We are in stockport today repairing a huge willow dome that has been neglected for a few years. Quite a workout pulling in the thick willow rods. Is looking much better now

Just finishing off the last dome for groundwork trust in leigh, lancashire.

The snow has all but disappeared now and we are finishing off our project at sandersons croft, leigh. We have a small dome to build today

We have been working in the snow this week

Willow Maintenance

today we are running a willow maintenance day at Sunnyside Primary School, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough despite the snow. the idea is to show teaching staff how they can keep their willow structures in good condition and use some of the trimmings for classroom activities. we can also suggest plantings to complement the willow structures and remind staff that strimmers are the enemy of all trees, especially willow

Willow Structures for Nursery Classes

we have been working at Pallister Park Primary School in Middlesbrough this week the weather is decidedly wet and soggy. we have been working with the children to make a 'willow village of domes and tunnel. when we arrived at the school we were pleasantly surprised to see leaflets from Middlesbrough Council that featured happy families playing in the living willow maze that we created at the city farm at Coulby Newham. we were so pleased to see that the maze had thrived and has good growth.

Living Willow Projects for November

We have been busy building Living Willow Structures. At Merryhills Primary School, Enfield we spent a week working with the children to build their new 'Willow Walk'. The structure was based around a series of tunnels connected to a dome.
Last Saturday we spent a day at Bedford Modern School working with sixth formers making willow insect sculptures.

This week we have been working in Nursery Schools in Cheshire and Didsbury building tunnels and domes in newly created play areas.

Simone at Calthwaite School, Penrith

The Living Willow Season is nearly upon us and we will be planting our first living willow structures in mid November. we have some free dates in March if any school wants to have a willow feature in their grounds

Royal Berkshire Show

just getting ready to set off for the show. we will be running children's workshops throughout the weekend. The sun is shining at the moment!

Willow Shows

We have had a very busy time demonstrating at shows. Yesterday we were at our local Westmorland Show where we won first prize for Best Rural Craft Display. It was great to be recognised in our own town. The weather was hot and sunny. Now it is wet and grey!

The picture is of  a workshop we ran for IKEA at their Peterborough distribution centre last weekend.

We will be at Trentham Gardens this weekend making 2 willow deer for display this Christmas. Hopefully the weather will blow over and we will have more lovely sunny autumnal weather.the bottom picture is of our display yesterday.

willowpoolworkshops

willowpoolworkshops

here is a list of our forthcoming willow weaving courses

ABOUT WILLOWPOOL DESIGNS - willowpoolworkshops

ABOUT WILLOWPOOL DESIGNS - willowpoolworkshops

here is a new page Steve made

Forest of Marston Vale

Forest of Marston Vale

and we will be here demonstrating willow weaving in early September

HeARTwood summer festival « The largest new native forest in England

HeARTwood summer festival « The largest new native forest in England

Steve will be working with the public to create a giant willow PEAR sculpture to go in the orchard area. the sculpture will be about 6 feet tall.

nationalforest.org | Welcome to The National Forest

nationalforest.org Welcome to The National Forest
we will demonstrating at the national forest event and running workshops for children

Southport Flower Show

we will demonstrating here next weekend. After our amazing sucess at Tatton Park RHS Flower Show where we were awarded a Commendation for our display we hope to make an even better display at Southport. see ya there! Southport Flower Show

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority - Countryside Live

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority - Countryside Live we will be here running willow weaving taster sessions

Bravenet Photo Album Manager - Photos of WILLOWPOOL PICTURES

heres one of our early collections of photos.

http://pub26.bravenet.com/photocenter/v2/#bn-photocenter-1-1-2203819423/

list of courses

here is a link to our list of courses that we can offer
Main

willow bird hide at Talkin Tarn, nr Brampton, Cumbria

willow weaving courses

check out our list of forthcoming willow weaving courses

WILLOW WORKSHOPS

Magical Willow Workshops 2010-2011




Steve Fuller & Simone Siegan of Willowpool Designs, run unique willow workshops in the Lake District & South Lakes. Willowpool Designs are based in Endmoor, which is a small village just outside of Kendal, Cumbria. Steve Fuller has been a basketmaker and willow weaver for over 30 years and Simone Siegan has been a willow weaver for over 14 years. Willowpool Designs often use local village halls for their workshops in Cumbria, usually in the Kendal area. Steve & Simone deliver and run workshops all over the country. Due to popular demand a selection of workshops for 2010-2011.

Workshops can also be organised for groups anywhere in the UK, for a minimum of 10 people. Our fee for workshops is only £65.00 per person, fee includes all materials & two willow artists & preparation costs. All workshops are suitable for complete beginners!



Magical Willow Deer November 20th 2010

A wonderful addition to Christmas, they look great decorated with red ribbons and white lights! Weave a small deer in a day and impress yourself!



Magical Angels for Christmas November 27th 2010

Create a small angel for a beautiful Xmas display, or make a few for presents. They look wonderful decorated with white lights, great eco alternative to an Xmas tree!



