UK Handmade

ANNOUNCEMENT: New UK Handmade Website

2011-01-05T06:00:00.003+01:00

We hope you had a wonderful festive season and are enjoying the lovely, shiny NEW YEAR! We are excited to announce the launch of our NEW LOOK WEBSITE.

This means UK Handmade will be saying goodbye to blogger as of today, but you can still read all our articles, interviews, recipes, business tips and the latest on fabulous handmade goodies over on the NEW WEBSITE and get automatic updates of new articles posted by adding this link for our RSS feed to your reader: http://ukhandmade.co.uk/feeds/articles/rss.xml

Looking forward to seeing you on the other side!!

MEET: Sarah Louise Dix

2010-11-17T08:00:00.063+01:00

Today we are catching up with Sarah Louise Dix, who creates stunning couture upholstery. It was Sarah's corset chair that first caught our eye and made us want to find out more about the designer behind this opulent piece, here's what Sarah had to say.....

The Corset Chair

Tell me what inspires you…..
Having initially studied fashion design and ended up in a BBC office until recently, I love having gone back to making things by hand. Old methods and trades inspire me too. I get inspiration from fashion, clothing, fabric and texture. Also surrealism, art and the natural world.

How did you get started?
Wanting to be my own boss and not to work in an office any more. I wanted to make things again like I did as a kid. I went through the list of local evening classes and picked one I liked the sound of! Upholstery involves old wooden things and fabric, and I love both.

Mans Jacket Chair

Whose work do you admire?
I ended up working for Vivienne Westwood’s PR company after college so she is a great influence and I admire her greatly. I also admire Salvador Dali and love Nina Saunders, which is very surreal.

What has been the favourite piece you have created to date?
The Mini Cape Footstool. I wanted to keep it but it’s for sale in Blaqua Menswear in Newburg Street W1 at the moment. It’s made from a vintage dark gold sheepskin cape I found, it’s wonderful. It is also a piece that works very well design wise.

Cape Footstool

Describe your typical day….
I walk my daughter to school with my dog (five month old Cockerpoo) and bike, which has a dog basket. Having dropped her off I cycle to my studio via the park to walk the dog. After a coffee I work through until about two thirty. I share the studio with three other upholsterers and an illustrator.

I work on my own pieces and also chairs for clients. I have recently finished a reproduction of The Corset Chair in minty green and deep pink velvet. The idea is to design a piece and put it into production if it works really well and I get good feedback from the original. I cycle back to pick up my daughter and walk the dog again. When I get home I generally do a bit of PR and marketing and catch up with emails.

Tell me more about The Pink label…..
The Pink Label was created as the label for the reproduction pieces which are a more affordable product. I try and structure the business like a fashion company as clothing is the theme for my own designs. I get loads of national and international interest from people who find the original Corset Chair lovely but too expensive so hopefully the Pink Label will offer them something more accessible.

Woolcoat Chair

What was your most memorable commission or re-upholstered piece?
A stunning armchair for Blaqua Menswear made from their own shirt fabrics and ties.

When work is done, how do you relax?
I like visiting antique clothing sales for research and I’m addicted to second-hand shops. I do Pilates once a week for a good stretch and walk the dog, it’s very relaxing to be surrounded by trees and nature. Other than that red wine and telly.

Describe yourself in three words……..
Determined, neurotic, stylish.

Couture Ballgown Chair

Sarah's work is available at
Sarah Louise Dix
Etsy
Artfire

MEET: Si Easton of Wood Tattoos

2010-11-10T08:00:00.008+01:00

Today we are catching up with the very talented Si Easton of Wood Tattoos. It sounds intriguing, and here in this in depth interview Si tells us more about the origins of this ancient art, his passion for the craft and his book Wood Burning with Style .........

Ornate Trinket Box

Tell me more about the background of Pyrography…

Pyrography literally means “writing with fire” and dates back hundreds of years. It is also often called wood burning or poker work, the latter due to the metal pokers used in Victorian times which were heated to use as drawing tools. Modern electric pyrography machines allow more controlled results, as well as the availability of shaped metal nibs to create a wide range of marks and lines. Using pyrography to decorate a wooden surface has always reminded me of the way that we adorn our own skin using tattoos, hence the name of my crafts business, Wood Tattoos.

What inspires you?
My main passion and inspiration is the use of texture and pattern. I enjoy making items that make people want to hold or touch them. My creations have always used such embellishment or decoration, right back to my work on my degree in Three-Dimensional Design. I'm inspired by the textures and patterns that occur naturally around us, whether this is through the random arrangement of items on a shelf or through the close examination of a natural surface. Many of my designs use patterns based on microscopic studies of natural surfaces such as coral, plant cells or fingerprints. I also enjoy using both traditional and alternative symbols or patterns, such as Celtic knotwork and tribal tattoo designs.

Symbolic Plate

Describe your typical working day….
I create my pyrography in my spare time. I started wood burning as a hobby back in 2007 to give me a creative outlet when not working at my 'day job'. I joined a craft forum to get information and advice on general issues: before I knew it, I had a website displaying my work and was selling both online and at craft fairs. As a result, I don't have a structured 'working day' but I tend to use any spare crafting time updating my websites and promoting my work on-line, liaising with customers by email to develop commission designs, developing other products to sell and physically working with my pyrography equipment to create the finished articles. I've said it before and I'm sure many crafters would agree... we all need a 37-hour day to fit in what we need to do!

Autumnal Bangle

Do you have a favourite piece that you have created?
My favourite piece so far is definitely a large chessboard I made for a fellow crafter. I collaborated with a woodworker to create the board itself as a bespoke item to fit the specified requirements. It then involved nearly 30 hours of work including the planning, layout and burning of the final design which had an Oriental theme. The creation of the board was turned into a 6-page section for my pyrography book where I discussed the design process for larger pieces. The finished chessboard was a joy to look at, and I am now planning to make my own chessboard to keep myself as the process was so enjoyable!

Chess Board

How did the idea for the book come about?
The idea wasn't mine and came completely out of the blue one day! I received an email from an editor at Fox Chapel Publishing in 2008 stating that they had seen my work and liked my personal style of design. They asked if I would consider writing a book on pyrography: it's always been a personal ambition of mine so I was more than keen to get involved. After nearly two years of hard work and determination, I am extremely pleased with the finished result and hope that Wood Burning with Style will help many budding crafters learn the art of pyrography.

What are you working on just now?
I've been doing a lot of animal portraits recently which are very challenging but rewarding. It can be quite difficult to capture the personality of a pet from a photograph, but the finished result is always so well received once complete. I am also working on a range of decorative wooden bracelets, which I also featured in my book as a step-by-step project. I have also been working on a number of personalised wedding frames which are a popular item I am asked to make: the frame is decorated with the names of the happy couple, details of the big day and other designs which make the frame special to them.

Pet Portrait

Where do you see Wood Tattoos in the next 12 months?
I've got some other book ideas in the pipeline with Fox Chapel Publishing : I think I've been bitten by the writing bug! I would also like to just continue creating unique designs and gifts for customers : I feel that the current financial climate has made people more aware of how they spend their money and what they get for it. The appeal of handmade gifts is rising as people recognise that their money can buy something unique, personal and meaningful to mark an occasion such as a wedding, birthday or similar.

What is on your wish list?
My main wish is to keep making and selling items that mean something to the people that buy them. I also hope that my book inspires other people to take up this enjoyable craft and develop their own personal style of creative expression.

Describe yourself in three words…..
According to one recent book review in an American magazine, I'm “hip”, “modern” and “edgy”! I still can't resist using a tongue-in-cheek description that a friend used to describe pyrography though... “crayons for arsonists”. So perhaps the best three words to describe me would be “a crafty pyromaniac”!

To see Simon’s range of products visit:-

Wood Tattoos

Wood Tattoos Facebook Page

Wood Tattoos Flickr

Simon's book Woodburning with Style is available via his website or from Amazon

MEET: Peter Sewell

2010-11-03T06:00:00.002+01:00

Today we are catching with Yorkshire based jewellery designer Peter Sewell. Peter specialises in stunning bespoke handwoven statement jewellery that is opulent and glamorous. Peter uses Japanese glass seed beads and Swarovski crystal in his unique designs.

Russian inspired Anastasia Necklace

Tell me what inspires you…..

The pantheon of amazing beadwork produced around the world is my main inspiration - opulent golds and crystals of Russian and Eastern European bead weaving, the colourful and bright designs of Native American and African bead weaving, and, of course, the beautiful crystals and gemstones reflecting the beauty of the Earth.

How did you get started?

My wife Nina was learning beadwork, and the intricacy and design grabbed my attention! The challenge of making a piece of beautiful jewellery with tiny glass beads and some thread was too much to ignore – I was hooked. Nina gave me all her stash of beads, I made my first peyote square, and the rest is history!

Eva Necklace by Peter Sewell - One of a Kind

Whose work do you admire?

I am daily in contact with many talented bead weavers through Facebook, and it would be very difficult to pick any one whose work I admire more than others, but avant garde designers such as Laura McCabe, Betty Stephan, Gwen Fisher and Florence Turnour always impress with every new design.

Describe your typical working day….

Two coffees, feed cats, sit on computer until bored, then music on and bead whatever design is floating around in my head.

Peter at work....

Do you have a favourite piece that you have created?

I love ‘Maryshka’ - one of the only designs I actually sketched first instead of making it up as I go along. ‘Eva’ comes close because she was made with the sole purpose of testing the new Miyuki ‘duracoat’ beads, which passed with flying colours!

Maryshka Necklace by Peter Sewell

Who comes up with the names for your pieces?

Me. I can usually look at the first workings of a design and ‘feel’ a name for her. Each design has her own aura or life as I am making her, any that don’t give me this feeling are normally scrapped.

Your pieces are intricate and beautiful; tell me more about the design process…

Most of my work is made up as I go. I have a basic idea of what I want to do, and the main materials – such as crystals – I want to work with, but the bits in between are generally unplanned! I have styles of work, sometimes I want to use a lot of gold, or a lot of crystal, or just a plain and classic design, I’ll match a few beads up and see where it takes me!

Tanya Necklace by Peter Sewell

When work is done, how do you relax?

Anything funny on TV, Crosswords, pottering in the garden, and a bit of Blackwork are my normal chill outs.

Describe yourself in three words…..

Creative, Unconventional, Rock ‘n Roll.................that’s one word right?

Katya Necklace - handmade with gold plated beads

To see Peter’s range of products visit:-
http://petersewell.blogspot.com/
http://petersewell.etsy.com/

MEET: Colette Bain of Emma's Wolf

2010-10-13T06:00:00.094+02:00

White Rabbit

Now and again, something deliciously quirky will catch your eye and make you think about what you're seeing. Such things have the power to give you a new perspective and pull you into a different universe, if you let them. Colette Bain is an artist who delights in creating such curious artworks, and we're delighted to invite you to enter the wonderful world of Emma's Wolf.

Please tell us who you are and what you do.
My name is Colette Bain and I’m an artist. I’m mainly self taught and in fact my first degree is in Philosophy, but over a period of many years I’ve been working away on developing my artistic skills whilst being employed in a variety of different jobs. Gradually, as I’ve exhibited more and begun to gain sales and commissions I’ve been able to devote more and more time to my art practise.

My 2D work is mainly centred on an exploration of the face. Although I have executed a number of portraits in oils my preferred medium is pastel. The work I do in 3D is quite different, more quirky and brightly coloured; I’m very influenced by children’s book illustrators such as Wolf Erlbruch and Kitty Crowther.

Blog Moon

I adapt existing objects such as dolls, toys, and tins, using papier-mâché, to create different characters. Moon men crop up quite often as do animals such as mice and rabbits. I use a combination of paint and collaged ephemera to decorate each object. I deliberately aim for the objects to look slightly worn and imperfect. I want them to be very obviously handmade - an antidote to the sterility of ‘perfect’ factory made items.

I trade under the name Emma’s Wolf. Emma is my daughter. She’s 9 now and has for a long time been obsessed by wolves. The first papier-mâché creation I made was a wolf for her. He isn’t a wild one; he wears a smoking jacket and has a bit of a gormless face, but she loves him.

Emma's Wolf

What inspired you to make your unique ‘found’ art objects?
I enjoyed making Emma’s wolf so much that I began making other objects for family and friends. Initially these were made purely using papier-mâché but I would quite often decorate them using ephemera that I’d picked up at our local antiques centre. We have a huge one in Lancaster, where I live, and I could (and do) spend hours in there looking for materials to use. I often came across old broken toys and tins that had some lovely features, faded patterns perhaps or worn wood wheels, but also ugly plastic parts.

I liked the idea of giving these objects a second life, retaining those bits that had drawn me to them and using these as inspiration to add or alter the object to create something completely new. I liked the fact that something factory made, with little individual care, became an artwork, something completely unique.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do? And the most frustrating?
The most rewarding aspect of what I do is when a piece works. It’s difficult to describe when that is other than to say that it’s when all the components such as composition and colour are right and then there’s something extra; it just comes to life. Then there’s something for people to respond to. This can be a positive response, but not always. I had a friend who, when he visited, would always turn a little creature I’d made called ‘Nowhere Man’ to the wall. He found it unnerving. I still judge that a success - a collection of paper, wood, pencils and paint, put together in a particular way, had a real effect on him.

Nowhere Man

The most frustrating is in a way the opposite, when I get a piece that just doesn’t come together. Quite often, however, I can leave something for a while and come back to it and it’ll work. Given that then, I’d have to say the most frustrating part is when I’ve got my fingers coated with paste and paper and I get an itchy nose or the phone rings.

Describe your work setting.
I work at home and generally tend to do my 3D work at the end of my kitchen and my 2D work either in my bedroom where I have an easel and there’s plenty of light, or on the dining table. All this may change, however, as my eldest son has just left home to go to university, leaving his room free.....

