Hey there!
Happy March, all… I have to be honest, I’m always happy to see the end of winter. I DO love winter and it’s beauty. I’ve lived in rural Alberta for 36 of my 44 years on earth, and spring still tastes like that first bite of a new donut flavour. Every. Single. Year.
This time of year seems fitting to launch a rebrand for my baby, Cloud & Lolly. I know some of you have been with me since the beginning. Summer of 2006 was when I hit the St. Albert Farmers Market scene. No idea if anyone would like my designs (which was a mish mash of zipper pouches, brooches, jewellery and other knick knacks) much less buy them.
I was still working full time as a graphic designer at a few ad agencies in Edmonton, and, despite having chosen a ‘creative’ career, they were draining me. I was churning out mediocre work that the clients and ‘suits’ dictated. Any and all unique ideas immediately quashed. Cloud & Lolly was a needed outlet. It helped me breathe and just be myself. I got to be uninhibited with my ideas and making them come to fruition.
As I grew creatively and increased my local market lineup, customers came and sales increased. In 2008, I was able to take Cloud & Lolly full time. I knew I was in for a wild ride! I grew up in a small business, and got to see AND ride the rollercoaster with my parents and 3 siblings. That left it’s mark for what I wanted later in life.
So here I am. Breathing new life into a small biz that has kept me challenged, scared, overjoyed and sustained over the years. The name Cloud & Lolly was the freedom I was seeking while at my soul sucking jobs. A name that rolled off my tongue, but didn’t hold much meaning.
Aurora Lux Jewellery. Sounds nice, right? It took a LOT to get here. I wanted a name that captured not only my essence, but that of my customers. I find we have lots in common. Here is a breakdown of the new name…
Aurora; luminous bands found in the night sky, charged solar particles guided along the earth’s magnetic lines of force. Also, the ancient Roman goddess of the dawn (Aurora renews herself every morning and flies across the sky, announcing the arrival of the sun). Countless times I’ve found myself gazing up at the stars and always feeling a sense of calm and wonderment, recharging and dreaming of the future. It seemed fitting. My youth was spent synchronized swimming with a club called the ‘Auroras’. Driving home to the country, due north, being absolutely captivated by the Aurora Borealis in the dead of night.
Lux; A unit of illumination. Light can be portrayed in so many different ways. Light from within. Positivity. Eagerness. Confidence. Something that is so essential to living, and something I strive to exude daily!
Brand design. No, I didn’t design this one. (my mom also wondered WHY!) It’s not easy designing a brand for yourself. The Cloud & Lolly logo had changed about 5 or 6 times over the years because I always wanted to improve it. Never sure how to portray it. It got to the point when I thought about it, I was just like… meh. It is what it is.
“Design is a silent ambassador of your brand” - Paul Rand
Insert Tina Perko. With the conveniences of the internet & social media, I was able to find exactly who I wanted to brand and design this new look. We worked together through the month of January, a bit of back & forth, but she captured the essence perfectly! It was amazing to have an outside perspective, as I would get stuck in a visual feedback loop.
The concept uses an abstracted illustration of an aurora and a night sky. The colour palette is modern & bright. With a hint of gold too, hello!
I am over the moon with how everything turned out and I hope that you will continue to join me in my journey. I have some fun ideas planned for this year. Giving Tuesday and Fan Fridays to name a few. What won’t be changing is my dedication to my customer’s experience. Keeping exceptional customer service and joy-sparking designs.
Please drop me a line if you have anything to share. If the new brand resonates with you and why it does. If you have any ideas for charitable events, giveaways, workshops, blog inspo ideas… you name it! I’d love to hear from you.
I will sign off for now with that all said… have a ‘lux’ and productive week!
Cheryl
