MAKE DESIGNS CREATIVE {Graphic Design. Website Development. Marketing}

Dog Wheelchair Company opens their doors for business

2010-06-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

Our good friends at RUFF ROLLIN' Wheelchairs for Dogs have launched their new website today. If you have a pet in need, or know somebody who does... give them a call. (877) 390–RUFF | (406) 582–0225 | ruff@ruffrollin.com

www.ruffrollin.com

RUFF ROLLIN’ is a family owned company founded in the heart of the Northern Rockies, in Bozeman, Montana. We are committed to one thing; we will provide you and your dog with the best possible experience during this difficult time. I began a career building wheelchairs for disabled dogs 12 years ago, working with some of the top companies and veterinary professionals in the industry. It has been one of the greatest and most rewarding parts of my life. After helping countless dogs gain back their mobility and dignity, I can’t imagine doing anything else. My wife, Sierra, and I bring a combined 13 years of experience in this industry to the table. Sierra also brings an additional 16 years of customer service.
Together we provide compassion, humility, trust and a promise to serve your needs and exceed your expectations. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide your dog with a new lease on life!

Sincerely,
Jason and Sierra Christofferson
Owners

PBS Antiques Roadshow 15-second Television Spot

2010-06-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

QUESTION:

What do you do when one of your favorite clients comes to you with an opportunity to create something for public television?

ANSWER:

ehhhh... you jump up and down & say "Yes, Please! and Thank you!"

The graphics that we created for the Community Closet Thrift Store, combined with the fabulous creative vision Caron Cooper brings to any project, resulted in nothing less than sheer genius for a mere 15-seconds. (ahem, yes... we are a bit partisan, we like it!).

FOOTNOTE: Caron Cooper is the Executive Director of the Community Closet Thrift Store.

Social Media Revolution

2010-04-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

"It's a fad, it won't last...", or will it?
Facebook, YouTUBE, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Digg,... the list goes on and on. They represent the fastest growing entities on the web. If you haven't considered utilizing these tools for personal or business communication, now is the time.! From mobile devices to the iPad, staying connected has literally never been so easy. Word of mouth travels at the speed of,... well, high speed internet.

I realized the importance of embracing these tools a couple of years ago at a family gathering in the scenic mountains outside of Cascade, Montana when I asked one of my younger (Gen Y) cousins for his email address. He simply looked at me like I was asking for a cassette tape of "Men at Work" or some other infamous 80's band he'd never heard of, and replied "Well I could give you my email address, but I never check it. I really only communicate via MySpace or Facebook." I was floored, and intrigued. Upon return to my home in Livingston, Montana I immediately went online to figure out this new wave of internet communication. It didn't take long for me to realize that email communication lacked personality and interactivity; whereas, Social Networking sites provided immediate connectivity with friends around the world. Photos, videos, updates, news feeds,... I was sold.

This is bigger than the Industrial Revolution. [watch]

NEW Website for Rockin' HK Outfitters custom programmed for Word Press Content Management System

2010-04-06T11:27:00.001-07:00

Greetings! Here at Make Designs Creative we are soooo darn excited to have wrapped up a fantastic website redesign for our favorite Yellowstone National Park horse pack outfitters > Rockin' HK. These guys provide unparalleled backcountry trips providing the chance of a lifetime to see some of the most pristine country the Rocky Mountain West has to offer... All this AND gourmet meals to boot !!

Along with adventure and the allure of back country fly fishing, you can also count on unmatched photographic possibilities of beautiful landscapes, high mountain scenery and a wide variety of wildlife. Including Grizzly Bear, Elk, Mountain Goats, Big Horn Sheep, Moose, and many different Birds of Prey.

www.rockinhk.com

Logo Design for Web-based Company building Wheelchairs for Pets in Need.

2010-03-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

There's no better feeling than to be able to help someone in need; even if that someone happens to be one of our 4-legged friends!
We were privileged to lend our creative expertise to the building of the Brand Identity for Ruff Rollin' Wheelchairs for Dogs... where they truly are, "Lifting spirits. One wag at a time."

