Today, March 3rd, 2025, marks both a beginning and an end—and I am deeply grateful. First, I want to thank Ginger Edwards for entrusting me to take over her tea business, Communitea. It was on this exact day one year ago that I purchased all of the inventory and blend recipes from North Fork 53. It was terrifying and inspiring all at once.

Let me rewind a bit… Several years ago, after moving to the Oregon Coast, I started working with Ginger - harvesting herbs and packaging tea. I never imagined that I’d have my own tea business. Though looking back, the signs were there: after nearly a decade of vegetable farming, I found myself increasingly drawn to growing herbs at scale.

Before finalizing the purchase, I knew that I wanted to reimagine the brand with a fresh name and identity. (I'll share the story behind choosing "Murrelet" another day!) The creative aspects of branding intrigued me, though I'll admit—retiring the beloved Communitea artwork made me a bit nervous. But, as with most meaningful changes in life, I took a deep breath and decided to go for it anyway.

It took the better part of a year to transform this vision into reality—all while establishing a new farm and navigating the unfamiliar waters of running a small business for the first time. The journey has been equal parts exhausting and exhilarating. I've been so fortunate to have incredible support from my circle of friends and family, alongside some remarkably talented professionals who lent their expertise when I needed it most. I truly could not have seen this dream come to life without their shared wisdom and encouragement.

I can't unveil this new branding without expressing my profound gratitude to two exceptional creatives who were absolutely central to bringing Murrelet to life: Jody Swanson of Alice Projects and Torrey Saunders of Torrey Jay Creative. Their vision and skill turned abstract ideas into something tangible and beautiful.

Jody Swanson of Alice Projects is a remarkably gifted artist who lives near to me on the coast. Her intuitive understanding of our shared landscape brings a special authenticity to her work for this project.

Torrey Saunders of Torrey Jay Creative runs a mother-owned design agency in San Diego, dedicating her design skills and website building talents to ethically-minded entrepreneurs and conservation organizations.

I can't overstate how much these two brilliant women contributed to Murrelet's visual identity. Jody crafted exquisite, one-of-a-kind linocut artwork featuring herbs and coastal scenes that so beautifully capture the essence of this place I call home. Torrey then took these artistic elements and transformed them into branding that feels simultaneously elegant and grounded—somehow perfectly embodying what I am trying to create here.

What I particularly appreciated about working with both Torrey and Jody was their patient, collaborative approach. They each accepted my jumbled ideas, amateur mockups, and personal preferences with ease. Torrey got us across the finish line by guiding me through a thoughtful refinement process. She gradually pared away anything extraneous until we arrived at something that feels absolutely right—branding and packaging that authentically represents both the products and the ethos behind them.

All together, we created the new aesthetic for Murrelet: my 2-acre herb farm nestled in Nehalem, where I cultivate herbs specifically for these thoughtfully crafted teas.

*The full evolution from Communitea to our new Murrelet packaging*.

I can hardly find the words to express just how thrilled I am that this vision has finally materialized. Anyone who's brought a passion project to life knows that feeling—when the finish line seems simultaneously within reach and impossibly distant. Balancing this ambitious rebrand project with my already full plate over the past year tested me in ways I hadn't anticipated.

I'll be honest—there were moments of overwhelm and doubt when I questioned whether taking on this rebrand was the right choice. But now, seeing everything come together, I'm profoundly grateful I trusted my instincts with it. There's something deeply affirming about believing in your vision enough to nurture it through uncertainty. Then it has a chance to blossom into something tangible.

Thank you for being part of this adventure with me!

Until next time,
Kelly

Unveiling our new look!