total, utter brain lock. Group brainstorm?

[flashlight]

I've tried everything, but my brain is stuck firmly in neutral. I'm trying to come up with a concept for a bakery website. The name is Bubby Roses Bakery, which should just be oozing with potential. I've taken a good dozen stabs at layouts, but nothing seems to be working, largely due to the fact that there's no concept behind them('ooooh, you're making the background pink - isn't that just a tad obvious', said he to himself).

This thing should be simple, but maybe I'm just making it too complicated. Feel free to either suggest an idea or slap me across the face. Either one might help break me out of this blah-ness.

Thanks

I am Almost Cool (http://www.peterflaschner.com)

[coconut]

Will they be mailing orders, or is it just to simply provide information for their business? It sounds very family, I would go with some pictures of culture, their culture, mama baking, bubbby (brother in the south) making dough, hands in dough, close shots??? Food colors, red and green for me. What makes them special, what was your appeal to these people, do they run around doing their works like they are serious, are they more laid back?
Are you having problems laying out the site because you have not been there, your designing the logo, that would be the first step I think, at least in my opinion.
Where on the map is this located, that has alot to do with the look, coastal, plains, burbs, china town, cafe?


What do I look like a smoken monkey?

[shellebelle]

I'd play off of their logo. You don't happen to have it handy do you?

[flashlight]

hey - I do. Much though I wish I could re-do this, I can't.

http://www.bubbyrosesbakery.com/images/logo.gif

they're located in Victoria BC, Canada

I am Almost Cool (http://www.peterflaschner.com)

[flashlight]

I think I got it: index cards, the kind you write recipes on.

I'll get a bunch of them, put them in a messy pile, and take a photograph of them. I could use the photo, or illustrate it I suppose...

Anyhoo, the cards will have tabs on them, and the tabs will be the navigation. Hmmm, may have to use an image map... Or flash?

I am Almost Cool (http://www.peterflaschner.com)

[morea]

^ nice! What a great idea.

I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.

[redboxer]

agreed - index cards sound like a really good idea - although i think you should go for illustrating this in the same kind of scraggy line art style of the logo with a bit of bakery-related colour thrown in so you don't end up with a totally greyed out website.

is anyone else getting vivid images of Bubbly Rose herself? i can almost see her warming her buns right now /emoticons/blink.gif

all we are saying is give peas a chance...

[Broacher]

And the cards should have lots of random stains, and flour bits and such.

Does this bakery have any unique specialty item it's renowned for?

(Man, I'm smelling cinammon buns just thinking about this)

[redboxer]

^Jeez Broacher - you got me smelling cinnamon buns now too ... and warm donuts ... /emoticons/cool.gif

all we are saying is give peas a chance...

[morea]

mmm... cinnamon buns and donuts.

I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.

[flashlight]

oh man, it's too early to be craving cinnamon buns so hard! I like the random flour and stains bit, and the idea of illustrating it is very good too. Thanks!

Anybody interested in forming an instant messenger brainstorming group? Might be a bit redundant to the forum, but it's quicker and a bit more interactive. Not sure how it would work, but if you're interested, send me an email to peter@flashlightdesign.com, and I'll see if I can arrange it.

I am Almost Cool (http://www.peterflaschner.com)

[Wonder Woman]

I love the idea of the random food bits. I worked on this before and it looks great. I did some stuff with biscuit crumbs, coffee rings and sticky tape (as in photos stuck down with masking tape) and it worked really well. A baking theme would look great - flour dribbles, raisins, egg shell bits, batter marks etc etc - all the stuff you find on your Mum's favourite recipe books.

I've seen bakery products and sites working really well in a pinky red and creamy white colour stripes. It could work by making the site into a giant recipe book, showing the different sections that you get in books (pies, vegetables, deserts etc etc). And if you can invent some sort of hardware that would allow you to send smells of cinnamon through the internet, I think you'll be on to a winner.

And you might want to suggest a new logo to them..............

Searching for creative juices

[coconut]

The logo has a french cafe feel for me, i love the way it looks. I am sure your site will come out neat, would like to see it when you get it finished.


What do I look like a smoken monkey?

[Broacher]

A good bakery is right up there with a good library, or a good beer joint.

You think that maybe in heaven, they've combined the three?

(That'd almost be enough for me to be 'good'.)

[flashlight]

Thanks so much everyone. This has been fantastic. I'll post jpg's and whatnot as it develops.

Thanks again!

I am Almost Cool (http://www.peterflaschner.com)

[MD]

I don't know if you are going to use the recipie card idea or not but this site has a similar idea (I think it could have been done much better)

http://www.fridgedesign.co.uk/