Thursday 13 December 2018

Last Minute Personalised Christmas Gift Ideas (for the panicky, left it a bit late, types!)

Right, let's cut to the chase: there's less than 2 weeks now before Christmas Day: have you got everyone's gifts sorted out? No? OK, don't panic as I have some great last minute gifts that are super-special. Not only that, but they're made to order, personalised and lovely too!

Here's a round up of all the personalised Christmas gift ideas that are still available to order at PhotoFairytales (and all with FREE UK P&P!):

Last minute personalised Christmas gift ideas

1: Word Theme print: available in a range of different word collections, this is a really quirky gift that they'll adore. Created in absolutely any colour of your choosing, it is a generous A3 size too. £22.95 - last orders by midnight December 13th
2: Cook's Conversion Chart: personalised and in a range of colours, this is a practical and stylish gift for any keen cook or baker this Christmas! From £15.95 - last orders by midnight December 13th for A3 size, or December 14th for 8x10" size
3: Personalised Alphabet Nursery print: a stunning gift for baby's first Christmas, this will look adorable in the nursery or little one's bedroom. Printed on gorgeous watercolour textured paper, a lovely heirloom print. £23.95 - last orders by midnight December 13th
4: Written in the Stars print: a gorgeous, romantic gift with an on-trend celestial space theme. In deep inky blue, this is part of a range of beautiful love prints - perfect for a romantic Christmas gift for your loved one. From £15.95 - last orders by midnight December 13th for A3 size, or December 14th for 8x10" size
5: Personalised Newspapers: a brilliantly fun gift, guaranteed to raise a smile on Christmas Day! A range of designs to choose from, these prints are virtually indistinguishable from a genuine newspaper. From £15.95 - last orders by midnight December 14th
6: Wooden Memory Photo Rocket: truly unique, this is a really special gift for a baby or toddler this Christmas. Personalised to order, this solid wood rocket displays 5 of your favourite photos. £35.95 - last orders by midnight December 13th
7: Personalised Santa Telegrams: deliver some extra magic to your loved one this Christmas! This will arrive before Christmas and will absolutely make their day - a wonderful, high quality telegram signed individually and sent directly from Santa himself! £6.50 - last orders by midnight December 16th
8: Raining Love personalised Print: part of a range of designs, this beautiful A3 print comes in a choice of colours too. Perfect for your loved one, a baby or toddler - see the site to view all the designs available! £22.95 - last orders by midnight December 13th
9: Always be Batman Print: available in a range of superhero designs, perfect for him, her, teenagers or children! From £15.95 - last orders by midnight December 13th for A3 size, or December 14th for 8x10" size

You can still find even more great last minute Christmas gifts on the PhotoFairytales site. Here's a quick list of everything that's still available to order:

Order by midnight December 13th:

Order by midnight December 14th:
All Personalised Prints in 8x10" size (except Family Tree prints, On Our Wedding Day prints, On This Day prints, and Bunny Rabbit Family prints)

Order by midnight December 16th:
Standard Greeting Cards (fast dispatch cards)

Order by midnight December 18th:
Gift vouchers - a real, last minute gift that you can download and print within 24 hours or less of ordering! Available in multiples of £5.

There you go, Christmas panic over!
Sarah :)


Friday 23 November 2018

Celebrate Handmade this Black Friday!

Whilst some of you will no doubt be sitting hunched over your computers and phones in a frenzy of Black Friday shopping today, I know that there are many more of us out there that have started to side step around the madness of the day. Don’t get me wrong: I appreciate a bargain as much as the next person – and if I was in the market for buying a new TV or washing machine I’d probably be doing the exact same thing. The problem is, does this bargain hunting spill over into places that aren’t quite the right ‘fit’? Big buys like white goods, furniture, phones and gadgets are the perfect candidates for price slashing: they’ve got huge margins, they’re mass produced, and more often than not they’re priced at a point that is actually designed to be reduced. (I mean, when doesn’t that sofa shop have a sale on?!)

So, I thought I’d take a moment to explain why I’m not slashing prices but instead joining in with Folksy’s ‘Celebrate Handmade’ day today – and to give you a glimpse of what it takes to bring something handmade from conception all the way through to the point of sale. 

You, dear reader, I know can appreciate the value of buying handmade: you know and understand the amount of care and attention that goes into the item you’re buying, and you know that buying direct from the artist, designer or maker gives you a fabulous sense of having got it right. You’ve found the perfect gift for your home or a loved one, you’ve bought it ethically (no sweatshops involved), you’ve supported the British economy, and you’ve done your bit for the environment too (it hasn’t been shipped from China).

