Vicky's Pretties

A day In Copenhagen

2013-08-09T18:52:00.003-07:00

So, I have recently visited Copenhagen again, one thing is for sure it may be a small city but this place is full of quirky charm, in it's relaxed surroundings you can enjoy a day of shopping, eating and trend researching. My main purpose here was to visit the trade shows for the up and coming SS14 clothing trends, in-between spotting the newest styles i had a couple of hours to explore what else Copenhagen had to offer and give you some hints and tips to help you on your way if you are visiting the city, here goes...

The main shopping street in Copenhagen is called the Stroget which runs just across the road from Tivoli Gardens (amusement park - well worth a look) up until the Nyhavn water front. If you are doing a brisk walk without stopping it will take you around 20-25 minutes to walk the street, however there is plenty to stop and see so squeeze in a couple of hours if you are planning on seeing what the shops have to offer.

Nyhavn is a beautiful waterfront where the boats come in, there is a line of Restaurants running alongside it, in the Summer you can enjoy your meal outside under the sun or the stars and watch the world go by.

At the front of the Nyhavn you can join a boat tour around Copenhagen which is a perfect trip if the sun is out.

Typical shops you can expect to find in Copenhagen which you may recognise if you are from the UK are; H&M, Vera Moda, Jack & Jones, Topshop and Urban Outfitters. As well as some other fantastic shops stocking Danish brands. The ones to look out for are; Monki, which stocks affordable fashionable clothing, you will find this right at the beginning of the Stroget (near Tivoli end) and another just down the side street opposite Illum department store. Another trendy store for mens wear and ladies wear is called Weekday which stocks Cheap Monday brand and often has a sale on where you can pick up a bargain, this is located almost in the middle of the shopping street. Finally, If you are familiar with Vera Moda then you will recognise the accessories concession Pieces which has it's own stand alone store, there are a few of these located down the Stroget.
One of the greatest things for me about H&M in Copenhagen is that it has a home section where you can pick up a quirky piece for your home, it is definitely worth a look.

Cushion Cover in H&M

Dinner set in H&M

If you are stopping for a light bite or just want to get out of the Sun and rest your feet, then the perfect place to eat is called the Royal Smushi cafe. Situated just before Illum department store (from Tivoli end) you will see a shop called Royal Copenhagen, next to this is an archway, go through this and you will see the quirkiest cafe in Copenhagen, and if you are a cake lover then this place is definitely for you, i dare you to try and eat it all!

The outdoor space for the cafe, with quaint tables and chairs, cute green parasol's and a blanket in-case you get cold.

Inside is decorated with drawings, art and beautiful lighting and furniture, you will not be able to take your eyes away from the walls!

Art wall drawing in the Royal Smushi Cafe

You will not be hungry after a slice of cake this size! For more information and menus on this cafe visit their website: Royal Smushi Cafe

After a stop at this amazing Cafe head up the street to Illum take a left turn, and walk for around 10 minutes, just before you get to the round tower of Copenhagen you will come across a shop on your right called Plint, if you love quirky home ware accessories then you need to step inside this shop! After a trip to an interiors trade fair a year ago i became familiar with a a Danish brand called Rice. They stock funky, fun and functional products and support Global projects. You can find a stockist near you by visiting their website: Rice Or take a look at the stores online shop: Plint

A selection of home ware from Plint.

Next, carry on until you reach the round tower of Copenhagen, and prepare to do a small workout! The tower's walk to the top consists of a steep ramp (no stairs or lift) which is 209m long and spirals the tower 7.5 times, when you finally get to the top and catch your breath you can take in the view of Copenhagen.

...And finally, it seemed only right to include some inspirational images from the trade fairs that i snapped throughout the day.

Design exhibition at the CIFF show at the Bella Centre location.

Images from the Converse stand at Terminal 2 show

Converse brands outdoor space

I liked the way that this book had been sculpted.

My favorite kind of Retro interior lights on on of the stands bars.

Retro radio

Neon lights

It didn't seem right to not have a photo of a bike as there are literally thousands of them in Copenhagen. In Copenhagen you either walk or get a bike which you can hire around the city, it is the best way to get around and see everything quickly and easily and you can burn off some calories too!

