Refreshing Rosemary Gimlet
Posted by Ali Moore in: Áras, Cocktail Recipe, Heatwave, Irish Glassware
At long last the summer weather has arrived! Whether it be for a day or all week long, we’re totally immersing ourselves in the sunshine and have a delicious drink recipe to keep you cool!
This recipe makes enough for two gimlets, but once you’ve tried it we’re sure you’ll be doubling the measurements. A twist on a classic summer cocktail, the addition of rosemary simple syrup elevates the drink. It’s equally refreshing without the gin, so you can sip away at it while working remotely in your garden!
To begin you will need to prepare rosemary simple syrup - which is as straightforward as it sounds, but you may have to make it ahead of time.
In a pot, combine four tablespoons of granulated sugar with four tablespoons of water and heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary, and continue to heat until the sugar has dissolved. Set this aside to cool.
Add 50ml of gin, 50ml of your rosemary simple syrup and 60ml of fresh lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake well, strain and serve in a chilled glass with ice, and a sprig of rosemary as a garnish.
If you would like to leave out the alcohol, adding a dash of tonic water after shaking is divine!
We think our Spencer & Benefield tumbler compliments this summer cooler perfectly, and looks beautiful paired with our Áras linens as photographed above.
The Season of Imbolc
Posted by Ali Moore in: Áras, Illustration, Imbolc, Irish Design
As January draws to a close, and that glorious stretch in the evening begins to make it’s return, the topic of the moment here at HQ is the Celtic season of Imbolc! The earth is blooming with excitement as we finally enter the lighter side of the year. Imbolc marks the half-way point between Winter solstice and the Spring equinox, and falls on February second.
The weather in February can often be a bit of a toss-up; so whether you’re out braving the elements, or keeping yourself tucked up and cozy on the couch we have assembled a handful of all-weather favourite products for the season of Imbolc.
Although slightly biased, we believe our House Socks are a brilliant year round staple. These beautiful wool socks are knit in the Glenties, and feature the iconic Donegal flecks throughout a range of bright and cheerful shades.
They’re the sort of socks you wouldn’t mind giving or getting as a gift!
Don’t let the name deter you, the durability and warmth of these socks makes them an excellent choice for hikes, treks and strolls during these wonderful bright Spring months. We've heard from some customers that they keep one pair for lounging and a second for adventuring - the best of both worlds!
Speaking of getting out into nature, we’re avid explorers of the Wicklow mountain area, as it’s practically on our doorstep! With it’s beautiful terrain and sights spanning across Dublin, there are few things nicer than a hike on a crisp (and dry) Spring day.
Domenique, the illustrator behind Maiden Moose shares our love of nature and creates beautiful prints depicting the earthy tones and textures of the Wicklow mountains. We asked Domenique to create a vista exclusive to Irish Design Shop, and landed on the heart shaped lake of Lough Ouler, which is nestled in the Wicklow mountains.
This beautiful scene is visible from the Tonelagee trail, and while we wait for the terrain to dry a little before ascending it, the Lough Ouler print ought to keep us inspired!
Saving the best until last is our very own Imbolc soap!
Handcrafted in Ireland, and blended exclusively for us by The Handmade Soap Company this soap is one of four seasonal bars we have created.
The Imbolc scent features a rejuvenating blend of mint and rosemary, a touch of geranium and some lighter notes of vetiver. It’s bright and uplifting, which is always welcome as a new year kicks off.
Long time pal of the shop Lucy Sheridan created the beautiful and energetic illustrations for our entire Celtic Season collection, featuring both our Seasonal Soaps and greeting cards. Chances are you have a sea-swimmer in your life, and if they're brave (or mad) enough to be in the Irish sea at this time of year we think they'll appreciate Lucy's depiction of Imbolc.
Our Soap for the Seasons gift box was a real hit over the festive period, and we love the idea of the four soaps being rotated throughout the year, with blends to match the energy of each season.
