Monthly Archives: January 2014

CHINESE NEW YEAR STAMPS | YEAR OF THE HORSE

31 January 2014

chinese new year stamps by paprika via stylejuicer

Happy Chinese New Year to around 1.3 billion -ish people and all of their relations around the world! The world largest population has their own calendar, the Han calendar, which usually begins on the second dark moon after the winter solstice, occasionally the third dark moon. Get it? Me neither. It is also called the Spring festival and the most important social and economic event of the year.

Canadian design studio Paprika designed these beautiful stamps to mark the Year Of The Horse and I love the stylised horses and the rich red and gold colour used. Red in particular is highly symbolic for the Chinese and associated with good fortune and joy as well as fire, warding off evil. During Chinese New Year or special occasions people give out red envelopes with money and I’m sure they appreciate the stamps to tie in with the Year Of The Horse.

The seal in the shape of a horseshoe is a neat little touch and since Paprika is located in Quebec, the French speaking part of Canada, they’ve incorporated both the French and English word for horse on the stamps as well as the Chinese symbol. Ok, my Mandarin is a bit rusty but I’m taking an educated guess here so feel free to correct me in the comments. Let me finish by wishing you:

Happiness, Prosperity, Longevity
福禄寿 fú lù shòu

To find out more about Chinese New Year traditions check out the International Business Times.

 

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chinese new year stamps by paprika via stylejuicer
 
DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY | Paprika
 

DESIGN INSPIRATION | ONLINE FOOD JOURNAL FOOD&_

28 January 2014

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Now this is one of those seriously cool successful projects you don’t see very often.

Food&_ was only set up in the summer of 2013 which gives credit to the fact that great design and even greater content are perfect partners. But let me start from the beginning as the story behind this genius concept is encouragement to all perfectionists and procrastinators alike. Ahem… and yes, I do count myself into both those categories.

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Founder Ross Featherstone is a keen home cook, an obsessive collector of cookery books and one of those annoying people who take pictures of their meals before picking up a fork – his words not mine. Furthermore he designs and builds websites for a living, so you would think that setting up a blog would be a walk in the park for him. Not so, as I found out when reading up about the concept behind Food&_ on The Culture Vulture.

After years of false starts, getting hung up on design and fussing about detail he finally got the push he needed by signing up to Blog North #4, a food bloggers workshop, where he didn’t want to show up with a handful of undercooked website designs. Getting loads of advice and encouragement during the workshop was the turning point for him and he realised that he wanted his food blog to be a collaborative online food journal.

Bringing together an ever-growing mix of foodies, writers, growers and producers with photographers, illustrators and designers to collectively showcase and promote each individual’s talent. They all share a love food and the stories behind the food, their passions and recipes.

foodand_ online food journal via stylejuicer.com

As a graphic designer I’m in love with the fresh approach he and his partners took on the branding and as a fellow blogger I’m insanely jealous of the concept and rocketing success the site has experienced since it’s launch. Let me say at this point that Ross is one of five founding partners, others including Katy Lanceley, Jonathan Finch, Rosalind Stoughton and Christopher Nunn.

The branding is classic and modern at the same time with the use of serif Calendar Plus as a primary headline font and Apercu as a secondary modern sans serif for body copy. The colour palette has been kept neutral and ranges from black and white to beige and grey making the colourful photography appropriately the hero.

