Taking My Cwtch Wall Art to the Next Level

One of the things I love about making my own products is being able to take something simple and turn it into something that people actually connect with.

My CWTCH wall sign was one of those ideas.

Being Welsh, I wanted to create something that was a little bit different and represented a small part of Wales. And what better word than cwtch?

If you’re Welsh, you probably already know the word. If you’re not, it’s one of those words that’s surprisingly difficult to translate properly. It’s generally used to mean a cuddle or hug, but it can also describe a feeling of comfort, cosiness or being tucked away somewhere nice.

The original CWTCH sign

I designed the original sign myself in Adobe Illustrator before cutting it using my xTool P2 laser.

I went for a layered wooden design, using birch plywood, varnish and contrasting tones to make the CWTCH lettering stand out. I really liked the simplicity of the finished piece — natural wood, clean lettering and a design that lets the word itself do most of the talking.

The finished sign is around 30cm wide and is designed to be really easy to put up, using Command Strips rather than needing to drill holes into the wall.

It went down pretty well!

I took the original sign to a recent event and it was much more popular than I expected.

What was particularly nice was hearing people talking about the word and what cwtch means to them. There were plenty of people who knew exactly what it meant, as well as people who had discovered the word through visiting or living in Wales.

It also made for some good conversations, which is one of the best things about doing events rather than simply putting products online.

It made me realise that perhaps there was more I could do with the design.

So I decided to give it a makeover

Once you've made something and seen people react to it, it's difficult not to start thinking about how you could develop the idea.

I wanted to create another version of my CWTCH sign, something with a bit more detail and decoration, while still keeping the natural wood and the word itself as the main focus.

That's where the flowers came in.

For this version, I used birch plywood again, but this time I painted the background black. I really wanted the natural colour of the wood to pop against the darker background, and I think the contrast works really well.

Then came my favourite part....adding the flowers.

Adding a little bit of floral detail

I chose white artificial roses, along with green and black leaves, and arranged them down the left and right sides of the CWTCH sign.

The white roses really stand out against the black background, while the greenery brings some colour and softness to the design.

It completely changes the feel of the original sign.

The first version was quite simple and understated, whereas adding the flowers makes this one feel much more like a decorative feature for the wall.

I also love that the natural birch plywood is still visible. I didn't want to lose that handmade wooden feel by covering everything up with paint or decoration. The combination of the natural wood, black background and white flowers gives it quite a different look.

And, of course, I still used my xTool P2 to create the wooden part of the sign.

From one idea to another

I think this is one of my favourite things about making things myself.

You can start with one fairly simple idea and then keep developing it.

The original CWTCH sign worked because of its simplicity. People connected with the word, the Welsh connection and the idea behind it.

This new version doesn't replace the original, it's more like another interpretation of the same idea.

And that's something I really enjoy about creating my own products. I don't necessarily have to stick with one design. I can experiment, try something different and see where it takes me.

Who knows, there might be even more versions of CWTCH to come!

A little bit of Wales for your wall

For me, this sign is about more than just a piece of wooden wall décor.

It's a little reminder of home, of being Welsh, and of a word that means so much to so many people.

Whether you think of a cwtch as a cuddle, a hug, a cosy corner or simply that lovely feeling of being safe and comfortable, it's a word that seems to make people smile.

And now, with the addition of the white roses and greenery, I've given my original design a completely different look.

So, if you're looking for a little bit of Wales for your wall, CWTCH still seems like a pretty good place to start.

And yes, I may be slightly biased… but I think the floral version looks pretty good too! 😄