You're The Best Thing
My Journey Through Abuse
Nine years in a relationship that looked fine from the outside, told through diary entries and the memories that shaped me. A story about reclaiming your voice.
Author · Survivor · Storyteller
For the moments
between broken
and brave.
We're all made of stories — the good, the bad, the ones we share and the ones we don't. This is where I share mine, for any woman still finding her way back to living.
Why I'm here
We're all made of stories.
Our lives are made of moments — some good, some bad, some happy, some sad, some worth sharing and some we keep to ourselves. I believe in stories. I think they help us far more than we realise, in the middle of the ordinary, difficult, everyday of it all.
I set up this website to share some of mine — the stories of emotional abuse I lived through — because I want to make a difference, and because I want any woman who feels so low that leaving this life seems like the only way out of the pain to know there's another way through. I was there once.
On 13 May 2014, my life had spiralled so far out of control, and I was in so much pain, that I just wanted it all to stop. I was stopped, just before I could go through with it. I write about how I reached that point, in detail, in my book You're The Best Thing. I call the 13th of May my second birthday now — and I'm so grateful for everything that's followed since.
It's always easier looking back, with the hindsight and the should’ve, would’ve, could’ves that come for free once the worst is over. Writing — journaling — has always been my therapy through it. You can read more of my stories, along with the books and podcasts that have helped me along the way, over on Substack (@justgabi).
Life is a journey, and I love sharing mine with you.
13 May 2014 is my second birthday.
Everything since has been a gift.
The books
Two memoirs.
One story of finding yourself again.
Raw, unexpectedly funny in places, and ultimately hopeful. The books I wish someone had handed me.
When Love Is a Lie
Lessons From Loving a Liar
A brutally honest journey through my second abusive relationship. Told through essays with guided questions for healing at the end of every chapter.
Also from me —
The lighter side of
the same story.
I also created a lighter side to all this: Fkthat.co.uk, where you're allowed to call your ex a prick and get a bit of humour back into your life. Grab a card to celebrate being rid of the f***er, or something gentler for the days you feel low. And if you fancy some free therapy, there's a colouring book full of swear words waiting for your felt tips.
Hi, I'm Gabi
From surviving
to living.
A safe space to rebuild your confidence, trust, and life after emotional abuse.
I spent 13 years caught between two emotionally abusive relationships. One slowly chipped away at my self-worth. The other was a whirlwind of cheating, lies, and dizzying highs that kept me going back for more.
I believed I could fix them. I believed the pain meant passion. I believed that if I was just enough, we'd finally get our happy ending.
I was wrong. And I came out the other side a stronger, wiser woman — and I wouldn't change a thing.
When I started my healing, I couldn't find one place that had it all: real-life advice, practical tools, and the occasional laugh when I needed it most. So I built it.
Trust yourself again.
Set boundaries without guilt.
Rebuild from the ground up.
The other kind of therapy
Old things,
second lives.
Writing pulled me out of the worst of it. Journaling kept me there.
There's something quietly healing about giving old things a second life. A stamp from 1908. A recipe someone's grandmother wrote in pencil. A postcard sent from Blackpool the year my nan was born. Every scrap I collect carried a story before it reached me — and I love the slow, unfussy process of layering them into pages waiting for someone else's.
I gather most of it from charity shops and small antique fairs where things are one wet weekend away from being thrown out. Nothing has to be perfect. Torn edges are welcome. Foxing is a bonus.
In the wild
A few moments.
The books & free downloads
Two memoirs.
Three free resources.
One story of finding yourself again.
These are the books and companions I've written across my thirties and into my forties. If sharing what I lived through means you walk away a little sooner than I did, then every word was worth writing.
Book one
You're The Best Thing
My Journey Through Abuse
For nine years, I lived in a relationship that looked fine from the outside — but behind closed doors was a slow unraveling of my confidence and identity through manipulation, gaslighting, and control.
Told through diary entries and the memories that shaped me, this book is raw, unexpectedly funny in places, and ultimately hopeful: a story about reclaiming your voice.
