I love the way it all integrated, coming together in not just an attractive way but in a very meaningful way, too.

We then applied this brand story to print materials and a fancy new website! We developed new labels for the pork products, a brochure for farm stand visitors explaining the farm’s practices, and shiny new business cards.

The website is where the farm’s story really came together in a coherent, interactive way. Visitors can take a visual journey through Wild Bramble Farm’s daily operations, learning more about their values, practices, and products - and of course order up some pork chops!

It was such a pleasure getting to know Shannon, Chris, and their beautiful family and farm throughout this process, and I had so much fun helping bring their story to life. We accomplished all this in partnership with CISA, who does such a fabulous job of connecting local farmers with resources to help them succeed. Local farms - reach out to CISA and see how they can help you up your marketing game! (and don’t forget I offer a 15% discount to Local Heroes!)

Thank you CISA, and thank you Wild Bramble Farm!

All photography by the incredible Megan Haley Photography. Want a really nice website? You need really nice photos! Photography is an essential part of the integrated branding process, and Megan nailed it here. Get in touch with her to find out how she can help capture your story.

Branding: Familiars Coffee & Tea

When Familiars teased an opening in downtown Northampton back in January, I creeped their newly launched Instagram account and became immediately jealous of whoever got to do their branding. They were opening shop in a vintage red dining car steeped in charm and history, they had this mysterious, intriguing persona already well established, and their coffees and teas were high end and just plain sexy. My branding wheels turned.

Familiars went on to establish a pretty sweet business and I visited in the spring, when Cara Totman and I met to talk about her big branding project. I lusted after Familiars further, seduced by the absolutely gorgeous renovation the old dining car had undergone. It was dripping in vintage hardwood harvested from a Holyoke mill. Ugh. So good. I continued to brand subconsciously.

A few months later I launched Cara’s fancy new branding, and in a fateful turn of events, Familiars reached out to me. They were likewise seduced, and wanted to talk about collaborating on their branding. Imagine my excitement!!!!

I sat down with the owners, Danny and Isaac, and knew right off the bat that this was going to be a fun project. They already had such a good thing going, now it was just a matter of turning their vision into something visual.

An interesting challenge came up in the shop’s namesake. Familiars, as I had interpreted it, of course references the comfort and familiarity of your regular neighborhood coffee joint. But here it also had a second meaning: familiars are the animal helpers of witches, assisting in spell casting and magic making. Traditionally, they take the forms of cats, toads, ravens, and hares. This resonated deeply with both Danny and Isaac, and the ultimate brand would communicate this while remaining approachable to all audiences.

I’m happy to say with a little work and a lot of sketching, the final logo struck that balance. Incorporating all four of those critters, the cat, toad, raven, and hare form a nice little crest flanked by coffee and tea leaves - also very meaningful.

There’s nothing I love more than when a logo carries personal meaning and mass appeal at the same time. It’s clean and attractive on the surface, but tells a complex and important story. This is a great example of that.

We pushed this even further in the branding, expanding into complementary sublogos, a jewel-toned palette, retro-hip illustrations and patterns, and clean, cool fonts. Each animal even got their own avatar!

Another big challenge with this branding project was the physical location itself. The vintage red dining car Familiars calls home is a huge presence; she carries her own memories, stories, heritage, and associations that precede Familiars the business, and linger here and there in the minds of customers. We wanted to honor that heritage, but also reclaim it. Familiars is no diner. Familiars ain’t stuck in the past. Familiars offers high quality products, friendly service, a little art, a lot of culture, and always a connection waiting to be made. It’s something the dining car hadn’t quite seen before.

So do we incorporate the iconic dining car, or no? We chose to own it, but in a more subtle way than smack on the logo. A stylized illustration of the car graces some of our branding materials, complementing our woodland helpers and adding to the overall intrigue. Check it out on the postcard! Greetings from Northampton!

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More fun details came through in the form of gold foil business cards, a fun loyalty card, and finally, a big beautiful website. The elements really came together at their best here, fully showcasing all the mystery and magic while welcoming all with open arms.

This was a project all about balance and finesse, and I’m psyched with the results. Danny and Isaac were a dream to work with, and I’m so grateful they really let me run wild with the vision on this. Can’t wait to see this brand grow and flourish with their business - I hear there’s merch coming soon!!!

Branding: Lakeview Eye Care

I admit, I was a little surprised when I received a branding inquiry from Alabama over the summer. While my business had grown and spread its tendrils over the last year, those tendrils sure hadn’t ventured beyond New England soil!

I was curious though, and Dr. Jodi Baker and I got on the phone and chatted. Our conversation left me so glad she had tracked me down (thanks Instagram) - I knew it would be a great collaboration, even over long distance.

Oh and another thing - she needed branding for her new optometry business! This was a step outside my comfort zone, no farmy logos necessary here, but I welcomed a chance to explore a new industry, audience, and aesthetic. Jodi filled me in on all the details, and I set to work drawing glasses.

