todays color crush

For a project dedicated to stories, I thought a great way to get us started would be to introduce you to the color story behind ours.

There are so many details to stories, and visuals have always been a massive part of how I process stories. Growing up, I would draw for hours, imagining stories in my head and then dressing the people in those stories, creating scenes and spaces for them to inhabit.

As I entered adulthood, this practice shifted, and I became more immersed in the context around stories, mainly the why behind someone's stories. I think the why is equally as important as the how or the who, and through this project, I hope to explore both sides - the visual stories, the colors, spaces, and places that form a person or experience, but also the why behind their stories.

To bring our story to life, I worked with Morgan from Charmed Folks to create The Squeeze's branding, and of course, to my delight, colors came first and foremost. 

Morgan and I met a few years ago while she was working at one of my favorite shops. She was also one of my OG Limoncitos supporters. A while ago, Morgan started her own creative venture, @charmedfolkscreative, where she brings brands to life through her branding designs. So naturally, when it came time for branding, she was my first call. 

We worked together to create a mood board and set the tone for the brand. I knew I wanted something bold, juicy, and fresh. Pulling from midcentury vibes with influences of a corner Bodega, a little dash of Bustelo, and a big dose of warmth, we landed on something that feels familiar and new simultaneously. 

Each of the colors evokes pieces of stories that mean a lot to me—colors that make me feel at home and warm.

Manzanillo:

this green felt like the photos of Cuba that I grew up seeing. Manzanillo is where my dad was born. His family migrated here after Castro's regime took over, leaving the warm hues of Cuba for the much cooler hues of Hartford, Connecticut.

Pastelito:

this orange reminded me of Sunday mornings when my grandfather would come home with a fresh box of pastelitos de guayaba, Celia singing on the radio, and Cafecito brewing on the stove.

Bustelo:

this brown felt warm, like a Sunday morning smell that brings comfort and a sense of home. 

Malecón:

this blue reminded me of my grandma's descriptions of the ocean in Cuba. It is an ocean walkway in Havana where people gather to share stories about their day, sell their wares, and commune.

Puente Del Rey:

this yellow reminds me of the stories my mom used to tell me about her home in Panama. She told me stories about how it used to be a place for pirates to store their gold. She would tell us stories about her adventures, bringing Puente to life with each word. 

I am so grateful to each of you joining along on this story and cheering me on along the way. I hope you find inspiration, joy, and maybe a little bit of your why in this space.