• Sometimes the process is as pretty as the product... and sometimes your cool ice shot splashes and you end up spilling most of the dang cocktail. 😂 #itsametaphor⠀ ⠀ If there’s one thing we’ve learned this week, it’s that creativity can be individual, but execution is so much better in community — even if it’s messier! Grateful to be surrounded by creatives talented in the areas we aren’t (ahem, complicated Wordpress setups, weird CSS, custom illustration, and JavaScript!) and for their willingness to jump in and help when we’ve needed it....⠀ ⠀ It’s left us wondering how often *we* might be the ones to provide the right idea at the right time (or just that magic, “Hey, what if you tried...”) if someone only knew it was okay to ask. ⠀ ⠀ Let’s all agree to ask more often, okay? Double tap if you’re in, and maybe tag someone whose talents you’re grateful for this week?
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    Sometimes the process is as pretty as the product... and sometimes your cool ice shot splashes and you end up spilling most of the dang cocktail. 😂 #itsametaphor⠀ ⠀ If there’s one thing we’ve learned this week, it’s that creativity can be individual, but execution is so much better in community — even if it’s messier! Grateful to be surrounded by creatives talented in the areas we aren’t (ahem, complicated Wordpress setups, weird CSS, custom illustration, and JavaScript!) and for their willingness to jump in and help when we’ve needed it....⠀ ⠀ It’s left us wondering how often *we* might be the ones to provide the right idea at the right time (or just that magic, “Hey, what if you tried...”) if someone only knew it was okay to ask. ⠀ ⠀ Let’s all agree to ask more often, okay? Double tap if you’re in, and maybe tag someone whose talents you’re grateful for this week?
  • It’s a working weekend around here as we put the finishing touches on miss @jillian.harris ‘s new site and brand launching next week (!), but we maaaay have to take a moment to make one of our favorite essential winter cocktails — the blood orange gin & tonic! Here’s how, so you can join us:⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ INGREDIENTS⠀⠀ 1.5 oz. gin⠀⠀ 2 oz. fresh blood orange juice*⠀⠀ Couple dashes orange bitters⠀⠀ 4 oz. tonic water, about⠀⠀ (*Can also substitute blood orange Pelligrino / soda, but it won’t taste as fresh)⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ METHOD⠀⠀ Fill a glass with ice (a highball is pretty if you have it). Add gin, blood orange juice, and orange bitters.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Top with tonic water and gently stir. Garnish with a blood orange slice (plus a sprig of thyme and some aromatic juniper berries if you’ve got ‘em) and serve. Variation: add a little thyme or rosemary simple syrup for depth. Cheers to the weekend, friends! 🍊⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ And if you found out about us from Jillian, hello! We can’t WAIT for you to see her new site! If you didn’t, then hey, how DID you make your way to our little corner of Instagram?!
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    It’s a working weekend around here as we put the finishing touches on miss @jillian.harris ‘s new site and brand launching next week (!), but we maaaay have to take a moment to make one of our favorite essential winter cocktails — the blood orange gin & tonic! Here’s how, so you can join us:⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ INGREDIENTS⠀⠀ 1.5 oz. gin⠀⠀ 2 oz. fresh blood orange juice*⠀⠀ Couple dashes orange bitters⠀⠀ 4 oz. tonic water, about⠀⠀ (*Can also substitute blood orange Pelligrino / soda, but it won’t taste as fresh)⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ METHOD⠀⠀ Fill a glass with ice (a highball is pretty if you have it). Add gin, blood orange juice, and orange bitters.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Top with tonic water and gently stir. Garnish with a blood orange slice (plus a sprig of thyme and some aromatic juniper berries if you’ve got ‘em) and serve. Variation: add a little thyme or rosemary simple syrup for depth. Cheers to the weekend, friends! 🍊⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ And if you found out about us from Jillian, hello! We can’t WAIT for you to see her new site! If you didn’t, then hey, how DID you make your way to our little corner of Instagram?!
