~Photos from York Festival of Vintage~

Good job all the stalls at York's Festival of Vintage were tucked inside the race stands as it was a very wet weekend.  I did feel sorry for the owners of the vintage cars outside, who probably didn't get the attention they deserved, because of the rain.
I had a lovely day out with friends old and new, including meeting up with Sally from Poppycock blog (and Bob the bunny, of course.) Here are some photos of the stalls...


I so very nearly bought this pink wool blanket on the left (£12)



Bob The Bunny admires the vintage fabric on Sago Designs stall...
(You can now make your own Bob with one of Sally's lovely kits - see here)



Lovely Jubilee display by Living by Liz - I loved this stall.
Some people get it just right don't they?

This pretty stall had lots to look at too...

including vintage cosmetics, labels and packaging...

Vintage fashion show


There was a good mix of homewares, vintage clothing, reworked vintage, vintage inspired crafts, as well as bands, dancing and the excellent nostalgic collectors hall where it was a pleasure to meet Mrs Day, who is a member of a 1940s living history group called UK Homefront http://www.ukhomefront.co.uk/.  We had a nostalgic sniff of the carbolic soap and she let us in on some vintage and thrifty household cleaning tips.
I also bought some trimmings and buttons from the lovely Cool Crafting stall who had come all the way from Cumbria.  Have a look at their lovely website and blog http://www.coolcrafting.co.uk/
My last purchase was a spontaneous splurge on a gorgeous 1950s dress, which I am just carefully washing and pressing, so I'll share that next time...

~Simple Pleasures - Weekend bunny make~

I got this lovely book by Sarah Moore for my birthday back in February.

 Gorgeous photos, gorgeous layout and design - just my kind of book. Country Living are serialising some of the projects from the book; so despite missing the Easter Bunny deadline, I thought I'd have a go at the lavender bunny (p.111) which is shown on the front cover, using scraps and trimmings I already had.
Bunny's front is made from some pale pink fluffy wool fabric...

...with a vintage wool tweed reverse, complete with a pom-pom tail...

I especially enjoyed making the carrot from leftover linen scraps...

...and a tote bag to keep it in!
And every bunny needs a comfy place to sleep...

Not sure with who or to where she is destined to go - she may go to Rivers Meet 'A Market in May' with me when I have a stall at the craft cafe in Methley, near Castleford in May.
Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend, despite the rain!

~York Festival of Vintage weekend~

Image from http://www.festivalofvintage.co.uk/

It's nearly time for the Festival of Vintage!

I started blogging last May, just after this event and can't believe I now have 92 lovely followers and so many friendly and supportive folks 'out there'.  It's been a revelation to discover that I'm not actually that eccentric; there are lots of us vintage-lovers trying to live prettier, floral, simpler (and cheaper) lives. Thankyou all very much!
I had the most amazing day at this vintage fair last year, and am about to buy advance tickets for this year's event at York Racecourse Sat 28th and Sun 29th April. 

"Get dressed up in favourite vintage attire and step back in time to revel in the glamour and allure of the magical golden era as Festival of Vintage celebrates the sights and the sounds of the 1930’s through to the 1960’s. Visitors can enjoy a full festival of activity featuring Music, Dance, Fashion & Home & More for a true 20th century vintage experience. "

Read more about it here.  If any of you fellow Yorkshire (or nearby!) vintage-addicted bloggers would like to meet up in York, please do get in touch.

~Mirror, mirror on the wall...~

Mirror, mirror on the wall

I would like to own you all

Charity shop, car boot or vintage fair

I cannot bear to leave you there!

Mirrors (along with cashmere cardigans, cups and saucers, utility crockery, vintage linens, fabrics and chairs...) are one of the things I search for at boot sales, charity shops and vintage fairs.  Some of my recent thrifted and vintage finds have been mirrors.  I always marvel how they survive being discarded/thrown out and buy them to bounce the light around my little house! Here are some of my favourite mirrors...

Last week's charity shop find - an old bevelled mirror with chain for £3.  I've hung it in my sewing room.

This 1960s circular mirror has a cream melamine or formica frame.  Very, very heavy! Given to me by my brother S a couple of years ago.

The mirror in my kitchen was a dated orange pine colour before it was painted in F&B New White and rubbed down...

Another recent charity shop find for £4.  This bevelled mirror has a solid wooden back. Just waiting for the OH to hang it above the fireplace!

My favourite is this vintage triple mirror bought at Ilkley Vintage Bazaar last year.  I coveted it for a while at a couple of fairs before I bought it for £25.

