tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54698695968297922762024-03-12T21:53:30.093-05:00BrightonistaA gathering place for all who love BrightonPolly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-46352226037382595422009-08-18T11:26:00.002-05:002009-08-18T11:35:52.970-05:00Thank you, Brighton!My new job at the Kansas Food Bank has been keeping me busy and I have not posted in awhile. But thanks are overdue for what Brighton has done with the "Feed Our Friends" campaign, which involved Brighton retailers all over the country -- including mine here in Wichita -- in an effort to raise money to feed the hungry. Its a big job, what with twice as many people out of work as last year and a 20 percent increase locally in kids qualifying for free lunches at school. Thanks for the help!<br />Now, to fun stuff... Over the weekend I made my first visit to an official Brighton store when I stopped by the one in Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa. I figure I outgrew my desire to shop at a mall about 15 years ago and I was really hoping it was a free-standing store. But no... only for Brighton would I deal with a shopping mall. It was quite enchanting to see so many different pieces in one place and the service was great. But truth be told, I'll stick to my hometown Brighton retailer, Aida's: She gave me a discount, a latte and a slice of homemade rum cake for my birthday a week ago. Nothing beats being treated like that!Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-46636374634655671132009-05-07T06:44:00.002-05:002009-05-07T06:49:41.865-05:00Brighton scores more wins against knock-offsAnyone looking to make money copying Brighton's gorgeous and popular look, better take a look at this: The company has won yet another court verdict against companies producing knock-offs. In the end, juries have awarded Brighton judgements valued far beyond the revenues derived from the sales of the knock-offs. Simple cost benefit analysis should tell them, It's not worth it!<br />Check on the <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/brighton-announces-another-victory-against/story.aspx?guid={D0A7B1B9-376C-474C-8F61-1B5AB016503A}&dist=msr_5">latest news as reported in Market Watch</a>.Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-1527449073291491802009-04-26T09:44:00.004-05:002009-04-26T10:11:42.763-05:00A new job for me and a new idea for Brighton<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SfR4yd-iAlI/AAAAAAAAAPE/hHSDgCISjpk/s1600-h/popgarden.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329017067521835602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SfR4yd-iAlI/AAAAAAAAAPE/hHSDgCISjpk/s320/popgarden.jpg" border="0" /></a> After four months of job hunting, your blogger is going back to work. I start my new life on May 1, as development director for our state's food bank.<br />No, I didn't get the job I mentioned in an earlier post, the one where I wore Balladry. Instead, it was Pop Garden I wore to the successful interview.<br />For you fashionistas who love details, I can tell you that this necklace with a magenta silk blouse was just the right touch for feminizing an otherwise banker-boring black suit. (No offense to bankers intended.) I also wore the matching earrings that I recently replaced.<br />I look forward to this new job because as much as I love Brighton, my first passion is helping people in need. And since Brighton has a passion for that, too (with its initiatives to raise money for women's heart health, breast cancer research, safe drinking water and world peace initiatives) that's just one more reason for me to love them more.<br />Which gives me an idea: How about a charm bracelet to raise money for feeding the hungry? Brighton already has state charms featuring an apple, a peach, a pineapple, cheese, a potato and cherries! How about it, Brighton execs?Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-15366472174260801382009-04-24T07:55:00.008-05:002009-04-24T08:19:40.936-05:00A new temptation for the eyes - and ears!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SfG6dpV35LI/AAAAAAAAAO8/_zQDxAdbx9c/s1600-h/baublenecklace.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328244852632577202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SfG6dpV35LI/AAAAAAAAAO8/_zQDxAdbx9c/s320/baublenecklace.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SfG6TQ5vceI/AAAAAAAAAO0/menInGkD0-Q/s1600-h/earrings.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328244674273440226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 120px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SfG6TQ5vceI/AAAAAAAAAO0/menInGkD0-Q/s400/earrings.jpg" border="0" /></a> My email in-box brought news today from Brighton, announcing an upcoming promotion: Buy any necklace and bracelet, get a pair of earrings free! That's about as close to a good sale as you are going to find on new products at the Brighton retailers, considering that earrings run $32 and up, while bracelets start around $45 and necklaces around $52. The free earring deal will be offered from April 24 to May 10 (Mother's Day!)<br /><div><div><div><div>But what really caught my eye was a pair of earrings shown in the ad that I had never seen before, the ones shown here. A quick cruise of the <a href="http://www.brighton.com/">Brighton website </a>(go to Products, then Jewelry to find the latest releases) and I found the name of these beauties: Bauble. They sell for $38 and complete a set that includes the necklace shown here. Bauble represents the latest example of the incoporation of wood into its pieces. This season has already seen the use of wood in <a href="http://www.brighton.com/collections/?collection=GRETEL">Gretel</a> and <a href="http://www.brighton.com/collections/?collection=SILVRWOOD">Silverwood</a> designs. If you haven't seen it already, I also encourage you to check out a design called <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200334463421&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:Watchlink:middle:us">Natural Elements</a>, which so far I have only seen on ebay and cannot tell if it is a new design or old. Either way, I must say I like this trend. </div></div></div></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-10052630030401719372009-04-16T10:50:00.008-05:002009-04-16T11:08:14.427-05:00Could Little People be a designer's inspiration?