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.

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.

perfect package // this served here

beautiful clean and classic student work by marta gonzalez palacios:

via packaging uqam

i can see it served here:

via spitzmiller and norris architects

perfect package // pet rock

loving these perfectly packaged pet rocks from field guide design, meant to bring abundance in one aspect of life or another.

images via field guide design

i think i'd be going straight for tranquility and balance. you?

perfect package // luxury pooper scooper

hilarious.

i'd totally buy it.

jose fresneda design via the dieline

does it make you want to be more responsible?

type tuesday // in vino veritas

sometimes, all i want to do is go back to being a student so i can blue sky and create awesome packaging like this all day.

student olga gaze did a phenomenal job on this wine offering.

would you not pick that up on the double??

and by that i mean, doesn't everyone buy at least two bottles at a time? :)

images via olga gaze, spotted via the dieline

candles for your man are awesome

you heard me. deliciously sexified masculine candles.

they're also hand-poured into recycled glass containers with naturally blended wax straight from the US of A.

even sexier, right?

izola candles via the dieline

if you need more gift ideas for the man in your life, i seem to have a thing for collecting them . . .

perfect package || always

so i've been soaking up crazy inspiration at alt summit these last few days, which i was both excited and nervous about.

excited because i knew i was about to learn more than my brain can possibly handle about branding, blogging and connecting.

and i get to meet a number of blogger peeps for the first time. in real life.

nervous because we're talking about hundreds of women in close proximity for 3 days.

so i figure what could be a more fitting feature than these?

design by heda hokschirr || via the dieline

have yourselves a safe and eventful weekend!