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A Stroll Down Memory Lane: Looking Back at My Past Projects
Lately, I’ve been digging through some old hard drives, and wow—what a trip down memory lane! I stumbled across a mix of past projects, from client work to college assignments and even a few fun doodles. It’s incredible to see how much I’ve grown as a designer over the years. Looking back at these pieces gives me a whole new appreciation for the journey—how much I’ve learned, how my style has evolved, and how each project shaped me in some way. So, I thought I’d share a few highlights!
Ed Hardy-Inspired Illustration
When I worked at OneUpWeb, I was asked to create an Ed Hardy-inspired illustration that reflected Traverse City, Michigan. We wanted to incorporate elements that represented the beauty of the area—salmon, birds, cherry blossoms, and water. This design ended up on coffee mugs, T-shirts, and other online marketing materials. Looking at it now, I can definitely see how much my illustration style has changed since then!
A Doodle for My Stepdaughter
My stepdaughter was in her sophomore year of high school and loved drawing on her clothes. So, I decided to design something just for her—a pair of hand-doodled shoes. She loved them and wore them until they practically fell apart. She even got tons of compliments and inquiries from friends wanting a pair of their own.
Network Traverse City Logos
I had the opportunity to design logo options for a small networking company in Traverse City that helped local businesses connect and grow their social media presence. The design process was heavily inspired by the area's culture, food scene, and small-business atmosphere. It was a fun project that really made me appreciate the unique personality of the town.
Unconventional Calendar – Package Design For Tea?
Ah, college. The days of sleeping in (when I didn’t have class or lunch plans). The days before packing lunches, wiping noses, and juggling a million things at once. I miss those days! One of my favorite assignments was to create an unconventional calendar that showcased a specific font. I was assigned Helvetica Neue and decided to design a tea-themed calendar—each month featuring a different tea flavor that matched a particular type style and weight. Some of my classmates made lamp shades and wall hangings, but I went for packaging design. It was such a fun project! Now I think I need a cup of tea…
Frederik Meijer Gardens Brochure Design
Another college throwback! For this project, we had to market a fictional event at Frederik Meijer Gardens. I chose an event featuring Arborvitae—a plant commonly used for windbreaks and privacy screens. If I were to redo this project today, I’d probably take a more photographic approach to capture the intricate leaf patterns rather than relying on illustration. Still, this was one of my favorite college assignments!
Family Reunion Invitation – The Hazard Family Edition
This might be my all-time favorite college project. We were tasked with designing a family reunion invitation that represented our family traditions. My family name? Hazard. Yes, really. And let’s just say we lived up to it! Winters meant sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, and, of course, epic snowball fights. I designed the invitation to resemble a Geschmossel, a German ski race, because, honestly, picturing 77 of us (our family has grown since then) in a chaotic race to the bottom of a snowy hill felt just right.
Looking back at these projects is surreal.
I can’t believe I’ve been a designer for almost 17 years—starting way back in high school with vocational classes (shoutout to Mr. Jensen at the Mecosta-Osceola Career Center!).
Seeing this work reminds me of how much I’ve learned and how lucky I am to have spent all these years doing what I love. It’s funny how time flies, but one thing hasn’t changed—I’m still just as passionate about creativity, storytelling, and design. Maybe it’s time to start making things just for fun again.
Would love to hear—do you ever look back at old projects and realize how much you’ve grown?
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