Cynthia Oswald

Surface Design, Fine Art + Branding for Creatives

Resources

Email Deliverability

How to Keep Your Emails Out of Junk Folders
How to Keep Your Emails Out of Junk Folders

Email deliverability has become a hot topic recently, especially with updated standards aimed at reducing spam. While these changes are great for inboxes everywhere, they can create headaches for small business owners and individuals who rely on email to communicate with clients and customers. If you’ve noticed your open rates dropping or heard that your emails are landing in junk folders, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Here’s a quick and simple guide to improving your email deliverability.

Step 1: Set Up SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

What is it? SPF tells email servers which servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. Without it, your emails may look suspicious and get flagged as spam.

How to Set It Up:

1. Log into your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc.).

2. Go to the DNS settings or DNS management section.

3. Add a new TXT record with these details:

  • Name/Host: Enter @ (or leave it blank if required).
  • Value/Content: Use the SPF record provided by your email provider. You can typically find this record in their documentation or support center. For example, Gmail users might use: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
  • TTL: Leave it as default or set it to 1 hour.

4. Save your changes

Learn more about SPF here.

Step 2: Set Up DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

What is it? DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, proving they came from you and haven’t been tampered with.

How to Set It Up:

1.Go to your email provider’s admin settings:

  • For Google Workspace, navigate to Admin Console > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Authenticate email.
  • For Microsoft 365, go to the Exchange Admin Center > Mail Flow > DKIM.

2. Generate a DKIM key. You’ll get:

  • Selector/Name (e.g., google or mail).
  • Public Key (a long string of characters).

3. Add another TXT record to your DNS settings:

  • Name/Host: Use the selector + _domainkey. Example: google._domainkey.
  • Value/Content: Paste the public key.
  • TTL: Leave as default or set to 1 hour.

4. Save the record and verify it in your email provider’s admin panel.

Find a DKIM setup guide here.

Step 3: Add a DMARC Record

What is it? DMARC tells email servers how to handle messages that fail SPF or DKIM checks—whether to reject, quarantine, or accept them.

How to Set It Up:

1. Add another TXT record in your DNS settings:

  • Name/Host: _dmarc
  • Value/Content: Example DMARC policy: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:your-email@example.com
  • TTL: Default or 1 hour.

2. To identify the correct DMARC policy values, check your email provider’s recommendations. Most providers will guide you on the best policy based on your sending behavior and needs.

3. Change p=none to p=quarantine or p=reject once you’ve confirmed everything works. Learn more about DMARC here.

Step 4: Test Your Setup

Once you’ve set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, it’s time to test everything:

  • Use tools like Mail Tester or MXToolbox to check your email deliverability.
  • Send test emails to friends or colleagues and ask if they land in the inbox.

If you’re a web client of mine, I’m happy to help ensure your email deliverability is on point as part of our project. While I don’t offer this as a standalone service, I’ve seen how small tweaks like these can make a big difference in reaching your audience effectively.

Let’s make sure your emails shine where they belong—in the inbox!

web designer

Is your website optimized to reach its fullest potential in search engines? Whether you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO strategy or start building a strong online presence from the ground up, I’m here to help. Let’s discuss how we can increase your visibility and attract more of your ideal customers. Reach out for a personalized SEO consultation, and together, we’ll ensure your website not just exists but stands out and attracts the audience it deserves.

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How to Design for the People Who Matter Most: Your Audience

How to Design for the People Who
Matter Most: Your Audience

Design with Heart: How to Create a Brand Your Audience Truly Connects With

Picture this: You’re hosting a party, and you’ve spent hours picking out the perfect outfit. You’re polished, stylish, and feeling great. But when the time comes, no one shows up. Why? Because in all the excitement about how you’d present yourself, you forgot to make the event about your guests. Maybe the invite wasn’t clear, the vibe didn’t match what they were looking for, or you never followed up to remind them.

Designing for your brand works the same way. It’s not just about looking polished or professional—it’s about creating an experience that connects with the people who matter most: your audience. But how do you create designs that go beyond aesthetics and truly connect? It starts with understanding. Designing with connection in mind requires knowing your audience on a deeper level—their needs, their emotions, and the problems they’re hoping you can solve. It also means knowing yourself: the story behind your brand, the values you stand for, and the impact you want to make.

