An Irish sorrel woodland

The woodlands are currently blanketed with a rich emerald tapestry of woodland sorrel or Oxalis acetosella. It is often known as 'woodland shamrock' due to its close resemblance to its miniature counterpart. This ubiquitous plant is a common sight in Irish woodlands. During the months of April - June, a tiny and delicate flower blooms, and resembles fallen confetti on the forest floor. A truly beautiful sight to behold. Mother Nature has lovingly decorated the alabaster petals with elegant purple pinstripes, and a buttery golden yellow centre. The green heart-shaped leaves are trifoliate, and charmingly fold up towards the sun in late afternoon, as if taking a much deserved midday break. I also love how the morning dewdrops linger on the leaves, and sparkle under the sun like tiny fallen crystals.

I collected and preserved a handful of the flowers during spring, and the result is this beautiful one-of-a-kind eco resin necklace- 'Sorrel Woodland'.

The ethereal beauty of the woodlands is forever captured within the pendant. This handcrafted eco resin globe has encapsulated real wood sorrel flowers and woodland ferns. The delicate sorrel petals are beautifully decorated with thin purple pinstripes; their fragile details showcased wonderfully in crystal clear resin. The sorrel and ferns were discovered at the base of an old oak tree in the Dublin mountains. I preserved them within this pendant as an ode to their enduring friendship that prevailed in the woods over the years. The ferns embrace the scene and are accompanied by a dusting of 24k gold leaf to create a stunning and one of a kind botanical pendant.

The globe hangs from an 14k gold filled jump ring and a high quality 14k gold filled 19" chain. You will become the guardian of a unique piece of botanical art. Only one available now here.

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.

Wish upon a dandelion

'Wish upon a raindrop' is the latest eco resin treasure in the Lost Forest collection. It's inspired by dazzling raindrops that have fallen upon the leafy forest floor. The delicate raindrop holds a bewitching surprise; tiny real dandelion seeds. They gently dance within the crystal clear eco resin, their fragile beauty captured forever in a timelessly elegant piece. A magical dusting of 24k gold leaf swirls around the seeds, glittering with every movement you make. 

This piece is beautifully timeless and wearable, and is now my firm favourite for my everyday wear. It adds a wonderful touch of glamour to any outfit, and always catches people's eye. To complete the look, my 'Make a wish' drop earrings are an ideal accompaniment.

Dandelion's hold such a poignant and hopeful message for many people.  Their ethereal ghostly structure has always fascinated me, and from the very beginnings of my resin making journey, I love to capture them in their simplest form. This necklace seems to be the perfect way to remind you everyday to keep hope alive and always strive forward.

Wedding Bells & Bouquet Bangles

Over the last 5 years I've been making my 'Bouquet Bangles' and other little jewellery mementos from beautiful wedding bouquets. It was a unique idea of mine and one I continue with today, having made numerous sparkling eco resin jewels for brides all around the world. I love to work on these projects as they mark such a special moment in everyone's life.

The hours of workmanship, months of procrastination and planning that go into making a bouquet all culminate in one day of admiration and then sadly the bouquets are often thrown away or dried and stored in a box; forgotten about and left to gather dust. The bouquet bangles offer a renewed lease of life. To have a little reminder of the 'big day' and one you can also wear is all the more precious. 

If you'd like your own bouquet made into a bangle, necklace, earrings or even a paperweight or Puddle Plate, please get in touch here to discuss your project. In the meantime, you can follow my flower drying guide and read some tips here to begin your journey with me to create your very own Lost Forest treasures.

Wild Irish Rose

One of my all time favourite flowers are roses; they hold such elegance, vibrant colour, and wonderful heady aromas. 'My dear rose' is a piece inspired by their eternal beauty.

It is one-of-a-kind piece, created just for you to treasure and wear close to your heart. The bottle pendant was skilfully cast by myself using a handmade mold of a vintage Chanel No.5 perfume bottle. An original concept I devised a few years ago. The pendant was then constructed in natural resin using my advanced casting technique to ensure a premium crystal clear finish. Within the lightweight resin bottle are three deep pink rose buds suspended in eternal motion. The buds were picked from my garden last summer and have been preserved to showcase their fragile form and delicate details.

A fine scattering of 24k gold leaf speckles float amongst this miniature scene, along with romantic swirls of pink dye, which enrapture the roses and accentuate their lively colour. You can almost imagine the sweet floral scent trapped forever within this wonderfully tactile bottle. It's only available at this link. 

While wandering through the rose gardens at Powerscourt, I snapped my 'Wild Irish heart' necklace against the rose lined walled garden. This piece is available in the Design Loft in Powerscourt House and also in store now. It's such a pretty and romantic piece, and I adore how the heather buds dance within the bottle with every step you take. A truly dynamic and intriguing piece of botanical art.

