Made by Crafty Hands

Winter in Dublin, 2009: Photography by Katie Reynolds CLICK ON THIS TITLE TO VIEW

2009-12-08T15:09:00.010Z

The Iveagh Markets in the heart of The Liberties

Hi there! Click on the Title above to view my myspace album with a collection of new photographs of Dublin which I have taken over the past few months. They are mostly taken in and around Dublin 8 where I currently live. It is where my Grandma grew up and it's amazing to wander around the exact same streets in The Liberties as she did. The original stone buildings now stand side by side with the modern styles. It's this blend of old and new, the cobblestones reflected in the glass facade, that facinates me about the landscape of Dublin City.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=256456952&albumId=1314241

Foolin in Doolin Christmas Market

2009-12-04T21:09:00.005Z

Here's a chance to pick up some interesting Christmas presents and sample the local fare.
This market combines the fresh local produce and artisan foods of a farmers market with the handmade goods of a craft fair. It takes place on Saturday 19th December 11am to 5pm at the Russell Community Centre in Doolin. Emma Willcox will have a selection of Natural Cosmetics for sale, very handy for this time of year's harsh weather.

"We have a great selection of local and imported fruit and organic veg, bread, baked goods, fresh waffles, cheese, local ice cream, salads, curries, chutneys, jams, and sauces. And besides that, you will see all manner of handmade items such as ceramics, photography, locally made willow baskets and chairs, quilted and crocheted items, handsewn bags and purses, plants, and natural cosmetics, made locally with seaweed and other organic ingredients. Often we have craftspeople working away, spinning yarn, or making ceramic figures, and always available to answer questions about their craft!"

The Doolin Market returns from the 30th of May!

2009-05-17T17:27:00.007+01:00

"Moontide" Emma Willcox's range of Natural Cosmetics will on sale at The Doolin Saturday Market and Craft Fair takes which will take place every Saturday this summer, starting May 30th through August 29th, and runs from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. at the Russell Brothers Community Centre on the road from the village to the Church.

Introducing two prolific Scottish Artists

2009-04-27T00:29:00.008+01:00

Introducing two dedicated Edinburgh based artists, who I met while working there during the last few years. Although producing work in very different mediums, one of the qualities they both have in common is their strong natural theme.

Deborah Cameron's inspiring and often tempestuous seascapes are influenced by the years she spent living at the very North of Scotland.

Adrian Baird Ba Than creates jewellery and various functional objects from a whole range of organic and reclaimed materials.

Both artists' work is available at Marchmont Gallery (above) in Edinburgh. Drop in if you are in the city as it is always great to see the work up close!
http://www.marchmontgallery.com/

Adrian Baird Ba Than : Jeweller and Designer

2009-04-27T00:02:00.014+01:00

Adrian Baird Ba Than is a Designer/Maker based in Edinburgh. Drawing inspiration from sources both obvious and unexpected he combines wood, bone, horn, nut, shell and mammoth ivory with metal, stone & resins to create elegant, clean designs which are stunning in their simplicity and timeless in their beauty.

Being self taught, Adrian isn't bound by tradition and therefore has found his own path and his own dialogue with which to express his aesthetic. Primarily a jeweller, Adrian also turns his hand to other creative pursuits such as box making, small trinket boxes that fit in the palm of your hand, larger desk top boxes that may be used for jewellery, cigars or anything you want to keep safe or treasure, to a custom made case for your favourite mp3 player. Adrian also uses leather in his work from making satchels, wallets and belts to lining the inside of the aforementioned boxes.

Sourcing materials is a major concern for Adrian. He feels an ethical responsibilty to ensure his work is made utilising materials that come from renewable sources or preferably reclaimed. With this in mind he only uses organic beef bone and ancient mammoth ivory when wanting a white or creamy element to his work. Also, much of the wood he uses has been intercepted on the way to an evergrowing landfill site, or is offcuts from other craftsmen or was destined to become chipboard or animal bedding being considered unusable or too costly to process.