When your design reflects this balance, it becomes more than just visuals—it becomes a bridge. It brings your story to life while helping your audience feel seen, understood, and inspired. In this blog, we’ll explore how to approach this process with intention, empathy, and purpose. 

Who Are You Designing For?

Before diving into any design decisions, it’s important to step back and ask yourself: Who am I designing for? Your audience isn’t just a demographic or a collection of data points—they’re real people with emotions, needs, and values. And connecting with them starts with seeing them as individuals, not just numbers on a chart.

But how do you truly see your audience and understand what resonates with them? For me, it actually begins with the heart of your brand. I’ve found that the best way to design with connection is to start with the story behind the business. After all, your story is what shapes the bridge between your brand and the people you’re trying to reach. So, when I work with clients, I actually don’t start by drilling into audience specifics right away. Instead, I focus on their story first. I’ll ask questions like:

  • Why did you start your business?
  • What inspired you to bring this product or service into the world?
  • What unique problem are you solving for your audience?

These conversations help us get to the “why” behind their work. And when we uncover that, it naturally leads to a clearer understanding of who they’re trying to reach. Then from there, we’ll dig deeper into their audience. I’ll ask things like:

  • What pain points is your audience experiencing?
  • What emotions do you want them to feel when they encounter your brand?
  • Who is your ideal client? What does their day-to-day life look like?

Translating Audience Insights into Visuals

Once you understand who your audience is, the next step is bringing that connection to life through design. Every visual element—whether it’s a color, font, or image—should do more than look nice. It should carry meaning, resonate emotionally, and reflect the story you’re telling.

  • Color: Colors are incredibly powerful—they’re emotional triggers that can instantly set the tone for your brand. For example, blue conveys trust and reliability, making it a staple for industries like healthcare and finance. Green symbolizes growth and renewal, often chosen by eco-friendly brands. Red grabs attention with its energy and urgency, while yellow radiates joy and optimism. Choosing the right color isn’t just about personal preference; it’s about evoking the feelings your audience needs to experience when they see your brand.
  • Typography: Fonts are equally powerful—they’re storytellers in their own right. A serif font might feel traditional and established, while a sans-serif font feels modern and approachable. Even small details, like the thickness or spacing of letters, can influence how people perceive your brand. It’s these subtleties that turn text into an extension of your brand’s personality.
  • Imagery: Patterns, illustrations, and photos give your brand depth and help your audience see themselves in your story. Maybe it’s a lifestyle image that mirrors their aspirations or a hand-drawn pattern that adds a personal touch. Whatever you choose, imagery brings your brand to life, creating a visual language that resonates on a deeper level.

Design is a lot like choosing an outfit—it’s about style. And just like your wardrobe, your brand’s style can evolve over time as you grow. What matters most is that your style feels aligned with your audience’s expectations while staying true to who you are. Because at the end of the day, effective design is about creating that bridge that invites your audience to engage with your brand and feel a sense of belonging.

Balancing Audience Needs with Authenticity

This is where the art of design truly shines—finding the balance between what your audience needs and what feels authentic to your brand. Lean too far toward meeting audience expectations, and you risk losing the essence of who you are. Veer too far toward personal preferences, and the connection with your audience may falter.

The key to navigating this balance comes back to one of my favorite design principles—empathy. Start by stepping into your audience’s shoes and asking yourself:

  • What problem am I solving for them?
  • What emotions do I want them to feel when they engage with my brand?

But don’t stop there. Equally important is reflecting on your own values and vision. Design is about connection, but that connection only works when it feels true to you. Your brand should never feel like it’s trying to be something it’s not.

If you find yourself feeling stuck between audience preferences and personal authenticity, testing can be a powerful tool. Share two design options with your audience and gather feedback—whether through a poll, a survey, or a small focus group. This not only helps you understand what resonates most but also brings your audience into the process, creating a sense of collaboration and connection.

At the end of the day, the best designs are the ones that honor both sides of the bridge: staying true to your story while building a genuine connection with your audience.

