» Listings for 2015

1. New products galore!!

   Posted on 10:31am Thursday 8th Oct 2015

   I have been busy adding some exciting brand new items to the website over the last week or so and have also had a major re-shuffle of website categories, so now, rather than having a long list of categories, you can now choose to:

   • Shop by Product ~ where you will find the personalised photo frames, chopping boards, wooden spoons, personalised glass, ceramic and slate gifts
   • Shop by Occasion ~ where you can have a browse and find the perfect wedding, new baby, Christening, birthday or Christmas gift
   • Shop by Recipient ~ where you can search for the perfect personalised gift for special friends, children, grandparents etc.

   There is also a brand new 'Design your own' category where you will easily find everything you need to design your own photo frame, chopping board, glass heart and lots more.  New products will be added to this section too so check back soon!

   I love these new personalised heart shaped photo frame which can be engraved with the short message of your choice and would look fabulous displayed on a mantlepiece or windowsill... Click on the photos to take you to the product pages!

   

   This beautiful double driftwood style photo frame is also new to the website and is a perfect way of displaying, for example, wedding photos, with the wording

   'Mr & Mrs ... And they lived happily ever after'

   Stock is limited on these so don't miss out!

   

   And lastly I have added to the website this beautiful personalised photo frame which was actually a customer request.  She had an idea for what she wanted on the photo frame but couldn't see exactly what she wanted on the website, so she asked ... and I said yes!  I love how it turned out and is a great way to capture those holiday memories forever!

   

   If you have an idea yourself for something you have in mind but can't see on the website, please ask via the 'contact me' form or email me at [email protected] and I will do my best to help!

   I am signing off for now, lots of orders to create and post out ~ I do hope you enjoy the website changes and new products!

   xx

2. Christmas is coming!

   Posted on 7:51pm Monday 5th Oct 2015

   As the weather is getting cooler and the leaves are starting to turn, thoughts inevitably turn to Christmas.  As I get so busy here at Pretty and Personalised HQ in the run up to Christmas, I have to be super organised and I have done most of my Christmas shopping already! ... oh err except for my triplet boys that is ... they are 11 now and in that 'very awkward to buy for stage' ... too old for toys, too young to really want or appreciate clothes, aftershaves etc!  I have asked them to start putting a list together and am intrigued to see what they come up with!  They have just started secondary school and have found it quite challenging to get themselves organised ... The transition from primary school to secondary school has been quite a shock to the system for them and I am finding it difficult to allow them time to organise themselves and make their own mistakes ... I know I won't be doing them any favours in the long run if I pack their books and P.E. kits for them, much as they would love me to! Individually, none of them are particularly losing many things, but with the three of them together we are constantly trying to find or replace lost items! I am sure they will improve!  Here they are on their first day at high school ...

   

   I have been busy behind the scenes creating some new personalised Christmas products and re-vamping some old ones ... I think one of my favourite new products is this wooden 'Santa please stop here' arrow sign which can be personalised with you child's (or children's) names ... Yours for just £12.50 with free postage!

    

   These two personalised Christmas plaques from last year have been given a slightly new look too...

    

   I will soon be adding this brand new style of personalised wooden Christmas sign to the website which can be hand engraved with any wording!

   

    I remember my boys loved to leave out cookies (and a nice glass of red wine!) for Santa on Christmas Eve when they were younger and these personalised wooden chopping board plaques are a perfect way to leave out that special treat!

   

   Keep your eyes peeled for these items and more coming to the website, and don't forget to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for regular updates and offers! (links at bottom of website)

    

    

    

    

    

    

3. Pretty and definitely Personal...

   Posted on 8:35pm Wednesday 20th May 2015

   Welcome to my latest blog post ... can you believe it is nearing the end of May already?!  Spring is definitely in the air ~ my garden is lush and green and we are lucky enough to have blue tits nesting just outside our living room window so we can hear the tiny cheeps of the chicks and watch the busy parents flitting back and forth feeding their hungry brood ~ and I thought I worked hard!

   I get a lot of emails asking if certain words can be changed on my products ... and the answer is always YES!  All items at Pretty and Personalised start off completely blank, so the examples shown on the website are only guides as to the wording you can have.  All items are handmade to order so you can have ANY wording you require!

   You can have a browse through the wide range of products with quotes on available on the website and if something is not quite right for your gift then you can change any part of it ... for example, with the quote

   'A grandad is someone you can always look up to ... no matter how tall you grow'

   you may like to change it to Dad or Great Grandpa, or even Nan.  It is YOUR gift and can be personalised exactly as you require.

   You may not even require a quote on your item, you may just want your own special message as in the examples of recent orders below

   

   

   

   

   The photos can be clicked on to take you to the product page!

   You may have your own favourite quote or song lyric that you would like to see on a gift ...