Book two
When Love Is a Lie
Lessons From Loving a Liar
A brutally honest journey through my second abusive relationship — one that felt intense and exhilarating at first, only to reveal a cycle of gaslighting, cheating, and emotional withdrawal.
Told through essays and reflections, each chapter ends with guided questions for healing. This isn't a book about getting your ex back — it's about getting yourself back.
Free downloads
Three companions.
Nothing to pay.
Guides and workbooks I wish I'd had. Take them, use them, share them — all free to download.
Free
A Diary
Why don't you just leave?
Gaslighting doesn't feel like a single lie. It feels like slowly losing your grip on what's real — being told you remembered it wrong, heard it wrong, felt it wrong, until you can't tell anymore. This diary gives you somewhere to write it down while it's still clear: the words, the timing, how it felt in your body. Not as evidence for anyone else — just as your own steady record, so when the story gets rewritten around you again, you can go back and read what you knew was true.
Free
Unlocking Your Dreams
Have you ever dreamt with your eyes wide open?
Wanted something so badly it seemed just impossible? I have. Many times. I grew up in communist Romania, where dreaming was all we had. Since then I've chased down things that once felt out of reach, and rebuilt my life from scratch more times than I care to admit. I don't have all the answers — but I have my story, my methods, and a lifetime of proof that even the most impossible dreams are worth chasing. Take what fits. Leave what doesn't. And start dreaming, eyes wide open.
Free
Recovering From Relationship Mindfuck
A nine-module workbook
Part guide, part diary, part companion — for anyone healing from a narcissistic, manipulative, or emotionally abusive partner. For anyone still asking themselves "was it really that bad?" (yes, it was) or "why can't I just let go?" (there's a reason, and it isn't weakness). Nine modules to walk through at your own pace.
Prefer something for your hands?
Shop the Journal Kits instead.
Hand-curated kits of rescued paper, lace, letters, and photographs, for anyone who'd rather build their own pages than read someone else's.
The shop
Journal Kits
for your own story.
Hand-gathered bundles of rescued paper — old stamps, illustrated book pages, worn postcards, vintage recipe cards, retired vinyl records and more — packed up ready for you to layer, glue, write over, and make your own.
Why I make these
Slow, quiet,
unfussy therapy.
Journaling has been one of the most healing things I've ever done — sticking things down, layering paper, letting my hands do the thinking. No pressure to be neat. It proper helps my head…
I still do it, as I find it really relaxing. I love repurposing things, turning old stuff into something I can use again.
Every piece in these kits has been rescued from charity shops or from antique shops. I shop locally in my area and I love finding little treasures to share with my friends. I've literally started gifting a few things to my friends and this is how the whole idea started. I don't want these to be just another print-on-demand new stuff that mimics the old — I love giving new life and meaning to old stuff. In this fast-paced world that we live in, I love taking care of the old stuff, passing on some little pieces of history, creating some new one-of-a-kind treasures that will carry on your story. I've started putting these together now to share with more of you.
I do add some new bits in these kits (the writing cards and some stickers), just because I found that handy in my experience.
These kits always evolve, and no two kits are ever quite the same — that's the whole point of this in my mind, to allow a different story to be written, a personal one.
A peek inside
A little of what turns up in the kits.
Choose your kit
Three kits.
One for wherever you're starting.
From a gentle first-try bundle, through a mystery pack of older bits, to a hefty kit that comes with a little rescued treasure I've found in an antique shop or charity shop and want to send on to its next home.
Starter kit
Starter Kit
a gentle way to begin
£9.99
A generous first bundle for anyone new to journaling — a bit of everything, so you can play, layer, and see what pulls you in. Every kit is packed by hand, no two are alike.
- Used stamps (1980s onwards)50
- Used vinyl records
records + sleeves, not for playing2 - Unmatched puzzle pieces100
- Pages from old books & magazines100
- Old postcards & greeting cards
some written, some blank2 - New stickers
funny animals, kind sayings10 - New writing cards
business-card size10 - Blank writing papers
some lined, some plain50 - Some extra stuff (surprise!) — fits in an envelope and it's for journals✦
Mystery kit
Mystery Kit
for the ones who love a surprise
£15.99
A hand-picked bundle of older, rarer bits — the pieces I can't quite bring myself to break up into the standard kits. I keep the exact contents under wraps because half the joy is the opening.
