Ciera Design | Brand Identity + Graphic Design Portfolio and Blog of Ciera Holzenthal - page 44

Here are my process photos from my cotton candy costume. It was not as easy as I thought it would be, but I am happy with how it turned out. Now let’s see if it survives Frenchmen Street!

purchased pink dress and attached pink straps

spray painted pillow stuffing pink

used hot glue to attach pink stuffing to dress

cone out of white paper rolled and glued

attached cone to pink headband with tabbed cardboard

prime and spay paint shoes pink

candy dots and cotton candy!

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Happy hump day! Here is list of some of my favorite blogs. Most of them are art and design related, hope you enjoy!

Wiley Valentine
A collection of things that inspire and delight, while offering  a glimpse into the Wiley Valentine company.

Zander White Photography
Zander, a New Orleanian photographer based in Boston, is a photo-journalistic chap with an eye forged from the likes of Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, and Josef Koudelka. Armed with Canon Full-Frame cameras, L glass, strobe lighting (and a bit o’ wit)  he creates compelling photographs. Head-shots to hot-dogs, events or concerts, he don’t discriminate.

Paper Pastries
Margaret loves photography, stationery, traveling & fine handmade goods. Paper Pastries is a Los Angeles greeting card and stationery company. They offer custom invitations, announcements, and calligraphy.

Wolf and Willow
Wolf and Willow is a designer’s daily journal, an online visual diary, documenting Nancy’s inspirations, passions and sometimes frivolous fancies as she attempts to live a beautiful, meaningful and creative life.

On The Surface
Elizabeth Caldwell is a freelance Graphic Designer and Illustrator specializing in the stationery and gift industry.

Daily Foodles
Project by designer & illustrator Megan Pendergrass documenting through illustrations and typography something or everything she eats in a day. One illustration a day (M-F) for a year.

The Indigo Bunting
Graphic designer and illustrator from Seattle, now living in NY working as an art director at Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Much Love
This is Anna’s little place of escape, filled with things she {much} love.

I Just Might Explode
Daily life of Kara Haupt. Kara is inspired by “Emotional breakdowns. Weird movies. People who tell me I’m not able to do something because I’m not talented enough, too naive, or a girl. Coffee at three o’clock in the morning.  Long emails. Jesus Christ. Books that leave you with more questions than answers. This. Emo song lyrics, failure, and Sonic happy hour.”

Jessica Hische
Jessica Hische is a typographer and illustrator working in Brooklyn, New York. Her blog features her personal work as well as entertaining sections like: Rant, Ridiculous, Steal my Idea and Stuff I Want.

What are your favorite blogs?

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I have been a nail bitter my entire life but I think I finally stopped! I have quit a few times before but they always seemed to break so I would just start biting them again. Since my nails are finally long enough to paint I decided to try out this new gray nail polish from American Apparel. Not sure about the gray nails, but I am SO happy that I finally got over that bad habit!

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I created my first treasury on Etsy called Blood Orange. It is inspired by the colors of the Fall season and Halloween. Here is a sneak peak:

Check out the full treasury here. You may find a new Etsy favorite!

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I ♥ Costumes! Living in New Orleans, I have lots of excuses to wear costumes all year round and I love it! I like to make my costumes when I have time. This year for Halloween I am dressing up as pink cotton candy.  It is not done yet, but I will be sure to post some photos once it is!

Much Love Monday.

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I am currently working on an identity design for an upcoming event in New Orleans. I will be creating the logo, ads, invitations and signage for the event! I can’t wait to share it will y’all when it is done!

Here are some other items that I have designed for events in New Orleans:

Role Model Gala – Invitation Design

One Book, One New Orleans – Poster Design

Subscribe to the Ciera Design RSS feed or follow me on twitter to stay up-to-date with the project!

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These photos make me want to live somewhere that you actually see the seasons change. You do not get the beautiful Fall colors in New Orleans. All of these fall inspired photographs are by Zander White. I absolutely love the last photo of the leaf. The images link through to Zander’s Flickr page – so please click through to see more of his work and check out Zander’s Fall Harvest blog.

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I saw Built To Spill at The Howlin’ Wolf last night. The show was amazing! The Howlin’ Wolf is a great venue to see a show. I was able to get up close to the stage without being uncomfortably crammed.

Going to live shows is one of my favorite things to do. I love watching the band play as well as watching the crowd react. I enjoy seeing people in the moment – people enjoying the music and when that one person who was still all night raises their fist to the song that really moves them.

Here are the lyrics to my favorite Built To Spill song, Car:

You get the car
I’ll get the night off
You’ll get the chance
To take the world apart
And figure out how it works
Don’t let me know what you find out
I need a car
You need a guy
Who needs a map
If i don’t die or worse
I’m gonna need a nap
At best i’ll be asleep
When you get back

I want to see it
When you find out what comets stars and moons are all about

Wanna see their
Faces turn to backs of heads
And slowly get smaller

Wanna see it now

I want specifics
On a general idea
Wanna think what i should know
Want you to do me what you show
I wanna see movies of my dreams
I wanna see movies of my dreams
I wanna see movies of my dreams
I wanna see movies of my dreams

Wanna see it
When you get stoned on a cloudy breezy desert afternoon

Wanna see it
Untame itself
And break it’s owners

Wanna see it now
Wanna see it now…

Doug Martsch who is lead singer, guitarist, and the main creative behind the band is so engaging. His lyrics are clever and it seems he has so much to say.

“Saying something,” of course, is always a loaded concept with regard to Doug Martsch: He has spent years telling every interviewer who asks that his lyrics contain no personal meaning, that they are chosen more for their meter and suggestiveness than anything else. Ironically, he often seems to be pondering the impossibility of clear communication: “This strange sound you said I said/ You’re not listening or I’m not saying it right,” he fretted on “Strange”. “If there’s a word for you, it doesn’t mean anything,” he insisted on Perfect From Now On’s “Velvet Waltz”. (from Jayson Greene)

I recommend that everyone goes to a Built To Spill show if they have the chance!

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Last day to enter the Ciera Design Giveaway on I Just Might Explode!
Head over to Kara’s site to learn a bit more about me, including my biggest guilty pleasure and to enter for the giveaway!

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I ♥ Sucré! Everything about this place is beautiful. Their brand identity and packaging is amazing as well as their macaroons, chocolates, confections, gelato and other sweets! They also have an amazing King Cake when it is that time of year!

Much Love Monday. Images click through for photo credits.

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