– WITH THE ENGLISH STAMP CO.
A spring clean at the beach was our answer to some much needed Vitamin Sea and a chance to give back to the planet. From the coast to the countryside, Devon is bursting with beautiful places to enjoy. So, there’s no time like the present to do a little beach spring clean. Any action that helps improve the environment on your doorstep counts. We’d like to think that the tide has changed and so many of us are more aware and considerate of our surroundings. With so much encouragement for us to clean up our neighbourhoods, parks, beaches and waters we are making it our mission to make it more of a regular activity.
As you know we love to get creative at This Home Grows; at home, in the garden and generally just for fun! We celebrate adding a personal touch to projects big or small and The English Stamp Company Coastal Collection was the perfect match for our beach clean up. One bag, big difference. You really can grow something pretty magic with a set of stamps.
I remember finding The English Stamp Company years ago and started using them to personalise our cards and wrapping paper. Ever since I’ve been hooked and learnt that you can stamp pretty much anything! Our love for creating home crafted accessories only grows and as it’s time for a bit of spring cleaning I thought it would be fun to make our own reusable beach bags. We used The English Stamp Company’s Coastal Collection to get them looking beach ready with a special handmade touch. Of course, stamping is a super fun activity too, so it provided at least an hours entertainment for Esme ;). And the best bit; your linen bag is reusable for any occasion.
Coastal Living – Why A Beach Spring Clean
Living by the coast is a real privilege and something that we, as a family, take seriously. For me, this stamp collection epitomises all the nostalgia and love we have for our coastline. I’m sure the beach holds a treasure chest of happy memories for many of us. Wouldn’t it be great if we can preserve that for future generations? After all, the beach is there for everyone to enjoy and protecting it requires little equipment or effort – just a common goal to tidy up and keep them clean.
The Great British Spring Clean event officially ran until 10th April 2022. However, it’s always a good time to make a change and clean up. For more information on what you can do locally, visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.
What You Need To Make Your Bag:
- A linen bag(s)
- Stamps
- Ink
- Kraft Paper (helps for practice and allows you to get really creative)
- Iron
How To Stamp Your Bag
You’ll need your linen bag and stamps at the ready. We’re heavily influenced by our local surroundings at This Home Grows so the Coastal Collection is meaningful to us. They also fit so well with the summer vibe we’re all craving, getting us ready for relaxed beach days and alfresco dining.
First, I’d definitely advise rolling out good ole kraft paper, like we do for every creative activity. You can also use it to have a good practice and test out your design. Esme and I had one linen bag each to decorate. Esme chose the more expressive approach whereas I went for a repeat pattern.
One top tip is to make sure you have a smooth flat surface for stamping and use a natural fabric like linen as it’s not too textured. Apply the ink by dabbing it over the surface of the stamp so that the raised area is inked only. I found this was not as easy to explain to a toddler…
Once you have finished, leave your bag to dry for an hour or so and then iron to heat set the ink. Your bag will then be sealed and washable for regular use. It’s great to bring out your stamp collections for all occasions so don’t forget to give them a good clean after use. You can find lots of advice here on how to take care of your stamps.
A Beach Spring Clean
It’s advisable to wear gloves for handling anything unknown. Although we were careful to collect the items for Esme as she’s a little young, it’s all about being involved and hopefully she will learn and grow from these experiences. We collected items that we not harmful (we left that to Daddy) remembering one persons rubbish is another persons treasure. We hope we can turn some of it into something fun! Everything was taken with us and where possible, recycled. Most importantly, it should be fun doing your beach spring clean, so enjoy while you collect.
Good news, this is an all-year-round activity and appeals to all ages. Why not rope in the grandparents, or friends. Beaches are there for everyone to enjoy and we can all make a difference to protect them. Litter picking is a simple way to give back to the environment that we love and it can do wonderful things for your well-being. If we all join forces the impact we can have is huge.
The English Stamp Company
A little more about this lovely company who are celebrating 30 years in business this year. Massive congratulations! The English Stamp Company are a small UK based independent business based in Dorset, on the beautiful Jurassic coast. Dorset is a special place for me personally, as it’s where my father was born and were his heritage is rooted. We often look through the family photographs of him growing up on the nearby Dorset beaches and just like I was saying earlier, it’s so apparent that these memories live on. Using the coastal stamp collection hopefully shows how beautiful they are for personalising practical items that can be used every day.
They’ve ethically manufactured and sustainably sourced their high quality stamps from their countryside factory since 1992. In the early days the stamps were created for the interiors world but as the business grew there’s been an emphasis on design and personalization, making stamps for brands, weddings, clothing etc. The English Stamp Company stands strong in their message to be green and are always taking steps to become more sustainable. All their orders come plastic free with recyclable packaging. Another reason why I love this brand so much.
Thanks to The English Stamp Company for making our beach spring clean all the more enjoyable. I look forward to sharing what we manage to reuse and hopefully it’ll inspire you to join in. Thanks for growing a long with us, as always.
Hols x
- stamps were kindly gifted by the English Stamp Company.