Whew.

Pardon my absence. We had a long bank holiday weekend here and it has been simply gorgeous. Warm temps, lots of sun, bit of a sunburn, sun tea, some bbq’in,  the works.

Anywho, it’s back to business as usual today.

I’ve been really busy working on my shops. I recently finished retaking ALL of my photos. That was a lot of work! Actually, I still have a few to do, my bottles, but I’m waiting on some props I ordered before I can redo those.

I have several new pieces listed also, so have a look if you are so inclined.

Gosh it’s so beautiful out.  I keep getting distracted. It’s so hard to stay focused on computer work when it’s so damn lovely outside.

Hope anyone reading is having an equally beautiful day.

Grown in Ireland Authentic Irish Springtime Wildflower Seeds by LoveLambie

June 2nd, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Last night while googling “handmade jewellery” in Ireland I came across this truly talented artist based in Cork, Ireland. Her name is Alicia Mannix and she is a metal artist, but in her 10 year career has worked with a variety of materials such as silver, glass, copper, wood and steel.

Her newest silver collection is what caught my eye. Named “Botanicals”, it captures the similarities between natures ephimerial beauty and the human form.

image property of Alicia Mannix

She is registered with the Crafts Council of Ireland, but from what I can tell does not have an online shop.  Her prices range from €26 – €250 and she can be contacted through email: info@alicia.ie or through her beautiful website: www.alicia.ie

She also teaches classes at The PMC Studio in England.

Me: loving it! Check her out.

May 20th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Blanchville House -  Kilkenny, Ireland

The location alone is inviting. But, what got me really interested was this…

At Blanchville House you are at the centre of Ireland’s ‘Craft Trail’ with a wealth of high quality handmade Irish Crafts available at numerous outlets including the famous Kilkenny Design Centre.

Renowned internationally for the quality of the craft produced in Kilkenny, the Kilkenny Craft Trail is the perfect way to explore the best of Kilkenny craft.

The Trail features 9 retail studios and workshops in Kilkenny, and includes jewellers, potters, leather & wood workers, glass blowing as well as candle makers.

I think I’ll stay at the Manor House Bed and Breakfast and spend some time in the Drawing Room, “which still retains it’s original wallpaper, and is the perfect room to relax in front of a blazing fire, browse through a selection of books and magazines or, if you prefer, simply sit back and savour the restful ambiance of the house”.

Maybe I’ll partake in some Deep Tissue Massage and Aromatherapy at the ‘Sanctuary’.

Oh! and I can’t leave without attending the ’Freeing the Creative Spirit’ workshop! “Let go of restrictions, follow your heart & express your own truths through paint and colour”.

Yes. Yes, that sounds like a wonderful way to spend a weekend. Sign me up!

Blanchville House, Dunbell, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland – Tel: (+353) 05677 27197  Fax: (+353) 05677 27636

* all images property of http://www.blanchville.ie/

May 8th, 2009 | 3 Comments »

Miss Dish is an online boutique owned and operated by Natalie Mayerhofer, an Aussie girl residing in Dublin. She specializes in handmade jewellery, handbags and accessories. She also offers custom made jewellery.

Her pieces are just darling! (I’m obsessed with Lucite at the moment.)

Miss Dish can also be found on Dawanda. Her prices are excellent and she’s currently having a summer sale!

September 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »

There are not many bead shops in Dublin, that’s for certain. A google search yields very little choices.
But, there are a few.

First there is Yellow Brick Road. I originally bought some item’s from them online and their service was good. They have a decent selection, but like most things here in Ireland, are way overpriced for me. I also had the pleasure of finally visiting this shop in Dublin. It’s a charming LITTLE shop, the staff were very friendly and helpful, the selection was decent. I did notice there were quite a few items there that weren’t available online.

Next we have Beads and Bling. They also allow you to shop online. When I was looking for seed beads they didn’t have any online, but they did have some in the shop. They had a good selection of Swarovski Crystals and some very nice stone. Again, the prices are reflective of Ireland. Not as affordable as in the states.

I’ve heard Dublin Woollen Mills carries a small selection of beads, but I have never been there and their website, as of right now, is down.

{ UPDATE:  Dublin Woollen Mills does not allow you to shop online. }

Outside of Dublin we have Gemini Beads. They also allow shopping online, but I have not purchased from them as they didn’t quite have what I was looking for and they seem to be even more pricey than the others. They are also located in Cork which is a little too far from me.

BDI Jewellery, located in Bray, Co. Wicklow, seems to have a lovely selection and a very nice sized shop. They also offer online shopping. I’ll have to look for them next time I’m in Bray!

Amazing Beads is an online shop only. They seem to have a limited stock and the prices are a bit much for me.

[UPDATE]

The owner of Amazingbeads.net, Sue Graham, informs me that she has recently added many more items to her shop and reviewed her pricing system. She also assures me that her friendly and efficient service to customers is second to none! I’ve taken a look myself and am thinking I may be making a purchase there soon. Sue also makes some really lovely jewelry pieces and I feel horrible for not mentioning this before.

I commend Sue on making these changes and wish her the best of luck on all her endeavours.

There are of course possibly others I am unaware of. Some just don’t seem to have websites, others I’ve found no longer exist.

I will probably, mostly stick with Etsy or even Ebay. You can’t beat the selection there and the prices are excellent. Even with shipping, most times it works out cheaper than buying here. Unfortunately.

August 1st, 2008 | No Comments »