<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325320911775632594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 142px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SedXJ41YjNI/AAAAAAAAALI/ecZi_R-rV_Q/s400/lilpeople.jpg" border="0" /> <div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SedWjJR_C-I/AAAAAAAAAK4/XCJqNaDmcog/s1600-h/lilpeople2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325320246175665122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SedWjJR_C-I/AAAAAAAAAK4/XCJqNaDmcog/s400/lilpeople2.JPG" border="0" /></a> With a host of unpleasant household chores ahead of me today, I found myself willfully distracted by my Brighton ABC charm collection when I assembled this bracelet. I sat staring at it and thinking, "I've seen this somewhere before." The bold plastic colors of the Brighton spacers stirred something primal in me... I am four again, lining up my favorite colorful toys, the Little People, in my mind once again arranging furniture in their home, deck chairs on their yacht, playground equipment by their school, fencing around their barn and luggage on their plane. The memory of pure play is like a drug, and I think, Wait! That's the same high I get from arranging these little charms, spacers and beads. Coincidence? I don't think so. Maybe, just maybe, on some subconcious level a Brighton desiger had Little People on her mind when she came up with these.</div></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-70866097372953619612009-04-14T11:30:00.005-05:002009-04-14T11:40:36.302-05:00I just found what I want for Mother's Day<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SeS7_ZIJN3I/AAAAAAAAAKw/8PbjTkr6L2Q/s1600-h/flowercharm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324587357209966450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SeS7_ZIJN3I/AAAAAAAAAKw/8PbjTkr6L2Q/s400/flowercharm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324587222574974450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 120px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 119px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SeS73jkqRfI/AAAAAAAAAKo/iGizJbV-Aoo/s400/momspacer.jpg" border="0" />Diverting myself from such mundane matters as scheduling a plumber and a doctor visit, unpacking suitcases from a recent trip and doing laundry, I found myself wandering once again to </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.brighton.com/">www.brighton.com</a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> to see what's new. I was suprised and delighted to see </span><a href="http://www.brighton.com/themes/?id=new&type=G&per_page=65"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">a number of newly released ABC charms and spacers</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. Now I know what I want for Mother's Day! Check out the "Mom" spacer. (There are similar ones that say "Sister" and "Friends." And who can resist that adorable little flower pot charm! There's a bouquet that won't die in a week. Also be sure to check out the new versions of the Daisy Bead in pink and white enamels. Time to call your local stores Brightonistas and put your favorites on hold because I imagine they won't last long once their shipments come in. </span></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-30217198538442570312009-04-14T11:16:00.002-05:002009-04-14T11:28:55.804-05:00Why I nearly missed my planeI just got back from a trip to San Diego that took me through the Houston International airport. My son Henry was traveling with me and its a good thing because as we neared our gate, my eye caught site of a sign in the Concourse C walkway that said "Inside: Brighton." I grabbed Henry and pulled him inside a store that would normally hold no interest for me whatsoever, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PGA</span> Golf store full of golf shirts and accessories with broadcasts of hushed-tone sportscasters narrating a pro game on overhead video screens. (Jeez, you might was well take me into an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">auto parts</span> store.) But there at the back of the store was a hidden <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">treasure</span> trove of Brighton! My eyes darted over the merchandise crammed into this small nook in the back of the store. Not only did they have many of the newest products, they had an older one that I've been on the hunt for: the red braided leather bandit with the silver bar inscribed with the words, "Follow Your Heart." I did and took it up to the counter to pay, where I started chatting up two nice lady clerks about why there was a Brighton section in this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PGA</span> store. One explained that it was supposed to be "something for the ladies" when there husbands come in the store. Well, certainly I can't imagine a better incentive. I was becoming engrossed in my conversation with the clerks when my son tugged on my sleeve and said, "Mom! Our flight's boarding!" I had totally forgotten I was in an airport about to catch a flight!Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-76886052544013050472009-04-05T14:34:00.006-05:002009-04-05T15:13:35.171-05:00Serial shoplifter plagues Florida Brighton stores<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This just in, Brightonistas: </span><a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article989774.ece"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">An article in today's St. Petersberg (Fla.) Times </span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">reports a serial shoplifter striking Brighton stores and selling the items on ebay under the name <em>compassquest</em>.Your blogger plans to explore the hazard of buying hot merchandise on ebay -and how to avoid it - at a future date, but for now, here's a sample of the story by Stephanie Hayes out of St. Petersburg:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">The shopkeepers thought nothing of her</span>.<br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Brighton collectibles, those baubles with a signature silver heart, are a favorite of well-groomed, stylish women. When loyalists buy one piece, they typically buy another.<br />Like any customer, she knew her stuff. She was wearing it.<br />"She knew names as well. She was asking me for a specific pair of earrings," said Jodi Schutz, manager of Warren's Gifts in Clearwater.<br />Later, they noticed the barren racks. They watched the security video. The chill washed over.<br />"She's right underneath the eye of the camera, and you can just see sparkle," Schutz said. "Silver shining down in her purse."<br />Thousands worth. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">She wore it? She knew the names? She frequented the store? Sounds like a Brightonista - except she's <strong>NOT</strong>.<br />Brightonistas<strong> DON'T STEAL</strong>.<br />I was relieved (if one can be relieved about any of this) to see that the suspect didn't just shoplift Brighton stores, which says to me this wasn't a Brighton addiction run amuck so much as a thief looking for what she could easily fence. The news story suggests the underlying culprit is likely the bad economy, which has triggered an increase in shop-lifting across the country. </span>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-34036322974130901032009-04-05T09:15:00.005-05:002009-04-05T09:34:44.191-05:00Re-use, recycle and now, re-Brighton!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdjBIzyMmnI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Ri6XJ7Yv868/s1600-h/with_china_tales_bracelet%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321215316822104690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdjBIzyMmnI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Ri6XJ7Yv868/s400/with_china_tales_bracelet%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Diana, a Brightonista from Florida, sent me this photo of a coin purse she made using bags that came with her Brighton purchases. (Is this how Vera Bradley got started, I wonder?) Here's Diana's story:</span><br /><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">I used to just throw them and the tins out but all this talk of recycling and being green etc. inspired me. I used the bag from the free umbrella they were giving away last month for the lining and a bag I got when I bought the China Tales bracelet. I glued in a piece of the ribbon drawstring from the bag as a label. Not bad, huh?</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not bad at all, Diana! But its hard to imagine anyone throwing out the tins or the bags. They are so pretty after all. And they seem to have a market of their own on ebay. But I have to say, I like this idea of using the tins and bags as materials for art most of all. Follow these links for some other stories of how Brightonistas used tins and bags to create something new:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">One woman <a href="http://www.scrapfriends.us/tensecondsstudio.html">used a heart tin as the base of a clay project</a>.</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Another describes plans on her blog for <a href="http://broknheartart.blogspot.com/2008/01/brighton-tins.html">using the Brighton tins in a tin crafting class.</a> (She bought extra tins on ebay just for the project.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And yet another woman has posted <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72201113@N00/416012722/">sketches she made inspired by the artwork </a>on one of her tins.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And so art begets art... which is just as it should be. Anyone else have projects to share?</span></div></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-91255131422935926962009-04-04T10:42:00.004-05:002009-04-04T10:51:46.720-05:00Heads up: Cheap knock-offs from ChinaWhile searching for something else, I came across <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.chinabagsdepot.com/pic/Handbags/Casual-Handbags/REPLICA-BRIGHTON-PETITE-ORGANISER-HANDBAG-17072696293.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.chinabagsdepot.com/Handbags/Casual-Handbags/REPLICA-LOUIS-VUITTON-HANDBAG-165402374.htm&usg=__8kcqjXB2REESTviXoNycwoVwilU=&h=294&w=260&sz=23&hl=en&start=15&um=1&tbnid=BUfzZZ5ZOZpQ4M:&tbnh=115&tbnw=102&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBrighton%2Bdrawstring%2Bpouch%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rlz%3D1T4GGIQ_enUS219US220%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1">this China wholesaler </a>offering the kind of knock-offs one finds sold on the streets of New York. No Brightonista worth her bag heart charm would ever be fooled into thinking these were the real thing. I was going to make a joke about these coming from <em>cheapknockoffs.com</em>, but apparently someone has actually claimed that domain and it takes you to a scam site. Figures.Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-40580625823733026232009-04-04T08:44:00.004-05:002009-04-04T09:00:13.673-05:00QVC to feature Brighton on April 14<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ronmartin.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/qvc.