VINTAGE SHARI JEWELRY SALES AND LIFE TALES. Welcome to my world filled with fabulous Vintage Jewelry treasures available to purchase in my Ruby lane and new Ruby Plaza stores. Wear me out Vintage Jewels on Lane and Wear me out Vintage Jewels 2 now on Plaza for Both Vintage and newer selections. If you love Jewelry and a humorous slant on life in general, please do join my blog.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Blog for Notes from the Lane" Selective Memory's"
Selective Memory’s
Sometimes my Mom now hanging well over the cliff of 80 does not remember what she just walked into a room for and that’s on a good day when she can actually walk. Recently I went after a very rare and expensive sterling silver rhinestone dagger sword Brooch by Olle Ohlsson of Sweden. Before I listed it in my shop as I do with all the better pieces that thrill me, I share them with her first. Dangerous as I never know when she’ll say either she must have it or I should not sell it. This time as she held it, by the way, a moment I always stop breathing as for some unknown reason precious metals and 100 year old pieces held in her magic hands seem to be drawn into some secret vortex and they leap away from her crashing to the floor trying to find the black hole. It set off a story. A long story. A story that concerned me to the point where I thought ok really time to hide the car keys. Yes she still drives when she can walk. Bet that alone scares you. I say one less driving Miss daisy trip for me is most excellent. A past eighty year old woman does not have a teenage daughter and frankly I’m so exhausted I no longer care about your safety. I’ll give you this be extra careful if you find yourself on the road next to a royal blue Toyota with opera blaring from the radio.
The story went like this. Seems when my mom was in her early twenty’s and never one to miss a golden opportunity to remind her grown children how she had to work since she was a fetus. She had big dreams of carrying off her own unique style and did whatever she had to in order to achieve the look that made the statement she was after that she was her own independent person. This was particularly confusing to me as a few years back we had a argument about children being forced to wear uniforms in school, she was for it and I will never be. Also I wondered, anything? Visions of late night escapades with Billie Holiday rushed threw my head. This time she was after two specific must have’s. The first was a pair of slacks hand made for her by a tailor. Since my grandfather was indeed a tailor I assumed she meant he would make the slacks. A loud no to that. Didn’t I understand she was a independent woman, why would she ask her father. Why won’t I let her finish the story! Now I’m trying to remember the signs of a stroke, should I ask her to stick her tongue out and see if it goes to the side. She continues a pair of hand made slacks and a sterling sword brooch but not like the one I’m showing her, it had chains and a sheath that you pinned in two parts. Apparently she worked from dusk till dawn for 200 days in a row, never once stopping to eat or even pee and she reached her goal of obtaining the sword Brooch and slacks not made by her father.
Well honestly I had serious doubts. How would I have never seen this sword brooch or ever heard about it till now. Maybe the Olle Ohlsson sword she was crushing in her delicate little hands had some poppy seed remnants that went straight through her skin and set off this imaginary story. I tried to put it behind me but it kept rearing up in my head. Days later it dawned on me. I had sold a Urie mandle made by Murray slater sterling chatelaine with removable sword from it’s scabbard brooch a couple of years back in my shop. I excitedly pulled up a picture of it for her to see thinking she had held it in here gentle vice grip little hands years ago when I had to have shown it to her and that’s the sword she must be thinking of and confused about. A ear shattering no to that and see if I ever share with you again, where’s my car keys, I need to see if the guys behind the trash cans are carrying today.
Weeks passed and I couldn’t shake the story. It had always been my dad with the wild imagination this was not like her. Although clearly at this point and not for nothing even if she was a heroin hooker, I’m good with that, just shaken to be left out of all that adventure till now. I couldn’t sleep. I started pouring through thousands of old photograph. Holy cow I said to no one as I was alone. There it is! I found the photo at the top of this page it was a old four by six inch. I saw something on that blouse and kept blowing it up until I could finally make out the outline of that brooch. It was all true. She had slaved to save the money for both the brooch and the hand made favorite slacks also in this same photo included at the end of this story. She did fail to recognize it was indeed just like the one I had sold, the urie mandel patent to the left of the top photo makes that clearer. She had seen that one but selective memory set in. Actually not bad for eighty’s.
I waited for a special occasion and with the rest of the family present I gave her what I lovingly call the I guess your not nuts after all gift of a series of the photo from it’s original form to blown up as far as I could take it. It truly made her day and put a most welcomed smile on her face. Hope this little story puts a little smile on your face and maybe reminds you of your own selective memory’s when a piece of jewelry or fashion meant so much to you, even if for the life of you, you don’t know what in the world happened to it.
