Friday 27 July 2012

Opaline



Long pendant necklace featuring a large faceted Opaline briolette set in a cluster of faceted blue Topaz and Labradorite and slung on a fine Sterling Silver chain. Sterling Silver lobster clasp.

Price: £52.
 

Thursday 26 July 2012

Raindrops






Ultra slender bracelet in Sterling Silver with a cluster of clear faceted Swarovski crystals glistening like raindrops on the wrist.

Price: £24.

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Words - Ane Brun

Beautiful - especially on a warm summer's evening...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-tHKOCp9fk

Iolanthe

These slender Sterling Silver curve earrings are adorned with lovely spiral-cut briolettes of Iolite. I think Iolite is particularly beautiful because the colour varies according to the angle at which you look through it...  most of the time it is a dark translucent blue, but sometimes it is almost clear. Mesmerising.






Price: £28

Monday 2 July 2012

Tanzanite


I very occasionally come across any Tanzanite when I buy gemstones - it is only mined in Tanzania, and there is a very limited supply of it. So when I do find some of this lovely lavender blue stone I snap it up.

This slim bracelet features a simple row of faceted Tanzanite rondelles, with a lobster clasp in 14K Gold-Fill.

Price: £42.

Sunday 1 July 2012

The Quarterly Afternoon Tea Club discovers The Tea Cup in Richmond

We nipped in to Richmond for a stroll around the shops on Saturday, and I had in mind a more than vague idea of taking afternoon tea somewhere. However, having arrived we realised that we knew of no tea rooms in the centre of Richmond, and my husband was dressed in shorts and walking boots, which precluded a visit to one of the more stylish hotels... Increasingly antsy, with bloodsugar levels falling fast (as they are wont to do in my case), and after going around in circles for too long, we alighted upon a little coffee shop at the top of the bridge where we shared a very tasty coronation chicken wrap 'à la libanaise' (yes, it may sound curious, but the combination worked)

Collapse averted, we then proceeded to mooch around a couple of shops, and even picked up a little present for a family member's birthday next weekend. At least the trip hadn't been completely wasted. Turning down the narrow Brewer's Lane to look at a gallery window we suddenly found ourselves in front of a little tea room we had never seen before. Just a cup of tea, I said to my husband, I just want to see what it's like. It was like stepping back in time, somehow the owner had managed to do what I would have done in that space, pretty floral wallpaper, old-fashioned light fittings, dark wooden floorboards. And beautiful vintage porcelain. Mismatched, on purpose. I just loved it. And in the end I plumped for Cream Tea (£6.50), watched by my weary other half who clearly thought I was being greedy. But this was research! Two perfectly formed little scones arrived on a traditional two-tiered cake stand, with clotted cream and strawberry jam. And believe me, as soon as I put my knife to the first warm scone I knew that it would be perfect. Most scones crumble a bit when cut, but not these ones. They were perfect. A gentleman who turned out to be the owner came over to ask if everything was all right, and divulged that he bakes the scones with buttermilk - following the recipe of Nigella - every day. And this gentleman really can bake. Add to that a lovely selection of sponge cakes and a decent list of black and non-fermented teas, plus great service. The Tea Cup is a little gem which I would highly recommend - we need independent little tea rooms to distract from the tedium of the big coffee shop chains. Try it if you're in the area, it's lovely.


The Tea Cup
Brewers Lane
Richmond
Surrey TW9 1HH
0208 914 8402