Tuesday 1 November 2016

The magic that is the Vintage Bazaar!












What can I say? The Vintage Bazaar at Frome was outstanding at the weekend.  Lots of beautiful treasures all under one roof with gorgeous stalls and a fabulous atmosphere it was perfect.

So much preparation and hard work goes into these events that we really do not see, apart from securing such a venue there is gathering all the wonderful people to stall there from across the country and the leaflet drops and advertising, not to mention the setting up and clearing up afterwards.  It is such a wonderful vintage event and all of their events are firmly in my diary and a must go to......
There was great music playing in the background and so many happy faces.  People meet up at these events not only to look and purchase treasures but to catch up with vintage friends from around the country.

I had a fabulous day and bought some beautiful bits and bobs and of course I will do a show and tell
later in the week for you to see ..
In no particular order I went around snapping photos, catching up with great friends and of course buying some spectacular goodies ....
Firstly let me introduce you to Jack, who is the husband of Liz and they are both part of the VB team which include Clare and Mike and their beautiful daughters ... Jack has his own vintage business called La Camionnette Bleue and he had is own stall this time and it looked really really good.  It was so beautifully set out and had a
masculine feel to it as well.  There were some great vintage linens, Antique ice skates, French encyclopedia's that had such beautiful illustrations for a start with there green leather bindings  and so much more.  It was truly eye catching and as the first stall if you like that your eye went to as you came in you knew that it was going to be a great event filled with amazing vintage goodies....





Next to Jack was Lizzie who is of course The Washerwoman and again as you will see from the
photos had some lovely fabrics and French goodies on offer.  With little vintage table lamps around which made it all look cosy and pretty you could stay and have a really good look through.  There was a basket with old embroidery stamps in and buttons and a box with spindles of cottons in pinks.  Fabrics and so much more ....




Run Rabbit Retro was there with some wonderful goodies on display and some lovely Christmas bits as well.  When I was looking I saw some Christmas Cake decorations that took me right back into my
Grandmothers kitchen on the run up to Christmas, I could see my Grandad icing the cake and telling me what he was and wasn't going to do ... It always ended up the same ( he called it a snow scene) because he could not get his icing smooth and there was a little boy on a sleigh and Christmas trees and a reindeer and a pile of presents ... all the little plastic characters that came out year after year and made me, as a child, happy and safe knowing traditions in our family would never change...
It was such a eclectic array of vintage goodies ...





Hannah Whyman was there and her stall is always so beautiful and has some really lovely treasures to buy.  This is only the second time I have seen Hannah here and I have seen her at another vintage fair but she sometimes has some beautiful vintage ribbons and to my joy there were some there ... In the show and tell later.  Fabrics with rich winter colours and treasures abound ....  Including some fabulous old button up boots and pom pom slippers along with some beautiful enamel jars for a kitchen display....








Then I found Jane of Kiss the Book, what a joy.  Jane is such a lovely lovely lady and I really do not crafter packs but they are vintage ephemera at its best and again I made a purchase ....
think I have ever come away empty handed from her stall.  I love books and love reading for a start but she also sells bits of old books that were just too bad to sell as a whole and included are not only colour but sepia plates from books and what she might find in them sometimes like say a tiny feather or a dried flower that is so very old.  Jane calls these






Donna Flower Vintage was there and I again this is a stall that will always have something to tempt all.  Fat quarter size vintage fabric pieces as well as feed sack pieces.  Buttons, ribbons, reels and all manner of vintage goodies were on offer along with clothes and this time there were 3 WW2 silk escape maps as well. Everywhere you looked you could see goodies abound and we were able to have a little catch up ... Donna's other half and mine escaped for a while to catch up themselves over coffee and cake ..... There is a cafe within the Cheese and Grain where the VB was held and so it is not a pop up.  So no cake report this time as he only ( he tells me, had a piece of lemon drizzle) ...





Clare, who is part of the VB team has a stall there called Daisy Darling and as I have mentioned
before Clare is very talented and artistic.  She is a milliner as well as other things and there were some beautiful hat creations for sale along with some outstanding vintage goodies.  You will see from the photos how beautiful this stall looked and with fabrics, scented candles, Christmas trees with spools, Eiderdowns and so much more on offer this was a stall that had people lingering to look at everything ....  You can talk to all the very knowledgeable stall holders at this event and they steer you in the right direction.  They share their knowledge with you if you ask and if
it is not their particular field of expertise then they direct you to who will know. I was talking eiderdowns and fabrics with Clare whilst making some purchases and we had a bit of a catch up chat as well and I got to have a chat with her gorgeous girls too.














Someone who I did not know was going to be there was Jo of Hesta Nesta and it is always a joy and a happy surprise to meet up with her and her husband Andy.... When I tell you we laugh and laugh it is no word of a lie.  This lady can lift anyone up and always has such gorgeous things on offer.  Jo has a eye for details and her stall always looks outstanding ... When finally we find our forever house I am going to get this lady to look out for some bits for me to decorate .....  She had tiny shoes and stunning lace, fabric, clothes and crowns it was like wonderland ......








