It's a small world after all

A selection of my original eco resin paperweights have just popped up in store. I only have one of available in each design, and each one is completely bespoke and will not be made again. If you'd like your own miniature magical world, then follow the links below to claim your Lost Forest treasure!

Each eco resin paperweight allows you to adorn your desk or workspace with a little portion of the enchanted Emerald Isle.

The domed paperweight has been cast from an original Victorian glass paperweight from my own collection of curiosities. I made a mold from it, and cast these magical botanical 'bubbles' using natural pine resin; each one holding their very own floral treasure. You can choose your favourite.

Sparkling Seashore- featuring real Irish seashells collected along the windswept shore of Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow. Hidden amongst the shells are delicate starfish (found naturally expired on the beach), and sparkling shards of iridescent glitter to evoke the shimmering light upon the crest of a wave. A tiny secret world is contained within this beautiful piece of art.

My Sweet Daisy- featuring real oxeye daisies that were collected by myself from a wild Irish meadow a number of years ago. The pale ochre petals are suitably aged, yet command attention in this bespoke piece. They are accompanied by a whirlwind of leaves and ferns to complete their wondrous little world.

Dahlia Daydreams- featuring a real sunny yellow dahlia picked from my garden during the summer months. The bloom has been expertly preserved to retain its fragile and enduring beauty. Woodland ferns gathered from the Dublin mountains embrace the bloom, along with sprinkles of 24k gold leaf, and create an inspiring and beautiful decorative piece.

Wish upon a Dandelion- featuring real dandelion seeds, plucked from a field of wild dandelions late last summer. Iridescent shards of sparkling glitter dance around the seeds, shifting colour magically under the changing light of the day. The effect is one of mesmerising beauty and eternal magic with every glance.

Forget- me- not puddle plate

Forget-me-nots are one of my favourite flowers; delicate, elongated stems capped off with a bonny blue bloom. They're symbolic of elegance, true love, enduring friendship, and remembrance of those who have passed. 

During the summer months they grew in proliferation in the garden; a swaying blue breeze of happiness. I picked hundreds of them and pressed them in anticipation for upcoming resin projects. One such project was to create a bespoke Puddle Plate for a client of mine. She wanted a special gift for a dear friend who lost her grandmother. The forget-me-not blooms were the ideal flower for this request. 

I created a crystal clear puddle of resin, which had trapped layers of tiny Forget-me-not and 24k gold leaf. It was reminiscent of a little dish that had been left out in a rain shower, and had collected tiny botanical treasures. The overall effect was a unique and very personal memento for her friend, and a precious reminder of her grandma.

Inktober #4 - #6

I finally got some time to do a some more Inktober sketches. It's challenging to find a few minutes of the day to doodle, but I'm determined to fill up my little sketchbook with my botanical studies. The latest offerings include tiny mottlegill mushrooms and woodland sorrel, autumnal leaves and miniature acorns, and a quick sketch to capture the everlasting beauty of the cherry blossom or sakura.  

Inktober #2 & #3

My next offering for Inktober is of the floral variety; buttercups 'Ranunculus' and alpine forget-me-not 'Myosotis alpestris'.  Two of my favourite wildflowers now illustrated and painted in my notebook, and preserved in a different manner than my usual eco resin method. Still equally as enjoyable. I'm thinking of my next drawing already, and my mind is wandering to mushrooms once more...

Inktober #1

Drawing and painting seems like a long distant memory to me now. I use to fill my childhood days with watercolour painting and sketching, and amassed a huge collection of notebooks and canvases, which are now forgotten artefacts inhabiting my wardrobe and under my bed. 

I always wanted to return to it at some stage, but life and my business inevitably stole the limelight. As Inktober has officially begun, I decided to set myself a challenge, and sneak in half an hour a day to sketch and paint little pictures of forest finds. My first crisp white page debuted a fairytale toadstool that goes by the name of Amanita Muscaria or Fly Agaric. I actually really enjoyed the task and found it therapeutic and it calmed my busy mind. I'm already looking forward to the next page.

It's a small world after all

The Lost Forest collection just got a little boost today with these new Looking Glass pendants. My tiny mushroom worlds are inspired by my original and award nominated piece 'The Magical Mottlegill Mushroom' necklace. Since then, I've had a lot of fun creating variations of that design.

I love conjuring up miniature natural worlds using foraged finds from my local woodlands. The main focus in every pendant are tiny mushrooms, which I've collected and preserved over several weeks. Their spindly whimsical forms are reminiscent of tiny forest gnomes hiding amongst a lush blanket of moss. Each inclusion has been handpicked from the same location in the forest to ensure that the natural symbiotic relationship of the finds continue on together in their next adventure; sparkling eco resin jewels. 

