Another Busy (Vintage) Week!

 Last week was another busy one! A very good friend came to stay and we enjoyed our annual catch-up combined with a few days of Vintage and Charity Shopping!

 We chanced upon this delightful shop in the town of Minehead. It is called Sally's Vintage Chic

 The shop has a lovely fresh and sunny feel to it - as you can see by these photographs.

Next stop was Newark, and a hectic 2 days sharing the Marquee with Michele, Alan and Maud.

Thank you to all the bloggers and smiling customers who came to see us. It was a good fair despite the indifferent weather.

I just wish that the weather had been a little kinder at The Cotswolds Vintage fair on Saturday...

Dark and threatening clouds, followed by heavy rain showers interspersed with sunshine was the order of the day.

- But that didn't stop the crowds arriving on the dot of 10 am to shop!

 Here are just a few images of the 40 stands at this fabulous event.... Above is Niki's stand , piled high with temptation.

This colourful stand really caught my eye. It was beautifully arranged and goes by the name of 

Velvet Eccentric Interiors

Above is All Things Vintage and Beautiful and below is Hesta Nesta

Sorry that I don't have links for everyone, if you see your stand here, please let me know and I will happily add a link to your website or blog.
Despite the weather we had a good day and met some super new customers. Do put the date in your diary for 2013 as this Fair is one that you shouldn't miss!

French Leave

Good morning blog world! We have just returned from another jaunt across the channel in search of French treasures. We got home with a very full Camionnette as we were over there for a full week.

On our travels we visited some familiar haunts and had time to explore new places too. We met some lovely sellers, many with a story to tell about the items they were selling. One lady told me that her maman had worn the ice skates I had in my hand whilst Ice Skating on the Champs-Elysees in the 1940's. As far as I was aware the Champs-Elysees is a road, maybe a lake or pond alongside the road was frozen. My French wasn't up to extracting the fine detail so early in the morning!

We have a lot to learn in the way of manners from the French. even at the most ordinary of Vide Greniers (Car Boot Sale) one is expected to greet the stall holder and ask the price in the most customary way.

Very little English is spoken in most of the places we visit so a smile goes a long way and breaks down the barriers.

Once the transaction is complete it is usual to wish the stall holder a good day, and they will reciprocate.

I am ashamed to say that I sometimes overhear a few English voices, usually talking loudly in some misguided way to make themselves understood. To hear them haggling aggressively over a Euro doesn't make me proud. ( I very rarely haggle in France, if the price isn't right I leave it). Pricing tends to be straightforward, for example 5 euros, 10 euros, 15 etc. If you haggle it involves awkward numbers such as 4, 9 or 14. The stall holders rarely have any sort of float or available change so the whole transaction turns into a nightmare with everyone turning out pockets to find an elusive euro!

Something about my appearance and perhaps the style of clothing, means that I am usually mistaken for being French. My patchwork coat causes a lot of interest and comment, last weekend one lady stopped her conversation and chased after me wanting to know where I purchased such an unusual garment! It is now known as the “coat of many comments”.

What better start to a week of hunting than a walk along the beach and a nose around a crumbling château? This one had the added bonus of holding an Antiques fair over the weekend. I have rarely seen such a mouthwatering collection of stalls... beautiful carved religious figures with crumbling paint, ancient stone cherubs, faded tapestries, iridescent enamel boxes and old painted domed trunks. All way beyond my price range, but wonderful to see.

This stall was set out in front of the fireplace, above was this amazing painted ceiling.

A lot of the château has only just been restored and has been left in a wonderful “pared-down” and crumbling distressed state. Below is the staircase and the door way from the courtyard.

I love the contrast of the cool interior to the scorching sunlit garden seen through an ancient shuttered window.

Throughout the building there were intriguing features and objects of interest. The combination of part museum and part Antiques Fair made it a fascinating place.

As usual I have managed to find a very eclectic mix of French goodies....

..from an early 20^th century black satin Opera coat with pale pink rose coloured silk lining and a beautiful old lace blouse with crystal buttons that belonged to “ma tante” (another story from an enthusiastic stall holder), a red 1940's jacket with moth damage, but perfect for customising or reworking to create something fresh and new.

…....to a colourful collection of toys, games and printing blocks dating from the 1950s.

The collection of toys was intriguing as amongst it was a little notebook written in French and English. It was most interesting as the explanations were written in English. You would expect them to be be written in French unless the author was English? Another unsolved mystery!

