The Blog

Australia's natural beauty is undeniable. Our land is a constant source of wonder. Capturing this essence on paper is no easy feat, but Dr. Vanessa Lewis, the artist behind Apothecary Artist, achieves it with stunning results. Her Australian prints are more than just pictures, they're vibrant odes to the flora and fauna that define our unique environment. Here's why you'll fall in love with these captivating works of art: A Celebration of Local Flora: Apothecary Artist's prints showcase the stunning diversity of Australian botanicals. From the delicate waratah to the otherworldly beauty of the kangaroo paw, these prints bring the brilliance of our native flora into your home. Handcrafted with Love: Each print is a testament to Vanessa's dedication to her craft. Her use of natural paints and, in some cases, gold leaf, imbues each artwork with a depth and texture that mass-produced prints simply can't replicate. You're not just buying a print; you're acquiring a piece of artistic passion. See how delicately the gold has been applied on this Kangaroo Artwork Sustainable Beauty: For the eco-conscious art lover, Apothecary Artist's commitment to sustainable practices is a major plus. Vanessa's use of natural paints and her dedication to ethical production ensure you can feel good about the art you bring into your home. Australian made: All of the prints are Australian made & packaged by hand Bringing the Australian Bush Indoors: Whether you're an avid art collector or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of nature, these prints offer a window into the magic of Australia's unique flora and fauna. Bring a touch of the Australian bush - indoors. Shop here. 

How to write a beautiful, personal and meaningful Mother's Day card for your Mum.

Bella candidly discusses the ongoing challenge of staying organised, particularly as a mother of three. Bella's solution involves a large wall planner and a bulk planning system. She shares practical tips like using enjoyable stationery, dedicating a specific pen for planning, and adopting a monthly bulk planning routine to ease week-to-week burdens. She advocates for family involvement through weekly check-ins, making planning a collaborative effort. She outlines her tips for How to stay consistent with planning.

Fountain pens have a timeless charm that no other writing instrument can quite match and we looooove them around here. If you're the proud owner of a fountain pen, you're already well aware of the elegance and smooth writing experience it offers. One of the essential skills every fountain pen enthusiast should have is the ability to refill their pen. In this guide, we'll take you through the simple and rewarding process of refilling your fountain pen with another cartridge. If you're keen to use a converter, read this blog. Step 1: Gather Your Supplies Before you begin, ensure you have the necessary items on hand: Your fountain pen An ink cartridge that fits your fountain pen A stable and clean workspace Some paper towel for cleaning Step 2: Remove the old cartridge Gently unscrew the barrel to reveal the empty cartridge and remove the empty cartridge. Make sure you pop it straight into the bin! Step 3: Preparing Your Pen for Refilling Take your chosen ink cartridge and give it a gentle shake to ensure the ink is well-mixed. Insert the small end of the cartridge into the pen's grip section. Press the cartridge firmly until you feel a slight resistance. This indicates that the cartridge is securely in place. Step 4: Re-assemble your pen Screw the barrel of your pen back to the grip section gently but firmly. This should pierce the cartridge and allow ink to begin flowing! Step 5: Testing Your Pen Once you've refilled your fountain pen, give it a gentle shake to help the ink flow. Begin writing on a piece of clean paper to let the ink settle into the nib. You'll notice the smooth, consistent ink flow that fountain pens are known for. Step 7: Cleaning Up After you're done refilling your pen, make sure to wipe off any excess ink from the grip section and nib. This prevents smudging and ensures a clean writing experience.     If you need any help, make sure you get in touch with our team, we are always happy to help ◡̈ ✎ 

