Welcome to Our Handmade Furniture Journal from The Cosy Toadstool!

For me, home has always been more than four walls. It is the smell of your favourite dinner cooking, the aroma floating through the air, the warm feeling that being cosy in your home gives you whilst its chucking it down outside. The comfort of a favourite chair by the window to read your favourite book or have 10 minutes to yourself. Let's be honest, your spaces tell your story.

One of my favourite cosy chairs from my shop

My love affair with handmade furniture is deeply rooted by childhood memories. The aromas, textures and characteristics of handmade wooden furniture that triggers memories of me being sat in my grandma's wooden rocking chair reading The Secret Garden or Peter Rabbit books. Staying the weekends in her cottage in Lancashire when I was a child, or her teaching me how to polish her old oak sideboard (WITH the grain using only beeswax or there would be hell to pay)!

The memories that give me a warm fuzzy feeling in my belly and a wistful smile on my face. It's chasing that warm fuzzy feeling that triggered my interest and appeal in the cosiness of cottagecore and the charm of cabincore.

I believe our homes should a be reflection of the lives we live and the memories we make within them.

Moving to the here and now, I got married and moved to Yorkshire with my lovely husband (much to the dismay of my Lancastrian family). Don't get me wrong, they love my husband, but now they recon I've moved over to 'The Dark Side'. I'll always be a Lancashire girl a heart though.

We now split our time between West Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

The current view from our place in Lincolnshire. You could play pool on that field, it's so flat!

The village I grew up in - Lancashire

The landscapes that inspire me are wonderfully contrasting. From the vast, flat skies and endless horizons of Lincolnshire to the rolling hills and hidden valleys of rural Lancashire and Yorkshire. The stone cottages nestled happily there, the furniture and decorations that enhance the cosiness of it all. How most of it is older than any person alive on this planet. Just think about that for a second. Homes and furniture, hundreds of years old, built to last. Built to endure.

This is why I love cottagecore and cabincore so much. The uniqueness of it. The soft countryside vibes, the homemade and handmade.

You can spend many hours curating your perfect space. Sewing the perfect blinds for your reading nook or kitchen window, pressing flowers for your latest craft project, knitting the perfect throw for your sofa, practising your jam making skills in your kitchen, doing things that make you feel organic and connected to nature. But what about creating a space for you to do all these things? Where are you going to knead your homemade bread? Sit whilst you sew your patchwork quilt or crochet a placemat?

This is where I come in. When I am looking for pieces to list on my store, I try to imagine myself using the pieces myself and how I would use them in my own home. If I get that warm fuzzy feeling, I'll include it in my shop, so you can share the warm fuzzy feeling too!

This is why every piece I choose is handcrafted by skilled artisans who share my passion for traditional craftsmanship and enduring design. Embrace the quirks that make handmade pieces unique—the character of natural materials, the marks of careful workmanship, and the knowledge that no two pieces are ever quite the same.

Curved Oakish Coffee Table from my shop - Buy it here

This journal is an invitation into my world. Here you'll discover:

• Interior design ideas inspired by cottagecore and cabincore living, from cosy reading nooks and country kitchens to rustic cabin bedrooms and thoughtfully layered spaces.

• Seasonal styling inspiration that embraces the beauty of the changing countryside (yaaaaayyyy for Autumn and Halloween - my favourite time of year).

• Helping you refresh your home throughout the year with natural textures, timeless pieces, and simple comforts.

• Guides to choosing bespoke handmade furniture that will be treasured for generations.

• Advice on caring for your handmade furniture so that it becomes part of your family's story.

• Tips and advice on creating your own little cosy space.

• I'll also throw in some seasonal recipe ideas and nifty hacks.

Let's design your home together that is meant for living in, enduring all that life throws at it - kids, clumsy other halves (yes, that's me), house moves, parties, coming home at the end of the day, kicking off your shoes and being happy and content in your cosy space.

Let me help you to create a space that is truly yours. Little pieces of your time and effort scattered all around.

Welcome to the Cosy Toadstool journal—a place where craftsmanship, countryside living, and thoughtful interiors come together.

Put the kettle on, settle into your favourite chair, and stay awhile.

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