Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts

It's all in the details...

A weekend Craft Fair in a very grand National Trust House - Canons Ashby, Northants.
Sooo pretty and so old! A perfect setting. Don't get me wrong though, it is still local to me and has the same feel as smaller events. It was predominantly "crafts" and the people were almost all locals. This was the backdrop to my stall, from Friday eve through to Sunday later afternoon... i know! WoW! An 'oh so very old' stone fireplace.
And i could try to photgraph the whole stall... but by doing that, i miss out the details. So craft fans, it's all in the details:
My cards at the front of the stall in a giant teacup - help yourself to my contact details and a chocolate (especially for bored little hands with faces at table height)

Baskets arranged all around my sparkling mirror Christmas Tree. Each basket stuffed with felt decorations. I did a mix and match discount thingy....

Giant bells all tumbled into a glass trifle dish. I think the dish was thrifted locally some years back. It has never seen a trifle in my house but is often used for fruit, sweets, or bells!

Mini bells interspersed with the felt decorations....

All the "Gingerbread Life" collection a sweet little basket - i think that was from my local Vintage / Antiques Bargain cellar - all priced so customers can see straight away without having to ask.
Yet another vintage item. An old wooden Apple crate - this was great to hold purses and craft packs all in an orderly fashion. Hanging the button embellished purses over the edge, just to catch your eye.

My faithful old shop dummy bust. fantastic to give height and interest to the display. Things are easier at eye level and customers can handle to brooches without worrying about delicate displays.

The overall effect - it is hard to give you a general impression but i hope i did okay? This was a whole long weekend so it was worth making a real effort with the display. Under the tables i had all my boxes to hand to replenish sold stock. Also, behind here, i had a small table with my till and my bags and pen / paper so i could keep organised.
I hope to show you a few other stalls too (when i get the photos edited) just to show you i do go round (and shop) and other stalls and i'm not completely self obsessed!
p.s. *waves* to my 'stalker' lady and her mum who travelled over from Wolverton!! i was touched and so pleased to see you :) thanks for coming all that way x
also *waves* to stranger man who made me blush by telling me he reads my blog - thanks!
and *wave* to anyone from my Fairs who has found their way to my blog. You peeps make it all seem worth while.
K x

j'adore vintage....

Life might just be complete.... Sunday morning spent at a Vintage Fashion Fair, followed by a perfect italian Cappucino... *sigh* (of course, having MrsB with me would have been the cherry on top *sends you kisses*) I was on a mission - i had a list of items i was looking for, but.... at the same time, you need to enter these places with an open mind, a creative heart and a wallet full of cash. THAT perfcet item *might* be in there and one must be prepared.
Open doors at the Northampton University (not a pretty place) but OH the treasures inside!! I was shocked that it was so 'not' busy in there - fantastic for me, i hate fighting elbows through the rails of clothes.

Bird entrance stamp... now i really want a wrist tattoo. I never thought about having one before, but having it sat there made me yearn for a full-time wrist birdie x

Rails of wonder - so much to see. I did have the ManFish and SmallFish with me, which brings it's own rewards (man carrying bags) and difficulties (SmallFish is a slippery one) and joys.... look at her in that hat! Everyone falling in love with her....
SmallFish actually has a really good eye for the vintage. Not a fan of shopping generally, the vintage markets and local carboots really suit her energentic personality. She had £5 to spend and managed to come home with 4 pieces of jewelery and a lovely fan. Results all round.

I could go through and list EVERY item i wanted from this leather stall. But i like to *think* i know when to stop. The case right at the front of that table... i wanted it so bad but i did not need it. For £45 it was a stunning bargain but too small to be of real use. And, don't get me started about the delicious little handbag sat on the back window...
I did buy a suitcase - it was a huge one! for £18 - i thought it was such value, i didn't even barter on the price. See me in my BEST purchase **THAT DRESS** aaahhhh, i changed into it there and then at the fair. 100%Cotton, full skirt, belted waist, calf length, stand up collar - H A P P Y -
Price...? £6...... yes, £6. I would have paid so much more.

ManFish bought me the above red / white / blue apron style skirt with the cutest pockets (i'm wearing it today)....
And we left the fair as a team of happy shoppers....

"the ones that got away".... the topdress below was super cute BUT these are the battles you have with vintage and secondhand. The stall holder tried to start the bidding too high. I think she thought i 'had money'. I later stood next to her as she offered a similar item to a customer at HALF the price she quoted me - bad luck lady, you do yourself out of sales by being cheeky. I loved it but i am holding the back tighter as it was quite loose fitting. SO, it didn't make it home with me today...
and.... THIS was so close. From the same naughty stall as the dress above... it is really The One that 'got away'. i should have bought it BUT again, it needed some work and i couldn't see how i was going to alter it without ruining it entirely. Ah well, you win some - you lose some. There will be other dresses / other fairs....

These are the shoes and bag that i bought at this very same fair back in March - the shy glimpse of a petticoat below my new dress... a petticoat was on my list of 'things to buy today'. It was perfect in every way and some foolish man sold it to me for £1 ... why? i would have paid so much more!

