Entries filed under Leo

Miss Cave goes to Washington (to see Michelle Obama!!!)

We can think of no better way to launch our weekend than to give major props {pun intended} to Sarah Cave for the incredible talents she exemplified in her latest creation for the August 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens featuring our First Lady, Michelle Obama.

Now, Sarah has always brought her amazing set of eyes to the {prop} table, but not enough people know about her insane design skills. I mean crazy. MAD even. Below, you can see her inspiration board for the invitation that she created for Michelle Obama’s “Lunch on the Lawn” event, inspired by the White House vegetable garden, as well as the beautiful veggie illustrations used to label bottles of fresh squeezed juices and to decorate crisp white linen napkins. Personally, I am waiting for my series of tote bags donning Sarah Cave designs, but…one thing at a time. For now, I pledge allegiance to Sarah Cave…

Posted July 21, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Aquarius, Capricorn, Leo

FEAST on BICERIN

Bicerin is a traditional hot drink native to Turin, Italy, made of espresso, drinking chocolate and whole milk served layered in a small rounded glass. The word bicerin is Piedmontese for “small glass”. Check out the Caff e` Al Bicerin version featured in AFAR Magazine, shot by our very own Andrea Wyner.

The beverage has been known since the 18th-century and was famously praised by The Three Musketeers author Alexandre Dumas in 1852. Any connection to the famous American chocolate bar born in 1932? Hmm, that’s stretching it.

Posted July 18, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Leo

Ed’s W Hotel Gilty Pleasures

Ed Gallagher has become a regular contributor to the beauty and style that makes GILT GROUPE such a successful online adventure. By placing items in your shopping cart, you reserve your shot at highly discounted luxury items. In this case, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some W Hotel 300 thread-count cotton jacquard duvet covers! And, Ed’s simple and elegant styling helps to bring out every little beautiful detail. Shop on!

Posted June 29, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Cancer, Leo

Smart Shop

Melissa Punch shot the recent cover story for ShopSmart on ’10 Food Shockers.’ Most of the things on the list are just part and parcel of industrial food production, something that must be accepted if you are going to continue buying cheap food at the supermarket. Not that it is a good thing, just a reality of the system that provides every kind of out-of-season food to all corners of the country. I think the biggest shocker of all is that you do have a choice in the matter; the easiest way to make that choice is to stay informed. Just try not to get distracted by the pretty pictures.

Posted June 27, 2011 by Mason Adams |
Filed Under: Leo

100 Degrees and Grilling

On June 9th and 10th, so far the hottest days of the summer, photographer Andrew Purcell joined a cast of culinary all-stars on the set of Martha Stewart’s Grilling Secrets of the Master Chefs which premieres Friday June 24th at 8pm on The Hallmark Channel.

Andrew and his team braved 100-degree heat and the intermittent threat of thunderstorms to capture these great behind the scenes moments of Martha and her guests: Emeril Lagasse, Bill Taibe, Public’s Brad Farmerie, America’s female grilling expert Elizabeth Karmel and more. Be sure to check out Martha’s blog for more behind the scenes fun before the show airs tonight. Whether it’s delicious smoky BBQ goodness or the irreplaceable experience of mingling among these super chefs, the heat is always worth it. And if you can’t stand the heat, well, you know.

Posted June 24, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Leo, Virgo

Oh Yeaaahhh! This is a job for…

KOOL AID!

Ah, the nostalgia this colorful beverage brings. Frank Heckers shot this wonderfully energetic campaign for Ogilvy & Mather in early February which is out now in current magazine issues. Remembering those little packets of rainbow sugary goodness certainly brings me back. Enjoy the updated version!

Posted May 3, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Gemini, Leo

The sugar fix is in

Out in magazines this week – Melissa Punch captured this towering inferno of sugary goodness for Walmart. Carrots are the perfect cure for a high-fructose hangover. And Melissa is the perfect shot in the arm for all your ailing campaigns.

Posted April 21, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Leo

Jörg’s got EmersonMade Spring Fever

We’ve all had, at one time or another, the fantasy of having the ultimate double life: A chic city life with limitless opportunities, restaurants and the hustle of streets filled with unending energy. But, on the other hand, having an escape to serenity, where creativity abounds as result of restful quiet nights spent cultivating dreams to share with that same hungry city. I am inspired by the aspirational quality of the EmersonMade story and happily share their feature in Boston Home Magazine shot by our very own Jörg Meyer.

Boston Home Magazine © Jorg Meyer Photography

Posted April 20, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Leo, Taurus

Jim, The Modern Master

Photographer Jim Bastardo seems to continually produce the kinds of images I could look at all day long. What’s more is, I am amazed every single time by his level of artistry and his execution of vision. Accompanied by Jim’s penchant for modern photography and design, it’s no wonder a top brand like Design Within Reach has achieved such a strong identity. This coupling of two separate but equally powerful forces creates a perfect synthesis of WOW.

Posted February 21, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Capricorn, Leo

It’s not you, it’s me.

I really appreciated this post. It’s a balance we strive to employ at Big Leo. Business is business – the personal, left to its own devices, will usurp the power of your creativity.

DON’T BE A WIMP! Be Tough With Yourself – AND Your Clients, says Personal Scope Creep blogger Russ Perry. “Your time is valuable and precious. Make sure you spend every minute of it creating – creating work, creating knowledge or creating solutions”

“As creative professionals, it’s second nature for us to inject a significant level of sensitivity and emotional thought into our craft. After all, the ability to connect with deeper insights during the creation process is part of our expertise and provides us with a unique ability that clients value and (usually) pay for.

What most creative professionals don’t realize is that this sensitivity can cripple your business. Without being able to separate the emotional from the practical, you put yourself at risk of being pushed around by clients, pushed over by colleagues, or even pushed out by competitors – all cases resulting in stunted growth potential.

Before we go further, I want to make clear that I am not an advocate of throwing all emotion out the door or losing the personal connections that make your business yours. Instead, I propose increasing your ability to decouple the personal from the business – just enough to help maintain objectivity and clarity, especially during times of conflict.

The concept is simple and can be adopted by even the most sensitive of souls, and so I present: THE PSC FRAMEWORK OF BEING TOUGH“

{read full post here}

Posted February 8, 2011 by Mary Dail |
Filed Under: Leo