My kitchen workspace

How easy do you find it to work in both 2D and 3D? Do you prefer one over the other?
I find working in 3D easier than 2D as, given the nature of my work, there are more constraints and that helps direct me, I have something to work against. Plus it’s lovely and tactile. I like the process of building an object with my fingers, and with all that glue and strips of paper, I can feel like a kid again.

2D work always provides the challenge of what to draw or paint. Having said that, increasingly I’m using the playful exploratory approach I use for the 3D work in my 2D work – so I’ve started to use collage and different tools to draw with, including my fingers. I can also get much more immediate results in 2D which can be satisfying (if the results are good).

I jump from one to the other and whichever approach I’m using, that’s the one I prefer.

Cat

What is your typical day?
A typical day starts with getting my daughter to school and walking the dog. I’ve got the timing to a tee so I’m back home, starting work, just as Woman’s Hour comes on. I tend to work through to the end of school, with a quick break for lunch. Then in the evening, once my daughter is in bed, I’ll carry on.

All this can be derailed if I turn on the computer at any point in the day. I don’t seem able to just check on emails and turn it off. I’ll inevitably find myself two hours later, bug-eyed, having perused a huge variety of blogs and websites, often coming across loads of inspirational work, but not having done any myself. I’ve got to the point of recognising this particular black hole, but it doesn’t mean that I still don’t fall into it.

Tell us about your long term plans.
I’m aiming to do more 3D work as I enjoy it. It also seems to generate interest, perhaps because it’s something a little different. Because each piece is unique they can be time consuming and I’m aiming to supplement this work with 2D work, which complements it, so more illustrative. I’ve started to sell prints of some of this work and intend to create more designs and sell cards of them.

I’ve exhibited my 3D work in a couple of gallery shows and had a really positive response. An obvious next step is for me to build on this and approach other galleries to show my work.

Tender is the Night

If you could live your life all over again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
When I first considered this question my initial response was that I would have done a degree in art. But perhaps it was a good thing I didn’t. I was very lacking in confidence when I was younger and had a terrible habit of comparing myself unfavourably to everyone around me. This meant that when I did do any formal art classes I found that I was completely intimidated by the other students who seemed so assured. I think if I had done an art degree I might have struggled to have confidence in my own vision.

Having said that, the thought of three years devoted completely to exploring different artistic approaches would have been lovely.

If you had time to learn a new skill what would it be?
I’d love to do a printmaking course.

Where can we see more of your work?
I have a shop on Folksy at: www.folksy.com/shops/TinboxToo
More work can be seen on my website at: www.emmaswolf.com

MEET: Paul of Free Range Designs

2010-09-29T08:00:00.073+02:00

UK Handmade is pleased to introduce Paul Bullen of family run furniture business Free Range Designs. Paul uses recycled, reclaimed and ecologically sound materials to create gorgeous unique pieces of furniture. We caught up with Paul to find out more about him and the family business.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?
I am a South African born artist who found his way to furniture making by accident. At school I studied art instead of woodwork and have never had any formal woodworking training. After school I took Multi-Media studies in Cape Town, but was disappointed with the narrow remit of the course (no drawing, sculpting or dancing!) and ended up becoming a graphic designer by default.

I first started making rustic furniture with my older brother Nick over 12 years ago, when we were living together in Wilderness, South Africa and continued working with him, and my younger brother Tim, when we came over to the UK 9 years ago. I think my lack of formal training has helped me to view furniture making as an art form, and not as a learned craft only open to the professionally-trained and has encouraged me to experiment and take a novel approach to designing and making.

Driftwood Bed Frame

Driftwood Four Poster Bed

What is the ethos behind your work and why did you choose the name "free range designs"?
I take my inspiration from the natural world around me and believe in using only low impact, locally-sourced and sustainable materials. I strive to show the beauty of these materials through my furniture, allowing designs to be guided by the natural shape and form of the woods I use, and hope to encourage a respect for nature and engage people with environmentally friendly products. The name Free Range Designs symbolises my way of working, which is born of a desire to create without constraints and take a fresh approach to design and construction.

Slate Coffee Table

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
I have a degree in Multi-Mediai Studies from South Africa and have worked alongside design professionals in the UK, but my woodworking skills have been largely self- and family-taught, with a prevailing can-do attitude.

What inspired you to start making handmade furniture?
By brother Nick...he was the first furniture maker in the family: he inspired me and my younger brother Tim, and even my dad gets involved sometimes these days.

You have done an amazing commission for the Centre of Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales, how did that come about?
CAT had a big revamp of its visitor display circuit about 5 years ago and I begged the Displays Designer to give me the chaise longue commission. The concept was a 'retail therapy couch' which was to question the idea that spending money makes you happy. It was part of a new Waste and Recycling display at CAT, challenging people to reduce their consumption and questioning the role shopping plays in terms of our well-being. The chaise longue was the first woodworking commission I did alone, without my brothers, and it took six months to complete, working part time. It is made from 100% recycled wood from skips.

Funky Chaise Longue

What do you love most about what you do and what do you find the most frustrating?
What I love most is finishing construction of a new design that has been in my head for ages, stepping back and thinking, "wow, that works and looks good". The most frustrating part is the time it takes to get to that point.

What is your favourite piece you have ever made and why?
The chaise longue is my favourite piece - it's not often that you get the opportunity to make such an exciting commission. It did take me a long time to make, but it's definitely the most stunning piece I've made so far.

Is handmade a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?
I live on a beautiful isolated farm, halfway up a mountain, completely off-grid and run entirely on renewable energy. Handmade is a natural part of how I choose to live my life.

Baby Highchair

Can you tell us a bit about where your collections are made, can we take a sneaky peak at your workshop?
The farm where I live has a large old barn, which I have been steadily converting to a workshop with my other farm mates, two of whom are also carpenters. It is in a very inspiriting location, surrounded by forests and with beautiful views of the lush countryside. Renewable-energy powered furniture!

How do you balance your work and home life, what do you do to wind down?
Living and working so close together is great for spending time with my wife and baby, but it also means that I can find it hard to switch off. To wind down I enjoy working in the vegetable garden at the farm, but what I really love is the ocean and being on the water. I've made a couple of canoes and love paddling and fishing along our local coasts.

Do you ever experience periods of creative slump and if so what helps you through?
Having a variety of different projects on the go helps me to not get bored: if I'm feeling physically tired one day then I might stay home and do some graphic design; or if it's sunny I'll go down to the beach and collect driftwood. Mixing and matching keeps life interesting.

Love Chairs

If you could give an aspiring maker one piece of advice what would it be?
Do it. If it works, great. If it doesn't, then try it again differently, until it works.

Who or what inspires you most in your work?
My wife - she constantly wants new things! Just kidding, our bed is actually made of old pallets. I don't know what inspires me I would say I'm more driven, but by what I don't know, "the need to create".

Story telling Chair

If you had the time to learn a new skill what would it be?
Probably metal work. I think that both metal work and woodwork go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other.

For more information on Free Range Designs check out the blog: http://www.freerangedesigns.co.uk/blog/

MEET: April of Pure Inspirations

2010-09-22T11:00:00.001+02:00

April Collinge is the creative talent behind, award-winning, bespoke cake-making, handmade chocolate and flower arranging business Pure Inspirations. April specialises in making sumptuous cakes and chocolates for all occasions: Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Christenings & Communions and Christmas. April's mother is the talent behind Pure Inspiration's floristry work - a true family affair! UK Handmade caught up with April to find out more about her gorgeous creations and how she got into cake making

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?

I have always loved being involved with creative projects and experimented with all sorts of media from glass painting, printing, sewing, batik to jewellery making. Once my mum finished her sugar-craft courses at Brooklands College, she took on more and more commissioned cakes and my first experience of helping her was a large wedding cake, about 7 years ago, which we had agreed to deliver to an obscure address in Wales! It was definitely an adventure.

Since then, I have also completed Wired Sugar Flower, Royal Icing and Cake Decoration courses at Brooklands and have followed in my mum's footsteps with my own cake-decorating business, Pure Inspirations. My courses proved invaluable both in teaching health and safety aspects of the job (crucial if you are selling to the public or even friends), networking with other people who have the same love of decorating and picking up inside tips.

Tell us about the awards you have won?

Salon Culinaire NEC 2007: Brooklands College like to encourage their students to take part in competitions so I entered a couple of competitions at NEC Birmingham & received a ‘class winner’ silver award for my cake entry into the sugar-paste ‘Decorated Celebration Cake’ category and a bronze for my orchid flowers which for my first competition was very exciting! I'd like to enter more if I could only find the time somewhere!

What do you love most about making cakes?

What I love about this job is playing detective, being able to tap into personal information about my client and evolving it into something elegant, simple and, depending on the requirements, fun; something to put a wide grin on my client's face or make them gasp with admiration! My task is proved more challenging when I am asked to make a cake without any personal feedback from the client. Bespoke cakes work best when there is at least a hint of the recipient's personality. For corporate requirement's it's easy to incorporate logos in a creative way (I have recently made a mortar board cake which incorporates the American School logo).

What do you find the most frustrating part of your job?

To be a cake decorator you do have to love your job as there is only a small part of the market who can charge enough for their cakes to make it majorly profitable. Anyone who makes cakes to a professional standard will know the basic edible and inedible item costs for quality products and they are not reflected when the public look at supermarket factory-made cakes. People can't help to compare a bit despite the fact that they really don't compare.

Is handmade a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?

My business is very much a home-based business and I enjoy having total control of each commission from inception to finish. Each job is as important as the next. I am a glutton for 'giving things a go' in general so the handmade touch is definitely a way of living I aspire to. I do all my own decorating and have even painted my house myself! I like to be able to stand back and say "I did that!" As I get older I'm not afraid to be openly proud!

How do you balance your work and home life, what do you do to wind down?

I like my life to be as varied as my cakes! I'm usually busy with my daytime teaching assistant job, making cakes and studying towards my psychology degree so I play hockey or spend time with my family to wind down.

What are your plans for 2011?
I'm looking forward to my next challenge in 2011: teaching wired sugar flower techniques at workshops for the public.

MEET: Karen Redmayne of Redcurrant Glass

2010-09-15T06:00:00.106+02:00

Rainbow Pendants

This week, we meet a talented glass artist, Karen Redmayne of Redcurrant Glass, who is based in Lancashire.

Please tell us who you are and what you do.
My name is Karen Redmayne and I've been creating since an early age. I've always loved drawing and can remember when I was about 8 or 9 years old drawing my favourite characters such as Snugglebums and My Little Ponys!

Pendle Hill

Now, I'm a glass artist producing handmade landscapes, mirrors, frames, tiles, jewellery and more. Each piece is unique and handmade by me in my Lancashire-based studio in the heart of Pendle. I use a technique known as kiln-formed glass or fused glass, which dates back as far as 3000BC. I cut and layer pieces of glass together, fire it in a kiln at about 800 degrees, then let it slowly cool and finish. The nature of glass means that every piece is unique.I love working with glass as it comes in so many vibrant colours and the outcomes are always unpredictable.

I graduated from Bretton Hall College in 1998 but couldn't get a job. So I decided to start my own business instead, with the support of the Prince's Trust.

Glass tokens

Describe your work setting.
I work in a small unit/studio which is situated within Higherford Mill, which has been converted into a centre for the creative industries. It is a fantastic studio location as it benefits from a northern light roof so I work in natural light. I have a small work area, a display area where I sell to visitors and an area were I run workshops. I have three small kilns, several workbenches and lots and lots of glass.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do?
As I make a wide range of products, my work is never boring. I also get asked to do a lot of commissions which helps to make my job more challenging and rewarding. I always seem to come up with new ideas, some of which work and some don't, so work is never dull. Luckily I always seem to have orders.

I find my job really rewarding creating unique pieces of glass which give others pleasure and may one day be the collectables of the future. A bonus is that I make money from it too! My husband says it's not really work as I'm getting paid to do something I enjoy!

Glass bangles

How do you get word out about your work?
I do a couple of trade shows a year, and I also sell directly at craft fairs and events. I also have a website (www.redcurrantglass.co.uk) where I have an on-line shop.

What are your long term goals?
Long term I'd like my own gallery or shop because, at the moment, I sell all over the country in various shops and galleries and pay out quite a lot in commission for the privilege. Having my own gallery where I could sell my work and other locally handmade products would be great.

Mini landscape hangers

What advice would you give someone trying to start their own creative business?
Starting your own creative business is probably one of the most challenging areas of business to work in. You are competing with mass-produced imported items which people can sell very cheaply. Raw material costs in the UK are high.You have to be determined, know your product, and you also have to be your own marketer, book-keeper and time-keeper. At the end of the day, people will always pay for quality and handmade; I also like to think that people prefer to support local makers. I try to source local materials and always support other local businesses where possible.

Medium bowl

For more information, visit Karen's website at www.redcurrantglass.co.uk or email her at redcurrant@ntlworld.com. Karen has a few places left in some of her glass-making courses which start at the end of September. The courses still available are: fused glass tile-making, fused glass jewellery, lampwork bead-making, and silver clay jewellery. All courses are suitable for beginners.

MEET: Lissa Cook of Peak Princess

2010-09-08T08:00:00.001+02:00

This week UK Handmade catch up with bespoke children's clothing designer/maker Lissa Cook of Peak Princess.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?
We lived in London for 8 years. I was a BBC radio producer working on Radio 4's political programmes "The World at One" and "PM". My husband was managing the top personal training studio in London so we were both doing very stressful shift work - up very early and home late. He went freelance as a writer and we moved up to the Peak District 3 years ago. I got a job in Manchester making BBC radio documentaries for an independent production company and then took a career break. That was 2 summers ago. I was sitting in the park picnicking with my god-daughter Tilly and it struck me that there was a gap in the market for handmade quality childrenswear.