But, have you ever stopped to think about what happens to the person you’ve bought from? That tiny business or cottage industry, that artisan who sits in their studio every day – what do they think when you place an order? Here’s a clue!:


As one of those tiny businesses, I can tell you that this is absolutely spot on. I may have been running PhotoFairytales for over 9 years now, but I never (ever) fail to get a rush of joy when an order comes in. It doesn’t matter how busy I am, I never take for granted the fact that someone has looked at my work and thought: “I’ll buy that.” It truly is an amazing feeling. Every Christmas Day I take a moment to think about all the customers I’ve had over the recent weeks who are giving gifts to their loved ones that I’ve made. It’s an AMAZING feeling.


So, what does it take to get a new item from inside my imagination to a state of being a physical item wrapped in a parcel and flying through the post? Let me give you a glimpse:

  • The spark of the idea pings into my head – I’ll mull it over for days/weeks/months, scribbling down ideas, thinking about whether it fits with my existing work, thinking about what it will look like and how I would do it.
    Approximate ‘mulling’ time taken on average: 6 weeks
  • I’ll then start working out the design and often prototypes too: thinking about colours, images, design and materials, working on sample designs to see if I can make my idea translate into an actual item.
    Approximate working out time on average: 6 weeks
  • Next step is to work out how much it will cost to make, and find out where I can get materials. Then I need to work out what I would sell it for and what the profit margin will be vs the time taken to make it. (Very often items never make it past this point – I’ve had so many ideas over the years that I’ve had to let go simply because I couldn’t make it work financially.)
    Approximate time taken to cost a project and source materials on average: 3 weeks
  • So, now I know I can go ahead with my new item I need to hone the design. It might be something that is a one-off or a whole new range – so often this will involve coming up with not just one design but maybe as many as 10 or more. This is the bit that can really take time (but it's the bit I love!).
    Approximate time taken on finalising design: 6 weeks
  • Now I need to get some photos of the new product to add to my shop. Depending on how many items the new product is made up of, this can take between 2 days and a month.
    Approximate average time for product images: 2 weeks
  • Next I need to add it the PhotoFairytales site and my other online shops (eg, Folksy, Wow Thank You) – this involves designing new pages, writing copy about the new product and uploading product images.
    Approximate time taken to add the new product and put it on sale: 1 week
  • Now I need to tell the world about the new item – so, blogging, social media, mailing list, promotions, marketing. 
    This is hard to put a timescale on as it’s always ongoing, but the initial promotion will take on average about 4 weeks.


So, from the basic idea to the point of having an actual item on sale takes (very roughly) about 28 weeks. Or over 6 months. And that’s not 6 months of working just on this new project, that’s 6 months working around all the usual day to day work. So bringing a new item to fruition can often take closer to a year.

That means that before anyone has even bought my item it’s often been in production for 6 months to a year! It sounds like a long time (it is), but it’s an indication of the amount of thought and consideration that goes into my work – and I know I’m not alone with that. This is what ALL designer-makers do.

And when you, lovely person, place an order and I sell the very first of my new items: wow, just wow! I’m not sure how I can actually get across the feeling of euphoria that brings!! Truly. 


Because everything I make is personalised and made to order I need to then make the item you’ve bought. That takes anything from a day or two up to a week. Then I need to package it and get it posted to you. Sending you an email to let you know your order is on its way, perhaps a follow up email afterwards, then a bit of brief admin and the job is done. That item you’ve just bought may have taken me a few days to make and send to you, but the love and work that’s gone into it up until that point has been going on for months and months.

And that is why you know handmade is so special. That’s how you know that you’ve just bought something truly unique. You've just bought something that has had time poured into it, but also creativity, artistry, skill, experience and talent too. 


And that’s why designer-makers, artisans and crafters put their hand on their heart when you click that ‘buy now’ button.

So, can I just take this opportunity to thank you for A) reading this massive waffley post all the way to the end, and B) for supporting and celebrating handmade. If it weren’t for you we wouldn’t exist. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Sarah x

PS: Search for the hashtag #celebrate_handmade on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to discover fabulous people running tiny businesses and creating fabulous things. Shop handmade this Christmas!

Friday 16 November 2018

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

Wednesday 7 November 2018

The 2018 Santa Letters & Telegrams have arrived!

More exciting news for you here at PhotoFairytales HQ: the 2018 edition of the personalised Santa Letters & Telegrams are now on sale!

