SG Creative Design

It must nearly be Christmas... I have been working on features and magazine covers for Valentine's Day today, all to a theme tune of Christmas songs. Welcome to the wacky world of a graphic designer in the publishing sector. If you didn't LOVE this job, you couldn't do it!

I'M A CELEBRITY GET ME INTO HERE! We collect celebrities in the MK and NN Pulse magazines, like Professor Slugworth collected noteworthies in Harry Potter (you'll need to read or watch The Half Blood Prince to get the reference). Here is a selection from the last couple of years, written by Sammy Jones, laid out by yours truly. You can still read these online by clicking to: https://issuu.com/pulsegroupmedia

People will often ask me 'Are you keeping busy?', to which my stock answer is 'Yeah, pretty busy', but I don't really look back or take stock very often of what I have actually done. I thought I'd do that today. This montage is a just a sample from the magazines, directories, conference programme and annual charity report that I've worked on either in full or helped out with in October and November this year. It includes 4 Pulse magazines (with a Christmas supplement in November), 3 Meat Management magazines, a Food Management Today magazine, a School Travel Organiser magazine, a Group Leisure & Travel magazine, 2 Village Help directories, Focus Towcester, Focus Brackley and Focus Buckingham magazines, an East Hunsbury Life magazine, the Soroptimist Conference programme and the annual report for the charity Carers Worldwide. It doesn't include adverts, leaflets, business cards, posters, and Facebook adverts produced for my varied clients. I think there might be life in the 'old dog' yet!

When I said November had a music theme I wasn't kidding. I was asked to design a Spotify cover for rising MK DJ Jon Boyle and UK Garage legend Maxwell D for their single Serious Come On. Best of luck JB!

November has definitely had a music theme running through it... with 5 pages of music laid out for the November MK and NN Pulse, including this spread in the MK Pulse. Good times when your interests and work come together...

Another celebrity interview layout to add to the collection. Really pleased with this one in the November MK and NN Pulse magazines... Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays and Black Grape... and Celebrity Gogglebox)

There was plenty to be proud of for all of us involved with the October edition of MK Pulse. The highlight for me was the feature written by Sammy Jones about her visits to London in the days after HM The Queen's passing; a really moving piece that was an honour to lay out. If you have not read your copy yet, have a look through. If you are out of the area you can read it online by following this link: https://issuu.com/pulsegroupmedia/docs/mkpoct22?fr=sNmQ4ZDUwODQ3Njg

It has been a busy month. I counted that I have worked on 12 publications in that period. Not bad for a slightly past-it designer, who doesn't like the heat (while he's working!). As well as the usual MK and NN Pulse layouts, Focus Magazine production, throw in Meat Management and Food Management Today layouts, Business MK and Business Times adverts, Village Help Regions 1 & 2 adverts and the layout of the Advantage Africa newsletter. Add to that a Facebook campaign for We Fit Doors (including an illustration of a set of bi-folds) and you see why I am sat at my desk a lot during the day. It does make the time go by quickly though!

Really pleased with this Pulse Hello Summer guide we were involved with the design and layout on. A couple of real advertising coups for Pulse too, getting the UEFA EUROS and Bletchley Park involved. Take a look, you'll be suprised how many different things there are to do locally this summer. If you live in MK you should get your copy of the magazine through your door very soon. Have a look through it, it really is worth a read.

Hello Summer 2022 Your definitive guide to everything going on across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire this summer

England's newest city has a big month of events coming up next month and the July MK Pulse features heavily on them. Musically, we have Craig David, Rag'n'Bone Man, Paloma Faith, Steps and Reggae Land featuring Julian Marley (as well as being a big talent himself he had quite a famous dad) and Shaggy... you know who he is even if you think you don't... It Wasn't Me! International women's football comes to MK as the UEFA EUROS kick off. Three group games and a semi-final are taking place at Stadium MK. There is a super 17-page Hello Summer guide inside with heaps of things to do over the summer months. Keep your eyes peeled for it coming through your door.

Did I mention, that I draw maps! This one of Belfast city centre is destined for the back cover of the Soroptimist International GBI Conference programme in October.

