BRAND NEW: Personalised Print Designs

As spring rolls into summer, I'm so happy to share some more fresh new designs that have just landed on the site!

My Square Personalised Print range has been here for a long time - lots of designs that you can choose to have printed either as an art print, or as a canvas print. And now there's lots of lovely brand new designs to choose from - perfect for all sorts of occasions, and all sorts of ages too.

I'd love you to head over to the site and let me know what you think - the new prints have taken weeks and weeks (and weeks!) of work, and I can honestly say I've been pouring my heart into them! 

Personalised prints are a reflection of you, your loved ones, and your most meaningful moments. I wanted to offer designs that you'll love to give as a thoughtful and lasting gift, but also something that you might like to have in your own home too.

The collection offers designs for all sorts of occasions - family and housewarming prints to celebrate your home and loved ones, nursery and new baby art perfect for their room or to give as a gift, designs for older children too, romantic anniversary prints to celebrate those milestones with genuine sentiment, and much more. 

The personalisation process is simple: choose your favourite design, add your personalisation details, and then select which print finish you would like. The square format for the prints give them a contemporary feel, and will add a lovely finishing touch in all sorts of settings and rooms.

As well as brand new designs, I've also been working on a refresh of lots of existing designs - improving and refining, updating colours, offering more colour choices, and introducing a new look to some old favourites.

The new personalised prints are created with love and care, combining thoughtful and heartfelt design with timeless designs. Browse the range now and discover the perfect print for your home or to gift to someone special.

Hope you like them! Which one is your favourite?

Sarah :)

The top UK baby names for 2021 - revealed!

Every year the Office for National Statistics releases lists of the most popular baby names in England and Wales for the past year. The latest information was released this week - and it would seem a certain royal baby has had a big influence on new parents!

The list toppers: To kick things off, Oliver and Olivia have remained the most popular names for baby girls and boys. Oliver first made the top spot back in 2009, fell to 2nd place in 2011 and 2012, then rose back to the number 1 spot in 2013 and has remained there ever since. Whilst Olivia first reached number one in 2008, fell back to 2nd place between 2011-15, then rose back to the number 1 spot in 2016 where it remains still.

Risers and fallers: Grace and Freya have been knocked out of the top 10 spot, taken over by Ivy and Rosie. Similarly, Archie has taken over from Charlie in the top 10 for boys, appearing in the top 10 for the first time (most likely due to the arrive of Harry & Meghan's baby born in 2019). Ivy has risen in popularity a huge 221 places in the last 10 years, becoming the 6th most popular name for baby girls. Similarly, Arthur and Noah have increased in popularity over the last 20 years, both rising over 200 places. This is the first time in 15 years that Charlie hasn't been in the top 10. The largest movers however were Milo, Otis and Maeve - all 3 names have been rapidly gaining popularity amongst new parents although they still haven't reached the top 10.

The influence of age: It seems that older mums are choosing traditional and longer names for both boys or girls, whilst younger mums are doing the complete opposite and opting for shortened versions of traditional names, such as Tommy rather than Thomas. For mums over 35, the top 10 names are Amelia, Ava, Charlotte, Isla, Emily, Ava, Florence, Sophie, Sophia and Mia for girls, and Oliver, George, Jack, Muhammad, Noah, Thomas, Alexander, Arthur, Leo and William for boys. Whereas mothers under 25 are choosing shorter and abbreviated names - Noah, Archie, Leo, Arthur, Theo, Tommy, Freddie, Oliver, Oscar and Finley for boys, and Amelia, Ava, Olivia, Ivy, Isla, Isabella, Mia, Willow, Harper and Elsie for girls.

The top 10 boys' names are:

Oliver (no change from 2019)

George (no change from 2019)

Arthur (up 1 place from 2019)

Noah (down 1 place from 2019)

Muhammad (up 2 places from 2019)

Leo (no change from 2019)

Oscar (up 3 places from 2019)

Harry (down 3 places from 2019)

Archie (up 10 places from 2019)

Jack (down 2 places from 2019)

The top 10 girls' names are:

Olivia (no change from 2019)

Amelia (no change from 2019)

Isla (no change from 2019)

Ava (no change from 2019)

Mia (no change from 2019)

Ivy (up 6 places from 2019)

Lily (up 2 places from 2019)

Isabella (down 2 places from 2019)

Rosie (up 5 places from 2019)

Sophia (down 3 places from 2019)

And the names at the bottom of the top 100? Aisha for the girls, and Myles for the boys.

