Hello all! I’ve been away for a few days because of various things gettin’ in the way of writing. All very exciting things but I hate when I don’t have time to write! Aside from remodeling our basement, work, soccer practice and everything else life throws my way, here is the main attraction.
Logo
I’ve been toying with a logo for the longest time. I didn’t know where to start. I’ve wanted to brand my blog for years but didn’t want something half-assed or tacky. It’s hard coming up with a logo that represents your brand. Even more so when using only the font to convey your message. How the hell does one come up with a suitable message for Hot Mess Memoir? When your blog is something like Bicycle Mayhem or Baking Blog Bonanza, I’m sure it’s easy to throw in a cute little bicycle or a muffin pan and the words. For Hot Mess Memoir, it’s not so easy.
I found a wonderful site called Online Logo Maker. Before OLM, I went on a few sites that claimed to be free. Sure, it was free up until you wanted to download your logo. Then a $60 tab is presented to you. ‘Screw that,’ I thought. So I found OLM and decided to give it a whirl. It was great and affordable at just $29!
I didn’t use any templates and perhaps to you, you may totally hate my logo. I wanted something simple, quirky and stylish. I wanted flames but the flames were to cheesy and looked more like a tattoo Pamela Anderson would get. Then I had an idea. I took the initials of my blog, placed them together and suddenly, I had my flames. I use Canva.com for all of my featured images and in Canva you can create a brand board and designate up to 3 brand colors. I picked 3 colors that felt were the HMM colors and used 2 of them in my logo. Ok, are you guys ready? I’m totally scared. I don’t want to ask for feedback for fear it will be negative but ok, I’ll ask for your feedback. If you hate it, I need to know why so I can consider your opinion.
So don’t be my enabler. I’m sure that’s how Joan Rivers ended up with all that plastic surgery. Just tell me if you hate it, love it or what could be better!
Merchandise
So I’ve always been one to sew, make jewelry, design, etc. It’s like God said, “Hot Mess, for every gene you are deficient in money management, I will grant you a gene for creativity.” I’ll take that. If one were to do a scan of my brain, you would find the right side the size of a canalope while the left, the size of a computer mouse. Once when I was laid off, I sewed and sold my stuff for money. I think I may have broken even given the cost of entering craft shows.
I’ve been wanting to make things again and sell them. But this time, more along the lines of quirky quotes on wine glasses, funny coffee mugs and t-shirts. I have a few more ideas like making scream pillows, clipboards with quirky sayings and necklaces. Yes, so freakin’ random but welcome to my brain. I thought I could also do a few things with my logo on stuff. I think I need to add hippos and unicorns onto a few things. That’s been popping up more and more it seems.
Anywho, would love your feedback. You guys are my friends and I respect what you have to say!
I like it, I especially like the colours. But if I am totally honest, I am not sure it shows much about you, and how blooming funny you are!
p.s I never considered that if you take the letters of your blog, it’ll have people saying hmm… 😉
Ah Josy, thank you so much! I’m glad you at least like it. Honestly, I don’t know how I would ever show humor in my label. But, I absolutely love your idea about hmm…..that is so awesome! I am going to think about that one. I do like my little flames though. Thank you for weighing in!
Things that make you go hmm
Josy did have a good point with that. But I only have 1 issue with that and it’s a pretty stupid issue. I can’t get that song “things that make you go hmmm out of my head when I heard that. Stupid, I know.
For me it reminds me of a bit that Arsenio Hall used to do on his talk show.
Oh! I’m not sure why I’m coming up anon! It’s Josy (if you’re wondering)
Well thats super weird. No idea on Earth why you would just show up as “someone”. Just know that everyone is someone at Hot Mess Memoir! LOL!
Love the color of the logo. The M H M order of letters is confusing, I know what you’re trying to do, but think it would be better to put it in order of HOT MESS…..
Ok, so what I was trying to do there was when people do a monogram and put there last initial in the middle. Isn’t that what they do? That’s what I was trying to do to make a symetrical flame.
That’s what I thought you were doing. If you still want to try that make the H a larger FONT. Another idea is to add a FLAME above the larger H. What do you think?
Well Mahhhhbuuuuu! LOL! I like that idea! I worked on it last night and put the HMM together. The flame offerings were less than stellar b/c I thought about adding the flames too. I will play around and make the H bigger to see if it yields something better. This is harder than I thought it would be!
I like the colours but yes as Josy said it’s difficult to get your humour across which is what we love about your blog.
Well crap! How does one do that with a logo? You guys have given me a lot to think about.
I’m not sure!
I’m writing a follow up post on all of this! 🙂
Looking forward to it
Just posted. Its just me babbling more on the topic. Lol!!
I think the only way you’re going to get more humor in a logo is to add more graphic. Be that a cartoon of yourself, something that illustrates your life or your aesthetic… but yeah, you’re not going to get “funny” with just letters unless it’s the tagline. Which… that’s good too, especially if you like yours (I never mastered the art of the tagline) and plan on keeping it for always.
