My amber ring is going to be in Vogue!

So exciting.  It's the January issue that comes out on 10th December.  They have a section called Bedazzled and the amber ring will be advertised in that. 

I have been so busy selling jewellery - not much on-line but lots of craft shows etc.  Did the Christmas Gift Fair at the Pavillion in Bournemouth last weekend.  It rained all weekend but I did well and we enjoyed it. 

I am working hard towards the exhibition at Hilliers starting on 2nd December and continuing until 2nd January.  Twenty members of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery are taking part this time. 

I am also doing the Discovery Centre on 8th December and a Christmas Craft and vintage fair at the Treasury in Southampton on 15th December.  It will be quite a relief to put my feet up in January.

Megan is suffering from "dry eyes" and has to have gel put in her eyes every morning.  They are much better than they were.  She was very sick yesterday after eating something nasty in the woods.  She seems fine now. 

We are off to Somerset to stay with my sister and brother in law for Christmas.  All the children (and grandchildren) are coming to us for Boxing day and we are going to the Kings Head in Hursley for lunch.  Aaron and Luz are coming over from Dubai (plus the baby who is due in March).

I will attach some photos - including the amber ring again.

Free Running Spider!

Whew scary thing happened last night.  Me and Richard and S&M were watching the TV when I saw something drop from the mantlepiece into the log basket next to the fire.  I told Richard and he looked rather sceptical.  However he started to look through the log basket and found an enormous spider which he duly dispatched.  I can't believe it just jumped over a metre into the basket.  First larger spider of the season and I only have 2 conkers!

I have done very well on the selling jewellery side.  The Romsey Show was a huge success - we were so lucky with the weather.  I am also selling some small silver items at the Tourist Information Office in Winchester which is great news.  I am displaying there through until January.  I am back at the Discovery Centre in Winchester tomorrow and November and December.

In December me and about 22 other members of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery are exhibiting again at Hilliers near Romsey for the entire month.  I am busy getting my collection together for that.  I am also doing the Contrasts Contemporary Jewellery Fair in Rowland's Castle on the 3rd November.  This is a very busy time of year and very exciting.  My friend Deb and her husband Gerry came to stay for the weekend and she bought 3 items of jewellery.  (At a knock down price I might add!).

Megan has "dry eyes".  I am having to put cream in her eyes every day.  They seem a bit better but I think I may have to do that for the rest of her life. 

We had a lovely cruise round the Med in September.  We both came back with stinking colds and I spent 2 days on the way back trying very hard not to be seasick!  Other than that it was great fun.

I have been making a few things see below.  I will keep you informed on how I am doing at the shows.

What's that in the pool?

Is it a shark - no it's Richard testing his scuba gear to make sure the mice didn't chew through it!  He kept it in the garage over the winter and they ate most of his towel.  Sophie is very perplexed by the whole thing!

I had a good time in London - lunch with Debs and dinner with Richard but unfortunately Anne couldn't make it.  I got some amazing freshwater pearls in Bellores in Hatton Garden.  They are called triable pearls - great colour for my autumn/winter collection!  See pictures.

I am driving to Somerset tomorrow to see my mum and my sister and her husband.

Been picking raspberries in the garden today - still loads of them.  I am freezing them separately and then when I have a glass of white or rose wine I pop a couple into the glass - lovely.

Weather still rubbish - what can you do eh!

Will it ever stop raining!

I am sick of this weather, lets have a summer please!

I did very well on days one and two of the Hampshire Country Show in June.  I was very upbeat about outdoor shows etc until day three when it rained!  I sold absolutely nothing - everyone was wet and cold, including us and we all packed up early.  That taught me a valuable lesson about outdoor shows - if you don't get good weather you may as well forget it.  I just hope the weather improves for the Romsey Show in September. 

I did very well at the Discovery Centre in Winchester in June and July.  I am selling a lot of pearl jewellery at the moment.  Unfortunately I couldn't get a table for Oct, Nov and December which is such a shame.  However, I am on the waiting list so you never know.

All the work Richard did on the garden has been ruined by the weather.  So many slugs and snails.  Our garlic was successful and our broad beans and raspberries but the strawberries have been terrible - I think the slugs had most of them.

We have booked a holiday for September so that is something to look forward to.  We are cruising the med for two weeks. 

My niece Lisa and my sister Gill and her husband Richard came to stay for a long weekend.  Lisa is getting married next August so we went into Winchester and she tried on some dresses.  She looks amazing in them all! 

I am off to London for the first time this year.  First stop Hatton Garden.  Meeting my friend Deb for lunch and my other friend Anne after work. 

