ISSUE 001 | AN INTRODUCTION TO: FROM THE DESK OF IDLE HANDS

If you’re getting this email, chances are we were connected in one of these 3 ways; 1: Back at Honest Concepts, with Rory & Jacob. 2: In the last year or so with Rory, while he was freelancing under Rory J Tolland. 3: You’re currently working with us here, at Idle Hands.

Whether it was back in the day when we were just getting started, or we linked up yesterday, we’re glad you’re here, and we want to give you a proper introduction as to who we are, and what we do.

We’re a two-person team. Husband and wife, design and strategy. We deal in design that tells a story. Building brands that feel like old friends; timeless, full of character, and built to stick around.

Rory leads the creative. He’s spent over eight years working as a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Website Designer, and Creative Director. Suzy keeps the wheels turning. With a legal background, she’s spent the past decade building teams and driving operations for brands like lululemon, Mejuri, and Arc’teryx across North America.

Together, we keep it simple: No trends, no fluff, just solid design that does its job and does it well. Whether it’s a brand identity that turns heads, a killer website, something you can hang on a wall, print on a package, or wear on a shirt, we’re here to make it something you’re damn proud of.

PSA | WE’RE NOT HERE TO WASTE YOUR TIME, OR SELL YOU THINGS.

This newsletter’s just a little window into our world. What we’re working on, what we’re learning, and what’s keeping the creative juices flowing.

Each week, you’ll get 3 bite-sized sections packed with practical tips, a peek behind the scenes, and a dash of whatever’s inspiring (or entertaining) us at the moment. Let’s break it down:

FIELD NOTES | Sharp, no-nonsense insights from the studio. Branding tips, design truths, and lessons we’ve picked up over the years. Think of it as a small dose of design wisdom you can actually put to work.

FRESH OFF THE DESK | A peek at what’s been on our table lately. Recent projects, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and a bit of the care and thinking that goes into every piece we make.

ON OUR RADAR | The music we’ve got on repeat, the design that’s catching our eye, or the gear we can’t stop using. This is the stuff fuelling the studio this week, keeping us curious, inspired, or just straight vibing.

So that’s it. if this isn’t your thing, no hard feelings. We get it —everyone’s inbox is already overflowing, so feel free to hit unsubscribe anytime.

But if you’re into what we’re putting down, we can’t wait to bring you a weekly dose of design, branding, inspiration, and good vibes.

If we haven’t connected in a while, let’s do it. Shoot us an email through the button below.

Whether it’s to catch up, tell us how stoked you are for the design tips, point out all the typos we missed, or even ask us (politely) to stop sending these damn emails - we’d honestly love to hear from you.

(Though we’re definitely hoping for the first two.)

See you next week,

Rory & Suz