AMS Communications, a public relations firm based in Bedford MA and headed by PR veteran Annmarie Seldon, contracted the zen kitchen to design an identity package and website for both AMS Communications and for trendymommies.com, a style blog for moms which is currently in development. Seldon’s firm specializes in media relations and strategic communications for consumer clients, with specialized expertise in pregnancy and child-related products.

the zen kitchen has just signed on with ALNO USA and Mobileffe in Boston MA to create advertising and marketing materials for the 2007 season. The two companies, which hold their offices in the Boston Design Center, offer high-end European furniture and kitchen designs to the interior design and architecture industries.

Dani Nordin of the zen kitchen was featured in the "Somerville Squares" section of the Somerville Journal the week of August 27. The article, which was written by Journal staff writer David Harris, talks about the studio’s commitment to eco-friendly printing and design, and includes commentary from Rod Tilley, Design Director at DiMella Shaffer and recent TZK collaborator.

Dani Nordin’s 2-part series on eco-friendly design choices, "Image is Everything?" has been reprinted in both the Holistic Business Journal, a monthly e-magazine for holistic healthcare professionals, and Creative Latitude, a worldwide resource for creative professionals. The articles, "The Problem of Paper" and "The Issue of Ink" discuss some of the basic considerations in eco-friendly graphic design: choosing the right paper and ink for the job. Nordin is also in the process of writing another article on eco-friendly design and marketing, to be published in the Boston Herald’s Women’s Business section.

p>the zen kitchen is working with DiMella Shaffer, a Boston-based architectural firm, to develop the firm’s brand. Collaborating with in-house Design Director Rod Tilley, the updated brand will include a fresh color pallette, updated collateral, and a comprehensive Graphic Standards Manual.

Dani Nordin of the zen kitchen and Michelle Girasole of Precision ROI will be co-presenting a seminar in eco-friendly and web-based marketing techniques in Rhode Island on Friday, July 28th. Nordin will discuss environmentally-friendly marketing methods, and Girasole will introduce attendees to Constant Contact, a powerful e-mail marketing tool (and the tool used to publish notes from the zen kitchen). Stay tuned for details.

the zen kitchen has received the official Seal of Approval from Co-Op America’s Business Network, a national organization devoted to taking “economic action for a just planet.” The Seal of Approval recognizes businesses that are committed to social and environmental responsibility, and includes a listing in the National Green Pages™, published annually by Co-Op America.

Dani Nordin of the zen kitchen has just been featured on Inside the Marketing Mind, the popular marketing blog of Neil Tortorella of Tortorella Design. In the entry, titled The Ins and Outs of e-Newsletters, Nordin talks about her experience with her own e-newsletter, Notes from the zen kitchen, as well as how she went about developing a marketing plan for the studio, one of the most important things a small business can do for itself. Neil Tortorella is a regular contributor of insightful how-to marketing and business-management articles for the design community, including the HOW Magazine Forums and About.com’s Graphic Design community, and he is one of the founding members of Creative Latitude, a worldwide resource for creatives and creative buyers alike.

Dani Nordin of the zen kitchen has been interviewed on the design blog Design Inspiration, called “one of 2005’s best blogs” by Print magazine, and one of HOW magazine’s top ten websites. Design Inspiration was created by Oregon Designer Jeff Andrews as “a place to introduce talented designers and illustrators to other creative professionals in their industry.”

As part of the Ladies Who Launch series on the Huffington Post, I shared the REAL reason I started the zen kitchen, and my thoughts on entrepreneurship and sustainability.

An excerpt:

For me, “freedom, control and flexibility” means a number of things. Of course, it’s important for me to wear what I want to work — but it’s also important for me to take on projects that truly appeal to me, and to work with people that I genuinely like. Not only does this result in better work for my clients, it just makes life a lot nicer. It’s also important to me that my business fits around my life — not the other way around.

The full text is here.