Shelley Saunders Creative

09/09/2026

🎉📚 COMPETITION TIME — HELP CREATE MY NEXT CHARACTER! 📚🎉

Just look at this little lot! 🥰

Over the past few months, the Shelley Saunders Creative family has grown and grown — with woodland explorers, ocean adventurers, dinosaurs, magical creatures and plenty of furry, feathered and fabulous friends! 🐾✨

But there’s room for ONE MORE…

And this time, YOU get to help choose who it will be! 👀

🏆 CREATE MY NEXT CHARACTER COMPETITION 🏆

ROUND ONE — NOMINATIONS!

👇 Comment below with the animal or creature you think deserves its very own Shelley Saunders Creative story.

🦡 A badger?
🐙 An octopus?
🦔 A hedgehog?
🦩 A flamingo?
🐺 A wolf?
🐢 A turtle?
🦎 Something wonderfully weird that nobody else will think of?!

Anything goes!

✨ I'll read through all your nominations and choose my favourite FOUR to become our finalists.

🗳️ ROUND TWO — THE PUBLIC VOTE!

I'll reveal the four finalists in a new post and then hand it over to YOU.

The character with the most votes will become the star of a brand-new story & activity book! 📖🎨

🌟 AND THERE'S MORE…

If the winning animal was your nomination, I'll name the new character after you or someone special you choose! ❤️

Imagine being able to say…

“I helped create that character!” 🥹📚

So have a really good think…

👇 COMMENT WITH YOUR ONE NOMINATION! 👇

And tag a friend who always has brilliant ideas — I have a feeling this could get interesting! 😂

Ready?

WHO SHOULD JOIN THE SHELLEY SAUNDERS CREATIVE FAMILY NEXT? 🐾📚✨

02/09/2026

🎨 A LITTLE PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES...

Rafael and Leo's adventure is coming to life — one brushstroke at a time. ✨📖

You've seen them hear the mysterious sound...

You've watched it lead them away from home...

And now I'm busy creating the next part of their story. 🥋🐾

I thought I'd show you something I don't normally share — an illustration while it's still in progress.

Part painted. Part sketched. And definitely not finished yet!

But there might already be a couple of clues hiding in there... 👀🔔

Where do you think Rafael and Leo are heading?

And what do you think those bells have to do with the mysterious sound they've been following? 🤔

I'm not giving the answer away just yet!

But Rafael and Leo are getting closer...

And they're not the only ones following the sound. 👀✨

01/09/2026

👀🎵 AND NOW… THE ADVENTURE REALLY BEGINS.

You've met Rafael. 🥋

You've met Leo. 🐱

And after all your guesses about whether Leo would be the hero 🐾 or the trouble-maker 😂, I promised you a first glimpse of their adventure together...

So here it is. ✨📖

It begins at home.

Rafael is ready for the day, Leo is — as usual — never very far away...

But then something catches their attention.

A sound. 🎵

It's faint.

It's somewhere outside.

And it definitely wasn't there before. 👀

Of course, Rafael wants to investigate.

And Leo?

Well... let's just say he's got absolutely no intention of being left behind. 🐾😂

Before I show you where they go next, I want to know:

If YOU heard a mysterious sound coming from outside, would you investigate... or stay safely indoors? 😂

🔎 I'm investigating!

🏠 Absolutely not!

And here's one extra little clue...

Listen carefully. This adventure might be about more than simply finding where the sound is coming from. 🎵🔔✨

28/08/2026

🐾 REMEMBER SOMEONE IMPORTANT WAS WAITING TO BE INTRODUCED...?
Well... meet Leo! 🐱❤️
Yesterday I introduced you to Rafael as he stepped into his very own storybook world — but I told you there was someone rather important you hadn't met yet.
This handsome chap is Leo. ✨
And let's just say... Rafael's adventure wouldn't be quite the same without him. 👀
Leo has now made the leap from real life into the pages of Rafael's personalised story too, and I absolutely love seeing another little piece of their world come alive.
But I'm STILL not revealing what happens. 😂
What I will tell you is that Rafael and Leo are going to find themselves at the centre of something rather unexpected...
So before I give anything else away:
What role do YOU think Leo is going to play in Rafael's adventure? 🐾
🔎 Does he discover something?
🗺️ Does he lead Rafael somewhere?
🚨 Does he need Rafael's help?
✨ Or is something completely different about to happen?
Put your prediction in the comments 👇 — I want to see if anyone gets close!
And if you've been following Rafael's story taking shape this week, don't disappear yet...
Next week, I'll show you the first glimpse of their adventure together. 👀📖✨

