Category: Design & Writing Tips

Hiking for Mental Health

50/50 Hiking Project: Crested Butte Foothills

Anyone will tell you that I’m a hiking addict. Just a half-hour from my door, Colorado’s foothills feed my habit and coax me into hitting the trail. This obsession with fresh air and solitude also fuels my creative process and (seriously) keeps me sane! In January of 2021, I set an impromptu goal of going on fifty hikes in a calendar year. In addition to celebrating my half-century mark, I… Read more ›

Three Little Words

Three Little Words Blog Post Illustration

There’s something magical about the number three…just ask Aristotle, Goldilocks, or that fearless trio of Gryffindors. Whether the end result is a three-act play, a fairy tale, or a bestselling novel, it’s no secret that wordsmiths (like me) rely on the Rule of Three. Of course, this approach isn’t limited to writers. Artists, composers, musicians, dancers, photographers, scientists, and even mathematicians employ some version of this rhythmic rule. A triad… Read more ›

Biz Mama Interviews Yours Truly

Robin Ridley and her son

It was such fun to be quizzed by Biz Mama, an online hub where business-minded moms support one another and share their stories! Enjoy this brief interview, re-posted below… ********** Biz Mama: Can you give our readers some background info about your business? Robin: 
I launched Parfait Studio in 2007 with a focus on “multi-layered” concepts. Like the dessert that inspired my business name, I prefer ideas that are great… Read more ›

#HashtagsAreLazy

It’s hard to believe, but we’re coming up on the hashtag’s tenth anniversary. Love them or hate them, these social media standbys have been around long enough to seep into our collective subconscious. But has the hashtag forever changed the way we write and communicate? The punctuation formerly known as the pound sign has made its mark…permanently. We’ve memorized its spot on our smartphones. We’ve accepted the fact that our posts are… Read more ›

Are Business Cards stuck in the dark ages?

Maybe you order them by the truckload, or only use them on rare occasions. You may insist they’re essential, or view them as dusty remnants of “ye olden days.” Whatever your feelings about Business Cards, it’s worth exploring the origins of these mini-messengers. Better yet, let’s take a look at why on earth we’re still using them! Rumored to have originated in 15th century China, “visiting cards” were offered in order to declare one person’s… Read more ›

Walk to Unblock

Hiking makes me happy. The sight of a single-track trail, filled with mysterious twists and turns is enough to send me scrambling for my Tevas. Since I live and work in the city, I don’t have the luxury of trekking down a mountain path anytime the mood strikes, so I opt for the next best thing: urban walking. Walking occupies a special place in my heart and mind…literally. We all know… Read more ›

Why hire a designer-wordsmith hybrid? 

  A writer I respect once threw down the gauntlet that a skilled designer can’t be an equally skilled writer, and vice versa. Challenge accepted! While we may be slightly harder to find than a herd of unicorns, hybrid designer-wordsmiths do exist, and I would argue that the good ones are good precisely because we use one craft to hone the other. Words are a big deal to me. I grew up in a family… Read more ›