Sophie went walkabout in the village yesterday.  She ran off when she saw other dogs approaching us near the school.  I was told she was outside the butchers but by the time I got there she had run off again.  Finally when I gave up and went home, she was there sitting by my car looking very hot, scared and thirsty.  She is on the flexi lead from now on!

I have been making some lovely jewellery and I am attaching a few piccies - see more on my website.

ACJ Exhibition

I really enjoyed the Association for Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition that I took part in earlier this month.  I learnt a lot and it was great to chat to other jewellery designer/makers.  I will attach a photo of my exhibition display.  I sold 4 items in total which I was very pleased with. 

Now I am preparing for the Hampshire Country Fair at Broadlands for the Jubilee weekend.  Richard and I will be there for 3 days, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  I will have two tables and I have bought more display items.  I hope the weather hold out and we get lots of attendees.  I will be in the Craft Village. I will let you know how I get on.

The builders are working hard on our new kitchen as I speak - very noisy! 

Richard has been working hard on the garden, assisted of course by Sophie.  We are like Tom and Barbara from the Good Life.  If all goes to plan we will have so much produce that we will have a stall at the roadside selling fruit and veg and not jewellery!

Well I had better get back to it..... I'll let you know how I get on.

Yes, I know, my obsession with flowers continues!  I just love them!  Look at those colours.  The jewellery's not bad either!

It was never like this in London!

What a day I have been having!  Firstly I decide to have a look at Sophie's paw as she kept licking it.  Her paw was was fine and then I found a bit of biscuit on her face.  Tried to pull it off but it was stuck.  I got out my magnifying glass and it still looked like a bit of biscuit but I decided to get my tick remover anyway.  I managed to remove quite a large tick from her face.  Yuck.  The first time I have ever done that.  I usually go to my neighbour.  On the tick remover details it said "dispose of the tick carefully".  What does that mean?  I decided to poor boiling water over it - I did feel slightly bad about that as I do have Buddhist tendencies.  I have kept it for Richard to see so that he knows what they look like. 

When that was over I decided to take S&M out for their morning walk.  On the way back something pooped on Megan's side.  I thought it was just water so tried to brush it off - it was brown and not smelly - squirrel poop?  Who knows - wiped my brown hand on some grass to clean it.

Back in the garden, Sophie wants me to throw a stone for her - she picks a large rock - I tell her it's too big but she doesn't listen so I throw it and it lands on her head.  She seems fine, if a little stunned.   I bend down to pick up a smaller stone and guess what - its a big chunk of pigeon poop!  I wipe my hand on the grass again!

Then I decide both dogs needs a shower.  That goes well - no problems.  Afterwards I decide to give my hair a brush and - yes you guessed it - brown poop is in my hair and all over my hairbrush!

On a sadder note, it is Richard's mother's funeral tomorrow.  She made it to 99 which is good going.  We have spent the last two days sorting out the Order of Service!

I did the craft fair at the Discovery Centre in Winchester last month.  Bit of a disaster sales wise!  Next week I am doing an Exhibition at Hillier Gardens near Romsey in Hampshire.  There will be 23 members of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery exhibiting.  The exhibition lasts from 11th - 20th May.  I will be there at weekends and the Thursday and Friday afternoons.  I am also doing the Discovery Centre again. 

I have been working on a range of silver jewellery that I am hoping may be displayed in the Tourist Information Office in Winchester.  I also made myself a lovely mixed blue agate necklace to go with all the blue clothes I have been buying - obviously the colour for the summer season.  I will attach some piccies of other pieces I have made recently.

I think we will have to start building an ark if this weather continues.  The builders are starting work on our utility room next Tuesday and then the kitchen.  Then it's all done!  We have accepted an offer on our house in Somerset which will help with paying for the kitchen.

Well that's all I can think of at the moment.  Oh and I am on a trial of varifocal contact lenses for a month - they are OK but lenses never seem quite a good as glasses.  They are monthly lenses and much cheaper than the dailies I was using.

Better go and make jewellery or clean up poop!

The flowers are sweet peas - don't they look different up close!  I like to use stuff from the garden in my photos although I know there should be nothing to take the eye off the jewellery.

My toe is not straight!

I went to see my surgeon this week and he is a bit disappointed that my big toe is slanting to the right again.  He said when I left the operating table it was completely straight.  Shame.  But at least toe doesn't hurt any more and big ugly lump has gone!  You can't have everything.

Been making lots of stuff this week.  Necklaces and rings.  Rings, they drive me crazy.  Solder then unsolder (this is attaching the bezel to the ring shank.  It is so hard to get it straight.  But I keep going until it's right.  Piccies to follow.  Hall, stairs and landing almost finished now.  It looks lovely.  Will take some pictures at some stage.  Only kitchen and utility to go now.  Sophie is 6 years old today!