I can't believe how short the days are getting; it's proving deadly to my evening productivity. And chilly! I woke up to the first frost of the season and it was tough to leave my warm bed + cat. A good playlist helps, though.
So much good new music this fall! I'm loving the tracks Slaughter Beach, Dog is putting out especially. A few halloween themed items sprinkled in there too. Enjoy!
We are so lucky to have a robust community of makers and creatives in Western Massachusetts that is growing every day. A few months back, I came across one such local maker Kelly & Co. on Instagram, and fell in love with the handmade clothing and home goods like this linen pinafore apron. I was so excited when Erin reached out, interested in revamping her logo and further developing some branding.
Simplicity, durability, and beauty are crafted into every one of the small-batch goods available in Erin's shop, and she wanted the logo to exude those ideals in a single mark.
The flax flower is a significant symbol for Kelly & Co., and Erin was keen on incorporating it from the beginning. Erin crafts most of her wearable goods from natural linen, which is woven from the fibers of the flax plant. The final logo utilizes a silhouette I drew in effort to complement the calssic serif font.
I played around with a lot of other flax symbols leading up to this though, and even a little doodle of the everyday dress. Here are some interesting alternates that came about in process:
The entire project of crafting a clean, elegant logo that spoke to Kelly & Co.'s goods for good living mantra was so much fun; it's always most satisfying to design for a brand you already believe in and admire.
I did a lot of film photography this summer, hardly touching my DSLR once. In the age of iPhone auto focus and Instagram filters I admit film has become more of a pain in the neck, but man is it worth it when you pick up an envelope of freshly developed color prints and go through images you forgot you had even taken weeks before. The hues, grain, glow and imperfections (slight, hopefully) are something you simply can't reach with digital cameras, and it (almost) always feels well worth the extra effort and patience.
Here's a few of my favorite 35 mm shots I took on my Nikon this summer:
(the roll from the Vermont Road Trip was extremely tragic, full of split frames, light leaks, and scratches. I like this "dyptic" though.)
This week, the first roll of 120 film taken with my Brimfield TLR will be ready! Fingers crossed.
It was time to escape August humidity in the Valley and head North up 91, crossing the state border to Vermont. A summer road trip through the Green Mountains was something Jake and I had been planning since early spring, swimming holes and cool, green forest trails on our minds.
Our first stop on a journey through downpours up 91 was Quechee, to visit the famous Simon Pearce store. The 19th-century mill it operates out of is perched on a cascading waterfall, nestled into the quiet village. Watching the artisans blow glass was a mesmerizing process, especially in the cavernous, molten heat of the glowing ovens on such a dreary morning. It made me sleepy.
Next, we made a quick stop in Woodstock, which was a busy and charming town with lots of shops and cafes. We had lunch at Mon Vert Cafe, stacked summer sandwiches on golden baguettes.
Two highly anticipated waterfall destinations befell us along Route 100. The first was Moss Brook Falls, which offered both fanned and plunged falls right off the road.
The second was Warren Falls, a local favorite. We were stunned as we emerged from the pines and came upon this woodland oasis, ogling at daredevils jumping from high cliffs, flipping into the deep aqua pools fed by tiered cascades. Jake immediately ran back to the car to change into his bathing suit, but I was content to take photos being the mediocre swimmer that I am.
The coolest part of this natural waterpark was probably this rock slip-n-slide. Perfectly sculpted for butts by water and time, it chutes you straight into one of the swimming holes.
Our final destination Saturday night was Montpelier, where we found our quaint accommodations complete with a cookie jar and a black and white cat at the Inn at Montpelier. We strolled around the state’s capital and enjoyed a riverside dinner at Sarducci’s.
The next morning was my favorite breakfast stop of the trip at Down Home Kitchen. This place brings authentic Southern cooking way up North, in a community-minded setting with big, family style tables. My breakfast sandwich was served up on *the best biscuit I have ever had* - it was buttery and soft and crumbly in all the right places. And it’s a good thing I had a hearty breakfast because Sunday presented my biggest challenge - hiking Camel’s Hump.
Vermont’s third-highest peak loomed in the distance as we drove up 89, the only crest touching the clouds. We parked at the base of the Monroe Trail, laced up our hiking shoes, and began the ascent. It was challenging but a breathtaking path through thick foliage, mountain streams, and geological wonders. My legs ached a few hours in and I felt the temperature dropping, but Jake kept me laughing the whole time.
I won’t lie - the top was a little scary. The sudden exposure to whipping winds and vertical slate shocked me a bit, and the open views were dizzying. It took some encouragement but I made it up and over the hump, taking in the sublimity of it all through clenched teeth.
Jake had a Snickers bar stashed away for me when we made it back down, five hours later. Chocolate never tasted so good and I felt pretty accomplished.
A highly anticipated post-hike evening in Burlington was next, and began with the most gorgeous pizzas at Pizzeria Verita. The zucchini, ricotta, and flower pie was almost too pretty to eat, but ended up being just as delicious. We finished up with some well-earned Ben & Jerry’s.
We spent the night at Hotel Vermont, one of the coolest hotels I’ve ever stayed in. It’s rustic and classy and hip, with personal touches like handmade Vermont soaps and a Tivoli radio by the bed. Breakfast in bed the next morning was the highlight - blueberry pancakes.
Barge Canal Market was our last Burlington stop on the way out, a vintage spot we’d been Instagram-obsessed with since we found them at Brimfield. They had an awesome space, filled with mid-century modern furniture and decor.
Heading South down Route 7, we paused along the river for perhaps my favorite meal of the trip: peanut butter sandwiches.
