Uncategorized

Amanda Mercer Meet Amanda Mercer, a ceramic homeware designer and the face behind the brand Amanda Mercer. We recently caught up to understand more about the process behind her beautiful creations and discover her advice for fledgling businesses following her 10+ years as an artisan designer. Read on to find out more… Company OverviewI am Amanda, a ceramic designer and maker behind Amanda Mercer, ceramic design and loveliness. I create porcelain gifts and homeware. How did it all start?Ever since I can remember I have always loved drawing and creating which eventually led me to study BA Contemporary Applied Arts, gaining a First Class Honours Degree at the University of Cumbria. It was a fantastic diverse course which combined, embroidery, ceramics, printed textiles, and constructed textiles. It was in my third year where I found my love for clay and that was it, I was hooked! After a successful degree show where I had sold quite a few of my pieces and started to supply galleries and take part in exhibitions my business was established.   The story behind the name… It was just a natural choice to use my name and my tag line became ‘Ceramic design and loveliness.’ Where are you based?In Cumbria. I work from my home studio based in the heart of the city centre in Carlisle. What inspires you?Beautiful things, nature, textures, fabrics, pattern, mark making. I also find inspiration from my collection as a piece I make may give me an idea and inspire a new piece which is mostly how my collection has developed over the years. I also enjoy flicking through home styling magazines and watching interior design programmes. What is your creation process?  When creating I use many techniques within my process. My main style is imprinting textiles into the clay surface which I then hand build into different forms. I love the whiteness of the porcelain so mainly choose to leave the decoration completely raw but I also use different colours of oxides or underglaze as an inlay to add colour and highlight the surface pattern.I also use slip casting as a technique where liquid porcelain is poured into a plaster mould. Gold lustre and decal transfers also feature in my pieces to give colour and surface pattern or text decoration.My pieces are fired up to three times in the kiln. A bisc firing is the first firing which allows me to then decorate and glaze the piece. These then go back in to the kiln for a glaze firing where I fire up to 1250 degrees. Then if I am adding lustre or decals these are fired for a third time. What makes you, your brand or products unique?Everything I design and create is completely made by me in my own personal style and because it is handmade, each piece will always be slightly different. I can also make to order and personalise most of the pieces I make creating special keepsakes to be enjoyed for years to come. An ideal choice for a birthday, Wedding, new baby or any other special occasion. What is your next project? I have many ideas jotted down to design and create samples and will be working on some new pieces for Spring. I always get suggestions from customers which are great to try out and lovely to have new fresh pieces from time to time. What are your plans for the next 12 months? Exploring new ideas and sampling. Making stock for my online shop and future Fairs. I also recently joined the Country Living Marketplace so looking forward to spending some time adding lots more loveliness on to that. I enjoy how each day can be different and the different directions my work can take me. What is your biggest achievement?There are a few that stand out for me. Gaining a First Class BA Honours degree and supplying the National Trust with pieces of my work. I was also absolutely delighted to have won the Editors Choice Award at the Country Living Christmas Fair, London back in 2011 and most recently being awarded the Best dressed stand award at the Glasgow Fair in 2022. I was so overwhelmed and over the moon to have won. What is your best-selling product?  My decorations are always a popular choice. I create many different ones including Christmas and Spring shapes and patterns. Also my porcelain tokens and pocket hugs are perfect little letterbox gifts that can be sent direct to a loved one. How was your first experience at the Country Living Fair?My first retail event and where I launched my business was at the Country Living Christmas Fair in Glasgow back in 2010 and I have exhibited there ever since. The Fair has always been a special event for me. It was such a lovely confidence boost as it was definitely a step out of my comfort zone but I received a warm welcome and such lovely feedback. The biggest compliment is customers purchasing my work. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?I look forward to the Country Living Fairs every year! I love seeing and catching up customers past and present, exhibitors, meeting new faces, the festive atmosphere, and being surrounded by creative and small businesses. Your three top tips for crafters and makers… Just enjoy creating. It will shine through you and your work.Share your makes on social media or with family and friends, people like to see what you have been working on.Try out different ideas. Some things may work or not work out but it’s all part of the creative process. Any advice for fledgling businesses…  Just go for it. You always have to try and give something a go. You never know where it may lead to! Also don’t be afraid to ask for advice, people like to help!