Every month has a dedicated theme — think naughty, British seaside, love letters and more — with limited numbers, depending on the stock I have. I announce each month's theme on my socials.
- Older stamps pre-1989
- Clipped pieces from older media
book pages, vinyl sleeves, magazines & more - Handwritten cards, letters & postcards
real ones, from decades ago - A handful of surprises I can't tell you about here
- Same care, same volume as the Starter Kit — just older, quieter, and a bit more mysterious.
Mega kit
Large Pack
triple the paper, plus a rescued treasure
£19.99
Three times the contents of the Starter Kit — plus one preloved gift I've found in a charity shop or antique fair and want to send on to its next home. Could be an old journal, a small ornament, sheet music, a vintage book, a small tin of buttons — whatever caught my eye that week. Never new, always chosen with care.
- Used stamps (1980s onwards)150
- Used vinyl records
records + sleeves, not for playing4 - Unmatched puzzle pieces300
- Pages from old books & magazines400
- Old postcards & greeting cards6
- New stickers30
- New writing cards30
- Blank writing papers150
- Plus a rescued little treasure✦
Every kit is hand-packed. Contents vary from kit to kit — that's the whole point. UK postage & packing added at checkout.
Before you order
A few honest things
about the kits.
These bundles are made almost entirely from second-hand paper and objects rescued from charity shops, boot sales and jumble sales — which is the whole point, and also why every kit is a little different.
Expect the following, and lean into it rather than worry about it:
- Yellowing, foxing and age spots on older paper — the older it is, the more character it's picked up.
- Torn edges, creases, tape marks and pinholes — evidence of a life already lived.
- Faint smells — sometimes musty, sometimes like old books, occasionally a whiff of the drawer they lived in.
- Stamps may be peeled, hinged, torn, or still stuck to a corner of envelope — some are perfect, some aren't.
- Postcards and cards may be written on, addressed, postmarked, or have small bits missing.
- Vinyl records and their sleeves are included together — the records themselves are not in playable condition, and are included as material for cutting, layering, painting over, or using as a base for pages. Expect scratches, warps, split sleeves, ring wear, scuffs, and the occasional cracked edge. If you were hoping to play them, please don't buy the kit — they've been rescued because their playing days are over.
- Book and magazine pages are torn from the source (that's the whole idea) — some clean, some ragged.
None of this is a fault. It's the material. If perfect, uniform, brand-new craft paper is what you're after, these kits aren't the right choice — but the good news is you can find that anywhere.
Photos on this page are examples of the kinds of things you'll get, not the exact contents of your bundle. No two kits are ever the same.
A word on the little rescued gift
The extra piece included in the Large Pack is chosen by me, based on what I've found that week and what caught my eye. It might be a small book, a vintage tin, a little ornament, an old journal — whatever needed a next home. You can't request or swap the gift, and no two are the same. If a surprise from a stranger isn't your thing, the Starter Kit or Mystery Kit might be a better fit.
The small print
All kits are hand-packed by me and contain a mix of second-hand and new materials. Second-hand items are sold as-is, with the wear and age described above — I do my best to remove anything mouldy, damp, or genuinely damaged, but I can't guarantee every piece is pristine (and I wouldn't want to — that's the whole spirit of it).
Not suitable for children under 3 — kits contain small items, tape residue, and old paper that isn't food-safe.
If a kit arrives damaged in the post or is substantially different from what's described here, please email me at gabi@aboutastory.co.uk within 14 days and I'll sort it — refund, replacement, or a swap, whichever works for you. I can't accept returns for change of mind on kits that have been opened, because everything is loose and mixed together.
Nothing in this small print affects your statutory rights under UK consumer law.
For the full picture, see the full Terms & Conditions.
Prefer reading?
Try the books & free downloads instead.
If you came here for something to hold rather than something to read, my memoirs and free workbooks are just as much a part of this project.
