Happy Vernal Equinox! Spring has arrived, even if the weather around these parts hasn’t been notified. To celebrate the start of a new season, I thought I would share a quick favorite thing that reminds me of Spring… a favorite thing holding a favorite memory, and thoughts back to a favorite shop in Northport, Alabama.
It’s cold here in Mississippi this week! We are enjoying temps down in the teens, and my children are disappointed that it hasn’t brought snow flurries. I have to admit I’ve fallen prey to a little Spring weather teasing. Last week we had a little bit of warmer, sunny weather — the way winter seems to waffle in the deep South. The days of Spring-like temperatures sprinkled in between these frigid days are just enough to make me wish for new blossoms.
I have another confession. Sometimes if I’m looking for special inspiration or, like lately, wanting a little touch of Spring to brighten a winter day, I browse Etsy for to find a little happy just for myself. I thought I would share the latest sweet inspiration. This lovely hand-crafted linen flower brooch was created by Wild Peace Organics. The crafter is located in Portland, Oregon, and describes this pin as “eco rustic,” a style I’m loving these days. The packaging was wonderfully simply. The delicate petals, not-quite frayed edges and soft blue-green color let me close my eyes and think of Spring. I can’t wait to wear it when the weather is warmer! But for now, I’ll content myself with simply looking at it 🙂
I hope you’re staying warm wherever you are, and finding your own reminders of the Spring to come.
Are you an Instagram-er? I am too! The wildly popular photo sharing service is a super-fun way to show off images on the go and share daily experiences in a visual way — something I can always get behind. I recently came across another cool service that allows you to turn your Instagram photos into magnets, and I decided to give it a try!
StickyGram is an online service that interfaces directly with Instagram and allows you to get a set of nine 2 x 2″ magnets from your favorite photos. The process is really easy. You simply login at StickyGram.com with your Instagram account information, choose your photos and order. I’m thinking choosing some photos of my kiddos would be a pretty fun gift for a grandmother on Mother’s Day!
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!
Posters + Learning. I’m a big fan of applying great design to the elements of our daily lives as people and societies as a way of making our life experience better and richer, and I’ve been following an organization for a while who is doing that very successfully in the area of learning. The Institute of Play in New York City is a non-profit group focused on designing learning experiences that are centered in the concepts of play — something we all enjoy. I’ve been drawn to the curiosity and creativity fostered in the programs I’m reading about. One of my favorites is the Off the Wall Learning series, which uses simple (but well-designed) posters to provide kids with self-directed learning activities — vehicles for young people to explore their own worlds and draw their own conclusions. These two posters have inspired me again this week! They are available for download for anyone to use, along with the Off the Wall Process template for actually creating your own learning experience, ready to be translated into a visual instruction poster!
The Institute of Play website offers quite a few resources for teachers, schools and even parents, from curriculum and programs to reading lists on the concepts of melding games with learning. Take a look. You just might get inspired for your own exploration!
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.
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Phone: 662.312.4001
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