That Emerald Isle Magic!

Happy St Patrick’s Day Weekend! ☘️

It’s that time of year when all focus is back on the beautiful Emerald Isle and the stunning sites and locations it has to offer!

I may be a little biased, but it makes me so happy and proud to hear just how many people have fallen in love with our wee country, the special memories made with loved ones and how they can’t wait to come back and explore more of the island, recreating the magic!

It’s one of the most rewarding parts of my job, to see my photography prints make their way to new homes around the world and knowing that they are that special keepsake gift to mark an unforgettable trip. It’s a feeling that will never grow old!

Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge : have you crossed it yet?

Reflection : Dublin’s famous Ha’Penny Bridge

The North Coast : it doesn’t get much better than a north coast sunset!

To Moher : the famous Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

From Belfast to Dublin, the Giant’s Causeway to the Cliffs of Moher, Five Finger Strand to Whitepark Bay and the Cavehill to the Mourne Mountains…just to name a few! There is a little something for everyone to celebrate their love for the Emerald Isle!

So, why not treat yourself or a loved one to a favourite Lavender Line Photography print this St Patrick’s Day Weekend with some Northern Ireland and Ireland best sellers!

Share Your Magic!

If you follow me on Instagram then you may have seen yesterday’s post about an exciting new stockist for Lavender Line Photography, a post that I should have shared back in October but it somehow slipped my mind!

Where you can keep up-to-date with all things Lavender Line Photography!

Back in October the lovely Vicki from @2020Art contacted me about stocking some of my North Coast print favourites as greetings cards in GIFTED, the sister store of the fab 2020 Art. I’m not one who finds it easy to put myself out there (something that I am slowly overcoming), so to have a third stockist of my work is a very surreal feeling! I find it hard to push myself out of that comfort zone at times, that fear of comparison and rejection sometimes taking over and making it difficult to reach out to other businesses. That’s why I am incredibly grateful to have businesses such as @Storybox, @2020Gifted and @VisitCausewayCoastAndGlens who have gotten in touch with me and now stock Lavender Line Photography.

Those North Coast photography print favourites now available as Greetings Cards!

A touch of North Coast vitamin sea to send to that someone special to let them know that you are thinking of them!

It’s somewhat comforting to know that I am not the only small business owner to feel this way, that we all suffer from imposter syndrome from time to time, but know that in order to succeed we have to push those boundaries and step out of those comfort zones.

So, here is to stepping into the unknown, to believing in yourself and your work, and knowing that you bring something exciting to the world with your craft!

Share Your Magic!

Lavender Line Face Masks

I am very excited to announce that #LavenderLineFaceMasks are now available for purchase in Ballycastle Visitor Centre!  A perfect excuse to treat yourself or a loved one to a North Coast keepsake as well as keeping safe during this global pandemic!

Ballycastle Visitor Centre, home to #LavenderLineFaceMasks! Get your North Coast keepsake today!

A huge goal of mine from the very beginning of Lavender Line Photography has been to get my work into a commercial outlet, something that is not an easy goal for any creative. Not only is it a dream come true to have my work now available for purchase in a Tourist Visitor Centre, but for that Visitor Centre to be in Ballycastle makes this goal of mine even more special.  It is a town that holds many memories and a very special place in my heart ; the town where my Grandparent’s love story began, the hometown of my dad, the Summers spent there as a child growing up and now the first place outside of Lavender Line HQ and Etsy to sell my work! 

So, if you are in the Ballycastle area be sure to call in to the Visitor Centre to see the wide range of beautiful arts and crafts that are on display and available for purchase from myself and many other local creatives.

#SupportSmallBusiness

Ballycastle Blues : A #LavenderLineFaceMask for those with a love of this beautiful seaside town and her stunning views of Fairhead

Whitepark Waves : A #LavenderLineFaceMask for those with a love of vitamin sea!

