Matt Jones, Woodturner

I stopped by Showcase in Dublin last week for an hour that flew by. I wish I could have stayed longer! It was really fun to meet so many people I’ve been emailing with for so long!

One of the highlights was a two minute encounter with Matt Jones, a woodturner who makes these incredible wine stoppers. In his booth, he had them all lined up on a huge slab of tree. I couldn’t stop picking them up – they’re so smooth.

Even more interesting? Every inch of the wine stoppers, including the packaging and stainless steel bottoms, is made in Ireland. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last few years, it’s how hard it is to make that happen – it can be really expensive. But Matt Jones has managed to do it, and he even packs the wine stoppers in shavings from his studio!