I’ve always loved stationery. Not in a casual way, but in a way that feels hard-wired into me. Pens, paper, colours, lists, little details that make everyday life feel a bit lighter — they’ve always brought me a sense of calm and happiness.
As a teenager, I worked in an art and stationery shop, and I remember being completely fascinated by the endless combinations. Different papers, different pens, different finishes. Even then, I loved how something as simple as a notebook or a card could change how something felt.
When stationery became more than a hobby
Over the years, stationery became more than just a hobby. It became a comfort. During some very difficult periods of my life, small creative moments mattered. Writing things down, planning, doodling, or drawing a birthday card for family helped me feel steadier when everything else felt overwhelming.
The idea for The Little Stationery Shop grew quietly rather than arriving all at once. In 2020, life felt hectic and out of control. I went from being a healthy, active person — playing sports and working full time as a SEND teacher — to being unable to work, with something as simple as a flight of stairs leaving me out of breath. I needed to take control of something when everything else felt chaotic.
There was no magic where I woke up one day with a big business plan. Instead, I just knew I wanted to find that little happiness again. Nothing major, because physically I was struggling. I already had my autism diagnosis, but I was now dealing with physical health issues that later became diagnoses of POTS, ME/CFS, and possibly Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
So I started small. I drew some stickers I liked, then a planner page, then a notebook cover. Before I knew it, I had a little of everything that makes up the categories you see today at The Little Stationery Shop.
Becoming a mum changed things too. When Lucrezia was born, I took time away from the shop. I’m her only parent, and my own dad had died while I was pregnant, so making the most of that time with her mattered more than anything else.
My needs before business needs
Leaving the shop dormant for a while was nerve-wracking. I worried about whether people would still want to shop with me when I came back. But it was also necessary — and it’s okay to do what you need before what the business needs.
Working from home, building something around family life, and being able to create on my own terms mattered more than ever. The Little Stationery Shop isn’t about chasing growth for the sake of it. It’s about building something steady, joyful, and sustainable — something that supports my family and lets me do work that genuinely makes me happy.
At its heart, this shop exists for one simple reason: stationery makes me happy, and I hope it can do the same for other people. Whether that’s through a greeting card that makes someone smile, a planner sheet that makes life feel a bit more manageable, or a notebook that becomes part of someone’s everyday routine.
This blog is an extension of that. A place to share the stories behind the stationery, the small business life behind the scenes, and the everyday moments that make it all worthwhile.