Top up your kit
Add-ons
for anyone who wants more.
A few extras I keep aside, for anyone who's tearing through paper faster than they expected. Add any of these to an order — or grab them on their own.
Unused vintage diary or journal
Old stock, unused inside, ready to be filled. Style varies with what I find.
£3 each
Old postcards & greeting cards
A mix of written and blank — Edwardian, mid-century, and vintage sentimental.
6 for £10
Loose printed pages
Torn from old books, magazines, cookbooks and encyclopaedias. Text, illustration, or both.
100 for £1
New stickers
Funny animals, kind sayings, small motifs — the sort of thing that makes you smile before you even glue it down.
20 for £1
Blank & lined writing papers
A mix of plain, lined, cream and white — perfect for journaling into or layering under.
50 for £1
Used postage stamps
A mixed handful spanning pre- and post-1989. Some peeled, some still on paper.
100 for £1
Bits & Bobs
A handful of cut-out letters, single words and little snipped-out images — ready to layer, glue and rearrange into your own headlines and captions.
£1 a bundle
Photos are examples of the kinds of things you'll get — every top-up is different, hand-packed from what I've found. Email gabi@aboutastory.co.uk to ask what's currently in stock.
Building your kit?
Start with a Journal Kit.
These add-ons pair with any of my kits — the Starter Kit, Mystery Kit or Large Pack.
Gifting
A gift
that lands as an e-card.
A little something for the journaller, reader or friend who deserves a slow, thoughtful gift. Choose an amount, add a message, and I’ll email the e-card straight to whoever you’d like to send it to.
The legal bit
Terms & Conditions
A plain-English guide to how the shop works, what to expect from a kit or book, and what happens if something goes wrong. Full policies below — nothing here affects your statutory rights under UK consumer law.
Last updated: August 2026
These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) apply to all purchases made through aboutastory.co.uk (together, “we”, “us”, “our”), including printed books, downloadable books and materials, junk journal supply kits, mystery/surprise kits, and e-cards. By placing an order with us, you agree to these Terms.
1. Who we are
Trading name: aboutastory.co.uk
Contact email: gabi@aboutastory.co.uk
2. Definitions
“Digital Content” means any book, guide, template, printable, or other material supplied to you electronically for download rather than shipped as a physical item.
“Physical Products” means printed books, junk journal supply kits, and any other tangible item shipped to you.
“Mystery Kits” means any junk journal kit, grab bag, or bundle sold on the basis that its specific contents are not disclosed in advance.
“E-Card” means an electronic gift voucher issued as a unique code, redeemable for products on aboutastory.co.uk only, as described in Section 8.
“You” means the customer, and by placing an order you confirm you are a consumer purchasing for personal, non-business use, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
3. Orders & payment
3.1 All orders are subject to acceptance and availability. We will confirm your order by email once payment has been received.
3.2 Prices are listed in GBP and include VAT where applicable. We reserve the right to correct pricing errors before an order is dispatched or a download link is issued.
3.3 We reserve the right to refuse or cancel an order at our discretion (for example, in cases of suspected fraud or unavailable stock), in which case you will receive a full refund.
4. Downloadable books & digital materials
This section covers all downloadable content: ebooks, PDFs, printables, journal prompts, templates, and any other digital-only product.
4.1 Nature of digital content. Because digital content is delivered instantly and cannot be “returned” once accessed, different rules apply compared to physical goods.
4.2 Your right to cancel, and waiving it. Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, you normally have 14 days to cancel a distance purchase. However, this right does not apply once digital content has begun downloading, provided you gave your express consent to the download starting before the cancellation period ended, and you acknowledged that by doing so, you lose your right to cancel. By ticking the box at checkout confirming “I consent to immediate access to this digital content and I understand that I lose my right to cancel once download/access begins”, you agree to waive your statutory cancellation right for that purchase.
4.3 Faults are different from change of mind. This waiver applies to change-of-mind cancellations. It does not affect your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if the digital content is genuinely faulty (e.g. the file is corrupted, the wrong file was sent, or it cannot be downloaded at all); in that case we will fix the fault, resend the correct file, or refund you.
