Friday 7 November 2014

Living For The Weekend



Before the weekend starts I thought I'd post a few photos from our last one. If you follow my Facebook page you'll have seen them already, so feel free to scroll past - but do stop to admire my new boots on the way.

I'm wearing a 1970s Prova maxi dress from Sarah Misfit, current Topshop canvas platforms (£3.99, Acorns Hospice Shop), 1930s Liberty of London silk scarf (Walsall flea market) and Jon's wearing Liberty of London embossed shirt, Diesel Red waistcoat, Tootal kipper tie, skinnied-up vintage trousers (All charity shopped)

On Saturday we set the alarm for 4.45am and drove down to Bath where we were trading with Judy's Affordable Vintage at the magnificent Neoclassical Guildhall, built in 1775. The location was amazing & the sales brilliant, although lugging 25 sacks of clothes and four dress rails up & back down three flights of stairs did very nearly kill the pair of us. Its times like these when I'm truly grateful for my prosthetic hip, the single part of my body incapable of feeling pain.


I got to see darling Emma for the second time in a fortnight and to meet her ace mum who did a brilliant job encouraging the buyers . For a woman who isn't into vintage she was a blinkin' natural. I also got to meet the lovely Ceri and her daughter along with dear Elizabeth, her sister Sarah and their Mum. 

Johnny Boom Boy is wearing: 1970s safari jacket, Vintage Tootal scarf, skinnied-up trousers, Original 70s DMs, tooled leather belt (all bought second-hand)

We got back home just after 8.30pm, downed a couple of rum and cokes & collapsed into bed. We needed our sleep, the following morning meant a welcome return to Moseley's fantastic Retro & Vintage Fair, which is always busy.


We shared our regular position on the stage with our mates Lyndsey & Steve of Boomerang Retro

Wearing: Vintage 1960s John Marks psychedelic velvet coat dress, Mongolian lamb boa, suedette platforms and a 1960s velvet choker

The following morning, after unpacking the van, paying the takings into the bank and doing a quick lap of the town centre chazzas, we spent the rest of the day in Wetherspoons. Monday afternoon is the new Saturday night, don't you know?

Our pitch at Moseley Vintage & Retro Fair

The rest of this week has been spent in the usual way, hunting for fresh stock, followed by the inevitable washing, repairing & pricing in readiness for the next event. You won't find a button missing, a dodgy hook and eye, wonky hem or inefficient zip on our rails. Its a shame high street shoppers aren't as discerning as most vintage buyers or certain chain stores peddling poor quality, badly finished clothing would have died out years ago.


Wearing: Me-made mini shift (using a 1967 Butterick teen pattern), vintage white leather boots, 1960s turquoise leather trench (courtesy of Sarah Jane), 1960s pendant (from dear Em), 1960s Vogue umbrella & nylon gloves (car boot sale) 


  
Its not all hard slog though. I did manage to whip myself up a frock. Emma Kate sent me a fabulous parcel containing these white vintage boots, a 1970s dress-making pattern, two amazing pieces of fabric and the coolest chopping board ever. I couldn't rest until I'd made up this 1960s psychedelic wool material into something worthy. Do send her your virtual kind thoughts, Freddie, one of her beautiful cats had a nasty accident this week. 


We'll be doing another double this weekend:


Hmmmmm.......I wonder if anyone I know will be popping along?

See you soon!

57 comments:

  1. Fab! You two don't half work your bits off and I'm not surprised that you have such good sales. You have something for everyone, the choice is spot on and yes.... not a nasty knackered zip, wobbly hem or bit missing in sight. I love my dress to bits.
    Mum says hi and has now asked that she come to anymore fairs I go to within reach and did Jon buy that jacket he was trying on because he looked the business?
    I do hope you do meet up with some delicious, vintage loving ladies of our mutual acquaintance and you can all have a group hug.
    Love the boots. Cannot beat white boots and the new dress is gorgeous.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Loves yer bits.
    xxxxxx

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  2. Moi! Me! I'll be there! Wonder if anyone else will be?! I have to send you a pic with a very similar one to that fab me- made wonder you've just created. You have the most amazing selection of fab boots. I love that trusty wench dress in the first picture. You always look great in it. Monday afternoons in the pub, how very civilised! Always lovely to see our Em, and her mum sounds so much fun. Hasta manana!! Xxxxxxx

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  3. What fab boots! I think you'd like my red boots :) I love your dress and have fun at the fairs this weekend (I've never been to a vintage fair before) xxx

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  4. Crikey you aren't half busy aren't you?