   

   Or you may even have an idea of an item that you would like in the Pretty and Personalised handcrafted style that you cannot currently see on the website!  I recently had a lovely regular customer ask if I could make a button head style family picture frame for her and her friend ... I, of course, was happy to oblige as I LOVE getting creative and designing a new product ... and this was the result ...

   

   

   I love the finished product and have just added them to the website ... click the photos to be taken to the product!

   If you have an idea for a product that you would like and you cannot see it on the website, please contact me by clicking the tab above, or if you would like to send photos, email me at [email protected] and I will get back to you as soon as possible!

   I have lots more ideas in the pipeline so will keep you posted!

   I am signing off now ... my glass of wine is calling!

   Night all! x

    

4. It's all about the men...

   Posted on 8:46pm Wednesday 6th May 2015

   Welcome to my latest blog, where we talk about 40th birthdays, caricaturists, Father's day and discount codes!  Read on to find out how you can claim 10% off purchases of two or more items!

   Hands up if you have a man in your life who is difficult to buy for?! I think we all know someone like this and my lovely husband is no exception!  He turned 40 last week and I set myself the task of buying him 40 gifts for his 40th year!  As hard as it was scouring the internet for ideas, and buying 40 gifts, it was a lovely start to his birthday to see him opening them all! 

   

   I wanted to make something special for him, something a little different from the norm ... I created this photo board by using upholstery pins to pin over 50 square photos of him from over the last 40 years in date order and finshed it off by engraving a wooden plaque with the words 'It has taken me 40 years to look this good'.  (Please ignore my little yorkie in the photo, she likes to be in on the action!)

   

   

   The photo board looks fabulous now it is complete!  Please contact me if you would like me to recreate a plaque similar to the one shown here!

   I have always wanted a caricature drawn of myself and my family and found a fantastic caricaturist to draw us as an additional gift for his birthday.  We are so pleased with the finished result and love the way she has managed to make each of our triplet boys look slightly different from one another ... not an easy task as they do look so similar! The caricature is now framed in one of the black wooden photo frames available on the website and has pride of place in our living room!  Can you see the resemblance?!

   

   

   With Father's Day coming up next month, you may find you are struggling to find that perfect gift.  Even the most difficult-to -buy-for man would appreciate the thought and effort put into a personalised gift.  I have put together a few ideas below to give you some ideas and inspiration.  From items which are brand new for 2015 like the ceramic star and heart, to old favourites such as personalised photo frames and slate hearts, I am sure you will find something you love!

      

    

   

   These personalised gifts are all available on the website (click on the photos to be taken to the product page) and you can claim 10% off an order of two or more items by using discount code 10multi in the box at checkout!

   Whether you are shopping for your own dear Dad or Grandad, or on behalf of your children for your husband or partner, show them just how special they are this Father's day with a wonderful keepsake gift from Pretty and Personalised.

    

    

5. Wedding Showcase...

   Posted on 3:07pm Saturday 18th Apr 2015

   I do love a wedding ... a real chance to get dressed up ... the weeks of preparation, finding the perfect dress, matching shoes and handbag, getting your hair, nails and tan done, praying for some good weather ... and that is just if you are a guest!  If you are lucky enough to be getting married this year I hope all your plans are going smoothly.

   I loved planning my own wedding ... I have been married to my wonderful husband and best friend for 7 years this year.  Our triplets were 4 years old at the time and were just about to start school.  I remember their gorgeous shiny shoes which we hired from the suit shop ... proper miniature versions of their dad's shoes!  This is my favourite photo taken of them on our wedding day ... I was watching from a distance as the photographer crouched next to them taking this photo and knew that the end result would be lovely!

   

   I made a lot of things for the wedding myself for a really personal touch;  invitations, place cards, table number, table plan etc ... This was in the days before Pretty and Personalised was born and I loved having the chance to be so creative!  I wanted my table decorations to be my favourite flower ~ orchids  ... so I painted and decorated terracotta flower pots in a vivid fuchsia pink to display the orchids in and they looked fabulous arranged down the long tables ... bright splashes of colour against the white tablecloths.

   At the end of our wonderful wedding day, I was able to give out these orchids as gifts to my family and friends which made a lovely long lasting memento of our day.

   It was these painted flower pots which inspired me to start Pretty and Personalised just over a year later.  After working night shifts as a Healthcare Assistant at my local hospital, much as I loved my job, I was constantly tired and knew it was time for a change...

   ...and so Pretty and Personalised was born.  I started off selling personalised flower pots, then added a range of personalised plaques and photo frames and have never looked back.  That was over 5 years ago now and I cannot imagine doing anything else.  I LOVE my job; being able to create a whole range of beautiful personalised gifts, and meeting so many wonderful people while still being around for my children and husband.

