A NEW shop in Carlisle celebrating local artists is set to open its doors next week. 

Flutter & Fern is a nature-inspired business creating merchandise that owner Joanne Palmer loves, so each piece or product is made or designed with passion, she says. 

Ms Palmer, from Currock, has been running Flutter & Fern for nearly four years now, and she finally has a permanent studio place to show off her art and designs.

Located at 14 Rosemary Lane in Carlisle city centre, the shop will host an opening event on Thursday, October 12 from 4pm to 8pm. 

Joanne said: "This will be my space to work, which is fab. It’s very scary but I’m very excited. I hope we will be ready. We’ve just got to finish the building but once that’s ready, I can start putting things out. That’s when it’s all going to come together."

Flutter & Fern will sell a range of items including stationery, art, and pins designed by Joanne, who also hopes that the shop can serve as a social hub for the people of Carlisle and beyond.

The mum-of-three also wants to see more independent shops, such as her own, opening in the border city.

She said: "I think we need more. I'm hoping that this will be the start of more. We've got so many great, small independent businesses hidden away and I feel like we're all starting to connect." 

Joanne suggests that anyone who is 'a bit weird' would love the shop, and hopes as many people as possible will come along to next week's opening event.

She said: "I’ve described it as a gift shop but it’s a bit different to that. It will have my art, as well as local artists and art from small businesses.

"People might have the idea of an art gallery in their head, but it’s going to be completely different from that. It’s going to have a vibe of the old Paperchase that we used to have here.

"It’ll be quirky and different, featuring botanical art, moths, symmetry, and all my weird thoughts!"