Although I moved into the new premises of Handmade Design Studio at 32 Mount Street in January, it wasn’t until the good weather started that I was finally able to tackle painting the shopfront. This was done over a couple of sunny Sundays in May and early June. To lift the colour of the exterior of the shop, I chose Vintage Silver from Colourtrend, a pale mauve that is a nice balance of light, bright and cool. I finished the painting just on time for the official launch on 6^th June. I was delighted that Mary McEvoy was once again available to speak at the event. Mary spoke of the value of Handmade Design Studio as a space for craft and design in Mullingar and of the urgent need to be mindful of the environment and of buying sustainable products.

The re-launch was my way to thank customers and friends for supporting my creative enterprise of the past six years. I wanted to celebrate a local and indeed national community of crafters, artists and designers whose work I showcase with care. It was a memorable and most enjoyable evening. I was absolutely awed and inspired by the generosity and creativity in the gifts and cards that I received, including a 200 year old hand-embroidered, framed sampler. My friend, the photographer David Maury, captured the event beautifully with some superb images.