Category: General

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General Origami Paper Tutorial

Step by step origami star tutorial with pictures

Origami star

Have a go at making this origami star! It may seem fiddly, so have a practice run first on a scrap square of paper to get the hang of it.

It’s a four-pointed star, so a lot of the folds you’ll be repeating the same thing 4 times on all 4 sections/layers (often 2 front, 2 back) – bear this in mind when following along.

You’ll need a square of fairly thin paper (if your paper is double-sided, start with the plain side facing up). Don’t forget to fold neatly and crease firmly!

  • Start with the paper square on in front of you.
  • Fold in half from top to bottom, crease and unfold, then fold in half from side to side, creasing well.
  • Open back out into a square
  • Turn the paper over, then fold from corner to opposite corner; again, do this both ways.
  • Open back out into a square.
  • Pick the paper up and press the centre upwards, bringing the edges down.
  • You should end up with a folded diamond shape, with open layers at the bottom.
  • Taking the top layer only, fold the outside bottom edge to the centre crease.
  • Repeat this step on all bottom edges, front and back.
  • Next, you’ll need to open up the folds you’ve just made and, using the creases from these folds, push them inside…
  • They should look like this!
  • Repeat with all 4 folds. You should have a lot of layers at the bottom now!
  • Using the top layer only (the long triangle at the bottom), fold the bottom point upwards.
  • Repeat for all 4 points in turn.
  • At this point, the model should end look like a triangle pointing upwards.
  • Take one of the bottom outside corners and fold it in to meet the centre crease.
  • Again, this step will need to be repeated with all 4 bottom corners in turn, so fold the front 2 up…
  • …then turn over and fold the back 2 up in the same way.
  • Pick the model up for the next step.
  • We’re going to open up the star, taking all 4 of the top points out and down.
  • It helps if you stick a thumb either side of the central point, to help you ease it open – the middle of the model should kind of lift and flatten into a square.
  • Press all the creases flat and you’re done!
  • Ta da!
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Craft General Origami Paper Tutorial

Origami gift card holder – step by step tutorial

Why not fancy up a gift card by whipping up one of these simple origami card holders?

All you need is a sheet of A4 paper! After every step, remember to check the fold is neat and then crease firmly. If you don’t have a creasing tool, you can use the back of your thumbnail. Ready?

  • If you’re using paper with a pattern or colour on one side, start with the plain side facing you.
  • Fold in half (from side to side).
  • Crease and unfold.
  • One side at a time, fold the left and right edges in to meet the centre crease, then unfold.
  • Taking each corner in turn, fold in to meet the crease made in the previous step, until all 4 corners are folded.
  • Now fold in the left and right edges in to meet in the middle again.
  • Turn the model over.
  • Fold in half, top to bottom – crease and unfold.
  • Take the bottom and fold up to just past the horizontal crease from the last step.
  • Next, do the same with the top – fold down so it overlaps slightly.
  • Now you should be able to tuck the top bit you’ve just folded down into the bottom bit…
  • And we’re done! A standard gift card should fit into one of the pockets, then you can fold it in half ready for gifting – add a ribbon if you’re feeling extra fancy!
How to make a simple origami gift card holder. Step by step tutorial with pictures.
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General

How to Spot a Stationery Lover: An Illustrated Guide

Are you a stationery lover, or do you know one? If so, I bet some some of these sound familiar! Personally I can relate to all of these.

Shop handmade stationery
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General

Flame on, Lay it out, Geek it up

Ahoy There!

A warm welcome to followers old and new. I’ve been busy stocking my Etsy shop with lovely rescued leather journals and pencil wraps this month and have created some new labels for my shelf space at The Emporium (a Wellingborough based shop full of handmade awesomeness!) – all my products now have more of a library-esque feel, which I love.
But enough about me; let’s just get down to it, shall we?

Have you heard of Little Flame candles? Based in Northamptonshire, this small business started to make these hand-poured candles upon retiring. After many months of research and testing, Little Flame was born. Did you know? Soy wax is non-toxic, clean burning and completely free of animal derived substances! Find them on Insta & Facebook and show a new small business some love.

I don’t know about you, but I love a journal with blank pages. It gives you the freedom to do whatever you want; doodle, write, sketch, list, paint… and if you’d like more structure, you can simply add it in yourself. From creating lines, grids, tables and headers, Pinterest (where else?!) has some great ideas to get you going. Prefer video? Here ya go! In the market for a new journal? Check out this selection over in my Etsy shop.

I’m a huge fan of some beautiful creative lettering. But what’s classed as a font and what’s a typeface –  and what’s the difference? Essentially, the Typeface is the base set of characters (e.g. Arial), the font is a particular set within the typeface (e.g. Arial Regular or Arial Rounded). Want more? Nerd yourself out here. Fancy some creative typeface fun? This book is great!

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General

Creative Life

Why own a plain pair of trainers when you can walk around with a work of art on your feet? This whole range of custom painted trainers are just so perfect. How many pairs of trainers is too many…? Shop Paintplay by Chey on Etsy.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a very messy creative. While I’m all for a spring clean to keep on top of things, at the moment I’m in need of an autumn clean! This blog post has lots of handy hints and tips to try out for organising and decluttering spaces of all sizes. Time to get sorting…

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General

Summer Bloggin’

Summer is here (well, most of the time – it is England after all), the bees are buzzing, the days are long… things are starting to feel a bit more normal. Breathe in, breathe out, and take a look at this months’ offerings.

