J O U R N A L

Equinox // Solstice

2026-03-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year when I start to make new things for the shop!

This winter I have been reading all about Celtic traditions. It is absolutely fascinating, and it all makes so much sense to me.

Celebrating the turning of the seasons, the way in which the sun ultimately affects everything we do to survive. Appreciating the world around us in the tiny details of life. I think we have become way too wrapped up in our human-made world, with human-made problems, we forget about what is really going on around us, as creatures that are just inhabitants of this same planet as many other species.

Even the most 'powerful' humans are only powerful for what they can destroy, not what they can create. It is a sad state of affairs. But, yet, we couldn't exist with out the tiny pollinators, and they cannot exist with out the sun. We all come from and return to the soil, after all this power...to destroy, yet the sun will still create life as long as it burns.

I therefore present to you my new collection, devoted to the Sun!

The dark, the light and the equal lights - Solstice & Equinox pendants.

The crow, keeper of winter’s wisdom, stands at the threshold of the longest night — a symbol of resilience, inner knowing, and the quiet promise that even in darkness, the light is turning.

Ostara, Spring - A talisman of renewal and quiet beginnings — narcissus, primrose and egg symbols honour rebirth, balance and the first stirring of light after winter’s rest.

Litha, Summer Solstice — The height of the sun’s power — a symbol of vitality, warmth and life in full bloom.

Mabon, Autumn Equinox — Oak leaf and acorns speak of strength, grounding and the quiet wisdom of harvest and letting go.

Each pendant is available in 9ct Gold, Sterling Silver or Bronze.

Solstice // Equinox

I also recently added some new Rain Cloud Earrings and Cloud ring to the Nocturne Collection too!

...and Folklore collection is also now available in Bronze!

...and some very twinkly Shooting Star Earrings with moonstones.

An Aether necklace to go with the earrings, in sterling silver and freshwater pearl.

And, lastly, some little Maris earrings also with freshwater pearls. These are sown in silver but can be ordered in gold, just get in touch!

So that's it for my update!

Spring is really happening here in the UK and I cannot wait to get in the sea and lie in the garden. I have ordered a new sun lounger for my patch of lawn, and that is where I hope to be for most of the summer.

Of course I will be back here to post about our holiday adventures too, which I hope there will be many. I'm still not brave enough to sacrifice our savings for a holiday abroad (it's scary when you have an irregular income) and my car is on its last legs too (or wheels?) so it maybe more camping again, which I think the kids have grown out of sadly! I will really have to think of ways to entertain them, as a bucket and some sand doesn't work anymore ha ha!

Wish me luck xx

I post over on my jewellery website too btw... Only Through Shadows

Winter celebrations 2025!

2025-12-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Xmas! Well it is the 27th now so it's a bit late. We have been having a very nice time over here, just staying home and taking it easy.

The run up to xmas is always a bit hectic with jewellery orders, which came later this year for some reason, meaning very tight December deadlines for me. I'm so pleased to have got them all completed on time. It is such a fulfilling moment when I can make a lovely xmas for my children so they are not missing out just because I'm a single parent (always a worry I have).

We bought our tree at the end of November, this year we got a little tree in a pot which even came with a small birds nest in! These days I just let the kids do the tree and I do the rest of our flat. My son and I made a brass garland with stars and he did the moon.

Our tiny tree sapling from a few years ago is still alive!

It is a bit tight without a separate dinning room. We always have Xmas dinner in the evening (family tradition) so that we can have candlelit dinner. So for lunch I just put some snacks out. I used this little victorian wash stand (that used to be my daughters desk) which is handy because you can put plates and cutlery in the draw! My mum came over for xmas day this year.

I love that our dog has her own stocking and presents and really joins in the whole fun. We all laugh and spend a few minutes to give her belly rub and help her open her gifts.

Remote controlled concentration.

I have had these vintage star baking tins for years as they perfectly hold a tealight.

It has been a great year, a sense of stability with regards to my business, Only Through Shadows, which is 5 years old now! Considering all the obstacles this year for the jewellery trade, I'm so proud that I have managed to keep going and keep making. I can't wait to make new things, so many ideas always whizzing around in my head! I have also been keeping quite fit by walking my dog so much. I would never find the motivation without her, she's the best! So enthusiastic for life (and cheese)

P and L are doing well too, its a funny age gap now, as my daughter is now a teen and my son still at Primary school, so they are not as close as the used to be in some ways. Sometimes I think you just have to accept the ebb and flow of children growing up, changing one minute and then reverting back the next minute. I now just trust the process. At least at xmas they are both like little kids again which is lovely.

