To celebrate The Stationer turning 5 I’m finally doing something I’ve wanted to do for years – playing shop! I will be running a Pop Up shop this weekend, and it wouldn’t have been right to have done this anywhere but my wonderful hometown of Peckham. Here’s the deets: Date: 4th & 5th December Time: 10.00 – 18.00 Place: Unit 611A Peckham Levels, 95A Rye Lane, SE15 4ST. Just head up the colourful stairwell to the 5/6th floor, where the food and retail units are and follow the signs. I’m currently in the anxiety stage of regretting my choices and wondering why I didn’t just choose a qui ..read more

Galen Leather XLarge Pencil Case I had been aware of Galen Leather through Instagram and seeing others review their products, but didn’t know much about the company at all than that they make really great looking pen cases. After they very kindly offered to send me a product to try, I read a bit more about them and found it to actually be quite a heartbreaking story. Galen Leather was started in Turkey by Zeynep, who had to make a career change when treatment for a rare cancer caused her to lose her voice. Initially working with other crafts people to make goods, she eventually found they coul ..read more

I’ve actually been craving writing a blog post, which is a really a nice feeling. I think since opening The Stationer, I can’t quite work out where this blog sits. As it’s now attached to a shop it feels a bit weird to potentially recommend other stationery shops, and equally I feel a bit icky only posting about things from the shop because then it just feels like one big advert, and that’s not what I want this to be. But I think a lot of blogs which have ended up having some sort of shop attached do manage to walk that line well, so I’d like to try too! So with that said, I used to share a “w ..read more

I feel like I should actually call this “my experience as a woman of trying to get a planner pad manufactured in the very male printing industry, and staying sane”. Re-opening The Stationer Ever since I opened The Stationer I’ve had grand plans to sell my own products and have a head full of ideas and half-designs but life (read: kids and a pandemic) got a bit in the way, and apart from my Work Books, I’ve had to be satisfied with predominantly selling other people’s stuff. But something shifted after my daughter was born (and if you haven’t followed me elsewhere recently, sorry it’s been a wh ..read more

In classic me style, I promised another gift guide (after my luxury one last month) and then promptly failed to deliver! But here it is… This time focussing on bits and bobs – stocking fillers, secret santa gifts, that sort of thing. All under a tenner. STOCKING FILLERS “Shy” Pocket Notebook, a total bargain at £4, and possibly the cutest thing I sell. By Korean brand Iconic. Probably the item I sell most of – Tous Les Jours Ballpoint Pen, £4.95. Comes in Turquoise, Pink, Black, Mint Green, Navy Blue and Natural Wood. Honestly, the nicest ballpoint to use. Especially if you love a fine, neat l ..read more

Is this thing still on?! I barely remember how to blog… BUT this feels like a good reason to re-learn. You may have heard lots of businesses, especially small ones, talking about the importance of not leaving all your Christmas shopping to the last minute this year. More than ever the postal service will be overstretched and unpredictable this year and this will put particular pressure on small businesses. Penny at Little Nell (who sells GORGEOUS jewellery and accessories) started a “Shop Small Start Early” campaign to encourage everyone to plan ahead and I’m here to jump on board! Not least t ..read more

Today The Stationer is three years old, and what better time than this to FINALLY get my act together and launch my own product! Introducing… The Work Book I’ve always had ideas for products I wanted to make but never any confidence, or indeed any clue on where to start… Until back in March when I did an Introduction to Book Binding workshop at London Centre for Book Arts and ideas really bouncing around in my head. Maybe I could actually do this! I wanted to make an exercise book, but one with really good paper. Something really nicely made, with great, sustainable materials that perfo ..read more

On Thursday evening I was part of an event at the British Library, connected to their current exhibition Making Your Mark. It was organised by James Ward, who runs Boring Conference, and wrote the brilliant book Adventures in Stationery: A Journey Through Your Pencil case, which I reviewed here. James asked me to come along and talk about where my love of stationery came from and although I felt completely unqualified to speak in front of everyone, I decided to say yes before I could talk myself out of it! I needn’t have been worried, it was a really nice evening and a welcoming crowd. James d ..read more