  • For today’s #fridayintroductions — TONIC regular spotlight: @whitehearthpottery. 💕⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ We want to use this space to highlight our talented clients and their beautiful websites, yes, but also introduce you to their accomplishments and work! Up today, our favorite ceramist (whose pieces are prized in both of our kitchens), Talia of @whitehearthpottery ! 😍 ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ You may have seen Talia’s gorgeous rendition of our Moscow Mule design in our site showcase (#linkinprofile) or already be following her on Instagram (her pottery videos are MESMERIZING), but what we bet you DON’T know is that she’s 20 years old. 😱 Yep, just a short while ago, after breaking a few too many of her family’s plates, she decided the solution was to teach herself pottery and make her own... and in her typical indomitable and inspiring fashion, she did just that. The result? Stunning, perfectly imperfect wheel-thrown heirloom pottery, made to order, use, and treasure. ⠀ ⠀ Another thing you may not know? Talia is Jen’s sister-in-law. But before you say, “Ah, no wonder, there’s nepotism afoot,” let’s stop you — the beautiful website shown above is Talia through and through, with just a bit of Jen’s elbow grease mixed in. 😉⠀ ⠀ We’re proud to have makers like Talia using TONIC sites to showcase the goods they take such care to create, and it brings us joy to be a small part of showing them at their best. If you’re not following Talia already, find her at @whitehearthpottery and browse her beautiful site at whitehearth.com! #followfriday ⠀
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    For today’s #fridayintroductions — TONIC regular spotlight: @whitehearthpottery. 💕⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ We want to use this space to highlight our talented clients and their beautiful websites, yes, but also introduce you to their accomplishments and work! Up today, our favorite ceramist (whose pieces are prized in both of our kitchens), Talia of @whitehearthpottery ! 😍 ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ You may have seen Talia’s gorgeous rendition of our Moscow Mule design in our site showcase (#linkinprofile) or already be following her on Instagram (her pottery videos are MESMERIZING), but what we bet you DON’T know is that she’s 20 years old. 😱 Yep, just a short while ago, after breaking a few too many of her family’s plates, she decided the solution was to teach herself pottery and make her own... and in her typical indomitable and inspiring fashion, she did just that. The result? Stunning, perfectly imperfect wheel-thrown heirloom pottery, made to order, use, and treasure. ⠀ ⠀ Another thing you may not know? Talia is Jen’s sister-in-law. But before you say, “Ah, no wonder, there’s nepotism afoot,” let’s stop you — the beautiful website shown above is Talia through and through, with just a bit of Jen’s elbow grease mixed in. 😉⠀ ⠀ We’re proud to have makers like Talia using TONIC sites to showcase the goods they take such care to create, and it brings us joy to be a small part of showing them at their best. If you’re not following Talia already, find her at @whitehearthpottery and browse her beautiful site at whitehearth.com! #followfriday ⠀
  • Hey, friends and happy Thursday! Since we have had quite a few new friends join us, we figured it was a good time to introduce ourselves again!⠀ ⠀ We’re Jen (@jenolmstead) & Jeff (@jeffreyshipley) and we’re coming to you from our bi-coastal desks in Seattle & Northern Virigina where we create brands and customizable websites for some of the coolest, most inspiring people we know. Appropriately enough, our platonic design affair began as mutual-work-admiration on the interwebs. Soon after, we discovered our shared love of all things modern and industrial, we met, and on an LA rooftop over a cocktail, decided we just HAD to collaborate. TONIC is what came of it. Jeff takes the photos; Jen writes the copy. Jeff trims the garnish; Jen pours the shots (one, one-thousand, two own-thousand…). Jen starts with type; Jeff starts with imagery. ⠀ ⠀ And somehow, someway, it works, and we love creating together — be it cocktails, over-involved yet delicious meals, or stylish websites and meaningful brands. So naturally, we’re firm believers in #communityovercompetition with an abundance mindset and welcome any opportunity to raise our glass to unlikely combinations.⠀ ⠀ When we’re not trying our best to make the web a prettier place with our templates for people who give a d*mn, you’ll find us swooning over monochromatic interiors, overpriced but beautiful goods (and the newest West Elm catalogue), or sharing our favorite recipes and solving wardrobe conundrums.⠀ ⠀ We love helping creatives be seen and known for who they are and what they do best — and love it even more when we get to do that in a social, fun and intentional way across the table over shared meals, conversation, and craft cocktails. ⠀ ⠀ Okay, your turn! Who are you and why are you here?! #sitesontap #tonicsiteshop #tonicregulars
