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Anyone who has known me for more than say...a day or two, knows that I love the color black. I have been wearing black all my life. Of course I will occasionally compliment the black with another color but, for the most part, I wear black. I can remember being a teenager and my mother asking me, "Why do you always wear black? You're not overweight, you don't need to wear it so much". I don't wear black because it is slimming (although it is). I don't wear black because it matches my mood (although it can and I often tell people that's the reason just to mess with them). I don't wear black because I'm a witch (although I can be something close to witch at times). I wear black because I think it's pretty and I like it.
At Enchanted Jewelry & Collectibles we offer many styles and colors in jewelry, some are moderately expensive and some are not. One of my favorite pieces that we offer is this Healing Black Hematite Multi Shaped Beaded Necklace...
We also offer a large selection of shoes and boots but my favorites are the black pairs, like these Kiss-205 Black Platform Criss Cross Sandals Shoes...
Add that necklace and those shoes to a well thought out wardrobe and you've got yourself a classy look.
So the next time you see someone walking down the street wearing black take a good look at them. Chances are you'll be looking at someone who just loves black.
Way back in the day when I decided that I wanted to sell online full time and started Enchanted Jewelry & Collectibles I started out selling vintage and estate jewelry. Of course, in order to be able to know exactly what I was selling, I had to purchase several jewelry supplies including a jewelers loupe and a ring mandrel. As Enchanted Jewelry & Collectibles grew we started doing business with wholesale suppliers and gradually our inventory went from used, vintage jewelry to brand new in the box pieces. Recently I decided that, in addition to our current inventory, I also wanted to offer the vintage pieces again. So I have been spending some time at some of the local estate sales and I have found a few wonderful pieces that will soon be added to our inventory. Now, of course, in order to do this I needed to dig out my old jewelry supplies so I can get a good look at these and offer as much information about them as I can. When I first decided to do this I was quickly able to find my jewelers loupe which I always take with me whenever I think I might be looking at jewelry somewhere (not that I'm some sort of expert jeweler but at least I can look for hallmarks and stamps, damage, etc.). At the time I found the loupe it dawned on me that my ring mandrel was not with it. I figured I put it some other place and I would find it later. I mean, after all, it couldn't have just grown legs and walked out of here, right? Yeah well, so much for that theory.
I decided this weekend that I had enough jewelry pieces to begin adding them to the store so I started looking for my ring mandrel. We have moved since the last time I used it so I was sure that it was in one of the totes that just never got unpacked (you know, the ones with all the keepsakes in them that you want to keep but don't look at everyday). So I proceeded to go through every single tote that we have packed away. I found pictures of my parents, some of them from the 1920's and up. I found my mother's high school diploma from 1933. I found my father's army discharge papers dated 1919 (he was in his 60's when I was born and I'm old). In another tote I found all of my son's baby things...his first lock of hair, his first shoes, his first jacket. I also found things that he made for me throughout his school years. In yet another tote I found my high school graduation picture (where in the world did that young girl go to), my autograph book from the 1960's, and I don't know how many keepsakes from years gone by...concert memorabilia, pictures from various places I worked and I don't know how much other neat stuff. When I started this project I was really dreading it but, as I was going through the treasures of my life, I realized that I was really having a wonderful time. I smiled, I laughed, I cried and, when I was done, I was sorry that there were no more totes to go through.
After all was said and done I never did find that ring mandrel but, you know what? I'm glad that I didn't. If I had found it I might have said "Aha, there it is", packed up the unopened totes and put them back in the storage closet, never having gone through these wonderful things that brought back so many cherished memories. I still have no earthly idea where I put that ring mandrel but that's okay, I'll just get another one. The few dollars that I will spend on a new one can't begin to compare to the priceless memories that I relived this weekend.
Enchanted Jewelry & Collectibles...Dedicated To The Gypsy that Remains
As I was sitting here working earlier my grandson was watching TV. I wasn't paying too much attention to what he had on until a commercial came on, something to do with Harry Potter. All of a sudden my mind jumped back in time to 10 years ago, the year that the first Harry Potter movie came out (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone I believe). My son, who is 21 years old now, was 11 back then. I remember that year as being the "Harry Potter" year. All he wanted for Christmas that year was Harry Potter related items. Fortunately I had discovered the joy of online shopping by then. I don't remember how many things he got that year (it was a good Christmas for him), nor do I remember how many different online shopping sites that I visited to round up everything that he wanted but I do remember being grateful that I was sitting at home on my rear end shopping for the stuff instead of fighting the crowds and the other frantic parents in the stores who were trying to get the same stuff. I remember that Christmas as being one of the best that we had.
I remember that year for another reason also. That was the year that I decided to start selling online in addition to just buying online. I started out selling some clothes that didn't fit me anymore, along with some jewelry that I didn't wear anymore. After those were gone I looked in my closet and found a couple of pairs of shoes and boots that I rarely if ever wore (obviously I had way too many shoes and boots). So I sold them and then panicked...I had nothing else to sell! Fortunately I found the solution in yard sales, flea markets and wholesale suppliers. And so it continues. Some of the inventory that I have at Enchanted Jewelry & Collectibles has become customer favorites, such as this Sterling Silver Antiqued Celtic Claddagh White Opal Ring...
Items have come and gone (we add new pieces all the time) but still, here I sit, behind this computer still at it. My son is now grown and has moved away (now I'm wiping a tear out of my eye because I miss him). In between then and now I have moved a couple of times and my son and I have gone through some wonderful times and some not so wonderful times. Many things have changed but my online selling (and buying) has not. I guess some things will never change. Maybe that's a good thing. Just remember to savor every moment that you live though because things do change and they change a lot quicker than you realize.
Enchanted Jewelry & Collectibles...Dedicated To The Gypsy That Remains...
As we celebrate the 4th of July in this country I am reminded about all of the members of our Armed Forces who have given so much for our freedom and independence. There are millions of veterans who have fought in a combat zone, many of these veterans suffer from some form of psychological condition as a result. Then we have the problem of the millions of sheltered animals in this country, many of whom are euthanized for the simple reason that no one wants them and there isn't enough room to keep them all. Their only crime is being unloved.
So, let's see here. On the one hand we have millions of veterans suffering from a combat induced psychological condition. By the way, did you know that 18 veterans commit suicide everyday in this country? On the other hand we have millions of sheltered animals who would love to be someone's best friend and love them, unconditionally. By the way, did you know that four to five million sheltered animals are euthanized every year in this country? It seems to me that if you take these two hands and gently put them together then there might be a solution (or a beginning to the solution) for these problems. Well, that's exactly what an organization called P2V thinks also.
P2V helps heal the lives of our nation's heroes and sheltered animals by providing cost-effective and readily accessible adoptions and healthcare so that both may live in dignity. David Sharpe, founder of P2V was saved by a little pit bull puppy named Cheyenne. You can read his story HERE. P2V's mission is to pair up active duty military and military veterans, law enforcement officers and emergency first responders with sheltered animals to provide these folks with a means of rehabilitation and to give these sheltered animals a loving home. So it's a win-win situation here.
So please, check out their website at http://p2v.org/. They also have a Facebook page which is http://www.facebook.com/pages/P2V/125894407465018?sk=wall. P2V is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization with headquarters in Arlington, VA. You may not personally know anyone who needs this kind of help however, if you don't, I bet you know someone who knows someone who needs this kind of help. Even if you don't, check them out anyway and help them if you can. These men and women have given an awful lot for this country and for your personal freedom so, do the right thing, please help if you can. You might just sleep a little better at night.
Enchanted Jewelry & Collectibles...Dedicated To The Gypsy That Remains...