My Mum was a couture designer and my grand-mother a milliner so this wasn't as left-field as it seemed. Mum had taught me how to sew. I made up 3 sample dresses and showed them to friends and family. My sister-in-law's the Design Director at Jellycat Toys - she put me in touch with Liberty of London who loved the designs and agreed to supply me. I launched my first collection for little girls last spring. I've since been featured in Sunday Times Style who called them 'achingly cool', as well as Country Living magazine and Guardian Life & Style. I was asked to make boys' clothes so designed the Peak Prince range and am about to launch bridesmaid dresses at the end of this month.

What is the ethos behind your work?
My tagline is "...with love sewn in". I love every dress or little boy's shirt that I make. Each and every garment is designed, cut and sewn by me in my customers' choice of my Liberty prints. I deal individually with every customer so they know exactly where their children's clothes have been made and by whom with the added advantage of knowing they're made in the highest quality fabrics supplied by Liberty. I realise how fortunate I am to live in the Peak District and to work from home and I hope that enjoyment shows through.

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
I have a BA in Politics and French and an MA in European Political Administration! Really, I should be working in Brussels. My Mum's never forgiven me for chucking in a fabulous job working on EU affairs in Paris! I have absolutely no formal training whatsoever in dress-making. That said, Mum is a genius. She was a couture designer in the 60s who designed for companies like Susan Small and Charles Creed of London. She did a formal apprenticeship but has the most inspiring and liberating philosophy and says over and over again "Dress-making is simple - it's not magic". She taught me and gave me the confidence to design myself. She's been an invaluable source of advice and support.

What inspired you to start making childrenswear?
My god-daughter Tilly was the spark for the eureka moment. But my ideas come from my own childhood. I was what you'd call a 'bonny' baby. But I always remember how I loved the dresses Mum made for me and my sister. She made my wedding dress. There's nothing like wearing that special dress that you know no-one else has. I'm also intensely practical so want my clothes to be washable and wearable. I love big, bold buttons. And finally I do think children should be children and my designs are deliberately quite modestly cut.

What do you love most about what you do and what do you find the most frustrating?
I love working from home for myself. I'm a bit of a control freak so I probably work longer hours than I ever have (and that's saying something given I used to make news programmes!) but it's much more satisfying. The absolute icing on the cake is the design process. There's nothing like having completed the first sample of a new design and seeing it hung up in my sewing room. The most frustrating is that I do miss the boisterous exchange of ideas that you get in a newsroom or the to-and-fro of script editing with a presenter.

Is handmade a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?
Every time me and my sister went shopping with Mum and asked for a dress she'd say "I can make that for £5". We still laugh about it. So I guess I'm steeped in the 'make-do-and-mend' tradition and I love the stories behind handmade goods. But, I'm not a zealot. It might be controversial but I think there's a place for Primark. The reality is that handmade things are lovely but generally more expensive.

Can you tell us a bit about where your collections are made, can we take a sneaky peak?
My collections are made in my sewing room at the top of our house. It's a total mess at the moment as I'm in the middle of designing for autumn/winter and I've just taken a huge delivery of new Liberty prints. It's a spare bedroom with a sofa bed and a second hand fold-down table that doubles as a cutting table. My rolls of fabric are stacked under the eaves and I have a John Lewis sewing machine and an overlocker. Oh, and Great Aunt Tomasina's bull-nosed rocking chair (which is my sister's but don't remind her!). It all has to be packed away when the god-children and in-laws come to stay.

How do you balance your work and home life, what do you do to wind down?
I don't. Work totally dominates my life. I'm quite obsessive. But I have a lovely husband who does nearly all the cooking and we've given in to temptation and got a cleaner. We're both very bad at switching off and, as we both work for ourselves, we can't take long breaks so ever so often we snatch a few days away. We have a wonderful bolt-hole hotel a couple of hours away and friends have a cottage in the Lakes. There's no mobile or wifi so we have enforced rest. Day-to-day the only thing that works is fell-running. We can run straight out the back door with our dogs up into the peaks which puts everything into perspective. And I have a friend who's an amazing masseuse.

Do you ever experience periods of creative slump and if so what helps you through?
I don't have a problem with creative slump - it's more that there aren't enough hours in the day to turn all my ideas into reality. So it's more that I tend to get exhausted which is when we go away for a break or I go for a run with the dogs to recharge my batteries. I've just spent a few days with Mum in London - we went to the Grace Kelly and Horrockses' exhibitions which are both wonderful and a great source of ideas.

Who or what inspires you most in your work?
Definitely my Mum.

If you could give an aspiring maker one piece of advice what would it be?
Just get started. I think too many people spend too much time worrying and not enough time doing. Until you've made something and tried to sell it you've really got no idea if people will really like it and want to buy it.

If you had the time to learn a new skill what would it be?
The list is endless. I'd love to learn car mechanics. Plumbing and electrics would also be fab.

To find out more about Lissa and her work check out her blog: http://peakprincess.blogspot.com/

MEET: Serena Cowdy of One Small Mouse

2010-08-25T08:00:00.001+02:00

This week we are delighted to introduce the tireless Serena Cowdy, the powerhouse behind the wonderful new website, One Small Mouse, a blog which unites people who care about animals with the good causes that need their help.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a freelance journalist, copywriter and presenter based in London. When I’m not working, I like poking about in antique shops, reading whodunnits, doing various mountain sports, and photographing wildlife. I'm also a regular volunteer at my fantastic local wildlife hospital - Riverside Animal Centre.

Describe your journey so far.
I have quite an unusual career history - I went to Oxford University and studied Modern History, then trained as an actress for three years at the Central School of Speech and Drama! I finally ended up working as a journalist and presenter, so achieved a balance of sorts...

I started out as a personal finance and consumer rights journalist (think ‘Watchdog’). Now I cover a few different subjects for a number of different clients. The subjects I’m most passionate about are definitely animal welfare, wildlife and the environment. To find out more about what else I've done, visit my professional website at http://www.serenacowdy.com/.

Photo by Serena Cowdy

What inspired you to work with animals?
I’ve loved animals ever since I was tiny. I would read the James Herriot vet books over and over again, and have happy (if slightly odd) daydreams about becoming a vet and calving cows up in the Yorkshire Dales.

But it wasn’t to be. I got a Saturday job at a local vet’s when I was at school, and found I was allergic to all sorts of animals. Horses are the worst - my reaction to them borders on anaphylactic. I get really asthmatic and then various bits of me come out in a rash or stop functioning.

That’s when I decided that one day, I’d come up with a way of helping animals that didn’t bring me into direct contact with them! I’m very lucky though, because for some reason I’m not too allergic to wild animals, like foxes. I’ve got no idea why, but I count my blessings as it means I can volunteer at my local wildlife hospital.

Tell us how One Small Mouse came into being.
I used to write a personal blog about anything and everything, but found that my passion for wildlife and animal welfare was always rising to the surface. It seemed a natural progression to start up a specialist blog instead, championing the causes I feel strongly about. And as a journalist, it’s great to be able to use my professional skills to really make a difference in that area.

Photo by Serena Cowdy

How does One Small Mouse work?
One Small Mouse unites people who care about animals with the causes that need their help. I’ve chosen to focus on things people can do that don’t require them to spend a lot of money - many people simply can’t afford to make financial donations at the moment, but they really want to help in other ways. So in every post, I try to highlight one small thing people can do to help pets, wildlife or farm animals in need. It could be as simple as giving your old newspapers to your local pet rescue, counting the birds in your back garden or re-tweeting an urgent re-homing request. In other words, I try to show people they don’t need to be rich to help good causes - there are lots of ways to give that won't leave you out of pocket.

How successful has it been so far?
I was really surprised by how quickly One Small Mouse got off the ground - it seemed to touch a chord in people, and I was so grateful for the support and enthusiasm it received. Sometimes I post an appeal and it gets 20 re-tweets within a couple of hours. It’s so gratifying when that happens, because you know the word really is being spread, and a great cause is being flagged up to people I don’t even know.

What are your plans for One Small Mouse going forward?
I’m going to continue in the same vein, and hopefully introduce some competitions to further engage readers and get more people involved. If I could get some animal-friendly celebrities to publicise it, that would be fantastic too. If you’re reading this Sir David, you know where to find me!

Photo by Serena Cowdy

Which animal story has touched you most?
There’s an amazing charity called Nowzad Dogs, which was set up by a Royal Marine called Pen Farthing. Whilst serving out in Afghanistan, Pen saw the horrific conditions the country’s stray dogs had to endure - and made it his mission to help them. He now works to save as many of these dogs as possible, and to improve the welfare of other animals in war zones like Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s such an inspiring tale of one man’s selflessness and heroism in incredibly difficult conditions - and it brings a lump to my throat every time I think about it! You can find out more about Nowzad Dogs here.

How can our readers can get involved?
This page of the blog shows readers the main ways they can help. Once they start following One Small Mouse on Twitter - or become a fan on Facebook - they’ll be alerted every time a new appeal is posted. Every appeal includes clear instructions about how each ‘small mouse’ can do his or her bit, so just wait until a particular post touches your heartstrings, and go from there!

If you could be an animal, what would you be?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. I suppose I might be a squirrel. I work with them at the wildlife hospital, and they’re incredibly quick, agile and feisty. They’re really playful and intelligent too, and get up to mischief if you leave them alone for two seconds. I’m a bit of a titch, pretty speedy and always have lots of energy… so perhaps I was a squirrel in a past life. I like to think I’m (marginally) better-behaved though!

Photo by Serena Cowdy

Visit the website One Small Mouse for more information about how to help the charity of your choice.

MEET: Ann of Snowdrops and Daisies, and The Tea Cosy Shop

2010-08-18T08:06:00.004+02:00

I am embarrassed to say that I can not knit or crochet even one stitch, much to my chagrin. Both have been on my list of things to learn forever and I am determined to make time for them because when I watch knitters at work, for example, I love that they seem so relaxed and have a wonderful rhythm while they clickety click those needles... It looks so therapeutic and yet - for accomplished knitters at any rate - still a sociable craft since they can chatter at the same time!

Meet Ann, a designer/maker with a love of yarn and a firm command of some very clickety needles...

Tell us how you came up with the idea for your shops and how you chose their names?
Snowdrops and Daisies was created as an outlet for my creative tendencies. I wanted a name that was natural and feminine; I mostly live a very non-girly life, so it is nice to have something a bit pretty as my shop name... Plus my two favourite flowers are snowdrops and daisies :)

[blue felt tubs - Snowdrops and Daisies]

The Tea Cosy Shop was born when I was making lots of tea (and cafetiere and mug) cosies, and my Snowdrops and Daisies shop was getting over-run, so I decided they needed their own little space. I love the simplicity of the name - much like my tea cosy design.

[bramble tea cosy - The Tea Cosy Shop]

What is the ethos behind your work?
I want to make lovely things that have little impact on the environment. I use as many natural, recycled, organic materials as I can. I love bold colours too, and I like to think that we can all live more sustainably without missing out on the little pleasures of life.

[funky felt needle book - Snowdrops and Daisies]

How have you developed your business over the last eighteen months?
My business has only been going for a little over 18 months. I made my first big steps to improve all my photos around a year ago and then to work on my networking (on Twitter and Facebook). Business wise I am still in the early stages and I know I have a lot more to learn. At the moment, I am concentrating on trying to focus my efforts on a few key items.

[woodland green mug cosy - The Tea Cosy Shop]

How do you maintain the balance between work and family life?
I have to admit it is a struggle. We recently had a huge amount of building work done on our house and our builder turned out to be less than competent, so my home is a permanent building site and huge drain on time and resources... You can follow our family battle to turn our house back into a home here - it's quite a tale!

I also run our mini-holding with huge veg patch, orchard and chickens and I have a three year old who I home educate. I work in the evenings and early mornings and try to get some time alone over the weekends to squeeze in a few hours too. I try to imagine it like plate spinning - only I'm not very good at it, and there are a lot of broken plates.

[juggling balls - Snowdrops and Daisies]

How do you keep motivated and what inspires you?
My work is my escape; my refuge from the mess around me. I have to admit I get a rush of motivation when I sell an item, or when I get compliments about my work, but often it is just the feeling of cosying up with my knitting needles and a big ball of wool.

[breakfast gift set in berry red - The Tea Cosy Shop]

What do you love about 'handmade', as opposed to mass produced?
In my opinion, mass produced doesn't really compare to handmade; mass produced products are designed to be cheap to make and easy to ship. Handmade is about good design and individuality. Handmade fits much better with my ethos; everything used to be handmade and lasted years, it is generally better for the environment and the spirit. I think it is a way of life many people have been (and will be) returning to as we learn to appreciate that life isn't just for consuming...

[felted tea pot trivet - Snowdrops and Daisies]

What is one thing you would make for yourself if you had the time and/or materials?
A cob house - like a hobbit hole, built into the side of a hill... maybe just a small one as a studio in my garden.

[marshmallow pink tea cosy - The Tea Cosy Shop]

What's next for you and your business?
I have some craft fairs coming up which I am very excited about, and I plan on opening a shop on Dawanda next week (bit too busy building up stock for my craft fair to do it just now). I hope to expand my tea cosy range and work on some origami additions to my Snowdrops and Daisies shop.

If and when I get my house sorted, I plan on studying for a qualification in permaculture (a type of productive horticulture); I hope to use that to do a bit of volunteer work around Scotland... I'm not sure where that will take me but I'll have fun on the journey.

[hidden purple felted bowl - Snowdrops and Daisies]

Is there anything you would go back and change, with the benefit of hindsight?
Besides the house??!!! I do wish I had paid more attention, made more effort, and had more faith in myself in the early days of Snowdrops and Daisies, but I'm working on it now and I am getting better.

[snowdrop white breakfast gift set - The Tea Cosy Shop]

What is the best piece of advice you have been given, and what advice would you give?

