Fairy dolls looking for good homes...

I shall miss them...the last little gathering of hand-made fairy dolls has been added to my website today.  These are the last ones available and are looking for trees to adorn, and loving homes ~ for Christmas and forever...

www.bettyandviolet.com

Betty & Violet's next vintage production...

The Vintage Christmas Boutique at Woburn Abbey!

Gathered together with 36 other talented sellers, we will be creating a vintage winter wonderland of beautifully displayed, original vintage & antique goods and artisan wares.  We are all like-minded souls who love vintage style, many of us creating our own original designs that cannot be found on the high street.   There will be a mixture of sellers travelling from around the country and local businesses too, all selected not only for their amazing products but for their skill and creativity in setting up magical ‘pop up shops’.  

We will have an amazing array of authentic vintage and antique goods, including fashion pieces (that can be tried on before buying) linens and textiles, furniture, homewares, accessories and jewellery.  For the vintage addict who loves to make, find haberdashery, trims and ephemera ~ vintage Christmas heaven!  Designer/makers will be showcasing their original creations, including festive decorations and gifts that are made with and inspired by vintage materials.   

Betty & Violet’s Tea Salon will be serving hot and cold beverages, sandwiches, homemade cakes and fancies, all served on elegant, pretty vintage china of course!  Flowers on the tables,  silver gilt chairs and white table linen ~ hope you get the picture!  We are also delighted to have Fiona Harrison, a costume artist and vintage style singer entertaining us with music from the 1920’s ~ 50’s.

We will be running a free prize draw consisting of a vintage themed Christmas giveaway too…

The event will be a perfect girls’ vintage style day out, shopping, music, lunch and afternoon tea ~ what more could you ask for under one roof?!

The Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey is an old orangery and the building provides the most stunning backdrop; a twinkling, festive emporium for the day!

The Vintage Christmas Boutique opens at 10.00am (gate & ticket office will open at 9.30am) until 4.00pm, entrance is £5.00 on the door or £4.50 if booked in advance online via the website. 

The Sculpture Gallery

Woburn Abbey

Woburn

Bedfordshire

MK17 9WA

More information can be found at www.vintagechristmasboutique.com

I do hope that you can come!

Ali x

The winner is...

Julie at The Cloth Shed!!

You have won a copy of the October edition of Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine!  Please email me at by using the contact me link on my sidebar with your address details and I will pop the magazine in the post for you!

Happy Reading....

Ali xx

Jeanne d'Arc Living Magazine Giveaway...

I feel that I have neglected my blog and followers for a little while ~ too much going on!  So, as a little thank you to everyone for sticking with me I would like to have a little giveaway!

For a chance to win the latest edition of the Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine, simply leave a comment on my blog before midnight GMT on Sunday 28th October.

Good luck!
Ali x

Creative Customers No. 1 ~ Madeleine Lee

For a while I have had an idea of writing a little series of posts about some of the talented and creative customers that I meet (in person and online via my website).  I am always intrigued and often amazed by the wonderful businesses out there and love to know how customers use the items that they buy from me.  Many purchase trims and haberdashery to finish beautifully made fashion pieces and home accessories, some are fellow dealers buying to sell on to their own customers.  I also have a growing list of customers who buy Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine and books for inspiration and a love of the French Nordic style that I also share...

Madeleine Lee is one such customer...we have never met in person but I know that if we did we would click immediately as we have done via email.  Madeleine is Creative Director of Swedish Interior Design and a UK ambassador for Swedish fashion label Ewa I Walla.   She also writes a Swedish cooking blog!  I would love to share with you some photos of Madeleine's home and her business ~ I think it is just beautiful....

I asked Madeleine where her inspiration came from and why she started her business...here is her reply...

"My mother is Swedish and we spent our holidays in Sweden -  I have always brought the country that I love into my home.

My husband and I started Swedish Interior Design seven years ago.  It started with an 1800's antique sleigh that my father bought us for a Christmas gift that we turned into a sofa and we then decorated our Victorian apartment in Hove with antique Swedish furniture. 

Everyone who visited asked us where they could get the stunning Swedish pieces and Mora clocks , so we thought we'd give it a go as a business and Swedish Interior Design was born.  My vision was always built around creating a lifestyle - one that we live every day surrounded by beauty, art and craftsmanship.  We use our home as the showpiece for what we do and our design ideas.  Each room has a different theme - the fairy tale white bedroom, grand Gustavian living room, country folk art kitchen, Swedish grey office, country manor house hallway etc.

We also launched a specialist bespoke workshop crafting amazing one off beds, armoires, mirrors, dressing tables, server tables and much more in antique wood with special finishes. We also make beautiful rugs and runners from antique hemp linen and soft furnishings using antique lace that we collect in Sweden.

We have around 50 antique Mora clocks in stock ~ the largest selection in Europe!  We have a beautiful 2220sq ft showroom and specialist workshop in Brighton and ship to customers all over the world."

Madeleine can be found at her interiors blog, home & fashion blog and also her cooking blog (very busy lady!)

If you want to see more photos of Madeleine's beautiful home take a look at her website and blogs.  

....saving up for a Mora clock and Gustavian bench!

I am now researching Creative Customer No. 2 ~ watch this space!

Until next time,

Ali x

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