Going through old files I ran across my very first self promotion project — one I did to get an internship in college.*

I'll refrain from telling you how long ago that was.

I’ve seen this same concept repeated a million times over — there must be a lot of designers in love with fire. But looking at all the time I spent on every precisely laid out line, the copy I agonized over and the paper choice I made, is a great reminder of everything I love about design. The colors. The textures [yes, even online]. Communicating something just so. And sharing a piece that you’re very proud of.

In the grind of everyday work, of making a buck, it’s easy to lose that focus, what with client expectations, busywork or just being overwhelmed with too much everything in every part of one’s life.

But finding this piece reminded me of where I began, and ultimately, where I [still] want to be. And, how I want to keep working toward those goals. Not bad for cleaning out one’s files!

*And yes, this did result in an internship, at the American Marketing Association.

Lisa Ghisolf

Designer + WordPress developer for 20+ years. Love design, travel, good food and the Iowa Hawkeyes.