I'll find you in the forest, garden or sea...

Three of my favourite places to be; the forest, garden or sea. All of the natural inclusions in my jewellery are picked by myself directly from these locations as I live within 15 minutes of each one (the garden a little closer of course). It's important to me to use what's found locally as it forms the essence and individuality of each piece, as well as distinguishing my work from others. 

My latest offering in store entices you to choose your favourite piece inspired by your chosen location *(with an added hidden surprise).

                                                

 The Forest

A stunning real quartz point has been carefully recreated in the form of a natural pine resin pendant. The handcrafted quartz has encapsulated real tendrils of vivid green and yellow lichen, gathered from the forest floor of the Dublin mountains. The crystal clear resin has a subtle green tint to emphasise the beautiful tones of the lichen. The tip of the crystal has been hand gilded with fragmented sterling silver leaf to add a touch of sparkle to this magical piece. A handmade 925 sterling silver chain in an 18" length is fed through the crystal to create a unique piece of wearable art.

The Garden

Carry a tiny portion of an Irish garden with you in the form of this pretty pendant featuring a real hand pressed pansy. The pansy was picked from my garden and delicately preserved over several weeks to retain its buttery yellow tone. The pansy lies within crystal clear pine resin and is accompanied by a fine scattering of 24k gold leaf flakes, which dance around the beautiful bloom. The pansy is embraced by a handmade 24k gold plated circular frame, which adds a lovely tactile element to the piece. As the light passes through the pendant, the flower glows; reminiscent of the luminescence of a stained glass window. The pendant hangs from a fine 18" 14k gold fill chain.

The Sea

All the mystical elements of the Irish sea are forever embodied in this stunning necklace. A single drop of natural pine resin contains a real little starfish, found naturally expired along the Irish shore. It is immortalised within an aqua toned sea; swirling with tendrils of real Irish moss to echo the knotted seaweed. Speckles of sterling silver leaf glisten with every movement, creating a real sense of glamour and intrigue. A handmade 925 sterling silver chain in an 18" length is fed through the drop, allowing you to wear a mermaids forgotten treasure.

Which treasure will you choose?

*each piece comes with a free special gift

Baby on Board

This is a beautiful little memento necklace I recently created for a lovely client of mine. She was presented with this tiny black bean by her daughter-in-law on the news of her long awaited pregnancy. It represented the size of her daughter-in-laws growing baby, and was a true surprise and delight for the prospective grandmother. 

She asked me to preserve the bean in a miniature eco resin globe necklace so she could always remember the pivotal occasion. I nestled the bean at the base of the globe, as if cradled by its gentle contours. My signature crystal clear resin showcased every minuscule detail and intriguing form. I then surrounded it with a protective embrace of magical dandelion seeds; an emphatic declaration that wishes do come true. The overall result was a stunning keepsake that holds a wealth of meaning and memories.

Custom memento jewellery

I recently had the pleasure of creating some beautiful memorial jewellery for the late Johannah Deakin or 'Jay', mother of One Direction band member Louis Tomlinson. Her sister-in-law, Sally, asked me to commemorate Johannah's wonderful spirit in the form of little memento necklaces and cufflinks to gift to her children and family members. 

Sally sent me a dusky pink rose she dried from Johannah's wedding bouquet, which would form the basis of the design of each piece. I firstly started by restoring the rose petals back to their original colour, as they had faded and lost some of their vibrant tones. I used a specialised process to bring their colour back, and I then created 'flower confetti' with the petals in my signature design.

The ladies were gifted beautiful rose confetti natural resin heart necklaces, in either gold or silver, while Louis and the men received cufflinks. The result is a tiny happy memory encapsulated into a wearable memento that will hopefully help and offer comfort to those who face a difficult journey ahead. 

Handpicked & Handmade

My motto for my jewellery collection has always been 'handpicked and handmade'. I've forever been in eternal wonder at the natural world around me, and flowers of every colour, shape and form fascinate me. It was inevitable that one day they would consume me and become part of my working life. Every little bloom within my jewellery is picked by me from the wildflower meadows I love to wander through, and are carefully pressed to keep just a tiny part of its magic alive.

Here's a snapshot of my day passing through a long lost secret garden; filled with crabapple trees, pink poppies, primrose and wild violets. We also had an appearance of the enchanting 'Unicorn of the Forbidden Forest' necklace, concealed within the embrace of a billowy tulip. I even encountered a woodland angel, who didn't mind modelling one of my newest pieces, which will be debuting in store very soon.

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.