Tuesday 22 August 2017

The most wonderful Cotswold's Fair ......











Cotton reels full of gorgeous vintage threads.
Fabrics pre worn and pre loved tied with ribbon.
Vintage Treasures galore.
Winston the gorgeous dog.
Catching up with wonderful friends.......
The Cotswold Vintage Fair









Oh my what a great and fabulous weekend, my tummy hurts from the laughter and my basket stuffed with vintage treasures .... what was not to like!

From the moment you drive into Gloucestershire and the most beautiful Cotswolds you relax, open fields and wild flowers growing by the sides of the roads, green grass and trees and farmers bringing in their crops and hay it is so good for the soul. What else could be better ? well in amongst all this gorgeous English countryside at its best there is The Cotswold's vintage fair!  It
happens to be one of my favourites of the year and I will not miss it unless really pushed.  Even last year with my Mum so bad I managed a weekend there ....

There is plenty of parking which is great and then you are greeted by beautiful flowers arranged at the door of the village hall and of course the star ... Winston the bull dog! He is the face of this show now I think and he was there quietly watching and eating a large bone treat to keep him very happy indeed.

The hall is full with wonderful exhibitors with some exquisite treasures, there is a pop up vintage cafe selling sandwiches, cakes, cold drinks and teas and coffees.  My husband sampled a few I can tell you.  I was told by several people he had been back a few times! ... He comes and finds me and shows me and makes me take a bite of every piece of cake he purchases as he knows I will only have one piece myself.  The choice for me on this particular day was a cinnamon bun and oh my with a welcomed cup of coffee from a china vintage tea cup and saucer it hit the spot after our journey.  He however went on to have lemon drizzle cake, after his bun and them came with a oat and ginger cookie ( extremely large) and there were several others that came up and offered me a bite as well. The chocolate swedish cake I was told was unctious , but he said he could not find me to taste that one! ... hmmmm!

In the background there is wonderful old music playing and some how shopping to the sounds of Frank Sinatra makes it all even better! if that is at all possible.  Every little detail is thought out and I really feel this is such a great event.

Outside there is a large marquee and this is full of exhibitors as well all around the perimeter  with tables and chairs in the middle with vintage embroidered table cloths on them and jars of flowers for people to sit and have their cake and drinks whilst still looking around at all the treasure that is offered for purchase.

In addition to this there are other smaller gazebo's with even more vintage wares including one that was just antique quilts! yes honestly and there was something for all even the men!

I walked around catching up with friends and taking a few photos for you to look at.  I met up with Maureen who reads my blog on her and her lovely hubby Jimmy and they had made the journey from Scotland to be there on my recommendation that this was a great vintage event, I am glad to say they were not disappointed.  Even her husband found some man treasures!

Then a lady came up to me and I recognised her from last year we had such a lovely chat and got to know each other a little.  She had read on my blog I was returning this year and she had come down to see me!  How wonderful was that.  Her husband had driven her and was sat in the car with books and sandwiches and she had come to say hello and have a catch up.  Thank you so much Brenda Corrieri  ...... it was so lovely to see you and be able to say hello again, same time next year?

Then I bumped into Theresa of Cherub Antiques who was not stalling but looking around and there to
do a little treasure shopping of her own.....  This is what else is so fabulous about these kind of events it is so social as well we meet and make friends with the most lovely like minded people who understand our obsession for vintage and antique.  We all have our own 'thing' that we like and era but we all understand one another perfectly.

Also at the fair was the lovely Kathryn ( Demon Shopper on Instagram) and she was next to the Suzi
of Hearts and kisses!  Both of their stalls looked amazing.  Also this could only mean one thing ..  Kathryns sister known to most of you is Vintage_Dahling was there with one of her lovely sons, Milo and he has become so well known because of all the lovely photos he features in.

It seemed so many people were there wandering around and buying it was perfect!

I found these lovely ladies on their stall all dressed up and looking fabulous and joy of joy they did
not mind me taking a photo of them.  Lots of people do not mind their stalls being featured but they do not like the the camera pointed in their directions. Chrissy in the red hat is a hair dresser and she specialises in vintage hair designs and put ups.  The little Vintage Hair parlour is her business and if you would like to learn more www.littlevintagehairparlour.co.uk is the place to have a look or phone on 07791423983.  The other lady owns Déjá Vu Vintage and specialises in 1940/1950,s.

The weather played fairly this time, there was a tiny shower but that was that the rest of the time was warm although slightly overcast but it was not boiling hot which was great too.

There is something about looking for treasures and I did find some, mostly what was on my list but I did go off piste slightly, well I can resist anything but temptation, in the words of Oscar Wilde! I actually did not buy that much but I bought some lovely things ... show and tell later in the week.

