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Final Post Part 3 Welcome to the Final Post Part 3, the final post of the final posts. Here are some close-ups of the verbiage on each side of my package as well as the layout and cutting/scoring template I used for creating the final product. I had an immense amount of fun with this project and I feel as though the design process for making such a project finally came very naturally to me after so many years design thinking and practise. (I used to just bull ahead without proper planning, no more!) I hope you enjoyed my project journey, thank you for all your patience and guidance not old during this project but throughout the years. ☺️

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Final Post Part 2 I thought it was only natural to photograph my final product in my back yard on such a beautiful day. I am currently at succulent capacity for my room so instead of buying another I substituted this solar powered sunflower as a stand in. (I think it’s quite cute) From the beginning I knew I wanted something to function as protection for plants. For this I created a company and a brand that shared my love and dedication to the environment. Bloomingway & Co evolved into a activist boutique horticulture supplier that supports environmental protection and greenspaces. Totally rad! See the behind the scenes close ups in the next post!

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Final Post Part 1🌱 After cutting out and creasing each component of my package, I attached a white strip of paper behind areas that needed to be white. I quickly realized that this white strip of paper would be visible from certain angles while photographing. I solved this problem by then painting over the white strip with black paint. This problem would never happen in real production because the factory would be able to print white. Once dried I assembled by package. See next post. 😀

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Prototype & First Iteration Mockup

I made a prototype of my package and found that the removable tray doesn’t need to have a bottom so I can save plastic there.

After making my prototype and finding my packaging idea is feasible I decided to do a quick mockup to show how I was planning to beautify it. I can’t decide which I like more, but I am leaning to the option on the left. 

I'm thinking my next step will be to refine the design and exact information to go on the package and start laying out a print plan for a final high-res product.

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Logo & Tagline Progress

Ahoy Nancy! (and Kent, I know you’re here too)

This is what I’ve come up with for logo colours, I prefer the red, orange, yellow version in the top left (Where I’ve gathered my favourites). I also included the blue, purple version there because I thought it was a close contender but didn't quite have the punch I was looking for. 

I hope you like the tagline I’ve chosen, I thought after all the deliberation over it I just needed something that spoke how the brand was modern, nature-loving, high-end, smart, and specialized. I think using the word boutique really elevates the idea that the goods are valuable and should be meticulously handled. And I just had to use the word “horticulture” because it spoke to the scientific, “old-timey - brought to the future” feeling that brings so much substance to the brand.

I included some old scientific poppy drawings as an example of some of the imagery I want to use throughout the branding. You also may have noticed I used Archer, I did so because it has a more youthful feel than my previous choices. #brandevolution

Looking forward to your thoughts. :)

Rest in Peace Kate Spade.

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Words studied, logos formulated I reigned in like you said and restudied my word list, created more thumbs, and tried to pin down the positioning line. I am attempting to mash up classic and spunky, modern and traditional - into an “old brand name” rebranded and gone activist. I mentioned before that part of Bloomingway’s profits go towards preserving and setting up natural green spaces. Bloomingway is an active environmentalist who is most interested in the well being of plants on all scales - from their smallest succulent to the largest old growth tree their profits protect. I have a favourite logo among the ones drawn above (I wrote “oh lala” pointing to it) and with some tweaking and clever colour use I think it could be the one. At first glance it appears to be a semi-symmetrical blooming flower. But upon closer inspection or for anyone who knows the initials of the company it is a clever monogram with one of the petals being formed by the “bubble” B, and the other two petals form by the “bubble” w. I think this speaks to how Bloomingway might appear to be a stuffy straight shooting “old brand” when upon closer inspection it is actually more laid back, clever, and quirky than previously assumed. As for the positioning line I have a few favourites but am open to suggestions on them: Traditional Horticulture for the Modern Gardener Modern Horticulturists Unite Making Modern Horticulture Make Earth Green Again Creating Greenspaces Since _______.

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BW&Co Logo Concepts ( and the sushi I had for lunch) It is way harder to fit leafs into typography than I expected, the first image shows my more refined attempts at that. I then chose a few concepts that I thought had legs and rendered them in higher res. I’m interested in hearing what you think of each of these! For the block letter concept I think I’d rather go with completely black block letters and just have the “co” part in the leaf be lime green (an afterthought after I coloured it). I think my goal is “spunky but refined”. The sushi was amazing too.

