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go . Farmer’s Market Saturday

· May 8, 2013

There’s my breakfast on this Wednesday morning. It’s a slice of homemade pecan bread with a drizzle of honey and a few shake-shakes of grated parmesan cheese. Yeah, I can’t explain the combination, but it’s good. Soft and a little crusty from the toaster. Nutty and yeasty. Tangy and sweet washed down with a tall glass of iced water. And it probably tastes better because I’m eating it on the patio to the tune of about 65 birds hopping and chirping and foraging and tweeting in the old-fashioned way.

I bought the bread on Saturday at the Starkville Community Market, our local farmer’s market. It opened for the summer last weekend, and I enjoyed getting to check it out. I’ve been designing promotional elements for the Market this year to incorporate a new look with some of the original graphics, and I’ve been hearing some of the plans for the season and excitement from the new Market Manager. It was fun to get to see some of those plans get started for the kick-off weekend. My children decided to sleep in with the company of their grandparents, so I was able to visit the Market with just my camera and some cash in hand for must-haves. And, of course, I found some in the markets-are-more-than-veggies section. I bought us two kinds of bread — the pecan bread and a beautiful sour dough loaf, along with fresh strawberries, homemade whole wheat pasta, grape jelly, handmade soap and some all-natural citrus cleaning liquid. I also took in a culinary demonstration from one of our local chefs — a delicious strawberry & honey basil yogurt dip served with fresh bread. The kids are now convinced that they need to wake up for the adventure next Saturday morning!

Enjoy this glimpse of market finds, and I hope you’ll also enjoy the growing season in a farmer’s market in your area. In MY neck of the pond, the Starkville Community Market is open Saturday mornings from May to August at the corner of Lampkin and Jackson Streets in Downtown Starkville. See you there!

Categories : go, my South

Tags : Canon Powershot, go, inspired by food, local, Starkville MS

sketch journal . 040813

Posted by haley montgomery

· April 9, 2013

Some days are made for ice cream.

Categories : sketch journal

Tags : doodles, inspired by food

taste . Sweeteeth for my Sweet Tooth

Posted by haley montgomery

· April 3, 2013

I bought these for the drawings. I’ll just get that little confession out there right away. I mean, it’s just chocolate bars, right? And I’m a little bit of a packaging nut, so my online purchase wasn’t that much of a stretch.

Holy Wow, was I wrong in the “just chocolate bars” department! I learned about Sweeteeth, the Charleston confectioner shop that made these goodies in an article on Southern chocolatiers in Garden & Gun magazine. Now, I AM a pretty avid chocolate lover, so I decided I would give myself the little assignment of taste-testing all the featured shops in the article (good idea, huh?). The illustrations on the Sweeteeth bars convinced the designer in me that these should be first on my list.

I ordered the Sweeteeth gift pack you saw above from their website, where I learned that chocolatier Johnny Battles prides himself on “hand crafted chocolatey goodness with a twist.” It’s the twist part that makes my “Holy Wow” an understatement. Here’s a glimpse at the chocolate and some of the surprising flavors that will definitely get your mouth watering…

THE A’CHOCOLYPSE
Dark chocolate, plus candied ginger for a snap and chocolatey popping sugar! Yes, if you’re thinking “pop rocks” you’re right on track, only more sinful. I think this one is actually my favorite combination of flavors and fun in your mouth!

SEA IS FOR CARAMEL
This one was the first to go — in one sitting, which is saying a lot considering how very decadent the whole package is. It’s dark chocolate filled with Sweeteeth caramel and dusted with sea salt. Great sweet + salty gooey-ness — and kind of rich!

PB&C
“Two great tastes that taste great together” gets a jolt in this version, where the “C” equals chipotle peppers. Yes, you read that right. It’s such an unexpected flavor blended with the peanut butter, and gives the bar a really smokey, savory flavor with just a tiny bit of spicy bite. The perfect pairing with dark chocolate and another touch of sea salt.

CINNAPSIS
This bar is almost like a whole dessert. It pairs dark milk chocolate with dried cinnamon apples and candied pecans. Sweet, fruity flavor layered with that velvety milk chocolate taste make for a very nice chewy + crunchy combination.