The Lost Girls In our latest Meet the Maker Q&A we have been catching up with Aoife and Georgie, the pair behind the brand The Lost Girls who joined us at our last Country Living Christmas Fair in London. As an artisan company still in their very first year of business, we couldn’t wait to find out more about their backstory and their new Valentines product drop which is now on the market! Company OverviewThe Lost Girls is so much more than an interior brand. Made up of two friends who studied textile design together at Nottingham Trent University, the pair have come together to bring their passion to life.Aoife, an embroidery designer and Georgie, who specialises in accessories and print design make the majority of their products in house or with local suppliers based in the UK.They care about zero waste and doing their bit for the environment, so any fabric products that aren’t selling will be made into something else. How did it all start?The founders, Aoife and Georgie, met at Nottingham Trent University whilst studying Textiles. Aoife specialising in Embroidery and Georgie in Print, they have always dreamed of having a studio they both can develop these passions with. Deciding to give a career in fashion a chance, they both delved into this after University. However, feeling like it wasn’t quite fulfilling them how they expected, they went back to the studio dream of owning their own business together. The story behind the name… Everyone loves our names and always asks us about this! From working together every day we predicted even though we planned to venture into the world of fashion, that one day in our 20’s we would be lost in what to do with our careers. Having come to the realisation that this was happening, The Lost Girls was born. Where are you based?We are based in London, just by the river in Battersea, so you can catch us on our lunchtime walks around there. We love to meet new people, so please knock if you see our studio and come and say hello! What inspires you?One of the main reasons we started TLG together is because our inspiration comes from the same source. Pattern – specifically florals and all things colours! Colour is so important to us both, sometimes interiors can be so plain, and we like to bring our personalities into everything we possibly can. What is your creation process?  Depending on the project, whether it’s bespoke or a collection this can vary. For bespoke projects we work closely with the client, seeing their ideas, creating mood boards or samples to then choosing the fabric and colours. For our collections we try and see what’s inspiring us and work from there, collecting fabrics and items to bring together our ideas whilst sketching and making as we go along. One thing that is always the same is everything is handmade by us, here in our London studio or with local artisan UK makers. What makes you, your brand or products unique?We feel here at TLG we are more of a community than a brand, we want to bring people together with events and homeware that lasts a lifetime. We try not to follow a structure of trends and seasons but more what inspires us. A big element of our work is sustainability and thinking about the environment. We don’t want to be another mass churning addition to the cycle of consumerism, however we are always on the lookout to improve. We want The Lost Girls to be a lifestyle brand, not just an interior shop. What is your next project? We have just done our Valentines collection, bringing 100% Pink Irish Linens a lovely new life with our personalised napkins and tablecloths. However we are so excited to bring our Easter collection to you, we are trying to source lots of beautiful items from charity shops and second hand shops around London. Making use of the already intricate things out there whilst giving them a second life on your tables! What are your plans for the next 12 months? Our plan throughout the year is something that changes a lot! However, something we have tried to stick to is evolving different elements of our business. We are currently working with lots of wedding planners, event clients and supper clubs to bring out the bespoke elements of our business whilst bringing you beautiful, well thought out products. We have had a few of our own events planned, having just had a special Valentines event – in which we taught hand embroidery on our TLG tote bags. However we want to push this side of our business to really see the full potential and meet more of you lovely customers! What is your biggest achievement?As our business is still in its first year, we both agree this fact in itself is our biggest achievement. From setting it up to balancing all the different aspects of it has been something we are very proud of. Aside from this, having the privilege to work with brands such as Lulu Guinness and authors such as Roxie Nafousi at their events have been a huge highlight this year for TLG! What is your best-selling product?  We currently have a few best sellers, our product that everyone loves is our Bonita Pillar candle. We have this in a variety of colours and it’s just so different, a Soy wax pillar candle embossed with our bespoke pattern based on our embroidery. This product is so special and unique to us, it’s our favourite also – we have about 3 each at home! Aside from this our napkins have been super popular especially now we personalise these, people have been loving them recently! How was your first experience at the Country Living Fair?We really enjoyed the other companies we met at CLF, seeing how they developed their business really inspired us. We were lucky enough to be around really supportive brands and felt this made the experience really fun and such a learning experience for us. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?We like that they include smaller brands such as ourselves, allowing us to showcase who we are to such a wide audience and be able to interact with our lovely customers! Your three top tips for crafters and makers… This is hard for us as we are so new, and so still taking all the tips we can get! But so far we would say, stick to what you know and love – this way you’re as passionate about the product you sell as your customers would be. Trust your gut, even though sometimes it seems everyone knows what they are doing, they don’t – they are just trusting themselves. And lastly, enjoy it! It really is a once in a lifetime experience working for yourself and we try to remind ourselves of that every day. Any advice for fledgling businesses…  Being a sort of ‘fledgling’ business ourselves our advice is make sure you are confident in your business and what you do. Everyone will question you a million and one times about it and as long as you believe in it, so will everyone else!

