Chocolatte Designs and Celebrate by Designs

This week's selections are from Chocolatte Designs as well as its sister shop, Celebrate by Designs.

Overall, her designs effectively use clean, simple typography and graphics for the front of the cards with the bulk of the information on the reverse. Typography and imagery balance well with each other allowing many of her designs the versatility to use for a wide range of occupations and business types.

This playful business card features a scattered scissors and bobby pin pattern against a lovely purple painterly background. The typography is uncomplicated and appropriate.

This bright orange business card uses a simple, but effectual graphic of a branch. The type treatment flows around it nicely.

This card is a great example of successful cropping. Having only a portion of the apple showing is  more effective than using the entire image and it contrasts well against the black and gray striped background. The contact name and information is simple but all that is needed to let the image be the most significant part of the business card.

A grid of colorful boxes is striking against a rich black background. Using this card to represent a
color consultant was spot-on, however the card could work for any consultant whose business revolves around image and style. Again, a simple type treatment that balances well with the graphic.

Here is a delightful pop-art image against a deep black background that would fit any occupation. Simple typography integrates well and doesn't overwhelm the image.

What else can be said about this cupcake business card except that it is adorable. A whimsical feel is reflected not only in the chocolate cupcakes but in the cheerful font used for the business name and the contrasting polka dot and striped background.

This skinny business card utilizes a terrific and what I'd call "juicy" color palette. The simple type treatment is appropriate in contrast to the polka dots below. The dotted pattern is the focal point and adds a playful tone against the cream. The sample shown is used as a "mommy card" but it would be effective for a retail shop such as a clothing boutique or sweet shop, a style consultant as well as numerous other vocations.

It is satisfying to see zebra pattern used in a different manner. A black-and-white zebra pattern can often be overwhelming and demand attention. The pale blue and black version used here is engaging enough and complements the charcoal diagonal panel and central circle ornament. She has effectively kept the typography simple as more text and/or information added to the front would be too much.

This is a pleasing use of texture that effectively conveys fabric edging. This is a perfect card for a fashion stylist, designer or a clothing boutique. The purple and black color palette is striking and made more interesting with the addition of lighter purple pinstripes.

Found in her Celebrate by Designs shop, this is a corporate invitation that uses a pretty damask pattern to contrast with a more contemporary striped background. The typography is straightforward for a business function and the ornament is a skillful enhancement.

Visit Chocolatte Designs and Celebrate by Designs where you'll find compelling business solutions and so much more!

Spotlight on Julie Farrell

This week, the spotlight is on Julie Farrell and business designs from her shops, Paper Robot, Odd Lot Paperie and her eponymous Julie Farrell Urban Art and Illustrations shop.

Julie is a wonderful illustrator and though much of her work is influenced by tattoos and steampunk, she also uses wonderful textures in her designs. Conceptually, her typography is always spot-on and appropriate to the product's end-user. The following are just a small sampling of her amazing business products.

This is a fabulous series of a winged heart in a tattoo-like style. The cropping of the image on the business card is especially effective with the reverse portraying the entire image. A sepia watermarked background image emphasizes the illustration to make a product line that would work for a number of retail establishments or other businesses including an apparel or gift shop or clothing designer.

Tire treads and wood slats lend a rustic background to this business card. The type treatment is simple but eye-catching.

This business card is girly but has an edge to it. The colors have a wonderful shimmer to them and the frame for the business name truly looks like a transparent lens rather than just a ghosted image placed on top of the background. It is very appropriate for a retail shop as well as a salon or spa.

Modern typography blends with funk for a great business card for a DJ or other entertainment industry occupation. The background has an impression of the grid of lights on a DJ board or might suggest the mirror grid on a disco ball. And black is always the way to go.

This line of products for a coffee shop employs an unusual background pattern for a coffee house. Bold and bright vertical rules make the coffee cup image pop and lend a casual, fun air.

This letterhead has a lovely textural feel similar to aged leather and suggests high-end business. This could be used in a variety of consumer service industries including a concierge service, hotel or luxury furniture dealer.

The use of a negative image on this business card is an effective use of photography for a hair salon. Due to constant changes in style, it was a great idea to use photography in this way as it lends a timeless, edgy feel.

This business card makes use of a simple silhouette of a dog against a grungy organic background. The type treatment is simple yet compelling. This card is also available with a variety of dog breeds and could be used by dog walkers, vets, trainers in addition to the pet therapy specialist shown here.

The use of birds is an unusual but eye-catching image for skateboarder, and it invokes the "flying" skateboarders do in their aerial stunts. The bright lime green fits well for an "alternative" career such as a pro skateboarder or even a snowboarder.

This bright red business card uses a fun type treatment and great little illustration. Although small, your eye is drawn straight towards the cat.

Make sure to visit Paper Robot, Odd Lot Paperie and Julie Farrell Urban Art and Illustrations where you'll find wonderful illustrative business products as well as unique invitations and gifts.

The Inspired Edge

The Inspired Edge is our featured shop this week. One look at their shop and words like ornate, rich and textural come to mind. Faith and Ken seem to draw influence from tapestries, fabrics, leather and other surfaces and mimic those exceptionally well. They also have a nice variety of products for each design so completing a company's corporate identity is easy and convenient.

Many of the Inspired Edge's products seem to mimic fabrics. Such is the case with this chubby size business card. The floral pattern has richness and a 3-dimensional feel which would make it perfect for a retail shop or wholesale supplier in addition to many others.

This is a wonderful corporate identity series utilizing a chrome finish paired with a black leatherette texture. This immediately calls to mind a furniture gallery or manufacturer, but it would do well for a multitude of high-end businesses.

This series of products geared towards health professionals features a golden caduceus. It has an upscale ambiance with the addition of the mahogany textured background.

The Inspired Edge has a substantial line of superb binders and this one is no exception. Again, a magnificent use of texture in a background that mimics leather with golden panels used as accents.

"Rich" is the term that comes to mind for this chubby business card. A sumptuous leather texture is used to offset gold floral ornaments giving it an engraved feel.

I've been aware of this image used in a business card as well as on other products. However, it wasn't until I inspected the sticker closely did I realize the photograph had been manipulated to give it a painterly feel. The rough quality gives it richness and vibrance and makes me just relish it even more.

The Inspired Edge succeeded with this chubby-size business card in rendering the surface to mimic a golden metal perfectly. This is such a versatile card that can be used for a wide variety of businesses: from retail to service industry to consultants to skilled artisans.

This is an adaptable chubby-size business card that uses a wonderful black-and-white image of a dimensional paisley design. It seems almost abstract due to the closeup and I like that it requires a second look to figure out the image.

Visit The Inspired Edge for even more business and other products that are texturally rich and adaptable for any business.