live. breathe. design.

today i am proud to be introducing a new feature to my blog. every thursday there will be a piece of well designed packaging featured here. there are so many cool items out there and we encounter them in our everyday lives. i think these items create inspiration, whether that is inspiration to purchase then and there or to create something new and exciting ourselves. sometimes they just make us smile, which is pretty nice too.

to kick off the series i am featuring a great local brewery’s packaging, southern tier brewing company. i noticed their beautiful new packaging when i was shopping at consumer’s beverages a couple weeks ago. this photo is blurry because i had to snap it on my cell, but you get the idea.

what’s to love:

• bright colors, different for each brew so you can easily grab what you want
• large text for the type of beer, again makes it easy to find what you are looking for
• unfamiliar with this brand? no problem – on the right side of the box, next to the type of beer,  the box lists what it’s brewed with
• a slightly different than normal six pack box shape. definitely a step above what you normally see. it draws your attention to the brand, especially in a sea of everything else that feels the same.
• logo in same color banding all the way across the box, creates an impressive shelf display and keeps the brand top of mind
• beautiful patterns. different for each brew of course!
• boxes made from 100% recycled paper. eco-friendly packaging = major bonus points. even cooler, they have a 422 earth day brew, packaging is printed with soy based inks, and lists simple ways to be greener. awesome.

i grabbed some images from wegmans.com to show off the design a little better than in the above blurry shelf shot!

bridal shower and wedding season is upon us! don’t forget the card. check out my etsy shop for these extra personal greetings!

this past weekend at the small press book fair i had the pleasure of meeting many great artists. one in particular is dan of hey buddy, why is your car so big out of rochester, ny. he publishes a food zine and also makes fun quirky screen printed ephemera. all of it was so great, i had to purchase something from his table. i love the dish towel and magnet that i purchased – they are the perfect additions to my kitchen. what i did not see (or may have missed) is the first addition of his zine. i browsed his etsy shop and spotted it (photo below from Hey Buddy’s etsy shop). i LOVE the cover and pages for the interior. may have to purchase one of these very soon as well.

i absolutely adore the illustrations of matte stephens. each and everyone is so unique, full of whimsy and just beautifully done. with definite mid-century influences he fills each one with wonderful colors. each image makes me smile when i see it. below are a few samples of matte’s work. want to own one for yourself? check out his etsy shop.

i am pretty sure one of these belongs in my house! what do you think?

keep up with matte stephen’s work at his blog.

roll your mouse over to see the full screen (thumbnails will hide then!)

i am by no means a professional photographer. though i am a great admirer of many professionals out there. every once and a while i like to have a little fun with my camera when out and about, and there was just so much to see at the parade – i had to share! enjoy this little break from the usual here…