But of course, all of this doesn't mean a thing - whichever name you choose for your baby (assuming you don't choose something like 'Ikea' or 'Trixie-Biscuit') will be perfect. Although, as the parent of a teenager, I can pretty much guarantee that whatever you do choose they'll moan about it at some point!!

Sarah x

Brand New: Personalised Door Hangers

Time for some spring newbies!... This is a project I’ve been working on for weeks now, an idea I’ve had in my head that I simply had to put into action: introducing my new personalised wooden door hangers! 

I wanted to introduce a line that was practical and would prove to be a really useful gift idea for people. I’ve created 9 different designs for the range, with something for all ages - from baby’s nursery to mum’s home office. 

The hangers are really robust, made from natural birch wood. Although they’re strong, they’re also really light so if you want to take it with you on your travels it will slide easily into your work bag. Each door hanger features the natural wood grain, so every one is unique. They’ve been very carefully sanded for a really smooth to the touch finish too. 

Each design is available in simple, classic black - I wanted to create something that would fit into any surrounding, with a modern smart feel.

Each door hanger is handmade to order, and comes with free UK delivery (of course)! Visit the website by clicking here to view all nine designs.

Hope you like them, 

Sarah x

Brand New this month!

I've been working away on some brand new designs to add to my ever-popular 'Meaning of Name' print range - and I'm rather proud of them!

'Little Hare' personalised meaning of name print, nursery art from PhotoFairytales.co.uk

This range has been a best seller since I first introduced them in, what, 2011 was it? 2010? Whichever, it's not important - what IS important is that over the years customers have found them to be the perfect personalised gift to welcome a new baby.

'Heritage' personalised meaning of name print in blue, nursery art from PhotoFairytales.co.uk

They've been bought for christenings and baptisms, as a present for the new mummy and daddy, as a celebration when the newborn arrived, a special birthday gift, or just a lovely piece of personalised wall art for a nursery or child's bedroom.

'Heritage' personalised meaning of name print in pink, nursery art from PhotoFairytales.co.uk

Whatever the occasion really, it's just a real matter of sheer joy to me that so many of these custom name prints have found their way into homes and onto walls across the world!

'Heritage' personalised meaning of name print in soft sage green, nursery art from PhotoFairytales.co.uk

So, I wanted to introduce some of the latest new designs I've just added to the collection - I hope you like them!

'Dandelion' personalised meaning of name print in pink, nursery art from PhotoFairytales.co.uk

'Dandelion' personalised meaning of name print in blue, nursery art from PhotoFairytales.co.uk

You can see the full range (and bigger images!) by clicking on any of the pictures shown, or visiting the website here: https://www.photofairytales.co.uk/meaningofname.html. The prints are just £15.95 including free UK delivery.

Sarah x

Brand New: 'Christmas Friends' personalised baby board book

Well, Halloween has been and gone, the fireworks from Bonfire Night are over for another year... and that can only mean CHRISTMAS IS NEXT ON THE CALENDAR!

I know it feels as though Christmas starts earlier and earlier every year, and I always try to keep the festiveness under control at PhotoFairytales until after November 5th. So now that we've reached that point I feel I can finally start to get my Christmas head on properly!

With this in mind, I wanted to introduce one of my latest new additions to PhotoFairytales: a new design added to my range of personalised baby board books. 'Christmas Friends' is unashamedly festive, with a lovely Scandi-style winter theme complete with woodland animals and cosy cottages. This means there are now three designs especially for Christmas, including 'Festive Bear' and 'Winter Wonder'.

 

 These personalised, handmade board books make a really unique stocking filler gift for your child...

Each of the 11 board book designs feature your own photos and text throughout. So whether you want to keep it simple with just names, or if you want to write your own full story, you can create a book that is totally unique for your little boy or girl. Packed full of gorgeous illustrations and your own photos, they will adore snuggling up with you to read their very own special book.

Customer feedback: "Just to let you know I received the book today. It is absolutely beautiful and I can’t wait to give it to my grandson... I will definitely be back to buy another one."

The books are available in standard or laminated finish, and prices start at just £25 including UK delivery. These lovely little keepsake books are a magical gift at any time of year, so if you're looking for something completely different for your toddler this Christmas one of these books will be perfect.

Visit the PhotoFairytales site now to view the full range of book designs available.

Sarah x

Brand New this month: Floral Initial Alphabet prints

I'm really pleased to introduce a brand new line of personalised prints that have just been launched on the PhotoFairytales website. These bespoke prints are so pretty - a delightful finishing touch to a baby's nursery or child's bedroom, they work equally well in a teenager's pretty room, or as a gift for her, no matter what the occasion.

