More New Naughties

We have been out on an antiques and vintage buying spree today.  Firstly we went to Brackley Antiques Cellar in Northamptonshire.  Anne from Vintage at the Corner House and Debbie from Home Thoughts from Vintage Wants share a stand at this fantastic antiques centre (pleasingly housed beneath Waitrose..Heaven!!!).  There are an array of wonderful stands and it certainly did not disappoint.

A sweet little calender from 1948 and a vintage mirror with a thermometer underneath it.  Both came from Ann and Debbie's stand.

A yummy 1930's rag rug in beautiful original condition had to come home courtesy of Ann and Debbie.  They had a wonderful and very pretty array of vintage treasures on offer.

A pretty vintage style evening bag by Jean Martin a vintage textile artist also had to come home.  Even though it isn't strictly that old it was so beautifully made.

Two lovely Hungarian Linen grain sacks in fab condition that will be accompanying me to Manchester on the 6th of march.  They are made from lovely coarse heavy linen.

A little purchase for moi, a lovely sleepy 1930's Easter Bunny and he even has a little jingly bell inside him...sweeeeet.

Then it was a quick hop (pardon the pun) back onto the M40 and up a couple of junctions (so to speak) and off to Barn Antiques just outside of Stratford Upon Avon.  My friend Liz always has lots of lovelies on her stand and today was no exception...a beautiful shabby chic French glove box that will be staying I'm afraid.

The outside fabric and vignette is exquisite but just look at the interior...scrummy!!

This was one of my finds of the day.... an original 1920's Velvet cape with mink collar in perfect condition and even with a little embroidered vintage hankie tucked into the pocket on the inside.  It has a pink silky lining and is so pretty I couldn't resist although I don't normally do the fur thing.  It will also be coming to Manchester Antique Textile fair with me.

Also bought a lovely vintage clothes airer that is nice and sturdy to display textiles and quilts on at the fairs.

We also managed to find the usually elusive set of 'A' frame ladders with two vintage planks to display across them...perfect for cushions, quilts and eidy's at the fairs.  We have searched high and low for a set of old ladders and planks like these so you can imagine how delighted we were to find them.  As you can see we were very naughty today and I shall no doubt do penance of one kind or another for my naughtiness...but it was fun.  Hope you are all having a great and relaxing weekend.

Jo xx 

Back On Track

Apologies for the long spell in between posts, I have been suffering from 'man flu'!!  Yes, when I am ill the whole world has to know about it, I suppose that is the joys of being an ex nurse.  I think Andy was glad that he works away during the week and so my poor Mum had to suffer me wingeing and groaning all of last week.  Although I was ill we did manage to get most of my stock sorted and compiled.  Mum was a real trouper and helped me go through all of it and price what wasn't priced, and then sort it ready for the upcoming fairs.  I must admit this Winter weather is really making everyone feel miserable, I can't wait for some sunshine and the Spring flowers.  Our garden is just an awful sea of mud at the moment because of the extreme weather, five chickens escaping and five Pugs trampling everything in sight.  I have been busying myself this week with some sewing, and collecting some bits and pieces ready for the fairs.  I have booked to do some lovely fairs this year, something a little different from last year.  

I have just sent this picture to Elaine from Ted and Bunny  who is organising the second Vintage at the Village Hall way down in Dorset, and she has very kindly found me a space despite being pretty booked up.  I am really looking forward to travelling to places I haven't been before and meeting lots of new people, although knowing me I will get lost along the way.  I am also hoping to finally meet Julie from The Cloth Shed, and to get up to Newcastle and have a stand at one of her fairs she and her partner organise.  I am also doing fairs in Devon, Somerset and Gloucestershire, so I will be racing up and down the motorway in my little van.

I have just bought this rather lovely Welsh Tapestry blanket that will be accompanying me to the Antique Textile Fair in Manchester on the 6th of March.  Thank you for all of your suggestions when I did the post on whether or not I should sell my patchwork dressing gown and 20's embroidered jacket.  It was a very difficult decision to make after owning them for a number of years but I feel perhaps it is time to let someone else enjoy them.  I suppose I cannot keep everything, and I do have plenty of items that are of great sentimental value that I couldn't part with.

I will leave you with a picture of Hattie, my new 1930's Chiltern teddy.  She was already named which was very appropriate as one of our cats is called Hattie after the gorgeous Hattie Jacques who I adore, so it seemed right for her to come and live here with us...I just love her to bits.  Hope you are all well and having a good week, nearly the weekend, not long to go.

