Logo Design

I can't thank you all enough for the feedback on the logos. I had one person work with me on these and I wasn't thrilled with her throughout the process, but in the end I think she gave me some good ideas to play with. I am awaiting another three design concepts from another designer, but I wanted to have something to use for a business card for the Austin InnoTech conference on Thursday. So, I incorporated as much of your input as I could and merged the ideas from several of the designs. I actually am using a couple of them - one for the business card and then potentially one for my website. This could all change depending on what I get back next week, but I am happy with what I have for now. (I put all of the comments at the end of the post - if you go to the bottom, you can see what I thought about some of the designs I didn't use. It was a tough call and I really liked the font in #2 and the clean look of #6 as well.)

Here is the business card that I sent off to the printer last night:

A coordinating logo that I can use in the header when I redo my website:

And a blog header:

Below are the comments, and you can see the original set of logos here.

Karen C. posted a comment on the blog with her vote for #2 & #4 and Kristen for #2 & #5.

Kelly K Clark - I am posting my thoughts here. I like 1 and 2. 2 the best. :)

Sonja Kraeff - #2 and #6

Erin Oman Patterson - I like #1 and #6 best, with #2 coming in at a close third.

Courtney Ryan Ortiz - Thanks so much for the feedback - I really appreciate it! (Please keep it coming!) Something I probably should have said too is that it is for my IT consulting business - the current site is http://www.starlightsystems.com.

Ritu Machavarapu - #1 and #2. Like the font of #2

Mona Goodwin Yamasaki - for a professional look that is more in-line with the industry we operate in... i think 4 and 5 look good... the others are pretty, but wouldn't really provoke the image you would want in the professional services industry.... i like the colors, too..

Mary Keglovits Mathieu - I like #1 the best by far, with #3 in second. White lettering on a yellow background is more eyecatching, I believe, than a black/graytone on white. I prefer #1 to #3 because it adds the image of the star which will help people with recall of your company name.

Melanie Watkins Cravey - #6

Shannon Romo Soliz - #4 the best - then #3

Ed Mello - #6 clean but stylish, will reproduce easily on paper

Dawn Kuntschik Gunn - #3 caught my eye first...I #5 as well.

Courtney Ryan Ortiz - You all are awesome. Thank you to every one that took time to look at these. I am a novice when it comes to graphic design and so it helped a lot to get your input. I incorpated aspects of #1, 3, 4, and 5 into the final designs. I love the font in #2 but think that's just not a fit for the kind of biz I'm in. #6 was the first one that the designer did for me that I really liked, but when I played with it on my website mock-ups, it just didn't stand out. For now at least, it's more about a web presence than print materials. Thanks again!

Drew & Erin's Wedding

A few weekends ago we went to Dallas for Andrew & Erin's beautiful wedding. We drove up for the rehearsal and BBQ dinner on Friday and spent the night in the hotel. Kiley was not happy in the pack and play in a strange place and she screamed for awhile, but finally just fell asleep exhausted. The next day we were up and I was off to get Sydney some warm clothes since we left all of hers in the dryer at home. We got ready and went to the wedding at 2, then back to get the kids settled at the hotel. They had three cute young babysitters lined up in their presidental suite for just a handful of kiddos. So, they got lots of attention while we got to go to the reception and relax with dinner, drinks, and grown-up conversation! Sunday, Erin's parents invited us all for breakfast at the hotel before we left for home.

Congrats to Drew & Erin as they start their new life together and thanks to Erin's family for the hospitality! Below are some pictures of us and a few of Kiley's beautiful aunts and handsome uncles. Somehow, we ended up without a single picture of the five of us all in our dress clothes, and almost none of Sydney because she was having so much fun off playing with Mia. But, we did get some good pictures.

the Bride & Groom - beautiful!!

Kiley in her dress

Kiley's Grandpa and Aunt Theresa - I love this picture of them

Mama and Kiley

Jake & Kiley - before we stepped out of the ceremony

Sydney & cousin Mia - they were GREAT during the service

Kiley at the rehearsal dinner

Martin & me at the reception

Aunt Veronic & Uncle Sam are due with a baby boy in December - we can't wait!

Aunt Virginia with her beautiful smile

and Aunt Jacqueline who is always so classy

Mama & Kiley again

Jake on the iTouch

Logos for Starlight Systems

In all the years I have operated my business, I have never had a professional logo or even business cards for Starlight. As I am expanding my skillset and doing more website programming, I feel the need to up my game and make my website more slick and professional, starting with a logo. If you have a minute, I would love to get your feedback on these designs. I have others coming, but if you love one of these, I'd like to know - please leave a comment.
Thanks! Courtney
(To see the follow-up to this post with people's comments and feedback, click here.)

Kiley's 1st Birthday

The older kids are soooooo excited. They are very anxious about celebrating Kiley's first birthday. Jake and I were talking about when Syndney turned 1 and he was just a little older and remembers that day mostly from pictures. He picked out some wonderful gifts for his baby sister that she is sure to enjoy. One he thought was so very cute is a Christmas outfit. He said, "it's a little early but it's soooooo cute!!"

Syndey picked out the cutest softest pillows in the whole wide world for kiley who has recently started to become attached to those sorts of things. :) Soft cuddly things and she just learned to open the wipes containers and is having lots of fun making mom and pop crazy. :) It's a good thing she's so darn cute!!!!

She's walking around now....almost running. she get's mad when we have the gates up on the stairs. she's going to be a climber. she get's mad when someone tells her "no". I'm sure that'll be fun as she gets older. she smiles almost every moment of every day (just don't tell her no). She's doing lots of things for herself like eating, eating with a spoon may be very close to happening, she has two lower front teeth right now and is using them. For food and to bite on her papa's finger or any part of her mom she can get hold of.

One of the favorite things Kiley does with me is that she looks at me, smiles, turns and runs so that I will chase her, and when I catch her she laughs uncontrollably and we do it all over again. I love our little angel.

Random Photos

Here are random pictures from the last couple of months.

Kiley as a victim of 'dress-up' when Sydney had friends over to play. Megan is holding Kiley.

Jake on the football field. His team pretty much stinks and he's not enjoying it as much this year as last, but he's making some good plays and getting out there trying.










Martin, Kiley and me at Heather & Brandon's beautiful wedding

Kiley in her high chair this morning having a yummy breakfast of grapes, strawberries, and spinach pizza.

The sweet little bottom in the air - I LOVE IT!

Papa & Kiley at Jake's birthday party at the pool

Grandpa and Kiley playing

Grandma reading to Kiley who sat spellbound through the whole book!

 Sydney and Kiley snuggling on the couch

Kiley Walking - video

This video of Kiley makes me smile for a few reasons... 1) you see her start to cry when Jake walks away from her, then turn it off immediately when he stops and turns around, 2) she chases after him and you see how well she's walking until 3) she falls down, he comes over and, once she has his full attention, she turns the other way and crawls off. Plus, it's all set to the silly music from a singing birthday card from Jake's birthday (that now has dead batteries - go figure :). Anyone else see the signs of one spoiled little baby girl??

Sweet Baby Boy

Something awful happened in our family and I've debated writing about it. Our nephew, Jaxon, was due this month. His parents did everything they could to take care of themselves and him, working hard to create a beautiful nursery, going to regular prenatal appointments - you name it, they did it the way it should be done. And yet last Wednesday, Sept. 30th, beautiful, red-haired baby Jaxon was stillborn at the end of an 8+ month seemingly easy, trouble-free pregnancy. It's unthinkable and it's incomprehensible, but it happened. Please keep the Ortiz family in your thoughts and prayers - especially Steve and Sarah.