These are really special and magical - as anyone will tell you who has received one in the past. In fact, for many it has become a real tradition and when they arrive on the doormat it's fair to say the excitement of Christmas ratchets up a few notches!

personalised Santa Letters and Telegrams from PhotoFairytales

There are other 'letters' and 'telegrams' out there in the online world, but these are the real deal: each and every one is written especially by the genuine Father Christmas, and he hand-signs every one himself. The letters are so full of detail that your child can't help but understand that Santa Claus is real, and they will be amazed at how much he knows about them, right down to what they're hoping to receive for Christmas this year!

personalised Santa Letters and Telegrams from PhotoFairytales

As in previous years, the personalised Santa Letter Gift Packs also come with sweet little gifts and treats, as well as a personalised certificate. Both the Letters & Telegrams are very high quality and beautifully finished. Really special items that your little boy or girl will want to cherish.

personalised Santa Letters and Telegrams from PhotoFairytales

The personalised Santa Telegrams are available in 3 versions, including a 'Naughty' one for those that haven't yet made it onto the Nice List (perfect for adults!), and a lovely Baby's 1st Christmas Telegram version too.

Every single Santa Letter & Telegram that's sold will also raise funds for a fabulous UK charity, Mind, too. Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. But hundreds of thousands of people are still struggling. Mind campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. Mind won't give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect.


Don't forget, the personalised Santa Letter Gift Packs are limited edition - every year they sell out, so if you'd like to reserve one don't leave it too late!

These Santa Letters & Telegrams will become real keepsakes, and are definitely something you'll want to store in their memory box! Make Christmas truly magical this year with one of these beautiful and really special Letters or Telegrams from Father Christmas...

Sarah x

Tuesday 6 November 2018

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!

personalised handmade baby board books from PhotoFairytales

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'.

personalised handmade baby board books from PhotoFairytales personalised handmade baby board books from PhotoFairytales

 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.

personalised handmade baby board books from PhotoFairytales

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."


personalised handmade baby board books PhotoFairytales

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

Tuesday 30 October 2018

Free Halloween Printables!

If you've got plans for tomorrow night - whether it's a full blown party, a spot of trick or treating, or just a cosy night in with the poison of your choice - I've got some great ideas for the finishing touches for you!

Firstly, I've created this free A4 Hocus Pocus Halloween Print for you - just click here to get your free download and print it off!*


If you're hosting a party these free printable Halloween wine labels will help everyone keep track of their drinks (the labels are best printed onto heavy paper, such as 160gsm card or gloss photo paper):*


Or if you're feeling a bit ogre-like and don't want to be disturbed by trick or treaters, simply print off this free A4 Halloween door poster for your door:*


If you're looking for even more great free printables, decorations, games and things to do, I've created a special Halloween Pinterest board too - packed full of ideas that are all free!


Have a spookylicious night tomorrow!
Sarah x

* Free for personal use. Not for commercial use or resale. Copyright PhotoFairytales.co.uk

Thursday 25 October 2018

PhotoFairytales - websites through the ages...

When a new baby arrives one of the first things new parents do is whip out the camera and snap every little movement, smile, milestone that their gorgeous newborn makes. Of course, why wouldn't you? And it doesn't stop there of course, we're madly photographing and recording them through every step of their lives, one way or another.

So, that got me thinking: (apart from my human 'baby', and my 'fur babies', of course!) my 'baby' is my business, and yet the emphasis with that is always about changing and improving, moving forward and evolving - never marking anything for posterity, or remembering times past. So wouldn't it be great to flip through some old images of how it looked when it was a newborn?!

OK, this might not be of huge interest to you if you haven't known me or my website for long, but - in the same way you react when someone shows you their baby photo album - bear with me, be polite: especially as PhotoFairytales was, erm, actually quite an ugly baby!

So by harnessing the power of the internet, I've been able to get some screenshots of PhotoFairytales through the years. I couldn't find one from right back at the beginning (2009), but I did manage to find one from 2011...


Like I say, PhotoFairytales was an ugly baby! I thought it looked so good at the time - but all those colours and all that busy-ness.. what was going through my head?!

Moving forward 2 years to 2013, and things are starting to look a bit better:


Still a bit busy and cluttered, but at least the colours are easier to live with now! I've even got a proper logo...

This is how it looked back in May 2016 - or what I think I'll call "The Wordy Year" (I obviously wanted to get my message across quick: look at all that reading you had to do!). Prettier colours though.