Lást Maps In our latest Meet the Maker Q&A we have been catching up with Angel and Tom, the pair behind the enchanting brand Lást Maps. Having joined us recently at our 2022 Country Living Christmas Fair in Harrogate, and winning our Editor’s Choice Award, we decided it was time to discover a little bit more about their company and the fabulous ethos of slow living, adventure and traditional artwork they embody.  Company OverviewLást Maps is a petit design studio that’s made up of a small team of two (Angel & Tom). The studio specialises in heritage style ink work – a timeless design style that we use across cartography, illustration and design. We run the Lást shop too – which sells artwork and apparel, which we were lucky enough to share at the Country Living Fair. How did it all start?Our story began in the snowy mountains of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. We’d just finished hiking the iconic Routeburn Track, and one evening cosied up next to a roaring fire we sketched up the adventure in the form of an illustrated map. Other hikers were soon asking for copies, and our brand took flight from there. This organic moment was the key that unlocked the application of our creative talents in the business world. It was unexpected, but in hindsight was a long time coming. From there, the brand grew steadily to what it is today: a small studio that specialises in heritage style ink work, which takes the form of maps, illustration and branding. The story behind the name… Lást is an Old English word that encompasses the notion of a ‘footprint’ or ‘track’ – it essentially means ‘to go journey’. We wanted a name that captured the magic of times gone by, and the meaning behind the word resonated so firmly with us. Our brand is for the wanderers and the explorers in each of us, and the name we fly on the flag had to capture this. As a side note, it also makes sense when read as ‘last’ in the modern world – we celebrate a slower approach to design and life, and last sings to this. Where are you based?We’re based in York now, the historic heart of North Yorkshire. We’re originally from down near the South Coast but visited York four or five years ago and immediately fell in love with it. There’s some of the countries most breath-taking national parks just an hour or so away along with a really exciting rising creative scene. What inspires you?We could ramble for hours here, so we’ll keep it concise. Most of our biggest inspirations come from the natural world, whether from moments spent hiking or perhaps even just sitting in the garden watching the storm clouds build. There’s so much to fill the inspiration tank up with day to day. Where possible we spend time each year scuba diving too – lots of our current work is ocean inspired, so it’s important to get below the surface where we can. Aside from this, our style inspiration comes from lots of work from last century – particularly scientific illustrations and brand identities from the times before cameras were invented. What is your creation process?  Our process always begins with introducing ourselves to the topics we’ll be working with. Whether researching an animal, or hanging out with a brand, it all starts with a form of conversation. From there, it’s all about sketching – so we’ll grab ourselves a coffee and lay down some pencil work. These will get refined before the pen scrapes the paper and the ink flows. We like to create the right atmosphere throughout the creative journey, so our studio is tailored to the process with work on the wall that inspires us, along with a fine-tuned working space that keeps the engines running smoothly. What makes you, your brand or products unique?It’s a combination of different approaches that makes our brand unique. The style of our work is of course our unique fingerprint, but it’s the application if this style across such varied projects that makes us different. You can always tell it’s design work by our hands, but it takes the form of everything from maps to logo marks. We have a slower approach our clients seem to really value in the journey too, good things take time and we like to sit you at the drawing board wherever possible. What is your next project? We’re about to embark on our third edition of a map of the River Test. Our first big project as a studio was of this river, and we’ve revisited in a second edition since, and have just been approached to do a third and final version. It’s our most ambitious cartography project yet, and will tell the story of this famous chalk stream from source to sea. They’ll only be 100 copies available, and it’ll mark the end of a real love affair. We’re working on some really exciting label designs for some vineyards near Milan too, which we can’t wait to tell you more about. Aside from this we’re whipping up some classic designs too for some ocean charities too, which we love. What are your plans for the next 12 months? The next twelve months is all about developing our visual story telling tool box even further. We’ve just started to collaborate with a company called XR Stories – where we’ll be pushing the boundaries of interactive story-telling in the form of immersive maps. It’s a research project that will push our skill set to the max, breaking the boundaries of what we think we can achieve with illustrated maps – it’s all down to utilising the amazing immersive technologies available. Our shop is growing more and more too – so this year will present exciting new challenges and collaborations for this side of our business. What is your biggest achievement?We tend to treat every design project with the same fresh perspective, so each feels like our biggest achievement when the client falls in love with what we produce. It feels like we’re dodging the question but we sincerely feel the same achievement each time. We love to celebrate the small victories each week too – perhaps it’s learning something new, improving our technique, or selling a new product. One particular thing we will say though is that winning the Country Living Editor’s Choice award this year was a big deal – we were over the moon. What is your best-selling product?  Our best-selling product line is our botanical series – this includes three different artworks that act as identification artworks for fungi, plants you can forage and trees you’ll see on your adventures. Our Lake District map has always been popular, but we were surprised how quickly these botanical artworks established themselves as our front runners. We’re about to launch a garden birds artwork that we think could be a new challenger to the ‘best seller’ title. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair?Our first year was a roller coaster, from designing the space we were exhibiting in to deciding what artwork to showcase, we learned so much and loved every minute. So many other makers were there to lend their experience, and the whole thing was expertly choreographed by the Country Living Fairs team – we felt looked after every step of the way. We’re really excited to return again later this year – and can’t wait to dive deeper into the stall design. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?This year was our first, and we fell in love with the fair for lots of reasons. It was an enriching experience getting to meet so many lovey people who wanted to learn about the brand and bring some of our artwork home, it was such a fulfilling experience. Country Living have created such a unique event, that attracted such a high standard of crafters and makers, so we left feeling super inspired and with new friends in the industry. We truly can’t wait for the next one. Your three top tips for crafters and makers… When it comes to exhibiting at the fair the most important thing to consider is the story you want to tell in your stall. You have this wonderful opportunity to take a blank canvas and sing your song to victors, here’s three things we found were essential:Don’t overcrowd too much, let your products breath and leave space for visitors to interact with themLighting is really crucial, so consider how you can use different formats to set the right vibe. We used lots of lanterns and some fairy lights to create a warm welcomeAlthough we didn’t this year, painting the walls is great tool in the toolbox to bring your brand to life Any advice for fledgling businesses…  Such a great question and one that could explore so many directions. The most important advice we like to share is to just start. To begin. It can be so daunting when you look at the journey ahead, with so many ways of doing things and people offering different advice. The most useful thing you can do is just take that first step though, and to take your time. Build slow and steady and don’t hesitate to ask other brands for help – we learned so much by hanging out with the people that inspire us. People are so happy to offer a helping hand – there’s room for everyone at the creative table and really exciting things happen when you collaborate like this. Before you know it, years have gone by and you’ve refined your process and built your client list. That all starts with that next step, so jump in.

