Tags: April San Pedro Artisan Paperie Jean Yu Lifestyle Blog Lifestyle Blogger Lifestyle Blogger in Manila Philippines Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Mommy blogger Mommy blogger in Manila Philippines motherhood Toni Pino Oca
I once thought I could DIY my way into designing a blog, until I reached my wit’s end, trying to decode the language of coding.
I may be no neophyte when it comes to setting up a webpage, since I am in the field of hospitality marketing. We have our global corporate office who takes charge of programming the website according to our brand identity and templates. On the hotel level, we need only to update the system with photos and information.
Building my blog meant starting from scratch, beginning with a layout that reflects my personality and style. I envisioned a clean and feel-good design, with a modern feminine touch. I scribbled and doodled on my notebook, and even set up a mood board to help me streamline and edit my thoughts.
After establishing a clear-cut plan that’s set to move from sheet to site, I proceeded to step two and secured a domain and access to a publishing platform. After I logged in, I felt stuck. I realized how much dirty work needs to be done on the backend (no pun intended). Given that I have a regular job, I didn’t have enough time to master basic web development to execute the design I wanted.
Jean Yu is a lifestyle blogger, website developer and fashion illustrator based in Cebu, Philippines. She graduated Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked as a website developer and designer for both local and international clients. She launched her blog in 2013 and eventually pursued fashion illustration, from commissioned works to brand collaborations. You will find samples of her work on her blog and on Instagram.
I didn’t want to to get off to a bad start, nor make a mess out of the project that took years to ideate. I was honest enough to admit I needed help, ASAP, before frustration kills my motivation yet again. A lot of energy and time were, likewise, needed for me to recover from childbirth and tend to the new addition to the family. This posed another delay in my progress, and I knew I needed a third party to help me with the other design elements, such as the logo and photo styling (for the page headers). So, I enlisted the help of professionals, who could relate to my vision and style.
Toni Pino-Oca, a hands-on mom to two girls, maintains a fashion and lifestyle blog, as well as a lifestyle column for Cebu Daily News. When she’s not busy running the household, she dabbles in brush and pointed pen calligraphy and writes about mommy fashion, beauty, recipes, DIY projects and home improvement ideas. Check out her blog and Instagram account.
Because of the nature of my job, I am lucky to have met a number of talented creatives and artists who are also well-versed in brand and web development. Three of them, who I tapped to help me with the project, are already established bloggers and social media rock stars with several creative pursuits — from fashion illustration and styling, social media marketing, interior design, as well as arts and crafts.
April San Pedro is an entrepreneur, barista, graphic designer, crafter and illustrator based in Davao City. She is a familiar face in the arts and crafts scene, as she leads various workshops for adults and kids alike, advocating creativity through paper folding, pen and watercolor, and other media. She has collaborated with several brands for a number of campaigns and product designs. Her craft shop, Artisan Paperie, houses hard-to-find DIY essentials, and is located right next to their family-owned cafe called Yellow Hauz. You will find samples of her work on her blog and on Instagram.
Work progressed faster than expected, and I guess it does help to enlist help when you need it. The plus side of it is learning from the pros. I do believe there are things you learn on your own, and some through the guidance of others.
I couldn’t be any happier with how all the design elements came together, on point. The final output reflects who I am today, or, at least, the person I am growing into: Celebrating life through simplicity and positivity.
Thank you, Jean, Toni and April for the creative guidance and inspiration.
