Pollen and Press

'Fiddleheads'
Perfect patterns, unfurling coils, tight curls and wispy fronds. A harmony of contrasts that is a little reminder of how nature seems to organise itself according to the laws of mathematics. The graceful form of a fiddlehead is a lovely example of the fibonacci spiral sequence ✨️🌿
I've been completely hooked with the process of developing this print from the initial sketches and drawings through to the cutting and printing.
I'm pleased to share it with you and I hope you love it too. Available via the website or shopping link in photo 📸
🎶 Music of choice whilst working on this print

Perfectly Balanced
The Autumn Equinox or Mabon is a time when day and night are perfectly balanced. This seasonal shift is the ideal time to reflect on the 'wheel of the year' the abundance associated with harvest time and the perfect opportunity for gratitude.
Lighting a yellow candle at this time is a way to embrace the energy of the Autumn Equinox. Symbolic of the sun's warmth, its flame a reminder of our own inner light 🍂 💛
Will you be resetting, reflecting and setting new goals?
🐝

A Prickle of Pinecones
Returning fom walks with pockets full of pinecones is definitely marking September.
My pinecone print is in good company, sharing the shelf here with beeswax pinecone shaped candles. They're a lovely representation of pinecones, tactile, smell beautiful and perfect for setting a cosy mood.
Available now via the website or shopping tag in pic 📸


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Hand picked!
It feels like September evenings here are definitely embracing Autumn's vibes, are you ready to do the same this cosy season?
Our gorgeous pumpkin candles are a perfect addition to your Autumn decor, with their pretty burn, cosy glow and natural Scent. Available for a limited time only.
Via the website or shopping link in pic 📸

 
   
       

Unfurling, Croziers & Fiddleheads
It's all about the Ferns in the garden and this has taken over the workshop too! Even though it's turned a little chilly they're busy doing their own thing in their shady sheltered spot.
Their curls and fronds are just magical, the coils unfurling almost daily. These tight coils, known as croziers, named after a curved staff used by a Bishop are also known as fiddleheads, due to the curl being similar to the top of a fiddle or violin.
Sketching them has become almost obsessive, each frond so similar yet completely different because of the growth stage each frond has reached. I'm looking forward to developing these sketches onto the Lino and hope you'll follow along if you're interested to see too.

Out of Nowhere
And just like that, my first sighting of Fungi for September.
I have books and various apps but there are so many variations of Fungi that look so similar. I wouldn't be confident enough to know which ones they are for definite or which are edible. But I do love spotting them and trying to identify them!
They were just at the side of the path, I hadnt seen them yesterday, and they did seem to appear 'out of Nowhere' which is the title of this lovely print 🍄
Print available via the website (click shopping link in 📸) or currently for sale .vintage
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Are you getting ready to Fall into Autumn with seasonal products from
The garden has a whole new mood about it, the slightly misty mornings & early autumn plants are showing up in earnest now & preparations for Autumn are underway in the workshop too ✨️
I'm currently working on new prints, making favourite seasonal candles and test burning new ones along with developing and testing out some new ideas. So expect more Autumn vibes soon 🍂
If you follow me already you might have seen my drawings for this print in a previous post. All things in nature hold so much intricate detail and my challenge was to capture some of the pinecones amazing details in this small print.
For sale via the website or shopping link in pic 📸
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What size are your conkers?!
A misty walk first thing today revealed some spiky baubles. Conkers from the horse chestnut tree are starting to drop. But... they all seem soooo tiny.
Of course, it's still early and the first ones to fall are generally under ripe and 'not ready' but cracking a couple of the fallen fruits open revealed such teeny tiny conkers.
The 'Conker' print has been popular this week, only one remaining on the website, until I print more!
If youre local this print and others are currently available .vintage
Now I'm going to take a few minutes with a cuppa along with several tree books to investigate the size of conkers! In the meantime, if you've found some conkers that are big or even huge then I'd love to know ⬇️

