News has come to us at BeGolden that the award-winning Long Clawson Dairy in Leicestershire is celebrating its 100th birthday by launching a white Stilton cheese shot through with a combination of edible gold leaf and gold cinnamon liqueur. As it says on their website: 'the rich and famous now have a new after dinner luxury to add to their Christmas menu this year'. Even though the price tag is £608 a kilo, Stilton Gold has apparently generated more than a 1000 enquiries from interested purchasers including sheikhs and pop-stars. It seems eating gold is getting more fashionable, but you don't have to break the weekly food budget to keep up.....just get yourself a little pot of edible gold glitter, sprinkle on your cupcakes or mince pies and everyone will be happy.

Dolce And Gabbana follow suit with an entirely gold collection

Good old Dolce and Gabbana. They have launched their long awaited first jewellery collection and much to our delight here at BeGolden it's all in gold!! Not a speck of silver in sight. It is absolutely gorgeous stuff - ornate, big, sparkley and gold. We love it.

If you can afford it, go for it. If not then we've got a 'similar' collection here at www.begolden.co.uk to tempt you...

http://www.begolden.co.uk/product/Mirabelle_Gold_Plated_Tree_of_Life_Necklace_MR03

http://www.begolden.co.uk/product/24k_Gold_Plated_Lucas_Jack_Round_Jewel_Rings_LJ102

http://www.begolden.co.uk/product/24K_Gold_Plated_Lucas_Jack_Capella_Jewel_Earrings_LJ12

Let Yourself Shine in a Metallic Suit

The Evening Standard ran a piece yesterday on the style statement of the season - a metallic suit.

As Emma McCArthy says...

"Catwalks, high-street stores and celebrity parties are all agleam with platinum, gold and silver tones as the beautiful people take their latest fashion inspiration from tinfoil and sweet wrappers.

Eye-catching it may be, but foil fabric has proved a tricky trend to master. Even with a supermodel body, formerVictoria's Secret angel Karolina Kurkova struggles to shine in her silver chrome tailoring. Matching her Salvatore Ferragamo choice with a navy satin blouse at New York Fashion Week, Kurkova saved the look with minimal make-up, loose hair and matching grey nails as her only accessory.

Meanwhile, Nicole Scherzinger stepped out in an Oscar de la Renta textured, gold crepe two-piece, teamed with a high-neck, black lace blouse and what looked suspiciously like a flattened muffin-case brooch. Inspired by Seventies disco, apparent in the flared, bell-bottom sleeves and trousers, Scherzinger's Austin 
Powers Goldmember look inspired mixed reviews."

We think she looks FAB and the Daily Mail calling her a 'Quality Street' just a case of sour grapes. There is life beyond Per Una.

The Portfolio

Grazia - the magazine we all know and love - have this week done an article extolling the virtues of the portfolio. To use their words...

" The difference between a clutch and the new portfolios? For a start, portfolios are sleeker, more daytime-friendly and many are big enough to fit all your day-to-day stuff: a laptop, the kitchen sink...basically, your LIFE! But why do we love portfolios most of all? You can wear them with everything from jeans to a business suit or party dress. Anything goes!"

We couldn't agree more. They do demonstrate a wonderful collection, however slightly disappointed that all those they chose were black/brown! Why have black/brown when they come in gold!

Dictator Chic

A couple of weeks back I read a great article in the Guardian about 'Dictator Chic' and the simple rules on how to manifest your wealth and power should you find yourself one day in the position of a despot.


"Firstly, there must be gold. Lots of it, in the form of cutlery, taps, weapons, sofas in the shape of family members. Yesterday a looter of Gaddafi’s compound was pictured brandishing what appeared to be gold revolver...."


But the cornerstone of dictator chic is “things in one’s own image”. The late Saparmurat Niyazov, president of Turkmenistan, commissioned, among many monuments to himself, a gold statue that revolved to always face the sun"


Can we just say that even though we obviously adore gold and think that the world would be a much better place if there was just more of it around - we think that this is going too far. Hold back and ask to be taken off our mailing list if you become tempted to have a piece of furniture made in gold to replicate you or any other family member. 

