Yesterday I traveled from Minneapolis to Amsterdam on the 9pm flight. Leaving so late, I thought I would sleep like a baby. I was wrong. I slept not at all. After a delay of more than an hour due to high winds, I went on to Dublin, Ireland. Once again, no sleep.
I arrived at my charming hotel call Butler’s Townhouse, located in Ballsbridge. I was so tired I could hardly see straight. How delightful that they got me to my room, brought me a sandwich in the sitting room (I have included a picture so you can see how quaint it is) and arranged for a wake-up call. It was just the kind of service I needed to get back on my feet.
Butler’s Townhouse is just a few short blocks to the RDS (Royal Dublin Society) building where Showcase Ireland 2007 is taking place.
Showcase is billed as the 31st International Craft, Gift, Fashion and Interiors fair. In summary, it is a trade fair for artisans and their products. This show oozes creativity and personal expression!
I am here at the invitation of the Crafts Council of Ireland. Two of the Council’s representatives attended a trend presentation I gave at the Buyer’s Market of American Craft in Phili this past summer and thought I would be perfect for Showcase. They asked me to not only walk the show as a journalist, but also to give trend presentations on Monday for craftspeople, retailers and students. Three talks in one day. I am really looking forward to all three!
Over the past few months, I have also worked with CCoI to set the trend direction and tone for trend exhibits in their Lifestyle area. I chose two themes: Moody Blues and Eco-Chic.
Anne Kennedy was responsible for the product selection and visual display based on my direction. I was a bit nervous having all of this done at a distance but I realized the moment I had a look at the displays that shouldn’t have been. Anne and her team did a marvelous job! A couple of photos of the displays are included in this post so you can have a look.