The Crafty Nook

The Crafty Nook Handmade gifts with heart & a hint of glitter
Hair bows | DIY craft kits | Personalised goodies
Single mum. ME/CFS warrior. Creative queen.

Crafting joy, chaos & a little magicโ€”daily! DM to order or just say hey!

Today's business update: I handed a bag to the postie. That's it. That's the whole update. ๐Ÿ“ฆIt's been a week. Little Pic...
11/06/2026

Today's business update: I handed a bag to the postie. That's it. That's the whole update. ๐Ÿ“ฆ

It's been a week. Little Pickle's leg is still healing which means every evening I get to be her personal punch bag while I clean it and apply Savlon โ€” she's absolutely delightful about it, as you can imagine ๐Ÿคฃ

On top of that, a week of barely sleeping and a child who saves all her dysregulation for the moment she sees my face has completely wiped me out. And it's only Thursday.

The highlight of today was being locked out of my own house. This was after she had called me dumb and said she hated me for making her have cream on all the way home and even walking off out of my sight.

I was chatting to a neighbour on the doorstep. Little Pickle opened the door, decided that was enough of that, and shut me out. Then leaned on it for a good 5 minutes so I couldn't get back in. My brother was home so she was fine โ€” I was just stood there on my own doorstep like ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ˜ฎ

You do get those moments where your brain goes where did I go wrong? And then you catch yourself, because you know you didn't. And you know it's not her fault either. That's just the neurodiverse parenting experience sometimes โ€” you love them to absolute pieces and some days it is just really, really hard.

Anyway. We're going to bed early, I'm going to try and get her settled, and I'm going to lie there hoping tomorrow is a better day for both of us.

If you needed to hear it today โ€” you're not failing. You're just tired. There's a difference. ๐Ÿฉต

Not long now and the schools will be breaking up for summer! Little Pickle meets her Year 3 teacher at the beginning of ...
10/06/2026

Not long now and the schools will be breaking up for summer!

Little Pickle meets her Year 3 teacher at the beginning of July. Year 3!! How on earth did that happen ๐Ÿคฃ I'm secretly hoping she keeps her current one but let's be honest, probably not going to happen.

Anyway. School leavers stuff. I made this top and notebook set today and I am genuinely a little bit proud of it ๐Ÿ˜ญ The transfer gives this gorgeous embroidered effect, the design is an original by moi, AND the t-shirt is double sided so your Year 6s can get their mates to sign it. Which is very cute and I am choosing not to be jealous.

Because when I left school? Big white shirt. Permanent marker (almost certainly nicked off a teacher). Notebook from Asda. And if you were really lucky, a JD Sports carrier bag doing overtime as a PE kit bag ๐Ÿคฃ We didn't have it fancy. We survived anyway.

A6 Notebook โ€” ยฃ4
T-shirt โ€” ยฃ8
Grab both for just ยฃ10

Still need school leavers bits? Slide into my DMs and let's sort you out ๐Ÿ’Œ

What was your school leaving tradition? White shirt? Silly string? Leaving do at the local Wetherspoons? Tell me everything ๐Ÿ‘‡

Little Pickle was home again today ๐Ÿฅบ Her leg still hadn't fully dried out, she said it still hurt, and honestly? I haven...
08/06/2026

Little Pickle was home again today ๐Ÿฅบ Her leg still hadn't fully dried out, she said it still hurt, and honestly? I haven't slept properly since Thursday from sheer anxiety about knocking it in the night. So when the alarm went off on a soggy grey morning, we looked at each other and unanimously decided: nope. Rest day it is.

So naturally I did what any completely rational, utterly exhausted person would do.

I planned Christmas. ๐ŸŽ„

(I KNOW. I KNOW. But hear me out โ€” it's not too early to be prepared, right? That's not the sleep deprivation talking. Probably.)

I finished off my laser designs and then got AI to mock them up so I could see if they matched what I had in my head โ€” and honestly I'm a bit obsessed?

Introducing our in-house designed collection:
๐Ÿ”” Believe Bells
๐ŸฆŒ Reindeer Bells
๐Ÿท๏ธ Lost Reindeer Tags
๐Ÿ—๏ธ Santa's Magic Key Holder (brand new this year!)

