You may already have taken a peek at our latest Course Notes feature, where craft journalist Clare Kelly visited the London studio of Smashing Chintz and learnt how to make a mosaic mirror, but I just couldnt resist adding a few more of Clare’s beautiful photos here.
They show the mosaic work of Smashing Chintz founder Janine Nelson who combines fragments of old discarded china with vintage plates to create stunning new pieces. Janine says that chintzy fabric and china have suffered from a poor image in recent years, but now she’s on a quest to bring chintz into the 21st century in a new, slightly quirky way. From the photos below, I’d say she’s definitely succeeded!
Find out more about Janine’s work and her mosaic workshops at www.smashingchintz.co.uk.
Sally Parkin, founder of The Original Surfboard Company is profiled in this month’s Coast magazine, where she shares her passion for the classic British sport of surf-riding. We’re loving that cozzie, Sally!
Don’t forget you can win one of Sally’s handmade retro style wooden surfboards in this month’s competition. Click here to enter now…
Want to support Eng-er-land, but not keen on hanging a flag out of your bedroom window? Here’s the perfect alternative… what could be more patriotic than one of these limited edition St George cushions from Ian Mankin? Made in England from English woven fabrics, they cost £45 and come complete with a luxury duck feather cushion pad. And if it all goes horribly wrong, you can always just bury your face in it and sob! But of course it won’t come to that, will it? Come on Eng-er-land! Buy online at www.ianmankin.co.uk.
There’s nothing quite like getting all the family together for a bit of puzzle action, and I’m firmly of the opinion that jigsaws, like parlour games, should not just be for Christmas. I can clearly remember the delight of spreading a zillion piece jigsaw on the dining room table as a child and the great sense of satisfaction as that last piece finally dropped into place.
But if you thought jigsaws were just for kids, take a look at these fabulously stylish and very grown-up creations from Wentworth Wooden Puzzles. Based in the Cotswolds, their beautifully crafted wooden jigsaw puzzles include this funky (and probably quite tricky!) patchwork quilt design, and these innovative jigsaw placemats – perfect for a spot of after dinner puzzling. Wentworth are also one of the only companies still producing traditional British ’whimsy’ jigsaws, where specially shaped themed pieces are cut ‘on a whim’ by Victorian hand cutter (below right).
With Father’s Day coming up, why not challenge a jigsaw-loving dad or grandad to an afternoon of puzzling? There are plenty of sports themed jigsaws on the Wentworth website, and they’re offering our readers 10% off until the end of June. Simply quote promotional code FBWL10 when you order by phone, or online at www.jigsaws.co.uk.
What do you give as a gift at a wedding where the bride and groom have said they don’t want gifts? This is the dilemma I’m currently facing as one of my oldest friends from school is getting married next weekend. It seems churlish to turn up empty handed, and I feel that a small token by which to remember the happy day might be appreciated in years to come.
But what to buy? My lovely friend is a textile designer and they’re currently living in Tokyo where her husband-to-be was recently posted for his work. I was thinking that something textiley and handmade would be good, and perhaps something to remind them of their time together in Japan.
So, here’s what I’ve come up with… a beautiful box of handmade felted sushi by the very talented Kwun at Treaclezoo. I absolutely love this and I know that my friend will appreciate the amount of work that has gone into creating it, from the tiny crocheted and hand-stitched nigiri to the little rose garnish, this is truly a labour of love. Now all I have to do is make sure she doesn’t read my blog for the next week!
Find other felted treasures including macaroons and tasty tarts at www.folksy.com/shops/treaclezoo.
Summer’s here and for this month’s competition we’re offering you the chance to win a fabulous retro style wooden surfboard from The Original Surfboard Company.
These eyecatching boards are designed in Cornwall and handmade in Devon. As they’re designed to be ridden lying down, they’re easy to use and are suitable for all ages, from seven to seventy. Perfect for hitting the beach in style this summer! If you don’t fancy getting your feet wet, they can also be hung on the wall and used as wipe-clean memo boards – ideal for long shopping lists!
The lucky winner will be able to choose from either an adult or child sized board in any of the company’s retro designs. Click here to enter the the competition today…
This evening I was flicking through the latest issue of Country Homes & Interiors magazine and what should I come across but a lovely little piece about us! I’ve also spotted many of the small businesses in our directory appearing on the shopping pages of magazines recently which is always a joy to see. It’s great to see the press nurturing and supporting home grown talent and not just focusing on the big brands. Press coverage is so important for small businesses who don’t have huge marketing budgets, and we’re always happy to help whenever we can.
This bank holiday we spent the weekend pottering by the river in Henley-on-Thames and quite by chance discovered that it was the annual Henley Arts Trail, where local artists and designer makers open their studios to the public.
Never one to miss an opportunity to visit an open studio event, we headed off first of all to Assenden Glass where glassmaker Anne Arlidge’s studio was filled with people fascinated by the various techniques she uses. Of particular interest to me were her beautiful cast fruit and vegetables made from recycled Dartington crystal using a technique based on the lost wax casting method, which she refers to as the ‘lost vegetable process’! You can read about how she creates these tactile pieces on her website at www.assendenglass.co.uk/vegetables.asp.
Next we visited the idyllic garden studio of jeweller Wendy Penrose who also had quite a crowd watching her demonstrate how she creates her beautiful handmade silver and glass beads. Wendy was absolutely delightful, taking time to explain to my (rather grumpy and overtired) three year old exactly what she was doing, and allowing him to dig for treasure in her wonderful bead collection! I was transfixed watching Wendy work so deftly with the molten glass over a flame, creating each individual bead from scratch using vibrantly coloured sticks of glass.
I adore the coastal theme of Wendy’s work and couldn’t leave without buying a pretty pair of silver clam shell earrings. She has also inspired me to have a go at lampwork myself, and I’m now determined to take up the offer of Tracey Bell at The Old Kennels in Devon who had suggested that I try out one of her glass beadmaking workshops. To see more of Wendy’s work or to place an order, visit her website at www.wendypenrosejewellery.co.uk.
