Chocolate Cactus Designs

Ho, ho, huh?

Yep, I am almost done with my holiday card templates for 2008!  Can you believe it's almost that time again?

Keep an eye out - they will be released soon!

Designer's Diner

Sit Tight - A New Community For Designers is Coming Soon - Designer's Diner. Good Food (for thought), Good Design, and Good Fun - all in one place! It will be open to the Novice as well as the Pro and even the Do-It-Yourselfer.

Please email eat@designersdiner.com to apply for Membership. Be aware there will be a pre-screening process and you will be placed in the proper group according to your experience and portfolio. Note: We reserve the right to refuse membership to anyone for any reason.

At last... The Chocolate Vault

Edited:  Added an 8th design (see below)

Well, after YEARS of people asking if I would do this, I decided "what the hey!" and am going to give it a go.

Introducing The Chocolate Vault!

Each month, I will take several logo designs that I have created (that were not chosen) and place them for sale. They need good homes too, you know.  :)  These are essentially concepts that were presented that clients didn't choose, but that may work for others, and sit all alone in The Vault. Hee.  While I am a huge advocate for custom design, I realize that part of my audience is photographers who are eier just starting their businesses, or ones who simply may not be able to swing the cost of a custom logo just yet. 

Here's how it works:

The design will remain intact, and after choosing the one you want, you will tell me what text to place within the design, and the color(s) you'd like to change it to. All of the logo files will come to you as they do to all my other clients. You will get two files, a layered psd file (that you will easily be able to change the colors of in Photoshop), and an ai file (Illustrator vector file).

That's it! Easy! No waiting for concepts, no questionnaire to fill out. These will be selling for $200.

Here's the scoop - they are numbered 1-7, so if you see one you want, email me at jodi@chocolatecactus.com with the number you want and they will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. When a design is sold, I will post here letting you know. After I confirm with you that a design is still available via email, I will ask for the info you'd like in your design and will then give you the PayPal email address to submit payment to. Once received, the design files will be sent out!  Easy as pie.

Happy logo shopping!

Logos 6 and 7 have been sold, thanks!

(Click for a larger view)

 

NEW - birth announcements with a "little" bonus

Several of of you have asked if I would do some announcements that were more elegant versus the modern I usually do, so here you go!

As a bonus, I also designed some "Skinny Minnies" that are folded 2x7 bookmarks - one to coordinate with each of the announcements. Use these as you wish - as thank you's for the new mom to send out, as calling cards for baby, or even as little tiny birth announcements - the tiny possibilities are endless!

There are 3 cards in the set, and 3 coordinating bookmarks. The cards are 5x7 and the bookmarks are 2x7 designed as folded (so the size of a business card when folded in half). All are 300 resolution and completely editable when it comes to colors. Because of that, this makes these cards extremely versatile - make them pink, blue, green, keep them black for a sleeker look, etc. Remember that fonts play a huge part as well! Different font/color combos can give a different feel to these.

These are priced at $40 for all 6 pieces. You can send payment via PayPal to jodi (at) chocolatecactus.com, and be sure to put "Simply Elegant" birth announcements as the subject so I know what to send you! They will be sent within 48 hours of payment.

Images needed!

Edited - I have plenty of images!  Thanks to each of you who emailed me, the response was nothing short of amazing!  Some 30 emails piled in, so thanks for that.  :)  Keep your eyes peeled for the new Asuka template coming soon!

I am looking for someone who is willing to lend me some "sample" images for my new Asuka book templates I am designing.  Yep, I am *finally* designing them after many pushes.  I need wedding images as well as child (or) family (or) baby as I am releasing two book designs.

I need enough images for a 10x10 20 page book.  Willing to send some?  There's a little something in it for you, too.  :) 

If so, email me at jodi (at) chocolatecactus.com and I will tell you how to send them (please don't email images just yet as I may already have enough).  It is MUCH appreciated! I will post here when I have the images I needed.

Thanks a million in advance!

By the way - you will absolutely be credited, and your blog and-or website will be linked to as well.

Valentine's Day Templates

I had this within another post, but no one could ever find it!

Yep, I finally finished these up!  See the image below for samples and more info.  Payments can be sent to me via PayPal using the email jodi@chocolatecactus.com with the subect "Valentine Templates".  Also, be sure to include the email you want them sent to - otherwise, they will go to your PayPal email. 

They will be sent within 48 hours (although typically, very quickly).  If you do not have them within 48 hours, be sure to check your bulk/spam/junk folder before emailing me.  Thanks so much!

Birth/Holiday Card combos!

Thanks to all of you that requested I make some of these.  I truly had a wonderful time doing them!  There are 4 in the set (for now - I may add some more later).  All are designed to be 5x7 flat cards, and of course come as layered .psd files at 300 resolution with editable colors.  I used the same script font for the last two cards, but certainly any script font will work nicely.

The set sells for $40, and can be paid via PayPal using the email jodi@chocolatecactus.com with the subject "Birth/Holiday combo".  Be sure to include your email address for delivery if it differs from the one you send the payment from.  Cards will be emailed within 48 hours of payment (with the exception of weekends).

Click for a larger image:

Chocolate, Camera, Action!

Well, I decided to create some actions.  Already have a ton?  Well, you don't have these - ha.  Check them out:

(Click for a larger view)

"Antiqued" - This action gives a bit of an antiqued feel to your images by muting the colors and then adding a hit of brown.  It also adds just a touch of grain for effect.

"BW with Pizazz" - This action is a great bw conversion - lots of contrast, doesn't blow the whites and has an adjustable curves layer so you can tweak to taste.   

"BW Tinted" - This action is the same version as the BW With Pizazz, but with a hit of warmth.

"It's Dark in Here" - Does just what it says.  It brightens the image, thus making the color pop a bit.  Has an adjustable curves later so you can tweak to taste.

"Retro Funk" - A fun action that can be used anywhere you want to add a bit of spark t your image.  Perfect for senior photos, too!

"Softie Glow with a Boost" - Adds a bit of a soft glow and pumps the color just the right amount.

"Tack Sharp" - Come on, do you really need a description?  Hee.

"Somebody Punch Me" - Not really, please.  :)  This one is a simple color pop.  Run twice for more effect.  Run three times if you're really feeling frisky.

All of my actions are easy to use - just click play and voila.  No annoying stops to make you work hard for the results.  I made these with simplicity and subtlety in mind.  If they aren't strong enough, simply play them again!

Only works with PS7 and higher.  Sorry to the PS Elements users as I use curves on many of these.

Set of 8 actions - $35

Payments only accepted through PayPal.  Use the email address jodi@chocolatecactus.com when paying and specify "Actions" in the subject.  Actions will be emailed within 48 hours from receiving payment (with the exception of weekends).

NEW - "Simply Illustrated" birth announcements

This is something I have been wanting to do for a while - create super simple, super cute announcements with simple illustrations, and here they are!

These are designed as 5x5 folded cards (NOT trifolds), and come as layered psd files at 300 resolution. Main colors are editable (so most of these are universal for both boys and girls), and there will be dummy text in place using a non-paid font - likely Times or Arial - so that you won't have to substitute.  The only thing that is not editable is the strawberry.  All fonts used in these samples will be listed on the instruction sheet.  Sold as a set only - all 4 designs priced at $50.

These are not on my site yet, so if you're interested, send payments via PayPal to jodi@chocolatecactus.com and use the subject "Simply Illustrated announcements" and you will receive them within 48 hours!

Click for a larger view:

If interested, send payment via PayPal to jodi@chocolatecactus.com with the subject "Simply Birth" and be sure to include the email address you wish to receive them at (if it differs from your PayPal email).