We're buying and selling your history ...

Just a quick one today, my lovelies, to let you all know of an amazing pop-up shop in Ulverston ... 

Sat & Sun, 7 & 8 September

The Vintage Village Hall

@ the old Stead & Simpson's Shop

Ulverston, Cumbria

Me and Millie will be there on the Saturday with a stall brimming with vintage loveliness ... on Sunday I will be on my way to Salford, taking Harry to University, sobbing in my lace-trimmed hankie ... nooo, I must be strong!!

I helped to put the window display together last week with a lovely team of ladies, which I must add was no mean feat, as the access to the window was about 6" wide, which is why my lovely upcycled standard lamp and chair do not feature ... Everything in the window is up for grabs, the clothes, the bunting, furniture, records and beautiful, authentic vintage china and textiles.

It would be wonderful if any of you could make it, it as the Charter Festival celebrations will be underway at Ulverston, and there will be lots going on in the town ... Violet's is literally a stone's throw away, so tea and cake will also be on the agenda!

Hope to see you there ...

Love, Claire xxx

Ch-ch-ch-changes ...

It's getting to that time of year again my lovelies, the time that I always start to feel queasy about ... September and the beginning of Autumn.  I love the colours of  Autumn, and once it's in full swing, even celebrate its loveliness ... but it's this bit ... nights starting to draw in, that 'back to school' feeling, changes in the air ... they fill me with a feeling of dread and melancholy that I don't really understand.

I don't want to depress anyone, or have you all feeling sorry for me ... other people have these feelings about Christmas, and even Summer, it's just a fact of life with me, that I always feel like this towards the end of August, and then it leaves me as quickly as it arrived ... after the changes.

We had great news and celebrations last week! Harry was accepted at his first choice of University, Salford, to study Physics, so he will be starting his big adventure in the big wide world in about 3 weeks time ...

Millie has now left school and is waiting for her GCSE results, and is starting at 6th Form College also in September.

I find it so hard to believe that my two youngest are now young adults ... it doesn't seem like 5 minutes since they were playing together. More flutterings in the nest ... something that is happening all over the country at this time ...

Moving on to something completely different ... I found a bright orange, pine shelf at the car boot sale and thought the perfect place for it to go would be above our bed.  I got the Annie Sloan Old Ochre out and you can see the finished product above ...

Of course that then made our bed look shabby, so that had to be dismantled and also given the AS treatment.  Luckily it was a bright, sunny day, so I painted in the garden and it was back in situ within a couple of hours. I'm really pleased with its new look!

Lurking in my workroom was another bright orange nightmare ... a set of drawers that I though would be perfect as a bedside table ... you can see the orange of the inside in this picture ...

While waiting for the paint to dry (not long in this case) I popped onto Facebook, where a local seller had a beautiful granny square blanket for sale.  I quickly contacted her, as things like that don't hang around for long ... when I arrived at her house she turned out to be a lady I have bought from often at one of my Sunday car boot sales ...

The work that has gone into this is immense, and I can't imagine how much the wool would have cost as it has 168 squares! After a quick wash and freshen up with Lavender and Camomile Comfort, I took great pleasure in watching it dry in the sun, impatient to take it to its new home ...

I will just give you a little rundown of my bedroom makeover ... it has not been painted or decorated for 5 years, but just with a bit of tweaking and an afternoon's work, I feel that I've got a new room!

Shelf  - car boot sale - £3
Cupboard - charity shop - £7
Blanket - Facebook selling page £15
Bed - old one I already had
Paint - dregs of 2 tins lurking in cupboard

I've never been one to completely change a room - whenever I decorate I look forward to putting my old stuff back in - even when  I moved house, I visualised how the existing furniture and accessories would look in my new home.  I like it to evolve, with different things here and there, constantly changing, but forever staying the same ... Putting things in different rooms seems to give them a new lease of life too, as you see them with a new eye when they're placed in different surroundings.

