The smell of beeswax is never far away from me, I use it in the workshop all the time to polish and burnish the cut edges of the belts I make. It also makes the best candles in the world, no other wax comes close, it is 30 times more expensive than the paraffin wax most other candles are made from, but it's therapeutic benefits are without question.
Read MoreSmall Castle belts are made using buckles from a small family foundry in the heart of England, cast in small batches, then hand finished. An elegantly simple whole buckle design, with a shape that allows the leather to sit flatter to the body.
Read MoreIt was chilly, but the sun was bright and spirits were high as the mornings test pots were selected for the first firing of the day. A little like the first pancake out of the pan, it’s probably going to be sacrificial, a pilot for the future of your chosen direction.
Read MoreThe best record shop was a post office.
Read MoreAs acrid black smoke rose from from the dripping glittery candles that were rapidly melting themselves into the sugary cake icing, I decided the children needed a lesson in how to make a more sustainable, and altogether healthier birthday candle.
Read MoreThere’s going to be a Makers Market at Primary studios in Nottingham this weekend where I’ll be bringing along a box of articles to sell, so it was fortunate 5kgs of raw beeswax turned up unannounced..
Read MoreThe classic London Dry’s work well with the sloe flavour, to give an earthy note, rather than a sweet citrus one, producing a straight up and down sloe gin that outshines the shop bought bottles of syrup. If your already a fan of Ophir gin, try using that, as it is so heavily spiced it creates a heavenly warmth with plenty of depth.
Read MoreThat long hot summer seemed indestructible, but now the youngest has been launched into a classroom and the climate is back to British standard it’s time to commence manufacturing.
But first, jam.
Read MoreArmed with a hefty old Millspur fork It was time to dig out a disintegrating old tree stump and move a rhododendron bush I’d already cut cut down to a tenth of its size.
Read MorePushing back the tiny ceiling hatch, it was the expected pitch black Edwardian attic space, all suffocating heat, generations of spiders and a heavy crust of soot upon every surface. At first glance empty, then balancing with all my yoga skills atop a woodworm riddled set of step ladders, the unforgiving light of a phone torch revealed, absolutely nothing of any worth.
Read MoreAfter that glorious weekend of almost continental sunshine, Monday appeared out of nowhere, like stepping out into the garden and walking straight into a spiders web.
To recalibrate, I made myself a new belt, something I do quite regularly, but today it felt more necessary than usual, and it achieved the desired result. Tuesday I'm ready for you, so don't go getting any ideas.
Read Moret’s early evening, just the gentle flittering of a trapped butterfly against the window and dappled sunlight dancing across the walls as I package up my wares for the weekend. The calm evaporates as three children come charging down the garden into the dining room, two of them are mine, the other a random neighbour whose squeezed through a gap in the hedge.
Read MoreHalf term had taken it's toll on the Ercol table, and from beneath a liberal coating of glue, milk, bogies, glitter, jam and coco pops it was pleading to be rescued. How it has survived this long is testament to the British craftspeople who nailed this thing together 50 years ago.
Read MoreIgniting another precious tiny indoor bonfire and the basic elemental joy never fails to work it's magic on me, with this one the workshop is now smelling gloriously heady, like I've had the hells angels round for a tea party. Albeit not solely for the beautiful aroma, space, consider yourself thoroughly cleansed.
Read MoreWe went in search of the fairy kingdom, and might just have found it.
Read MoreThe pieces that appeared out of the smoke, were partly due to my choice of glaze application, but mostly curtesy of the elemental magic that is unleashed by fire, air and water.
Read MoreYesterday I took a big juicy slice out of the index finger of my left hand when the draw gauge fell off the shelf, and I stupidly tried to catch it. I couldn't be bothered with sitting in A&E with a load of tramps and children with saucepan helmets, so taped it up and had a nip of brandy to steady my nerves.
Read MoreWhen I opened the front door to a drizzle infused postman clutching the usual armful of envelopes, it was a Tuesday much like any other. Tear and rip, the junk pile grew larger, whilst the real post remained elusive. The Jiffy bag at the bottom, that had formed the foundation of the postman's precarious stack, revealed a forgotten treat.
Read MoreTwo weeks on, and I'm still besotted with the Chinese wallpaper at Felbrigg Hall that I finally got to see first hand. It was put up in 1752 by a London wallpaper hanger by the name of John Scrutton. Printed as an outline, installed, then painted in by hand with a sublime colour palette.
Read MoreAfter a little experimentation into the rejuvenating qualities of cacao, I was pulled in to a whole world of glorious beaned delights. My early morning pick me up now comes in a slab of delicious fruity bitterness, heavy on the cacao, that melts slowly into my bloodstream.
Read More
