At the risk of sounding like a smug old cow I really do have one of the best jobs in the world.
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| Wearing: Vintage 1970s tee (vintage stall @ Glasto 2014), skinny jeans (charity shop), camo Birkenstocks (eBay, 2001) |
The endless pile of washing, mending & ironing, the hours spent travelling up and down the motorway, lugging huge bags of clothes around and the almost constant pitching & dismantling of tents. Having to smile and nod at people taking advantage of having a captive audience by telling you that they used to have one of those, proceeding to reel off every item they once owned and sent to the charity shop.
Its a small price to pay when you get to spend the weekend working in places like this, the magnificent Tudor mansion that is Speke Hall.
No wonder Alex loves her job, too. She works there.
Not only did we have to pleasure of camping in the grounds all weekend,
and having the entire estate almost to ourselves,
but we only had one day of rain (which wasn't too heavy and had all but gone by 3pm).
We got to spend time with our mates Steve, Lyndsey and Dexter from Boomerang Retro,
ate al fresco,
& went on long evening walks through the grounds and along the banks of the River Mersey,
...and got to tour Speke Hall.
Did I mention the classic car display?
Where's Kinky's pitch? Only the bastard massive one!
Inside there's a vintage rug, a me-made patchwork lampshade & yards of bunting, some strategically arranged mirrors, 1970s throws adorning the changing room walls along with a vast array of stock. No wonder poor Gilbert was groaning by the time we reached Liverpool on Friday afternoon!
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| Wearing: Vintage 1970s maxi (eBay, 2004) |
A weekend spent in fabulous surroundings with great company & plenty of sunshine and the icing on the cake? We sold loads! The friendly folk of Liverpool really do love their vintage.
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| Wearing: Car-booted Janis Joplin tee shirt I remade into a boob tube (tutorial HERE) , vintage 70s floral maxi skirt (jumble sale) and a ton of silver jewellery |
Which means that after popping into town to bank the takings it was straight back to washing, mending and ironing our vintage stock in readiness for trading at IndieTracks this coming weekend.
See you soon!
it is indeed a beautiful life. lived to the fullest! you are gorgeous my dear. x
ReplyDeleteYou know I don't know how you stick it. ;-P
ReplyDeleteI'm positively green with jealousy, what an amazing weekend. x
Every inch of you screams happiness, dear vicky! agh, and a trabant car from the former ddr has been displayed, too ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, actually, I dove to agree quite a bit about robert plant. the sep songs were a bid too much tuned down for my taste too but I really liked the new stuff. xx
That maxi dress is gorgeous! Yep, my least favorite part of outdoor selling is the tent set-up! Aaand the slow days when people stroll your booth for a long while touching and loving everything then walking away with nothing ;) Speke hall looks incredible! You're truly lucky to set up somewhere so gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!!! That tudor home, no friggin way, I want to paint in pink and move in! What a gorgeous place for a vintage fair and car show! The pitch looks like a den of delicious delights and Alex is a doll I want her dress!!!!!!! I am so happy you guys sold loads, lord knows you brought killer stuff! I so wish I could go with you to these to help to shop to just hang out! Your friends look like they are fine dining, what a blast!
ReplyDeleteYou look beautiful despite all that smiling and chatting and Jon is as cool as they come.
I LOVE YOU!
what beautiful surroundings. You guys sure know how to pitch a tent.
ReplyDeleteMuch nicer than everything all over the place and a dressing room, with mirrors!
You do have a wonderful job and are living your life that way you want and that is fabulous :)
ReplyDeleteHi my dear!! You and Jon are leading the perfect lives for yourselves and earning too, what's not to love?? Good for you both and may it long continue!! xxxx
ReplyDeleteIt's good to love what you do, especially if you spend a lot of time doing it! You know better than anyone the horrors of hating your job, so how fantastic that you made the changes necessary to live a happier life! Hard work, for sure, I don't envy you all the lifting and lugging and tent pitching, but you and Jon are A Dream Team and make it look easy! As always, Kinky Melon's pitch is a treat, you think of lots of touches which add flair and comfort for your customers. And I am drooling over that yellow maxi at the front of the rail!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic venue for a vintage fair and car rally, Speke Hall looks amazing. Loving the maxi dress, nice to see Alex, and it's good that you're having a (short) break in the sunshine before the next one - phew!
