Balloons
My cousin Cherry Pie sent over a bunch of ideas when she was creating my logo. When I looked at all my choices, I felt the labor of love that she put into each design. I could tell that she was very thoughtful in creating a logo that I could only envision because I didn't have the ability to put it on paper. I'm so grateful for her hard work and dedication. These were just a few:
The last row. The fifth one from the left. That's the one!
Since I'm not an expert on what logos should look like, the method I used to choose one for my company was pretty much to go with what "spoke" to me - what resonated with me the most. It's the exact method I use every May when I pick a horse for the Kentucky Derby. I saw one logo that looked like a person holding a balloon and from that point on, I never considered another logo for Thoughtful Pinch.
The story behind wanting a balloon in my logo dates back to March 12, 2010 when my friend Mandy's son, Chase, died in a drowning accident. Everyone in our town was devastated. As a sign of community, we all tied red balloons outside our homes on the day of Chase's funeral. For a few days, in both awe and sadness, there were so many red balloons everywhere. All of the stores in the cities of Edina, St. Louis Park and SW MPLS ran out of red balloons which meant that Chase touched that many people's hearts. I won't ever look at a red balloon without thinking about him and the community that mourned him. Unfortunately, this gesture started a tradition and so whenever we see balloons in a color theme, tied to mailboxes or lining the street in our neighborhoods, it usually means that another loved one has passed away.
Since then, every time I do something to comfort Mandy, I am offering her a thoughtful pinch . It's like I'm reaching my hand out with a little red balloon, an object, to remind her that her little son touched many lives. When I saw a logo that resembled a person with a balloon, I felt an instant connection.
Speaking of red balloons, in the recent movie Christopher Robin, there is a scene with a red balloon. Winnie the Pooh and the red balloon reminded me of the very goal that I strive to write about every week: the simplicity of making someone feel loved and supported. When I saw this scene, it was like a validating moment for me.
So when I received some super fun and extraordinary balloons for my birthday this year, I was pleasantly surprised and I thought, "What a fun thoughtful pinch?!"
A gold balloon bouquet from my friend Allison. Last year she gave me a bouquet similar to this but with a big white balloon instead of gold. That big balloon lasted from the end of August to the end of October and we used it for a Halloween decoration because it looked like a floating ghost. Allison is a celebratory pincher* because she's always bringing over fun stuff for any occasion.
My bestie Frankie also gave me balloons for my birthday. A huge B and a huge P. She is always picking up celebratory thoughtful pinches because she is another celebratory pincher*.
I am grateful that in my stillness I was able to see the image of a person holding a balloon in one of the many logos offered. That logo "spoke" to me and it represents exactly what my company is all about - a person giving away a little balloon - a thoughtful pinch - and/or receiving one. It didn't take me long to fall in love with the logo. I didn't even hesitate or question if it would symbolize the brand that I wanted to convey. In the words of Justin Bieber, "It's a no-brainer."
Pinches,
Barb
*more on celebratory pinchers coming soon!
