---
name: growinshade-brand
description: Apply the GrowinShade Plant Shop brand (Forest #1A4338, Pistachio #D7E19B, Marigold #F6BE61 accent, Mont Heavy / Montserrat / Work Sans, botanical line art, friendly plant-teacher voice) to any design, webpage, email, social post, promo, workshop flyer, care card, packaging, product description, or copy. Use whenever creating or reviewing anything for GrowinShade, growinshade.com, @growinshade, the Islip plant shop, its workshops and events, loyalty program, or The Leaflet newsletter.
---

# GrowinShade Brand Skill

Use this skill to make anything for **GrowinShade Plant Shop** (Est. 2020, 541 Main St., Islip, NY) look and sound on-brand.

## Source files: read before producing output
1. `brand.json` is the **source of truth** for hex codes, fonts, sizes, contact info, workshops, and logo files. Never invent values.
2. `design.md` covers visual rules: palette and pairings, type, logo, graphic elements, components, and photography.
3. `voice-profile.md` covers tone, the tagline library, teacher voice, promo patterns, and the proofreading watch-list.
4. `assets/` contains:
   - `logo.svg` (Pistachio, primary), `logo-forest.svg`, `logo-white.svg`, `logo-black.svg`
   - `example-asset.png`: 1200×630 social preview
   - `illustrations/storefront.png`, `illustrations/thank-you-script.png`
   - `reference/`: real 2025 collateral. **Look at the closest reference before designing** (workshop card, care card, promo square, terrarium guide, banner, loyalty card, packaging).

If a request conflicts with these files, follow the files and tell the user what you changed and why.

**Who:** founded by husband-and-wife Kandice Rogers & Aaron Holmes. They're shade-tolerant houseplant specialists ("Throwin' shade is a good thing") who design their own trellis line. Pull the story, beliefs, and proof points from `voice-profile.md` §1 rather than inventing new claims.

**Three pillars:** Shop · Teach (workshops and private events are core) · Gather. Connect products to learning where natural ("Learn to pot this at our next Paint, Pot & Sip").

---

## Workflow
1. Identify the output and its tone context (`voice-profile.md` §3).
2. Pick one base: **dark-led** (Forest or Pine), **Pistachio-led** (Pistachio background with Forest text, the 2026 house style for ads and signage), or **light-led** (White or Paper). Never mix bases at equal weight.
3. Load tokens:
   ```css
   :root{
     --gs-forest:#1A4338; --gs-pine:#1F3930; --gs-pistachio:#D7E19B; --gs-marigold:#F6BE61;
     --gs-mint:#92D0AB; --gs-mint-mist:#D3ECE6; --gs-paper:#F1F2ED; --gs-white:#FFFFFF;
     --gs-ink:#191919; --gs-stone:#6B6B6B; --gs-line:#E9E7E7; --gs-bloom:#F8353E;
     --gs-font-display:'Mont','Poppins',sans-serif;   /* weight 800 */
     --gs-font-label:'Montserrat',sans-serif;          /* uppercase */
     --gs-font-body:'Work Sans',sans-serif;
     --gs-radius:8px; --gs-pill:999px;
   }
   ```
   Fonts: `https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Montserrat:wght@400;500;600;700&family=Poppins:wght@700;800&family=Work+Sans:wght@400;500;600&display=swap` (Mont is commercial, so the web uses Poppins 800 unless a Mont webfont is supplied.)
4. Add **one or two** signature elements: botanical line-art pattern or corner, wavy Marigold rule, outline + offset headline, pill lockup, storefront illustration, photo blobs with a Marigold outline, the Islip map pin, or a curly arrow + note.
5. Write copy from `voice-profile.md`, reusing the tagline library first.
6. Run the checklist.

---

## Hard rules

### Color
- Forest `#1A4338` is the primary color. Pistachio appears **only on Forest or Pine**.
- **Marigold `#F6BE61` is the accent and promo color.** On dark it can be text. On light it is **never text**; use it only as a fill or shadow behind Forest, a wavy underline, an outline, or a panel with Forest text.
- Use one Marigold moment per section.
- **Bloom Red is only for online-store sale prices and SALE badges**, plus the Easy Care plant badge artwork. Never anywhere else in print or social.