I've just discovered a great site (is that what you call it?) on Instagram, for those of you who subscribe to this amazing time-guzzling social network.  Polargram (wearepolargram if you want to follow them) develop your favourite Instagram pictures ... they look like Polaroids ...and send them to you very quickly (mine arrived within 2 days).  The cost is £5 for 12, £7 for 25 and free post and packing.  I have not been sponsored by them to advertise their product, I just thought I'd like to share a great service with you.  Think I may use them as price tags on my furniture ...

That's all for now my lovelies, as I have to go to town to buy duvets, pillows, pots and pans, etc ... I'm giving Harry cookery lessons too, and lectures on 'how to eat well on a thrifty budget' ... Hettie Brown would be so proud of me ...

Have a wonderful week, won't you?

Love, Claire xxx

Yesterday ... all my troubles seemed so far away ...

I was just thinking the other day, about my love of vintage treasures.  Where did it come from?  For as long as I can remember, I've never really liked 'shiny' new things, but much preferred faded and worn things ... items with a history and a tale to tell.

When I was seven or eight years old, we moved home to the other side of town ... to a much bigger house than the one in which I was born.  My youngest brother was on the way, and our little house just wasn't big enough for a family of  six.

Our new house was Victorian, and had all the original features - high ceilings with cornicing, corbels, spindled banisters and tall, mirrored fireplaces downstairs, and cast iron ones in 3 of the 4 bedrooms. I LOVED this house then ... the smells  ... of polish and Brasso, the little scullery off the kitchen with a separate pantry that I used to play shops in (I had to wear my coat, mind), that my Dad later knocked down so that he could build a garage in its place.

One of my first memories of this house is moving-in day ... it was Easter Saturday, and we were despatched to my Godparent's house (my favourite Aunty and Uncle)  for the day. In the evening they took us home. When we entered the kitchen, there was a fire burning brightly in the grate ... I've longed for a house with a fireplace in the kitchen ever since ...

This was the late 60's and 'original features' weren't really a desired commodity when buying a house.  Lots of people, my own parents included, had the ethos 'out with the old and in with the new', and modernised with a capital M. The fireplaces were removed one by one, electric units were put in their place. Walls were stripped of any floral loveliness, replastered and papered with up-to-the-minute wallpaper, wooden and tessallated tiled floors were covered with fitted carpets which immediately cut down the draughts, but weren't as pleasing to the eye (or my eye, anyway!)

The dividing wall between the two reception rooms came thundering down and was replaced with sliding doors and shelves with Flemish glass.  I remember my Mam holding a cheese and wine party so that the neighbours could come and see her new doors ... they were oohed and aahed over and lots of them soon placed orders with the builder. They were my Mam's pride and joy, and home to her collection of Pen Delfin rabbits.

My childhood home had evolved from Victorian house with 30's decor to retro 60s paradise ... this wasn't to my taste, but my parents had grown up during the war and wanted to inject some colour and style into their new home. A lot of these houses have now undergone another transformation ... having the original features reinstated!

The look I aspire to is not only my childhood home in its original state, but also my Nana's home ... it shines brightly in my mind, and lots of things in my home now are identical twins to things that could be found at Nana's. She lived in a house not ten minutes from where I live now, the walls were all chalky white, except for the bathroom, which was powdery pink.  It was always spotlessly clean and smelled of breadmaking and polish, even though Nana smoked liked a chimney!

She had a wash house off the kitchen that housed a large copper for boiling the clothes, a dolly tub and a large iron mangle ... I'm not saying she used these on a daily basis, in fact I don't remember seeing them in use, but they were brought from her old house probably because there was somewhere to put them.  What I would give to have these now ... I can just see the mangle with a row of plant pots, beside the dolly tub full of flowers! (Keeping my bike company, of course).

On many a Sunday afternoon I'd get the bus to Nana's and spend the afternoon with her ... I'd have my tea there; tinned salmon salad with Heinz Salad Cream and home made bread, followed by tinned peaches and Carnation 'cream'.  We'd watch The Golden Shot together (Bob Monkhouse, Anne Aston and Bernie the Bolt) with a paper bag of Coconut Mushrooms or Raspberry Ruffles between us, hoping that my uncle's name had been picked out to win the money, as he was disabled and we'd sent a letter in. Happy, happy days ...

