Happy (Belated) Anniversary, Butter + Love!

July 11th marked the One Year Anniversary of Butter + Love - however, we were so busy that we completely forgot! Whoops. In the weeks leading up to it, I kept thinking, "Oooooh! I'd really love to do something fun to mark the fact that we've been around for a year - one whole year!"  But as is often the case with life - it just got so busy.

However, a belated anniversary is better than no anniversary! So to mark the truly incredible (... and humbling, and exciting, and promising, and super fun) occasion - we'd like to invite you to celebrate with us! 


We'll be kicking off the festivities this Thursday by offering a 15% off discount on all the items in our Etsy shop for a week! Anything and everything you buy through our shop from July 26 - August 1 will then be freshly baked, thoughtfully packaged, and on it's way to your doorstep in a matter of days! Just enter the code: BPL15 when you check out and the discount will be applied to your total order. (Please note: the discount does not apply to shipping costs, just our delicious cookies!)

(Click here to be directed to Butter + Love on Etsy.)

Then, starting next week, we'll be doing something I've been wanting to do for a long time - Giveaways! I'm still coming up the specifics of it all, but I will tell you that I've managed to collect all manner of fun vintage, baking, and packaging-inspired things to give you, our amazing customers. 

So stay tuned... and feel free to pass the word along to your friends. Cookies for everyone!

Butter + Love: The Mini-Movie

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming the lovely Monica McCarthy, of Show & Tell Stories, into the kitchen for the morning, along with her two incredibly talented cinematographers, Jason Koontz and Adam Koontz. (Yes, they're related. Brothers, actually.)

(Show & Tell Stories work their magic...)

Monica recently launched Show & Tell Productions, a company that provides 2-3 minute trailers, or "mini-movies," for small businesses, entrepreneurs, book authors, and the like. It's a fantastic idea, especially for newer companies, such as mine. And having a short, beautiful, artistic visual representation of what makes your company unique and enticing? Well, what company wouldn't want such a thing!

(The boys ready the action shot.)

I have to say that I often spend my time in the kitchen noting how beautiful the cookies are, not to mention the fresh ingredients or the careful process by which the cookies get made. I get giddy over the fresh, herby green of marjoram; the colors and textures of the various spices we use; the look of baked-to-perfection butter cookies. Luckily, platforms like Twitter and Instagram make it fairly easy to capture quick moments like this to share with our fan base. But to have a professional camera crew in the kitchen, capturing each moment live and in Hi-Def is... well, it brings the whole process to life in such an amazing way - one that you, as the customer, don't always get to experience. It's like I invited you into the kitchen with me for the morning. I just love that.

(I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.)

Another thing I loved (and really appreciated!) about this experience was the way in which Monica helped direct the shoot. From the pre-shoot interview to the filming itself, Monica's questions were insightful, helpful, and encouraging - especially in helping me focus my thoughts about my company, how I wanted it to be conveyed, and about what I was hoping to get out of this mini-movie. As a small business owner, my brain is full to the brim with a million-and-one things to be done, so having her artfully coach me through the process was incredibly useful, even with my background in acting! I felt like I was telling the story of Butter + Love to a friend, which made interview portion a pleasure. She also made sure my hair wasn't sticking up awkwardly and my lipstick wasn't smeared - seriously, Thank God for Monica!

(Adam, Monica, and Jason)

We've already made the video live on the homepage of our website, and we've been getting all manner of love on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It's been fun. So I hope you enjoy it - and please, feel free to share it, post it, Tweet it. Help us spread some Butter + Love...

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Post Script: HUGE shout outs to my lovely kitchen assistant Carolyn who even put on eye-liner before coming into the kitchen that day - no small feat for a baker. I barely managed to "put my face on" myself. Also to Shane O'Neill, the friendly Barista at The Greene Grape. He brings a smile to my face each morning and I'm glad he was willing to help with the shoot. And... to The Greene Grape. You guys rock. 'Nuff said.


Post, Post Script: If you're interested in telling your own story, PLEASE check out Monica's website (linked above). Reach out to her and let her help you make a mini-movie of your own! 

Click here for Show & Tell Stories Productions' Website

Purveyors: Foragers Market (Chelsea)

With each Manhattan purveyor it seems we're inching a little further into the city - first ThirsTEA in the Lower Easte Side, and now the most recent, Manhattan outpost of Foragers Market located in the heart of stylish Chelsea...

