How many more sleeps…..

December is here and it is feeling a lot like Christmas. The Belmullet Christmas market was last weekend and today the Christmas jumper and music is on! The shop has been decorated and we had a lot of fun doing free decorations. We've posted a few on our Facebook page so we hope you like them. I hear on the grapevine the local scout group is trying out our cardboard chimney so I'm delighted. 

We have so many lovely things in the shop its great to see what people can make. We have lovely handmade decorations, Irish food hampers, Christmas Jumpers, Stocking Fillers for €5 and under and of course our usual array of fabulous handmade goodies. 

The one thing this year that I'm sure you've all heard about if you watched the late late toy show are our fairy doors. They are wonderful for capturing the imagination of the kids. We even had our very own fairy move into the shop. Our fairy door went in and we used our chalkboard paint to get some ideas for the fairy and now we have Finan the Fairy living with us and keeping watch over the shop at night. 

We've had a lot of lovely comments about our Christmas window. With a  bit of imagination we transformed our window into something warm and lovely. The theme come in from the cold is hopefully a nice invitation to our customers. 

So we hope to see you over this festive period and to come and enjoy a bit of cheer with us. 

R x 

Halloween

Well the clocks have gone back and I was very grateful for that extra hour in bed. Each year  the joy of the extra sleep softens the hail of the arrival of winter. The long, stormy nights are here and Halloween is on the horizon.

Halloween has always been a magical, mysterious and superstitious time. And with it come some lovely Irish traditions that I'd not heard of. Last week at the Erris Chamber Bingo they were giving out Bracks (fruit loaf!) and I natively asked what the bread was for. Through the chuckles I was told it's a Halloween tradition and there is a ring buried in the brack. In 18th century Ireland a matchmaking cook would bury a ring in the mashed potatoes hoping to bring turn love to the person who found it. 

A customer told me that on Friday that the Irish never really made much of Halloween which surprised me a little as it has it roots in a Celtic Festival. To quote the The festival of Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Celebrated from sunset on the 31st to sunrise in the 1st traditionally it was a time when cattle were brought down from the summer pastures and animal killed for the winter.

It was a time when spirits and fairies and the festival was a bridge to the dead. Feasts were had and a place set for deceased family calling them to return. People would go from door to door in disguise reciting verse in exchange for food. They would light fires and use the disguises to ward off the roaming ghosts. Pope Gregory III designated Nov 1st as All Saints Day and the evening before became known as All Hallows' Eve.

I like Halloween - it's a great excuse to be a big kid again. There are lots of easy decorations and great costumes to do. And next week we will be getting into the spirit of things with our holiday club and haunted house party. With tricks and treats for adults and children we hope to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis West a great charity building a fantastic facility at Castlebar Hospital. We hope you will come along and join the fun. x 

For those of you that want some Halloween Inspiration visit out Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/lunasacraft/halloween-autumn/

Warning - some people may find the contents of this blog offensive!

I was in Dublin recently and I lost count of how many times I heard the C word
It's September and the weather is amazing but it was being talked about like it was the middle of December. Unless you are a dedicated crafter you may find it offensive to be talking about Christmas this early (Well what C word were you thinking of?). If you're into making things you've probably been thinking about it already and you don't mind the days drawing in and the weather taking a more autumnal turn 'cause its the perfect excuse to get making. 

In fact the crafting calendar always gives you something to look forward to. The summer ends and you are making for Halloween, two months after the end of August, and Christmas is two months after Halloween. You can spend January recuperating and maybe indulge yourself in the sales and then come February you have half an eye on Easter and all the joys of spring. Then before you know it it's summer again! There's no time to get the winter blues when you crafting. 

To be honest last Christmas was probably one of the most unmemorable ones I ever had. The shop had just opened (which of course was amazing) and we were playing catch-up pretty much most of the first year so I didn't really get chance to think about Christmas until around about mid October early November. Tom was working and neither my nor Tom's family made it over this Christmas. And because I was so late thinking about it, there was no big build up to get really excited about it. 

