A year on... a hill

Two figures huddled together and looked up into the vast autumn night’s sky, illuminated by the glow of an old Oak tree standing firm in the dusky calm. Tucked away, deep within the crags and folds of bark there glimmered a knowing smile. This evening had provided much entertainment for the old tree but now a calm had come over this familiar place amid the soft glowing lanterns. Brimming with hope and inspiration the two figures let the deep blue night rush in once more. Each tiny dancing light disappeared one by one into the night.

It is almost a year since that magical evening and although the genesis of Made on a Hill may have grown over years of creating, travelling and exploring together, a fresh young shoot of inspiration had sprouted that evening thanks to an old Oak tree.

The Lantern Tree read more....

We have continued to be inspired by the support, encouragement and generosity that we have received from family and friends for Made on a Hill over the past year. It has been really exciting to meet new friends online who share our passion for creating and sharing beautiful, positive things in the world. If you use any of the following social media sites be sure to give us a 'like' or just swing by and say hi. We are currently on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

New flower presses arrived in the summer and with them the opportunity to gather lots of new varieties of petals, flowers and grasses for our ever expanding collection of handmade lanterns. Getting organised in the studio has been one of the many challenges this year. Fresh flowers and delicate petals gave way to the rich hues of autumn leaves as September came to a close. We owe a big thank you to everyone who has set aside their jars for the cause. Lots of glass jars have been donated over the months and they have all been welcomed into the studio to await their transformation.

The workshop is becoming a fantastic space to experiment with ideas for future wood projects as well as producing some new hairpin designs along the way. I've found some new favourite woods to work with and feel honoured to have been given some very old reclaimed Oak. The first beams came full of old nails, hooks, worms and who knows what else. They had previously held up the first floor of a local house for over five hundred years. After much work they now form the base for a new workbench that may just last another five hundred years, if the weight is anything to go by. The second donation of ancient Oak came from a farmhouse in rural France. Again, the timbers had stood for over five hundred years in a barn roof. It is a great pleasure to be given such wonderful historical timber. Besides the ancient Oak, Chestnut, Cedar, Magnolia and Laburnum have also arrived in the workshop and I'm very excited to see what lies beneath the bark.

As we approach the festive season our popular illustrated Christmas cards have arrived back on the website. The anniversary of The Lantern Tree is around the corner and we are really excited by the prospect of what is to come. A massive thank you to everyone who has inspired and encouraged us through our first year. We can't wait to see what the next one brings...

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