Since designing and making a stuffed lion out of orange candlewick as a little girl of eight I have had a passion for creating things, using sewing, knitting and embroidery as well as painting and drawing.

In recent years my creativity has been channelled into my love of performing and teaching Egyptian dance and the colour, form and materials of the beautiful costumes and jewellery I wear for the dance. Living for a time in Peru exposed me to the amazing vibrant fabrics and bold designs from South America and reawakened this love of textiles.

I returned to the UK two years ago and have been studying for City and Guilds Creative Embroidery at Harrogate College. The course has provided a palette of new techniques and allowed further experimentation with textiles and embroidery.  An area that has particularly interested me has been felt making.  I love the versatility of the material - the way it can be thick or thin, combined with other fabrics, threads and beads as well as giving the scope for 2 or 3 dimensional objects. The felt making has provided me with a wonderful medium to express my love of the natural world and the experiences I have had in my life.

Embellished felt bag inspired by a field of kingcups near Hawes, Yorkshire Dales

Felt scarf, brooch and bag with leaf appliqué, inspired by autumn leaves on the trees at Winkworth Arboreteum, Godalming

Embellished felt bowl inspired by fallen autumn leaves at Winkworth Arboreteum, Godalming

Nuno felt scarf and felt bowl inspired by a holiday to Dorset near Lyme  Regis

Felt bag inspired by the rose garden at Ripley Castle

Hand embroidery of a late summer flower border, this also inspired the wall-hanging seen next

The flowers are made by manipulated and embellished silk on a felt background with leaves made by either needle-felting, machine embroidery, appliqué or wired fabric.