A talented South African woman living in Alsager has taken recycling and upcycling to a whole new level.

Kirsty Sampaio goes out of her way to look for glass jars with thick lids and other items when she does her supermarket shop.

Some of the everyday items Kirsty uses

For she's not just thinking about what's in them - she's also thinking about what she can make from them once they are empty.

"I try not to throw anything away," says Kirsty who set up her business, LoveKnott Creations just over a year ago, designing her own website.

"There's hardly anything in my recycling bin. I can always find a use for something."

But it's not just jars and bottles which Kirsty uses – she also finds a decorative use for old jeans.

"I used fabric from an old pair of jeans to make the cover of a journal."

 Some of the finished results

Kirsty has turned a large garage-type room outside her home in The Butts into a workshop and craft room for her growing business.

Here you will find a variety of items from masking tape to mopheads, cut up old T-shirts, clean clothes and hessian.

Kirsty makes all kinds of creatures from flamingos to owls, hares, lions and even Highland cows.

The trick of her trade is Powertex is a water-based, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, weatherproof liquid medium which is mixed with a paint colour.

Even shoes can get the LoveKnott Creations touch

The fabric is then soaked in the Powertex and placed around the shape – bottle, jar or even shoes - to make the LoveKnott creations.

After three weeks drying time, the products can then be used to either indoor or outdoor.

"I did art at school but I wouldn't say I could draw. I just know what I want and then work out how to do it," said Kirsty who moved to the UK five years ago with her husband.

It was her cake sculpture business alongside her logistics work in South Africa which helped form her artistic streak.

Kirsty's storage for equipment

Kirsty said: "I used to do cake sculpture and then when we first came to the UK I worked in arts and crafts for care homes before moving here."

Kirsty loves Alsager, saying everyone is so friendly and have made her and her husband, Mario, so welcome.

She sells her creations at local craft markets as well as having an on-line shop on Esty and doing commissions.

Alongside this, Kirsty runs workshops as well as doing videos of her amazing work so she can get pass on her skills to others.

"Everyone has a creative side and I always say anyone attending one of my workshops will not walk out with a gremlin," she said.

Kirsty's website and details about her workshops can be found at https://www.loveknottcreations.co.uk/