When I was a new school Mum, I found the whole school routine a lot. As the term went on, we added more and more and more to the calendar. Different uniforms for different days, school readers, Library day... Our mornings became a full on stress zone. “Do you have your hat!? Do you have your library bag!? OH NO it’s not sports day because it’s week b!!!”. I am a super busy but no fuss kinda planning girl, despite owning a stationery shop - I actually don’t do a LOT of paper planning. I’m what you would call a hybrid planner. I use my phone for a lot of things on the go. I shop online for groceries so I don’t really meal plan very much anymore. I have 3 kids and they are all 3 years apart so they have different needs. I NEED a schedule, but I don’t like rigidity and I am not good at deep planning so I invented this planning method that actually works! It’s super easy and takes about 25 minutes once a Month and 1-2 minutes once a week. So if you’re a bit like me, you LOVE to be organised and know what’s going on but don’t want to spend hours planning I GOT YOUUUUUUU! What you need: A bunch of coloured pens, I use Staedtler A large box format calendar A pencil, I also love the HB staedtler but any pencil works! Optional: A set of stickers (choose your own aesthetic, or a highlighter can work too). Check out our sticker range here.  This plan (it comes free with the calendars) it has visual images and a step by step guide of how to make this work for you.  How to make it work for you As soon as your term timetable is released set yourself 20 minutes and a clear table and pull up your calendar (you'll probably just need two terms) and allllll your pens. Now, set yourself a scheme. Don’t think too much about it. Break your items down into what makes your mornings easier. For me it’s a colour for each of these - of course, you’ll have your own categories. UNIFORMS NEED TO PACK EXTRA CURRICULAR/SPORTS/ACTIVITIES ETC AFTER / BEFORE SCHOOL PLANS (PICKUP ETC) SOCIAL EVENTS WORK COMMITMENTS Pull up the months you’re using for the school term and have them both in front of you (I also will reference the school newsletter here) Start with one item, don’t go day by day. First, plug in what’s required each day for uniforms, if they wear a standard uniform most of the time, don’t put that in there, just write SPORTS on sports/PE days. You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Continue with every other items with a new colour each item. *Hint* don’t put in items that you know, ie. don’t write “school 9-3”, that’s already assumed and not needed. Only add items that you might need reminding. If you have multiple kids in school who need organising (at some point they will get their own calendar to manage, but you could add their initial next to each item or split the calendar in half with a dotted line. GOAL: To put ALL the info for the term in at once.  However you co-ordinate the colours/themes doesn’t matter as long as it makes sense for you. *hint* for kindy kids, you could use pictures or stickers to help them remember. eg: “Blue star days are sports uniform days” Now, use your pencil to pencil in any “possible” items that may change in the future. This can always be rubbed out and redone. If you can, once a week (with your partner if there is one, or with the kids if they are older) have a quick 2 minute family meeting to discuss the plans for the week or add any new items you may have booked but not written. How to work the hybrid system When you are out and about, use your phone to add things to your calendar. I will often find myself in a doctors app making a booking for the next one or making weekend plans with friend, so I’ll put it in my phone calendar but then on a Sunday (or whatever day Family meeting happens) I’ll have a quick glance ahead at what’s been put into my calendar and transfer it to the wall calendar or vice versa.  How it works in the morning My eldest daughter LIVES by this method. When she gets up in the morning she references the wall calendar. She loves to use either stickers or a coloured highlighter to tick or sticker the day. She will check which uniform she has and my husband will also reference it to see what he needs to pack or if there’s anything he needs to know. We have removed the morning "thinking". It's all written clearly, it's easy to reference. We don’t over-schedule, if we know what days our daughter has preschool, we don’t need to write that in. We only write in what needs to be noted or remembered. The point of this is to remove the morning stress, to keep everyone on track. I also love that my daughter sees the value in planning. As she is getting older, I will encourage her to add her own events on as she has them. I hope this helps your school days as it has helped mine! Your friend & fellow mum in the trenches - Bella

Discover the fascinating world of pencil lead hardness and its impact on your writing and drawing experience. From the soft and dark B range ideal for artistic endeavors to the middle-ground graphite grades perfect for everyday writing, there's a pencil for every purpose. Dive into the H range for technical drawing, where the harder graphites excel in producing precise, fine lines. Explore the nuances of different pencil formulations and discover the smoothness and flexibility offered by pencils like the Staedtler Mars Lumograph. Unsure which pencil to choose?

Discover the importance of travel journals in preserving your travel memories and explore popular travel journal options like the Fox & Fallow travel diary and Traveler's Company leather journal.

Keeping a travel journal is a great way to keep a record of your journeys and any thoughts and ideas that may pop into your head along the way! Often in our busy lives and as more events become part of our lived experiences, the details of some of our great adventures may begin to fade and blur amongst the complex tapestry of time. If you have perhaps felt this way, then starting to write a journal on your travels may be just what you need.Not only does writing things down help you commit them to memory, but you will create yourself a kind of memento for your trips; something you can always keep to remind yourself of all the sights and activities, and if it so pleases you, the journal could even become something of a scrapbook - a place to store photos, admission tickets, perhaps a playbill or whatever other bits and bobs you may collect along the way.While you could use any notebook or journal for this purpose, many brands produce specific travel journals, such as the Fox & Fallow travel diary, which has many useful features. Each page of the diary has a header for you to write the date, city and country and at the beginning of the diary, there’s a section to write flight and accommodation details, restaurant and cafe addresses, a packing checklist, expenses and has a list of currencies and timezones and more! But if you’re looking for something more self-guided and freeform, the Traveler’s Company has got you covered, quite literally! Their design begins with a hardy, genuine leather cover that can surely survive a bit of globetrotting; the cover takes notebook inserts that come in a few different sizes and styles, allowing you to truly customise your journal to your liking. Also, as an international brand, you can find new inserts to add in many major cities around the world.So it’s simple, really! Get on out there, into the world, and take the time to record all of those wondrous moments and commit them to memory (& history!) through the art of Travel Journaling. - Luke