Lots & lots of new vintage stock!

Well, I have had my nose flat to the grindstone all week sorting out all the pics I have taken of the new vintage stock I had ready and getting it uploaded onto the website....
It always takes an age to list it all, probably because I am self taught when it comes to typing and although I use both hands, I only seem to use 3 fingers and a thumb ! Which makes for fairly slow and inaccurate progress ;-)

I have put a good mix of different things on, some fresh silk scarves including the gorgeous, not so shabby chic Liberty one above and as I am sure there is still quite a blast of winter on its way.....Sundays forecast is for snow from Russia!!! There is a warm and colourful Liberty shawl which is great for wrapping round your shoulders to keep nice and cosy when writing your blog ;-)
I have lots of lovely necklaces in stock so it is difficult picking out which ones to put on the site. I really like the rich sapphire blue of both of these and as they both have a completely different look and feel I put them both on...

If you want to join the mailing list for new stock updates just CLICK HERE and register your details. Don't forget to check the email update box !

So much to do...so little time!

There just don't seem enough hours in the day to get all the things you want to do, done and frustratingly the mornings are so dark that I feel as though I am emerging from a winter hibernation and really struggle to get cracking!

Tea always helps to wake up the little grey cells and get the body going.... At the moment my morning favourite is Broken Orange Pekoe which I bought from Betty's in York when we went up there on a visit to the National Railway Museum a couple of weeks ago. Digressing slightly, one of the reasons I bought the tea is when I was small, my Nana (in the pic above) used to have in her larder a wonderful Orange Pekoe Tea tin from the 1930's which I really coveted though goodness knows where it went?

Anyway, I can really recommend the museum for a day out, even if you aren't that interested in trains, which I am not especially, but the whole nostalgia of the days of steam was enough appeal. Richard wanted to see the new steam train the Tornado which was featured on a recent TV programme.
The museum has lots of vintage railwayana exhibits and you can peer though the windows of the Royal Carriages and see how sumptious and detailed some of them are inside, beautifully fitted out with little brass beds and dressing tables etc......Wonderful for a nostalgia lover like me.


We also had time to walk around the cobbled streets and have a look in the Antique centres which was great as there is so much jewellery in them for me to drool over. York is a great day out, I never seem to tire of going up there.

It was a good tea & cake day as the museum restaurant/cafe had very good food and huge slices of carrot cake which weren't for passing up...... At the end of the day I contrived to end up in Bettys Tearoom as we needed a little morsel of something to energise us for the drive home.

We had a nice pot of tearoom blend tea and as it seemed such a shame to have something I could have any day at home like teacakes or sandwiches I ended up with Chocolate Torte from the sweet trolley!!! Bad girl me ;-)

Anyway, I'm just waffling now about tea and cake when there is work to be done!
I have been quite busy most of the week getting vintage stock photographed so that when the Sale ends on the website there are lots of new and exciting pieces to browse.

I have also opened a shop, Vintage Jewel Box on etsy, which is a lovely site for exquisite handmade craft pieces and vintage. I have spent ages just looking at the wonderful things on there and bookmarking pretty corsages and vintage clothes that I would like to buy when I should really have been listing my own stock!
I am amazed at the incredible creative output some people have, its brilliant to see all this talent out there......very INSPIRING :-)

Betwixt & Between...

I find this a strange time of the year, betwixt & between Christmas and New Year......I suppose one of the reasons is everything changes pace and some things stop all together, your normal routine goes to pieces and you can find yourself lounging on the sofa at 4.00 in the afternoon feeling you should be doing something, but not quite sure what!

I find the end of the year a very retrospective and introspective time, more so because it's not just the end of the year for me, it's also the end of my financial year and I have to do the accounts and take stock of what has happened business wise over the last twelve months and with my birthday coming up in January it becomes a personal review......you know that "gosh another year older" where did the time go.......what have I achieved type of stuff.......

Well, I am going to try to be positive about 2009, Jonathan Cainer whose horoscopes I read most days ( I actually have his site for my homepage ;-) ) says this for me a Capricorn in 2009 and it can apply to anyone.....

'Your task, in 2009, is to overcome fear or misgiving and replace it with confidence, optimism and hope'

Sounds good to me............

Today I had a burst of energy, no sofa moments wondering and wandering through my minds eye. I did some work and launched a sale on the website. We all like a bargain, so if there is something you had your eye on before Christmas have a look as there is a good chance it will have been reduced. I will return to my desk proper on 5th January so any orders placed between now and then will go out during that week.

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year, lots of luck and happiness for 2009.

Carol xx

P.S. The little felt cat is my 'Lucky' black cat. I have posted him as a good luck symbol to everyone in 2009. He sits in my curio cabinet near my desk, I found him in a delapidated Art Deco handbag many moons ago and adopted him.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone reading this a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Special thanks to all the Jewel Box customers who during the last year have visited the website, ebay auctions or come to see us at the Nec show. We look forward to seeing you again in 2009 ;-)

Any orders placed on the website over Christmas and the New Year will automatically be reserved and posted out when we re-open 5th January.

December vintage stock...

How time flies!!!

I can't believe it's December 1st on Monday.... One minute you seem to have all the time in the world to prepare for Christmas, then suddenly you are rushing about trying to do everything last minute! Well, that's how it is for me, I'm sure there are lots of you who are much more organised than I am ;-)

I have managed to make a start Christmas shopping and it made me think I had better get round to uploading some new vintage stock onto the website for anyone wanting to buy something vintage for a Christmas gift.

I have added quite a few things across the board amongst which are, Tootal scarves and cravats for the men, sweet lucite/resin brooches, Corde handbags and of course the gorgeous French red beaded handbag featured on this page, imagine opening your christmas present and finding that tucked inside.......
Keep checking back as I hope to add more fresh items in the next couple of weeks.

I have also had a bit of a change around on the site. I am often specifically asked for 'Bridal and Prom' jewellery and accessories, so after some deliberation I decided to change the 'Homewares' section into a category especially for that type of thing. I will gradually try to build up the stock for it over the next few months.

It will still be worth browsing the other categories for that special piece to go with your party, prom or wedding gown, but for anything really twinkly & glittery, crystal or pearl etc including tiaras go to 'Vintage Bridal & Prom'

I have also separated 'Mens vintage accessories' from the 'Ladies vintage accessories' to make it easier to find what you want when you are browsing through.

The website will have been up and running for two years in February ( I can't believe it's that long!) and I felt it needed a bit of re-vamp. I hope the new changes are acceptable :-)