As for me, I am just happy to be growing old, grateful for that privilege. Next year I will be 48!

I'm sure I will be back here with a similar blog post...

Best wishes to you all for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Thank you for visiting my blog, love from us...Artemis, P, L and Otterdog xxxx

Summer 2025!

2025-08-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

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).

So I have a little bit of time to myself for a week now, and I'm trying to squeeze in as much work as I can, it's a lot of plate spinning!

I will be having a small discount for my jewellery soon, (watch my instagram page for updates). This is to celebrate FIVE whole years of Only Through Shadows!! which I am extremely proud of.

It has not been a good time to be in the fine jewellery trade lately, so I'm amazed I have managed to pay the bills and keep life going for us four. It is stressful, but I'm so lucky to have time to be with the kids and do something I love for a job. It has been a dream and I'll keep working hard for many years to come!

I hope you are all having a lovely summer holiday wherever you are in the world.

p.s looking back at the photos now, I'm wondering if P ever did wash that Snoopy tshirt she's been wearing the whole time?

Nocturne ~ collection

2025-03-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

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

Xmas 2024!

2024-12-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Xmas everyone! Here are some pictures of xmas dinner number two (we had a big family dinner on the 21st), just us three and the dog in the end. Although they did not consume any alcohol, it was like an evening with two small drunk people.

Otterdog was a bit bonkers too and ended up having a seat at the table.

...Early morning stocking chaos, I even had a stocking myself which I was glad I had forgotten what I put in it, so it was actually quite exciting!

I love having all the fairy lights and candles everywhere, its the best bit of xmas for me.

I was so tired, I just melted into the sofa.

I wish you all a very merry rest of the year, and a wonderful, best ever new shiny year!

Happy 2025!! From Me, P, L & Otterdog xxx

The First week of December

2024-12-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

Happy December everyone! As usual this month is a bit hectic with jewellery orders and getting our home all ready for xmas too. I have been collecting some greenery and berries whilst out on dog walks, and I tried my best to make a 'circular' wreath. It's a bit wonky. I really love these little cardboard trees and house that my son made out of a delivery box. Think I'll keep them forever.

This year is the first xmas with a mantlepiece in our flat! I made it and installed some panelling and pegs too, which are just right for hanging our stockings (yes, I fill my own stocking, what of it?) The dog gets one too of course.

That baby tree is from last year and it survived a whole summer of not being watered. That's my kind of tree.

I'm trying out some led candles too, because there was so much black soot on the walls I had to repaint already. I prefer flames though so we'll see.

The kid's job is to decorate the tree...I love these owls tucked in amongst the branches...

I have washed the sofa covers and they're still not dry, hence various blankets ands rugs instead. Everything non xmassy get relegated to the top of the cabinet.

We even had some snow last month! A very rare occurrence here in the Isle of Wight. It lasted 45 minutes then melted.

I will be taking jewellery orders until the 17th December (as it takes me a few days to make each order) so there is still time if you are considering purchasing. Some things will take too long to make for xmas, but most things are still available. Message me if in any questions!

Only Through Shadows

I hope you are all keeping warm and safe out there during this storm...

Thanks for reading, Artemis x

Winter approaching

2024-11-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

Why does November go so quickly?! It's the busiest time of the year for me in the run up to xmas, but I also need to get xmas ready for the children too.

This year I am hoping to get our tree earlier...forward planning is the key I think!

I have been working on a few diamond ring orders this week, so I have made a little video of the process. you can see this over on my jewellery journal here

I am aiming to have a few new things to add to the website before xmas, Evergreen Bracelet and a stunning grey diamond that I am making into a ring at the moment.

Very exciting!

It is not easy juggling materials cost with sample making, the gold price is so high now, I can't afford to keep as much stock unfortunately, but I am making to order within a couple of weeks. Please order ahead of time if you wish to purchase something for xmas.

More winter/xmas posts will be coming up soon I'm sure!

Thank you for visiting, Artemis.

