... and I am the owner of The Painted Dragonfly. I run my business from the home I share with my husband and son, just outside of Winchester, Hampshire. I’ve always been creative and I love painting, sketching and crocheting too.

I spent the first 20+ years of my working life as a civil engineer, a career I loved, but that changed after having my son. I knew I wanted to be able to work from home, around the needs of my family and doing something that gave me the same enjoyment as I used to get from engineering.

My inspiration came when, late one afternoon, I received a call from my son’s nursery. It was about a month before Christmas and they told me that the mugs I had ordered with his handprints on would not be available until after Christmas. This was not much use!

To get replacements on time, I would now have to make the journey (twice) to the nearest pottery café to paint and then collect the fired mugs. The two 30-mile round trips didn’t bother me (I love driving!) but I always felt on edge, wondering what untold damage a lively two-year-old could cause to neatly stacked plates, dishes and ornaments, etc. He also had an uncanny knack of performing a poo-nami when we were there, meaning we had to pack up everything to go to the adjoining building to clean up.

It was on that phone call that I realised this must be the same for other mums - ‘there has to be another way… I could do this mobile…’

And so, in a nutshell, that’s it… I deliver Pottery Boxes that contain everything you need to paint beautiful pieces of pottery in the comfort of your own home, at a time and pace that suits you and your family. I do the rest… I deliver, collect, glaze and fire, before returning your bespoke, useable, fired pottery directly back to you.

I also provide you with the tools and guidance to help you to create beautiful items with simple techniques – all you need to add is water.

I get such a buzz from seeing pieces both before and after firing. I can feel the energy, love and effort that my customers have put into them. The joy on their faces when I return their pottery is priceless.

There is a Winston Churchill quote that goes ‘if you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life’ and this is wholeheartedly how I feel about The Painted Dragonfly.

I’d love to help you to unleash your own creativity and have fun creating something that you will treasure for years to come.