However my favorite way to get around would be using one of these old Fiat's!

That's it for now i hope that you have enjoyed my piece on Copenhagen, and once again i hope that i have inspired you in someway.

Vicky
xxx

Up & coming interior trends

2013-07-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hello!

After recent visits to a number of antique fairs and country manors i have collected a huge range of inspirational photographs which have contributed to my mood board below (very bottom). I was in London this week at a Stylesight trend seminar for Spring/Summer 2015 at the London fashion retail academy. For those of you that have never heard of Stylesight it is a unique organization that forecasts trends for clothing and interiors, they have a huge dedicated team around the globe that are constantly on the look out for up and coming trends and always gathering inspiration from catwalks, music and studying the day to day life of us human beings to determine what the next big thing is going to be. If you are creative minded you will understand that you have to look further afield and all around you to discover trends, i have taken the ideas from the seminar and linked it together with my own research to create a board of up and coming trends for interior and home...enjoy!

The Stylesight trend seminar was held at the London fashion retail academy, a creative hub which was a great place for everyone to come together and discuss new trends and ideas.

With a special vintage exhibition arranged by 'Beyond Retro' of London, one of my favorite vintage shops. Beyond Retro work closely with the trends to alter and create vintage pieces for each season, they have a huge archive of vintage fabrics which they are constantly using to create new pieces with. With the huge trend for vintage and thrift at the moment this was a very fitting exhibition.

Once inside the Fashion retail academy you are immediately immersed in creativity by fashion illustrations all around the building.

The seminar proved incredibly useful, as we were talked through the trends of SS15 and given an insight into where the inspiration came from to predict the direction in which the seasons will unfold.

After recently purchasing an SLR camera as my poor iPhone cannot hold anymore photos, i have taken it to every photo opportunity with me, it has proven it's worth already! I have already taken over 800 inspirational photographs from a couple of fairs and country manors i have visited and have used some of them to link in with the trend board below.

Chatsworth House

Knebworth House - Salvo Fair

Althorp House - Princess Diana's dress exhibition

...and finally my mood board. One of the quotes i picked up from the Stylesight seminar which i loved was "Any inspiration is valid as long as you can find something new in it" Jean Paul Gaultier. I think this is a great way to work, there is inspiration in everything you just have to open your eyes to it. If you would like to know more about any of the images, products or locations above please email me at info@vickyspretties.co.uk and i will get back to you as soon as i can.

Vicky xxx

Salvo Fair at Knebworth House

2013-07-07T03:24:00.002-07:00

I came across the Salvo Fair at Knebworth house in Hertfordshire on a trend website last year and made a mental note to visit it this year. With a love of vintage treasures and antiques, especially in interior decor this was one fair that wasn't to be missed! We went along on the Saturday which i am very glad of as i heard the weather was much better, and i must say that this fair did not disappoint! If you are a lover of interior design and get inspired by unusual items then this fair is definitely for you! With a selection of antiques and restored items, to handmade lovelies you will be sure to go away with something a little bit special. I have short listed some of my favorite items below, take a look and let me know what you think!

These old storage containers would look great on display in your home, and i love the beautiful colours they have been painted in too!

I love these lights i think they would look great in a Retro kitchen and the colours are great too, i will definitely have some of these in my house one day.

I have been looking for vintage grain sacks for a very long time, they are such lovely quality fabrics they usually cost around the £20 mark for one sack so can be quite pricey, but they are great for making cushions out of and re-upholstering old furniture, as you can see from my photos below.

I have been searching for a vintage crate for a while now, and there were tonnes of them at the fair, from old apple crates to wine crates they look great on display and look lovely as planters inside your home or in your garden.

This sink reminded me of our old art sink at school always covered in acrylic paints, that's the best thing about art, you can have fun with it and it doesn't matter if you make a mess as it is all part of the fun!

From messy to rustic these tables below would look lovely in a kitchen and would make a great focal point in your room, the best thing about these kind of items is that they are so unique you can be sure that there won't be many people with the same furniture as you!

There were a lot of old metal signs at the fair but this one in particular caught my fancy, it would look great hanging on a wall in your house as a focal point.

