Thursday 2 December 2010

Today's the day...

For my Vintage Christmas Boutique! The roads here are clear with just the merest hint of icing sugar like snow on the rooftops, so it's business as usual!

A sneak preview ~ for more information click on the email me button or visit the blog.



Hope to see you some of you over the next 3 days and keep warm...

Ali x

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Putting it all together...

This morning I had a bit of a practise run, arranging some of the new and old items I have been collecting for my Vintage Christmas Boutique.

I love putting it all together ~ that eclectic mix of Christmas decorations, shabby roses, a vintage pair of shoes (who says they can't be used to add a bit of style to the festivities?) sparkling trees, mercury glass, a bit of old linen and lace, charming hand~made delights and not forgetting the odd candle...

No matter how hard I try, I just can't do minimal when it comes to Christmas!

Smoke is rising out of my sewing machine as I make more goodies to sell and the house is being spring cleaned in winter ~ save a few cobwebs that the duster can't reach and am hoping that visitors won't notice!

The biggest job still awaits ~ untangling the lights for the tree...

Ali x

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Love Something Vintage ~ Winner...

is.....

Denise at A Bun Can Dance. This little lovely will be winging its way to you...


Ali x

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Love Something Vintage ~ Giveaway...

It's.........high time I had a giveaway for my patient and loyal followers who somehow stay with me despite my long absences! Amazingly, I have reached a milestone of over 200 wonderful fellow bloggers and I would very much like to say 'thank you'!

I have had some gorgeous hand~painted wooden signs made for me by a very talented lady and the giveaway is for one which reads 'Love Something Vintage' pictured below. Appropriate I think for all of us...


To enter, simply leave a message on this post and a name will be drawn out of a hat on Monday 1st November, 6.00pm UK time. The giveaway is open to all, wherever you may be...

I will be taking a small selection of the painted signs with me to the Vintage Bazaar in Frome this Saturday 30th October where I have a stall ~ hope to see some of you there!


I have been brave (mad) enough to set a date for my very first open house sale in December. I have started a new little blog dedicated to the Betty & Violet 'Vintage Christmas Boutique'. All are welcome, please email for an invitation...


Ali x


Tuesday 27 July 2010

A Perfect Corner...



In my home...



















Sometimes when the whole house is in a state of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) I try to make myself feel a little better by taking control of the tiniest of spaces and making it look pretty and tidy. Often I have just one or two little pockets in the house that look like this and the rest ~ well, I just have to close my eyes and pretend that they are not there! Keeping a home neat and clean with a 4 year old whirlwind playing with toys and dress up is an ongoing battle just not worth the fight!

So here is my 'perfect little corner' in my home that I can write about ~ while I wouldn't dare go near the rest of the house with a camera at the moment!

I like to play around with the placement of all the accessories adding more as I go ~ and eventually I arrive at a complete arrangement that I like (I just can't do minimal!)


A recent purchase ~ a lovely old textile printer's woodblock, I have brushed the lightest coat of white paint across it to highlight the pattern.

This little pair of frames have had the shabby paint treatment ~ if it stands still I will paint it!

This lovely china bowl and the 'H' were bought at the Summer Cozy Fayre I talked about it my last post.

I can quite happily spend a few hours achieving this vignette which gives me such pleasure to sit next to; while upstairs on the guest bed the ironing pile grows all by itself into a veritable mountain, last night's supper dishes still balance in a tower on the kitchen worktop and just in front of these very shelves a stack of books and dvd's need to find their way home ~ amazing what a bit of photo cropping can do....!

Until next time...
Ali x


Tuesday 22 June 2010

A Cozy Summer Fayre...

I was lucky enough to be invited to have a stall at a beautiful small event held in a private garden which raises funds for a very special children's charity. Chris Myers is such a talented and generous lady and has been hosting the fayres at her home for the past ten years. The day proved to be so inspiring and I left feeling positively uplifted by the overwhelming gathering of creativity all together in one garden!

It was just like a page out of Country Living magazine, quite simply one of the most gorgeous events I have participated in ~ the sunshine did help of course, but it was the friendly atmosphere and lovely stallholders who really made the day ~ along with the nicest customers you could wish to meet!

I had to order one of these signs for my workroom ~ very appropriate...

One of my latest creations...

My stall...


