Jayne Netley Mayhew tests the Studio Clip-on Lamp & Stand!

We asked one of our Daylight Ambassadors, Jayne Netley Mayhew, to test-drive the Studio Clip-on Lamp and Stand RRP £114.99, one of our most popular lighting solutions for artists! Here's what she thought...

If I had to sum up this lamp in one word only, it would be ‘superb’. I have had a few standing lamps over the years, all of which have fallen apart, joints loosen or they are unstable. This lamp sturdy, it’s adjustable and holds together well. Plus it gives you the option of adding more than one light. The light itself is good and casts not hint of yellow to what you are working on, only the true colour of your medium. As an artist and designer this is has to be one of the major points for any lamp.

The height of the stand is very good, so you can adjust placement of the light itself. Giving you the option of using it for over-all lighting or more of a spotlight. It has a clever and easy devise so that the light itself can not be knocked or slip down the stand, so simple but so effective.

I have used the lamp in my kitchen where I often sit and stitch in the evening and then moved it up to my studio over my easel to work under, I can’t make up my mind where it will stay.

Would I recommend it to someone looking for a standing lamp, a resounding ‘yes’, I really can’t find a fault with it.

Bev Rochester Joins as a New Ambassador for Daylight Company!

Crafting queen Bev Rochester joins the Daylight Ambassadors. Read below as she introduces herself and describes the difference Daylight lamps have made for her! 

Hi there, I’m Bev Rochester and have been crafting in some form for as long as I can remember.  I have done the whole tapestry to crochet to knitting to embroidery to even Faberge eggs malarkey, but my latest passion is papercrafts and rubber stamping, and has been for the last 5 years or so. I am a fuss-pot and am fanatical about getting things just right so for me having the perfect lighting is paramount.  I have used Daylight lamps since I first discovered them years ago and can honestly say with hand on heart that I could not craft without them, even on the sunniest day. 

I am on several design teams and have a blog with lots of inspiration, tutorials and videos (and yes, Daylight lamps have helped me out so much when shooting videos, especially in the depths of winter as they give true daylight – essential for colouring videos). I don’t have the best eyesight (old age and all that!) so good light is essential especially as I work fulltime so when I craft at night after a full day at work I don’t want to have to suffer eye strain.

Watch this space for some more reviews! 

New Daylight Ambassador, Ruth Singer!

Textile artist, writer and tutor Ruth Singer is our newest Daylight Ambassador! Below she gives us a taster of what she has to bring to the panel!

I'm a textile artist, historian, writer and tutor, based in a wonderful old hosiery factory in Leicester. I work mainly by hand, exploring traditional and invented textile techniques such as fabric manipulation, appliqué and embroidery. Good lighting is vital to my work, making it easier to see the stitches I am making whatever the colour of cloth and helping avoid eye strain, particularly when working into the evening on deadlines, when Daylight lighting is essential. I think Daylight Lamps will make a big impact on my work and I hope to share a review with you soon! 

Michelle Fallon - Swan Floor Lamp Review

Until I had my Daylight Lamp I struggled to balance my business and my hobbies, but then the Swan Floor Lamp entered my life and equilibrium was restored.  I just LOVE this lamp.  First of all it’s on wheels so I no longer need several lamps in different locations, I just wheel my lamp into whichever room I am in (this works as I live in a cottage but could be a bit cumbersome if you had to carry it upstairs as it’s quite heavy). 

The other thing I love about this lamp is that it has a bendy stem (I think the correct word is neck?) which means you can bend it down as close to you or as far away as you want.  This is perfect because, especially when I am on the sofa, normal floor lamps are just that little bit too far away and they always seem to shine in the wrong direction whereas the daylight lamp allows you to adjust the position of the light without having to move the lamp or furniture around. 

The bulb itself is white and not yellow and most importantly not hot!  I don’t find my eyes getting tired when working with it, as they would with a standard light.  Obviously if I have been working 12 hours they are tired but you get my drift, don’t you?   The other thing I love is that there’s no glare from the light.  It just lights up the area you are working in a comfortable way. 

What else can I say?  Oh yes, there’s also a handy magnifying attachment that comes with this lamp.  Personally I don’t tend to use this as I don’t wear glasses but my mum loves it!  She finds it perfect for reading in bed for all the reasons above, i.e. no glare and it’s easy to adjust the light and magnifying glass to the position you want.  However I do think this would be invaluable for intrinsic sewing such as fine embroidery or beading work.