Lucas Ruth When it comes to running a successful artisan business with a young family, Adam and Vicky from Lucas Ruth certainly know a thing or two! We’ve recently caught up with the pair after they attended our Country Living Christmas Fair in Harrogate to find out more about the story behind their brand and the creative process that goes into making such beautiful leather pieces.  Company OverviewWe are Adam and Vicky from Lucas Ruth (name will be explained later on…), we are a married couple who have a beautiful daughter, and we love creating leather products! We mainly make leather journals, but we dabble in other leather products too! How did it all start?My love of leather began when I worked in one of the most prestigious leather companies in England, where I hand dyed, treated and finished leather. As a creative person, I eventually became eager to make my own products out of this material that I had been using. So I started making leather journals as gifts to friends, and I then eventually turned it into my full time business. The story behind the name… My names Adam, and my wife’s name is Vicky…Adam Vicky didn’t have a good ring to it, so we went with our middle names instead ‘Lucas Ruth’. Family is so important to us, and we really wanted to reflect that in our business name. Where are you based?We are based in Walsall, which has a rich heritage in leather. Our workshop is above our local coffee shop, come say hi and we’ll give you a tour! What inspires you?I honestly want to make a great life for my family, the people I love! I feel so fortunate to be able to be creative and expressive as a job. What is your creation process?  Unravelling a leather hide, seeing all the natural edges, scarring, stretch marks and even vein marks of the cow, which all add to its character.Then envisioning the different products I plan to make with it, and how the natural characteristics of the cow hide compliment what I’m about to make! What makes you, your brand or products unique?Every one of our products will look different, we use extremely high quality top grain leather, which keeps all the natural characteristics of a the cow hide in.We also have a passion to help others be creative, which is why we have released Make Your Own Journal Kits, which give you everything that you need to make your own leather journal…and it only takes about 30 minutes!! What is your next project? We have been gifted a Singer industrial leather sewing machine from 1940 – we plan to fix it up …what we’ll use it for who knows…up until now, everything that we make, we sew by hand. What are your plans for the next 12 months? We plan on brining out some new products, and also some new DIY leather kits! What is your biggest achievement?It’s a hard question to answer, as all I can think of are lots of little achievements that have become building blocks over time. Last year, we took our new-born baby to over 4 weeks worth of shows/exhibitions – that’s got to be up there with our biggest achievement! What is your best-selling product?  Our Evergreen leather journal is our best selling book, having rich dark green tones of leather wrapped round our Italian milled off white pages.Closely joint is our Make Your Own Journal Kits, which have been a massively popular success. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair?It’s just such a pleasurable environment, everything looks amazing! Even as a trader, I find myself sneaking off to do lots of shopping. I love the high standard and quality that it has, clearly a lot of effort is put into the organising of the event. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?I love seeing so many high quality products that people have made, it’s really inspiring. Your three top tips for crafters and makers… Think outside the box, there’s always a new material that you can be creative with!Ask friends/family for feedback on your work – but also don’t be too hard on yourself!Try and express yourself creatively with whatever you are making. Any advice for fledgling businesses…  Surround yourself with people who are further on than you, take some classes and make time for plenty of practice!