Sunset Silhouette : A #LavenderLineFaceMask for this Causeway Coast sunset dreamers

Coming Soon....

I decided that with Year 4 of my little Photography business coming to a close I would kick off Year 5 with an exciting new product!  I’ve always wanted to take my photography prints into a new medium and with this new Covid era in which we now find ourselves, what better than the first product being Lavender Line Photography Face Masks! 

I am excited to announce that you will soon be able to purchase you favourite Lavender Line Photography prints in a personalised face mask to go about your daily routine.  Staying safe never looked so stylish!

‘ I go to seek a great perhaps’ - Looking For Alaska.

The stunning Causeway Coast making for the perfect face mask for those adventurous sunset dreamers!

The first Lavender Line Photography Face Mask making it coastal debut!

What Lavender Line Photography print best suits your face mask mood? Lavender Line Photography Face Masks coming very soon to Etsy! #LavenderLineMasks

Those Little Signs

‘Great things are done by a series of small things brought together’ - Van Gough 

I’ve always been someone who believes in signs, how when we are looking for an answer or that little bit of guidance there is a small sign ready and waiting to reveal itself. ‘Portstewart Heights’ has always been a special print to me because of my Granda’s love for Portstewart and how proud he always was to tell the story of how his Dad helped to construct the cross that dominates that Portstewart coastal skyline. Of all the prints on my Etsy shop it was ‘Portstewart Heights’ that was the first print to sell since his passing two weeks ago… something that I like to think is my little sign.

Portstewart Heights

Magical Mournes

‘And you can find me where the sea pours into the stars’ - Eden

One of my main goals this past year has been to capture sundown at the famous Mourne Mountains. To walk along the beachfront and watch them bask in that magical golden hour glow, and last Sunday that Mourne Mountains sunset dream finally came true!

Although there was no sunshine in the forecast I decided to make the trip to Newcastle anyway for a first time visit to Murlough Beach, somewhere that I had been looking forward to exploring and photographing after many recommendations. After a long stretch of beautiful beach walk and stopping every so often to watch those waves rolling in, it seemed that luck was on my side as clouds soon gave way and that magical golden hour was about to begin!

I have visited many famous locations over the past few years to capture golden hour and the Mourne Mountains did not disappoint! To watch the sun shine proudly above Slieve Donard before making her beautiful descent was truly mesmerising! The changing of colours from pinky red to lavender blue, the whispering waves with their pastel reflections…. a truly unforgettable sunset and one that I highly recommend everyone experience!

And so golden hour begins!

Dancing under red skies

Mourne Mountain Magic : A sunset to remember

Now to achieve my Mourne Mountains dream of climbing to the top to capture those stunning costal views from above!

Into The Bluebells

‘You belong among the wildflowers’ - Tom Petty

One of my favourite things about May is the beautiful bluebells that spring up in woodlands across the country, creating an enchanting sea of indigo! Last year I visited the stunning Portglenone Forest, famous for its bluebells and was blown away by its beauty! This year I decided to kick off bluebell season with a trip to Crawfordsburn Country Park to combine a beach walk with forest walk and it did not disappoint! To find myself among the wildflowers with only the ocean waves and songbirds singing for background noise was dreamlike, as though I had stepped into a fairytale! Something that I look forward to doing again with some of our other famous bluebell locations!

If you haven’t already made a trip to your local bluebell woods, then I highly recommend taking an afternoon to play among the wildflowers! A trip within nature that you won’t forget!

Fairhead Heights

‘To the shores of freedom, where no one lives’ - Joesph Arthur

It might be that the North Coast is known more today because of the HBO mega-hit Game Of Thrones, but it is a coastline that I have grown up with and spent many years exploring. From The Dark Hedges to Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, Ballintoy Harbour to Larrybann and Murlough Bay to White Park Bay, all beautiful locations within their own right and places that I have been lucky enough to visit many times before they made their famous onscreen debuts! One location missing off my North Coast list though… Fairhead!

