What is it about mini versions of things that just make them so lovable?

Our fabulous client, Ma.gnolia – which I know we go on about, but they just make us so darned proud (a 3-person 4-person team that implements fast and correctly and really, really gives a darn about community) – just released their mini ma.rker, a faster, cuter version of their bookmarklet.

I know I’m ridiculous, but there is something I just adore about smaller versions of stuff. We had dinner with our friends at Goowy last night and they told us their biggest hit was their minis, too. People love them. When we were in France, we were delighted by all of the mini cars on the road.

Maybe it is because we, in North America, live in a culture where things just tend to get bigger and bigger? Cars, buildings, malls, signs, portions, etc. When something comes out that is smaller, but packs a big punch (like an iPod Nano or a Mini Cooper), people pay attention.

Thinking Small seems to be a recurring twist in our biggering and biggering economy these days. A trend that I’m all for, really, and not just because it’s cute, but because, in some ways, it seems to be rooted in a philosophy of sharing, rather than competing for the space we have been given.

What small things do you love? Anyone else notice this trend?

Folks subscribed to our blog who haven’t checked out the solid state version at citizenagency.com/blog are in for a surprise.

You see, we’ve been trying to get our website done — designed from the ground up — covering our services and generally providing a more meaty answer to “who are you and what do you do?” I mean, both our future landlord and insurance-quote-maker-dude couldn’t figure out what, for the life of them, we did to make money (which is, rightly so, of some concern to them).

So I did a couple designs, Ben did some designs and Tara did a layout or two. And the image above is kind of the takeaway from all that work… So far I’ve implemented the design on the blog — starting with the excellent Sandbox WordPress theme — in a 6 hour, all night hackfest that resulted in what you see today. It’s not cross-platform and there are bound to be bugs, so if you find any, do send them our way.

I’m far from finished with the design, but this way, hopefully, with the in-process design out in the wild, I’ll be incented to push through subsequent improvements to something that we feel pretty good about.

And if you have ideas for color… please let me how we might liven things up!