Under the Rowan Trees

Under the Rowan Trees

Under the Rowan Trees is a bespoke arts and crafts business owned and operated by artist and entrepreneur, Danielle Stanley. Danielle, who named her business after her son, Rowan, was originally a teacher.

Following her maternity leave, she sought ways to relax in between teaching and looking after a baby, and in 2015, began making crocheted items that were successfully sold on Etsy. Since then, her business has grown and expanded, and Danielle has left teaching to further focus on the business with a range of stationery and craft kits added. Her subscription service for unique stationery items launched in July 2017.

At A Glance Info
What's in the box? Stationery items for card-making or scrapbooking
How often does it come? Monthly
Sent from UK
Website undertherowantrees.co.uk

Under the Rowan Trees Review

By Emma (July 2017)

Under the Rowan Trees July 2017

I was asked to review the new subscription service from Under the Rowan Trees. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, as this is quite a new service, but I liked the idea of receiving stationery through my post-box. I’m no Etsy expert, but I do like crafts. These days most of my crafting tends to be done with my children, so it was lovely to get a chance to do some grown-up crafting for a change.

First Impressions

Box Unpackaged

The box arrived promptly and fit snuggly through my letter box. Upon opening the box, I was presented with neatly wrapped purple tissue paper. I doubt Under the Rowan Trees knew that my all time favourite colour is purple, but I was very impressed with the choice. It was clear that thought had gone into the presentation of the box and this was part of its appeal.

What I Received

I unwrapped the tissue paper and found a delightful plastic wallet, packed with flamingo theme craft items. I loved how all of the items followed the same theme. I realised the contents would be perfect in helping me to finish off a scrapbook I was putting together with memories from my daughter’s first year.

Plastic Flamingo Themed Wallet and Charm

Flamingo Wallet & Charm

All of the items were packed inside a Flamingo themed plastic wallet. I thought that providing a permanent place to store all the items was a great idea, especially as many of them were small and could easily go astray. The wallet itself is quite sturdy, and I will probably now use it to carry crayons and paper in my bag for the kids when on-the-go, as I’ve been meaning to get something like this for a while. It could also be used as a pencil case or as a handy wallet to slip into your handbag to keep smaller items together, such as tissues, lipstick, etc.

There was a small Flamingo theme charm attached to the wallet that I thought was really cute. I decided to add it to my ever increasing key ring collection, but I think it would also make a great addition to a handbag.

Lifelog Stickers

Lifelog Stickers

There was a small box labelled with the words 'Lifelog Stickers'. The box contained square, circle and octogen shaped pieces of paper with various flamingo patterns on them. I liked how there was a great variety in the patterns, but that they all followed the same theme. I used some for my scrapbook and they really added colour to the pages.

Flamingo Stickers

Sticker Sheet

I received a sheet of Flamingo stickers. These seemed to be really good quality, because, although they were small and quite fiddly, they didn’t snap easily. The colours were quite bold and there were a variety of shapes, including flamingos, palm trees, pineapples, and hearts. They were a fun addition to the box and they looked great in my scrapbook.

Washi Tape

Washi Tape

I received two different rolls of washi tape – one boxed and one loose – both with a flamingo pattern. If you are not sure what washi tape is, think of a much sturdier version of masking tape that is made of natural materials and printed with a funky design. There are so many ways that you can use this tape that the possibilities are endless. For example, you can use it for gift-wrapping, adding a bit of colour to your wooden spoons, adding patterns to your child’s toy brick collection, or enhancing some plain tea light holders. I used the tape to help hold in pictures in my daughter’s scrapbook and I thought it looked great.

Pen, Straw, Clip & Flamingo Confetti

Pen, clip, flamingo straw, and confetti

I adore my new pink pen. It seems to write really well and it has pink crystals in it, which means it’s very unlikely to be borrowed (i.e. stolen) from my desk by my husband, Chief Pen Thief, and as a result, I know I will now always have a pen available.

I thought the clip was a nice addition and I used it to help secure a first birthday card into my daughter’s scrap book. I also stuck some of the flamingo confetti in there and it added a bit of sparkle. Lastly, I’m not really one for cocktails, but the flamingo straw does look good in my pen pot, brightening up my desk just that little bit.

Flamingo Iron-On Transfer

Flamingo Transfer on Jeans

As much as I loved the flamingo design, I didn’t really want to wear it. However, my daughter, who, despite my best efforts at encouraging her to have a wide range of interests, already has a rather unhealthy obsession with all things pink and sparkly. Therefore, I decided to use it to brighten up a pair of plain jeans that I had recently purchased for her.

There were no instructions in the box on how to use the transfer, and although they were available on the Under the Rowan Trees website, I had to search a bit to find them. Once I had the instructions, the transfer applied very easily and my daughter now has a very unique pair of jeans to add to her pink wardrobe.

Overall Impressions

Emma's scrapbook using Under the Rowan Trees stationery subscription service

The thing I loved best about this subscription box was the inspiration it gave me. My daughter’s scrapbook had been sadly sat on the shelf for about six-months waiting for me to complete it. Having this lovely selection of items delivered straight to my door gave me the motivation I needed to complete the project. If you have a family member or friend who loves crafty things, then this would make a great gift, and it’s definitely something I will keep in mind when it comes to buying gifts for my craft-minded friends and family.

The only negative I could find regarding the box was the lack of instructions for the transfer. I would suggest adding a sheet with instructions or perhaps suggestions for projects for the various items included. Although there is some information on the Under the Rowan Trees website, I personally, would have found having the information in front of me even more useful.

In terms of value for money, I did some searching online, and whilst you probably can get all of the items for cheaper than the total price of the box, it would require going to various different suppliers and really would be quite time consuming. So, if you want someone to do all the leg work of sourcing the items for you, which might give you that bit of inspiration you need to finish your project, then this box is definitely worth it.

How Does It Work?

You can subscribe to Under the Rowan Trees’ subscription service on a rolling monthly contract. Alternatively, you can purchase a one-off box, three-month, six-month, or twelve-month subscription paid up front. If you would like to purchase a box as a gift, you can send a note with your order and a greeting note will be added.

What Do You Get?

You get some quirky stationery. When trying to source items for her own products, Danielle found that many of the more interesting and appealing items had to be sourced from abroad. As a result, the aim of this subscription service is to provide stationery items that you would struggle to find in the shops here in the UK. The items are great for those who love crafts, such as scrap-booking or card making, or for those that just like to collect really pretty stationery.

Examples

Each month the contents of the box will have a theme and the items in the box will reflect that. For example, the first box had a flamingo theme with flamingo stickers and craft paper. Other items may include notebooks, pens, stencils, charms, bookmarks, and much more.