Handmade Being

Handmade Being Artist & printmaker.

I teach traditional crafts through workshops, retreats & creative kits designed to build confidence and reconnect you with the joy of making.

Printmaking with NatureCyanotype Cards WorkshopSat 26th Sep: 1pm -5pmBaslow, BakewellThis new workshop’s a fun introduct...
19/08/2026

Printmaking with Nature
Cyanotype Cards Workshop

Sat 26th Sep: 1pm -5pm
Baslow, Bakewell

This new workshop’s a fun introduction to the cyanotype process. I’ll show you how to create beautiful botanical prints using a 19th century traditional print process.

This is a relaxing hands-on afternoon where we create a unique set of prints from pressed flowers. I’ll show you how to embellish your prints to create a personalised set of handmade greetings cards.

Beginner friendly, and all materials are included. Also refreshments, cakes and biscuits.

Look forward to enjoying the process with you :-)

Sharing a few pics of some cyanotype prints on silk created with natural dyes. It’s been a joy to make these outside in ...
17/07/2026

Sharing a few pics of some cyanotype prints on silk created with natural dyes. It’s been a joy to make these outside in the sun and makes a nice change to exposing my prints under UV lights. The exposure is quicker and I can create much bigger prints! These are big silk scarves! ☀️

I dyed the silk with Weld after testing how the mordants and dye interacted with the cyanotype chemistry. The design was created with multiple exposures to achieve this layered effect. I’ve made quite a few of these this summer with Weld and Madder dye that I’ll share soon.

Tempted to dye this print again with Weld to see if I can shift the colour to a more teal green shade… decisions decisions.. what do you think?


handprintedsilkscarf

Looking forward to teaching this workshop again at the weekend. Saturday 6th June is fully booked so if you’d like to jo...
03/06/2026

Looking forward to teaching this workshop again at the weekend. Saturday 6th June is fully booked so if you’d like to join this class the next one is in August.

There’s a lot of work that goes into these days behind the scenes, from preparing the fabric, sorting through all the flowers, baking cakes and packing so many boxes. I’m not complaining though.. this is work I love 🥰 I enjoy these workshops so much, I feel lucky to get to spend the day with a group of lovely people who want to learn how to create something handmade and unique for their homes. 🏡

If you’d like to join me for a workshop please get in touch or visit my website 🔗 links in my bio

Next Available Date:
🗓️ Sat 29th August





Earlier this year a storm broke a large branch off a Eucalyptus tree in the garden. It seemed a shame to waste it.. So f...
02/06/2026

Earlier this year a storm broke a large branch off a Eucalyptus tree in the garden. It seemed a shame to waste it..

So far, I’ve made dye baths with the fresh leaves, toning baths from the bark and have experimented with different fabrics and paper to explore how I can use the Eucalyptus.

These photos are of some cushion covers I’ve made using pressed Eucalyptus leaves and cyanotype.

Handprinted both sides with one-off prints of different Eucalyptus leaves.

Cyanotype photograms capture a snapshot of nature, a blueprint of life. Unique, imperfect, human and handmade 💙





My mum’s helping me learn the names of the flowers I’m using in my prints. Mum is the flower lady, traditionally trained...
31/05/2026

My mum’s helping me learn the names of the flowers I’m using in my prints. Mum is the flower lady, traditionally trained in floristry at Horticulture College in the late 1960s.

To this day she is still able to recall the latin names, history and origin of many plants and flowers. It’s impressive… Flower Power! 🌼

The inspiration for this range of prints is rooted in my family history and the floral stories that weave through it. This fabric print was made with pressed stems of the Spiraea Billardii plant from my mums garden. It’s only just starting to bud so this created some interesting leafy silhouettes in the cyanotype photogram. In mid-late summer it will be full of tall pink fluffy flowers.

I’ve been making the most of the sunshine to create some larger prints. I’ll share more as this project grows 🌱





03/05/2026

Sharing a new print I made in the sun the other day☀️

I used turquoise paper to create a cyanotype photogram with pressed flowers and leaves.

I’ve had this paper for a while, so thought I’d give it a try. Cyanotype works on a lot of unexpected surfaces but the results can vary on paper depending on the pH. I wasn’t confident about this paper, it has a linen weave finish and it lighter gsm than I’d usually use, but thought I’d give it a try… it worked! 😊

The turquoise and blue make a nice change from the traditional blue and white. I like the feel of this paper and how the texture shows through.





Throughout the year I collect and press flowers and plants for my workshops. Each flower creates a unique impression on ...
01/05/2026

Throughout the year I collect and press flowers and plants for my workshops. Each flower creates a unique impression on the fabric that cannot be repeated, every print is a one-off! 🌼

When we create something by hand, we immerse ourselves in the process and a bit of our story transfers to what we make. With so many mass produced identical products in the world, handmade stands out for all its beautiful imperfections. Imperfectly perfect!

If you’d like to join me for a workshop please get in touch or visit my website 🔗 links in my bio

Upcoming Dates:
🗓️ Sat 16th May
🗓️ Sat 6th June
🗓️ Sat 29th August





27/04/2026

You can change the colour of Cyanotypes. They don’t have to always be blue…

Toning a cyanotype print made with pressed crocosmia flowers from the garden.

The blue cyanotype was lightened in a bath of soda ash and water, then toned with Avocado, Madder, Eucalyptus and Acorns to create a rich Earthy coloured fabric print.


Cyanotype prints on fabric, lightened and toned with green tea, acorn ink and coffee grounds.I think No.4 is my favourit...
17/04/2026

Cyanotype prints on fabric, lightened and toned with green tea, acorn ink and coffee grounds.

I think No.4 is my favourite, this prints on denim but looks and feels like tan suede.

Love all the different colours and you can get from a cyanotype print… Currently, I’ve got my head in a cosmic blue world working on an exciting starry commission 💫 and my feet rooted in the Earth experimenting with toning and natural dyes 🍂

I’ve taken loads of pics and videos so will share more soon.

A few pics of some recent cyanotype experiments on fabric. This prints big, over 70cm wide and created with fennel, pick...
03/04/2026

A few pics of some recent cyanotype experiments on fabric.

This prints big, over 70cm wide and created with fennel, picked and pressed last year. This is the first print I made with the fennel and the seeds smell lush!

I lightened the traditional cyanotype blue with soda ash, then toned the print with green tea, acorn ink and coffee grounds to get these earthy colours.

This print is one of many experiments using toners to shift the colour away from the blue. I’ll take some photos and share more soon.

Have a lovely weekend! 🌼

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Manchester

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4:30pm

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