Tag: stationery

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My love for the Pencil…

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With new Christmas Candy Cane Pencils entering my shop this week, it got me thinking about why I LOVE pencils so much.

If you make a mistake you can rub it out!

Although you have to sharpen them, they can last for ages; unlike a pen which can dry out, or quickly run out of ink.

But my main love for pencils is because using a pencil makes my handwriting ten times neater. Anyone else?!

The idea of the pencils date back to the 1500s when graphite was discovered in one of my favourite places in the world, The Lake District. (I visit there every year, it’s like my second home!) But the pencil as we know it wasn’t manufactured in Keswick, until 1832.

If you ever visit the area, do make sure you visit the Pencil Museum. My favourite artefacts there include the wartime pencil which contains a map of Germany and a compass inside it! And the museum also has the largest colouring pencil in the world.

The only photo I could find of me in the museum, taken back in 2007, it’s had a refurb since then and I can’t wait to return next year!

Did you know Derwent colouring pencils were actually used to draw all the images in The Snowman animation? And I use Derwent watercolour pencils to help restore some of my notebooks!

Roald Dahl ALWAYS wrote in pencil, so if it’s good enough for him… right? He always used a particular kind of yellow pencil with a rubber on the end. Before he started writing he made sure he had six sharpened pencils in a jar by his side, each lasting two ours before they needed resharpening in his electric pencil sharpener!

There are so many pencils to choose from, but you can’t beat a good HB. I don’t mind a mechanical pencil I do find it annoying when the lead becomes too small and keeps popping back up inside the pencil!

Although its a wonderful idea to make pencils from recycled materials, do be sure to check the leads as I often find that some do not write as well.

In my opinion you can’t beat a wooden pencil – but be aware of cheap pencils – they may write well but the erasers on the end often smudge and they tend to crumble when they are sharpened.

And finally remember to look after your pencils and try not to drop them, there’s nothing worse than a broken lead which requires constant sharpening!

I’d love to know if there are more pencil lovers out there! Get in touch!

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Prolong the life of your notebook with my 5 top tips!

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“I don’t want to ruin it, it’s too nice!” Anyone else feel like this about using their notebooks?! I know I have! But as lovely as your notebook may be, they are there to serve a purpose and we should use them! To get the most out of your notebooks and prevent damage, here are my top 5 tips on caring for your books.

1. Pop your notebook in a book pouch.

A pouch will protect your notebook from the other contents of your bag. I purchased a canvas bag and personalised it with an appropriate phrase in my Retro from Scratch font! You can buy book pouches online or you make one easily yourself – there are plenty of tutorials out there. Or maybe I should start supplying them in my shop?

2. Add book corners.

The corners are a really vulnerable part of the book and often the first area to show wear. Adding metal corners makes them super strong and keeps your notebook looking neat!

3. Keep them clean.

If you have a plastic coated notebook, apply some antibacterial spray (I like to use a very diluted Zoflora) to a cloth and gently wipe over your notebook cover. Never spray the book, and don’t attempt this on a paper / matt cover!

4. Don’t stick a pen in the spine!

I know it’s so easy to do, and convenient but the pen can bend your notebook wire out of shape and cause even worse damage if you open your book without removing the pen from the spine first!

5. Add a bookband.

My elasticated book bands not only add a bit of sparkle and make my notebooks look pretty, but they serve a practical purpose. They hold your book together, preventing it from opening in your bag and getting damaged. And they can also be used as a handy bookmark!

It is of course inevitable that your notebook will eventually come to an end when you’ve used up all the paper. My top tip? Buy another one!

Becky x

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Which diary is the right one for you?

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As the new Academic Year approaches, the choice of diaries can become slightly daunting! Here is my quick guide to help you choose which style of diary page is the perfect one to keep you organised all year round!

The Page a Day Diary

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If you’ve got a lot to write then this diary is perfect, especially as a ‘Dear Diary’ or a desk diary, because with 365 days in the year this diary is a relatively heavy book and something you probably don’t want to be carrying around every day.

