Although summer is only half way through, I probably wont get an opportunity to upload a post again as I'm a bit busy these days...I took these photos when I had remembered to take my big camera, so they're only a snippet of summery life with these crazy pups. I say pups but they're actually quite big now, with the eldest almost a teen. They all seem to get along most of the time, but when we don't, its a big showdown. I bet you all know what I mean.

We managed a few weeks of camping and beaching around the island relatively unscathed. Only the second time camping for our furry pup, Otterdog...

The weather was a bit hit and miss, we even had late night thundery down poor and midnight snack run up to the big tesco. We stayed in a forest which was a nice change.

the 'squirrel hide'

not sure what was happening here.

This is Bembridge beach where I used to go a lot when I was little. This new area is called The Point which is a really lovely spot with a bar at night and a sauna too.

A bit of a chilly day but so much space even in the school hols!

We also went to Priory Bay which is another nice sandy beach...

We stopped at Ventnor for a few days, my old hometown.

...and the carnival and fireworks (our dog barked ferociously so I missed most of them). 

Hello, It's been a while! The start of the year seems to have gone by very quickly.

I have been busy with mum life and balancing that with work etc... which is all good but it doesn't leave me much time to catch up here at my blog unfortunately. 

Whilst the news has been filling me with dread, I have been at my jewellery bench listening along, and feeling thankful to live in a country where I feel free and relatively safe. It is scary how quickly the status quo can change between countries, so even the mundane domestic news is actually quite reassuringly repetitive.

I could just switch it off of course but I've always like to be up to date with the world, and to appreciate my own.

We have had some amazing clear night skies lately and some visible planets and whilst on my night time dog walks, it is very grounding to look up and think, what the hell are we doing down here, when we all look up at the same moon? I think Zeus needs to fire down some lightning bolts onto a couple of men I could mention! But then I guess some other power greedy will come along soon after. sigh.

Whilst skimming through my astronomy books and books about Ancient Greece, I came across some ideas for a new collection, all about the meaning of the night sky and importance our ancestors read into the stars and the stories they made about them. 

I started these with some sketches and then quickly got on to carving into a block of wax some ideas. I made impressions of these and then casted them in silver and gold.

I get very excited whilst making new things, its quite a long process to get them all ready for photographing. I also made a new sapphire ring and also a ring with a pear cut grey tourmaline, which is a very rare colour, set with a rose cut diamond. I could just imagine a greek goddess wearing these whilst sweeping through a villa garden.

My daughter has been a huge help with modelling for the website. She is a natural I think!

Please come and take a look at all that's new, and my jewellery journal too, over at Only Through Shadows.

Apart from jewellery making, school runs and dog walks, I haven't done anything blog worthy to mention. ...But, if I do then I will come here and report it immediately ; )

Thank you for visiting here, Artemis xxx