And finally, this is what it looks like today: less cluttered, a more streamlined colour scheme, and a lot less reading to do!:


I think from now on I'm going to make it a 'thing' to take a screenshot before I do any major changes to my website - just for old time's sake. And that way, any time I fancy a wander down memory lane - or a laugh at my old website skills - I can have a flick through my 'PhotoFairytales Through the Ages Album'!

Which one do you think looks best (and please don't say "the first one"!)?

Sarah x



Tuesday 16 October 2018

Your Autumn 'To Do' List

I'm on the mailing list for a certain DIY chain that sends out emails telling me the jobs I need to do in my garden that month... and I must admit, I usually cast them to the bin. I mean, I don't really need to be told I should be out raking up leaves or top dressing the grass - especially when I'd much rather be doing pretty much anything else!

So, I thought I'd create my own 'Jobs to do this Autumn' list, but something a bit more fun - full of things we'd all enjoy ticking off!

Top 12 things to do this Autumn, simple, cheap, fun and cosy
Top 12 things to do this Autumn, simple, cheap, fun and cosy

Top 12 fun things to do this Autumn

  1. Re-read an old favourite book - got a book that you read many moons ago, that you remember fondly? One that you've read a few times already perhaps? This is the time of year for sticking your nose in a good book, so why not dig out an old book that you know you loved the first time around? I'm planning on revisiting 'Wuthering Heights' again - I loved it when I read it in my teens, so it will be interesting to see if I still do!
  2. Get the blankets out - it's all about being cosy at this time of year. It may not be quite cold enough to turn on the heating properly yet, so having a couple of gorgeous throws in the living room that you can snuggle under will be perfect.
  3. Candle Power - we had a power cut here at home last weekend, which meant we had to dig out the candles and it was so cosy! It was actually secretly disappointing when the power came back on... maybe we should schedule in a pre-planned power cut every now and then? No telly, the low glow of candles, and a card game with the family, or swapping ghost stories!
  4. Leaf kicking - I mean, who doesn't enjoy kicking the leaves about at this time of year?! Fun for all the family!
  5. Fall down a Pinterest rabbit hole - figuratively speaking! Anyone who's ever spent so much as 2 minutes on Pinterest will know how easy it is for one click to lead to another. Why not plan an evening or afternoon of pinning and creating a few new boards? Ideas for the garden for the spring, storage ideas, gorgeous bathrooms, a new haircut, creative things to do with toilet rolls, whatever - you'll be inspired! Make a start by visiting my own Autumn inspired board on Pinterest by clicking here.
  6. Bake a cake and have some hot chocolate - we've been good, we've spent the summer eating salads and drinking plenty of water, so why not take a day off and do some baking? Coffee & Walnut, Lemon Drizzle, Brownies? Dig out the recipe book or have a Google and get your mouth watering...
  7. Start (casually) thinking about Christmas! It might be a bit early for some, but if you have a few hours spare why not grab a notebook and start planning? Get ahead of the game with gift ideas, recipe planning, dates for your diary, and a spot of online shopping!
  8. Watch an old movie - something black and white or in glorious technicolour! An old favourite that isn't demanding, doesn't bear any relation to modern life, and will whisk you away to a different world for a couple of hours.
  9. Invite friends or family round for Sunday lunch - stick a joint in the oven, get everyone to bring a side dish or dessert (and bottle of wine), and have a relaxing time full of good company and banter.
  10. Visit your local park - the trees look amazing at this time of year, full of colour. Go for a stroll or a bike ride and enjoy the colours. Head to your nearest city and have a wonder around the park. Or failing that maybe you have an arboretum or some woods near you, or perhaps a stately home with grounds open to the public?
  11. Visit the seaside - I know it sounds weird, but in my opinion the BEST time to visit the seaside is in the autumn and winter! Wrap up warm and go for a bracing walk along the prom. You might be lucky and find a kiosk that's still open and selling freshly made hot doughnuts rolled in sugar...
  12. Go stargazing - the earlier nights are perfect for star spotting. You may need to head out into the countryside to get away from the glow of lights, but pick a clear night, bundle up warm and take a flask of something warming - and maybe a slice of that cake you baked in step 6...
Sarah x



Monday 15 October 2018

Now a favourite blogger on MyBump2Baby!

If you're a parent to a pre-schooler or expecting a baby, I'm sure you'll love MyBump2Baby - it's a website and free app packed full of support and reviews from other parents, advice, events, directories, news and information. Lots of features to make a parent's life a little easier! A great resource that's completely free to use, the site is the UK’s fastest growing pregnancy to pre-school directory.