These are mock ups for now but they'll be getting made up properly very soon!

So โ€” two questions. How is it for Little Pickle? She's doing okay, thank you. Back to school tomorrow. Hooray!

And more importantlyโ€ฆ is it too early for Christmas or am I completely justified? Drop your verdict below ๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿ˜‚

07/06/2026

Little Pickle update โ€” the bandage and iodine patch are OFF! ๐ŸŽ‰ And with only a little spiciness from her!

She's been signed off with a list of restrictions that honestly sounds like the most fun she's ever been banned from having: no rough games, no PE, no swimming and no baths until it heals. Showers only. She was devastated about the baths and swimming ones obviously.

Back to school tomorrow and I'm sure she will absolutely stick to all of those rules without question. Absolutely. Ah who am I kidding? This is my child I'm talking about ๐Ÿคฃ

In shop news โ€” a few bits happening this week!

The Peg People Feelings sets are getting their final send-off on Tuesday. I'll be making up the last batch and then they're retiring for good โ€” the Etsy listing has already been updated to the new crayon versions so it's officially a new era ๐Ÿ–๏ธ

The new style Needs keyrings are designed and ready โ€” just waiting on the acrylic to arrive before I show them off and get the listing back up!

AND โ€” Welsh versions of the crayons are coming ๐Ÿ‘€๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ

Oh and I'm also plotting a little gag gift for mums and dads. Itโ€™s something I realised I could do with since Thursday. I'll say no more for now ๐Ÿ˜‚

Here they are!! ๐Ÿ–๏ธSo last night I asked Little Pickle what shape the new feelings keyrings should be.She said crayons.Ob...
05/06/2026

Here they are!! ๐Ÿ–๏ธ

So last night I asked Little Pickle what shape the new feelings keyrings should be.

She said crayons.

Obviously she was right. She's always right. ๐Ÿคฃ

I then went down a bit of a rabbit hole googling colour psychology โ€” because if I'm redesigning them I wanted each crayon to actually be the colour associated with that emotion. Angry is red, Sad is blue, Happy is yellow โ€” turns out colour psychology is a whole thing and I am now slightly obsessed.

The only one that stumped me was Nervous. The psychology colours for nervous are yellow, red or grey โ€” all already taken. So I went with green.
Because green is associated with feeling sick.
And honestly? Nervous does make you feel a bit sick. So green it is.

We've also had a little group shake up โ€” Worried has left the chat and Nervous, Scared and Bored have joined the gang!

Little Pickle had the first finished sets and in her words "I love them mum" โ€” I'm taking that as a win!!

The Calm Down keyrings have also had their crayon makeover today as well so both sets are ready to go!

The I Need keyrings will be getting their shape change and makeover in the coming days so watch this space!

Prices are staying exactly the same โ€” ยฃ5 per set or grab both for ยฃ7.50

Listing is now back up on Etsy!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4335369115/feelings-keyring-calm-down-keyring

05/06/2026

Morning all!

So. Funny thing happened this week.

You know the Feelings and Calm Down keyrings? When I bought the design files I could only sell up to 300 of them โ€” and I've nearly hit that. Asked the designer if I could extend it but the file's no longer available so that's a no.

And can I just say โ€” this is the first time I have EVER hit a sales limit on a purchased design. Mind blown. Genuinely did not see that coming ๐Ÿคฏ

Instead of just pulling the listing and leaving it at that, I did what any completely normal person does at the end of a chaotic day โ€”
I designed my own version. ๐Ÿคฃ

Little Pickle was in full limpet mode on the sofa and in bed, I had my laptop, and I just went for it. New shape, new design, all mine. Hoping to get a tester set printed and pressed today so fingers crossed they come out right!

The Etsy listing is temporarily deactivated while I sort this but it's not gone โ€” just evolving ๐Ÿ‘€

In other news Little Pickle is home today resting her leg (keeping that bandage dry and away from the chaos that is our weather and school corridors) and I am currently operating under a soundtrack of muuuum on a loop approximately 20 thousand times ๐Ÿ˜‚

I've also got 2 Paint Your Own orders left to pack this morning, then it's hunt down the new blanks, make the testers, check the sizing is spot on โ€” and then I'll show you all before the listing goes back up.

