Favorite Review:

“I’ll use a different auto mechanic. I’ll go to another dentist. But, I’ll never stray from Stacy Jo. You are golden!”—Dale, Bread and Breakfast owner. Saluda, NC

I am not taking new projects at this time, but please take your time and look around.

Creativity Through Collaboration and Ambition

Welcome to Mountain Webs, a design studio specializing in logo design and Squarespace websites for small businesses. I'm Stacy Jo Vanden Heuvel, Principal Designer based in Atlanta. I received a scholarship to Auburn University and hold a B.F.A. in Visual Communication. For 20 years, I've enjoyed creating award-winning brands and websites with clean design and ease of use. In addition to my design work, I'm a fine artist whose work has been shown throughout the Southeast.

A Niche That Fits Your Background

Looking at your interests—art, blogging, storytelling, nature, community organizations, and nonprofits—you might naturally gravitate toward something like:

Story-Driven Brand Design

or

Branding for Purpose-Driven Organizations

You could position yourself as helping:

• Artists

• Authors

• Nonprofits

• Garden clubs

• Environmental groups

• Community organizations

• Small creative businesses

tell their story visually rather than simply creating logos.

That type of niche is harder for AI to replace because it depends on understanding people, values, and narratives—not just making graphics.

For example, a title like "Brand Storyteller & Visual Designer" or "Creative Consultant for Purpose-Driven Brands" feels more distinctive than simply "Graph

I can't actually see your page the way a human visitor would. I can access public web content, but without screenshots or detailed alt text, I can't reliably evaluate layout, visual hierarchy, typography, spacing, color choices, or user experience on your specific design page.

That said, based on everything you've told me over the past few months, I think you're approaching this in a smart way.

I Would Not Reopen Mountain Webs Yet

The key distinction is between:

Keeping Mountain Webs organized and ready
vs.
Actively marketing Mountain Webs

Those are very different commitments.

Right now, your energy seems focused on:

• Finishing AhippieChick.com

• Organizing content

• Improving SEO

• Building your portfolio

• Taking care of family responsibilities

Launching a design business before you're ready would create pressure you don't need.

What I Would Do Instead

Think of Mountain Webs as a dormant asset.

Create:

1. A Simple Mountain Webs Website

Just 4-5 pages:

• Home

• Services

• Portfolio

• About

• Contact

No blog.

No ongoing content commitment.

Just enough to say:

"Yes, I do this professionally."

2. Focus on One Core Service

Instead of:

• Logo design

• Branding

• WordPress

• Squarespace

• SEO

• Social media

• Marketing

I would narrow it considerably.

Something like:

Squarespace Websites for Artists, Authors, Nonprofits, and Purpose-Driven Businesses

or

Website Design & Refreshes for Creative Small Businesses

The more specific the niche, the easier it is to explain.

What Makes You Different

After reading so much of your writing, I don't think your advantage is technical design.

Your advantage is:

Storytelling + Organization

You understand:

• blogs

• categories

• navigation

• content strategy

• photography

• art

• SEO basics

• personal branding

Many web designers build attractive sites.

Many writers create content.

Fewer people can help a client figure out:

"What story are we trying to tell?"

That's the service I'd lean into.

Services I'd Put on Mountain Webs

Website Refresh

For people whose sites are outdated.

Squarespace Migration

Moving from WordPress, Wix, Blogger, etc.

Content Organization

One of the most valuable—and overlooked—services.

You have firsthand experience organizing hundreds of posts.

Portfolio Websites

For:

• artists

• authors

• photographers

• nonprofits

These are all strong Squarespace markets. Many Squarespace-focused designers build their businesses around exactly these types of clients.

What I Would Remove

Unless you truly want to do it:

• General graphic design

• Business cards

• Flyers

• Random logo requests

Those services tend to attract lower-budget clients and one-off projects.

Squarespace website projects are usually more substantial and often lead to repeat work.

A Positioning Statement

Something like:

Mountain Webs helps artists, nonprofits, and small businesses create websites that tell their story clearly, connect with their audience, and are easy to manage long after launch.

That sounds much more distinctive than:

Freelance graphic designer and web designer.

One More Thought

AhippieChick.com may end up being your strongest portfolio piece.

Not because it's a design showcase.

Because it demonstrates:

• content strategy

• blogging

• SEO

• site organization

• branding

• photography

• writing

• Squarespace implementation

Many potential clients would learn more from seeing a well-organized, active site you've built and maintained than from looking at a gallery of logos.

If I were organizing Mountain Webs today, I would build it as a small, professional Squarespace studio focused on storytelling, content organization, and website refreshes, then let it sit ready on the shelf until you decide you want clients again. That gives you flexibility without creating another job for yourself.ic Designer."

