Decadent Deco days.....

Hi Everyone,
This is just a quick update post while I try to make headway getting my new stock photographed and uploaded onto the site :-)

Firstly, thank you to everyone who came to see our stand at the NEC 'Antiques for Everyone' show last month. We had fairly good trading, but the new look of the show meant some customers couldn't find us and the majority found the new layout very confusing. A bit of a straw poll of visitors and stand holders over the duration of the show seemed to find very few in favour of it.....Feel free to add a comment about it!

The week after the Nec, I go completely 'bloop' ........ You do so much talking to everyone and standing up all day, it just wears you out emotionally and physically....

Anyway, I have had chance to re-coup because as an Anniversary treat we went up to 'The Midland' in Morecambe, the Famous Art Deco hotel featured in TV dramas like Poirot and host to lots of stars and celebrities over the years.
Up until a couple of years ago it was completely derilict and in danger of falling into the sea and being lost forever.........Then a miracle happened, Urban Splash bought it and brought it back to life, restoring the unique Art Deco architectural structure of the building and refitting the interior in a sypathetic modern boutique style.

This fabulous sweeping, circular staircase is an original feature......Wonderful for making an entrance :-)


The restaurant has beautiful panoramic views across Morecambe Bay. The gentle shades of blues, greys and beige browns of the view out to sea added to the white quality of light you get up on that part of the coast is very restful and calming......


Right.....back to the grindstone!

'Antiques for Everyone' at the Nec

All this week I have been busy making lists and trying to get organised for the 'Antiques for Everyone' show which is held at the Nec in Birmingham 16th - 19th April.

I stand the show three times a year with my lovely friend Jenny and we really look forward to seeing all our regular customers, meeting new ones and most especially showcasing all the wonderful vintage jewellery and accessory treasures we have searched high and low for.

We travel all over the UK and sometimes overseas to buy stock and each year it gets more difficult to find lovely things in really good condition at the right price. With all the cheap imports and reproductions flooding the market it is hard to find people selling good genuine vintage jewellery as it is obviously much easier to make a living buying and selling stock that you can order over the phone!

It has been a long gap since the last Antiques for Everyone in October 08 and we have both been squirreling away all our new finds in a special drawer. Every two or three pieces you buy eventually add up so, we have lots of exciting, fresh stock that is on sale for the first time at this April show.

Accessories are just as hard to find as jewellery and I think it is because unlike today, from the 1920's until the 1970's when we we became more of a consumer society, women had maybe two, or at the most, three handbags, one for everyday use, one for best and perhaps a special one that matched a particular outfit or was an evening purse. I have been lucky to get a few wonderful 'Corde' handbags in hardly used condition so I am looking forward to seeing them displayed together on the stand.

If you want more information about the show click on this link 'Antiques for Everyone'

The floorplan of the show is slightly different this year but we are in more or less the same place in the hall as before, section 2 stand W18.

Please come and say hello :-)
Carol x

P.S. Thanks to everyone who looked at or bought from the accessories sale on the website. Please note : Any orders received from the website during the week of the show will be posted week commencing 20th April.

Mad March discounts!

Just a quick post to say I have launched a special spring promotion on the website!
All the Ladies and Mens vintage accessories are now on SALE :-)

Lots of gorgeous vintage silk scarves, Tootal scarves, handbags, etc...

If you have had your eye on something, take a look, it may still be available!

Thanks for looking......

A purple patch...

Sometimes you find yourself in trend without even realising it....
Whilst the weather was really bad and we were snowed in, I started to look through all my findings and spares. I have beads, stones and pretty bits and pieces, a lot of which are genuine vintage or antique that I have have collected over the years. I have always kept any broken or damaged jewellery, as I hate to throw anything away especially if it's old and twinkly and also because I don't like to repair anything old with something bright and new, it just looks totally wrong in my eyes and makes me feel I can't sell it as authentic & original. I think I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to my vintage jewellery :-)

Saying that though, I love the idea that old findings, spares and otherwise useless broken bits can be used to make a completely new piece of jewellery or artwork. I have made things ever since I can remember and one of my new year resolutions was to try to give a little more time to craft in general, so when the snow came down I got stuck in and had a few hours faffing about making earrings, some of which have gone into my etsy shop Vintage Jewel Box and some still to be listed.....
Well and truly into a creative spell, I had recently gone out and bought some Rowan wool with the intention of reviving my crochet skills.....This hasn't quite gone to plan as I couldn't make head or brim of the hat pattern that I have, but determined not to give up completely I had a go at the flower corsage that came with it..........Yey! success :-)

As I made the earrings I put them on stands on my window sill, the corsage is sitting on there as well, alongside the amethyst crystal and my set of lilac perfume bottles......Mmmm all shades of purple......

I beavered away happily and five purple themed pairs of earrings later, I thought I had better change tack as not everyone will share my love of the colour, so I went for another favourite, black :-)

Well, french jet is a classic and if a girl can't have too many pairs of black shoes or trousers then the same must go for earrings too :-)

Although, with my most recent purchases being a purple jacket and wonderful dark purple handbag, I think for me, purple has just become the new black!

Oooh baby it's cold out there...

Well, what a week!

The weather here in the UK has been the most wintry we have had for maybe 18 years...Most of the country has been blanketed with snow which has resulted in chaos on the roads, at Airports and lost days at work and school for many people.
The children have loved it as many haven't really seen snow so it was a whole new experience for most. My eldest nephew struggled home from school on Monday with a huge snowball so he could finish making his snowman when he got home. I think he thought it would all vanish as quickly as it came so he wasn't taking any chances :-)

Even the birds seemed confused by the snow. The blackbird sat on the fence looking very downcast and those that couldn't use the bird feeder were scavenging around the bottom of it looking for the odd seed that had been thrown out. So, I put on my polkadot wellies ( I knew they were a good buy ;-) ) and cleared the table for some bread and leftovers....

Hurray for cold weather..... I love winter clothes. It is a time to enjoy all those hats, scarves, gloves and boots that we have bought :-) My much loved fake fur coat has been taken out of the box at the top of the wardrobe, so glad I didn't give it away when it hadn't been worn for three winters.
Inspired by the cold weather and all the wonderful creative talent on etsy I have bought some lovely Rowan wool and purchased a hat pattern from etsy shop crocheteria . Somehow knitting and crocheting seems more appropriate during a real winter. Mind you it is probably about 15 or more years since I did any craftwork so I may need some help!

More snow is forecast so I am going to make the most of it and snuggle down in front of my fire, a pity its only gas logs but I can pretend ;-) Drink red wine, eat comfort food like cottage pie and make frothy hot chocolate to end the evening with....I may even make a start on my hat!