I’m Michelle.  From my studio within my slightly wonky house on the South Coast of England, within sight of the sea, I spend most of my days running my own little business, called The Fox In The Attic.  I share my home with my daughters Penelope and Beatrix, my musician husband, and a very naughty mackerel tabby kitten called Keats.

The Fox in the Attic started with handmade, embroidered soft toys back in 2011. I wanted to find something I could do that would grow and enable me to work for myself, and that hopefully in the future, when we had children, I could do from home. I dipped my toe in by experimenting with what I could make at home that people would respond to.  After a very short crash course in sewing and embroidery, which I found I took to quite instinctively, I started making soft toys for babies and children, with colourful patterns and designs - a theme that has stuck right through down to today.

Part of the reason for moving from London to East Sussex in 2013, was to help enable me to have a proper go at making The Fox In The Attic my one and only full time business.  So using my acquired skills over the years in graphic design, illustration and painting, I began producing watercolours that I’d turn into designs on rattles, cushions, prints and cards.  With my business quietly ticking over, I decided to take a big leap in 2017 by finding a company overseas to print my watercolour illustrations on to muslins for mums and babies.  This proved to be a big success and until now I have been selling muslins and other baby products.

The last two years my focus has changed and I felt a great need to be more creative, paint more instead of packing orders. I love cooking and entertaining and would paint little menus for dinner parties. Through Pinterest people would find my menus and contact me to paint custom wedding stationery. From early 2023 I have been focusing more on this side of the business. I love hearing clients ideas and working with them to create their perfect wedding stationery.

I’m so happy to be making my life on my own terms as a woman, a small business owner and a mum.  The challenges are just as great as the rewards and satisfaction, and as long as it stays that way I know I’ll be happy.