Tuesday 29 January 2013

A room of one's own. Plus Giveaway. Because life is better with craft supplies and stationery.

Thanks for your comments on my blogiversary post yesterday. You're all very kind, and yes sometimes I over think things. Who'd have thunk?

I've been a bit slack on the blogging front recently, mainly because I've been tired. [This stupid get fit and get thin thing takes up loads of time and it's borrrring.] I have other things to do as well - like write a review of my friend's book,* and I've put pressure on myself to do it properly. As a result, I'm doing a virtual 'lalala can't hear you' and haven't started it. However - we're in the process of buying a house, AGAIN - and  naturally THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT. Because I will have.. an office**. A creative hub. An oasis of learning. A room of one's own, as insisted on by Virginia Woolf. Of course, it's highly probable that I will be just the same, and spend more time on Pinterest drooling over pictures of desks and world maps and pen pots than I will actually writing. But that's the fun bit, right? [And yes, I'm well aware that I should be perfectly capable of tapping out a best selling novel / earth shatteringly popular blog at the kitchen table. In between my volunteer work and raising triplets single-handed. And like, baking and stuff.]

desk space...good karma

desk space - photos

Love this desk space! And I especially love the brightly colored chair



Post-it note table for doodles and designs
Just rip it off and start again when you're done!

Anyway, as everyone knows, the best thing about a new job, new term at college or fictional office is the stationery buying opportunities this presents. I was in Tiger at the weekend - and as ever, managed to fill a basket with stuff I didn't know I needed. If you don't yet have a branch in your town, they're a Danish company, and are kind of like the love-child of Muji and Ikea marketplace. They're especially good for crafty bits and pieces - beads, crochet hooks, 15 metres of satin ribbon for a quid - big packets of spices, random Scandinavian snacks and stationery. They have notebooks of all sizes, cards and postcards, hipster beloved sticky tape with moustaches on it, sketch books with a pre-printed 'frame' on each page, speech bubble post-it notes...

Lamps £8 each


Parcel tape 2 for £1

Bull pen and post-it holder £2

Origami/crafting paper £1 a packet


I bought a waste-paper bin made from recycled Japanese magazines for £4, and everyone needs paper-clips shaped like bicycles, right?


Bike clips 4 for £1

So, because I got a bit carried away - and to celebrate two years of blogging, I have a little parcel of goodies to give away. 

  • Pack of pretty crafting papers
  • Speech bubble post-it notes - perfect for adding to photos of friends
  • Bicycle paper clips
  • A mini glue-gun complete with 3 glue sticks
  • Pack of Dutch waffles. Sustenance is important for inspiration. [Unless I've eaten them as well as my own packet. Yum]

So, to enter - please use the widget below and tell me in the comments what kind of 'room of your own' you'd like for yourself. Or have already claimed for yourself, if you're that lucky. Somewhere to write? Craft room? Gorgeous airy studio? Dressing room? Library? Frankly I'd like all of these and require a mansion to facilitate it. Oh, and be a follower of the blog. It's only polite. Any other follows/tweets purely optional. Open worldwide.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lakota x


PS. While we're on the subject of stationery, I really have to show you these gorgeous notecards that the beautiful and fragrant Kylie sent me recently. She's made them out of a vintage ladybird book and I can't tell you how much I love them. Isn't she a genius?

Peter and Jane always wrote their thank you notes 

Thank you Kylie.


* It's called Composition, you should buy it. See link above
**ie. room with desk which I don't yet own / spare bed / shitload of unpacked boxes

63 comments:

  1. I want a dressing room!

    Lovely giveaway. Thank you

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  2. I would love to have a library with wall to wall books

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  3. I would have a HUGE studio/barn which would have whole areas devoted to all the different stuff I wish I could get on with if the damn kids I mean my lovely daughters would let me... so lovely Welsh dressers stuffed with pure merino wools and lovely big wooden hooks and needles, then big easels and cupboards full of shiny new paints and posh paper and, well I could go on and on. You get the idea though. I've spent a lot of time imagining this space!! Good luck with the house buying xx Chloe

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  4. I feel a little googling coming on, Tiger sounds like my sort of joint if you get me (went a little gangsta there but you feel me, yeah?!).

    My 'Room of my Own' is actually the guest bedroom but with an old desk I swiped on eBay for £40 in the corner, a table given to me by my parents and tins by the dozen full of knick-knacky bits. I don't know that I'll ever be able to afford a place with an actual room just for me (imagine!) but I like to think it'd be what I have now on a larger scale with an entire wall for books (a shelf of Folio Society editions among them - wishful or what?!) and a beautiful old armchair purely to curl up in and read. Ah bliss.

