HALLOWEEN MONTH!

Does anyone else call October Halloween month? Just me?

I'm sure by now you will know that I love Halloween. I love the excuse to dress up, (not that I need an excuse) and all the parties and the fact that it is Autumn and the trees are dropping their leaves and everything is so pretty. October is also my boyfriend's birthday month, and this year he turns 40, so it's a pretty big deal!

We like to have an early Halloween party to combine with his birthday celebrations, and this year we are going to have a pirate themed one. Since our house is already full of pirate/skull decor, there is not too much we have to do, but I have been looking up traditional recipes for grog. I am keeping my costume a secret, but I have been having fun decorating my accessories, and I still need to practice my makeup. I will share photos after the event. There may even be a makeup tutorial video.

AND, to celebrate Halloween, and to help you get started on your Christmas shopping early, EVERYTHING in my Etsy shop will be 20% off for the whole month of October, 2018. No coupon code needed, just stop by. Don't forget, I am open to commissions, so if you have something in mind that I don't have in my shop, let me know and we can work something out.

Welcome Autumn!

Those of you that know me will know that Autumn has always been my favourite season. I just adore the crisp weather, the beautiful colours, and the chance to wear boots, coats and hats again!
Since I have lived in Virginia, I have really started to miss the season back home. It can be beautiful here, but summer lasts so long, that often you don't see the leaves fall until late November, or even December. It can still be swelteringly hot very late in the year, which does not go well with my love of warm clothes. It is strange to see pumpkin-spice EVERYTHING, everywhere, when it is still above 30C. I guess I really just miss home and the change of seasons there. It is what I grew up with, what I am used to, and no matter how long I've been away, I can't seem to get used to this climate!

 Anyway, in celebration of the official Equinox and arrival of my favourite season, (regardless of how it feels outside) I am sharing this coupon code for my Etsy shop, OriginalSinArt. Use code AUTUMNEQUINOX2018 to get 20% off your order, from 22nd – 26th September 2018, EST. (No minimum sale needed, but does not apply to Taxes or Shipping Costs.)

Well, I'm back...

Hello everyone, I am back! Well, I've been back over a week, but I'm not sure if I've come to terms with it yet. I wish I was still in Ireland! 

We had such an incredible holiday, and saw and did so much, that coming back to America, and work, has been difficult for me. The trip only reaffirmed my dream of living there one day, and owning a little shop/gallery in Donegal. Now I am thinking of all the things that have to happen to make that dream come true!

I have been busy catching up with work-work after our trip, but I have a couple of exciting things in the works that I will share with you soon. Watch this space! 

Here are a few Ireland selfie pics just to give you a hint of what we got up to, (if you want to see ALL the 1700 photos I took, please find me on Facebook!) I get that the cropped images show more of my face than anything else, sorry!

Locations, clockwise from top left: Cliff of Moher, Dunluce Castle, Ballyliffin Golf Club, Guinness Storehouse, Poulnabrone Dolmen, Inis Cealtra, Mussenden Temple.