Love ya! xxxx
Speke Hall, wow! Imagine living there! Lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing people say how much they love their job, too many people hate theirs but do nothing about it, to make life better.
You both look fab and always stylish.
So glad you had a good time in Liverpool xx
You are a hard working couple !
ReplyDeleteLove that big old house... such a beaty .
Xxx
Fabulous! You and him, and that estate - wowza!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Beautiful settings, lovely customers and great atmosphere make up for all the hard work ... even the ironing! M x
ReplyDeleteI'm exhausted just reading all of that! It sounds like fun though and doing what you love to make a living is so much nicer than slogging away at work that makes you miserable. I'm glad you sold tons! Have a good rest and some sunshine before the next one!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Love you and your snugness!
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely place :-)
ReplyDeleteThe best things in the world - a job you love and your best friend as a mate. You both look happy and so successful in the true meaning of the word. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThe best things in the world - a job you love and your best friend as a mate. You both look happy and so successful in the true meaning of the word. xoxo
ReplyDeleteJust looking at your stacks of clothing lined up makes me salivate.
ReplyDeleteHow brilliant that you are able to have the shows at such unique places.
This is the life of a vintage gypsy. And it suits you to a tee.
bisous
Suzanne
I will try again. I just posted a comment on one of your others posts but I think it disappeared. Fingers crossed. What a beautiful location to be pitching your tent and selling your wares. I have a question though about the rug I have a green one exactly the same, and I have a fair (outdoors) coming up in September. I've bern thinking about using my green one like you have. But I was wondering if you've got anything else under the rug to protect it, I'm assuming not but just wanting to check as mine is more blanket/throw weight.
ReplyDeleteYou work hard & thus deserve the labour of love benefits, Vix(yo Liverpool:)! X
ReplyDeleteBonito sitio!!
ReplyDeleteSaludos
I just enjoy traveling with you and seeing all the cool places in the comfort of my couch. :) Congratulations on your wonderful successful weekend! You do make it sound like great fun! Both you and Alex have FANTASTIC dresses. The Hall is amazing, it reminded me of one of a very similar Tudor buildings in one of many (and I do mean many) British shows I watched - Bramall Hall. With love xxxxx
ReplyDeletewhat a great venue!!!! Wow, amazing grounds, I can see why you bring so much stock because sure as anything someone would ask for the very item you left at home, best bring as much as you can, one of my favorite song sings of the Mersey River!!
ReplyDeleteThis post sounds so happy. When you said you were going to be at Speke Hall I was hoping to pop down and say hello but I don't drive and would have to have dragged the mister and 2 very hot and bored kids with me. I'm sad I couldn't now. I think Alex invited me to a vintage fair at Speke Hall once and I was gutted not to be able to make it then. I will keep an eye out for the next one. I love Speke Hall and am so jealous that you got to camp in the grounds. I hope the people of Liverpool treated you well xxx
ReplyDeleteIt is a rare thing to be able to make a living doing what you love,(and looking fab while you're doing it by the way). That's what I call happiness! :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE LOVE LOVE your attitude. I love your canopy/tent displays. Would you ever consider doing a blog post on how you make your canopy COME to life. I work with vendors and see so many just set up a table with their wares and not think out of the box with creativity such as yourself.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely idyllic! At a quick glance I thought you were at Wightwick Manor near Wolverhampton. Speke looks beautiful, and what gorgeous grounds too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great location, but I know you guys do work for it, how fantastic to work around your passion though. You look great today, not too tired at all. V xxx
ReplyDeleteYes you have the best job ever but it's lot of work!
ReplyDeleteI have less than 5 years on the fecking workplace, i can't wait to stop for good! I read in the previous post that you use soda crystal, i wonder if i can find it here -
That Tudor mansion is amazing! How lucky you are!