A friend of mine is organising this charity fund raising extravaganza on the 10th and 11th June. The highlight is a James Bond themed Gala Dinner & Dance at Horwood House on Saturday June 11th - A chance to dress up as your favourite Bond character for an evening, have a great night out and raise some money to support the mental health of NHS workers. If you are genuinely interested in attending, private message me and I will pass on the email to find out more or buy tickets. PLEASE SHARE THIS AROUND - THEY NEED TO SELL ALL OF THEIR TICKETS! Thanks! Simon😉

Just spoke to Ricky and it sounds like the book printing will be completed tomorrow. If you have not already and would like to pre-order a copy, please let me know.

I am late getting this one posted, it was in the March edition of NN Pulse. I was very happy to lay out this Sammy Jones interview with Johannes Radebe, being a big fan of the BBC dance show - why is it that people with two left feet love Strictly and become dance experts when it's on? Luckily, I know my way around a magazine page somewhat better than a dancefloor!

The April edition of MK Pulse contains the usual round-up of live music gigs in town over the next month - laid out by yours truly and written by Sammy Jones. Arrested Development at MK11 caught my eye. The American hip-hop legends, famous for Mr Wendall, Tennessee and People Everyday, are there on April 23.

We laid out this interview in the April edition of MK Pulse by Sammy Jones with 70s heart-throb, Patrick Duffy - depending on your age, think Man from Atlantis or Dallas - that's the fella! You can see Patrick on stage next week in 'Catch Me If You Can' at MK Theatre, April 4-9

LAUNCH DAY PLANNED FOR SATURDAY 23rd April 2022
FOR THORNBOROUGH CC's HISTORICAL BOOK
To make it easier for people to get hold of their copy of the book, CRICKET AS IT SHOULD BE PLAYED, we are arranging a launch day. From 10am until 2pm you will find us at Ann and Alan Paynes' bungalow, Home Close, Nash Road, Thornborough, MK18 2DX and then from 3pm onwards at The Two Brewers (Good planning Uncle Bri... who's driving?)
It is a professionaly printed, perfect bound, paperback book and the price is £10. If you need the book posting we can do that for you and the cost for post and packaging will be £2.50.
We have decided that the funds raised would be best directed straight to the AllStars and Dynamos programmes that the cricket club run for youngsters. It's a great way of getting children involved in playing sport and having fun outside, something we can all believe in and I am sure both Mick Moore and Bob Ridgway would have approved of.
If you have already said on my last post that you would like to buy a copy or copies, no need to say again, I have been keeping a record. Just let us know if you definitely will need it posting.
It would be great to see as many old faces as we can on the day, so please let people know, who you know, that are not part of this group. It would be a shame for them to miss out on this unique piece of Thornborough cricketing and village history.
I'll post a reminder up a week or so before the day.
Thanks everyone! Simon

What started as an idea bounced around on our online group has, over the last 6 months, come very close to reality. Thanks largely to the tenacity of my Uncle, Brian Goodger, in compiling his and various others' memories of playing for the old village club. We are on the cusp of going to print now. A launch day is planned in Thornborough where you will be able to come along and buy your copy. Details to follow. All proceeds from the book are going to charity via the Mick Moore and Bob Ridgeway memorial fund. It will be a limited print-run, so if you are interested in purchasing a copy, please let me know...

Music theatre lovers are in for a treat in February with School of Rock, Dreamgirls and Jersey Boys all featuring at MK Theatre. Looking for a bit of light relief then Count Arthur Strong drops into The Stables on Feb 11. Or how about a bit of classic Morecambe & Wise in the form of Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens, again at The Stables. Obviously hitting all the right notes, just in the wrong order! Check out the Theatre and What's On pages in your February MK Pulse for full details.

Milton Keynes has a busy and exciting music scene and that is reflected in the music pages in February's MK Pulse. Look out for your copy coming through your door any day now if you live in the catchment area. Visit www.pulsemagazine.co.uk/our-titles/mk-pulse/ if you are out of area.

Laying out the music pages for the MK and NN Pulse is one of the highlights of my month and takes me back to the start of my career working on the What's On section of the Bucks Advertiser back in the late 80s for Chris East its editor. I used to go to the gigs back then though!

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