In this blog post, you’re going to get the inside scoop on the planning and designing of the Fall/Winter 2023 subscription box.
An essential part of this season’s box was a collaboration with Maylay Co. It was a truly enjoyable journey for both Tiffany and myself. With our Toronto roots, it all began with the vision of creating an exquisite sticky notes folio tailored to stationery enthusiasts. Given the upcoming fall release, we sought to infuse the collection with the enduring beauty of cold-season blossoms, and the choice unanimously fell upon Hellebores, known as winter roses.
As the creative process unfolded, our enthusiasm grew, leading to both parties expanding our product lines with the Enchanted Garden design. Do Good Paper Co. released our 2024 Planner and Enchanted Linen Journal and Maylay Co. released their signature Gratitude Card and washi tapes.
What’s inside the box
Here is more insider scoop on each of the items included in this enchanting box.
Sticky Notes Folio
As mentioned above, this was the first item we worked on. With our focus on this item was where most of our design ideas were discussed. I shared some pattern and colour palettes that I liked with Tiffany, and Tiffany came back with 4 hero pattern options. Although it was difficult, I chose the one she liked the most, and Tiffany refined the design based on some of my initial feedback.
Tiffany was responsible for the surface pattern and the floral details for each sticky notepad, and I made the decisions on product sizes, interior sticky notes layout, elastic band colour and working with the manufacturer to create the prototype.
The result was a gorgeous folio that opens up to reveal one large notepad, one medium square pad, two small square pads, and three small strips, making this product truly versatile and practical. And hopefully, it will become your new favourite stationery item this season.
2024 Planner Agenda
Every year for the Winter edition subscription box, I like to include a planner. So, I was already thinking that I’d produce a planner with the same pattern. However, after seeing some of the other colour variations, I decided it would be nice to offer the planner in a different colour from the sticky notes folio.
The purple option was my second favourite, and I used that as the basis for all other design elements inside the planner, including the purple divider tabs. I sprinkled the weekly and monthly spreads with little floral elements from the cover.
There are also additional lined and grid pages in the back of the planner for additional notes, making this planner agenda a practical daily companion for to-do’s or school assignments.
Enchanted Linen Journal
Of course, I can’t produce a collection without including a journal, so I chose a beautiful purple linen fabric for a new journal with lined pages. Since the overall design is so elegant and soft, I purposefully made design choices that show subtlety, such as printing the word “Enchanted” in silver foil in a smaller font on the cover. The 192 pages are made of recycled paper and thick enough for writing with fountain pens.
Gratitude Card
Maylay Co.’s bread and butter are gratitude cards, so it was no surprise to me when Tiffany said that she was going to put the hero pattern on a new gratitude card. Each package of gratitude cards actually includes two greeting cards – one for the customer to give to someone they’re grateful for, and the second card is for them to pass on to someone they’re grateful for. It’s such a lovely idea, and I offered this item as an add-on. Subscribers can add this item to their box, and use promo codes GRATITUDE and FREEADDONSHIPPING to save 15% and avoid paying extra for shipping of the card.
Washi Tape
I know that Do Good Paper Co. customers love washi tape, so I asked Tiffany if she planned to produce some washi with the same patterns, and I was delighted by her answer, YES! Great additions to her store, and also for our subscription box. The washi tapes come in 2 variations, and our subscribers got one or the other.
Glow & Grow Tea from Tease
The final item in the subscription box is sourced from a Canadian certified B-Corp who creates all-natural tea and other botanical based products. This particular tea supports hair and nail growth, but to be honest, it was the design of the tube that made this blend a winner. The purple floral design was just too perfect and added to the overall aesthetics of the subscription box. 15 tea bags are included, and the scent is just amazing. We figured that by adding tea to this box, you could sit back and relax while you do some planning or journaling, or just taking in a moment of peace at home.
A little bit about Do Good Paper Co.
Do Good Paper Co. is a Canadian small business that designs and sells beautiful journals, notebooks and planners, and offers an award-winning subscription box service. I am the owner and co-founder, and I love working with local artists to design products.
A little bit about Maylay Co.
Maylay Co. is a Toronto-based stationery and gift company offering beautifully designed and purposeful products that celebrate life's meaningful moments and promote gratitude, mindfulness, and heartfelt connections. Tiffany enjoys collaborating with local businesses, especially those who take pride in products promoting mindfulness and purpose.
So, there you have it. This article is written from my point of view, and if it was not clear, I immensely enjoyed working with Tiffany. This is a collaboration and partnership that stayed fueled even after the design phase. While planning additional marketing to promote the new collection, Tiffany and I continue to contribute willingly and generously.