Blog

Thank You!

This post is to let customers know, from today, I cannot guarantee Christmas delivery on any orders placed on my website. Between the delays well publicised by An Post, and my dwindling stock, it is time to concentrate on running our annual Christmas shop in Monaghan town ‘Designer Crafts at the Market House’ for what…

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Don’t delay – post today!

This is just a little word to the wise – if you’re thinking of ordering some fused glass to send to a loved one this Christmas, don’t delay. An Post have publicly acknowledged that they are experiencing serious delays, due to the increased volume of parcel post this year. Everyone is benefitting from being able…

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The annual Louth Craftmark Winter Fair

Every year at this time, I love to take part in the Louth Craftmark Winter Fair. Now in its fourth year, the fair has always taken place in the beautiful Bellurgan House, just outside Dundalk.  Transformed into a winter wonderland, with holly and spruce garlands and hundreds of fairy lights, it always announces the arrival…

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written – one minute everything was normal, but the next I found myself right in the middle of the Christmas season! I’m loving it of course. I spend half my year making fused glass Christmas decorations that are sold in gift shops throughout the country.  You’d think that…

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October sunsets

I am very lucky to live and work at the top of what’s reputedly the highest point in County Monaghan – Mullyash Mountain, just outside Castleblayney. My studio looks down over the county’s famous drumlins for miles around. At this time of year, I am spoiled with regular breath-taking sunsets, as my studio faces west. …

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A happy customer!

I’ve mentioned before that I really enjoy working to commission, as you learn a little bit about the people involved.  In this case, a lady asked me to make a large framed piece featuring Hook Head Lighthouse.  This was planned as a special birthday gift for her brother, who had a love of lighthouses, and…

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A visit to the Patrick Kavanagh Centre brings unexpected emotions to the surface

I had the pleasure of visiting the recently-renovated Patrick Kavanagh Centre, in the village of Inniskeen, Co Monaghan, this week. I confess that apart from studying Kavanagh’s poems as part of the Leaving Cert curriculum, many, many years ago, I knew very little about Patrick Kavanagh. And the depressing ‘Stony Grey Soil’ wouldn’t have inspired…

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Making presents with love in mind

When I go quiet, it’s usually because I’m busy working, which is always great. Recently, I’ve been making lots of lovely glass for customers, who commissioned something special.  If you’re looking for a gift for someone, and you can’t find what you had in mind, or perhaps you’re not sure exactly what you’re looking for,…

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Just out of the kiln today – autumn lanterns

I love pairing my fused glass with light, and make all sorts of candle holders. But another thing I like to to, is keep my eyes open for interesting lanterns that I can adapt for fused glass.  I liked the bronze colour of this pair, so discarded the normal glass they came with, and made…

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Getting out to the shops!

It was about time I went on a road-trip, so I packed up the car with lots of lovely glassware, and headed off to restock some of the lovely gift shops that stock my fused glass. First stop was the beautiful Collective at Market Square, a spacious, gift gallery housed alongside the famous Lace Gallery…

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