Magical Christmas Workshops November 28th 2010

Create willow stars and wreathes, willow Xmas trees. Have a lovely day making small willow items for the home or for presents



Magical Christmas Workshops December 11th 2010

Create willow stars and wreathes, willow Xmas trees. Have a lovely day making small willow items for the home or for presents



Living Willow Structures. January 9th 2011

Learn to create a living willow den or fedge. Perfect activity to get yourself through the long winter days!



Magical Hearts and Stars February 13th 2011

Join Steve & Simone in a workshop to create amazing hearts and stars. Create brilliant presents for yourself or for a valentine day gift with a difference!







Updates and more details can be found on our website www.willowpooldesigns.co.uk

Email us at livingwillow@hotmail.com phone number 015395 67056

07773161761/07919684337 cheques payable to: Willowpool Designs

9 Weston Houses Endmoor, Nr Kendal Cumbria LA8 0HA



Magical Willow Workshops 2010-2011




Steve Fuller & Simone Siegan of Willowpool Designs, run unique willow workshops in the Lake District & South Lakes. Willowpool Designs are based in Endmoor, which is a small village just outside of Kendal, Cumbria. Steve Fuller has been a basketmaker and willow weaver for over 30 years and Simone Siegan has been a willow weaver for over 14 years. Willowpool Designs often use local village halls for their workshops in Cumbria, usually in the Kendal area. Steve & Simone deliver and run workshops all over the country. Due to popular demand a selection of workshops for 2010-2011.

Workshops can also be organised for groups anywhere in the UK, for a minimum of 10 people. Our fee for workshops is only £65.00 per person, fee includes all materials & two willow artists & preparation costs. All workshops are suitable for complete beginners!



Magical Willow Deer November 20th 2010

A wonderful addition to Christmas, they look great decorated with red ribbons and white lights! Weave a small deer in a day and impress yourself!



Magical Angels for Christmas November 27th 2010

Create a small angel for a beautiful Xmas display, or make a few for presents. They look wonderful decorated with white lights, great eco alternative to an Xmas tree!



Magical Christmas Workshops November 28th 2010

Create willow stars and wreathes, willow Xmas trees. Have a lovely day making small willow items for the home or for presents



Magical Christmas Workshops December 11th 2010

Create willow stars and wreathes, willow Xmas trees. Have a lovely day making small willow items for the home or for presents



Living Willow Structures. January 9th 2011

Learn to create a living willow den or fedge. Perfect activity to get yourself through the long winter days!



Magical Hearts and Stars February 13th 2011

Join Steve & Simone in a workshop to create amazing hearts and stars. Create brilliant presents for yourself or for a valentine day gift with a difference!







Updates and more details can be found on our website www.willowpooldesigns.co.uk

Email us at livingwillow@hotmail.com phone number 015395 67056

07773161761/07919684337 cheques payable to: Willowpool Designs

9 Weston Houses Endmoor, Nr Kendal Cumbria LA8 0HA

WILLOW WEAVING WORKSHOPS

Here is a collage of some of the workshops that we have held over the years. We are going to organise some more workshops for this autumn/winter and will be advertising them at Tatton Park RHS Show.

Real Garden

Here is a real garden at Sandsend near Runswick Bay just in case the gardens at Tatton Park make people feel inadequate after viewing all that perfection. If you do visit Sandsend have a look at the willow spiling that is supporting the riverbank.

Tatton Park RHS Show

The show starts on Wednesday and we are just hoping for good weather, although we desperately need rain in Cumbria as we are suffering a hosepipe ban at the moment. It rained a lot on Sunday and looks like doing the same today. We will be loading all of our willow stuff into the van and car today, dodging the rain and getting ready to finish setting up our stand. Hope that the gazebo is still standing and that the tent that we pitched on the campsite has not collapsed or been raided by kids.
We will be demonstration willow scupture (animals and birds) and Steve will be making some baskets.
The picture is of our display at Tullie House Museum Open Gardens event, not even a month ago but the weather was lovely, bright and sunny.
Anyone coming to Tatton be sure to bring wellies, raincoat and plenty of food as the food prices at the show are quite expensive. There is a lot to see, there seems to be a big emphasis on vegetables and herbs this year from what we have noticed from walking through the showground to our stand.

willow sculpture

we have had a busy week so far. we were at Bydales School, Marske for 4 days working with students to create a small herd of deer for the school's outdoor classroom. we stayed on a campsite at Redcar which was a bad move as the site was very exposed and the wind was so stong that we were worried that the tent would rip apart in the night. but we did visit some fantastic places after school. we had a great bar meal at Sandsend which is a fantastic place with a lovely coastal valley with lovely cottages with flower-filled gardens. after a sitting in the sun having a beer we travelled on the Runswick Bay which is a fantastic small fishing village near to Saltburn. Saltburn used to be our favourite place in the Middlesborough area but now we are spoilt for choice.
Today we started setting up our stand at Tatton Park RHS Flower Show and al;so installed a willow arch in a back-to-back garden designed by Bridge College, Stockport.

