Cat Valentines Card – Purrfect for Cat Lovers – Love Cats Card – Valentines Card – A6 – 14.8×10.5 cm

I’ve always had the urge to create. I think it’s in the blood as my mum used to do a lot of dressmaking and some embroidery, we both paint; one of my great aunts also embroidered and painted. I remember learning basic sewing at around five with some off-cuts of a green trouser suit mum had made me and some red thread. I can still picture the results and I’ve been fascinated with textile colours and textures ever since. I’ve also always had an interest in crafting, the history of crafts and how things are made. While my brother was fascinated by modern technology, I was harking back to ‘the olden days’. I’ve tried all sorts of arts and crafts over the years, including crochet, various types of embroidery, felting and botanical painting. I have a City and Guilds Level 3 in Design and Craft with a specialisation in embroidery. While I still love to paint I don’t do so much crochet, felting or embroidery now because at the age of 39 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis – an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your joints– and although I don’t have it badly, those crafts were putting a lot of strain on my hands.

Although I’d done some marbling as a kid, it was actually during an arthritis flare, when I wasn’t able to do much of anything and was surfing the net, that I stumbled across a video on marbling … and that was that really!

I love the fact that every piece is unique – it’s actually impossible to do the same thing twice, although if you’re super-organised it’s possible to come close. (I’m not super organised!) I also find the process very therapeutic. I’m also a big fan of the ‘slow fashion movement’ – it can mean several things but fundamentally it’s anti-fast-fashion and throw-away fashion, and pro carefully created pieces that you can treasure and wear again and again. These scarves are created with love and care, and they can be worn so many ways, and with so many outfits. They can totally change the look of the outfit too, so they’re really a slow fashion win.

I love to play with colour and silk and create something beautiful; Marbled Beauty gives me a chance to share that beauty with the world.