Vintage Fair

Anna from ark designs by anna and I had another vintage craft event on Sunday - it went really well even though it was so hot.

I sold the lovely Meakin coffee pot (picture on another post) to the lovely Lucy from Lucy Loves Fabric. She has some fab fabrics on her site and I may have to spend some money very soon as the prices are sooo good to. The Amy Butler fabrics are particularly gorgeous.

I found my Sindy

So I went into the loft and below is a badly taken photo of my Sindy in her fab 1970s mac and hat. I think she was my second Sindy as the first one went to Sindy heaven after a bad hair experience! Shame, as this one is a bit more modern and was trying to catch up with Barbies ample developments. I was probably a bit too old to be getting a Sindy as well!
The mad thing that I also found whilst in the loft was my 'treasures' box. Now what we might call treasures these days was very different to when we were younger. I will post tomorrow some further treasure revelations but my first treasure is the Sindy food that my Mum made me one Christmas. This was before Fimo and she used an air dry clay called Daz and then hand painted them all. Now that is a mothers love.







Claire at home. X

Claire Coles and Sindy

I have always loved Claire Coles and her gorgeous vintage wallpaper design and manipulation but I am so excited about the opening picture on her web page as it has Sindy furniture on it!!! Its the same set as I had growing up in the 1970's.
Who else remembers the wonderful plumb Sindy who was so much nicer that skinny big chested Barbie - where did Sindy go???? Bring her back!!! When I get home I am off to the loft to dig out my Sindy Dolls (yes I still have them and some cracking outsfits but sadly no furniture) and I will post some pics later.

At the dentists

So here I am again getting the brace managed! Forgot my tooth brush which is a bit depressing as I will have mucky teeth ugh!
Got out of work early though which is always nice!
Also getting to look through the Plumo catalogue which I do love (although it is a little expensive). There is a pair of mushroom loose trousers that I would like but they might look a bit washed out on me. www.plumo.com




Claire out and about.

Location:Essex St,St Albans,United Kingdom

Bedtime

So it's been a very busy day what with the fair and when I got home I went straight out into the garden to finish the vegtable seed planting. We have put in two new veg beds in our small plot.




This is the after shot and this is grumpy Jim while we were trying to do the garden last Tuesday.




Only four more weeks at work now till I am off to my new job with a relaxing week inbetween!

Claire at home x

St Albans flea and craft Market

So Anna and I are sitting behind our stall feeling very happy that we have made some sales today and still over half hour to go! Here are some pics from the day.



Anna on the stall!






Claire out and about.

Location:A1081,St Albans,United Kingdom

Vintage Market and food inspiration

I am launching the first outing of Pearl & Rose at the weekend at the St Albans Flea & Craft Market. I will post lots of pictures next week.

Just had to mention as well the exhibition at the Imperial War Museum that I want to try to get to as soon as I can. The Ministry of Food exhibition has some great posters running with it and I am after this one.

New Jobs

Well its been a while since I posted and spring is here. I have a new Job which I start in about 6 weeks. But first on the agenda is a Vintage Fair in St Albans in three weeks time. I am doing it with my lovely friend Anna and you can see her gorgeous stuff on her blog. Here is some of Anna's lovely work.

Spring is on its way - PLEASE

I found these gorgeous striped fabrics that really made me wish for spring to arrive fully. I think a blind in one of these in the kitchen would be amazing with a pom pom fringe. Gorgeous. Pop over to deckchairstripes.com

Hidden Eloise I am sure is not the first

I have just found the lovely artwork of Hidden Eloise but it seems that a studio who supplies Paperchase with artworks found her designs some time ago. But this is not the first or the last case of very close reproduction of an art work. Design studios work at such a fast and high pressured pace that the designers turn to resources such as the internet and individual creatives. Big Blue Chip customers may also just give the studio reference and ask for the design to be "parallel developed".

Most of the time the designer has no way of commenting but thanks to new technology Hidden Eloise has created a fire storm on twitter and is now in the Metro, The Independant and has Channel Four news asking questions and I am sure that is just the beginning. Paperchase has been updating its internet site with comments all day. Its great that the individual designer has been able to exert some power - but I am sure this will not be the last case of 'replication' of a designers work.

Granny Chic

I am in love with Emma Lambs work and the fantastic Granny Chic of her crochet. I have been inspired especially as last month for my birthday I got a book on crochet to brush up my skills. When I am feeling fully well I will get making.
Check Emma out on her blog or at her Etsy store.

Cute new online shop

Well I am in recovery at home after a spell in hospital - hence a delay in posts. But I must be feeling better as I have started have a good look around at things to buy again - well things to dream of buying if I wasn't being made redundant!!! This is a new online shop that I found today - very cute things - lots of retro items so check it out - Happy Loves Rosie

Top Draw Spring 2010

I was at Top Draw for the day last week and although quiet this year it still was packed with fantastic designers and products. Two stood out Hannah Turner and her fantastic ceramics. I will be dropping heavy hints for a valentines gift of one of her lovely cats.





I also loved the cards and prints by Little Brown Rabbit (who is also a fab friend and blogger). Gorgeous cards and lovely to see her at her first Top Draw. You can follow her blog here.

Saving money doesn't mean you can't dream!

So redundancy doesn't mean you stop dreaming of buying nice things and I keep returning to the website of Niki Jones. I love the cushions especially. Is £50 too much to cheer yourself up when you need to save, save, save?!!

Sanna Annukka

Ok so I am copying a post from print and pattern but oh my I love this website. I really really want to buy a print from Sanna Annukka. They are so gorgeous and remind me of the wallpaper I had in my room in the 1970's. So if I win the lottery on Saturday its mine for a the small fee of £230.

Syroco

I am slightly obsessed with Syroco and I have finally bought myself a piece from the US on etsy.

Syroco was founded in 1890 as Syracuse Ornamental Company, the brainchild of Adolph M. Holstein, who died in 1938 at age 79, hailed as a civic leader and industrialist. Initially the company produced ornamental carvings for the embellishment of coffins (nice) and furniture as well as the interiors of fashionable homes. I am hoping this gorgeous piece will make my home more retro rather than fashionable - haven't told the husband yet though!

Art and Ghosts

I adore this artists work and am pondering which print to buy with my birthday cash. I also love the fact that the artist states that "Up until the age of seven, Art&Ghosts rather fancied that she was actually a small sycamore tree instead of real person. Upon discovering that this was not so, Art&Ghosts could not be consoled". How sweet is that!

Make the New Year

I can't believe I made a promise to myself to get blogging again, started a new blog and then haven't done anything. Thats terrible. So here we go New Year, New resolution. First post of 2010.
So I have been making which is good and I intend to really get going and get Pearl and Rose off the ground this year. Selling found vintage items, handmade pieces with new and recycled materials and new things with a vintage feel.
I also want to use this blog as a kind of resource for inspiration for all of you who love reusing and creating.
First thing I have made this year was for a birthday gift but I really found it hard to part with him. I think I will have to make some more.



So here is to a busy 2010 and lots more posting
cx