Spotlight on The Seller... CERAMICS AND HOMEWARE by MARGARET L GLACKIN

Originally from Ireland, I am a Leeds based ceramic artist and woodworker.

All my products are individually designed and the glazes are my unique recipes, representing Yorkshire and the coastline of County Antrim. I also produce various interior items made from reclaimed and other sustainably sourced wood. These include serving boards, log carriers, and other furniture.

Yarn Bowls: The Yarn Bowl allows the wool to be dispensed in a controlled manner so preventing it from rolling around and becoming entangled. It allows the knitter to observe the quality and beauty of the wool as it unravels. The solid body of the Yarn Bowl complements the softness of the wool. While remaining essentially functional, the Yarn Bowl can also be enjoyed as a piece of art work.

The Yarn Bowls inevitably evoke a smile and a conversation, usually stimulating memories of a knitter friend or family member (which I love as an observer of social interaction).

The glazes used are all my own recipes and inspired by the Yorkshire Moors and coastline. Latterly I have developed a “heritage” range of glazes, inspired by my childhood memories of the Antrim Coast. Domestic Ware: I make utilitarian domestic ware including furniture, dinner and tea services, drinking vessels. I also offer a bespoke service if you are looking for a particular piece of furniture or a ceramic item, made to measure.

My work is driven by a principle of challenging cheap imports and raising the profile of home-grown, well-designed handmade ceramics and woodwork.

Sculptural Work: My sculptural work is heavily influenced by my previous employment working with the homeless, my interest in politics and the built environment. Such topics are displayed in my pieces where the themes of longing for safe space can be seen. I also aim to challenge the perception of neglect and disregarded people and objects.

Spotlight on the Seller.. Paws Story

Hello, My name is Natalia Firsova. I make crochet items for the home. I was 7 when my mother taught me how to crochet. This craft has been passed on in my family from mothers to daughters and I am proud to share it with you.

Everybody is after something big but I know that little things matter. They let your imagination fly. Little things have big power. They inspire to create. To think. To dream.

I love bold colours and natural materials. I am using high quality cotton in my works. I like to play with colours and colour combinations.

There is a little thing for everyone. I hope you’ll find one too, to brighten up your home or as a gift to your loved ones, or even yourselves!

Can’t find right colour or looking for different size? I can help! Please feel free to ask

spotlight on the seller Yorkshire Blankets

Eco Friendly Blankets direct from the weavers, using end of line redundant yarns. Blankets are woven here in Yorkshire, from 80% Wool and 20% other fibres.

From the Blankets we handmake Cushions in various sizes, Draught Excluders and Yummy Yorkshire Lavender Hearts so nothing is wasted!

Our Blankets can be worn as simple capes with a pin or brooch. They are great for home decoration, be that over your favourite arm chair as a throw or over your bed. Perfect to keep in the car for impromptu picnics or to protect the car seats for pets. Use them in the garden too!

The constantly changing fibres gives our Blankets a wide variety of colours and textures. Yorkshire Blankets are based in Barnsley and we would like to thank all customers new and old for your support.

spotlight on the seller nathan maxwell

Spotlight on the seller.. Love Lis Dresses

I make dresses for little girls aged about 2 to 8 years old. As there’s no such thing as an average child, sizes are approximate, but all my dresses are made with love and attention to detail. I often use vintage and personalised patterns and fabrics, and never bulk buy! This means every dress is unique, and there will never be more than 2 or 3 dresses in a given fabric, and none is identical fabric and pattern.

If you like a particular style or fabric, I can make one to fit your little girl (grand daughter/niece/friend’s girl etc.). Just provide three simple measurements: length from nape of neck to wherever you want the hem to be; round the tummy (widest part!); from shoulder to shoulder across the back. If the child has longer or shorter than average arms, and it’s a long-sleeved style, let me know.

The dresses often have a lot of hand stitching, and carefully chosen trims and buttons. I even make felt for appliques! If you have your own fabric I can make it up for you.

So if you and your girl really want something individual, maybe a little quirky, and well made, just get in touch. Lis LoveLisDresses@gmail.com

Spotlight on the seller - Use or Ornament

I'm Lucy Sangster. I've always loved painting and drawing. I enjoy escaping into the wild to capture the shapes of crooked trees and creeping lichen, quiet hedgerows and the epic sweep of moorland.

The Arts and Crafts movement inspired me because over a hundred years ago they believed in the benefit of good handmade design to both makers and customers. So, my work is made to last, is designed to make recycling and reuse more fun, and has high green and ethical standards.

My Love Local range celebrates our best landmark buildings. Icons of our past are all around, like seeing our past fashion decisions in a photo album. Is that really who we were? I handprint onto ethically made organic cotton t-shirts; local companies print badges and mugs for me.

Green Glam improves, embellishes and recycles beautifully. Good clothes made better, accessories to help you fall back in love with your wardrobe, delicate recycled jewellery and recycled fabrics made into decorative duck feather cushions.

Spotlight on the seller - Original Bob

Original Bob is Dawn Griffin.

Whilst studying for her Physiotherapy degree in Newcastle Dawn started to develop an interest in art history and art. The images of the impressionists started the journey. In 1992 Dawn qualified from University with a Physiotherapy Bsc. and moved briefly to Coventry until moving to London in the mid nineties.

Dawn attended evening classes in 3D and design, working on wood carving and plaster. After a few years of physiotherapy working with head injuries, stroke and spinal injured persons Dawn wanted to spend time on developing her artistic side before she got too old. Her sculptures got her into Camberwell College of Art where she studied Fine Art and Design followed by another part time course in Fine art at the same time as studying pottery.

“In the early days my work focused very much on stimulating all the senses, visual, auditory, touch, not so much on smell though. I made large installations out of tissue paper. Tissue paper is great to work with it has very sculptural qualities and it moves easily when people pass by” I could really bleat on about tissue paper I worked with it a lot”

“I have always been interested in the effect of time on an object whether one is considering weathering or erosion on a surface or even urban erosion like on huge bill boards, how the paper rips and dissolves yet a memory is still left behind.”

Having secured a studio in Hackney she worked on transcribing images onto canvas , oil painting and embroidering.

The arrival of her son in 2000 returned her to the real world of Physiotherapy.

In 2002 she returned to Leeds, working more than full time hours and being a mum did not leave a lot of time for crafting but as a way of relaxing she would make things in felt and knit or crochet. She was also studying on an evening on a Postgraduate Certificate in rehabilitation.

She returned to pottery about ten years ago and started to really concentrate on clay as a medium. “I have been inspired by Barbara Hepworth for years and fascinated by some of her amazing sculptures also she was quite mature when she settled down to do her Art”

“I love the tactility of clay especially when it's just going beyond leather hard and you can burnish it. Its a great medium to work with . You can do so much with it”

Currently she works primarily with White Stoneware but she's partial to working with rough Raku. “I glaze or smoke fire my Bobs. Bobs are the name of the globe heads I make. A friend's daughter named them Bobs and the name stuck. Hence the name Original Bob” .As well as making the Bobs Dawn likes to experiment with clay and make other items too. “I just wish there were more hours in the day or that I had more hands.”.

She left her job in January 2013 to spend more time with my daughter before she started school. When she started school in September I decided it was the perfect opportunity to really focus on art and design as a career.

“I feel a little odd about speaking so much about how my work (physio) as interwoven with my art through the years but I don't think I would have developed along the same path without it. Who knows that though. I think I will always be fascinated by how things move and evolve and what memory is retained that is why clay is so perfect for me”.