Denyse
Meet Denyse, the owner and creative force behind Iris & Dora and Make + Made. She’s an absolute superwoman! Whenever there’s a fun or quirky event happening, it’s Denyse’s creative mind at work. From the big canvas paint-along on Arts Sunday where we dressed Lydia up as the Queen and painted corgis, to Town Trick or Treat, the Guernsey Fairy Trail, and the gigantic Union Jack flag community mosaic-a-long, these and many other memorable events were all brought to life by Denyse’s imaginative touch.
Denyse enjoys many art forms, creating wonderful products for the shop and teaching various classes and workshops. With a big heart, not only does she have a big family, she cares deeply for her Iris & Dora family too and is a surrogate mother to everyone. Outside of work Denyse enjoys gaming, reading, and hiding fairy doors around the island. You can often spot her in her groovy Lucy and Yak dungarees!
Ange
Is there anything this amazing woman can’t do? Ange handles much of the admin for both the shop and studio, and trust us, it’s a lot! Not only is she an admin queen, but she also creates products, liaises with suppliers, organizes corporate events, workshops, and parties, and helps with the daily operations of the studio. Ange is the glue that holds Make + Made and Iris & Dora together, ensuring both studios run smoothly.
On top of all this, Ange is a busy mum of two boys and runs her own business, Happily Ever After. Here, she uses her talents in crochet, knitting, sewing, ceramics, and needle felting to handcraft the most gorgeous products.
Lydia
Lydia is no longer a Tedde! She married her best friend and partner George earlier this year and is now an official member of the McGahy family. Our lovely Lydia is a ray of sunshine, bringing so much joy to the studio with her many creative talents and positive energy, making her the perfect party hostess! Besides hosting parties, she is also our main kiln technician (a very important job!), workshop tutor, and crochet wizard.
You might also know Lydia as Jingle the Elf, Mirabelle, or Professor Stink-winkle! Outside of work, she enjoys D&D, game nights, and cuddling up with her fur baby, Jeffy the gorgeous shih tzu.
Lauren
Last year, Lauren became a mummy! She has since stepped down from managing the studio and passed her admin queen title to the incredible Ange. Now, Lauren manages the social media for both Iris & Dora and Make + Made, creating all those amazing posts and reels you see on our accounts. Balancing her time between caring for her adorable daughter Violet, working from home, and being at the studio during evenings and weekends, Lauren continues to thrive.
She loves working with children, excelling at running parties, workshops, and creating beautiful baby keepsakes. Lauren adores watercolor painting and created stunning textile designs from her paintings during university. She now shares her skills by teaching watercolor at the studio. When she’s not busy with mummy duties or working at the studio, you can find her painting at home with a lovely cup of tea, baking delicious treats, or enjoying the sunshine.
Jeannine
Jeannine is a wonderful, hardworking woman with the kindest heart! She does so much behind-the-scenes work at the studio, and we are incredibly grateful for her amazing organisation and dedication in keeping the studio sparkling. We truly believe we wouldn’t cope without her. Her no-nonsense approach to everything is a breath of fresh air. Jeannine is always a busy bee, looking after her family and everyone around her.
Lucy
The lovely Lucy is one of our incredible pottery throwing experts. If you’re looking to get behind the wheel, Lucy is your woman! Her kindness, patience and passion for pottery makes her a perfect tutor, you can often find her at the main studio on Thursday evenings teaching classes. Lucy also works at Grow Limited and runs her own business, L’Islet Pottery, where she creates the most beautiful handmade ceramics.
Zac
Zac is an absolute joy to have at the studio. We first met Zac when he joined us for work experience and we were so excited when he got in touch a few years later to see if he could join the team, of course we said yes! He brings so much fun and energy to work, brightening everyone’s day. Zac is another one of our expert potters, he studied ceramics at university and now also creates his own gorgeous products which we sell exclusively in our shop. When he’s not busy getting creative at the studio, he finds harmony and relaxation in sea swimming and meditation.
Sage
Sage brings fantastic energy to the studio with their positive, bubbly personality, spreading joy to both colleagues and customers. A talented crocheter, Sage runs crochet classes at Make + Made and hosts weekly community crafting sessions as well as working in both Make+Made and Iris & Dora and helping Lydia with our kilns. Outside of studio life, Sage enjoys D&D, bead and bracelet making, and spending time with their adorable cats, Maggie and Misty.
Rowan
When you visit us at Make+Made, Rowan is your go-to guy! Whether you have queries or questions, Ro is there to assist you. Rowan is also an exceptional painter who adds beautiful decorations to many of our handmade ceramics. Rowan enjoys playing D&D and gaming in his spare time, and he also has a fondness for sharks.
He is a highly skilled crocheter, with a passion for creating blankets and clothes.
Emily
Emily is our longest-serving weekend staff member at Iris & Dora, having been with us for over 4 years! She is known for her helpfulness, friendliness, and attentiveness in the studio, and we adore her infectious smile and the boundless energy she brings to work.
You might also recognize Emily from her performances in numerous shows and musicals. In addition to her full-time education, Emily teaches at the CDA (Cheshire Drama Association) and participates in the CCF (Combined Cadet Forces). As if that weren’t impressive enough, she is also applying to Oxford and Cambridge to study Psychology. Emily is also an accomplished artist with a particular passion for tigers. We are incredibly proud of Emily and all her remarkable achievements!
Izzy
The wonderful Izzy brings harmony amongst the creative chaos at the studio, her gentle and calming personality is an absolute blessing. She’s super speedy at getting tasks done and we love how proactive she is. You will most likely find Izzy at Make + Made on Saturdays, although she often works shifts at our main studio too. Izzy like many of our team loves to crochet and she is also amazing at skiing!
Bella
The beautiful Bella joined our team earlier this year and it’s like she’s been here forever. Bella works mainly at Iris & Dora on Saturdays, she’s always happy to help so if you ever need any assistance, Bella is your girl! Outside of the studio, Bella enjoys singing and often participates in choirs with the music centre in the town church. She spends her free time sea swimming and taking her dog Cojak to her favourite beaches.
Libby
Meet our newest team member, Libby! The wonderful Libby started at the studio in March and we’ve loved having her around. She’s a great addition to the team and gets stuck into any project we send her way. Bella isn’t the only musical person we have on the team, Libby also loves playing the piano! In her spare time she loves running around playing football and spending time with her dog paddy.
Millie
We’ve known Millie for a long time! It’s crazy to think, growing up Millie was a regular at our summer holiday clubs and workshops and now she is part of the team. Millie has always had a passion for art and we’ve loved being a part of her creative journey. When she’s not busy getting creative, Millie volunteers at the 8th Guernsey Cubs and enjoys playing music, dancing and sea swimming.
Georgina
Georgina is such a beautiful person, inside and out! Her lovely, calming personality shines in the studio. She’s a talented illustrator and has recently graduated, making her a registered art therapist. Isn’t that amazing! We’re very proud of Georgina’s amazing achievements and we’ll be very sad when she goes on to doing more incredible things with her degree. Getting creative in the sunshine is Georgina’s happy place, and we couldn’t agree more. Taking art outside and feeling inspired by the beauty around us, always leaves us feeling amazing too.
Emilia
Emilia is one of the newer members of our team, always with a bright smile and friendly demeanor, Emilia brings plenty of experience with children and many creative ideas to the team.
