Meet the Maker - Vanessa Cohen Handmade Ceramics

I produce a range of handmade white earthenware bowls, platters and cups. I have a Fine Art Degree from The University of Cape Town where I majored in Sculpture.

My degree included a small amount of ceramics but I always had the desire to further my knowledge of the making of ceramic tableware as I very rarely found tableware that I liked.

My love of beautiful handmade things inspired me to take extra classes at Kensington and Chelsea College and I started my business in 2008. All my ceramics are made by hand in my studio which is based in NW10, just off Scrubs Lane.

I produce a delicate range of handmade tableware which very subtly explores and expresses the distorting qualities of thin clay:

An element of chance is embraced as I allow my bowls to uniformly distort into organic egg-like shapes in the kiln. People are drawn to my work and feel compelled to hold it because each piece is imbued with a uniquely ‘imperfect’ and tactile quality.

Vanessa will be at Homeworks on Sunday 4 December.

Meet The Maker - Wallplayper

Today’s Meet the Maker is all about Lewes based designers Emma Carlow and Gaynor Warren. As Wallplayper they design and sell beautifully creative and playful wallpaper, cushions and lampshades for children, inspired by the mid century design and artists they love.

They launched Wallplayper this September and are joining us for Homeworks on Sunday 4 December:

Emma and Gaynor are art school educated - Emma studied illustration and graphics and Gaynor studied sculpture. Both worked in the world of design and children's textiles - Emma began her career at Conran and has designed textiles for Habitat, Ikea, Marks & Spencer and Crate & Barrel. Wallplayper is the culmination of all their experiences and passions:

Childhood (particularly their own - they both have fond memories of wearing Clothkits clothing designs in the seventies!) informs their design thinking and they are inspired by designers and artists who are playful, particularly mid century designers and artists such as Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard and Alexander Calder:

Come along on the 4th and meet Emma and Gaynor - Homeworks is their only sale this Christmas and they’re bringing a selection of their beautiful wallpaper with matching cushions and brand new lampshades.

Meet the Maker - Bea Bags

With just over a month until our first Homeworks Christmas Bazaar, we’d like to introduce you to some of the designers and makers taking part in our events this year and find out what inspires them.

First up is Bea Bags, a creative partnership between Ruth Hannett and Sharon Chin:

Sharon, left and Ruth, right.

Ruth has a studio in West Hampstead, and Sharon has a studio in Suffolk where she now lives:

Ruth’s studio in West Hampstead.

What’s your design inspiration?
‘We set up Bea Bags in 2007. Originally we started in order to be able to work from home and around our small children - our company has grown organically but is still pretty small.
We began making our oilcloth bags and accessories when we were unable to find beautiful, contemporary practical bags to use on the beach. Our range has grown to include beach bags, shoppers, shoulder bags and accessories:

Tell us about your design process:
We do everything ourselves, from choosing our fabrics to be made into oilcloth, to cutting out and sewing our products. We both love what we do and take great care and pleasure to make sure all our products are finished to a high standard.’

Bea Bags will be at our first Bazaar on Sunday 4 December, 10-2pm.

Sunday 7 December - Our first sale preview

Less than a week to go until our first Christmas Bazaar next Sunday and here’s our first sale preview. We work hard to bring you a carefully curated mix of makers so there’s something for everyone. This Christmas we have a mix of new faces and returning Homeworks regulars:

Queens Park local Sonia Shakerley returns to Homeworks with her distinctive hand crafted jewellery. She makes bespoke pieces for private clients as well as earrings, necklaces and rings:

Homeworks very own Lou Rota will be selling her new collection Lou Rota London. They’ll be lots of new products including samples and seconds so come early to bag a bargain:

Simone Selaib Salandini returns with her intricate silver hand made jewellery:

Alpaca Pie are back with childrenswear and accessories made with love in Peru,

but with a classic British quirkiness:

Ruth Hannett and Sharon Chin are Bea Bags - they design and make all their bags and accessories:

Homeworks favourite Celia Worster will be back with her gorgeous aromatherapy oils and creams.

(If you ask her nicely she might give you a head and neck massage, a perfect way to ease

the stress of festive planning):

Knitwear designer Gilly B creates hats, gloves and scarves using only the finest natural yarns

and joins us for the first time this year:

Lighting designer Charlotte Packe is back with her stunning lighting range:

Dorothy Stiven  sources beautiful one off vintage finds in Scotland and France.

