Note 001
I have been looking for a way to share more about things I am working on with my design business as well as home things in a longer format so I am going to strive to publish a blog on Mondays. Each post will cover the following 3 topics:
AT MY DESK – Client work, stationery projects, new products launched
AT HOME – Renovation updates, gardening and orchard updates
CURRENTLY – Books and podcast episodes I've enjoyed and recipes I have used recently etc..
So enjoy and read on!
AT MY DESK
Just to catch you up, here is how Inkblot has been configured lately. Half of my business is freelance graphic design and the other half is art licensing through Minted. I also work with Greenvelope but on a much smaller scale than Minted.
I have a few clients that I work with on a regular basis with graphic design support. One of them is Ingham's, the poultry producer. I work on a variety of projects for them under the brands Ingham's, Waitoa Free Range Chicken and Bostock Brother's. This has been a really great relationship and I have gotten to strengthen a lot of design muscles from layout, to packaging, expo space design. This week I am wrapping up artwork for a truck and trailer unit, so design at a really large scale.
Later in the week I am also starting a brand revival project for a client who is with Fish Digital. Fish Digital is is a not-for-profit agency started by one of my other clients, Annah Stretton that provides the small business community with effective and affordable marketing services. It been a minute since I worked on a branding project so I am excited to see how that develops.
On the art licensing front I am currently working on party invitations and personal stationery for Minted and I recently had a new digital business invite launch on Greenvelope. Pretty niche invite, but it was fun to make.
AT HOME
If you have been following along on my personal instagram @emmikaere or have talked to me in person you will know that our home renovation has been dominating our lives for the first half of 2026. You can catch up on the Reno if you check out my highlight reel on instagram. This weeks projects include having the plasterer come and do a skim coat on our guest bedroom/ensuite. This will be done by the end of the week and then guess what - more painting!! My personal instagram is private but please request to follow me so we can connect there too.
CURRENTLY
My favourite podcast episode this past week have been episode 566 of Creative Pep Talk with Andy J Pizza and Amelia Hruby. They talk about shifting some creative strategy off of social media. It really pushed me to start this blog format. But really it was my brother Jon over at Human Crafted who is doing something very similar where he documents what he is working on and the details behind them. So basically I am just copying him as all good little sisters do.
I am listening to the audio book version of Lighter by Yung Pueblo which I am loving. I joined the Sienna Spiro bandwagon and love You Stole The Show and Die On This Hill I also have Deeper Well on repeat by Kacey Musgraves and Sam Smiths new love song My Guy which I loooovve..
THE WRAP UP
I don't plan on writing this much every time, but I thought there was a lot I had to catch you up on since I tend to post less and less on my inkblot instagram as of late. I do however still use instagram and it is a great place to have quick messages back and forth, so please do reach out and message me @emmikaere.