Pliers & Prosecco

Christmas Gifting, the Annual Panic and the Art of Buying Something a Bit Different
Christmas Gifting, the Annual Panic and the Art of Buying Something a Bit Different
Christmas Gifting, the Annual Panic and the Art of Buying Something a Bit Different It's November. Which means Christmas is officially creeping up on us, whether we're ready for it... Read more...
We've Lost the Plot. And It's Sitting on the Front Step.
We've Lost the Plot. And It's Sitting on the Front Step.
We've Lost the Plot. And It's Sitting on the Front Step. I have a confession to make. I am part of the problem. Every year, I buy pumpkins. I bring... Read more...
Halloween Is the One Time of Year Being Weird Is Encouraged
Halloween Is the One Time of Year Being Weird Is Encouraged
I have a theory about Halloween. For most of the year, society expects us to behave ourselves. Wear sensible clothes. Choose tasteful accessories. Don't be too loud. Don't be too... Read more...
You Don't Have to Spend a Fortune to Look a Million Quid
You Don't Have to Spend a Fortune to Look a Million Quid
Last weekend, I went to a ball. The Whale Fundraising Gala, to be precise. A proper event. The sort of occasion that requires you to put on a posh frock,... Read more...
The Internet Has Decided. Apparently.
The Internet Has Decided. Apparently.
I've been thinking about the Cornell story. If you've managed to avoid it, I'm slightly jealous. Although, to be fair, if you've managed to avoid it, you're probably living a... Read more...
Can You Leave Politics at the Door?
Can You Leave Politics at the Door?
I'm not a football expert. I know enough to understand when Ireland has scored, obviously. I know what a penalty is. I know that shouting at the television doesn't appear... Read more...
I Don't Think I Want To Be Elegant
I Don't Think I Want To Be Elegant
I've decided there may be something wrong with me. I don't seem to have much interest in looking elegant. Not in the traditional sense, anyway. I like colour. I like... Read more...
Illustrated cover for ‘What Does Irish Actually Mean?’ showing people on a golf course, exploring Irish identity, nostalgia, protest and home.
What Does Irish Actually Mean?
Donald Trump has been to Ireland. He met the President. He met the Taoiseach. He went to his golf course in Doonbeg, watched the Irish Open and, somewhat unexpectedly, had... Read more...
The Problem With Being a Magpie
The Problem With Being a Magpie
I have a problem. I am a magpie. Not in the charming, metaphorical sense. I mean I have an actual inability to walk past something shiny without thinking, I could... Read more...
Growing old, plastic surgery and the things women don't always say out loud
Growing old, plastic surgery and the things women don't always say out loud
On Tuesday, I had upper blepharoplasty. For anyone who doesn't spend their evenings Googling things they hadn't previously known existed, that's surgery to remove excess skin from the upper eyelids.... Read more...
Why Buying Pre-Loved Jewellery Is a Very Good Thing
Why Buying Pre-Loved Jewellery Is a Very Good Thing
Because sometimes the best things have already had a life. There is something slightly odd about the phrase "pre-loved". It sounds like something a marketing department came up with after... Read more...
The Cost of Being Small: Why Ireland's Tiny Businesses Need a Fairer Deal
The Cost of Being Small: Why Ireland's Tiny Businesses Need a Fairer Deal
There comes a point where you stop saying, "Ah sure, it'll be grand." I'm not sure exactly where that point is. Somewhere between filling out another form nobody warned you... Read more...
Post-Holiday Re-Entry: Swollen Fingers, Tight Jeans, and Zero Inspiration
Post-Holiday Re-Entry: Swollen Fingers, Tight Jeans, and Zero Inspiration
They say taking a week off is supposed to leave you bursting with creative energy. You're meant to return to your life with a glowing complexion, a pristine mind, and... Read more...
The Boy from Grafton Street: A Tribute to Glen Hansard
The Boy from Grafton Street: A Tribute to Glen Hansard
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an outpouring of grief quite like this. For the past few days, every single time I refresh my social media feed, it is just... Read more...
Dust, Pride, and the Absolute Madness of the Drought Car Wash
Dust, Pride, and the Absolute Madness of the Drought Car Wash
I need to get something off my chest. A little while ago, we treated ourselves to a new-to-us, bright red Mustang Mach-E. I love her. She is sleek, she is... Read more...