A Simple Path to Starting Today

If you’re ready to start designing with your audience in mind, begin with small, intentional steps. Take a moment to reflect on your current branding:

  • What’s working? What do you love about your design?
  • What’s not working? What feels misaligned or outdated?
  • What emotions do you want your audience to feel when they engage with your brand?

Once you’ve answered these questions, try creating a Pinterest board to gather inspiration. Look for colors, typography, and imagery that feel aligned with both your vision and your audience’s needs. This simple exercise can help you identify patterns, clarify what feels authentic, and spark ideas for where to take your design next.

Designing with Connection in Mind

At its core, design is about connection. It’s about creating something that feels authentic to your brand and meaningful to the people you’re trying to reach. If your current design doesn’t feel like it’s telling your story, or if it’s not evoking the emotions you want your audience to feel, take it as an opportunity to refine. But keep in mind, you don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Even small, thoughtful changes—like refreshing a color palette, updating a font, or swapping out imagery—can create a ripple effect. The key is to start with intention and let each adjustment bring you closer to a brand that connects deeply with your audience.

And if you’re looking for a little guidance along the way, I’d love to help. Together, we can craft a brand that feels like you—authentic, aligned, and ready to resonate with the people who matter most.

Do you have a logo in mind that embodies your business or vision, or are you looking to create one? I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts or reach out for a consultation to bring your vision to life. And if you’re a designer, why not take these principles and apply them to your next project? Let’s create logos that don’t just exist but make a resonant and lasting impression.

Bring your logo to life

White Wave Restorations: The Transformative Power of Constructive Rest

Finding Balance:
An Interview with Jen of White Wave Restorations

Our lives are often filled to the brim with tasks, responsibilities, and endless notifications, leaving little room for rest and reflection. At White Wave Restorations, Jen has created a space where stillness, intentional pauses, and deep restoration take center stage. Her work, rooted in a beautiful combination of holistic healing and her background as a registered nurse, invites us to reconnect with ourselves, recalibrate our nervous systems, and rediscover the power of simply being.

I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing Jen’s passion for her work firsthand—from her transformative sound immersions to our inspiring conversations about the ripple effects of healing. As someone who values creativity and intentional living, I found so much alignment between Jen’s mission and my own approach to life and art. This conversation felt like a reminder of how slowing down and nurturing ourselves can create waves of impact in our communities and beyond.

In this interview, Jen shares her journey into holistic healing, her philosophy of “constructive rest,” and the profound ways her work extends beyond individual sessions to touch the lives of many. If you’ve ever felt the pull to create space in your life or are curious about practices that balance the mind, body, and spirit, Jen’s story is one you won’t want to miss.

What is White Wave Restorations?

Jen introduced White Wave Restorations as a space for stillness and deep restoration. She described her offerings, including sound immersion, craniosacral therapy, and grounding yoga, as practices that allow individuals to “take up space and simply be.” Jen highlighted how these experiences provide time away from modern life’s constant demands and distractions, creating opportunities for healing and peace.

“Sound immersion is about choosing to take an hour to just be—no phones, no distractions, just receiving coherent frequencies that bring deep restoration,” she explained. Similarly, her yoga practices focus on stillness, offering space for participants to be with themselves in a calming environment.

The Journey to Now: How Did Jen Find Her Path?

Jen’s journey into holistic healing began with her own transformative experiences in yin yoga and sound baths. She shared how these practices helped her manage stress during her nursing career and improved her sleep and overall well-being.

“I love it so much, I want to share this with people,” she reflected. Through her experiences, she realized the profound impact of these modalities and decided to explore them further, eventually building her business.

Jen added that working as a nurse illuminated the importance of rest and healing environments. “I saw how the noise and constant interruptions in hospitals weren’t supportive to the healing process. That inspired me to offer something completely different—a space for true rest and repair.”

Balancing Tradition and Intuition: How Has Her Nursing Background Shaped Her Practice?

Jen credited her years as a registered nurse with honing her ability to read people intuitively. She explained how she uses both data and intuition to assess her clients’ needs, emphasizing that healing often begins with the spirit and manifests in the physical body.

“In nursing, I learned to check the energy of a room. That skill has carried over into my practice,” she shared. “When someone walks in, I can sense what they need—whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual support—and respond accordingly.”