"DO IT!" When I was doubting myself, wanting to take the next step into craft fairs but lacked the confidence, a friend shouted "DO IT!" in an on-line chat forum... so I did!

I think the advice I would give would be to keep on keeping on - making your products and presentation better - there is always something that can be improved on; that's advice which I try to listen to myself.

[funky denim cell phone pocket - Snowdrops and Daisies]

Thanks for sharing with us Ann. Our very best wishes for getting everything sorted with your house, and for your craft fair this weekend!

If anyone is in the Glasgow area this Saturday 21st August, pop along and see Ann between 10.30am and 4.30pm at the Langside Hall craft fair.

PS - Ann, I have to sing the praises of your cup cosies because mine has been brilliant - I am notorious for letting my tea get cold but you have saved the day!

[my personal cup cosy from Ann's Tea Cosy Shop - action shot!!]

MEET: Clare Bears

2010-08-11T09:00:00.080+02:00

Today we meet UK Handmade team member Clare, who is also the talented designer/maker behind the gorgeous range of cuddly plush bears, Clare Bears.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?
My name is Clare and I live and work in Gateshead in the sunny North East. I am currently working full time on my bears after being made redundant from my job while we wait for the arrival of our first baby at the end of November. So, I am making lots of handmade goodies for the nursery! I am also having great fun being involved with UK Handmade.

My first ever bear I made was when I was in the Brownies aged about 8. It was a Pooh Bear kit that I'd been given for Christmas and I submitted it for my craft badge and Brown Owl thought I couldn't have made it because it was too good! She said my Mam must have made it, so I suppose it was a compliment. We had to go and make something worse so she would believe I'd made it. But I was always the one to steal the scissors and tape and glue. I was very happy with all things crafty.

What is the ethos behind your work?
I have always had a soft spot for a cuddly toy. From the one that went everywhere with me (seriously, everywhere, I went nowhere without Bonzo) and the few that were always on my bed at home. My Nana used to say that they came alive at night to dance round your room and protect you from all the monsters under the bed. OK, I was small so I believed it but that meant that all my toys had personalities. I still believe that each toy has a personality and each one should be loved. I aim to make toys that are loved until their stuffing falls out.

Handmade jointed plus bear - Maple Bear

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
I did a chemistry degree. Yep really handy! All of my sewing knowledge and experience has come from women in my family who have been there and done that. With the occasional You Tube video thrown in more recently. I read a lot of blogs and learn as I go. I am easily tempted to buy craft books and I learn a little from each one. So I don't need any certificates to say I can do what I do. I just do it and if I make a mistake then well, I start over.

Bear Bunting

What inspired you to start making bears?
Making plush toys became a way to keep me and my sister entertained when family visited. My Step-Grandma made bears herself and she taught me how to follow a pattern, how to cut out the fabric and how to do all the little finishing touches that you don't find out about in book. So I collected patterns and made toys until I had too many in my bedroom. I occasionally made them as gifts for friends and made the odd sale here and there. Until I found Etsy and then all the fun began!

Handmade jointed plush bear - White Icing Sugar Bear

What do you love most about what you do and what do you find the most frustrating?
I love being able to do something I enjoy. What more can anyone ask for? I find it frustrating when I have too many ideas and not enough time, money or materials to make them come true. But if that's all I've got to worry about then that's not so bad.

Is handmade a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?
It is more now than before. When I first left university and got a job I had more money than I'd ever had before so you go a bit mad buying nice things that everyone else has. Now we're in a different situation and there is something much more satisfying in spending time, care and attention to detail to make something for someone or buy a handmade item from someone who shares that view.

Pattern - Make your own Bear, Mouse or Koala

Can you tell us a bit about where your bears are made, can we take a sneaky peak?
My bears are currently made in my spare room (and on the sofa) and it's never as neat as the picture suggests! But that room will soon become the nursery and then who knows? I think it'll be from the dining room (which is not even a dining room and more a cubby under the stairs) and wherever I can keep my craft stash. My knitting stash lives near the sofa generally and all my fur fabric is on a big shelving unit that is in the spare room.

How do you balance your work and home life, what do you do to wind down?
It's a hard job trying to put down the project I'm working on. I do have an understanding husband and he has his own hobbies so we strike a good balance. My non-commercial craft of choice is knitting so I often do that to wind down. And I can't sleep without reading a good book for a little while before closing my eyes.

Do you ever experience periods of creative slump and if so what helps you through?
Regularly. I try to go and work on something else to take my mind off it like knitting or another sewing project. I may go and surf some blogs, I go back through my ideas scrapbook and see if anything jumps out at me. Or I just go and make something better that I haven't liked for a while. Tweaking a pattern can be just as satisfying.

Pink and grey stripy sock bear

If you could give an aspiring maker one piece of advice what would it be?
Keep at it. Work on your photos and work on your product. Never think your work can't be improved. My jointed bear pattern has been changed many, many times over the ten + years I've been making it.

Who or what inspires you most in your work?
I don't think I could point to one thing. I get ideas and inspiration anywhere. I do like to look at vintage teddies though and see if I can recreate them with a modern twist. But not the vintage jointed teddy types, the vintage well loved and sad looking toys that are a little past their best. I love their personalities more.

If you had the time to learn a new skill what would it be?
I am actually the happy owner of an Adana Letterpress. I wish I had the time to get it working and to work out how to use it correctly.

ClareBears shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClareBears
Supplies shop: http://www.littlegreyclouds.etsy.com/
Blog: http://claresbears.blogspot.com/

MEET: Sarah Greig of Margolily

2010-08-04T08:00:00.002+02:00

Sara Greig is the talent behind exclusive headwear label Margolily. Sara's designs have a strong art deco influence and feature birds, botany and even jelly fish! The Margolily label creates unique feather and jeweled headpieces for weddings, festivals and parties. UK Handmade caught up with Sara to find out more.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?

As a wee girl I remember crushing petals to make perfume, collecting feathers to fill my pockets, rummaging through my Gramp's wedding car ribbons and my mum knitting my dolls and I matching cardigans! I feel I was steeped in the world of making things by hand at a very early age. My 'proper' job as a Play Therapist in Glasgow can be very emotionally challenging and, as I have progressed, I find myself sewing and making things more and more and that has led to Margolily, my business making and designing feather, jewel and fancy headpieces.

Turquoise from the Feather Collection

What is the ethos behind your work?

I guess the values of my work are very much connected to my customers. Most commissioned work is for bridal parties, wedding guests and special occasions. I want each piece to be perfectly and beautifully designed in conjunction with the customer's ideas and delivered in plenty of time. So the ethos behind my work is embedded in being very organised and patient as well as highly excitable!

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?

Not very much formal education! I've done lots of little courses and workshops here and there with really great people, like the Hatwalk Summer School. I also recently did a Vivienne Westwood inspired flower arranging workshop which was brilliant and is leading me to think about using fresh flowers in my pieces and also thinking about the arrangement and placement of my fabric flowers too! Mostly I learn through reading books and then a lot of playing around!

What inspired you to start making headwear?

Originally, when I started Margolily everything I made was hand knitted, I even knitted a bikini! However, a weekend course at Glasgow Art School in millinery introduced me to fascinators, which we made as a kind of side project whilst our blocked felt hats were drying. I just loved it; everything about it appealed to me, the shapes, the stitches, the feathers and materials. I am a satisfied magpie happily collecting treasures to incorporate into my pieces.

What do you love most about what you do and what do you find the most frustrating?

I love the whole process of meeting someone, talking to them about their ideas and then translating that into a headpiece which they can feel gorgeous wearing. I love shopping for bits and pieces and then settling down to sew to bring a design together. I am most frustrated when doing beadwork as my cat goes doolally trying to steal all my beads!

Olive from the Feather Collection

Is handmade a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?

I suppose it is but without really realising. My friends and I have a crafty night every couple of weeks, sometimes we drink tea, Pimm's or talk more than craft but everyone makes gorgeous things in the end and it's lovely and relaxing being together making things. My boyfriend plays the banjo so we have a homemade soundtrack! I try to buy all my clothes second hand except black things and have made my own shower scrub too! Greg is good at perfecting homemade teas and when I think about it I guess everything feels more satisfying, ethical and individual when it is handmade.

Can you tell us a bit about your studio/workshop, can we take a sneaky peak?

No peeking! My workshop is wherever I happen to settle in our flat, sometimes that might be the sofa, the table or if it's cold or late I might end up sewing whilst tucked up in bed! I try to keep everything in one place but I seem to leave a little trail of thread, pins and feathers wherever I've been sitting! My dream workshop would be at the bottom of a ramshackle garden in a kind of gypsy caravan style tree house overlooking the sea.

How do you balance your work and home life, what do you do to wind down?

Sewing and making are my wind downs! I do like a bath with lots of products from Lush, singing along to a cheesy greatest hits album followed by guiltily watching Eastenders and going to bed with my little torch and a good book! To wind up I like going to Zumba dance classes and a tasty meal and too much wine with my Greg and friends and family.

Do you ever experience periods of creative slump and if so what helps you through?

Ooh, yes I do - I've learned that on these kinds of days I need to do all the things above and stay away from sewing otherwise I just get cross with myself, then when I go back to some sewing things have fallen back in order again!

Stud from the Jewel Collection

If you could give an aspiring artist, designer, maker one piece of advice what would it be?

I think a really good tip for when you feel a bit stuck or lost is to think back to your favourite project or class at primary school. Somebody told me that what you wanted to be when you were a child holds the answers to the direction you should go as an adult. I remember doing a project on insects and birds and I was just so excited about it - remembering this is really comforting as well as inspiring, it gets me going again. Also, I think it's really important to keep on learning and experimenting with new approaches and materials.

Who or what inspires you most in your work?

My connections and relationships to other people. My Granny learned to swim when she was 61 and that always makes me think that if you can be a little bit brave anyone can do anything.

If you had the time to learn a new skill what would it be?

Something to do with wood and joinery and then I could learn to make and design the perfect fascinator storage box and display case.

MEET: Bodrighy Wood

2010-07-28T06:00:00.124+02:00

Bodrighy is a stunning collection of handcrafted Goblets, Chalices, Platters, Buttons, Boxes and much more, made from wood using a traditional hand-turning method.

Based in Truro, Pete uses mainly locally sourced materials and specialises in 'rustic' work which leaves a combination of the turned wood and the natural wood and bark. We caught up with Pete to find out more about the man who turns unloved wood into stunning, functional pieces.....

Oak Burr Bowl

Tell me what inspires you…..

I trawl other turners sites and also do image searches for glassware, pottery and such like, as I have found that for most things there are only a few basic designs that are then adapted. Aside from that, a lot of my rustic work is inspired by the wood itself as I turn it. I try to work with it, not just chop it up into a preconceived shape.

How did you get started?
I did a bit in school a few years ago…well a bit more than a few, then didn’t touch a lathe until I was given an attachment for a drill. It took me a couple of weeks to get fed up with the limitations and so I smiled sweetly at my better half who bought me a lathe for Christmas about four years ago.

Wedding Goblets - Sold as a pair, made to order

Whose work do you admire?

There are so many turners out there who are worthy of mention. Too many to mention them all. Some like Binh Po for his exquisite artwork, Cindy Drozda for the delicacy of her work and Nick Agar for the sculptural work he does.

Describe your typical working day….
I wake up and check my e-mails first then have a check on what commissions I have. Any I have in stock I will pack up ready for posting then it’s straight out to the workshop. I usually have several pieces on the go at once as I try and have something I ‘want’ to do as well as things I ‘have’ to do.

The pieces I like doing most are the rustic pieces. These can take a while and don’t sell as much as my crafting items so I can play with those in-between commissions. My biggest problem is disciplining myself, as I can easily be distracted by a piece of wood with unusual markings or grain. If I am not careful and end up working on that instead of on what someone has paid me to do.

Rustic Bowl - made from unknown reclaimed wood

What is your favourite type of wood to work with and why?
Yew is probably my favourite wood for turning as its lovely to turn and you can get some fantastic colours and shapes with it. To be honest any wood that someone else would throw out is a challenge I find hard to resist.

Do you have a favourite piece that you have created?
I keep changing my mind on what is my favourite piece as the longer I have a piece the more faults I see in it. I am often really pleased with something at first then as time goes by I find fault with it.

What traditional methods do you use in your work?
Apart from the fact that I use an electric lathe, I suppose most of my methods are pretty traditional. I use fairly few tools instead of having loads of fancy ones. I cut my wood up to a basic shape using a chain saw and axe and I sand the wood by hand. I also use traditional finishes such a beeswax and ordinary vegetable oil as my main finish. Many of the crafting tools and equipment that I make are traditionally handmade and so I research those and try to remain faithful to the originals.

Drop Spindles

Where do you source your materials from?
Garden pruning, hedgerows, storm damaged trees, old thrown out furniture, in fact anywhere. My main store for wood seems to be Freecycle at the moment. It's surprising what you can get. I do occasionally buy Beech and Sycamore if I have to for food related items, as you have to be careful - but I can count the number of times that has happened on one hand and still have fingers left over.

Mandarin Box - Made from an old unwanted dresser

What is on your wish list?
One or two tools and a really decent workshop.

When work is done, how do you relax?
As I am fortunate enough to enjoy what I do, I rarely get wound up when working so it doesn’t really apply. I read a lot, at least 3 or 4 books a week and once in a blue moon watch something on the TV, usually gardening or self sufficiency type programmes. I have been told that if I was any more laid back I’d fall over.

To see Pete’s range of products visit:-

Bodrighy's website

Bodrighy's Etsy Shop

Bodrighy's Folksy Shop

MEET: Hannah Marshall of Beach Shack Project

2010-07-21T09:00:00.005+02:00

Hannah Marshall is the lady behind Beach Shack Project, a fascinating and ecologically sensitive company, designing and creating beautiful jewellery from beach-combed materials.

