The Story Behind the Logo




I've been eyeing Jenny's linky for a bit and with the three-day weekend I finally have a bit of time to get some blog posts done so I'm excited to be linking up with Art with Jenny K. for her What's the Story Behind the Logo linky.

There's really a few parts to this story, so I'm going to break it down to the name first, then talk about the actual logo.

I've always loved sharing my ideas and resources so when my friend Alison from Teaching Maths with Meaning shared her blog with me, I was inspired to start one as well. Of course, I knew NOTHING about blogging, so I'm lucky that she was willing to answer the many questions that I sent her via email! When I set my blog up, I wanted a catchy name that wasn't too cheesy or gimmicky so I spent weeks just trying to think of something that I felt represented me. I think I reached the point where I was really over thinking it. I had a bit of "blog name block" and was thinking, "Oh no! If I can't come up with a good name, how am I going to come up with good blog posts?" That little thought set off a spark. You see, the year prior to that, I had a student who would always say, "Mrs. O knows" whenever I asked a question. For example, if I said, "Who knows what president wrote the Emancipation Proclamation?" that student would say, "Mrs. O knows!" I would always respond to that student with, "Mrs. O knows because of her oh no's!" In my classroom, I encourage students to feel comfortable making mistakes. I tell them daily that we are human, we make mistakes, and we can only grow from them. I also highlight my own daily mistakes to show them that it is quite alright to not be perfect, as long as we learn and grow with each "oh no".

And so, Mrs. O "Knows" was born. I was a tad worried that people might find this title to be arrogant, so I hoped (and still hope) that the quotation marks might help others to understand that my name has a double meaning. It's not just about what I "know", it's about the moments when things didn't go as planned ("oh no"), and what I learned from those moments. Since I'm human, I figure that I will make a lifetime of mistakes, all of which will help me to grow in this journey of life!

So that's the name part of my logo, and the more interesting and entertaining part of the story. As for the picture that you see, it's quite new. I went to a VA teacher blogger meet up last summer and met TONS of wonderful women. As I was speaking with Nikki from Teaching in Progress and Melissa from Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late, I realized that they both had really cute blogs and when I left that day, I came home and ordered a blog makeover immediately the moment I walked in the door. I wanted something that was inviting and that truly reflected me. When I found the clip art image at Lovelytocu, I knew it was perfect because it was girly, with a bright and pretty dress (I am a dress-a-holic, with over 50 dresses hanging in my closet and a terrible addiction to ModCloth) and she was pointing in the exact way that I point when I say, "I know!" to my students (I'm a bit of a hand talker). Though my logo looks much younger than me, I believe she reflects the energy and happiness that I always have when I'm teaching. As for the rest of my logo, I have Megan from A Bird in Hand Designs to thank, because she made my favorite colors, name, and clip art choice come to life. I couldn't be happier with the results!

I hope that you enjoyed reading the story behind the logo. It was fun to tell you all about how Mrs. O "Knows" came to be!

Have a lovely week!





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8 comments

  1. Rachel--thanks for linking up and sharing your great story...your name is so catchy and doesn't come off as arrogent at all to me... I just think it sounds clever...your blog is adorable and your logo is cute! Thanks for joining us!

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  2. I never heard the story behind your name. How cute!! And I love your blog design. I'm actually tempted to check out that etsy shop and try to find one that looks like me. I wonder if she has any redheads?

    Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late

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    1. Thank you, Melissa! I'm certain that she does have redheads! I would look into it!

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  3. I didn't realize you did the blog design right after our meet up. Too funny! I guess come to think of it, the old design had a green background, didn't it?? The clip art really does look like you, and I love the design too. I think I need to check out your favorite shop though.
    :-)
    Carla

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    1. My blog was green with owls! Good memory! ModCloth can be so dangerous! I love their 50's and 60's style clothes because I'm a bit of an old soul when it comes to fashion! I think I have about 20 dresses on my wish list! :-)

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  4. I love this story! I'm a new blogger and feel like I'm just finding my voice and what I want my blog to be all about. Thank you for being so honest and sharing. I would love a blog redesign since mine is a template that other bloggers use but I'm waiting until I feel like I'm a more experienced blogger! I'll keep A Bird in Hand Designs in mind for whenever that time comes!

    Jayme
    Teach Talk Inspire

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    1. Hi Jayme! I used templates, tried creating my own, and I think I just gave up on it for awhile! Once you've been blogging for awhile and see more and more blogs and clip art, you'll find what you love the most and be better ready to choose something that is perfect for you. I'd recommend spending the money when you've reached that point so you don't end up wanting to change it a few months down the road. Besides, yours looks adorable right now! I look forward to reading your posts as you find your voice and share your ideas!

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