Categories
Notebooks Stationery

Celebrate The Craft Fantastic’s 10th Birthday with A Sale & A Giveaway!

The Craft Fantastic is 10!

I can’t quite believe it, but I’ve been running my small business for 10 years. I couldn’t have done it without my wonderful customers, so I’ve put together some offers to celebrate.

20% off sale
From 5th-18th January, everything in my Etsy shop will be 20% off! Woooooo! All the handmade stationery goodness you can shake a stick at. Head over there to take advantage of discounted journals, stationery cases, book necklaces and bookmarks. Take a look here.

10th birthday giveaway!
I’m running a competition on Instagram for the chance to win a handmade stationery bundle – including simple notebooks, a pencil case, and planner accessories. Simply head to this post, give it a like, and comment with your favourite stationery item.

(Competition is open 9th-23rd Jan. Winner chosen at random and announced 26th Jan. Open to UK only, excl. NI – sorry, I am currently unable to post to the EU!)

SHOP ETSY SALE

FULL T&Cs:

  1. This giveaway is run by The Craft Fantastic, and is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram
  2. Competition runs from Friday Jan 9th till midnight (GMT) Friday Jan 23rd
  3. Open to UK residents only (excluding NI – sorry! I cannot post to any EU countries currently)
  4. Enter by liking this post on Instagram, and commenting with your favourite item of stationery (1 entry per person)
  5. Winner will be chosen at random and announced Jan 26th
  6. Winner will be contacted by The Craft Fantastic on Instagram via direct message 
  7. Winner must provide their name and address in order for their prize to be posted out to them. Details will not be shared with anyone for any reason, and will be deleted once the items have been delivered.

Categories
Craft Inspiration Origami Paper Tutorial

Let’s Play Tag! Simple origami tree gift tag tutorial

A brown card gift tag with an origami Christmas tree on it.

Tag it 🏷️ 

These paper trees are so simple to make – why not whip up a batch to use on your gift tags this year?

Let’s start by folding an origami tree! Use a small square of fairly thin paper (this will depend on the size of your gift tags, but the squares I use are around 6 cm). You can find fuller picture instructions with accompanying text on my blog.

Once you’ve folded your tree, they just need to be glued onto your blank gift tags (you can buy these, or make them yourself from some plain card). Make them to fill the space on the tag, or do slightly smaller ones and top them with a paper star. And string or a bit of ribbon, and you’re done.

More origami this way
Categories
General

How do you journal? Top 10 ideas for using your notebook

A selection of notebooks, one laying open with a decorated page.

Got a new notebook and not sure where to start? Blank pages of your journal judging you? Here are some ideas. Search my blog for back issues exploring journaling styles.

You can find a collection of my handmade journals and notebooks in my Etsy shop.

Shop journals
Categories
Books Craft Craft fairs Handmade leather journals

Join The Craft Fantastic for upcoming fairs & workshops in Northants

A list of workshops and craft fairs coming up in Oct and Nov, decorated with autumn and craft themes.

Autumn vibes 🍂

It’s that time of year when the weather changes, clothes get cosier, seasonal drinks appear on menus (pumpkin spice is still a firm favourite for me 🎃) and blankets come out of storage. Put your feet up and take a look at where The Craft Fantastic is headed over the next couple of months.

My final workshop of the year is over at The Galleria in Burton Latimer, where I’ll be going through the steps on producing a lined leather journal, with French stitching on the spine. Book your spot here.

Join me at Northampton Museum for their book fair this October. Expect local authors and bookish related merch. What more could you want?

I’ll be at Abington Park Museum Saturday 29th November for their Christmas fair. It’s been a while since I’ve done a fair here so I’m looking forward to it, it’s such a lovely venue.

Categories
Notebooks Stationery

New! Feeling Folsky: a home for my handmade Coptic-stitch notebooks

Feeling Folksy

I’ve found the perfect home for my Coptic stitch journals… Folksy. This style is something I’ve been making almost as long as I’ve been bookbinding; I fell in love with the open spine and linked stitches. They took a backseat when my leather journals became more popular, and I struggled to find a home for them.

However, I’m pleased to announce I’ve given them their very own shop space on Folksy, a British-based craft selling platform that’s been going since 2908. I think they fit really well there. Want to know more about them? Read on 📖 

• Solid floral covers with an open spine
• Coptic stitching in pretty embroidery thread
• Leather details 

Coptic stitch notebooks with floral covers and leather details.

• 140 gsm cartridge paper
• Leather page marker
• Pocket on the inside back cover
• Ribbon closure

Find me on folksy
Categories
Craft Inspiration Paper Tutorial

Trash to treasure: starting a creative junk journal

A handmade journal, surrounded by paper and card scraps, tape, scissors and stationery items, laying on a wooden surface.

Junk journaling is, I think, more of an American term. It’s a bit like scrapbooking, but more relaxed and unstructured; a creative journal where anything goes. Use it for art, words, memories, collages… You can start with a theme in mind or just go with the flow. It’s great for upcycling and using up scraps of paper. All you really need is a blank journal, with pages sturdy enough to take whatever you’re sticking in.

A selection of colourful paper scraps in a white envelope, surrounded by shape punchers, scissors, washi tape, laying on a wooden surface.

Step 1: Collect junk!
Hoard any scraps, labels, or packaging you think is an interesting colour, texture or pattern; or maybe some words or text that stand out to you. If you’re stuck for what you want to create, you can use these as a jumping off point to get you started. I like to use old tea bag packets, magazines, old diary covers, and pages from unwanted tattered books — along with a selection of scissors and shape cutters, Washi tape and stickers.