Her work is based around an idea of taking seemingly unattractive, or unpleasant, found items and changing them into lovely, desirable objects. She is an addicted beach-comber and sources most of her materials this way.

"Although my work is heavily focused on using found objects, often detrimental to the coastal eco-system, my work didn't begin as a recycling project. I use the beach as a platform for gathering new ideas and materials, and then the pieces design themselves in my head. I never see what I find as rubbish, but just an unfinished part of something else."

"Neon Armband Bling " - reclaimed nylon cuff

Hannah supportes Surfers Against Sewage, set up by a group of surfers who wanted to use clean safe oceans. One of their campaigns involves “marine litter”, a huge problem on a lot of beaches all around the world. Huge matted balls of fishing nylon are now commonplace on beaches, usually having been lost or discarded by fishermen. These balls are not only non-biodegradable, but pose a threat to any wildlife unlucky to get caught up in it.

"I collect these tangled balls of nylon and laboriously go about unraveling, un-knotting and even re-knotting the nylon until I am left with workable strands. These are then washed thoroughly in antibacterial soap so they are squeaky-clean."

15% of sale from these items is donated to the campaign.

'Orange Knot Bangle' - reclaimed nylon

'Turks Head Knot' - Reclaimed Nylon Necklace

Hannah also incorporates seaglass and pottery in her work. Looking into the origins of the glass and pottery pieces you find a fascinating history of the beach-combed areas.

" Seaglass is classed in colours but the rarity can vary in an area. Emerald, bottle green, brown, white and aqua are all common colours found whilst beachcomiging This is because these are the common colours used in the bottling industry today. Anything that isn't one of these common colours is considered harder to find, for every 100 pieces only one will turn out to be colbalt, or naby, the cobalt usually being descended from an old medicine bottle used in teh Victoria era. Lime, turquoise, yellow, pink, purple and red (from car lights, buoys and lanterns) are very rare, with orange thoughtto be the most uncommon colour.

'Sea of Greens' - wire-wrapped sea glass necklace

Rare cobalt blue wire-wrapped sea glass earrings

"I have found many unusual pieces of flashed fuchsia glass, which I have only seen turn up in Scotland. Many variations of glass can be found too, carnival glass, with an iridescent sheen, popular from 1900s onwayrs and slag glass, an opaque marbled galss which was very popular around the 1880s."

Rare Fuchsia Sea Glass Earrings

Sea Pottery is another interesting element to Hannah's work. Many pieces wash up in river estuaries and harbours, such as the presence of Victorian tea ware found in Sussex rivers. Where harbours stood, or still stand, tableware cargoes became lost over-board, or thrown as waste into the waters. Tossed and tumbled over time these pieces now lie on the muds and sands at low water.

'Pastel Carnival Necklace' - Sea Pottery and Fishermans' Rope Necklace

'Tea Time' Sea Pottery and Fishermans' Rope Necklace

Hannah's work can be seen on her beautiful website Beach Shack Project which is also full of interesting information about beach-combing and the materials she uses and more about Surfers Against Sewage.
She is also offering 30% off her jewellery to UK Handmade readers until 15th August. Now that is an offer you can't refuse! Just add the code UKHM2010 at the checkout.

MEET: Creature Round Robin Project Participants

2010-07-14T06:00:00.131+02:00

The Creature Round Robin Project is a fantastic project devised and hosted by jewellery designer/maker Olly of Wollies with 3 other designer/makers (members of the UK Handmade forum) taking part as guests: Shaz of Oddsox, Kathleen of Murgatroyd and Bean and Julia of Hand Knitted Things. The rules that the participants had to follow were:

1. Describe a creature – post to next person

2. Draw a picture of the description you receive – post on

3. Make the creature from the description and picture you receive – post on

4. Add the features to the creature you recieve – post on

5. This is where you get back the creature you originally described and have a chance to add any final details before posting back to the host…

UK Handmade caught up with the Creature Round Robin Participants to find out all about it!

What made you suggest this Round Robin idea?

OLLY (Wollies) : I knew that there would be many makers of creatures on UK Handmade, so I thought I'd get one going. I wanted to suggest a project that would involve clear cut stages, starting from the very beginning when the creature is imagined. I thought it would be interesting to start with a written description and see how each creature would evolve from writing, to drawing, to pattern, to 3D creature. I really wanted the project to evolve like an exchange of ideas, a discussion. That way, rather than having each person making an isolated contribution, each participant would respond to a previous idea and interpret it in their own way.

Tree Urchin (Olly)

What attracted you to this Round Robin idea?

OLLY (Wollies): I loved receiving all of the descriptions and sending them off, it was really exciting. I had a peek at all of them and I loved the way each one was really individual, both in the ideas and the way the descriptions were written. Some were quite precise, others more like a story. Overall, people put so much care and time into what they sent around, it was great.

SHAZ (OddSox): My crafting centres around creature making so when I saw that Olly had started the idea I was very keen to be involved. I’m a follower of her blogsite where she shows lots of interesting work from other artists and regularly shares her latest drawings and creations. When I found out that Julia and Kathleen were also going to be taking part, after investigating their work I just knew we were going to end up with some great creatures!

JULIA (Hand Knitted Things): A spur of the moment decision. I’d just completed a design for my first toy pattern and thought it would be good to get involved in a project with other designers of similar products.

KATHLEEN (Murgatroyd and Bean): Olly introduced me to the idea for this project and suggested that I join UK Handmade so that I could take part. I hadn’t heard of the website before and was intrigued by the online creative community it was offering. I was drawn by the idea of working with other makers whom I ‘d not met before and leaping into the unknown - would I be up to the challenge?

Inky (Shaz)

Which bit did you enjoy most?

OLLY (Wollies): I have just loved working with others on a communal project. It is very satisfying to know that your hand has contributed to making someone else's creature! Also, I think that crafting is a very solitary activity, so doing swaps is nice because it establishes a communication with other makers.

SHAZ (OddSox): Olly planned our Round Robin brilliantly – she sent us a handmade printed instruction booklet carefully explaining all the stages. To be honest I was a bit scared of Stage 2 as this involved drawing another persons’ creature description. Drawing isn’t my strong point and I don’t usually do this stage when I’m making my own creatures. As it turned out, I really enjoyed this bit - plus it was a lovely sunny weekend so I sat out in the garden to do it!

JULIA (Hand Knitted Things): Choosing the fabric, cutting out the pattern and starting to construct/sew the creature.

KATHLEEN (Murgatroyd and Bean): I think one of the most exciting aspects of this was the anticipation of what the next parcel would bring! As soon as I’d torn open the parcel I’d be itching to get started on adding my bit. I particularly enjoyed translating Olly’s detailed sketch into a 3d creature - this was also the bit I’d been most concerned about meeting the challenge! I had to really think about how I’d construct suitable legs, shape of head and arms on a small, delicate creature. I experimented with several small scale templates before cutting out any fabric. The quick turnaround of roughly a week for each stage of the project was great for keeping up momentum too.

The Dak-Dum-Neha (Kathleen)

What have you gained/experienced from this project?

OLLY (Wollies): Absolutely! It was a pleasure working with all of these lovely crafters. Maybe we could get some new recruits and do an even bigger one next time :-)

SHAZ (OddSox): This project has encouraged me to pick up a pen and sketch book a bit more often and I’m enjoying it! It also made me think about how to turn a flat drawing into a three dimensional creature using fabric rather than socks. After seeing my original description evolve into a beautiful drawing and then turn into the gorgeous ‘Inky’ it’s shown me an alternative way of working.

JULIA (Hand Knitted Things): Working with the other contributors has been a great experience. Seeing how others interpret descriptions and designs has been the best part and very inspirational.

KATHLEEN (Murgatroyd and Bean): It was great fun working with Julia, Shaz and Olly and I’d love to do it again some time. The experience has made me think more closely about how I go about translating designs into three dimensional objects. I think that you can sometimes get a bit safe and complacent in your own designs and it’s good to be challenged and made to think about your creative processes. It was a fun and thought provoking exercise.

Owl (Julia)

Would you do it again and would you be brave enough to host one?

SHAZ (OddSox): Definitely! Olly’s template is a perfect one to adapt to other ideas too. I’d consider hosting one in the future but I’d have to clear the decks of other projects first though!

JULIA (Hand Knitted Things): Yes, definitely I’d take part again! If I hosted a RR I’d want to organize it in a similar way to this one.

KATHLEEN (Murgatroyd and Bean): Yes, I’d definitely take part in something similar again and would encourage others to give it a go. Olly did a smashing job pulling it together and I’d agree with Julia & Shaz that she has given us a great template to follow on future Round Robins, so yes, maybe I would be brave enough to host one of my own soon time soon.

For more information about the participants check out their websites and blogs:

Host: Olly (a.k.a. Wollies)

http://the-wollies-blog.blogspot.com/
http://www.folksy.com/shops/WOLLIES

Guests:
Shaz (a.k.a. OddSox)
http://www.oddsox.folksy.com
http://thesockgarden.wordpress.com/

Kathleen (a.k.a. Murgatroyd)
http://murgatroydhoots.blogspot.com/
http://www.folksy.com/shops/MurgatroydandBean

Julia (a.k.a. Hand Knitted Things)
http://handknittedthings.blogspot.com/
http://www.folksy.com/shops/handknittedthings

MEET: UK Handmade Writing Competition Winner - Victoria Baker of Little Wren Pottery

2010-07-07T14:00:00.137+02:00

Victoria Baker of Little Wren Pottery is joint winner of our recent Writing Competition, alongside Fiona Stolze. Little Wren Pottery specialises in contemporary English dinnerware for your table. All the pieces are handcrafted in Sunderland, England in stoneware clay. Victoria Baker, the potter behind Little Wren Pottery loves creating rustic ceramics for the modern home......we caught up with Victoria to find out more!

What inspires you?
Nature inspires me, I like to use natural earthy colours in my pottery - browns, reds and greens. I tend to think stoneware pottery has that rustic feeling to it and colour choices help to emphasise this. When I'm not potting, I tend to spend a lot of time out in the garden tending to my vegetables, I love listening to birdsong and sometimes animals make their way onto my pots. I also really enjoy visiting museums to look at the ancient pottery. Often these old styles are more elegant and graceful than modern home wares.

ceramic planter

How did you get started?
My Dad has been a potter for a number of years and he encouraged me to take a night class. He'd never taught anyone before and he thought I'd better get instruction from someone else. Attending the class I actually found quite quickly I was able to produce sell-able pieces. I now produce all my pieces in my home studio, of course my Dad is always teaching me new things. I also know a few potters in my local area and if there's something my Dad and I don't know, we ask them for help too.

Tiptoe through the tulips ceramic vase

Whose work do you admire?
I really admire the work of Japanese potters. I love how their work directly reflects the natural world through colour and texture. I also really like simple shapes that have been beautifully thrown, sometimes you just don't need a fancy glaze or slip design when your pieces look perfectly balanced. Probably the best examples of this can be found in Finnish pottery. I also get inspired by other potters I know, particularly my Dad and his former pottery teacher who we still visit.

Bowl jug for batters, gravy and custard

Describe your typical working day......
Since I still work full time I never really have a typical day. When I get home from work I concentrate on packing orders, keeping the studio tidy or designing new pieces. I do most of my throwing on a Saturday morning. hrough trial and error I have found this is my most productive time. I can throw up to half a bag of clay in one morning between 8 and 10 am. On Sunday's I'll turn all the pots I made, they need a day to dry out and become leather hard, before they can be turned.

stoneware coffee mugs

What is your favourite piece you have made, and why?
My favourite piece so far has been my pottery creamers. They are a nice weight when you pick them up and just a pleasing shape. Sometimes you get to the bisque stage of having fired a piece and for some reason the glaze you choose doesn't quite work. This time though I was really pleased with how it turned out, especially how it has "run" on the body of the pot, providing a bit of colour variation.

What is your favourite process?
I enjoy throwing most of all. I find it really satisfying seeing clay go from unshaped lumps to thrown and finally turned. Usually when I throw, I have a specific object in mind but sometimes the clay does its own thing and it's really nice to have a surprise!

Cookie/biscuit jar

What do you see for Little Wren Pottery in the next 12 months?
I'd really like to go part time in my job so I have more time to develop The Little Wren Pottery range. At the moment, there aren't enough hours in the day!

Your Dad is a potter too, do you work on pieces together, and if so, does this make the piece that bit more special?
Sometimes we work together on things, I have smaller more delicate hands than he does - so if he requires something to finish off a piece, a spout or a lid, he'll ask me to do it. I enjoy working with my Dad, there isn't much else we both enjoy together so having some time with him is great. Sometimes we do throwing relays where we interchange throwing pots on the wheel. My Dad's pieces are usually much larger and bolder (more manly!) than mine. Sometimes he teaches me things and he continually provides feedback on how I can produce better work. I still haven't quite mastered lips for jars and teapots!

What is on your Wish List?
Having a better studio area that is away from the house. At the moment the attic is continually getting quite messy, sometimes this filters its way down the stairs - so having another space with running water would be ideal.

When work is done, how do you relax?
I get in the kitchen and rustle up something nice, usually sweet! I look after my plants in the garden, maybe do a bit of knitting. When there is time, I love to watch old black and white films of all different genres and of course.....Doctor Who.

To see Victoria's range of products visit:-
Little Wren Pottery
Little Wrens Etsy Shop
Little Wren Pottery at Folksy
Little Wren Pottery Dawanda Shop

MEET: UK Handmade Writing Competition Winner - Fiona Stolze of Silk & Art

2010-07-07T06:00:00.286+02:00

Fiona Stolze is joint winner of our recent Writing Competition, alongside Victoria Baker. Based in Bristol, Fiona is designer and creator of Silk and Art. Fiona creates stunning handcrafted silk products including cushions, art, silk wall hangings, scarves and greeting cards, in original and beautiful Mandala style. We caught up with Fiona to find out more about her and her work.