All of the collateral has got a lovingly handmade, crafty touch not dissimilar to cooking itself and I like the little details like actual pressed herbs stuck to the covers and the fine, almost botanical black and white illustrations. It’s a utilitarian brand with an earthy character that perfectly compliments food, cooking and dining. A lovingly designed concept that has stand out and longevity. Jamie Oliver eat your heart out.

foodand_ online food journal via stylejuicer.com

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foodand_ online food journal via stylejuicer.com

 
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WEBSITE | Design by Passport. Build by Refresh Interactive
RECIPE BOOKS | Design by Passport. Illustrations by Liz Ibbotson
LAUNCH EVENT | Creative Direction by Lord Whitney, Passport, Ross Featherstone & Katy Lanceley
STYLING | Lord Whitney
PRINT & PROMOTION DESIGN | Passport
PHOTOGRAPHY | Victoria Harley

KRISTA KELTANEN | COOL FINNISH PHOTOGRAPHY

26 January 2014

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Krista Keltanen is a Finnish photographer and I came across her beautiful interior shots on one of my late night Scandi blog browsing sessions – strictly interiors I may add and totally G-rated.

Her photography feels quiet, deliberate, feminine and composed. No action shots, crazy filters or wonky horizon lines anywhere. It’s honest and simple and very Nordic.

I’m sure it’s something to do with the often harsh weather, the rugged landscape and lack of light for months on end that makes Scandinavian photographers want to capture every last sliver of natural light when it is available.

I was intrigued by her work and contacted her for a short interview which despite being a mother of three she happily agreed to.
 
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TELL US HOW YOU GOT INTO PHOTOGRAPHY IN GENERAL AND THE FIELD YOU’RE WORKING IN NOW.
I bought my first SLR in 1994. I started to shoot film and I was so excited. At this time I mostly photographed for fun… summer holidays, nature, flowers. My father and uncle are both amateur photographers and I had the opportunity to spent time with them in darkroom. I think it was the first spark. I started to study photography in 2002. At the same time I began to work as a freelance photographer. I visited many advertising agencies with my portfolio. It was the time before social media. You had to meet people face to face and show you photos.

I’m totally in love with interior photography and work with interior journalist & stylist Jonna Kivilahti. We shoot homes for Finnish magazines as well as commercial shoots for different companies and we have an agent Living Inside in Italy who sells our home features all over the world. In England our home features has been published in The Simple Things and Country Living and also in Elle Decoration Country.

 
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECTS AND WHERE DO YOU FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE?
Favourite subjects are interiors and different kind of commercial shoots. I also feel very comfortable to photograph people, especially kids.

 
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A LOT OF MY READERS ARE MUMS, MYSELF INCLUDED, AND WE ALWAYS STRUGGLE TO FIT EVERYTHING IN. HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO HAVE A GOOD WORK/LIFE BALANCE?
I don’t 🙂 As a freelancer there are always things to do. A couple of years ago I worked incredibly hard and I was so tired all the time. Then I made a conscious decision to stop and put my life in order. I don’t book my calendar full any more and I don’t edit photos at the four o’clock in the morning and I also spend less time on social media.

 
WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION FROM?
Light. Nature. Interior. Children. Magazines. Conversations. Books. Photographs. Art. Travel.

 
DO YOU READ ANY BLOGS? IF SO, WHICH ONES?
Wishwishwish, 79 ideas, whatkatieate

 
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR WORK?
I like blogging. I do have a business facebook account where I post inspirations. Instagram is my favourite. I find social media is a good tool to find people who have some same interest as you.

 
I LOVE YOUR INSTAGRAM FEED. WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITES?
My favourites are all I follow at the moment, but to mention a few names: anne_parker, _jillthomas and saipua.
 

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krista keltanan finnish photography via stylejuicer
 
Thank you Krista!
 
Annie Signature Stylejuicer
 

MORE INFORMATION & PHOTOGRAPHY | Krista Keltanen
BOOKS | 12 x koti, Mekkotehdas

FOOD HEAVEN | HONEY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN RECIPE

22 January 2014

honey chipotle chicken recipe via howsweeteats.com

I’m not a natural cook. I need a plan, commonly known as a recipe I believe and I need inspiring, mouth-watering photography of the end result. If I get a portion of humour and entertainment with that, even better. I’m practically skipping to the supermarket to get the ingredients and beaming in anticipation of recreating that amazing dish.

Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is ticks all my boxes. She’s funny, self-deprecating, takes beautiful photos of her delicious recipes and a total inspiration to me in the kitchen.

I also found a lovely interview where she talks about her daily routine on Rachel Cooks. It’s quite an eye-opener to hear how hard she works and that she deep cleans her kitchen every day! I love her advice to other (food) bloggers too:

“Do it because you love it, don’t expect to make money, be involved with the community, support other bloggers and stop comparing yourself. There is room for everybody.”

A beautiful attitude showing generosity and definitely the only one to adopt if you want to play this blogging game. For the full interview head over to Rachel Cooks Blog.

So, after this introduction I want to share Jessica’s honey chipotle chicken recipe with you today as it’s a welcome change for me from all those winter warmers and hearty something or other. I’m dying for some healthy greens and love the combination with that delicious smokey Mexican flavour chicken.

HONEY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN RECIPE BY HOW SWEET IT IS
INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from a can of chipotles in adobo [if you live in the UK you can use chipotle paste and add olive oil or use chipotle sauce]
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
4 garlic cloves, minced

Salad
6 cups spring greens
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup torn fresh coriander
4 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon honey

Lime Quinoa
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, or even water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 lime, juiced and zest freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Add the chicken breasts to a baking dish or ziplock bag and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, adobo, honey, mustards, cilantro and garlic. Pour the marinade over the chicken, covering it evenly. Place it in the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours, or even overnight.

When you’re ready to make the meal, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tiny bit of olive oil and add the chicken, then cover the skillet and cook until the chicken is deeply browned on both sides and cooked in the center, about 6 minutes per side.

To make the salads, add the greens in a large bowl and toss them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the chicken on top along with the quinoa, the tomatoes, cilantro, green onions and avocado. Drizzle the bowl with the lime juice, olive oil and honey. Serve!

For the lime quinoa add the quinoa and stock (or water) to a saucepan over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the coconut oil (you can swap butter), lime juice, zest, salt and pepper.

Annie Signature Stylejuicer

MORE INFORMATION & PHOTOGRAPHY | How Sweet It Is

INTERIORS CRUSH | AMSTERDAM LOFT RENOVATION

21 January 2014

I saw this stunning conversion of an Amsterdam loft first in the Spanish edition of Elle. They were featuring the architect Laura Alvarez who moved to Amsterdam five years ago and has fallen in love with this cosmopolitan, young and vibrant city.

In 2009 she founded her own architecture practice after her extensive experience working for well known international practices. She defines herself as a sensible and humble architect in love with craftsmanship. Something I can totally relate to in my own field of graphic design.

This duplex loft was a dark and claustrophobic place in a listed building from 1800. It is situated in the picturesque historic heart of Amsterdam overlooking one of the oldest canals, the Singel, and Laura’s challenge was to bring this space into the 21st century.

Amsterdam Loft Renovation by Laura Alvarez Architecture

The owners love to cook, dine and entertain and Laura opened up the whole of the first floor so it’s one continuous space only broken up by a light steel staircase. To brighten up the living area a series of satin-glass walls have been introduced in the upper floor flooding the lower level and the upstairs bathroom with natural light.

On the upper floor are a guest room and the main bedroom with a bathroom situated between them. I love the fact that Laura removed plaster walls to expose the old roof beams to remind you of the buildings age and historic value.

The space feels peaceful and quiet due to the fact that a lot of interfering objects like radiators have been hidden with the help of custom made furniture, not to mention the 11m long in-built wardrobe – what a dream!

I have to say I’m totally crushing on this space with it’s harmonious proportions, finishes and materials used and I’m sure it won’t be the last time Laura will be featured here.

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Amsterdam Loft Renovation by Laura Alvarez Architecture

Annie Signature Stylejuicer

MORE INFORMATION | Laura Alvarez
PHOTOGRAPHY | Ewout Huibers & Chidi Onwuka
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPH | Pablo Zuloaga for Elle.es