Shop Spotlight: My Pretty Week!

This week I am speaking to Lisa from My Pretty Week! She creates magnetic bookmarks, planner dividers and various other planner accessories!

How long have you been in business?

I’ve been open around 4.5 years now. The shop turns 5 next March which is pretty amazing considering opening the shop was a complete leap of faith.

Is this your full time job? If not what else do you do alongside it?

My Pretty Week is my full time (all consuming) job. I say all consuming because I usually work around 60 hours a week, but I find it more rewarding than working for someone else for less hours per week. I get to listen to audiobooks or my music full blast and make pretty things all day. Can’t beat that!

Outside of the planner/craft community, what is one of your other hobbies/interests?

I have recently fallen back in love with my adult colouring books. Colouring is a wonderful stress buster for me, it’s amazing how just putting some colour on a page can clear your mind.

(Unicorn Playing With Leaves Magnetic Bookmark, available here)

What planner/s do you use to stay on track?

I use an A5 ring planner as my brain. I regularly switch which planner (the binder part) I use but the inserts travel with me from planner to planner. I also use an EC Hourly mainly for work stuff, plus an A5 notebook as a master task/to do list.

Do all of your products feature your own designs? Or do you use external artwork to create them?

I use work from other artists for my products. Mostly from Etsy. I like the idea of my shop supporting other Etsy shops. Buying new designs for my shop is one of my favourite things.

What is one of your top selling products?

At the moment it’s the black Gothic Rose divider set. I wasn’t too sure that was going to sell with the skulls being such a prominent feature, but I put it in the shop because I really liked it.

(Gothic Rose Planner Dividers, available here)

Something you’ve learnt since you began running your shop, that you didn’t know before?

That it is possible to have a good working relationship with other shop owners even if they’re your competition. Shop owners are, in the main, supportive of one another. I’ve also loved watching the UK Planner Community grow and seeing other UK shops flourish.

One stationery item you can’t do without?

Ah man, just one? I’m torn between a black papermate inkjoy gel pen and a notebook. I’m going to go with a notebook.

(Modern Luxe Planner Divider Set, available here)

Quick fire Questions..

Fiction or Non Fiction? 

Fiction

Fruit or Vegetables? 

Veggies

Morning or evening? 

Morning

Rings or Strings? 

Rings

Picnic or Restaurant? 

Restaurant

If you want to check out Lisa's shop, or follow her on social media, you can find all her links below:
Etsy Shop
Website
Instagram - @myprettyweek
Twitter - @myprettyweek
Facebook

She's also provided an exclusive discount for you all! Use the code HELLO10 for 10% off orders over £1 (Doesn't expire).

I hope you have all enjoyed finding out a bit more about Lisa & what she gets up to over at My Pretty Week! Thank you Lisa for taking part in this blog series! 

- Daisy X

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Shop Spotlight: The Paper Lobster!

Today I am speaking to Colette from The Paper Lobster! She creates beautiful stickers, and greetings cards, along with a variety of other products!

How long have you been in business?

I launched my website in September last year, I can’t believe my little business will be turning 1 SOON! Time flies when you’re having fun!

Is this your full time job? If not what else do you do alongside it?

I’m also a Store Manager for a well known stationery brand. Even though setting up The Paper Lobster has always been a dream, being surrounded by so much design led stationery keeps my creative bubble flowing.

Outside of the planner/craft community, what is one of your other hobbies/interests?

I have been known to create the odd wedding cake or two. My biggest accomplishment was a 4 tiered cake, with intricate sugar roses - each rose took me a whole hour to do.

(Betta Doodle Dashboard, available here)

What is one of your top selling products?

The ‘Dream big’ unicorn sticker vinyl. The colours are really bright and remind you to constantly focus on your dream.

One tool you wouldn’t be able to live without?

Eeeekkk... Just one? It would have to be my laptop... I do EVERYTHING on there.

How long did it take you to perfect your skill before you opened your shop?

