Peachy Perch

12/10/2026

Moving on to B in the Peachy Perch alphabet!

B is for ‘The Burton Barrel’

Barrel, pouffe or drum? What would you call a round, upholstered piece of furniture like this?

I call mine the Burton Barrel. The barrel bit is obvious, and Burton comes from West Burton, a small village in the Yorkshire Dales. Yorkshire is the place I call home, and the people and places here inspire the names of all my pieces.

Unlike a soft, squishy pouffe, the Burton Barrel is built on a solid hardwood frame. It’s a proper little piece of furniture with a lovely flat top and a comfortable upholstered finish.

I like the idea of bringing a different shape into a room. Our homes are full of straight lines, from the rooms themselves to the sofas we sit on and the tables we dine at. A rounded piece will add shape and interest to a room, and the Burton Barrel adds texture and a pop of colour too.

Whether it’s a colourful side table in your living room, an extra seat at the dining table when guests arrive, or an everyday perch at your dressing table, the Burton Barrel is a well-rounded, versatile piece of furniture to have in your home. 😉

Photos 📸

I love the simplicity of my colour block designs, while Day in the Dales was inspired by a photograph I took of the Yorkshire Dales landscape while out walking. But my favourite so far is the ‘waves of wool’, designed for a customer in Cumbria.

18/09/2026

Looking forward to exhibiting next month at the Victoria Hall, Saltaire as part of the Saltaire Winter Makers Fair, always a fabulous atmosphere and packed full of talented makers. It’s taking place on Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th October.

I’ve been working on a new design for this one, and I’m looking forward to bringing it to life in my colourful melton wool fabrics in the coming weeks.

If you’re planning a visit come and say hi🙋🏻‍♀️

Saltaire Inspired
Victoria Hall Saltaire Events

11/09/2026

A timely reminder that I’ll be back at the Designer Makers Market at Tennants Garden Rooms this October.

Just this week, a lovely couple from Leyburn popped into Heather & Grouse to see me and choose the colours for their new Wensley footstool.

I first met them at my very first event Designer Makers Market last year. They weren’t ready to order then, but liked what they saw.

Fast forward nearly a year, and they got back in touch and came to see me at Heather & Grouse, along with a sample of their sofa fabric. We played around with some colours and came up with the final selection for their Wensley footstool.

Really looking forward to getting this one made for them.

If you’ve been thinking about a Peachy Perch piece, come along to Tennant’s Garden Rooms on Friday 16th & Saturday 17th October. Bring along your fabric samples, come and have a chat and see what we can come up with.

Designer Makers Market
Heather & Grouse

25/08/2026

I was so excited to hear that this bright and bold Harlow flower footstool was sold to a lady and her family from Rotterdam, this time last year I hadn’t sold a footstool and now I have one in a home in Rotterdam 😆🙌 …doing a happy dance 💃🏻

Thank you Heather & Grouse

19/08/2026

A little look back at Art in The Pen.

Two of my new designs proved to be most popular over the weekend — The Malham footstool and The Buckden Bench.

Both these new designs were created after a few enquires last year so I got my pencil, pad and tape measure out, and came up with these, I’m so pleased that they have had a bit of interest - these two are back home now but each of them have been ordered in a range of colours.

It was a brilliant weekend, with lots of lovely conversations, new faces and plenty of interest in the things I make😊

Looking forward to hearing back from those who went off home to check colours and space.

15/08/2026

Here is my set-up for Art in The Pen, a bit bigger than my usual space but pretty pleased with this one. Amazing what you can achieve with a cattle pen and a bit of imagination 🤓

Hopefully see and few familiar faces over the weekend, and looking forward to meeting lots of new folk too ☺️

12/08/2026

Preparations are nearing the end as I start to polish legs, complete a final quality check and pack all my pieces ready for the journey to Skipton on Friday.

You’ll be able to find these and many more colourful, handmade wool footstools and benches Art in The Pen

on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August.

Last year I attended as a visitor and was blown away by the quality and range of items available from so many talented makers and artists, I’m looking forward to being part of it this year, and welcoming lots of visitors.

Details if you fancy a visit:
Art in the Pen
Craven Auction Mart
Gargrave Road
Skipton

Tickets available online, plenty of free parking.

Come and say hi 👋

10/08/2026

I fabulous opportunity for young talent … take a look below for more details. ☺️

🎨 HEATHER & GROUSE ARTS & CRAFTS BURSARY 2026 🎨

Supporting the Next Generation of Creative Talent
Are you passionate about Arts or Crafts and starting further education?
At Heather & Grouse, we’re delighted to offer 5 £250 bursaries to support young people from our local community as they begin their creative journey.

Who Can Apply?
Applicants must live within approximately 15 miles of Askrigg and be starting a course in Arts and/or Crafts.

How to Apply
Please send us:
• Your personal details.
• Information about the course you will be attending.
• A short statement explaining why you should be awarded the bursary.

If You’re Successful…
We’ll ask you to provide:
• A 250-word introduction about yourself, your course and your future ambitions.
• A recent photograph, along with permission for us to share your story on our social media.

We’d also love to hear about your progress during your studies, and where possible, some of our experienced artists and craftspeople will be available to offer mentoring and encouragement.

Application Deadline
30th September 2026
Please send your application to Heather & Grouse.

We can’t wait to hear from you and help support the next generation of artists and makers! Please help us share the word 🙂

17/07/2026

The workshop is starting to fill up.

Four weeks to go, and preparations are well underway for this year’s Art in the Pen at Skipton Auction Mart (Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August).

A day of cutting, measuring, tacking and stacking.

The stage where everything starts to build, ready for the final pieces to come together.

24/06/2026

Hi, it’s been a while, but I’m still here and still making…

It’s been a busy few months — a mix of colours, commissions, custom orders, new pieces, and even a bit of a workshop shuffle, so lots going on behind the scenes.

Today is my last day at Harlow Carr, Harrogate, where I’ve been displaying and selling my work in the Bath House as part of Heather & Grouse on tour. It’s been a fab experience and a great learning curve for future events.

July is set to be just as busy.

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to become a guest artist at Fleece in Reeth, so I’ll be there for a couple of months — do pop in if you’re passing, it’s full of beautiful artwork and handcrafted pieces.

I’ll also be adding to my collection with Heather & Grouse this month as I become a full member, which means a bit more space and I’ll be working in the shop more too.

I’ll be heading a bit further afield later in July (more on that soon), and then it’s on to preparations for Art in the Pen at Skipton Auction Mart on Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th August.

I’ve popped a few photos on of some recent pieces, if anything has caught your eye on here or out and about, or you’ve got something in mind, feel free to get in touch.

You’ll find colours, designs and more online at peachyperch.sumupstore.com.