If you’re a sea swimmer, you’ll enjoy the new designs for St Patrick’s Day this year. It’s freezing in there at the moment and you’ll need a hat! The Mammy Collection is guaranteed to bring a smile to faces this year. It’s a great excuse to send love around the planet …
Fab quality, environmentally sustainable and make in Ireland, I hope you enjoy them!
I love the idea of having a Mammy for every occasion. That is why I’m so excited about this brand new Box of Mammies. It’s a collection of twenty different Mammy cards including birthday cards, thank you cards, thinking of you cards and much more, all snuggled up in a luxury, magnetic box to keep them in. It’s all about spreading the love, and no better woman that a Mammy to do that!
There’s something about sea swimming that brings you back to your childhood. At least this is the case for me. Yesterday I went swimming in Kinvara and it was pretty wild with waves that were bigger than usual for the sheltered beach I go to. It was freezing but it was great fun! Whatever is in your head before you jump in is almost left in the waves when you get out. It’s so good for the head and there’s the social side of it too which is great – like a camaraderie of madness!
I’m always struck by the grey green of the sea in winter, and the striking contrast of the swimming caps and swimsuits of the women. I’ve just launched a brand new series of wall art which is A4. It’s important to me that it’s an eco friendly product so every print comes with an eco friendly backing board and is wrapped in a biodegradable cello. Each one is signed by me. They’re so colourful and are perfect for sea swimmers, especially on those darker days.
I hope you like them.
I’m getting a little obsessed with my sea swimmers! When I go swimming these days, the sea is usually a dark grey or as James Joyce called it ‘snot green’. What always strikes me is the colours, especially the women – mainly their bright swimming caps, towels and robes. The men are interesting too with every attire from long swimming shorts to little speedos! All of this is in contrast to the backdrop of the sea and often grey skies. Another thing that I absolutely love about all this, is how we’ve all become less self conscious of our lumps and bumps. Honestly, sea swimming is good for the soul!
I hope you enjoy the colours.
Catherine
Thanks a million for your lovely messages, posts and for supporting my small Irish business this year.
Wishing you a very happy and peaceful Christmas. Don’t forget to make some time for yourself and put your feet up!
Catherine
x
The illustrations on these Irish Christmas cards come from my children’s book ‘The Christmas Reindeer who saved the World’. It’s a great, feel good story about children cleaning up the planet from plastic. The story is good fun and not heavy or preachy. Anyway, these cards feature some of the book’s illustrations, all hand drawn in pen and watercolour. They’re eco friendly, designed in Galway and printed in Dublin. They’ll bring some colour to any Christmas mantlepiece.
Also available ‘as Gaeilge’.
I hope you like them!
I love this collection. As a sea swimmer, I’m often drawn to the bright colours of swimming caps and towels and robes and socks and onesies against the dark green or grey seas that we often see here on the Irish coast. I also love that they’re not all perfect and that they have the usual lumps and bumps and wobbles that are more the norm!
I hope you enjoy them, I’m on a roll now so expect more and I’m working on a complete collection that will be ready in the new year.
Hey, one more thing … thanks a million for supporting my small business. Thanks for the messages and all of the good stuff. And remember to wrap up well after your swim and keep it up!
For ocean lovers and lovers of ocean lovers!
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been passionate about the sea. From walking alongside it, to swimming in it as well as precious years hanging out with friends in the shelters on Portmarnock Beach. When things have been really tough, I went to the sea and found comfort in the peace of it. Breakups with boyfriends were spent throwing rocks into it and later on when my children arrived, I brought them there too and they love it now as well.
I’ve recently turned into an environmentalist. Like most people these days, I didn’t plan to but I feel that it’s important now to stand up for what you love. First it was the art on my greeting cards and now it’s the Ocean Lovers Apron. Why an apron you may ask … good question! It was the size that I liked, it was something that allowed me space to work with that I didn’t have on a tote bag or a cushion cover.
When I thought about what to call it, I looked at other designers and they had things like London and New York on them. I’m in Galway these days but what if I moved somewhere else in Ireland. Anyway, I decided on Planet Earth, because that’s what it’s all about. It’s not a trade mark, it’s a location.
So for all you ocean lovers and lovers of ocean lovers, this one’s for you!
Sea Shepherd
10% of the profits from the Ocean Lovers aprons will go to Sea Shepherd. I love this organisation, they’re strong, effective and not administration heavy – meaning that everything that is donated to them goes directly to the cause.
About Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd is an international, non-profit marine conservation organisation that engages in direct action campaigns to defend wildlife and conserve and protect the world’s oceans from illegal exploitation and environmental destruction. Sea Shepherd was founded in 1977 by Paul Watson, one of the original members of Greenpeace. Since its grassroots beginnings it has grown into an unstoppable global movement with independent groups established in over 20 countries.
This is the first time I’ve designed cards for Father’s Day. To be honest, since my own father died in 2013, I found it hard to think about it. These cards say what you’d really like to say to your Dad. Things like “you’re my rock” and “thanks for always having my back” or “I can’t wait til we can have a pint together”.
It’s hard to say things like that to your Dad, they’re not great at taking compliments – maybe a bit of a sweeping generalisation! Anyway, I really hope you like these cards and get where I’m coming from with them.
Fathers rock!
If you’re waiting for a hair appointment and, like me, if you had a go at own your hair over lockdown, then this is the card for you!
I watched an online video late one night about one month ago and as a result, ended up with my little curved nail scissors in pretty poor lighting, cutting my hair. It was more than the fringe this time, I went for it! The sides, the layers, the fringe … I had such a feeling of dread when I woke up the next morning but it wasn’t so bad. Let’s just say I blended in with everyone else who’d had a go at cutting their own hair too!
This Irish made greeting card is part of the Mammy Collection which also features a large range of Irish birthday cards, sympathy cards and thank you cards as well as Irish language cards.
Wishing you a great haircut – you won’t know yourself!
