Market Harborough, Leicestershire

Welcome to Finishing Touches.  

We are a new and exciting small, online business based in rural Leicestershire.  

We stock a wide variety of country/farm gifts including homeware, kitchenware, children’s gifts & greeting cards  plus much much more. 

We are appoved stockists of Lesser & Pavey, Wrendale, Britains Farm Toys plus other fantastic companies as well as supporting many UK small businesses.

The post Finishing Touches first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Perfectly Pretty Florals specialises in beautifully handmade ‘real look’ artificial floral wreaths and arrangements that are inspired by nature, the seasons, and gardens. 

Handmade in Yorkshire in the little rural village of Silkstone Common at the foot of the idyllic Pennines.
All wreaths and arrangements are wired by hand (instead of using the easier commercial technique of hot gluing), this produces a much longer lasting and sturdier floral arrangement. 

Owner and creator Rebecca Saxton, a local farmer’s daughter and garden designer has many years of experience in horticulture, design, and fashion with a true passion for everything floral and a Royal Horticultural Society qualification in the subject.  

With a keen eye for detail and the unusual, you are sure to receive something totally unique when purchasing from Perfectly Pretty Florals. Bespoke orders and commissions are taken if there is a particular colour scheme or idea you have in mind; Perfectly Pretty Florals can make it a reality for you.

As well as the stunning floral arrangements, Perfectly Pretty Florals carries a range of beautiful, curated gifts and homewares which are available in small quantities allowing for change and newness every few weeks.

The post Perfectly Pretty Florals first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Shrewsbury, Shropshire

I’m Emily, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to have a look at my business. I started Glorious Grouse in October 2021, however, it has been my plan/dream for more than a decade to sell beautiful country homewares and gifts to like-minded individuals. 

I am a Rural Chartered Surveyor working in Sales and Marketing but currently on maternity leave looking after my delightful 10 month old daughter. My husband is a farmer who is an agricultural contractor along with farming arable, beef, sheep and my pig Pricilla! Country life is in our bones and it is all we know. I hope that the products I offer for sale emulate the rural life we love. 

The post Glorious Grouse first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Frome, Somerset

Hi everyone, I’m Pip and I own and run Rural Collection from our base in rural Somerset. I love the great British countryside and our busy family life here. I grew up in Dorset and spent many years working in rural and equestrian businesses before meeting my husband, moving to Somerset and starting a family. In juggling work, a home refurbishment and a growing family the seeds of the idea for starting my own business were sown.

Fast forward a year or so and with the support of a small family team, my business, Rural Collection has become a reality. While creating our home and planning the business I have discovered some incredible accessories, beautiful tweed, leather, and wool products and eco-friendly homeware and I want to share the country life and style that I love with you, our wonderful customers.

Rural Collection, bringing rural style to you and your home.

The post Rural Collection Ltd first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Sherborne, Dorset

SO interiors – bringing what’s #soin directly to you and your home.​

All products have been carefully selected to help you find the perfect gift, or item for your home.

The post SO Interiors England first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Willerby, East Yorkshire

Yorkshire born & bred, Eleanor Tomlinson Art is a unique limited edition art print, stationery & homeware brand, based in rural East Yorkshire.

All Eleanor’s work is predominantly created in ink & watercolour. Her distinctive & developed style combines traditional, well-loved subjects with a contemporary, illustrative twist.
Eleanor’s business started on an overcrowded kitchen table at her family home in 2011 when she was 14 years old, starting with a new yearly limited edition Christmas card range. Over the years she has increased & developed her designs & expanded into stationery, limited edition prints & most recently her homeware range.
During this time Eleanor has produced over 200 bespoke commissioned artworks of beloved family pets, wildlife, houses, cars, cherished children’s toys, weddings & plenty more, as well as working with an array of commercial clients.

All of Eleanor’s designs & pieces are inspired by the beautiful Yorkshire countryside she is fortunate enough to call home, including all its wildlife; great & small.

We are proud to work with leading British manufacturers & suppliers, with the majority of Eleanor’s products being designed, printed & manufactured all in Yorkshire.
A very warm welcome to Eleanor’s world of everything country,
we hope you love it as much as we do!

The post Eleanor Tomlinson Art first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Preston, Lancashire

Hi everyone, I got my love for the countryside from my grandparents, my grandad was a farmer working with horses and my grandmother was a milkmaid when they met.

I like to use the humour you see in everyday life especially around animals, many of my signs make you smile simply because they are true.

