A Vintage Lovers Weekend

We've just had the most wonderful weekend. Managed not to spend any pennies, but found some and still have a few treats to show for my bartering skills.

On Saturday we headed to Norwich to see Glory Days open for its first day of trading. We parked at the back of an old warehouse which meant we had a lovely walk through the building having a browse at the fleamarket going on inside.

A bit further up the road we crossed the bridge over the river and then Ruth's shop was there in front of us.

The sea.side window display has Little Bun's favourite cat basking for all to see. She's made by Sasha who also sells at our Pick 'n' Mix Makers Market. I can't wait to see what she comes up with for our Christmas market.

Inside the shop everyone was enjoying the joyful atmosphere that Ruth has managed to create. Mr Bun, like me, likes stuff, so he loved looking at all the bits and bobs and could have bought a thing or two.

We headed off to Pizza Express for a late lunch and then on the way back Mr Bun picked up a £2 coin and then a bit later Little Bun handed me a £5 note she found rolled up on the floor. How odd and lucky. We spent it on sweets and grown up fizz.

Sunday was an early one as Olly landed on my chest at 5.30am. By 7.30am I was all glamed up and ready to drive up to North Norfolk with Teena for Little Vintage Lover Fair.

I was thrilled with how my stall looked and pleased that I sold one of my patchy cushions. I'll be putting the other cushions and some of my Bits & Bobs Purses into my workshop later this week.

I just had to show you this beautiful French china on another stall, isn't it pretty.

There were some wonderful stalls there as usual, with everyone having a great time. It's always good to catch up with people I haven't seen for a while and have a chat. You might have seen Julie who writes Beach Bygones blog in Homes & Antiques a couple of months ago. Such a shame that the bright sun has bleached out the view of her fabulous stall.

Inbetween the chatting, eating and selling I found a bit of time to work a few rows of the ripple blanket.

Then I was joined by T. While she stitched and I rippled we laughed about a few things from the day and agreed we'd had a good day. Might be all the bits and pieces we bartered between each other that made us feel so happy. Or was it the shandy at the pub on the way home?

A Tale of Two Fairs

Just off the beaten track in Norfolk is a hidden gem of a village called Heydon. There is the most fabulous village hall there which was built as a first world war army hut. It was the perfect setting for a vintage fair. Scrubbed wooden floors, vaulted ceilings and a small wooden stage. Yesterday we gathered there for the second Little Vintage Lover fair. What fun I had. A fabulous setting, friends came to say hello, the Bun family had a wonderful time exploring and I was beside Teena and Tracy and Craig, what more could you ask for a great day out.

Here' s Zoe, who organises Little Vintage Lover with her sister, waiting to greet all the people who came.

Fi's stall minded by her lovely daughter Flo. She makes amongst other delights the most beautiful little girls dresses.

Zoe was a lovely new face at the fair who sat opposite my stall. When I finally went to look at the gorgeous stanley with his scarf he had been sold. Gggrr. Good for my purse though.

Teena and I shared tables and our wares complimented each others really well as we were told quite often throughout the day. Luckily we are drawn to quite different era's and colours so it was like a walk from the 30's to the 70's.

Just a brief back view of Tracy and Craig in action selling their stunning vintage dresses and fabrics.

It was the most perfect day.

At the first Little Vintage Lover fair Teena and I also had our stalls next to one another. In between the selling and the cake eating we filled in the gaps with a hefty dose of chat and it was very good chat indeed. You could say we hit it off from the start really. We had both had an idea that needed someone to share it with and now we knew we had found that person. We both wanted to bring makers markets to Norfolk. Vintage fairs are starting to take off, but there is nowhere as yet to showcase original and fun design which is created out of a real passion. Now there will be. We've called our joint venture Pick 'n' Mix Makers Markets and have set the date for the first fair on Saturday 12 December.

There's been a lot going on behind the scenes to get us this far. Now we have the Pick 'n' Mix Makers Market blog all up and running, stalls are filling up and there are still quite a few jobs to get done to say the least, but there's always time for chat and play.

I'd just like to say that ...

I have a few announcements to make this week of projects I have been working on. Today I have opened Bobo Bun's Workshop which will stock a few of Bobo Bun's handmade items and vintage homeware. You can click on the link in the sidebar which will take you straight there if you wish to visit.

I have been working on my webstore, but this is taking longer than I thought it would. Might be hot and heady days of the summer holidays. So as soon as I have that up and running I will let you know.

For the rest of the week I'll be busy entertaining the Bun's and getting ready for Little Vintage Lover which is on Sunday. Fingers crossed for some proper August weather (or is that actually rain in England?).

There's still one more very exciting thing to tell you about, but that can wait a couple more days I think.

Fair on the Square

I got up at the ridiculous time of 5am on Saturday and I was incredibly glad I did as I had a wonderful day in Woodbridge, Suffolk. This is the peaceful candy coloured scene on one side of the road, at 7am, as I walked down the hill towards the Shire Hall where the Fair in the Square was being held. On the other all was busyness as everyone set up their travelling shops ready for the first customers of the day.

Here's Sarah, one of the fair's organisers, caught putting out her fabulous vintage fabric lamps.

Then looking across the square to the Shire Hall shortly before the crowds (and I mean crowds - no poetic licence here today at all) arrived.

(*)

The Shire Hall from the back looked just as fantastic decked out with it's bunting and pitches being set up.