September & Liminality
I read recently that September is a liminal month & I love that! Liminality offers a space; a gap if you like. And September marks that gap between the twilight end of Summer and the seasonal changes to come, Fall or Autumn. In this seasonal space, trees are loaded with ripening fruit, including pine trees.
Walkng through woodland where pine trees grow its soft underfoot, carpeted with needlelike leaves, offering a cushioned muffling effect on your footsteps. Charged with the scent of pine it's a glorious thing! I often return from a dog walk with pinecones in my pocket, using them in photographs, or simply storing them in pots. They also make excellent firelighters when they're dry!
Time has been limited recently, but September has already offered me space for plenty of sketching, a small print in progress, collections of pine cones and the gathering of brambles.
Pinecone prints coming soon ✨️
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Harvest Tease
Teasels can grow tall...well over six feet and provide a wonderful sculptural feature to any hedgerow. They also offer nectar to bees and their seeds provide much needed food for sparrows and goldfinches. They are prickly, both stem and leaves have sharp spines!
The vintage chair, providing the support for the print and a table for the teasels was picked up (literally) as I returned from a walk. I had previously taken a 'free to good home' chair from them and they very kindly offered me this one to go with it. I adore it and its become my favourite place to sit when it's time for a tea break!
Just two of this 'Harvest Tease' print currently in stock, via website, link in bio or comment 'Tease' for link
A selection of some of my smaller prints are also currently available .vintage

Mixing New with Vintage?
If you're anything like me, you'll know what lovely items can be found in vintage shops, both in person and online! This small studio pottery bud vase was 'found' recently and has already been used several times for small posies collected from the garden.
I always consider the maker when I source anything hand made, and whilst I'm not sure of the age or maker of this dinky vase, I do hope that they would approve of it appearing here 🩷
I just love how vintage pieces like this complement our products. The fish print, is 'Barbel Barbel' and can be found via the website, do pop on over for a browse. A selection of my prints are also currently available .vintage ✨️
 

Curiosities, Candlesticks & new found treasures
Today's come from these amazing brass candlesticks found .vintage I'm always ridiculously excited when an item I find is just 'right'. Our taper candles fit in these holders like a glove 💛 and are definitely a new treasure that will be well used.
The old printers tray is a much loved favourite, I remove add and reuse the items in it depending on my mood. Currently holding some quirky vintage curiosities including the most delightful pair of folding scissors.
How abut you, do you have a newly found vintage treasure?

📷 Twisted Taper candles from & currently at .vintage
📷 Brass candlesticks from .vintage

Are you ready for a fun challenge this week???
Our favourite way to style our own candles here Pollen and Press is to find and use something unique, individual and sustainable. We use a variety of vintage items including these gorgeous saucers, perfectly sized to be repurposed as candle holders. They are relatively easy to source and the eclectic patterns and colours make them a great one of a kind fit for any décor style.
Here's what we'd like to challenge you with this week! Head out to your nearest vintage shop, buy your own style of saucer or other unique vintage item to repurpose as a candle holder and send me a photo that I can add to my stories. If you want to add one of our beautiful beeswax candles then that would be even better, but its not a requirement. You can also tag your favourite vintage shop below⬇ and share this post with another
If you're local and looking for the ideal vintage shop then I can highly recommend Yesterdaze Vintage on Zetland Street, Northallerton. Currently they have our candles too, so you can fulfil both parts of the challenge!
📷 circle pattern saucer
📷 blue floral 'Georgette' pattern from Yesterdaze Vintage
📷 Yorkshire saucer

What kind of a shopper are you??

Quirky, individual & innovative? Then I have the perfect shopping spot for you......
So pleased to have a 'guest dealer' spot/pop up shop at one of my favourite vintage shops It's a perfect fit for our products, here are some reasons why!
🛍 A sustainable way to shop, echoes our environmentally Friendly ethos
🖼 Beautiful vintage frames for our prints
🕎 Gorgeous vintage candle holders for our candles
🏺Quirky vintage items given a new use as candle holders
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🆓️ Free to browse, with a vast choice of items
📍 You'll be supporting small local businesse
❓️ Vintage Zetland Street, Northallerton DL61NA

Time Taken
Making our beeswax candles is a mediative process, slow, careful and not to be rushed.
Making our candles, I'm aware of quite how much time and care is contained within each candle. The hours of work put in by the bees, time spent visiting flowers then time again creating the wax. Time taken by the slow process of gently cleaning and processing the wax. The time taken by my own two hands to make the candles, carefully heating the wax, hand pouring each candle, leaving them to cure than hand wrapping each one. Beeswax candles are the most natural candle you can burn. Tempted yet? Available via the website, or shopping tags In pic, pop on over!

