Creative Review / / Louise Gardiner

I am thrilled to be able to share some inspirational art and design with you every Tuesday morning as Rachael's 'Art and Creative Writer'. This week, we're featuring the contemporary embroidery of Louise Gardiner.

Louise is a British illustrator and artist based in Styal, Cheshire.  She grew up on her family's dairy farm and is well known for the quirky characters and creatures that she embroiders, appliqués and paints on to fabric. She has an impressive client list including Liberty of London and Selvedge magazine and taught Kirstie Allsopp free motion embroidery on her show, 'Kirstie's Homemade Home'.

She has recently developed her intricate work into digitally printed silk scarves, luxurious cushions and beaded quilts which she will be exhibiting at this weeks Tent London exhibition running from Thursday to Sunday. If you pop along, Lou promises there will be a welcome tipple of sherry to greet you! More inspiration next Tuesday, Justine x

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Creative Review / / Poppy Treffry

I am thrilled to be able to share some inspirational art and design with you every Tuesday morning as Rachael's 'Art and Creative Writer'. After my holiday last week in my old home town of St. Ives in Cornwall, this week, I'm featuring the quirky textiles of local designer, Poppy Treffry (pronounced 'trif-FRY' btw!)

Poppy runs a small company producing a range of handmade accessories for fashion and the home. She started making bags, cushions and tea cosies in 2003 using an old Singer sewing machine that her grandfather had found in a dump! The business has now grown and she employs a team of seamstresses all using vintage Singers at their workshop just outside Penzance.

Poppy's products grace the shelves of some prestigious stores including Fortnum and Mason, Bettys tea rooms and Anthropologie. She has also found the time to write two books on freehand machine embroidery and opened her first shop in St Ives in 2010. At a time when many national chain stores are taking over this famous town, it's brilliant to see a her blazing the trail for independent designers.

You can see her full product range and find out about her freehand embroidery workshops on the Poppy Treffry website. More inspiration next Tuesday, Justine x