The Heavy Metal Truth: Why I’m Obsessed with Stainless Steel (And No, It’s Not Just Because I’m Cheap)
The Heavy Metal Truth: Why I’m Obsessed with Stainless Steel (And No, It’s Not Just Because I’m Cheap)
If I had a euro for every time someone looked at a piece of my jewellery, tilted their head with that polite, slightly strained look of concern, and asked, "But...... Read more...
The Return of the Statement Necklace (Or: Why It’s Time to Give Your Bare Neckline a Proper Talking-To)
The Return of the Statement Necklace (Or: Why It’s Time to Give Your Bare Neckline a Proper Talking-To)
If you have taken a casual stroll through any urban area recently or spent any time looking at what's happening on the global runways, you’ve likely noticed a very specific,... Read more...
Pride in 2026: The Living Work of Resistance
Pride in 2026: The Living Work of Resistance
There is a point every June where the conversation around Pride tends to get diluted. It gets wrapped up in corporate sponsorships, colourful street parties, and festive compliance. But if... Read more...
Turn and Face the Sun (Or: Why Today is More Than Just a Long Evening)
Turn and Face the Sun (Or: Why Today is More Than Just a Long Evening)
There is a very specific, magic shift that happens in Ireland around this time of June. It’s not just the fact that you can confidently leave the house at 10:00... Read more...
Sound, Vision, and the Alien Who Taught Me It’s Okay to Be Strange
Sound, Vision, and the Alien Who Taught Me It’s Okay to Be Strange
It’s hard to believe, but it is now an entire decade since the Thin White Duke packed up his stardust, released Blackstar as a parting gift, and exited the stage... Read more...
Grammys, Greatness, and Why the World Can’t Stop Talking About a Woman's Waistline 🥂
Grammys, Greatness, and Why the World Can’t Stop Talking About a Woman's Waistline 🥂
I’ve had a week of absolute madness at the workbench, which usually means my brain has had plenty of time to stew over whatever nonsense is happening in the wider... Read more...
Stylish, brightly dressed people near the Rialto Bridge in Venice
Gondolas, Glamour, and the Great Irish Lycra Epidemic 🥂
I’m back. The suitcases are unpacked, the Venetian prosecco has been thoroughly investigated, and I am officially a changed woman. Or, at the very least, a woman with a brand-new,... Read more...
Quietening the "Eejit" Brain & The 21-Day Abundance Experiment
Quietening the "Eejit" Brain & The 21-Day Abundance Experiment
I’m going to be honest with you—behind the vibrant earrings and the cheeky Irish kitsch, there is a brain that occasionally likes to set itself on fire with nonsensical anxiety.... Read more...
Beyond the Mug: Teacher Gifts That Don't End Up in the Staffroom Cupboard
Beyond the Mug: Teacher Gifts That Don't End Up in the Staffroom Cupboard
We’ve officially hit May, which means the countdown to the summer holidays has begun. For parents, it’s a mix of "How is the school year nearly over?" and "How am... Read more...
The High Altar of the Hangover: Why We Can’t Quit Irish Kitsch 🥂
The High Altar of the Hangover: Why We Can’t Quit Irish Kitsch 🥂
I was staring at a tiny, handmade loaf of Brennan’s bread yesterday and I had a bit of an epiphany. Most jewellery designers spend their time dreaming of diamonds or... Read more...
Untidy work room
The "Tidy Mind" vs. The Pliers & Prosecco Lifestyle 🥂
Take a good, long look at the photo above. No, it’s not a crime scene. And no, I haven’t been burgled. This is the current state of the RainbowRegalia studio.... Read more...
The "I Actually Put Thought Into This" Guide: 5 Best Jewellery Gift Ideas
The "I Actually Put Thought Into This" Guide: 5 Best Jewellery Gift Ideas
Let’s be honest: buying a gift for someone is a minefield. You want something that says, "I know you, I love you, and I didn't just grab this in a... Read more...