Beautifully feminine, these personalised alphabet prints feature your chosen name and initial picked out in stunning florals. The flowers were hand painted using watercolours and soft coloured pencils, and each print is printed on high quality textured watercolour paper. The illustrations are just gorgeous, and they're set off to perfection on this special paper which is made in Britain using traditional mould techniques.

Available in a range of pretty on-trend sorbet, ice cream pastel shades

The prints are available in a choice of two sizes (either 8x10", or A3 size), and a choice of colours too. Your print is created to order and presented sealed in a clear presentation sleeve with a backing board and white bevel cut front mount. The prints will fit perfectly into any 8x10" or A3" size frame.

Visit the PhotoFairytales website today and see more images of these gorgeous new prints!

Sarah :)  

Personalised Adoption Gift ideas

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to work on some lovely gift ideas for families that have adopted, or are going through the process of adopting, a child. One of the most popular gifts over the years has been the personalised board books which work really well as an introduction welcome book for the child or baby.

I wanted to increase the range of personalised adoption gift ideas to offer more choice, and so I’ve introduced a whole new range of gorgeous gifts to celebrate this exciting moment in your family’s life.

Personalised Adoption Gift Ideas from PhotoFairytales.co.uk

Whether you’re adopting a child into your own family, you want to say ‘thank you’ to someone who has helped you on your adopting journey, or you want to give a thoughtful memento to friends or family who have recently adopted, I think you’ll discover some truly thoughtful and special keepsakes to mark the moment.

From personalised art prints and family trees, to handmade books, wooden gifts and plaques - I hope you’ll enjoy my range of adoption gift ideas and discover a special gift to mark this exciting time.

Sarah :)

Theme of the Week: Nursery Decor & Finishing Touches

Planning your new baby's nursery is a lovely time - shopping for all those essential items, choosing a cot and furniture, creating a fabulous environment for your little one to grow and enjoy. It doesn't seem 5 minutes ago that we were doing exactly that for our daughter - but it was actually (unbelievably) 14 years ago!

Sorry Amy, I know you read this blog sometimes but I can't resist adding one of my favourite photos of you!!

Tastes have certainly changed in the last 14 years though, and there are some stunning trends this season for nurseries - ranging from soft neutrals and Scandi-style simplicity, to tropical and nature inspired themes full of pops of bright colour and eye-catching detail. 

If you're looking for a lovely print to compliment the nursery I've got some gorgeous ideas for you - with colours and designs ranging from soft and dreamy to fun and whimsical. My prints and canvases are created to order, and I'm always happy to tweak colours etc for you to create something that suits your decor.

Here's a brief roundup of some of the items I have on offer, but there's lots more on the site so do take a look - especially if you're looking for a lovely christening gift or keepsake to mark the arrival of a new baby in the family.

1: 'Dragon' personalised canvas print, from £18.50 - part of a range of personalised canvas prints

2: Alphabet personalised watercolour print, £23.95 - a stunning A3 sized poster print on quality traditional moulded paper

3: 'Hello You' typographic print, £10 - available in my boutique at wowthankyou.co.uk/photofairytales

4: 'Hush Little Baby' personalised canvas print, from £18.50 - part of a range of canvas print designs

5: Personalised Birth Print, £18.95 - personalised prints available in a range of colours

6: 'Raining Love' personalised 'Smiler' print, £22.95 - A3 sized poster print available in a range of colours, other designs also available

I hope something has caught your eye, but don't forget that there are lots more gifts for babies and nursery finishing touches - including handpainted gift plates, wooden gifts and plaques - over on the PhotoFairytales website!

Sarah x

Brand New: personalised Poster Name prints - great baby gift!

Can you believe that it's only 2 months now until Christmas? I'm not sure why it always seems to creep up on me, but it always feels as though it's there ready to pounce as soon as you're settling into autumn and getting used to having the heating on!

So with the festive shopping season just around the corner, I'd love to tell you about my new range of A3 poster sized personalised prints - perfect for children and babies this Christmas

There are 5 designs to choose from, and each one features you're chosen name. They're a lovely finishing touch for a baby's nursery or a child's bedroom. With lovely graphics and a fresh contemporary feel, I'm sure children will love these on the wall of their room.

Perfect for Christmas or birthday, a christening or naming day gift, or a present to welcome a new baby

The prints are just £21.50, including UK delivery. You can view the new personalised print designs on the PhotoFairytales website here. I really hope you like them!

