Next Sunday... a Vintage Treat in Norfolk

Today I have been getting bits & bobs ready for the Little Vintage Lover Fair at Heydon Village Hall near Norwich (Norfolk - the UK one!).

 I have some lovely classic vintage leather handbags that were my dear Aunt Thelma's.  She was a very classy dresser and I have been fortunate enough to have been given a few treats from her over the years.  

 Anyway my little business Butterflies & Hurricanes is getting an outing.  Not so much happening with it this year & the website is pants but I'm a bit tied up in the full-time job.  However LVLF events are always lovely & there will be sunshine (we are outside) smiles, treats, cake & cuppas.  

 Its held in a pre-war village hall which is very cute in itself.  The hall will be filled with goodies & glorious finds such as Bobo Bun who collects & makes gorgeous things.

Mummy Butterfly & I will be outside at the back of the hall - the naughty corner I suspect!

For this event Butterflies & Hurricanes presents Vintage Boudoir Chic.

We have an eclectic mix of glass dressing table sets, trinket pots, candle sticks, hand mirrors, negligees, vintage stockings, cushions made from vintage fabrics, vintage jewellery, handmade jewellery made from old beads, vintage handbags and any other niceties that we find along the way.  Oh we also have a selection of craft & vintage books which are perfect for a bit of light bedtime reading.

It's going to be lots of fun, please do come & say hellooooo 

xx  Claire & Rona  xx

10am until 4pm  

Refreshments & tasty treats available. 

Heydon Village Hall, The Street, Heydon, Norfolk.  NR11 6AD £1.00 entry.

Crafts, Cars, Chaps & Cakes

Last Sunday Mr Fabulous was enjoying a chin wag and a good ole mug of tea with Mr Perfect. Let me tell you that Mr Fabulous (self titled) boyfriend of mine’s ego smashes through the roof when he’s dressed up like the dapper chap he likes to be & Mr Perfect is yours truly’s Pater. Named actually by my Mater, as he can do no wrong (at least that’s what he thinks!!).

Anyway back to a very splendid sunny afternoon in the Norfolk countryside. We all popped along to the Norwich Rugby Club for a charity afternoon tempted by the lure of vintage cars and the best of British… the Spitfire!! The chaps were silent at last, just grins like small boys as the Spitfire spiralled, pirouetted and dropped through the air.. finally disappearing through a perfectly shaped hole in the clouds.

The fellas chuntered on some more, so their lasses sodded off for a coffee.

Anyway this Sunday is the great Burnham Market Craft Fair – the 36^th year indeed. This is possibly Mummy Butterflies & my favorite events. Great weather, lovely people, lots of gorgeous things to try & buy all in a beautiful setting. Saturday 20^th August 10am to 5pm there’s lots for everyone to enjoy.

Last month Mr Fabulous had been a pillar of support for us luck girlies at the Vintage London Festival. Doffing his hat and offering sweet salutations to ladies a plenty. There is no end to the suffering will go to for me… (seriously, his ego was the size of an airship and polished to mirror finish). When he was repeatedly asked by pretty young ladies if they could have their photo taken with him!! Ooh Rather!!!

Anyway I’m rambling as usual. So for anyone feeling that they would like to meet the real Mr Fabulous and you happen to be around North Norfolk on Saturday then please pop along and say whatto ole chap, how the devil are you & toodle pip old stick and so on. Anyway Mr F will be doffing the straw boater this very weekend or if you prefer jewellery of the vintage & up-cycled persuasion then come & see Mummy B & I. We are all dressing for the occasion in different eras.

I'm not photogenic at the best of times... but Elvis on the dashboard is!! Coool and check out his Hula hula lady friend!

Hope you all have a fabulous fun filled weekend xxx

Back to reality, with a bump!

Where the obsession began - the Sindy Dressing table!!

Well Vintage London Festival was lots of fun but really hard work. To be honest I'm pooped and I spent most of the weekend cleaning & tidying my very messy house. Mr Fabulous has been laying on the floor in the living room - just because he can. He thinks that he hasn't seen the living room floor for months!! Well it was covered in jewellery, swing tickets....

Here are a few snaps of our little Boudoir stall - dressing table chic we like to think!! Lots of jewellery made with vintage beads, dressing table sets from Art Deco to the seventies, negligees & other bits & bobs.

Paperpoms lovely stall & even lovelier Mummy

I met lots & lots of lovely people including sweetie fellow blogger & vintage lover Charlotte (sorry the photos were too terrible to add!!) who was superbly turned out each day - quite put me to shame. I had the nicest neighbours at my little stall including Juliette Paperpoms who was brilliant fun & super duper helpful. Saturday evening Mr Fabulous popped some champagne & Mummy Butterfly organised a mini party for our favourite people - we had a scream!!

Other highlights were the Chap Olympiad which was hilarious.

Louise & Sophie were our amazing organisers - they were the nicest most helpful kind girlies we could have dreamed for. Thank you sooo much to them.

Check out this duuude, I totally dig his threads!