If you enjoy, my Blogs, for Notes from the Lane, please visit, my blog site: "Vintage Shari Jewelry Sales and Life Tales" http://vintageshari.blogspot.com
Wear me out Vintage Jewels
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/vintageshari
Wear Me Out Vintage Jewels 2 Now
http://www.rubyplaza.com/shops/vintageshari-rp
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sailing Through Summer
“Sailing through Summer”
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When you’re a kid you can’t wait for summer. Sleeping in, days of long light, catching a wave at the beach, ice cream trucks to rush out to. When you’re a on line shop owner your still sleeping in, only now it’s to avoid turning on your computer. Those days of light turn into the long journey till Fall and coming up with creative ways to fill your formally busy working hours. Catching a wave might would be nice. Catching a break would be better. Chances are if you spot a woman in her fifty’s chasing a ice cream truck in the next few months she sells online, if she’s also covered in rhinestone bracelets and a diamond tiara it’s probably me.
The end of May had me subconsciously humming “I wish that I had Jessie's Girl” and I knew with 100 percent confidence I was, “The woman like that”. By June 3rd it was “Old man River”. Yes I even changed genders. While I have a high stress level I do believe my rubber band has snapped. The good news is after the Ruby Lane and Plaza shops where revamped my traffic increased immediately. The bad news is most of those new visitors are coming suited up in coats of armor, yielding swords and ready to battle. I don’t think these people where burned on sites like eBay. I think they where roasted to a crisp. I’ll take trepidation for a 100 Alex. There’s no other worldly explanation for the sheer tone of panic and distrust I’m receiving in my emails.
In a word it is Exhausting. Last month I saved a phone message from a buyer whose tears of joy over a purchase in my lane shop for something she had lost that her mother had given her and searched for months to replace only to find it in my shop and have it be exactly as she had hoped, had me over the moon happy. This month I’m replaying it over and over again as if we just broke up and I need to hang on to the good times. While this to shall pass and you unlike myself might not be terminally menopausal. You may be experiencing some of these same concerns.
I think it will be this way for a while on Ruby Plaza with some trickle down effect to Ruby Lane. Having put over three years of twelve hours plus a day total commitment to having my lane shop be everything I dreamed of a with beautiful carefully selected pieces of quality, show cased in a elegant manner and devoted to customer service, it does bother me that the shops effect each other. However, this also eventually should work to our benefits. Think we have to be prepared for the unexpected onslaught of doubt from buyers that are still trying to figure out what in the world plaza is about.
Between the summer time drought, the only thing, by the way, drier then my skin these days and the added pressure of shell shocked new visitors. One woman had so many questions over a relatively small purchase, I was surprised she didn’t ask me to provide a DNA sample. It’s easy to get distracted from your intent. Do I hear a ice cream truck? No, sorry just a kid’s bicycle bell. While it’s important to enjoy every single day in every way you can. Summers a brief few months and before you know it we will all be Jessie’s girl again.
If you enjoy, my Blogs, for Notes from the Lane, please visit, my blog site: "Vintage Shari Jewelry Sales and Life Tales" http://vintageshari.blogspot.com
Wear me out Vintage Jewels
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/vintageshari
Wear Me Out Vintage Jewels 2 Now
http://www.rubyplaza.com/shops/vintageshari-rp
When you’re a kid you can’t wait for summer. Sleeping in, days of long light, catching a wave at the beach, ice cream trucks to rush out to. When you’re a on line shop owner your still sleeping in, only now it’s to avoid turning on your computer. Those days of light turn into the long journey till Fall and coming up with creative ways to fill your formally busy working hours. Catching a wave might would be nice. Catching a break would be better. Chances are if you spot a woman in her fifty’s chasing a ice cream truck in the next few months she sells online, if she’s also covered in rhinestone bracelets and a diamond tiara it’s probably me.
The end of May had me subconsciously humming “I wish that I had Jessie's Girl” and I knew with 100 percent confidence I was, “The woman like that”. By June 3rd it was “Old man River”. Yes I even changed genders. While I have a high stress level I do believe my rubber band has snapped. The good news is after the Ruby Lane and Plaza shops where revamped my traffic increased immediately. The bad news is most of those new visitors are coming suited up in coats of armor, yielding swords and ready to battle. I don’t think these people where burned on sites like eBay. I think they where roasted to a crisp. I’ll take trepidation for a 100 Alex. There’s no other worldly explanation for the sheer tone of panic and distrust I’m receiving in my emails.