    Jem xXx

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  5. Wow, Kylie sends the best presents. She is very kind. I would love a crafting/sewing room of my own. Just a nice light, airy space to have a sewing machine and all my mounds of fabric, buttons, beads etc. Somewhere big enough to store all my vintage pieces I picked up to be sold on and all the packaging I needed. A place to escape to where I can cover the walls in all kinds of pretty pictures. Sigh, t'would be grand! xxx

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  6. In my new house I do indeed have such a room, and yes it is wondrous!!!! Tiled cool floor!!! Actual walls!!! Enclosed dry space!!! All that stuff!! But a very bad phone and net connection. Just when I thought I had it all, modern techonology craps all over me....

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  7. Hi, I have my own little workspace, little being the most important part of the statement.
    It is a converted 1970s caravan called Maurice. Maurice is very important to me because I can take myself away from the distractions of household chores, having 3 boys these can be quite considerable. I can decorate and display til my hearts content and I get to listen to 'my' kinda stuff on the radio, ie, Jeremy Vine, radio 2.
    I bet you will love having an office and I for one can't wait to see it.
    Emma. X

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  8. I'd love a warm and airy concrete floored painting studio. Attatched to a shop. And a dressing room while I'm at it. Is that too much to ask? (I have to say I'm a little disapointed. Am I the only one who was expecting stationary with willies on it?)x

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    1. When I track some down you'll be the first to know! It could match that lovely hiking jacket I found.

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  9. the things i could do with a room of my own! i could fill it with fabric (and other stuff) and before long i wouldn't be able to get in! i'll just have to wait till one of the kids leaves (and then i bet they'll come back again!)

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  10. I have "craft room", which in truth is more of a dumping ground rather than the pretty, organised and creative space I was hoping for, but I'm greedy and want a dressing room as well.... (and lazy, so lets throw in a cleaner to keep them both pretty and organised too.)

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  11. It would have a door with a lock, and I would have the only key!

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  12. I am lucky enough to have a room that I have named my craft/scrapbook room. The only problem is I can't find any time to spend in it. Can you help with that??? Thanks for the chance to win these fun things.

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  13. Oh, I'm the same, I would love a room of my own! For blogging and crafty things and huge bookshelves and my own gogglebox so I don't have to watch Andy Murray...or disentangle the kitten from the knittin'...
    ♥nic

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  14. I'd love a room for my sewing. Nothing much, just lots of light, masses of storage, a big table for cutting out, maybe a chaise lounge for resting on while being inspired and a supply of frolicking kittens.

    Failing that, can I have a cupboard to specifically house my husbands ever increasing collection of computer leads and defunct equipment?

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  15. I'd like all of the above! or is that greedy?? room to sew and write and read - with lots of natural light!

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  16. I'm lucky, I have the loft as a 'studio'. It was why we bought the house (well, it's why I bought the house, it was less of a priority for the husband!) Actually, it's mainly full of my 'stuff', but my sewing machine and craft things live up there and i do actually use it. One day I'll blog about it, if it's ever tidy!

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  17. oh geez, can I have a library/sewing studio/craft room/gaming room/nap nook/everybody else stay the hell out room?

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  18. a room just for me? All my craft things spread out and not put away would be great. I have lots of rooms that I call my own, but have to share. My favourite is my allotment shed, with its green polka dot curtains.

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  19. A room of ones own sounds lovely and fun. Good luck with the house move. Im happy not to be entered please. Love Kylie's ladybird notecards there gorgeous, dee x

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  20. I WANT MY OWN BEDROOM! I live with my sister, so all my stuff (I'm 25, so that's a lot of stuff) lives in my room because the rest of the house is hers. The airing cupboard also makes up 50% of my storage space which is full of towels and sheets, so I'm living in a pile of things. All my furniture used to be someone elses so it's all broken. I just want a normal sized bedroom, with space for a wardrobe and chest of draws you can open without the draw falling out, my bookcase, a bed I can walk around! I'd have a nice rug, cushions, paint it slate grey and yellow. Maybe if its got a bay window I'd have a window seat to read on. And it'd only have my stuff in it!

    I'd love a craft room, or an office, or a library, but a bedroom! I want a bedroom!