She also highlighted how her bedside manner helps create trust and safety for her clients, allowing them to relax fully into the healing process.

Constructive Rest: What Does It Mean?

The concept of “constructive rest” emerged intuitively for Jen, but over time, its meaning became clear.

“It’s about creating a space where people don’t have to do anything—they can just show up and rest,” she explained. Jen emphasized how the environments we choose for rest—whether at home or during a session—deeply influence our ability to truly restore ourselves.

She described constructive rest as regenerative and healing on a deeper level. “When you feel safe, warm, and supported, your body can rebuild itself, balancing the nervous system and fostering healing.”

Ripple Effects: How Does Her Work Impact the Community?

Jen reflected on the ripple effects of her work, noting how individual healing extends outward.

“When people leave feeling calm and resilient to stress, it changes how they interact with others,” she said. She described how this calm energy translates to families, workplaces, and communities, creating broader positive impacts.

“It’s profound to think about how something as simple as taking time for yourself can ripple out to make a difference in the world.”

Passion in Practice: What Does It Feel Like to Turn Passion Into a Practice?

Jen spoke emotionally about the gratitude she feels for doing this work.

“It’s unbelievable gratitude—to be able to offer this and for people to choose to experience it,” she shared. She recounted how stepping fully into this path four years ago was both scary and empowering, especially as a self-employed practitioner.

Her most rewarding realization is that the healing she facilitates also impacts her. “Every time I give a sound bath, I’m also receiving one. It’s this beautiful exchange of energy, and I feel so grateful to be a part of it.”

Where to Learn More

How you can connect with Jen and her work:

We also hinted at an exciting upcoming retreat in July, which will combine sound immersion and art practices in a serene, restorative setting. Stay tuned!

Why Your Logo Should Make Them Feel Something (Not Just Look Good)

Your Logo, Your Story: Making an Emotional Connection Through Design

Why Your Logo Should Feel Like You: Design That Builds Trust and Connection

Your logo isn’t just a design. It’s the face of your brand, the first impression you make before a single word is spoken. Think about it: when someone visits your website, spots your ad, or even notices your product in the wild, what’s the first thing they look for? Your logo. It sets the tone, tells your audience who you are, and begins to build that all-important connection.

But here’s the thing—your logo isn’t just about recognition. It’s also about emotion. A great logo creates trust, sparks curiosity, and invites people to feel something meaningful about your brand. And that feeling? It’s what turns a business into a brand people remember, rely on, and champion.

In this post, I want to explore why your logo should be so much more than a “pretty design.” Whether you’re creating a new one or thinking about refreshing your current logo, let’s dive into what makes a logo resonate on a deeper level—for both your audience and you.

What a Logo Truly Represents

At its core, a logo is a visual representation of your brand’s identity and purpose. It’s the bridge between your business and your audience, creating recognition and trust while reflecting the values that make your brand unique.

One of the biggest misconceptions about logos is that they’re all about aesthetics. Yes, a logo should look good—but more importantly, it should feel right. A well-designed logo inspires pride and confidence in you as a business owner, serving as a tangible symbol of the work you’ve poured your heart into.

Think of your logo as the “welcome mat” for your brand. When it aligns with your story and speaks to your audience, it sets the stage for meaningful connection and loyalty.

Crafting an Emotional Connection Through Design

A logo’s design elements—colors, typography, and shapes—are more than stylistic choices. They’re tools that evoke emotion and communicate meaning.

  • Colors: Every color tells a story. Blue often evokes trust and reliability, while green symbolizes growth and renewal. Red sparks energy, and yellow feels cheerful and optimistic. When choosing colors for a logo, it’s about aligning those emotional associations with the story your brand is telling.
  • Typography: Fonts set the tone, too. A serif font feels timeless and traditional, while sans-serif fonts feel modern and clean. The thickness, spacing, and even the curves of the letters can influence how people perceive your brand.
  • Shapes and Symbols: Shapes are surprisingly powerful. Curved lines can feel friendly and approachable, while sharp angles might suggest precision or innovation. Symbols, when used intentionally, can communicate ideas that resonate deeply with your audience.

By weaving these elements together, your logo becomes more than a mark—it becomes a feeling. It’s about using design to speak to your audience’s emotions and create a lasting connection.

