It was a salt cellar, and then a breadbin. And I still enjoy making kitchenware the most: you can use and touch and enjoy a biscuit jar, a sugar bowl or a dish every day, and what I really want is for people to connect to the warmth of this craft.

I use a hand punch of my own making to transfer the ornament to the entire surface of the birch bark. The holes are identical, and the pattern creates more volume, body and intensity. My signature element is a criss cross pattern, and I revive traditional ancient ornaments typical to the region.

I always agree with the forest inspection, which gives me information about the areas designated for cutting. The harvest is always in June, and then the birch bark is left for preservation until late autumn, when it becomes solid and dry.

Yes, I do but not many because I continue working at the processing plant. I am launching a course for a group of disabled people. They are very interested in this craft, and they need a creative hobby, which even might earn them a living eventually.