It's #folksyfriday Day!

There's no denying that Black Friday has become a 'thing' in this country - imported from the US, it's now an annual date on the UK calendar too.

But, for as many people who love Black Friday, there seems to be a growing band of British shoppers who want to kick back against it, especially during a season when the feeling is that Christmas is becoming too commercial anyway. They're turning their back on the mass produced commercialism and reaching out for something more honest, with more integrity. After all, we all know that many products are deliberately launched with over inflated prices just so that they can have their prices 'slashed' on Black Friday!

Shoppers have become more considerate, more environmentally aware, more discerning: they want quality, customer care, uniqueness, individuality. So if you're one of those that's wising up to the Black Friday fuss, and trying to shop with a little more integrity, I have some great news for you... 

Shop handmade at Folksy.com - see my special Pinterest board now!

The team behind British craft marketplace, Folksy, asked their sellers whether they wanted a Black Friday campaign - and the resounding answer was 'no'. The designers, crafters, makers and creators who sell on the site felt strongly that it didn't fit their own ethos or that of Folksy shoppers. The customers at Folksy are looking for beautiful artisan crafts, not mass produced or imported goods that can be bought anywhere. Folksy customers are much more discerning!

So the concept of Folksy Friday Day was born - a day to celebrate handmade, to bring joy and colour to online retail in the form of beautifully made, designed and crafted gifts and homewares.

If you haven't discovered Folksy yet, it's a British marketplace and the home of modern craft. It's similar to American site, Etsy, with a couple of important differences: everything you see on the site is British, and everything is handmade - you won't find anything mass produced or passed off as being handmade. No fakery, nothing pretending to be what it isn't: just beautiful items made and designed by tiny British businesses, artisans and cottage industries.

So, if you're looking for something utterly unique, something that will be remembered and adored, this Christmas you need to take a look at Folksy.com. 

Oh, and if you follow the PhotoFairytales Facebook page I'll be running regular posts inviting other crafters and designers to share their work and shops - so if you're looking for fabulous gift ideas make sure you follow the page to discover some great present ideas for your loved ones this Christmas!

Happy shopping,
Sarah x

Brand New: Bespoke Wooden Shelf Blocks & Wooden Signs

I'm so excited to tell you about this new range of personalised wooden shelf blocks that I've just introduced - I think you're going to love them!

These are all designed and created in-house by me, and I think they look great mounted on the wall or popped on a shelf (we've got a 'Tickety Boo' one on a shelf in the kitchen: and people always seem to smile when they spot it!). Each wooden sign is created to order, and the text is available in 7 different colours - including gorgeous sparkly, glitter colours.

These personalised wooden shelf blocks are available in my shop on Folksy - and all have free UK delivery, just like the main PhotoFairytales website.

No Riff Raff - bespoke wooden shelf block sign plaque

Here's a little glimpse of some of the designs on offer, but to see all of them head over to the PhotoFairytales Folksy Shop now:

Beware of the Dog - fun personalised wooden sign for dog owners!

Everything is Tickety Boo - bespoke personalised wooden sign

I love it! What is it? Bespoke personalised wooden sign

This is just a small selection of the designs available - if you want to see them all head over to my Folksy shop to browse them all.

The bespoke wooden signs are chunky enough to be freestanding, measuring 2cm thick. They're made from real wood, washed with an ivory paint and are a generous 32x10cm. Each plaque also has pre-drilled holes on the reverse if you wish to hang it on the wall. The blocks are hand finished and have an attractive irregular rustic ‘shabby’ finish, with some light sanding of the paint in places, and there are variations between each one. After creating your text they are finally painted with 2 coats of matte varnish to protect it from dust and marks.

There are designs for all sorts of occasions: weddings and anniversaries, designs for dog and cat owners, housewarming gifts, and fun designs which would make a great birthday or Christmas gift. And of course, the wooden signs make a great low cost finishing touch for your own home - so why not treat yourself to one?!

Sarah :)

Why you should buy handmade from a designer-maker, crafts person or artisan…

When you buy a bespoke, personalised item you’re buying something unique - most often something that’s been created especially for you. You can’t get more special than that!

But there’s so much more you’re buying into that you possibly haven’t consciously thought about…

Picture those super wealthy types - you know, those glossy people that enjoy living in a world where the things they surround themselves are one-offs: works of art, tailored clothes, shoes that have been hand-stitched to their exact foot measurement! Well, when you buy a bespoke handmade item direct from the creator, that’s exactly what you’re doing too (albeit on a slightly more accessible budget).

Think of it as your chance to live the high life on a budget!

That item you buy - whether it’s a treat for you, or a gift for a loved one - has been made with so much care and love that it’s likely the designer or craftsperson feels a pang when they package and post it to you. They’ve spent time on it for you, they’ve packaged it up themselves and posted it. They’ve been through every stage of the creation process - and all for you! Forget those things that have been designed by a team, put before a board for approval, sent to a factory to be made, stuck on a pallet and shipped to a warehouse, and finally shoved in a box or envelope by someone with no idea who you are. The person you’re buying from is the same person who’ll be making your item, who designed it in the first place, and who’ll be packing it up and posting it to you and saying ‘thank you’ for your custom. And you know that your purchase supports that person and their family - that small cottage business that was built from a dream and a talent, to support their loved ones.

There’s always a story behind the item too - it could be that they were inspired by their surroundings, by a colour they saw in the sky that morning, by a song, anything! And that means that what they’re creating is a part of them. You’ve no doubt heard the phrase ‘made with love’ - and it truly has been!

Buying ‘designer’ in its truest sense

Not only that of course, but you know that the item you’ve bought is unlike any other. There aren’t a thousand of them in shops up and down the land. What you buy will be unique. It’s hard to find originality on the high street—nearly everything has gone through a filter process, from the designer down to the shop floor. See what prickly Miranda Priestly in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ says about the subject!:

“What you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean. And you're also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent... wasn't it who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it, uh, filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin.”

