Review: Vintage/Baroque Jewellery Display Stand

I first saw this Vintage/Baroque Jewellery Display Stand on TEMU for £12.39. I refuse to purchase anything from there so I searched both Etsy and Amazon for a similar item. The exact item can be found in different colour ways on Etsy but costs £40 ish including shipping and tax. Amazon had the white velvet option for £18.99.

The stand is made from a light resin material painted gold. The back of the stand is woodeny and there is a stand so the display can be positioned like a photo frame. The stand also has a picture hook so it can be hung up. Earrings can be displayed in the velvet area. It is padded so just push the earrings in. The butterfly backs will have to be kept in a pot for safe keeping until needed. I haven’t tried this as I don’t want to mark the velvet a I plan to use the stand to display necklaces. Necklaces hook around the the top of the stand. The display measures 19x11.5 cm. The stand looks like it will be unite weighty but it is in fact quite light.

 I think it would be a faff to use the stand to display earrings, fiddling about pushing the earrings in to place and remembering to keep the earring backs in a safe place.  It is, however, great as a necklace holder. The stand is well made and very pretty.  I just wish I had been able to get a stand with a darker velvet as the white looks like it will mark very easily. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Review: SeaglassByArchie 50 x pieces (150g) Sea glass assorted green shades of glass from Kent

 I purchased two 150g (about 50 pieces) of green sea glass from SeaGlassByArchie via Etsy (she does also have her own online website and store here where you can also see where she walks her dog, Bolt, as she collects the glass. 

Each bag cost £15 but I got it on sale at nearly half price. The pieces of glass are beautiful, some are iridescent, some opaque whilst others are just a beautiful hue of green. It’s a shame glass cannot speak as I am sure each piece has its’ own story to tell. 

I am very pleased with the glass stones I received. I intend to use them not only as blog props but also home decor and fill some glass bowls with them to put around my house. 

I received a free card and a thank you note with my order which inspired me to look at her other items. She also has a lovely well priced range of sea glass gift cards which could be framed once you have given the card to the recipient.

I would recommend Sea Glass by Archie if you wanted some glass to use for crafting projects or for home decor. I will certainly buy from her store again. 

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own 

Book Review: How The Duke Met His Match by Sophia Williams

This Regency romance is Sophia Williams’ debut novel. Heiress Emma is thought to be about to become victim to a rogue ruining her reputation and claiming her wealth. Duke of Harwell, Alexander, steps in and claims to be her fiancé. He is not thrilled to do this as he has already been married once. His wife died and he is scared to love again but will do so to protect the young heiress. 

They enter into a marriage of convenience with the agreement that they both remain independent. They travel to his estate and meet Alex’s young sons. Slowly despite Alex playing hot and cold and Emma excusing his behaviour a friendship then romance slowly develops. Will they be able to create a perfect family or will past experience thwart their HEA. 

I don’t really enjoy historical romances as romances but I do enjoy reading them (as long as they are well researched and understand the social prejudices and strictures that restricted the lives of upper class women during the Regency period) as historical novels. I found this book did incorporate and understand the problems women faced despite being rich and the fact that they could face ruin if their virtue or honour was questioned so much do that in order to protect themselves they were prepared to enter marriages of convenience. Both Alex and Emma have strong characters and I like how the author develops them over time as they interact with the boys and between themselves. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley #gifted

Falke Happy Socks, Happy Feet?

I have mentioned in previous blog posts that due to a spinal injury I have severe neuropathic pain, especially in my feet. This affects what I can wear on my feet socks and shoe wise. To compound this my ankles and lower legs swell which means I have to be careful and check there is stretch around the sock band and that it isn’t tight to start with. I have always worn Women’s Falke Berlin or Falke Happy socks as they are designed for people with foot issues, leg swelling and diabetes. I’m only a size 34 so they are a pain to find in this size and are very expensive - £12 to £16 per pair. There are sometimes multi packs available on Amazon but they sell out very quickly. 

I was thrilled to see that Amazon had a 6 pair multi pack of unisex kids Happy Socks size 12-2.5 in dark blue for £24. This is £20 cheaper than the adult version! I was worried they wouldn’t be the same as the adult version but they fit me perfectly and feel just as soft and comfortable to wear. The socks are ideal for sensitive feet. The toe seam is flat so doesn’t rub, blister or irritate this area. The heel is reinforced and fits perfectly so again no rubbing or blistering. The material is a soft non scratchy breathable cotton. No sweaty feet, they are kept dry all day. The elasticated cuff is wide and stretchy. It doesn’t slip down and expands when needed. The socks don’t really wrinkle so pressure points and sensitive areas of the foot don’t develop blisters which is great as I find it takes ages for foot issues like this to heal. 

