Edition #6 - July 2022
Hello Hello !
I'm not entirely sure how it is the middle of July already ! Been meaning to scribble a newsletter but time just seems to fly by ! Having too much of a fab time you see... Life is very full of those things that have been postponed over the past two years and now it all comes together ! Ah its brilliant... I live for the summertime...
Alongside that ScruffyDog is fairly bonkers !
When I switched off the ScruffyDogShop for the whole of June I did so very reluctantly and with a big knot in my belly... but it's seemingly all worked out alright... and that's down to you Folks... Thanks for sticking with me ! I mean that with everything I am...
Since I last chattered to you I have joined a second gallery space... this time more locally in Olney - Katie Goddard Artisan Gift Shop - 23 Market Place... a beautiful space filled with colour and makes... and my little cabinet looks right at home ! It opened its doors whilst I was away on holiday and sales have taken me quite by surprise so I am already working on a fresh batch of treasure to take over this week ! Thanks to Katie for that ! We have worked together before, many years ago in Brackley so I knew it would work out... 
I am going to tie in a new stock drop with an afternoon outdoor swim at Castle Ashby that is on my way back home ! Multi tasking ! That's what I call THAT ! Besides my two other favourite swimspots at Sywell and Daventry Reservoirs are now out of bounds due to horrible blue algae... so I don't need much of an excuse... Pawscrossed there remains only the beautiful lillies at Castle Ashby... it is such a magical spot.
You can also find me down in the Zeath Gallery in Polzeath... Whilst I was there on holiday I had to work a 2 day shift as all the artists housed inside showing their work run the Gallery as a collective... so for 2 days I totally lived the dream... I scampered from the Campervan across the beach (in a frock no less!) with my packed lunch box tucked under my arm to the Gallery to open up... Had an absolute ball running the Gallery each day... meeting and chatting to folks... using the till and wrapping things up... THIS is what I want to eventually do... have my own real life shop with my workshop out the back ! Then both nights I'd close up, pop down the village to grab an icecream and walk back across the beach back to our pitch on the campsite. Both days were impossibly hot and sunny and the Gallery was beautifully cool so both Muffin and Lolly joined me behind the counter and whilst I was a busy bee, they snoozed the day away or acted as my meet and greet at the door ! Genuinely it was the best of times and I shall be back there for another stint in October !
This week also saw me tick another milestone marker... I have been running my little business for 14 years ! The first 3 years as a crafter making jewellery and art from seaglass, pebbles and beads before discovering the magical world of silvermithing and rebranding as ScruffyDogSilver in 2011... I've said it before already - but time flies !!! I am very lucky to do what I do and I will never take it for granted.
Since I have been back I have been working extra hard to replenish the virtual shelves of my ScruffyDogShop as pretty much everything I had made was given to both Galleries... but I am getting there ! There is a good selection of everything again expect bangles and stud earrings - that's on the list for this week ! I have made some of your absolute favourites and also a good chunk of new designs which I hope you love too ! Always honest and upfront... I am afraid to say I have had to increase the pennies on some pieces as raw materials have shot up... well I mean EVERYTHING has gone up... which I think we are all experiencing in everyday life. I know too that jewellery is very much a luxury item... but I try to balance that with knowing it will last a lifetime if looked after... sterling silver is the best... I am trying to blend into my collections smaller, more purse-friendly gift ideas alongside some of the magical statement pieces.
My orderbook is lovely and full - with a heap of bespoke requests for personalised pieces... often telling a story... a keepsake... something to treasure.
Christmas Events are also filling up the diary for the end of the year ! November in particular is going to be a hectic one ! But this is all brilliant stuff ! I still have to pinch myself that its happening... Some exciting new events to try my luck at alongside some regular spots which I love to trade at.
The glorious hot weather has meant I have had to be smarter with my days... so all the hot and dirty work gets done first thing and then all the chopping out and things that need a fettle and a good chunk of time spent on them gets done on a makeshift workbench I rig up in the back garden in the dappled shade of next doors apple tree. I'm barefoot and often Muffin takes shade under the bench... it works for us all !
The energy is different outside... I have to work differently and I'm really enjoying it. The Shed becomes a no go zone from about noon until teatime... With its wrap around windows and part glass roof (It was a potting shed - I just jooshed it up !) it gets super warm inside !
...and today looks like it's going to be a record breaker ! I have been up since 5am - took the Girls for a short bimble... and look - have had time to scribble this Blog before I grab some lunch! The Newsletter to subscribers went out earlier too ! What's got into me !!!
Hope you enjoyed reading it... I do rabbit on ! But thats me ! I hear Royal Mail are heading for a strike\work to rule thing so as a consequence I should imagine there will be a slow down on deliveries... I shall continue as normal... I tend to post daily my first class parcels... I pop them in the postbox on my woofer walks... Any tracked post tends to go each Tuesday and Thursday when I take a trip out to the Post Office... So please be mindful should you need things in a hurry...
Enjoy the sunshine all... Steph xx