Design Off the grid: a newsletter + personal blog

Come off the grid with us

We believe there’s value in staying curious, in making space, in following an idea that doesn’t have an obvious purpose and in choosing slow and sustainable over constantly doing more.

This is a space for the ideas, stories, discoveries, creative practices, conversations, and occasional rabbit holes that make us stop, pay attention, and think a little differently. Think of it as a place to wander for a while. No algorithm. No formula. No particular destination required.

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For businesses that don’t play by all the rules

There are plenty of formulas for how you’re supposed to build a brand, market a business, design a website, grow an audience, and generally become a Very Serious Entrepreneur™. I’m not particularly interested in following all of them.

Design Off The Grid is where I explore a different way of doing things: one that’s strategic without being soulless, creative without being chaotic, and sustainable without requiring you to constantly do more.

slow design sessions
interviews with creatives
fresh finds for creativity
offline hours essays
off the grid frameworks

perfect for the creatives who:

Want a brand with a little more personality.
Would rather build something sustainable than chase the next growth hack.
Always have approximately 47 creative ideas at any given moment.
Want their marketing to feel more human.
Hate the phrase girl boss and despise the word hustle.

essays + creative resets

Offline hours

For anyone who sometimes wonders if we’re spending a little too much of our lives online (me!). Sharing our thoughts on creativity, attention, rest, technology, and making more room for a life that happens away from the screen.
Visual Branding In Brainerd Lakes Area

offline hours

Small Joys = Big Wins

Happiness doesn’t magically show up once your wildest goals are achieved, but our smallest joys can add up to our biggest wins, if we start looking for them.
joy this way
Visual Branding In Brainerd Lakes Area

offline hours

4 Mini Experiments For Creatives

These 4 mini experiments a try, they’re perfect for restless creatives as none of them require big commitments and the goal is never perfection.
try them today
Visual Branding In Brainerd Lakes Area

offline hours

The Age Of Doomscrolling

A personal experiment and my attempt at answering the question, “What would my life look like if I was more intentional with my time?”
how to slow down
Visual Branding In Brainerd Lakes Area

offline hours

Protecting Your Mental Health

We chatted with a licensed therapist about her expert insights on how to protect your mental health as a freelancer.
get her free advice
Homecourt Studios Brand Patterns

NEWSLETTER EXCLUSIVES

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The Design Off The Grid newsletter brings you Slow Creative Sessions and Off The Grid Client Frameworks: creative exercises and practical strategies to help you work differently.
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things we currently love

Fresh finds to fuel creativity

activity: small business reflection


> FIND IT HERE

ALBUM: COWBOY CARTER
(STILL OBSESSSSED)


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SUBSCRIPTION: WORDY & WILD BOOK SUBSCRIPTION


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BOOK:THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD


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TV SHOW: NEVER HAVE I
EVER


> WATCH IT HERE

app: finch self-care
(trust me on this one)


> DOWNLOAD IT HERE

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Entrepreneurs who broke the rules

Design Off The Grid with…

I’m increasingly interested in what happens when we step away from the constant pressure to be visible, productive, available, and online. I created Design Off The Grid as a small rebellion against the platforms, trends, optimization, and endless content we’re constantly consuming.

These interviews are a chance to hear from interesting people who are choosing to live and create a little differently. We talk about their work, their process, what inspires them, and how they’re building creative lives and businesses on their own terms.
an artist in Florence
a writer in Canada
Your inbox could use something a little more interesting

Get Design Off The Grid delivered twice a month, with creative prompts, fresh inspiration, behind-the-scenes strategy, essays, and conversations with interesting people.

CREATIVE PROMPTS TO RESET YOUR CREATIVITY
TIPS TO GET CLIENTS WITHOUT THE ALGORITHM
SHORT ESSAYS TO GET YOUR THINKING IN A NEW WAY
come wander around with us

from the archives

Read the newsletter

Not everything needs to be read in order. Wander through past editions of Design Off The Grid and find a creative prompt, a fresh perspective, a good conversation, or something that makes you stop and think.

what if this tiny ritual changes things?

The most intentional business owners I know are the ones who have an “off button.” They’re the ones who have small rituals that keep them grounded so they can tap back into why they started their own thing in the first place.

I wish I could stop saying this...

The world feels heavy right now. And it can take a real toll on us business owners. You’re constantly second-guessing what you should be talking about right now. What you should be doing. If you should be focusing on business or something else entirely.

do you find this as true as I do?

You don’t need fancy tools, a perfect studio, an endless budget, or even hours of uninterrupted time to be creative, because creativity is part of you. It’s part of all of us.

while you're here...

A few things we love to recommend

Need some body copy that goes here and need some body copy that goes here and need some body copy that goes here.

If you’re suffering from Shiny Object Syndrome, our fun, free quiz will quickly help you let go of trying to do all the things, and find the one most important thing to focus on for the next 30 days!

The Homecourt Studios blog is where we get into the good stuff: branding, websites, SEO, marketing, and all the strategy behind building a business that actually works. Think helpful advice, honest takes, and plenty of things to make your next move a little clearer.

Hey readers, we’d love to connect with you! Come be part of our Homecourt Book Hub where Courtney shares what’s reading and includes descriptions, discussion questions and reviews so you can read along, too!