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    Hey, friends and happy Thursday! Since we have had quite a few new friends join us, we figured it was a good time to introduce ourselves again!⠀ ⠀ We’re Jen (@jenolmstead) & Jeff (@jeffreyshipley) and we’re coming to you from our bi-coastal desks in Seattle & Northern Virigina where we create brands and customizable websites for some of the coolest, most inspiring people we know. Appropriately enough, our platonic design affair began as mutual-work-admiration on the interwebs. Soon after, we discovered our shared love of all things modern and industrial, we met, and on an LA rooftop over a cocktail, decided we just HAD to collaborate. TONIC is what came of it. Jeff takes the photos; Jen writes the copy. Jeff trims the garnish; Jen pours the shots (one, one-thousand, two own-thousand…). Jen starts with type; Jeff starts with imagery. ⠀ ⠀ And somehow, someway, it works, and we love creating together — be it cocktails, over-involved yet delicious meals, or stylish websites and meaningful brands. So naturally, we’re firm believers in #communityovercompetition with an abundance mindset and welcome any opportunity to raise our glass to unlikely combinations.⠀ ⠀ When we’re not trying our best to make the web a prettier place with our templates for people who give a d*mn, you’ll find us swooning over monochromatic interiors, overpriced but beautiful goods (and the newest West Elm catalogue), or sharing our favorite recipes and solving wardrobe conundrums.⠀ ⠀ We love helping creatives be seen and known for who they are and what they do best — and love it even more when we get to do that in a social, fun and intentional way across the table over shared meals, conversation, and craft cocktails. ⠀ ⠀ Okay, your turn! Who are you and why are you here?! #sitesontap #tonicsiteshop #tonicregulars
  • Jen’s in St. Kitts this week celebrating her ten year anniversary (and if you didn’t know already, her sixth month of pregnancy with baby #3 — surprise! 🤰🏼) which has us reminiscing about our first work vacation in Mexico together two years ago, where we had our official annual meeting here poolside, with endless (so endless) margaritas and ceviche. 😍⠀ ⠀ There’s something SO rejuvenating and refreshing about taking a “business trip” vacation in January just to focus and regain some clarity about your direction... Even if it’s not all the way in Mexico, and it’s just a day by yourself in a space that inspires you, we highly recommend it! We’ll be together in Seattle in two weeks, and can’t wait to dream up big things for 2019. (If you’ve got ideas, let us know!) #tonicapproved
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    Jen’s in St. Kitts this week celebrating her ten year anniversary (and if you didn’t know already, her sixth month of pregnancy with baby #3 — surprise! 🤰🏼) which has us reminiscing about our first work vacation in Mexico together two years ago, where we had our official annual meeting here poolside, with endless (so endless) margaritas and ceviche. 😍⠀ ⠀ There’s something SO rejuvenating and refreshing about taking a “business trip” vacation in January just to focus and regain some clarity about your direction... Even if it’s not all the way in Mexico, and it’s just a day by yourself in a space that inspires you, we highly recommend it! We’ll be together in Seattle in two weeks, and can’t wait to dream up big things for 2019. (If you’ve got ideas, let us know!) #tonicapproved