Sometimes you make something and you think “This is the best thing ever!! Everyone will love these! I will make looooooads!” That’s what happened with these origami and resin necklaces. Each animal is folded from a small square of colourful origami paper, then set in resin. They’ve been placed on a pendant with a white background, so they stand out whatever you’re wearing. Guys, I hold my hand up; I may have gone overboard and made too many! So, I’m having a clear out and they’re available from my Etsy shop at 25% off, making them a bargainous £12 – they’ll then settle at £14 if there are any left over. Get ’em before they’re gone!

Getting out in nature is so good for us; it’s great for mental health and general wellbeing. It can also be a wonderful source of inspiration. Get yourself outside into a green space, breathe deep, and take some time to look around you – really look around, taking time to notice the small things; the big things; the different greens; the splashes of colour… you could even take a notebook to sketch or write.

We all know we need to be using less plastic and to start cutting out single-use plastics altogether. But where do you start? It can seem really overwhelming… so having a shop like Food For Thought is fantastic! Run by the lovely Kerry, this zero waste shop is based in Nene Court, Wellingborough (where else, right?). Head to the website for tips on reducing & reusing, plus a stock list of all the things you can refill there. If you’re not local to Northamptonshire, it’s worth taking a look to check for similar shops in your local area. Start by aiming to swap one thing a month and take it from there.

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General

5 signs you’re a Stationery Addict

Stationery fans

Ah, stationery, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. You’re fun/cute/sensible/useful/organised/practical to name a few. There’s just something super satisfying about having a brand new set of pencils. How many of the below statements sound familiar to you?

  • You have a set of pencils that you’ve never used because that would spoil them. Same goes for all those adorably cute erasers you’ve amassed over the years.
SHARPEN them? You MONSTER.
  • You categorise your pens like Monica from Friends categorises her hand towels. Personal, everyday, fancy, guest…
No, you may NOT use my diary pen to do the crossword.
  • Notebooks: don’t EVEN get you started. You must have them all. Because you need one for lists, one for doodles, one for neat, one for writing up the neat one when you inevitably make a mistake…
  • A desk tidy with enough compartments and drawers to hold everything is just THE most delightful thing in the world. (But of course it still doesn’t hold everything and you have pots of pens, pencils, rulers, scissors etc. everywhere.) Same goes: pencil cases.
I still dream of owning one of these.
  • Even though you do use the diary and calendar on your phone, an event is not happening unless you’ve physically written it in your real diary.

You can shop a range of handmade stationery on Etsy, or learn more about what I do on my website.

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General Stationery Stationery

5 ways to organise creative clutter

Organise your creative clutter
Organise your creative clutter

Do you find your creative clutter soon gets out of hand? Being a maker myself, I have lots of different tools and materials and I need them all within reach; which quickly leads to having stuff everywhere. I have found a few things that help, though, so I thought I’d share them with you.

  • Recycling or rubbish? I’ve got a bin for both. I end up with lots of scraps of paper and keep them all together to recycle, or for turning into handmade paper (a constant future project).
  • Upcycle and repurpose. Got an old chipped mug? Use it to keep your pens and pencils in. If you’re like me and have LOTS, you can keep a particular collection in each mug; felt pens in one, fine liners in another etc. You know those little glass pots you get delicious desserts in? They are GREAT for keeping small bits and pieces in.
  • Make the most of desk tidies. A purpose-built desk tidy has plenty of room for larger items and can happily accommodate your bulkier stationery. These wooden houses are the perfect home for big brushes, scissors and chunky pens.
  • Store your bits & bobs. A shallow tray or dish is the perfect place for anything that you need to hand, but that’s too small for a tall holder. Use them so you’ve got easy access to things like pencil sharpers and rubbers, or any small bits of string/wool/beads that may usually accumulate on your desk.
  • Stash your stationery. If there are things you need tidied away, the classic pencil case is the way to go. They’ll keep all your creative tools tucked away until you need them.

Hope these hints and tips have helped to get you a bit more organised! What are your top tips for staying on top of creative clutter?

Find my full range of handmade stationery in my Etsy shop.

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Have a Fantastic Christmas!

Wishing everyone a happy, safe and creative Christmas. I’m already planning for the New Year, so watch this space! I’ll be adding some new fun products to my handmade stationery range.

Fancy getting creative chat, inspiration and Fantastic updates straight into your inbox? Sign up to my newsletter here.

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Craft General Inspiration Lunchtime Lusting Stationery Tutorial

Desk tidies, creative inspiration & crafting for self care

Ahoy there! If you’ve not already signed up to my newsletter (and why not? It’s THRILLING! Check out the handy pop-up and stick your email address in there!) then this is for you to peruse. A little of this, a little of that, just some stationery, fun and creativity. Enjoy!

Like a dress with pockets and a wallet with enough slots for your cards, having a desk tidy with ample spaces for all your different stationery essentials is a much searched for item. But is there such thing as the perfect one? I think this one comes pretty close. Plenty of places for pens and pencils, plus a couple of drawers to hide all those bits you’re not quite sure where to put.

Creativity is great when it’s running free, but how do you motivate yourself when your mojo is running low? Here are a few hints and tips for you to try out:

  • Brainstorm your ideas – just go with it and write down everything that pops into your head.
  • Carry a notebook with you, to capture all those on-the-go random thoughts.
  • Take a break from social media! It can be a great source of inspiration, but try and mix up your input. 
  • Try something new – break out of your comfort zone.
  • Listen to music – how about something completely different to usual?

It’s been proven that craft can be great for your mental health, and I think everyone could do with a little boost at the moment! Why not take a break and try something simple? Pinterest is a goldmine of ideas for fun crafts to try, often using just a few items you can find around the home. You can find a few over on my ‘Craft Tutorials & DIY‘ board. Go get your make on!