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Akula Kreative

9212 Fry Road | Suite 105 | #255
Cypress, TX, 77433
(858) 255-1230
branding + design for creative professionals

a graphic + web + print design studio

Akula Kreative

  • About
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • FAQs
    • Design + Process
    • Branding Workbook
    • Workshops
    • RAVES + REVIEWS
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a eucalyptus-inspired color palette

March 10, 2017 Nikki Mihalik
a eucalyptus-inspired color palette // green, gray, natural tones

Speaking of "keeping it together" (if you saw the last post), I feel so on top of things when I prep a color palette BEFORE Friday. ("But where was last week's palette?" you ask? Shhhhh.)

I've always loved the blue-green hues of eucalyptus. Quiet, calming, and never boring!

FOREST #102F25 / EAT YOUR GREENS #2E4D43 / EUCALYPTUS #718879

COOL MINT #C4D0CD / SAND #DDD6D3 / SOFT GRAY #B5AEAB

WHAT ARE THESE COLOR CODES? The “hex codes” above are provided as a courtesy for those customizing website colors or looking for general color inspiration. They are not based on paint or Pantone chips. Remember that ink on paper will never look the same as light on a screen. If you like a combination you see, we recommend saving the image and heading to your local hardware store to find paint chips that match. Digital colors will change depending on your phone/tablet/computer screen, so be sure to color match with real swatches. Also, I make up all the color names.

Happy Friday!

In color inspiration Tags green, blue, gray, eucalyptus, color palette, natural

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BRANDING 101
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FREEBIES + PROMOS
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PAPER + PRINTING
PATTERN INSPIRATION
POP-UP STAMP SHOP
RECENT WORK
THINGS WE LOVE
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Thank you + have a nice day!