Seletti Gold Porcelain Revolver

Was this the gold revolver ??

Working 9 to 5 even when on holiday!

It is no rest for us BeGolden Girls! Despite the fact we were on holiday (at an Aquamarine park in Portugal with the kids, no less) Lorraine and I were still conflabing with Kate on a daily basis. We work so hard...all for the love of gold.

'Gone Surfing' -BeGolden in Easy Living !!

Hurrah! We've been featured in this month's ( August) Easy Living magazine! They've done us proud with a great big photo of our luscious gold china egg box and a prime position on the page.

They do however describe us as a 'slightly bonkers store'. Funny, as we feel that collecting together all glittery gold things and searching high and low for gilded products as a fairly normal practice, but maybe they do have a point. My husband pointed out last night that if he'd have merely insinuated that the concept of BeGolden was 'slightly bonkers' he'd have been in the dog house for a week - which is true, but he's not Beatrice Hodgkin from Easy Living and there stands the difference.

Also, they comment on the fact that we offer 'rather a mixed bag' with 'some wonderful gems', but we made the decision at the beginning not to limit ourselves to merely design products. We wanted to offer gold products, products we were proud of but nevertheless ones that spanned the range of traditional to contemporary, quirky to the more mainstream.

All in all we are delighted with the exposure that our BeGolden brand has been given through Easy Living - it's really exciting for us to be featured by such a big magazine. Who will be next? Come on Vogue, give us a call.

Fascinating Facts - No 1

The more I learn about gold the more amazing I find the stuff. I've decided to share my nerdy obsession by drip feeding you all with little 'nuggets' of wisdom about the precious metal that is taking over my life.

Did you know....
Gold is so pliable that you can stretch an ounce to a length of over 50 miles long, and that you can beat a mere ounce to form a sheet that could cover a hundred square feet.

That doesn't sound possible?!

BeGolden's very own TV superstar

It's not often the TV cameras are banging at the headquarters of BeGolden (clamouring for an interview, news about the latest collection, trying to get a scoop on BeGolden's exclusive products) ,however, they were last week!

The one and only Jonty Hearnden came to visit Bobby to see if he could tempt her to buy a vase for his new series of ' Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is' to be aired in the Autumn.

The twist in the tale is, the objet d'art he was attempting to lure Bobby with was a beautiful hand blown french glass vase with a pewter ( yes pewter) lily flower design on the front.
Did he not know how he would be compromising her principles?? Did he not realise that he was asking one of the BeGolden Girls to buy something other than gold?

And the question on everyone's lips is...'Did she buy it?'

Will Bobby succumb, just this once to the charm of a silver coloured metal? Will she stand true to her ground and refuse, on camera to allow silver into her home? You will have to wait and see!!!

Why I love China

I've just come back from a trip to China and was delighted to see this billboard...Our company mission, up there, for the whole of China to see. Spread the word.

More About Us

We recently did a PR interview for our business. Here's what we said.....

What first inspired you to start your own business?

We all shared a passion to return gold to its former glory. Quite the fuddy duddy sister to the minimalist and contemporary Silver, we felt that Gold needed an outlet in which it could shine once more! Believing that Gold could once again be seen as opulent, luxurious, decadent and desirable we took a punt and set up a business that would specialise in providing an interiors and gift collection, solely in gold.

How did you get started?

Between the three of us who run BeGolden we have nine children so we always knew that whatever type of business we ran it would have to play to our strengths and restraints. We decided that the flexibility offered by an online business would be perfect. It would allow us to be creative, brave and far-reaching without the overheads and physical restraints of a shop. We all invested equal amounts in starting up the business ( buying software, stock etc) and have clear roles and responsibilities that we do our best to stick to!

Do you remember your first ever order?

