Hello 2011, goodbye 2010

Okay, so I'm a little late to say 'Happy New Year' as we're already eleven days in, but Happy New Year anyway! I've got big plans for this year - firstly, the Howabout website is getting an overhaul to better reflect my graphic design work and to reflect the fact that I am Harrogate based (but with a regional and national reach, obviously). The visuals are more or less complete, and I'm pleased with the way they look, so now its just a case of building the site and getting it live - hopefully that will be complete sooner rather than later.

So far this year, I've completed a nice 4pp newsletter for Beaucare Medical in Harrogate, and am midway through a couple of bits of marketing material for YorkTest in York. Tomorrow I have a big pitch somewhere 'darn sarf' (being deliberately vague here) and it seems that I may have an additional client using my services come late Jan/Feb (being deliberately vague again). All-in-all, not a bad start to the year.

Oh, bought a new (well second hand) car late December as the last one was about to give up on me, so been working on a couple of compilation CDs for in-car listening. What do you reckon to one that includes Ash, Beach Boys, Skids, Julian Casablancas, Chili Peppers, Super Furries, Led Zep, Beatles and Charlatans (amongst others)?

It's been a while...

It's been over a month since I last blogged, so I figured its about time I told you what Howabout Creative Solutions have been up to in and around Harrogate. I've been lending my graphic design skills once again to YorkTest Laboratories (lovely client), Clive Sutton, deliciouslyorkshire, Solace and Beaucare Medical. I've also had time to do a little bit of fun stuff for my own benefit, so its with that in mind that I've attached this little poster I did featuring my beautiful daughter.

I can't believe how cold its been of late, but it has meant that sledging has been a fairly regular part of each day for the last couple of weeks. Its been the favoured mode of transport for the school run actually. Talking of school, I've also been helping out there (Richard Taylor that is) with their newsletter and school newspaper (which is written by the kids, and put together by them, with just a helping hand from me and one or two other parents) - its been good fun.

As ever, music plays a key role in my working day, and here's whats been playing recently... The Strokes (Room on Fire), Lamb, Jane's Addiction (early stuff), Alabama 3 and a bit of the mighty Led Zeppelin

Been a fairly busy couple of weeks, hence no blog updates for a while. Been working on various bits and pieces for deliciouslyorkshire, York Test Laboratories and Clive Sutton. As a little sample, here is a Photoshop'd 'before and after' shot used for an invite for one of my clients. Hope you like it...

Sounds lately have included Sly and the Family Stone (currently playing actually), Lloyd Cole, Penguin Café Orchestra and The Cure.

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Well the recent marketing material I produced for York Test Laboratories was very well received, so I hope that's the beginning of a beautiful relationship (professionally speaking of course) and am now onto some advertising for Clive Sutton (in dear old London Town) and the next newsletter for deliciouslyorkshire. Oh and talking to the headmaster of my daughters school (Richard Taylor in Bilton) about doing a newsletter and other bits and pieces for them (freebie of course).

The Howabout hi-fi has been grooving to the likes of The Cure, Sly and the Family Stone and The Clash lately (and Arlo Guthrie too - well I gotta listen to 'Alice's Restaurant' when I've got a daughter called Alice haven't I?!).

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A new week and some new and exciting projects to work on. First off, some tweaks to some visuals I am doing for Blue Stripe Web Design in Harrogate, and then on to some events graphics for Beaucare, also in Harrogate, before moving on to some marketing collateral for York Test Laboratories.

Oh, and the Howabout hi-fi is currently throwing out some top tunes by the Super Furry Animals.

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End of a busy week in which Howabout Creative Solutions have managed to win a new client with the potential for quite a volume of work! V exciting... It does seem like we are becoming a stronger brand in Harrogate and beyond... more details to follow, but for now, over and out...

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Hello world!

I've just joined Twitter - follow me at benthompson70 if you fancy it! Just become a full member of Harrogate B4B too. Been busy working at York for a few days which was very nice, and will be out that way again shortly for a meeting for some potential new business with a new client. V excited about that!

In the meantime, here are a couple of pix for your viewing pleasure. One from the recent holiday at Eweleaze Farm in Dorset (that's me in the middle!) and another of a recent project I did for the Regional Food Group (cover shot of the Food and Drink Alliance brochure).

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