Where does your love (or hate) of vintage come from? What is the story behind the style that you have chosen?

I think I can safely say that my love of vintage takes me back to a time when life was carefree, the only worry in the world was having to learn your seven times table by Monday, and everyone who I loved was safe and well ...

Have a wonderful week, my lovelies ...

Love, Claire xxx

Oh, Island in the sun ....

Almost a year ago I took you for a walk on the wild side to the wonderful Piel Island.  To be honest, I really didn't think it was that long ago, and as it was such a grey, miserable day, I thought it was last October, but no, it was actually in August!

Yesterday ... not last year!

My lifelong friend Anne who lives in Dorset, is visiting my little town on her annual jolly to see family and friends, and  over a nice meal out the other night, mentioned that she was going on a nostalgic boat trip to Piel Island with friends, so Millie and I invited ourselves along ...

This time we were going on the Ferry, not by foot, and the day dawned wild and windy with heavy showers, but as I always say, if we waited for sunshine we'd never get anything done. Armed with our pac-a-macs and picnics, we met up on Roa Island, and while we stood around idly chatting, missed the first ferry over!

Harry, ready for action

It only takes 10 minutes or so to do the return trip, so we didn't have long to wait before we boarded.  The sea was quite choppy, so it was a boisterous journey, but the sun was shining brightly and shimmering on the waves ... a bit different from the last time I showed you the island.

 

We approached the island after being gaily thrown about for five minutes or so, and although I have said it before, I still think that Piel Island would make a great setting for an Enid Blyton feature film as it has all the essentials ... a rugged, desolate beach; dark, brooding castle, a secretive huddle of smuggler's cottages, and an old sea dog's inn, all steeped in ancient, salty history ...

Millie, hugely excited!

We disembarked without falling in the sea, and went for a quick look around the island, as it is well over 30 years since Anne last camped here, and she needed to reacquaint herself with the landmarks.  She got a bit emotional which is very unlike her, as we looked at the little cottage that is still for sale, and had a little dream about living there, and then found a sunny spot to lay the blanket on the ground.

Replete with a Tesco meal deal (I left it too late to decide whether or not to go, so there was no time to make up the usual hamper) and several Fondant Fancies, we ambled along to the pub for a swift half of shandy ...

who needs to go abroad? 

By now the sun was really blazing it's socks off, so we all rolled up our jeans, fiddled around with tee shirts to avoid tan lines and joined in with the kids playing on the sand.  These are the best kind of days, and cost practically nothing ... the children get to play together, team build, use their imagination and are out in the fresh air, communing with nature.  Much better than trawling around a gaudy theme park eating vast amounts of chemical laden 'food' while their parents apply for a further advance on their mortgage.

This unfiltered image of the beach, sea and sky, wouldn't have looked out of place in a brochure advertising select 'off-the-beaten-track' holidays in the Aegean sea ...

eeeh! It's grim up north ...

All too soon it was time to leave, and we walked around the island, passing the castle ...

following the time-worn path beside the cliffs, eroded by the vicious tide, which will one day bring down this magnificent building and take it for its own ...

and boarded the ferry tired but happy, full of plans for next year!

Definitely A Grand Day Out of the highest order!

Sale of the Century

I know I promised to tell you all about my Vintage Sale which took place last week, BUT ...  I didn't take any photos ...  I started setting up at 6.30, and it took until 9 before I was satisfied with how it looked.  I took a little breather, had some breakfast, and made myself presentable, then everyone started arriving and didn't stop until lunchtime! By then it looked a little picked through and tatty, so I didn't bother with photographic evidence.  It was a fabulous day, the sun shone, was very well supported, I sold lots of stock, made some money to contribute to buying more of said stock, and decided that I will definitely be making Fabulous Vintage Sale an annual event! Thank you all for your support and kind words.

I'd just like to say that I was completely overwhelmed with the volume of comments for my last post. Thank you so much, they mean the world to me, and I was glad to be able to share my news with you.

Have a fabulous weekend, and hope the sun shines for you

Love, Claire xxx