Tag: handmade

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Meet Beverley

We love Beverley’s work.

She has combined her love of wood and its tactile qualities with that of colour and resin and copper clay to hand make unique pendants and rings!

We caught up with her to find out a bit more about her!

I am Beverley, of ‘Bevart designs’ I live in the beautiful Ribble Valley in Lancashire.

I will always be that artist that fell into making jewellery making and designing, many people have
said that my artwork would make lovely jewellery pieces, this got me thinking and I started
to create and work on this possibility. I made a few pieces and put them on display in my
studio… to my delight I sold a few, 12 months on I was accepted for a great art and craft
show called ‘Art in the Pen’. I took with me my framed artwork and my jewellery, I made
more sales than I thought possible.

Being encouraged by this I applied to sell on ‘The British
Craft House’ and was thrilled to be accepted. You can find my shop here! 

I have always taught art classes to adults sometimes with a crossover into craft making like
flower arranging, printmaking, card making etc.
I am inspired to create any art work including my jewellery by nature, the Japanese way of
Wabisabi, travel, and other artists, I love the work of Greyson Perry, Yayoi Kusama, there
are lots more!

I graduated from university in 2008 with a degree in fine art, with a friend and colleague we
wanted to still try and work together in a studio environment, we wanted to find a place
where we could provide affordable studio space for other artists. I am currently the proud
owner of ‘Atelier Arts’ an art studio collective with gallery and teaching space in Clitheroe
from here I sell my paintings, I teach art classes to adults including general art and life
drawing , I also teach art in Spain with partners ‘Caves of Dreams’ we provide a full all-
inclusive art holiday experience in Baza, the region of Andalucia.

What is the dream? The dream was always to own an art studio, the other is to be selling
my work more regularly, whether that’s jewellery or my paintings to build a following and to
become successful.

I am currently working from home and we have a workshop in the garage, so I can keep on
creating and making.

To relax and have fun I love to tap dance, I regularly take part in yoga, pilates and
meditation. I also love photography and to travel sketch and paint.

You can shop the collection here! https://staging.thebritishcrafthouse.co.uk/shop/bevartdesigns/

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The Journey Continues!

Hello again! I have been meaning to do my third blog for a while, but it never seemed like the right time but now, it does.

If you have been following my little business, you may have noticed some changes to the kind of gifts I have been making? My gifts have changed as I feel like I have been on a bit of a journey with both my skills and my creativity. When I first started LouLou & Reg, I knew that I wanted to be able to create and sell gifts that I would buy, that had sentiment and that would bring a smile when gifted. I have always been an admirer of East of India and Sass & Belle and their products; I think it is both the simplicity of their beautiful items and the sentiments that were included with each one that I love. I am and always have been a big fan of dioramas and initially wanted to make these but had no idea where to start as I had no idea how to saw a piece of wood!

At the beginning, I decided I wanted to learn how to make wooden signs which I did after trying lots of techniques, I really do enjoy making them. Then as I started to size, shape, sand and paint the wood myself, my hunger for a little more knowledge and skill grew, so we bought a pillar drill – which I really need to use more; then came the belt sander and finally my husband bought me a scroll saw, that I love!  

Since I have started to use my scroll saw my creativity has grown and I am being taken down a different path now, one that I think I have always wanted to get to but didn’t quite know how to get to. I have started to use wire to make shapes and I also use balsa wood shapes to create different elements for each of my items.  I am hoping to start experimenting with other elements and using other techniques so that I can create and continue to make the kind of product that I would enjoy seeing in my kind of shop and a product that I would want to buy. 

I am so excited to see where this journey takes me, and I really hope that you can continue this journey with me, on a rather exciting path that I seem to be travelling.

(The picture is the first item I created using my scroll saw and I’m rather proud of it as it was a freehand sketch (and I can’t draw) and my first cut……..the product that made me find a different path)

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2 year old smile ….

Today, Easter Monday I received a message via the other side beginning with E and ending in Y … from a lovely customer who, 2 years ago ordered some bespoke planters, they took some time to make, I never heard back so wasn’t sure she was happy or not, however I wasn’t fazed as in my experience most people forget to leave good feedback, rarely do they forget to leave feedback for a negative experience, many tell the world so I assumed all was good. 

