FROM THE DESK | ISSUE 011

FIELD NOTES | Why Projects Miss the Mark (and How We Fix It)

Here’s the thing: most projects don’t go sideways because the design isn’t “good enough”. They miss the mark because the foundation was never set in the first place.

We’ve seen it time and again. Designers land themselves in revision hell, not because clients are indecisive, but because the vision was never even aligned from the start.

This is where the ball is dropped: Moodboard & direction is a messy Pinterest board, a handful of random inspo pics, and zero strategy to pull it all together. Often never even signed off by the client.

That’s not direction, that’s just gambling.

Our process takes it one step further. We call ours The Blueprint. It’s not just about making something look nice. It’s about building a shared vision that’s rock solid before we even touch design.

We dig deep into your brand’s tone, values, story, and energy, to build your Brand Foundation. Then we build a Visual Moodboard, full of textures, typography, design & brand references, that feels like you.

The point isn’t to show off finished work. It’s to make sure the vibe, energy, and direction are dialed, and we get sign off from the client, so that when we do start designing, everything lands right the first time.

Want to see exactly how we use this process to set our projects up for success? Hit the link through the button below.

FRESH OFF THE DESK | Bringing the Heat.

This might go down as one of the best project intros we’ve ever received.

Danny reached out to tell us about his pepper grow-op. Not in a greenhouse. Not on a farm. But on the rooftop of his brownstone in Brooklyn. Every day, he climbs upstairs to tend to his chilli pepper plants, then turns that harvest into small-batch hot sauces, infused honeys, and crushed pepper flakes.

It’s hyper-local. It’s weirdly wholesome. And it’s exactly the kind of story we love bringing to life.

Our goal with the brand? Skip the usual “burn your face off” energy and build something that felt grounded, character-rich, and unmistakably his. We pulled from the brownstone architecture, illustrated his rooftop garden, custom-built some retro-inspired type, and paired it with bold colour to give the whole thing some punch.

The result feels fresh but familiar, just like the product.

See the full project and the spicy details below.

ON OUR RADAR | $9 Dollar Designs Drop 2

The second round of our $9 Designs just landed in the store, and this one’s all about storefronts. Think vintage grit, classic signage vibes, and the kind of make-believe shops that feel like they’ve been holding down the street corner since the late 70’s.

Each design is ready to roll as-is, complete with all the file types you’ll ever need. Or, if you’ve got the skills, you can swap out the name, tweak the type, or mess with the colours to make it your own. Perfect for a quick merch drop, a side project glow-up, or a mini brand facelift, all for less than the price of a fancy pour-over and croissant from your local hipster coffee spot.

And as always, we’re on hand with our $20 Tune Up if you need us to get is customised and ready to roll. Take a peek at the full lineup and grab a few while they’re hot.

That’s a wrap on Issue 011.

Thanks for showing up, reading along, and letting us fill your inbox with design rambles and spicy brand takes.

Catch you next Monday, same desk, same inbox, more little nuggets we hope you find useful.

Rory & Suz