In a word it is Exhausting. Last month I saved a phone message from a buyer whose tears of joy over a purchase in my lane shop for something she had lost that her mother had given her and searched for months to replace only to find it in my shop and have it be exactly as she had hoped, had me over the moon happy. This month I’m replaying it over and over again as if we just broke up and I need to hang on to the good times. While this to shall pass and you unlike myself might not be terminally menopausal. You may be experiencing some of these same concerns.
I think it will be this way for a while on Ruby Plaza with some trickle down effect to Ruby Lane. Having put over three years of twelve hours plus a day total commitment to having my lane shop be everything I dreamed of a with beautiful carefully selected pieces of quality, show cased in a elegant manner and devoted to customer service, it does bother me that the shops effect each other. However, this also eventually should work to our benefits. Think we have to be prepared for the unexpected onslaught of doubt from buyers that are still trying to figure out what in the world plaza is about.
Between the summer time drought, the only thing, by the way, drier then my skin these days and the added pressure of shell shocked new visitors. One woman had so many questions over a relatively small purchase, I was surprised she didn’t ask me to provide a DNA sample. It’s easy to get distracted from your intent. Do I hear a ice cream truck? No, sorry just a kid’s bicycle bell. While it’s important to enjoy every single day in every way you can. Summers a brief few months and before you know it we will all be Jessie’s girl again.
If you enjoy, my Blogs, for Notes from the Lane, please visit, my blog site: "Vintage Shari Jewelry Sales and Life Tales" http://vintageshari.blogspot.com
Wear me out Vintage Jewels
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/vintageshari
Wear Me Out Vintage Jewels 2 Now
http://www.rubyplaza.com/shops/vintageshari-rp
Friday, May 13, 2011
How to say Yes to Opportunity in your Pajamas
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How to say Yes to Opportunity in your Pajamas
inVintage Collectibles
May 13, 2011 - 1:24pm
A couple of weeks ago I did what I pretty much do everyday. After inhaling some very strong first of the day coffee for me that’s around noon. I dragged myself kicking and screaming into my office. I’m a tough boss to work for relentless and demanding. From my mattress to the office is a grueling 30 second commute. It’s no wonder I arrive in such a bad mood. My work attire consists of whatever over sized T shirt or form of pajama’s I have slept in and if it’s cold a sweat shirt jacket. I turned on the phone and computer checking for shop sales. Nothing much going on. Even the brief 5 minutes has set off my new unwelcomed shoulder issues, they are a hot rod of droning pain. I am now to put it politely so freaken Cranky.
Just then the cell phone rang it’s so loud and the incoming song is set to “And I am telling you” from dream girls. I curse myself for that choice and both begrudgingly and barely in full human vocal range ick out a weak hello. A strong hyper voice is on the other end, she’s back east and has had many coffee’s. I miss the beginning of her introduction and catch the words production company or assistant and there’s a locket in your shop that we have questions about before purchasing. I’m begging my brain cells to kick in while I’m looking up the item number, I promise them they can enjoy a big mush party as soon as the call is done. That however was not to be in the cards. I find the item and here comes the question, by the way this is a 100 percent true story. Can I ship it overnight fed ex for a funeral the next morning? I couldn’t help but visualize some poor dead person’s finishing touches being my pretty locket. As I had yet to even clearly establish who I was talking to thought it best not to go there. Instead I tried to focus on the fed ex problem. I don’t offer it as part of my shipping choices. They have there own account but I have honestly never even been to fed ex. I ask can I get right back to her. I want to call said fed ex and understand what I would be getting into.
I scramble to find Fed Ex info on the pc. Call the closest one. Did you know they won’t even give you a rate over the phone? They have a special dedicated number if you actually would like to know the closely guarded secret of how much does this dam thing cost! I call that number as fast as possible, the dead person’s not getting any younger! My head is now throbbing. I get a great clerk who is extremely helpful. I can’t help but blurt out it’s for a funeral tomorrow morning. There is a brief pause and then laughter and oh, thank god. Like being in church during a serious sermon both the clerk and I have lost it and no matter how hard we try can not make it unfunny. The cost is not in any way amusing over seventy dollars. I know they have a account and now know what that means, as in there account is charged. I know they need it that fast but can’t help being bothered by it.
