David Condon Finds

Is Putting Ads on Your Website Worth It? The Harsh Truth From My Own Experience I used to think that connecting Google AdSense to my website would be an easy way to earn a bit of passive income. You know the thinking,  if people from all over the world are visiting anyway, why not make a few euro from ads? And technically, yes, I did make money. But here’s the part nobody tells you: I made it painfully slowly , over months and not days & weeks like I expected. And every cent came at the cost of my website’s credibility, user experience and overall performance which I only found out after the fact. If you’re thinking about adding third-party ads to your site, especially if it’s something you’ve poured time, effort and pride into, here’s my honest advice after learning the hard way. The “Income” Looks Good — Until You Do the Maths At the peak of my AdSense phase, I was convinced I was doing well. The dashboard showed little bits of revenue trickling in and I could see count...

People often imagine running a craft business as the dream job — doing what you love, setting your own hours, and selling beautiful handmade pieces at your own pace. In reality, it’s a juggling act of creativity, logistics, paperwork, and the occasional mild panic when a courier goes missing with half your stock. I’ve been at this long enough to know the truth: operating a craft business in Ireland is equal parts stubbornness, passion, and learning to stretch every euro until it squeaks. The Myth of the “Easy Life” From the outside, it looks peaceful — a tidy workshop, a few market stalls, maybe an online shop ticking away in the background. What people don’t see are the twelve-hour days spent sanding, photographing, packing, updating websites, replying to messages, and still finding time to sweep up the mess before you lock up for the night. It’s not just making things. It’s making things work. The Real Costs Nobody Sees Every handmade item carries more hidden costs than mo...

I’ll be honest, when Lego first launched the Star Wars helmet series, I wasn’t completely sold. They looked fantastic, but the price tag made me hesitate. That changed a few years back when I decided my wall space needed filling, so I picked up three at once in August. My plan was simple: save them for Christmas Day, put on a good movie, and build them on a low table in front of me. Once I’d assembled and displayed those first three, I was hooked. Since then, I’ve been slowly adding more to my collection. The best part? When someone walks into the room and sees them, they recognise the characters instantly and I can’t help but notice a little pang of envy every time.

This is a follow up to a previous post back in June 2025. When I wrote my original post, Why I’m Still Blogging – Even If Google’s New AI Might Bury My Posts , I was full of stubborn optimism. I believed that even if Google’s new AI Overview stole clicks, genuine human writing would still find an audience. A few months later… I still believe that. But it hasn’t been easy. The AI Overview Hangover Let’s be honest, AI Overview has hit small independent blogs like mine very hard. Even my main website David Condon Woodcraft is suffering a drop in traffic and that site is over 8 years old with significant google clout.  Affiliate earnings that once trickled in every month from my blog posts have almost completely dried up. My posts still get views, but far fewer than before, and conversions are practically non-existent. Many of these daily views seem to be from Bot traffic too, this post which asks Is My Blog Content Being Stolen by Bots may interest you. I’ve expanded and impro...

There’s something about LEGO Star Wars Helmets that makes them irresistible to collectors. They’re compact, detailed, and instantly recognizable, turning your favourite characters into display pieces that stand out on any shelf. If you’ve already checked out my thoughts on the LEGO UCS Venator or my round-up of LEGO Star Wars Collector Sets , you’ll know I love builds that balance detail with display value. While some of the rarer helmets have disappeared from official LEGO stores, a handful are still available directly, and others can easily be found on Amazon if you know where to look. In this post, I’ll break down the helmets still offered on LEGO.com, share a look at my own collection, and point you towards where you can pick them up today. Note:  As an Amazon and LEGO Affiliate, I may earn from qualifying purchases from the links below. LEGO Helmets Still Available on LEGO.com Not every helmet is still in circulation, but LEGO does currently have a few solid options for ...

From Organised Intentions to Creative Chaos.  Some people seem to live in spotless, Instagram-ready offices. Mine, on the other hand, often looks like a stockroom suddenly exploded and then decided to settle in. There are packaging materials all over the floor, leftovers from my last shipping order preparation. Shipping supplies all over the desk, and boxes of stock still waiting for labels I promised to print “tomorrow.” My mobile packing table always has anything other than packing materials on it so I can never seem to use it as intended.

LEGO has a way of bringing movie magic into the real world. Some sets are so big and detailed they feel like owning a piece of cinema history, not just a pile of bricks. From castles and towers to superhero skylines, these builds are the crown jewels for fans of fantasy and film. If you enjoy the technical side of LEGO, don’t miss my look at the Icons of Engineering & Architecture , and for Star Wars fans I’ve also highlighted collector sets that deserve a place in your display . Here are a few of the standout landmarks worth a place in any serious LEGO collection. Note:  As an Amazon and LEGO Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases from the links below. LEGO Hogwarts Castle 71043 Hogwarts Castle is pure nostalgia in brick form. With over 6,000 pieces, it captures the essence of the Harry Potter universe in miniature — towers, classrooms, Great Hall, and even tiny micro figures representing beloved characters. It’s a challenging build, but the end result is a magical ce...