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  21. I am a stationery addict too and can easily get attached to said stationery items. I am lucky – I have a craft room, but I’ve got a little bit lazy with keeping it tidy/organised! I do sometimes wish I had a dressing room/clothes room – for practical purposes (clothes tantrums are an often occurrence), but I get far more use out of my craft room and I have a ton of junk to stash! xxx

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  22. I'm lucky to have a room of my own. It's a small place which triples as an office, craft room and library. Oh and the dog shares it and has a basket under my desk. The walls are decorated with pictures husband wouldn't let me display in other parts of the house (Romeo and Juliet, my signed photo of Alan Rickman etc.). I can also burn incense. When I'm not in the kitchen or sleeping I spend most of my time here. I love it. It's a room where I don't have to compromise. xx
    (btw - I LOVE that parcel tape).

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  23. I'd like a room with my music and my books and a pc and a sewing machine, storage, a pretty view, gorgeous artwork, an egg chair or a chaise long (I'm not fussy)..... I'll shut up now....xx

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  24. A room? Is it really bad that I want a house of my own?!
    The kids can visit. Sometimes. I don't think I am naturally suited to living with people, yet I am surrounded by a great big partner, kids and cats - how did THAT happen?
    I can't really kid myself that being on my own would suddenly make me super creative and productive though... I have time, I could do stuff, I'm just a lazy cow!

    The stationery is cute, I have never heard of Tiger. What am I like! xxxx

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  25. I would love my own studio so very much. Never heard of Tiger but they look rather amazing, yes please stationary!! Don't forget to let us know when you have your office!

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  26. I'm lucky enough to have my own craft room. Technically it is also our dining room, but we rarely eat in there (Tom says it's because he likes watching TV whilst we eat, but I think it's probably because I've painted half the dining room bubblegum pink :p). I'm more than happy with my little space, but I would love a huge library like the one in Beauty and the Beast :)
    xx
    P.S. I LOVE Tiger! It's my favourite shop in the whole wide world- so many things I never knew I needed but then realised I couldn't live without :p

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  27. It would be a library for me with big squishy comfee chair and a log fire. XXX

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  28. I'd love a library - it would be full of dark wood and comfortable places to sit, and a bay window of course!

    I adore Tiger, all my stocking stuffers came from there!

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  29. Those are beautifully clever notecards.

    I am greedy, so I would like 2 rooms of my own thank you please. I would firstly like a walking wardrobe/ dressing room. I hate having to put my clothes away in vac bags at Autumn/ Spring, I just want a room where everything is hung up, where I can see all my bags and shoes and accessories and get ready in... not too much to ask is it? The second room I would like would be a craft room, but in reality I think this would get shared with hubby for his painting, but I'd like that.

    I'm on pinterest too... my boards are full of walk in wardrobes and craft rooms, surprising huh? x

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    1. I meant a walk in wardrobe as opposed to a walking wardrobe... that would just be creepy!

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  30. I'd love a library, dark and cavenous with an open fire (I know a terrible fire risk) and a very large chaise for reading on.

    That, or a huge room that is entirely bed.

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  31. A room of my own would be for sleeping in at all hour of the day and makeup as well as writing and stashing my imaginary sweets in. Like a bedroom but not full of smelly socks.

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  32. a HUGE wardrobe room...like those ones you see on cribs lol

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  33. I use the box bedroom as my craft room

    katrina day-reilly

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  34. I loooove Tiger! We are lucky enough to have 2 nearby, in Hammersmith, and one within walking distance in Hounslow High St. I would love a Chalet / summerhouse (heated in the winter) as my sewing /crafting /escape room, with a white desk and blowsy rose prints everywhere.

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  35. How have never heard of Tiger?!?!?!?! WTF?!?!?!?!?! I need to get me there. PRONTO!

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  36. I would love my own little crafting space it would have room for my sewing machine which currently sits on the floor, heaps of shelving and a tv with a dvd player - sighhhhhhhh

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  37. How have I survived 42 years without bicycle paperclips??? Love these gorgeous work spaces - the most important items in creating an inspirational work space (for me anyway) are light, good stationery items and porn.

    I'm catching up - sorry I've been so far behind!

    Sarah xxx

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  38. I'm actually quite lucky in that I have two rooms! In the house I've commandeered the spare room into my craft room, even the spare bed has been thrown in the garage, but it's still an absolute shambles. I can barely move let alone swing a cat in there. Plus I have a "studio" in the shed, sound so glorious but really as it's unlined it's boiling hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter, and occupied by 100s of spiders all year round. I think I'm going to take over the garage for painting in. But hey I'm not complaining!