Our first ever order came from a great friend and supporter of ours and we were so excited we squealed with excitement. Nowadays, it’s the really busy days that get us excited, plus seeing customers return for a repeat purchase.  

What inspires you to keep growing and developing your business?

There is so much more in the world that could come in gold!! We do feel that the tide is turning and that gold is becoming increasingly popular both with consumers, and therefore designers. People who had never entertained the thought of gold are now experimenting with it, designers who would have shunned the idea of gold in their collection are now embracing it, seeing the benefit of its warmth and luxuriousness. Gold is becoming more and more popular and we really want to be there, championing its cause! Ideally we would like to be the gold version of The White Company - a first port of call for anyone looking for a product in gold.

What allows you to keep growing and developing your business?

So many factors contribute to the growth of our business. We have had a very successful first 18 months which has allowed us to plough money back into BeGolden, enabling us to increase our range, afford more big ticket items, negotiate better terms with our suppliers etc. We are also learning from our mistakes on a daily basis ( I once paid £57,000 into a supplier’s bank account instead of £570 confusing the full stop for a comma!) The market itself has also helped BeGolden to grow as each season more and more products appear in gold allowing us more choice and more opportunities for PR. We also have very supportive families who will happily tolerate times of chaos whilst we struggle through busy periods.

What advice would you give someone hoping to start and/or grow their own business?

Keeping all overheads down to a minimum takes off a lot of financial pressure - donʼt pay for storage if there is somewhere free you can keep stock, donʼt hire an office if you can convert the dining table into a boardroom, donʼt pay for stationery etc if you can be inventive with your computer, donʼt pay for PR if you can do it yourself, donʼt outsource to an agency (design, marketing, accounting) if you can get a friend to point you in the right direction. Obviously you will need all these tools as you grow bigger but it is amazing what you can wing when you start up!

The other thing, if possible, is set up your business with another like minded person or two.

It dilutes the pressure and strain, it allows you to talk issues through rather than struggle along on your own, it means there is someone to celebrate and commiserate with...Also, it allows you to do what you are good at, rather than forcing you to turn your hand at every task. Finance is my nemesis and if I had to be in charge of accounts then our business would have gone under months ago!

What is your favourite / best selling product?

We each have a different favourite. For Bobby its the called ʻEstetico Quotidianoʼ range by an Italian design company, Seletti and it embodies everything we are about. It encompasses everyday, contemporary, useful products eg. storage jars, cups, ramekins - however they are lavishly painted in gold!! It is the glamorous twist on the ordinary that we love. For Kate it is the gold leather bags, iphone cases, purses from Bambino di Cioccolato. All are produced from gorgeous soft gold leather and we are constantly updating the collection with new accessory colours/appliqués. For Lorraine, it is the up and coming Lucas Jack jewellery range which each season never fails to thrill with new colours and designs.

Describe your product range and what makes it unique?

Everything we sell is gold coloured. We have gold leather bags, gold china gnomes, gold china and tableware, gold picture frames, gold wallets, gold jewellery, gold stationiery, gold gifts, gold teapots, gold mugs, gold accessories...everything and anything in gold.  We are always looking for new up and coming designers who will make quirky and unusual products in gold for us. Wherever we can, we do favour products that are made in the UK, especially if they have good sustainable credentials, however with such a niche market we have to look further afield.

What are your ambitions for the future?

Ultimately weʼd like to see BeGolden as the destination for anyone looking for anything in gold. We would also like to be as busy as we were at Christmas all year round.

We're mad about the new Lucas Jack Summer Jewellery Range!