What inspires you?
I feel inspired by a great many things, life in all its splendour. But I have a great love for all things Indian.....the amazing vibrant colours, the fabrics, the spices, the music. And I love the movement and colours together and have always had a great affinity with the Impressionists. I also take huge inspiration from the inner world accessed by meditation and becoming still and play beautiful spiritual music whilst I am painting in my studio. You can see lots of evidence of this in my mandalas. I love beautiful things and find my inspiration and enthusiasm growing as I always get inspired by other people living and expressing their passion.

Handpainted silk cushions

How did you get started?
I've always been a very arty, creative person but never had any formal education in the arts. I used to draw, paint and generally try out anything interesting that crossed my path. I always loved buying a book and teaching myself how to do something. My background is in teaching and then I moved on to become a foreign language secretary, a freelance translator and then after my first two children were born, I trained in alternative therapies and got involved in my spiritual practices of healing and meditation - both of which have stayed with me.

It wasn't until 1999 that I created my first mandala, which was a far cry from the work I do now. I went on to paint one or two more, then something odd happened. We were going to sell or house and a woman that accompanied her son spotted my artwork, fell in love with it and bought one of my mandalas on the spot. Just the piece of silk, no mount or frame. She told me that others would love to see what I did and that I should consider doing it for a living. Nearly 11 years have passed since that day and I have certainly sold a lot of artwork in the meantime. We left Germany and moved to Glastonbury where I began to sell lots of small pieces of work, including window pictures, cards, bookmarks and scarves. But all the time, I steadily continued to create mandalas, building up a collection.

I invested in a professional steamer and the French dyes which are so beautifully translucent and give the finished piece a gorgeous sheen and softness. I visited fairs and often left without selling anything, as I was clearly in the wrong venue. There were opportunities to sell my original paintings through shops and commissions came my way too. But the big change was when I took the decision to expand my website, started blogging and really got out there. Interestingly, my written work attracts a lot of attention to my artwork.

Silk Mandala Pictures

Whose work do you admire?
The sand mandalas of the Tibetan monks. They get rigorous training in this art and create these mandalas using coloured sand. When the mandala is complete, it is taken to the nearest water and cast in, symbolic of the transience of life. They are never allowed to claim ownership of the work they create. I love the work of Monet. His beautiful waterlilies......mostly painted when his eyesight was failing.

Silk Scarves and Sarongs

Describe your typical working day......
Ideally I like to waken and start the day with my gratitude exercise. I sit quietly with my hands on my heart and list all the things I am grateful for in my life. Feeling the gratitude for what I already have attracts more into my life and creates abundance. I then move into a meditation which can sometimes last up to an hour. This is the ultimate healer if followed with dedication and intent. My work.....well, I'm really lucky that I have an attic studio with lots of light. My table is in the window and I have a good view from the second floor out over the treetops with a wide expanse of sky. In our last home in Ireland, I had a huge studio with a panoramic view of the Irish sea......idyllic.

I like to set everything up to create a very relaxing and creative ambience. I choose meditation music which I play to set me into a real right-brain space, where I can totally surrender to the process. I often light a candle and burn incense too and I will clear everything away from the table so I can almost walk around my mandala. I love to be able to approach it from every angle. I typically work in short bursts at the bigger pieces and then step back and contemplate. I love to sit and watch and wait and feel the paintings. When I'm doing other pieces such as scarves or hangings, I have the end picture in my mind's eye and I can sometimes move forward at an intense pace, excited to see the completed item.

I intersperse my painting work with lots of work at the computer as I now have a Silk and Art Facebook page, my busy Wordpress blog, an Etsy and a Folksy shop, a page on Redbubble, participation on different online forums (particularly the Ning Silk Painting Gallery Network) and of course, my website which we are now in the process of streamlining and making easier to work with. Now, that may sound like a lot, and it is but you don't have to get me out of bed in the morning to make me do it and that's the key. Do the things you love doing and watch your self esteem grow.

Tell me more about the unique style of mandala......
Mandala is from the ancient Sanskrit language and means "mystical circle". These designs are in evidence all over the planet and examples of them can be found in many religions, including Buddhism, Christianity (rose windows) and Hinduism to name a few. With the exception of the Tibetan mandalas which have to follow a specific pattern and number system, a mandala generally has a central point (bindu), a series of concentric circles with patterns which can be geometric with specific significance, or more abstract, and an outer periphery.

The image represents our life path, the journey we take through the experiences we create, starting at the central point and moving outward until we reach the outer edge. We are then able to return to the centre and start all over again on a new level, using the insights we gained the first time round. Mandalas have been scientifically proven to calm the mind and are often used by therapists. Creating a personal mandala can open doors to great depths and wisdom. Each one has its own story and inspiration and I never "think" them out beforehand, as they like to do that themselves. I mark the centre of my piece of silk and then use a fabric maker taped to a pair of compasses to randomly draw a few concentric circles. Then, off I go, drawing the mandala pattern, ring by ring with gold gutta.

The artwork you produce is so bright and vibrant, what influences your designs?
I often have a sensation of life bursting out when I create the mandalas. You will see many leaf and plant motifs, blossoms, sunshine, roots going deep into the earth, vines reaching up to the sky, tendrils growing out of things. I think it is the inbuilt desire to expand and grow and become all that I can be. I just love strong colour.....strong purples, vibrant fuchsia, burning orange and, of course, I also incorporate spiritual symbols in my work. There are yingyangs, Celtic knots, OM's, astrology and labyrinths.

Silk Wall Hangings

Do you have any new products on the horizon?
Yes, I always have many things on the go at once but I would love to create beautiful one-off pieces of clothing with mandala art on some of them. I am working on accessories too, including little bespoke clutch bags made with hand painted fabric.

I offer panels of silk with my mandalas on them. A company prints these for me on the same fabric I paint my originals on. I stretch them and apply the gold gutta pattern so that they are very close to the originals. I recently received photographs from a woman in Georgia who asked me to provide her with 24 of these panels for a specially created ceiling for her bedroom. The final piece is amazing. I would love my work to be incorporated into many more wonderful projects like this and am looking into ways to promote the idea.

One big project I come back to again and again is creating a DVD with my artwork animated to music and
of course, the writing. I am planning to have my own book out in print in the next few years and hopefully smaller e-books on offer within the next few months. I am currently working on small tutorials.

Where do you see Silk and Art in the next 12 months?
Definitely much more out in the public, with more recognition. I want to continue working with video both to publicise my products but also offer tutorials and self help books to those who live further afield. I would love to establish my brand but also get my name known more too so I can do more things parallel to Silk and Art.

Silk Mandala Picture

When work is done, how do you relax?
That makes me smile. ou'll often find me relaxing by sitting at the computer until late at night, putting the last minute finishes to my blog. Other times I will get completely lost in a book. How do I really, really relax? Well, I just love to have a really hot bath and just soak for ages right up to my chin and just chill.....well simmer. Meditation is something else which induces deep feelings of relaxation for me, a great way to start the day or wind the day up. Another thing I love with a passion is going for very long walks. There are lovely woodland walks which I can do easily from here along the River Frome. It's great for clearing my head and allowing myself to find the solutions I seek. I adored going for beach walks when we lived in Ireland, walking as far out as the tide would allow, stepping onto virgin sand. Feeling the tide lapping against my feet and the breeze in my face. Water has something magical about it. One day I'll have my healing centre beside the water.......

Mandala Greeting Cards

To see Fiona's range of products and get your own piece of Mandala art visit:-
Silk and Art
Silk and Art Blog
Silk and Art Etsy Shop

We will have an interview with Victoria Baker of Little Wren Pottery later today! Watch this space.

MEET: Rose Sharp Jones

2010-06-30T06:00:00.004+02:00

Today we meet textile designer Rose Sharp Jones of Rose Sharp Jones Textile Design.

Please tell us who you are and what you do.

My name is Rose Sharp Jones and I am a textile designer. I specialised in knitted textiles during my BA course, continuing this during my recent MA where I also incorporated printed textiles into my work. I also use crochet for many of my products. Much of my inspiration comes from traditional textile techniques such as smocked embroidery and aran knitting stitches. I use these techniques to create a range of contemporary textiles that are applied to a variety of products including furniture and cushions as well as wearable accessories.

Pieces are hand or machine knitted, crocheted or made from fabric screen printed with my hand drawn designs. I use organic and sustainable materials throughout my work. I make all pieces myself and am based in south London.

How long have you been creating for?

I’ve been creating since childhood in one form or another but have been running my business for just over a year, since completing an MA in Textile Design.

When did you first realise you could turn your craft into a business?

I first planned to set up my own business during my MA course.

Describe your work setting.

I have a workroom at home that’s filled with lots of things! There are a lot of shelves and drawers for my yarns and fabrics, as well as my desk with drawing and painting equipment for designing my printed fabrics. I also have my knitting machine set up in another part of the room.

What inspires you and keeps you motivated?

Much of my work focuses on finding new uses for traditional techniques in contemporary products, so I’m constantly motivated by different product ideas as well as the original inspiration that I find in traditional textiles and dress. Other inspiration can come from anywhere!

How do you keep a balance between work and home life?

This can be hard but I try and keep the balance by working to normal daytime working hours, although this obviously varies at busy periods!

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do?

It’s great when you receive positive feedback from customers, when they like the colours you’ve used or a new print design for example. I also teach knitting and crochet classes and have found this enjoyable and rewarding.

And the most frustrating?

Lack of time is frustrating, the administrative and website upkeep side of my business take a lot of time which detracts from the time I have for designing and making. It’s difficult sometimes when designs don’t develop smoothly but that’s part of the creative process and working through problems can be very rewarding.

What are your long term goals?

I hope to run a successful business promoting the use of traditional crafts and hand made, environmentally friendly products.

What advice would you give someone trying to start their own creative business?

Try and get a good understanding of running a business and seek business advice if you can. Carrying out the administrative side of your business will probably involve a lot of your time. Try and research the best markets for your work. Keep your products original and make sure that you enjoy making them!

Is 'handmade' a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?
I try to buy as many handmade products as possible and have a real appreciation for products handmade by other designers, as I understand the work and time that goes into them! I make a lot of clothing and accessories for myself as well as gifts for family and friends.

To find out more about Rose and her work visit her website: http://www.rosesharpjones.co.uk/

Contact Rose for information on how to order her products:
Email: mail@rosesharpjones.co.uk
Phone: 07958 925 866
http://www.makers-online.co.uk/artist/rose-sharp-jones

MEET: Eberth Lobo of Olinda Jewellery

2010-06-16T06:00:00.067+02:00

This week, we meet an inspiring man, Eberth Lobo of Olinda Jewellery. Originally from Brazil and now living in the UK, Eberth shares his passion for designing and making jewellery.

Please tell us who you are and what you do.
My name’s Eberth Lobo and I’m originally from Brazil. I live in Loughborough with my wife Ruth and our 12 year old son, Tiago, who is a tennis player. I design and make unique pieces of jewellery, made with natural stones and gemstones (including onyx, lapis, coral, amethyst, turquoise, rose/green quartz, gold tiger eye, jade, agate and crystal), Murano glass and shell, on chain, wire, leather and cotton, with silver and gold-plated findings and clasps.

How did you come up with the name of your business?
My wife Ruth came up with the name of the business. Olinda is a small town in Brazil, just outside Recife, in the North-East of Brazil. It was a Portuguese colony and, like Lisbon, it’s hilly and its cobbled streets are lined with colourful houses. It’s famous for its annual Carnival, called Frevo. It’s an arty town with lots of quaint little cafes and shops. Also, ‘linda’ means ‘beautiful’ in Portuguese, so ‘O linda’ means ‘Oh, how beautiful you are.’ So the idea is that if you wear a unique piece of colourful Olinda jewellery, you will be a beautiful woman!

Who or what inspires you most in your work?
Who? People who have seen my work and appreciate it. Their feedback inspires me to keep creating more.

What? The stones themselves. They choose me – when they are ready to be turned into that unique piece of jewellery, made for that special person.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do, and what is the most frustrating?
The most rewarding is when each piece of jewellery finds its owner. Sometimes a piece lies there for a long time, sometimes it’s found straight away – but there’s always a person the piece is waiting for. Some designers wouldn’t wait as long as me – they dissemble and recreate another piece. I don’t – I know the piece will be found, however long it takes. Because of this I feel I’m performing a service for people by giving them something special and unique that will make them feel special.

The most frustrating thing for me is when people don’t appreciate the value or quality of handmade items in general. Creating handmade jewellery is a gift and one of my aims is to raise people’s awareness of the value and uniqueness of artists’ crafts.

What are your long term goals?
To devote more time to designing and creating jewellery – I am currently a teacher of English, creating jewellery in my spare time. In the future, I know I will be able to make Olinda a successful business in the sense that I will be able to devote all my time to the gift I have.

How do you promote your business?
I show my jewellery at craft fairs around the country, at jewellery parties, through my website (www.olindajewellery.com), which was launched last month, through distributing flyers, email networking, word of mouth, etc. … you name it.

What makes you stand out from the other jewellery businesses out there?
Firstly, every piece I make is unique – even if asked, I won’t make a copy of one of my pieces – this gives people the satisfaction of knowing that no one else has a piece the same as them.

Secondly, each piece of Olinda jewellery, has something of myself within it, which goes with the person who buys it.

Thirdly, as I mentioned before, each piece is destined for one particular person, which makes me a mediator between the stones and the people – it’s the stones that call me to turn them into a piece of jewellery for a specific purpose or person – it’s not me that chooses the stones or their destiny.