I call her back explain the rates and try to minimize my concern about zooming it over to fed ex to which even I would not go in my currant state of dress. A wardrobe change would be required. Also the shoulder pain now has me in a vice grip. I’m not Charley Sheen, can’t pop a few Demerol and hop in the car. Wait there’s more, it has to go to New Orleans and not to there address in New York. Now I’m visualizing a crowd of people in ghost costumes playing “and when the saints come marching in” but stopping in there tracks to admirer the locket.
I finally ask her out loud about the Lockets destination even she laughs. Then she says something that snaps me straight into wonder woman mode. The locket is for a little girl who must go to the funeral. Everything changed in that moment. My relentless and demanding boss has never come in so handy. She makes the purchase and gets me all the right info. I print it with my hand waiting to snatch it so I can fly out the door. My pain is told to zip it and next thing I know it is signed sealed and oh please get delivered in time.
I keep her informed, sent the tracking and sincere condolences to this family. Also feel it’s important to let her know what a great job she’s doing and hope that is appreciated. Remember I didn’t catch what company this was for. Only my oldest friends know how much like me that is. Years ago a famous director who I only knew by his nick name would flirt with me at a very Hollywood hang and while I found him unbelievably interesting to talk to, was not only, not attracted to, but it flew over my head he was even interested beyond clever conversation. No, I stuck with the balding guy with his finger up his butt and virtually no sense of humor, why have a great life with a man when you can spin your wheels trying to save some shmuck! Ah, ok back to this day.
The person who put this all in motion is indeed very famous and I most certainly will not name them. However I was informed that they Love Ruby Lane and are frequent shoppers there. There also someone I thought might get a kick out of my blogs for Notes from the Lane and being older, wiser and in a shmuck free zone I did send one. Making this even more special for me then it became the second I knew it was for a young girl, was being told there team selected several Lockets from Lane and sent the photos to the family and mine was selected.
It arrived as promised and I received another e mail of thanks and appreciation. Talk about how crucial it is to get out of your own way. Now, whenever I find myself caught up in ageing issues or life gets thick. I can call up what it felt like to push past myself and the sheer joy of being some small part of a bigger cog that helped to bring a young lady comfort at a difficult time.
By nature vintage jewelry and collectables connect us to our past. I started selling Vintage jewelry because of my own strong sense of identifying with my relatives, some of which had such incredible bad taste. I almost had no choice but to figure out how to get rid of that stuff. Years ago I took the profits of one persons junk, another’s treasure and began investing in pieces I loved. Now I have thousands of beautiful pieces and shops on Lane and plaza which clearly is the very right place to be. While it’s not the first time a buyer has been so deeply effected and took the time to send wonderful e mail about it. Not even the first time I felt grateful. It is the first time I knew in my bones, be them aching or not, how much we are all the same at our core. When we get out of our own ways and allow the message in. We can put even the most complicated puzzles together. Some part of us is all that little girl who needs a string of open hearts to create a small quester that takes us through to a place of comfort.
If you enjoy, my Blogs, for Notes from the Lane, please visit, my blog site: "Vintage Shari Jewelry Sales and Life Tales" http://vintageshari.blogspot.com
Vintage Shari - Shari Basoff
Wear me out Vintage Jewels
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/vintageshari
Wear Me Out Vintage Jewels 2 Now
http://www.rubyplaza.com/shops/vintageshari-rp
How to say Yes to Opportunity in your Pajamas
inVintage Collectibles
May 13, 2011 - 1:24pm
A couple of weeks ago I did what I pretty much do everyday. After inhaling some very strong first of the day coffee for me that’s around noon. I dragged myself kicking and screaming into my office. I’m a tough boss to work for relentless and demanding. From my mattress to the office is a grueling 30 second commute. It’s no wonder I arrive in such a bad mood. My work attire consists of whatever over sized T shirt or form of pajama’s I have slept in and if it’s cold a sweat shirt jacket. I turned on the phone and computer checking for shop sales. Nothing much going on. Even the brief 5 minutes has set off my new unwelcomed shoulder issues, they are a hot rod of droning pain. I am now to put it politely so freaken Cranky.
Just then the cell phone rang it’s so loud and the incoming song is set to “And I am telling you” from dream girls. I curse myself for that choice and both begrudgingly and barely in full human vocal range ick out a weak hello. A strong hyper voice is on the other end, she’s back east and has had many coffee’s. I miss the beginning of her introduction and catch the words production company or assistant and there’s a locket in your shop that we have questions about before purchasing. I’m begging my brain cells to kick in while I’m looking up the item number, I promise them they can enjoy a big mush party as soon as the call is done. That however was not to be in the cards. I find the item and here comes the question, by the way this is a 100 percent true story. Can I ship it overnight fed ex for a funeral the next morning? I couldn’t help but visualize some poor dead person’s finishing touches being my pretty locket. As I had yet to even clearly establish who I was talking to thought it best not to go there. Instead I tried to focus on the fed ex problem. I don’t offer it as part of my shipping choices. They have there own account but I have honestly never even been to fed ex. I ask can I get right back to her. I want to call said fed ex and understand what I would be getting into.