I have worn Falke sensitive socks for years. They are comfortable, durable and they last. I still have and wear my first pairs bought from House of Fraser Manchester many years ago. I have never tried the kids socks and I think I will purchase this version in the future as they are cheaper and my feet are happy when I wear them! For once yay for having little feet. 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Review: Accessorize / Z for Accessorize 14ct Gold Plated Tourmaline Pebble Necklace

  I haven’t purchased any jewellery from Z for Accessorize for around a year as nothing has really caught my eye plus I have put myself on a strict no buy rule with a few exceptions. I was, however, skimming through my Instagram feed and this tourmaline necklace popped up.

 This necklace measures 40cm including the extender. The chain is 14ct gold plated and the “pebbles” are pieces of tourmaline in dusty hues of pink, green, orange and grey. Tourmaline is thought to be a healing and calming stone both of which I need in bucket loads at the moment. The stones are absolutely beautiful and the necklace looks so much more expensive than it actually was/is. 

I had some points to use up and there was 30% off so it was a bargain! Accessorize do seem to be doing lots of offers at the moment, at the moment there is a £10 off £40 spend, plus if you have a free Accessorize card you get free shipping and collect points from purchases!

 The extender is innovative and means that the wearer has mr choice and control over how long the chain/ necklace will be. Traditional attached extender chains just have 3 or 4 rings fastened to a chain, so the necklace can be extended 3 different lengths. This necklace has a chain with a little ball with a ring attached which slides up and down the chain when it is held straight and tight  the wearer has a lot more choice and control over the exact length they want the necklace to be which I think is great.

 I haven’t seen much/ any Accessorize jewellery that I have liked or would recommend for so long but this necklace is great. It is very old school Lola Rose in the way the stones are cut and threaded together. The necklace could be worn as a year round piece as the pinks and orange stones sing warm summers whilst the greens and greys will look great next to burgundy or green jumpers for winter.  I love the innovative way the extender means the wearer has more choice over the length of the chain. My necklace will be a staple piece and I intend to rewear it a lot. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Review: Disney x BaubleBar Mickey & Minnie Sparkling Articulated Earrings

 

Last year I purchased a Disney x BaubleBar jewellery collaboration mystery box from the now defunct DoubleboxToys. I finally got around to unboxing the items to use as prizes so here’s my take on the Mickey and Minnie articulated gold tone sparkling earrings. . 

These Mickey and Minnie earrings are for pierced ears and their height is 1.25”. The earrings are based on the iconic Mickey and Minnie poses and outfits. The whole look is elevated by the addition of sparkle. Mickey has been enamelled and is adorned with sparkling black gems which catch the light and Minnie is also enamelled and sparkles with pearls and lighter gems. They are articulated so move gently with the wearer’s movements. They swing slightly and look as though they are dancing, which is unusual and eye catching. They would look great sparkling under disco Iights, dancing around in the wearer’s ears. Despite the articulation and gems they are deceptively light and don’t look as though they will drag the ear lobe down.  It’s a shame that they are only gold tone as they would be great to wear everyday for a fun look.  I haven’t worn them as they are a prize. 

I like these earrings. They are different to the existing Disney/ Mickey/Minnie Mouse designs. Sadly it doesn’t look as though BaubleBar have any stockists in the UK and can only be found in TKMaxx which is a shame. I like both the Disney collab and BaubleBar’s standard lines. I am put off, however, by the original £€£ RRP and the fact that the majority of their designs are gold or silver tone not at least gold or silver plate. There are a few sterling silver designs on their website but they do not ship to the UK and they have no plans to start doing so. I would expect some type of plating for the prices that are charged. 

I purchased these earrings myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own.

Book Review: ER Doc's Miracle Triplets by Tina Beckett

ER Doc’s Miracle Triplets by Tina Beckett is a Mills & Boon Medical romance.  This is the first in a mini series following the lives of medics who work at Hospital Bueno Aires in Argentina. 

Isabella is an ER Doctor who finally finds out she is pregnant with triplets after several harsh rounds of IVF. When she finds out, however, she is separated from Sebastian her husband has travelled abroad for work for two months. She does eventually tell him but their marriage is still rocky and full of resentment. Will they be able to overcome this bitterness and make a home for 5? 

This is quite a short read, almost too rushed. I enjoyed the backdrop of the story and how this storyline is slightly different to the normal medical romance. Although it is part of a mini series it can be read as a stand alone novel. The characters are likeable and relatable as they buckle under the stresses of a struggling marriage, IVF failures etc and this is a more realistic view of romance than M&B sometimes portrays. An enjoyable quick read.  

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley #gifted