Pretty in Pantone

Jan 27, 2016


I'm loving the new Pantone colours for 2016.
However, I would never normally wear either of these
colours as a main colour. But as an accent colour
I think they are gorgeous.

It's also serendipitous that some of my new jade pieces 
that went into our store in November happen to contain
Rose Quartz or Serenity Blue.



More than anything I LOVE these colours in interior design ideas
and of course sparkles!!!

Earrings in rose quartz here
I LOVE this bathroom (not sure the Mr would approve though ;-)







Black Jade Rings available here and here
Payment plans are available.
(White Jade and Rose Quartz Ring available from February)

Would love to know if you are  a fan of this years colours,
whether you would use these colours in interiors
or whether "frankly, I don't give a damn!" ;-)

Wishing you a cosy week if you are still on a 
big-freeze lockdown 

xxxxx



Why I Turned Down This Golden Opportunity

Jan 16, 2016


OK, so this week started the same as any
other week. I had lists everywhere of all that 
needed to be accomplished.


And then the phone rang.
It was the BBC.

What!!! Were they going to close my road 
again because they were filming some period drama
or something (which is quite typical). It couldn't
be to film scenes for Downton as that was all 
done an dusted.

However, it wasn't that.

No, they were inviting me to 
appear on Dragons Den
(the equivalent of Shark Tank in the US).

WHHAAAAATTTT!!!
My heart sank but not for the reasons
you think.



I just knew this would never be my
kind of gig-ever.

So after chatting some time to the researcher
I politely declined.

I later spoke to friends and mentioned it
in some of the business groups I belong to, and
99% thought I was mad. 
Crazy. 
A coward. 
A chicken.
That I would regret this for the rest of my life.
That NO publicity is bad publicity so I should
just pull my big girl pants on and get the hell 
out there……….it went on (all with
good intentions you understand).

But here's the thing. I knew immediately
this was not for me (and thankfully my
Husband verbalised everything I was feeling).

Here's why it was not for me:

* I don't fit the criteria for Dragons Den at all;
I've never applied  for outside funding or to Angel investors.

*I've not invented anything. I have a fabulous
boutique, but there is nothing innovative about
what I do; I am under no illusions

*I watch the programme every week and say to my
Husband every single time, "they could never pay me enough 
to get me on that programme!"

* the "Dragons" can be brutal and I
know it would take my confidence a long
time to recover from their public mauling

*I know these programmes need "fodder" to pad out each
programme; they need some definite "no's" to make
the programme more entertaining and the  "yes's "
more exciting. I was not prepared to be that fodder.

*I don't believe that no publicity is bad publicity.
I believe the "wrong" publicity could be bad
publicity and could seriously damage your brand;
I was not going to go down that road for 15 minutes 
of fame

More importantly I just felt it in my gut.
I've been trying to learn to be more intuitive to my
feelings and what they are actually telling me. And the
minute I knew what the phone call was about I knew
it was not for me. Let me just say I am the MOST 
indecisive person you can meet. It can take me a 
whole day to decide what book to read next. It can
take me hours to decide whether to exercise or not (by
which time I am too exhausted too anyway!)

So for me to feel so strongly that this was the wrong
publicity for me was a coup in itself.

But here's the thing. Despite all the fab arguments
my friends and acquaintances put forward (and they all
had my best interests at heart-every single
one of them) it just felt wrong for 
ME.



It's a lesson I am going to take forward this year,
the skills of which I am still trying to develop.

Despite what the pragmatic, logical self may be saying,
if the "feeling" doesn't resonate (or does resonate), then
I should only act then, and not act out of fear i.e this 
opportunity may never happen again.

I would love to know your thoughts and when you went
against your gut feelings only to be disappointed.

Do you believe that sometimes our feelings tell 
us more than the left side of our brain?


As always would love to hear your thoughts
xxxx

WInter Wishes

Jan 8, 2016

Firstly Happy New Year Lovelies.
I am a bit late to the party, but then I 
usually am.


So it's 2016, the festivities are over, and
all I seem to hear around me are people bemoaning
the fact that it's getting colder and colder (here in Europe)
after a very unusually mild December.

But here's the thing-I LOVE Winter.
It's supposed to be cold in January, isn't it?
Having lived in the Med for 14+ years 
where there never seemed to be any distinct 
seasons, I now love Winter.


I just love and wish for you also:

*wearing coats and layers (which
hide a multitude of sins underneath)


Rings and earrings here and here

*weekend lockdowns, when you can
refuse to go anywhere or see anyone and 
it's deemed perfectly acceptable

*cold, frosty walks that really rattle your bones
but make you feel so alive

*piles of crisp, new books



*atmospheric skies that look a tropical 
blue one minute and like Armageddon the
next!

*the luxe of cashmere and cosy

Rings here

*simplicity on all levels

*first footsteps in freshly fallen snow

*walking in the rain

*receiving and writing thank you notes

*roaring fireplaces


*watching rain batter the window from
the safety of your own snug home


*the perfect hot drink at just the right time








But most of all I wish for you the
final realisation that……….