I scramble to find Fed Ex info on the pc. Call the closest one. Did you know they won’t even give you a rate over the phone? They have a special dedicated number if you actually would like to know the closely guarded secret of how much does this dam thing cost! I call that number as fast as possible, the dead person’s not getting any younger! My head is now throbbing. I get a great clerk who is extremely helpful. I can’t help but blurt out it’s for a funeral tomorrow morning. There is a brief pause and then laughter and oh, thank god. Like being in church during a serious sermon both the clerk and I have lost it and no matter how hard we try can not make it unfunny. The cost is not in any way amusing over seventy dollars. I know they have a account and now know what that means, as in there account is charged. I know they need it that fast but can’t help being bothered by it.
I call her back explain the rates and try to minimize my concern about zooming it over to fed ex to which even I would not go in my currant state of dress. A wardrobe change would be required. Also the shoulder pain now has me in a vice grip. I’m not Charley Sheen, can’t pop a few Demerol and hop in the car. Wait there’s more, it has to go to New Orleans and not to there address in New York. Now I’m visualizing a crowd of people in ghost costumes playing “and when the saints come marching in” but stopping in there tracks to admirer the locket.
I finally ask her out loud about the Lockets destination even she laughs. Then she says something that snaps me straight into wonder woman mode. The locket is for a little girl who must go to the funeral. Everything changed in that moment. My relentless and demanding boss has never come in so handy. She makes the purchase and gets me all the right info. I print it with my hand waiting to snatch it so I can fly out the door. My pain is told to zip it and next thing I know it is signed sealed and oh please get delivered in time.
I keep her informed, sent the tracking and sincere condolences to this family. Also feel it’s important to let her know what a great job she’s doing and hope that is appreciated. Remember I didn’t catch what company this was for. Only my oldest friends know how much like me that is. Years ago a famous director who I only knew by his nick name would flirt with me at a very Hollywood hang and while I found him unbelievably interesting to talk to, was not only, not attracted to, but it flew over my head he was even interested beyond clever conversation. No, I stuck with the balding guy with his finger up his butt and virtually no sense of humor, why have a great life with a man when you can spin your wheels trying to save some shmuck! Ah, ok back to this day.
The person who put this all in motion is indeed very famous and I most certainly will not name them. However I was informed that they Love Ruby Lane and are frequent shoppers there. There also someone I thought might get a kick out of my blogs for Notes from the Lane and being older, wiser and in a shmuck free zone I did send one. Making this even more special for me then it became the second I knew it was for a young girl, was being told there team selected several Lockets from Lane and sent the photos to the family and mine was selected.
It arrived as promised and I received another e mail of thanks and appreciation. Talk about how crucial it is to get out of your own way. Now, whenever I find myself caught up in ageing issues or life gets thick. I can call up what it felt like to push past myself and the sheer joy of being some small part of a bigger cog that helped to bring a young lady comfort at a difficult time.
By nature vintage jewelry and collectables connect us to our past. I started selling Vintage jewelry because of my own strong sense of identifying with my relatives, some of which had such incredible bad taste. I almost had no choice but to figure out how to get rid of that stuff. Years ago I took the profits of one persons junk, another’s treasure and began investing in pieces I loved. Now I have thousands of beautiful pieces and shops on Lane and plaza which clearly is the very right place to be. While it’s not the first time a buyer has been so deeply effected and took the time to send wonderful e mail about it. Not even the first time I felt grateful. It is the first time I knew in my bones, be them aching or not, how much we are all the same at our core. When we get out of our own ways and allow the message in. We can put even the most complicated puzzles together. Some part of us is all that little girl who needs a string of open hearts to create a small quester that takes us through to a place of comfort.
If you enjoy, my Blogs, for Notes from the Lane, please visit, my blog site: "Vintage Shari Jewelry Sales and Life Tales" http://vintageshari.blogspot.com
Vintage Shari - Shari Basoff
Wear me out Vintage Jewels
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/vintageshari
Wear Me Out Vintage Jewels 2 Now
http://www.rubyplaza.com/shops/vintageshari-rp
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
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