These old tiles were just stunning, and as a print designer a lot of inspiration can be drawn from these, there were a lot of stands selling tiles as one-offs or as a set, and they have no end of uses. You can display them amongst a set of plain tiles as a focal piece or have a few of them up on display. I was in a vintage tea shop just last week and they were using them as a centre piece to a table to put the teapots and salt and peppers on, they are just lovely!

Speaking of tea shops, there were also lots of vintage tea cups and saucers on show and i particularly liked these ceramic jugs below, I had to purchase one for myself, they are great to use as a vase with a bunch of hydrangeas in they look great!

As a lover of sewing these old reels look great on display in your sewing room, just as they are or wrapped with coloured thread or ribbons.

I absolutely adored this big bath, and i hope to have one just like this one in my house one day!

I thought this retro corner display was great and i loved the way that the colours had been put together.

I loved this shabby chic corner, and also the star fish which would look great on display in your bathroom.

As a lover of horses and shabby chic decor, these next few pieces really caught my eye, i think they are beautiful works of art.

I thought these old shoe lasts were very quirky and would look great on display in your home.

I thought these rustic numbers looked great and if you wanted to get very inventive you could make them into a giant clock!

And finally... the sun was shining and the sky was blue, there were flowers everywhere and i snapped a few!

Knebworth house what a beautiful setting for a great fair, i will definitely be visiting again soon!

I hope you enjoyed my blog, below i have listed a few of my favorite stands and supplier details from the day in-case you wanted to do a bit of your own salvo hunting!

Vicky xxx

Planet Vintage Girl www.planetvintagegirl.com

Charlotte's Yard www.charlottesyard.co.uk

Quirky Interiors www.quirkyinteriors.co.uk

The original home store www.theoriginalhomestore.co.uk (the old bath photo)

Inside Outdoors www.insideoutdoors.com (the ceramic vases photo)

Nikki Page Antiques www.nikkipageantiques.com (Shabby chic interior photo)

Beyond France www.beyondfrance.co.uk (linen grain sacks and cushions photo)

Vicky's Pretties print collaboration

2013-05-28T05:36:00.003-07:00

Hello!

You may have noticed that i have been quite quiet on my social media recently! I have been a busy bee doing lots of research and designing, i am hoping to have a few craft fairs lined up in the next couple of months so i will keep you all posted on the dates, with lots of lovely new designs on sale, which will also be going online on my website very soon!
It is exciting times right now, Vicky's Pretties has collaborated with the "Craft Cotton Company" and will be developing a range of prints for craft fabric and selling in your favorite haberdashery stores! I cannot wait until they go into store it will be so exciting, keep your eyes pealed! Here is a sneaky peak of some of the prints i have been working on, but i am not going to give too much away you will have to wait and see for yourself!

This is some of my basic illustrations that make up the below print, based on retro sweets, i sketched these on my way home from work! You should always keep a sketch book and pencil handy as you never know when inspirational ideas will pop into your head!

This is the finished design, i must admit i am very happy with this and the colours i have chosen go well together!

I even had a little help from one of my little kittens Bella she loves to sit and watch me as im drawing and chase the mouse around the screen, bless!

That's it for now, i hope that you have enjoyed seeing what i have been up to lately, lots more blog posts to follow as i have been busy snapping away lots of inspirational photo's too which i will upload very soon!

Vicky

xxx

Shabby Chic furnitue up-cycling for less than £60

2013-03-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

I just wanted to update you all on my latest projects, i have had a couple of old pieces of furniture lying around my house now for a while and after a couple of searches finding inspirational images on Pinterest i was ready to update them, i was full of ideas! The first stop was a 100 year old chair i bought from a local car boot sale for £5.00 an absolute bargain! I had been looking for one of these for some time, and after seeing them retailing for £80 in interior shops and falling in love with one in Laura Ashley i thought i would give it a go and restore one for myself.

Above is a photo of the chair in it's raw state, although it looks lovely i wanted to give it a shabby chic edge so that it would fit in with the decor in my home.

