Everyday Cog

The tree’s down, the decorations are packed and the Cog studio is looking like its old self. Nicola doesn’t seem very happy about that.

We’ve received this lovely gift from our friends at Harrison-Agency.com. The design is created from found-type in Paris and Brighton.

It’s still miserable outside but our studio is lovely and warm thanks to our favourite plumber and heating engineer – Yuliyan.

We’ve got new security software on our computers. It’s so stealthy that Michael still hasn’t realised his computer is in testing mode and his every move is being tracked.

Ross is taking advantage of our floor-to-ceiling pinboards. This is an online project but there’s no substitute for printing out the designs and getting an overview of the whole site.

We’re delighted to begin working on a project with the Crafts Council today. Michael and Ross are meeting with Femke and Fiona to kick things off.

We’ve been excited about a project we’ve been working on for the past couple of months for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and we’re even more excited now that the proofs have come in from the printers.

Nicola has created a new, studio intranet. We’ll be able to use it as a repository for all of the stuff that’s currently spread out all over the place.

Ocky is having a hard time deciding which herbal tea, from our Christmas box set, to chose, Candy Cane, Spicy Anise or Gingerbread Man.

Ross and Mike are in a very long (and productive) meeting with web magicians Erica and Katherine from Red Leader. They are handing over the visuals for a new site for ERA (Education Recording Agency).

For our monthly Cog Night we’ve been to the Business Design Centre for the London Art Fair.

We’ve had a visit this afternoon from our associate (and ex-cogger) John. Feeling right at home, he’s gone straight for the biscuit barrel.

Mike and Michael have spent the day at (with our new clients) the very charming Buckinghamshire County Museum.

Our account is here doing our VAT return. Judging by his calculator, he’s not 100% focused on the task in hand.

It’s Nicola’s *ahem* 29th birthday. We’ve dug out the birthday bunting and making her share her cake.

Arts Council England have all but moved out of their Great Peter Street headquarters. When Michael went in today, he and Dan Smith (from their comms team) had their fancy board room to themselves.

Michael’s in Royal Tunbridge Wells. He’s popped in to see an exhibition of Dave McKean’s illustration, including work from Mr Punch and Arkham Asylum.

Ocky, loving the excuse to pop on a head-set, is on a lengthy phone call. He’s running through amends with the Marlowe team for their season brochure, which we produce with them 3 times a year.

Our Spotify server has crashed. Everyone is trying to impose their phone’s playlists on the studio; with Nicola in charge, the old-school iPod is winning that battle.

Michael was given an early morning preview of the Royal Academy’s new Sensing Spaces exhibition.

We’ve been for Pie and Mash in a traditional East End pie shop for our monthly Cog lunch, it was all smiles until the ingredients of traditional liquor were discussed.

Continuing this week’s multi-device theme, Ross is putting the finishing touches to a new website for Stars Foundation, via a phone, tablet and Google-hangout with developers at Tincan.