Craftswoman nominated for two national awards

Cal Summers, aged 52, of Hednesford, worked for Citizens Advice as a witness service manager at Cannock until October last year.

Although she started her craft business, known as Cal Summers Workshop, six years ago, it was during lockdowns and the Covid-19 pandemic that things really began to boom.

Cal has gained as many as 4,000 followers from across the world with her free online lessons on Wednesdays on Facebook.

Many of these are from America and this country but also from Europe and as far afield as Trinidad and Australia.

The mother-of-one also runs The Scrap Lab through her website which offers people the opportunity to buy the items needed to make their very own personalised books.

Cal has now been nominated for two national awards including for Best Workshop and Ultimate Crafting Holiday.

She said: "I took the plunge last year to become completely self-employed.

"It was a bit risky at the time but I have not looked back, and as well as doing my online lessons am now offering face-to-face lessons once again at Burntwood, Cannock, Stafford and the craft retreats.

"Currently I am running face-to-face lessons at Dunston, Staffordshire, which meets on Saturdays once-a-month and for which there is a charge to cover the hire of the hall.

"In the future I am also planning a trip to America and early next year hope to find suitable premises and hire staff as the business grows.

"I provide the kits for people to make the books which are really a modern form of the traditional scrapbook.

"People find it very therapeutic and make the books to celebrate such things as the first year of a baby's life, for weddings, pets, to detail house renovations and as recipe books.

"They can tailor them to what they want to although I have no artistic training I hold a degree in history and have always been interested in social history.

"I am certain that is why I enjoy scrap-booking and enjoy helping people to make memory books."