Take a Note or Two: A Handwritten Font for Your Brand
I was standing in my kitchen late one evening, staring at a row of candle jars waiting for labels. Each one had been poured, wicked, and cured with care. But when I held up the plain printed label I had designed that afternoon, something felt wrong. The typeface I had chosen looked stiff, corporate, and completely out of step with the handmade soy candles I was trying to sell. The label felt like it belonged on a cleaning product, not on something meant to help someone unwind after a long day.
That night I started searching for a typeface that could capture the warmth and personality I wanted my brand to have. I wanted something that felt like it had been written by hand, but also looked polished enough to use on packaging and online graphics. That is when I found Take a Note or Two, a handwritten notebook font that immediately felt like it belonged in my brand story.
A Simple Font That Changed My Packaging
Take a Note or Two is a handwritten font that comes in lowercase only. At first I was unsure about that limitation, but once I started using it, I understood why it works so well. The lowercase letters give every word a friendly, approachable look. There is nothing formal or stiff about it. It feels like a note you might scribble to a friend, which is exactly the feeling I wanted for my candle labels.
The font has a natural rhythm to it. The letterforms are slightly uneven in a way that feels human, not mechanical. Each character carries a subtle personality that makes the text look like it was written with a real pen on real paper. When I printed my first test label using Take a Note or Two, I immediately noticed the difference. The same jar that had looked generic an hour earlier now looked personal, handmade, and inviting. I replaced all my labels that weekend.
Before settling on Take a Note or Two, I had tried a few other handwritten Freebies and Fonts options, but none of them struck the right balance between casual and readable. Some were too decorative to use on small labels. Others looked too much like digital calligraphy and lost the raw charm I was after. This font hit the sweet spot.
Where Take a Note or Two Works Best in Your Business
After overhauling my candle labels, I started finding new places to use Take a Note or Two across my business. Here are the areas where it has made the biggest impact for me, and where I think it can help other small business owners too.
Product labels and packaging. This is where the font truly shines. Whether you sell candles, skincare, bath salts, coffee, or baked goods, a handwritten typeface on your packaging signals that your product was made with care. For my candle jars, I use Take a Note or Two for the scent name and a short descriptive phrase. It is readable at the size I need, and it fits comfortably on small labels without feeling cramped.
Thank-you cards and inserts. I started printing small thank-you cards with a handwritten note using this font, and customers have mentioned them repeatedly. A simple message like thank you for supporting my small shop feels more sincere when it is set in a typeface that mimics handwriting. It adds a layer of thoughtfulness that a standard serif or sans serif font cannot replicate.
Social media graphics. Instagram posts and stories benefit greatly from a font that feels personal. I use Take a Note or Two for quote graphics, product announcements, and behind-the-scenes posts. It helps my feed feel consistent and warm. Since the font is easy to read on mobile screens when sized correctly, it works well for short headlines and callouts.
Website banners and headers. My online shop uses Take a Note or Two for section titles and feature phrases. It adds a handcrafted feel that matches the product photography. I keep body text in a clean sans serif to maintain readability, but the handwritten font adds visual interest at key points on the page.
Business cards and stickers. A small run of business cards became instantly more memorable once I switched to this font for my name and tagline. I also created small product stickers with scent names in Take a Note or Two, and they have become a subtle branding element that customers recognize.
How Typography Shapes First Impressions
When someone picks up a product or lands on your website, they form an impression in seconds. Typography plays a huge role in that moment. A typeface that feels cold or generic can make even a high-quality product seem mass-produced. On the other hand, a well-chosen handwritten font can communicate warmth, individuality, and attention to detail.
For small business owners, every touchpoint matters. Your label is often the first physical interaction a customer has with your brand. If the font on that label feels disconnected from the handmade nature of your product, the customer notices. They might not say it out loud, but something feels off. Using a typeface like Take a Note or Two bridges that gap. It aligns the visual presentation with the actual care that went into making the product.
Typography also affects how trustworthy a brand feels. A consistent, intentional type system across packaging, social media, and your website signals that you are serious about your business. Customers feel more confident buying from a brand that looks polished and cohesive. Take a Note or Two helps create that consistency without feeling sterile or corporate.
Making It Work on Small Labels and Screens
One concern I had early on was whether Take a Note or Two would remain readable on small labels and mobile screens. After testing it extensively, I can offer some practical advice.
For physical labels, I recommend using the font at a size where the letterforms are clear. On my candle jars, the scent name is set at around fourteen to sixteen points, and it reads perfectly. For smaller packaging like lip balm tubes or sample sizes, I use the font for a single word or short phrase, which keeps the text legible. If you need more than a few words on a tiny label, consider pairing it with a simpler font for the supporting text.
For digital use, especially on Instagram stories or mobile website banners, test the font at different sizes on an actual phone screen. I found that keeping the text to a few words and giving it plenty of white space makes it easy to read. Avoid using it for long blocks of text. This is a display font, meaning it works best for headlines, titles, and short, impactful phrases.
Product mockups and social media thumbnails also benefit from this approach. A single word or short tagline in Take a Note or Two draws the eye and communicates the brand personality quickly. It is a versatile creative font that adds visual character without overwhelming the design.
Pairing Take a Note or Two with Other Fonts
Using Take a Note or Two on its own works well for certain applications, but pairing it with a complementary typeface can elevate your overall brand identity. I tried a few combinations before landing on one that felt right.
Clean sans serif fonts. This is the pairing I use most often. A simple sans serif for body text and product details keeps the design grounded and easy to read, while Take a Note or Two adds warmth to headings and product names. The contrast between the two feels intentional and balanced.
Elegant serif fonts. If your brand leans more classic or refined, pairing Take a Note or Two with a light serif can create a lovely juxtaposition. The handwritten font adds a personal touch to an otherwise formal structure. This combination works well for beauty brands or premium product lines.
Modern typography approaches. Some designers use Take a Note or Two alongside a simple script font or another handwritten style for a layered, collage-like look. This can work for brands with a more artistic or bohemian identity, but I recommend keeping the pairing simple to avoid visual clutter.
When experimenting with font pairings, start with just two typefaces. Use Take a Note or Two for the primary message and a neutral font for everything else. This keeps your brand identity clear and consistent across all materials.
What to Check Before You Use It Commercially
Before you start using Take a Note or Two on your products, labels, packaging, or digital assets, there are a few practical steps to take. First, review the included styles and file formats. Make sure the font package includes the formats you need for your design software, whether that is OTF, TTF, or something else. Check if there are alternates or ligatures included, as these can add even more personality to your designs.
Licensing is an important consideration for any commercial font. If you are using Take a Note or Two on products you sell, packaging, merchandise, or client work, confirm that the license allows commercial use. Some Freebies and Fonts are free for personal use only, while others include commercial rights. Review the terms carefully so you can use the font confidently without any issues down the road.
I also recommend testing the font across a few different materials before committing to a full production run. Print a label, create a social media graphic, and mock up a business card. See how the typeface behaves in different contexts. This helps you catch any sizing or readability problems before you invest time and money in bulk printing.
Another detail worth checking is whether the font includes multilingual support if you plan to use it for customers who speak different languages. This can be a valuable feature for online shops that ship internationally.
Looking back, switching to Take a Note or Two was one of the simplest changes I made to my brand, and it had an outsized impact. It did not require a full rebrand or an expensive design overhaul. It was just a font. But that one change made my packaging feel more personal, my social media more cohesive, and my brand more recognizable to the customers I care about serving. Sometimes the smallest design decisions are the ones that make your business feel truly yours.
