Design // Spa Q

Love this branding by MAUD for Spa Q. Great use of texture, pattern and color.

MAUD

So much beauty in simplicity!

Perfect Package // Circle 21 Candles

Ever the sucker for a pretty package, I am smitten with this beautiful Circle 21 candle collection and simple branding.

Circle 21 via Lovely Package, design by Nudge

Design Inspiration

I've kinda gotten away from featuring design, type and packaging lately, haven't I? Well, with a personal branding project underway (!!!!!), I've had my eye on design all over again. Just a few bits that are inspiring me lately.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

Clean and simple with a little vintage flair gets it done every time.

Type Tuesday // Jess & Russ

I can't believe so many of you read all the way through yesterday's wordy post! Gosh, you guys are awesome. Your enthusiasm seriously means so much. Thank you!

Today, let's just peep the amazing details of Jessica Hische's wedding, shall we? Jessica is crazy talented, and someone that I've always admired as a typographer/lettering artist, being that I am employed in a very similar trade. If you think you've never heard of her, you've probably seen her work, you just don't realize it.

Long story short, she is responsible for the lettering on all of her beautiful reception elements, and the details could not be more impressive!

 

More delicious details over at 100 Layer Cake.

Type Tuesday // Kelsey Cronkhite

I love this piece (the whole campaign actually) by type aficionado and blogger Kelsey Cronkhite.

Kelsey Cronkhite

Design // Montero

I haven't posted much on the design front lately. Guess my attention has been elsewhere (like on actually getting a house decorated!) These branding bits from Anagrama are definitely inspiring me!

Anagrama

LOVE the simplicity and the natural combined with luxe.

Type Tuesday // Daily Dishonesty

Love these little lies from designer Lauren Hom. How fitting as we head into a holiday all about food . . .

Daily Dishonesty

Type Tuesday // Happy Halloween!

I know it's a day early, but I have to show off one of my favorite collaborations to date . . . G and I on a greeting card together!

(That's her precious little face and my hand lettering.)

 I have the best job.

*Part of Hallmark's new(ish) Premium card offering at your nearest Gold Crown, Walmart or CVS.

Type Tuesday // Wedding Inspired

Just a random roundup of design and type treatments that are inspiring me lately.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

I may or may not have a thing for wedding invitations.

Perfect Package // Maison Dandoy

Tell me you wouldn't feel like celebrating constantly if your branding looked like this?

Maison Dandoy via The Dieline

Mandatory confetti, yo.

Speaking of confetti and branding, one of my favorite virtual-gone-real-life friends, Erika of Small Shop, has a shiny new site today in honor of 10 amazing years in business! Many of you are probably already familiar with Erika; her supreme taste, talent and personable nature are well-recognized in the blog community. She's one of the first people that comes to mind when I think about how this blogging journey has introduced me to such wonderful new people that I never would have had the opportunity to meet had I not hit publish that very first time. I am especially grateful to have had the chance to meet her when we were both in NYC a few months ago. She's truly as delightful in person as she is via the intranets, I assure you. If you haven't already, go check out the new site she's been pining over for months. It's b-e-a-utiful!

Perfect Package // Querida Carmen

It's October, party people! Which means that time of year is upon us . . . Soup, soup, soup!

And probably canned rice if packaged like these beauties.

images via Querida Carmen

perfect package // exercising simplicity

branding & packaging by emeyele

when in doubt, don't be afraid to simplify.

new sponsor + a giveaway

good morning, all! hope this monday morning finds you well-rested and ready to tackle a new week. i know i sure overindulged in some down time after last week's deadlines. if you're dragging today, i might have a little something to perk you up. nothing like kicking off the week with some good news, right? and, man, do i have a serious treat for you guys today -- a sweet giveaway!

some of you might remember a post on some very fine candle packaging back in february? well, it turns out, candles aren't the only thing the fine gentlemen behind that brand have going on. the company, better known as izola, has a vast array of well-designed products worth checking out. in fact, being that i came across their site right before eric's birthday, i was eyeballing a few items that seemed up his alley. honestly --- you guys know i'm a sucker for nice packaging --- i had a hard time sticking to gifts for him. i wanted a few for myself! case in point:

images via izola

when izola and i started talking (god bless twitter), they very generously offered to send me a few items (birthday gift? check!). i was nothing short of ecstatic both to give eric something he was bound to love as well as get to see these fine products in person! they definitely didn't disappoint. we've had a few items in constant use since their arrival, and the packages they came in went straight to my office for inspiration. double bonus!

the candle we eric received is their most popular scent, and i have to say, it's amazing. and even though we didn't really need a soap dish, i knew ours his would make a perfect ring catcher for us. but the gift that i'm really excited about is the set of natural cotton handkerchiefs that will eventually be framed and displayed in all of their glorious splendor! well-designed with clever phrases, they'll make a very fine wall statement. i'm thinking of balancing the graphic, masculine nature of them with ornate gilded frames, perhaps in the powder room.

but i'm not the only lucky one here. i'm thrilled to tell you that the fine gentlemen at izola have offered to give not one, but three lucky BIA readers a set of these newly-released handkerchief sets! simply enter by leaving a comment letting us know if you would like to receive the stars, pioneer, or forest collection (be sure to check out the phrases. they're unique to each set!)

"it's written in the stars"  //  "lost time is never found"  //  "peace and prosperity"

"pioneers! o, pioneers!"  //  "courage"  //  "sticks and stones"

"the forest for the trees"  //  "wild beasts"  //  "weather the storm"

they're such unique, classy pieces for the menfolk. of course, i highly recommend checking out the rest of their line while you're at it. i'm telling you, those flasks and martini shakers are begging to be gifted to the man in your life! had i known about izola when we got married, i think a few items would definitely have made the wedding party gift list. but i have a second chance . . . my brother's 30th is coming up, and I have a few of their items in mind :)

you have until thursday, april 26, 2012 at 5pm CST to enter. sorry, US residents only. good luck!

the fine print: winners will be chosen via random.org, and will be announced within 24 hours of being chosen. after being announced, winners are responsible for claiming prize within 7 days, at which time they will forfeit their prize. limit one entry per person. no purchase or payment necessary. in exchange for running this giveaway, i was gifted the products stated above. void where prohibited. giveaway sponsored by izola.

*though this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.