Sew cute
Handmade in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, these little sock dogs are now available from stockists all over Ireland – and the world! We still prefer to buy online, though, where you can personalise your dog with a name or design. Prices start from about €25 but Prancer, pictured above (one of a seasonal selection) costs €42 from redrufus.ie, where you'll find a list of retailers, including Avoca and Arnotts in Dublin, Hunt Museum in Limerick, and Judy Greene Pottery in Galway.
Swap sides
Anyone who remembers with affection the reversible jumpers of a 1980s childhood will get a kick out of these (considerably more stylish) reversible dresses, handmade in Newry, Co Down, by Nosy Rosie Crafts and available to purchase from etsy.com/shop/NosyRosieCrafts and from My Shop... Granny Likes it, Galway.
Prices range from €33-€36.
Crafty ideas
The Saturday Workshop is based in Sandymount, Dublin, where father and daughter Edward and Iseult use traditional skills and new technologies to craft timber products. Aside from a range of adorable wooden animals, they also make these handsome, practical and fairly indestructible set of egg cups (about €32 for the set, in printed cloth gift bag). For a range of stockists and the full collection see saturdayworkshop.ie.
Little birdy
This delicate swallow bracelet is handmade in Dublin by Alice Moyon, aka Aliquo jewellery (aliquo.ie), using antiqued brass and a Japanese frosted resin bead and rose motif. Available from the Loft Market at Powerscourt Townhouse Centre and from Atelier 27 at Om Diva on Drury Street, Dublin; €27.50.
Sitting pretty
These tables/seats are part of the Allsort range from Locker 13 in Dublin. Each piece is made from a multitude of materials sourced from manufacturers in Dublin or salvaged from fabric suppliers. A range of colours is available for the upholstered cushion and particular fabrics can be specified. Made to order from locker13.ie, €160 (allow three weeks).
Hot stuff
For the tea lover in your life, these handmade earrings by Ciara Ní Chualain are €25 from Jam Art Factory in Temple Bar or on Patrick Street in Dublin. (If they're for a Father Ted aficionado, check out Stephen Wildish's "Study in Ted" at jamartprints.com while you're at it, or oldschool knitted tea cosies by Barbara Naughton for €22 at My Shop... Granny Likes it, in Galway.)
Bowled over
These beautiful and practical bowls by Helen Faulkner Ceramics are available in a range of colours, shapes and sizes from a selection of stockists around the country (see helenfaulknerceramics.com for details) and online from makersandbrothers.ie). Bowls pictured are priced €25 (large) and €11.50 (small).
Blooming great
Colourful and beautifully illustrated, Aibítir by René Mullin is the perfect introduction to the Irish language for children (and a good refresher for the grown-ups!); about €10 from bookshops nationwide. For nature lovers, and keeping with the alphabet theme, Aibítir is a book of 59 paintings from an exhibition project between the Irish Society of Botanical Artists and the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. It also features articles on native Irish plants and the story of the Aibítir project. To order a copy see irishbotanicalartists.com.
