Link love digest: week 2

Continuing the practice of a daily shoutout (in my most used online spaces) for a fellow crafter/maker, here is this week's digest. You will notice that I have very little information about some of the crafters. I decided from the outset to include people on the basis of the quality of their work, regardless of how much they share about themselves in their various online spaces.

Monika Mager's work

Monika Mager
Sand & Soda

Handmade lampwork beads and jewellery since 2007. She sells her pieces via her Facebook page. She has an Etsy shop, but it isn't stocked at present.

Sarah Bell
Sarah Designs UK

Sarah makes beautiful pyrography pieces and shares my love of dragons. From her Etsy shop: 

I've always been interested in arts and crafts and making gifts for friends and family. Others became interested in me creating customised pieces for them, so I started to sell items. My husband bought me a Pyrography machine for Yule one year after I'd said I'd always wanted to try it. I loved it! I now sit most evenings when the children are sleeping, creating special items.

I love taking commissions and creating special gifts. I create my own designs and work freehand, never using templates.

Catherine May

Catherine May Design

Jewellery. From her Folksy page:

I live at home with my husband and 2 of my sons, my other son is at uni at the present,
I have always loved making and creating but never had the time, now my boys are grown up I am now able to devote more time to what I like doing, I work this in around my job in the local farm shop.  

I started a few years ago making copper enameling with a wonderful tutor who encouraged me to get my own kiln and find a space just for me, This then grew as I took a silversmith course at our local college to learn the basics. by now I was gradually spreading my self all over the house, so my husband thought it time to build a shed and move me into that. I also enjoy pyrographics (wood burning) and at present trying to work on creating drinking glasses out of bottles. (I'm still perfecting this).  

Inspiration for my designs come from history, nature and the christian religion which is very important to me

Claire Woodhead

Hook and Loop

Knitted and crocheted items. From her Folksy page:

Welcome to Hook Loop Knits. I sell hand knitted and crochet home decor and lifestyle accessories.
Explore my collection of tea cozies, egg cosies, mug cosies, hot water bottle covers, gloves scarves, hats and lots more home accessories.

My collections are inspired by nature, and my autumn fall tea cozy has a beautifully hand knitted acorn and oak leaf. My other tea cosies are embellished with crochet flowers and knitted leaves. There is a collection of tea cosies, mug cosies and egg cosies with a christmas theme. These are embellished with crochet mistletoe and berries, and another one with a nordic pine christmas tree. I also have a few items that feature owls. A brown owl tea cosy and owl mug cosy.

There are lots of different colours of hand knitted fingerless gloves and scarves to keep you warm and cosy.

If you see anything that you might like in a different colour then please feel free to contact me.

Andi Gregg
Willow and Hobbs

Vintage creations and art from reclaimed wood. From her Folksy page:

I live in rural Lincolnshire and run my furniture restoration and interiors business from my small workshop looking out over the beautiful countryside I am so lucky to be surrounded by. I am very passionate about vintage and reclaimed materials in general, loving old forgotten furniture and wood that's been left to age. It's items such as these that cry out to be re-loved to bring their beauty back into our lives once more.

I am very inspired by colours and patterns and love nothing more than transforming something old and worn into a beautiful new creation, one that'll take pride of place once more in someone's home. So stencilling, decoupage and paint effects it is to enhance the vintage elegance of the pieces I find. Making what I like to think of as heirlooms of the future!

My wall art creations are made from reclaimed wood which has been aged and as such provides a rustic quality to my work. This together with the use of decoupage and guilding, help me to create pieces which will enhance a variety of tastes and settings. Although I enjoy creating my designs, I also love to take on commissions, both for furniture pieces and for wall art, working with my customers to source and design stunning and unique pieces. Above all else I have a passion for what I do which comes across in my designs, with quality and attention to detail being fundamental.

Hannah-Mae's work

I'm always looking for new inspiration and constantly source special vintages pieces to re-love into beautiful one off bespoke creations. Ultimately my passion comes across in what I do.

Hannah-Mae Williams
Hannah-Mae Illustration

Illustrations and cut paper art.

Jacqueline Austen
J Austen Jewellery Design

Silversmithing and jewellery items. From her Folksy page:

I enjoy designing and creating jewellery. Taking inspiration from art, history, nature and very often the stones I am working with, I create designs using traditional hand knotting and metal smithing techniques

At the moment, I particularly enjoy experimenting with different casting techniques, recreating solid silver or gold replicas of found items, such as fossils and shells found on beach walks, interesting buttons and keepsakes or even leaves and seeds found in the countryside. Casting in sand, clay and even cuttlefish bone, I love the different effects these methods create in the gold and silver during the casting process.

My designs can be simple, making the most of a gorgeous stone with minimalist lines or more elaborate with lots of detail. I enjoy a challenge and embrace taking on commissions - especially those which push boundaries and ideas.

All my gemstone and pearl necklaces are traditionally hand knotted, as I believe that even the smallest details can make a difference. Much of my metal smithed work is hall marked, in accordance with the law and bears my unique makers mark.

If you have a commission idea or repairs to be made - however small - please do contact me, as I will be happy to help and advise.

Please pay a visit to these shops to see what these wonderful crafters have to offer.