Fairhead is situated near the stunning seaside town of Ballycastle, a town that my family resides in and a landscape that I have seen in all seasons, but one that I had never seen from the top….until a few weeks ago that is!

Fairhead heights: The stunning views of Fairhead from Ballycastle’s Pebble Beach

Taking full advantage of the good Easter weekend weather I decided to hit up the North Coast to finally tick Fairhead off that bucket list! So, with the sun shining, my camera packed and walking shoes at the ready, it was time to explore Fairhead once and for all!

The stunning sights of Fairhead, a location that I highly recommend and one that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime for those beautiful coastal views! It is also an important location for Game Of Thrones fans, one that you might just recognise from Season 7!

Standing 600ft above sea, Fairhead can be seen from many coastal hotspots along the North Coast, but getting to see those coastal hotspots from the very top is something else! To take a moment to stand along the famous cliff edge and truly appreciate the beauty of our coastline is a time that I will treasure. Looking out and seeing some of my favourite North Coast locations from such a height and distance is something that should be experienced by all!

Fairhead Blues: Who can resist a look down when rewarded with such blues!

Fairhead rising an impressive 600ft above sea level and said to be one of Ireland and Britain’s toughest climbs!

Not only are you rewarded with stunning coastal views, but beautiful lakes and farm life too. A little something for everyone!

The cliff walk along Fairhead to Murlough Bay is breathtaking and one I highly recommend continuing on with. It’s along this path that you will see the famous Fairhead lakes, Grey Man’s Path and the stunning views of Murlough Bay and Torr Head coming into view. What makes it even better is how secluded the area is, a perfect spot to take full advantage of the peace and quiet that mother nature has to offer! If you are looking for that moment of mindfulness then this is the for you! What better than the great outdoors, fresh sea air and coastal views to spend an afternoon!

The famous Grey Man’s Path, an unusual walkway created by mother nature herself! One to keep a lookout for when walking Fairhead as it can be easily missed!

Well hello Murlough Bay! Just when you think the views can’t get any better, along comes the stunning headland of Murlough Bay!

The stunning sights of Murlough Bay and another beautiful location used for Game Of Thrones!

A visit to the top of Fairhead…. tick!

February Meets Summer

‘One must maintain a little bit of Summer even in the middle of Winter’ - H.D. Thoread

What a difference a year makes! Last year we saw the end of February become a Winter wonderland due to ‘The Beast From The East’ hitting the UK. This year it seemed that Summer came to play instead! Although it is alarming that temperatures in February were reaching up to 20 degrees in some parts, it seemed a little wrong to waste such beautiful weather stuck behind a computer screen, so… a trip to the coast was in order! The small perks that self-employment brings!

As I wanted to take some new beach photographs and take advantage of the weather to play around with my drone (still very much a newbie), I had the perfect location in mind. So, I packed my kit, filled my car and hit the road with some great tunes for company! It was time to escape to the stunning and picturesque White Park Bay!

Just a girl and her drone at play!

White Park Bay is a beautiful sandy beach located on the North Coast of Northern Ireland. Not only is it a coastal drive to remember, but once parked up the views are incredible! What really stands out is the unusual walk down to the beach, it’s here that you are met with an old country lane that leads to sand dunes and chalk grasslands before reaching a beautiful stretch of 1.4 miles of sandy goodness! It really is the perfect secluded spot to get that much needed dose of Vitamin Sea!

The stunning White Park Bay and a view that I will never tire of!

Hello blue skies and vitamin sea!

The beautiful golden sands of White Park Bay with Portbradden in the background

Such great heights, above the waves!

Any one who knows me knows just how much I love the beach. There is no better feeling than taking some time out to feel that coastal breeze, to hear those crashing waves and to clear your head in such beautiful and inspiring surroundings. It doesn’t matter the weather, a beach day is always a good idea!