Posts Tagged ‘inspiration’

November 30th, 2011

2011 Holiday Card Designs

Even more love to share.

Our team is very pleased to continue our holiday tradition of designing holiday cards for our friends, family, and clients. Each card is blank inside, so they’re perfect for spreading holiday cheer.

We wanted to share our inspirations and thoughts behind each design. We hope you’ll enjoy sending them as much as we have enjoyed making them. Happy Holidays!

Card 1 of 7 // Imagined by Amanda Blackburn

Miles Design Holiday Card - Joy Mittens

2011 has been an exciting year for my family. We welcomed our first son, Graham, into the world in July, and it’s been pure joy (and sleepless nights) ever since! I’m constantly amazed at how quickly he’s growing and changing, and my wish this holiday season is simply to enjoy him. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season will come and go, and I’m sure we won’t get to everything. That’s ok though. At the end of the day, my joy is sitting right in front of me, playing with my fingers and grinning back at me with his big, bright eyes. And, that’s all I really need for Christmas this year!

Merry Christmas, and may you surround yourself with joy and love this holiday season!

Card 2 of 7 // Imagined by April Miles

Miles Design Holiday Card - Wonderland Wreath

I’ve realized recently that with every passing year, holiday traditions become more meaningful to me. I love the nostalgia of childhood memories and the anticipation of creating more memories with our ever-growing extended family and friends.

Each year I look forward to pulling the Christmas decorations out of storage, including my favorite wreath with red berries. We moved into a new home this past summer and have enjoyed finding the perfect spot for each holiday decoration in our new space.

I’ve found myself looking out the window on several occasions, trying to imagine our first Christmas in this new home and the new-to-us landscape covered in snow.

And, I’ve found myself hoping more than anything, regardless of where the days are spent—in very familiar places or places that are just starting to feel like home—that the days are merry, bright, extremely peaceful, and maybe even white.

Card 3 of 7 // Imagined by Ben Seal

Miles Design Holiday Card - Your Own Way

Everyone celebrates the holidays differently. I love hearing about unique traditions and one-of-a-kind recipes. To me, they’re a part of the charm of the season. To that end, I hope this card compels its recipients to think about—and appreciate—their own customs. No matter how zany.

Card 4 of 7 // Imagined by Brian K Gray

Miles Design Holiday Card - Elegant Lines

I wanted something simple and elegant, much like the way Christmas is supposed to be. Too often we get caught up in the retail craziness of today’s Christmas and lose the true reason for the holiday. Soft, whimsical lines create a wintery pattern of silver, while a simple, blue “Merry Christmas” is nested in the middle. Enjoy Christmas with friends and family, but in the midst of all the chaos, remember to take a moment and celebrate the birth of Christ.

Card 5 of 7 // Imagined by Joshua Cook

Miles Design Holiday Card - Modern Manger

Before we become immersed in the complexity of the holiday season, I wanted to design a card that focused on a simple, yet profound, aspect to Christmas. Not Black Friday, not snowflakes nor candy canes, but rather a gift offered to all of us. A gift of Love, Grace and Redemption.

Card 6 of 7 // Imagined by Jon McClure

Miles Design Holiday Card - Ornament

I wanted to create something simple and elegant; something you’d feel good about sending. Because, if you like this card well enough to send it to someone on your list, it just might save you yet another a trip to the store. And, in the time you save, maybe you’ll get a few extra minutes to share with family and friends.

Card 7 of 7 // Imagined by Josh Miles

Miles Design Holiday Card - modern cardinals

Growing up outside of South Bend, a regular recipient of “lake effect snow,” there was often a blanket of white drifting between the trees in my parents’ back yard. It would begin falling in late November and finally recede sometime in April. But every so often, through all of the sleet and snow, one of Mom’s backyard bird feeders would be graced by a pair of cardinals. It’s amazing what a little splash of color will do for your soul during a long, cold winter. It always brought me hope that perhaps spring was near.

This year my wife, daughter, baby to be, and I moved into an older home with lots of trees. Looking out at our back yard I’m greeted by squirrels, chipmunks, and of course, a multitude of birds.