We're pleased as punch to be there! It is a beautiful, one stop shop for all things local and delicious. And we just dropped off a fresh batch of goodness today, so make sure you stop by soon to get your Butter + Love fix of jam sandwich cookies and mouth-watering shortbread. Oh, and be sure to say hi to Alex, one of the friendly baristas behind the coffee counter. Grab a cup of joe and tell her Butter + Love sent you!

Customer Spotlight: Martha Stewart Living

We recently got the chance to share our Edible Labors of Love with the fine folks over at the offices of Martha Stewart Living. They caught wind of our "adorable berry box packaging" and asked if we could bake a special run for some VIP clients, announcing their June issue. The issue is all about berries, and as you know, that is subject matter we at Butter + Love are passionate about!

They decided to go with our Sweet + Savory package of cookies, but asked if we could make the normally square cookies round. We were happy to oblige as this was a special edition... and besides, it's fun to change it up every now and then, right?

We've got another custom order for MSL coming up next week - and this one with a new twist on the packaging! - so stay tuned for pictures of the delicious beauty we came up with!

My {Current} To Create! List...

Photo by: Kate Boka

If you live in the Northeast then you're aware of the unseasonably warm weather we've been having. It is positively Springlike outside! It's supposed to be in the 60s all week. The 60s! In March! 

Absolute madness.

 I don't know about you, but the sunshine and sheer loveliness of it all has me wanting to create - recipes, gifts, dinner parties, excuses to have an afternoon cocktail with a dear friend. My "To Create!" list seems endless. Here are few things currently at the top of my list:

Make my own stamps. I did this for our Valentine's Day Packaging and had a ball. With a few supplies (easily purchased at an art supply store) and a few YouTube video tutorials, you can create custom stamps to add a little something extra to stationary, fabric, packaging, wrapping, etc. 

Hand-paint-dip wooden utensils. I love this idea! I spied it on my Pinterest feed and just love the simple, eye-catching look it gives ordinary utensils. I think I may try a lovely peach, citron green, or even a neon hue...

Make vats of this divine looking blackberry sage cooler! The recipe can be found on the blog, Scaling Back. It looks to be the perfect way to quench your thirst during an afternoon of baking or crafting...

Make a Lebanese Lemon Cake. Spring always inspires me to bake with citrus fruits. Lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit - the bright, tart zing associated with them wakes us up from the comfort food of the winter. Lately I've been particularly interested in lemon upside-down cakes, and this one looks to be the perfect recipe to try...

Plan a simple, rustic but elegant dinner party or wine tasting. After hibernating all winter long, I'm aching to resume my pursuit of the Hostess With The Mostest title and invite some of my favourites over for good food, good wine, and good company! Perhaps a tasting of refreshing Spring white wines, or a dessert tasting of Butter + Love's upcoming new flavors? I think I could find a guest or two for such an event...

What's on your "To Create!" list this Spring?

The Good Word: Daily Candy

While in the kitchen the other day, I got an email from the editor of Daily Candy New York: He was going to feature Butter + Love and needed to check a few facts as well as request some high rez photos of my cookies. I had to re-read it to believe it,but after I did, I promptly did a happy dance - cookie cutters in the air, twirling my kitchen towel around in circles - and then sped through my remaining tasks in order to get home and shoot off some pics for him to use.

You can imagine my absolute delight, then, the next morning when I woke up to find my inbox full of Etsy orders and links from friends to the lovely, lovely article. To quote from the write up:

"Though RiRi makes finding love in a hopeless place glamorous, we search more conventional spaces. Like the arms of another or, most recently, a cookie jar.

Specifically, one filled with treats from Butter + Love.

[This] Midwestern transplant tweaks old family recipes with fresh local herbs and fruit. The resulting gooey double-decker sandwiches are rich, refreshing, and not overly sweet.

Resistance is hopeless."

Thank you for the kind words, Daily Candy, and for helping to spread the (Butter +) Love...

The Good Word: Cool Hunting

Hey, hey! The oh-so-sleek and impossibly "in the know" website, Cool Hunting, just featured Butter + Love. Take a look...

(Click here to be directed to the article.)

Overall it was a great review - but in particular, they liked our Salted Honey Lavender Shortbread, hailing it a, "... a classic, well-executed iteration based on the namesake ingredient." And furthermore, "The rich cookie was a perfect balance of soft and crispy with a sprinkling of salt and sugar on top." 


Well, we do aim to please...


If you haven't heard of it, Cool Hunting is a fantastic site known for curating the very best in style, design, food, and travel. I would highly recommend you add it to your daily blog list.