{website} {shop} {facebook} {twitter}

Thinking about starting up a shop but don’t have a clue about design?  Looking for a new design for your handmade business?  Would you like to update your blog/twitter/facebook with a new fresh look?  Making sure your business has a great, cohesive, “first look” is extremely important for marketing your brand and Ahoy Graphics is your one stop shop for it all!!  Specializing in print, shop, and social media design, Kristen can help you with you come up with the perfect custom design!

{MEET KRISTEN}

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a bookbinder, graphic designer, painter, art educator, owner of two amazing Jack Russell Terriers and a proud Navy wife. Originally from all over the Middle Tennessee area, I currently live in an oh-so-sunny San Diego with hopes of moving closer to home one day. Soon after we were married, my husband was laid off and I gave up the start of my teaching career to support him in his new career in the Navy. We felt God’s peace about the decision and followed the path being laid out for us. Since then, I’ve been working for myself using all the knowledge and skills I could muster as we move from state to state to keep one thing steady and constant in my new mil spouse life.

2) How did you get into design?
I’ve always been drawn to designing ever since I was a senior in high school. Computers, the internet, and emails were all becoming more common and all the rage. I started out as a Graphic Design major in college but went Art Ed when I couldn’t decide which studio I was more in love with. As an Art Ed major, I knew students were learning Photoshop in high schools and I needed to learn myself before I graduated. I enjoyed every minute of it!

I then went on to work for a copy center for a few years where I learned how designs could be help or hurt your prints. I only had Office and Publisher available to custom design for customers, right there on the spot, so I learned how to manipulate something as simple as a Word Processor to be a make-shift for Photoshop and to work FAST. Man, I learned so much from that one job!

Pretty soon, I caught the attention of a venture company when I was submitting group guidelines and site artwork for a wedding market I was trying to start on their site. You can imagine my surprise when one day he called upon me to start working for his company as a Design Consultant! That position catapulted me to where I am today with a great looking portfolio and experience to boot.
And then along came Ahoy! Graphics, the brain-child of myself and a friend back in May 2010. By August I was open for business and working for myself as a freelance designer. Ever since, it has been a wild and awesome ride! I think the best part of my job is meeting all these amazing hand-crafting artisans and small business owners all day long—I love my job!

3) What are your favorite fonts?
Oh man… I’d have to wade through almost 700 fonts to start thinking about that, ha! With that many fonts in my pocket, it’s hard to choose but I always love a handwritten script, like Antrokas or Baker Script. I also love a good slab font, like Helvelow or Alexandria. And when I’m in need of a San Serif, Gotham is always my first choice along with my new-found love, Marlowe.

4) What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
My favorite ice cream flavor is homemade banana ice cream 🙂

{GIVEAWAY}

One lucky winner will receive a $30 credit to the Ahoy! Shop, good for any one A La Carte custom design or can be placed towards the total of their purchase! Must be used within 6 months of receipt.

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment with up to 7 words that describe your company’s style—try to go beyond words like “modern” and “feminine” and find words that uniquely describe your business. (hyperactive, bold, avante garde, industrial, social, etc)

For additional entries, leave a separate comment for each action.  If you already follow the blogs/twitter, you can still enter by letting me know in your comment.
2. Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect
3. Heart (Add to Favorites) Ahoy! Graphics on Etsy
4. Follow @sandyalamode and @AhoyGraphics on twitter
5. Tweet about this giveaway (make sure to use @sandyalamode and @AhoyGraphics in your tweet) in your words, or mine:

Need a new design for your shop? Enter a #GIVEAWAY for $30 credit to @AhoyGraphics on @sandyalamode! http://bit.ly/eNEDkD

This giveaway is open until Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 12PM CST.  Good luck!

Entries for this giveaway have been closed, thanks for entering!