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/archives/date/2007/11&usg=__96XRe3j_9X7lYO5uiulKcuyJdt4=&h=242&w=500&sz=70&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=mU-fRecc5KsEvM:&tbnh=63&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dqvc%2BBrighton%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4ACAW_enUS316US317%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1"></a>Mark your calendars, Brightonistas. QVC will be featuring Brighton on its show <a href="http://www.qvc.com/cgen/render.aspx?qp=class%7CK836">during two different time slots on April 14</a>. Get your taxes done first, and if you have any money left (or coming back in a refund) tune in. QVC carries a limited selection of Brighton jewelry and purses for purchase at any time on its website, <a href="http://www.qvc.com/">www.qvc.com</a>. Prices there are the full retail price on most products. But as anyone who's ever seen QVC knows, you can get some good deals during their live broadcast promotions. Brighton began its partnership with QVC in late 2007. Founder Jerry Kohl said he wanted to use QVC to introduce a broader audience to Brighton products and to ultimately drive more customers into the retail stores. Your blogger can't speak to the success of that specific strategy other than to report that Brighton did see its highest sales ever in 2008. But I can tell you that many of the discounted QVC products find their way to ebay, and I have gotten a good deal on them there.</span>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-11631951155423907782009-04-03T15:59:00.006-05:002009-04-03T16:56:06.593-05:00I'd like to buy a vowel, please<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdaFU6Veo4I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/n3v-Sl7NkLA/s1600-h/namecharms.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320586604088042370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdaFU6Veo4I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/n3v-Sl7NkLA/s320/namecharms.JPG" border="0" /></a>I'm a word person. I love words, sentences, paragraphs, stories, books, even individual letters.<br />As a child, I loved sorting through noodle letters for words in alphabet soup. As a Brightonista, I have been slowly aquiring letters from the Brighton ABCs collection.<br />At $7.50 a piece, you just can't jump in and buy a whole alphabet. I started with my initials, <strong>p, m, b</strong>. Once I got the Oklahoma state charm and the orange and black spacers, I decided I wanted the option of making a bracelet for alma mater, Oklahoma State, so I added <strong>o,s,u</strong>. Then I realized all I needed was one more <strong>m </strong>to spell out <strong>m-o-m</strong> and wear it in a bracelet with the soccer ball my son gave me. (Get it? Soccer Mom!)<br />It finally hit me today that all I needed to spell my name was 2 <strong>l</strong>s and a <strong>y</strong>. So I headed to Aida's, navigated past the construction equipment (see earlier post) to buy my letters. Two years ago when I first longed to spell out my name, five letters and four spacers seemed like a huge investment. Now, I just needed two consonants and a vowel. <em>Y is a vowel, right? </em><br />After I built by name, I studied my 10 letters. Ten. That's one more than you get in Scrabble. What else, what else? Hey, look! <strong>p-m-s</strong>! <em>Too bad Brighton doesn't make a chocolate charm.</em>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-698833901801515012009-04-02T07:46:00.009-05:002009-04-02T08:14:13.132-05:00Wood you look at that beautiful jewelry!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdS5KQgnCMI/AAAAAAAAAKI/JjYmVM9iI3I/s1600-h/woodbri.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320080645712971970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdS5KQgnCMI/AAAAAAAAAKI/JjYmVM9iI3I/s320/woodbri.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdS4KQQ6H4I/AAAAAAAAAKA/Bn0dfg-FNIY/s1600-h/silverwood.jpg"></a> Whenever an errand takes me me within a mile of a Brighton store, I invariably end up stopping by just to look around and see what's new. Yesterday I stopped by Wild at Heart in east Wichita, just as the shop owner was unpacking her latest shipment of Brighton, which included this butterfly necklace and other pieces from the Gretel collection. The combination of laser engraved wood with silver is yet another successful combination of textures by designers. I've always enjoyed the combinations of silver and leather and natural stone (the <a href="http://www.brighton.com/collections/?collection=IMAGINE..">Imagine</a> collection being a favorite example) and I am charmed by the inclusion of yet another natural material, wood. While the Gretel pieces have a gentle, almost lace-like feel to them, the <a href="http://www.brighton.com/collections/?collection=SILVRWOOD">Silverwood</a> collection goes the other direction, as a chunky celebration of woods that will immediately appeal to anyone who ever loved to play with wooden blocks. That would include me, obviously, and the reason goes to the heart of why I am a Brightonista. I am a sensory junky: I love to experience abundant colors, textures, shapes and designs in various combinations... and Brighton never disappoints.Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-76446156801735585222009-04-01T08:27:00.005-05:002009-04-01T08:37:14.105-05:00Sending the right message at an interview<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdNtd_CwogI/AAAAAAAAAJw/KnfVIEdKPfM/s1600-h/balladry.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319715946761331202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdNtd_CwogI/AAAAAAAAAJw/KnfVIEdKPfM/s320/balladry.