I was really pleased with my pitch. I was the first stall on the walk into the hall. You couldn't avoid me, so all had to stop and look. Luckily for me most were also tempted and I had already made my first sale shortly before we opened for business. It wasn't just about selling though. These events never are, even though that's a pretty good reason for getting up so early. It was great meeting so many new people and bouncing ideas of each other aswell as chatting a lot (which I'm getting good at as I get older). I spied one lady with a familiar looking crochet bag. I shouted out that's an Attic 24 bag isn't it before I could stop myself. The lady was pleased, but surprised as she had only just finished making it the night before. I also made contact with shopkeepers to discuss possible wholesale of some of my handmade wares and I managed to fit in a spot of shopping before the day began.

It's not easy including this picture as I'm still kicking myself very very hard. When I showed Mr Bun he asked me what I was thinking of (in not buying these cups and saucers). I was trying to be good and not spend much, how I wish I'd said to hell with it as I normally do. They are truly beautiful.

I settled on getting dinky little condiment pots for picnics,

a tablecloth covered in tulips and some more fabric. The larger one is a fabulous double sheet which will go towards making a teepee for the buns.

The picture marked with a star above and these last ones were sent to me by Richard, another one of the team of organisers. I can't take credit for such great pictures. They really show what a fantastic bustling day it was. I'd never been to Woodbridge before, just kept on going on the A12 to London, so it was a delight to find such a lively market town. How can you not want to visit somewhere that has a windmill nestled between the houses as you drive in, lots of quirky shops, cafes, bars, antique shops and water to enjoy. Make sure you don't miss the next Fair on the Square on Saturday 26th September if you're looking for a fabulous day out. I'll post more details when I have them.

Inside my bag you will find ....

Yesterday I left you peeking inside my bag to get a hint of the car boot goodies. Well I've now unpacked it so you can see the treasures that were found.

This has to be my favourite find. I've searched high and low for one of these cloths as I have had various ideas of what I wanted to do with it if I ever found one. Thing is I don't want to waste it so I need to find out how I can copy the fabric and then I will keep some spare for more ideas.

This bowl is in many ways 'nasty' if you get my meaning - which makes it 'lovely' in another way altogether. Am I making sense I wonder. Sadly it's stained along the hairline crack at the bottom so it's holding all the satsumas at the moment.

Another tin - always tins with me. I can't resist them, but then forget what I've put in each one so it's a surprise each and every time I get the lid off. The Sweetpeas book was bought from the daughter of a very old friend who I have since lost touch with. I first met her when I was seventeen and she was the manager of a Jaeger store. She came up to me at a bus stop one day and asked if I would do catwalk modelling for them. So for the next couple of years I met other six footers and we had a very strutty fun time around our college work.

What can you say about this trio, other than it is delicious. Purple, gold and then a complete burst of flowers thrown in. The small felt purses were made by the lady's mother. At 20p I couldn't resist them.

Side view of the trio to show how amazing the shade of purple is. I bought the flowers on the way back into our village. A lady leaves them outside her house with other plants and sometimes veg. I'm eagerly awaiting the first sweet peas as they are one of my favourites. For now Mr Bun has cornfloweres which are one of his favourites, the other being Sunflowers for him.

A much better shot of Stanley and cornflowers saying bye for now as I'd better be getting a bit more work done. I have another fair on Saturday, so off I go with my crafty hands to see what I end up making.

Lovely Vintage

For me, a late night bird, doing a fair is hard work as it means getting up very very early. As usual I went to bed at 1am the night before and then my trusty bodyclock woke me up at 5am and then 6am. Oh shut up clock I thought, leave me alone I want to sleep more. I got up though and extolled the wonders of make-up to give me a more zingy, I'm really very awake now appearance. I kissed and cuddled my three sleeping beauties and then hit the road for North Norfolk and The Little Vintage Lovers Fair.

Once I'd set up shop, I wandered and took some quick shots before the crowds came in.

I thought it would be easier to show you my stall in three parts so you can get the whole look. The light wasn't great in there so some of the pictures are darker than I would like.

Moving in from the left and past my gorgeous till. The best part of having a stall is playing proper shopkeepers with a till that goes ding every time I open it to pop more money in.

On to the middle and zooming past to ....




... the start of the small table that I shared with the lady beside me.

I wonder if anyone can guess who it might be? I never quite managed to catch her in a photo, but I got this picture of her gorgeous stall. That's right, it's Teena of Kitschen Pink's stall.

It was great to meet her at last and find she loves a good natter and a bit of cake tasting as much as me. So very good company for the day. There were other fantastic stalls at Vintage Lover too. One of them I have stupidly deleted the picture of so I must mention Fi who makes vintage inspired girls and womens dresses. You can find her at http://www.madeinmangreen.co.uk/. She brought her lovely daughter with her for the day and it was a pleasure meeting both of them.

There were the most beautiful 40's and 50's dresses. Sadly I'm not the right shape or height for these, but I looked and dreamed awhile.

This lady sold the most fabulous things, including elephants she had made out of vintage wool coats. As you can see I couldn't resist, so Stripey Jumbo Peter came home with me to be cuddled By Little Bun.

And from Teena I bought this oh too cute pup for Eldest Bun. She has named her puppy Petal.

Oh of course I had to buy myself something didn't I. Well a great basket in a shape I've sought for a while now.

Always room for a few more buttons. The orangey pink ones will have to go on the cardigan I started for Little Bun about a hundred and fifty years ago. It's in a pale green/blue eggshell colour and would look great with these. I hope that's the push for me to finish it, Might have to make the sleeves a bit longer as she's grown a bit in between the start and the anticipated end date.

I had a fabulous day - met some great people, ate cake, bought some goodies, made some pennies and discussed some ideas for new projects for the future. I have to admit though it was good to get home again. As I drove along the windy coast road, that I used to spend my childhood in, I thought how wonderful Norfolk is with it's complete contrasts of scenery. As I came into our part at the bottom the scenery became calm and gentle again. Then there it was home and home's best after all.