As soon as 15 August was over this year it was almost like flag to say go go go and I've been thinking about Christmas, all the things I can make, how to decorate the shop and what gifts I'm going to make for everyone. I found a fantastic recipe for a pudding to try tomorrow and although it feels a bit odd to be getting a suntan and then going inside to make a Christmas pudding I love it. 

But don't worry if you just can't bear the thought of it at this time I've put them away in a special little corner. If you want to sneak peak come in and give me a secret Christmas Shimmy and I will show you where it all is. So the first few bits for a handmade Christmas have started coming in. We have some really fabulous fabric, craft supplies, beautiful ribbon, card making kits and lots of little bits.

Where has the summer gone!

I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I wrote a blog post! The summer has flown by and as our mini makers and their parents think about getting back to school I want to hang on to the last few weeks of the summer.  It has been a fantastic few months helped massively by the general good weather….well except for the Hen weekend in the UK when we got very wet at Newmarket races. 

We have hit some pretty incredible milestones this summer. The biggest being our 1st birthday which we celebrated in great style. It was a beautifully sunny day as it has been on the 1st of August for the last few years.  We had a brilliant party which was helped hugely by the presence of West Mayo Brewery. We raised €600 for Cystic Fibrosis West with tea, coffee, cake and beer, I was touched by people's generosity and their help with cakes, prizes etc
Tom was on hand being a very good husband and seemed not to mind that once again our wedding anniversary was overshadowed by my small but expanding business. He had been working hard to get everything ready and I am very grateful. 

Oh yes and we have expanded. We now have a furniture and vintage room upstairs and a new workshop and store room. Our challenge now is to paint furniture fast enough as this has proved very popular so far. 

However my proudest moment over the summer was at the Erris Agricultural Fair. I was very proud of how the dogs behaved but was delighted to see one of our mini makers had entered her apron from the sewing class in the show and won 1st prize. Well done to her and all the other. 

We had lots of our makers in doing what they do best and showing off their crafts and we had a great day at the Heritage Fair and Fair Day. 

Wow after all that surely it must be time to put my feet up….well for 5 mins anyway. I am currently working on our course schedule for the autumn. You're going to love it!

Make your own memories

When I think about all the places I've travelled sometimes its hard to remember all the details. I love collecting little bits along the way and these things bring back memories that really capture the essence of a place. Some of the mosttreasured  souvenirs that I have are things that remind me of an experience I had that the photographs just can't convey.

I have a some wool from a sheep that I sheered in New Zealand and a small bit of woven cloth I made with some women in Tonga. A picture that I helped the little boy paint at the homestay in Samoa. I love to keep my battered guide books and travel souvenirs and reminisce and if you do the same you’ll know the power of objects to evoke a time and place. 

Crafting is a great way for you to make some of your own treasured possessions that you can bring back from the road, and remind you of the amazing experiences behind them.

That's why we came up with our 'Give it a go' sessions in our workshop. And it's not just for the tourists. It's a great way to spend time with loved ones or celebrate a special occasion. 

We have something for everyone from glass painting to embroidery. 

Being kind to myself.

Well last week was again busy busy busy. But by the end of the week instead of feeling invigorated I felt a bit flat. I do a lot of thinking (often at the expense of sleeping) about the business and I love that it keeps my brain active. So why last week did I feel so flat?

Well when you have your own business it's simply the way that you have to turn your hand to anything. I was manager, painter and decorator, marketeer, planner, cleaner, shop rearranger, supply manager, accountant and web developer.

My favourite part of the week was the 1.5 hours on Thursday evening with the sewing class but the one thing I wasn't last week was maker.  

You can escape for a while painting the wall but there is no creativity in it! I'm happiest when I'm being creative. 

I can be doing anything and an idea pops into my head. It generally kicks around there for a while until I get chance to do a bit of research. After a lot of surfing the net and thinking about how to make it I get down to it. Sometimes I like the product as soon as its finished and other times I can't decide if it works. 

For the ones I'm not sure about I will do more research.... which means leaving the product on the counter or the table. No comments is feedback in itself and any comments spark a conversation. 

I might then make changes and make it again. 

It doesn't have to be a long process but sometimes the creativity can be as simple as planning the window or the shop display or how to show a product. 

So while Tom is away this week on the other end of the spectrum doing a science exam I'm going to be kind to myself and create.....

It's all go at the co-op

It's a silly expression, maybe it's from an old advert or something, my dad used to say it sometimes when things were really busy….and boy have we been busy.

It feels like it's been non stop since we got back from our holiday and this is suppose to be our quiet time!  And I suppose you are wondering what we are at……

Well the most exciting this is we've been working on the rest of the building and 'phase 2' is almost complete. As you've passed you may have seen or heard the workmen hard at it. They will be gone this week and then we will be hard at it getting it ready to open. The room downstairs will give us more space to display our wares and space for the drop in sessions that are really taking off lately. (More on that next week) As news of the shop has spread we have had more crafters approach us and now stock over 30 regular suppliers from around Mayo. It's great to see the talent that is out there and we are delighted to be able to give them a chance to showcase and sell their work. 

We've done a bit of work on our upstairs workshop and that will hopefully be complete this week as well. We are now one of only 11 stockists of the amazing Autentico chalk paint. I've been waiting for this to be available in Ireland and now it is I didn't hang about. And the furniture seems to be flying out quicker that we can paint it so we have dedicated space to create our masterpieces. So you can come up and see what we are working on next. 

The other project that is underway is our new website. It's still work in progress but should be 'live' by the end of the month with some of our lovely products and we will be adding m more as we go along. 

I haven't been doing all this alone. We were recently joined by Mollie Henry who is working full time in the shop. She is bringing her creative talents to help us as we embark on all our new adventures. She did the new 'Made in Mayo' window packed with all the great stuff crafted round the county. 

Our Holiday courses for Easter were fully booked for the two weeks. It was great to have the sunshine for the two weeks and we had a bit of fun outside in the back yard. We are busy trying to get some new courses for the Autumn to get your creative juices flowing in ways you never knew possible!

Well better get back to it. I'll tell you more about our Phase 3 next week and the new extended drop in sessions.  

  

I'm up for grabs!

I'm going to talk about a subject that's a bit taboo but I'm just gonna go for it anyway. I'm talking politics.

One of the big difference I found is that in Ireland people actually vote. In England there is a huge amount of apathy around elections especially local ones. However, for the first time probably since I turned 18, I feel that this election can't pass me by without my contribution. And why the change?...well because I feel it's the first time that the outcome could directly affect me.

I was introduced to one of the prospective candidates with the mention of my family connection as if to imply my vote was all bit cast. On the contrary, my vote is very much open. I would say my vote, my husbands and a few if my friends have no pre party allegances. And so the question I have for those that want my vote is simply 'What are you going to do for Belmullet?'

This beautiful remote community is bubbling under with potential. I believe what happens over the next few years could make the difference between thriving or simply surviving. Decisions made could put it at the forefront or leaving it so far behind it can never catch up.

Fibre optics, tourism and supporting business are the things that will generate jobs, bring families home and set it up for a bright future.

Sometimes I feel like we've been here only a few minutes but its enough time to really care about what happens where we llive and try and make a difference in my own small way. 

So my vote is up for grabs and it will go to......

Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

It's a good time to think about doing our bit for the environment and for my part I've got a great little project planned. There is a great space at the back of the shop which is a lovely little sun trap. I have had plans in my head to give it a new lease of life using completely recycled materials. So every Saturday morning starting in May between 10-12 I will be running a free workshop that will get you crafting and give you great ideas on how to recycle and reuse lots of everyday items. 

All the family can come along and get involved. Watch this space for more details….in the meantime here are my 10 ten tips for things to do my bit….

1. Give it away don't throw it away - use the new Belmullet Freecycle or your local one to pass on your unwanted items. Click here: Belmullet Freecycle Facebook Page

2. Paint it Eco - Oil based paints release hydrocarbon fumes. 

3. Save Water - use an old bin or drum to collect rain water and water the garden or wash the car with it. (Will help save money with our new water metres as well) 

4. Bag for life - get yourself a bag that you will love to take shopping with you so you don't need to use plastic bags. 

5. Leave the car at home - with this fab weather get on your bike or walk round town….it will also help get back that bikini body for the summer ahem!