Chris serving refreshments ~ divine Swedish cookies and cakes baked by her friend Geraldine who came to visit especially...

I could have brought everything home with me from this stall ~ fabulous chippy painted furniture and kitchenalia...

Beautiful hand embroidered and printed textiles from Sue...

and lots of lovely goodies from Rosablue

A wonderful day out and an absolute pleasure to be a part of it ~ sadly, for the time being there are to be no more fayres here, but watch this space as I am sure that Chris and her talented friends will be cooking up some other ideas....

In my next post, I will share with you some of the lovely things I brought home with me...

Ali x




Monday 3 May 2010

Flowers and Fairs...


A lovely, thoughtful friend gave me the most beautiful hand~tied bouquet of flowers on Friday ~ the perfect combination of soft antique coloured roses, with large blousey heads and crinkled petals. They are just right for my entrance room where I have recently placed an old painted firescreen in front of the open fireplace for the summer ~ the colours couldn't be more appropriate...

On Saturday I finally managed to get to the Vintage & Handmade Fair in Chipping Sodbury ~ my very first visit and I wasn't disappointed! I think the colours from my floral bouquet were very much in my mind, as when I got home to photograph my purchases I realised everything just went together very naturally...

Gorgeous floral fabric and glass bead fringe from Sue at Vintage to Victorian...

Along with some beautiful ribbon corsages from Clare at Daisy Darling ~ this one is in shades of pink and green and I also bought another in shades of plum & violet which has already found a new home in the guest bedroom...

A pretty padded coat hanger with lace and vintage brooch trim from Niki at Nostalgia at the Stonehouse ~ this is destined for my wardrobe door when I eventually re~decorate our bedroom ~ I just want to find a delicate 1930's satin nightgown to hang on it for display...

Some bundles of old ribbon with original paper labels ~ I can't remember the name of the stall, but it was full of wonderful small treasures. I also bought some large old linen mangle cloths from Liz at The Washerwoman ~ but very appropriately they have just been laundered and are still damp waiting to be ironed!

I could quite easily have bought everything I looked at ~ some really beautiful and unusual things, but Gorgeous Girl was with me this time and it is not so easy to concentrate with a mischievous four year old whose only interest was in the cakes! Maybe next time...

Have a lovely week everyone...

Until next time
Ali
x

Friday 23 April 2010

How Collections Grow...

They normally start with just one innocent item that somehow calls to us ~ something about it that fills a gap in our hearts and homes. Then (for me at least) an obsession starts and the need to find more of the same or similar in order to create little families of objects that all belong together grows and grows. Sometimes, collections happen quickly and others take years to gradually come together. As both a dealer and personal collector it is often hard to decide which of those precious finds to keep and which to pass on ~ but often it is equally easy to make the choice ~ and last weekend I found a treasure that is a keeper....

Edwardian silk wedding shoes ~ the bows are still perfect...

I love all that is wedding related ~ many moons ago I had my own small business styling and organising weddings and the fascination for this romantic occasion has remained. I wonder who would have worn these shoes?

So...I thought that I would put together a small display for my stall at the Vintage Fashion & Textile Fair in Bath this Sunday. Brace yourselves ~ lots of photos (might want to make a cup of coffee!)

glass diamante tiaras from the 1950's/1960's

a selection of lace trims, old flower corsages and fabrics

c. 1920's French florist's silk posy holder

lustrous ivory silk satin ribbon still on its shabby reel

one of my own handmade miniature pillows ~ an antique French silk brocade with old silk ribbon and a carved mother of pearl button

old wedding photos ~ a perfect reference for fashions of the day

handbags always feature heavily in my displays as they are one of my favourite accessories ~ both old and new!

this one is a little shabby ~ but perfect for display

a rarely found original 1930's large cake topper ~ still in its original box...

as were these 1950's wedding shoes...

...complete with their matching handbag

more shoes ~ much later dating to c.1990 ~ handmade and a collector's item for the future!

I am a button hoarder ~ my evenings are spent sewing them onto little cards for display...

My mother will be with me as usual with her wonderful collection of original vintage costume jewellery dating mostly from the 1950's & 60's ~ something blue for the bride?

handmade lavender filled hanging heart with a Swiss embroidered monogram c.1900 on vintage white linen

the perfect sentiment...

Until next time...
Ali
x