Ches & Co. We’ve been discussing all things upcycling and interior design with Francesca, the face behind the brand Ches & Co. We were lucky enough to have both her and Matt join us at our latest Christmas Fair in Harrogate and now we’re delving deeper into their start up story and discovering how they ended up exhibiting with us at the Country Living Fair.  Company OverviewWe are an interior design studio creating personal spaces for our clients. We use recycled and reclaimed pieces where we can and create our own collections of upcycled furniture and homeware using recycled materials. How did it all start?It started in 2020 when I was on furlough. I’ve always loved interiors, have sewn since I was 16 and have filled my home with second-hand and upcycled furniture and homeware which I love doing. Furlough gave me the opportunity to get back in touch with my creative side, so I gave myself the project of turning what I love into a business. The story behind the name… My family have always called me Ches and they have been so supportive of this new pathway that it felt like a great opportunity to use their nickname for me as the connection to my designs. The ‘Co’ is all of the people it takes to make this business and our projects successful (including Matt!!) Where are you based?We are based in Buckingham. We have recently moved into a new studio which used to be a milking shed on a really beautiful farm! We’re surrounded by some other great businesses and love the community spirit of the place. We’re hoping to put together a calendar of events for the year so that we can share our space with anyone who would love to visit us! What inspires you?Nature for sure. I love muted, earthy colours and shapes – I’m also a sucker for florals!! But I’m also inspired by the beautiful fabrics, homewares, textures, patterns and furniture pieces that we have already existing around us. Often a project or collection will begin by looking at what we have and drawing out from there. What is your creation process?  I love creating new homeware collections because I can work with all the fabrics, colours and patterns that I love! As I use recycled materials, I start by sourcing a few fabrics that I love which starts to build a picture of how the collection will feel. I then create a moodboard using the fabrics together, research current products and trends in the market then work out what else needs to be brought in to complete the collection. I create one of each product so that I can work with my very talented photographer, Stephanie O’Callaghan, to share the collection online. I then make a small amount of each product to avoid any waste and ensure that I can accommodate any customisation such as changes in size etc. Every collection is limited due to the amount of each fabric that I am able to source. What makes you, your brand or products unique?That we combine recycled products and interior design to create unique and personal spaces that reflect the owner. Whether a client would just like one accessory or a full home renovation, we are on-hand to help! What is your next project? My next project is creating our Spring/Summer collection! I love the process from developing the concept all the way through to sourcing the perfect recycled fabrics and creating new, unique pieces. What are your plans for the next 12 months? Our plans for 2023 are to build on the foundations we lay in place last year. We now have our own studio, are both focused full-time on the business and have started to plan and create our new collection of furniture and homeware. We’re looking forward to working with new clients on their interior design projects and furniture commissions – plus meeting lots of new people at events throughout the year. We’re ready to share what we do and get creative! What is your biggest achievement?My biggest achievement last year was absolutely winning Best Dressed Stand at Country Living Fair in Harrogate. What is your best-selling product?  From our homeware collection, our cushions have been popular because they are all unique. I work with recycled fabric including curtains and remnants or deadstock fabric to create pieces that wouldn’t otherwise be made. I love that what I do prevents unwanted textiles from going into landfill and creates pieces that people love again. I also make cushions to order so clients like the flexibility of different sizes or fabrics to suit their home perfectly. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair?I loved getting into the spirit of Christmas at the Fair this year. It was so great to be surrounded by so many other talented makers and see their latest pieces. It was also such a great opportunity to get to know customers face to face and chat about what we do and hear about their interiors projects first hand. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?I love being surrounded by creative people that make unique pieces and meeting customers that share our interests, too! It was really great to see so many eco-friendly brands at last year’s show – I can’t wait to see what people bring this year. Your three top tips for crafters and makers… Start the project you’ve been putting off, it’ll be so worth it.Buy the crafty bits you’ve been thinking about – and enjoy using them!Gift your makes to friends and family, they’ll appreciate them more than you think. Any advice for fledgling businesses…  Just keep doing what you love. Enjoy the creative process and get on top of the ‘boring bits’ so they don’t hold you back!

Minnie La La Designs This year we were lucky enough to have Minnie La La Designs join us at our Christmas Fair in London. We’ve caught up with the artist behind the brand, Miriam Vincent, to delve deeper into her story and discover how she ended up exhibiting with us at the Country Living Fair.  Company OverviewI create beautiful, happy art to hang in your home or work space. All of my work is one of a kind. It is not mass produced, no body else will have one like it hanging on their walls. I also have a great love for the outdoors and much of my inspiration comes from nature and the beautiful Welsh countryside where I live. To create my pieces I use oil paints because of the way they can be layered, creating thick, rich, sumptuous colours, that scream to be touched. How did it all start?After my mum died I couldn’t see any beauty in the world anywhere, I was so devastated, lost and angry that my wonderful mum had died and I just didn’t want to do anything. I even struggled to have conversations about ‘normal’ things. If I hadn’t had a young family to get out of bed in the morning for, then I’m not sure I would have, but I did, so I did. I would walk or run, whatever the weather and as I ran along the straight mile, near my home, I would scream and swear out loud at Cancer.Cancer had already taken my mum’s life and I was dammed if it was going to take mine and my family’s as well. Slowly, I started to notice the seasons change, the striking colours of the leaves on the trees, bulbs poking up out of the soil, beauty was everywhere.These were all the things my mum loved. Slowly, my anger changed to sadness, at type of sadness that was so deep in my being but I was also able to remember the love that my mum had given me, the times we had shared together and how lucky I was to of had a mum like her. It was then that I really started to paint, I painted without purpose, just to create, just