OK, her character was pretty mean, but you get the idea! So just imagine, you’re buying that cerulean sweater (or whatever) direct from the person who came up with the idea in the first place!

So next time you find yourself shopping for a gift, seriously, put aside the high street and seek out something special. Something you or your loved one can treasure and cherish.

Sarah :)

Brand new range: Wooden Shelf Blocks

Friday night, and here I am working late again - sometimes days and nights tend to blur a little when you run your own business!

But, these beauties just couldn't wait until Monday: I just had to upload them tonight!

These gorgeous new wooden shelf blocks come in a range of colours, handpainted and finished in a lovely chalk finish paint and given a rub down for a shabby finish.

Available in 3 different styles, they'll make a great gift for lots of occasions: new baby, wedding, moving home present, Christmas - you name it!

Only £21.95, they come with free UK delivery - you can see the range on the website here: http://photofairytales.co.uk/woodenplaques.html

Hope you love them as much as me!
Sarah x

The Sound of Silence...

Since being a child, I've always found it near impossible to work in silence - my homework was always done with the sound of Scooby Doo or Hong Kong Phooey in the background! And as an adult, I'm no different. Whenever I'm working I always have the radio on, usually tuned into Radio 4. Now, apparently, the average age of listeners to Radio 4 is 55 - and before you ask, no I'm not! Call me an old fogey, but I've actually been listening to it since I was in my twenties - and favourites include Woman's Hour, The Archers (of course), and the fantastic comedy (if you haven't discovered Milton Jones, The Unbelievable Truth, Just a Minute or the News Quiz - well, quite frankly, you're missing out!).

As well as those favourites, I do end up listening inadvertently to a large amount of news bulletins throughout the day. And on budget day this year I found myself putting orders to one side and seizing on a bit of inspiration that seemed to appear from nowhere. Although, with the budget and politicians whittering away in the background its' actually quite easy to work out where my idea for a series of three new print designs came from!

You can find all three designs in my Folksy Shop, or at wowthankyou.com

Now, Money Box Live has just started, wonder what that will inspire...!
Sarah x

Brand New: Hand Painted Personalised Plates!

Brand new today! These gorgeous plates are hand painted individually to order, and can be fully personalised with your chosen name, dates or message...

From Mince Pie plates and Baby's 1st Christmas plates, to weddings, anniversaries, christenings and special birthdays - there are 12 designs to choose from to suit many different occasions.

Now available at PhotoFairytales, these stunning 23cm plates are created individually to order by a family run UK business, and are truly unique keepsake gifts. Only £21.50 which includes UK delivery. Orders for delivery in time for Christmas need to be placed by 13th December.

These plates are absolutely adorable, and I hope you'll like them too!

Sarah x

Support British Designers, Creators and Crafters...

When you give a handmade or personalised gift, it says so much: "you're a unique and special person, and so I am giving you a unique and original gift you won't get from anyone else..."

That's what I've got on the home page of my website - and I was prompted to write this piece today following a discussion taking place amongst members of UK Handmade on the Linked In site. The question posed was: "Do you think its important to support local designers and why?"

As a supporter of their "Buy Handmade" Campaign, I feel so strongly about the reasons why it is important to encourage everyone to buy from independent crafters, designers and creators. Why?

When you make a purchase from one of these talented and highly committed people, you are supporting their family and their talent - not a faceless corporation with shareholders and company Directors. You're not funding a new yacht, or another holiday home - you are making a difference to someone's day by buying their work and you are gaining a totally individual and unique item. When you think of the term "handmade" this doesn't mean knitted toilet roll holders or macrame pot hangers by the way - there is an extraordinary amount of British talent out there creating modern, contemporary (and traditional) work that you will love.

Not only that, but you'll probably receive amazing service and customer care too. So many of my own customers comment on the fact that it is me that answers their emails personally and that despite the fact that I'm a small business I look after them too - old fashioned good service is what I'm all about. And I know I'm not alone in this, there are thousands of us out there waiting to make or design something wonderful for you! Plus, you are also supporting the UK economy by buying from independent British designer-makers. It's a win-win!!

So what do you get when you "Buy Handmade"? Something that has been made with love and care, and probably created individually to order just for you. A truly bespoke item! It won't have been assembled on a production line in a factory, and you won't be buying into child labour or exploitation issues. And if you're buying the item as a gift, it will show the recipient how much care and thought you've put into the purchase.

So when you start your Christmas shopping this year, or next time you fancy something new for your home or need to find a great gift for someone - think "buy handmade"!

Sarah x

Arghhh - Valentine's Day!!!!!

Does this feel remotely familiar?..: You've been together for a while now and Valentine's Day is approaching. You take a look around the shops and are confronted with a range of items that are "sexy" (shudder) or "cute" (blurgh).

You've been through the edible knickers and penis-shaped pasta stage - and come out the other side. You don't want to give houseroom to something that is fluffy and red and, quite frankly, naff. You can't afford Tiffany's. You did the 'chocolate heart with their name on' from Thorntons last year - and possibly the year before that...

Hard isn't it? How do you find a present for the person you love (and who only this morning was squeezing a spot in the bathroom), that sums up what you feel?

Well, I might not have hit the nail on the head for everyone, but hopefully I've managed to come up with some ideas that might help. Take a look at my personalised Valentine's Day gift ideas and hopefully you'll find something that will fit the bill. Oh, and prices start at around £10, so no silly Tiffany-type prices either!

Now, if you could just give me your suggestions on what I can get I'd appreciate it (seems not quite right to give him something from my own website!)...

Sarah x