If you are buying for a person who loves dogs, cats, horses, cows, deer or chickens I may make your perfect gift. I create items you cannot find on the high street, many are one of a kind. I can save you time searching for the perfect gift including personalised gifts to treasure. Not to forget a huge selection of Christmas hanging decorations many of which can be used all year round. I make everything myself so I can guarantee attention to detail.

I have been in business for 5 years now, I started as a distraction from being a carer but my business has now grown to a fulltime business. I am so lucky as I love the variety of designing, painting, packaging, photography, social media, accounts and chief bottle washer while listening to the radio!

The post May Contain Sparkle first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Inverness, Scotland

Heilan Bling is the work of Inverness-based Jen Mackenzie. Jen combines on-trend interior decor with decoupage to transform locally-sourced deer antlers into eclectic wall art.

Jen hand-crafts all antlers to order. The great news about that is that it means that she can work with you to customise all elements of your antlers so you get the perfect set!

Jen’s love of decoupage began when a flash of inspiration at the kitchen table transformed some antlers with her own Mackenzie tartan as a Christmas present for her husband. She now juggles a hectic family life with working from the workshop in her back garden in the beautiful Scottish Highlands to create unique works of antler art using a wide-range of painstakingly sourced designs – from traditional Scottish tartans to antique prints or vintage maps, Liberty fabric (and the occasional rock album cover!).

Heilan’ Bling’s antlers are locally sourced and supplied by local gamekeepers and deer management officers. Jen only works with ethical suppliers, all skulls are sourced as a by-product of essential deer management.

The post Heilan’ Bling first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Long Sutton, Somerset

Handmade at Hodgehay started in late 2018 when my husband got fed up with the increasing numbers of cushions on the sofa. Determined not to stop fabricating I started selling them on our local market in Langport. Cushions have now expanded into a variety of lovingly crafted sewn and felted gifts and homewares. These are produced by myself and my daughter at home in Long Sutton.

I really enjoy getting out to the monthly markets, meeting people and taking commissions. I try to fit in as many local craft fayres and am booked for a few National Trust events as soon as they start again.
Having studied textiles, fabric as a medium really excites me. The fabrics I use really are the inspiration for the pieces I create. 2022 will be a year for some more experimental pieces as I work towards a range of recycled/upcycled items. Everything I make is individual and exclusive. I buy small quantities of each fabric (very rarely re-stocking) to keep my designs fresh and limited.

The post Handmade at Hodgehay first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Stirling, Scotland

I am Bo Faux taxidermy a Maker/Designer from Stirling.

I love taxidermy but I love animals and the planet even more so. That’s why all my faux taxidermy are made entirely from recycled materials. Leaving our planet a little less cluttered. Handmade in Scotland with love. I make all sizes of faux taxidermy from mini to full size and I always love the challenge of bringing your idea to life.

Commissions welcome.

The post Bo Faux Taxidermy first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Cowes, Isle of Wight

Inspired by a love of coastal living and the ocean, XV stripes capture the essence of laid back, sustainable luxe for your bedroom and home.

​XV stripes was born from a meeting of minds. Founder Izzey Hung nurtured the desire to reflect her love of the ocean, and all things on it and under it – particularly the Isle of Wight – her home. When an intensive search failed to inspire her, with lack of sustainable quality products, she decided the time had come to follow her dream. XV stripes was born.

​An introduction to designer Vicky Sanders followed and the creative process began.

The post XV Stripes first appeared on Making A Country Living.

Bordon, Hampshire

I have been an artist all my life and have worked in most mediums and painted many subjects, but I have come full circle and returned to my love of birds and animals.  The natural world is a constant inspiration to me and in particular, British flora and fauna. 

​My illustrations of animals are as lifelike as I can paint them and are mostly of British wildlife. They are sketched out in watercolour pencil and then painted in acrylics.  I then reproduce some of my smaller works onto removable decal stickers and cut each one out individually with a scalpel for placement around the home. 

Initially, I started my website to sell unique animal sculptures that I created with recycled papers and reeled garden wire. No paint just coloured papers gleaned from hundreds of magazines which makes each piece unique. Hence the name ‘PAWS’ – Paper and Wire Sculptures! 

My acrylic paintings of animals and birds remain my first love though and I will continue to add more illustrations to my decal menagerie.  My decals now reside on skirting boards and door frames all over the world! 

I also live with a small paper mouse (Monty) who ‘helps’ me with my creations…  Please join me over on Facebook with a `Like` on my page and follow my work in progress posts and ramblings – I’d love to hear from you!

The post PaWs by Sue McLearie first appeared on Making A Country Living.