Last weekend Claudia joined forces with CB friend and stylist Nikki Garnett, creator of the award-winning blog Midlife Chic. The pair welcomed 36 of Nikki’s readers to an exciting 24-hour getaway in Birmingham for an evening of desert island jewellery picks, discussions of midlife reconnection and female empowerment.
Nikki and Claudia offered a closed room for a place of confidence, with stories shared remaining in the room. Two main subjects bubbled up, and covered, in particular, visiting, and asserting core values; and redefining what success means at this stage of life. With the conversation including the whole room, this was an intimate, refreshing and uplifting hour, and Claudia reported being moved, encouraged and inspired by every person she managed to chat to.
We’d like to express our huge gratitude to event organiser Elaine! Who not only co-ordinated a night away for 36 people at the beautiful Malmaison Hotel, dinner and the event itself, but also topped it with intimate guided tours of Birmingham’s fascinating Back To Backs. Thank you, Elaine for all your patience, perseverance and passion. And for sharing your beautiful city with us all. It was very special to have your insight into the history of Birmingham.
The evening event itself was a bubbling success, if the energy and chat over dinner was a guide. Pitched as a ‘fireside chat’ with Claudia and Nikki, it started with Claudia asking Nikki to share her top 4 CB designs. The ones she picked (saying it had given her sleepless nights as there were so many favourites to choose from’) were the ones that held the most meaning, gave her the most flexible style options, and which she wore day-to-night.
1. The World is Your Oyster Necklace – “This is the first piece of pearl jewellery I ever got from Claudia, this is my talisman,” says Nikki. “This was the first necklace that Claudia gave me and it was just when I was thinking about leaving an awful job before becoming self-employed and I was thinking, do I let this job go? And I did, and this necklace became my talisman. And I’ve since then bought it for so many people. I sit and rub it often too.”
2. Coco Epee Pearl Drop Earrings – “I’ve had these for ages and ages, they never fail me at all. I wore them for graduation, they’re just the most beautiful structural design. I find if I’m going away for a weekend, these are the only earrings I take, because you can dress them up and dress them down. They are Claudia’s best-ever design.”
3. Mermaid Large Graduated Pearl Hoops - “These I took a while to get to grips with them, because they felt quite extra at the time, especially for Claudia. But what I’ve found this summer, because I wear a lot of solid colours, these just look incredible with an ordinary outfit”
4. Essential Pearl Bangle – “I have this thing about bangles. I think whatever you wear on your wrist is even more useful as a talisman. Because whatever you’re doing, like sitting and typing, you’re seeing that all of the time. This bangle always makes me think of Claudia and the faith you had in me when I started blogging. You saw what I was doing and thought it had value.”
“The response to Nikki talking about our beloved the World is Your Oyster Pearl Necklace was overwhelming to me,” says Claudia.
“Hearing Nikki and also hear readers explain how they have gifted this necklace to at least 5 special women in their lives, was a timely reminder of my key purpose – connecting people through storytelling jewellery. Not only does jewellery note a moment in time, or occasion, of the gift, but it carries with it the reminder of the person who gave it to you.”
We will keep you posted about any further events so you can share in this special time.