Then into my favourite DOLPHIN CAFE on the route home. A coffee and a sandwich x

I can understand if you're not a vintage fan. No other person in my family 'gets' vintage. They think i am mad. Maybe. But i know a good thing when i see it.
j'adore vintage. It makes me happy x

Inside Out Days...

If you are a UK blog reader - you will KNOW how I'm feeling...
Sunshine!?*!
There are 2 major lovely things that can happen during our rare days of sunshine...
#1 My house goes Inside Out:

#2 White dresses are suddenly appropriate, where as when it's raining....
they look ridiculous ...why is that?? Happy Sunshine my darling friends x x x

Queen for a day...

What real commentary do these photos need?
You require only one vital piece of information...
I shopped today at a FANTASTIC vintage clothes Fayre (Northampton University) Mary Jane beauties £8
Leather bag to die, and live for! £20 (i call her 'envy', she is the envy of my sister who missed this treasure and IF i had missed it too, i would have 'envied' the new owner in a painful way)
Please also note cute little orange resin ring on my pinky £3 (thanks sis for that photo!)

The dress 'furthest' away is a Cath Kidston i might wear to a birthday lunch this weekend. I am worried it is a bit casual though. The middle is a navy print 60's dress from todays spree. The nearest is a negligee type dress in anticipation of a warmer Summer - again, found today.
I confess, there was more, but these were hurried x
The Fish Family. A fragmented and unusual family where sightings as a 'group/trio' are rare...

Ahhh Birthday-ness!

I want to say THANKYOU for all my birthday merriments and salutations. I am never usually one to 'make a fuss' but it all turned out so pretty!
I had a pile of lovely gifts - don't worry, i won't show you them all.... but very Colourful and Cookery and Cath and Cute...
Mmmmm - Gift Tokens!
Aaaahhh - shopping! Me and the YoungFish under my NEW owl teatowels x PAPERCHASE (on my list of 3 High Street weakness')
Wearing the Tea-towels.... !
Tea and cake at Station Yard Antiques Barn in Chipping Norton. Look at all that lovely crockery!! I was in heaven but ManFish struggled to get his heavy hands around the tea-cup handle (i love him for trying though)

MMMMmm bargain pearl necklace we bought from Past Times for £5

I had my hair cut which is always a nice birthday feeling. My hairdresser doesn't think it looks too red though............. ?! i beg to differ (been trying to cut all that red out)




Blue Wrap Dress has birthday significance as I am wearing it today but it was a thrift find on my birthday travels.
AND - look.... a present to ME from LauraFallulah too! She is a total sweetheart and i adore it!
See you in August my lovely x


Birthday Blogging x

Rainbow...

My little girl said to me today "you look like a rainbow Mummy" - could she have known that is one of the nicest compliments i have ever been given??
It was SO cold and foggy out today, colour was a must... Out with 'The Girls' today: My mum, myself and my little ToddleFish (achingly cute today)
VIA the Post Office, though not my usual PO .... and UGH!! - the postmistress was SO VERY RUDE to me, i came out and wanted to cry. I hate that someone can do that to me!? I want to complain, how dare she?
P.S Above bag with Post Office parcels handmade by ABI x

'The Rainbow Look' ToddleFish referred to was a bit colourful i guess but i felt i had been quite reserved, given that today NEEDED colour adding to it in every way....

The first felt heart brooch i ever made! and i still wear it to death....


FatFace boots (oh YUMx) and i confess to owning tights in.....ummmm, many colours (ahem)


My PRETTIEST hair clip from SARA EDEN (click me and buy one - i love the internet)

And after a shaky start to the day - i walked into the CATH KIDSTON DISCOUNT STORE.... shall i repeat that for the hard of hearing and the insanely envious???? Yes i live near a Cath Kidston Discount store - don't hate me for it!
It has been newly expanded, and... next time i go in, I am taking photos!! You'll die it is so gorgeous. I wanted to throw out every person inside and move in to it immediately.
Obviously the above fabrics are not the only things i purchased (Kirsty rubs hands greedily in a Fagin sort of way)
And then i realised that Cath Kidston also understands colour - VERY well x and she would agree with the need, on most days, to dress 'like a rainbow' XXXXXX

NEW dress x handmade of course...

Not handmade by me but by Abi: Abi has an etsy shop but really her PROPER shop is the best!
There is nothing in Abi's shop but that is because i think her real shop is what it is all about for Abi. It is an Aladdins cave of gorgeous textiles and reconstructed clothes and original patterns and amazing ideas.
Excuse the one-woman fashion show but no photo did this dress real justice...

Look at this cute lining...


I love the pleats...


I adore the back, like a pinafore type design...


Heavy wool fabric in PINK with Aqua wool stitch detail, oh i love it x


And i have been wearing it with my grey tights and green shoes and stripey cardigan....
You could not find this in the High Street. It is why handmade is so amazing and important.
It isn't that i *must* look different and great! It is just that i want to look like 'me'. I want to look how i feel and High Street rarely gives me that feeling that i look like 'me' x
P.s. The Fishmarket in Northampton, UK - "Kismet": If you live locally, go see her.....






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