When branding becomes a branding. Kinda.

If you've ever seen anything to do with NoBooksWereHarmed.co.uk, you'll quickly get the vibe that my branding is very precious to me.  I chose that word carefully.  Important, yes, but precious, more so.  

Way back when NoBooksWereHarmed.co.uk had just birthed itself (OH! There's another blog post right there! *adds to notebook*), my wonderful friend Graham, graphic designer extraordinaire, founder of Addison Design announced he was going to brand me.  "Well" says young, naive, me, "That would be awesome, but I am a proper business, therefore, I shall pay you".  
"You couldn't afford me", came the honest answer.  

Graham took my scribbling of an idea, and turned it in to what I think is one of the most wonderful logos I've ever seen.  He furnished me with all the different file types, for its use in all kinds of different ways, he even created my unique 'background' image, which you'll see on lots of my online posts, and the background of most email editions of #NoBooksNews (Have you signed up yet?  Do it right now, there's a link at the bottom of this blog).  

As time has gone one, it's become quite the running joke, that I will put my logo on anything.  Anything.  All my stationery, of course, the books themselves (bottom right of the inside cover will be labeled or embossed with it), bags, scarves, necklaces, the #NoBoMo No Books Mobile van...
...polo shirts, tshirts, fleeces, posters, signs, more recently face masks and buffs, and the pièce de résistance, myself!

A few years ago, I had this sudden vision, when I was in the shower (Man, I LOVE showers)(and tea)(have I told you how much I love tea yet?)(and showers?), of my logo tattooed on my chest.  I'd never ever considered a chest piece, in fact, if you'd asked me five minutes earlier, I'd probably have said I'd never get my chest tattooed. I couldn't shake this image, and a few days later I ordered my logo as a temporary tattoo transfer, and stuck it on my chest, just to prove to myself what a fucking stupid idea it was.  It stayed on for 4 days, and as I washed it off, it was clear it was a stupid idea.  The real thing HAD to be at least twice the size of the transfer hahahah

I've never actually taken a photo of this tattoo.  From as soon as I got it done, it felt like part of me that was always meant to be there. As much as it's 'right there', I rarely actually notice it, I more just 'feel' it, if that makes any sense. It will forever be a reminder of the amazing friend I have in Graham, and NoBooksWereHarmed.co.uk will always be a defining chapter in my life.

So yeah. Safe to say, I'll get my logo on anything I can, given the opportunity hahahah!

~ Jo