I'm practically crying with laughter here. You'd want to see about 50% of the Victorian houses / tenements in Glasgow. Everything was going fine until they opened Ikea out Clydebank way. Now you can't move for all the Swedish minimalism. Doesn't always work so well here either - there's something in the Scots' psyche that attracts us to clutter. The more-is-more school of decorating...

I'm visiting a friend this afternoon who lives in a Georgian farmhouse on a fairly remote hill farm. Complete with Ikea kitchen. The drawing room looks like page 39 of the catalogue and the bedrooms (all 8 of them) have all sorts of Ikea oddments. Has to be seen to be believed, it's so bad it's fantastic. I think (hope) he was having a little ironic moment when he decorated.

I should say that I quite like Ikea things, but living in a Victorian house has restricted me to buying storage boxes, wine glasses and some cutesy stuff for the baby. 

Ah2bqat, I'm sorry - I'm guilty of threadjacking at the best of times, but I've got carried away here!
Back to your lovely emeralds.

Jen

LOL!

Call me Jean or Jeannie, Mikla, ah2bqat is too long. 

But no, I haven't.  I honestly don't care about the provenance.  One is from my stepson and DH, the other from my Mum.  That is real enough for me.   However, Dad confirmed long ago that they bought it at the store at the mine; and I was with the boys when they bought the little 3stone from J-'s.  The third is just a silly piece, but it came from USAA, so I'd assume all its stones to be of adequate quality.  I'm more into the sentiment than the investment, altho I'm a bit stickier about diamonds. 

   Don't let me stop you, darlin'!  I'm always interested in what you have to say, not to mention how you say it.

Give me puns or give me death! - that was Limrick  Henry, wasn't it?