to play with colour and I let the paint guide me, I didn’t realise I would end up painting what I did but the more I did the more I saw the beauty that surrounded me and I realised that it was also a representation of my relationship with my mum.Bright, colourful, extravagant, (not with money but love and time), bold, beautiful, happy, joyful.I’m becoming known as the happy artist as my work is full of life, colour and movement. There’s lots of texture in each painting. I use oil paints and love to really layer it up onto the canvas, where the trees, flowers, mountains, stars, moon or sun (all popular themes in my work) really stand out of the canvas.You can see the pallet strokes and the different colours blending together and almost feel the movement of the great outdoors. That is also the reason now for me painting, I want others to feel happier, have their spirits lifted when they look at my work but also to bring awareness of what is on our doorstep – Mother Nature is extraordinary, and we should take the time to really look at it and be with it, study it, the power of it, if we give her time, is immense. The story behind the name… I’ve been called Minnie, since forever, by my folks. My friends added the La La, later and it came from our dancing days! Where are you based?Wales. What inspires you?Mother Nature, the great outdoors is a constant source of inspiration – no matter what the season, there is always something amazing and magical to be found outside. What is your creation process?  I spend a lot of time outside and I think ideas slip into my mind without me even realising – I might be struck by the incredible colours on the trees and be inspired to play with those colours on a canvas. Sometimes I sketch ideas first but mainly I let the paint guide me, whenever I seem to have a set idea in my mind, when I try to create it on to the canvas mycreative flow just gets stuck – I work in a very organic way. What makes you, your brand or products unique?I’m very honest and real about who I am – I’m the same with my work – it’s bright, colourful, happy work without any hidden meanings – I’m not trying to prove anything but I’m colourful in my nature and my work. What is your next project? I’m about to run a Wellness Art workshop for a big corporate company, that will then result in me creating a big painting for their work space. What are your plans for the next 12 months? More wellness workshops, with businesses, people experiencing grief, I’ve just opened, with 26 other makers and creators a gallery in Abergavenny and I have some retreats in the pipe line too. What is your biggest achievement?Having the courage to be an artist and to really discover what is important to me and how I navigated myself through my grief through Mother Nature and art. What is your best-selling product?  My limited edition prints are very popular. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair?I was so excited to exhibit at CL, partly because I’d been to the fair 10 years previously and felt like I belonged and wanted to come back as a trader in some sort of capacity but wasn’t sure what that would be – I wasn’t an artist then – I think torn the advert out of the magazine and put it on my mood board – where it stayed for 5 years until I applied. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?The wide variety of traders, the buzz, the thrill, talking to stall holders and punters. Your three top tips for crafters and makers… Stay true to what you believe, keep at it, if you don’t succeed at first find another way to do it, don’t give up. Any advice for fledgling businesses…  I have a business mentor with Business Wales and that is invaluable – it’s really great to have somebody to talk things through – surround yourself with good people who believe in you but will be honest as well.

CityStack This year we were lucky enough to have CityStack join us at our Christmas Fair in London. This unique brand provides a particularly interesting service that is certainly beneficial during these colder months when all we want is to cosy up in a welcoming pub. We recently caught up with the founder of this wonderful brand, Alison Boutoille, to discover their origins, inspiration and plans for future projects.  Company OverviewCityStack is the perfect gift for pub lovers: a £20 stack of beer mats that allows pub lovers to get £100 worth of food & drinks at ten amazing independent London pubs.This pack offers ten money-saving coasters, each giving £10 off a £20 spend at one of the ten independent London pubs that are part of the collection: it’s a total of £100 worth of food & drinks offered per pack.How does it work? When it is time to pay, give the coaster to receive a £10 discount on your bill. This discount is available on any item on the menu (food, drinks…) at any time.With this pack, you save money, you discover, and you support a selection of great independent pubs at the same time, it’s a win-win! How did it all start?I am French, and I arrived in London in the middle of the pandemic (Oct. 2020). I fell in love with the pub culture and was fascinated by how Brits consider a pub as an extension of their living room.But I was sorry to see how people deserted these amazing places dedicated to gatherings.I decided to help prevent the disappearance of these businesses that are part of the UK’s DNA with a unique gift for pub lovers, and launched CityStack for the Christmas season, which is a great excuse to encourage people to go back to pubs. The goal? To allow Londoners to treat pub lovers with a gift that supports independent pubs.In October 2021, I was able to select ten amazing independent pubs ready to kickstart the adventure with us, and we launched a two-weeks crowdfunding campaign for Christmas, which we overachieved in a short period of time. My network has been very supportive and so the pubs. People are very sensitive to the support of these independent businesses. I was then able to order our first coasters, the packaging, and the booklets, and I spent a few nights assembling the packs.Since then, we started to generate sales both online and in retail independent shops. We also dealt partnerships with coworking spaces and have been recommended by TimeOut. The story behind the name… “City” refers to the City of London, in which we are launching our project. “Stack” refers to the stack of coasters you use to get discounts at pubs! Where are you based?We are based in London, in Spitalfields’ area. For now, our packs are prepared at home, in my living room to be very specific! I am lucky enough my flatmate accepts it to be a bit messy sometimes for producing the packs! What inspires you?The best way to get inspired and find amazing independent pubs, is to walk across London, discover hidden streets and small boozers around the corner. I usually do it when browsing the city with my DSLR to get nice pictures of places off the beaten track.I also get a lot of inspiration from discussions with friends. When I explain my project, there is always someone happy to share his/her favourite pub in a specific area. Conversations with Londoners are always a great source of inspiration for finding good independent pubs. What is your creation process?  