The Big Jewellery Mood for 2026 (And What I’d Actually Wear to a Communion Without Looking Like I’ve Lost the Run of Myself)
The Big Jewellery Mood for 2026 (And What I’d Actually Wear to a Communion Without Looking Like I’ve Lost the Run of Myself)
If you’ve been faithfully wearing your dainty little necklace and microscopic studs for the past few years… first of all, fair play. They’ve done their job. Quietly. Respectfully. Never causing... Read more...
The Art of Not Being Able to Draw a Straight Line
The Art of Not Being Able to Draw a Straight Line
I have a confession: I wasn't allowed to do Art in school. The powers-that-be decided that because I couldn't draw a bowl of fruit that actually looked like fruit (mine... Read more...
Chaotic desk covered in beads and different types of eco-friendly packaging
Confessions of a Sustainable Start-up (Or: My Ongoing Battle with a Roll of Paper Tape)
I’ve decided that trying to run an eco-friendly business is a bit like trying to parent: you start with the highest possible ideals, and within three hours, you’re covered in... Read more...
The "Off" Switch is a Myth (And Other Lies I Told Myself)
The "Off" Switch is a Myth (And Other Lies I Told Myself)
I have a very vivid, very optimistic memory of thinking that starting RainbowRegalia would mean "flexible hours." And technically, it does. I am perfectly flexible to work at 7:00 AM,... Read more...
Listening to 8Radio on laptop
The 8Radio Frequency: Why Indie Beats are My Creative Life Support
Let’s be honest. If I had to work in total silence, the only thing you’d hear coming from my studio in Greystones would be the sound of my own internal... Read more...
1996 Irish 2p Coin Necklace with Blur ticket to the concert in RDS that year.
Why the 1996 Punt is the Only Accessory You Need
Listen, we need to have a serious talk about the contents of your jewellery box. It’s fine, it’s functional, but is it doing anything? Is it starting a row at... Read more...
The Mother Figure Manifesto: Thoughtful Gifts (That Don’t Require a Second Mortgage)
The Mother Figure Manifesto: Thoughtful Gifts (That Don’t Require a Second Mortgage)
Right. March 15th is looming like a deadline you’ve tried to ignore but keeps tapping you on the shoulder. I want to talk about "Mother Figures." Because let’s be honest,... Read more...
The ‘Five Euro’ Fever Dream: Why My Pliers Beat Their Robots
The ‘Five Euro’ Fever Dream: Why My Pliers Beat Their Robots
I was scrolling through one of those "ultra-fast-fashion" sites the other night—you know the ones, the names sound like a sneeze or a panicked text message. I saw a pair... Read more...
The Spring Trend Report: Or, How to Not Look Like a 'Sentient Digestive Biscuit'
The Spring Trend Report: Or, How to Not Look Like a 'Sentient Digestive Biscuit'
I’ve been reading the fashion forecasts for Spring 2026. Apparently, we’re all supposed to be embracing "effortless dressing" and "fluid silhouettes." Which, in human-speak, usually means wearing clothes that make... Read more...
A redheaded woman folding rainbow socks
The "Petrol Station Carnation" Survival Guide
Let’s be honest—Valentine’s Day is a bit of a minefield, isn't it? It’s that strange time of year where we’re expected to feel overwhelmed with romance while simultaneously trying to... Read more...
Red, gold and blue long drop earrings
Winter Brights: Because If I See One More Grey Jumper, I’ll Scream.
Winter Brights: Styling Jewellery (When You’re Basically a Human Onion) It’s February, it’s damp, and we’re all currently wearing enough wool to insulate a small semi-detached house. But being bundled... Read more...
Why Buy Handmade? (Or: Why I Spend My Tuesdays Rescuing Broken Bits)
Why Buy Handmade? (Or: Why I Spend My Tuesdays Rescuing Broken Bits)
In a world where you can buy a necklace for the price of a fancy coffee and have it delivered to your door before you’ve even finished your brew, why... Read more...
One-of-a-kind necklace made with upcycled floral pieces from two broken necklace
🌈 Why Every RainbowRegalia Piece Is One-of-a-Kind or Limited Edition
Forget mass-produced; I prefer things with a past. Dive into the logic (and the madness) behind my small-batch designs, where rescued vintage beads and intuitive crafting mean your jewellery is... Read more...