Handcrafted Me in Ipswich celebrates one-year anniversary with free arts and crafts sessions

A family-run gift shop in Ipswich gave thanks to customers as it celebrated its one-year anniversary over the weekend.

Handcrafted Me, in Queen’s Way, marked the milestone by offering free craft activities on Saturday.

The business, run by Ipswich borough and Suffolk County Councillor Sam Murray, aims to improve health and wellbeing through walk-in arts and crafts sessions, such as such as ceramic painting and sand art, as well as workshops.

Since opening last July, extensive work was done to the studio, with Ms Murray hoping to open an outdoor space in the near future.

She said it had been quite the journey since herself and her children took the business on.

“The studio needed a lot of TLC and we have spent the last year making improvements little and often,” Ms Murray said.

“We had a vision board with key targets and we are amazed that we have reached all of those targets including our birthday party packages, which have had a great response.”

Looking to the next year, Ms Murray said she’d focus on letting more people know the shop exists.

She added: “We have amazing customers who have been so supportive this past year. We just now need to spread the word further that we are here and we are here to stay.”

In addition to the crafts sessions, Handcrafted Me also runs an online store to sell goods.

Daughter Lily, 9, said: “I enjoy deciding what crafts we will do on a Saturday morning and I like planning the art and craft club activities which we do after school.”