While thinking about my Christmas card design for this year, our new setting brought back memories of my parents’ back yard, and those colorful splashes of inspiration.

It’s with these warm feelings that I’m passing along to you: Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and be sure to keep those bird feeders full this season. Matthew 6:26

Note: We do have a few extra sets this year, so please contact us if you’d like a set yourself.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

December 10th, 2010

The 2010 holiday cards are here!

Happy holidays. Share the love.

The 2010 holiday cards are here! 7 cards. 7 designs. 7 chances to spread holiday cheer with friends, family, or clients. We’ve been busy elves here at Miles Design, and we’re each excited to share our finished designs and inspiration with you all. Enjoy!

Card 1 of 7 // Imagined by Brian Gray

My card was inspired by childhood memories of all the great patterns on wrapping paper. When you’re a kid, nothing is better than ripping into a perfectly wrapped present. I wanted to create a nice, wintery pattern and style it to an old-fashioned feel. The lyric I chose not only reminded me of the fun, commercial side of Christmas–but also the true reason for Christmas: the birth of Christ.
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November 5th, 2009

PRIME: Celebrating Design Excellence in Indianapolis

Good things are happening for the Indianapolis design community and Miles Design! PRIME–the first annual AIGA Indy Design Awards Show–is opening to the public this Friday, and we’re excited to share that four of our entries were chosen to be included in the show.

For those of you not familiar with PRIME, or AIGA Indy for that matter, here’s a quick background on both. AIGA, the professional association for design, is the oldest and largest professional design organization consisting of more than 22,000 members and 64 local chapters across the country. Our local Indianapolis chapter represents design students, professionals, and educators all across Indiana–providing a mix of events, initiatives, outreach programs, and more.

This is the first year for PRIME, and it’s been a long time coming! The pieces honored this year were selected for their visual excellence and demonstration of strong design processes and real-world, measurable results for the client. The judges, no doubt, had some very tough decisions to make, and I don’t envy them one bit! Accepted work will be on display until Thanksgiving at Dean Johnson Gallery in downtown Indianapolis. After that, a book showcasing the work will be created and distributed both locally and to AIGA chapters across the country.

Miles Design is honored to be recognized among our peers, and we’re even more excited that we can be a part of a show that celebrates the great design happening in and around Indy. There’s a lot of talent here, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it! If you’re free Friday, November 6th, we hope you’ll have a chance to mix and mingle with us at the show opening. And, if you find yourself downtown before Thanksgiving, take some time to stop by the gallery. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

PRIME – First Friday Opening
Friday, November 6
5:00-9:00 pm
Dean Johnson Gallery – 646 Massachusetts Avenue

Accepted entries from Miles Design include:
1. Knozone – www.knozone.com
2. Miles Design – 2009 New Year’s Card
3. Kevin Kennedy Associates – Identity System
4. BRAND PHOTODESIGN – Identity System

Congratulations to all the designers with work on display and to all of the companies, clients, and individuals being recognized along with them.

For more information on PRIME and AIGA Indy, visit www.indianapolis.aiga.org

October 24th, 2009

Design Inspirations in Nature

When I was driving home Friday evening, the sun began to peek through the rain clouds that had hung around all day and reflected pink highlights across the gray-blue sky. It was the lone stretch of 96th street that still has corn growing along the street, in-between the Fishers airport and the giant Sam’s Club parking lot. The dry, khaki corn stalks contrasting with the green grass and the brightly lit sky left a little mark on my subconscious. I’m going to store that color-combination for a future design. As I merged onto the interstate I got an even fuller view of the sunset, with even more pinks and bright hues. It really was gorgeous.

Today I was catching up on a few blogs that I had wanted to review, and I came across a similar sentiment from master designer Joe Duffy, which inspired me to share my color inspirations from yesterday.

I’m still dialing this in, but I also built a little Adobe Kuler swatch palette to share with you. You can view and download them from the Kuler website: version oneversion two.

Has nature ever inspired a design idea during your travels? Share your story…