Blog

Celebrating 10 Years Under the Umbrella

Ten years ago, I embarked on a journey with a simple dream – to help my clients creatively solve their graphic design needs. It all started in Washington, DC, and has continued at my studio in Zionsville, Indiana. Today, as I celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Creative Umbrella, I am filled with gratitude and excitement for the journey so far. At the heart …

Hello Zionsville! Creative Umbrella’s New Graphic Design Studio

Creative Umbrella’s new graphic design studio is now open in Zionsville, Indiana. My family fell in love with Zionsville when we moved here four years ago from DC following my husband’s retirement from the Army. I grew up in Indianapolis and graduated from Indiana University. So moving here was like moving home for me. Zionsville held a special draw. If you are a …

How To Successfully Work From Home

With the world adapting to stay-at-home orders due to the Coronavirus, many of us are navigating the new reality of working from home. While some may find this transition smooth, especially if they have previous teleworking experience, others might struggle to establish a productive routine. Working from home introduces unique challenges that you wouldn’t typically encounter in a corporate environment. From family distractions …

How to Find a Graphic Design Mentor

What is a Mentor? A mentor is someone who has experience that you don’t have yet. At some point they were in the same spot as you starting out. These people who have “been there and done that” offer one of the most understated resources graphic designers can benefit from: mentorship. A good mentor can help you avoid common mistakes early on, solve …

8 Creative Ways to Stay Connected with Family During Work Travel

Do you have to travel a lot for work? As a former military spouse, I have great insight on ways you can stay connected with your loved ones while traveling. Between training exercises that lasted months to year-long deployments, you get creative in how you show you care. Many people have to travel for work: conferences, project management in other cities, etc. In …

What is Pantone?

This is a common question I get from clients. Even my husband, who has lived with a graphic designer for years, gives me a blank look when I get excited about new PANTONE guides that come in the mail. He just doesn’t understand what I use them for. Pantone is like the McDonald’s of design. No matter what city in the world you …