Suggestion: have a look ’round at the logos of other funny creators. Not to steal anything, but to see what you like, what resonates with you, and how it can be done. Get inspired, you know?
Thank you for the suggestion! Yeah, I’ve gone on a few other blogger’s sites to see what they did and it’s mixed from not having anything to having a cartoon drawing of an animal. And the other thing is this, now that I have approval to use Miss. Ellie’s picture, I would like to incorporte that into my logo but if I’m making the mugs, wine glasses, etc, that is going to be impossible with that many hairs, things, etc. Ugh! I wish I had a million dollars and could find a graphic artist to give me some ideas! Thank youf or your feedback!
Re: the cost of graphic artists:
Students are cheaper. Not that professionals aren’t worth every penny, but sometimes you can’t afford them!
A wine glass spilling onto a notepad.
That’s a pretty good idea! I’ll have to consider that one!
Hi ya, it’s a good logo. I’m not sure I would have it tattooed on me though lol.
I think maybe the hot mess memoir could be changed for a catchy single line that give out more about your blog 🙂
Thanks Simon for the feedback. So your suggesting to remove the 3 words- Hot Mess Memoir and replace it with maybe 1 funny tagline?
That’s a possibility… The logo is MHM but if your look these days a logo comes with a name or tag line that tells someone looking at it what it’s all about.
I should make a logo really
So I played around with it tonight. I kept the Hot Mess Memoir. Then added the tagline: Funny stories, but not about a geisha. Do you get that joke? Is it even funny? This shit is so hard!
This shit is hard. I’m not sure I get the joke.
Look up Julia Edits on twitter and lol at her logo. It gives you an idea of a neat logo and branding idea. The problem you have (and me and many others) is that the blog name doesn’t describe the content well enough. Like for example you could be hot mess humour or hot mess laughs.
I could be Simon’s creative space or something. It’s not easy like you say.
I checked out her logo. It’s cute but it doesn’t give you any idea of what she writes/does. And that’s ok. I think I’ve learned that it’s not the logo that makes your brand. It’s just a piece of the puzzle. You know what? I’ve gotten along this long without a logo and I think I’ll keep working on a logo but let my writing speak to what my brand is about. Ok, that just sounded super cheesy. And for the tagline about a geisha. It’s referencing the book Memoirs of a Geisha.
That’s fine, I understand all of that. Your have to do what you think because it’s your brand and I’m no expert lol ?
Me neither but I do love everyone’s feedback on this post!
Cool! ?
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there: it’s better to go without a logo than to settle on something that’s not true to your brand. Tinker with it in your odd hours, think on it, and don’t rush into anything. Clearly you’ve given the rest of us a lot to think about!
(wanders off to ponder branding issues)
Have you thought of a logo for your blog? And your right, I should not rush into this but I totally want to ge the ball rolling on the stuff I want to make. I think I might make several logos and put them on a word document to decide on.
I’ve thought about it, but I’m behind on enough projects as is, lol
It’s a CROWN!
All hail, Queen Hot Mess!
Great tips!
Thanks!
Egads I cacan see the image!!!!!!
You can’t see the image? What? I’ll have to check this out!
I can See it now!!!!!! It looks great!!!!
Thank you but I am going to probably change it as the feedback I’ve received hasn’t been digging the MHM which I get, it’s confusing but damn it, I thought I was making a flame with the 3 letters. Obviously that didn’t pan out. Thank you for your feedback!
Oh no!
I agree, it doesn’t show your personality… it’s just meh… needs some spunk… with a blog name like that your logo needs more pizzazz gurl…
And that is what I’m struggline with- the pizzazz! When your not a proffesional graphic designer, nor can afford one, it’s super tough! Ya know?
Girl tell me about it…!
Girl, tell me about it…!
Girl, tell me about it…
Aww man… I tried responding through notifications but it never said if the reply was sent…??? now I see it was sent three times…no im not spamming your page…haha..im sorry
Oh please! No worries! Have a great day!
Thanks… ditto..?
Agree with above the MHM was a bit confusing looking at Hot Mess Memoir below. Also colors great but with older eyes could Hot Mess Memoir be a bit darker gold? You could still use a tagline on the blog of what it is about. Exciting looking forward to next chapter for you.
Yeah, I think the MHM is no longer an option. Thanks to everyone offering their advice, I was really the only one that thought it was awesome. I’ll have to continue to ponder this! Thank you for your feedback!
Hmmm. I just read this entire thread (!) Which says something about me, I guess. But seriously. As a writer (also with funniness as her goal) I haven’t thought of a logo, per se. For me, it’s more about words. I like your logo, but I like your writing even better.
Thank you! Yeah and it’s certainly not necessary, but something I would like to do. Thank you for your feedback!!
I think HMM would be good!!!! 🙂
Thank you for your feedback!
This is so tricky. I spent hours working on different combinations before I got what I wanted and even now I wonder about it. I can see a crown in yours now that its been mentioned, but don’t think thats a bad things. I think it would translate well onto mugs and stuff
And that’s what I would love to do eventually is make branded things. I love creating. But it is so tricky to figure out what works.