I’ve been ‘doodling’ for years, but it wasn’t until I was on maternity leave and needed an outlet for my creative energy that I really found my groove with illustrating. My mother in law bought me a Silhoette Portrait and that’s when my sticker love affair started.

(The Confessions of Cats Cup, can be found here)

Is there a meaning behind your shop name? How did you come up with it?

I have a love for all things paper, from making origami to scrapbooking, sketching and planning. The Lobster part involves being proposed to in Venice and finding a glass lobster called Larry.

Can you share any new products that you have in the pipeline?

I’ve wanted a planner tee for agggeeesss and instead of waiting for one I like to pop up someday, i’m designing my own!

(A Jar Of Awesome starter kit, is available here)

Quick fire Questions..

Sunshine or rainy days?

Sunshine 

Dogs or Cats? 

Dogs - I have two!

Rings or Strings?

GAH! You can’t make me choose!

Gel ink or Ballpoint?

Ballpoint - BIC biro my all time favourite

Picnic or Restaurant?

Restaurant - especially mexican!

If you want to check out Colette's shop, or follow her on social media, you can find all her links below:
Website
Instagram - @thepaperlobster

She's also provided an exclusive discount for you all! Use the code MYGREENCOW15 for 15% off orders over £10 until September 26th 2018. 

I hope you have all enjoyed finding out a bit more about Colette & what she gets up to over at The Paper Lobster! Thank you Colette for taking part in this blog series! 

- Daisy X

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Shop Spotlight: Crafty Rat Designs!

This week I'm talking to Becca from Crafty Rat Designs! She creates & sells a range of paper goodies, from stickers and inserts to beautiful vellums!

How long have you been in business?

The shop will be turning 2 in October this year – There are lots of exciting things planned for the party so keep an eye out! 

Is this your full time job? If not what else do you do alongside it?

At the moment this is my full time job, however I also work as a freelance illustrator and often work on other projects alongside the shop. I recently graduated in Graphic Design so projects are usually pretty ‘artst-fartsy’!

Outside of the planner/craft community, what is one of your other hobbies/interests?

My other main hobby, outside of the planner and craft community is exploring – mainly on my motorbike. I have been riding for 3 years and am looking to go travelling around the UK in the near future and hope to travel the rest of the world one day!

(Crafty Rats Stickers can be found here on her shop)

Do you have a favourite product in your shop? Something you personally use more often than the rest?

My favourite products would have to be my Tarot collection, more specifically the notebooks. I created these designs as part of my Final Major Project at university and they helped me get my first class degree! So much time and effort went into creating them and I am so proud of how they turned out.

Describe your shop in 3 words?

Quirky, Esoteric and Fun

What planner/s do you use to stay on track?

I am currently using an A6 Foxy Fix Traveler’s Notebook in Mink. Although I have an Erin Condren on the way which I will probably combo with my TNs, using the TNs in a more Bullet Journal type format!

(Tarot Collection can be found here)

Do all of your products feature your own designs? Or do you use external artwork to create your products?

It’s a bit of a mix and match. All of the Crafty Rats are my own designs, however the majority of the sticker kits I currently sell are created using external artwork. I do however intend to move towards having products that are exclusively created by myself in the near future, just so that I have something a little more unique to offer!

Can you share any new products that you have in the pipeline?

I intend to create a sticker kits featuring the Crafty Rats, and have been prepping this recently, It’s almost ready to share and will likely be in the shop in the next few weeks. If it’s something that people like then I intend to make these regularly!

Quick fire Questions..

Sweet or savoury? 

Sweet

Washi or stickers?

Stickers

Cosy Winter or Summer Sun?

Cosy Winter

Horizontal or Vertical?

Vertical

Rainbow or monochrome?

Monochrome

If you want to check out Becca's shop, or follow her on social media, you can find all her links below: 

Etsy Shop

Facebook Group

Instagram - @CraftyRatDesigns

YouTube Channel

Website/Portfolio

She's also provided an exclusive discount for you all!

Use the code MYGREENCOW15 for 15% off orders over £5 until September 30th 2018. 

I hope you have all enjoyed finding out a bit more about Becca & her shop, and thank you Becca for taking part in this blog series!

