Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirsten Mcfarlan Hennes
Hi Kirsten McFarlan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I always say I was created to create, because I’ve found joy in the arts since I could walk. It started with dance at age two and carried on to toting around sketchbooks everywhere I went in high school. Whether through doodling on paper or dancing, I knew I had to take the designs in my mind and give them life.
I pursued my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design at Texas Christian University. My older sister works in content creation and I had seen first-hand how online expression was and is the catalyst for brand design for the past decade. I wanted to hone my skills in graphic design so I could marry brand identity with the unique story every customer owns.
In my last semester, my passion for design and entrepreneurship came to life. I was given some freelance advertising projects, but in my “work breaks” I found myself creating gift tags and invitations for my niece and nephew. I knew if the way I recharged my mind was by designing for celebration- I needed to turn that into a career. I quickly used google forms to intake orders and shared them amongst party planners, small businesses, and friends. What was a side project to give my mind breaks from designing billboards, quickly turned into my full-time job.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think I relate to every small-business owner in struggling with work boundaries and when to say, “yes” or “no” when scaling my business. It’s natural to have work as a continual stream in your life, when your input equals your customer’s satisfaction. I am honored to follow my customers through life. From designing their wedding invitations to their baby’s first birthday- I want to exceed expectations and timelines. But I have learned in order to do outstanding work, you have to keep a ceiling on your output.
My sister has always told me, “You don’t want to be everyone’s cup of tea. You want to be the latte someone will drive across town for.”
By learning to say, “no” to some things, I have more margin to go above and beyond for the “yes” things.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My creative haven, Kirsten E. McFarlan Designs, specializes in the art of storytelling through design. I am proud to say my design studio has an unwavering commitment to joy, vibrancy, and a fresh perspective for each project. I take the everyday paper: notepads, greeting cards, gift tags, and invitations, and elevate them for the extraordinary narratives: weddings, showers, and parties. While I wear many design hats, from web design to brand identities- the core of my work is the belief that each piece of paper in your life deserves charm.
At the heart of my business is design for children, and I believe I set my work apart by keeping both mother and child happy in design. My designs honor the themes kids love from tea parties or Toy Story, while giving their mom a beautiful piece of stationery they will always fondly remember. I truly believe just because your child wants a character theme, you don’t have to dull down (or tone down) in design.
I am most proud of creating paper goods for family moments- while producing them alongside my family. My husband, mom, and sister have played an integral part to me learning the art of making each season special. And I know that at Kirsten E. McFarlan Designs, my customers have so many wonderful seasons ahead of them- and I can’t wait to help them design them all!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kirstenmcfarlandesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstenemcfarlandesigns/
Image Credits
Madi Grace Schaefer (@mgrace.photos)
Kirsten Mcfarlan Hennes