We are beside ourselves with joy at our latest collection from contemporary jewellery designer, Lucas Jack. We've been working with Nick Bartlett, owner of Lucas Jack, for over 18 months now and we always look forward to his new jewellery collections. We haven't been disappointed with the latest Spring/Summer range. We've opted for a selection of his gorgeous bright summer colours in rings (including our best-selling 'button' ring plus new stacking rings), bangles and earrings. We've each got a favourite; Lorraine's is the pink bangle, Kate's is the orange drop earrings and Bobby's is any one of the button rings (she is building up a collection to match every outfit). What we love about Lucas Jack is that it is always eye-catching and although predominantly modern in styling, there are delicate as well as bold pieces. It's all ethically produced too using recycled gold plate. Take a look at the collection now as it's selling fast.....http://www.begolden.co.uk/search,i.html?q=lucas+jack

Is it the coffee or the cup

 Life is like coffee - go to link http://www.flickspire.com/m/SimpleTruths/LifeIsLikeCoffee

Someone sent me this link on facebook and after watching it, I'm just not sure! I think they need to be told about our BeGolden cups. I know that appearances aren't everything and I get where they are coming from, but, at the same time a cup of coffee in one of our gold mugs tastes better than a plastic one any day! Take the test and let us know...

Spring is in the air and it's Mother's Day soon!

Mirabelle Doris Bracelet

Spring is in the air and everyone is feeling happy. Make sure Mum does too! We're celebrating with a 10% discount on all Mother's Day purchases. Just type MOTHER at the checkout. Take a look at our Mother's Day shop. Free gift wrap and delivery on all purchases.

Mix vintage and contemporary for a stunning bathroom

One of our customers sent us a couple of pictures showing the vintage gold mirror she bought from us in her downstairs bathroom. It is so lovely to see it and we love the combination of the contemporary sink, luxury wallpaper and vintage gold mirror.

Gold Interiors - Just for the Fun of it

Have just been reading about Jonathan Adler (Creative Director of Barneys New York) and his fantastic interiors style in April's Elle Decoration. Here are a few of my favourite quotes :

"Too much tastefulness is pompous and dull. Every room needs a dash of the hippy and a dollop of socialite" Just one look at the image from one of his homes above and it'll confirm the sense of fun that characterises Jonathan's style. He has so many wonderfully quirky things in his home.

"Using gold in your home is like adding jewellery to an outfit. Every space needs some glamour" Of course, we love this quote (although he also says silver will add glamour too, but we'll ignore that one). Looking at the fabulous pictures of his home, you can see how metallics have been used in virtually every room and they add a really stunning touch. I'm trying to do the same in my home, just a touch here and there makes all the difference.

"When in doubt, I always throw in an orange accessory. Orange looks as crisp and refreshing as it tastes" This resonates with me because I have a current obsession with orange accessories. I'm almost regretting the fact that we took the 60s orange kitchen out of house 15 years ago.

Oscar calamity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxJgb9kvK-A

This story did make me laugh! Apparently the producer of the Kings Speech gave his recently awarded Oscar statue to his 15 month old daughter to hold and she dropped it denting and damaging the head! How typical. Bless her. Watch the fateful moment on this you tube link.

How we'd love to get our hands on an Oscar...all that gold.

50th Anniversary Gifts

When we set up our BeGolden shop, we weren't necessarily thinking about the relevance of our products to the 50th anniversary - birthday or wedding - market, but we have had a number of customers come to us over the last 12 months looking for gifts for these occasions. It's not just the draw of our golden gifts, but also the desire to give something a bit different to mark a 50th anniversary. So, we've sold our gold leather bound pocket atlas as a 50th birthday gift for those who appreciate old-style reference books and don't want to struggle with digital map applications. The fact that it is a beautiful product to hold, yet in a convenient pocket size, helps to make it really popular. In the same vein, our gold leather photo albums have been best sellers - they are hand made in the UK from 100% recycled leather and photo board. Our cheeky 'Mr Gold' gold gnome is a more irreverent example of a unique 50th anniversary gift, especially for the recipient who has everything. Our Seletti gold china range has also been popular for this occasion - it's a stylish, modern take on gold china. The espresso cups and large mugs are particular 50th gift favourites. And of course, if you're buying a gift, you will also want a greetings card and ours come with gold indoor sparklers. We are constantly on the look out for new present ideas and we will be expanding this gift category over the coming months.

