You've got (design) mail

On the wettest coldest day of the year so far and after a mid week day off to juggle the October week (are kids ever in school?) I was met at my desk by a lovely orange box design that brightened my day.

It was design post. Lovely printed, exciting design post.

It’s my feeling that we all intrinsically miss physical mail, we miss the personal touch. The time taken to pen a note or a simple thanks for your business. Our inboxes have become the new receptacle for junk mail, getting snail mail holds a certain romanticism (even if its less snail and more, prime-now-IMMED-ASAP-next-hour-delivery-mail). Most communication is done over email rather than a phone call or a chat, with the ‘youth’ seemingly scared of the phone! If you can’t say it with an emoji is it even worth saying? I’ll hazard a guess you’ve all sent an email to someone in the same room as you rather than get up and go have a natter. Guilty as charged.

I digress, back to the big lovely cardboard zipped box. A very satisfying rip later and a black inner box with a shiny hit of UV is in my hands.The orange silk ribbon shouts pick me, pick me.

The personal touch in design – Thanks to Glenn at Streamline Corporate

I’m going to call this bit FORM & FUNCTION, STYLE & SUBSTANCE.

When Glenn from Streamline Corporate got in touch through LinkedIn and asked if I would like a new notebook. I thought, yup that wont go wrong. Little did I know what he was going to send me. After peeling back the tissue paper wrap (trying to peel the sticker without ripping it, too eager I failed) I was met with a stoke worthy cover, not to mention a good sniff test.

Trust me I’m not weird it’s a designer thing.

Now here’s where it gets interesting and the ‘I never knew I needed this, but how have I managed without it’ moment occurs. I feel a different texture on the back. Turn it around and there is an equally ‘ooooaaahhh’ cover stock housing another notebook. Side one is held closed with a bright orange elastic, I immediately wonder if it comes in yellow? Embossed on this side it states ‘All ideas are noteworthy’ and inside there are feint lined pages for my inner account manager and on the other.

On the other side there are reams of crisp blank pages just awaiting pencil to paper, biro to brilliant and the birth of an idea.

So far I have come across one major problem. I don’t want to write in it, it’s so beautiful. I will keep it good. Good ideas, good design and feeling good. Solemn vow taken that I will promise to use my best handwriting and allow the creative spark to flutter through the pages in moments of inspiration and ‘not quite there yet’ frustration.

All in all a wonderful, creative and functional design tool. Who knows it may even help me fill in my time sheets!
If you have an idea you just can’t get down on paper or you would like some inspiration, drop me an email or even better come in for a chat and a coffee.