Anyway I hope you had a great time if you popped along - and if not I hope the weather was as good to you wherever you were xx

London Calling all Vintage Lovers

Well just in case anyone missed me recently; I've been working far too hard on getting ready for Vintage London on Southbank - those who already checked out the website & gasped at the ticket prices (me included) fear not. The Vintage Village area is FREEEEEEE to get into. So if you happen to have a spare couple of hours, be nearish Londinium and loving the vintage the pop along. Loads & loads of fab stalls selling clothes, accessories, furniture...... everything vintage you can think of. There are great food stalls including a pop up tea room which does cream teas & Nicholas Creperie doing the best Breton crepes. Streamline Cocktail bar, Pimms O' Clock tent, the Chap Olympiad for fun.

Working hard eh - not actually a glass of wine in Mummy Butterflies hand though!

Anyway just a wee posting (More photos to follow) as I have to get vintaged up for today's splendor that is the Vintage Festival - and yes, our bit is totally free. Nearest tube is Waterloo.

Hope to see you there xxx Claire

Le Weekend... Night and Day

Well it's finally the weekend - hurrah!! The weather here is typically sunny first thing followed by rain rain and yes, more rain!! Last night thundered down and it was nice to be indoors with a cheeky G&T ha ha.

These beautiful candles are my purchase from the gorgeous Lisa last weekend at Teh Vintage Fair in Norwich. Their fragrance are fig & sultana - sounds ominous but they smell very diptyque . They are pressies but I would dearly like to keep them for me! Greedy I know.

Anyway to see more of her gorgeous heavenly scented candles visit Vintage Belle Candles and I think she has an Etsy shop too.

Anyway today is all about the vintage. I may have mentioned several hundred times that I'm going to be exhibiting at the Vintage Festival London - Southbank event woop woop. And I have so very much to do before this event.

I have more ideas than time - probably due to the fact that I have spend the last 2 hours having a lovely relaxing bath, swanning around in a vintage robe listening to Ella Fitzgerald & eating freshly baked croissants. Oh and then there's the reading of so many interesting blogs....

Anyway back to work plans. I found these cups & saucers - I'm not sure if they are supposed to be together, but I like the colours. These little fellas will probably end up with candles in them ... not sure what scent would suit.

And then there's the 60's & 70's fabrics I found in carboot sales & charity shops. I'm thinking cushion covers, maybe some make up bags. I'm trying desperately to keep to my Boudoir Chic theme for my stand. A celebration of dressing table chic from 1920 to 1970, dressing table sets, hand mirrors, trinket pots, handmade & up-cycled jewellery made with a mix of vintage & new buttons, beads bits & bobs.

I dropped into the conversation yesterday with Mr Fabulous that I was thinking of keeping the theme on my stand by having a vintage dressing table, chaise longue, cushions ..... and by wearing vintage negligees. Went down like a lead balloon ha ha. Oh well it's not for another month or so!!!

Right I really must start making things - wishing you all a creative & sunny (even if it's just indoors) weekend. Lots of love Claire & Ella!! xxx

The Vintage Fair, Norwich

Well yesterday was Vintage Fair in St Andrew's Hall, Norwich. It's a rather grand building & I was rather slack on the photos, apologies. I have been to this place so many times I forgot that you lovely people may not have had the pleasure. Next time - I promise!!

Anyway I got to see some fabulous vintage loving friends & made some new ones too. This is my gorgeous neighbor. I was truly spoilt being next to the lovely Lisa. She makes scrummy candles in vintage cups, glasses, teapots.... of course I treated myself - well they are supposed to be presents. Hummm lets see! I shall have to post my purchases & a link to Lisa's gorgeous makes later i.e. when I'm more organised!!

This is a little look at my bits & bobs. An incredible turquoise dressing table set with our Bubble Gum range - 1960's beads. I think they look good enough to eat & one very cute little girl did have her eye on them - I had to tell her that they weren't real sweeties. I think they would be jaw breakers!! And of course there's the pretty pinky peach range. Some lovely 1950's beads here mixed with vintage faux pearls, crystals & anything else we find. I'm loving pressed glass dressing table sets. I collecting for Britain ha ha - well to be more specific, for the Vintage London at Southbank. (Having a small panic about not having enough stock already).
Errr this is cheesy meeee. Vintage look dress was a whole £8 in PradaPrimark sale some time ago. It's great as it's a chuck in the machine & stands up to setting up stalls etc.

Ahhhh this is the very glamorous Karen from Blue Skies Vintage Events. What a pose, I love it!!

As I had forgotten my packed lunch, I had to settle for a slice of heavenly Victoria sponge with fresh strawberries on top and a pot of lavender tea - in vintage crockery of course!! It was the first time that I didn't mind scoffing behind my stall - it was quite fitting.

