The Artisan Cave

19/08/2026

A very personal message from me, and one that I never imagined I would have to write. ♡

On Saturday 15th August, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mum.

There really are no words to describe the pain of losing someone so wonderful. My Mum was an incredible woman, a wonderful grandmother and a very special great-grandmother, and she meant the absolute world to all of us.

She fought so many battles over the last 15 years, but this last one was just too big. Even then, she never let it define her. Right until the end, she showed us what strength, determination and courage truly looked like.

For the last few weeks, she continued to laugh, smile and find joy in the little things around her. She kept cheering us all on, just as she always had.

We're now going to take some time away from the shop to be with family, to grieve and to process the loss of this incredible woman.

The shop will remain open with the help of some very special friends, and we're so incredibly grateful to them for stepping in and supporting us during this difficult time.

This is the first time we've felt able to share what has happened, so please bear with us if we're quieter than usual over the coming weeks. Our family needs to come first right now, and I need some time to grieve my Mum.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support our little business, and for your kindness, patience and understanding. It means more than you will ever know.

To my wondeful Mum, I will miss you more than words could ever say. Your strength, your laughter, your love and your beautiful spirit will live on through all of us.

I love you, Mum. Always. ♡

16/08/2026

Now I know it's been a while, so it's going to take some doing to get this post seen like it used to, so please take part and let's gets those incredible businesses seen again. (And give me something else to focus on.😊)

IT’S SOCIAL SUNDAY WITH The Artisan Cave.

Time to show off those brilliant businesses, talented makers, creative minds, and passionate entrepreneurs! ♡

Whether you bake it, make it, paint it, grow it, sew it, design it, draw it, photograph it, build it, or sell it... we want to see it! 👀✨

👇 Drop the following in the comments:

📸 A photo of what you create, make, or sell
💬 A little about your business
🔗 Your website, Etsy shop, page, or Instagram

And while you're here...

❤️ Give some love to fellow small businesses
👋 Say hello to someone new
🏷️ Tag your business besties
🛍️ Discover your next favourite local maker

Remember: every like, comment, share, follow, and purchase can make a huge difference to a small business. Let's fill this thread with amazing talent and support each other! 🙌

Ready... Set... PROMOTE! 🚀

12/08/2026

Hello!!! I know it’s been a while.

I promise, if there was any part of me that could get my head around being on here every day, I would be. And I will be again, as soon as I can. But right now, life is bloody hard, and I have to prioritise myself because, quite honestly, if I don’t, I feel like I’ll drown in everything that’s being thrown at me right now.

Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out over the last couple of weeks. Please forgive me if I haven’t replied. Just know that your messages, kindness and support haven’t gone unnoticed. I see them, and I appreciate them more than you know.

Despite the updates I’ve shared, I’m still surprised by just how narrow-minded, rude and ignorant some people can be. When you can clearly see that someone is already on their knees, I’ll never understand why anyone would think it’s okay to make things harder for them.

But anyway… that’s what the block button is for, and I’ve certainly made good use of it lately! I simply don’t have it in me to keep explaining myself over and over again — and nor should I have to.

Alisha, bless her, is working incredibly hard at the moment. We’ve also got some absolutely amazing people helping out at the shop, which means I can be where I’m needed most right now. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without them, and I’ll be forever grateful to every single one of them.

I’m also going to have a look at setting up some of those… whatsit things… 🤷‍♀️ You know, the ones where you can prepare posts and have them automatically go up on certain days and times! Scheduled posts — that’s the one! Hopefully that’ll help me stay a little more present on here while everything else is so hectic.

I’ve also got so many enquiries to get back to, both emails and messages. I’m going to try and work my way through some of them over the next few days, so please do bear with me if you’re waiting to hear back.

For now, I’m taking things one day at a time and doing what I need to do.

Thank you for your patience, your understanding and, most of all, your kindness. It really does mean more than you know.

Much love and appreciation to you all. ♡

29/07/2026

Unfortunately, due to a last-minute appointment, we will be opening a little later tiday at 10:30am.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and really appreciate your understanding.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

25/07/2026

I need your help with something really special, and if anyone can help, I'm sure it's you lovely lot.