Only Through Shadows

Storm : a little collection for winter

2024-10-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

It really is pretty stormy out there at the moment!

I have just added a small collection to the shop, using these amazing Zircons which have been micro faceted and strung together with sparkly 9ct gold chain.

Zircon is a natural stone (not to be confused with cubic zirconia which is a man made material). Zircon is actually the oldest mineral on earth! It’s beautifully sparkly nature makes it perfect for jewellery. It forms in many different colours, however I always prefer subtle muted shades like these pale grey beads. This necklace is easy to wear with other necklaces during the day as it is lightweight and subtle. There is matching earrings and bracelet too.

Also in the collection are these gold Thunderbolt earrings with stud fittings. I adore them as you can barely feel them on and they really catch the light.

I've also made some new teeny tiny 2.0mm diamond studs in 14ct gold. Perfect for wearing with other earrings...

I have been so busy with school runs and dog walks as well as making all my jewellery orders, so I'm really chuffed that I found the time to take these photos and get the new items online before the xmas rush! I do have some new rings to add to this collection which are currently in the pipeline. Watch this space : )

Visit me here - Only Through Shadows

DIY Artex Ceiling skimming

2024-09-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

(After!)

This could be quite a dull post about a ceiling!

Never in my life have I worked so hard on something that most people won't even notice what has changed. However I notice the swirly patterns on my ceilings since I bought my flat three years ago. It's in all of the rooms, however I really only notice it in our living room. It's about 300 ft2 (27 m2) so its like two rooms in one, a sea of pattern. I decided to just attempt this room first.

The ceiling has been lowered in the late 1980s but the building is Edwardian I think. With the big window, the Artex takes up half of your field of vision if you know what I mean?

If you're not familiar with the stuff (if you're in the UK I'm sure you will be!) Artex is a kind of coating used to make patterns and textured on walls and ceilings. So popular during the 1970s & 80s, that it covers a huge amount of properties here. Also, It used to contain asbestos, and so can be dangerous if disturbed. It is a nightmare to have removed.

I had my communal hallway tested before moving in, which was negative for asbestos and I then had my living room tested before I did anything to it. I used a kit bought online for the living room (I was 90% sure it was the same Artex as used in the other parts of the building, so I wasn't too worried but thought it better to do it anyway).

Here is the living room ceiling when I was decorating after stripping off all the wood chip wallpaper

(Before!)

The living room pattern is more swirly like waves or clouds? I forgot to take close ups before I started work on it, but here are the other rooms with different patterns...

Bathroom

Kitchen

Bedrooms

I am obviously not a professional and this is the first time doing any plastering so I really do think I am completely out of my depth. However, I sadly do not have money to pay for a plasterer at the moment or near future unless I win the lottery. So I only had two choices really - live with it, or do it myself. If you can afford professional plasterer then I wholly and completely recommend that you do that and save yourself a lot of work and aching limbs. Also, if your ceiling is a bit dodgy, cracked or covered in a shiny paint, it will most likely need to be addressed by someone more experienced.

First thing to do (after removing or protecting room contents from dust) is to scrape off as much of the Artex as possible. Obviously if your Artex contains asbestos, you must not scrape or sand it)

I tried a few methods but I found that cheap window cleaner or vinegar can help to soften the Artex and scraped off as much as I could. Just spray it and wait a few minutes before scraping. Disappointingly, only a small amount of the pattern would budge with all of the methods I tried.

I used this plaster kit, but due to the size of the room, I needed a few of these tubs which are not cheap! I found this other filler which is virtually the same product but a lot cheaper, and used the tools that came with the original kit. The Toupret product does not require any PVA bonding coat (according to the info on the tub). You basically use the roller supplied, to roll on in thin coats. You then use the serrated skimming tool followed by the smooth one. I needed about two to three coats to cover the pattern. The first coat you just want to roughly fill in the pattern, doing small areas at a time. The top coat needs to be nice and smooth as you can get it. Let it dry between coats over night.

Using a damp sponge and water spray bottle to blend in any visible lines or rough areas.

(between coats)

(after the first coat I scraped off the protruding lines with a long handled floor scraper and wetting it so it comes away easier). I didn't think it would be that hard to cover as I thought it was quite a shallow pattern, so naive!

(needed another coat!)

