MEET: Lissa Cook of Peak Princess

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.