I have to say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Sweeteeth sample pack, and it’s gotten me through several harried days of design deadlines — another true test of great chocolate. If I’m ever in the Charleston area, I hope I can stop in to see what other wonderful-ness they might come up with for the day to day chocolate cravings!

WHAT MADE IT INSPIRING:
The packaging — Seriously. I think I saw a duckbill platypus in there!
The service — My online ordering experience went off without a hitch. Since then, I’ve also ordered a gift pack shipped for a friend’s birthday, and the Sweeteeth team happily fulfilled my request for gift wrapping and a personal message attached. Nice!
The creativity — It’s great to see how the creative spirit comes in all sorts of flavors down South.
The chocolate — Do I need to repeat my Holy Wow?!

Thanks for sharing a taste with me!

Categories : taste

Tags : favorite shops, inspired by food, packaging, Southern experiences, taste, well-designed products

On Our Plate this Week

Posted by haley montgomery

· March 22, 2013

There has been a lot of excitement around my town this week as we’ve launched the very first Starkville Restaurant Week. I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to work on some of the graphics and promotions for the event showcasing great dining options in Starkville. For me personally, it’s been a fun opportunity to create some family memories and to show my kiddos some of the things Mommy does in her work. It’s been a pleasure to hear them exclaim “It’s Starkville Restaurant Week!” as we picked a dinner spot, and to listen to the happenings of the day around a few new tables. Of course, the ice cream shop didn’t hurt the excitement level!

This week, I’ve been trying to visit several of the participating restaurants at lunch with friends and in the evenings with my crew, in part, to get a few food photos to use in promotions. I thought I would share a few items that have been on our plate this week to get your taste buds motivated, headed into the weekend. If you’re near Starkville, I hope you’ll join us through Sunday for a taste of some of our local spots! Enjoy the food and the designs!

Photos from top:
1. Fried Shrimp Poboy from Oby’s — the sandwich my out of town friends most frequently ask me to ship them 🙂
2. A newspaper “guide” I was able to design for printing last Sunday
3. Glazed Salmon from Old Venice Pizza Company — the Bambino kids pizzas are my kids’ fave eat out meal, but this looked so good that Baby Girl was willing to try it. And liked it!
4. Grilled Chipotle Quesadilla from Abner’s Chicken — just the right amount of bite in every bite
5. Starkville Restaurant Week poster
6. Sausage muffin and iced mocha with an extra shot of chocolate from 929 Coffee Bar — because can you really have too much chocolate?
7. Goat Cheese & Fire Roasted Red Pepper Sub from Sweet Peppers Deli
8. Ice Cream from Coldstone Creamery — not pictured, the sugar induced dance

Categories : in the studio

Tags : inspired by food, Starkville MS

A Chalkboard Painting Project

Posted by haley montgomery

· January 14, 2013

One of my monthly clients, Eat Cities, LLC, launched a new brand and online magazine at the beginning of January called Eat Y’all. A year in the making, the project aims to showcase food in the South as only Southerners can through great editorial content, the creation of food trails, and the production of exclusive Chef’s Table events giving diners the opportunity to interact with regional chefs. Yum! I’ve had the opportunity to work with Eat Y’all on their branding and marketing, which will soon include a new website. As part of their ongoing Chef’s Table series, they asked me to paint the logo on chalkboards to be used at the events. It was a fitting project for a Friday last week, and I thought I would share the process. Enjoy a peek! And, watch for details about Chef’s Table events in your region of the South. It’s an intimate Southern food experience you won’t want to miss!

Categories : in the studio

Tags : black and white, branding, client profiles, inspired by food, logo design, painting

Hello & welcome! I’m Haley Montgomery, and I’m the designer and owner of Small Pond Graphics. I sometimes fancy myself a frog kisser— a documentarian coaxing poignant moments from unexpected places. This blog has evolved from those moments.

The small Pond FIELD GUIDE is part diary, part sketchbook, and part wish list – an archive of ordinary wonders. For years, this space has housed my stories – creative ideas, vintage inspiration, our forays into curious places, and the simple artifacts of quiet of conscious living. Through watercolor, photography, and illustrated tales, these pages uncover the blessing of ordinary days and the wonder found in authentic places and pursuits.

I invite you to open the boxes.
Peek into the drawers.
Rustle through the pages.
I’m honored to have you here.