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martha brook blog post martha's top products from 11 years of martha brook
Spotlight on Small

Martha’s favourite picks from 11 years of Martha Brook

Published 5 months ago. Estimated reading time: 12 minutes.

Sep 30

Can you believe it?! Martha Brook is 11! We still can’t quite believe this little stationery corner of ours is now over a decade old and as we celebrate another year of doing what we love (with thanks to you!), we’ve also been reflecting on some of our favourite memories, moments and of course, stationery from the last 11 years.

Over a cup of tea on a rainy autumnal day, we caught up with our Founder and CEO, Martha, as we were keen to know if she could choose 11 products from 11 years, what they would be and why…and the stories behind them were simply too good not to share! Read on to find out which products have made Martha’s list, why she loves them so much and the story behind how each one came to fruition. Take it away, Martha!

1. Personalised Life Planner

When the team asked me what 11 top products I would choose if I had to, the Life Planner was the first on my list! It’s one of my most-loved things we make that I genuinely use every day at Martha Brook. It is always on my desk keeping me inspired and on track.

For years I’ve wanted to make a mega personalised organiser but we didn’t have the technical know-how for it to be as good as I had in my head. As you may know, at Martha Brook we make ALL our paper goods here in the UK. Yes, most stationery companies buy planners from China, but that’s not our thing.

Then we cracked it four years ago! Our mission was to make THE refillable personal organiser, with space to not only plan your days, weeks and months on paper, but would also remind you to look after yourself too and inspire you daily. Officially launched in January 2021 to the world, I was utterly blown away by your response. They remain a bestseller to this day!

martha brook blog post things to do in January a woman holding a life planner at her desk with flowers and a desk organiser

2. 24 Days of Stationery Advent calendar

martha brook personalised stationery personalised 24 days of stationery advent calendar

It had to be in here! Our first product to make it on onto TV and go well and truly viral across Instagram and TikTok. SO many people have found us just because of the advent calendar!

We had the idea of the boxes within a box design seven years ago, and to say it’s a mission to come up with 24 different matching pieces to go inside is a challenge is quite the understatement! But we managed it, and in the first year it sold out in two weeks!!

Since then we’ve never looked back! So much love and time goes into each year, I really couldn’t be prouder of it. It takes us MONTHS but hopefully you’ll agree it’s worth it! This year might just be the most beautiful yet and as I write this a week after launch they have almost all gone, so if you see this and there are still some left, be quick!

3. Reasons I Love You Notes

Throwing in an oldie! A lot of Martha Brook products have been inspired by personal experiences and this was the first of those.

12 years ago before the business started I made my husband Chris (now our Head of Operations!) a first wedding anniversary gift. For the tradition ‘paper’ I crafted a box of ’10 reasons I love you’. As a bit of fun I turned it into a product and listed it on the marketplace Notonthehighstreet.

Reader, it went MENTAL. The business was still in my house and we were sending out literally thousands of love notes. There was one year we had people, orders and post sacks in the kitchen, hallway, sitting room, bedrooms, everywhere. It was because of that product really that Chris decided to quit his job and join me, so it will always have a special place in my heart even though the business has changed an enormous amount since then!

4. Personalised Wedding Planner & Organiser

Martha Brook Wedding Planners

After the success of our Life Planner, a Martha Brook Wedding Planner was firmly on the list. When I got engaged I remember I rushed to buy one online the next day much to Chris’s amusement! But gosh mine was snooty! No seriously, it had things in like weekly facials, weight loss (I kid you not) and was geared towards a certain ‘type’ of wedding. I ended up making a lot of my own notes that I still had stashed away.

We dug them out with a mission to make the ‘word’s best wedding planner’ and a more inclusive one. I really wanted it to work for every sort of wedding and every sort of couple. A few of us spent months (I kid you not) creating spreads that would help people ask the right questions instead of telling them what to do.

We were incredibly proud of what we designed but never did I imagine it would be such a hit! So far it’s helped 15,000 couples plan their wedding and I still pinch myself thinking our product has played a small part in so many couple’s big days.

5. Personalised IVF Journal

The IVF journal is undoubtably the most personal product we’ve made and the most important to me.

If you’ve been following Martha Brook for a while now, you’ll know I have two beautiful daughters, who are both IVF babies. After seven rounds of IVF, it’s been quite the journey and I felt so passionate about creating something inspired by my own experiences.

