May 2026

Hey hey! Dotty here — powered by longer days, Bank Holiday energy, and a slightly dangerous “I could totally start a new project today” mindset. 🌿

May has arrived with that lovely mix of fresh motivation and just enough time to get properly stuck into something creative… or at the very least, reorganise everything and feel productive 😄

This month is all about useful upgrades, great value, and making your creative time feel easier and more enjoyable — alongside workshops, new makers, and a few exciting things building in the background…

Let’s catch up…

 

This month’s new arrivals are a little bit different — and honestly, we’re very excited about it.

Instead of focusing on big, all-in-one kits, we’ve leaned into something that makes a real difference day-to-day: artist and modelling tools that genuinely improve how you work.

These are the bits that don’t always shout the loudest on the shelf… but once you’ve used them, you really don’t want to go back.

We’re talking about things like:

• Wooden mannequins for sketching and proportion
• Fineline drawing pens for detail and control
• Charcoal sticks for bold, expressive work
• Gum strip tape for clean edges and proper mounting
• Sculpting tools for shaping and refining
• Gesso and surface prep materials to get the best possible base

Alongside a range of other quietly brilliant essentials.

These are the tools that:
✔ give you more control
✔ improve your finish without adding complexity
✔ and take away those little frustrations that slow you down

It’s the difference between “that’ll do” and “oh wow, that actually worked properly.”

Whether you’re sketching, painting, building, or experimenting across a few different crafts, this drop is all about supporting your skills and helping you get better results with the tools in your hand.

And alongside all that practicality… we’ve added a bit of fun too 👀

Travel-sized games have landed!

Perfect for holidays, weekends away, or just keeping in your bag for a quick bit of fun.

🔥 Tinderblox
A clever little stacking game where you’re building a campfire… without knocking it over. It’s all about steady hands and a bit of nerve — simple to learn, surprisingly tense, and very satisfying when you pull off a tricky move.

🍔 Barbecubes
A fast-paced dexterity game where players use tongs to place food onto a crowded BBQ, following the instructions on each card — but don’t drop anything! As the grill fills up, the challenge ramps up and every move becomes more tense, with mistakes earning you penalty cards. Collect too many and you’re out, so it’s all about steady hands, quick thinking, and a bit of nerve under pressure.

🐱 Kittin
Cute on the outside, sneaky on the inside 😄 Kittin is an easy to learn, fast-paced and fun dexterity game for all the family. Flip a card, grab your cat meeples, and get building! The quickest player will win the cat-stacking race! Increase the fun with hilarious team rules!

💗 Pusheen
Flip a card, grab your cat meeples, and get building! The quickest player will win the cat-stacking race! Increase the fun with hilarious team rules!. Easy to pick up, great for casual play, and perfect when you want something fun without having to think too hard.

…and yes, once you start playing “just one round”… you’ll be there a while 👀

 

We don’t run big discounts often… but when we do, we make it count.

This Bank Holiday is all about giving you the chance to stock up, try something new, or finally grab those bits you’ve been eyeing up:

and

 

Perfect if you’ve been hovering over something thinking “maybe…” 

As always, while stocks last… and yes, some lines are already disappearing 👀

 

We’ve welcomed some lovely new crafters into the shop this month, which means even more unique, handmade goodness to browse.

From thoughtful gifts to little “treat yourself” finds, these are the pieces that bring personality and individuality into the shop.

There’s something really special about discovering something you didn’t even know you were looking for — and that’s exactly what this section of the shop is all about.

If you haven’t had a proper wander recently… now’s a very good time 👀

 

May is bringing a lovely mix of calm creativity and hands-on fun.

For adults:

🧶 Needle Felting — calming, tactile, and surprisingly addictive
🖨️ Lino Printing — bold, creative, and incredibly satisfying
✏️ Pencil Art — relaxed, expressive, and perfect for building confidence with colour and shading

Perfect if you want to learn something new or just take a bit of time for yourself.

