Monday, March 9, 2009

ABCD Design Process explained (Subtitle: "When Rams Attack!")

Amy of ABCD published the most charming walk-through of our invitation design process on her blog this morning, describing for her readers the steps of creating our invitation suite from scratch.


Amy's ability to get to know a couple and create stationery that reflects just who they are really is remarkable, given that she typically just "meets" couples over e-mail and the phone. So how does she do it? Amy describes, with an incredible amount of tact, my admitted over-achiever complex when it came to answering her straightforward inspiration questionnaire. About my 20+ page opus answering her questions...

"I was so far out of my comfort zone - the Virgo in me fought it, big time!"

And that's when it hit me: ah ha... Amy's a Virgo! I can't believe I didn't know this before! Trevor's a Virgo! Now I get it!

For those unfamiliar with the world of astrology, let me explain... A Virgo-positive take on our pairing looks a little like this:


In the creative world of invitation design, Amy's post tells the story of clients and designer working together to achieve a perfect balance of their many goals and desires. In the astrological world of invitation design, Amy's post tells the story of a brash "more is more" Aries sensibility crashing into the ordered world of a Virgo invitation designer, while an at-home Virgo continues to press for more white space with every design round. Which is the real story? I guess that's up to your belief in the stars...

Of course, some might interpret our stars this way:


As you might imagine, any sort of astrological forecast regarding the chances the F-Word and I have to live happily ever after is fairly murky. And yet... it works. Just like my working relationship with ABCD, we manage to find the right ways to communicate, collaborate, and produce something amazing each day.

So here's my astrological PSA for ABCD Designs Bespoke Stationery: If Amy can work with this Aries, I'm pretty sure she can handle all astrological signs, even yours.

We're going to print SO soon... I can't wait to show everyone the product of our "stars aligned" working relationship!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG -!- so funny. I love the rebuttal. I am so pleased that my blog post inspired yours today.

Picture this: I am sitting on my computer in a room all by myself working on files when an e-mail from the YOU (the Fabulous Maggie) comes in about your post. I have never grinned so hard or laughed so loud at my computer screen. This post is DELIGHTFUL.

You rock Maggie!
xxooABC D

Anonymous said...

Sorry about my typos! I was giggling too hard to see straight! The Perfectionist Virgo in me is dying over here over leaving a perfect comment-!-

What I meant to say was "...working on files when an e-mail from YOU (the Fabulous Maggie) comes in about your post."

OYE.
Thanks again for making my day.
ABCD

mjae said...

I have to know WHERE YOU GOT THOSE ASTROLOGY CARDS.

Those ROCK.

And as a very-consciously Virgo Virgo, I'm totally amused over here!

Maggie said...

ha ha... I've seen them around as magnets, but apparently they're available as posters too. Not sure about cards. Check it out: http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Good-Aries-Posters_i846622_.htm. (I found that just by googling "Good Aries")

ps, My mom is bursting at the thought that she gets to host newborn Umea in a few months!