But you deserve every bit of it!
Arianexo
Whoa!! That looks like such a perfect job you got! *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine the excitement of living it all! <3
What a beautiful place , love the chase lounge , and the floral maxi skirt , you can tell you really love your job , happy trading again for the weekend xxx
ReplyDeleteThere are not many people who can say they love their work, your love of it shows in the way you care for all of those treasures you find, restore and offer them to other like minded people. I am continually blown away by the amount of stock you find and it's all in such good nick. Speke Hall looks fab, I don't think I've even been to that one. I always loved visiting the grand stately homes, such a big part of our history. xx
ReplyDeleteYou don't sound smug at all, just really happy with your lot, which means you are doing the perfect job for you. I find that very inspiring. Speke Hall is sublime! There are some Spekes down our way in Somerset, my ex-mother in law always used to go for sherry with them at Christmas and come back quite giddy. Wonder if there is any connection. It's an unusual name. Anyway, I digress. Your weekend looks and sounds wonderful. Fancy you being the biggest tent on the block. Kinky is on the UP! So glad you are doing so well.I always love that little dress you are wearing, but i also love your remade T and gorgeous skirt. Here's to a summer of al fresco dining and catching up with friends. xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful surroundings this weekend and you got to meet the beautiful Alex in the flesh! xxx
ReplyDeleteYou do have an extremely cool way to make a living - but you two work your behinds off!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an amazing life! Of course an amazing life doesn't just happen, you have to make it happen and I think you have done great to live your life in a way that you love and that makes you happy. The stall looks great, love that you even have carpet.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! What a place to camp out at! You really do have the best job in the world Vix!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place! Have you seen the movie Impromptu? One of my favorite all time flicks and you've more than likely enjoyed it too. But this place, the grounds, the interior, etc...remind me so much of that movie.
ReplyDeleteGood job having the biggest bastard tent of all. Makes you easy to spot. Not that you don't stand out gorgeously already. Heck, just hang a foot or arm out and they'll come running.
We have Liverpool on our bucket list along the the Isle of Man.
You met Alex!!!!! glad you had such a cool time!!! You might enjoy it, but you certainly work hard!!!! Great stall and glad you sold well. x
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic place. Your lifestyle sounds so chilled out! Love it!
ReplyDeleteDear lovely Vix (and elegant in white slacks Jon), even a quick review of your blog posts over the years will reveal you've both invested not only hard labor but also excellent purchasing and marketing strategies into growing a livelihood that supports living well.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the juicy fruits of your labor -- and thanks for sharing!
That gorgeous Alex! Thought she'd dropped off the blogersphere! Love her frock.
ReplyDeleteO, yeah, all the work IS worth it when you get to pitch yer wares in the most amazing places! We were just dribbling over Antiques Roadshow, agreeing that the best thing about the show is the amazing venues!!!! Ah, England, my Lionheart, EVERYTHING is stunning, including the birds!Phwoar!
Love Helga xxxXXXxxx
What a fabulous place, you worked very hard but there certainly are some great perks.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a lovely time! It's so good to be able to do something you love.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a cow, you are one of those holy ones.
ReplyDeletePassion for the work we do is priceless. Hi to Alex. Love that dress!
I want to be you when I grow up! You guys give it your all and it shows and I'm sure your customers appreciate it. What a wonderful partnership you and Jon have!
ReplyDeleteYou truly live life to the fullest, and inspire along the way. Your colorful maxi dress and skirt have me enthralled (as usual). Congratulations on a successful weekend, and looking forward to your IndieTracks gig.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing place, and sounds like you had fun AND made a little money...hurray!!! Your stock looks phenomenal and I'm not surprised they snapped it up. You are the perfect inspiration, too. XXOO
ReplyDeletespeke hall is sooooo beautiful!
ReplyDeleteyou´r right - working in that environment is a gift. and as i said before, your stall is trés chic!
great that the kinky melon is blooming!!!!
xxxxx
Nice work indeed, love and you two are naturals. I bet the Liverpudlians went Kinky mental.Worth all the grafting when a stall looks as splendid as yours.
