Furnival's Workshop

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Furnival's Workshop

Crafts from FurnivalsWorkshop on Etsy by Claire O'Byrne I use only salvaged, recycled and second-hand materials for my crafts.

I live on a boat on a canal in the Pennine hills and I make things from wood, horn and bone in my tiny workshop. I source my wood from the woods and hedgerows in the places I travel through, collecting only the dead and seasoned branches. I also collect it from skips, dumping sites and (with permission) from people's winter log piles. I'm lucky to have a couple of tree surgeons in my family who of

ten save me any interesting pieces they come across. I sometimes buy ornaments made from unusual wood or bone from charity shops to make into hair toys. The antler I use is naturally shed and foraged by myself or donated by friends. Mainly I work with native British hardwoods and in them I find a beauty and character to rival the most costly and endangered imported exotic woods. I have always been fascinated by the trees of my native islands and the history and folklore that surrounds each species. Part of the magic of wooden crafts is knowing their story: the characteristics of the living tree, the superstitions and legends associated with it, the place where it grows, the story of how part of it came to be turned into something else. Whenever possible I try to pinpoint exactly where my wood comes from and hopefully share a bit of the magic I find in the woods and hedgerows.

16/01/2024

It’s a wee bit cold today. This is the waterfall in the ravine behind our house ❄️

01/12/2023

My little hayloft house under the Sycamore tree in the snow, using a night vision camera.

08/11/2023

Up in the shop now- one of the loveliest pieces of Laburnum heartwood I’ve found so far.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1592209046/chunky-figured-laburnum-heartwood-hair?click_key=7e5c216738185f847eb802774af202bf5b1bcbf8%3A1592209046&click_sum=a8c2cb41&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1

05/11/2023

Today’s new design 😊

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1589677906/gothic-church-window-hair-fork-by?click_key=f3c59395ad66b46e86a4aaea25d45c8fc2703b94%3A1589677906&click_sum=13f8c5db&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1

This Bun Holders & Makers item is sold by FurnivalsWorkshop. Ships from United Kingdom. Listed on 05 Nov, 2023

02/11/2023

A single helix Icicle hair stick, made from gorgeous dark red-brown mystery wood with chatoyant golden highlights. Used to be a rolling pin! Up in the shop now 😊

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1587463288/single-helix-icicle-hair-stick-from?click_key=88599fb0bbb47254d4d6da213f58ba7bf641fdbd%3A1587463288&click_sum=bf356032&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1

10/10/2023

Latest pumpkin hair stick, made from decidedly Gothic reclaimed African Blackwood. £10 off all orders today courtesy of Etsy, use code YES10 at checkout.

This Bun Holders & Makers item is sold by FurnivalsWorkshop. Ships from United Kingdom. Listed on 10 Oct, 2023

09/10/2023

Etsy are currently running a £10 off offer for every order over £40, using the code YES10.
Etsy are covering the costs!

08/10/2023

Some recent carvings! The two bone pieces are currently listed in the shop, and I am working on some more pumpkin pieces today. 🎃

28/08/2023

A variation on my recent leaf design that I’ve fallen in love with.

26/08/2023

My absolute favourite of my recent designs- thought I’d try it in bone this time and I’m so pleased with the result! Up in the shop now

14/08/2023

This is the sort of summer Doris and I are having…

29/06/2023

Pair of reclaimed Padauk wood hair sticks finished and listed in the shop today. I’m so pleased with how they have turned out!

14/03/2023

Today’s shop listing, carved from a piece of spalted Beech that my sister found in the woodpile!

13/03/2023

Today’s listings! I’m really pleased with how these have turned out 😊

11/03/2023

Our first snowfall at the new place has been glorious!

28/02/2023

Sneak peek of some of the pieces I will be listing later on. I have lots more coming up!

21/02/2023

Apologies to all who might be wondering why my shop is empty- unfortunately Royal Mail are still not accepting international parcels at their Post Offices due to a cyber attack, and as alternative postage costs around three times as much, I have decided not to list any new pieces until they’re back on track.

Currently I am building up my stock with many new designs, and when I finally re-open there will be lots of pieces to choose from for once! I will update here and on Instagram when I am ready to re-open, and will also post previews of my stock so pieces can be reserved.

In the meantime I have also been gardening frenziedly with the approach of Spring, clearing and planting the old neglected gardens and terraces of the ancient farmhouse where I now live with my extended family. This is the project of a lifetime, a dream come true, and a great privilege!

11/10/2022

Greetings all! Just to let you know that the move is finally completed and I now have a new workshop in an old stone cow shed next to my little hayloft home. I’m hoping to have some new pieces listed in my Etsy shop over the next couple of days 😊

26/08/2022

Apologies to those who might be wondering why my shop has been empty for a while- I am currently in the process of moving to a tiny barn on top of a windy hill in the North Pennines. The moving date has been delayed several times and my workshop is packed away, but I’m hoping to have it up and running again by mid-September.

11/10/2021

Antler filigree fork I’ve just finished 😊

16/05/2021

I’m quite proud of this one!

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http://www.etsy.com/shop/furnivalsworkshop

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