Firstly, i began sanding it, this took about two hours to do it properly and to make sure the surface was ideal for painting, myself and Jake (my better half) sat outside in the sunshine so the time passed very quickly indeed!
Next the fun bit, time to get onto the painting, to make sure that the paint i had chosen in my final colour would stick to the surface i had to use a Primer paint first, you can pick these up from B&Q for under £10 for a tin and a little goes along way. I did three coats of the Primer paint, but two would have been sufficient.
You need to allow time for the paint to dry between coats, it usually recommends 2 hours, however i found that 1 hour was ok and it meant i could see the finished project quicker! Another tip is to invest in a good paintbrush, as you do not want to get paintbrush hairs stuck to your masterpiece!

Below shows an image of my chair after i have sanded it and started to apply the primer paint.

Below shows an image of my chair after i have sanded it and started to apply the Primer paint.

The next stage is the final stage and probably one of the most important. Choosing a colour and paint consistency that you are happy with, i wanted a matte chalky finish with little sheen so i opted for a paint again from B&Q, which was the 1829 Eggshell paint in regency white which was only £11.98 for a 750ml tin, what a bargain! Some other great paints you can use are Annie Sloan's chalk paint, and also Farrow & Ball who do a great eggshell paint but these tend to be a little more expensive, i do not have any experience using these paints but i think my B&Q alternative gave me just the look i was going for. Below shows you the finished chair, i just love it!

Next my trusty sewing table, which i acquired...for free as someone was throwing this out, to them it may have been a piece of junk but to me it was a beauty waiting to be revealed! I again started with the same process as the chair and sanded away all of the old varnish, to make this easier you could use a paint stripper but as i didn't have any to hand i decided sanding would do the job.

Above is the image of the table before it was transformed, if you scroll to the bottom of this blog you will see it when it is finished, you will hardly recognize it!
May i also add that i have now managed to paint both chair and table with the same tins of paint, keeping the costs very low! To finish off the tabletop i bought 1 Metre of my favorite Cath Kidston oilcloth fabric and covered it using a glue gun to secure, you can use a heavy duty stapler if you have one handy too. This only cost me £22.00 per metre so again i kept the cost down.

Next is the chest of drawers i acquired when moving house, these were starting to look a little out of place in my sewing room after i restored the chair and the table so i decided time for another transformation!

As you will see it looks very dated, so i began again by painting the main body of the drawers (still with the same tins of paint!). Using some free samples i collected from the Cath Kidston store, I cut out and covered the front of the drawers. You can use wallpaper paste of modge podge to stick the paper to the wood, but i didn't have any of these handy so i mixed a little PVA glue with a tiny bit of water and pasted it on, be careful not to apply too think and uneven though else you will end up with air bubbles. Then all i had to do was wait for it to dry and tada i had a brand new lovely looking piece of furniture which i was very happy with!

The finished piece!

Below you will see how my sewing room looks now i have restored all of my furniture and if i do say so myself i am very impressed, and it cost me less than 1 piece of brand new furniture, and has a very personal touch to it! I hope that you have as much fun as i did restoring your lovely old items, if you need any hints or tips then please feel free to contact me and i will be happy to help!

Vicky xxx

Top homeware interior trends for 2013

2013-02-13T14:29:00.000-08:00

Guest blogger: Alice Lewis from Queen of Hearts and Design.

Hi everyone! I have kindly been asked by Vicky's Pretties to write a guest post on my interior trends forecast for 2013. Only one month in and there are already some stand out styles popping up here and there, so I have pieced together a few ideas to help make sure that you are on top of the trends this year!

Retro reinvention

Let’s start with my favourite; retro reinvention! Pop-up shops and hidden bars, prohibition nights, and niche diners are having a moment in the spotlight. Their popularity goes hand in hand with the current trend for retro decor; lit neon signs, exposed light bulbs, bar stools, and daybeds are all part of this look. What’s interesting about this is that it is renewal and recycling with a modern twist; updated fabrics and quirky furniture design with the addition of plenty of rustic woodwork keep this look current.

You can either go bright and beautiful with vibrant colours and patterned fabrics or atmospheric and understanded - like a hidden basement bar. The key to making this work at home is less is more; a few statement furniture pieces, quirky features, and subtle lighting can transform a room without going overboard – which means that it will remain stylish through the seasons!