  • Honesty hour: in an effort to serve without being sales-y, sometimes we can be guilty of talking about everything on Instagram BUT our actual *work.* (Anyone else?)⠀ ⠀ Pretty cocktails, food, branding, interior, our lives, places and things we love, our clients — that’s all easy to share. But for some reason, it can feel weird to show + talk about what we’re truly passionate about, which for record, is “redefining the website template” like our manifesto says, and creating design that helps creatives, brands and small business be seen for who they are at their best online. ✨⠀ ⠀ So that’s something we’ve resolved to be better about this year: adding more DESIGN to the list of things we post here, because after all, we’re designers. 💁🏼‍♀️💁🏻‍♂️ Double tap to let us know you’re okay with seeing more design around here? ⠀ ⠀ And if you’re feeling weird about sharing your work or whatever it is you do, let us be the first to say you shouldn’t, because we LOVE to see it. We’re inspired by this space, by the people we follow, and what you create. So share it. Share the process, share the inspiration, and share the results, so we can share in the excitement with you. 👊🏻 #tonictips
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    Honesty hour: in an effort to serve without being sales-y, sometimes we can be guilty of talking about everything on Instagram BUT our actual *work.* (Anyone else?)⠀ ⠀ Pretty cocktails, food, branding, interior, our lives, places and things we love, our clients — that’s all easy to share. But for some reason, it can feel weird to show + talk about what we’re truly passionate about, which for record, is “redefining the website template” like our manifesto says, and creating design that helps creatives, brands and small business be seen for who they are at their best online. ✨⠀ ⠀ So that’s something we’ve resolved to be better about this year: adding more DESIGN to the list of things we post here, because after all, we’re designers. 💁🏼‍♀️💁🏻‍♂️ Double tap to let us know you’re okay with seeing more design around here? ⠀ ⠀ And if you’re feeling weird about sharing your work or whatever it is you do, let us be the first to say you shouldn’t, because we LOVE to see it. We’re inspired by this space, by the people we follow, and what you create. So share it. Share the process, share the inspiration, and share the results, so we can share in the excitement with you. 👊🏻 #tonictips
  • 👆🏻 A little reminder for anyone starting something new this week. Cohesive, intentional final projects don’t happen by accident — they begin that way. ✨⠀ ⠀ Our brands and websites, whether they’re custom or template, begin with looooots of research, analysis and inspiration. Design is importent, but it has to be secondary; it flows from the intention and inspiration and is grounded in it... and that’s when all of the sudden, the decisions get easier. ⠀ ⠀ If you want one of our favorite intentionality tools, you can grab the free brand interview guide via the link in our profile, and listen to Jen talk about this more on the Raw Milk Podcast with @local.milk!
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    👆🏻 A little reminder for anyone starting something new this week. Cohesive, intentional final projects don’t happen by accident — they begin that way. ✨⠀ ⠀ Our brands and websites, whether they’re custom or template, begin with looooots of research, analysis and inspiration. Design is importent, but it has to be secondary; it flows from the intention and inspiration and is grounded in it... and that’s when all of the sudden, the decisions get easier. ⠀ ⠀ If you want one of our favorite intentionality tools, you can grab the free brand interview guide via the link in our profile, and listen to Jen talk about this more on the Raw Milk Podcast with @local.milk!
  • Here’s a calorie, sugar and carb-free donut for everyone a week into resolutions! #magic 🍩 ⠀ ⠀ I (Jen) am doing an abbreviated #Whole30 (Whole8 doesn’t sound nearly so impressive, but I’m off to St. Kitts this week celebrating my ten year anniversary, which calls for some wine + chocolate!) to break a little sugar habit brought on by daily Christmas cookies... 💁🏼‍♀️ Anyone else on that train...? If you’re on the fence, I can say my husband and I did a full Whole30 last year and it was a really great reset + much more doable than I expected!
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    Here’s a calorie, sugar and carb-free donut for everyone a week into resolutions! #magic 🍩 ⠀ ⠀ I (Jen) am doing an abbreviated #Whole30 (Whole8 doesn’t sound nearly so impressive, but I’m off to St. Kitts this week celebrating my ten year anniversary, which calls for some wine + chocolate!) to break a little sugar habit brought on by daily Christmas cookies... 💁🏼‍♀️ Anyone else on that train...? If you’re on the fence, I can say my husband and I did a full Whole30 last year and it was a really great reset + much more doable than I expected!
