the story.
What do you get when you mix two perfectionist, Type A personalities with a dash of indecision and a whole lot of creativity?
The [BLANK] Creative—named for the one we just couldn’t choose.
Born, raised, and still calling Long Island, NY home, we first crossed paths at a store event as nano-influencers. What started as a shared passion for iced coffee, Harry Potter, and creating content quickly grew into a solid friendship. This bond soon turned into a seamless collaboration, from helping with photoshoots to bringing Christina’s blog to life, and constantly bouncing creative ideas off one another.
As our businesses grew, Michelle’s graphic design clients began asking for social media management and content creation, while Christina’s clients were looking for help with websites and design. It didn’t take long for us to realize—together, we had the perfect skill set to offer a complete creative solution.
The name may have come from our aversion to decision-making, but it perfectly captures our flexible, all-encompassing approach: you tell us what you need, and we’ll fill in the blanks! Whether you’re looking for social media support, an aesthetic website, or just starting to build your brand, we’re here to bring your vision to life with creativity and expertise.
michelle russo
creative director + co-founder
Growing up, Michelle was always certain of two things: she is a member of the Hufflepuff House, and that she wanted a job in the fashion industry. After acquiring a BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Michelle had the honor of doing just that. Her expertise and creative vision led her to design for renowned brands like Henri Bendel, Steve Madden, and Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet, to name a few. Fun fact: She also quickly adapted to the city-chic style, and is rarely seen deviating from her neutral trademark color palette of black, white and grey.
During her time in corporate, it became clear to Michelle that her true passion was in the design process as opposed to the tangible product she was creating. This is what inspired her to establish And Simple Things Design. Always a supporter of all things local, Michelle thrived creating logos, websites, and social media graphics for countless small businesses across Long Island, helping them establish brand identities and bringing their visions to life.
Today, as Creative Director of The [BLANK] Creative, Michelle is the visionary behind all things design, branding, and overall creative strategy for both the agency and its clients. She combines innovation, her technical knowledge of graphic design, and her meticulous nature to create everything from aesthetically-pleasing logos to sophisticated websites and everything in between. If you want to get on her good side, Michelle is fueled by iced americanos, martinis, and Italian cuisine!
christina limmer
social media director + co-founder
From a young age, Christina was interested in all things creative. Beginning at 4 years old, she would insist on picking her own outfits, proving (to herself, at least) that polka dots and stripes 𝘤𝘢𝘯 mix! She spent her childhood and adolescence writing short stories, performing on stage, and drawing—constantly searching for any creative outlet she could find and thriving more often than not. She even convinced her parents to sign her up for private art classes with late Disney artist Al Baruch.
Christina attended FIT to study Fashion Merchandising Management, but after time opted to switch her focus to another love of hers. She pursued a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, with the intention of marrying her love of fashion and writing. (Hello, it’s no secret that she basically wanted—and still wants—to be Carrie Bradshaw.) Always evolving and happy to change with the times, Christina developed a passion for digital content creation as a whole. She enjoys creating interesting, fun and informative content for others, and is always trying to learn from other creators.
As the Social Media Director at The [BLANK] Creative, Christina utilizes her communication skills to transform ideas into compelling words to tell the stories of our clients. She plays a key role in crafting engaging photo and video content while staying ahead of trends by continuously exploring social platforms for both timely and evergreen content. Although she’s small, she requires an alarming amount of caffeine daily, and enjoys indulging in Mexican cuisine and—of course—tequila!
