NEW & EXCLUSIVE: Coronation Gift Collection

Time for a bit of new! I've designed a unique new collection of Coronation gifts and keepsakes to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III in May. You won't find these anywhere else and they're limited edition - so why not treat yourself to a lovely memento of the day!

I wanted to create a collection that has a classic feel and a good amount of "Britishness", working on the designs over several weeks until I was happy. The image I created originally was for a coronation mug, but as I worked on it I started to think how lovely it would look on a tea towel... ooh, and a bag too!

I created the design with His Majesty in mind from start to finish. I wanted to reflect his love of British nature and heritage, ensuring I included symbolism to represent the four corners of Britain - English roses, Scottish thistles, the Irish shamrock and Welsh daffodils. There's even little teapots hidden into the design, because we Brits do love our tea! Entwined into the leafy design are oak leaves and acorns.

The design was inspired by the historical printed coronation giftware that has been produced as souvenirs in this country for over 250 years. The colourful artwork has a traditional feel and features original vintage images alongside handpainted watercolour images. 

In addition to the mug, tea towel and bag, I've also created a special edition Blue Heritage Plaque - a lovely way to remember how you celebrated coronation day. Personalised to order with your own wording, the plaque can be displayed indoors or outside.

And, if you're looking forward to watching the coronation on television and don't want any interruptions, I have the perfect thing for you... a personalised wooden door hanger that will let everyone in the household know they need to keep quiet! Not just for the coronation of course, I think you'll find this useful whenever you're watching telly and need some peace...

Whether you're planning a quiet family gathering, a street party, an office party, or just want to add to your collection of Royal memorabilia, I'm hoping that something from my Coronation Collection will make a great souvenir for you!

Sarah x

A question for all Mums - old and young!

It’s Mother’s Day - a day that celebrates all the fabulous mums that look after, love and care for their families. So I’m feeling a bit reminiscent of the time 10 years ago when I became a mum...

The first few years of your child’s life are amazing: they grow and transform at such a fast pace. One moment you’re marvelling at their first words and steps, the next it’s their first day at school and then they’re taking driving lessons! I don’t know about you, but we have a large (and ever growing) ‘Memory Box’ - packed full of keepsakes from Amy’s life so far. From first curls and a favourite tiny sleepsuit, to her first pair of proper walking shoes and an adorable tiny denim jacket she used to wear. These mementoes will probably never stop being added to - and are definitely the first thing I’d reach for to save in a house fire!

As far as Amy is concerned, I think her main childhood memento will be her beloved bear: PB. He has been with her since her 3rd birthday, and they have never spent a night apart. He protects her from bad dreams, looks after her when she’s poorly (even at the risk of catching it himself), he hogs her bed at night, and has had lots of outings and holidays. I can see PB sitting somewhere in a corner of Amy’s life forever - it may not always be on her bed, he may be consigned to a cupboard or even a box in years to come, but she’ll always have him in her life.

So what are the mementos you kept from your child’s early years - and what are the things that you still have from your own childhood that are still treasured possessions? (Mine is a small, flat and slightly grubby white bear called ‘Snowy’ - and a little elephant brooch that I’ve had since about the age of 6 which I still occasionally wear!)

First footprints? Baby blankets? Favourite cuddlies? Hospital bracelet? Tiny clothes? A special painting?  Or just an enormous box (or boxes) crammed with mementoes from each and every year?! Let me know, I’d love to hear!

Sarah :)

A great keepsake created from your child's artwork!

When it comes to drawing, creating and painting, Amy is very, very, very prolific! I am treated daily to fabulous creations. Only this weekend she transformed a toilet roll and an empty tissue box into an airplane and hangar. The outer wrapper from the peperami she was munching while cutting and sticking, became the escape shute for the passengers when the plane crashed. (That's "when", not "if"..!)

But she also loves to curl up on the sofa with a tray and her ENORMOUS pencil case (yes, the 7 year old inside me is insanely jealous!), and draw a wonderful picture. Like most mums my fridge is plastered with all this artwork. And it is virtually impossible to throw any of it away of course. So in the seven short years of her life I have managed to fill two memory boxes and a huge folder with her drawings! I adore everything she does, of course, but every now and then she will create something really amazing. Usually a picture with a story - and half the joy is listening to her explaining what is going on in the image.

So - this set me a thinking..... wouldn't it be great to do something with these special pictures? Those hand or foot prints, those pictures of the family at the beach, the self portraits, or the drawing of the house she wants to live in when she's grown up? Having just introduced a range of box canvases, it suddenly struck me how fantastic to be able to create a canvas from a child's masterpiece! It could be a straightforward print of the original picture, or it could have a little message added like the one shown here (if the design allows!).

So if you have a precious painting or drawing why not get it created into a fabulous and totally unique piece of permanent wall art? The printing quality is superb, so it will capture every detail and pencil or paintbrush stroke. You can get it printed as an 8" square slimline canvas for only £12 or a deeper framed 10" square canvas for £25 - and that includes UK delivery.

What a fabulous keepsake or present - parents, grandparents, aunties & uncles would surely love to receive one? Just take a look at http://photofairytales.co.uk/canvasforher.aspx - a great idea for a Father's Day present too perhaps?!

Best wishes, Sarah