Creative Spaces

I thought it would be interesting to share some workspaces of the lovely creative folk that I’ve been chatting to on folksy.com lately. Also wanted to share my workspaces too, I think it's nice as a maker to be able to see where other makers work as well as buyers getting an insight into the life of the maker.

Thanks to everyone who took part. There is a wide variety of spaces, some tidy and some pretty messy (not just my words!)

Hope you enjoy seeing some wonderfully inspiring creative spaces. This is the first part of a two part feature, w/c 2 February i will feature another three makers, Bonita Keay, Hannah Pinnock and Momtaz Begum-Hossain.

I'll start with my studio, tried to capture it so that you can see as much as possible. This is one end, the work end where all the 'making' takes place.....

And this is the other end, storage, sink and all that stuff that doesn't have a home!

I'm also very lucky to have a stock room with a wall of shelves and lots of boxes of work packaged up for craft fairs. This is the tidy side!


This is my desk and pc where I spend my time blogging, researching, listing items on my online shops and generally stashing paper that doesn't have a home.

Now moving onto some other creative people. First up is Anna of Half an acre. Anna designs and creates fabulous handmade wooden decorations and home accessories specifically to brighten up your home and to make you smile! Why not cheer up your walls with some hanging hand-painted decorations such as these fish?

Anna lives in West Sussex, UK surrounded by oak trees and farm smells. You can visit her website and an Etsy shop via these links. For UK shoppers the best place to buy is either direct from www.halfanacre.co.uk or via folksy which stocks a wider range.

This is Anna's workspace.

Anna says "I try to keep my desk clear for painting but it gradually fills up with stuff and I end up painting with about 6" of desk space to put the object on - It doesn't matter how hard I try I still can't paint something with the rest of the desk all clear. The sooner I accept this the sooner it will stop bothering me!" .

The next maker is Glenn of Steam Punk Glass -Handmade jewellery and sculptural beads like this lovely Amber Glass 'Ghost' Cala Drop Bead Pendant that can be purchased from folksy.com here.

Glenn lives in the Essex countryside in a small town near loads of fields and trees which are great inspiration. He uses a technique called ‘lampworking’ which involves directly heating rods of premium glass in a super-hot flame of propane and oxygen. Once it’s glowing and in a jam/treacle like consistency Glenn then winds, pushes, prods, rolls and generally plays around with the hot glass. Once he has finished sculpturing it into shape it’s popped into a microprocessor controlled kiln at around 520°C where they anneal to reduce the internal stresses that toughens the bead (a lot of cheap mass produced beads don’t do this). Most of the beads are formed onto a ‘mandrel’ – a thin steel rod coated in clay – which is removed to make the hole though the middle! You can read more on www.steampunkglass.com.

On the left is the oxygen converter, on the far right is a propane tank with (some) glass stored above it, and in the middle it all comes together at the torch which is much more dramatic when lit! This is a close up of the stored glass, the colours look fabulous.

So there is a little insight into a few very creative workspaces. Another three will be featuring on my blog this coming Monday.

Shop Handmade

Shop Handmade UK. I've blogged about this great website before but it deserves another mention. My ceramic heart magnet was featured on the ceramics & glassware home page this week. Nice hey. Check out the website to links to UK makers shops.


I also listed a few items on misi and corinadr, Online shops. Yet to have any sales but thought i'd give it a go.

The Great Folksy Blog Circle

Back at the Folksy forums Dan Jackson has come up with a great idea.....the Great Folksy Blog Circle. Sounds interesting I'm sure you'll agree.

Folksy has a large community of seller who chat via the forums swapping ideas, sharing top tips and lots more. Check it out, you don't have to be a member to read the forums, but if you want to comment you'll have to sign up.

So back to the story of the Great Folksy Blog Circle. The idea is you blog about the person above you on the great Folksy blog circle thread. Once you've blogged the next person on the list blogs about you. I should have written my blog earlier today as I've already been featured on Laura's Blog.

I have to be honest and say that the thread has got a little confusing and the circle is blurred....i think I'm supposed to be blogging about Dig The Earth so here goes.

Dig The Earth is run by Kev from Yorkshire. He's into recycling old things or making new things a lot more beautiful! You can read his blog here.

This is my favourite piece from Dig The Earth's shop. It's a mirror that has been lovingly (and very painstakingly!) decorated with beautiful hand drawn concentric circles, using waterproof permanent ink. A very graphic, bold statement piece!

Here is another lovely mirror - Spiral – Doodle Mirror which is decorated with hundred of tiny hand drawn doodles. It also shows how the mirrors are finished, they are all wrapped with a cotton bow and ‘Dig The Earth’ tag, nice touch Kev.

Thought this was rather topical with valentines day coming up, it's a Wooden Heart Greetings card.


So there you go, now pop off and visit Dig The Earth's shop via this link.