Graphic prints

Prints have gone digital this year and graphic shapes and patterns are covering everything from tiles and artwork, to glasswear. Colours range from clashing, bold, and bright, to monochrome and minimalist.

This digital design extends to nature and animal prints, covering cushions and curtains. Elephants and dogs are the popular choice but find a print with your favourite animal and experiment with colour. The throw pillow above from Dwell Studio proves that animal graphics don’t have to be childish and are a nice way to inject a bit of fun into your home.

This year’s colours

Colour specialist Pantone’s has forecast Emerald green as the colour of the year and this has caught on pretty quickly! If you are a bit weary of ending up with a Wizard of Oz-like emerald city in your front room, use this year’s other hot colour, navy, to break up your space. Yellow will also be a popular choice, more so as we get into spring, and the range of shades of green between complete the line-up. Emerald is quite an intense tone, and it will be interesting to see how it is used in interiors as the year goes on.

Tribal

Tribal prints and bright colours inspired by South America were big in 2012 and it seems that we haven’t had enough of them yet! This trend continues but more prominent this year are Ikat, Navajo, and chevron prints; these will be seen in all colour combinations but are most natural in burnt and dusty orange, red and blues set against wooden panelled floors and walls - in line with their Native American background.

The writing’s on the wall

You don’t have to keep your feelings bottled up this year – slogans, quotes, and poetry are covering walls and ceilings.

Those who dare are illuminating their sayings and signs for extra emphasis but for a more understated look at home, framed calligraphy posters, wall stickers or word-covered throws will be enough to get the idea. You can get your favourite poem, family moto, or quote in a bespoke print to add your own personality to each piece and make something with meaning that will last.

I hope that my post has given you some design inspiration for the months ahead! I would love to know what you think and which trends have taken your fancy. The most important thing with any of these is to inject your own personality - so don’t be too strict – have fun with it!

Guest blogger - Alice at:

Queen of hearts and design

Spring Fair International Feb 2013

2013-02-05T06:18:00.001-08:00

Hello Followers! So this Sunday I spent visiting the Spring Fair at the NEC in Birmingham, for those of you that haven't heard it's 12 halls of pure home ware buying heaven! If you have your own store or an online website it is a great place to meet new suppliers, catchup on the latest trends. You can also attend many of the Seminars that are taking place throughout the day on how to start/run your own retail business or help with websites and all those tricky questions you have. There are a panel of industry professionals giving talks throughout the day to keep you busy and over 3000 stands to browse through product ranges. I have taken some snaps of my favourite products and stands from throughout the day and tried to capture the latest home ware trends for you to see, enjoy x

Foxy Cushions from 'RJB Stone' (available direct from www.sassandbelle.co.uk) Moustache trends are everywhere on anything you can think of from cushions to notebooks, the list is endless!

Supplier 'RJB Stone' (available direct from www.sassandbelle.co.uk)

Supplier 'RJB Stone' (available direct from www.sassandbelle.co.uk) Vintage trends include images of the classic penny farthing, used in artwork and prints.

Images from 'PD Global' stand

Images taken from 'RJB Stone' stand (stationary available to buy direct from www.sassandbelle.co.uk)

Animal prints tie in with the running vintage theme apparant across the fair.

Vintage sewing accessories, ribbons and lace. Nautical themes using text and slogans, checks and deckchair stripes are coming through for SS13.

Photos taken from 'Evans of Lichfield' stand.

Photos taken from 'Parlane' stand.

Summer checks and stripes, photo taken from 'Biggie Best' stand. Animal themes are still apparent from Retro designs to girly and quirky.

Supplier RJB Stone (you can buy these direct from www.sassandbelle.co.uk)

Floral arranging at it's best, great for decorating your house in the Summer, images taken from 'Coach House' stand.

So there you go a selection of the latest trends from Spring Fair 2013, don't forget to put the 1st-4th September in your diaries for the Autumn Fair 2013. Vicky xxx

A day in the city of Amsterdam

2012-11-19T12:10:00.003-08:00

So i was lucky enough to be able to visit the wonderful city of Amsterdam for a shopping trip, and after scouring many of the high street stores which are fabulous for fashion, ventured a little bit further out of the high street to find what truly makes this city a wonderful place. From georgous architecture to quirky shops this place is full of surprises!