Fast forward 2 years, to a chilled Easter Monday, and this lovely lady, Sarah, messaged me simply to say, she tried to leave feedback but couldn’t see how to do it, the remainder of her message is below (I did ask permission to post) 

“They look really fantastic, we look like we have a wildly expensive landscaped garden at a fraction of the cost!” “2 years in and these still look new. Thank you so much we are really pleased” 

So there you have it, Sarah G 2 years on and still her planters look like new. 

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Winter is slowing creeping away as Spring gathers pace

I have to confess the weather of  late has been confusing, from a cloud burst of snow one afternoon, clear blue skies followed less than 24 hours later, chasing its tail the howling gales and flash floods across the country, it’s cold enough to be winter, but the bright blue skies suggest a different story. 
So what plants, bulbs, or seedlings can you realistically look at panting whilst the weather is so up and down? 

To answer this question it does also depend on a many other factors, including but not limited too the PH levels of your soil, whether you live in a sheltered area or are fully exposed on a cliff top , availability of a greenhouse or somewhere light warm and airy, essentially draught free to give a few answers. 
February gardening is all about getting the seeds planted, so get out your old planters and scrape off the top layer of compost and replace with fresh. Seed wise you can sow lettuces in readiness for fresh leaves in May June time, but do ensure they are protected, varieties such as Winter Gem, and Valdor are good winter hardy types but do make sure you plant under cloches

As a general rule, bulbs can be planted out as well, but do remember they tend to prefer light well draining soil, if they are left in wet, heavy soil they are unlikely to thrive. So you can consider broad beans, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, cabbages. 
If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse herb seeds, tomatoes, cucumber can get a good start. 

I have started to list a few deeper, larger metal garden planters, these were specifically designed to enable the rooftop or patio gardener to have access to deeper soil thus enabling root vegetables to be sown. grown and eaten from the single metal garden planter. So if you fancy one do let me know! 
Fi

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Traditional V Digital Sculpture techniques?

I’ve been a traditional sculptor for more than 30 years. I enjoy the relationship I have with the medium I use, and also the close interaction with the reference materials I choose, both of which combine to help me create the sculptures I produce.

Close up of a Hare sculpture created using traditional sculpting techniques
Close up of my Harriet Hare sculpture created using traditional sculpting techniques

I am rather resistant to change, and have tended to view ‘digital’ sculpting as… cheating! Well, to some degree any way! However, a figurine designing company recently contacted me after they began following me on Instagram and they commented that they were impressed by my ‘sensational fur sculpting skills’! (?) They went on to ask me to sculpt a type of Tiger for them, even though they employ several digital sculptors. It seems that perhaps fur can’t easily be replicated using a computer and that the hand and eye of a traditional sculptor might still be useful in this digital age! 

I was thinking about how I was going to approach this project and I had an idea about how to incorporate working ‘with’ digital sculptors which would save the company time and money and still produce the finish on the sculpture which they came to me for.

I admit to feeling slightly apprehensive when I emailed them my idea… I know nothing about digital sculpting or 3D printing and was expecting my idea to be shot down in flames, but… the reply came back almost immediately hailing me as ‘innovative’ and a ‘genius’! (?) They also believe that they might have quite a bit of ‘traditional’ sculpting work for me in the future! 

So, traditional V Digital Sculpture techniques? You’ll have noticed that I haven’t spilled the beans on exactly ‘what’ my brilliant idea is (it isn’t always a good idea to give your best ideas away!), but I’m so pleased that after my resistance to digital sculpting I have found a way to combine it with the way I work to the mutual benefit of both me and the customer in a faster and ultimately a more satisfactory way. 

Hare sculpture created using traditional sculpting techniques
My Harriet Hare sculpture created in wax using traditional sculpting techniques
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How It Started – Meet JoSara

Me, Jo from JoSara

Hi, I’m Jo, thanks for popping in. Where did it start? Well, I was looking for a decorative and practical bird bath for my own garden and I couldn’t find any that fitted the bill. I had seen a few mosaic style designs on my search and I thought, I could have a go at that. So, I researched garden suitable materials, taught myself how to mosaic, and made my own unique pattern Moroccan pool style bird bath (a design that is still one I have in my shop today, and the bird bath is still going strong in my garden). That started me on a train of thought where lots of different mosaic designs I could create were popping into my head.

handmade mosaic birdbath with unique hedgehog design
  Rainbow Hedgehog bird bath

Those train of thought designs included something to help our hedgehogs, because it was around that time that I became aware of the plight they were in with their numbers plummeting. As I read more on the subject I realised water is key to attracting wildlife to your garden and can be a lifesaver for them, too. So I thought what better? You could have something decorative to look at, while the water it provides is helping keep your garden wildlife healthy and you could also enjoy watching the wildlife that appeared. Seemed a win, win to me.