An open journal shows a page decorated with some text, a paper fox and some paper flowers.

When using text, I tend to see a word or phrase that I like and build the page around that; either by tearing words out, or editing sections to highlight the words I like. Here, I’d come across the word ‘foxes’, so I started from there, adding one of my origami foxes and some cutout flowers. 

An open journal shows a page decorated with various scraps of patterned paper and card, including bits of map and old teabag packets.

More hints & tips: Play around with things on the page before committing by sticking them down. Create layers and textures. Add pencils, pens and paints. Use stickers to stick scraps instead of using glue. Add dried/pressed flowers or leaves.

As you collect and add bits to your journal, it’s a good idea to keep it all together. You can keep smaller bits in an old envelope. Simply tie string or ribbon around the journal, envelope, and any bigger bits and pieces; or, you can create a loop of elastic by sewing the ends together, and use that to slip around everything and keep it all in place.

A journal lays closed on a wooden desk, tied together with an envelope using some purple raffia. It is surrounded by pens and pencils.

You can also create a simple open pocket by cutting the top off an envelope and gluing it onto the inside cover of your notebook.

The back cover of a journal lays open, with a envelope on the inside cover filled with paper and card scraps.
Shop handmade journals & Notebooks
Categories
Craft Origami Tutorial

Simple origami fox tutorial: step by step with pictures

An origami fox on a pale wood background, with a folding tool and a couple of squares of origami paper

Grab a square of paper and try your hand at folding this simple origami fox! Following along with the pictures and accompanying step-by-step instructions for this easy origami make.

  • If using two-sided paper, start with the plain side facing you.
  • Fold in half diagonally (bottom right to top left corner).
  • Crease and unfold.
  • Fold in half diagonally the other way (bottom left to top right).
  • Take the point of the triangle nearest you and fold up to meet the top right corner.
  • Take the top left point and fold it to meet the other point at the right-hand corner, making a square.
  • Flip the square over, front to back.
  • Fold in half diagonally, top left to bottom right corner.
  • You should end up with a triangle with layers, short flat edge at the bottom, longest sloping edge to the left.
  • Fold over the straight right-hand edge (including all the layers) by about a third, creasing firmly.
  • Taking this folded section, open up just the top layer…
  • …this should create the two ears, and the fox face should fold down as you open up the layers.
  • Fold a small bit of the left-hand point over to create the tail.
  • Let’s work on those legs! You’ll need to fold the front layers (below the face) behind a little, one side at a time; The left one tucks in between the body.
  • The right side folds back and tucks behind the model.
  • Crease bother fold firmly, and you’re done!
  • You can leave you fox laying down to decorate a card or journal page, or stand them up.
An origami fox on a pale wood background, with a folding tool and a couple of squares of origami paper
Categories
Craft Gifts Stationery

It’s a Stationery Lovers thing: National Stationery Week & a new stockist!

An open notebook with decorated to do lists, alongside some pens.

For the love of Stationery

That’s why you’re here, right?
I’ve got you covered, both online and offline!

It’s National Stationery Week in May, running from Monday 12th – Sunday 18th. To celebrate, I’ve got a tasty little treat for you all that week: 20% off my entire Etsy shop! Just head to The Craft Fantastic, any time between those dates.

SHOP ETSY

A Little Bit Of Sunshine is stationery and crafty shop, recently opened up at Heart Of The Shires in Northamptonshire. I’m pleased to announce I’ll be stocking some of my cute and colourful range in there: planner clips and pencil boxes in florals and pastels. 

Find some of their stationery sunshine online
Categories
Handmade leather journals Inspiration Notebooks

Top 5 journal prompts when you’re out of inspiration

Stuck with ideas to fill your notebook?

I’ve previously shared tips on specific journal styles or layouts (bullet journal – travel – diary) but if you’re looking to use your journal on a more casual basis, it can be nice to have some prompts.

TOP TIP: Make a list of ideas at the back of your notebook, to refer to any time you’re stuck.

Check out my previous post on layout ideas to help with setting up the page if you’d like.

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Categories
Handmade leather journals Handmade stationery cases Handmade travel journals Notebooks Stationery Stationery

Refillable journals and new style pencil pouches

I’m back from a short break in Boston, ready to restock all your favourite handmade stationery, plus some shiny new products.

These vertical leather pencil pouches are something I’ve been working on this year. I’d made a few testers and trialled them in my brick-and-mortar stockists, but have just launched them online! You can find them in my Etsy shop, in the Stationery section. 

Two handmade leather pencil pouches, one green and one black. The pencil cases are vertical and have a flap at the top that opens.
Two leather journal covers lie on a wooden background. One is closed and one is open, showing two A6 notebooks which can be removed and replaced.

Get your fill! I’ve made some traveller’s style leather journal covers, that can be refilled again and again with simple A6 notebooks; there’s elastic running through to keep them in place, and a handy elastic closure to keep everything shut. I’ve popped a few in my local stockists, and will be adding them to Etsy soon.

My next journal making workshop is taking place Thursday April 10th at The Galleria in Burton Latimer, 6:30-8:30pm: learn to make an A6 journal using rescued leather. I’m hoping to do a couple of different style journal workshops in the future, so keep your eyes peeled 👀. 

Want to book in? Contact The Galleria directly.

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