GREEN WILLOW
Is dried willow with the bark left on and is olive green in colour.
WHITE WILLOW
Is freshly cut during early spring and is left to stand in shallow water until sap rises.it then is stripped (july time) it is then srtipped without boiling to get the white colour
BUFF WILLOW
Is boiled and then the bark stripped off,and leaving the willow a buff colour(orangy brown )
STEAMED BROWN WILLOW
Is steamed fo 2 hours,and giving the willow an intense dark brown chocolaty tone
This is one of our new coffin leaflets advertising our unique handmade willow coffins specifically designed for green woodland burials,and cremations,they can be used in any type of funeral ceromony in the uk.the coffins are not mass produced,they are lovingly made at our home in north dorset and are made individually for the person that has died.
Our new design wooden hand printed shields have been designed by tosh and added to our ship to make it look even more authentic.this ship is about to be sent off to a customer in london.Complete with an authentic welsh dragon flag,we are hoping the customer will be very pleased with this ship
we have recently purchaced a few acres of land in Dorset and are planning on planting some willow beds,so we can use our own willow to make all our products.We have just been granted permission to make a gateway ,and a parking area.this winter and spring,we will have to plant about 300 yards of mixed native wood hedges,dig out a wildlife pond,plant the willow and get a veg garden on the go,and also a fruit tree orchard and a hazel wood and ash wood coppice ,as well as some trees.
It will be hard work but very rewarding so we at cradle to grave are looking forward to getting stuck in
today i made these two beauties for a customer.using white and dyed blue willow i have named them coastal baskets as the curves in the basket represent the waves and the blue colour for the sea,they look like wicker willow cornishware.we will attempt some different shapes using driftwood and maybe some rope for handles,
today we were invited to do a photoshoot of our coffins for a local florist .both these willow coffins were handmade this week using all locally grown willow and hazel and have been decorated by sue carter from OLD CHAPEL FLOWERS in east stour nr gillingham Dorset.
The white willow coffin is for a customer who will be storing the coffin in the loft until she needs it,and the other one os off to london next week.
This years good funeral awards was held at the highcliffew marriot hotel in bournemouth.and was hosted by Brian Jenner.
It’ll be the biggest party in funeralworld – well, since last year’s awards.
Winning a Good Funeral Award is a sign that the public can come to you and enjoy the high-quality service they deserve.
If you work in the funeral industry and you enjoy day out with networking, photo opportunities and a celebrity appearance, you need to have been there.
there was an exibition of funeral related merchandise and services
there were death cafes in one of our yurts ,a space where people can air their thoughts and feelings about greif,mortality, and bereavment within a supportive group.
During the day there were lectures in the big yurt from writers,and people working in the funeral world.
in the evening the awards ceromony took place ,it was a very enjoyable and imformative weekend
The 2018 funeral awards are looming this comming weekend.This great event will be held at the highcliff marriot hotel in sunny bournemouth.we will be exibiting our coffins along with other exibitors on green burial sites ash urns coffins bucket lists shrouds funeral arranging ash scattering willow coffins green coffins and also holding death cafes (the longing for real conversation)in one of our yurts in the hotel grounds.there will be the award ceromony on the saturday evening ,and during the day in the big yurt,talks from people in the funeral world,
We are incredibly proud to be the winners of the “Coffin Supplier Of The Year” award at the Good Funeral Awards in 2015, in 2021 and for the third time in 2023.
Read more about our award.
