Sleepless Nights

(no, not over the Harem pants - see previous post)!

This week I have been trawling the internet for suppliers of rattail (lets call it satin cord - sounds so much nicer doesn't it).

I finally found a good quality supplier who sell on a wholesale basis and samples arrived the next day.

Such lovely vibrant colours - perfect for the summer months no?

Then I started working on the little friendship bracelets that i will hopefully add to the shop in a couple of weeks time.

.

An ID bar to be personalised Chambers & Beau stylie, one of my heart charms and the C&B logo tag.

Do I add a coloured stone too or is this overkill?

Who would have known that I could lose sleep over slipknots (the little feckers (slip knots) have been driving me insane, but I have finally got the hang of it).

So, what do you think of them - a cute colourful addition to the range?

If satin cord bracelets are good enough for Cartier they are certainly good enough for Chambers & Beau.

A final thought - what to call them. Friendship bracelet is a bit naff isn't it?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated x

Huge apologies for the terrible, terrible photography. Blame Iphone. You may have noticed that I have been cameraless for a good 6 months. My writing is not the best (no seriously), I am all about the pictures so blogging has been a bit tricky. It will eventually come back from Olympus and i will have to come up with another excuse for my poor blogging habits!

TGIF (nearly) - Happy weekend peeps ♥

Can't touch this!

Yesterday I had a lovely few hours to myself to hit the shops. I was full of it when I came home with my new purchases. Mr C&B was not quite so pleased.

When I showed him my new beige, but lets call them mink, harem trousers, aka MC Hammer pants or elephants arse trousers (as he has now renamed them) he told me had never seen me wear anything so vile.

They are the most comfortable thing ever and there I was thinking they looked pretty sweet.

Tell me, have I lost my way in the style stakes or should I wear them and be proud?

Will the elephants arse trousers go back to Topshop?

You decide!

Marisa - you do not need to comment - I can hear you laughing already!

Happy Mother's Day......

....... to me!

Bloody hard work being a mum right?

What a surprise that turned out to be.

Have had the perfect day with the whole family and now wondering if I can finish it off in perfect style by gifting myself one of these swatch watches.

Who would have thought that swatch would become so cool again.

I can't decide between the black and brown....

..... oh, and I do already have the gold.

Like I said, it is hard work.

Surely I deserve it?

Hope you all had lovely days ♥

Highs & Lows

At the start of this week I was unceremoniously dumped by one of my stockists. All because I refused to go into one of their shops. This refusal was due to the fact that I already sell in a far superior jewellery gallery in the same town but also because this shop sells modern, bought off the shelf Thai style jewellery (they call it designer) that does not sit so well with my 'handcrafted with love' Chambers & Beau.

They were very nasty to me and although I had been desperate to stop selling with them for some time, it still left a horrible taste in my mouth (I am not so good with confrontation)! She told me (despite the day previous desperately trying to convince me to sell in their other store) that 'they had decided to drop Chambers & Beau as the quality was not up to scratch and not good enough for their designer stores'.

Hmmmmm!

Then last night I was having a little look at the website of the company I designed for, for nearly a decade. I occasionally have a little look just to see if they are producing anything as good since I left (but of course not) and to check that they are not doing anything similar to me.

Well, surprise, surprise. They have just launched a collection of engravable jewellery, personalised by you. Hearts and discs and little charms which are laser etched with words of your choice.

Now, I am well aware that I didn't come up with this concept and that lots of people are doing similar stuff but surely this is a little blatant.

I am feeling somewhat cross and wondering how small businesses can ever survive when the biggies come along with their £100,000 advertising campaigns and jump on the bandwagon.

Fortunately their collection is SHITE (she shouts at the top of her voice). I am desperately fighting the overwhelming urge to disclose these nasties but that would not be nice and nice is something I do rather well....

B A S T A R D S

(sorry mum for my language)

and

B R E A T H E

Happily this bad news has been followed by a small flurry of press and lovely testimonials.

My cufflinks for city slickers in Square Mile magazine.

Acceptance by the fash pack (maybe) in Grazia.

Cufflinks in Wedding Venues magazine.
(I also designed the ones below for someone else - cosmic)


There is no honour in this game, but I am hopeful that the personal service as well as the product will help me to stand out in the crowd. x