It’s been raining nonstop in Manchester for many, many days. This is not an unusual occurrence – when I first moved here four years ago, it rained constantly for a full month. My husband and I wondered what the heck we had got ourselves into! I’ve got used to the gray days now, but now and then the gloom does get to me. During this spate of gray, I’ve rounded up some handmade treasures to brighten my day – enjoy!

The above print from Askey Illustration reminds me of jumping in puddles as a child – a common pastime in the rainy North! The inspiration came from stormy spring days, “when the sky is slate grey and the sun shines through the clouds for just a moment making bright colours really pop against the dark sky” – I wish this would happen in Manchester today!

These delicate earrings from RosieJo incoporate pebble-like beads, which inspired the piece. “In this case the wooden pebbles were just so tactile, I loved the natural shape and their lovely colour.” Many of RosieJo’s items feature flowers made from scraps of fabric in silk, satin, cotton or other materials. “I find nothing more satisfying than taking fabric that might otherwise go unused, or from a used or vintage item, and using it to create something pretty like flowers.”

The rosettes for this hair slide were made from fabric from one of MischaM’s husband’s shirts! “It was a beautiful shirt of slate gray, and when he decided it was past its sell-by date I jumped at the chance to make something pretty from it.” Mischa knew that the subtle sheen of the fabric would translate into beautiful fabric flowers, giving new life to an old favorite. “My husband is now under strict instructions not to throw away any shirts without consulting me first…”

This beautiful felt case was inspired by the palette of the UK landscape. Elin says, “I absolutely adore grey, which we have plenty of!!” Elin has recently started to work with Harris Tweed and has a huge passion for it. “The whole ethos and process of Harris Tweed have a consistency and integrity that I like, the landscape of the outer Hebrides speaks through the fabric but not in a corny or literal way. I hope my lichen and mycology work has a similar quality, it’s realistic but subtle as well.”

Does your landscape inspire your handmade creations? I’d love to hear about your inspiration!