4.4 Personal use only. Digital content is licensed for your personal, non-commercial use. You may not resell, redistribute, share, or publish our digital content, in whole or in part.
5. Printed books & other physical products
5.1 Your legal right to cancel. As a UK consumer, you have a statutory right to cancel an order for physical goods within 14 days of receiving them, without giving a reason, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This is a legal right and cannot be removed by these Terms.
5.2 How this works in practice for us: You must let us know you wish to cancel within 14 days of delivery. You then have a further 14 days to return the item to us, at your own cost, unless we’ve agreed otherwise. We will refund you within 14 days of receiving the item back, excluding the standard delivery cost. If an item is returned used, written in, damaged, or in a condition beyond what’s reasonable for simply inspecting it, we may deduct an amount from your refund reflecting the loss in value.
5.3 Faulty or damaged on arrival. If your book arrives damaged, misprinted, or faulty, this is separate from the above; contact us with photos and we’ll replace or refund it at no cost to you, in line with the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
5.4 We are not able to offer refunds simply because you’ve changed your mind after the 14-day window, or because the content wasn’t what you expected; please use the book descriptions, previews, and sample pages provided to make an informed choice before buying.
6. Junk journal supply kits
6.1 The nature of our materials. Our kits are built primarily from genuine secondhand, vintage, and antique ephemera (things like old letters, stamps, postcards, photographs, book pages, and paper goods sourced from charity shops and vintage finds) supplemented with a smaller number of new supporting items (such as stickers, tags, and writing cards).
6.2 This means every kit is one-of-a-kind, and imperfection is part of the product, not a fault. By purchasing a kit, you understand and accept that vintage and secondhand materials will show genuine signs of age and history, which may include (but are not limited to): foxing, staining, or discolouration on old paper and letters; creases, tears, worn edges, or previous folds; faded ink, handwriting, postmarks, or printing; variation in paper weight, size, and condition between items; occasional missing corners, small tears, or brittle pages.
6.3 These characteristics are the reason vintage ephemera is desirable for journaling; they are not defects. We do not accept returns or offer refunds on the basis that an item shows wear consistent with its genuine age.
6.4 What we do guarantee: that items are as broadly described (e.g. “vintage postcards” are genuinely vintage, “handwritten letters” are genuinely handwritten), that kits are not missing entire categories of items promised in the description, and that new supporting items (stickers, cards, pegs, etc.) arrive in good condition. If any of these genuinely aren’t met, contact us and we’ll put it right.
6.5 Because kits are made up of consumable/perishable-style components once broken up or used in a project, and because of their unique, non-restockable nature, we’re unable to accept returns once a kit has been opened and the contents inspected or used; but your 14-day statutory right to cancel an unopened kit (Section 5) still applies.
7. Mystery & surprise kits
7.1 What you’re buying. Mystery kits are sold specifically on the basis that their exact contents are a surprise. You will know the general theme, approximate value, and item count in advance (as stated on the product page), but not the specific items included.
7.2 By purchasing a mystery kit, you acknowledge and accept that: the specific contents are unknown to you at the time of purchase, and this is the intended experience, not an error; contents will vary from kit to kit and from what’s shown in any example or “flat lay” photography, which is illustrative only; you may receive items you already own, aren’t drawn to, or find less exciting than others might; we curate contents in good faith to match the stated theme and approximate value, but cannot guarantee you will be delighted with every individual item.
7.3 What we do guarantee. We guarantee that each mystery kit will contain items broadly consistent with the stated theme and approximate item count/value shown on the product page, and that all items meet the same condition standards set out in Section 6. If a kit is significantly short on contents, doesn’t match its theme at all, or arrives damaged, contact us and we will make it right.
7.4 Because opening a mystery kit is, by definition, “using” it and reveals the surprise, we’re not able to offer refunds once a kit has been opened on the basis of disappointment with contents. Your 14-day statutory right to cancel an unopened kit before you’ve broken the seal (Section 5) still applies, and faulty items remain covered under Section 5.3.
