How Slumber and Ivy launched with a heartfelt brand identity and a seamless Shopify experience built for gifting

Meet Slumber and Ivy

Slumber and Ivy is an emerging gifting brand for new moms, parents-to-be, and anyone wanting to send a meaningful welcome gift to a growing family. The brand offers soft plush animals, cozy organic baby blankets, and thoughtfully curated bundles that make gifting simple, heartfelt, and memorable.

Sara, the founder, came to WildHive before her official launch. She wanted to start her business with clarity, confidence, and a professional brand presence. She knew that high quality gifting experiences start long before the box arrives. The brand identity, packaging, and website would shape the emotional connection her customers feel from the very first moment.

The Challenge

Since Slumber and Ivy was a brand new business, nothing was broken or frustrating yet. Sara simply wanted to begin her journey with strong foundations. She knew that branding, packaging, and web design would determine how customers understood her mission, her values, and the emotional tone of her gifting experience.

She needed:

• a warm, inviting, and approachable brand identity

• packaging that felt sentimental and gift ready

• a website that was simple to navigate for busy parents and gift givers

• expert guidance that could refine her early ideas into a polished and cohesive look

She wanted everything to feel thoughtful, cozy, and special. A place where gift givers could feel confident that they were choosing something perfect.

She shared that what mattered most was clarity, user friendliness, and a professional presence she could proudly share with friends, partners, and supporters.

My approach

My goal was to build a brand identity that felt gentle, memorable, and rooted in emotional warmth. The gifting market is filled with generic pinks and blues, and we wanted Slumber and Ivy to carve out its own lane with a look that felt both timeless and fresh.

Typography

I chose gentle, sloping serif fonts that felt elegant but still approachable. The lettering has a softness that fits the baby gifting world but also feels high end enough for curated bundles.

Color palette

The palette centers around soft greens and neutrals as a nod to the “ivy” in the name. These colors evoke calmness and warmth while helping the brand stand out from traditional pastels. The tones feel organic, peaceful, and comforting.

Brand icon

The star became the symbol for “slumber.” It adds a magical, dreamy feeling without drifting into clichés. The icon is simple enough to adapt across packaging, tags, stickers, and the website.

Brand patterns

I created a custom watercolor plaid pattern that appears on packaging and throughout the website. It reinforces the cozy mood and gives the brand a signature texture that customers will recognize.

Website design

Using her new identity system, I built a cohesive Shopify shopping experience through the Website in a Week service. The site uses watercolor accents, soft tones, and intuitive navigation to create a stress free path for gift givers. Everything feels gentle, organized, and easy to understand.

This matched Sara’s goal of creating warm, meaningful family moments through gifting.

Creating a seamless gifting experience on Shopify

While Slumber and Ivy is a gifting brand, it is also an ecommerce brand. The website needed to work beautifully in both worlds. Busy parents and gift buyers do not have time to scroll endlessly or guess which product goes with what. The experience had to feel simple, polished, and intentional.

Here is how the Shopify experience supports those goals.

Clear navigation

Visitors can browse plushies, blankets, or bundled gifts without confusion. Shoppers can quickly build a set or choose from curated combinations that feel thoughtful right out of the box.

Emphasis on softness and comfort

The design brings forward the feelings that matter most in a baby gifting brand. Soft textures, gentle illustrations, and cozy colors make the experience feel peaceful and inviting.

Visual storytelling

Photos and watercolor elements help customers imagine the joy of unboxing something heartfelt. The palette and patterns create atmosphere and guide the eye in a calm, relaxing way.

Designed for gifting confidence

Sara’s audience values premium quality and curated presentation. The branding helps justify the higher price point by making each item feel like a sentimental keepsake rather than a quick purchase. Customers know they are choosing gifts that will create lasting memories.

Packaging that elevates the gifting moment

Packaging is one of the most important parts of a gifting brand. It sets the tone for the moment the box is opened. The Slumber and Ivy packaging includes twinkling stars, soft watercolor patterns, and the signature plaid design. It feels thoughtful and personal without being overly cutesy.

The result is a box that feels gift ready the moment it arrives. No extra work needed.

Sara’s brand is rooted in connection, sentiment, and comfort. The packaging reinforces those values and helps the brand create a sense of nostalgia and joy.

The Results

The launch gave Slumber and Ivy a polished, professional foundation. Sara now has a brand identity, packaging suite, and website that tell a cohesive story about warmth, intention, and family connection.

Her feedback reflects how aligned everything felt.

“Working with Whitney was an incredibly smooth and positive experience. Everything was well organized from start to finish, which made the process feel effortless and efficient. The branding, packaging, and web design she delivered gave me a strong foundation to build on. I now have a clear direction and a professional presence that I am proud to share. It is the perfect starting point for growing my business and I am excited for what is ahead.”

And in her own words:

“I feel like the new branding, packaging, and web design clarified what my business is all about. The site feels user friendly and easy to share with others. It feels polished, professional, and aligned with my vision.”

Why this Project Worked

Slumber and Ivy needed emotional clarity, visual cohesion, and a gentle, memorable identity. The project worked because every decision was rooted in the brand’s mission to create meaningful family moments through gifting.

Key elements included:

• typography that feels friendly, elegant, and warm

• watercolor textures and plaid patterns that feel cozy and unique

• a green and neutral palette that breaks away from predictable baby colors

• packaging that elevates the experience and makes gifting feel special

• a Shopify site that is simple, intuitive, and aligned with busy parents and gift buyers

The result is a brand that stands out by feeling grounded, heartfelt, and intentional.

Key Takeaways

• A thoughtful brand identity builds emotional connection from the first glance

• Calm, inviting colors help differentiate a baby brand in a crowded market

• A cohesive Shopify experience reduces overwhelm and supports gifting confidence

• Packaging plays a major role in creating sentimental, memorable unboxing moments

• A clear visual story helps customers understand the brand’s purpose instantly

Ready to launch your product based business with clarity and confidence

If you need a brand identity, packaging suite, and website that feel intentional and aligned with your mission, I would love to help you bring it to life.