Emblem Weavers - Irish Linen
Posted by Clare Grennan in: Áras, Emblem weavers, family business, Homewares
Our search for a manufacturer of Irish linen led us to the sunny south east and Emblem weavers. With no finalised product in mind, we arranged to meet Stephen, who talked us through the various fabrics they produce, the weaving process and the history of this family business. Established in 1962 by Jim Conway (Stephen's father), Emblem Weavers grew from humble beginnings in a basement on Dublin's Amien Street. Having received money as a birthday gift from his mother, Jim bought two secondhand looms, made a yarn winder from a bicycle wheel, and wove his first lot of fabric samples. Initially selling door to door, Jim quickly gained a reputation for producing wonderful wool fabrics and began supplying large department stores and Dublin-based designers.
In 1981, Emblem Weavers invested in modern looms and began to weave colour woven Irish Linen. This was an immediate success following the presentation of the first collection at Interstoff (the international trade fair in Frankfurt.) and as a result, Emblem began supplying International fashion houses with their high-quality Irish fabrics. The growth of the business led Jim to expand Emblem Weavers and move location to Wexford.
Today, Emblem Weavers is very much a family affair with three of Jim’s nine children, Seamus, Stephen and Debbie directly engaged in the running of the business. They continue to produce the finest Irish linen and supply leading fashion designers Internationally. We hope to further develop our linen range with this family business in 2017.
You can shop our Emblem range here which includes our exclusive tea cloths and napkins.
For more information on the business and to view their current selection of linens, check out the Emblem website here.
Helen Faulkner - Process & Planters
Posted by Anna Crudge in: Áras, Down Arts Centre, handmade, Helen Faulkner
We have been fans of Helen Faulkner's work for some time now, the contrast between the dark terracotta clay and the creamy coloured glazes she uses is very appealing. We were delighted when she agreed to create a range of plant pots for Áras, our new collection of home wares. We interrupted the production of our new plant pots with a few questions about what inspires her work and how it is made.
How did you first get into working with clay?
I was introduced to clay during a foundation art course but the first time I got to trying throwing on the potters wheel was a couple of years later on my Contemporary Craft Degree in England and from then on it was all I wanted to do.
What inspires the shapes and colours of your pieces?
My inspiration comes from how the pots are going to be used. I love cooking and eating! So my tableware range is all about food, a smooth curve on the base of a mug that rests comfortably in the hand or thinking about what colours the food will look great on, such as a leafy green salad in a bright blue bowl.
You have designed a collection of plant pots for us, what was the most challenging aspect of the project? what was the most enjoyable?
Making a final decision on decoration was hard, throughout the design process I go through so many ideas that it can be hard to settle on just one. I really enjoyed going through the design ideas sent sent through by yourselves, trying to pull out the most important aspects of the design to you and bringing them together with my style and ideas, it's a challenge I enjoy!
What sort of plants do you envisage people putting in the pots? Did you have something specific in mind when designing/prototyping?
With the tall pot I can imagine spider plants, the stripy leaves that droop down would be a great contrast against the rich red clay. I can imagine mini cactus in the shallow pot but something a bit more useful would be an aloe vera plant. A row of tall plant pots would also look great in the kitchen with herbs in them, again I just can't help but bring it back to food!
Are you currently working on any other new/exciting projects?
I'm working towards a group exhibition that's happening in Down Arts Centre where I have my studio, it's part of August Craft Month in Northern Ireland that is a month long collection of events celebrating crafts, lots of workshops and talks happening too.
What is the greatest and worst part of being self employed?
The best part of being self employed, aside from making pots every week, is the control over my working life and deciding what is important for me. The hardest part of being self employed is nearly the same thing, having to control every aspect is a massive juggling act and sometimes I mess it up but it's all learning so I just start again the next day!
Finally, what do you most like to do on your days off? Do you give yourself days off?
I spend my spare time cooking, I love spending time in the kitchen although I usually end up with a lot of dishes to do because I like to use all the pots I’ve collected over the years! My dog Sheva, who spends her days in the studio with me keeping an eye on things, takes up the rest of my day with walks.
Click here to shop some of Helen's fabulous pots and planters made exclusively for the Irish Design Shop ARAS collection.