ReplyDeleteSpeke Hall is beautiful and what fab surroundings for work! I'm looking out over a carpark...but enough of me...you look gorgeous and happy and not a bit smug.
Loves yer bits.
xxxxxxx
What a lucky ducky you are! I think I would still love to do your job even with the English weather. I might pop on a few more layers cause I'm much more a fan of the heat. And Tudor houses! How spesh. I think one of my favourite periods in history!
ReplyDeleteI've always thought that you two had a dream-job, but I'd never considered all the not-so-good aspects that would inevitably go along with what you do. Naturally, you deal with those bits in your usual friendy and kind manor.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that the weekend went well. Your pitch looks stunning, as does the place. What a treat to see it through your photos.
And I love Alex's dress!
Well as they say it's a hard life … but someone's got to do it … may as well be you :0)
ReplyDeletexx
I love how the joy radiates from all you do! Your Kinky Melon display is absolutely gorgeous, as are you, as is this instalment of the Ongoing Adventures! xoxo
ReplyDeleteHow absolutely superb! What a great weekend for it too...
ReplyDeleteYou have every right to sound (and be!) smug about your life, Vix :-) it's a fabulous one!
What a beautiful place: the Tudor house, all the greenery. You are lucky to be on the move so often and to be able to see so many different places and different people. And the main thing is that you really love what you do.
ReplyDeleteYou are both snug, and smug ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing weekend - a gorgeous location, the company of like-minded folks, and selling lots! You've done such a great job with your portable shop - no wonder you get so many customers (and you have the coolest staff, of course...)
You have indeed chosen the perfect job and lifestyle to accompany it. Speke Hall is utterly fabulous, thanks for the tour!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous place to stay, I love Tudor houses and as a child I spent many weekends at classic car shows in grounds similar to that of Speke Hall. Glad you had a good weekend of trading too, those maxi dresses on the rail look amazing. x
ReplyDeleteSpeke Hall is gorgeous, I've only been once though! sorry I missed you but from now on I don't work Sunday, or any day actually, I'm free now!! yaya! I'm chuffed you sold loads and got to spend your time camping on site, how fecking brilliant! smug? I would be too!! you are gorgeous btw, I love your dress and bastard massive hair flower! x x x
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a glorious weekend. Although you both work bloody hard, you have every right to be smug about having one of the best jobs in the world. Xx
ReplyDeleteHi Vix, I really enjoyed these photos. Speke Hall is amazing and gorgeous, so r the grounds. Your pitch is so cozy and organized. I wouldn't want to visit another..just saying. You look great in your "boob tube". You and Jon are really living the dream!! :-)
ReplyDeleteWow - this does look like such a magical place! How wonderful to spend time here. I also love how happy you look with life in these photos, especially the very last one where you are mending xoxo
ReplyDeleteWhat's not to love here, vintage fair, old cars and a stonking gorgeous Tudor mansion. You can see all over your face that you do something that you love, unlike me....(but I'm trapped by the fab salary and the thought of being mortgage free in a couple of years) Hope the sun shines for you again this weekend. xxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteI'm so, so glad you all had fun here (and that you sold lots)! It was absolutely lovely to finally meet you.
ReplyDeleteps - hope it's ok if I borrow the pic of us two? I was so busy all weekend that I barely got my camera out!
Looks like a lovely wekeend. I went to the Speke vintage fair last year and it was fab! Super glad that you got to meet Alex :)
ReplyDeletelooks bloody amazing!
ReplyDeletedear lady, you sell so wonderful clothes and stuff, than I would be immediately hypnotized by so much fabulousness and pretty arrangement!, your stall looks so appealing!
ReplyDeleteobviously, you look gorgeous and love particularly that blue and purple maxi you made using a curtain, magnificent!!
And love your pictures, love that atmosphere, the trains and old cars, the really nice people, everything sounds delightful!
(it's third time I try to comment, I'm hating my computer!
besos