Save the date...and win tickets!

For the chance to win a pair of complimentary VIP entrance tickets (normally £5 each) to The Vintage Christmas Boutique at Woburn Abbey on Thursday 15th November, simply subscribe to my mailing list by clicking here.  All new subscribers to add their details before midnight on 31st October will be entered into a draw with the winner notified on 1st November.

Good luck and hope to see you there!

Ali x

www.vintagechristmasboutique.com

If I sit down...

I won't get up again, so I just keep going...!

This week has been a whirlwind without much time even to take a breath.  I am just about to pack the car in preparation for tomorrow's trip to Chipping Sodbury for the Vintage & Handmade Textile Fair.  This is a lovely, friendly and jolly fair brimming with vintage goodies ~ really looking forward to it.

Hope to see some of you there...

The Vintage & Handmade Textile Fair
Chipping Sodbury Town Hall
Glos  
BS37 6AD

10.00am - 4.00pm 

Ali x

On the calendar..The Vintage Bazaar

 A lovely new venue for this event at the Victoria Halls in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire.  It promises to be just as good as its established sister event in Frome ~ I'm really looking forward to it and it's not too far from home either!

I will be there with some lovely new stock ~ lots of buttons, trims and other haberdashery perfect for getting creative along with my usual array of pretty textiles, handbags, ephemera and a few sparkly bits...

I will also have the latest issue of Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine which features one of my favourite items to collect and display ~ vintage mannequins.  The home photographed for this issue is full of them!

Please do come along to the fair if you can ~ Saturday 22nd September.  Full details of the event can be found here.

Ali x

The Windsor Emporium...

I shall be attending this lovely fair for the first time this weekend on Sunday 2nd September.  Held at The Guildhall ~ a beautiful building in the centre of Windsor, it has a vintage style tea room open all day and a great variety of sellers.   

More information can be found at www.windsoremporium.co.uk.

Hope to see some of you there!

This Weekend ~ The Cotswolds Vintage Fair

Just a reminder that the 3rd annual Cotswolds Vintage Fair takes place this bank holiday weekend on Saturday 25th August.

We have grown in size this year and have a fantastic gathering of over 40 specialist sellers, kindred spirits who come together because we all love vintage.  As well as the village hall, we take advantage of the gorgeous lawn at the back overlooking the pretty Cotswold countryside with a large marquee and outdoor sellers. 

There will be lots of fabulous vintage stock and artisan made goods ~ everything from the tiniest button to larger pieces of furniture.  Homewares, kitchen & gardenalia, fashion, textiles & haberdashery, ephemera, jewellery ~ something for everyone.  We take pleasure and pride in displaying our goods and hand~made wares at our pop up shops for the day.  Expect high quality, with creative displays to inspire....

Lavinia's Tea Party will once again be creating a vintage style tea room and we shall have seating outside on the terrace (let's be optimistic about the weather!).  Home~made refreshments will be available all day.

We also have Sheunique with us who will be offering mini vintage style makeovers for hair and make up ~ don't forget your cameras!

Lots of free parking opposite the hall (thanks to the local farmer!)

The address to find us is:

Toddington Village Hall

Stow Road (B4077)

Toddington

Glos

GL54 5DU

We open at 10.00am ~ finishing at 4.00pm

Entry £2.00 (children under 16 and OAP's free)

It promises to be a great day out again ~ hope to see you there!

All the information you need can be found at www.thecotswoldsvintagefair.blogspot.com

Ali x

A unique vintage fair...

In case you hadn't quite got the message by now, I thought I would say it again ~  I love vintage...and I love Christmas....

So, a new and unique event has been created to combine these passions...

The Vintage Christmas Boutique will take place inside the stunning Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, one of the most treasured and historic privately owned country houses in England. 

 There will be over 35 carefully selected purveyors creating a vintage winter wonderland of beautiful, original goods and artisan wares including; homewares, textiles, fashion, furniture, jewellery, kitchen and gardenalia, decorative accessories and much more…

If you love vintage…and you love Christmas, this is the event to find one~off gifts that cannot be found on the high street.  There will be a vintage fashion boutique with dressing room to try on pieces before buying and ideas for unusual festive decorations for the home.   For the vintage addict who loves to make, find haberdashery, fabrics, trims & ephemera ~ vintage Christmas heaven!  A vintage style tea room will be serving home~made refreshments to complete the vintage experience. 

The Vintage Christmas Boutique takes place on Thursday 15^th November 2012 at Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire, MK17 9WA.   Opening times are 10.00 am ~ 4.00pm  (gate & ticket office will open at 9.30am).  Entry £5.00. 

The Vintage Christmas Boutique is a Betty & Violet production.  Full details of the event can be found at www.vintagechristmasboutique.com.  

I have been so quiet on the blog due to working hard to get this new event up and running and of course, putting the finishing touches to The Cotswolds Vintage Fair taking place on Saturday 25th August.  

Hope to see you some of you at an event soon!

Ali x

 

The Avington Brocante 24th May

Just a reminder that the lovely Avington Brocante takes place this Thursday!

Click here for all the details...

Ali x

A Weekend in Monaco...

I finally got something ticked off my long term 'wish list' ~ a visit to Monaco!  We had a long weekend break with some friends ~ a grown up weekend ~ the kind where you can take a neat handbag on the flight without the need for a backpack containing wipes, snacks, toys and other items to be used for bribery...

It lived up to all my expectations ~ we even stayed in a hotel on The Avenue Princess Grace.  Grace Kelly is one of my all time favourite actresses and we visited a small exhibition of some of her personal belongings including some gorgeous handbags, and clothing (sadly I wasn't allowed to take photos inside).

The buildings were beautiful ~ they reminded me of delicately iced wedding cakes with pastel coloured render and pale paintwork shutters.  I dream of having a little apartment with a front door like this one...

We didn't gamble ~ but decided to spend our money on champagne cocktails instead in the famous American Bar inside the Hotel de Paris on Casino Square ~ I was instantly transported back in time, and sat gazing at old photographs of movie stars from the 1950's sitting exactly where I was....

The whole weekend was such a departure from normal, everyday life, but sometimes it is good to escape, refresh and recharge and I feel very lucky to have even glimpsed how the other half live!  Back down to earth with a bump!

Ali x