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I have a job interview in 30 minutes. The front page of the newspaper is announcing thousands of more local layoffs. I have just put on a new interview suit (grey) and a cream silk shirt, hoping to send a warm-but-serious-job-candidate message. Now the fun part: Which jewelry? Which piece says warm, nurturing (its a p.r. job on behalf of a children's organization) but also mature, serious, competent? We Brightonistas know that every piece says something different. I'm thinking pearls... but not <em>just </em>pearls. (That says boring.) Ah, perfect: Balladry. Heart, butterfly, bird <em>and</em> pearls. Whimsical, warm <em>and</em> professional. Somewhere there is a woman who designed this for me, for today. Thank you. If today goes well, it may just become my lucky bracelet. </div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-80681195740867304052009-03-30T13:00:00.004-05:002009-03-30T13:19:49.521-05:00I got a letter from Coldwater Creek's CEO todayA hand-signed letter arrived in the mail today from Daniel Griesemer, CEO of Coldwater Creek. No, it wasn't about my earlier post about the lawsuit with Brighton. (Thank goodness!) It was actually a personal letter of thanks in response to an email I wrote earlier this month to the Coldwater Creek board of directors. I 'd just had a particularly good experience in my local retail store that included a hassle-free return and discount for donating a jacket to Dress for Success.<br />In my earlier life, I have been that person working in middle management who wonders if the CEO has any idea who I am or how wonderful my team is. So I decided to do that local manager a favor and look up the Coldwater Creek corporate folks and write an email.<br />I was pleased to find several contact numbers on CWC's web site including an email address for the board of directors. So I wrote an email with no idea what would happen. But sure enough, my email reached the board and my new friend Daniel, the CEO in Sandpoint, Idaho, who says he's also going to pass my email along to the local retailer.<br /><em>So why, you ask, are you writing about this on a Brighton blog?</em><br />Here's why: I appreciate it when a company's leaders make themselves accessible to customers, and Brighton could do better at this. Yes, there is a 1800 number for customer service on the Brighton web site, but no link to any of the corporate people. I guess I will just have to hope Brighton execs are in the habit of googling themselves so that they may find this blog and read all the (mostly) nice things I am saying about them.Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-80209875667728097712009-03-30T09:22:00.007-05:002009-03-30T09:48:51.847-05:00Watch out: Timepieces can be addictive<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdDbQTKlwgI/AAAAAAAAAJo/QmNx0VznhBs/s1600-h/watches.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318992232993636866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 196px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SdDbQTKlwgI/AAAAAAAAAJo/QmNx0VznhBs/s320/watches.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Joni, a Brighton-ista in Colorado, says she's had a love of watches ever since she was old enough to put one on. Her all-time favorite is a 1970s Snoopy watch, where Snoopy is playing tennis, his racket is the minute hand and a tennis ball goes around as the second hand. (I had that watch too!) But now Joni is an avid collector of Brighton watches. I discovered from her post in Facebook that she has 33 (!) watches and most all of the matching bracelets. I asked Joni, <em>Why watches? Many people don't even wear watches anymore. They use cell phones to tell time. </em>Here's what she said:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">I would imagine that my passion for watches was simply that most are affordable and a wonderful way to express my individuality in a piece of jewelry. You need many watches for all of your outfits. Since Brighton makes so many wonderful pieces, it is not hard to have a large collection....Of course having a store within 5 minutes certainly contributes to my delinquency. My habit became enhanced after my divorce, kind of a nice outlet huh? I would look for clearances or stores that were no longer going to sell Brighton - my little secret. I would buy up watches, bracelets, whatever I could get the best deal on. Some I even got 2 for one.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Joni said she couldn't name a favorite Brighton watch, but she does have one that holds the most sentimental value for her: It is a heart-shaped Brighton watch with a pink leather band that was a gift from her oldest son: </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">My son had just come back from the Army a couple years ago and we had not spoken for a while, it was his 'peace' offering to me. (I did not want him to enlist) It came with tons of love and that was the most important gift of all.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As much as she loves her Brighton watches, Joni said the watch she really wants is one that Brighton doesn't make yet: A sports watch. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">So many women could benefit from having a cool sports watch - that does not look like a MAN'S watch. I have faith that Brighton will come through for us athletic girls.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">While Joni's waiting on that new design, I know what I am going to do: Make sure my five Brighton watches (yes, only five) get fresh batteries so I can start enjoying them again. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Thanks for sharing your story, Joni!</span></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-16157688026693040372009-03-29T22:17:00.003-05:002009-03-29T22:29:22.901-05:00The problem with diamonds: Part 2Check this out... I wasn't imagining it about the diamond market being kaput. Here is a story from Saturday's Washington Post.<br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Last fall, recession-wary Americans more concerned about basics than bling began to lose interest in diamonds and other jewelry, and now the sales slump is reverberating around the world.