The walls had become so grubby over the last few years so I had to paint those too. I also fixed some problem areas on the walls with the same filler which is a pale grey colour.

Btw, if blobs of plaster land on the carpet/upholstery, just leave them to dry and they just flick off the next day!

This is the sanding block I used, with this clog free sanding mesh.

It takes off a lot of plaster but it was as you can imagine, a real marathon and took me about a week of 4 hours per day. I did this during the holidays when the children were with their dad. It was a heat wave, I looked like a sweaty dough ball. Use a dust mask!

What I love about this sander is that it catches about 80% of the dust, you just tap it out into a tray every few minutes. This is all the dust I caught instead of it clogging up my hoover.

Once I was happy enough with the finish (about to pass out from exhaustion), I painted it with a good quality matt white emulsion paint. The Toupret skimming plaster/filler does not require mist coating first so that saves a lot of time and energy.

I was very impressed that it only needed one coat of paint, I used Dulux Trade Matt which is always reliable in my experience.

In the end, I am super happy!

It may not be perfect compared to a professional job of course, but it looks ok to me and I saved a lot of money!

It is so relaxing to have a smooth ceiling and it changed the light and the feel of the room too. I now lay on the sofa and gaze up at all my hard work.

Since I have moved in a few years ago, I have worked my butt off trying rid this property of textures from the 1980s, woodchip wallpaper and Artex everywhere!

It is starting to look more like the 1900s

I took lots of photos in different lights and angles.

(Before)

(After - my jewellery making HQ Only Through Shadows )

The ceilings don't bother me as much in the other rooms, probably because they are smaller. I might tackle one room per year, once I recover. We'll see!

A little while ago I also made a mantle piece with wood panels and pegs for the blocked up chimney breast. That stove is electric! So I'm quite happy with how our living room is now x

(BTW I have linked some of the products I used to Amazon in the hopes that if you decided to buy it, I will apparently receive some income. I've never done it before so I don't know how it works properly yet but I'm just letting you know!)

Thank you for reading!

Summer 2024

2024-08-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

Time for some holiday snaps! We have been camping, visiting local beaches and staying in Ventnor for a few days. All cheap fun of course. It was first time camping with our dog Otter too, I'm proud to report that she didn't steal anyone's breakfast or ransack anyone's tent.

It's amazing to see how much the kids have grown since we last visited this farm! I had to buy a larger tent, and found this one quite cheap. The sunsets at Compton Farm never fail either, it's the most peaceful place to come to and also very near our home.

(apologies these photos are all out of sequence!)

At my mum's flat, they made a surprise cake to celebrate the 4th birthday of Only Through Shadows.

I'm so grateful my jewellery business has supported us all this time, it is the best job ever!

(Don't worry, that dog lick was a failed attempt).

We've had some epic walks around the south of the Island, including Bonchurch and Orchard Bay.

Always hard to get a photo of everyone at once.

Little P is little no longer, and will be starting at Secondary school next month! Really can't get my head around that.

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer, wherever you are xx

Seaweed Collection

2024-06-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

Another bench update!

Lots of additions, including my new collection of rings called 'Seaweed', inspired by the rugged and serene Freshwater Bay near my home. And, another Little Moth to keep my other moth company.

Click here if you'd like to see more about the Moths.

Whilst the weather has been not so great here, I decided to make more new things.

My Seaweed ring collection is a rustic take on classic designs, with naive scrimshaw style seaweed swaying up the ring bands. A glittering rose cut diamond like a drop of seawater from a rock pool.

I named this ring 'Freshwater Bay Ring' Available in 9ct, 18ct gold or silver.

...and a Chevron ring, which is perfect for wearing with a stone set ring. This can be made in gold or silver too.

And a simple band which I've called 'Mermaid Ring' after the amazing huge chalk Mermaid Rock that stands proud over the bay.

Also, if you fancy listening to me talk about when I set up Only Through Shadows, you can catch my podcast episode with The Artisan Founder here

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely summer!

FOLKLORE Collection

2024-04-26T03:26:00.000-07:00

I’m very pleased to introduce to you a new collection called ‘Folklore’ at Only Through Shadows. Folklore ~ Swift, Dreamer & Adventurer.
They have a naive rustic feel, with tiny illustrations of tales of ancient wisdom to guide you on your way. There are necklaces rings, and bracelets. All pieces are available in Silver, 9ct Yellow Gold or 9ct White Gold, and with different length options.