Shop Handmade UK for all things handmade

I signed up to Shop Handmade UK this week. Shop Handmade was created to promote the benefits of buying handmade products as well as promoting UK based artists, designers and crafters.

The site is full of quality handmade products and gifts, take a look. The shops are by sections and each maker has a link to their online shops and websites. It's a really well laid out website with some great craft.

If anyone is interested in signing up for it you can do so via their website with the add me button.

Studio / Workspace blog feature.

I’m going to have a feature on my blog about the creative space that designers/makers/artists create in.

This could be any space that you create in. Maybe your work space / workshop / shed / studio / creative environment /kitchen table (where ever you make your lovely goods!).

If you want to take part please email me the following to exhibitions@laurendenney.com -

*Between 2 and 4 creative photos of where you make your work.
*Your location. – this can be kept secret if you would prefer.
*Your folksy shop address, etsy shop address, website address.
*a brief description of your craft and any further details you want published.

Please send images and details to me by 28th January.

I’ll be featuring as many as possible but can’t guarantee that they will all feature.If you would like to be in your photo too that is fine. The more creative the better!

To get your juices flowing I've added a photo of my studio but it's pretty old so will be featuring more recent photos of my creative spaces in the article on 30th January.

Become a fan of my ceramics on facebook

Last week i set up a page on facebook to promote my ceramics. You can join it here if you are already on facebook and view it even if you are not. Here is a sneak preview.





Once you are a fan you will receive updates on events and products, see latest photos, leave me a message and link to other creative people. Go on sign up!

Etsy shop update

I've not been looking after my etsy.com shop lately so today i've spent sometime updating it. I was prompted to update my shop by Su of QuercusSilver as she very kindly featured me on her etsy Treasury - Thanks Su.

See photo below of the treasury, there are some great items she's featured, I'm particularly fond of the Chick bowl by shoshonasnow's.





Must also say that i'm the proud owner of a beautiful ring from Su that I had made in black and white for my present for myself for turning 30 last year! It's like the one below but the main part is black and the small dot is white, shown on the last photo in Su's etsy shop listing. It's lovely and picks up many comments whenever i wear it.

If you're feeling like having a spend up why not hop over to etsy.com for some mouthwatering craft. Here is a preview of my updated shop.

Folksy friday

Today is Friday...at last. Tomorrow is Saturday, that means i'm running the first childrens creative clay class this term at South Hill Park. The kids make some great stuff that can be seen on the slide show on the right of my blog. When it's the first lesson of the term i never know how many will come, it could be 2 or it could be 12, somewhere in the middle would be great. Anyway back to the task in hand.

Ali fromalibalijewellery featured me on her blog. Every friday she does a Friday is Folksy feature and this friday it was my turn. Take a look at her blog to read the article if you want to know more. While you're there if you haven't already voted as part of the shop makeover project on etsy.com vote for ali via this link (you will need to sign in). Below is the bracelet you should vote for.


Also some other great shops to take a look at are-

Bethany Allen who has this lovely Navy Button Brooch in her folksy shop.

Christine Walsh who has these Mystic Quartz, Iolite & Freshwater Pearl Earrings in her shop- bootiful!



Wrap up warm with this Flap Hat from Dollyknits who took her name from her Great Gran. How great is that!


and finally this wonderful Blossom Bag by Dish Dash Bags.





The theme here was supposed to be blue but thought this fitted in as the background was kinda blue.

one more thing, you can become a fan of my ceramics on facebook via the following link.


That's all for now folks. x

Folksy Shop update

Morning. I've had 3 sales on folksy.com during the early part of this week so I've been steadily adding more items to keep my shop stocked up. Like everyone else I'm finding it difficult to photograph items as there doesn't seem to be much good light lately. Took a good amount of photos last weekend which have turned out pretty good. I've gradually been editing them over the week and uploading a few pieces each day. Still have some more to list, should also be updating my etsy.com shop but seem to have got carried away with folksy lately. Must put that on my to do list.

My newly stocked shop with a few one offs! I'm really pleased witht the ribbon pot and the brown and blue vase, hope someone likes them as much as i do! Visit my shop by clicking here.

Folksy Update

I've update folksy this evening. Have listed a one off nite lite holder with stars cut out and a few oil burners. I also listed by popular demand some blank pen pots so you can sew your favourite buttons on yourself.



Also listed various sets of magnets.


http://www.folksy.com/shops/laurenceramics to see more.

Holidays are coming....

ok, our holiday has been but thinking about the next one already.

Just got back from Barcelona where it was pretty chilly. Lovely blue skies and sun, except on the last day when it rained.

I wanted to share a few photos with you and recommend going, it was my third time there and still much fun. Parc Guell was my favourite of all the sites we saw and the warmest day too, still hat and gloves weather.

South Hill Park Childrens Clay Class

Happy New year and all that.Hope you're all staying warm.

Just added some photos to http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurenceramics/ of pieces that the children have made in my clay classes over the years. Here a sneak preview......can you guess what it is?