Watch this space!

Small business life update because of course today went exactly as planned ๐ŸคฃI had 8 out of 11 paint your own orders pack...
04/06/2026

Small business life update because of course today went exactly as planned ๐Ÿคฃ

I had 8 out of 11 paint your own orders packed and just needed to nip out to grab Little Pickle from colouring club before finishing the last 3.

Simple. Foolproof. What could go wrong?

What went wrong: a torrential downpour that had me breaking out the fake dryrobe, AND arriving home to discover one of her injuries from Norfolk was looking a bit angry after getting the scab knocked off on tuesday then the actual injury getting knocked at school yesterday.

So instead of packing orders we ended up at the walk in centre.

Good news โ€” they saw her really quickly, it's not infected, just a reaction to the dressing. They've cleaned it up and popped an iodine bandage on that needs to stay on for 48 hours. She's fine. She is however currently glued to me like a little limpet and feeling very sorry for herself ๐Ÿฅน

So the last 3 orders will be going out tomorrow instead โ€” sorry for the slight delay if you're waiting on one!

And my plan to finally gut the living room and go through all my stock tomorrow? Also not happening now.

I swear that job is cursed. Every single time I plan it, life goes "lol no." ๐Ÿ˜‚

Making day yesterday and I even snuck in a little personal project โ€” a duck keyring for my adopted niece who is absolute...
04/06/2026

Making day yesterday and I even snuck in a little personal project โ€” a duck keyring for my adopted niece who is absolutely obsessed with duck ducks and just laughs at me every time I bring it up on the phone ๐Ÿคฃ

Also made more feelings keyrings, calm down keyrings, and Dumplings obviously

BUT. Can we talk about cruise ducks for a second.
Because apparently there's a whole game where people hide rubber ducks around cruise ships for other passengers to find!

I've got cruise duck keyrings now and honestly they'd be such a cute thing to hide instead of a regular duck.

Does anyone here go on cruises and play the duck game?? I need to know how many of you are out there ๐Ÿ‘€

I've never actually been on a cruise myself but honestly if I ever do I just know I'd be the one hiding ducks everywhere and absolutely loving it ๐Ÿคฃ drop me a comment if you'd like me to make some cruise ducks up for you!

Yesterday I put my new sticker on the back of the car.I made it myself because honestly I'm fed up.Fed up of the looks I...
02/06/2026

Yesterday I put my new sticker on the back of the car.

I made it myself because honestly I'm fed up.

Fed up of the looks I get when I use my blue badge. Fed up of people clocking me getting out of the car and doing the face. You know the face.

The thing is โ€” you can't see my disability. And some people have decided that means it doesn't exist.
So the sticker says what I want to say every single time it happens with less swearing.

If I could swap it โ€” the badge, the sticker, all of it โ€” for a body that doesn't scream in pain with every single movement? I'd do it in a heartbeat. No question.

But I can't. So the sticker stays.

(Also dropped cups off for Pride this weekend today and yes two of them are for teachers because it's that time of year โ€” if you need cups or decals made, I'm your gal. Cups are order in-only now so slide into my DMs!)

As promised โ€” here's what I was up to last night while waiting for Little Pickle to finally give up the ghost and go to ...
31/05/2026

As promised โ€” here's what I was up to last night while waiting for Little Pickle to finally give up the ghost and go to sleep ๐Ÿ˜…

These are Personalised Moon Phase prints and honestly I am a little bit obsessed with how they're turning out!

The idea is simple but it gets me every time โ€” each print shows the exact phase of the moon on whatever date matters to you. The night your baby was born. The day you became a dad. Your wedding day. A date you'll never forget.

Father's Day is literally round the corner and I just KNOW some of you are still panicking about what to get ๐Ÿคฃ โ€” but these work for absolutely any occasion. Weddings, new babies, christenings, anniversaries, you name it.

All you need to do is send me the names, dates and wording you want and I'll create the whole thing for you!

Digital file โ€” ยฃ5
Unframed print โ€” ยฃ7
Framed print โ€” ยฃ10

Drop me a message or comment below and I'll get you sorted!

(Tag someone who needs one of these!)

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Portsmouth

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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