For Half Term:

We’re back with our wonderfully busy, creativity-filled kids workshops!

✨ Fuse Bead Art
🎨 Pokémon Collages
🎉 More hands-on creative Decopatch fun

Expect colour, imagination, and some brilliant creations heading home.

all our workshops are available to book online 🎉

 

Let’s talk about that pile of unfinished projects for a second… 👀

You know the one — the half-started ideas, the “I’ll come back to that later”, the bits you were excited about at the time but somehow drifted away from.

It happens to all of us.

This month’s tip is simple… but genuinely powerful:

✨ The 1 Project Reset Rule ✨

Instead of diving straight into something new (tempting, I know), try this:

👉 Pick ONE project you’ve already started
👉 Spend an hour progressing it, tidying it, or even just setting it back up properly
👉 THEN reward yourself with something new

No pressure to finish it perfectly. No need to turn it into a big task.

Just… give it a little bit of attention.

Because often, the hardest part isn’t the project itself — it’s:

• finding everything again
• remembering where you were
• getting back into the flow

And once you’re past that? You’ll be surprised how quickly it comes back.

Best case? You finish it.
Realistic case? You make solid progress.
Either way? It stops being that nagging unfinished thing in the background.

You’ll:
✔ clear physical space on your desk
✔ clear mental clutter
✔ rebuild a bit of creative momentum

…and your next project will feel even better for it.

It’s a small shift, but it makes a big difference.

 

Quick update… this one’s been a bit of a hit 👀

Because so many of you have been getting involved (and a few last-minute “I meant to enter!” messages have come in 😄), we’ve decided to extend the latest Warhammer prize draw slightly.

🎯 Tickets available until 6th May

If you haven’t come across it yet, this is our current Warhammer prize draw, where one lucky winner will take home the Helsmiths of Hashut Army Box — a fantastic set packed with models to build, paint, and add straight into your collection.

It’s really simple to take part:
🎟️ Grab a ticket (or a few!) instore or online
🎯 Each ticket gives you an entry into the draw
🎉 We pick one winner completely at random

Tickets are just £2 each or 3 for £5, so it’s a fun, low-cost way to be in with a chance of winning something a bit special.

We’ll be drawing the winner live, so you can watch it happen over on Facebook 👀

Whether you’re:

• building a new army
• expanding what you’ve already got
• or just fancy your chances…

…it’s a really nice way to get involved.

And honestly? The response to this has been brilliant — loads of entries, plenty of buzz in store, and lots of excitement around the draw itself.

If it keeps going the way it has been…

…we might just have to make this a regular thing 👀

More draws, more prizes, and more chances to win alongside your usual crafting and hobby bits.

But for now — this is your last chance to get involved before it closes 😉

 

Quick heads up 👀

We’ll be OPEN on both Bank Holiday Mondays this May!

🕒 11am – 3pm

Because let’s be honest… long weekends are made for hobbying — and we want to be there for those “I’ve just run out of…” moments (we’ve all been there 😄).

Whether you fancy a browse, need a last-minute top-up, or just want to get out of the house for a bit, we’ve got you covered.

It’ll be a relaxed, pop-in kind of day — and Kirsty will be there, ready for a chat about your latest Warhammer projects, taking those all-important 11th edition pre-orders 😉, and quite possibly sat at the till painting her own current project!

So whether you’re after advice, inspiration, or just a good nosy… you’re very welcome.

And yes… the Bank Holiday deals will still be running 👀

 

We’ve got some exciting things on the horizon…

🛠️ A huge restock of hobby tools is on the way (Green Stuff World restock is incoming 👀)
🎁 Father’s Day prep is starting — meaningful, make-it-yourself gifts
⚔️ And… 11th Edition hype is building

Let’s just say… it might be time to start making space now 😏

---

That’s all from me this month! Whether you’re crafting, painting, gaming, or just popping in for a browse — I’ll catch up with you in June.