I had met up with Alison ( Betty and Violet) as she not only has a shop in The Broadway, which is only a few miles down the road but she also loves to attend this fair yearly with all her beautiful antiques.  We later were all going out for dinner so were making the last of the plans for meet time as well as I purchased a few things from her as well.

The other part of the jolly dinner party that night was Jo and Andy of Hesta Nesta fame and we all
had been chatting away as well.  There were six of us for an evening of such fun and laughter and a little grape juice .... the fermented kind!!!

By now the place was nicely packed, still some room to move but very busy and our tummy was telling us it was lunchtime, well mine was because I had not eaten the cake stall!  We both had a sandwich and a cold drink.  Beef and onion marmalade it was really lovely.

I caught up with Suitably Vintage who as always had the most lovely of displays and were in their own Gazebo outside.  We talked about how wonderful and lucky we were with the weather because last year some were holding on to the stock and stands outside to stop it being blown away.  By the way the dapper guy in the hat above, its my husband. That smile is a smile of a man who has eaten the cake stall !!!

There we lots of people who where stalling at the great fair and I would like to name them all for you so you know who you might see next year if you are going to attend. ...


Yarnit *  Paper and Plastics *  Rosablue *  Village Green Vintage *  Hill and Home * Vintage Gatherings *   Dawn Jones Antiques *  Liz Morris Decorative Interiors *  Kathryn McFall aka Demon Shopper! *    Jet Kessell *   Rosiebud Decorative Vintage *   Hesta Nesta *   Betty & Violet *
Pretty Cotswold Vintage *   Hellish Designs *   Vintage Pink *   DéJá Vu Vintage *   Linda Campbell Down *   Kerri and Al Noris *   Suitably Vintage *   All Things Vintage and Beautiful *   John and Hayley Buckley *   Hearts n Kisses *   Sugar Hill Living *  The Blueberry Patch *  Angela and Anthony Evans *   Vintage Treasures *  The Little English House *   Heirs Interiors *   The Painted Room *   Pear Tree Designs *   Blighty Antique *   Samimi Lou Vintage *    Trev and Su Vintage *
New Patina *   The Apple Loft *   Clare Rocks *


Every year I think this great vintage fair seems to get better and of course you do have different people who stall here but you are sure to see some great people and revel in the treasures that lay there on offer for you to purchase.  It has a wonderful atmosphere and is truly well organised.  No one can for see what weather we will get but this year we were lucky.  I personally would be there in thunder and lightning it really is such a great event.

So for this year it is over ( hangs head) but there are still some great ones still to go this year is not over yet.

Next weekend ( Bank Holiday)  There is the Vintage on the Green on Saturday 26th August at Wisborough Green in West Sussex.  10.00 am until 4pm.  

Then there is The Dorset Brocante on Monday 28th August at Deans Court in Wimborne Dorset. 11.00 am - 4.30pm  and I will be at both of these so I hope to see some of your there too.  This year as well the Dorset Brocante is going to be doing a Christmas event at Kingston Maurward in Dorchester so more about that later in the year! ....

Well that is it for today I hope you enjoyed a little insight into this great vintage fair  I will be back here on Thursday so please join me, there is a show and tell and stitching talk....

Happy Stitching!





6 comments:

  1. Wow the fair looked wonderful!

    Julie xxxxx

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  2. Thank you for the 'fun of the fair'as it were, just sorry I couldn't be there, every weekend now we are in the garden as it is going to be totally made over and there's lots of prep work to be done....sadly. I'm looking forward to seeing the treasures that you've purchased.
    Your hubby looked very dapper and not a bit like someone who has eaten lots of cake.
    Do you dress in vintage style Sarah? How is it going with the dress you were having made?
    Lots of love Dawn xxx

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    1. Hi Dawn.

      It wS a fab fair and no where he puts those cakes I do not know!
      Dress is. Owing along but a way off yet I knew it would be as bridal dresses etc came first!!
      Starting to dress more like it for shows Dawn .. thus some clothes being made.

      Garden project sounds big?! ..

      Sarah xxx

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  3. Hi Sarah, you have described it perfectly. I thought it was just heavenly and as you say, so lovely to be amongst so many people who share our love of all things vintage. We shall definitely make this an annual affair. Can't wait to see what you bought! I did actually see a couple of straw baskets and knowing you have a weakness for baskets, I wondered if you would purchase one - I shall have to wait and see! Mo xxxx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mo
      Oh it was such a great day and I just adore this fair!
      Mo I did not buy a basket, your wait is over! Lol ...
      but treasures I did find!
      Two fairs this coming weekend .. eeeek !
      Are you able to make Daylesford in September?
      Round two in The Cotswolds.. :))

      Sarah xxxx

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