Always at the centre of things!
Pollen and Press Honey!
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H O N E Y
From
Our honey is so much more than just a sweet treat! 🍯
Minimally filtered and never heated.
It's a powerhouse of Antioxidants, Enzymes and Nutrients
Well known for soothing sore throats, boosting immunity, promoting healthy digestion and a natural energy source, all whilst tasting sooooo good.
Available Now via website, or shopping links in picture 📸

Have you discovered our exceptional Honey yet?
Honey available via the website, shopping links in picture or local pick up

Favourite items on the shelf this week
Maybe its the sunshine, or simply holiday vibes that have created the love for my 'coming up for air' print this week. I often get asked if I have a favourite print, and its a tricky question to answer, I love all of them and each time I do a new print run, including some of my very first prints, I find something that I love about each of them. Although they are all printed from the same block they each of their own characteristics, due to being hand printed, for me that's all part of their appeal.
And our exceptional honey of course! As detailed in a post yesterday, but just in case you missed it, our newest and latest batch is light, floral with a citrusy back note and delicate sweetness! All three batches this year are superb and we couldn't be prouder. All available via the website or click on the shopping links in the picture💙💛💙

Sunshine
All the shades here, and we couldn't be prouder.
Our new and last batch of Honey is in the jars. A light sweet floral Honey, balanced with citrusy back notes. Almost translucent lemon in colour, but complex in flavour.
A combination of the recent warm weather and some wonderful forage close by of Clary sage and lavender has been wonderful for our beautiful bees. They have produced a wonderful, nuanced floral and zesty Honey and we are thrilled to be able to offer it you.
We hope you'll try it, love it and come back for more...what are you waiting for! Via the website, or shopping links in image.

What insects have you spotted recently? ⬇️
I've been known to go on a bit (yes really) about how vital forage is for honey bees and all other pollinators. Insect numbers are supposed to be down this year.
At this time of year, I take stock of the flowers and plants that have, and continue to, attract pollinators. Those are the ones I shall collect seeds from or propagate if I can.
The honey bee in the picture is feeding on Marjoram. A flowering culinary herb so double value! Its great for flavour but also a 'health' herb too. Its a valuable addition to your garden, either in the ground or a pot.It spreads out and flowers from early June until late September and sometimes slightly longer. Smells lovely when crushed a little so it doesn't matter if it encroaches where you walk!
As a beekeeper, and nature lover, I feel somewhat obligated to provide a nectar and pollen rich feeding ground.
So tell me, what have you spotted?

Simply Beautiful

'Pick your own' flower farm just a few minutes away from home. Delighted to discover the gem that is

Yorkshire Day!
As a small batch Honey producer situated in Yorkshire we are super proud of our bees and our Honey! We are delighted and proud to offer our freshly jarred Summer Honey, ready just in time for Yorkshire Day
Our exceptional summer honey this year offers a complex and well rounded flavour, beautiful floral notes, combined with delicate sweetness with a golden amber hue.
And true to our sustainable ethos our jars are made here in the UK Freeman & Harding Ltd
We couldn't be prouder of our small batch honey. Will you try some?
Available via the website, or click the shopping link in the photo

Pollen and Press

Some of your favourite items on the shelf from last week.

You have been showing lots of love for the snail print and I'm so happy that you have come around to showing snails some respect and kindness at last 🐌🧡 even if it is in print form!
The print, along with our taper candles, which are a long time favourite, are currently in stock along with other beautiful beeswax candles and prints. Pop on Over, website link in bio or click on picture shopping tags

Honeysuckle & Foxglove

This print is definitely holding space as one of my favourites; already its holding memories. The foxgloves are gradually coming to an end for this year but with each flower stem producing up to two million seeds I have high hopes for plenty more. I'm not sure of the varieties in our garden but reasonably confident that they are native and will only flower in their second year, the small mounds of furry leaves are the promised beginnings for next year. The Honeysuckles will continue to flower for a long time yet & along with their beautiful perfume, before setting 'fruit' of bright red berries that the birds will love.

The prints are dry and available now, click on the shopping bag link in the picture or pop on over to the website.