Wander along the canals of Amsterdam for fantastic views and a chance to explore the many coffee shops and bars and watch the world go by, a perfect way to spend a day!

If you are after some home ware inspiration or to pick up a unique gift then you must visit Fair & Fair shop on Herengracht 211, 1016 BE, Amsterdam. This shop is 100% fair trade, mostly handmade items which help to create a better world. You can visit the shops website at: http://www.fairandfair.nl/.

If you enjoy a colourful atmosphere whilst you are shopping this place is definitely for you! It has a fantastic range of gift ware and home ware ranging from quirky to vintage, and will have you shopping in here for hours! To visit the shops website go to :http://www.kitschkitchen.nl or to take a look inside the store if you are in Amsterdam visit: Rozengracht 8-12, Amsterdam.

And finally...You can't visit Amsterdam without taking a look at the Tulip row next to the canal, if you love flowers then you will love it here! It has everything from Tulips to flower arrangements, and even wooden tulips so that they will still be as beautiful when they have travelled home in your suitcase! I hope that you have enjoyed my photographs from my brief trip around Amsterdam! xx

Laura Ashley Press Preview day for SS13

2012-11-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

London the capital, is full of quirky finds and side streets brimming with character and charm, so whilst on a recent shopping trip to London's famous Carnaby street I decided to take a detour when the shops started to close, and see what other lovelies I could find lurking around the streets of London. It didn't take long until I stumbled across something very interesting, a beautiful building oozing character, a closer look revealed a Laura Ashley press preview day for their SS13 home and fashion ranges, so i wandered in and it looked amazing, below you can see a selection of images I took. I hope that you get as inspired by these as I did! Enjoy x

The very teapot to inspire the 'Ashley' Design, still as beautiful today as the day it was bought!

A 1970's Patchwork quilt made with Laura Ashley fabrics and created by the Marshwood Vale patchwork group in Dorset.

A beautiful chic bedroom display fit for a Princess, I love these natural and neutral gold tones.

How about a beautiful dressing table to go with your bedroom? Getting ready each morning would be a dream if you had this in your room!

A beautiful patchwork cushion inspired by the quilted throw above, this would brighten up any bedroom.

Another beautiful cushion, seaside theme for the coming SS13 season.

A beautiful floral tea set, when the sun is shining invite your friends round and sit in the garden, the perfect place to enjoy a high tea in the Summer!

Bring to life those old prints by framing them in some contemporary frames, to brighten up your walls.

Nothing like these beautiful butterfly mirrors to start a trend for an entire mirror wall! Guaranteed conversation piece! Well that's it for now, I hope you have enjoyed a taster of Laura Ashley's home range for next SS13 season, and next time I stumble across something as equally as amazing I will be sure to keep you updated! Vicky xxx

A hidden antique gem

2012-09-16T06:35:00.001-07:00

So after living in Manchester for over 7 years i cannot believe that i have only just discovered the antique village in the heart of Levenshulme! It is a hidden gem and a collectors paradise! Is is set in a large building over 2 floors and even the interior fits in with the antique theme! From mirrors to old adverts and signs to dining tables and kitchen dressers, if you visit you are guaranteed to come out with at least one purchase, as everything is so well priced you are sure of a bargain! If you live in the area or even if you don't it is well worth the visit! Most of the sellers inside deliver too so no need to worry about how you are going to get your new purchase home! For more information on this amazing place take a look at their website: http://theantiquesvillage.com/ To get a taster of what you can expect i have featured some of the photographs from some of the products that were for sale on the day i visited i hope you enjoy them!

