Blog#1 2024
Aloha !!! Finally finally FINALLY found a chance to sit quiet and pen a blog !!!
Ordinarily January is a quiet month where makers gently stretch back into their creative worlds after the intense madness of the run up to the festive period... a chance to take stock, order fresh supplies, experiment with new designs, tidy up the website and springclean the virtual shelves... oh and catch up on the dreaded accounts... I can tell you most of that has not happened here ! I've never had such a crazy wonderful month !
It all began with me having a larger than ever rollover of pledged makes to begin once the festivities were over... I am so grateful that you are more than happy to wait for you handmade treasure... It means so much... so I've really been able to relax and enjoy making them for you...
Then... my new stash of texture plates landed from the US... they got snarled up in customs for quite a while but now I have them and am absolutely thrilled with them... Well worth the wait !!!! You folks seem to like them too with more 'Made to Order' pieces being requested than ever before ! I've just posted away my second bundle of silverwork to be Hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office... we are only 34 days into the year... this is unheard of ! So THANKYOU !!!
I scampered off to the Beccy Gillatt Jewellery School for a day to learn something new... how to make a framed pendant... far more delicate kind of work than I tend to make, which I find a challenge !!! I learnt alot ! I learnt too I need heaps of new tools that could make my life easier... it was great to be sat amongst other students and feeling the fizz... the sheer joy of making ! I hope to do another class or two later in the year... maybe try my hand at stone setting again... never ever have really gotten to grips with that !!! I'm too heavy handed!
I found myself inexplicably being invited to BBC Radio Northampton... still not sure how... but they were doing a week long feature on Duston... and they had heard I am a lifelong Duston resident and had started a small business there... Going into the studio was an amazing experience, absolutely nervewracking... but I am determined to say YES to more things this year ! This was an opportunity I could not pass up... I should have however not gulped down a turkish coffee just before going live on air... We were a bit early so bobbed into a Turkish Cafe... I had spied the fresh baklava...you know me !!! Being a decaf girlie these days I didn't realise it was impossibly strong coffee when Mr D bought me it ! It was like rocket fuel ! I was so whizzy ! I think you could tell !!! I talk so fast !!!
I dropped along to a Busy Woman Networking Group last week too... again something brand new for me... another YES... another giant leap outside my comfort zone... Working solo, you can get quite locked into what you do and by stepping outside of that and meeting new people you get a different perspective of all things... again I learnt alot... a really refreshing day spent with lovely ladies... new opportunities bubbling up...
I am DELIGHTED to announce a new collaboration and another amazing opportunity !!! I popped over just today to meet Natalie at the Magnolia Barn at The Old Dairy Farm Craft Centre at Upper Stowe... She has a magnificent cabinet she wants me to fill with ScruffyDog ! She had heard of me via a couple of lovely folks talking about what I do... what to say... I am unbelievably chuffed in so many ways... The Barn is full of Natalie's beautiful artworks and heaps of fabulous homewares... it's very exciting... Another YES ! I will be there as soon as... I have a little collection to pull together but my head is brimming with ideas !
I've also been busy applying for events throughout 2024 ! Some for now, for the summer and already some for Christmas!!!! This is what I have coming up very soon...
What else... well I have been flinging myself into rather cold lakes and open air lido's ! I've learnt its really important to carve out a little time for me too... and there is nothing better than a lovely swim with Friends and heaps of cake after !
Fudge is growing fast as I think you can see for yourselves !!! 10 months old already ! She has really learnt how to settle in The Shed under the workbench and snooze or chomp away on her buffalo horn ! She lies where Muffin used to lay... and its a huge comfort to me... out of the corner of my eye though I sometimes get them mixed up... but it makes me smile... and let me tell you Fudge has dug more holes in my lawn than Lolly ever did... bigger, deeper and not just content with around the edge of the lawn but slap bang right in the middle too ! I have another returfing project brewing for the spring... She is a fabulous pup... full of energy and bounce... as some of you will know when you come to visit to collect your parcels !!! She is bouncy and LOUD !!! Oh I love her !
Right... I think that's enough rabbiting for now ! Maybe I could get cracking on my accounts before settling down on the sofa ! I am so so behind with those !! SO not my favourite job !!!
Keep your eye on the online ScruffyDogShop... new pieces are being added all the time !
Enjoy your evening !!!
Steph x
Ordinarily January is a quiet month where makers gently stretch back into their creative worlds after the intense madness of the run up to the festive period... a chance to take stock, order fresh supplies, experiment with new designs, tidy up the website and springclean the virtual shelves... oh and catch up on the dreaded accounts... I can tell you most of that has not happened here ! I've never had such a crazy wonderful month !
It all began with me having a larger than ever rollover of pledged makes to begin once the festivities were over... I am so grateful that you are more than happy to wait for you handmade treasure... It means so much... so I've really been able to relax and enjoy making them for you...
Then... my new stash of texture plates landed from the US... they got snarled up in customs for quite a while but now I have them and am absolutely thrilled with them... Well worth the wait !!!! You folks seem to like them too with more 'Made to Order' pieces being requested than ever before ! I've just posted away my second bundle of silverwork to be Hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office... we are only 34 days into the year... this is unheard of ! So THANKYOU !!!
I dropped along to a Busy Woman Networking Group last week too... again something brand new for me... another YES... another giant leap outside my comfort zone... Working solo, you can get quite locked into what you do and by stepping outside of that and meeting new people you get a different perspective of all things... again I learnt alot... a really refreshing day spent with lovely ladies... new opportunities bubbling up...
I am DELIGHTED to announce a new collaboration and another amazing opportunity !!! I popped over just today to meet Natalie at the Magnolia Barn at The Old Dairy Farm Craft Centre at Upper Stowe... She has a magnificent cabinet she wants me to fill with ScruffyDog ! She had heard of me via a couple of lovely folks talking about what I do... what to say... I am unbelievably chuffed in so many ways... The Barn is full of Natalie's beautiful artworks and heaps of fabulous homewares... it's very exciting... Another YES ! I will be there as soon as... I have a little collection to pull together but my head is brimming with ideas !
I've also been busy applying for events throughout 2024 ! Some for now, for the summer and already some for Christmas!!!! This is what I have coming up very soon...
Fudge is growing fast as I think you can see for yourselves !!! 10 months old already ! She has really learnt how to settle in The Shed under the workbench and snooze or chomp away on her buffalo horn ! She lies where Muffin used to lay... and its a huge comfort to me... out of the corner of my eye though I sometimes get them mixed up... but it makes me smile... and let me tell you Fudge has dug more holes in my lawn than Lolly ever did... bigger, deeper and not just content with around the edge of the lawn but slap bang right in the middle too ! I have another returfing project brewing for the spring... She is a fabulous pup... full of energy and bounce... as some of you will know when you come to visit to collect your parcels !!! She is bouncy and LOUD !!! Oh I love her !
Keep your eye on the online ScruffyDogShop... new pieces are being added all the time !
Enjoy your evening !!!
Steph x