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Concepts for Plant Package Design + Materials All plastic is hard malleable plastic commonly found in much of today’s packaging (searching for green options/versions). The brand has evolved to be reduced and simple utilizing black, white, and clear to “frame” and put emphasis on the beauty of the plant. This way the product becomes to star of the show, not the packaging (I gave that brown the boot, hate it now). I want to eliminate the need for separate plant instructions/markers but some people keep the care instructions for their plants. I think I can achieve this by having the plant type on the front as well as on a perfed removable tag in the packaging that can be torn out and kept. To ensure the handles hold up with heavier plants a bar of plastic or wood would run through the top of the package (this could also be removed and used as a prop for growing plants). All packages are held together by interlocking wings at the back. Once undone the package will unfurl itself. Aquatic plants have different needs and would be delivered to the store and immediately put into a display pond or similar. Branded plastic bags would be supplied to the store for use when the plant is bought. The black, white, and clear aesthetic is easy to apply to pop-up green houses, bags, even garden tools, but I’m having issues translating it onto a delivery truck as they are not clear and cannot display the natural beauty of its goods. More brain storming needed. Next steps are: -Figure out how to brand the delivery truck. -Take concepts and mock up for hand in next week.

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Trade Offs

My original idea was to completely encase the plant in a stackable, waterable, clear plastic casing. I thought this would add more functionality because plants would be protected and could be transported more effectively.

HOWEVER:

Under ideal conditions, this would work, but ideal conditions are often not met once the plant leaves the greenhouse. This leads me to a less heavy-handed approach where I must trade of the added functionality of stacking for a solution that focuses on achieving the main goal in a simpler manner.

A few variables are considered in my newly drafted idea, such as:

Though most plants are grown uniformly and growth is slightly stunted when they begin their journey from the nursery - confining the plants to a box could end up damaging them if they are left in the box to long and grow too much. There is also a chance that too many plants would be stacked on top of each other and the plastic will crush, damaging the plants. Completely encasing the plant in a plastic box would likely use more materials than necessary as well.

SO:

A cleat vertical wrap around that attaches to the standard pot on nursery plants. this could serve as a handle and would be open on either end to facilitate watering, but also enough protection that the quality of the plant is greatly improved. A message could also be included asking customers not to touch the plant. Any branding/design/messages should be understated and not int he way of the actual view of the plant.

More ideas to come + sketches!

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A company that supplies everything from houseplants to large-scale landscape all in a protective casing to ensure pristine quality.

Part of all proceeds from purchases goes toward funds/societies to build and maintain protected areas and greenspaces.

Non-toxic, vegan, organic, fairtrade

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Blog Post #1

PROJECT PROPOSAL: Save the Succulents

I don’t mean to brag, but I have green thumb. I love all things nature, but house plants have a special place in my heart.

I take great pride in caring for my house plants and I love to collect new and exotic varieties, so nothing irks me more than when I find a unique and beautiful plant (that I would gladly overpay for) damaged during shipment or its life on the shelf. It is all too common for the majority of store bought succulents to have some type of injury or worse, finger prints.

Succulents are extremely delicate plants with soft fleshy appendages that are easily damaged. These appendages are covered in a dusty coating called farina THAT WILL NOT GROW BACK IF TOUCHED. (Think butterfly wings)

The current packaging situation of succulents is non-existant, which baffles me for something so easily ruined. For this project I will create an innovative, eco friendly, dual purpose package to save the succulents.

Considerations / Challenges:

Eco friendly plastics / inks

Plant growth inside package

Storability / Stackablity 

Ease of watering 

Plant health visibility

Safe opening and removal from packaging

Each aspect of this package will be deeply researched to ensure continuity and quality.

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Last day! Oh my goodness, this doesn’t feel real. So with my project I blew all my budget on making the package touch point real, causing the prints to be lesser quality. But it’s all there! (First picture) I also attached a picture of my cat mug. I thought if you when I received it for Christmas.

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MOCK INTERVIEW WITH TOM.K

This was so fun! Tom is a really cool person and was super comfortable to interview with. I showed my Minmax application and website, SpaceX rebrand and ad campaign, and Illustrated colouring book. We spoke about my aspirations, availability, and rate.

By the end Tom said if it were a real interview he would definitely like to hire me and to contact him if I’m ever looking for new work.

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Resume was the last piece to be branded, can’t wait to show you the whole shabang!

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PROGRESS

I think it all looks nice together. :)

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xo

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Concepts and Branding Stickers

Some stickers to brand the tops and inside bottom of the clear tins as well as the simple concept for the instructional pamphlet in box #1. 

My portfolio booklet has gone down to 8 pages - 5 spreads, I decided to do this to streamline the content on my portfolio and save money when printing.