27/08/2026

✨ AND JUST LIKE THAT… RAFAEL HAS STEPPED INTO HIS OWN STORY! 📚🥋

Remember Rafael from earlier this week? 👀

Well, this is one of my absolute favourite parts of creating a personalised book…

Taking a photograph of a real child and beginning to imagine who they might become inside their very own adventure.

And here he is! ❤️

Same cheeky smile.
Same martial-arts spirit. 🥋
But now Rafael is officially a storybook character — and his adventure is beginning to take shape.

But I’m not telling you what happens yet… 😏

There are already a few clues hiding in what I’ve shared so far, and I want to see whether anyone can work it out.

So, looking at Rafael’s transformation, what do you think his adventure is going to be about?

🥋 A martial-arts mystery?
🏆 A quest for something special?
🐾 An unexpected animal friend?
🗺️ A completely different adventure?

Or have you got a better idea?

Give me your wildest guesses in the comments 👇

I’ll reveal another piece of Rafael’s world very soon… and there’s someone rather important that you haven’t met yet. 👀🐾

Follow Shelley Saunders Creative to watch Rafael’s personalised story come to life, one page at a time. ✨📖

26/08/2026

👀 SOMETHING NEW STARTED TODAY...
Meet Rafael. 🥋
I've started creating a brand-new personalised children's book — and this little chap is going to be right at the heart of the adventure. ❤️
At the moment, all I'm going to give you is this photograph and a few clues...
🥋 There's a black belt involved.
🐾 A four-legged companion might be joining him.
⚽ There may be a football or two.
🔔 And something rather mysterious is about to happen...
But that's ALL you're getting for now! 😂
Over the next few days I'm going to take you behind the scenes as I turn Rafael from a photograph into the hero of his very own story — from creating his storybook character to building the world, illustrations, story and activities around him.
But first...
Looking at this photograph, what kind of adventure do YOU think Rafael is about to have? 👀
Wild guesses are positively encouraged! 😂👇
Follow along and I'll reveal Rafael's storybook character next... ✨📚

24/08/2026

🌺 POPPY’S PROMISE: A STORY ABOUT REMEMBERING 🌺

How do we teach our youngest children why remembrance matters?

For children aged 4–7, the idea of remembrance can be difficult to understand. Poppy’s Promise: A Story About Remembering was created to introduce it in a gentle, age-appropriate and meaningful way. ❤️

We remember because behind every poppy is a story.

A story of someone who served.
Someone who sacrificed.
Someone who waited at home.
And someone who is still serving today.

As the generations pass, it becomes increasingly important that we help our children understand why we remember — and why the courage, service and sacrifice of others should never simply become something that belongs to the past.

🌺 If we teach children the meaning of remembrance today, those memories can live on tomorrow.

Poppy’s Promise combines a beautifully illustrated story with activity and colouring pages, giving children the opportunity to learn, talk, create and ask questions as they discover what remembrance means.

And every copy helps to support those who have served and those who continue to serve.

❤️ 35% from the sale of every book is donated to the Royal British Legion

📖 Poppy’s Promise: A Story About Remembering
👧🧒 Created for ages 4–7
🎨 Story, activities & colouring pages
💷 £14.99 + £5 P&P
🌺 35% from every book donated to the Royal British Legion

The book is currently available directly from me.

💌 Message me if you’d like a copy.

Whether you are buying for your own child, a grandchild, a school or simply want to help introduce the next generation to the importance of remembrance, I hope Poppy’s story helps start a conversation that continues long after the final page.

