I love stamps. Their glimpse of history and what nations choose to honor. Their mini artwork masterpieces. Their throwback to times when receiving correspondence from someone was more precious. From portraits to places to historic artifacts, stamps display so many versions of what we see as important. In honor of President’s Day, I decided to take a look through my stamp collection to see how many presidents I could find.
Read More →
Hello, friends! I’ve been on hiatus from the Field Guide through Covid recuperation, end of year holidays and adjusting to new school and work routines to start 2021. Valentines week seems like a fitting time to share some blog love! Maker’s Dozen highlights my love of vintage, oddities, and general silliness found around the studio. I’ve gathered a few artifacts of love for today’s post to get you in the mood. Love stamps, Pez, my vintage Hallmark heart pin, heart hole-punch (because why use only circles), and an elementary school book of poems from the Scholastic “Weekly Reader”.
Read More →
Today is National Dog Day, and I decided to celebrate with a little Maker’s Dozen — 13 bits of studio nostalgia and ephemera that remind me of the four-footed and slobbery friends in our lives. Our family includes two pups, and at least one of them is a constant companion in the studio.
Read More →
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson officially established June 14 as Flag Day. It commemorates the date in 1777 when the 2nd Continental Congress adopted the stars and stripes as the official flag of the United States. I decided to pull together a Maker’s Dozen collection around the Flag Day theme. I looked around the studio and in my collections and found 13 oddities inspired by red, white, and blue!
I decided to do a little Maker’s Dozen collection this Saint Patrick’s Day “wishing you good luck” and reminders of friendship, good health, wonderful stories, family fun, finding adventure, and the crazy joy of holding it all together!
Most notable, “The Green Giant does a fireman’s act” in this Woman’s Day December, 1952 ad. I guess LeSueur’s had not decided the giant was “jolly” yet , but he was definitely nimble. Plus, Yosemite on a postage stamp, and a vintage St. Patrick’s Day postcard. In 1909, F.S.L. wrote to Mr. Thomas Bryan on Garden Street in Hoboken, NJ… “Gee I wish I was the Blarney Stone.” Lucky, indeed!
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.
NEED A FROG KISSER?
Phone: 662.312.4001
Contact Haley to dive in