The Story Behind the Logo

Every great logo is rooted in a story. It’s not just a graphic—it’s shorthand for your brand’s mission, values, and personality.

When I work with clients, we always start with the story. I ask questions like:

  • What problem are you solving for your audience?
  • What values drive your business?
  • How do you want people to feel when they encounter your brand?

These answers guide every design decision, ensuring the final logo reflects both the heart of the brand and the needs of its audience. Storytelling is a natural part of branding—it’s what makes your logo more than a design. It makes it a connection point.

The Emotional Payoff of the Right Logo

When your logo feels right, everything changes.

For you, the business owner, a well-crafted logo is empowering. It boosts your confidence, motivates you to show up, and gives you a visual identity you’re proud to share with the world. It’s like putting on a perfectly tailored outfit—it just feels good, and you carry yourself differently because of it.

For your audience, the right logo builds trust and familiarity. It creates an emotional connection that grows stronger with every interaction, turning your brand into something they recognize, value, and recommend to others.

I’ve seen this transformation firsthand. When a client sees their final logo and says, “Yes, this is it. This feels like me,” it’s a moment of alignment that goes far beyond the design. It’s about capturing the essence of their brand in a way that resonates with their audience and empowers them to step confidently into the future.

Moving Beyond the Pretty Design

If your logo doesn’t feel like it’s telling your story, it’s worth taking a closer look. 

Ask yourself:

  • Does my logo communicate what my brand stands for?
  • Does it evoke the feeling I want my audience to experience?
  • Does it reflect the quality and care I put into my work?

Your logo should evolve as your brand grows. It’s not about starting over—it’s about building on what’s already working and refining it to align with your current vision. Sometimes, even a small tweak can make a big difference.

Building a Brand That Feels Right

Your logo isn’t just a design. It’s a feeling. It’s a story. It’s the face of your brand and the bridge that connects you to your audience. When your logo aligns with your mission, values, and vision, it becomes so much more than a graphic. It becomes a symbol of trust, loyalty, and connection.

If your current logo doesn’t feel like it’s doing your story justice, take a moment to reflect. What’s working? What’s not? What small changes could bring it closer to the brand you’ve built and the impact you want to make?

And if you’re ready for support, I’d love to help. Whether it’s a refresh or a complete rebrand, let’s create a logo that feels as good as it looks—one that tells your story, connects with your audience, and inspires pride every time you see it.

Do you have a logo in mind that embodies your business or vision, or are you looking to create one? I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts or reach out for a consultation to bring your vision to life. And if you’re a designer, why not take these principles and apply them to your next project? Let’s create logos that don’t just exist but make a resonant and lasting impression.

Bring your logo to life

25 Days of Minis: Rest, Renewal, and the Magic of Slow Living

25 Days of Minis: A Collection Rooted in Rest, Renewal, and the Beauty of Slow Living

When my youngest daughter was just a few weeks old, we found ourselves in the NICU for ten days. She had RSV, and nothing else mattered but her. I slept in a recliner by her side watching over her every moment. Later, at four months old, she developed severe allergies—red, itchy, and uncomfortable from head to toe. I was restless, trying to solve the problem, and it was heartbreaking to see her struggle. During those sleepless days, I painted a few sleeping baby animals for her nursery.

While those paintings were meant for her, I realize now they were just as much for me. They brought me comfort and peace in a time of uncertainty, and they planted the seed for a collection I’ve wanted to create ever since.

This year, I finally brought that vision to life with my latest collection, Dreaming in the Wild. Inspired by the beauty and restoration found in embracing our natural rhythms, this collection reflects the profound benefits of rest and time in nature. Born from a desire to encourage slow moments within my own family, these minis invite us to pause, drift, and renew, echoing nature’s gentle reminder that rest can restore balance, creativity, and calm for all ages.

Bringing the Collection to Life

Creating this collection has been a deeply therapeutic process. From imagining the resting animals to painting botanical abstractions inspired by nature’s rhythms, each mini tells its own story. The process itself has been magical—a way to pause, reflect, and pour intention into each piece.