Pop Up Shops

Sitting in a cafe in a small Oxfordshire (our local) town on Saturday morning with my middle daughter, I reflected on the lack of interesting retail shops. Yes, we have Boots & Waitrose, a somewhat tired old style small department store, a cluster of charity shops and a few independents. These are all very useful for many of our day to day shopping needs, but there is nothing new to look forward to, nothing that could fall into the 'retail therapy' category. But what we do have - something that is an inevitable result of the recession - is a number of vacant retail shops. What if, an enterprising landlord found a way of offering short term, flexible leases (say a few weeks or a month at a time) to businesses like our own BeGolden? Wouldn't it be wonderful to see a different shop every couple of weeks, selling niche, seasonal and unusual products that you don't see on the high street. We know of plenty of small businesses around this area that are run from home which wouldn't want to commit to a long term retail lease, but would maybe consider a short 'pop up' style retail shop to test out new ranges, build customer awareness and take advantage of different occasions (when I was in the States in October, I saw 2 or 3 pop up Halloween stores). Big brands such as Marmite, Mac and Clarks shoes have used the pop up shop concept as a marketing technique in recent years, but why shouldn't it work for smaller businesses?

The marmite pop up shop featured in Selfridges for brief spells in 2010 stocking over 150 different Marmite inspired products, many of which were exclusive to the shop. 

 

The Venue for our Christmas Office Party

How cool is this?

A whole venue dedicated to gold - it's got our name written all over it, we so need to be there! It is part of our company mission to get ourselves to the Gucci Gold restaurant in Milan for a celebratory meal within the next twelve months. Just need to sell a few more things...

BBC Radio 4 'You and Yours' features garden gnomes

Which do you prefer? These happy chappies or....the irresistible Mr Gold?

Just to prove that we are experiencing a revival in garden gnomes, BBC 4's 'You and Yours' programme have today run a feature on them. According to Solus garden supplies, they have experienced a doubling of sales of their garden gnome ranges and Chelsea Flower show designer, David Domeney managed to persuade the RHS to lift their ban on garden gnomes for his World Cup garden design in 2010. Although you might not feel like rushing out and buying some of the colourful plastic gnomes that fell out of favour in the 60s/70s, it appears lots of people are falling in love with Mr Gold, our china gold gnome. He was a popular Christmas gift and with the interest created by Gnomeo & Juliet, we're expecting him to feature again on wedding lists as last summer!

Revival of Gold Fashion Jewellery

My daughter came home from an afternoon shopping with her teenage friends this weekend with this gold elephant pendant from Accessorize. She also bought her best mate a gold bee pendant from River Island. At BeGolden, we've been aware of the gold revival in fashion jewellery over the last year or so, but when my daughter declared that silver is so last year, it confirmed that this is a trend that has gone mainstream. Just to underline this revival, if you take a look at Accessorize's web shop, you'll see that of all the listed items 118 are gold versus 70 in silver. We are currently on the look out for new gold jewellery ranges to compliment the contemporary range we have from Lucas Jack and the delicate pieces we stock from Mirabelle so we should have more to delight you with soon at BeGolden.

Gnomeo and Juliet

Apparently the world is teetering on the edge of gnome hysteria!

America has supposedly gone gnome mad and then with the fab new Gnomeo and Juliet film coming out then many are prediciting a huge rush on our faithful garden ornaments. Not 100% sure I'm going to get caught up in this craze ( but then I did say I'd never wear leggings) but if I do then the gnome at the bottom of my garden will definitely be gold!
http://www.begolden.co.uk/product/Seletti_Mr_Gold_Gold_Gnome_SE08

Alexander McQueen's Skull Ring

It is always good to have the same quirky tastes as the fashion greats. Not too sure about the bumble bee eating the brain but the whole gold skull thing is a winner. You don't have to wear our skull; it will be a talking point though - wherever you decide to put it. Gold ceramic skull moneybox ornament