Tag: Stationery

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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!

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Books Gifts Lunchtime Lusting Stationery

Lunchtime Lusting: Stationery that isn’t stationery

Oh, I do love stationery. In fact I find myself drawn to anything that looks like stationery even if, like this lovely lot, it’s not actually stationery. It’s just one of those inexplicably joyful things. Here are my favourite not-stationery stationery items.

  • Crayola make up. Available from ASOS. I want it all, not so much to use, just to make a display with and admire. How pretty would a shelf full look?

              

  • Library card socks. If you’re a book lover then you need to check out The Literary Gift Company – all your future presents will now come from here. You’re welcome.

  • Pencil pin badges. There are too many to choose from and they’re all fabulous. Find your own favourite on Etsy; I myself am quite partial to this one, from the rainbow-loving IpDipDesign:

  • Bookcase wallpaper. There’s a lot of book shelf wall paper & murals about at the moment, but I think this natural one from Wall Sauce is my favourite. Also, the company is called Wall Sauce. They do a good range, including ‘secret bookcase door’ and ‘bookcase & candles’.

  • Book lunch box. Even though I work from home, I want this lunch box from black + blum. It has a partition. It’s ACE.

Hope you enjoyed this post, stationery fans!

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Lunchtime Lusting Stationery

Lunchtime Lusting – Spring Stationery

Hey stationery fans! Thinking about spring-cleaning your desk/hoard? Then you’ll need some shiny new products. I’ve been searching the internet for the best new stationery for the new season.

High Street Finds

Over the past few years, high street shops have upped their game in the fun stationery stakes. Unicorns everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Which is fine, because who doesn’t love a unicorn? I’m starting off in Paperchase with the all important storage.

Look at all those compartments ?? For £10 you get a pretty home for sooooo many pens and pencils. If you don’t have desk space for something this size, you’re going to need an epic pencil case. WHSmith has the answer.

Squee! Bit too ott for you? They have plenty of subtler options to suit.

Ok, time for the filling!

£12 for a set of 12 coloured pencils (Paperchase), with a different mood or emotion stamped on the bottom, associated with that particular colour. You even get a little booklet on the psychology of colour.

For perfectly pretty pastel pens, head to John Lewis and check out the kikki.K range.

 

Marvellous, if you simple HAVE TO peruse your stationery in real life; but this brand has a pretty awesome website – trust me, you’ll love it. And with that, let’s head online for the…

Best of the Web (OK, Etsy)

As always, I began my search over on Etsy, and to be honest after much searching elsewhere, I headed back and stayed there. Being a maker and seller myself, I know how much hard work people put into their creations and love to buy handmade. If you weren’t aware, you can now purchase as a guest, so you don’t have to sign up for an account. Huzzah! You’ll have to click the links to see these beauties.

Is that enough to keep you going? I hope so! Don’t forget, you can head over to The Craft Fantastic Etsy shop for hand bound notebook and journals to go with all your new stuff.

 

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Lunchtime Lusting Paper Stationery

Lunchtime Lusting – Letter Writing: The joy of snail mail

There’s nothing quite like getting a handwritten letter through the post. They seem so much more personal; reaching out and staying in touch through putting pen to paper, we think more about what we’re going to say than when we email or text. It really helps to have something nice to write on and send your letter off in, so I’ve been looking around to see what letter writing sets are out there. Here’s what I’ve found.

One of the main reasons I love this one is because it comes in a gorgeous box. It’s simple but extremely pretty. Containing 20 A5 sheets and 10 envelopes, you can pick one of these up for £8.

This set from Not On The High Street boasts a retro pen and ink pot design. It’s £6.95 for 6 sheets of writing paper and 3 envelopes.

There’s almost bound to be a WHSmith on your high street, so you can be sure of being able to find a pretty stationery set in town! They don’t have a huge amount of choice, but this bird and flower adorned set is all you’ll need. It’s a great budget option at £5.99 for 30 sheets, 15 matching envelopes and a sheet of stickers. Stickers!!

Over on Etsy you can find The Crafty Red Button. With so many pretty sets to choose from, you’re bound to find something to suit and inspire you to get writing! This set with the blue envelops is my personal favourite; the colour and design is gorgeous. The lined envelopes are handmade and the paper is high quality –  120gsm – so no pen bleed through to the other side of the paper. This set is £13 for 6 sheets of A5 and 6 envelopes, which come in a beautiful box.