...and I'm delighted to announce that my blog has been chosen as one of MyBump2Baby's favourite blogs, and is featured on the site and app too!



Sarah :)

Monday 8 October 2018

WIN a free personalised handmade baby board book worth £28.50!

I'm working on a brand new design to add to my range of personalised handmade board books for Christmas - and I need your help!

The new design will have a Christmas theme, and I'm looking for suggestions for a book title. The person with the winning suggestion will will their very own laminated board book, worth £28.50!

personalised baby board books

For full details on how to enter just click the Competitions, Discounts & Giveaways tab above!

Sarah x

Saturday 29 September 2018

Brand New: Personalised Fork & Trowel set - new look!

If you know someone who loves their garden (and you're starting to turn your mind towards Christmas perhaps?!), I just know that they'll love this: their very own personalised garden fork and trowel set!

Personalised Garden Fork and Trowel Set | gardening gift from PhotoFairytales

This ever-popular gardening gift has just had a makeover too, and it's now available in these gorgeous green colour. The handle of each tool can be personalised with any wording of your choice, and you can have a different message on each handle if you like too. The garden tools are made from tough quality carbon steel, and the handles are wood and are strung with twine so that they're ready to hang up tidily in the garden shed!

Personalised Garden Fork and Trowel Set | gardening gift from PhotoFairytales

Personalised Garden Fork and Trowel Set | gardening gift from PhotoFairytales


The personalised garden tool set is presented in an organza gift bag, and of course, UK delivery is free of charge. At just £17.95 any keen gardener is going to love this smart and practical garden gift - perfect for your green fingered friend or loved one! See full details on the PhotoFairytales site now.

Sarah x


Wednesday 26 September 2018

Personalised Gifts for Bakers & Cooks: it's GBBO time!

Where were you at 8pm last night? I know where I was: sitting in front of the telly watching the Great British Bake Off, that's where (bye bye, Terry & Karen). Biscuit? Chandelier? What on earth...!

With all these gorgeous bakes passing before my eyes (did you see all that chocolate last week: heaven!), I've been getting in the baking mood. It's a bit tricky as we're trying really hard to be low carb and sugar free here at PhotoFairytales towers at the moment, so living vicariously through GBBO is about as close as we get to a slab of cake! We can be strong, we will (hopefully) resist!

I've put together a special page on the PhotoFairytales site full of great gift ideas for all those keen cooks and bakers - so if you have a star baker in your midst, or just a very keen 'fling it in the oven and see if it works' type cook, there are some brilliant gift ideas here that they'll love.

Here's a little round up - but visit the new page on the PhotoFairytales site to see everything on offer:

Personalised Cook's Conversion Chart | temperature, weight, liquid conversions | gift for cook baker from PhotoFairytales
Personalised Cook's Conversion Chart | temperature, weight, liquid conversions
Personalised Ceramic Mixing bowl | traditional china cake mix bowl | gift for cook baker from PhotoFairytales
Personalised Ceramic Mixing bowl | available in two different designs



Personalised Kitchen wall sign plaque | gift for cook baker from PhotoFairytales
Personalised Kitchen wall sign plaque | available in a range of colours

Personalised Cooking Baking Wooden Plaque Sign | gift for cook baker from PhotoFairytales
Personalised Wooden Plaque Hanging Sign | personalise with any wording of your choice


Sarah x



Tuesday 25 September 2018

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

Everything is Tickety Boo - bespoke personalised wooden sign
Everything is Tickety Boo - bespoke personalised wooden sign

I love it! What is it? 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 :)





Friday 17 August 2018

PhotoFairytales is taking a short break...


Hi everyone - just to let you know that I'm away for a week now, and will be back after the bank holiday on Tuesday 28th. The website is still open of course, and you're very welcome to place an order while I'm away. I'll be working extra hours when I'm back on the 28th to catch up and so minimise delays as much as possible.

Sarah x

Thursday 9 August 2018

PhotoFairytales: Winner of Best Personalised Handmade Gifts 2018!

I have exciting news! I'm so pleased to announce that I'm the Winner in the SME News 2018 Enterprise Awards in the Best Personalised Handmade Gifts category - how fabulous is that?!


SME News is a UK publication for British-based SME's (small and medium-sized enterprises), publishing the latest news and events in the business world as well as running annual Enterprise Awards aimed at recognising the UK enterprises.