8. E-cards (gift vouchers)
We offer electronic gift cards on this site; no physical card, nothing in the post, just a code delivered by email that whoever you’re buying for can spend on aboutastory.co.uk.
What an e-card is. An About a Story e-card is a prepaid credit issued as a unique code (and, where applicable, a PIN) delivered by email. It’s not a credit card and not cash, and it can’t be exchanged for cash except where the law requires it.
Buying one for someone else. When you buy an e-card as a gift, you’re confirming you have that person’s permission to use their email address to send it. We’ll only use that address to deliver the e-card; see our Privacy Policy for how we handle it beyond that.
Delivery. E-cards land in the recipient’s inbox by email, usually within a few minutes of payment. Occasionally an anti-fraud check will hold delivery for up to 24 hours. If you’ve scheduled the e-card to arrive on a specific date, it will go out that day. If it doesn’t turn up, please check junk folders first, then email us at gabi@aboutastory.co.uk with your order number and we’ll resend it.
Personal messages. You can add a note that appears in the e-card email exactly as you type it. Keep it legal and keep it your own words; anything unlawful, threatening, defamatory, discriminatory, sexually explicit, or infringing someone else’s rights, we’ll refuse to send, and if we have to refuse after payment we’ll refund the e-card in full.
Where you can spend them. aboutastory.co.uk only. E-cards issued through this site cannot be redeemed on fkthat.co.uk, in any physical shop, or with any other seller of our products.
Validity. E-cards are valid for 12 months from the date they’re issued, unless the e-card email says otherwise. After that, any unused balance lapses (see “Expiry” below).
How to redeem. At checkout, enter the code (and PIN if there is one) into the “Gift card / e-card” field before you pay. The e-card value comes off the order total, including delivery where applicable. Once an order has been placed, an e-card can’t be applied retrospectively.
Balance and partial use. You can spend an e-card across multiple orders until the balance runs out or the e-card expires, whichever comes first. If an order is smaller than the balance, the leftover stays on the code to use again before expiry. If the order is bigger, you top up the difference by card at checkout.
Payment for e-cards. E-cards must be paid for with a debit or credit card, or another payment method offered at checkout. You cannot use one e-card to buy another.
No cash alternative. E-cards and any unused balance cannot be swapped for cash, transferred to another account, or resold. This doesn’t affect your statutory rights as set out elsewhere in these Terms.
Refunds of items bought with an e-card. If you return goods bought with an e-card under our normal returns policy (Sections 4 to 7), the refund is credited back onto the same e-card code, usable until the original expiry date, not extended by a further 12 months. Refunds don’t come back as cash or to a debit/credit card. If part of an order was paid by e-card and part by debit/credit card, refunds come off the e-card balance first and the debit/credit card second, up to what each originally paid.
Cooling-off (14 days). Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, if you’ve bought an e-card and haven’t redeemed any of it yet, you can cancel within 14 days of receiving the e-card email for a full refund. Email us at gabi@aboutastory.co.uk with the order number and e-card code. Once any part of an e-card has been redeemed, this cancellation right ends; but the goods bought with it are still covered by the returns rules in the relevant section above.
Lost, forwarded, or unauthorised use. Please treat an e-card code like cash. We’re not responsible for e-cards that get lost, deleted, forwarded to the wrong person, or used by someone who wasn’t meant to have the code, and we can’t replace an e-card that’s already been redeemed. If an e-card genuinely hasn’t been redeemed and you’ve lost the email, contact us with your order number; we can cancel the original code and reissue a replacement at our discretion. We may charge a reasonable fee for reissue, or decline if we can’t verify the request.
Fraud and misuse. If we have reasonable grounds to believe an e-card has been obtained fraudulently, tampered with, or is being used for chargeback fraud, resale for profit, or money laundering, we can cancel it, refuse to honour it, and cancel any linked order, with no refund in that case.
Order limits. Single e-cards are capped at £50 face value, and you can buy up to 10 e-cards per order. If you need to go bigger, for a group gift or an event, please email us first.
