I can’t believe I didn’t post anything in November. Sorry about that, especially since I promised many of you that I would write more often. Things have gotten hectic in both a good and bad way. The good way is that one of my favorite clients has needed lots of my time. The bad way is that I had a 2-week bout with some sort of coughing virus that drained my energy. I am feeling great now, worked out twice this week and have been able to get out and walk the dog, too.

As you may remember from a previous post, I love to talk about the importance of color. Color can make you, your clothes and your advertising materials look either old and outdated or fresh and exciting. Choose the latter by incorporating into your wardrobe the colors featured in the Spring 2010  PANTONE® Fashion Color Report. Watch for these trendy fashion colors to show up in spring advertising and marketing materials, too.

Christmas is quickly approaching (only 23 more shopping days) and I would like to take this opportunity to give my readers an early holiday gift. I designed a bookmark showing the “TOP 10 Colors for Spring 2010″ that are listed in the Pantone® Fashion Color Report mentioned previously. CLICK HERE to download yours now. Use it as a bookmark or take it along as a color guide when shopping. Graphic designers will find the CMYK values given for each color handy, too. Remember that all printers print color differently, so use it as a guide and not a high-end color matching system. This is just my way of saying “Thank you and Merry Christmas.”

I’ll be starting my Christmas decorating this weekend and keeping it very simple because of our cats and dog. The “critters” think that anything new is a toy just for them so I’ll be placing everything very high. If you’re starting your decorating, too, and searching for some unique creative inspiration, you’ll want to read Kiki Titterud’s 5 simple steps to using pink in Trend Tuesday: Pink is the New Red…this Christmas.

Shopping for a special Christmas gift for yourself? How about a new or updated look? Dawn Waldrop is a professional image consultant. I hired Dawn 3 years ago when both my closet and image got out of control. We replaced my warm colors (lots of brown and orange) with cool colors (blues and reds). She even gave me the courage to buy red framed prescription glasses. What a difference it has made—thanks Dawn!

Let me know what creative topics you would like me to write about in 2010. I’m always available to answer any of your advertising and marketing questions, review a portfolio or recommend a professional photographer, photo retoucher or printer.

Enjoy your holiday season and remember—whatever you do—do it creatively.

I once had an Art Director who nicknamed me “Eagle Eye.” She often asked me to look over her color proofs before she released them to the printer. This was before design was done on computers, when any last minute change could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to make. While it is always good practice to have a second set of eyes review any work before it goes to press, my keen ability to spot things that are out-of-place is not always as appreciated in other areas of my life.

I went to see the movie  “Julie & Julia” yesterday with my husband. What a great movie! One of the main characters is American chef, author and television personality, Julia Child, played by Meryl Streep. Throughout the movie, 6’ 2” Julia competely dwarfs her husband and her unusual height is an issue many times. The studio went to great lengths to create this important visual effect with Streep, who is only 5” 6”. All was going well until the end of the movie, that’s when I noticed the pair of five-inch heels Streep/Julia was wearing while cooking at her stove! When Julia’s husband, played by actor Stanley Tucci, walked to her side, I also noted that he is five inches shorter than Streep/Julia in those heels….hmm. Now the movie has lost it’s “detail” credibility with me.

Don’t lose your credibility over the details. When working with photos never “flip” photos if they contain:

• Buttons. Men’s clothes button left over right and women’s clothes button right over left. Flip the image and they will be buttoned for the wrong gender.

• Trademark moles and scars. Cindy Crawford’s mole is always on her left, if the image is flipped it moves to the right and weakens her brand.

• Wedding rings. Traditionally worn on the left hand, rings will be on the right hand if the photo is flipped.

The secret really is in the details—and they do make a difference.

Image facing correctly on the left. Image facing incorrectly on the right.