What Barbara wants, Barbara gets!

[Petal]

Ah ha, we did the very same thing with our printer Geti - and Barbara, you and I share the same mobile phone model and age !

As for this scrappage scheme... its certainly got me mad. My dear old Audi 80 is slipping closer to 'retirement'. Its done 158,000 miles, has windey windows, no air con and I knew when the heater matrix went a while ago and it was temporarily fixed with some car rad sealant (which apparently is how you temporarily fix these faults without spending a fortune), I thought it might go on for many a year.... um until it 'went' again the other day (puff of smoke appears when you switch on the heater). So, now I have a dilemma... I don't want a new car, have never had one and wouldn't buy one if I had the money.. but what to do with the current car that is definitely past its sell by date. We could do what we did with my last car, which was recycle it. We gave it away to someone who really needed it and they had a friend with a welding kit that could patch together the hole that had appeared. They had that car for another two years, so we were happy to recycle it. That's what I want to do now, but I know that if I advertise it, it will go into the scrappage scheme and be scrapped I definitely don't want to do that, as it will go on for a few more years, as its built to last and my mechanic tells me that cars nowadays are full of faults and not as well built as my 'old gal'. Perhaps I'll get my bike out instead... no fuel needed there (except an engine that could do with some reconditioning itself anyway)... now there's a good idea!

xx

[Kalorlo]

It depends a lot - I have some little stretchy bracelets of coloured wooden beads from BHS that I absolutely love. They're really versatile, came in a set of 5 different colours and I wear a pair at once depending on what I want to coordinate them with. And some of my favourite clothes are from very cheap places indeed, but they've still worn well over time. I also have a leather jacket I got in Italy that was hella expensive - lost its buttons but is otherwise going strong.

I'm not sure how I'd deal with very expensive jewellery because I don't have any yet! It might be like the jacket and I'd wear it happily and often, or I might treasure it but keep it for special occasions so it doesn't get damaged. I don't wear rings, and I think I might be iffy about frequently wearing an expensive bracelet - necklaces are less likely to get banged about. And earrings, I think I'd probably be fine wearing earrings without worrying about them.

ETA: Also, I was unemployed and living off savings for two years, which colours things a bit. I've spent more recently on jewellery making supplies than I have on non-necessities in years. I still have something of the "must not spend money" mindset.

[ben b]

I offer both.

Its interesting to see a couple of posts mention waiting to buy the quality item, when they can afford it.
Trouble is, your out of business by then.

I'm now into selling cheaper end mass produced silver, as well as fashion jewellery...along side expensive pieces and hand made one off's.

I like to think that if ive got a customer, that they can come to me for anything from cheap... to a one off, and i will make it, or get it for them, to thier budget, depending on what they want.

My prices go from under a pound, to limitless, but typically a fiver, to five hundred....thats what I call the middle market?


costume jewellery, as above at £7 retail



to a custom made solid 9ct pendant, well over an ounce at £550 retail

and I think you'll agree, both are 'cheap' at those prices...but i like to think, 'realistic'.

and...like my customers, I dont shop at one place. Over a 2 week period, i will have done grocery shopping at asda, sainsburys, tesco and morrisson..getting all the best offers at each.

[geti-titanium]

I still have the Nokia 3330

OOh eck! that's the phone I have as well.

[Petal]

Some of us ARE museum pieces Geti and some of us own them

right I'm off to bed before the witching hour starts !!

night night

xx