Expiry. Any balance left on an e-card after its expiry date lapses and can no longer be redeemed. Lapsed balances aren’t refunded and are recognised as income of the business.
Currency and pricing. E-cards are issued, sold, and redeemed in pounds sterling (GBP) only. Any bank fees or exchange-rate charges if you’re buying or spending from outside the UK are between you and your bank.
Age. You must be 16 or over to buy an e-card. By buying one, you’re confirming that you are.
Governing law. E-card purchases and any dispute about them are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
9. Delivery
9.1 We aim to dispatch physical orders within 5 working days. Delivery times are estimates, not guarantees, and we’re not liable for delays caused by couriers or events outside our control.
9.2 Digital products are delivered by download link or email, typically within 5 hours after payment.
9.3 Risk in physical goods passes to you once they’ve been delivered to the address provided at checkout.
10. Intellectual property
10.1 All written content, book text, imagery, branding, and site content is our copyright (or used under licence) and may not be copied, reproduced, or redistributed without permission.
10.2 Digital products are licensed for personal use only, per Section 4.4.
11. Our liability
11.1 Nothing in these Terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or anything else which cannot legally be limited or excluded.
11.2 Beyond that, our total liability to you for any claim relating to your order is limited to the amount you paid for that order. We’re not liable for indirect or consequential losses.
12. Complaints
If something’s gone wrong, please contact us at gabi@aboutastory.co.uk with your order number and details; we’d always rather sort it out directly than have you go through a formal process. We aim to respond within 10 working days.
13. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. Nothing here affects your statutory rights as a UK consumer.
14. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. The version in force at the time you place an order is the one that applies to that order.
Questions? Email gabi@aboutastory.co.uk. See also our Privacy & Cookie Policy.
The legal bit
Privacy & Cookie Policy
How About a Story collects, uses, and protects your personal data — and how we use cookies. Plain-English, no dark patterns.
Last updated: August 2026
This policy explains how About a Story (“we”, “us”, “our”, aboutastory.co.uk) collects, uses, and protects your personal data, and how we use cookies on this website. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how your information is handled.
If you have any questions about this policy, please get in touch using the contact form on this site.
1. Who we are
About a Story is a UK-based website and small business run by Gabriela Silion, including our junk journal supply kit shop. For the purposes of UK data protection law, we are the “data controller” of the personal data described in this policy.
Contact: please use the contact form on this site to reach us with any privacy-related questions or requests.
2. What personal data we collect
Depending on how you use the site, we may collect:
- Contact details: such as your name and email address, if you use our contact form or get in touch with us.
- Order details: such as your name, delivery address, email address, and order history, if you purchase a junk journal kit or other product from our shop.
- Gift/e-card recipient details: if you purchase an e-card (voucher) as a gift, we collect the recipient’s name and email address so we can deliver it on your behalf.
- Payment information: processed securely by our payment provider (see Section 6); we do not store your full card details ourselves.
- Technical data: such as your IP address, browser type, device information, and general location, collected automatically when you visit the site.
- Usage data: information about how you use the site, such as pages visited and time spent, collected via cookies (see Section 7).
- Correspondence: copies of any messages you send us, and our replies.
We do not knowingly collect any special category data (such as health or financial information) beyond what’s necessary to process an order or respond to your message.
3. How we use your data
We use your personal data to:
- Process and fulfil orders, including payment, delivery, and customer service.
- Respond to messages sent via our contact form.
- Maintain the security and proper functioning of the website.
- Understand how visitors use the site, so we can improve it.
- Comply with our legal obligations (e.g. tax and accounting records).
We do not sell your personal data to third parties, and we do not currently run a mailing list or newsletter on this site.
4. E-cards & gift vouchers
We offer e-cards (gift vouchers) that can be purchased and sent by email (either to yourself, or directly to someone else you’d like to gift it to).
If you buy an e-card for someone else, we’ll ask for the recipient’s name and email address so we can deliver it. Here’s how we handle that:
- We use the recipient’s details only to send the e-card, and to provide customer support if there’s an issue with delivery or redemption.
- We do not add the recipient to any mailing list or use their details for marketing.