I don’t know if you know - but the optometry field is just plagued with ugly eyeball logos. It’s shocking! Our discovery exploration left us in a pretty exciting position: create some unique, thoughtful, and personal branding and there was no doubt - this practice was going to stand out big time.

So we did just that. Taking into consideration the vibrant local lake culture around Guntersville, Jodi’s compassionate, genuine approach to patient care, and fresh, clean aesthetics from adjacent wellness categories, we created a look and feel that this field just hadn’t seen before.

For the primary logo , we focused on a clean and graphic interpretation of the “lakeview” concept, putting waves right in a round pair of spectacles. This illustration really plays with positive and negative space, which we were able to explore further in the larger branding. I love the secondary logos in particular.

The result was something not only sharp looking and eye catching, but very versatile branding. Things really came to life when we applied our lake inspired color palette - blues and taupes creating a calm atmosphere. We aded a burst of coral too, because after all, picking out glasses is fun!

The really fun part was applying it all to Jodi’s new website and print materials as she prepared to launch the business. We carried that calm, relaxing aesthetic forward, reflected in clean layouts and subtle branding details.

It was particularly exciting for me to see this all come together, as this project gave me a great opportunity to explore a style and approach that isn’t typical for most of my branding projects. I’m so grateful to Jodi for giving me license to do that, and so enjoyed working with her as she launched Lakeview Eye Care!

To learn more about Dr. Baker’s services, check out her website and Instagram!

Branding: Cara Totman Photography

Cara Totman’s work has been catching my eye for years. Her photos have always stood out to me as having this magical atmosphere about them, capturing light and shadow in a way that elevates every one of her subjects and makes them sparkle. Whether it’s an engagement shoot, a wedding party, an intimate portrait, or a lush landscape, there’s this consistent mood in Cara’s photos that never fails to intrigue me.

Photo by Cara Totman Photography

So I was thrilled when she got in touch to work on some branding; designing for artists that inspire me is the very most satisfying!!! And, I was just so happy to finally meet Cara IRL! Turns out she is just as magical as her photos.

Cara wanted her logo and branding to embody a vintage, ethereal style, and wasn’t afraid to get a little quirky. She loves retro surf poster typography, and is very inspired by Oaxacan culture and art, where she recently spent time taking some seriously incredible film photos. My goal was to make sure we came up with something that complemented and spoke to the consistent style and atmosphere of Cara’s work.

Taking all that inspiration into account, we arrived at a logo that we both agreed was very her:

Cara is particularly good at capturing the female form, and it is a subject that speaks to many of the avenues she pursues with her business. I also think Cara is exceptionally good at inspiring a sort of radiant confidence in her subjects, no matter the context, and I wanted to convey that here. The woman in the logo is inspired by an actual photo by Cara, and when framed by stylize flora and vintage typography, the result is that retro, mystical, playful feeling we were going for.

The fun part was expanding this logo into its larger branding. Secondary logos and marks came naturally, a feminine and earthy palette was pulled from themes in her photography, and the brand pattern was actually the crowning piece, where a fleet of ladies joins our logo woman, to create several little repeat scenes. I’m a little obsessed.

This was a dream project for me, and I’m so excited to see it shine alongside Cara’s work as she begins her 2019 wedding season, holds super fun and empowering events like Celestial Sessions, and continues to flex her creative muscles in capturing the beauty of every day moments. Thanks Cara!

Branding: The Belmont Inn

Maine is the New England state I’ve unfortunately spent the least amount of my time in. Who knows why; everyone is always raving about the beaches and the forests and the quaint towns with their lobster rolls. This is probably a side-effect of being a child of Cape Cod; summer vacations rarely strayed far off Route 6 growing up. We did go to Kennebunkport once! If I were to spend some time in Maine though, the town of Camden would be first on my list to visit; and I’m pleased to say I will be doing so in July!

This came about by way of The Belmont Inn, a historic bed and breakfast which is under new ownership this year - a perfect time for a brand refresh! I was so excited when the proud new innkeeper, Kim, reached out wanting to give the Inn’s look a facelift. The elaborate Victorian script and lilac illustrations she had inherited were feeling a little dusty.

The Belmont Inn is a big, gorgeous Queen Anne Victorian home tucked away among bursting gardens on a quiet street just a stroll away from the ocean, and I wanted to make the logo all about that iconic structure. Kim agreed. Making the Inn the face of the brand seemed obvious; it was the image that welcomes vacationers first to their home-away-from-home, and what they anticipate returning to summer after summer. So, I made a little drawing of the Inn and it quickly became the logo.

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Kim didn’t want to lose the nautical culture and tradition of the location as well, so we complemented the logo with seaworthy blues, whites, and greys, as well as a fun sailboat pattern that really brought the branding together.

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This is best seen in the Inn’s print suite, where the logo, pattern, and pallet come together and really shine on business cards, letterhead, a postcard, and note cards. The envelope is actually my favorite part, with sailboats peeking through in the lining.