What does the end of summer mean for you? Are you celebrating with mimosas that your kiddos are headed back to school, crying that they’re growing up, dreading the increase in traffic, or counting down the days til you can wear a sweater? I read a post yesterday about Texas summer that said, “Dear God, Whatever you’re baking is DONE.” Lol. Anyway, I’m drawing a set of custom social media icons this morning and realizing how lucky I am to do something so joyful, fun, and fulfilling for a living. (These gemstone sunglasses were inspired by my client’s daughter who is frequently seen wearing them in her feed. How cute are they?!) So, yeah... no deep thoughts today... just celebrating the last Friday of summer with a cute illustration. 😎 Have a great weekend and drink a mimosa for me! . . . . . #summervibes #sunglasses #endofsummer #handdrawn #illustration #branding #creativeprocess #creativehappylife #creativepreneur #branddesign #brandstylist #brandingforcreatives #buildyourbrand #houstoncreatives #heartandhustle #calledtobecreative #communityovercompetition #tuesdaystogetherhtx #houstongraphicdesigner #htx #womeninbusiness #akulakreative
I’m only a few pages in to “Building a Brand Story,” but I can already share one key takeaway — that is, you need to communicate what you offer clearly and quickly. The harder customers have to think, the more turned off they’ll be. That’s why one of my jobs as a designer is to CLARIFY your message so people pay attention. See this image? Where did you look first? In a sea of the same envelopes, your eyes were drawn to that one with the floral flap, right? As my client, you may have a LOT to convey, but it’s my goal to lead your customers’ eyes from one strategic place to the next. Things like scale, color, and white space tell people, “Look here first! Then here! Then here! Still paying attention? Great! Read more here.” The easier (and more fun) you can make it for them, the longer they’ll stick around. . Thank you for this book, @birdandhyssop! 🖤 . . . . . #envelopeart #snailmail #handdrawnflowers #floralillustration #branding #branding101 #creativeprocess #creativehappylife #creativepreneur #branddesign #brandstylist #brandingforcreatives #buildyourbrand #houstoncreatives #heartandhustle #calledtobecreative #communityovercompetition #tuesdaystogetherhtx #houstongraphicdesigner #htx #womeninbusiness #akulakreative
Raise your hand if you’re more of a “behind-the-scenes” kinda person... like me in this alpaca photo. 😬 Being the FACE (and brains... and hands... and heart) of my business hasn’t been easy, but a few weeks ago I bit the bullet and got in front of the camera for my first ever brand film. When Nikki from @trippfilms sent me the first draft, this is literally how I watched it: 🙈 All I could think was, “Ahh, I sound so serious! My hair is too poofy! Why do I close my eyes so much?!! Do I seriously look and sound like this when I talk IRL?” But then... as I watched it over and over and over, I kind of got used to it. I know how important it is for people to see and hear the person they’re about to hire, so YES, I’m glad I did it. While I do *not* love being the center of attention, I DO love my work. I’m genuinely excited for you to get a tiny glimpse into my creative day-to-day, so stay tuned for a preview. 🖤 . Portrait by @carolinetran . . . . . #dosomethingthatscaresyou #creativehappylife #fridayintroductions #buildyourbrand #selfportrait #alpaca #bigandlittleranch #creativepreneur #introvertlife #tuesdaystogetherhtx #communityovercompetition #houstongraphicdesigner #houstonwebdesigner #htx akulakreative
Let’s talk about why branding matters. Think of it like this :: Branding is the beautiful wrapping that surrounds a special gift (aka, your amazing work). It builds excitement, gives people a hint at what’s to come, and sets their expectations for something even better. It’s an opportunity to turn a crumpled paper bag into a perfectly wrapped box that’s begging to be ripped open. It’s a little voice saying, “Pick me! Pick me!” during an office gift exchange. You want customers to pick YOU, right? Then wrap your gift in a way that will get their attention. 🤗 . . . . . #typography #handlettering #branding #branding101 #creativeprocess #creativehappylife #creativepreneur #branddesign #brandstylist #brandingforcreatives #buildyourbrand #houstoncreatives #heartandhustle #calledtobecreative #communityovercompetition #tuesdaystogetherhtx #houstongraphicdesigner #htx #womeninbusiness #akulakreative
Swipe left to see this sweet new VW Bus roll right into the weekend! Thanks to @poststudiohou, my 2-D graphic is now a 3-D bus with working wheels. 🤩 . Anyone wanna make more?! What else can we dream up together? Email me and let’s make it happen. 🤗 . . . . . #graphicdesign #illustration #vwbus #wanderlust #girlboss #bossbabe #momboss #womeninbusiness #vw #woodentoys #camperlife #risingtidesociety #tuesdaystogetherhtx #houstoncreatives #houstongraphicdesigner #brandstylist #branding #brandingforcreatives #akulakreative #poststudioprojects
Eeeee, sorry for the radio silence around here! I did the opposite of taking time off to work on my business and had one of my busiest months to date. If you didn’t know, this was the very first year I scheduled a closure in July (a historically slow month for me), and, of course, nothing went as planned. Instead of taking a break, I said “yes” to one project at a time, and before I knew it I had a record-breaking quarter. I was so busy keeping my head down that I didn’t even realize my numbers were higher than usual. So, why tell you this? (It’s not to gloat, I promise!) I want to share the 3 reasons I *think* this happened. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d have my best quarter with business hours from 9a-3p M-F. (Yep - I work very strict hours in order to spend time with my family and get the sleep I need to function and be creative.) Before having a kid, I worked 50-hr weeks and now I work a solid 35. Lesson 1 :: More time does not equal more money! It’s not having the luxury to putz around and cruise social media for multiple hours a day that got me here. No more “Siiigh, I’m not feeling creative right now...” It’s “Ok, I have 2 hours to get this done. Go!” Lesson 2 :: I learned to put more effort in retaining clients than seeking out new ones. HALF of my business from last quarter was from clients I’ve already worked with! Lesson 3 :: I finally hired some strategic people to help me with tasks that would have taken me 2-3 times longer to tackle myself. Sure, I had to spend money on this, but it was SO worth it. Not only do I feel more confident about the final product, but I was able to make more money using my time for tasks I’m actually GOOD at. I know... Just because I had a fantastic quarter doesn’t mean my whole year will be off the charts, but the pressure to “do more with less” has surely changed my work habits for the better. So, tell me... what has had the biggest positive impact on YOUR business lately???
Why does packaging matter? It shows your customers that THEY matter. Your small shop is NOT Amazon, and that’s exactly why someone bought from you instead of a factory overseas. You’re more than a bubble mailer with a product wrapped in plastic. You’re a maker who obsesses over the details. When you take that extra step to hand write a note, tie a bow, or pin a beautiful paper tag, you’re really saying: “What I made is worth taking care of.” 🖤 . Branding + Print Design by @akulakreative | Letterpress printed in deep green ink on Crane Lettra 220# DTC . . . . . #packagingdesign #packaginglove #shopsmallmovement #handmadeclothing #letterpress #letterpresslove #dailydoseofpaper #designlove #hangtag #printdesign #paperlove #paperaddict #branding #branddesign #brandstylist #buildyourbrand #brandingforcreatives #communityovercompetition #tuesdaystogetherhtx #logodesign #houstongraphicdesigner #calledtobecreative #flashesofdelight #simplecleancreative #akulakreative #avajunestyle
“Alone we can do so little... together, we can do so much.” - Helen Keller . I used to think that the goal of networking events was to meet people who would hire me. “Networking is about making a sale, right?” 🤨 Nope. It’s about supporting others, gaining trust, and being a part of a like-minded community. I guarantee your reach will grow *exponentially* if you focus on cultivating relationships instead of selling. As an introvert, networking still takes a lot out of me, but having this mindset has been a game changer. Huge thanks to @lashantagreen for leading @tuesdaystogetherhtx last night, @sharespace for hosting us, and all of the inspiring women who presented! You are ALL amazing. And cheers to @queenplusx for closing with the best pep talk ever! :) . BTW / This botanical print by @laura.makes arrived in the mail this week and I’m obsessed! . . . . . #communityovercompetition #handdrawnflorals #botanical #botanicalprint #lauramakes #handmade #handmadepaper #handdrawnflowers #happymail #calledtobecreative #creativepreneur #womeninbusiness #createcultivate #tuesdaystogetherhtx #htx #houstonevents
Join me tomorrow evening at @tuesdaystogetherhtx to learn how to build a brand that *stands out* regardless of your budget. (The event is free but you have to grab a ticket via the link on @tuesdaystogetherhtx’s profile.) Wanna hear the best part? I’m only 1 of 10 people presenting on different business topics!!! Hurry and grab a seat before it’s completely sold out. Can’t wait to see you there! . . . . . #blacksheep #standoutfromthecrowd #bedifferent #beuniquelyyou #handdrawnflorals #botanical #branding #branddesign #buildyourbrand #designinspo #brandingforcreatives #brandstylist #calledtobecreative #creativepreneur #womeninbusiness #creativeprocess #createcultivate #seeksimplicity #houstongraphicdesigner #tuesdaystogetherhtx #htx #akulakreative
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