  • Friday night plans: which camp are you in today? 🏡 STAY IN or 💃🏼 GO OUT? ⠀ ⠀ We’ll both be hibernating tonight with a pair of very real holiday hangovers (now that Christmas is over, it’s just, like, cold?), but we’re going to be sending out a newsletter next week walking you through a super helpful — also kind of hilarious — branding exercise we taught in our keynote at #showitunited2018... and it’s all about how your brand might behave on a Friday night out at a great party.🕺🏻⠀ ⠀ (Some of you are like, “My brand thinks a Friday night out at a great party sounds TERRIBLE!” and if that’s you, don’t worry, we’re gonna cover that, too...)⠀ ⠀ Intrigued? Well, if you’re not on our Tonic VIP list, you can remedy that by hopping on via the link in profile for branding and website advice, our favorite seasonal recipes, and of course, the big discounts we don’t share anywhere else! ⠀ ⠀ Send us a 👋🏻 if you’ve joined us there!
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    Friday night plans: which camp are you in today? 🏡 STAY IN or 💃🏼 GO OUT? ⠀ ⠀ We’ll both be hibernating tonight with a pair of very real holiday hangovers (now that Christmas is over, it’s just, like, cold?), but we’re going to be sending out a newsletter next week walking you through a super helpful — also kind of hilarious — branding exercise we taught in our keynote at #showitunited2018... and it’s all about how your brand might behave on a Friday night out at a great party.🕺🏻⠀ ⠀ (Some of you are like, “My brand thinks a Friday night out at a great party sounds TERRIBLE!” and if that’s you, don’t worry, we’re gonna cover that, too...)⠀ ⠀ Intrigued? Well, if you’re not on our Tonic VIP list, you can remedy that by hopping on via the link in profile for branding and website advice, our favorite seasonal recipes, and of course, the big discounts we don’t share anywhere else! ⠀ ⠀ Send us a 👋🏻 if you’ve joined us there!
  • TONIC regular spotlight: @anisa.sabet 🔥⠀ ⠀ We want to use space to highlight our talented clients and their beautiful websites, yes, but also their accomplishments and work. Up today, the creator of this sexy little piece of cocktail imagery, @anisa.sabet! 😍 ⠀ ⠀ Anisa found out about us from her friend @local_milk, and we as soon as we clicked through to her feed, we a) swooned a bit, because WHOA, and we’re not even swooners, and b) knew we’d found one of our “people.” Those cocktail images! The recipes! That baby! Those outfits! Damn, lady! ⠀ ⠀ Anisa customized and launched her site based on our Amaretto Sour design (swipe for a peek!) and it’s basically a treasure trove of resources for shooting beautiful images (hellooooo, free Lightroom presets!), along with pages and pages of content she’s added HERSELF (like her super sexy Instagram links page!) that look entirely 💯. It makes us proud of what we do, and thrilled she chose US to use for her website. Le sigh. 🤗⠀ ⠀ So, if you’re not following @anisa.sabet , DO IT. And then go check out her site and all the goodies therein linked in her profile, or via anisasabet.com.au! Here’s a 🥂 to you from us, Anisa!
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    TONIC regular spotlight: @anisa.sabet 🔥⠀ ⠀ We want to use space to highlight our talented clients and their beautiful websites, yes, but also their accomplishments and work. Up today, the creator of this sexy little piece of cocktail imagery, @anisa.sabet! 😍 ⠀ ⠀ Anisa found out about us from her friend @local_milk, and we as soon as we clicked through to her feed, we a) swooned a bit, because WHOA, and we’re not even swooners, and b) knew we’d found one of our “people.” Those cocktail images! The recipes! That baby! Those outfits! Damn, lady! ⠀ ⠀ Anisa customized and launched her site based on our Amaretto Sour design (swipe for a peek!) and it’s basically a treasure trove of resources for shooting beautiful images (hellooooo, free Lightroom presets!), along with pages and pages of content she’s added HERSELF (like her super sexy Instagram links page!) that look entirely 💯. It makes us proud of what we do, and thrilled she chose US to use for her website. Le sigh. 🤗⠀ ⠀ So, if you’re not following @anisa.sabet , DO IT. And then go check out her site and all the goodies therein linked in her profile, or via anisasabet.com.au! Here’s a 🥂 to you from us, Anisa!