Anyway it was a fun & friendly event & I didn't buy too much either. Hope you all had a great Sunday xxx

A nice new Shop in Aylsham

Last Saturday my friend Julie opened a gorgeous new shop in Aylsham (on Red Lion Street), Norfolk. Filled with locally sourced goodies mostly handmade things. Great for unusual gifts, gorgeous handmade jewellery (I’m taking about her jewels, I’m much too modest to sing Butterflies & Hurricanes praises) but we so have some nice things displayed there too. She also has bags and dresses made with vintage fabrics to painted T-shirts and baseball boots. Vintage inspired and made products make up lots of the loveliness from teacup candles & cupcakes to up-cycled chairs covered in a resplendent mix of fabrics.

Other reasons to visit Aylsham. Well you really need more that one reason to visit somewhere what with the price of fuel and the carbon footprint to consider.

There is a lovely tearoom called the Tea Rooms or something suitably similar! Good for morning coffee and a cheese scone or homemade cakes yum. A nice clothing boutique called Blossom & Green and a wonderful toy shop with really different toys, gifts and learning games.

It’s worth a browse in the charity shops too, nice for little vintage finds. I purchased a working Singer sewing machine for £12.00 in one and a Day Birger et Mikkelsen black silk dress (brand new) for £15.00.

After a little light shopping and lunch, there’s always Blickling Hall just down the road which has lovely gardens to walk around, tea rooms and the house is pretty impressive too.

Also Holt is just a few miles away with plenty more cute boutiques if the shopping bug has bitten. And that’s where I ended up and bought the ball dress & evening coat from my previous blog – like I needed either. Oops he he xxx

My little studio

Well it's been a couple of weeks since I last wrote, I've been doing lots of blog reading but no writing.

I haven't been lazy, maybe a little spoilt! Had a gorgeous long weekend in Cornwall with some of my bestest friends. Much hilarity was had by all, especially when Linda & I got the canoe stuck in the mud - it wasn't our fault though ha ha!!! Good old Gates was our hero for the day as he managed to get us to solid land with the aid of wooden planks ha ha.

It was all rather embarrasing but extremely funny at the same time! Anyway it was a holiday to remember!

Since then I have been transforming my spare room from (not often used) sumptuous boudoir to studio for Butterflies & Hurricanes (my little business). So I shall have space to create (mess!) and play without my whole house looking like it's been burgled!

It's still work in progress but thought I would post a few pictures of how it's coming along. More images & mood boards to go on the walls I think, plus I was considering putting some of my old fashion illustrations up too. It seems silly to leave all that hard work in a portfolio...

It's only a matter of time before it's all a creative explosion of mess but I can't wait to get the jewellery designs out of my head & into real pieces.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend xxx

A Weekend A-fayre!!

Well it's good old British Summertime which means Fayres & Fêtes in towns & villages all over the place.

This weekend the Butterfly duo have two on.

Saturday is Somerleyton, which is a really cute chocolate box setting complete with duckpond, good pub and gorgeous cottages. No surprise that they film lots of period dramas & series in this area.

The event is for the Primary School on Saturday 10th July from 1pm to 5pm on the Green in Somerleyton Village. You won't miss the bunting fluttering in the Summer breeze.

Expect to find nice things to buy, cakes to eat, teas and lovely smiley people & plenty of good old fashioned family fun!

Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre

11^th July 2010 11am – 5pm

The Lanes Summer Fayre was originally set up as simply the St. Benedicts Street Fayre but has grown to include the “ Norwich Lanes” community. This is a really nice area of Norwich for unusual little boutiques. Lots of fabulous shops to be found, cool bars, nice restaurants and the Maddermarket Theatre.

This year the Lanes Summer Fayre is being included as part of the Lord Mayor’s celebrations too.

What you will find is a selection of scrummy stalls & selling a variety of hand-made goods, vintage clothes, antiques and crafts and food vendors. There will be entertainment moving along St. Benedicts Street throughout the day and various acoustic music and poetry will be taking place on St. Gregorys Green. Other activities will be happening in the variety of venues and churches along the street and up to St. Gregory’s Church and the Birdcage. Yep Butterflies & Hurricanes (me and Mummy Butterfly)are there selling accessories and my mates the Headless Teddy boys will be there selling really good coffee. I know some of the other stall holders too & it promises nice things (and treats for me oops).

It’s going to be a lovely event & all the shops in the Lanes should be open too, so shop till you drop xx

Christmas Shopping in Medieval surroundings

This Saturday & Sunday we (Butterflies & Hurricanes) are displaying our wares at Dragon hall in Norwich. It is a beautiful Grade I listed medieval trading hall. It is the only known surviving building of its type in Western Europe.

Anyway I digress, it will be a really nice event with all handmade things made by local crafty crafters.

The opportunity to exhibit is by appointment only so I'm very proud to have been asked!!!

It will also be nice to display inside as my papa and I got drenched setting up for the craft & farmers market in Norwich last Sunday boo!!!

More information is available on their website...

http://www.dragonhall.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=82

Come and say helloooo if you live locally. And just for fun, if you mention this blog to me or Mummy Butterfly then you get 10% off anything you wish to buy from our stall.

Ooh we are showing our vintage scarf vest tops & customised corsets here too if we can squeeze them in!

Happy weekend to all of you & good luck with the shopping xx