quick change wow

you've got to watch this link, just shows we don't need fancy special effects, lots of lights etc.... fast, simple and brilliant....but how? Title is the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB-wUgnyGv0&eurl=

Don't let me do live action

It was nice to be asked but I think I should avoid cameras for the near future. An experience nonetheless. Takes a little while to load but check me out and feel free to draw fake beard etc. on me.

http://www.cornwallbusinessweek.co.uk/podcasts.html

Right time to listen to some Jamie T, far too many blogs for one week.

Coming soon to a book shelf near you

We designed it, Eden will hold the launch party in July and Emma Mansfield from Eden wrote and researched it. So go get yourself a must have copy of the 168 page cd size Little Book of Cornwall! And as Leap were involved it's super sustainably produced, using 75% recycled stock with the remainder FSC, vegetable based inks, produced by Emma, Claire and myself at our studio which of course uses renewable electricity supplied by the lovely Good Energy folk. And just in case we purchase half an acre of the endangered Amazon forest through the newly established Cool Earth (note, we are still checking out the feasibility of offsetting through locked CO2 and endangered rainforests, we are designers afterall so are relying on some of our clients to come back with the authenticity of our idea). And we thank Emma for bringing her project to us, and for investing in having her books environmental impact reduced.

Even the display stands that will be used to sell the books are made from nicely crafted and printed rcycled cardboard.

Good luck Little Book of Cornwall and Emma Mansfield.

Playing with CDs

As an ongoing result of the awards we designed and created for the 2006 Cornwall Sustainability Awards, we have yet again been commissioned to design the above awards for the Environment Agency and The Hub in parthership with the guys at Ecoincentives. Our very talented Unlocking Cornish Potential designer, Claire England very nicely designed the 19 awards which we had made out of a fantastic plastic made from recycled CDs and our trademark acrylic offcuts from the signage industry. Again finished with wood purchased from Heligan Gardens, Cornwall and a sustainable cork base.

As you can see England did good, 19 awards in total including concept, design, make and supply fo the boxes to carry them off in. From Leap never having made an award before let alone winning awards we have now produced 36 awards of varying style and materias for 4 award ceremonies. Next we need to start winning some ourselves. Although it does make us look good when all the awards are left lying around our design studio:)

Leaped - Energy in Regional Development Learning from European Best Practice Conference

Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership asked Leap to pitch for the brand and all supporting design of their upcoming conference 3 months ago. They very nicely decided to work with Leap and over the last few months we've produced the logo, various print based items. FSC branded wooden pens and a very nice jute folder produced by Go Jute www.gojute.co.uk

The ‘Energy in Regional Development – Learning from European Best Practice’ conference on 29th June will showcase six major energy projects which are being very successful in supporting their regional and local economy and have been chosen by the European Commission as best practice. The event is being organized by the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership (CSEP), a partnership of 72 organisations including the local authorities of Cornwall, health and private sector representatives, to create a sustainable energy future for Cornwall’s communities and businesses. The conference is being sponsored and funded by EDF Energy.

The project has been great to work on with Lindsay, Kate and Jasmine from CSEP even though Leap is not afraid to mention we seem slighly cursed on the job. We haven't had any gypsy cross out path recently, so not sure why 2 days before one of our printers was supposed to deliver the original printed conference booking form, that they phoned and said they couldn't print it. Thankfully the excellent Hannah from Peninsula Onesource stepped in and turned it around in 2 days. Then the branded pens turned out to be different from the sample we had used to cost and design with. And finally the jute folders got stuck in Columbo, Sri Lanka and arrived late but luckily we'd allowed room for delivery probelms just in case .. But we got there in the end and CSEP got all their required material in time for their big day.

Lots and lots and lots

Well its been a while and things are getting nicely into shape. This is just a quickie to update all who are interested and have been asking. By September we will be six, six very talented and totally brilliant passionate people. We are alredy 6 but this won't be official until September and then an exciting change will happen in October (more to come). So whose new, we have Claire Willcocks whose remit is to free up my creativity, make sure Leap operates in the most sustainable way for staff, clients, environment and financially. And she's already taken a weight off my shoulders an its soooo good to instantly have trust and faith in some one and to know Leap is safe in her hands. Plus she's a total talent and used to much bigger things than Leap

Then there is our Unlocking Cornish Potentila graduate Claire England whose doing lots of good design as well as looking after the creative side of Leap whilst I'm out on projects or visiting existing and new clients of which there are lots.

And then in the wings but with mucho talent and ideas is Mark and Darren who you will see and hear more from soon.

Plans, relaunch of Leap in October with a much broader creative and environmental offering based on a sudden shift in what clients are asking us. It goes way beyond design and print now with Leap writing companies environmental policies, sorting carbon offsetting, consultancy, sponsorships, management training, and ofcourse design, branding, illustration, copywriting and a myriad more. And it will also mean we get all our fab clients in one place so they can all meet each other. I think there will be a lot of interesting conversations and partnering. And it's way past time we partied as it's been such an incredible couple of years.

What else, well next week I'm a spokesperson for Cornwall business week and we've just had a podcast done to tie in with it. Which will do it's rounds on the net I guess and it talks about the hows, why and who Leap are involved with and going beyond. With a host more talks and interviews lined up where we talk about good, the bad and the greedy sides of green business and companies we've interacted with.

Design wise, 29/6 sees the launch of RESOURCE, and excellent reuse centre based in Cornwall. Leap has done brand and all supporting design work from interior design, to furnishings made from recycled materials, toilet signs from yogurt pots and lots of fun and funky graphics. 6/7/07 sees the launch at Eden Project of The Little Book of Cornwall, a 172 page cd size did you know and more of all thats Cornwall. 2 websites for Good Energy, with more in the pipeline. Sponsorship project with the BBC, yet more award design and make for the Environment Agency and The Hub (recycled cds this time are used and our well loved locally sourced and sustainably managed Heligan woods), we've consulted for the Wembley Live Earth concert, lots of fun happenings with St Austell Brewery who were already well clued up on the environment and what they can do but Leap has just rewritten their paper policy and is looking at all their paper based business consumables. As well as many other projects bith design and environment. NAtional Trust we've just completed their Climate exhibition which is made from 100% recycled card and is 100% recyclable. We've even lined up the stand to go to another client a new one at that Shreddy Bed. Thye make animal bedding out of recycled card and then wehn thats finished it becomes compost. So an entire life cycle concept, designed and thought about. Loads more but sure you are bored.

Its a great time though and we have been consulting and advising lots of other design agencies, clothing and jute companies, we advised and sponsored the recent Falmouth students MIlan Furniture show display that is now at Eden. Oh and I'm missing my girlfriend and 2 beautiful daughters Bo and Gracie who have been on holiday in France with the grandparents for the last 3 weeks.

Right I'm done... for now. Keep up the good happenings
matt