The new website for Hardman Wood solicitors, Blackburn went live earlier this month after a complete redesign & a new corporate image from Green Cottage Design. A fresh,modern design was called for & everyone at Hardman Wood were delighted with their new corporate identity. The slideshow for the website required all my macro photography skills to capture the essence of each discipline they cover plus a very nice sepia tint of the exterior of the building (even if I do say so myself).
- New Hardman Wood Logo
Some months it all seems to be design work (that’s not to say I miss the reams of coding!): Ribble valley personal fitness required a redesign & photoshoot for their new premises which is well underway; the new Lush Lawns UK website demanded a creative photo shoot with the neighbours kids & garden borrowed for the afternoon; The Tanning Lounge & Beautylicious, Preston required complete logo & promotional material design for their relaunch.
All this & a new website for Pedal Power Clitheroe to service the needs of cycle enthusiasts living in or visiting the Ribble valley : ribblevalleycycling.co.uk which looks like being an extremely popular resource (by the way, congratulations to my brother Pete who competed in the North Lancashire Cycleway & Bowland forest 107km – first race he’s done & came third out of 60).
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New design & website commissions for a nationwide artificial grass manufacturer based in Lancashire, Hardman Wood Solicitors & an established print & design company in Blackburn.
Green Cottage are pleased to announce the continuing expansion of DR Services Crane & Hydraulic hose repair service which has seen them move premises three times in the last 12 months in order to meet demand, due in no small part to the success of their website optimisation which sees them top of the Internet searches with commissions coming from as far away as Dubai (…and Wales!).
Our best wishes to Gemma at Ribble Valley Personal Fitness who also has changed premises to accommodate demand (leaflet & website design was instrumental we hope) & I look forward to representing the new facilities in the forthcoming literature update.
A special mention to Alison at classofyourown.com who are going international with a marvelous concept involving an interactive eco-friendly design product. Having exchanged emails at 2.00am on numerous occasions I can testify that no one deserves the success more & we wish Allison & Dan the best of luck for the future with class of you own.
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Sony-HVR-V1
The good thing about working in the creative field is you get to buy yourself really expensive new toys & justify it because they are essential for your business!
Hence the new addition to the Green Cottage Design filming arsenal the Sony HVR-V1 High Definition Video camera. Slightly smaller than the Z1 this is fast becoming the industry standard for reportage and documentaries with full HD 1080 line resolution & progressive filming mode for the independent filmmakers…am I boring you yet, I could go on…..
Alongside our market leading Sony standard definition VX2001 this enables us to produce live two camera shoots and timecode syncs to further develop the promotional film side (not to mention the bespoke Wedding Filming).
New websites under development for an exclusive ladies fashion shop in the Ribble Valley, Caravan Carpets & Vinyls flooring fitting and an exciting commission for an international company involved in the agricultural field (no pun intended).
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Can I leave the computer please? No! Ok, back to work.
Current websites developments for John Lawson Distributors suppliers of an extensive range of tools, fasteners & fixings, an exciting new website for Preston based contemporary artist Sarah Haworth which gives me a chance to flex the creative muscles as did the design for Tracy Haworth Design, a massively talented carpet and flooring designer with designs in situ from King Georges Hall Blackburn to some of the great Galleries and Museum’s throughout the country.
Abacus Office Supplies Blackburn gave me the opportunity to design an ‘abacus’ based theme, and Northern Lights Events promises to be a valuable resource for art and theatre lovers throughout the county.
- Self catering in the Spanish Alpujarras
Rach and I were lucky enough to stay at a wonderful traditional cortijo in the Alpujarras region of Spain last year, somewhere where you wont get by just by speaking English loudly to make yourself understood! Chris & Sarah are wonderful hosts & went above and beyond with helping us facilitate the break away so I was more than happy to help them with a new website and optimisation to get them widely recognised and increase their bookings.
The website is still in it’s infancy yet, but is already no. 4 on page one of Google for selfcatering Alpujarras!and in the first week of going live they have received their first booking! If you are trying to find the traditional heart of Spain then this really is the place for you (and the region is home to the world famous Serrano ham) please visit them at selfcateringalpujarras.co.uk.
