Hello & welcome to Calico Collective. I’m Charlotte –  founder, maker, coffee shop enthusiastic and all round supporter of small, independent businesses! Everything that you see here on our website, from the hand crafted products to the content on this very blog, is made, designed & written by me.

So, where to start on my first ever blog post? Now feels like a good opportunity to reflect upon my ‘business journey’ since opening back in February 2020 and share a few insights into where I’ve been, where I am and where I’m going. Calico Collective was born our of my love of using my hands to create something physical. I have always thrived off of the immense satisfaction of seeing something come to life through your own creativity, and also love to be busy! I found myself in a pretty fortunate position back in the first COVID-19 lockdown, I was on furlough and home alone, looking for a way to entertain myself.

The journey began with lino printing, which quickly evolved into polymer clay jewellery making, which led me to Jesmonite. I’d heard of the material whilst on my degree (any Theatre Designers out there?) and couldn’t resist grabbing a starter kit to have a go myself.

Let’s rewind a little – I am, and always have been, a pottery enthusiast. I had dabbled in hand building during A Level art, but that had never quite satisfied my desire to learn such a beautiful craft. Back to 2020, I decided to try my hand at casting with jesmonite as a more accessible alternative to ceramics, and here we are years later, still making beautiful, earthy toned, cast homewares with an incredibly versatile material.