If you are interested in purchasing any of Adrian's designs or to get an idea of prices, send him an email-

Contact : goatfeet@hotmail.com

Adrian Baird Ba Than : Jewellery and Designs

2009-04-26T23:53:00.012+01:00

Deborah Cameron : Painter

2009-04-26T23:36:00.009+01:00

"Painting has always been an important part of my life. For over 20 years I lived in the Outer Hebrides and the quality of light, huge skies and constant presence of the sea still fascinate me and influence much of my work although I will paint anything that captures my interest. In 2003 I moved to Edinburgh and rented a studio so that I could paint full time. Then, in 2005 I held my first,very successful, solo exhibition entitled Wide Angle. Following that in 2006 I had work accepted for the Aspect Prize Exhibition and by the Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Art. In October 2007 I was part of a successful 3 man show at the Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh."

Contact : http://deborahcameron.com/

Deborah Cameron : Paintings

2009-04-26T23:17:00.019+01:00

Charlene Gavigan : Jewellery Designs

2009-04-14T16:30:00.009+01:00

"These gems have life in them: their colors speak, say what words fail of." George Eliot

Charlene designs and hand makes one-off pieces of exquisite, intricate and elegant jewellery. Ideal for a unique present or a customised piece for a special occasion and at a very reasonable price. Contact her to make a commission. As a designer, she is very approachable and full of ideas! If you have something in mind, Charlene will help you to choose the design you are after. She explains below how she creates her beautiful jewellery:

"I am a very lucky person, I am surrounded by amazing talent and this website is a testament to that talent. How could you not be inspired??
I am firm believer that if you have the will and a little inspiration you can make anything yourself. You don't need to buy a logo or spend a fortune to bring together style and a little class. I started making jewellery for family and friends a couple of years ago and through their support I am still creating pieces today. All the pieces I design are dress pieces and there is something for every occasion. I use a number of materials, including nylon coated wire, glass beads, Swarovski crystals, ceramic beads, silver or gold plated components and ribbon. If you have a wedding or an event that you are looking for something that bit different take a look at my images."

If you are interested in any of the pieces below please contact me, some are available for sale - prices range from 18-40 euro

charlenegavigan@hotmail.com

Charlene Gavigan : Jewellery Designs

2009-04-14T15:27:00.019+01:00

Emma Willcox : MOONTIDE Natural Cosmetics

2009-04-10T11:36:00.006+01:00

Emma resides in Doolin, on the West coast of Ireland. From there, she started a Natural Cosmetics company- 'Moontide'
Moontide creates natural beauty products that work together with the skin. Human skin is amazing and absorbs a high percentage of everything it comes into contact with. Therefore, Moontide sources organic ingredients wherever possible and the herbs used are grown without the aid of chemicals. Moontide is against animal testing. The Moontide collection includes :

Hand Creams

Foot Creams

Lip Balms

Antiseptic Salves

Seaweed Face Creams.

All products are handmade in Doolin.

For more information or to purchase any of these products, please contact Emma at emmawillcox@hotmail.com

She also sells locally at The Doolin Saturday Market and Craft Fair from the 6th of June.

For info- doolinmarket@gmail.com

http://doolinmarket.blogspot.com/

Emma Willcox : MOONTIDE Natural Cosmetics

2009-04-10T11:28:00.004+01:00

New Website from Patricia Hayes

2009-04-03T09:37:00.003+01:00

Have a look at the fantastic new website by painter and photographer Patricia Hayes! Her vibrant, mixed media paintings are imbued with a strong sense meaning and memory. Evocative and ethereal landscapes are captured in her original polaroid photographs. Contact her through her website to discuss making a purchase or organising a commission.

http://www.patricia-hayes.com

An Post C Both Sides Exhibition

2009-04-03T09:18:00.003+01:00

An Post are hosting a postcard exhibition in Dublin at the moment. Included in the show is one of Amy Lynch's postcards -depicting a hand embroidered scene of O'Connell Street. Here are the details if anyone would like to go along:

Dublin | 30 March – 9 April

Dublin Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 1.
+353 (0)1 6722222‎

The exhibition will open in the lobby/foyer/atrium of Dublin City Council’s offices on Wood Quay.