What advice would you give someone trying to start their own creative business?
Whatever you believe in, go for it fully. Believe in yourself and your creativity. Your self belief will make it happen, however long it might take. Focus on your goal and it will happen – what you sow, you will reap. I only discovered my gift for making jewellery 2 years ago, but since this discovery I have been 100% sure that this is the right path for me and have fully believed in what I’m doing. And now I’m here already. Also, make sure your presentation shows who and what you are, from your business card to your display or your website. I’ve spent the last year improving and perfecting my presentation – this was a big investment but well worth it.

Is 'handmade' a lifestyle choice for you? And if so, why?
It is now. From the experience of creating handmade jewellery, I have come to realize how little value people place on handmade goods. Realising now the energy that goes into my own creations, has obviously made me much more aware of this value. I now only use handmade soaps, look for handmade items for gifts, buy handmade greeting cards, etc.

If you had time to learn a new skill what would it be?
I’m already planning to do a course on working with silver clay, to enrich my own creations. I’ve always wanted to work with silver and this will broaden the range of my jewellery collection.

See more of Eberth's work at http://www.olindajewellery.com/

MEET: Beverly Lay

2010-06-09T06:00:00.006+02:00

This week we meet someone a little different, based in London, Beverly from All Things Original is the founder of a fabulous online boutique showcasing UK designer makers.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your business got started?
I’m always doing something crafty, sewing, quilting, making jewellery, experimenting with my Gocco or doing a bit of cross stitch for my daughter.

After a degree in Graphic Design, I started a career in advertising but soon realised after only a couple of years of selling my soul that it wasn’t for me. At around the same time, I was experimenting with jewellery making in my spare time and, one summer, decided to sell what I had made.

A local shop owner who saw what I was selling approached me and asked if she could order some of my jewellery to sell in her boutique. She proceeded to order 50 items for her shop and, with a new-found confidence, I was soon selling my wares to different shops around the country as well as at both Greenwich market and the Upmarket on Brick Lane.

It was through doing this – and particularly through selling at the markets - that I met so many fabulous other designer makers. It really gave me a brilliant insight into what was out there in terms of UK craft and design.

I knew that what was on display was popular but felt that beyond the boutique shops and market stalls in London it was actually quite difficult for the average person to find all the wonderful bits and pieces being made by UK designers.

So, after to speaking to lots of my friends and colleagues about the idea for an online shop, I resolved one cold winter’s morning over a cup of tea to set up http://www.allthingsoriginal.com/.

The next few months involved lots of planning and admin but the site was finally ready in November 2007 and the rest, as they say, is history!

The only downside to is that now I don’t get to make my jewellery so much anymore, but I still try to keep creative - my latest passion is quilting!

What is the ethos behind All Things Original?
Starting out as a small designer maker myself, I know just how much hard work it takes to make a successful business out of making and selling creative goods. That’s why from the very beginning of All Things Original I wanted to ensure I was adding to the work of designer makers rather than just taking from it.

All Things Original is not a big corporate enterprise – and I will never let it become one! I like to keep in close touch with my sellers, regularly checking in with them to make sure that they are getting the most out of the site and promoting their work in relevant press wherever I can.

Describe your typical working day.I really do not have a typical working day. Mornings are usually chaos trying to get my daughter off to nursery and my husband out the door to work but once the chaos is over I make myself a coffee and start to go through my emails.

I answer customer queries, print out yesterdays orders, do a little social networking, upload any new bits and pieces and deal with any press requests that may have come in - generally try to get on and tackle my ever-growing to do list!

Unfortunately there’s a lot of admin associated with running a site with almost 60 designers. However, I spend a lot of time browsing blogs and looking for new designers and new trends. Sometimes a fun day may include visiting trade or craft fairs just to see what’s out there.

Then it’s back to being a mum and wife for a while - baby’s tea time, bath, bottle, bed time and dinner – before finishing off any bits and pieces that I didn’t have time to get done in the day.

What do you love most about what you do, and what is the most difficult?
LOVE – discovering new designers that I think are very special and just don’t know it yet!

DIFFICULT – Managing my time between being a mum and a businesswoman and knowing when to stop - there is always something to do.

What are your future plans for All Things Original?
I’m working hard on improving the functionality and backend of the site at the moment and trying to make the shopping experience easier for my customers. These new features will hopefully be up and running by the end of the year.

We’re also looking at creating a bespoke service that will give people the chance to order specific pieces based on the designs already on the site.

Long-term, I want to build up the community aspect of the site for my sellers, giving them a chance to interact with each other to share ideas and also with sellers to resolve queries more efficiently.

And if I’m daydreaming, I think about the idea of setting up a physical All Things Original shop to showcase some of the best work on my site - but we’ll have to have a very good 2010 before I can think seriously about that!

What styles and trends have caught your eye recently?
Anything bold and beautiful works for me right now…the new statement necklaces by Gossimarwings are a great example.

Pansy Necklace by Gossamarwings

MEET: Dianne King

2010-06-02T06:00:00.013+02:00

This week, UK Handmade interviews a fascinating jewellery designer based in Fife who began her second career only five years ago after moving from a background in art history and sculpture. Creating strong pieces with a clear narrative structure, weaving stories that flow with the natural properties of the materials she works with, Dianne's work is quite unique.

Please tell us who you are and what you do
My name is Dianne King and I design and hand-make one-off pieces of jewellery using silver, gold and precious/semi-precious stones in unusual designs and combinations.

I like to think of each unique work as having a story behind it. I can rabbit on for hours about the ideas and associations behind the work! It’s important also that jewellery is satisfying to touch as well as good to look at – most people play with their jewellery while they are wearing it.

My pieces are assertive, but not aggressive. They will get you noticed, but don’t shout.

Describe your work setting
My studio is a converted stable with small square windows fitted with shutters so that I can have it dark for soldering. The down side is I have flagstone floors – disastrous if I drop anything.

What inspires you in your work?
My background is in sculpture and art history so I make a lot of references to other art in my jewellery. For example, the Ruffle series comes from looking at Elizabethan portraits with their enormous lace ruffs and pearls.

I also take ideas from literature: the Sea Stories series is partly inspired by reading Neil Gunn’s novel, The Silver Darlings; the Dreaming Stone series comes from a line in a Ben Okri novel.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do?
I love seeing the transformation that takes place when someone puts on a piece of jewellery that’s exactly right for them. They seem to sort of glow and increase in confidence!

And the most frustrating?
When I have to stop making to do normal things like shopping, which I hate.

Making jewellery is such fun! But I never seem to have enough time to explore all the ideas I want to develop. I have lots of things on the go at once, in various stages of completion. Possibly because I came to making jewellery as a second career, I have so many things I want to do and get impatient with myself for being so slow. I’m a perfectionist, and that takes time.

Describe your typical day
I normally start the day at 6.30am and go for a brisk half-hour walk after breakfast to clear my mind for the day. I don’t usually get into the studio till about 9am. My schedule very much depends on whether I am working to an exhibition deadline in which case I can be working till about 10 at night. (In consideration for the neighbours, I try not to be hammering after 10pm.) I stop for endless cups of tea which often end up going cold as I get lost in the work.

What are your long term plans?
I’m exhibiting in London for the first time from 10th – 13th June at the ACJ stand at Treasure, as part of London Jewellery Week. I’m very excited about this and hope it will lead to new gallery contacts.

I’d like to find more good galleries to exhibit my work. I like galleries which show interesting fine art as well as applied arts. I’d also like to show abroad again. I’ve had two solo shows in Sweden which went really well but it would be good to exhibit in another country too.

If you could live your life all over again, what would you do differently?
I would give more time to my parents as they grew older. In retrospect, I realize that they would have appreciated that, but at the time I was juggling a full-time job, a small child etc. My parents died quite suddenly within two months of each other.

If you had time to learn a new skill what would it be?
When I studied sculpture at art college, I never tried stone carving so I’d love to have a go at that some day. My jewellery tends to be quite sculptural but not in that reductive way. It’s a completely different way of working and that could be very refreshing.

You can find out more about Dianne and her work on her website, www.dianneking.com.

MEET: Wudwerx

2010-05-26T08:10:00.001+02:00

Introducing Mike Rankin; the creative force behind wudwerx - handmade wood and driftwood home and garden accessories...

driftwood candle holder

Tell us your name and a bit about what you do.

My name is Mike Rankin, and I work in my "real" job as a commercial diver, travelling all over Scotland fixing boats and piers. In my spare time, I'm an amateur woodworker, making various items for your house and garden from the small workshop in my garden, that I sell at wudwerx.

Between the two things, I'm pretty busy. One of the bonuses of working on the coast is that I can go hunting for driftwood for my shop quite easily!

the ibee hotel

When did you realise you wanted to do what you do now and how did you get started?

I've always been quite creative, so although my shop is fairly new, I've sold a few bird boxes over the years. I think the first were made with the help of my dad about 20 years ago and we sold them to neighbours. Since then, my career got in the way for a few years but now I've moved back to Edinburgh I have more spare time to create. I bought a saw and a drill press and got stuck in!

Tell us about the first thing you made.

The first things I made for my shop were two sets of three candle holders from a piece of driftwood I found on the beach at Cramond, north of Edinburgh. I cut them to different heights and drilled them to take tealights. When I listed them on Etsy they sold quickly to a customer in the USA. I packed them up and sent them off - and they disappeared! They are the only thing I've ever sent out that didn't make it, so that was a really disappointing start to my business. Luckily things have got a lot better since then!

driftwood frame

What do you love most about what you do?

There are many things that I love about working with wood. I love the smell of all the different types of wood as I walk into my workshop. I also love the feel of the wood as I work with it. It's always warm to the touch. Seeing things come together is always great. It's so cool that a plank of wood can be transformed into a bird box where new life is born. I have one of my bird boxes in my garden which is being used by a family of Great Tits so it's great to see them in use.

What's the ethos behind your work?

I love making items that either re-use things like driftwood, or make it possible for things to grow. My whole family is fairly green. My Brother sells Solar panel systems; my parents run a plant nursery that sells rare and unusual plants; so I think there is a strong sense of Nature in me. It's great to be able to express it in the way that I can.

bird box

What sort of things inspire/motivate you?

It's really motivating to know that a piece of driftwood I found can be turned into a beautiful frame or candle holder that will look fantastic in a room; or that a plank of wood can be turned into a feeder to help feed a family of birds. I enjoy the act of making things too. It's great to be able to take something and turn it into a good looking, functional item.

Where do you sell your work and how do you promote yourself?

I sell my items both online and face to face at various outlets. I also have a couple of wholesale customers. My online presence is quite large with shops at Folksy and DaWanda, and my main shop at wudwerx. I sell at various markets around Edinburgh and the Lothians, and have items in shops in Prestonpans, Castle Douglas and Penicuik. I rely on word of mouth for most of my promotion, though I do put flyers out at other markets that I don't actually sell at. I'm fairly low tech, and don't promote on Facebook, Twitter or any of the others. It's something I will look at in the future but at the moment I am quite busy with all the orders I have at the moment.

set of 6 wooden labels

What sort of business goals do you set for yourself and what is the next milestone for you?

I would like to expand my custom order business. At the moment I am working on an order for over 200 Silver Birch candle holders for a wedding in July. It's a big job and has presented me with some problems that have been hard to crack - Like where to find 35 metres of Silver Birch branches that are the right thickness, and where to get them kiln dried. I think there is certainly potential for more custom orders and wedding orders, and it's great to know that candle holders that I make can help bring a bit of joy to a couple on their big day.

What one key piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their own 'handmade' venture?

Network! It's tough to get yourself known, which in turn makes it difficult to sell things. What I've done is joined several online groups, talked to market stall holders and gallery owners, printed off flyers, told friends, family and work mates,(several early sales of mine were to friends) and spread the word in any way you can.

bird feeder

Who are some of your favourite artists/designers/makers?

I've got a few! My favourite has to be my partners site! He is a Aboriginal from NW Queensland in Australia who I brought back with me on my return from Down Under. He paints contempary Aboriginal art that he sells at maiawalliart You will also be able to see his art featured at Gardening Scotland on the 4th, 5th & 6th of June. Another one of my favourites is EquilibriumDesigns It's very simple, but useful stuff. My final shop is woodguy32 who's got the perfect store for me, combining iPhones and wood! The genius!

the lizards - group of 3 original paintings by Mike's partner, maiawalliart

If you had time what new craft would you like to learn?

I'd love to learn Cabinet Making. My Grandfather was a Master Carpenter and made some stunning pieces, including a bureau that my parents now own. To be able to make something so beautiful and skilfully crafted, and that still works so well and looks so good after so many years would be amazing.

Is there one special thing that you would like to make for yourself?

At the moment with the nice weather we've been having I'm sorely tempted to make myself a table and chairs for the deck! I think for the long term I'd love to find a big tree root on a beach somewhere and turn it into a big seat, or a funky shelf type unit.

small bee hotel

If you happen to be in or around Gorebridge, Midlothian this Sunday 30th May, you can go along and meet Mike at his wudwerx stall at the Gracehounds Charity Dog Show & Spring Fair at Vogrie Country Park near Gorebridge. The Fair is open from 11am to 3pm and is well worth a visit if you are planning a weekend outing :D

MEET: Kim Matias

2010-05-19T06:00:00.007+02:00

This week we catch up with talented embroidery artist Kim Matias who made the transition from photography to embroidery and has never looked back!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your transition from photography to embroidery?
I started my BA in photography in 2000. Initially I was disappointed as it seemed more commercial then art based. Before I started the course, I began to explore fusing photography and textiles and it was deemed unsuitable for me to continue this. I loved finding interesting subjects to photograph and enjoyed learning how to colour print in the traditional dark room. I left with a strong portfolio and continued to take photographs when I studied towards my MA in fine art.