Come early to buy something unique:

Moomu returns with gifts and accessories:

Out of the Dark recycle, restore and repurpose furniture as a means to train, educate and employ young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The results speak for themselves and Out of the Dark are selling their beautiful restored furniture next Sunday:

Homeworks regular Sasha Kamen will be back with her handmade fine jewellery:

Christa Davis is back with her sell-out reconditioned cashmere knits and vintage fabric accessories:

Homeworks very own Samantha Frankel Ceramics is back for one day only with hand made ceramics and accessories:

Scamp will be back with their usual mix of bright and bold screen printed baby wear (the London bus is a real favourite) plus new wooden laser cut products and some festive fancies:

Have you ever wished your Ikea bag was a bit more special? Twisted Twee will be selling a limited edition range of these rather lovely Vintage Ikea Bags. That’s more like it:

Newcomer Helene Turbe designs and makes elegant, delicate and timeless jewellery with an ethnic vibe:

Home address will be at Homeworks for the first time on Sunday and founder Celine believes beautiful pieces for your home don’t have to be expensive, as long as they have a story to tell:

There we have it - lots of good reasons to tempt you away from Oxford Street and online shops.

Shop independent and buy local this Christmas.

See you on Sunday!

Last Call for Applications

Our Christmas dates are filling up fast! If you would like a stall at one of our two Christmas Bazaar events at The Salusbury rooms, get in touch this week.

Dates are Sunday 7 December and Sunday 14 December:

Our final preview - Sunday 8 December

With just over three weeks until Christmas, this Sunday 8 December is your last chance to snap up some beautiful presents from our ever changing selection of local designers and small businesses.

Unique jewellery, hand made ceramics, ethically sourced homewares, upcycled gifts, quirky kids’ fashion and accessories and much more:

 Samantha Frankel will be selling her hand made porcelain and bone china vessels and bowls:

Annie Neill returns with her colourful lambswool scarves, hats, gloves and socks:

Clutterclutch are back for another year with their ingenious leather clutch bags, designed to hold all your essentials (beautifully of course):

Local ceramicist Joanne Bain brings her hand thrown and glazed stoneware ceramics for using every day:

Sonia Shakerley hand makes jewellery using semi precious stones and all pieces can be customised to order:

Herbal Line’a are back with their organic oils and body lotions:

Tactile Wonderland join us for the first time next Sunday with their range of wall coverings, prints and cards:

Local children’s boutique Scamp Baby Gifts will be selling an impressive collection of babywear, hand made personalised pictures and Christmas decorations and accessories:

Cherry Pie Couture join us for the first time this year with their accessories inspired by the style and glamour of the fifties:

Vanessa Cohen is back again this week with her delicate range of hand made ceramic tableware:

Pookie and Peach will solve all your kids’ Christmas shopping list dilemmas with their range of quirky gifts for even the most difficult to buy for:

Charcoal & Gray are back for another year selling beautiful homeware and accessories made from fabric sourced from around the world:

Our First Christmas Bazaar

Thanks for coming along to our first Christmas Bazaar yesterday, a great day by all accounts and more next Sunday. Our next preview will be posted later this week, so check back and find out which fabulous stallholders will be with us next Sunday 1 December.

For more pictures, visit our Facebook page:

Our First Christmas Sale Preview

Not long now until our first Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 24 November. We have many returning stallholders this year and lots of new ones too. Here is a small selection of our stallholders coming along next Sunday. Keep checking back for more previews with more designers and makers over the next few weeks.

One of our Homeworks founders, Lou Rota is set to relaunch with brand new collections early in the New Year. She is having a big stock clear out and her Vintage Plate Art Kits, mugs, trays, platters and jugs will all be at bargain basement prices:

Ocabini is a small design company that create classic cashmere/silk garments with contemporary designs. Their children's range is colourful and cosy, whilst their adult range includes fresh individual prints and classic knits for women and men:

A Queen's Park local, Sasha Kamen makes all her jewellery by hand in her studio: 

Homeworks regular Somerville Scarves return with their trademark silk scarves, cosy hats and accessories:

Twisted Twee have been making and peddling cheerfully sardonic childrenswear and items of practical lunacy since 2003.
All their goods are manufactured and embellished in the UK and they work with people who put sustainability and good working practice at the heart of their business:

Soochi Ltd will be selling kids’ fashion from Bonnie Baby and Little Duckling:

Simone Selaib-Salandini will be selling the collections she supplies to galleries and her more funky street wear collections made of semi-precious stones:

Savile Rogue return with their unique cashmere football scarves and accessories:

Clara Francis is a bead weaver - each piece is made using Japanese glass seed beads sewn by hand one bead at a time. They are little pieces of art you can wear and keep forever:

Christa Davis returns with her distinctive and beautiful clothes for adults and kids, made by blending up-cycled cashmere and silks and vintage fabric:

Nicole from Barefoot Books will have a selection of christmas books and activity kits for children, perfect presents and stocking fillers:

Isolyn will be selling a selection of colourful felted wool bags & purses, slippers and brooches:

The winter chill is coming and Alpaca Pie is spinning more beautiful knitwear and accessories to keep your little ones and you toasty and warm:

Holistic Silk is committed to fair trade and ethical production and they return to Homeworks this year with a selection of their beautiful and therapeutic products: 

Celia Lindsell creates a stylish range of organic lavender accessories for you and the home including doorstops, gift sets, silk, French linen bed pillows and much more:  

Sirplus make all their clothes from offcuts and surplus fabric, or ‘cabbage’, you can find out more about it here: