Tag: artisan

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“Tis the season to be jolly ….

‘Tis the Season to be Jolly, I have always loved Carols around a tree, the pretty lights, the anticipation of piles of gifts on Christmas morning,  the buzz of excitement in the air but I will confess as I have got older the magic is fading for me. I see adverts on the television of happy families sat playing games and enjoying themselves but in reality as I read the papers I see a different world one where many families are separated and the older generations are possibly spending the day alone as they don’t want to be burden on relatives, or those families who don’t have money to put food on a table let alone buy gifts, who then have to deal with the question why Santa leaves lots of gifts for some Children but not them.

I read a lovely article in the Telegraph yesterday, saddened slightly by its content, but felt it was also full of Christmas Spirit as it made reference to a school in Blackpool where the Head is opening the school up on Monday to have a Christmas Eve eve party for the children, with Santa and hot food, to ensure that all children had that magical experience and a hot meal over the holidays. I am sure this isn’t first school to do this, and I doubt will be the last. 

For many of the gifts I will be giving this year they are sourced from small businesses not large corporations, I will try and avoid the pressure of the sales post Christmas, and only purchase something if I really need it.  

It is a most wonderful time of the year, but we do shop all year round, not just a Christmas so if you could continue to buy from the small business owner I can hand on heart tell you that really does help put food on the table, and keep a roof over someone’s head. Perhaps you can spare the odd gift for a child who is without, or pop an extra roll of toilet paper, or can of soup in the trolley for the food bank at your local supermarket – you never know the joy that small act of kindness could bring someone. Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against the corporates (I am an Amazon Prime Customer ?) , but I am hugely aware that by using them we are feeding anonymous shareholders but by buying from an independent you are helping keep that small business afloat, and that alone does deserve a happy dance ? Merry Christmas and wishing you a Happy New Year 

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My glass makes lovely presents for Christmas

I had my one and only Fair of the year last weekend at Sandon Hall and it was absolutely fantastic.  I love it when someone sees my glass from across the room and comes across for a closer look and Smiles.  That smile makes my day.
I often get ‘complaints’ that I provide too much choice….. that’s because I like to make sure I have something for everyone and for every occasion. Hope you find something you like in my shop.

I’ve been making pretty collages of some of my glass to promote the lovely British Craft House site to the world at this busy, busy Christmas shopping time so here are a couple…. to help you choose if you fancy some of my lovely glass

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Welcome!

I just thought whilst I was photographing, listing, measuring and generally sorting what planters and window boxes I have made it would be a nice idea to introduce myself properly. 

This is my world of Metal Garden Planters. 

Welcome, my name is Fiona, I have 2 children (12 and 9) 1 mini dachshund and an OAP Cat who thinks he is a teenager still. I live in the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, famous for being voted the most boring town in the UK one year, being the birth place of myself, Margaret Thatcher, Doris Stokes and Sir Isaac Newton to name a few. 

The image is of me, no makeup, not having done my hair and dressed for the cold,  about to set off in my VW Flatbed, with some roofing sheets on the back. I sell a variety of Box Profile and Corrugated roofing sheets, and manufacture the flashings to finish the edges in house. It was from the waste I was generating in terms of making the flashings which lead me down the path of making metal boxes. 

I was on the hunt for an office bin one day, and the cost shocked me, let alone the fact they are all fairly boring looking so after some cutting, measuring, and general faffing with the Guilloline (not the kind the Frenchman used to lop off the heads of Aristocracy) but a blade which can cut thin metal sheeting safely, and my bending machine (its clamp with a lever that once lifted puts a fold in a metal sheet in its simplest form) A bright yellow tall, square bin was created, and 6+ years later it is still used daily. 

So thats how I started, if you have any specific questions for future blog posts I would be happy to answer them, in the meantime I will continue selecting troughs, and planters along with a special gardeners gift pack I am pulling together. 

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Labrador (or human!) treat tins!

I’ve been making up and photographing my pocket sized Labrador treat tins today, and discovered that ‘human’ treats fit quite nicely in them too!!! You can get THREE chocolate HOBNOBS in there instead of bonios!! (Or maybe even a skinny mince pie…?) ?

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Meet the Artisan, Max Pring, aka The Crafty Welsh Mam

For me it’s all about the metal, the thing I love most about it is that it’s so versatile, you can melt it, recycle it, hammer it, bend it, stamp it, shape it, fuse it, mix it, add stones to it and if that’s not enough you can texture it, paint it, heat it, etch it and polish it too.  You will see the majority of these techniques used in my work as I do love to play!.

I find my inspiration from the lush Welsh countryside, living near Pontypridd in the Rhondda Valleys I have beautiful views across the rolling hills and a wildlife reserve just down the road. There’s also a lot of old industrial sites where nature has stepped back in, but you can find some really old interesting textures and patterns on abandoned machinery so I’m never short of inspiration and try to protect the environment by being as environmentally friendly as I can be in my work using recycled materials where I can and plastic free packaging.

I learnt to knit and sew when I was really little, sat next to my lovely Nan, my first make was a hand-sewn dress for my Tiny Tears Doll, I can even remember the colour it was purple with flowers and made from an old dress of my Nan’s. I still knit and sew  nowadays but only occasionally as my real passion is for metal jewellery, though I’ll always find time for a bit of papercraft or drawing, often sketching out new designs and little pictures for etching or making my own boxes or hand finishing my packaging with hearts and making little matching gift cards to go with each order.

I have a small bench in the spare bedroom, but have to decamp to hubby’s garage for hammering and using the blowtorch.

As well as being a maker I have a day job working in the NHS in Human Resources and I am very fortunate that I love both my jobs, my passion for metal matches my passion for people. When I’m not metalsmithing or working you will find me colouring in with my granddaughter, baking or reading with an occasional night out at the theatre.