6. Think reusable when you drink - buying bottled water is a major use of plastic and a waste of money and don't forget the huge increase in disposable coffee cups. Buy a travel cup and/or a reusable water canteen. They are much better for your health and much better for the environment than plastic bottles.  

7. Slip into something more healthy - The WWF claims that chemicals used on clothes to keep them wrinkle free can be toxic to the environment and linked to health concerns. Switch no natural fabrics, wool, linen, cotton etc

8. Go old school - when doing the cleaning go back to some of the old methods. By using things like vinegar on the windows can cut out a lot of unhealthy chemicals in modern cleaning materials. 

9. Recycle - try and reduce waste but when you can't make sure you recycle as much as possible. Try and switch to products that use refills and reduce packaging.

10. Upcycle - it's all the trend at the moment but it's a great way to reduce waste. Pinterest is a great way to get ideas for what to do. 

It's all about the craft

What a lovely week it has been the spring sun and the april showers have been out in abundance this week. 

The sun coming in the window however, was showing up my sea splashed windows, cobwebs and a lot of dust. So my day off is planned for a bit of a spring clean despite the stormy weather I woke up to. Before I started I just had a little flick through Facebook and discovered that today is World Health Day (7th April) and the theme this year is 'small organisms that carry diseases'.  I was silly enough to click on a link to the article about household bugs which has left me a little grossed out. 

I guess the point of it was how to make your home healthier, and as we live in a clean environment and we have access to great healthcare, its easy to become complacent about being healthy. 

I always think that I need to make some changes to be more healthy and it is suppose to take just 28 days to develop a new habit but I'm not sure its as easy as that. I'm stuck in what the Greeks called 'akrasia': deciding on the best course of action, then doing something else. The reasons why - partly I seem to go in fits and bursts which usually coincide with the hubby's shifts. Trying to juggle the house, the dogs and the shop mean that healthy goes out the window and just get fed is an achievement. 

I remember my training from Boots about people who wanted to quit smoking. The success of it very much depended on the reasons why. Those people that had a reason, a wedding, a new baby, were more likely to succeed. They needed a strong reason to quit. 

It's logical that actions and habits, both good and bad, are in response to needs. I might resolve to eat better and be more healthy but if I'm having to go to the take away because I'm short of time I need to address the issue of not having time. Which brings me back  full circle to my new years resolution of being more organised!!!

Exercising, Eating right, avoiding sunlight, cutting carbs, getting enough sleep the list can be endless. I know there are lots of small things I can do to improve my own health. 
In reality I am interested in those small things that take no more than a minute or two. And I suppose that's what good health is all about - a collection of small efforts that yield big payoffs.

Changing a habit is hard but I guess once changed it frees the mind of the struggle with yourself. Once my mind is freed of this it can then be focused on more pressing matters like what I'm going to make next. So I need to be more healthy to make more crafts! 

Spring

The shock of missing an hours sleep is softened by waking up to Spring. I know spring officially starts in March but the weekend the clocks go forward always feels like the arrival of spring to me. 

I think the more severe the winter the more pleasant the coming of spring and with the storms we've all endured it makes it very sweet. Lambs are in the fields, flowers are popping up, the sun and the rain dance with each other and it's warm enough to leave my coat open when I'm walking the dogs. The days are filled with anticipation and the promise of summer just around the corner. Excuse the pun but it seems people have a spring in their step and things just feel more youthful. I love this time of year. 

We all think about doing a spring clean and shaking of the winter dust and it's the time of plans and projects. (I think that's a Leo Tolstoy quote) So I have a bit of energy to get stuck into some new projects. Luckily I went to the UK last week and came home will a van full of stuff to get my teeth into. With our new stock of Autentico chalk paint the possibilities are endless!

And although I didn't get to see mam today for mother's day (but thankfully I did see her last weekend) today was a great day. The weather was lovely and I was rather productive. I put up new curtains in the house to brighten it up a bit and painted an old desk I had. Tomorrow I will make a start on the new window display at the shop and probably move things around again. And at the end of the day I sat in the porch watching the sunset making my plans.  Over the next few months and we have some exciting stuff happening so watch this space…..

Learn something new everyday

Well we are very lucky to be in beautiful Bali. I've been looking forward to coming to do a course in wood carving since we booked it. Not something I've tried before but the area is famous for it so you've got to really!

I always forget how enjoyable it is to learn something new. I had so much fun despite the sore back and aching hips from sitting on the floor so long day after day. The start of something brings back a special passion that you don't get once you are more accomplished. It's like being a child in a sweet shop, the excitement of trying something you've never done before. 

Now that I'm finished I have such a feeling of accomplishment. I'm very proud of what I've made but you'll have to wait a little while to see it - I've decided to give it as a present to someone. 

Like always, learning something new gives me a bit more focus. I know that must sound odd but when its new and challenging I want to practice and so I reassess (cut down on telly time), juggle and finish the housework a bit quicker to make space for it. It gets me motivated to use my time more wisely to be able to do something I enjoy. 

I took great pleasure in talking with Kadek, our teacher, finding all about life in a village in Bali and sharing stories with the Australians along side us. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy but over time I got to learn some techniques, work out the right tools and suddenly the impossible became possible. That was a nice little reminder to myself just what I can achieve. 

I feel like I've worked out some new craft muscles I haven't tried before and my body, mind and spirit feel invigorated. It's never good to get stuck in the same old routine and as Kadek said, 'we see this as meditation'. 

And as the old expression goes ' you never know what you can do until you try.' !

Mindfulness in the Mayhem

Well it was a tough one last week. My laptop went into melt down on Monday evening. I promptly followed it Tuesday evening having spent the whole day trying to fix it instead of going to Dublin as planned. That got rearranged to Thursday but come 7am I was about to set off and noticed I had a flat tyre. I finally got going about 9.45 by which time I'm usually well past Longford. Just to add to the mayhem I still have no Internet in the shop despite sitting on the mast (it's in the back yard!).

Not major problems to some but with my in-laws coming tomorrow I wanted to have a stab at pretending I was a domestic goddess and things were under control. Thats now not going to happen and so my stress levels have been abnormally high!

Then Saturday came and for the first time all week I relaxed. I had a giggle trying to teach the kids club to knit, had a cup of tea with Brendan delivering his beautiful work and sat while someone did a decoupage session in the open studio. 

But it was in that half hour before the kids arrived that I sat knitting that turned my week around. I was watching my fingers and listening to the clink of the needles. Not thinking about the broken laptop or stressing about the in-laws coming just knitting.

It wasn't until the end of the day when I was moving the shop round ( yes again) and I read Be's poster from Mindful Productivity that I realised. It's just about being in the moment. I read somewhere that people who are sad live in the past, people who are anxious live in the future and people who are peaceful live in the moment. Whatever it is....knitting, sewing, decoupage, crafting is escapism. The brain stops thinking about all the other stuff and you live in the moment. And it's incredibly relaxing and very peaceful.

So if you are after a bit of relaxation or stress relief I can highly recommend it! 

Showcase

Two weeks ago I was up in the fair city and was at the RDS for Showcase. I had done lots of prep before looking at the suppliers on-line because with over 400 stands there I wasn't going to get round them all in a day. As it turned out I had a bit of car trouble and was there longer than I expected and was secretly quite pleased to get some extra time at the show.

I went last year before the business opened and I had the same feeling. It's a kind of awe and curiosity. It's amazing that so many products are made in Ireland, so many irish companies and jobs. It's also encouraging to think that all these companies here started off like me, taking what seemed like a giant step to starting your own business. And I suppose all this wonderful 'stuff' is one of the reasons that I started the shop. To 'showcase' what people can make and offer something other than made in China. 

