DARE we dream that the terrible weather is behind us and spring is on the way?If so, there’s no better time to venture out and get up close to Scotland’s wildlife.
But if you’re stuck indoors – or, worse still, quarantined – you can have a menagerie of creatures delivered to your door courtesy of Scotland’s army of independent makers.
Our Maker of the Month Valerie Harrison’s beautiful Rie Design watercolour range includes cards, brooches, pendants, magnets and even wrapping paper, with her pine marten card and kingfisher pocket mirror among our favourites.
Pine marten card, £2.50, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RieDesigned
Kingfisher pocket mirror, £4.95, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RieDesigned
She has also produced an adult colouring book featuring the wildlife of Dumfries and Galloway.
READ MORE: Meet the Maker: Valerie Harrison, the artist behind Rie Designed
Galashiels-based fine art painter Sarah Cox specialises in animal portraits but also produces exquisite miniature works of art such as this deer brooch and a golden eagle necklace, both made from pebbles fished out of a river in the Borders. These are both one-of-a-kind, so you’ll need to be fast if you want them.
Pebble necklace, £15, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SarahCoxArtwork
If you prefer your artworks on the wall rather than on your person, take a look at the Etsy shop of Inverness-based artist Natalie Croft, who specialises in vibrant watercolours and whose prints include a mountain hare hopping through the snow; or Colourworx by Aberdeen-based painter Cally Smith, whose fine art prints include a majestic golden eagle.
Mountain hare print, £25, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NatalieCroftArt
Golden eagle fine art print, £43, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/colourworx
READ MORE: Take a look at 14 perfect gifts made in Scotland's islands
The designs of Glasgow-based designer, illustrator and nature lover Louise J Browne have a strikingly original style and can be printed on everything from badges to coasters.
Among our favourites are her pheasant (available on a card, magnet, coaster, tea towel or lavender-filled sachet) and puffin (with the same items available plus a pocket mirror and a gift wrap set).
Pheasant card, £2.50, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LouiseJenniferDesign
Puffin tea towel, £9, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LouiseJenniferDesign
Cards from Hand Drawn Gifts By Amy combine wildlife illustrations with mottos; Rona Innes has turned her vibrant and dramatic animal paintings – including one of the elusive Scottish wildcat – into a range of cards, notepads and homewares; and the Thundercliffe Press card range includes a rather fabulous capercaillie.
Stag card, £2.50, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HandDrawnGiftsByAmy
Otter card, £2.50, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HandDrawnGiftsByAmy
Wildcat greetings card, £2.80, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RonaInnesArt
Capercaillie card, £2.40, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ThundercliffePress
For something a little bit different, check out Invernessbased Karen Van Der Zijden’s enchanting sculptures. These are made by needle felting, a process that involves using barbed wires to interlock wool fibres into a material ready for sculpting. Her peacefully sleeping red fox is our favourite of these furry friends.
Needle felted red fox, £39, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KarenVanDerZijden
No round-up of animal magic would be complete without some selections from The Canny Squirrel, the Paisley-based textile company of designer/maker Katherine Pentney. Her blackface ram cushion would be a talking point in any room, and her Highland Cow glasses case teams intricate embroidery with made with an earthy dark-green Harris Tweed.
Glasses case, £26, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheCannySquirrel
Blackface sheep cushion, £85, www.thecannysquirrel.co.uk
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