Admission is free.

Opening hours:
Mon - Fri: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

http://www.anpostcbothsides.ie/index.php?item_id=1127

Amy Lynch : IMAGES

2009-03-31T01:07:00.010+01:00

BAGS :

LAPTOP BAG :

Amy Lynch : IMAGES

2009-03-31T00:58:00.003+01:00

CUSHIONS :

Amy Lynch : IMAGES

2009-03-31T00:14:00.024+01:00

MOBILES :

POSTCARDS :

Amy Lynch : Fabric Crafts

2009-03-30T23:50:00.003+01:00

I'm very excited to share Amy's work with everyone! As you can see from her photos, she creates coveted, one off craft pieces (mainly using fabric), ranging from children's mobiles to embroidered postcards, with many a cleverly engineered bag in between. Her design background is evident in her attention to detail. All her bags and purses are fully functional and durable. I can vouch for that myself. Here's what Amy has to say about her creations:

"I've had an interest in "making things" since I was very young- I was making dolls and furniture for my dolls house as well as puzzle books and pop-up books for friends and for family birthdays when I was still in primary school! These days I mainly use fabrics in the things I make. I like spending time in charity shops looking for unusual and even dated looking fabrics; I have now got a large (maybe too large!) stockpile of fabric which comes in handy when I get a sudden urge to make something. I make bags, purses, cushions, hanging mobiles and postcards, most of which are created with a specific person in mind. I use machine and hand embroidery to embellish and enhance the items that I create."

Contact Amy : funkadore@hotmail.com

Introducing our official title header!

2009-02-17T22:26:00.003Z

The new title has been sewn by Amy Lynch. Expect to see a whole range of Amy's handmade fabric crafts on this blog in the near future!

Katie Reynolds : IMAGES

2009-02-11T22:59:00.013Z

Katie Reynolds : Photographer

2009-02-11T22:41:00.006Z

I have been interested in photography for over ten years since I began a design course in Dublin in 1997. Through the years as I have studied many different types of art, my love for taking photographs has grown. I find it fascinating to photograph people I know, interesting architecture and all the surprising visuals that my environment has to offer. I enjoy making photo etchings on old book pages as I love when my pictures have a multi layered element to them. I have recently been involved with taking photos for a few theatre groups which was a great challenge. I will post a selection of photos from my previous work.

In the near future I hope to organise an exhibition of my recent work.

If anyone is interested in getting together to create some interesting work with me I would love to talk to you about it.
Contact: katiereynoldsphotography@hotmail.com

Ritsuko Yamaguchi : IMAGES

2009-02-11T22:32:00.010Z

Ritsuko Yamaguchi : Pastry Chef

2009-02-11T22:10:00.003Z

Ritsuko has been working as a pastry chef for 6 years. Originally from Japan, she studied in

"Le Cordon Bleu Paris", one of the best pastry schools in the world.

Here is a selection of exquisite cakes she has made for a variety of occasions. And yes, they taste as good as they look!

Prices are available upon request.

Contact: ricchan919@hotmail.com

Welcome to: Made by Crafty Hands!

2009-02-11T21:37:00.005Z

This is an Arts and Crafts blog to represent a selection of work by all my talented friends who make things by hand...jewellery, cakes, bags etc!!!! I will be posting some of my own photographic work too. Some of us are professionals and some create this work in our spare time but we all love to make new and interesting work that excites us!

I intend for this to be an informal showcase of the work people are making. If you are interested in getting in touch regarding commissions or sales enquiries you are welcome to contact any of us via email. Or if you have any questions, send me an email and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

I will also keep you updated with any events, exhibitions or markets which we will be a part of.

There is a profile on each person and any new work will be posted regularly.

I hope you enjoy our creative endeavors!

Katie