It's no secret round town that I come from a family of shopkeepers. I used to have a cupboard under the stairs in my old house full of shoes and would joke with my dad that it's his fault, it's in my blood. My granddad made shoes and I am intrigued by anyone who makes things. I guess in my own way I went into the family trade and spent more years that I'd like to admit working in Boots. I started in the safe, calm environment of the Head Office on my parents doorstep but it wasn't too long before I traded that for the long hours, hard work and stress of a Store Manager - and I loved it. 

However, after a while the restraints of a big company telling you what to do stifled my creative flare and you start to feel rebellious. My outlet became the night classes in sewing, pottery and French among other things. Soon I was doing my own thing, making stuff on my small pink sewing machine. 

My move to Belmullet gave me a bit more time to be creative and to fulfil the long standing dream of having my own business. The added bonus of this job is the people I meet. There are so many lovely people who inspire me. And so many who humble me and make me feel like I'm their most valued customer and are genuinely interested in helping my business succeed. 

And of course the amazing products that I find and I found some great gems at Showcase made in Ireland by these wonderful people. I love it when my customers come into the shop and are delighted at what they find. The orders that I made at Showcase are going to start arriving this week and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you. I see lots of things I love but I always decide by trying to put myself in my customers shoes and think would she like it and it's always nice to know when I get it right.  So I hope you'll all let me know what you think.

New Window Theme….

It's still a work in progress but the new theme of the window is 'Oh when the saints….' 

It was inspired by a quote I came across recently from one of the most amazing people to ever walk this earth. 

“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” Nelson Mandela (RIP) 

There are three saints days that are marked in Ireland one the coming weeks and with them there are lots of craft ideas. The first one is the St Brigid on the 1st of Feb. No doubt there are many schools that will make a cross but for my part I wanted to try something a little different. A cross stitch St Brigid's cross on a hessian square. It's a lovely craft idea for children of all ages and great to keep up the sewing. I like the idea of the St Brigid's cross, it is said to protect the house from fire and evil. I read somewhere that it was possibly derived from the pagan sun wheel and of course St Brigid's feast day falls on the Celtic Imblog (Imbolc) festival. So I thought I'd do a little bit of research.  

The Imblog festival was a festival of girls. The girls of the village would make a 'Bride doll' out of straw symbolising the Goddess Brigit from the last sheaf of the previous year's grain. It was carried from house to house and so brought the blessing to every home.

St Brigid of Cill Dara (Kildare) is believed to have incorporated elements from the worship of the goddess Brigit and so St Brigid's day is a welcome to the spring. I don't know about you but with this weather it doesn't feel like spring is around the corner. I was travelling from Leitrim today and the flooded fields look like they won't be receding any time soon. Anyway I found this in the internet….

'We sing a song to Brigid. Brigid brings the Spring.  Awakens all the fields and flowers, and calls the birds to sing.'

The next is of course St Valentine. Not much is known about this roman saint except for the fact that he died on the 14th of Feb. And of course the third is St Patrick but more to come on that.

Resolve on my Resolution

Well we are mid way through January and the New Year's resolution isn't going so well. It 's the same one that I've made for the last few years and as I have to keep making it then it obviously isn't working. What's the saying…. if you do what you always did you get what you always got!' Well not this year. 

What is this eternal resolution I hear you ask? Simply - to get organised. And anyone that knows me understands why I need to make this resolution. I live my life in a kind of organised chaos and I hoped the hubby might knock it out of me but it seems I've just engulfed him into my chaotic world. 

I do things on a 'just in time' basis and if it doesn't go to plan it can quickly spiral into a  a 'not enough time' basis. So the morning my husband when off the only unlost set of car keys leaving me stranded with two cars on the drive and no key to use either of them, hunting around for the dog bowl in my dressing gown as I had no clothes to throw on because they were all in either the washing pile or the ironing pile I decided 2014 really had to be the year to crack this resolution.

That was mid December and I had grant plans. The shop was closed for a few days and I was going to tackle the ironing pile, catch up on paper work, and generally transform overnight into some mega organised housekeeper and business woman. 

And 16 days into the new year the progress report would make poor reading. However if at first you don't succeed….I am going to keep plugging away at it. I am going to try a few different things and get a bit creative with it. My pal pinterest is a good place to start. I WILL end 2014 more organised than I started!