Because remembrance doesn't end with our generation.
We pass it on. 🌺❤️

22/08/2026

🌟 Come and see me today! 🌟

Shelley Saunders Creative will be at the Summer Fete at Bradbury House & Appleton Lodge from 2:00pm–4:30pm today! 📚✨

Come along, meet the author and browse my full collection of children’s story and activity books—including Poppy’s Promise: A Story About Remembering. There will be lots of wonderful activities and fun for everyone to enjoy!

📍 Bradbury House & Appleton Lodge
12 Milner Road, RBVE Village, ME20 7NF
⏰ Today, 2:00pm–4:30pm

I’d love to see you there! 💛

21/08/2026

🌞📚 COME AND MEET THE AUTHOR! 📚🌞

I’m delighted to say that Shelley Saunders Creative will be attending the Summer Fete at Bradbury House & Appleton Lodge! 🎉🌸

📍 Bradbury House & Appleton Lodge
12 Milner Road, RBVE Village
ME20 7NF

📆 Saturday 22nd August

🕑 2:00pm – 4:30pm

I’ll be bringing along my full collection of children’s books, so it’s a lovely opportunity to browse the stories, have a chat and meet the author behind Shelley Saunders Creative. 💕📖

Among the books available will be Poppy’s Promise: A Story About Remembering 🌺 — a gentle and heartfelt story created to help children explore remembrance in an age-appropriate and meaningful way.

There’ll be plenty to enjoy at the Summer Fete, so why not come along, enjoy the afternoon and pop over to say hello? I’d absolutely love to see you! 🥰

📚 Books available to buy on the day
✍️ Come and meet the author
🌸 Discover the Shelley Saunders Creative collection

Please feel free to share this post and help spread the word!

19/08/2026

I’m absolutely delighted to see these activity sheets in action The Fox & Goose in Weavering! 🦊🪿✨

I was so pleased when The Fox & Goose commissioned me to create a selection of bespoke children’s activity sheets for their younger visitors — something to keep little hands busy and add a little extra fun to a family meal out. 🎨✏️

It’s always lovely working with local businesses, and even lovelier seeing something I’ve created being enjoyed in the place it was designed for. ❤️

If you’re local to Weavering or Maidstone, why not pop along and pay The Fox & Goose a visit? It’s a lovely pub, perfect for a relaxed meal with the family — and now the children have their very own Fox & Goose activities to enjoy while they’re there! 🥰

A huge thank you to The Fox & Goose for supporting a small local creative business and trusting me to create something especially for your younger customers. 🦊🪿

And if you run a pub, restaurant, café, attraction or family-friendly venue and would like your own personalised activity sheets, designed specifically around your business, please feel free to get in touch with me at Shelley Saunders Creative. 💛

Go and give The Fox & Goose some love — and don't forget to look out for the activity sheets! 🎨

🦊🪿 HOW CUTE ARE THESE?! 🪿🦊

Our little visitors now have their very own Fox & Goose activity sheets to enjoy while they’re with us! 🥰🖍️

There’s colouring, mazes, word searches, spot the difference and lots of woodland fun featuring Freddie the Fox & Grace the Goose. 🦊🪿🌼🍄

We also want to say a MASSIVE thank you to our lovely regular, Shelley Saunders, who designed these gorgeous sheets especially for us. ❤️

We absolutely LOVE them and are so grateful for the time, creativity and effort she has put into making something so special for our littlest customers. 🥰

Shelley creates bespoke AI artwork & storytelling, so please pop over to Shelley Saunders Creative, give her page a follow and show her some Fox & Goose love! ❤️👇

Shelley Saunders Creative on Facebook⁠

We love being a family-friendly country pub, and hopefully these will keep little hands busy while the grown-ups enjoy some good food, a drink and maybe even five minutes of peace! 😂🍽️🍷

Make sure the kids grab an activity sheet and some crayons next time you visit!

Thank you again, Shelley — you’re a star! ⭐️❤️

Love,
Team F&G 🦊🪿