A bit about me, my work, what my customers say and AnnMade News
I used to be a teacher, well really I still am, it's not something that leaves me easily, give me a chance and I'll teach you all I know. Many years ago I was trained in a wide range of crafts, from paper-craft and papier-mache through pottery, painting and fabric-work to forge-work, silver-smithing and woodwork. I was as at home with decoupage as I was with cutting a dovetail or a turning on a metalwork lathe.
However, when the time came to start my own craft based business it came shortly after I had the opportunity to get to know slate as a material and I fell in love with it.
The subtle colours, the textures, the ways that it responds to being worked; the geology, history and the simple but effective ways that man has worked in this wonderful natural material intrigued and beguiled me. I learned the techniques, new and old, and began making a few small items and in doing so found that I enjoyed and was inspired by the slate itself - and out of all that came the annmade range of products - all of which are made here, in Cornwall.
My more recent background in Food Hygiene also led to me developing my specialist food-safe slate plates, platters and cheeseboards now used by hundreds of individuals as well as by chefs in hotels, restaurants and bistros all over the UK and in Eire and the USA as well as on TV!
Commissions: There is nothing I like more than to design and create a one-off piece for a special order. It gives me great pleasure and I believe that the person that receives it will always feel that pleasure when they look at that item. For items made-to-order go to 'contact ann', which is the same place to go if you have any queries concerning any annmade products.
Trade and Commercial: Bulk order commissions and bespoke-size slate plates / platters are also undertaken, including for restaurants, bistros, hotels etc. please go to 'contact ann' to ask for a quote
Talks, Demonstrations and 'hands-on' workshops - delivered within 20miles of PL12 - for prices and details enquire through 'contact ann'
Your Comments and Feedback on annmade products and the annmade website, or ideas that you would like to see designed for, are always welcome, please go to 'contact ann' to send them to me.
What my customers say - REVIEWS:
Slate Plates (standard-pro) arrived this morning and they look fantastic! B. Madsen, Adelaide, AUSTRALIA (Nov 2011)
Thank you so much the slate engraving of a tin mine arrived today. It is great and thanks for the fabulous service. Gill, Barnes, London
Things are going very well at Uncorked, our fantastic new-concept winebar in Connecticut (USA) and we are very pleased with the plates. They have exceeded our expectations with regard to durability. We serve chocolates, cheeses, and charcuterie on them. On each plate, we write the name of the item in chalk pencil. Our guests absolutely love the concept and the plates themselves. David Rudman, Assist GM - Uncorked,.
"You are streets ahead in service, communication, offerings and are excellent value with included postage. I surely have recommended you everywhere!" Lynn. Wokingham.
"The CheeseBoard arrived yesterday (amazingly quickly) and is gorgeous thank you! All the best with
your business, you have some lovely things on your website which I shall visit again when I am stuck
for someone's present." Rita. Royston.
"My wife and I are delighted with the clock. Thank you for making it so quickly. It now has pride of place in our newly decorated lounge" Kenny. Lanarkshire.
“The slates are beautiful. We use them in our restaurant for our cheese-boards,
with cheeses from a local cheese-monger. Our customers love them!!”
- La Stella – restaurant ‘gastronomic food in a bistro setting’.
I'm delighted to tell you that the clock arrived at work this morning! Thank you so much, it's perfect, I'm thrilled! And it's been a pleasure
doing business with you, and I'll definitely recommend you to all my friends and family. Laura,
I just wanted to let you know that the place cards arrived
and they are fab - just what I wanted! Sonia,
Thank you so much - the slates for my son’s wedding arrived this morning. I can't tell you how excited I was! They are perfect, and so beautifully cut. You have been so professional and it has been an absolute pleasure doing business with you. It was so nice to deal with someone who actually takes pride in their work!