It's a funny old time these days, the economy seems hard on everyone and the future is unpredictable. So, my plan to navigate this scary mountain, is just to (in the words of the great Curtis Mayfield) keep on keeping on. It certainly does help to focus on new jewellery ideas and a brighter future. I am working on some intricate engraved and stone set ring ideas coming soon hopefully, finances permitting!

I have really enjoyed making the Folklore collection, I designed it with everyone in mind. So I was overjoyed that my daughter said she wanted the Dreamer necklace for herself, and it really suits her and she's only 11! Great choice Pehr : )

Also added this moon and pearl lariat necklace, (lariat means a noose for catching an animal, which is a strange term for a necklace, but there you go).

I've also added some plain solid 9ct gold chains. If you'd like one of my necklaces with a heavier weight chain like these instead of the one it's listed with, just get in touch and I will set up a special order with the new price online. These chains are also nice worn alone, and can be made in bracelet lengths too (contact me via the website for this option).

I love the colour of this natural teal sapphire 18ct gold ring!

Lastly, these are very limited stock, Ametrine shard drop earrings in 9ct gold.

...and a new finish for our wedding rings, Rough Sanded.

Come visit me at Only Through Shadows. Thank you for reading! Artemis x

Jewellery bench

2024-03-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I have been doing a little bit of filming today, for my jewellery website. It's not easy to make things with a camera pointing at you, but I'm pleased to have something usable.

I will post the video to the about page, but you can see it here below.

Come see me over at Only Through Shadows!

A place to put things

2024-03-02T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hello! Thanks for stopping by! I did mean to post a new year post, but it hasn't happened, so here I am three months in.

I had meant to post about some decorating I have been doing in my flat, but I failed to take pictures along the way. I will take some when the light is better, but basically I have added some panelling and made a mantle with pegs onto my (completely blank and filled in) chimney breast that I hadn't really known what to do with. There is no recess even, so, as mentioned before, I have an electric stove that has flame effect and a convection heater within. Aaaanyways, I really just wanted somewhere to hang xmas stockings and put candles on, y'know? I will take a proper pic of it as soon as the mythical sun comes out.

I have been collecting some bits and pieces, like old books and dead weeds in clay pots, and my beautiful 'Sail Away' by Rowan Macgregor, a gift from my mum at xmas, which I will take better photos of soon, it was so dark they came out all fuzzy. And prints and cards by the lovely Gemma Koomen.

(I can't remember the artist of the horse print, below, but I'll add it in here when I find it) EDIT: poster by Eniko Eged.

Hard to see here, but I found this really tiny rusty oil lamp and got it working, and a miniature picture frame carved out of bog oak in the shape of a shamrock, I think this is victorian.

I made this wreath a few years ago from vintage silk millinery leaves that I found in a market a long time ago.

A next project is to be rid of the artex ceiling, which I'm planning to do myself to save money. (no asbestos don't worry!)

(My dog's chair)

I'll put some other new things in the post too...some new jewellery...

An amazing teal sapphire, which I've made into an 18ct gold ring, and new olive green tourmaline ring, and a little pearl ring too!

I was rummaging through my vintage clothes box and found this cotton dress for the photos. White works the best for jewellery I think. I think this dress maybe for an older child? and possibly Edwardian. It came out pretty good after an iron.

Here I'm wearing the new tiny gold tag necklace and Rutilated Quartz and rope chain necklace...

Rose earrings in gold with the most sparkliest ever tiny white topaz dangling down. They are small enough to wear wherever without being too showy if you know what I mean.

There are some other new things over on the website, click here to take a look. And, whilst I'm on that subject, I have a bit of a new look to the logo too...I think initials will work better on the jewellery box gold foils as it is bolder.

Some exciting news too! I am delighted to have been included on this beautiful brand new website called The Artisan Founder. It is a collection of amazing crafts people around the country, telling their stories of how they began, and with an up and coming market place to buy. I'm so thrilled to be found here, the stories behind the small businesses are very inspiring.

You can find my story in the journal too, where I talk about how Only Through Shadows came to be, what it is like working solo and how I'm hoping the future will pan out, click here to go have a read...

Hopefully I won't leave it so long before I post again.