 - Daisy X

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Shop Spotlight: Love From Poppy Designs!

To start off this blog series I got in touch with the lovely Bev from Love From Poppy Designs. She hand makes beautiful Travelers Notebook's!

How long have you been in business?

I have been on Etsy since January 2017

Is this your full time job? If not what else do you do alongside it?

I have two children and a husband who works a funny shift pattern.  By setting up my own small business, it meant I could work around all of their schedules and I could do it from home. I would say it is part way between part time and full time, but I am never short of things that need doing! 

Outside of the planner/creative community, what is one of your other hobbies/interests?

I am a big reader, and I love nothing more than relaxing in the winter with a stack of books , a cosy blanket and a hot chocolate (with marshmallows).  In the summer, as a family we are members of the National Trust and we spend as much time as we can on their properties, walking and exploring the big houses.  I try to soak up as much of it as possible and I love imagining what life was like for the people who used to live there all those years ago. 

What is one of your top selling products?

One of my top sellers recently has been the Clear Travelers Notebooks! Luckily it was a hit right off the bat and I had over 50 sales on launch day. It was overwhelming and brilliant in equal measure.

Something new you’ve learnt since you began running your shop?

I have learnt to juggle a million tasks at once and a hard lesson in time management. I am really lucky to have a supportive team in my husband and the kids and that makes life so much easier!

One stationery item you can’t do without?

I used to be such a fancy planner, with decoration and stickers and washi.  But since getting busier with the shop, my style has evolved into a very minimalist system. I couldn’t live without highlighters! 

(Clear PVC TN, click here to check them out on her shop!)

Can you share any new products that you have in the pipeline?

I have been looking to create smaller leather goods, and one of the products I am on the brink of launching is a leather card holder. Which can be customized through colours and embossed initials. 

Have you always been creative? Or is this a newer hobby?

I think I have always been creative. I didn’t have a lot of resources growing up, so I used to take items and recycle them into new projects.  For example I used to stick Opal Fruit wrappers around card frames and use sticky backed plastic to protect them to make photo frames.  I guess it was an early version of upcycling and I used to love creating different things.

Quick fire Questions..

Sunshine or rainy days?

Rainy

Rings or Strings?

Strings

Picnic or Restaurant?

Picnic

Gel ink or Ballpoint?

Ballpoint

Washi or stickers?

Washi

If you want to check out Bev's shop, or follow her on social media, you can find all her links below:

Etsy.com/shop/lovefrompoppydesigns
@lovefrompoppydesigns on IG

Facebook group is Love from Poppy Designs

She's also provided an exclusive discount for you all!

Use the code DAISY10 for 10% off products until August 31st at midnight.

I hope you have all enjoyed getting to know a little bit about Bev, and thank you Bev for taking part in this blog series!

- Daisy X

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NEW BLOG SERIES: Sunday Shop Spotlights!

I've decided to start a new blog series on here called 'Shop Spotlights' (I'm keeping the name simple and to the point!)

A couple of Sundays in the month I'll be interviewing different shops in the creative/planner/crafty community, giving them a chance to tell us a bit more about what they do, and getting to know more about the person behind the shopfront. I'm looking forward to finding out more about the shops we all know & love, along with some that you may not have heard of before! I've done my best to think of some different types of questions, to go alongside the generic 'get to know me' questions. So they should be a little more fun than a standard interview!

A bonus for your guys too is that each blogpost will contain an exclusive discount/offer for that shop!

(For complete transparency, this is the only thing I've asked for in return for featuring the shops on my blog. I'm not being paid, or sent freebies. I'm getting some fun content for my blog, you guys are getting an exclusive discount or offer, and the shops involved are getting a platform to let everyone know a bit more about them and their shop.)

The first of the series will be posted on Sunday so keep an eye out, and I hope you are just as excited as I am for this series to start rolling!

If you have any shops recommendations that you would like to see in this series then please let me know, pop me a message on any of my social media, or send me an email and maybe I'll reach out to them!

See you on Sunday,
Daisy X

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