Overall I have to say my Daylight lamp has not only saved my money as it’s a one for all rooms lamp, but I am pretty sure it has saved my eye sight too as most of my sewing is done at night with artificial light.  I highly recommend it to any crafters or bedtime readers!

Product Review: Jak Heath Road Tests the Triple Bright Lamp

Over the last few weeks I have been using the Triple Light Daylight lamp from the Daylight Company  to craft under. 

The image above was took in full daylight 12:00 noon in my home, you can see the difference it makes to my work area even at day time.

I first used it clamped onto my table top the I got the floor stand which is amazing, the structure of the legs are cast iron so it is really sturdy.

When I first thought about the triple light I was thinking triple the brightness comparing it to my original desk lamp and magnifier but what I hadn’t banked on was the fact that it would have triple the spread of light, this for me as a crafter is the most amazing part of the lamp.

The image above shows the lighted area that this lamp gives to me.

I often have what you could say is a dumping ground on my desk, I tend to gather things that I would like to use in making a card and plonk them on the desk what the lamp does to help is give me no shadows so that colours are true and it is easy to map out the card with matching items before gluing them in place.

I’m so happy with the productiveness of this lamp, over all a big 10 out of 10 I’d give this one.

You can also find this review on Jak Heaths Blog. The Triple Bright Lamp is one of the brightest daylight lamps, available for £139.99 with a range of additional accessories sold separately. To view the full range of Daylight Lamps click here. 

Introducing Penny!

Welcome to Penny, the newest member of the Daylight Ambassador Programme! Here she tells us all about how she got into crafting and why she's looking forward to working with us! 

I've been creative ever since I can remember, starting in my bedroom as a child wielding scissors and glue, needles thread and wool, dressing my dolls and making models. 

The creativity continued into adulthood and family life making clothes and toys for my children and encouraging them in their own crafting activities.  It was only when they had flown the nest that I took the giant step onto a degree course in Visual Studies at, what was then, The Norwich School of Art and Design (now NUA)

 With the degree under my belt I ventured into cyber space, creating my virtual world, the Planet Penny website. It’s here I share my enthusiasm for creating and making as well as the joys of living in this particular corner of Norfolk.

My choice of crafts is still eclectic but I was inspired last year by some wonderfully colourful yarn which I made into some adorable rainbow coloured mice, but unfortunately I was unable to source in the UK.  I now sell the yarn in rainbow packs which has led me to create patterns for knitting and crochet.  I also teach needlefelting, and write tutorials and book reviews as well as the popular Planet Penny blog.

A lot of the time I struggle with lighting, not just for close or detailed work but especially for photography so I have been delighted to discover just what a difference a Daylight lamp can make. I'm looking forward to be able to share reviews with you 

Sleek and Slimline!

We know how important it is to use good lighting for your favourite hobbies. But, something we have learnt from our customers, is that it not only needs to work well, but look great too! Many Daylight Lamps come with smooth glossy finishes in white or black. However some of our newer lamps have taken a stylish twist, sporting a luxurious brushed chrome finish that compliment almost all home decor! 

Some of our favourite chrome lamp designs can be found in the Slimline Collection - a duo made up of a fully flexible table and floor lamp!  

These elegant lamps are ergonomically perfect - allowing you to adjust the flexible arms, directing the light to exactly where you need it! They both come with an 11W energy saving daylight tube offering bright, white, full spectrum light that helps when matching colours, and working with small details and contrasts! 

The Slimline Table Lamp, £119.99, comes complete with a metal clamp so you can fix it to your workspace! It can be positioned perfectly above the hands but below the eyes, and is perfect for use with sewing machines, office desks and beautician tables. 

The Slimline Floor Lamp, £159.99, reaches new heights, lighting up even the largest work spaces (offices, craft rooms, workshops, beauty treatment rooms etc!). There are two unique flex points allowing you to manipulate the light where it's needed, while adjusting the height and angle of the lamp. 

This pair offer the perfect combination of height, flexibility and the perfect hobby and task lighting! To find out more about these products or any others in our range, please visit the Daylight Website. To tell us which is YOUR favourite, join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter!