One year on from our launch, MADE in kilkenny are exhibiting again in Butler House as part of the Kilkenny Arts Festival.  Here are some of the pieces that Andy and I are putting in for the show……….

All the work in the show has being inspired from places in Kilkenny.  Andys are photographed here in the gardens of Rothe House the place of his inspiration.

The tea set I made is photographed in Castlecomer Discovery Park by the river, the place of my inspiration…

These are some of the new shots from the great photo shoot in shutterbug.  Blanaid pulled out all the stops with the styling and Moselle had some fun……..check out some more photos here.

Sorry for lack of posts of late,  summer always means no time to sit at the computer and beautiful sunny evenings definitely means no time or desire to sit at the computer……..the up shot is the garden is in full bloom and looking lovely and the house is full of summer displays. We have some gorgeous photos coming up from a shoot a couple of weeks ago and lots of new stuff so just bare with me and I will get them all up on line.

I made these ceramic bells earlier this year and waited until the bluebells were in bloom down the woods before photographing them. The bells make a beautiful ring depending on the size and I think they look gorgeous displayed in nature. Prices range from €15 to €25

I wanted to share some photos from Andy’s exhibition in the Narrow Space….its a beautiful show and it runs for another few weeks. Full of colour that makes you smile when you walk into the gallery, better still it will make you smile when you bring a piece home….

Andrew has a solo show opening this Friday in The Narrow Space Gallery,  Clonmel. The show runs for the month of May so don’t miss it….

Along side the coal miner is his buddy Mr. dinosaur……still under construction but these photos will give you a good idea of how it looks. If you are unaware of the connection between these two you should visit the footprint in coal exhibition in the Discovery Park.

The Discovery Park is full of amazing sculptures this weekend and it will continue for the month of May. These sand sculptures are the highlight for me. I have watched mounds of sand being carved and sculpted into a miner and a dinosaur….they will not be finished until Monday so if you can make it down to the Yard to see the finishing touches, you wont be disappointed

We have a collection of all sorts on our workshop wall…above are a series of  glaze tests I did a couple of years ago. I had lots of fun doing these  tests and promised myself that it was something I would keep doing on a regular basis, but like lots of things busy production took over. It is good to live with them and some of these days I will develop them some more.

Beside the glaze tests we have a collection of found objects, all of which were found on the ground outside the workshop……all sort of little people, flowers and insects. They make quite an eclectic collection.

Thanks Aisling from the Narrow Space and Patsey Murphy from The Irish Times for the editorial in today’s paper. A really nice plug for Andy’s upcoming exhibiting…

‘American ceramic artist Andrew Ludick has been living in Castlecomer since 2003, sharing a workshop with his wife, potter Rosemarie Durr. A new exhibition of his delicate, glossy earthenware bowls, mostly white with dashes of colour, begins on May 7th in the Narrow Space Gallery, 14 Mitchel Street, Clonmel, Co.Tipperary, tel:052-6127838. Prices for these beautiful collectibles start at around €40 for a small vessel, see thenarrowspace.com’

What a great weekend, the sun was shining and it felt like summer (a bit weird with no leaves on the trees) Anyway I got stuck into a bit of baking and it was definitly worth all the effort.  A couple of years ago I did an Italian cookery course with Christine at Tasteworks and it was money well spent. Each week she covered the basic staples of the Italian kitchen and I learned how to make yeast dough and gorgeous focaccia bread. Following the classes I was full of enthusiasm and baked loads but slowly got out of the habit of making yeast dough. Anyway this Sunday was the day to get back into it, I needed a refresher from YouTube on how to knead dough but it came back to me once I got stuck in. It tasted fab and worth all the effort…..

BASIC WHITE YEAST BREAD

1lb/45og strong white flour

300-320 mls warm water

1.5 teaspoons of salt

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 sachet of easy blend yeast

Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl and add the water and oil.  Mix and then turn out onto flowered worktop and knead for 10-15 mins. Place in an oiled bowl cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm kitchen with no draughts for about 1 hour until it doubles in size. Knock back and leave to rise for again, then press out air and leave to rest for 10 mins. Flatten out into a rect. baking sheet, then dimple with your fingers. You can use whatever toppings you want, I put olives, red onion, basil and garlic on one half and on the other I put fresh rosemary, sprinkled it all with rock salt and drizzled lots and lots of olive oil.

Bake in hot oven for 20 to 30 mins….eat while hot

I served the focaccia with baked potatoes, tomatoes and herbs. Put chopped potatoes, tomatoes and fresh herbs in a oven proof dish with some red onion, chopped garlic, olive oil and a little water (enough to cover the the bottom of the dish) Bake for about 45 mins. yummy….

Check out some of the new Inch Blue baby shoes we have in the shop right now……too cute for words

I hope you all get your fill of eggs this weekend……the shop will be open on

Sunday from 1pm – 5pm and Monday 12pm – 5pm

so if your out in the Discovery Park for a walk, or an Alice in Wonderland Experience, call in to say hello…

Happy Easter all

At last the daffodils are out…..these are the first of the year from my garden, brightening up the shop and looking great in Andy’s vase.  Andy’s work looks beautiful all on its own but introduce a few colourful flowers and its magic!

We have lots of great Easter Decorations in the shop right now,  they make great gifts that won’t  pile on the pounds….

Kids love these bunnies and they are only €2.50 each

I was told today by a customer that this is called  a  ’Japanese Easter Tree’ I love the idea of an Easter Tree…

How cute are these little egg warmer bunnies?

I realise all my recipe’s lately are cookies but that’s the nature of winter (that’s my story) so here is one that is very healthy and full of goodness and the rice krispies make them nice and light. By summer I will be on salads… promise

150g/5oz butter

75g/3oz light brown sugar

75g/3oz honey

250g/9oz porridge oats

75g/3oz  rasinis or sultanas

50g dried apricots chopped

50g/2oz Rice Krispies

Preheat oven to 190 C, 375 F, Gas 5

Melt butter in a saucepan with sugar and honey over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Then remove from the heat and let cool a little.

Mix together oats, dried fruit and rice krispies. Then add the melted ingredients to the bowl, stirring everything well.

Spread the mixture into a lined 9in x 13in tray and bake 15-25 mins until it turns golden brown. Cool in the tin, then cut into squares or fingers………enjoy!

We recently got a new kitchen, well a new element  with plenty of old mixed in. The challenge was to do it on a small budget and yet have a artisan feel to it. I would have loved to have gone for a locally made kitchen but had to compromise, so in the end we went for a flat pack with solid wood worktop. A friend Mark from Bridge Pottery, made the knobs which I love and think they add a handmade feel to the kitchen. The floor is cheap pine which I whitewashed and then sealed, it reflects so much light and makes the room appear light and airy. The subway tiles were a real success, I love them….the other bits and pieces are collect and made over the years.

Andy made these utensil holders a couple of years ago, I think I need some more….I have a weakness for wooden spoons!

None of our chairs match, I have picked them up over the years at auctions and the cupboard in the corner was a fab find in Eclectic Interiors. It acts as a pantry and takes up very little room.

Another great buy from Eclectic Interiors was this dresser which holds all my crockery (a bit of a crazy mix from all over the place, not much matching here) the lovely plate on the side is another beautiful piece from Bridge Pottery.

I wanted to mention the amazing pieces created by two members of ‘MADE in kilkenny’ which were worn on Sunday night at the Oscars…..Liselott and Nora from the Cartoon Saloon wore the pendants below, made by Rudolf Heltzel and a headpiece by Rebekah Patterson. I think they’re work is amazing and am sure they held their own on the red carpet….

Bring a little colour into your Mammy’s heart, this Sunday with a Mother Days Gift  that will last all year long……….

Set of 4 dip bowls €45

Set of 3 pouring bowls €80

‘The Pocket garden’ €5 each

For the past month I have seen a transformation of my dark dated kitchen (which I have lived with since we bought the house over 2 years ago) into a beautiful light filled room that works perfectly. We did not do any structural work so the light is the same as before but its the difference that white surfaces can make. There is still a couple of finishing touches to be made and then I will show you some photos, but for now I just want to show off some beautiful pressies Andy brought me from my favourite shop in the States,  Anthropology………I can’t get enough of Anthropology its my idea of retail perfection (that comes from someone who is not into shopping) and it has brought spring into my new kitchen….

These two cuties are the latest addition to the Discovery Park…..they are not in the viewing area yet but you can see lots of deer in there and I’m sure the lambs will out very soon.

If you have time this week try these cookies, they are quick and easy to make and hits the spot with a nice cup of tea….

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

8 ounces of good choclate coarsely chopped

1. Beat the butter until it whitens then add sugar, beaten until well blended. Whisk egg and vanilla extract together and beat into the butter mixture.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Beat half the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then add the remaining flour mixture. Beat in the chopped walnuts and chocolate.

3. Preheat oven to 180 C/325 F spoon cookie mixture about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 mins. Enjoy

Can you have too many bowls? in my opinion… never. I get so much pleasure from just looking at stacks of different shaped and coloured bowls in my kitchen, its an added bonus to be able to use them. Check out some of my new bowls…

This is the official US Trailer for the amazing movie ‘The Secret of Kells’ where it goes on release for St. Patrick’s day. Who knows by then it might be sporting and Oscar! I am chuffed for Tom, Paul and all the gang at the Cartoon Saloon (just a bunch of incredibly young, talented, funny guys and gals based here in our little town of Kilkenny) and I got a great laugh to see Tom in this photo with all those other Oscar nominees……Tom your a Movie Starrrr

More lovelies from the shop……

Say you care with the cutest little heart dish……they come in this gorgeous gift box for only €10. They also make great wedding favours if you are that way inclined!

How cool is this little movie from the New Zealand Book Council (do other countries have book councils?)

Hot from the kiln………check out my brand new ‘Buttermilk range’ of everyday tableware here. Its a soft white glaze with a slight mother of pearl tinge, the shapes are both contemporary and nostalgic. I have lived with it for the past 12 months or so and I am so  happy with the shapes and the glaze, I love it and its great mixed in with my trade mark powder blue glaze.

I was very saddened to hear of the death of ceramic/print artist, John ffrench, last Friday. He was a real inspiration to me and many of my contemporarys. His work has a timeless quality and radiates happiness and he was a true gentleman that gave his time and information generously to younger potters like myself. I will cherish the very small collection of his work that I have and the joy I get from having it around me.  John ffrench 1928 to January 2010…

Click here for a nice tribute to his life in the Galway advertiser…

Showcase Ireland continues until Wed and as usual there is some talent to be found (plenty of the other as well). The Creative Ireland area is by far the highlight of the show with the odd gem to be found elsewhere. The textiles came out on top for me, there is some great talent still manufacturing work in Ireland……

Hope and Benson  gorgeous bags

You have to see for yourself how beautiful these clothes really are, impecable….by unicorn design

Edmund McNulty knitware is all about subtle tones and soft, soft wool

Paul Maloney Pottery is very fresh in colour and functional in design….

This week saw the launch of the ninth edition of the renowned ‘Bridgestone Guide’, an absolute for anyone who wants to source the best of artisan producers and great places to eat in your county (you might be surprised to learn about some you did not know existed). If your heading away for the weekend its all you will need.  Thanks John and Sally for the lovely mention,    

 ”The Jarrow Cafe….Fascinating food, and a truly lovely space, especially as the Estate Yard is home to a panjandrum of wonderfully gifted craftspeople, including Rosemaire Durr, one of our favourite potters….”

These cookies are very good and very simple to make. I was a bit more generous with the cinnamon and wrapped up a few in some greaseproof paper with a ribbon for a simple pressie….enjoy

Oat and walnut cookies

Makes 36

2 sticks or 8oz  salted butter, soft

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 cups oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F

Cream butter and both sugars light and creamy.

Add milk and vanilla and mix well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each egg.

Add flour, spices and baking powder.

Stir until just combined.

Stir in the oats and walnuts.

Use about two tablespoons of mixture for each cookie.

Roll it into a ball and place on a baking paper lined cookie sheet.

Make sure they are placed well apart.

Press the balls down with the bottom of a glass.

Bake until golden, but still a bit soft, 14-16 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

After five days without water (it just came back today, thank God) one realizes how precious it is, not wasting a drop using as little as possible to make the buckets last………this is what Nancy Bauch from white forest pottery, is exploring when she makes 108 bowls:a Water Mala. The project has inspired me and I would love to go on a meditative journey of my own with clay and water (I do this everyday, but when you introduce all the pressures of running a business into the equation I tend to loose the meditative journey part) so now I’ve put it in print I must make it happen………watch this space

This gorgeous, talented, young, stylish, edgy,(you get the message)  kilkenny girl has a very exciting year ahead of her (in my opinion). Blanaid Hennessy is her name and she has a couple of blogs on the go right now, if your looking for the latest look both fashion and interiors or inspirational quotes then click here. If celeb gossip, and a bit of a laugh is what your after then click here. Keep up the good work Blanaid………….

