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Recent Posts

  • Why my family uses branding to choose cafes
  • 10 lessons I learnt as an artist that help me be a better designer
  • My competition (not community!) research process
  • How colourful should your branding be?
  • 5 burnout recovery strategies for business owners
Studio Capabilities

Branding
Web design
Graphic design (print + digital)
Art direction
Packaging design
Illustration
Surface pattern design
Animation and 3D
Signage

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Always was, always will be.

I work and live on the traditional lands of the Bunarong people. Design Salad respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. For Design Salad, this includes ensuring we don’t appropriate indigenous visual culture. 

Graphic designer from Melbourne (well, the Mornington Peninsula)

Working with people worldwide

What an incredible family holiday we had in Japan! What an incredible family holiday we had in Japan! 

From Osaka + Universal studios to a mountain-top temple stay, to Kyoto, to a seaside fishing village + back. 

All the food, gardens, train adventures, walks, shopping + more food 🍱 So many wonderful memories + ideas to inspire me through the rest of the year! 

And a few of those ‘later this will be funny’ stories too! Like how my 5 year old got a tummy bug the morning before our flight and I had to come up with a creative mum-hack that didn’t involve packing 100 pairs of tiny jocks 🤣

It’s taken a few days to recover from the 24 hour trip home and those post-holiday thoughts of ‘why do humans work so much’? 

But now that I’m back in my studio, with peace and quiet and pens and paper, I remember why I choose to come here everyday 🌞 Can’t complain, really! 

What did I miss while I was away?
Happy first day of Spr🌷ng Winter - especially Happy first day of Spr🌷ng

Winter - especially August - has been a time of deep focus, paring my business down and shaking off all the small biz noise out there. The shoulds, the economy news, all the courses and programs promising an easier business journey. 

Small business, for me, it’s most joyful (and profitable) when I stick to what has always worked for me:

- looking after my clients 
- making great work
- staying in touch with friends/collaborators 
- sharing what I make 

In this order. That’s all. 

Today, I’m off on a 3 week family adventure to Japan! 

Cue travel photos, new design inspiration, whole days without screen time + sushi overload 🍙

I’ll be back end September bursting with fresh ideas 💥
New illustration and postcard design for the wonde New illustration and postcard design for the wonderful madlentoumbourou.consulting 

This project was an absolute joy to work on!

You can feel the vibrant brand personality as well as the sheer delight of the illustrator (me!) come through.

Madlen wanted a unique and fun illustrated thank you card that could also be used in various other print applications to create brand awareness and loyalty. 

It will also attract more clients who are looking for a unique take on business consulting.

The illustration references Madlen's method of curating her skills and experience (textures) and adapting them to suit the client's needs (blocks) to aim for more balance and direction (arrangement). 

A beautiful card is a keepsake that clients will *want* to keep on their desk/fridge/wall, while also serving as a subtle reminder of the awesome work you did for them - keeping you top of mind when they next need something.

We also turned the illustration into smaller graphics that can be used in anything digital or print (socials/document design/website/merch).

I also have to mention the stunning branding by jordanne.co . It's rare that I work with existing branding that makes it SO easy to create additional designs. Yes, Jordanne is technically my competition, but she's awesome and there's room for us all!

How lucky I am to work with/alongside so many talented, driven and just lovely women!

Get in touch if you'd like your own custom illustration in time for Christmas printing. Now booking projects starting in October.

Ps. I'm going on leave this Friday, 1-20 Sept. So emails and DM’s will be sporadic during that time!
In my first few years of business, the creative vs In my first few years of business, the creative vs. organisation balance seemed impossible! 

It did *not* happen naturally. 

And I still slip up occasionally (#notperfect)!

But for projects over 2 weeks, there’s a lot of moving parts, including outsourcing and waiting for content. To keep myself on track, I use clickup to work out the next priority. 

And clients can see the progress too if they want to! Some love it, some are indifferent, but either way it frees up my brain for my favourite parts of the job:

Dreaming up creative and interesting design solutions to business problems 💫

How do you keep organised? 

Ps this is not an ad!
Would you cook a spicy curry for your chilli-avers Would you cook a spicy curry for your chilli-averse Mum?

Would you use bland branding for clients seeking inspiration + real-life connection? 

Once we complete the THOROUGH brand strategy phase, you’ll understand your business and audience in a whole new way. 

We can then make design decisions based on research rather than whims. 

Get in touch to book a no-strings 30min chat about your business. 

Now booking October + November projects. 

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Slide text:
A brand strategy is like planning a dinner party meal...

You accommodate your guests needs, think about the occasion, time of day, and how you want your guests to feel afterwards... 

When it all comes together, your guests RAVE about the meal. 

They feel the love that went into it...
You can make your dream clients/customers feel like it was made just for them, with a STRATEGIC brand identity.

I’m Candice and I design strategic brands and websites that connect and convert.

Book a no-strings 30min chat to see if a rebrand would help your business.

www.designsalad.studio/contact
Link in bio
I’m still on a high after speaking at Reed Gift I’m still on a high after speaking at Reed Gift and Trade Fair on Monday! 

Was I nervous? Definitely! My body was giving all kinds of ‘don’t do this’ signs, but I really do love sharing knowledge. 

The key takeaways were:
1. Branding is your first impression, so make sure it connects.

2. There’s no business without customers. Brand your business for them. 

3. Colour is the fastest way to connect with your audience. Be strategic about your brand palette to get the best results.

4. Quick DIY Brand Audit questions 

If you have a membership, mastermind or event and need a speaker to talk about branding or brand strategy - get in touch! 

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Availability for branding projects: 2 X October and 2 X November. 
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📸 by my handy husband!

© 2016-2023 Design Salad. Site by Design Salad. Copy by Copy Circle. Photography of Candice by Sally Goodall Photography.