My boyfriend Aaron is super talented and makes all kinds of amazing stuff from custom furniture to custom cars. We met while working on a TV show and we’ve created all kinds of stuff together, some of which has been featured on this blog.  He’s been building custom stuff since he was old enough to hold a hammer, so we thought it was about time to put together a website showcasing a sampling of his handiwork.

He’s a freelancer, so if you need a dog mansion, a master bathroom, a treehouse,  a chicken coop or a china cabinet… feel free to drop him a line. Way more pics coming soon. Check it out! www.aaronmadeit.com

Thank you Lowell for getting this site up and running so quickly! I owe you 50 burritos.

Some people like to change their hair. Some people like to change their clothes. I have looked pretty much the same for 10 years, but my website is constantly in a style crisis. Since I’m an interior designer/graphic designer/photographer, I always get self conscious that my site is too designy or not designy enough. “Is the font too distracting? Are my portfolio photos big enough? I think I need color. No, wait. I hate color.”

Maintaining photo archives, updating websites, and writing blog posts is like a part time job. It’s a fantastic way to keep a journal of my life, but as with all things, I’m always thinking about how to make it better. As you can see I just re-designed JenChuDesign.com for the 4th time. Each iteration winds up being more minimal than the last, and I’m ok with that. I’ve embedded my blog into my portfolio site so now I only have 3 websites instead of 4! I updated my set design portfolio with a few new projects that I have not featured before. My old blog, jenchudesign.blogspot.com still exists, but I’m going to shut it down soon. I transferred everything to this blog, so the content is the same. Anyway, WELCOME!  Subscribe. Stay a while.

Pics taken in Beacon, NY. Big huge thanks to Lowell for helping me get this beast up and running. I owe you a burrito, man.

Today is a really big day for my friends Neelima & Kristin. These talented ladies recently started a company called Iron&Court, specializing in engagement and proposal planning. They came to me a few months ago seeking creative consulting, a website, head shots…the works. (Similar to the work I did for Natasha Huang of NH Media)

Their aesthetic is a good match for my design sensibility and I consider this my strongest graphic design work to date. (Big shout out to Lowell who helped me build the site) I think my favorite part was dragging them around my neighborhood, trespassing on private property with a can of hairspray under one arm and my SLR under the other, snapping headshots as strangers watched in amusement. :)

As a self-employed creative type, I’m always super supportive of friends who dare to embark on a new endeavor and start something of their own.  It isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it x 1000. Confucius said “Chose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Believe the wise, old, Chinese guy.

Today is Iron&Court’s official launch party! There’s going to be music, hor d’oeuvres, an open wine bar, etc…so if you’re in the Silicon Valley area and would like to celebrate with my friends or plan on proposing soon, email me and I’ll get you on the list.

www.ironandcourt.com

www.ironandcourt.com

My dear friend Ronnie told me about his Supper Club in San Francisco where he and his friends take turns hosting dinner. I love to throw dinner parties, so I decided to start a Supper Club of my own! I hosted the first one. Pics coming soon!

For the last few months I’ve been working with my good friend, Natasha Huang on developing brand identity for her marketing and PR company, NH Media. Natasha and I have been friends since high school, and often reminisce about the days we would goof off in physics class. We lost touch in college, but found each other again in New York, so NH Media was the perfect opportunity for us to work on a project together. I designed business cards, a website, and all kinds of other good stuff that I will blog about in the near future.

NH Media targets socially conscious companies and entrepreneurs while supporting organizations like The Blind Project, that rescue and rehabilitate victims of sex trafficking in Asia. She is a social media GURU so if you need to get your name out there, contact her. She’s so convincing that she actually got me to sign up for Twitter.

We also had an impromptu photo shoot and took some nice head shots for her website and bio. Which one do you guys like the most?

www.nhmediaspot.com

CLICK HERE for more photos from this entry!