live. breathe. design.

these recipe cards are the latest project from my studio.

inspired by my friend, and fellow foodie, lindsey – these recipe cards allow you to organize your recipes by season. since cooking seasonally and farm markets are coming back into fashion (and is so much better for our health and the environment) this is a great new way to keep your recipes organized.

last summer i had many health problems which prompted me to significantly change my diet. i personally have begun cooking seasonally and using primarily fresh foods. i started shopping the local farm markets and buying the freshest foods possible. i have always enjoyed cooking, but have been enjoying it so much more since this change. finding inspiration from the multitude of food blogs out there, along with the farm market and some new vegetarian cook books has been so much fun. i feel like there are so many more recipes that i want to try  - i can’t keep up!

if you haven’t tried a farm market yet, get there! you will be totally amazed at the difference in the quality of the vegetables and fruits. they have so much more flavor, and since they are freshly picked and haven’t traveled far they are packed with more nutrients than produce that has been picked for a longer time (traveled across the country or world).

i am looking forward to getting all of my recipes, new and old organized using these seasonal cards. the color bands will make it easy when searching through a category, let’s say appetizers, to determine which recipes are in season.

these cards are available in sets of 20 and 100 in the studio shop on etsy. have a friend or family member who is really into cooking? these will make a great gift. also perfect for housewarming, bridal shower and wedding gifts!

for those living in the buffalo area – there are a multitude of farm markets. you can find a listing of all of them in new york on the new york state department of agriculture. right now my most frequented spots are the bidwell-elmwood market, the east aurora market, and the downtown country market.

not only do i love to cook, but i love to read about cooking. i am also easily persuaded by an awesome food based photograph. in my opinion, creating a tasty meal is all about good design, from mixing flavors appropriately to plating the food in an appealing manner. food should always be beautiful. out there on the interwebs there is an overwhelming amount of food blogs – and while it is fun to explore them all, it can get overwhelming. in comes, tastespotting. i came upon this site, and find it so well designed and organized i had to share. plus, there is a ton of beautiful food photography filling every page. with recipes submitted from foodie blogs it is a great resource, search by category for recipes, roll the dice with the random button to be inspired or just look at all the beautiful food!

today we have another little tidbit from last weeks vaca. i remembered the gorgeous label on these bottles from when we were in hawaii about a year and a half ago and i had never seen them again. excited to have gotten another glimpse of this wonderful packaging, this weeks pack it up, baby! is featuring the kona brewing company and their beautifully illustrated beer labels!

what’s to love:

• beautiful illustration reminiscent of vintage Hawaiian post cards & advertising
• bright colors that really pop
• clear and limited type

who says playing with food is just for kids? i absolutely adore these plates from CB2. A friend of mine brought over their new catalog this past weekend and i noticed them amongst all the beautiful modern furniture and just had to share. what a great way to mix whimsical illustration and food photography. at only 2.95 a piece i may need to make these oliver appetizer plates part of my dinner party collection!

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!