Using our advanced ranking model and visiting scores of venues, we have hand-picked some of the very best pubs with meticulous care. We have created a selection of outstanding independent public houses across London. All have something particularly special to offer: craft beers, a hidden garden, an incredible menu or unique design.Each pub has been visited and we met every manager. Once our pubs are selected, we launch the production of the bespoke coasters and the printing of the packaging.All the packs assembled at my place, then ready to be shipped! What makes you, your brand or products unique?CityStack is a unique system that allows to discover amazing hidden gems, support independent pubs AND save money at the same time. Great pubs are willing to offer exclusive discounts with CityStack because it drives people to visit and discover them. It’s a win-win!This gift is an experience we offer to pub lovers. People like to spend time at pub, we simply encourage them to do what they enjoy the most: to connect with people. It is also a great way to support local businesses. What is your next project? If this first collection proves to be a success, we will launch new versions for other independent businesses in new cities in the UK, and with other categories (bakeries, wine shops, coffees, restaurants etc.).The goal? To connect people with independent businesses! What are your plans for the next 12 months? For the next 12 months, we plan to develop new collections, more local, dedicated to London boroughs. The goal is to allow Londoners to discover fantastic hidden gems in their own area!We also want to offer companies to treat their employees & partners with this unique gift, with personalised collections.  It can be a great gift for Christmas treat for clients, branded gift for employees, incentive prize for sales team, social media prize draw… and we already started a few discussions with some companies based in London. What is your biggest achievement?I am quite proud to have launched CityStack in such a short period of time. We already started to generate sales both online and in amazing retail independent shops such as the Brick Lane Bookshop, Inspitalfields, Funky Cellar, Mae and Harvey, or Magma bookshop.We also dealt partnerships with coworking spaces and have been recommended by TimeOut. What is your best-selling product/line?   For now, we have only one collection, the first edition, with 10 pubs across London, in zone 1 and 2. But we plan to develop new ones very soon for other areas, and other kind of independent businesses! Your experience of your first Country Living Fair?It was the first “big fair” we participated in, a great way to prove the concept of our product and showcase it to new people! We received great feedback from visitors, and people were very enthusiastic about our project and sales were good for this first edition! What do you love about Country Living Fairs?It looks to be the right audience for people looking for unique gift ideas. Find the best novelties! Your three top tips for crafters and makers… Acquiring new clients can be time consuming and, most of all, very expensive. Focus on loyalty! Make your clients super happy with your products, create relationships with them and transform your customers into ambassadors. They will probably be the ones who will bring you the most prospects!Use social media: people spend increasing time on the platforms, you need to be there. Show your success and your failures as well. Show the person behind the brand, and always keep in mind that people don’t buy a product, they buy the story that goes with it.Keep learning: Internet allows us to have a massive amount of free available information to learn new skills. Don’t be afraid to learn how to design on photoshop, code for a website, or use free platforms to make your work online more efficient. These platforms offer, for most of them, free version, you should use it! Any advice for fledgling businesses…  Do it because you love doing it… not for money! The beginnings as an entrepreneur can be quite though. If you do a business to become “rich quickly”, you will quickly lose your motivation, as the key for launching a business is to be patient. Trying many things and learning from it can take time.

Art on Scarves This year we are lucky enough to have North Wales-based scarf designers Art on Scarves joining us at our Christmas Fair in Harrogate. We recently caught up with them to find out more about this wonderful brand, their origins, inspirations and future projects.  Company OverviewArt on Scarves was set up by North Wales based artist, Lucy Hay to showcase her original drawings and designs, by handprinting them onto beautiful Cashmere Scarves. How did it all start?Completely by accident!!  Lucy was printing cards from her drawings and selling them at local craft fairs.  She moved onto having mugs printed and then wondered what her prints would look like on fabric.  Using a charity shop white fleece scarf, Lucy printed her first set of Christmas Robins!  They looked fantastic and Art on Scarves was born. The story behind the name… Lucy was originally known by the brand name An Unexpected Artist.  Why?  At School Lucy was told to give up art as she had no talent for it!  30 years later ….  Lucy did a beginners drawing and painting course at the local college and found people actually wanted to buy her prints and cards.  It was so unexpected that Lucy calls herself An Unexpected Artist!After trading successfully for a few years, Lucy decided to bring other hugely talented artists’ designs into the Company, so rebranded to Art on Scarves.  Today the Company handprints the designs of over 10 British Artists onto these elegant and luxurious fashion accessories. Where are you based?North Wales. What inspires you?What I see out of my window!  Foxes, Hares, Sheep, Wildflowers, Robins and of course Dragons! What is your creation process?  I see an animal or plant that sparks some kind of emotional reaction and which would spark the same in my customers.  I start by sketching and then adding layers as I go.  I’ve recently started drawing on an iPad which is really different but I’m enjoying not making so much mess! What makes you, your brand or products unique?All our scarves are handprinted in the UK.  All the design work, painting and drawing is done by British Artists and is both beautiful and unique. What is your next project? We are now trying to source a scarf with a much higher content of Cashmere. What are your plans for the next 12 months? To conquer the world! What is your biggest achievement?Adopting my gorgeous son. What is your best-selling product/line?   Definitely the Cashmere Blend Scarves. They are super soft, warm and cosy and add more than a touch of elegance to any outfit. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair (year, exhibiting or visiting) / What are you looking forward to the most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair?This year I exhibited at RHS Malvern, RHS Tatton and Burghley Horse Trials all in the Country Living Marquee.  Most looking forward to the atmosphere of a Festive Fair. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?The friendliness and camaraderie of the other traders, the support of the Country Living staff and the customers who know quality when they see it! Your three top tips for crafters and makers… It’s very challenging at the moment, so keep on going, adapt your products when you need to and most of all listen to your customers! Any advice for fledgling businesses…  Be determined, be fierce and don’t let anyone take away your dreams!