Mosaic bird bath with a unique handmade design created by josara
     Moroccan Pool bird bath

I have always been quite arty, but never pursued it, I certainly never thought it would become my career. I also have always had a keen interest in the natural world, but never thought of combining the two things until I made that first bird bath and the penny dropped. There must be other people out there that want something a bit more unique for their home and garden too? Fate had it that I was in a position to leave my long term, very dull, admin job and try starting my own business to find out. The timing was perfect with the handmade boom just getting going and lots of information about how to start a handmade business online was appearing on the internet. So my brand, JoSara, was born with my first online shop opening in 2011.

JoSara in Birds and Blooms magazine
JoSara in Birds and Blooms magazine

Since then it’s been going from strength to strength, including more online shops, a website, and being featured online and in print, with my Three Bees bird bath being in the 5th best selling mag in the home and garden category in the US, Birds and Blooms. And in the US that means a LOT of readers, so that was amazing. My ranges have been expanding, with new designs still popping into my head. And it’s all thanks to the nature and wildlife lovers, and lovers of things a little bit different that were definitely out there.

To follow new designs in progress follow me on Facebook – JoSaraDesign

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Metal Window Box …..what will you grow in yours?

Metal Garden Planters Handmade Metal Window Boxes
Metal Garden Planters Handmade Metal Window Boxes

In many towns and villages around the UK you will often see this beautiful ironwork frames sitting underneath a stunning set off windows, usually the sash wooden framed ones, not your modern uPVC triple glazed designed to lock the world out. This image was taken last year, on a damp grey drizzling kind of day, the triple story house in question is undergoing a mammoth refurbishment, formerly a butchers with the thick wooden floor and huge shop windows on one side of the property, and the other corner the image you see attached, the “private” entrance to the living quarters, notice the railings at street level to the cellar, or coal store as it may well of been.  Anyway the reason for my picture…..  whilst this one was made from wood, I can very easily make one out of metal, to sit inside these ironwork frames? I can also make the metal boxes to sit either sit of the entrance door, to plant a clematis or ivy from. 

Of course you don’t need a fancy pants iron frame to hold a window box in order to breathe some life and colour into your windows, you just need a cill – here is an image from a very happy customer who loves gazing out of her kitchen window and seeing some flowers, some colour and not just her neighbours wall 

So, I do take commissions, I always try to manufacture out of the “scrap” pile to reduce our carbon footprint, so if you would like to inject some colour in your window cill, maybe grow some lettuce leaves or have some herbs on your window ledge, do drop me a line and let me help you get growing! 

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Meet a Good Right Hooker

I’m a 50 something mother of 4 and granny to 6. I have been surrounded by craft of some sort or another all my life, my grandmother was a prolific knitter, my mother is a wonderful embroiderer and seamstress and my father was always fashioning something out of wood.

I was taught to knit and sew at a young age and have always had a project on the go, sometimes useful  ( I made all my children’s clothes when they were small) and sometimes purely decorative. 

 After trying to teach myself to crochet for more years than I’m going to admit here, a very good and patient friend eventually managed to teach me to make the humble granny square and I haven’t looked back since! 

As well as my little crochet business, I have a day job where I’m a housekeeper in a large busy house. No two days are ever the same and I love it. 

When I’m not at work or crocheting you’ll often find me out on my bike in the beautiful Norfolk countryside, last year Mr Good Right Hook bought me a proper road bike so I’m fairly nipping along those lanes now. 

I’m so excited to be a part of The British Craft House and I cant wait to see where it will take me in the coming months and years. 

Jo x

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MERRY CHRISTMAS with love from JOYsofGLASS XX

An Enormous Thank you to Dottie for setting up this wonderful Handmade British site for artisans and artists and craftsmen (should that be craftspeople ?  ?). 

Thank you also to all those who have visited my Joysofglass shop and stopped to browse and even to buy.  I do hope you have enjoyed what you have seen and look forward to seeing you again soon. 

The British Craft House has not been here long, less than 2 momths, but it’s been blooming fantastic so far.
Onwards and Upwards for 2020.

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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