What exactly do you do?
At Gerald & Joan, we create products and experiences that preserve the past while honoring the present and future. Our style is timeless with a hint of nostalgia. Everything we make tells stories and has one-of-a-kind details, just like the vintage objects that serve as our inspiration.
Currently, we offer the following services:
Graphic Design: We design and print invitations, postcards, posters, business cards, logos and all other types of paper goods.
Event Planning: We plan parties, showers and other special events.
Event, Home & Personal Styling: We bring our style to your event, home or closet and create a look that inspires you.
Vintage Goods: We plan to offer our first vintage housewares and paper goods collection this spring.
What is your design process?
Once we have created a proposal and established your budget (and both are approved!), we like to meet, Skype or email with you to talk about the things that inspire you. Then we might create a mood board, sketch out some ideas or jump right in. From this point on, every project is unique!
It sounds lovely but expensive. What does it cost?
This is our full-time job, so unfortunately we can't work for free! However, we understand everyone has a budget, and we will do our best to find one that allows us to work together. This is what our grandparents' generation did, and it's an important part of the Gerald & Joan experience.
Tell me about your design experience.
Gerald & Joan founder Crystel Hardin has always loved design. She started creating at a very young age (lots of painting, drawing and storytelling), before falling in love with print design as the editor of her high school yearbook. She originally thought she wanted to be a magazine editor, but changed her mind after enrolling in a public relations class during her junior year at the University of Mississippi. An internship at a local non-profit provided further proof that PR was the career for her as she was able to write and design to her heart's content. The next year, she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in print journalism and public relations and set out to find her dream job. After a year and a half stint at a Memphis advertising agency, she found that dream job as the communications and events coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis. During her four years at Habitat, she was given the incredible opportunity to manage all communications and design projects and serve as the event lead on two of the organization's largest fundraisers. She had the idea for Gerald & Joan as early as 2010 but made it a reality in January 2013, thanks to the encouragement of her husband, Jonathan.
How can I get in touch with you?
Click here to fill out our interest form, and we'll be in touch very soon!