Writing things down was a massive help for me, in both remembering what I needed to do and to process all the emotions that came with it so I wanted to create a journal something to support and encourage others on the same journey. Whenever we get a message from a customer saying how it has helped them, it is the best feeling.

Martha Brook Why I wanted to create the IVF Journal blog with a picture of the IVF Journal on a coffee table with glasses and a pen in front of a sofa

6. Just For The Record Keepsake Gift

Just For The Record Messages Keepsake

Another super personal pick for me. I lost my dad just a few days after my last round of IVF, which ended up being my now utterly perfect 1-year-old. Music connected me and my Dad in ways I can’t describe, it was often how we best communicated. He used to send me songs and lyrics when he couldn’t find the right words.

This lovely Just For The Record gift was created with him in mind and his love for music. It’s such a cute way to show someone you care, makes a very special keepsake and whenever I come across one of your orders for this, it will always make me think of him.

7. Personalised Book Journal

The best ideas are suggested by our community and this was one of them! We take you guys very seriously and never ignore any suggestions or recommendations that are sent our way! A lot of you had asked us to create a book journal after I started sharing a little bit more about what I was currently reading, I knew I loved stationery AND books, but didn’t realise quite how big this cross-over was! We’ve had the pleasure of working with Roald Dahl, Penguin and Emily Henry, all because of your request! 

Now one of our bestselling products, and with thanks to you, there’s nothing that fills me with more joy than seeing your tags across Instagram and TikTok filling it out and curling up with a good read. Is there a better way to spend a few hours?! 

Martha Brook Personalised Book Journal

8. Personalised Leather Effect Embossed Notebook

That time Chris designed his perfect notebook! Occasionally (only VERY occasionally) does Chris comes up with an excellent product idea, and let’s be honest he nailed it with this one. His baby, created to fit into his pocket and take everywhere with him, has done SO well.

In fact, you’ve all loved it so much we’ve evolved the Martha Brook vegan leather notebook range the most compared to any other range we’ve ever done. We’ve added new colours, sizes, formats and plenty of other vegan leather products that all stemmed from his notebook idea – I might hate to say it, but the boy did good!!!

9. Personalised Travel Journal

As a child I kept a travel journal every year as we travelled a lot with my dad’s work. As the team and I were planning our summer products last year, I knew I had to go and find these travel journals I kept. They were somewhere in the loft so I dug them out and we used them to inspire our own journal!

So if you’re using a Martha Brook Travel Journal, I hope you use it create fond memories like I did as a child and whilst ours might be MUCH more grown up than my childhood scribbles, we’ve kept that same sense of adventure!

10. Pastel Scalloped Pen Pot

The first ever Martha Brook desk accessory! It was in the middle of lockdown and I had just moved my desk into my spare room at home. None of us knew when lockdown would end and I wasn’t feeling hugely inspired by my workspace. That feeling then inspired the Scalloped Pen Pot, to create beautiful desk accessories that uplift and brighten each day.

I then went on a mission to completely overhaul my home office, I painted my office door pink (what else?!), and got to work setting up all of our new desk accessories. It was like a breath of fresh air and I couldn’t believe the difference it made to my mood and productivity each day.

In fact, my home office is so good now I work from home most days of the week and still love my pen pot just as much as I did then! It’s also a firm favourite amongst you and the press, being our most featured item across magazines and newspapers!

11. Productive Daily Planner Desk Pad

I love this little desk pad because it was also created to help those working from home during lockdown. I was blown away by how many of you loved it then and still love it to this day! It was designed to help you stay on top of those daily-to-dos, but also with lots of room for self-care, which was super important during SUCH a bizarre time. (Still can’t quite believe that happened?!) Lots of you used it to juggle the crazy that was each day and is still going strong! 

martha brook personalised productive daily planner desk pad on desk with vegan leather pencil case and notebooks


So those are my top 11 products from 11 years of running Martha Brook! It’s been a wild ride and it feels unbelievable that something that started in my bedroom 11 years ago has reached so many people. It’s with a huge thanks to you, our lovely community, and not forgetting my lovely team too, that I get to do something so creative and joyful every day. I think the girl 11 years ago would be so proud of far we’ve come. 

P.S. Join in the party and celebrate our 11th birthday with us by enjoying 15% off all week when you use the code PARTY15. T&Cs apply.

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