Selbrae House We recently caught up with Scotland-based family business Selbrae House, maker of beautiful hand-crafted homeware products to learn a little more about the brand’s origins, inspirations and upcoming projects. We were lucky to have Selbrae House joining us at the Country Living Christmas Fair in Glasgow this year. Company OverviewWe are an established, independent, family business that offers a wide range of quality products with their design and manufacture rooted in Scotland.We started doing what we love back in 2006 as The Just Slate Company, initially with a small range of hand-crafted slate place mats and coasters. Today, we offer a wide range of hand-crafted homeware products that make unique presents for all occasions. How did it all start?A seed was planted – quite literally – over 30 years ago, which bloomed into a family entrepreneurial adventure; the result of which is Selbrae House, our craft-driven, family run Homeware & Gifts Company. Donny is the owner and director of Selbrae House, and the big bro. Little sis Emma is Design Director, and little bro Colin is Production Director. Our mother and father are also actively involved in the day to day running of Selbrae House; so it’s truly a family affair. The story behind the name…The families entrepreneurial adventure commenced with mum Louise, who started off selling dried flowers, the company was named SEL standing for Scottish Ever Lasting. Keeping in line with our rich Scottish heritage we also incorporated the Scottish word for a steep hill – Brae.We’re a Scottish design house that creates meaningfully made pieces for your home. Made by our family for yours! Where are you based?You’ll find us on said brae (hill) in Kirkcaldy. What inspires you?Natural, tactile materials, that have been skilfully handcrafted into useful and beautiful wares that we all covet for our homes.  What is your creation process?Taking Inspiration – Keeping eyes wide open to new trends, visiting inspirational concept stores, Trade shows and obviously Instagram!  Then thinking of materials that we have to hand, or what can we source to make these at Selbrae House.Framing – Joining the materials and ideas, this often involves a lot of photoshopping and drawings etc..Prototyping – The making of the samples, some work instantly, others need a little tweaking!  Often these will sit around our showroom for a time, for all to pass comments on, then will be taken to our photoshoot to be ‘brought to life’ for our customers, hopefully in an inspiring way! What makes you, your brand or products unique?Our products are unique in that they are undeniably Scottish, without being ‘twee’. They’re elegant, durable and meaningfully made. We celebrate the most iconic and beloved British wildlife through our designs, using native materials and manufacturing everything by hand right here in Scotland, while being intentional and careful with our design and finishing processes to ensure that we still allow the beautiful natural materials to do the talking.   What is your next project?We will continue to make innovative products with stunning new British illustrations.  What are your plans for the next 12 months?To continue enchanting our customers with charming hand-crafted homeware products. What is your biggest achievement? Our biggest achievement so far has to be the wide array of bespoke projects we have worked on. However, collaborating with The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews was a team favourite for us! Emma, our Design Director, worked closely with the R&A buying manager to develop a stunning range of products which featured a number of different designs, ranging from a beautiful custom sketch of the clubhouse to a stylised ‘150’. What is your best-selling product/line? Our mini cheeseboard sets have been unbelievably popular – especially those with our country animal designs. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair (year, exhibiting or visiting)/ What are you looking forward to the most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair?Our first show was back in 2010. It was great to meet our customers in person and share with them our lovely family story, we’ve been every year since! What do you love about Country Living Fairs?We have been attending Country Living for many years and absolutely love the Fair’s Christmas buzz – everyone is on that Christmas high and is super friendly. We can’t wait to get into the Christmas spirit this year, we’ve already got our Santa hats looked out. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Make sure you tell people your story.Never get complacent, make sure you’re always innovating.Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Any advice for fledgling businesses… If you are genuinely passionate about what you do, go for it! As Steve Jobs once said, “the only way to do great work is to love what you do”.