Seeing this sign along Route 125, we hung a quick left. We couldn’t pass up a place with a name like Texas Falls.
And thank goodness we didn’t! This place looked like it was straight out of Middle Earth, with emerald waters and winding pathways, smooth white rocks and mossy trees. It was a perfect last taste of paradise.
Who needs skis? Vermont in the summer is a wooded haven. I only wish we could have stayed a few more days.
It's mid-July and I'm elbow deep in cucumbers; they're filling the drawers in my fridge and many more continue to sprout off the vine everyday. They never stop - but they're so good.
Picklers are the favorite around here, but I've never actually pickled. Anyone want to teach me?
Simple, delicious cucumber salad: cukes + feta + mint + dill + salt + lemon juice + olive oil. Although I'm thinking of trying something more advanced.
The cuke abundance is welcomed as deep summer humidity is bearing down upon us; lately I don't want to eat anything but cold cucumbers anyhow. Keep them coming, and getting anxious for ripe tomatoes to join them soon!
I am a Brimfield junky. Three times a year, I make the pilgrimage eastward down Route 20 in search of treasure among the fields strewn with tents and tables. It's like being transported to a Turkish bazaar full of exotic trinkets and wares, where cash is king and you'd better be able to barter, trade, and haggle. How lucky are we to have the world's largest antique fair in our own backyard?
July's spread was nothing short of stunning, despite grumbles from dealers and buyers alike around the monsoonish weather earlier in the week. We lucked out Saturday morning, with nothing but overcast skies keeping the heat and humidity at bay until noon - probably my first July Brimfield that required a sweatshirt.
I was on the hunt for TLR film cameras, and saw plenty of oddities and glimpses of beauty in between:
Oriental rugs. My weakness. Although Brimfield prices intimidate me - I've never purchased one in the fields, although there are many.
No shortage of natural curiosities.
A handsome canoe Jake was drooling over.
Antique maps had me drooling.
The most colorful vintage banner display I'd ever seen!
The Mahogany Ridge Fashion Tent is the absolute jackpot for vintage clothing. I tried on a fringed denim jacket and completely regret walking away.
Most importantly, I tracked down a few TLRs that were in good shape, and bought not one, but three! Actually, the little Argus guy was thrown in for a deal on the Ikoflex Favorit. I'm looking forward to playing with them on a few trips planned for August. For now, I'm absorbing the instruction manuals and 120mm film is in the mail. In the meantime, it's more than enough fun to just take iPhone photos of the viewfinder.
Looking forward to the September show! P.S., if you're Brim curious, pick up this awesome book that I'm reading now and learning a lot about what goes on behind the scenes.
The Rooster Film Festival is a new initiative in Newtown, CT organized by local film enthusiasits in celebration of independent cinema, local creativity, and community fun. They were in need of a little branding to get their name out there and spark some excitement around the event, and asked me to create a logo that puts the town's mascot behind the lens:
I'm glad they went with this option, but was a bit partial to a certain "chicken butt" concept I created as an afterthought. Here are some alternate options:
The Rooster Film Festival will be held October 20 at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown. Until then, they are looking for submissions! Click here for more info. Wishing The Rooster Film Festival the best of luck as they set the stage for what is sure to become a local favorite for years to come.
I've had a lot of daydreams around planting a cut-flower garden on the farm, drawing inspiration from some incredible flower farms like this one and this one. While a busy spring went by too quickly and left any potential flower beds untilled, summer has not been without blossoms.
There's an uncut grove on the outskirts of the farm bursting with wildflowers right now, and I've been cutting bouquets and satisfying my flower garden dreams that way. Plus you can't beat their natural, uncultivated beauty.
They're brightening up several corners of my home, reminding me that those flower bed dreams must be realized next spring.
The latter part of June has been filled with dramatic afternoon thunderstorms and vivid sunsets. Last night, building purple clouds brought sheets of rain and blowing winds, which soon gave way to gaps of luminous sunbeams, hail, more rain, and rolling thunder. The colors and transitions and textures were surreal, and I tried to paint a little, taking advantage of a quiet evening at home.
When it starts to heat up down in the Valley, as it does at the end of June, that means it's time to head for the hills. The Berkshires, that is.
Jake and I made a Sunday trip to Great Barrington and my favorite summer spot, Umpachene Falls. I love the Pioneer Valley, but whenever I head a little further west, I dream of my own little getaway tucked under Mount Greylock or along the Housatonic. The air is fresher out there, the greens deeper, and the woods thicker.
Umpachene Falls in New Marlborough is what I've long claimed to be my "secret swimming hole", but it is hardly mine and hardly secret. It is quiet though, only very busy on the most oppressive days of deep August. Cascading tiers of smooth (but impossibly not slippery) rocks empty crystal waters into a natural pool, just deep enough to submerge and cool down in. A dome of pine trees towering above make it feel private; a summer oasis.
After a swim that was not nearly as cold as we thought it might be in mere June sunshine, we went into Great Barrington for lunch and strolling. I don't visit Great Barrington nearly enough. We enjoyed pressed sandwiches at Rubiner's Cheesemongers (He a tuna melt and I a comtè and ham) and then of course stopped for ice cream at SoCo Creamery (a scoop of blueberry-honey-lavender, a scoop of ginger). We wandered in and out of shops carefully considering blankets and walnut tables and local framed art, but I only bought a lovely yellow stoneware cookie jar from Farm & Home.
We headed back East and watched the temperature rise again, and took a too-warm afternoon nap before dinner. It feels like summer alright.
The Homegrown Studio provides creative marketing and graphic design to farmers, craftsmen, and agricultural businesses.
