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Core and Form Design Studio

🪞Helping brands show up with confidence through intentional branding
Brand Strategy | Branding + Web Design | Marketing Design | 1:1 Brand consultations

18/12/2025

Not every brand needs the same things.
And not every brand needs them at the same time.

This carousel shows what was included in Carol Gaffney’s brand package at the stage her business was in, and why.

For Carol Gaffney, a Brand Positioning Strategist and Mentor who builds brands from within, we focused on creating a brand system that felt grounded, intentional, and flexible.

The work included:
Creative Direction and Mood Board
Logo Suite
Font Pairing
Colour Palette
Social Media Templates
Brand Guidelines
Offboarding and Brand Support

Each element was chosen to support her methodology, not to tick boxes.

This is how I approach branding. No templates. No fixed packages. Just thoughtful decisions based on what the brand actually needs.

If you want support shaping a brand that feels like you, let’s chat.

Roberta,
Founder & Creative Director
CORE AND FORM DESIGN STUDIO
DM | [email protected] | https://f.mtr.cool/xgtgplkxiz

06/12/2025

The more websites I design the more I realise that clarity wins over cleverness.

Your customer is not trying to solve a puzzle. They are trying to understand if you can help them.

Talk like you would to a caveman.
Tell them what you do, what you offer, why it matters, and how they can buy.

Simple language changes results.
It builds trust faster. It reduces decision fatigue. It removes doubt.

Clear words convert.
Fancy words confuse.

What are your thoughts on this?

Roberta

03/12/2025

People often see branding as picking pretty colours and shapes. And that’s why DIY brands can end up feeling a little… washy.

When the basics of design principles aren’t understood, everything looks nice but nothing feels intentional. Softer lines are a perfect example. They’re not a style choice. They influence how people feel when they land on your website or scroll your feed. Rounded buttons, curved frames, or a soft font can bring calm and warmth without lowering your authority one bit.

When these details are chosen with purpose, your brand feels clearer, more human, and more memorable. That’s the difference between visuals that just look good and visuals that work.

Save this post and follow for more from Branding, Explained Simply.

Roberta,
Founder & Creative Director
CORE & FORM DESIGN STUDIO
DM | mailto:[email protected] | www.coreandformdesign.com

27/11/2025

Today is my birthday and it is also six years since I opened this little Instagram page. I was 38 when I created , with no real plan and no idea that it would become such a big part of my life. I only wanted a small corner of the internet that felt like mine.

Now I am 44, and age really does feel like just a number. Every year I grow older, I feel more free. I care less about what others think. I feel bolder in the choices I make for my life and my business. And I have zero problems saying no. Although to be fair, that last part was always a bit natural for me ahaha.

When I look back, I see that the person I was six years ago needed a fresh start. She did not know how things would unfold, but she took one small step. That tiny moment changed everything. It brought me clients I adore, a studio that keeps evolving with me, a podcast, , and a community that has supported me through every stage of growth.

So today feels like more than a birthday. It is a reminder that you can begin again at any age, and that small decisions can open whole new chapters.

Thank you for being here, whether you joined recently or have been following since the early days. Your trust and kindness mean so much.

Here is to 44. Here is to year seven of this space. And here is to everything I still want to build, create, and explore.

And don’t forget… follow your arrow wherever it points ♐️

Roberta 🫶🏻

Photo credits .gaffney Gaffney & Co

22/10/2025

Throwback to some beautiful branding I designed for 🫶🏻

16/10/2025

To be honest, I was not in the mood for networking today.
I actually haven’t been in months.

It’s no secret I like solitude, but I also like connecting with people a lot, especially other entrepreneurs, I always feel inspired and empowered to take on the world after.

But today was a struggle, I was sluggish, a bit of a headache but still put my big girl pants, packed my “blue plastic bag” (this is a metaphor for anyone who was in the room today with ) and off I went to get the train to town.

As expected I am happy I left the house, happy I pushed through to meet new people, not because that can mean more business, but because I made space to learn and be inspired by others, and because of that I feel already better.

Thanks to Gabriela .ie for buddying up with me, it was lovely to chat 💬

Thanks to for an amazing morning and delicious lunch and to all the speakers! It was amazing 🫶🏻

Looking forward to the next event already!

Roberta,
Founder & Creative Director
CORE AND FORM DESIGN STUDIO
DM | [email protected] | www.coreandformdesign.com

20/09/2025

You don’t control your brand — your audience does. But you *can* shape it. Through aligned visuals, intentional voice, and consistent delivery.

💬 Who defines your brand right now — you or your audience?

Roberta,
Founder & Creative Director
CORE AND FORM DESIGN STUDIO
DM | [email protected] | www.coreandformdesign.com

24/07/2025

✨ What’s the secret to making client relationships genuinely great?

For me, it’s this: a bright smile, real collaboration, and just enough play. That trio lifts the energy, sparks better ideas, and builds trust every time.

Here’s my go-to mix:
1. Start with warmth and good energy
2. Make space for proper collaboration—every voice matters
3. Add creativity to keep momentum going
4. Be flexible when the project needs it (your gut usually knows)

Set clear boundaries, but don’t be afraid to adapt when it moves things forward.

What about you? How do you create a great client experience?

Roberta,
Founder & Creative Director
CORE AND FORM DESIGN STUDIO
DM | [email protected] | www.coreandformdesign.com

23/07/2025

Think I spend my day doodling logos?
Think again 😅

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Hey there!

Welcome to my page! I bet that if you are here you want to know a little bit more about me and my work so here it goes:

I’m a Portuguese freelance living in Ireland since 2013. Since a very young age, I’ve always loved art, creating and getting my hands dirty with paint.I’ve started studying Arts while still in high school followed by a 5-year College Degree in Graphic Design. I’ve worked in agencies for a few years but life has funny ways to derail you from your dreams so I ended up working in Business Operations and Analytics roles for the past years. I loved what I was doing but not as much as I love to be a designer and to create.

Last year it was clear to me that I needed to shake things a little bit, so I’ve enrolled in a Digital Marketing Diploma with the plan of combining both Marketing and Design skills to build a future career change. And that’s how I made the jump into the freelance world.

Life is too precious, each day of your life should be spent doing what gives us joy and we should always be allowed to dream, no matter how high. And with that, here I am now, this is only the beginning but I hope you will be around to see By Roberta grow as a reference brand in the market and we can perhaps collaborate.