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I can’t wait to see The Belmont Inn’s new branding be put to work this season, welcoming new travelers from around the world. Including Jake and I, when we venture out to coastal Maine at the end of July!

Some logo outtakes for your consideration: still love that fly fishing gal!

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Branding: Keeler Concepts by Design

Branding for an interior design firm was a first for me, so I was thrilled when Brittany and Robyn of Keeler Concepts by Design in Chatham, New York got in touch. I genuinely loved the style and designs of their spaces, as well as the process behind each project: every room begins with hand drawn plans that reveal thoughtful, informed design and an artistic eye. The branding process is always easiest when I am excited about the client, and I was immediately tempted to ask the mother-daughter team to have a go at my outdated kitchen. I just loved their work.

Photo courtesy of Keeler Concepts by Design

Robyn Keeler’s kitchen and bathroom designs have been featured in Better Homes, Women’s Day, and more, and she is well sought after in the Berkshires, Hudson Valley, and beyond. We wanted to create a logo and brand that spoke to that high quality, but also conveyed the warm, intimate feeling characteristic of her spaces, totally refreshing their look. I noticed that it was keen attention to details that really made these spaces deeply personal, and wanted to bring that into the branding.

The logo was built from pattern details I pulled from a piece of antique wallpaper, cleaning them up and arranging them around a wordmark. I love the elegance of the arrangement balanced with a boldness - the brand has a definite presence while remaining very stylish.

Bringing in secondary marks, pallet, pattern, and texture, I wanted to keep things very bright and clean; I love the contrast of nude pink with a deep, rich turquoise for this. Complemented by an earthy green and white marble details, this branding speaks to many of the elements of interior design while remaining very versatile.

I love the way the business cards came out in particular: clean, stylish, and professional!

This brand was a pleasure to work on, and I am so excited to see Robyn and Brittany put it into action. I’m thrilled we could collaborate towards branding that well represents such beautiful and intelligent interior design work.

A few logo design outtakes too, always like to show a little of my own process behind the final results:

Branding: The Gilded Oyster

When Quinn’s Fine Jewelry closed its doors in my hometown of Wilbraham, everyone was sad. No more little green boxes under the Christmas tree! My father was perhaps the saddest, as Denise Quinn, the owner, had made anniversaries and birthdays very simple for him for years - he knew to always check my mom’s wish list for the perfect sparkly gift.

So Dad was awfully pleased when I told him Denise had gotten in touch with me about some branding - for her new shop on Cape Cod! After relocating to Falmouth, she and her husband Brian had the itch to have a storefront once again, this time embracing the heritage, culture, and aesthetic of the Cape that they love so much. They settled on the name The Gilded Oyster, in reference to an all-time favorite golden oyster piece her son had created. I rejoiced: gold foil EVERYTHING, please.

Denise wanted the logo focused on the oyster for which the shop was named. I played with that symbol in a few different ways, including adorning a little mermaid illustration with an oyster necklace (I had to try it), but the design Denise chose combined one of my all-time favorite script fonts with a simple line drawing. It reflects the elegant, natural designs characteristic of the shop’s jewelry collections, and nods to that timeless Cape Cod nautical aesthetic.

Developing the branding and website was just as fun, and allowed me to gild to my heart’s content. Denise was after a calm, beachy look and feel and loved the combination of sea glass aqua with gold, so we brought that in to most all elements of her shop.

My favorite piece was the business card - gold foil oyster! The sign for the front of the shop is going to look just like these; it’s in production now and I cannot wait to see how it comes out.

I love the way all these pieces came together to bring a fresh, classy brand to Main Street in Falmouth. Now I just need to get over the bridge to check out the shop - Denise opened the doors just before Christmas! This was so much fun to work on, and I’m excited to see the Gilded Oyster flourish when visitors make their way to the shore this summer - my dad included.

Oh, and a couple logo outtakes!

Anyone want a mermaid logo???

Branding: Kelly & Co.

Spring is the best time for a brand refresh. Last fall I worked on a new logo for Kelly & Co., a favorite local maker of linen clothing and home goods, and recently I've been working with Erin to expand the new look on to tags, packaging details, and more. I'm loving the way everything is coming together!

First we created some small and large sew-in tags for Erin's clothing items, as well as napkins, dish towels, and linen coffee filters. Then we went a bit larger with wrappers to package up the coffee filters, and hang tags for wearable favorites like the Everyday Dress and Pinafore Apron. I love the way the flax branch drawing from the logo looks as a pattern, and we ended up carrying that look through all of the branding. The soft neutral shade works well against Erin's variety of brightly colored linens. 

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I was lucky enough to receive a handmade Pinafore Apron and dish towel in the mail last week! The apron will see plenty of use in the kitchen, studio, and garden this summer. The linen Erin works with is durable and practical but so elegant and lightweight too. 

Looking forward to developing this brand further; it's always a pleasure to work with Kelly & Co.!