Adorned with a string of floral fairy lights - from Yorkshire based company www.lights4fun.co.uk 

...And finally, when you run out of wall space, you can put them in the garden!

Though I reserve this fate for damaged or woodworm-y examples! If they have woodworm I remove the wooden backs, and they are perfectly okay outdoors -they've survived intact outside all Winter.
What's top of your thrifting list? Are you a mirror-addict too?

~Caravan News!~

We've just returned from a sunshine and showery few days in my Mum's caravan at Skipsea, near Hornsea.  We're replete with both fresh air and Yorkshire coast Fish & Chips - eaten both in Sullivan's restaurant on the prom in Hornsea...


...and outside in the rain in Bridlington harbour!
Exciting news is that we went and had a look at some tourers at Yorkshire Coast Caravans in Carnaby.
We found this 4 berth caravan, a Lunar Chateau- a little gem and very smart considering it's 11 years old...

It will be known from now on as 'Chateau H' ...
...Sunny yellow curtains and blue and yellow upholstery - just crying out for a bit of bunting, some polka dots and comfy blankets!
Many thanks for all your recent comments - we are still struggling with the PC.  Hope you are all well and I hope to have a bloggy catch-up this weekend x

~The Queen in York~

Thanks to Grace, Sally, katie, Anne carly and jan for your lovely Welcome Back comments! I have really missed writing my blog and reading others.
Today we took the train into York (10 minutes from a nearby village) to see the Queen; who was attending York Minster as it's Maundy Thursday. Compared to yesterday's freezing temperature, rain and strong winds, Spring thankfully had returned today and York welcomed the Queen in all it's sunny Yorkshire glory! (I'm still a bit giddy I have to say).
We walked up to the Minster about 12.30pm, just as the service was ending, and took a place amongst the crowds near the Dean Court Hotel...

The sun was so warm it was a pleasure to be outside.  The Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Beatrice passed by on their way to lunch at The Mansion House...

We had a clear view, though the photos aren't great.

Me, L and J bumped into friend J, her son H and his friend F.

Then we walked to the Museum gardens buying a sandwich en route - in the sandwich shop a freelance journalist was editing his pictures and tape whilst scoffing a panini, so we had a little look at all his fantastic footage whilst we were queueing. The Queen was due to visit the Yorkshire Museum York 1212 exhibition at 2.30pm and we got a good sunny spot amongst a friendly crowd. 



Front of the Yorkshire Museum

 

Archbishop of York John Sentamu, and a glimpse of the Queen in a turquoise hat (left)



Then we had a lovely view of the Queen!



A once in a lifetime experience for us to see the

 Queen in Diamond Jubilee Year. 





~Time for Tea - March event~

So sorry for my prolonged absence - virus and problems with the PC, the screen took to switching itself off until it finally went *kaput* today.  We have no pennies to replace it sadly, it's an ancient 8 years in PC land, so OH has frugally rigged up a TV as a new display screen.
 Hope everyone is well - it will take me some time to catch up with my favourite blogs; but thankfully it's the Easter hols! Spring cleaning and sorting out cupboards and wardrobes beckons...
My tea event last weekend (24th March) went very well, 8 guests attended, 7 ladies and 1 gent, including some lovely ladies met via Twitter, Clandestine Cake Club and Blogland (you know who you are - thankyou for the lovely company!)
The menu had an Easter and Spring theme...

Welcome drinks - Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, Orange & Ginger Cordial (Country Cordials, Hovingham)

Sandwiches - Fountain's Gold cheese with Caramelised Onion & Rhubarb Chutney (Bracken Hill Fine Foods, York)

Jo's Special Cucumber sandwiches

Savouries - Homemade spicy sausage rolls

Cakes - Lemon Layer Cake with homemade lemon curd

and passion fruit cream

Fruit scones, clotted cream & homemade red berry jam

Chocolate macaroons

Mini simnel cakes

Unlimited tea and coffee  



Mini-Simnel cakes - with 5 balls of marzipan as I couldn't fit 11 on!



Amaretti Chocolate macaroons



All that was left of the lemon layer cake decorated with crystallised primroses

 I am now having a break in my tea events until September when it will be an informal gathering for Macmillan fundraising - date to follow if you'd like to attend.
I have lots of exciting things to share over the next week, including swapping my car for a bigger engine/diesel model that - yay!- is able, and hopefully will very soon, be towing a caravan!Hurrah! Lots of vintage finds too to share, and some projects I have managed to get finished!