Some of the fabulous furniture on offer at the village

Some of the other treasures instore! So if you have an afternoon free and fancy doing a bit of bargain hunting then this is the place for it! Vicky xxx

Trefriw Woolen Mill

2012-06-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Well i have been super busy over the last few weekends, last weekend i spent a couple of hours in Trefriw Woolen Mill in the Welsh village of Conwy. What a beautiful and refreshing place this is, definitely worth a visit if you are in the area! I met a lady who demonstrated the traditional ways of spinning yarn from wool on an old spinning wheel, and spent ages looking at all of the beautiful gifts she had handcrafted using traditional methods. Then into the actual woolen mill, you can see the whole process from raw materials to the finished products in the gift shop, they sold a lovely array of woolen cushions, georgous coats, bags and many other fabulous treats. Upstairs in the mill there is still a traditional working factory environment with all of the old machinery, weaving fabulous fabrics and yarns, and you get to see it all happening right there in front of you! I took some fabulous photographs that will be going up onto the wall in my sewing room, i hope you like them! Here you can see some of the traditional work, including the old method of spinning yarn on a wheel, and also the plant gardens used to dye the fabrics naturally. Inside the woolen mill Vicky xxx

Queens Diamond Jubilee weekend

2012-06-02T13:46:00.001-07:00

Hello! What a fabulous weekend of celebrations it has been so far! This weekend i have had a stall at the small village of Hednesford near Cannock Chase in Staffordshire at their street party to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee, a lovely quaint village with lots going on. I have to say i am definitely proud to be British, just take a look at these photos and you can see why! From a regimental march, vintage cars and a brass band, combined with stalls selling cakes, flowers and crafts and heaps of bunting. There was so much going on, the only thing that was missing was the Sun, but it wouldnt be a British Summer without a little bit of cloud and rain now would it! I hope you all have a great time enjoying the Jubilee celebrations...i know i will be! x

Traditional British celebrations

My stall at the street party

Vicky's Pretties featured product

2012-05-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

Hi Followers! Just a quick hello to tell you about 'Vicky's Pretties' newest featured product. The lovely little hanging cupcake decoration has been featured on 'O that's lovely website' a place where all things cute and quirky come together! How brilliant, why not check it out here: www.othatslovely.com

Vicky xxx vickysprettieshomepage

Old mother hubbard craft fair

2012-04-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hi, I will be attending Old mother Hubbard craft fair in Withington at Fuel Bar and cafe on Saturday the 5th May. There will be a number of craft stalls selling handmade homeware and jewellery and there is also a chance to swap some of your clothes for others in the swap shop, so bring as many as possible! You can have a look at the things i will be selling on my new website, lots of lovely shabby chic and vintage inspired interior and home accessories to have a look at: vickysprettieshomepage.html

Vicky's Pretties has finally launched it's very own website!

2012-04-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I have some exciting news to share with you all! Vicky's Pretties has finally launched it's very own website selling unique handmade shabby chic homeware! Please take a look at the website via the following link: vickysprettieshomepage.html we would love to hear your thoughts and comments! Here is a sneaky preview of the main site, i hope you like!

There is also a trends page which is excellent for keeping up-to-date with the current home-ware trends and visualizing a look before you buy. trends.html

And finally...the Vicky's Pretties shop, where you can purchase all of the lovely products you have ever seen on our blog! Take a look and i hope you like what you see! vickysprettiesshop.html

Research day in London and some inspirational snaps!

2012-04-09T13:27:00.002-07:00

So...I thought i would share with you a few inspirational photos i papped whilst down in London last week! I visited Spitalfields Market again, had a little browse around the independant stalls and little shops in the surrounding area of Shoreditch. I found some fantastic little boutique's, including one homeware and gift store called Inspitalfields which was full of quirky designs and vintage finds (www.inspitalfields.co.uk).
I also had a browse along Brick Lane, home to the fantastic Beyond Retro (www.beyondretro.com), a word of warning...you cannot step foot in this shop without purchasing a beautiful vintage piece, with scarfs for £3.00 you would be mad not too!
I also came accross a fantastic jewellery shop, which displayed some great jewellery from a whole selection of independant designers, a great way to showcase your work if you have the talent! (www.atworkgallery.co.uk).
I then went and paid another visit to Liberty's department store where Mary Portas has just launched her 'kinky knickers'. What a fantastic place i could have spent hours in there looking at all of the homeware, and i was in my element when i found the fabric and haberdashery area on the 3rd floor. I just loved the way they displayed there ribbons and buttons, and could have bought every Liberty print going they were all so beautiful! (www.liberty.co.uk)
So take a look and see what you think...and next time you are in London why not pop down and check out the area for yourself, i can guarantee you will be occupied for hours! x

Some snaps of Shoreditch

The lovely store called Insptalfields

The beautiful Liberty's displays

My favourite little haberdashery displays

xxx

My busy weekend!

