Although it may not feel like it at the moment, 'tis nearly the season to be jolly once again, and local online store, Purcell-Green Studios, is here to provide you with a selection of delicate, handcrafted presents for your loved ones.

Purcell-Green Studios was founded by Chelsea Purcell, who runs the business from her Cheshire home studio, creating pretty baubles, trinket dishes, greeting cards and gift tags for her Etsy page.

"I have always loved designing and have a creative flair," Chelsea says. "At university, I studied graphic design, and during my time there, I occasionally ran a stall at the local market, and had my artwork stocked in a local art shop.

"Purcell-Green Studios started about a year ago, a few months after graduating from university. I really wanted to get back into creating for myself and I set up my Etsy shop and it just grew from there!

As an online business, Purcell-Green advertises predominantly through Instagram, which enables Chelsea to engage with potential customers and network with other independent creatives.

"At the moment there are a lot of virtual markets happening on social media which is a great way to reach new customers now that physical markets have been cancelled," Chelsea adds.

She has recently featured her products in Frodsham Christmas Festival Market, which is providing small businesses with a way of sharing their Christmas gift items with local people.

Crafting the Purcell-Green brand

When creating her handmade pieces, Chelsea often works with concrete, which she decorates with delicate lines of paintwork to create an elegant, contemporary feel.

"Whenever I am thinking of a design, I always think what I or my friends would like to see. I think it's really important to design something you love and would buy yourself."

"I absolutely love designing greeting cards. There are so many different occasions to design for with so many possible styles, and this allows me to experiment with colours, illustration styles and typography.

Our personal favourite of Purcell-Green's cards are Chelsea's plantable range, which are printed on tree-free lux seed paper produced here in Cheshire. The card is lined with wildflower seeds, which can be planted after use.

"They make a great present because you are not only giving someone a card, but also the gift of flowers," Chelsea says.

"As well as this, they have the added bonus of being environmentally friendly. So many cards are non-recyclable due to the paper finish or the glitter, and I think this is a really nice thing to do with your cards once you no longer want them."

Hopes for the future

According to Chelsea, the best part of running her own business is having "the freedom to create what [she] wants."

"I still have a full-time job, but it's so nice to be able to do other creative things for myself. I also love the feeling I have when I receive an order. Even now, I still get so excited!

"Seeing everyone else enjoying my creations is a great feeling too, and it's amazing knowing something you've made now sits proudly in someone else's home!

"Splitting my time between my day job and Purcell-Green is becoming increasingly tough as I am getting far busier, especially now the festive season is fast approaching.

"I now have Fridays off from work to focus on this as well as using every evening and weekend. I'm always super busy!

"I would love to be able to pursue Purcell-Green Studios full time, but I'm realistic in thinking that this is still a few years away.

"I would, however, like to keep it a small business. Having previously worked for a 'small business' with around twenty employees, I noticed that the owners were so detached from the day to day operations of the business and that is something I would never want.

"Hiring a few employees would be great, but I would still want to be getting my hands dirty, designing and creating!"

You can browse through Chelsea's lovely shop on Etsy, and follow her Purcell-Green Studios on Facebook and Instagram for updates on all her latest creations!