Oak Tree Barn stands in the Somerset countryside on the edge of Burrington, a village not far from Bristol. Vanessa Dennett grew up there and following international travels returned to convert the barn from an outbuilding. Prompted by her curiosity about people and craft, she set up her own business, The Simpson Sisters, and runs… [read more]

Justine Weyman created jewel-coloured leather homewares and accessories through her brand Elytra England. Having become a dog owner, she has now turned her attention and skills to hand making ‘covetable accessories for stylish hounds’ from her home in Frome, Somerset, with her new label The Velveteen Hound. In the third of the Objects of Desire… [read more]

Tamsin John trained in fine art and specialised in printmaking, and has also worked as a jeweller. She has been working with clay since an inspiring evening class several years ago. She works in a studio in her garden in Bristol, and in the second of the series about creatives’ objects of desire she’s here… [read more]

Let me introduce you to Drew Davies, whose first novel, a romantic comedy called The Shape of Us is published by Bookouture today, 27 November. About four strangers falling in and out of love, it’s set in London, where Drew lives, and is described by his agent as ‘David Nicholls’ One Day meets Love Actually’…. [read more]