Adunate Word & Design

Uniting words & design for all your communication needs

holidays

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Pandemic Panache

Happy St. Patrick’s Day in what surely has been the strangest month most of us have ever seen. I won’t dwell on the chaos, since we all know what that’s about. Yet, two weeks ago, who would guess we’d be scrounging for toilet paper!

While I feel few effects of the coronavirus—after all, I regularly cocoon in my home office—it has adversely affected many of my customers. Restaurants, small farms, and family-owned businesses have all suddenly found themselves in difficult situations. To them and everyone else hit by this pandemic, my heart goes out to you.

On a Positive Note: Blessings Still Abound

What I love about people is how we pull together in times of need. I admire the creative ways we keep truckin’ right along, sometimes even better than before. Here are some of my favorites.

  • Indie Coffee, in Madison, offers curbside delivery. Many other businesses are as well. Check them out!
  • With no place to go and nothing extra-curricular to do, we are slowing down!
  • Rather than forcing its markets to close, Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association realizes people still need to eat healthy food and farmers must make a living.
  • Cocooning means connecting. Families are spending quality time together. Special memories are in the making!
  • Colectivo Coffee has closed its cafes but is committed to continue paying its cafe employees.
  • Spending time outdoors! It’s spring and what a wonderful time to get out and enjoy!
  • Hope Lake Country, like many other church families, gathered virtually for a fun and meaningful, live-stream service. Join the celebration again this Sunday!

Stay safe everyone. Step 6-feet aside and raise your Irish cream for a toast. May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow!

Looking Back at 2019

Isn’t this a cool tractor? It’s a 1939 Ford 9N, packing in 80 years of all-purpose, workhorse reliability. These days its main jobs are moving our chicken coops in summer and hauling wood in winter. With a bit of patience on the startup, this ol’ boy has as much get-up-and-go as the day its treads first hit the soil.

On that mark, we’re coming up on the winter solstice and I’m in full reflection mode of this past year. I smile to think how this vintage tractor was part of our family’s big year of zeroes. My husband and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in February. We then celebrated our 60th birthdays and our daughter’s 40th. On top of that, we’ve got a new grandbaby coming who will laud either the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. Yes, it’s been a monumental year and, no, none of us have aged at all (an obvious wink comes with that last part).

This year has been meaningful for Adunate as well. Here are a few highlights.

Workshop Presentations (aka Personal Growth)

I was proud to present workshops at the MOSES Organic Conference and the Women in Sustainable Ag Conference (WISA). Public speaking was a leap outside my comfort zone but I found it a compelling way to connect with the most interesting people. I love working with small, family farmers as they brand and market their businesses.

Meaningful Clients

In my 14 years of business, I’ve been blessed with wonderful clients doing exceptionally meaningful things. These are people who I not only work with in multitude of capacities but with whom I share great friendships. This year I was proud to add The Cider Farm and The Farmory to my list. I’ve also got upcoming projects for two very amazing clients and I can’t wait to showcase them.

An Upcoming Anniversary

Finally, as this decade comes to a close, I’m excited for 2020. It’s another big anniversary—15 years for Adunate! I’d be remiss without saying how much I appreciate everyone; from clients, to colleagues, to mentors. Thanks for being the Ford 9Ns in my world and letting me be the same in yours!

Happy Winter Solstice and God’s blessings to all!

Happy Perihelion Day!

Obviously, I’m not quite ready to give up the holidays. It seems I’m looking for any excuse at all to continue the festivities, so here’s to a warm and cheery Perihelion Day!

Perhaps you already knew this — I did not until I saw it on my Wisconsin Phenology Calendar —but perihelion is the term for when the earth is closest to the sun. You wouldn’t think we’d celebrate this during the heart of winter but as The Old Farmer’s Almanac explains, it’s the tilt of the Earth’s axis that affects our seasons, not our distance from the sun. So go ahead, raise that last bit of eggnog to being 3 million miles closer to the sun than we are in June.

Looking ahead to 2019

Getting back into the groove after 12 days of Christmas is hard— yes, we really did do the traditional 12 days of Christmas! We had a memorable season with family celebrations, worship services, movie, light show, hiking and an overnight trip. And don’t forget the food, lots of very good food.

Now today, Perihelion Day, it’s time to get back to work. Sigh.

In truth, I think I’m set to go. Yesterday as I cleaned my office and organized Adunate for coming year, I found myself feeling excited, optimistic and full of prayerful confidence. I’ve got some interesting projects in the pipeline. I’ll be working with fascinating people: foodies, farmers, non-profits and businesses, all of whom care about making things better for others. And I’m challenging myself to step further beyond my comfort zone—that’s where those prayers come in handy!