The weather looks pretty grim for the show but we have our fingers crossed.

school sculpture project

 here is a picture from one of our recent willow sculpture days at Hawkshead Primary School

School Art Projects

We have had a busy week with school art projects starting at Chapel Stile where we made a deer and a gruffalo. Next we spent a day at a nursery school in Stockport where all the nursery and reception children made willow fish and helped me to make a deer! On Friday we were at a Primary school in Morcambe where we took part in a mini Glastonbury type festival organised by the school - there was lots of music from groups of former pupils, dance workshops, kitemaking, face painting, our willow weaving and singing workshops. The weather was very hot and summery and it was great fun.
We stayed in Liverpool on Friday night and went to see Jackson Browne in concert. Fantastic!
Saturday saw us at a Woodland Open Day in Huyton, Liverpool where we ran willow workshops.

Today we are at home enjoying the much needed rain. hope it lasts all day as our newly planted willows need plenty of water.

Willow Gruffalo

here is a Gruffalo that we made at Chapel Stile Primary School yesterday. All of the children were involved in the creation and he know lives in the Forest School area

Willow Unicorns at Capel Manor

2 weeks ago we were at Capel Manor College, Enfield to repair some neglected willow unicorns. We were not the original creators but have been carrying out running repairs for the last couple of years.

We also checked out our living willow dome that we built earlier this year. the dome is growing beautifully and we are very pleased with it.

RHS Show Tatton Park | RHS Gardening

RHS Show Tatton Park | RHS Gardening

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Video - Alchemy Festival - 17th to 19th Sept 2010

Video - Alchemy Festival - 17th to 19th Sept 2010

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Living Willow

The Living Willow season has finally come to a close now. Anything planted later than now will need a lot of loving attention to coax growth out of the willow rods due to the lack of rain.
Any willow projects that have been carried out this spring will need lots of watering as we have not had any April showers this year. Children love the task of watering so it should be no problem in schools.
We have now started working on 3d sculptures for Arts Days and Eco Days in schools and yesterday built a giant sun at Croft Primary School near Warrington.

HECTIC LIVING WILLOW WEEK

we have had a very busy week trying to get all of our living willow projects completed before Simone has her foot operation on Friday. We have been all over the country using our trusty Skoda Felicia as the van is still off the road waiting for a new engine. We have carried out 2 projects for Groundwork Trust, a willow dome in a primary school in Hyde, living willow fencing at Ashton-In-Makerfield and a willow project at a primary school in Ulverston, Cumbria.
On Saturday morning we ran a willow weaving workshop for the Woodland Trust in Whitehaven where children wove willow leaves and spheres to hang in the wood.
Today we were back in Middlesborough working on the maze project at the farm in Coulby Newham. The maze is taking a lot of willow and its hard work making planting holes in the heavy clay field.

Then it was a quick trip to our new willow beds to do some pruning and check to see if the newly planted cuttings were budding. They were!!

Learning Outside the Classroom - Introduction

Learning Outside the Classroom - Introduction

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love-school-grounds.pdf (application/pdf Object)

love-school-grounds.pdf (application/pdf Object)

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SUMMER SHOWS

we are just starting to think about the various shows that we will be attending over the summer.
we are demonstrating at the spring event at Capel Manor, Enfield on Saturday and Sunday and will be making some willow pigs and carrying out repairs to the unicorns in the grounds

WILLOW MAZE IN SNOW

A maze in the snow

Welcome Page

 Welcome Page
the link is the Martin Cockerhams Spirogyra website. Martin is one of the great english singer songwriters who has been overlooked in recent years. Spirogyra will be performing in London later this year. It will be a fantastic evening. Go to Martin's website and buy his albums because they are brilliant!!
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Middlesbrough Council : Newham Grange Country Farm: Newham Grange Country Farm

we are starting work on a huge living willow maze here this Easter come snow, hail or gales. We were the first willow weavers to make mazes out of living willow but now everyone seems to be getting in on the act! Some folks are even saying on their websites they they are getting gardening awards for their work. just wish that we could get some credit for helping to popularise all this willow stuff. people are even copying bitsof our blurb and text to put on their websites.

So here is Steve's Easter Message to other willow weavers 'Get Some Ideas of Your Own'

Middlesbrough Council : Newham Grange Country Farm: Newham Grange Country Farm

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LIVING WILLOW VILLAGE

this week we were at Sunnyside School, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough creating a 'willow village' of 3 different sized domes connected by tunnels. This was part of the school grounds improvement organisewd by Groundwork Trust, Middlesborough. Despite the weather being appallingly wet and soggy the children helped to plant and weave the willow.

Tomorrow we are at IKEA, Bristol running some Easter willow workshops in the store, so at least we won't have to wear out waterproof outdoor gear and get muddy boots!