<br />Retailers are taking a big hit. Tiffany said Monday that its profit dropped more than 75 percent in the fourth quarter. Lynn Jewelers, a downtown Washington presence since 1946, closed its doors last month. Christian Bernard Jewelers, a national chain with several stores in the Washington area, has shut down, as well. They are among 1,000-plus jewelers across the country to go out of business in the past year.</span><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032702935.html">Read the full story here.</a>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-2998697246204049802009-03-27T18:28:00.005-05:002009-03-27T18:56:22.294-05:00Forget diamonds, Brighton is girl's best friend<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Brightonistas</span>, I have just learned a very sobering truth about diamonds. They aren't worth near what we pay for them. They retain very little value. This was driven home to me the past month as I tried to sell a diamond ring that, lets just say, no longer held any sentimental value to me.<br />I tried jewelry buyers around town and the best offer I got was $400 for a ring that cost $1,200 nearly 20 years ago. (I can still see that Kay Jewelry salesman who showed us charts and told us don't worry about the cost, this would be a great investment.) Ha!<br />A very nice, honest local dealer advised me that the best odds for getting anything close to the retail price of a diamond is to go on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ebay</span>. So I posted it for 10 days and the highest bid was $300. I did not let it go for that.<br />This is a fairly quality diamond, too. Half carat, H color, SI2. I just designed a ring with the exact specifications on <a href="http://www.bluenile.com/">http://www.bluenile.com/</a> and it came out with a pricetag of $2,100.<br />As I have mentioned, I also auctioned a number of older items from my Brighton collection. Every one of those items sold, all for more than half their original retail value and most for 80 percent or more.<br />The lesson here is obvious ladies: Brighton jewelry is worth much more than diamonds! (Or at least, its a much better investment per dollar.) From now on, I am putting my money on Brighton.Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-36593601649803134742009-03-26T08:09:00.007-05:002009-03-26T08:36:04.863-05:00Charmed by charms, she can't get enough<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScuEiVj0aRI/AAAAAAAAAJg/88MTNpQSaw8/s1600-h/lorrainecharms.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317489510478801170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 201px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScuEiVj0aRI/AAAAAAAAAJg/88MTNpQSaw8/s400/lorrainecharms.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">L</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">orraine</span> from Castle Rock, Colorado, is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Brightonista</span> who loves pink! Check out this photo she sent me that shows three of the bracelets she built using Brighton's ABC charms. I contacted Lorraine after I saw her post on a Brighton fan site on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Facebook</span>, in which she said, "I went today during my lunch hour and built another charm bracelet." I have stopped off for a charm or two before, but never have I had the pleasure of going to my local Brighton store and building an entire bracelet at one time, much less over a lunch hour. How much fun that must be! So I asked Lorraine to send these pictures and tell me about her bracelets and why she chose the charms she did. Here's what she wrote:</span><br /><div><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Pink is my favorite color, I like rubber ducks, I drink lots of hot tea, I like hearts, R is for my husband name (Ralph) L for my name (Lorraine), I like cupcakes, they call me Princess, I wear tiaras, lady bug is cute, I collect pigs.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Asked which charms she hopes to collect next, Lorraine said:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">I want the shamrock but my shop was out if it when I last went, the apple and ballet slipper are what come to mind at the moment. I'm going to take the R and L off and put them on the key fob.</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And last I heard, Lorraine had plans to build a black bracelet next.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I think we should all thank Lorraine for her part to improve the national economy with this wonderful display of consumer confidence. You go girl!</span></div></div></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-86963664136820150352009-03-25T13:48:00.012-05:002009-03-25T14:35:02.765-05:00Like that's gonna stop me!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScqGWs4lgAI/AAAAAAAAAJI/gNMOYsSYT40/s1600-h/aidas2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317210034628034562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 312px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScqGWs4lgAI/AAAAAAAAAJI/gNMOYsSYT40/s400/aidas2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Neither wind, nor rain, nor heavy construction equipment will keep this Brightonista from her favorite store. That said, it took me a while today to map out how exactly I was going to get past the orange cones, heavy equipment, closed roads and torn-up concrete to make it to the front door of Aida's, my Brighton haunt of the past 10 years. I had come to share the love, so to speak, from my recent ebay windfall. And I knew Aida's could give me what ebay couldn't: instant gratification! </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The number of physical obstacles between me and the store left me wondering whether Aida's was even open. I worried for Aida (both proprietess and friend) and wondered whether her business could withstand both the downfall in the economy and the detour to her store.