Currently, they are busy pulling together all the parts and pieces needed to launch their new e-commerce store; beginning with the Brand Identity of their newly founded company,...

"Providing hope for you and your pet with custom built wheelchairs in the heart of the Rocky Mountains."
~ Spokesperson for Ruff Rollin' inc.

Trade Show Booth Design for Regulatory Specialists

2010-02-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile, a project comes along that is not only great in it's potential for creative, but large in scale. This particular Trade Show Booth was one of those projects, and was also one that was long overdue for the client. To add another twist to the creative side, time was also a key factor as it was under the gun for the Printer to produce in time for the show. Always up for a challenge, with only 3 1/2 business days to create, we got right to work. Creative started Friday, January 22nd at 5pm, and was due for FTP upload by Noon on Thursday, January 28th. As is typical with file sizes of this nature, transferring via FTP can be a challenge. The main files took about 47 minutes to send; with the subsidiary file about half of that. The folks at SKYLINE Orange County were wonderful to work with, and really went the extra mile to make sure the booth turned out as we intended. Thanks to Robyn, Grace and Greg Holland at Regulatory Specialists for the opportunity to create their new Trade Show Booth!

Three spots left for an unbelievable 10-day pack trip into the Thorofare of Yellowstone National Park

2010-02-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is a trip of a lifetime!
Brought to you by the experienced outfitters at Rockin' HK.

Description for 10-day Thorofare trip:
The Thorofare is in the most southern region of Yellowstone. You will be traveling south around Yellowstone Lake and along the south boundary of the Park covering some 90 miles. This fishing, wildlife viewing pack trip also offers incredible views in the most remote area of the lower forty-eight states. This area is home to Grizzle Bears, Elk, Moose and Wolves. We have many references to assure you a safe, comfortable and unforgettable trip. We supply everything except your personal gear. Please check out our web site at www.rockinhk.com or give Kipp or Heidi a call, 406-333-4505.

New Yoga Studio at Chico Day Spa!

2010-02-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Located at Chico Hot Springs outside of Emigrant, Montana; approximately 23 miles south of Livingston, MT.

February Class Schedule
Sunday & Wednesday 5:15pm
Thursday 9:30am
[ Space is limited. Please call ahead to reserve a spot in the class. ]

Coming This Spring!
CEU Courses for:
Professional Massage Therapists & Body Workers
Guided Meditation Classes, Tai Chi & more Yoga classes!

406.333.4553
www.chicohotsprings.com/spa
email: dayspa@chicohotsprings.com

New Equestrian Center in Superior Montana

2010-02-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

Here at Make Designs Creative we just completed a Brand Identity for an Equestrian Center set to open it's doors to our 4-legged horse friends and their riders so that they might enjoy all 4 seasons in our fabulous Big Sky State. Owners Marc & Roni Haskins are excited about their new facility and have been working hard to bring it all together. They are currently offering outdoor Arena use and Pens. Give 'em a call at 406.822.1717, or stop by and say hello, 75 Hollenback Lane.

Christmas Stroll, Livingston Montana, Dec 4th, 4-8pm

2009-12-03T14:32:00.000-08:00

POSTCARD DESIGN: Sleigh Ride Dinner Special

2009-11-02T13:18:00.001-08:00

LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH
Sleigh and Stay One Night Special from December 11–18, 2009. Only $149/person [includes: sleigh ride dinner, lodging and breakfast.]

