Zel and Harlow Creative

Zel and Harlow Creative Hi! I am Stephanie of Zel & Harlow Creative. I am a story-led brand + web designer for playful, purpose-driven brands creating magic in the everyday!

I can’t go anywhere anymore without noticing the branding, ask my husband…Case in point: Maiz De La Vida Restaurant in N...
09/03/2026

I can’t go anywhere anymore without noticing the branding, ask my husband…

Case in point: Maiz De La Vida Restaurant in Nashville.

Maíz de la Vida was created by Owner + Executive Chef Julio Hernandez, whose story actually started with a search for the perfect corn tortilla. And somehow that same level of intention feels baked into the entire restaurant experience.

From the signage to the menu, glassware, interiors, murals, typography, color palette and even the bathroom art... every little piece felt like it belonged to the same world.

THIS is what I mean when I say good branding is so much more than a logo.

Nothing was overly matchy. Nothing felt like they just slapped the logo on everything. But it was all unmistakably them.

That’s the sweet spot.

Your brand should give you enough of a visual language that you can keep creating new things without losing the thread.

Anyway, welcome to Good Design in the Wild: Part Two 🌽

Came for lunch. Left with approximately 47 photos of branding like always.

August was a “just take the next step” kind of month.Two new clients (!!), lots of really exciting work happening behind...
09/02/2026

August was a “just take the next step” kind of month.

Two new clients (!!), lots of really exciting work happening behind the scenes, and one big lesson I’m carrying with me: some of the best things in business (and life) have come from something I almost didn’t do.

An email. An introduction. Putting myself in a room where I didn’t know anyone. Saying yes before I knew exactly where it would lead.

And now we’re officially in Made for Mothers 🛼 National Community for Moms in Business Bowling Green launch month, which feels like another one of those take the step and see what happens moments!

August, you were good to me.

September... LET’S GOOOOO!!

08/26/2026

Made for Mothers® Bowling Green is launching next month!!!

📍 The Lounge at 314
📅 September 24 at 11AM

👶 Babies welcome
🌼 Big business dreams welcome
🪩 Making actual business friends HIGHLY encouraged

Basically… bring yourself, bring the baby, bring the business. We’ll see you there!!! Grab your ticket at my link in bio.

I love seeing what colors, fonts, and styles are having their moment. Butter yellow. Fish eye type. Trends are fun!BUT t...
08/25/2026

I love seeing what colors, fonts, and styles are having their moment. Butter yellow. Fish eye type. Trends are fun!

BUT trends aren’t a brand strategy.

When your brand is built around what’s popular at the time, you’ll always be chasing what’s next. When it’s built around your story, you have something no one else can copy.

A brand built on your story doesn’t need to keep reinventing itself to stay relevant. It just needs to keep telling the truth—consistently and in a way people recognize.

And if your brand feels like it’s chasing something instead of standing for something? That usually isn’t a design problem.

It’s a story problem.

I’m sharing how to build a brand that lasts in my newest blog post. Read it at the link in my bio! 💚

08/21/2026

23 pages of strategy, direction, mood boards + color exploration… all before touching the logo. 👀

This is my process for a reason.

Clients sometimes ask me, “But what if I don’t like what you come up with?”

And honestly? I’m never worried about that question.

Because I don’t jump straight into designing. I do the work first to figure out what your brand needs to say, who it needs to speak to, and what it should feel like.

By the time I start designing, I’m not guessing. I already know where I’m going with your brand.

Creative direction: SENT ✅

Thinking you need to burn your whole brand to the ground and start over? 🔥Maybe. But also… maybe not.Sometimes you need ...
08/20/2026

Thinking you need to burn your whole brand to the ground and start over? 🔥

Maybe. But also… maybe not.

Sometimes you need a rebrand. Sometimes you need a few smart tweaks. Sometimes you need someone who isn’t staring at your brand 47 hours a week to tell you what’s actually working.

That’s what these calls are for.

Bring me the “something feels off,” the half-baked ideas, the Pinterest board, the big dreams. We’ll figure out what your brand actually needs next.

30 minutes. Free. Ready for a fresh set of eyes? Book your free discovery call at the link in bio!

I don’t have a “type.” I just like brands with stories to tell.Different industries, different audiences, different goal...
08/19/2026

I don’t have a “type.” I just like brands with stories to tell.

Different industries, different audiences, different goals. But the best work always starts with getting to the heart of what makes a brand worth talking about.

And my future-client wishlist? Still growing 👀

See yourself on it? I’d love to help you tell your story!

POV: you have headshots scheduled, but you’re also a mama ♥️Bring. The. Baby.When I first had my oldest, someone gave me...
08/17/2026

POV: you have headshots scheduled, but you’re also a mama ♥️

Bring. The. Baby.

When I first had my oldest, someone gave me a piece of advice that has stuck with me ever since: **don’t stop living your life now that you have a child.**

And I think about that advice all the time.

The dentist appointment.
The trip to Europe.
The coffee chat.
The headshot appointment.

Bring the baby.

Motherhood doesn’t mean your life has to go on pause. Sometimes it just means your little one comes along for the ride.

So bring them. Take the breaks. Feed the baby. Snag a few extra cuddles between shots. Let real life happen. And be sure to bring a snack.

At Zel & Harlow Creative, I’m here for the woman behind the business, too. And sometimes, she has a baby on her hip.

Professional photos + motherhood + real life can all exist in the same room.

📸 by: Bowling Green, KY Wedding Photographer | Reid Wilkinson 😍

08/14/2026

I may be late to the YAP trend, but this conversation is too important not to be having.

Mothers in the workforce. Let’s build a system that works for us.

What would a system that actually works for mothers look like to you? 👇

Address

Franklin, KY
42134

Telephone

+12147961462

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