    Those boots look fab with your newly whipped up dress. How you look so fresh-faced with all the travelling and lugging boxes about is beyond me!

    www.mancunianvintage.com

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  5. Golly...so much goodness in one post! That mini dress with the white boots is utter perfection. I adore it from head to toe. Xx

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  6. Fabulous boots! Love the new dress and the blue and green combo and outfit. Would love to go to one of your markets - one day! Xo

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  7. Aha. At last you and Jon have experienced a setting worthy of your efforts and your ware: ye Guild Hall! Wherever your business takes you, Vix, your smile lights up the room -- who needs chandeliers?!

    The greens and blues of the mini mit umbrella ensemble are pure happy energy in your garden. And those white boots fit you perfectly!

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  8. Maxi or mini, you look gorgeous!! And love your white boots, they're the funkier boots i've ever seen!!
    Your new mini is cute&cool and love that fabulous color combo!! Your blue coat and green gloves really rock!!
    Besos & nice weekend

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  9. Wish I lived near enough to pay you a visit. Your 'me-made' shift is divine! x

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  11. I absolutely LOVE that leather jacket on you.

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  12. Your new boots are fab, and I love the outfit you teamed them with. Bloody gorgeous! xx

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  13. Adore the boots - dresses as well - but the boots are bootilicious!

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  14. Cool new boots! They look great both with mini and with maxi.

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  15. Hardest working couple in the vintage business, that's you and Jon! But you know, I bet all the effort pays off - great stock at decent prices, clean and mended and ready to wear, well displayed, with beaming vintage-clad sellers, how could you fail?
    Those boots from Emma Kate are wonderful, and you turned the fabric into the grooviest of minis. All the frocks you wear to work demonstrate your real love of vintage, both of you always look the business. I love that pic of you with Nana Mouskouri - I mean Em. She's a diamond!

    You never know who might be popping across to Nottingham to fondle your wares, darling... Ha, course you do, me and Tania are so looking forward to seeing you! Get the thermals on and I'll see you there!
    Love you! xxx

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  16. Your shop looks so colourful it beats any high street shop for individuality, you look fabulous as usual xxx

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  17. Love that pic of you and Em, you look so happy!

    I swear Jon looks more and more dapper every time I see him. And I love your new dress!

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  18. You are some busy bees!

    So happy to hear the sales were good.

    I am in love with those go go boots!

    Wishing you continued great sales this weekend.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  19. Adore those boots! You and Jon look marvelous together, and I hope you have a kick-ass weekend. xox

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  20. You two have been busy, but both looking as cool as ever all the while. I so love your turquoise coat and how you've paired it with the bright green. And your new-to-you boots are excellent.

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  21. Hats off to you both for all your hard slog... and for always looking so glam :-)
    Hope the Vintage Fair goes well...

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  22. You've gone green with the cold, and your feet have turned white from poor circulation! Poor baby.
    Oh, sorry, I just put my glasses on! It's clothing! Well that's alright then;-)
    Gorgeous boa, and Jon is rocking his look!
    You are such a cool looking couple. I would be over to your stall like a shot! What weekend are you coming to Canberra? I'll pop it in my diary:-D
    xo JJ

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  23. I love the white boots. Dammit every time you wear your blue coat I regret getting rid of mine *sigh*

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  24. you look lovely in that green and turquoise combo, gosh thats pretty together, you have been soooo busy, wow, lots of hard word that you and your fella obviously thrive on,

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  25. I'm in love with that frock at the top of the post, such a divine print. New boots.... a girl can never have enough and these are groooovy. Good luck tomorrow but put some more clothes on, girl! Those bare arms are giving me goosepimples. xxx

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  26. Those boots oh my have they been waiting for you their whole life! I'm in love with that first dress and the last one you made. and that baby blue leather, you are so easy on the eyes. You and Jon bust your ass and it shows. I think your stock speaks volumes about you two as people I only wish I could shop your stuff this weekend. Jon's boom boxes look killer! Good luck this weekend!
    Love youxxxxxxxxxx

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  27. i´m very impressed my dear!
    bright white killer boots & trés chic home sewn dress in a very cool colored outfit! and is it possible that john marks has some meters of that psycho velvet still lying around? ;-) yum.
    and you and the boom boy look fabulous in that beautiful guild hall - despite stairs and sacks and all! you really deserved that afternoon in wetherspoons!
    xxxxxxxx

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  28. On a bloody miserable Friday afternoon it is a joy to see your colourful rails at Moseley. And that wonderful velvet coatdress - wowsers!
    Have a great time at Karinas' Fair. Give her a big hug from me.
    Z xx

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  29. I absolutely adore how your gloves perfectly match your tights!! Those boots are marvelous - I would be afraid to wear white boots because I'm such a slob and I would ruin them in a nano-second. You and J are awesome!

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  30. Wehey! I LOVE what you did with the fabric, the dress is perfect with the boots. You look like a go go dancer.
    Have a wonderful weekend selling. I get to pick up my fat boy later and plan on cuddling him all weekend. xxx

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  31. Extremely busy but it also looks like lots of fun! Those boots rock - and go especially nicely with that new dress you whipped up. Cheers!