Isobel was there and I have never met this lady before, not only her name but the name of her business.  There were laces, feathers, fabrics, buttons, threads, buckles and so much haberdashery that I spent such a while going through all the gorgeous goodies on offer.  I had a box lid as a shopping basket and so I was set for a while looking for treasures for me to create with..










I met Helen of Every Little Stitch for the first time as well and she has some beautiful and I mean
stunning quilts on her stall.  Victorian most of them.  I could have bought them all but having just bought a Victorian quilt for our bed last weekend I was a good girl but oh boy!  The muted colours and the hand stitching were exquisite and I was able to have a good chat and a look.  Helen also takes embroidery classes among other things and we found we had so much in common it was lovely.





Then look who was there looking amazing, Emma of Vintage Sewing Girl ... Always dressed to kill looking stylish with a smile ... Emma had a beautiful stall with some very beautiful and unusual things on offer including a collection of photos.  There were hats and shoes and all manner of great vintage things to tempt ...

There were some gorgeous old fabrics for those who love to craft and really pretty blotter book with the birds on it ( left on the bottom photo)








Phil and Laura were there of Savoy Art Deco Collectables and we established we had not seen each other in a year! where
has this year gone.  It was the last year VB in Frome around Halloween and I had just come back from America with a dreadful cold if you remember ..... Well we caught up a little and I had bought them a goody bag from my Halloween basket they had seen and commented on on Facebook ...  I love the 1920's look it is so chic and I would love some photo frames for when we move, again this is something I will get when that happens ... The lines of them and glass.  Also I have a photo of my Grandmother when she was a child in this era and it would look so much better in the proper frame .......





It was also a pleasure to see Emma of Little Wren Vintage again and we have seen each other through the Summer months and different events but always there is something to tempt on here.  This lady makes great cushions and in additions has wonderful vintage fabric bundles and glass items.  Emma has a fabulous eye in dressing her stall and it makes people stop in their tracks basically.  So much to be tempted by with a basket of vintage quilt pieces and more ..










Vintage Jane was there too and I have seen Marina in the summer at the Larmer Tree vintage event and it was lovely to catch up again before the Winter break of events and we do not get to see each other in person over the late December and January months, even into February time ...

Vintage buttons stitched to very old and different playing cards, fabrics, cards made from vintage fabrics and buttons and clothes and accessories to tempt all.....








Nicki of Quilterdown fame was in attendance and she has a long way to come to be there and so it is always fabulous when she is there.  Nicki as you may remember made my paisley quilt that I adore and covet so much.  She had quilts, quilted bags, laveneder bags and cushions all made by herself with vintage fabrics we were able to have a chat and catch up but Nicki was busy with her stall and no wonder as you will see from the photos that I snapped ...

Nicki's trade mark if you like is an appliquéd hexagon flower shape on the corner of her quilts and its something I always look out for.. I think I would be sad if she stopped doing that bit.


We had such a wonderful time and left there after lunch to drive to Honiton to a friends cottage and have dinner there and an evening before heading off home again.  It really was such a great event and I can not wait for their Christmas Vintage Bazaar at Devizes this month ... I will be doing a blog of up and coming events so do not worry..... Just sharpen your pencils and have your diaries at the ready when I do.

I hope you enjoyed a little insight into this amazing event and if you have never been before it really is a most go to for next year ...

I am away to my stitching so have a wonderful day with this great weather we are having and as always Happy Stitching! XX

Emma .. The Vintage Sewing Girl ...




12 comments:

  1. What a lovely review of the VB. Wasn't it a great fair - so many lovely customers and beautiful stalls. I bought a couple of things that I am very pleased with. Lovely to see you! M x

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    Replies
    1. It was so lovely to see you! And a fabulous event.
      So pleased you found treasures...
      Sarah xx

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  2. You are amazing Sarah, you must work so hard to create these beautiful posts. I'm so glad those little menus have found a happy home with you xx

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    1. Hi Jane

      Thank you for your lovely words .. I am thrilled with them and will be taking photos.

      So lovely to see you!

      Sarah xxx

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  3. Looks like you had a great time. One day our paths will cross.

    Julie xxxxxxx

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    1. Hi Julie
      It was such a fabulous day! And yes one day we will finally meet in not too distant future..

      Sarah xxxx

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  4. Sigh! I'm jealous of course, but determined to travel down to one of these amazing sounding bazaars!! You do a fab job at promoting them Jane, you really convey the atmosphere (and array of treasures) so vividly! Mo xx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mo

      Yes please travel and have a night in Frome it is wonderful or Devizes where they are held too.

      I love going and reporting on them and it brings vintage to lots of homes that would other wise not be able to see them ..

      So pleased you enjoyed it.

      Sarah xxx

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  5. Wonderful show from all your lovely photos. When is the next fair? cupboardbears@hotmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Hi Elizabeth

      The next VB is on Saturday 26th of November in Devizes ..look out for my list of up and coming fairs ...
      Sarah x

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  6. Thank you for a super write-up Sarah. You are a star xxx

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  7. Pleasure Lizzie .. it's a great Fair. Xx

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