A London creative discovered the magic of slowing down in nature
Designer and upcycling master Annie Phillips of Made By Annie, heads to the woods to recharge her creative batteries
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m Annie! I’m a designer/seamstress, small business owner, and lover of all things craft and secondhand! I’m a mum to little Caleb and we have another on the way, so life is pretty chaotic! I’m a city girl, but I love walks to keep me grounded and I adore all things print and colour.
Being a designer, how do you find inspiration and ignite your creativity?
I’m mostly inspired by my experiences and surroundings, whether that's people-watching, or secondhand shopping and stumbling across vintage techniques… I just observe what's around me and soak it all in. I also try to forget it’s a ‘job’ and just go exploring, which often leads to something I fall in love with. Being creative often means facing deadlines and constraints, so I try to break away from that to truly be inspired by the project.
Do you do anything to prioritise taking time out as opposed to succumbing to the stress of the hustle?
Honestly, I thought I did, but looking back, there's always a part of me switched on, checking my phone for updates. I do, however, force ‘work breaks’ to be present with my family, but with a toddler, it often feels like you’re still ‘on the go’. Many of us are on this spinning wheel juggling a million things for so long we don’t even realise we’re on it!
You recently went out to our Marley cabin in Norfolk, where was your head at before you left?
I suffer from anxiety, and I had so much on my plate. I would say I was pretty much near the limit of my stress meter! I also felt very deflated. Christmas and New Year's had just been and my social battery was at 0. I was absolutely in need of a break for sure.
How did you feel when you got back?
We both felt so much lighter/clear headed. I felt much more connected in my relationship, I felt like I had a new focus with work and I was equally excited to get back into it but also didn’t want to leave the safe haven of the cabin!
And, winter! A lot of folks favour the TV and central heating during this time, how'd you find wintering in a cabin in the woods instead?
When we first arrived, I was a bit dubious; it was absolutely freezing and of course as I’m always late, so we arrived in the dark (not something I recommend!). However, after we got the fire going we were so toasty, we played some games and ate, and we could have been anywhere.. just the two of us having fun! It was so cosy and snuggly, the air outside was crisp and fresh. The perfect winter break.
What was the highlight of your experience?
It took me a while to unwind and truly be cool with just doing nothing, but once we did, I felt like I was in my element. One of my personal highlights was going for a stroll in the crisp sunlight, and hearing the birds in the trees, the leaves crunching, and the hares rustling through the leaves. At one point, we even stumbled across some deer which felt really surreal. I felt like a little kid again exploring the woods and letting our imagination go wild!