### Plant badges
- Use the supplied files in `assets/icons/` (`badge-sun-lover`, `-moderate-light`, `-low-light`, `-high-humidity`, `-pet-friendly`, `-easy-care`, `-almost-invincible`, `-rare-uncommon`). Never redraw, recolor, or re-letter them.
- Use at most 3 per plant: exactly one light badge (Sun Lover / Moderate Light / Low Light) plus up to two others.
- Only claim what's true: Pet Friendly means verified non-toxic, and Sun Lover means 4+ hours of direct sun.
- The serif lettering inside badges is artwork, not a brand font.
- Never put white text on Mint. Don't use the retired colors `#99CC99`, `#8CBA8C`, or `#C7FA81`.

### Type
- Use **Mont Heavy / Poppins 800** for headlines (Title Case), **Montserrat** for UPPERCASE labels and contact lines, and **Work Sans** for body.
- The outline + offset Marigold headline goes on one hero headline per piece, light backgrounds only.
- Script lettering comes only from the supplied artwork. Never typeset a script font.
- Never use Inknut Antiqua, Playfair, ChunkFive, DIN Condensed, or Newake in new work.

### Graphics
- Leaves are **line art only** (monstera, banana, palm), used as a tonal pattern or as corners that bleed off the edge.
- Use pills for buttons and tags, 8px for cards, and organic waves or blobs for decorative edges.
- Mascot characters are for merch and social only.

### Logo
- Pistachio on Forest by default. Use Forest on light backgrounds, White on dark photos, and Black for one-color print only. Inline the SVG; never redraw it.
- Minimum width is 120px, with clear space equal to the "P" height.

### Facts
- Address: **541 Main St. Islip, NY 11751**. 566 is outdated.
- `631.623.5707` · `hello@growinshade.com` · `GROWINSHADE.COM` · `@GROWINSHADE`
- Hours come from `brand.json`. They match the website and are confirmed current. Use "Est. 2020" for the founding date.
- Founders Kandice Rogers & Aaron Holmes are approved to be named publicly (About page, press, bios).

### Voice
- Friendly, encouraging, lightly playful, local, and teacherly.
- Promos lead with the deal and highlight one word or number.
- Workshops follow the 7-step formula in `voice-profile.md` §5.
- Check every piece against the proofreading watch-list (§8).

---

## Templates

### Product description
```
{One-line hook: look + who it's for.}
Care Tips: {Light}. {Water cue}. {Extras}.
{Pet friendly | Beginner friendly} (only if true)
*Plant may vary slightly based on stock.
```

### Care card
```
Care Guide            ← outline + offset headline
{Plant Name}          ← Mont, Forest
Lighting: {…}         ← bold label, Work Sans
Watering: {…}
[pill logo] · WWW.GROWINSHADE.COM
```

### Workshop listing
```
{DAY} {Month} {Date}, {Time}
{Hook: "Get your hands dirty!"}
{What you'll do, 1–2 sentences}
You'll take home: {…}
Beginner-friendly. No experience needed.
Includes: {materials, swag bag, refreshments}
Where: {Venue}, {full address}
[RESERVE YOUR SPOT]
```

### Promo square (1080×1080)
```
[pill logo, top center] on Forest/Pine + tonal leaf pattern
{OCCASION}            ← Montserrat/Mont, White
{Offer line with ONE Marigold word + wavy underline}
{Condition / member perk}
```

### Social caption
```
{Hook} {≤2 emoji 🌿🪴}
{One useful fact or the offer}
{CTA}: Visit us at 541 Main St., Islip, or shop growinshade.com
#GetGrowin #GrowinShade #LongIslandPlants
```

---

## Pre-delivery checklist
- [ ] Every color is from `brand.json`, and no ❌ pairing from `design.md` §2 is used
- [ ] The piece clearly uses one base (dark-led, Pistachio-led, or light-led)
- [ ] Notices and signs point to something next (a workshop, the website, socials)
- [ ] Marigold is used once per section, and never as text on light
- [ ] Only Mont/Poppins, Montserrat, and Work Sans are used (plus supplied script art)
- [ ] It includes one signature graphic element, and not five
- [ ] The logo is the correct version and unaltered
- [ ] The address is 541 Main St., and contact formatting matches
- [ ] The copy passes the voice check and the proofreading watch-list
- [ ] Text contrast meets WCAG AA