I'm looking for a unique piece of jewellery for my amazing Mum, my sister and me. We each need our own piece to wear, but I want every single one to represent all three of us and the bond we share. Whether it's rings, necklaces, bracelets or something completely different, I'd love it to symbolise the connection between a mother and her two daughters.

I've searched online, but I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I don't even know exactly what it looks like in my mind yet—just that I'll know it when I see it.

Sadly, this is quite time-sensitive. We're living with the reality of an unknown timeline, and every single day together is a blessing. Because of that, I'd really love to find something as soon as possible.

If you have any ideas, recommendations, know of a talented jeweller, or create bespoke pieces yourself, I'd be so grateful if you could get in touch.

Thank you so much. ♡

16/07/2026

Hello! Good morning! How are you?

Yes, I know it's almost 5am and I really should be asleep, but my mind clearly has other ideas. So I've spent the last few hours replying to messages and emails.

I can't believe it's actually been a week since I was last on here. Honestly, it's been a week from hell, but I just wanted to pop on and let you all know we're still here working hard behind the scenes.

We've received so many messages of support over the last few days – support we didn't even realise was out there. Every message, every comment and every little check-in has meant more than you'll ever know.

When we say The Artisan Cave is a community, we truly mean it. When life gets tough and the s**t hits the fan (sorry, not sorry!), the people you find standing beside you in the darkness are often the most incredible people.

It's hard to let go of the reins a little, especially when it comes to your business. As many of you will know and understand, it's literally blood, sweat and tears that go into building something from the ground up. Before the rumour mill starts, the business itself is thriving, for that we feel incredibly grateful. But it's more than just a business isn't it? For many it's your livelihood, it's our passion, our dreams, and a huge part of who you are. So trusting others to step in, even when you know you need to, doesn't come naturally. It's scary.

But this week has reminded us that sometimes you have to accept the help that's offered. You have to allow yourself to breathe, to deal with what life is throwing at you, and trust that the thing you've worked so hard to build will be just fine because you have some truly incredible people standing right beside you.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reminding us that we're not facing this alone. We won't ever forget your kindness, your patience and understanding. ♡

10/07/2026

Life sometimes throws unexpected challenges our way, and over the next few weeks we'll be navigating one of life's hardest. As a result, things may look a little different from the outside here at The Artisan Cave.

There may be times when our social media is a little quieter, replies to messages and enquiries take a little longer than usual, or we need to adjust our opening hours at short notice.

We're doing everything we can to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum for both our wonderful stockists and valued customers, and we'll continue to keep you updated where we can.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and continued support. It really does mean the world to our family and our little business. ♡

- The Artisan Cave.

07/07/2026

Just a little note to say we'll be quiet on social media and away from our emails today as we're attending a family funeral.

We'll get back to any messages as soon as we can. Thank you for your understanding. ♡

06/07/2026

Our beautiful hometown, Leek. ♡

The heart of Leek isn't made of stone... it's made of people. ❤️

Every independent shop. Every café. Every market stall. Every gallery. Every workshop. Every family-run business.

They're the people who greet you by name, recommend their favourite local walk, remember your usual order, and fill our streets with character.

You won't find Leek's greatest treasures in a guidebook.

You'll find them behind shop counters, serving coffee, creating beautiful things, sharing stories, and helping to make this town feel so welcoming.

So next time you're in Leek, why not try somewhere new? Step into a shop you've never visited before, enjoy lunch at an independent café, browse a local maker's work, or simply stop for a chat.

When you support local, you're not just buying something.

You're helping keep the character of Leek alive.

Tag your favourite independent Leek business below and tell us why they deserve a little extra love. 💚

03/07/2026

Happy Friday! ✨

What are your plans for the weekend?

Will you be setting up at a market, getting stuck into a new creative project, catching up on orders, working right through... or are you finally taking a little time for yourself?

Whatever your weekend looks like, we'd love to hear about it. Pop your plans in the comments below and don't forget to tell us where people can find you if you're out trading this weekend.

Most importantly, be kind to yourself, make time to recharge if you can, and have a wonderful weekend.

From all of us at The Artisan Cave ♡