When Ruth Sturdy couldn’t find a journal that captured the little moments she wanted to remember about her young daughter, she decided to create one herself. That simple idea became ‘The Book of You’ and, eventually, Colour Chronicles, a business dedicated to helping families record the stories, milestones and funny conversations that might otherwise be forgotten. Their books are designed to help children and their grown-ups slow down, connect and share stories. Here, Ruth talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about how motherhood inspired her business journey, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and why the simplest moments often become the most treasured memories.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
It all started with my daughter when she turned three.
I’ve always loved writing things down and capturing memories, but I felt the record book I was keeping for her just wasn’t as good as it could be.
She was so chatty, so funny, so completely herself, and I remember thinking, I need to bottle this. The things she said, the way she saw the world – it all felt too important to lose. But the journal I had didn’t prompt the kind of moments that really captured who she was.
So I went looking for the book I had in my mind, and I simply couldn’t find it.
So I created The Book of You.
What began as something for my own family has grown into Colour Chronicles – a business built around helping other families capture their stories too, in a way that feels manageable and meaningful, rather than overwhelming.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
It all happened quite quickly.
I wrote the questions, found a designer who could bring my vision to life, sourced a printer I felt confident in, and then took a leap of faith with an order of 3,000 books… and worked out how to sell them afterwards.
From there, I attended trade shows and baby shows, and it grew steadily through word of mouth, which felt like the most natural fit for something so personal.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest breakthrough was realising that simplicity is what makes something stick.
Parenting already comes with enough pressure, and I knew I didn’t want my product to add to that. Stripping things back and making the concept feel achievable changed everything.
More broadly, it shaped how I approach the business as a whole – focusing on creating something genuinely useful, something people feel good about giving as a gift, and something you can imagine being used and cherished for years to come.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
With honesty – and a bit of flexibility!
I’ve stopped aiming for perfect balance because, in reality, it doesn’t exist. Running a business alongside family life means some days lean more one way than the other.
What helps is that the business itself is rooted in real family life – it’s not separate from it.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Like many small business owners, I’ve had to learn everything – from manufacturing and logistics to marketing and sales – often as I go.
One of the biggest challenges has been visibility. Creating something meaningful is one thing, but making sure people actually see and understand it is another.
There’s also the challenge of building a brand that stands out while staying true to its values.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The biggest positive is the sense of purpose, along with the freedom to parent first.
There’s something incredibly rewarding about building something from the ground up and knowing it genuinely resonates with people.
The downside is that it’s always with you. You never completely switch off, and there’s a constant sense of responsibility that comes with running your own business.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I’d love to see Colour Chronicles continue to grow, reaching more families and becoming a go-to for thoughtful, meaningful baby gifts.
There’s also so much potential to expand the range while staying true to the core idea: helping people capture their stories over time.
More than anything, I want the books to remain relatable, inclusive and something people genuinely feel good about giving.
Visit the Colour Chronicles website to find out more, and connect with them on Instagram and Facebook.