- The recipient’s details are kept only for as long as needed to deliver the e-card and administer its use (e.g. tracking redemption), then deleted or anonymised in line with Section 8.
- If the recipient would like their details removed, or has any questions about how their data was used, they’re welcome to contact us directly via the contact form (they don’t need to go through the person who purchased the e-card).
By purchasing an e-card for someone else, you confirm that you’re happy for us to contact the recipient by email to deliver it, and that you have a basis for sharing their email address with us for this purpose (for example, because you know them personally).
5. Our legal basis for processing
Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases:
- Contract: to process your order and deliver the products you’ve purchased, including e-cards.
- Legitimate interests: to deliver an e-card to a recipient you’ve chosen to gift it to, using only the details needed to send it.
- Consent: for non-essential cookies and any optional marketing (only where you’ve actively opted in).
- Legitimate interests: to keep the site secure, understand general usage, and respond to enquiries.
- Legal obligation: to keep financial records as required by law.
6. Sharing your data
We only share your personal data with third parties where necessary, including:
- Payment processors (e.g. Stripe, PayPal, or similar) to securely process transactions.
- Delivery/courier services, to fulfil and ship your order.
- Website hosting and technical service providers, who store data on our behalf.
- Email delivery services, used to send e-cards (gift vouchers) to the recipient’s inbox.
- Analytics or advertising providers, but only if and when such cookies are active and you’ve consented to them (see Section 7).
We require all third parties to respect the security of your data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow third parties to use your personal data for their own purposes.
7. Cookies
This website uses cookies. Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help the site function properly and, where you consent, help us understand how it’s used and improve your experience.
We use, or may use, the following categories of cookies:
Strictly necessary cookies. Essential for the website to function (for example, enabling the shopping cart and checkout process). These cannot be switched off, and don’t require consent under the law, as the site cannot work properly without them.
Analytics cookies (optional). Help us understand how visitors use the site (e.g. which pages are popular), so we can improve it. These are only set with your consent and may include tools such as Google Analytics.
Marketing/advertising cookies (optional). May be used to measure the effectiveness of advertising or show relevant content on other platforms (e.g. Meta/Facebook Pixel, Google Ads). These are only set with your consent.
Managing your preferences. When you first visit the site, you’ll be asked to consent to non-essential cookies via a cookie banner. You can change your preferences at any time via the cookie settings link on the site, or by managing cookies through your browser settings. Please note that blocking strictly necessary cookies may affect how the site works, particularly at checkout.
Cookie table. The table below sets out the cookies currently used on this site. It will be reviewed and kept up to date as tools are added:
| Cookie name | Purpose | Category | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
cart_session (example) |
Keeps track of items in your basket during checkout | Strictly necessary | Session |
_ga (example) |
Google Analytics — measures general site usage | Analytics | 2 years |
8. How long we keep your data
We only keep personal data for as long as necessary:
- Order and payment records: kept for as long as required by UK tax law (currently 6 years).
- Contact form enquiries: kept for as long as needed to resolve your query, then deleted or anonymised.
- Analytics data: kept only for the retention period set by the relevant tool (typically 14–26 months).
9. Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Erase your data, where we don’t have a legal reason to keep it.
- Restrict or object to certain processing.
- Data portability (receive your data in a portable format).
- Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent (e.g. optional cookies).
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via the contact form on this site. You also have the right to complain to the UK’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), at ico.org.uk.
10. Children’s privacy
This website and shop are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can remove it.
11. Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse, including secure hosting and encrypted payment processing. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
12. How to complain
If you think I’ve mishandled your personal data, please tell me first at gabi@aboutastory.co.uk; most things can be sorted quickly. If you’re not satisfied with my response, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator:
- Website: ico.org.uk
- Helpline: 0303 123 1113
- Post: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time, for example, as new tools or cookies are added to the site. The “last updated” date at the top will reflect the most recent revision. We encourage you to check back periodically.
14. Contact us
If you have any questions about this policy, how we handle your data, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please get in touch via the contact form on this site.
See also our Terms & Conditions.