Hi! I am Irene van Nes, 41 years old and live in Bunnik with my dear husband Luc and 3 kids: Bram (13), Robin (10) and Lisa (8). Trained as a graphic designer, I have been working independently since 2011 under the name Irene Ontwerp , where I help clients build their brand and everything that needs to be designed.
As a child I moved countless times and collected many addresses in all corners of the world to send and receive nice mail. My heart still skips a beat when a special envelope arrives on my doorstep, and especially in these digital times, real mail has become even more fun. That's why I started Happy Whatever in 2017, to help people make someone else happy with something beautiful and memorable through the letterbox .
Moved 7 times
As a child I traveled the world. I spent my childhood in Nigeria, Bangladesh and Indonesia, among others, and I moved my hometown 7 times during my school years. That's saying goodbye to old friends 7 times and starting over 7 times. The close relationships were maintained through letters. Especially during the lonely periods, it was wonderful to come home and find a filled envelope with all kinds of words and creations especially for you.
My favorite outing
My favorite outing was a trip to the book and office shops. There I could spend hours looking at all the beautiful materials you could use to create. My pocket money was spent on my collection of stickers and erasers and a nice set of stationery with envelopes, or a beautiful pen set, and then I immediately started making something special for a friend/grandmother on the other side of the world. to surprise.
Digital era
Today we of course have e-mail and social media. Making contact is easier and faster, but also more fleeting and impersonal. A 'like' or a short text does not beat a personal card on the doormat. And especially not if it is also a gift, or something made especially for you. We no longer have to leave the house to make contact, and we count friends based on followers. I think if we continue like this we will become increasingly lonely and depressed.
Meaningful contact moments
With Happy Whatever I hope to give people reason to have more meaningful interactions with each other to strengthen personal relationships. The result is this collection of cards/ letterbox gifts designed as personal souvenirs and mementos of people or moments. I hope my cards will provide you or someone you love with an extra little moment of joy. Less online, more offline!
Love, Irene
Photography by Marieke Duijsters