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  39. I would love to have a craft room - well, instead of being a room within the house I would love to have a shed in the garden that I could convert into a craft room by putting in lights, work benches, storage etc. I'm still living at home with my mum so I'm limited to storing all my stuff in my bedroom, and my craft supplies are steadily taking over leaving me with very little space for anything else, so a dedicated craft room is definitely needed! I would love to have my crafty space out in the garden so I can have somewhere completely separate from the house that I could escape to when I need a bit of down time, and I'd love to be able to watch birds at a bird table outside my window as I craft :)

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  40. I have claimed half a room and a table but it is on the small side. What I'd love is a light airy warm room with a table the right height for cutting out fabric and one for setting the sewing machine on. Lots of storage of course so I can see my stash of fabric and yarn without having to rummage in the half wardrobe I have also commandeered!

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  41. I would love a library style room. With large bookcases covering most walls and high ceiling so that I would need one of those ladders on wheels. I would have a comfy vintage armchair (possibly in a bottle green) in which to curl up and read my books. I think I may have fantasized about this room a little too much!

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  42. I love Tiger! I go to the one in Stratford and I always end up spending £20 on a basket full of crazy stuff (wind-up mice, spice jars, holographic postcards, those waffles, spices, notepads!)
    My room of my own is a big old fashioned room with French windows out onto a big garden- it has book shelves all round the edge, a parquet floor, one of those antique globes with drinks inside (even though I don't drink really!) a large chestnut coloured grand piano and a chaise longue! Although in my imagination, it is still dusty, thus I am still a messy slob in my imagination!x

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  43. I'd love a craft room with a huge desk for sewing, or whatever I'm doing. I'd love not to have to pack it away to eat! I also want a comfy armchair to snuggle into for some projects. Unfortunately this will stay in my dreams for a while!

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  44. Hi my dear! Happy blogiversary and I'd love to have a rooom with massive bookshelves, a massive chaise longue and massive windows, south facing-bliss!! Hope you're well and have a good weekend xxx

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  45. I love your blog and always have!!I look forward to many more posts. xx

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  46. I love those postcards from Kylie, they're gorgeous. I'd like a room of my own for all the bits and pieces I have all over the house that I intend to do things with then can never find when I need them, and to stop my husband moaning about my stuff everywhere. It would ideally be big enough for all my clothes etc. as well and to be a dressing room, so I could find everything easily instead of having to ransack through everything every time I go out. In a perfect world I'd have my own computer and printer in there too, and they would work! xx

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  47. Oh how I would *love* to have a creative room. I have a corner of the dining room, instead. Well, it's supposed to be a corner, but it frequently becomes the dining table, part of the living room floor, then there is the fabric stash under the bed in Violet's nursery....ooops. Pinterest is my new favourite waste of time!

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  48. I would like a huge, tidy and colourful one :)

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  49. WOW! don't know how you do it! Good luck with the house move, it's great having a room of ones own xx

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  50. Would Iove a big craft room full of all the craft supplies I can't afford. And someone to keep it tidy for me.

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  51. Forgot to say i signed in as dormouse not fatdormouse.

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  52. Would love some space to my fabric and craft supplies in one place. It'll never happen, even though the husband has budgeted for a man cave when we move!

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  53. Ah now I see why you've been pinning lovely office spaces. I do have a little room of my own, where I stash fabric, ephemera, craft magazines and general crap that the mister deems too outre (ie grannytastic) to be allowed in the rest of the house.
    Sadly the wettest of years means I have a lovely little damp patch cultivating on one wall. Does this mean it will never ever be featured on the back page of Mollie Makes? (deep sigh).
    Great giveaway....ooh just think, finally a glue gun of my very own!

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  54. Bike and lamp are have great design. You have beautiful room.

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  55. I don't own a craft room im not that lucky but I love arts and crafts and so does my kids we love making cards for bdays and xmas evan think about selling for charity x

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  56. In my dreams I'd like a walk in wardrobe if it were like the movies but the reality I reckon would just be the mess my wardrobe is but in room shape. I really would like like a room of my own in which to read or write or sew or day dream. Free of child & man child clutter & a lock on the inside of the door xx

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  57. I have one already! It's not really big enough, but it' my office/sewing room/craft room. It's not perfect but it's MINE!!

    It does have a supply of Dutch Waffle biscuits too, so you see, it's fate x

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  58. Oooh mine would have to be a very large room I think, with a library wall (with one of those slidey ladder thingies), and a reading nook or possibly a window seat for that purpose, a sewing area complete with machine, overlocker and mannequin, and a little desk with some sort of expensive Apple gadgets (since we're fantasising), ummm.... and a sofa which would be occupied by the cats :) I think that should do it!

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  59. I would love a retro caravan kitted out with blankets and books and a kettle.

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  60. I want a writing / crafting studio with views over a lake

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  61. I'd love a writing room, or a room just to enjoy all my stationary - I have a bit of a notebook obsession!

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