Gifted- The Contemporary Craft & Design Fair 2017

Last week Lost Forest attended 'Gifted- The Contemporary Craft & Design Fair' in Dublin's RDS. The hugely popular national event showcases the best in Irish design and craft, allowing small businesses to sell and interact with new and old customers. 

It was my second time exhibiting at the show, and I was excited to show lots of unique sparkly treasures to the world. I was also delighted to have one of my pieces chosen for the 'Selected Gifts' display with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland. 'My Wild Irish Heart' was exhibited amongst other Irish designers in the main hall. A little proud moment for me!

My stand design was slightly different to the previous year, and required a re-think due to a dual entrance. On the night of set-up we were limited for time, so we created a design that we thought best utilised the space. However, the next morning (after a sleepless night of procrastinations), we decided to create a new and improved layout. The 'Lost Forest' wall was moved to partially cover one entrance, and to protect the side of the till. The two tables sat next to each other in one corner, creating a little shop space that made it easier to greet and chat with customers. I was finally happy with the end result, and my little shop was open for business.

The show was a great success, and it was so heartwarming to see the twinkle in people'e eye when their gaze encountered my work. To have the opportunity to explain my process and inspirations was also a real treat, as I'm normally hidden away in the studio for most of the year. 

After a busy show, and a very busy week in the Lost Forest shop, it's definitely time for some relaxation, movies, cuddles with Billie the furbaby and my fiancé, and of course plenty of chocolate. It's nearly Christmas after all, and calories don't count at Christmas!

Getting ready for Gifted

The Lost Forest studio is buzzing in anticipation for this years big craft fair- Gifted, at the RDS, Dublin. There's only two weeks left before kick-off day on Friday the 8th of December. Billie and I are currently busy boxing, stamping, wrapping and organising lots of treasures, and building props (she's not so good at that part of the process). 

Here's a selection of photos from last years show, which saw my debut at the largest event I've participated in so far. Hopefully this year should be bigger and better than ever. My new stand will be a little different than before; a more streamlined version to make assembly easier, and a few tweaks to the arrangement. However, the stars of the show; my upcycled farm tables will be back!

You can still buy tickets for the event here. I'll be at Stand C20 Friday 8th- Sunday 10th. It should be a great show, and is always a cosy 'Christmassy' event perfect for all the family. I'll have a blog post after the fair to show the new and improved Lost Forest miniature shop. For now, it's back to work and I'll continue trying to teach Billie how to use a hammer. Having no thumbs is not a valid excuse, it it?! 

All the leaves are golden

November marks a very busy period me, as I'm currently preparing for the Gifted craft and design fair in December. When I have a spare moment in the day, my concentration shifts to a task involving 'show prep'. Today, I made some time to work on a leaf garland for my stand. These beautiful intricate paper leaves will form the basis for my design. I decided to gild each one in a sumptuously sparkling layer of gold metallic paint. I love to use Finetec paints, as they have a stunning shimmer and rich tone that is highly reflective.  

I chose to give the leaves a golden glow to evoke the style of my jewellery. One of my main design traits is using 24k gold leaf. It's a material I've worked with since the very beginning of my resin making journey, and it quickly became my trademark. It is a design feature I hold dear to my heart, and it will always endure in my work. These little leaves are my ode to that glistening beautiful material that shines through in all of my Lost Forest creations. Stay tuned for the finished garland in a few weeks time.