The Week per View

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A classic, you can’t go wrong with a week per view. It’s the most popular of all my diaries, ideal for home, work or school but if you have a lot of appointments you might prefer…

The Vertical Diary

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Never miss a meeting again with a vertical diary – you can list all your appointments in time order, each day. Perfect! Nice and light to  show off carry to meetings.

The Week Per Page

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It’s a diary and a notebook all in one. Great if you don’t have big handwriting and you love making additional notes for the week.

My ‘Pippa’ Work / Home Diary

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Designed by one of my customers, Pippa; this is perfect for those that want to carry their work and home life in one book. Every four weeks there is a page of lines for notes, and a four week overview page, before four weeks of weekly pages. That’s a lot of weeks in one sentence – but enough to fill a book for a year! 

The Weekly Planner

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If you are more of a planner – then this might suit you better. Feel completely in control of your life with this week per view diary  but with dedicated space for those important Emails, calls to make, things to buy and things to do…

And finally…

The Family Organiser

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If you have to organise more than one person in your life then this is for you. With up to six personalised columns, you can separate all the kids activities, the dogs appointments and organise your partner’s life, a week at a time without the worry of double booking yourself. 

Remember all my diaries come un-dated so they can be started any time of the year! They make great gifts and with so many different book covers to choose from my shop, there is something for everyone.

I hope this has helped making your diary choice a little easier, so you can relax, enjoy the rest of the summer holidays knowing your sorted for the new school year!

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Exam Result Gift Ideas

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Whether your loved ones make the grades (or not..) it’s time to celebrate their achievements.

August 15 and August 22 will be two of the most stressful days of 2019. Silly really because all the hard work has already been done, it’s not like a driving test, there’s nothing you can do on this day to change the results. So a little present is a lovely way to relieve the tension.

If you’re after a personal, unique and practical gift – then I think I can help.

For those going into further education…

My student planners are perfect for those starting college / 6th form or University. From a weekly planner to a daily scheduler, it’s a gift they are bound to find useful. And with a planner that stands out they’ll be making new friends in no time!

For those off to Uni…

A recipe book is a really thoughtful gift – especially if you fill it with some of your families favourite recipes – you can at least hope they might use it and won’t be living off of pot noodles, beans on toast and takeaways!

For those off to work…

A notebook or diary is practical for any new job. And a unique notebook will make them stand out with colleagues – plus it is the perfect conversation starter and bound to brighten up those dull office meetings.

Make it personal

Don’t forget you can make your gift extra special by inserting a personalised message page – a constant reminder how proud you are of them.

Good luck to you all – and I hope you enjoy those celebrations!

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Don’t judge a book by it’s cover

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From April 22nd until April 29th it was Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness week. To help raise awareness and £500 for the MS Trust, I made some limited edition notebooks!

Balancing – all part of having MS!

This is really important to me as I was diagnosed with MS in 2009, a year after temporarily losing the sight in one eye.

When I was diagnosed, I’d had heard of MS but I didn’t actually know what it was. I was adamant not to ‘Google’ it, so I turned to the MS Trust. They provided me with free leaflets and a newsletter which gave me the help and support I needed, and still need today.

I was given a large number of old books which were going to be thrown away, and I thought that although the covers would plain compared to my normal style, their covers would still make beautiful, sophisticated notebooks. 

I wanted to give something back, so I contacted the MS Trust to see if they would support my fundraising idea. I can’t run a marathon, or do a sponsored silence (I talk too much!) but I know how to make a notebook.

The notebooks, are £10 each and come in a variety of bright colours, each containing a different anecdote from my 10-year experience with MS. £5 from the sale of each notebook will be donated to the MS Trust.

I want to raise awareness of MS because some people are afraid to ask what MS is, what it does, can it be cured, etc … or they make the wrong assumptions about you, and the disease. People tell me how positive I am about having MS, so I just wanted to help reassure people and break some of those boundaries.

MS is a disease which affects the nervous system. Almost three times as many women are diagnosed with MS than men, and in the UK approx. 110,000 people have MS.

My notebooks have already raised over £200 and are still available to purchase online now whilst stock lasts, I really appreciate your support! Thank you.

Becky x