When it came time to showcase the collection, I knew I wanted the photographs to reflect its inspiration: the forest behind my childhood home. Collaborating with Tina Crespo on the photography was pure joy. Her artistry brought the collection to life in a way I couldn’t have imagined. We even introduced live snails I collected from my garden into the styled background, creating a terrarium for them to move freely on the set. They added a touch of whimsy and magic that perfectly captured the spirit of the collection.

View the collection

The Magic of Minis

This is my fourth year participating in the 25 Days of Minis, a celebration of small artworks shared by a collective of artists throughout December. I love the tradition of releasing one mini painting each day leading up to Christmas. It’s such a meaningful way to connect with collectors and share the magic of the holiday season.

These minis hold a special place in my heart. They’re more than just paintings—they’re symbols of rest, renewal, and the joy of small, intentional moments. I imagine them in your spaces, bringing a bit of calm and beauty into your life. Whether it’s a sleeping fox, a chipmunk nestled in the grass, or a botanical abstraction that invites pause, my hope is that each piece feels like a gentle invitation to slow down.

Looking Ahead

While these paintings are available now as part of the 25 Days of Minis, they’re also part of a larger story. I’m working on a children’s book inspired by this collection, designed to encourage rest for both little ones and their grown-ups. It’s a project close to my heart, rooted in my own journey as a mother and my belief in the restorative power of slowing down.

Finding Your Moment

Dreaming in the Wild is a collection inspired by the beauty and restoration found in embracing our natural rhythms. My hope for this collection is simple: that it inspires you to pause, rest, and see the beauty in life’s quiet moments. Whether you take home a mini or simply follow along as each piece is unveiled, I hope you feel a bit of the magic and intention behind every brushstroke. Thank you for being part of this journey with me.

Ready to bring more of nature’s beauty into your home or workspace? View my available works or contact me to discuss collaborating.

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The Story Behind the Secret Garden Alphabet Blocks

Flora Alphabet Blocks
The Story Behind the
Secret Garden Alphabet Blocks

Ornate letters, intricate designs, and a sense of wonder—that’s what I set out to create with my Secret Garden Alphabet Blocks. This project has been years in the making, sparked by a blend of curiosity and a real desire to bring something meaningful to life for my daughter. It’s turned into one of the most rewarding creative journeys I’ve taken on, deeply rooted in what matters most to me—family, nature, and that special magic that comes with learning.

I wanted these blocks to be more than just another set of alphabet toys. My vision was for them to feel like tiny treasures, each one holding a piece of nature’s beauty, inviting small hands to explore and little minds to get curious. Each letter, each detail was thought through with the hope that they’d inspire a quiet sense of wonder and discovery. I imagined my daughter—and hopefully others—stacking them, naming the flowers, and learning as they went, surrounded by that sense of calm that comes from simple, beautiful things.

Where It All Began

The idea for these blocks came to me over six years ago, when I was pregnant with my daughter, Leona. I was excitedly diving into nursery décor, dreaming up a space that felt warm and beautiful, with pieces that would have a lasting, meaningful presence as she grew. As I hunted for just the right items, I realized there were pieces I wanted that didn’t quite exist—at least not in the way I envisioned them.

I had extra time on my hands, so I started creating some of these pieces myself. I designed and sewed her nursery curtains with patterns I crafted, and that hands-on process led me to think, “What else could I bring to life?” One of those things was a set of alphabet blocks, but not just any blocks. I imagined something beautiful and thoughtful, something that could help Leona learn but also carry a story and a sense of artistry.

As I started sketching out ideas, the concept came together: I could merge my love for lettering with floral elements to create something unique and personal. I’ve always been a bit protective over cursive, knowing it’s fading out of schools, so adding script and cursive elements felt especially meaningful. This blend of flowers and letter forms became the heart of what would later be called the Secret Garden blocks. It wasn’t just a learning tool—it was a little piece of wonder that I wanted to pass down, connecting my love for art, nature, and the magic of childhood discovery.

Order your set

From Sketches to Finished Letters

Bringing these blocks to life took more than a few sketches and a lot of creative trial and error—it was an evolution that started simply with Leona’s name. Just designing those first few blocks was a puzzle in itself, balancing the different sides of each block with the mix of flowers and letter styles I wanted to include. Each letter had its own flower, so I played around with different ways to make each one feel unique while still belonging to the same cohesive set.