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Aida is a strikingly upbeat person. When I finally got inside, I found her not unhappy about the construction outside her door but thankful that the work was behind schedule. The street widening had originally been planned for December. THAT would have hurt, she said. I lingered inside for an hour, choosing new charms (have you seen the kitty cat? It has rhinestone eyes and a tiny heart hanging from its collar!) and caressing leather purses, imagining which one I might one day buy. The charms are doing well at Aida's, in downtown Wichita. She now has an entire counter devoted to them and the display is quite enticing. (I walked away with five!) I was just about to leave when another two women walked in, obviously as undeterred as I was. It was then I knew Aida would be okay. Brightonistas, we take care of our own.</span></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-11973013045651366852009-03-24T19:39:00.006-05:002009-03-24T19:59:22.913-05:00It wasn't exactly a Cindarella moment<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScmAo3Hbg8I/AAAAAAAAAIw/bY0RdVN3JXQ/s1600-h/crytsalshoes1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316922274565817282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScmAo3Hbg8I/AAAAAAAAAIw/bY0RdVN3JXQ/s320/crytsalshoes1.JPG" border="0" /></a> Speaking of used shoes. ... I have been forced to come to terms with the fact that these shoes do not fit, will not fit, no matter how much I love them. These are the Whitney-style shoes that coordinate with the extremely popular Crystal Heart jewelry. I wanted them from the moment their sparkle captured my eye at Aida's, my local Brighton retailer. I believe they were $160 originally, and I just couldn't manage that at the time. So I waited til the end of the season. I was thrilled when I finally saw them on sale, and not so thrilled when I saw there were none left in my size. Like Cinderella's stepsisters, I ignored the obvious in favor of oblivious optimism: I tried on the 9 narrow, declared them good enough, and bought them. Two wearings (or should I say, trippings) later, I surrendered and put them away. And today they are on ebay, along with a diamond ring and a pearl ring, two family heirlooms. Let the record show that I did not hesitate to auction family heirloom jewelry, but these shoes I put up for sale last.Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-16922313346743023472009-03-23T16:47:00.014-05:002009-03-24T20:06:35.174-05:00Did someone say road trip? Outlets await!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScgYZc2yUBI/AAAAAAAAAIo/9pRyRBboWe4/s1600-h/roadtrip.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316526185632649234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/ScgYZc2yUBI/AAAAAAAAAIo/9pRyRBboWe4/s320/roadtrip.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm not one for long-distance driving but I may reconsider. Turns out that San Marcos, Texas (a good 600-mile, 9-hour drive away) has the closest Brighton outlet store to my home in Kansas. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What? You didn't know Brighton even had outlets stores? That's not too surprising. You can't find them by searching Brighton's official website. The steeply discounted outlets are listed among the other stores in the store locator, but not identified as outlets. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'd never heard of them until I heard rumor of their existance on Facebooks' Brighton fan site. One Facebook post taunted me with the promise of good deals at an outlet in New York:<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"My friend Laura and I make a quarterly pilgrimage to the Brighton Outlet at the Woodbury Commons in NY... OMG...$20 dollar watches...$22 necklaces...a $49 dollar bag that is $275 in the new catalog...it's dangerous! We spent 2 hours in the store."</span><br />A silver-plated </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">El Dorado</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">!<br />Unfortunately, Facebook members offered little other specific info on where such retail wonders might be hidden. After some Internet sluething, here's what I found out:<br />There are six Brighton outlet stores, none of them close to me. Two in New York, one in Virginia, one in California, one planned for Florida, and the aforementioned outlet in Texas. All of them are located at outlet malls in tourism hotspots:<br /><strong>Fashion Outlets Niagra Falls, </strong>Niagra Falls, New York<br /></span><a href="http://www.fashionoutletsniagra.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.fashionoutletsniagra.com</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Woodbury Common Premium Outlet</strong>, near New York City<br /><strong>St. Augustine Premium Outlets</strong> in St. Augustine, Florida (due to open later this year)<br /></span><a href="http://www.premiumoutlets.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.premiumoutlets.com</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Prime Outlets</strong>, San Marcos, Texas<br /><strong>Prime Outlets</strong>, Williamsburg, Virginia</span><br /><a href="http://www.primeoutlets.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.primeoutlets.com</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Cabazon Outlets</strong>, near Palm Springs, Calif.</span><br /><a href="http://www.cabaszonoutlets.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.cabaszonoutlets.com</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You cannot call these stores directly, but if you want more information it turns out Brighton does maintain an outlet information line: 1 (888) 323-5118. So tell me, Brightonistas... How far will you go for a great deal?</span>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-25833939518033754802009-03-23T07:34:00.008-05:002009-03-23T08:05:09.624-05:00She's in a collector state of mind<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SceHJZBhwlI/AAAAAAAAAIY/omdEWokM5PU/s1600-h/NYBracelet.