Oubly

I joined the e-commerce startup Oubly in its very early stages — before there was even a logo. I designed for print and web, managed freelancers, collaborated with developers, curated content, wrote for the blog, and provided HTML and CSS support.

Web pages and email blast designs arranged in a presentational diagonal fashion.
Key Contributions

Graphic Design / UX/UI Design / Web Development

Balsamiq - HTML/CSS - InDesign - Illustrator - Photoshop

Two event cards on a soft white background with flowers
Design

Print & Photography

I designed and illustrated, QA’d, and integrated hundreds of print designs, from business cards to wedding stationery sets. I also ensured they were optimized for web, print, and the platform's technology.

Playful fruit and leave patterned stationery
Illustrated Happy New Year cards with nearby floral elements
Illustration with photo ave the date announcement and stationery with a wooden pencil and lavender nearby
Design

Customization Module

I designed and collaborated with the development team to implement a module for users to customize and order products. These orders were then routed to a dashboard I created, where they were managed and sent to the printer for fulfillment.

The user interface that controls the customization aspects of the products.
A hand-drawn 404 page I designed inspired by our web developer Safa (don't tell him)
Design + Front-end

404 Pages

I really wanted the user to have as much of a smile as possible if they happened on a 404 as well as conceptually communicate that we all make mistakes. Just fix it! Perhaps the most important event in relation to these pages was that due to positive feedback from a user test I was awarded a spicy Korean dinner.

An animated illustration of a chihuahua sitting a desk typing furiously.
An illustrated green blob going in halted circles.
A 404 page featuring a green blob, friendly message and search input.
UX/UI + QA internal feature

Content Uploader

I worked very closely with our development team to design and deploy an uploader module. This module would upload files and if prepared correctly would translate them to editable content on our e-commerce website. This was then translated to a format for the printing team when ordered and created.

Internal Tools

Dashboard

I designed a dashboard that allowed the team to manage orders and clients, set inventory, adjust product types, and add or remove artwork. This dashboard facilitated communication between the startup team and the primary manufacturer, who handled the printing and production. This project was a major undertaking for me, providing a significant and refreshing change of pace while challenging my user interface design skills. I am grateful to our senior designer as she helped and guided me.

Design + Marketing

Blog Theming

Using our style guide as a foundation, I adapted the designs for the blog platform. Since it was a new application of our styles, I had some creative freedom but aimed to keep a look that was both delicate and playful, reflecting our ongoing branding. I also wrote several articles, including the one featured here. By the way, Bracket is fantastic!

The color palette of the initial Oubly brand design.
Design + Marketing

Email Design

Considering user testing, I explored the range of Oubly’s visual tones and  user types. Although all designs followed a common language, the deliverables varied enough to gather diverse user feedback in a relatively controlled manner.

An email blast featuring edge painted business cards.
An email blast featuring cats holding business cards proudly marching towards a contest to enter their cards.
A delicate email blast for Memorial Day featuring soft photography and stationery.
Internal Tools

Automation

To streamline the crucial initial print asset upload for the platform launch, I created a simple automation script. This helped the team upload content with minimal manual effort.

A neatly arranged group of edge painted business cards.
Screen shots of the installed custom font "Devon Hand."
Special Project

Custom Font

I wrote a tutorial on font creation for the Oubly blog and was later asked to help create a font based on a deceased family member’s letters. This request touched me deeply, and I worked on it passionately during my evenings. The final result was a font that captures the essence of those letters, preserving cherished memories.

A close-up of the font Devon Hand in action.
An actual letter typeset in Devon Hand — the first to one.
An screenshot of the email I received after the letter was typeset.
Reflection

General Takeaway

My tasks were significantly more diverse than I had anticipated; I quickly learned to be nimble, to trust my team and that there is a quiet satisfaction in the grind. Lastly, that no matter the task, design thinking and concept are dear friends.