Well on the eve of Christmas eve, with one more day to go in the shop I would like to thank our customers for their support in the past year and we look forward to seeing you all in the coming year. It has been a very positive year for us, with good things happening and lots of great ideas to get stuck into in the new year. The shop will reopen next week  from Tues to Thurs in the afternoons. Call me on 087 6833639 if you are making a special trip………..Happy Christmas

This weekend we had seasonal weather for a change, with the first fall of snow and sooo cold. It was nice to be able to snuggle up in our warm little house, well as you can see our four legged friend was going nowhere. Im looking forward to winding up work on Christmas eve………

Micheal Parsons wrote a great article yesterday in the Irish Times on MADE in kilkenny featuring yours truly and I was delighted with the photo they included………..

Andys Solo Christmas show opened last night at the Waterfront Gallery in Westport. Its looks great, bright and joyful for the season thats in it. There was a great reaction from everyone there with lots of sales. Prices range from €40 to €400 so its perfect Christmas present territory. If your not going to be down Westport way then call by our shop where he has lots of new work available…….

We had a great night on Thursday with the launch of the MADE pop up shop. Everyone came out to support us and some of us girls got dressed up(any excuse) wearing some beautiful millinery creations by Rebekah Patterson. We had our ‘annual ladies festive dinner’ afterwords. Anne from the Butterslip (just 3 doors down from the MADE pop up) also had her customer night on Thursday complete with pink champers, and mini cup cakes  for everyone………this made for a great festive pre dinner warm up.

I love a challenge and one of the biggest to date is the transformation of an empty two storey shop unit in Kilkenny city into a beautiful styled shop full of gorgeous craft which is all designed and hand MADE in Co.Kilkenny. I think in this day and age this is pretty amazing. There are not many places anywhere, where you could get this quality of work all MADE in such a small geographical area. There was lots of hands on deck and within three evenings we got this great shop together with a beautiful exhibition upstairs. The people of Kilkenny and the surrounding areas have no excuse this Christmas…………they can support their local community of crafts people, give amazing gifts that will bring pleasure for a lifetime and it is all on their doorstep under one roof. Click here for more info.

I love this gift wrap paper, its double sided and not specifically Christmasey , just beautiful. I started tonight, gift  wrapping boxes(to create the look) for the new Pop up Shop that MADE in kilkenny are opening in Kilkenny this Saturday. We start to make the shop beautiful and fill it with gorgeous hand crafted goodies on Wednesday so 3 days to transform the space……….I love a challenge. Rolls of gift wrap are available from Rosemarie Durr pottery €6 each

 Our pottery comes in beautiful gift boxes, perfect for wedding gifts, corporate gifts, Christmas gifts or just something beautiful for someone special…………check out our new section for more gift ideas

As part of the Savour Kilkenny festival Andy took part in a beautiful exhibition at the Kilkenny Design Center. There was a food theme going on, lovely colourful work. The show is now over, but the work which wasn’t sold is now available from the main shop. Andy is busy getting ready for a solo show which opens in December at the Waterfront Gallery, in Wesport, Co.Mayo. I’ll keep you posted……….

Ok…. two weeks back into work after our break I’m still getting inspiration from the west cork landscape. I am trying to keep my head clear going into the crazy season but it’s not easy, the next three weeks are top production weeks in the workshop. It is so hard to keep focused as all our new stock for Christmas arrives in the shop. I would like nothing more than immerse myself in creating beautiful displays but alas I will not give in just yet……….I will give you a glimpse of all the exciting new stuff any day now, promise!

A week spent in west Cork has been the perfect stock up of inspiration to get me through the winter months ahead……….

Autumn is my favorite season, the food, the colours, the crisp days and long nights. I’ve had great fun carving pumpkins, collecting leaves and making the shop look seasonal………

There is a new section in the recent issue of Ceramics Ireland Magazine, called ‘meet the makers’ it features yours truly, and some other young makers from around Ireland including, Sinead Lough, Adam Frew, Mandy Parslow and Stephen Farnan. The Magazine is available from my shop and other outlets nationwide.