When I completed my MA, I did a teaching qualification and was offered a job teaching A’ level photography and art. Teaching art was very challenging because, although I had a Masters in fine art, I had never learnt how to draw or paint. I overcame this by learning at the same time as the students. I was a quick learner and felt that I had just undertaken an A' level in art myself. Around this time I became very friendly with the artist in residence who did his degree in textiles. We soon moved in together and although we didn't have a fridge, hoover, washing machine or any home essentials, we did have a sewing machine. After a painful relationship break up – Lee taught me how to use a Bernina to create free machine embroidery and I have been sewing ever since.

What is the ethos behind your work?
FEELING NOT MEANING

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
Teaching (and learning) A’ level art and putting those skills to use in my embroidery has helped develop the work I do.

Are there any techniques/skills that you learnt through your photography that you are able to apply to your embroidery?
The two main things I see in common with my photography and embroidery are narrative and colour.

When I left college and could no longer use the dark room facilities and the world began to embrace digital photography, a little part of me died. Digital photography should have opened up a new world of possibilities – it’s cheaper, easier and quicker. However, I refrained from using it; I hated it and didn't and still don’t trust it. For me, it made photography lose its beauty.

I realised that I loved the process of taking, developing and printing the photographs. I like wandering around the dark room and using equipment and dials to ‘create’ a photograph rather than staring at a computer and clicking a mouse.

Around the same time, I was learning embroidery and it eventually took over. It fit into my life style, I no longer had to wait to find a dark room to print my photos, I could get the same buzz from creating at home and I no longer had to battle with the demon of digital photography which was a losing battle. I was surprised to discover that, with painting and embroidery, I could create anything I wanted, rather than being confined to what I could photograph.

What do you love most about what you do and what do you find the most frustrating?
I love what I do because I find it therapeutic. If I’m having clouds of self doubt I look at what I have created and it is like looking at a flattering reflection. I look at it and I feel good about myself.

The most frustrating part is if I’m not creating, or if I have created something I don’t like. Then, I feel the opposite of when things go well and it affects my self esteem and after a while I start feeling depressed and a bit worthless.

Is handmade a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?
Handmade is a life style choice as it is the only thing I know and I don’t have any other choice.

Can you tell us a bit about your studio/workshop/workspace?
I live in a cheap, big house and use the spare room as the studio. I have everything I need; a Bernina and a cupboard full of fabric and a tin full of crystals.

How do you balance your work and home life, what do you do to wind down?
My work feeds into my home life; it inspires the embroideries I produce (especially personal work). I work with people with mental health issues and they inspire me. They are able to delve into their unconscious on a more superior level to those that are deemed ‘mentally stable’.

To wind down, I embroider or work in my sketch book, or watch ‘Over the rainbow’ and listen to potential Dorothy's.

Do you ever experience periods of creative slump and if so what helps you through?
I had a creative slump for 4 years during the transition between photography and learning embroidery. I just kept creating work I was unhappy with until one day I had a break through.

Who or what inspires you most in your work?
I have always loved fairy tales and mythology. Recently, I have been reading the works of Carl Jung and his theories on dream analysis and the unconscious have fed well into my work. I don’t know many textile artists as I am new to the arena, however, my good friend Lee Mattocks who taught me embroidery inspires my work immensely. If you Google his name you can see some of his work, he is very special.

How do you get the word out about your work?
I did my first market stall last week in the town in which I live (Bristol). I am doing a weekend Art market in a couple of weeks and plan to try and get a more regular slot at the tobacco factory where they support local artists. I always make sure I have business cards at the stalls.

If you had the time to learn a new skill what would it be?
Contemporary Dance!

For more information on Kim Matias and her work visit her blog: http://kimclarkson.blogspot.com/

MEET: Fluxplay Jewellery

2010-05-12T06:00:00.006+02:00

Devon-based designer, Maria Whetman, is the creative force behind the innovative jewellery label Fluxplay Jewellery. We caught up with her to find out more about her and her work.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?
Being rubbish at most stuff in school except for Art, spending most of my childhood at my little desk in my bedroom with my art-stuff, it was inevitable that I would go into some kind of artistic line of work. Small-metals became my love, making tiny little artworks in these seemingly impossible to manipulate materials, playing alchemist with chemicals, carrying out processes which can date back thousands of years….I still find it amazing.

Instructions Ring

What is the ethos behind your work?
I wanted to try to make jewellery that was not like anything on the high street but still as affordable as possible to ordinary people like me, who don’t have the cash to buy exclusive, high-value items but would love to own an entirely handmade design that’s either a one-off design or of a very limited edition. That middle-ground market which features many contemporary jewellers, is a difficult one to sell in I now realise, but I still want to feed the enthusiasm of those who appreciate design and craftsmanship but can buy something nice for themselves or as a gift only once in a rare while.

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
I took a National Diploma in Art & Design from Hereford College of Art when I left school in 1987. After a year of trying everything from weaving to blacksmithing, I specialised in metals for the 2nd year of that course. Next, I did a BA.hons Degree in 3D / jewellery silver-smithing at Central Saint Martins and a teaching Postgrad’ Degree from Cardiff and HUGE debt later, I began my journey as a metalsmith, I’m 39 now. I learnt soooo much at Hereford about design processes, experimentation, collecting information, learning how to paint, draw, make and create as well as finding out what my interests were. Central was outstanding at training us in the skills of working in small-scale metals, it was very traditionalist, which suited me fine as I’d learnt about design and creativity at Hereford.

Fisherman brooch

What inspired you to combine tin and other recycled materials with traditional silver smithing techniques?
Several reasons; I like statement pieces with big set stones, but there were already lots of people around doing that so well, I wondered how else I could make big ‘cabochons’. I like challenging the idea that jewellery has to be either of ‘material value’ or something that makes you look ‘pretty’, or for ‘finishing’ an outfit….that’s all fine but what if you just want to wear something just because you like it? I love compositions and collages of text, colour and shape. I was trying to make my work more affordable with lower-cost materials but without ‘cheapening’ the work.

What do you love most about what you do and what do you find the most frustrating?
I can’t tell you how much I love having materials around me and deciding what they should become, whether its beads, scraps of tin or a current shape or colour trend that dictates, I’m happy when Im in my workshop making something that’s materials led or from one of my sketchbooks. I like working to the monthly challenge set by the Etsy team I’m a member of (EtsyMetal) as it gets me thinking about making different things and finding solutions to ways in which I can incorporate tin and maintain my house-style. Most frustrating for me is knowing that my work is too niche ever to support me income-wise and my being too stubborn to branch out and move into more profitable areas of jewellery making.

Hoops Necklace

Is handmade a lifestyle choice for you and if so why?
To an extent, as time allows I make a lot of things myself…wedding dress, spice rack, bread, craft show display cases, all kinds of things. I just have to give myself months and months to get something done in-between working and being a mum…. We even grow veg’ in our small garden, lots of it in pots. I save up spending money for craft fairs, to buy lovely things from artisans who I would never even try to emulate. There is something special about a piece made by a person who has considered every aspect of that item and then made it themselves or researched the best outsource for an element of that piece. That piece has character and soul and individuality, it should last a long time and do its job well, be made of good quality materials…. I think this is the true meaning of ‘craft’.

Can you tell us a bit about your studio/workshop, can we take a sneaky peek?
My brilliant husband put up a 10x12ft shed at the end of our small garden. I was very jealous assuming it was for all his stuff, but half of it was for me. My very own half-a-shed. It’s insulated and has electricity and I have to be very organised with storage and space, but it’s all I really need, it has my equipment and tools and bench as well as a hammering table and a drawing desk. It makes me really happy to be in it, I know I’m very lucky.

How do you balance your work and home life, what do you do to wind down?
Very difficult, I’m always tired. I teach 3-4 days a week at Plymouth Art College, spend the rest of the time with my young daughter and use nap-times / evenings / taking weekends in turn with my husband as my jewellery making / admin / computer work time. To wind down we go out for walks, surfing, the beaches, messing about by the rivers, camping, tending to the garden…I find it really, REALLY hard to know when to stop as my brain doesn’t stop thinking about what needs doing.

Do you ever experience periods of creative slump and if so what helps you through?
Oh yes, of course. It’s really easy to want to give up, especially in this market. EtsyMetal run a monthly blog-carnival which some of us bloggers take part in, and I’ve covered that question there with 20 examples of how to get out of a rut.

Golden Pot Plant Bangle/Bracelet

If you could give an aspiring artist, designer, maker one piece of advice what would it be?
Be completely interested in what you do and for more than just reasons of the money it might earn you, be true to yourself in your designs and the huge effort that is needed to be a craftsperson.

Who or what inspires you most in your work?
Finding interesting materials to work with inspires me a lot. Sometimes, the students I teach inspire me in many different ways. Lovely craft, art and design books inspire me. Artists who have always inspired me are Tim McCreight, Robert Dancik, Bob Ebendorf, Kiff Slemmons, Peter Blake…there are many more.

If you had the time to learn a new skill what would it be?
I’ve tried and failed many times to learn to knit and crochet, I wish I could get those processes to stick in my head! Instead I do a kind of basket weaving technique and a sort of knit using a 2-pronged thingy (Viking invention) I bought in the V&A shop years ago. That’s how I made the fishing net on the Fisherman brooch.

For more information on Maria and Fluxplay Jewellery visit her website: http://www.fluxplay.co.uk/

MEET: Claire Brewster

2010-04-28T11:00:00.003+02:00

Claire Brewster is a paper artist, specializing in intricately cut, delicate three dimensional pictures. UK Handmade asked a few questions ...

What kind of formal education,training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
I studied constructed textiles at Middlesex University (polytechnic as it was then), specialising in tapestry weaving, and since then have been working on my own.

You’re creations are very intricate and detailed – how do you do them?

I stick a tracing of the image I want to cut out a on the back of the map, so I have a template to cut too, though I often change them as I go along, if I think it will look better, I use Olfa blades after much experiment I find they are the best for me. I have just invested in a large magnifying light, which helps with all the details and hopefully saves my eyes. I draw the images I want to cut out many times before I actually cut them, so I get them just right, and also so I really feel the shapes and know them very well before I start cutting.

I have to ask, do you ever mess them up right when they are almost complete!?

I don't think I have ever totally messed up a piece beyond repair, I often cut bits off or bits break, I always have a roll of scotch tape to hand as that will fix most mistakes. Things usually go wrong when I am cutting with a blunt blade, and the paper rips, the I may have to rethink the design to get round the problem. The main problems I have had are with the paper buckling and crinkling or warping due to either using the wrong glue or dampness or both. Then pieces can get ruined as that can't be fixed by scotch tape. I have found that the glue, tracing paper and maps should all be kept in the same place before use, to minimise the risk of warping.

What did you do and how did you start?
I used to make collages, often working with maps, painting and sticking things on them and then one day I decided to cut out the pattern I was going to paint on the map and then I did some more and showed them in an exhibition and everyone loved them and they just sort of blossomed from their. The first pieces were all over patterns I then moved on to flowers and then other things.

What jobs did you have before this?
I have done many things, I think they call it a portfolio career, teaching English as a foreign language, retail, making sandwiches, and secretarial work. The latter is what I have done most of an am still working 3 days a week as an office manager for an architects practice, until the art makes enough to pay all the bills.

What steps did you take to create your own business?
I was a bit haphazard about it really, but am now trying to be a bit more focussed on the business aspect of things. There is a lot of help on line and some really excellent books, though they are mostly American, but the basics are the same.

Describe your work setting.

I work from home in my spare bedroom, I used to have an external studio but have learnt that working with paper means I need heating, dampness is my biggest enemy, so i find it easiest to work from home, I also like having my work around all the time (see issues about work/life balance below) so I can be doing stuff whilst watching TV or when I have an odd moment. I like my studio messy, I like to have piles of stuff everywhere and bits of paper around. I find hunting for things and going through piles of old papers is a good source of inspiration and can lead me down a path I may never thought of, and I often see new things in pictures I have previously discarded. I enjoy the hunt for things, so if all my stuff was neatly filed it wouldn't be so much fun.

How do you maintain balance in your life between work and play?

I'm not sure I always do, its hard to separate my work from the rest of me. I can often be found watching TV of an evening drawing away. I do find it hard to take a day off, even to go to galleries, which is technically work, and do need to get better at that. I think my boyfriend worries about me working full time as an artist, as for 3 days a week I have some structure to my day where I do something else, I think he thinks that when I'm doing my art full time I'll disappear into my own paper world. I exercise regularly, which gets me out the house. Doing what I do involves being alone a lot so its important to strike a balance between that and communicating with people. But essentially I am my work so its hard to separate from that, and I'm not sure I want to.

How do you work through those creative slumps we all have from time to time?

I think they are unavoidable, and necessary as they usually lead to some kind of break through. They are still annoying though, I try to relax and not worry too much and get on with admin stuff, do exhibition submissions, search through flikr for interesting images, go looking on ebay for maps, go to galleries or to meet friends and also tidying up my studio and looking at previous work, and images that I have collected and usually something comes up that gets me back to work.

What has been inspiring you lately?

Spring is a very inspiring time, I walk through a park every morning when I go to work and the the new life is so exciting to see. I've also been getting in to reading a lot of blogs and its so inspiring to see all the amazing things that people make and do out there. The V&A is always a place I go for inspiration, just love wandering around their galleries

How do you get the word out about your work?

I have built up quite a big mailing list and try to send emails out at least once a month with info about shows. Having my website is also vital, its a great too to advertise yourself. I've been lucky to be in several magazines, which came about by just sending information to them. I have just set up an Etsy shop and think I'm going to set up a blog, just getting in to the whole online thing, and want to do more with my online presence, though am not very good with facebook or twittering, but think a blog will be good way to show a different side of my work and other inspirations.

What's your definition of the perfect day?

The day that Tate call me up to invite me to show there! or a day in the studio, where ideas are flowing and much progress is made, followed by dinner with friends would probably do, oh and some sales would be nice too.

You can see more of Claire's work on her website www.clairebrewster.co.uk