Thanks for reading! Artemis

Xmas 2023

2023-12-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Xmas everyone! We've had a lovely time here, I'm a bit frazzled but in good spirits!

Here are some photos from yesterday, I always post some pics of it here every year for me to look back on.

I am already looking forward to the new year, lots of new things to make for the shop, and some jobs to do in the home that I'm also very excited about. Just need to recharge my batteries first.

I followed these instructions by Twigg Studios for the tree biscuits.

Best wishes to all for 2024! Artemis x

Happy Yule!

2023-12-22T01:53:00.000-08:00

Have a lovely Winter Solstice everyone! We have made a Yule log cake this year, Pehr did an amazing job decorating...making a house with chocolate Matchsticks with After Eight roof! Edible berries, and real xmas trees. The best bit is doing the snow. Very much looking forward to our two extra minutes of sun per day from now on xxx

Another year completed

2023-12-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

So yet again, it is xmas.

I am posting some photos here from my big camera so that I can easily use them for social media, anyone else do that?

Xmas is a crazy time for me because its when most people buy jewellery and I also have to do xmas single handed, which not always that easy or fun, but I am always glad I did it and see those gleeful faces on xmas morning. It is really my favourite time of the year.

I also have the addition of a four legged child too. I have been walking about 2 hours per day for a year, I have not noticed any difference to my wobbly bits (they are still wobbly) but it must be doing something good right? I have seen a lot of wildlife.

I always breathe a big sigh of relief when I get to the end of xmas jewellery orders, not just because I can relax for a bit, but mainly because we made it financially for another year, and that's a huge accomplishment I try to remind myself of. I have been having a funny feeling lately, like a warm fuzzy sensation in my eyes and legs and I think it may be happiness. (or iron deficiency)

Thank you to each and every customer, I truly feel so supported and appreciated.

I haven't yet wrapped up presents (although the kids are reminding me on the hour every hour) but after that is done is when I get out the port and After Eights, put my feet on the coffee table, and declare myself drunk until January.

(just joking, as the only adult in the house I have to be available to drive to a&e at any given moment).

Below are some xmassy snaps from this year at ours...

The children decorated the tree this year! (And I didn't need to move anything afterwards).

Remember when I made these stockings?

Take care and peace to all x

Only Through Shadows

Divided kids shared bedroom

2023-11-03T08:43:00.007-07:00

The time had come to try and work out better arrangements for the children now that my daughter is 11 and my son is 7.

It's really tricky when you don't have enough bedrooms (two bed flat). I can remember always wanting my own room at that age too, so I know how important it is to have at least some personal space to call your own. With very limited funds, I have done this to their room. I looked around the internet a lot for some inspiration but couldn't really find much, so I thought I'd post about it here in case anyone else is in the same boat and could get any ideas.

I am at least lucky enough that the room has two windows. I didn't want to do anything permanent or costly, so I found some dividers that can be moved around to suit them, and can make a completely enclosed room if needed (I found everything on amazon and Ikea).

I also took down their bunk beds, and bought two singles with storage space underneath for their clothes.

I had this old table in the garage so I painted it up for my son to use.

The beds took up more space than I was expecting!

This is where you walk into the room. (I took these before hoovering, oops!)

Love this new alpine bedding for my boy...

Otter is also very impressed with the quality of her new room(s)!

I found these ladder style shelves very cheaply online and they are great for small spaces.

And this that she can fill up with her collection of stationery. It has wheels so really handy to tuck in a small gap.

Big boy desk!

I hope this arrangement will do for a couple of years at least!

...This was how it was before, I loved it but I know times are changing and kids grow.

Btw this paint was Farrow and Ball (Light Blue) but it showed up the bad plastering of the walls and it had a very patchy finish which after removing all the blue tack, looked dreadful. It was also a lot darker than it appears here. For more practical reasons I painted it white.

I'm going to sell the bunk beds. So sad! : (

The End.

New Summer Jewellery

2023-06-30T01:51:00.002-07:00

Hello! It's been a long time since I was last here, I have been swimming in the sea and making jewellery...that's about it.

A few years ago, when I was in the midst of divorce and selling our home and ultimately leaving my job, I wrote a post about how I was going to start my own small business and hoped to buy my own home, with a jewellery studio and go swimming and have a simple (and peaceful) life for me and the children. Well a few years down the line I can confirm that it is now the reality!