The 132 slate place-cards arrived this morning and look fantastic. Thanks very much, they will add a unique touch to our day. - Kerry and Ali
They are "exactly what I'd envisioned. I'm excited to think of serving our first cheese or appetizer on my new slate plates!" Bill, Chicago, USA
Hi. Just wanted to let you know how brilliant the (Standard-Pro) slate plates I ordered are.They created a great reaction at our New Year's dinner. BH Chelmsford 2011
"Divining The Line ... is a cleverly constructed novel with an amazingly convincing extensive cast of characters, with insightful interchange of plot and sub-plot being almost imperceptibly manipulated. A sensitive portayal of lives and loves unfolds and leads inexorably towards a touching conclusion....." 30 / 9 / 11 Anthea Lay. - Kelly Bray
Nothing Ever Happens Here . Ann Foweraker "After I finished this book I had one big question – why on earth hadn’t it been published before? I had started reading it without any expectations but soon was drawn into the lives of these ordinary people and with that empathy was right with them as things began to go horribly wrong so was hooked to the end, not wanting to put the book down and even near to tears at one point. Reading ‘Nothing Ever Happens Here’ by Ann Foweraker was as vivid as watching a film of the story and I think it should be made into one!" Christine Haywood - Gunnislake
Some Kind of Synchrony - Ann Foweraker "I had difficulty in logging off from reading ‘Some Kind of Synchrony’, as I so wanted to know what happened next! ‘The Story’ contained within the original story and following some of the original’s events was really interesting, but when ‘The Story’ then seemed to be taking over the original scenario, it got quite scary, but without doubt became very exciting and fast moving. Judy Q
Read My Blog 'Publishing my Novels and Other Passions' at AnnFoweraker.com
Read more reviews direct from google-checkout HERE
**NEWS**
** Nov '11 Annmade's first 'export' to Australia (Standard-pro slate plates)
*Oct '11 Annmade delivers fisrt order to Sweden (plant markers). * Nov'11 Second order (Tablemats) to Sweden
** Three ANN FOWERAKER novels now available as ebooks from AnnMade.co.uk - go to BOOKS to download (PDF) first 3 chapters free! Divining The Line Nothing Ever Happens Here Some Kind of Synchrony
April 2011 : NOW Checkout through google-checkout OR Paypal
* March 2011 - and the annmade Slate Standard-Pro plates / platters were on the TV again, on Cookery School, this time showing off a potted ducks liver with pickled mushrooms and Irish soda bread... looking very rustic!!
** February 14th 2011 Annmade Standard-Pro slate plates on Cookery School on Channel 4 displaying Richard Corrigan's Oysters in tempura batter - looking great!!
** Sept 2010: Top Chef Richard Corrigan asks for annmade Standard-Pro slate plates / platters for 'Cookery School' a new programme to be screened in January on Channel 4 and co-hosted by Gizzi Erskine.
** May 2010: Uncorked, a new type of winebar in Connecticut, USA orders 60 platters in assorted sizes after annmade platters meet the food hygiene regulations for USA. Assistant GM said he couldn't find any in the US that were suitable.
** April 2010 - annmade Quattro platters make many appearances on The Great British Menu again - as these annmade slate plates / platters were used by a succession of the chefs for starters, desserts and fish dishes.
** February 2010 annmade opens a Facebook Page. AnnMade .co.uk Search Facebook Pages for AnnMade.co.uk and become a FAN - lots of extra information and photos on this fan Page. And now there's the AnnMade Group to join too if you like.
** July / August: 2009 - 100 annmade Quattro platters make it onto TV on a major food-programme presenting the starter. Winning Michelin-starred Chef buys 50 for hotel restaurant.
Retail Outlets:
Annmade items are also available in a few select outlets in Cornwall.
Annmade is at Callington Country Market in Callington, Cornwall, most Wednesday mornings, where, should you be in the vicinity you could meet me face to face. Country-market website address: www.country-markets.co.uk
Carnglaze Caverns Slate mine, near St. Neot in Cornwall where I supply items made especially for them on Carnglaze Slate (a blue-black slate with iron inclusions) and other items of a Faery nature. Carnglaze website address: www.carnglaze.com
Upton Cross Art & Craft exhibition and sale - Upton Cross, Cornwall, first two weeks in August - see checkout page for details nearer date
St Dominick Church, Craft Fair, St Dominick. 3 days in May and 3 days in November - see checkout page for details nearer dates
2011- Thurs 3rd Nov - Saturday 5th Nov 11am - 6pm (Saturday til 5pm)
Ann
Craft and Cornish Friends
Working and selling in Cornwall I get to meet some people who do marvellous work in different materials, inspired by the beautiful natural environment we are so lucky to be surrounded by each day, the history and the folk-lore of the place. Below are the websites of some of these Craft and Cornish Friends
My Cotton Nighties
This company is run by a close friend of mine; Katie Williams. Who sells these beautiful 100% Cotton Nighties. These nighties are great for those with allergies, but also generally very nice nightwear for those wishing for something comfortable and traditional.