These items will be coming with us to the long list of fairs over the next few months. I have a full list on the side bar of the blog, and if you click on the image it will take you to the website or blog for more details.

...PS I also bought some gorgeous French workwear..as seen here......

and here....

Three in a Row!

The British summer has been particularly challenging this year, and anyone who has planned an outdoor event will certainly agree that this Summer has been the worst in living memory!

After our busy day in Frome at The Vintage Bazaar, we bravely set off the next morning under threatening skies to a Country House in North Devon. After unloading and wrestling with a gazebo (kindly lent by the organisers) we were ready for business and I had a few moments to spare to take some photos of the stalls.

I am glad I took the opportunity as once the fair opened it was non-stop all day, and the rain held off and the sun came out. The guy selling ice creams next to us sold out and went home happy.

The next event organised by the lovely Country House team will be on September 23^rd in Dunster, sadly we are unable to make that date as we are in Hampshire the day before at The Vintage Bazaar at Hartley Wintney. However, we are able to make it to Arlington Court on Sunday 4^th November and South Molton on the 8^th and 9^th of December.

Next stop was another event with a Country House backdrop, this time in Somerset. Talent for Textiles choose some pretty locations for their events and this was no exception!

This time we had to take our own gazebo, and so bravely set up (once again under ominous skies)

The stand looked good, and after a wander around the gardens, we started a jolly morning of selling. Smiling and enthusiastic customers swarmed around the stall and made complimentary comments about our textiles and other French fripperies.

Sadly, luck was not our side this time and the heavens opened just after lunch. We sheltered for an hour under the inadequate gazebo, desperately trying to protect fabric covered boxes and other delicate items from the downpour, it was not a pretty sight!

The forecast had said there was a chance of showers, but the non-stop deluge did not look as if it was going away, so we had to pack up the soggy mess in order to drive to Sussex for our next fair...

After a night in a motel, we were up early again and ready to set up at The Village Vintage Fair in Cuckfield.

Fortunately our stand was in the marquee, so the woefully inadequate gazebo was not required.

Here is a view of the VAST marquee during setting up time.

Once again, I had time to drift around the stands, do a little shopping (came home with that large rosey box!) The weather was threatening and there were heavy showers throughout the day, this did not dampen any spirits nor did it put off the crowds of customers!

There were some fab stands inside the marquee and outside. I met some lovely people, many of which greeted me with the words “Are you the Washerwoman?” - Please check out this great blog which combines thought-provoking and thrifty ideas. Above is part of Nice day at Rosies pretty stand.

After another day of trading, it was time to pack up la Camionette Bleue and head for home. Fortunately the next day, we woke up to the rare sight of sunshine. This was the scene in our garden, everything put out to dry for the whole day. Most of the stock survived the soaking, with only a few casualties which was nothing short of a miracle.

Next stop Homespun fair in Portscatho, where we will be inside the hall... so expect a heatwave!

Milestones Vintage Fair

 Now is the time to catch up with sharing a few of the many super fairs I have attended over the past few weeks. Sunday the 24th of June was another early start in order to drive to Basingstoke for the Vintage event at Milestones Museum. I knew a little about the museum, but just couldn't image what it would be like inside the enormous hanger where it is housed. Above is the view that greeted us.. the entrance foyer looks over the rooftops of what appears to be a small town!

 What bliss to set up the stand in the "street" with no fear of wind or rain....... Sally had placed us outside the Hardware shop. I cannot think why she thought we would be in the perfect place!!

 Sorry if some of the photos are a little gloomy, it was lit in an authentic way which really made for a great atmosphere.

 Trade was brisk throughout the morning. This glamorous customer agreed to have her photograph taken whilst trying on my hats.....

 Above is the view towards the Victorian and Edwardian area, below is the other end of the museum.. 1930's land!

 There was plenty going on all day, these guys singing barbershop were fantastic. There was music and dancing throughout the day.

This is one of the exhibits which always causes a laugh. In a small courtyard area there is a door which you can open... to reveal this chap!!!

 These gals were constantly changing their look through the day......

Lastly, my favourite shop! If you get the chance to visit the museum it is great fun, and there are lots of informative features suitable for young and old!

Fame at last!

Thank you to The Vintage Bothy for first informing me of this! What an amazing surprise to be listed in "The 50 Best Blogs" in BBC Homes and Antiques magazine. I was away selling at a Vintage fair when the August copy arrived, so had no idea that I had been featured! I have been incredibly busy "on the road" in La Camionette bleue.

I plan to share our adventures on the road in the next few weeks!