The first looking glass, 'The Woodland of the Elfin Wishes'  features a secret little wonderland; inhabited by diminutive elves who flutter amongst the fallen autumn leaves strewn upon the forest floor. Tiny real Mottlegill mushrooms spring up from a layer of Irish moss. Sprigs of delicate purple tipped Elfin herb embrace the bewitching scene. A secret hidden dandelion seed sits beneath the cap of a mushroom, offering a hint of luck to the wearer of this beautiful piece. Glittering 24k gold leaf speckles float in the clear resin to create an added touch of intrigue.

The second pendant, 'Dream in the Floral Forest'  features a beautiful floral forest; settled by mischievous flower faeries who flutter through the enchanted woods. Delicate real Mottlegill mushrooms spring up from knotted tendrils of real Irish moss. Elongated vines of pale blue water Forget-me-not dance within the celestial scene. Vibrant yellow buttercups are caught in an eternal breeze; their fragile beauty captured forever. Shimmering speckles of 24k gold leaf dance within the clear resin to create an added touch of glamour.

Lost Forest Fern Earrings

Brand new in store are these beautifully elegant eco resin earrings, which have trapped and preserved real forest ferns. The tiny delicate ferns were collected by me within the magical and enchanted Irish woodlands. I carefully pressed their fragile beauty over several weeks, and then skilfully encapsulated them into crystal clear eco resin oval drops. They are inspired by lingering sparkling rain drops clinging to the branch tips in the woods. Each droplet holding a tiny treasure and the essence of the Lost Forest. 

The base of each drop has been hand gilded with fragmented 24k gold leaf in my signature style, and adds another touch of glamour to these statement earrings. You will now be able to carry a little portion of Ireland with you wherever you may wander. Available now here.

Forest Foraging

Today marked a much needed supply run to the mountains. Mottlegill mushrooms, moss and woodland ferns were top of the list, and I found a bountiful selection of them within the depths of the forest. The recent rain showers had enticed a profusion of botanicals to emerge through the undergrowth and reveal their delights. 

I also managed to stumble upon some floral treats in the form of buttercups (Ranunculus bulbosus), Eyebright (Euphrasia) and the rambling Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum). It was a job well done and allowed me to enrich my botanical collections once more for some brand new projects on the horizon.

Summer Buttercup Droplets

New to store are my little handcrafted eco resin buttercup drops, which have encapsulated all the fun and frivolity of an Irish summers day. Each buttercup was picked by me from the sun drenched meadows and carefully preserved over several weeks to retain its beauty and vibrant colour. Speckles of glittering 24k gold leaf are suspended amongst the dancing buttercups; sparkling with every move you make.

The buttercup holds a great sense of nostalgia for me and I wanted to create a piece that was not only beautiful to look at, but one that can evoke fond memories of childhood games and stories. As a child, it was tradition to pick these little buttery yellow blooms in the fields at playtime and hold them under your chin to see if you or your friends liked butter. If the flower glowed vivid yellow upon the base of your chin it meant you liked butter, if not, then butter was obviously not your thing! Maybe you can try it yourself when you purchase this unique treasure? I highlighted this Irish tradition a few years ago on my Instagram page here , and it was lovely to read similar folk stories from around the world that were associated with this little ubiquitous flower. I'd love to read more in the comments below.

You can choose your favourite buttercup droplet in store here.

Flower foraging in the garden

The days are long and busy in the Lost Forest studio, so any opportunity to escape into the sunny garden for a breath of sweet summer air is essential to restore calm and ease the mind. Today, I gathered a pretty selection of blooms that were tumbling out of their pots and were prime for picking. 

I snipped tiny bouquets of Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis), its larger counterpart; Chinese Forget-me-not (Cynoglossum amiable), beautiful fluffy umbels of chocolate Queen Anne's Lace (Dara ammi) and purple corn cockles (Agrostemma githago).  I always find this stage of the process in my jewellery making to be the most relaxing and therapeutic. It certainly beats the sanding stage; the less said about that the better! I could happily pick and press flowers all day long.

Hello from the Lost Forest

Welcome to my new blog. I hope you'll click and subscribe, and follow my new journey through the Irish woodlands, secret gardens and days spent on the farm. I will be offering a little photographic pathway into my world as a designer and a perpetual daydreamer.

Today I spent a sunny spring afternoon in my local park to collect some beautiful wildflowers and marvel at the dappled light flickering through the trees. Bluebells and cow parsley were blooming brightly under the watchful eye of ancient trees. Days like these always fill me with a renewed sense of creativity and inspiration; providing me with a much needed boost to start sketching lots of brand new ideas.