Go back 5 years and consider what has happened up to now, you’d never believe it!

It’s been a difficult few years in business –  at the end of 2019, having decided to stop promoting outdoor furniture via my brother company www.edbrooks.com, the shops then shut due to COVID and energy prices also went up, meaning luxury items such as feature piece furniture, just like our product offering, went out the window (which some of it nearly did literally at times!).

Before I go on, I want to say a massive thank you to Mark and Portia.  Mark works with me making furniture and he has continued to produce pieces of extreme quality throughout the year, has adapted to changing conditions and has worked around my efforts to redirect the business at every bit of bad news.
Portia has looked forward at the marketing of the company and has produced lovely content for Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and the newsletter. She does this with a massive amount of patience and adaptability.
Thank you, both.

Looking forward to the New Year…

We recently launched the Coney tables, which celebrate the more traditional style of table. Simpler, with no requirement for resin. But of course it needed a little organic flourish with one edge being Waney. We use our own timber for these, so character is in abundance and you can expect to see more about this range very soon.

I am just finishing off a further addition to our range of pieces which is a cleaner simpler design with no waney edge in sight. These will be the least involved to make, as we can buy timber in, and therefore the price will be lower. I hope this to meet a market requirement.

We are down to the last slice of the Prime tree to be able to make the ‘Prime’ ancient oak slice table in the style below. However, there are some more slices which have a large hole in the centre, which we have some fantastic ideas for! We will let the newsletter readers know as soon as one is finished. (Add yourself to our mailing list here)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also have some beautiful wind fallen trees at my parents home. I cannot wait to slice these. There is a gnarled ancient oak from over the hill. It has burrs throughout.
We have a beech tree with spalting for blocks and table. And we have a Canadian Maple from the manor grounds, and various others including ash and sweet chestnut. We are always looking out for big diameter trees within reach of an ageing tractor.

I will also try and share the journey of discovering these trees, and the story behind the making of the furniture as much as possible. I do struggle with this as It doesn’t always feel appropriate or a good idea to take out the phone and film or take photos, especially, for example when my Dad is carefully extracting an ancient oak from a slippery gully or similar!

If you would like to see me, or my pieces there are various online places such as my website, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

I was also selected to become a member of the Find A Maker family. A group of carefully curated makers and artists across the country. Well worth a visit.

I am exhibiting at the Cheltenham CRAFT Festival on March 10th, 11th and 12th 2023. This is very exciting and a wonderful event. Many of the makers on ‘Find A Maker’ will be there too.

And, of course, I have pieces in the following shops/galleries

• Brogan Buzec Lifestyle
• Dansel Gallery
• Herringbone
• Sou’-Sou’-West / The Lyme Bay Gallery

And you can visit us at the workshop and website.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Please do mention me to friends or family who may like my furniture, it can help a small business like mine so much.

Alex