We’ve received copies of the invites produced for the V&A Museum of Childhood to the opening preview for the exhibition we’re working on at the V&A at the moment. The exhibition opens next Saturday (6 February) with the preview evening on the 4th. At the moment the builders are still on site and Emma Houlston the illustrator is painting some wonderful statements on the walls to inspire and engage kids. We’ll put more pictures online from the exhibition next week once the objects are in place and the painting is finished.

It’s like 20:20 vision but not for another ten years. Happy New Year!

Here’s a sneaky sneakers peek at a very small section of the massive roll of Llambda prints that arrived in the office today to be checked over.

This year, after discussions with the client, we decided to resurrect an idea used three years ago – whereby we made their Xmas card a year long calendar too. So, armed with another inspiring quotation from Ghandi “In the midst of darkness, light persists”, we created another seasonal mailer that reinforces their brand values.

We’ve just completed our 4th year in business and would like to thank all our clients for not just last year, but the preceeding years too — we have a large number of long standing clients, and we like to think that’s a tribute to the way we work. We become friends, and an ear for advice on not just projects, but day-to-day questions about branding, products, messaging, ideas and of course the football.

Year 4 has seen us working harder than ever, with highlights including launching a new website for Barclays Wealth Protected Investments, a rebrand for MRM, working with the V&A, investing in our first ‘product’ – the Original Designers Workbook, helping launch Humans not Robots, adding blogs to existing clients sites and working with Langdon Executive Properties on an exciting property development in the Caribbean’s marketing material. Not to mention changing our trading name from North & East to the slighty more obvious Graphic Clinic.. and all without a reference to the health of your brand in sight!

There’s been much more going on than just that tip of the iceberg. So happy birthday to us, 1,460 (and a bit) days old.

Chris at Concrete Hermit in London’s trendy Shoreditch, one of the coolest design shop/galleries in London has agreed to stock our Original Designers Workbooks! Yay! So there’s now two locations in London to get your grubby designer paws on them.

We’re almost out of Black covered Workbooks — should we do a reprint next year? Get in touch and let us know, we’d also like to know if you think you’d like an A5 version of them?

As featured on page 21 of issue 164 of Computer Arts magazine.

http://hicksdesign.co.uk/journal/squared

Jon Hicks, a designer in England, really wanted to test out our Workbooks but alas the Design Museum was sold out of them when he tried to get one. We wish they would order more in advance of selling out, as they always sell out. Oh well, keep trying them!

We’re actually running out of Black ones, with only about 50 left…we have a few more of the other colours left.

I just took a diversion back to the office after a photoshoot to take in the 7/7 Monument in Hyde Park that was recently opened. It’s a beautiful tribute to those who lost their lives in such an act of ugly cowardice. I recommend that if you’re ever nearby, you take a few minutes out to pay your respects.

It’s been a year in design and development, so we’re only just a little bit proud that we’ve finally launched the new website for Barclays Wealth Protected Investments. The site features pricing feeds, a back catalogue of their investment products and a much improved design and user experience. Next up a second printed guide to complement the Portfolio Planning Guide we produced for them earlier this year.