Sometimes it is a little too peaceful! but I can live with that ; )

It has been so warm here, we've been feeling very lucky indeed, so I've astounded myself by actually being quite productive in making a few new items for the shop, whilst also spending a lot of time at the beach.

During the making of Only Through Shadows, I have really enjoyed looking at symbolism and folklore in history. A lot of which revolves around nature and how that relates to our human lives, proof that the importance of our natural world has had in the evolution of our varied civilisations around the globe, and which continues today.

The newest items I have been working on have been an example of that, here's lots of pictures! (click on the photos to see them in the shop)...

Come visit me here! Only Through Shadows

Project: Kitchen 2

2023-02-26T10:34:00.003-08:00

This week I have finally been ticking a few jobs off my never ending to-do list. It is not the most exciting thing in the world, to write about, but I was finding myself scouring the Internet for this kind of subject so I'm thinking that someone out there might find this useful?

If you've been following my diy flat redecorating, then you'll know that I have already painted everything in my kitchen when I moved in, (you can read about that here if you like)

I didn't do anything about the vinyl flooring before as I ran out of money : (

It's not so offensive (if you like beige) and it's quite new (except I ripped a hole in it when I moved the washing machine), but it's a bit...meh.

I found these on amazon - Floor Pops (I'm not paid for this btw) they are Lino floor tiles with self adhesive backing. Sort of liked how bright they are considering I'm not a fan of patterned walls and floors generally speaking as I'm a bit boring like that. My Flat is Edwardian so I though these looked in keeping with the windows and doors.

After much hoovering and scrubbing, you can lay them on existing flooring. Great for renters I think! They cost me about £100 but I way over ordered and have 30% left over, that's cheaper than a rug.

You just basically peel off the back and stick em down! Cutting the curved fiddly bits was much easier using strong scissors (I found this out at the end) rather than a Stanley knife. Also, I found that a few didn't stick down perfectly as my floor has wonky old floorboards underneath, so I will have to go round with a strong glue for those ones later.

Overall I'm pretty happy with it, much easier and cheaper than ordering a roll of vinyl, and more practical than having exposed floor boards (which I would love but I am an upstairs neighbour).

It took me five hours and I did have strangely aching thigh muscles the next day, I think anyone could do this job.

Much brighter I think! The above photo shows the bathroom next door which has a similar grey vinyl flooring. I painted it with a white floor paint for laminate (you can read about that here if its useful)

That was nearly two years ago now and it still looks the same. I didn't paint the kitchen floor just because it gets a lot more wear from furniture legs.

I like it!

The End.

New: Only Through Shadows

2023-02-21T12:48:00.003-08:00

A quick update, a few new items added to the shop this month.

Can't believe it is already nearly march, I'm only just getting in the swing of the new year!

Take a look at my jewellery if you have time...

Only Through Shadows

XMAS 2022

2022-12-28T03:01:00.004-08:00

A yuletide post! The weather is pretty wet and grim outside right now, although we can't complain when the US and Canada is under a ton of snow. A little bit of snow would be nice though!

We have had a delightful xmas. Baking and eating basically. I have been run off my feet this month so now I'm being extremely lazy, and maybe I have eaten too much.

The dog loves to sleep in the kitchen when we are cooking or eating, as little bits come accidentally raining down and happen across her wide open mouth. Just by accident of course (look at that face!). She is particularly fond of vegetable scraps and tiny bits of cheese.

I love P's biscuits especially that fox.

We just had four of us + dog for xmas dinner (we have a big family dinner beforehand) which is perfect.

I'm still recovering from all the pastry I have consumed.

Very happy with my poached pears with caramel sauce I made, tasted really good!

Otter was very happy with her new toys too, although I may have to remove the squeakers as they are driving me nuts!

I hope you've all had a great xmas and are ready for 2023 with full bellies and a cupboard full of booze ; )

It will be just me and the hound as the kids will be away, which is sort of good in a way as I am planning to gut their room to fit in their new toys.

After that I'll be back at the jewellery bench with some new designs I'm excited about. I have been sourcing some new stones which I had planned to add before xmas but in the end I was too busy. I'll be doing some wax carving too for a new collection.

I will post some pictures here when they are ready!