A Toast to 2019!

Here’s to many blessings in the New Year. Let’s keep in touch. I’ve got lots of ideas to take your business to a higher level!

Monthly News You Can Use!

Giving Tuesday: The Easiest Way to Put Christ Back in Christmas!

giving

Last week I was stopped at a Madison intersection along side this gentleman. “Homeless,” his sign read. “Anything helps.” I gave him some money, wished him God’s blessings and moved on with the green light.

Homeless. Jobless. Sick child. Hungry dog. These are the signs of street beggars. They populate our cities and evoke a complexity of consciousness. Most of us, myself included, waver between sympathetic tugs of the heart and hardened, self-righteous judgements. We wonder if giving money will help the homeless get out of the cold for the night. Or, we presumptuously assume we’re funding a “fix” for their addiction.

What are we as Christians to do?

Fortunately, God makes it a no-brainer. Throughout the Bible he repeatedly gives three instructions 1) Give to the Poor, 2) Do not judge, and 3) Spread Christ’s love. Since today is Giving Tuesday, I’ve come up with a quick and easy way to do all three.

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Here you go!

It’s the DIY Giving Envelope for your earthly and spiritual giving. Sized to fit your wallet, it’s ready to grab whenever you’re on the go. It handily showcases encouraging Bible passages without hiding the gift inside.

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I designed the DIY Giving Envelope with easy-to-read fonts for mega-quick scanning. Oh, I know, a homeless person might easily take the money and throw the envelope aside. But someone’s got to pick it up, right? Who knows what God has planned for this fibrous voice of optimism?

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The envelope opens wide so you can write the contact info of a welcoming organization on the inside. Best of all, this is a DIY that’s super easy to make!

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DIY Giving Envelope

  1. Click here for the full size PDF template.
  2. Print, fold in half on horizontal dotted line, and cut out around the solid line.
  3. Fold on the vertical dotted line to create an end for the envelope.
  4. Put in some money, keep in a handy place.
  5. You’re done! An easy five minutes, tops.

Finally, I understand some people conscientiously do not feel comfortable giving money to the homeless. You feel more responsible donating to a charitable organization. A heartfelt kudos to you. Perhaps you’d rather brighten someone’s day by leaving this DYI Giving Envelope in a returned library book or doctor’s office magazine. No matter how you give or to whom, know you’re offering a touch of God’s love. Do so with a prayer for the recipient!

Happy Giving Tuesday!

Happy New Year 2016!

 

Meandering Stream in Wisconsin Countryside

Isn’t this a pretty stream? I saw it a couple weeks ago while meandering through the Wisconsin countryside. Obviously, this year’s Christmas landscape was rather blasé, but here was a winding ribbon of blue to brighten things up. When this Bible passage came up on my New Years’ verse-a-day, I immediately thought of this scene.

In context, the Isaiah passage is referencing the release of the Jews out of their captivity and, beyond that, the redemption we all have through Christ Jesus. But what makes the Bible special is that we can easily apply its message to all aspects of our life. Like now, for the new year.

These first days of January always bring a sense of joy and anticipation. I’ve completely cleaned my office (believe me, it had become a wasteland!) and I have interesting projects ahead in the pipeline. I’m excited to see what new things God has planned for Adunate and my clients!

Happy 2016, everyone! May God bless your new year!

Celebrating With Eco-Friendly Totes

Adunate's cotton tote

My tote bags are in!

Since it’s Adunate’s anniversary year, I wanted to do something special for the wonderful people with whom I’ve had the honor to work. Many of them are sustainably-minded, be it with the food they produce or the products they manufacture. I felt it important to give them something that fits well with their business mission and way of life.

Adunate's cotton tote

I’m excited by the quality of the bag. I wanted a heavy duty cotton and found just what I was looking for at Bagmasters (ask for Amber, she was super helpful).

Adunate's cotton tote

The bags are 14″ x 10.5″ and have a 5″ gusset for lots of spacious stuffing.

Adunate's cotton tote

The shoulder straps are sturdily sewn into an inside binding and just the right length for comfortable carrying…

Adunate's cotton tote…or hanging a display of Christmas greenery…

Adunate's cotton tote

…on a lovely old door.

Have a totin’ good Christmas everyone! It’s a glorious time of year!

 

 

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Eggs!

Can I just say how good the air feels around here? Spring has sprung! I’ve been busy wrapping up a few special projects—more on those to come. And, I’ve got a houseful of guests coming for Easter dinner. The air here is filled with joy and excitement!

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26.

Yes, I do!