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316366480540025426" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 237px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SPhCv_QJMnw/SceHJZBhwlI/AAAAAAAAAIY/omdEWokM5PU/s320/NYBracelet.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Leslie, a Brightonista from Baltimore, likes the hunt: Her pursuit of Brighton's state charm bracelets started when she spotted the Colorado bracelet in Denver. She wasn't immediately sure if she wanted it. "It was a toss up between that and a different one and that little green backpack charm was the deciding factor. That’s what got me hooked! The charms were so adorable and had such intricate detail," she says. When she learned that Brighton had made 11 state bracelets <a href="http://www.brighton.com/faq/20.htm">(see them here), </a>she decided she wanted them all. But how to get them? Each state's bracelet is only carried by retailers in that specific state. "I put out requests to any and all of my friends that I knew were traveling," Leslie says. And with the help of five friends, she got them all! Here's how she did it, in her own words:</span><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">My CA bracelet was picked up by my husband's co-worker while he and his wife were vacationing there. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">My HI was picked up by a guy my husband and I used to be stationed with in CA. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">My IL was picked up while I was on a trip in St Louis. A friend lived in IL just across the state line and on our way to dinner we stopped to pick it up. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">My GA was actually purchased off of eBay. I didn’t know anyone heading that way. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">My AZ, FL & NV were picked up by a co-worker on 3 separate trips while they were traveling for work. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">My TX was picked up by another co-worker while she visited her family. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">My DC was picked up during a visit to my local Brighton shop. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And her New York bracelet? "I'm originally from NY and my BFF gave it to me on my birthday,<em>" </em>she says. The NY bracelet is her favorite. (Mine, too!) </span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Leslie said she had mixed emotions once she had the entire collection.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"I was so excited once I got them all but it was also kind of sad too. It was as if the thrill of the hunt was over," she says. "Not to worry though, Brighton has plenty of other beautiful items to chase after and now I'm hooked on the charms. ... Since it doesn’t look like there are going to be any additional state bracelets, I’d like to collect charms for the states in which I have either lived or have visited." Leslie is in the military so that is going to be a lot of states. Good luck, Leslie!</span></div>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-54038778160125446682009-03-22T20:02:00.003-05:002009-03-22T20:44:44.455-05:00Hard lessons learned on ebay<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As I said before, I occasionally sell off some of my existing Brighton collection to pay for new acquisitions. This week I had 10 listings on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ebay</span>. The auctions are over and the final totals are in: I made $290, which would have more than covered the new Brighton items I just bought. Would have, if I had not decided to forgo self-discipline in favor of a new purse. Now I am in the red for about $100. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I suspect I would be closer to breaking even if I already knew the hard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ebay</span> lesson I learned this weekend: </span><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If you have multiple pieces from a collection, sell them separately and not as a set. </span></strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I sold two sets (necklace, earrings, bracelet) and neither brought what I had hoped. One set went for $53 and the other for $62. Monitoring other auctions, I noticed that the individual pieces in each of these sets were commanding $30 to $40 on average, which means each of my sets might have brought $100 if sold <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">separately</span>. That's closer to what I was hoping for. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm guessing higher demand must exist for individual pieces because the majority of bidders are not looking to buy full sets, but to fill out incomplete retired sets. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That said, <strong>if you happen to buying, you will probably get a better deal bidding on a set than buying several pieces separately.</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Live and learn, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Brightonistas</span>. Live and learn.</span>Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469869596829792276.post-13911251331774876482009-03-22T14:37:00.004-05:002009-03-22T14:40:20.150-05:00Make Friends with other BrightonistasBrightonistas, I have added a new feature to this blog that allows you to stay connected with me and with each other. It is similar to Facebook and interacts with Facebook. It is a product from Google that is still in Beta testing so it might not be perfect. I would love to see your smiling faces on this page. Just sign up as a follower under the Brightonista Follower section on the lefthand sidebar of this page (right below About Me.)Polly Basorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527951491112836759noreply@blogger.com0