I went through the full process for each letter: sketching, inking, and refining them as vector art—a slow, meticulous journey creating 130 mini-illustrations. Every block needed to look intentional, with just the right balance between the delicate details of each flower and the playful nature of a child’s learning tool. My art style leans toward the representational, so it was important to me that each flower was both recognizable and visually striking, even on the small scale of the blocks. It took time to refine each design, but I wanted every little detail to feel like it truly belonged—a balance of nature’s beauty and a child’s sense of wonder.

Why Secret Garden?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been captivated by The Secret Garden—the book, the movie, and the very idea of finding magic in hidden places. As a child, I spent hours exploring the nature around my parents’ home, always on the lookout for little worlds within the larger landscape. There was this one spot in particular, a quiet deer bed nestled at the top of a field, that felt like a hidden world just for me, like my own secret garden.

When it came to these alphabet blocks, the theme of a “Secret Garden” felt like a perfect fit. My daughters, still so young, are in this amazing phase where learning is like discovering hidden treasures—the letters and words are like little secrets they’re just beginning to unlock. Watching their eyes light up as they figure out a new sound or recognize a letter reminds me of those magical moments of discovery I had as a child.

This theme also speaks to something deeper: the beauty of small, simple things, the quiet joy in life’s details, and the magic that lives in the everyday. With these blocks, my hope is to spark that same sense of discovery in other children, inviting them to find wonder in both language and nature, and to carry that curiosity forward as they grow.

Bringing the Blocks to Life

One of the biggest challenges in bringing these blocks to life was figuring out how to make the designs both practical and durable while staying true to the artistic vision. My original idea involved etching each design into the wood, but as I dove into production details, it became clear that this approach wasn’t practical—it would be too costly and time-intensive. Plus, kids are naturally hands-on, and an etched design would be harder to keep clean with little fingers constantly exploring each block.

After researching and building relationships in the industry, I discovered that printing the designs would be the best way to balance quality, cost, and durability. I chose a two-tone color scheme to keep the blocks neutral, allowing them to look beautiful in any setting. I wanted these to be timeless heirlooms—blocks that could be passed down from one generation to the next. I even focused on using high-quality materials sourced from the U.S. so that I could feel confident in the ethics and craftsmanship behind each set.

Imagining How They’ll Be Used

When I think about all the ways people might use these blocks, I get deeply excited. I picture children carefully spelling out their names, stacking the blocks high, or even arranging letters to leave little messages. I’ve already seen my kids interact with the blocks in ways I hadn’t even imagined—from picking out and naming each flower to mixing the different letter styles just for fun. Watching them explore feels like watching that little light of curiosity grow, whether they’re learning letters or discovering a bit of nature right there on each block.

And my hope is that these blocks aren’t just for children—they’re designed to have a place in anyone’s home who appreciates art and nature. I wanted them to feel timeless and special, something that could be a playful part of a child’s space but also a beautiful piece for adults who see the charm in thoughtful details. My hope is that they become little reminders of simplicity, sparking those warm, quiet moments of connection and creativity for everyone who encounters them.

A Creative Journey & What’s Next

Looking back on this project, I realize it has taught me so much about my creative process and my role as an artist. While I’ve created larger, more colorful pieces before, these blocks have become one of my favorite projects because they’re about more than just me. This project has been a way to give back, to create something that can make a parent’s life a little easier or bring a child confidence in learning. It’s about creating something that serves others, which has always been close to my heart.

This journey has also inspired future projects. I’m already imagining new ways to use these letterforms—perhaps in logos, book designs, or other creative projects that merge typography with nature-inspired themes. I see many more alphabets in my future, and I’m excited to keep exploring the possibilities that come with creating art that has both personal and universal meaning.

Order Your Own Secret Garden Alphabet Blocks

These blocks are now available for pre-order, and I can’t wait for them to make their way into your homes, where they can be enjoyed and passed down. If you’re interested in ordering a set, now is the perfect time to get in on this special first release. Each block is crafted with care, and I hope they bring as much joy to you and your family as they have to mine.

Ready to bring more of nature’s beauty into your home or workspace? View my available works or contact me to discuss collaborating.

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