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  32. The blue and green outfit is very lovley! When I see photos of the clothes you sell at vintage fairs I'm always sad because I don't live in england :( I would probably buy half of it :)!

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  33. Hoping you and Jon have a fabulous trading weekend - I especially envy you a day in Nottingham, love that city. Kudos to the pair of you for doing something you really enjoy (and that totally shows) as your 'job.'

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  34. Look fab as ever, gorgeous green dress. Forgot to Check out Jon's boom box when I saw you in Bath.
    What prices do they start?

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  35. Such a hard working (please don't kill yourselves), fun & fabulous couple, you and Jon! You look gorgeous in every single outfit! Love the green and red maxi dress, and the super chic white boots and your fab brolly! Sending all the best wishes to your friend and her cat. Have a fantastic weekend, dear! xxxxx

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  36. i said it before, i'll say it again, i bloody love that dress. Sounds like you two are working super hard at the mo (although mondays in the pub sounds like a good compensation) - i hope there's a nice long goa trip in the offing as a chance for a bit of r &r and reward for all these labours ?

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  37. Always love reading about your life of work damn hard/play hard too, The fact that you treat work and play in rather similar ways and approach each looking always stupendous is just an added bonus for your fans.

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  38. I love the colours of your clothes - very vibrant.

    Lizzie's Daily Blog

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  39. Love your boots - they look like really good soft leather. I like your turquoise outfit too, beautiful outfit and the boots really bring it together. Betty

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  40. Fecking hell, it's just go, go, GO! But in the BEST possible way whilst looking TOTALLY magnificent!!!! You two are STARS!
    Love Helga XXX

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  41. Those white go go boots are just the best!!! And that dress fabric is perfect! :)

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  42. What a weekend! Sounds like it was hard work, but fun, and you had the most wonderful wardrobe throughout. Those white boots are pretty special, love them! I really hope to catch you next time you're in Bath, as that's reasonable travelling distance for me and I have friends there so can always kill a few birds as it were. P x

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  43. Ohh these are some of my favourite outfits on you. You really look amazing in the dark pink and black colouring of the first two dresses. I love the colours and the pattern in the shift you made too!! And how amazing are those boots? WOW.

    No surprise at all that you stand for quality. I'm glad you have customers who appreciate your hard work and skill.
    xoxo

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  44. That first dress just might be the most fantastic look I have EVER seen you in!!!!!!! Honestly.

    I totally admire your work ethic & instinct for quality, pattern, and fashion.

    You two are crazy busy. I wish you every success and personal happiness, you beautiful thing, you!

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  45. Your weekend schedule sounds exhausting but at least you love what you do. Xx

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  46. Those are some WONDERFUL boots and I love your new frock too! I love seeing how passionate you are about your business, its so awesome. Also I couldn't agree more about the quality of clothes in chain stores, sometimes I go in on a lunch time break and I am shocked at the quality. I guess its like when you go out for dinner, you always feel disappointed if you know you could have made a meal that was just as good or better at home. I don't consider myself to be a particularly good seamstress, so I have it in my mind stores will sell stuff that's of higher quality then I can make - but that pretty much never happens!

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  47. Your umbrella and white boots are THE BEST!! I your friend's froggy cardigan too!!

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  48. Hi Vix, You and John look great! I love your boots too! Your blog always puts me in a good mood. You're a hard worker and definitely live your life to the fullest, love you!;-)

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  49. Hi Vix, You and John look great! I love your boots too. Your blog always puts me in a good mood. You are such a hard worker and live your life to the fullest, love you! ;-)

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  50. So much to love in this post! The new boots are killer and the Prova maxi and the velvet coat dress gave me shivers. So good! What a busy weekend but it sounds like an awful lot of fun too.

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  51. So lovely to meet you and hope you have recovered fromcarrying everything up to the Guildhall!I love the new frock that fabric is amazing.

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  52. That vintage fair sounds brilliant. I've neglected my Facebook, so it's great to catch up and see these pics! :) xx

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  53. That outfit is killing me! The green and blue combo! Omg lovely as always Vix! Your such a hard worker, sewing away till the middle of the night, mending and sewing. No wonder your so popular and sell the dickens out of all that fab tat!

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  54. You two are in constant motion, and I admire how you can always look so damn fabulous at the same time. I do love your maxis, but as I am a "short skirt" gal, I am very envious of the whole blue and green outfit.

    Jon is looking very dapper these days - you are such an inspiring couple!

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  55. Love the new boots Vix, the dress you made looks great as well. I shall have to make a visit up North one of these days - the fairs you sell at always look great. x

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  56. All the green and blue greatness I'm I love with your creation and the whole combination. Oh to live in your wardrobe.

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Lots of love, Vix