Since I haven’t done before (& it’s her birthday) I ought to mention Ribblevalleycleaning, the company that Rach started in October last year. Thanks to her website optimisation (!) and all her clients referring her to their friends & neighbours she has now reached the position where she has taken on her first part time member of staff. Glowing testimonials are coming in thick and fast and at this rate she’ll be sitting in one of the chairs on Dragons Den soon! If you would like to have your house the envy of your neighbours give her a call on 01282 7711115.
Plug over. Can I leave the computer now?
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Retired Lancashire police dogs benevolent fund assists in the welfare & homing of police dogs retired from active service, sometimes due to being injured in the course of their work or even protecting their handler. They survive soley on donations & fundraising events & I was happy to offer to design their new website free of charge to help increase their profile.
If anyone would like to contact them to offer support, find out more about their work or just buy a calender with some cute puppies in then please call Sheila Maw on 01252 823136.
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Now Christmas and it’s attendant weather is out of the way (January news but written on the first of Feb…oh well…) Green Cottage Design has been busier than ever with a host of new business from referrals and direct from our own SEO practices.
Sale Property Consultants logo design
Sale Property Consultants needed a lightning fast turnaround for the design of their corporate image & complete printing production which we completed from first draft to delivery within 14 days. Next step is their website which we are well on with & on track to go live by the end of February.
Also in production for January/February are a new website & promotional material for Ribble Valley Personal Fitness, new website for Brides Little Helper & a new website for Hardman Wood Solicitors, Blackburn.
I also found time to produce the website for the new offshoot from our corporate video production side -Lancashire Wedding Video – with a glowing testimonial from the shoot for Tom & Joannas wedding at the Stirk House Country hotel in December.
Back to work….
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Protech Plastics- Industry Leaders in revolutionary plastic solutions
With client’s including Coca Cola, Crown Paint’s and Akzo Nobel, Protech Plastics are one of the leading plastic solution companies in the world today and we are delighted they chose Green Cottage Design to produce the promotional video for their revolutionary new paint container production solution.
I travelled to Birmingham last month to film the state of their art production techniques for a forthcoming promotional film to showcase their wares to a new client base.
Not only are Green Cottage producing a high profile promotional video image for Protech Plastics Containers but also writing original music and recording an on location voiceover to compliment the world leading status the company enjoy in this field.
Editing is due to complete in January 2010 and the finished production will be available to view from February.
Special thanks to Mike Clarke at Protech Plastics for allowing us unlimited access for the filming of their intensive production process.
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On Tuesday 8th December I met with the University of Central Lancashire’s new qualifications for English as a foreign language body and negotiated the first stage in the development of their new website. This will be a media intensive site based around accessibility and new media featuring blog, twitter and facebook interaction as well as streaming media, podcasts and easy accessibility for the visually impaired and disabled.
Their first designs will be delivered in January and the site will hopeful be going live before for the 1st of feb. it is an exciting project for Green Cottage Design incorporating multi media, content management and a wide range of multi language accessibility options to optimise their website across the globe.
With their forthcoming accreditation, Green Cottage wish continued success for the Foreign Languages department and the increased exposure and profile the new website will bring.
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Outside the Houses of Parliment (I had to lie on the floor to get this shot!)
On Tuesday 15th December I joined a group of schoolchildren, teachers & parents from Blackburn, Sheffield and Manchester on a visit to the House of Commons to document their presentation to cabinet ministers including Jack Straw, Rosie Winterton and Greg Pope. The trip was organised by Class of your own and everyone owes an enormous debt of gratitude to Alison Watson & Dan Gibson who coordinated the itinerary for the day with military precision, not least for allowing yours truly to navigate his way through the reams of security with a substantial arsenal of video and sound recording equipment!
It was a pleasure to film the day and see all the effort the children had put into their presentations and a special mention to Matthew who, although wheeled in and out of trains, taxis, lifts and all over the Houses of Parliament in his wheelchair always had a grin on his face. His interviewing wasn’t half bad either – watch out Paxman!
I cant wait to complete the editing of day and let the children and their parents see how well they came across.
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