SME News says: "The UK Enterprise scene is one to be admired, with new and exciting market sectors emerging daily. It takes courage, drive and dedication to thrive to succeed in this thriving space. As such, our 2018 UK Enterprise Awards showcase the very best businesses from across the UK’s corporate landscape."



Jessie Wilson, Awards Coordinator, discusses the success of this year’s programme: “UK based enterprises are renowned for their diversity and ability to progress through tough times. As we turn our backs on the recession it is now more important than ever to seek out hard working, innovative and diverse business owners and offer them a platform to further succeed, and as such it is my pleasure to announce the publication of this year’s awards. Congratulations to all of my winners; you have each exhibited determination, passion and a will to succeed which I hope continues into the future.”

SME News prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition.

So, I can safely say I'm rather chuffed to have PhotoFairytales recognised in this way - it means a lot, but of course, it goes without saying that my amazing customers play a huge part in the success of PhotoFairytales: without you lovely people, supporting me as a small British business, it simply wouldn't exist. So thank you to all customers: past, present and future - I share this award with you!

Sarah x



Monday 6 August 2018

Back to Work Day!


It was my first day back at work today, following last week's holiday. Phew, nearly 1000 emails to get through, but I think I've finally got them organised and I'm on top of orders!

Lovely to be back - I've missed you all

Sarah x

Wednesday 25 July 2018

Official Personalised Manchester United Gifts: NEW KIT!

Hi everyone - I'm diligently working despite the hot and crispy weather here in Norfolk this week! No rain for weeks, and temperatures over 30c are making for a strange situation of being really pleased and really fed up all at the same time. At least we all know what to wear every day: the coolest thing you can find!

And talking of clothing (see what I did there?), I'm please to say that all the official personalised Manchester United gifts on the PhotoFairytales site now feature the new ManU strip.

Personalised Manchester United gifts official new kit 2018

Manchester United FC was originally formed in 1878 as the Newton Heath LYR Football Club by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Heath - and the new kit features striking black lines, said to be inspired by the railway men of Newton Heath.

Official Personalised Manchester United gifts new kit 2018


Prices start at just £13.50, including (as always) free UK delivery too. See the official ManU personalised gift range by clicking here.

Great gifts for any Red Devils superfan!

Sarah :)

Friday 20 July 2018

PhotoFairytales will be taking a short break...

Hi everyone - just a quick notice to let you know that I'm taking a week's holiday from July 28th. I'll be back to work on August 6th.


You're still more than welcome to place orders while I'm away (the website will remain open as usual), but I won't be able to start work on your order until I'm back on the 6th. This will probably mean a slight delay to your order I'm afraid.

I'll be working extra hours during the week I'm back to minimise any delays as much as I possibly can.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch: queries@photofairytales.co.uk

Sarah :)

Wednesday 11 July 2018

Look what's just arrived!

Now, some would accuse me of having been a bit quiet of late... not keeping up with my social media responsibilities, ignoring the blog, tut - where have I been?!

Well, I haven't been relaxing or playing hooky, don't worry: I've been working like a crazy person on a brand new range for the website. And boy, I'm so excited about these!

Personalised Wooden Picture Blocks | freestanding solid wood picture | PhotoFairytales


My new personalised Wooden Picture Blocks are now (finally) live - after many test runs and working out, they're now up on the website for all to see (and buy!). These gorgeous chunky wooden blocks are available in a range of designs.

   Personalised Wooden Picture Blocks | freestanding solid wood picture | PhotoFairytales

Each block is made from thick solid pine, deep enough to freestand - so they'll look great on a windowsill, shelf, or mantelpiece! The blocks are beautifully cut and carefully sanded so that they are super smooth on all sides and edges. The artwork is printed on gorgeous textured traditionally-made watercolour paper, and then carefully mounted onto the block. The whole piece is then given 3 coats of matte varnish to seal the print and wood, protecting it from dirt and dust.

  Personalised Wooden Picture Blocks | freestanding solid wood picture | PhotoFairytales


Each wooden block features the natural wood grain on the sides and reverse - and each one is uniquely different.

 Personalised Wooden Picture Blocks | freestanding solid wood picture | PhotoFairytales

Personalised Wooden Picture Blocks | freestanding solid wood picture | PhotoFairytales

You can find the new personalised Wooden Picture Block range over on the website by clicking here. The blocks are £18.95, including free UK delivery.

If you sign up to the mailing list before 7.30pm this evening you'll receive an awesome discount code to celebrate their launch! So if you're not on the list, head over and sign up quickety-quick!

I really hope you like the new Picture Blocks!

Sarah x

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