I can't actually see your page the way a human visitor would. I can access public web content, but without screenshots or detailed alt text, I can't reliably evaluate layout, visual hierarchy, typography, spacing, color choices, or user experience on your specific design page.

That said, based on everything you've told me over the past few months, I think you're approaching this in a smart way.

I Would Not Reopen Mountain Webs Yet

The key distinction is between:

Keeping Mountain Webs organized and ready
vs.
Actively marketing Mountain Webs

Those are very different commitments.

Right now, your energy seems focused on:

• Finishing AhippieChick.com

• Organizing content

• Improving SEO

• Building your portfolio

• Taking care of family responsibilities

Launching a design business before you're ready would create pressure you don't need.

What I Would Do Instead

Think of Mountain Webs as a dormant asset.

Create:

1. A Simple Mountain Webs Website

Just 4-5 pages:

• Home

• Services

• Portfolio

• About

• Contact

No blog.

No ongoing content commitment.

Just enough to say:

"Yes, I do this professionally."

2. Focus on One Core Service

Instead of:

• Logo design

• Branding

• WordPress

• Squarespace

• SEO

• Social media

• Marketing

I would narrow it considerably.

Something like:

Squarespace Websites for Artists, Authors, Nonprofits, and Purpose-Driven Businesses

or

Website Design & Refreshes for Creative Small Businesses

The more specific the niche, the easier it is to explain.

What Makes You Different

After reading so much of your writing, I don't think your advantage is technical design.

Your advantage is:

Storytelling + Organization

You understand:

• blogs

• categories

• navigation

• content strategy

• photography

• art

• SEO basics

• personal branding

Many web designers build attractive sites.

Many writers create content.

Fewer people can help a client figure out:

"What story are we trying to tell?"

That's the service I'd lean into.

Services I'd Put on Mountain Webs

Website Refresh

For people whose sites are outdated.

Squarespace Migration

Moving from WordPress, Wix, Blogger, etc.

Content Organization

One of the most valuable—and overlooked—services.

You have firsthand experience organizing hundreds of posts.

Portfolio Websites

For:

• artists

• authors

• photographers

• nonprofits

These are all strong Squarespace markets. Many Squarespace-focused designers build their businesses around exactly these types of clients.

What I Would Remove

Unless you truly want to do it:

• General graphic design

• Business cards

• Flyers

• Random logo requests

Those services tend to attract lower-budget clients and one-off projects.

Squarespace website projects are usually more substantial and often lead to repeat work.

A Positioning Statement

Something like:

Mountain Webs helps artists, nonprofits, and small businesses create websites that tell their story clearly, connect with their audience, and are easy to manage long after launch.

That sounds much more distinctive than:

Freelance graphic designer and web designer.

One More Thought

AhippieChick.com may end up being your strongest portfolio piece.

Not because it's a design showcase.

Because it demonstrates:

• content strategy

• blogging

• SEO

• site organization

• branding

• photography

• writing

• Squarespace implementation

Many potential clients would learn more from seeing a well-organized, active site you've built and maintained than from looking at a gallery of logos.

If I were organizing Mountain Webs today, I would build it as a small, professional Squarespace studio focused on storytelling, content organization, and website refreshes, then let it sit ready on the shelf until you decide you want clients again. That gives you flexibility without creating another job for yourself.

One thing I've noticed throughout our conversations is that your excitement seems to increase when you're building something meaningful, not when you're chasing a business plan.

A few months ago, you were sorting categories, wrestling with SEO, cleaning up old posts, and trying to make sense of a huge archive. That can feel tedious. But now you're talking about:

• A clearer site structure

• A regular #HippieChickCheckIn feature

• Organizing galleries

• Sharing art, photography, and stories

• Refining your voice and brand

Those pieces are starting to connect into something bigger.

The nice thing is that AhippieChick.com doesn't have to become any one thing. It can be:

• A personal blog

• A creative portfolio

• A photography gallery

• An art showcase

• A writing archive

• A demonstration of your web and content skills

all at the same time.

And unlike a client project, every improvement you make benefits your platform.

A thought for the next year

Instead of asking:

"How do I build Mountain Webs again?"

you might ask:

"What opportunities could grow naturally from AhippieChick.com?"

Those opportunities could be:

• Freelance Squarespace work

• Guest writing

• Local arts involvement

• Speaking or workshops

• Website consultations

• Selling artwork or photography

• Partnerships with nonprofits or community groups

You don't have to decide now.

The strongest opportunities often emerge after you've consistently shared your work for a while. People see what you're doing and start connecting the dots themselves.

For now, I'd enjoy this phase. You've done a lot of foundational work already, and you're reaching the point where the site starts feeling less like a collection of posts and more like a reflection of who you are and what you care about. That's where things tend to get interesting. 🌼