About
Hello, I’m Julia, an artist and craft maker. I live in an early 20th century miner’s cottage, just outside Edinburgh, and I run my business from what used to be the livingroom of my home.
My creative interests are diverse; I design and make accessories and textile-art dolls, enjoy hand-embroidery, making my own clothes, as well as drawing and painting (which is what I originally studied at college). I've never wanted to...or have been able to limit myself to just one area, and love the satisfaction of learning something new.
Everything I make, whether a simple woollen purse, a painting, or hand embroidered artwork, has been created with love and care. Each characterful item tells a unique story. It might be a playful story, like the cute kitten dolls, or it could be altogether more poignant, such as cards to send to the people you miss. I'm sure there will be a story you relate to.
In 1990 I graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with an Honours Degree in Painting and later I studied Creative Embroidery. For many years I worked in manufacturing and retail - making hand pleated lampshades and selling vintage clothing, amongst other things. Now I put all that experience into practice on a daily basis in my creative work.
In 2005 I launched my business originally going under the name Materialised. Since then my work has sold in shops, galleries, and craft fairs. I’ve sold to private collectors in the UK and internationally via online shops such as Etsy and Folksy. Now I sell exclusively online through this website. With almost 20 years experience selling online, providing great customer service comes as second nature.
In 2018 I re-launched my website under my own name, Julia Laing. I'm extremely grateful to every single customer who has supported my business since it began, you've allowed me to forge my own creative path through life.
In my shop, you will find a great selection of inspiring ideas - art to decorate your home, accessories you’ll love wearing and using every day plus cards and gifts to suit all ages.
I get immense satisfaction from making pieces that are either one-of-a-kind or made in extremely small batches, so you can count on your purchase being exclusive or unique.
What Inspires Me?
The gorgeous colour palette and styles of mid 20th-century design inspire me hugely, but inspiration is also to be found closer to home in the things I'm surrounded by here and now: my beautiful cats Melba and Marco; the flowers growing in my garden; the textures of the hand-thrown pottery I’ve collected over the years.
I believe in the transformative power of art – not just for the maker but the viewer too. Did you know scans have shown, looking at works of art triggers a surge of dopamine in the pleasure centre of the brain, akin to falling in love!
In a world of mass-produced blandness, where life can appear drab and grey, I enjoy using colour to create an uplifting mood.
I’m a member of the Green Craft Initiative, a community of Scottish makers, committed to reducing our environmental impact so you can buy with a happy heart and safe in the knowledge you have made an ecologically sensitive purchase