Best wishes to you all for a wonderful, healthy and prosperous 2023 xxx

A Xmas tale

2022-12-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

I'm trying my very best this year to make xmas the best ever. We've had a very scary time recently with my son being very ill for a long time and finally being treated in hospital for five days. It was awful just trying to get medical help, it was a terrifying battle that will stay with me forever. He is thankfully doing well at home now but has been off school for about a month. He is getting stronger every day, the best xmas present ever! We don't know exactly what he had but it may have been scarlet fever or Kawasaki disease (or both) he was tested and treated too late to confirm.

The day after we came home from the hospital, I got a xmas tree! and decorated the flat a little. It was a glorious day. I am so thankful for the nurses who looked after my son (and me!).

It was lovely and frosty too, and we watched films and ate chocolate a lot.

I have no idea how I managed to keep up with xmas jewellery orders during his illness. I was like a machine, sleeping at the hospital, then racing home to make orders and post them whilst his dad was there, and then racing back again. I managed to only have to do this for a couple of days per week by working in large batches...I didn't sleep, wash or eat except for at the hospital. It must have been all the adrenaline! I'm so grateful for all my customer's orders, thank you!

It was great to have our pup Otter back too as she was being looked after by my brother and his family whilst we were away. She loved the frosty grass, she really loved eating it too! She has just turned five months old and has a huge new set of adult teeth that are too big for her mouth, but she is becoming more sensitive and affectionate lately. We all love her to bits! (even though she is extremely naughty).

We have a traditional tree in the kids room that they decorated, it's just like last year.

In our living room we bought a little sapling cypress tree, I like that it doesn't obscure our view of the downs!

Luckily I did all my xmas shopping on my phone during the nights at the hospital, so nearly everything was waiting on our doorstep on our return! They are all wrapped up now, a satisfying mountain of presents that dwarfs our weedy tree.

We have already had a lovely xmas dinner at my mum's with all the family...this takes place a week before xmas for everyones convenience. So now I just have to don my Santa costume and fill up those stockings, make some mince pies and sit back and relax! Omg, I.am.so.tired,

Wishing you all a wonderful xmas and New year, keep safe and well xx

summer/autumn catch up

2022-11-02T11:38:00.001-07:00

I realised that I have not updated here since May! It has been a very busy summer and autumn, and we made the most of the beautiful weather. I usually post to my instagram account, so you catch me up there if you are interested in what we got up to.

This August we celebrated two years of Only Through Shadows, my little jewellery business. It's a special time for us. We made a big cake with lots of fruit in it, and the kids brought their toy pups along too.

...and then, after a very long wait, we finally got our own pup. Meet Otter...

(I lovingly made that linen crate cover, but, alas she is yet to enjoy the comforts I have provided in there, and prefers to be on the sofa instead...I'm working on that!).

She has been with us for five weeks now, and it has taken me most of that time to adjust to the mayhem that dogs bring...I think I am getting the hang of it now, and she is doing well with her training (well, mostly and only if tasty treats are being offered otherwise not interested). My daughter is her dog mum, she loves her to bits even though she is very naughty and bites holes in her clothes.

So amongst the chaos that is our lives trying to exist with a cute ~~land shark~~ puppy, I have also been working and producing jewellery. Here are some of my latest additions to my shop. Some are new from a few months ago as I forgot to update them here...you can see plenty more in my shop.

Click here> Only Through Shadows I also have a little journal that I update over on my jewellery site too.

If you are wondering what the hell a cat-person is doing by getting a dog, well I have asked myself that too! There are lots of reasons but mainly I needed the company and the physical exercise, as I had been feeling not quite well in the last year or so. It is true that animals help in so many ways, they really do, and I already feel a lot happier generally, and feel motivated to go for walks and socialise more. She's my therapy dog!

I also believe that pets are important for children and we feel like more like a family of four now.

She is a lot of hard work but we are both learning a lot along the way...I think she feels at home here.

Thank you for checking back here to this old blog of mine, I always appreciate it and I will try and post a bit more often because I think it's a bit sad what is happing to social media, and there is something nice about sitting down and reading a blog post I think. Bye for now!

Artemis x

Spring break

2022-05-31T09:05:00.002-07:00

Some pictures from our spring holiday. We were lucky with the weather this time!

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.