My friend Jude always buys me amazing things for Christmas and my birthday and this year she excelled herself. She knows I love a cuppa and she knows I love a mug and this beauty by Julia Smith Ceramics ticks all the boxes/ Julia's based in the Scottish Highlands and makes quirky pottery in wonderful … Continue reading Lucky finds

So Christmas is over again - I hope yours was a happy one. Now its time to say goodbye to the lights and baubles but although I'll miss them, I love January and all the possibilities it brings. I love a blank diary! My first few days back at work finds me clearing out the … Continue reading Hello January!

I love taking photographs and I really love using them to make videos. I'm still learning but having videoed myself cutting paper using the time-lapse setting - and having seen those videos get hundreds of FB views - I know lots of my customers and followers enjoy seeing my work this way too. Quik is … Continue reading Twinkle twinkle

  I know lots of you have asked if I'm doing any workshops next year - well the answer is yes. I've currently booked four dates for them - two papercutting workshops, a lantern making workshop and, under the banner of my hobby business Star, Thistle and Briar, a workshop on making silver clay jewellery. … Continue reading Workshops 2019

December is here already and in the village the Christmas lights are going up. It feels a bit early but I'm still making and packing up other people's Christmas presents, so my own preparation is only just getting going. We celebrated our village Christmas Tree Festival last weekend and that was probably the first time … Continue reading Advent arrives..

I have new lantern designs out just in time for Christmas although the designs I've made are deliberately meant for use all year round. As usual I've used hares and owls as my customers seem to love them so much. But this year I've also made up a design I've been thinking about for a … Continue reading Christmas lanterns..

  Its been so busy here that I've neglected my blog lately. The busy-ness at this time of year is business as usual as I get stock ready for Christmas. Most days I'm working through my job list or cutting in the studio so its good to have a day like today where I can … Continue reading My Christmas countdown begins..

WHERE did the summer go? Too fast as always but then time flies when you're having fun. This week its back to work with new original cuts to be framed and added to the shop and new lanterns to be made. I'm hoping to get some new designs made up over the next two weeks … Continue reading Into autumn