What are you waiting for? Get yourself a set, grab a pen and write someone a letter! It’ll be just as much fun to write as it will be to receive.

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Craft Notebooks Paper Stationery

Top 10 Stationery Essentials

If you’re reading this then it’s likely to assume you love stationery – and you may already be aware that this week it has been National Stationery Week. It really has. I ran out of stock of my handmade Coptic-bound sketch books on Notebook day, of all days!!

Depending on your needs, there are a massive range of stationery products on the market, but here I’ve outlined what I think are the essentials.

  •  Pen. A good pen, for writing or for drawing. I love a fountain pen for handwritten letters, biros for crosswords; but my favourite all-rounder has to be the Mitsubishi uni-ball eye. Smooth writing, waterproof, fade-proof, comes in various colours.

Mitsubishi-Uni-Ball-Eye

 

  • Pencil. A decent pencil is indispensable! And with it you need the following:
  • Eraser – often the one you get on top of the pencil is absolutely PANTS. So invest in something soft and non-smudgy, that doesn’t tear the paper!
  • Sharpener. To keep your pencil happy. I quite like this one: double hole, a home for the shavings and a lid so they don’t spill out.
  • Notebook. Sketch book/journal/jotter – whatever you call it, you need somewhere to write and draw your ideas, plans and thoughts. Handmade books are my specialty, so here are some examples of my work:

Mini coptic 1Grey mini booksMini map openKey hardback      A4 books      Notebook stack

  • Ruler – this needs to be sturdy and long lasting. Metal ones are great for craft work.
  • Paperclips. Handy for when you don’t want to staple things! The more fun shaped, the better. Paperchase and (perhaps surprisingly) Ikea do some great ones.

Ikea paper clips

  • Stapler. For when you want to permanently paper-clip something together.
  • Hole-punch. For those of us who like to print things and put them in files 🙂
  • Post-its. Other makes of sticky note labels are available! Sometimes you just need to stick a note on something. Perfect for reminders.
Categories
Inspiration Notebooks

National Stationery Week 2015

It’s back, baby! It’s back and it’s SOONER THAN I REALIZED.

NSW - GBW 2015 (sponsors horiz’)

NSW 2013 with date and website and partners (no website)

Also, part of the National Stationery Week deal this year is ‘7 Days Of Stationery’ – and guess what? Thursday is notebook day!! Woo!

7 Days of Stationery

That is just all kinds of awesome. And… freeze-frame jump for joy!

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Notebooks Stationery

Signs you’re a stationery addict

As if I need a sign!

http://linkis.com/www.buzzfeed.com/peg/R6Paa

As if there are only 27!!

Etc. etc…

I think this may be my favourite:

Signs you're a stationery addict: No. 12
Signs you’re a stationery addict: No. 12

 

 

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Lunchtime Lusting Stationery

Lunchtime Lusting- Nancy & Betty Studio

If, like me, you’re the kind of person who thinks the words ‘stationery’ and ‘sexy’ fit perfectly comfortably in the same sentence together, Nancy and Betty Studio is definitely for you. Just click the link have a look for yourself.

Nancy & Betty are an independent stationery design company, obviously really passionate about what they do. They use recycled card and paper. They print using vegetable-based ink. They’re based in Great Britain. They’re designs are simple and fun. Tick…tick…tick…tick… that’s me checking things off my imaginary list of ‘plus points’.

Not only are all the products lovely but every picture is a joy to behold.

Sigh! Pretty things.

 

Categories
Craft Paper Stationery

Customised stationery set

When my friend Helen won the letter writing competition I recently ran, I assumed that she’d commission me to do robots on her prize of a customised letter and envelope set. However, when I asked what she’d like, she said she’d need some time to think about it.
After a few days she got back to me with her request. Could she have robots, please?

I’m really happy with the result!

(I think this guy’s my favourite. Shh.):


These were great fun to design.

Categories
Inspiration Paper Stationery

Stationery competition winner!

It was a close call.
The runner up letter was from my mum- she has lovely neat handwriting and used matching Miffy stationery:

She wrote about the fact that one in five children have never received a letter. Very sad indeed!

The winner, though, was my good friend Helen, who wrote in pink ink and decorated the edges of her letter with blue glitter.

She also recommended an author I’d not heard of – Emma Newman – who I’m looking forward to checking out.

For her customised prize, she has asked me to adorn her writing paper and envelopes with robots!
I’m on it – will post the finished results soon.