Jo xx

Vintage Advertising

A while back I purchased a wonderful collection of vintage items and ephemera from a lovely lady who was emigrating to Canada.  Amongst those items was a rather lovely old cardboard box containing a wonderful array of different vintage advertisments that she had collected over the years.  I had great fun sitting up in bed that night and pulling out the contents of the box.

The rather lovely box that I would guess pre dates the First World War.

Two very sweet childrens books that date from the early twenties, they are in lovely condition.

Vintage Marigolds!!  and love the original corn cure above it (and it is unopened).

A packet of unopened cold water dye.

More old packaging.

Wouldn't we love to buy these lovely cases at these prices, and there was 50% off!!  Mind you, they were very expensive for the time.

Beautiful coloured pictures of ladies and children in Edwardian dress.

I love these, my Mum found them in the charity shop where she helps out.  It is an original box of Edwardian dance cards complete with their original pencil.

I love the lady on the front (click the picture to enlarge).

Lists of all the dances inside the cards, the gentlemen would mark the cards so that they had the chance to dance with the lady, (I would have been one of the wall flowers no doubt and my dance card would have been empty!!).

A full box of mending cotton from Paris for stockings.

It is a wonderful collection and built up over many years.  I did promise that I would keep it all intact and probably add to it as and when I find things.  It is a fascinating record of how advertising has changed over the years.  Hope you all have a good week.  Mum is on her way up as we speak to help me list all of my stock for the forthcoming fairs!!  We are both going to be lost under a mountain of eiderdowns and quilts later.

Jo xx

To Sell or not to Sell...that is the question??

I am in rather a quandary at the moment.  One of my forthcoming fairs is the Manchester Antique textile fair on the 6th of March and although I do have some wonderful textiles to take I am trying to decide whether or not to sell a couple of my special pieces.

I have owned this beautiful crazy patchwork dressing gown for twenty odd years.  I originally bought it when I was a Student Nurse back in the 80's.  It came from an antique shop that sadly closed many years ago and I remember spending the last of my wages on it meaning I couldn't eat for the rest of the week!!

It really is beautifully made and dates to around the 1920's.  Unfortunately some of the old silks have perished but the panels that do remain are in the most beautiful and vibrant colours considering their age.  It is lined with green crepe.

I just display it on a mannequin although I have worn it (in my thinner days!!).

Herein lies the problem...can I bear to part with it now?  

This is the next one to give me a headache!  A beautiful Chinese hand embroidered jacket again dating to the 1920's.

The detail and embroidery are exquisite and must have taken hours.

It is in such fantastic condition for it's age.

The main body of the jacket is in this beautiful blue with embroidered images to die for.  I bought this again years ago when I was at University (Student Loan comes in very handy!!).  It came from a vintage clothing shop in Exeter.

I absolutely adore this jacket but unfortunately don't go anywhere special very often where I can wear it.

When I graduated I wore the jacket with this original 1920's dress that is sadly too delicate to wear now.  I am really struggling trying to decide whether I should sell these two very special pieces from my own collection....on the one hand I have enjoyed them for many years and perhaps it is time to pass them on, or should I still keep them and enjoy them??  Herein lies the quandary.... I suppose that is the problem with being a collector first and foremost.  Have a great week everyone.

Jo xx

Looking Forward To 2011

Christmas and the holidays are over at last, not that I haven't enjoyed them.  We had a lovely quiet Christmas and New Year but now I am looking forward to what 2011 holds in store for us all.  As there is much tidying up and clearing out to do I decided to go down to my little work room and have a tidy up.

I think my summerhouse could do with a lick of paint this year when the weather improves as it is looking a little shabby to say the least.

Lots of bits and bobs ready for when I begin sewing, jars to fill with vintage sewing items , covered buttons ready for cushions, and plenty of books full of inspiration.

An ever growing collection of ribbons and buttons.

A fraction of my collection of vintage quilt patches ready to be made into cushions. 

Just some of the cutter quilts I use in my creations.

Baskets galore, and yet more vintage fabric stashed in the large basket.

A sweet little French screen purchased a while ago with the intention of covering panels in antique Toile...I promise I will get round to doing it this year sometime.

My trusty pink Roberts radio, on Radio 2 of course (well I am of a certain age)

Piles of feather filled cushions and bolsters ready to be used.

More boxes of precious antique and vintage fabrics all waiting to be used.  As you can see I have had great fun sorting through all my stash and tidying things away.  I cannot wait to get started now, sewing for the fairs and hopefully a new venture (if it comes off!!)  Hope you are all feeling inspired for the new year ahead and looking forward to what vintage goodies lay in wait to be discovered by us all.

Jo xx