   I love creating personalised wedding gifts; knowing each one will be given with so much love and hope for the future.  From gifts for the special couple to mark their wedding day, to thank you gifts from the bride and groom to their bridesmaids, best man etc, there is a whole range of unique gifts to choose from.

   

   You can choose your own message or quote on a personalised candle, personalise a wooden spoon or rolling pin, or surprise anyone in the wedding party with their own personalised coat hanger ... these look wonderful in the wedding photos with all the dresses hung up together.

   

   You can choose from a range of wooden plaques / signs which can all be personalised with the message of your choice ... from a Mr& Mrs arrow to point your wedding guests in the right direction, to a freestanding wooden plaque or rustic hanging plaque with the couple's name and date of wedding, you are sure to find a gift that will be treasured forever.

   

   To thank your bridesmaid, flower girl, mother of the bride / groom, you can personalise a glass heart with your own message, and these hand decorated pint glasses make a perfect gift for a best man, usher, father of the bride / groom.

   The wedding horseshoe is a traditional gift to give to a bride on her wedding day, and personalising it with your own message will make it even more special.

   The personalised wooden hammer is a fairly new addition to the website and has already proved very popular for the newly married couple.

   So if you are planning your own wedding, or are atttending a wedding as a guest this year, I do hope you enjoy browing through the Wedding Gifts section of the website and find some inspiration for truly personal and unique gifts.  And I hope the day is a truly memorable one.

   Signing off for now;  the sun is shining and I must take my gorgeous little Yorkshire Terrier for a walk before she thinks I have forgotten all about her!

   

   Keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram ~ find the links at the bottom of the website!

    

    

6. Behind the Scenes...

   Posted on 4:55pm Sunday 12th Apr 2015

   While my husband has been having a rather windy game of golf today, I have spent a pleasant day on some website maintenance, updating photos and other information... a job I do rather enjoy but which I often find difficult to find time to do ~ and after countless episodes of 'Friends' and endless cups of tea I finally feel like I am getting somewhere! 

   With more and more people browsing the internet and shopping on the move, using smart phones and tablets, I have switched to a responsive website layout so you will find it simple to browse and buy from Pretty and Personalised wherever you are and whatever device you are using!  Checkout is safe and secure via PayPal or Stripe and I never see any of your payment details so you can buy with confidence.  Although I do state to allow up to 10 working days for dispatch, I am often able to post out much sooner than this.  You can leave me a note in the box at checkout if you require an item sooner and I will always do my best to accommodate your request.  Postage is via Royal Mail first class post which usually arrives within 1-2 working days.                                         

   I am lucky enough to have three happy helpers when it comes to the post run ... in the form of my triplets ... always willing to lend a hand ...for a small fee of course!

    

   I love having requests for new items ... a recent request for a personalised wooden hammer has proved very popular, not only for Anniversary or Wedding gifts, but for Dad and Grandad gifts too ... there are so many quotes that would look great on a hammer ... here are a few recent orders

   

   

   

   

   They make fantastic and unusual gifts, don't you agree!?  They are just £12.50 each with free postage and if you click on any of the photos, it will take you to the hammer in the shop.

   You can sign up to receive my newsletter at the bottom of the website ~ just enter your email address for weekly updates on what's new and receive exclusive discounts!  And why not follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest ~ links are at the bottom of the page!

   I am signing off now to continue with my website maintenance ~ more products will be added in the coming week so come back soon to see what is new!

    

7. Spring is here!

   Posted on 3:48pm Thursday 2nd Apr 2015

   Despite the mild winter, it is always a lovely feeling knowing that spring is here, with the lighter evenings, milder temperatures, nesting birds and blossoming trees!  I have been busy over the last few weeks adding a new range of glass and ceramic gifts to the website. 

    

   

   These lovely glass hearts proved extremely popular this Mother's Day, leading to me selling out twice!  They make wonderful gifts as they can be personalised with the message of your choice, or you can choose from the wide range of beautful quotes available

    

   

   There are lots of wine glasses available now on the website, both singly and in pairs and again can have any message on them making great gifts for any occasion.  One of my favourites so far was made for Mother's Day and features the quote 'Goodnight kids...hello wine'.      I am sure I am not the only mum who can relate to this after a long day!  At just £10.50, it is a great gift, and as with all items at Pretty and Personalised, there is free UK postage!

    

   You can view the full range of personalised ceramic and glass gifts here and come back soon as more items are being added weekly!

   As you may or may not know, I am lucky enough to be a mum to lovely triplets, all boys, who are now 11.  To entice them away from the x-box for an hour or so during these Easter holidays, I sorted out my glass and ceramic paints and set them a task to decorate their own drinks glass and cereal bowl...they loved it and are very pleased with the results!  What do you think?!

    

    

   

   Finally I would like to wish you all a Happy Easter ~ Don't forget to check out the Easter Sale, lots of products available at discounted prices ~ ends Tuesday!