This place is in Ventnor, so not far from where we live. I have been coming here since I was tiny...

I hope we will have plenty more relaxing holidays to come this summer, and soon we will be celebrating one year since we got the keys to our flat! A very happy day indeed.

My friend died this time last year. She was 43. We had been friends since childhood. The last time I saw her she was showing me her garden and all the things she had been growing from seed, and her vegetable patch. She loved nature and looked after any injured birds that would happen to pass her garden. When I picture her, in my mind, I can see and hear her telling me about what she is going to do next in her garden.

That excerpt is from a longer poem the author wrote about his friend who also died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage age 22. My home looks over the Tennyson Downs near to where he lived, so it seemed apt to quote it here.

More jewellery! I have been busy at my work bench lately, although trying to concentrate on what feels so insignificant compared to all that is happening around the world. I think a lot of us are feeling like that right now.

Anyhow, I have just added some little white diamond items to the shop, 18ct gold diamond ring and some 9ct gold diamond stud earrings.

Me! (excuse the blurry pic) I was going to take part in Meet the Maker on Instagram but I got side tracked. So here I am instead!

I'm going to be 44 in a couple of days, I live in a flat with my two children. I was born on the Isle of Wight where we live and I began making jewellery whilst studying Fine Art, where I sold it on the street to make money. I play guitar (a bit) and I like gardening and swimming in the sea. I learnt to drive when I was 41!

I have three older brothers. I have been a vegetarian since I was 10 years old. My parents came from London. I like to sing loudly when no one is around and I drink tea about every hour.

(my daughter and I when she was little)

A completely different subject...

I, like most other people, am completely horrified by the war in Ukraine, the loss of precious life and the terror inflicted upon the citizens. I feel so completely useless in my quiet little life here on the island. I can only help by donating some money, and educating my children about freedom and peace, the value and compassion for life, and the preservation of culture. They are just small, but for children this is something they don't really need to be taught because they understand these simple concepts from birth it seems. It is the adults that need to be taught this, and reminded of this (and I'm referring to a certain few in this world).

I have started to collate a board of Ukrainian culture, that my daughter and I have enjoyed and been very moved by. Simple, colourful, peaceful, happy, were the words my daughter used to describe these pictures, and it contrasts so desperately with the pictures she has seen on the news lately. I am sure that we will see more colourful Ukrainian art for many centuries to come, if you can make a crown out of flowers instead of gold.

All our love and support to, our neighbours, Ukraine.

It gives me such a joy to create something using these amazing stones.

More coming soon...