This week’s Friday feature (and our last for 2025!), is the lovely Jay from By Jay. Having turned her hobby into a small business, Jay creates stylish, fun, and unique embroidered pieces for kids. She’s become known for her Milk Carton jumpers, and they’re the perfect example of her playful, personality-filled style. Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business… Have you always been creative? Ever since I was little I’ve always been creative! I was that kid who loved anything to do with arts and crafts! Sewing was one of my favourite classes at primary school and I think that’s where it all started.

Our Friday Feature this week is the wonderful Arati Devasher. Arati is a book designer (speciasing in “coffee table books” for all kinds of topics, including crafts) and illustrator – with an incredible skill for drawing anthropomorphic (humanlike) dogs. Think: dogs wearing clothes and doing everyday things like riding a bike or drinking coffee! Her illustrations really are a joy to see. Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business… Do you feel being creative is part of your identity? Yes, I think it is, especially because my vivid imagination always provides plenty of fodder. There were years when I didn’t actively pursue creativity in

This week’s Friday Feature is the lovely Sarah from Thread The Word. With a passion for using reclaimed textiles whenever possible (that would otherwise go to landfill), Sarah hand embroiders bespoke gifts and artwork for people to cherish and treasure for years to come. Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business… Do you feel being creative is part of your identity? Absolutely. And not just in the sense of my embroidery work, in lots of aspects of my life I’m looking at things through a lens of wondering if and how I can tweak them to make them different/more fun/work better for me. What’s

Our Friday Feature this week not only rebels against the idea of not playing with your food – she’s actually internationally known for it. Proving gingerbread isn’t just for Christmas (but is is pretty special at this time of year!), and creating architectural masterpieces using icing and other edible materials… it’s the ever so talented food artist, Emily Garland. Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business… How has creativity played a part in your life? I grew up in a very creative household. My mum’s a retired music teacher and my dad’s a retired architect. We were all endlessly making, baking and playing throughout

This week’s Friday Feature is the wonderful Tamsin from The Left Hookery. Tamsin designs and makes modern crochet items and kits, specialising in baskets and bags. Sustainability is really important to her, as is helping others discover the joy of crochet (especially fellow left-handed makers, who might have struggled to get to grips with crochet in the past). Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business… Do you feel creativity helps your wellbeing? Absolutely. In my work with The Left Hookery I’ve found that creating – designing and making chunky, modern crochet baskets, bags and kits – brings a deep sense of satisfaction and calm.