We just had to share some of the musings of one of my favorite local designers, Jessica Sutton. Jessica wears a lot of hats as not only a talented graphic designer, but also an avid blog writer and seeker.  Her new blog directory, Directory B is a great tool for anyone interested in blogs.

Jessica Sutton via jessicasutton.com/about

Moon Canyon Design Co.: How did you come to open your own design company?

Jessica Sutton: I was always taking on small freelance projects on the side, while working full time as an in-house designer for a large cosmetics company. Eventually my freelance project load grew so much that I had to make a choice – continue to work for someone else or take a leap and see what happens. It was the best decision I ever made.

MCDC: What was your first design project?

SUTTON: My first ever 'real-life' project came while I was still in design school – I designed a logo, brochure and website for an elderly care facility in New Hampshire. I actually am still in touch with the owner and recently redesigned their site, 8 years later!

MCDC: What are your current design obsessions?

SUTTON: I'm all about single-page sites, hand-drawn typography and clean, minimal white-space these days (but the latter is a constant obsession).

MCDC: Top 3 design tips for the everyday person?

SUTTON: First off, similar to Coco Chanel's famous quote, "When accessorizing, always take off the last thing you put on", try not to over-design. Sometimes those last few tweaks aren't really necessary.

Second, it may sound cliché but listen to your gut. It may be what the client asked for but if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't... so don't force it. (But make sure to still send along what they wanted for comparison too!)

And last, save your work constantly.

MCDC: What is your inspiration go-to when you are all tapped out?

SUTTON: With Pinterest, Tumblr, and the millions of design blogs out there, inspiration is seemingly always a click away. Long walks around the city with my dog, Oscar, can do wonders too!

A sampling of Jessica Sutton's work, via jessicasutton.com

MCDC: Tell us a bit about your newest endeavor, Directory B?

SUTTON: Directory B is a blog directory, searchable by both category and location. We launched this past Fall with a goal to create a network of the best blogs from all disciplines in each city. I tend to get lost on blogs anyways and this has given me a great excuse to not only peruse all the wonderful submissions, but to meet and interact with bloggers from all over the world!

MCDC: Why do you think people these days just can’t get enough of blogs and blogging?

SUTTON: Blogs are everywhere! Whether it's an obsession to share, a story to tell, or a way to get and stay inspired, the reasons truly are endless. And with so many accessible platforms, there's no reason not to start one these days. Everyone has something to say and everyone can find an audience.

MCDC: What do you think makes a good blog?

SUTTON: Great design and a big voice. Having a beautiful site while maintaining a strong level of approachability means so much – and taking the time to interact with your readers, well, that can make all the difference in the world.

MCDC: What are some of your favorite blogs featured on Directory B?

SUTTON: I try to post my favorites from the Directory in a series called We're Loving – but to be honest, there are simply too many amazing blogs and not enough time in the day to post as many as I'd like!

MCDC: What are some of your favorite blogs period?

SUTTON: Oh man this is hard... I've long-loved Desire to Inspire for interior-porn, have been frequenting The Coveteur and The Everygirl a lot lately, Erin of Elements of Style is both a good friend, studio-mate and daily inspiration. I can never get enough of the photos on Park&Cube, and my brother's blog, Stadiums and Shrines keeps my days full of new music. This list could go on forever though!

MCDC: Do you have a blog?

SUTTON: I do! I started my personal inspiration blog, Daucus Carota, back in 2008 and have a quick/micro version on Tumblr too.

MCDC: What is your most enjoyable blog post so far?

SUTTON: Posting about my recent engagement! It took me a month to finally find the time to get the story up and I was misty-eyed the whole time I wrote it.