Confessions of a Graphic Designer

I've lived in the same house for four decades, and as long as I can recall, there has been a wonderful health resource right here in my neighborhood. For many years my mom worked across the street from this resource, now known as  Providence St. Joseph.  Providence reaches far beyond my neighborhood, which is just east of downtown Seattle. It has grown over the years and is a  guardian angel   watching over seven Western states: Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Providence St. Joseph is the largest provider of health care in Washington State. Its services span from hospitals, clinics and senior centers, to hospice, home health services to communities of all size. The organization provides essential health care programs as well as social services to those who are poor and vulnerable, and they’ve showcased it as part of their “Health is a Human Right” campaign. The Health is a Human Right  camp...

It’s been a year since my husband, Kahuna Dave, and I opened our store, Alki Surf Shop, in West Seattle. The past 12 months have been filled with lots of laughter and learning, and we’ve met thousands of great people from nearby and all over the world. We’ve made new friends, rekindled past friendships, and love being a part of the Alki Beach community. It feels like we’ve been on a business “graduate school” crash course. We're smarter store owners now, and continue to evolve. Among some of the things we've learned: How to create a positive experience for people who visit; how to identify products that make sense; and how to work more effectively with suppliers. My husband's vision of "Hawaii-Beach-California" is fun, and comes through clearly in our store, from the fixtures to the colors and raffia and bamboo trim. One of the things I made a conscious effort to do is to incorporate my friends in the creation of our unique space. We’re constantly hear...