Hello Subscriber First Name

How are you? In a strange twist, I sent last month’s newsletter at the start of lockdown and send this one as England emerges.

I was inspired by Lord John Bird, MBE, the founder of The Big Issue who advised subscribers that we should remember 2020 as the year of Social Kindness. You can read his editorial in full here.

No year was so crammed full of a sense that we have to help those in desperate need, that we are at our best when we make associations with the weakest, and our humanity grows in magnitude because of that.
Lord John Bird, The Big Issue, 30 November 2020

It makes me far more hopeful for the future to reflect on the incredible efforts made by many unsung heroes. There are the volunteers who pushed notes through doors offering help and a happy memory of singing Happy Birthday to celebrating neighbours in our street during the Thursday night NHS applause. And famous faces like Marcus Rashford and Sir Tom Moore. I hope it does for you too.

I’ve been kept busy this year creating in WordPress and Squarespace, bringing numerous books to life, collaborating on branding and print work. It’s always a thrill to see a site go live, a logo on social media or see a book printed for the first time, and for the the loveliest of people. All this means that I can make a donation to charity which I do annually.

The Big Issue was launched in 1991 by Gordon Roddick and John Bird in response to the growing number of rough sleepers on the streets of London. The two believed that the key to solving the problem of homelessness lay in helping people to help themselves. The Big Issue magazine is sold by vendors who buy their magazines with their own money and sell them at their own profit or loss around the UK. Prior to the pandemic I bought my weekly issue from Lee or Juno who trade in the centre of Cambridge. The lockdown meant that all vendors were removed from the street to protect them and The Big Issue Foundation had to step in to cover lost income. They did this through online or postal subscriptions, creating a mammoth online campaign which proves that social kindness is real and how fantastic social media can be when it has a heart.

This year I have donated £300 to the foundation. This donation can be used to pay for clothing for an interview, study materials, vets for pets, kitchen equipment, phone credit, photo ID or pay travel expenses to enable a vendor to see a GP.

To find out more about The Big Issue or subscribe to a magazine click here. There’s also a fantastic shop full of great gifts and the Street Art gallery with some creative, original artwork made by vendors. Perfect presents!

It sifts from leaden sieves

Last month I shared my love of poetry and reading. I had a couple of emails asking why. I have a degree in English Literature which I took with the amazing Open University about ten years ago. I didn’t set out to graduate from it having already studied graphic design, but got caught up the material and community. I was experiencing a period of grief and found solace in study.

Regardless of intention, it cemented a lifelong love of the written word. The poem that I’ve enjoyed this month is by Emily Dickinson who also wrote ‘Hope' is the thing with feathers, one of my favourite poems that has brought comfort. It sifts from leaden sieves is a poem about the movement of snow, how it settles on the landscape changing what’s seen to something different and strange. I think it appropriate for our holiday season. The loss and sorrow that so many of us have seen this year has changed our celebrations and gatherings. Dickinson reminds us that snow does not differentiate and provides the same recluse to all, tying us together. We have more in common than we may realise.

You can read the original manuscript of this poem in Dickinson’s handwriting at Houghton Library at Harvard University here. I find so thrilling to see an original record of work. Be warned, it’s an archive you’ll get lost in!

Font Pairings

I have set this poem with Mrs Eaves (body) and Mr Eaves (heading and poet name). These are two of my favourite font pairings. Mrs Eaves was designed by Zuzana Licko. It was her first attempt at the design of a traditional typeface, Mr Eaves was created as a companion so the two are intended to work together by the type designer.

Licko is the co-founder of Emigre Type Library and Emigre Graphics which began in 1984 inspired by the introduction of Mac computers. I like to think that when I was trying to design on Pagemaker 1 on a tiny screen, that Licko was also having the same problems of a small screen and not enough memory too! We really are spoilt these days with our tech!

Here’s what else I’ve been doing. I’d love to know what you’ve been up to and what you’re up to over the holidays.

• Watching The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix because Twitter told me to!

• Reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Yes, still reading this, it’s amazing but I have asked Santa for The Madman’s Library. The blurb has captivated me!

• Bought gifts from Cambridge Imprint. I’ve been supporting small businesses this season (here’s the link to my favourites). I love the traditional screen printing techniques that Jane, Ali and Claerwen use in their designs.

• Look forward to Christmas hobnobbing with Drive The Network. I have heard rumours of a buzzer and goats. Either way, it’ll be my first seasonal event online and I’m intrigued! If you’d like to be my guest at a Drive The Network event or would like to join, let me know.

Can you create stand out design on Canva?

I began to draft a blog post about Canva and it’s impact on graphic design at the start of lockdown and only published it recently. I know many clients and friends use Canva but it’s got an uneasy relationship with graphic designers so this took a bit of research. What I did find out is that there is compromise and us creatives can provide our skills, support and advice. It’s been the most viewed article on my website and maybe you’d like to read it too? Hit the button below!

Work with me

To find out if I can help you with your next design project, you can book a no-obligation call with me. Don’t forget that I’m running CRM system Dubsado to help project manage work. It also offers payment plans to help you manage your budgets. You can drop me an email at berenice@hellolovely.design to find out more.

I’m also happy to speak at events or podcasts. I love to share advice on graphic design, book cover design, tips for non-designers, image copyright, branding and publishing. I’m also a podcast presenter. Here’s a link to find out out more.

In the meantime you can find me on Twitter, Instagram and Linked In. I welcome questions and comments.

Whatever you get up to over the holidays, please stay safe and well. I wish you a peaceful time and look forward to catching up next month.

Best wishes

Berenice

P.S. Do feel free to pass this email onto anyone who you think would be interested. If they’d like to subscribe, they can do so here.