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How this crazy idea became something real

LetterboxArt began with a simple observation: most letterboxes are…

a bit boring.

At the same time, people need connection, personality and joy more than ever - the world is starting to feel increasingly generic and automated.  This is the story of how one unlikely idea found its feet.

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1. Worlds most boring letterboxes
 

It all started when I moved house and needed a new letterbox. I could not find a decent one anywhere. Some choices were big enough and practical - but they were all mass produced bits of tin, made on a production line. That's when I remembered ...

 

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3. The Flip program from Newcastle Uni
 

Around the same time, a friend told me about FLIP — the Female Founders Program at the University of Newcastle. It was honestly the best thing I've done for ages and I met the most inspiring bunch of people.

With their wisdom, encouragement LetterboxArt moved from a “fun idea” to a viable project.

 

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5. Woodies plus cardboard
 

Early prototypes were built with cardboard, timber offcuts, borrowed tools and generous advice from local makers and the Wonderful Woodies in Marmong Point. This phase mattered. It cemented the belief that how something is made matters just as much as how it looks. 

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2. A much loved letterbox
 

I made this fellow years ago as part of a magazine story. It had character. It had teeth. It had opinions. I painted the inside pink. People would drive the kids past to say hello.  That’s when I realized this wasn’t just decoration — it was connection.

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4. A hard to find Air bnb
 

Finding our rural Airbnb was like an adventure sport. The cow letterbox solved that — becoming a much-loved landmark for guests. It revealed something important: a letterbox can be a signpost with personality.
The cow soon became our Airbnb emblem.

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6. The Accidental Founder
 

I am an old Copywriter, Interior Designer, Cartoonist, Writer and Airbnb Superhost who just wanted a decent letterbox… and ended up designing them instead.

Turns out it has been a fun adventure.

My Creative Process
  1. Sketch an idea

  2. Experiment with foam, paper and the hardware shop.

  3. Visualize it with AI 

  4. Make the real thing with lots of help from Wangi Men's Shed

Lobster test.HEIC
Test box.HEIC
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