Billboard :: Lone Mountain Ranch

2009-10-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

We've just finished up the design for the HWY-191 Lone Mountain Ranch Billboard. We enjoy all types of creative... but it sure is fun to do something LARGE in scale. {even if it does mean editing, condensing, re-editing & condensing your messaging...the true art of feng shui.}

It is always a pleasure to work with fabulous folks on the production side of a project as well. Thanks to Susan at Shepco Outdoor Advertising for the absolute ease of transition from our hands to theirs for implementation. Can't wait to see this as I'm driving up to my favorite place in the world to XCountry Ski >>> ahem,... Lone Mountain Ranch of course. If you've never been there, I highly recommend their fabulous Cross Country Skiing, incredible Sleigh Ride Dinner (make your reservations early! ...like now), and the welcoming Montana feel that just oozes from that place.

Celebrating our Client's 4th Anniversary

2009-09-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

What can be better than FREE cake and coffee?

The Brand Identity Process

2009-09-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

Creating a brand identity [logo, color palette, font set, etc] for a project, service, business, council, organization, you-name-it! is what we live for as graphic designers. It is somewhat of the "holy grail" in the world of advertising agencies and design studios as it gives us the chance to turn our clients visions into tangible realities. Some clients come to us without any vision at all, others with a very clear idea of what they desire to epitomize their image. Either way, the process is just that > a process. There is never a clear-cut, "push the easy button", straight line from point A to point Z. It is this challenge that makes the work so rewarding when a final product is chosen and the client has a piece of graphic art to call their own.

I have interested parties asking me all the time, "how much will a logo run me?" I wish it were as easy as "the Blue Light Special on Aisle 3". It is this reason that I was inspired to share with you the creative "behind the scenes" of the Park County Search & Rescue logo process. Enjoy!

First, we met with the client and looked at logo ideas they had pulled together, and listened to what they envisioned for a Brand Identity that would represent who they are and what they do...
We started with a very quick sketch session to get some ideas flowing...
From there, we dove in and began logo development from sketches; choosing on this particular project to keep color out of it for the most part unless necessary...
It was decided to develop a few designs along the way as they liked all the directions and really felt they couldn't make a proper decision for their organization without seeing each logo "rough" more defined, especially with regard to font selection. With a little feedback, we went back to the drawing board to flush out their vision for font & design.

We had all kinds of feedback along the way, every bit a crucial component for the end result.

Drumroll please...... We have a winner!!!

The end result was something that we were all very happy with! This process was such a wonderful experience. Every player was a key component to the end design. Now on to business cards, letterhead, signs, t-shirts, vehicle decals & more!

Here are a few notes on the project from others involved.

Hi Mary,

I dropped off that lettering sample to a printer to get a bid for having it printed, he is out of town until Monday, but I should hear from him after that.
Also, I had the ad slick of your logo sitting on my desk here. My husband saw it, and said, "Who did this? It looks great! I really like it!"
This is a man who asks when I wear a new outfit, "What is that, a dress?" He once described a woman's hair color as "plaid". He wouldn't even notice if there was a new chair, curtains or a gorilla in our living room. Soooo, I would say that is a pretty high compliment.

Lynn

Delta Signs

Hi Mary,
Finally! We have the OK to rock-n-roll with the Search & Rescue logos. At some point in the near future I’d like to chat about t-shirts, biz cards, letterhead, envelopes, etc.
Thank you SOOOOO much for all your help and determination…and to your colleagues as well!!!!!! I’m very proud of the new design and new direction of our program and you were a huge part of that.

Deputy Gregg Todd
Park County Search & Rescue
Park County Sheriff’s Office

welcome.!

2009-09-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

we are excited to join the conversation on the web,... to share a little of our world with you. so much is happening at our creative studios based at 124 1/2 north main, livingston MONT., here's a snippet or two:

a new website is under construction, launching today for it's preview run! (please check back to see our progress) www.makedesignscreative.com
we have recently wrapped up an exciting BRAND IDENTITY for a local client, Park County Search and Rescue, which will be featured on our website > portfolio. It's the perfect opportunity to show the magnitude of creative & insight that goes into a logo design of this nature. (eye candy art essay to follow).
lastly, we are feeling very settled in our new office space in downtown Livingston. stop by if you're ever in the neighborhood and say hello!