Ooh, and don't forget, there's a discount code on the PhotoFairytales Facebook page this month - but be quick, it ends on 31st October! Just head to the page and click on the 'Secret Fans Only' tab on the left of the page (you might need to view the non-mobile version of the page to see that tabs as Facebook doesn't show them on their mobile site unfortunately).

Sarah x

New Gift Range: New Baby Birth Prints

One of the latest additions to the PhotoFairytales range of gifts are my new personalised Birth Prints...

Available in a choice of different colours, they're a lovely contemporary style print that I think will look gorgeous in the new nursery.

The perfect gift when a new baby arrives, and a really unique present for a christening or naming ceremony too.

Each print features the child's name and date of birth, along with lots of other information such as time, weight, etc. There's even a space for you to add your own lovely message for the recipient that they'll be able to read and treasure when they're older.

Priced at £16.50, including free 1st class delivery. Find them on the website as part of the 'Gifts for Baby' range here.

Hope you like!
Sarah x

Barking Mad Baby Names

When our lovely daughter Amy was still “the Bump” we became obsessed with names - right down to scouring the credits at the end of every programme and film (“Audrey Thexton - that’s a bit different, would that work? Maybe not…”). 

It was such a responsibility to plump for the right one: we couldn’t choose something too cutesy because she might became Prime Minister one day (Angel Thexton, Prime Minister). It couldn’t be anything that would date (think ‘Ethel’, or ‘Mavis’). We weren’t the kind of people to do a Beckham or a Bowie (ie, calling her something utterly mad like ‘Trixie-Biscuit’). It couldn’t start with a “th” or a “ph” because with a surname like Thexton that would make everyone sound like they had a lisp (try saying Thelma Thexton and you’ll see what I mean!).

And then there was the other problem, the one that nobody likes to mention… the really, really popular names. The ones that are so popular that if you shout them out loud in the park the chances are 5 toddlers, a cat and 4 dogs will all look up at you. You know the ones I mean I’m sure… So what if we got a bit ironic and went in the opposite direction, and called her “Scamp”? Or “Patch” (bit too eczema-y?) Or what about “Lassie”?? No, perhaps not.

The problem is, everyone is giving their pets human names - even we’ve named our dog Freddy. And there’s a cute Jack Russell dog right here in Belton called Alan. The other day we walking Freddy when we met Pete, the greyhound. A friend of mine once had a Labrador called Dave…

Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to Freddy we are all completely guilty of giving him human characteristics to match his human name. It isn’t just the Paris Hiltons of this world that are guilty of turning pets into baby substitutes (even when you actually do have a real, human baby!). I guess it’s just the inevitable side effect of the human need to nurture - especially anything that has big innocent eyes!

So how did we end up with the name “Amy”? A nice lady working in Boots struck up a conversation over my bump, and mentioned it was one of her favourites. Amy…. Amy Thexton…. I like it... I like it a lot…. middle name Rose…. and Amy means ‘beloved’ which is lovely… yes, perfect!

So how did you come up with a name for your child? Did you research the meaning of the name? Did you find it all as tricky as we did?! Leave a comment and let me know, I’d love to hear about your experience too!

Sarah x

Tired Mummy of Two takes over!

Hello there, I bet you didn't
expect to see me here did you?

I'm Laura from the Tired Mummy of Two blog, and I am on a bit of a mission to hijack blogs everywhere to get you all talking about my wonderful and exhausting prize draw. Some of you might recognise my name as I ran a hugely successful tombola just before Christmas where I put 196 presents under peoples trees. As this was so successful I started to think of other things that I can do.

In January my sister in law gave birth to my nephew, he was 10 weeks early and very small weighing 1lb 4oz. Obviously this meant he was kept in NICU and then the SCU. When visiting him I came across Bliss and all the lovely work they are doing in these units to support the parents of these gorgeous babies. From providing leaflets and information to training specialist nurses Bliss are there for them and for my sister in law.

I decided that I needed to do something for Bliss and bought some running shoes - I couldn’t even run after a bus when I started, but now on 20^th May I will be running 10k! Obviously I am trying to get people to sponsor me to do this, but as a little thank you I have arranged a prize draw for everyone who sponsors me. At the moment I have more prizes than I do sponsors so it is looking very likely that people will be getting something nice through the post soon.

You are reading my message on this blog because PhotoFairytales is one of the many businesses who have donated a prize to me so if you are here because you love their products then you might be able to win one of them!

You can find a full list of the prizes here

To sponsor me you can Text “XOGY47 £1” to 70070 or click on my Just Giving page

To be entered into the prize draw you must validate your entry here this is to abide with competition and gambling laws.

Best wishes,

Laura Seaton