2012-04-02T05:20:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

So this weekend i have been busy making new hanging heart decorations, after many people have requested i make lavender scented hearts...so here we go! I have found a lovely blue and white fabric and used some of my lovely lilac fabric i allready had, perfect! They are just fab to hang around your home or next to your bed to release a natural lavender scent. These are now available to buy from my Folksy shop: http://folksy.com/shops/VickysPretties

I was also very busy at the Horse and Jockey craft fair in Chorlton, lots of lovely people there to have a chat about crafty things with and it was a very busy day. Lots of things going on in Chorlton from the big green festival and the Chorlton vintage fair, lovely to see a community coming together to support local artisans and crafts people. I can't wait until the next one!

And finally...i have a brand new website under construction!! Vicky's Pretties will soon have a website of it's very own! Exciting times! I will be selling handcrafted items made by myself and i will also be on the lookout for other fabulous people to feature on my site...i allready have a few in mind, but if you think you have a unique product that will fit into the 'Vicky's Pretties' image then i would love to hear from you! I will also eventually be selling unique items for the home, from some of the contacts i found at the Spring Fair at the NEC...watch this space! Exciting times are on the horizon!

That's all for now! I hope you all have a fab week xx

Trims sourcing and researching in Hong Kong: My little trip!

2012-03-25T10:42:00.001-07:00

Hi,

It's been a while i know! However, whilst i have been away i was blessed with the chance to visit the wonderful city of Hong Kong again. I decided to fit in a little bit of trims sourcing whilst i was out there, and visited the wonderful Sham Shui Po district again. I only managed to find a handful of the shops i visited last time, the area is so large it would have taken me a couple of days to do them all properly!

As you can see from the photo below, every shop is crammed full of beads, buttons, ribbons, lace and motifs, it is a crafters paradise!

I also did a little shopping whilst i was in Hong Kong, there are so many shopping malls to choose from you really are spoilt for choice! Firstly i visited 'The One' shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, 100 Nathan Road. It is a hub of little boutiques with some absaloutly beautiful clothes and home interiors, with the top floor of shops consisting of nothing other than homewares and accessories, as you could probably guess i was in there a long time gathering inspiration. There were brands from Umbra to Miho, definitely worth a visit if you are ever in that area!

I also visited the fantastic DNA shopping complex at 61- 65 Chatham Road South, again in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. It is just full of little indipendant boutiques selling handmade homeware and clothes, there was even a miniture dolls house store! Have a look below at some of the photos i took here:

Spring Fair Int Birmingham NEC

2012-02-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

Hi All!

So today i walked my legs off around the NEC finding all my favourite 'pretties' ready for my hopefull (fingers crossed) new website this year! I underestimated just how huge the fair would be and only just managed to get around it all with minutes to spare!
There were some fantastic stands and great products and i have come back armed with leaflets and brochures which i will be sifting through for the next couple of days im sure!
Here are a few pictures i took throughout the day!...Enjoy x

Thanks for looking xxx

Featured on Cuteable.com

2012-02-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Just thought i would share withyou my featured 'Pretties' this week!
On Thursday the 2nd February my little owl was featured on http://www.cuteable.com/ The website where all things cute come together!
You can buy this item at http://folksy.com/shops/VickysPretties or http://www.etsy.com/shop/VickysPretties.

New Vicky's Pretties items for sale on Folksy and Etsy

2012-01-31T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Take a look at my new items i have for sale on my Folksy site: http://folksy.com/shops/VickysPretties and my Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/VickysPretties

Cupcake hanging decoration: £5.00

Shabby chic hanging bird: £4.50

Shabby chic hanging bird: £4.50

Thankyou for looking:
Vicky's Pretties xx

Every cloud has a silver lining

2012-01-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

The word ‘recession’ has been hanging around like a dark cloud for sometime now, everyone is talking about it, every one knows it’s there and we all wish it would go away and let the sun come out!
England was once a hub for manufacturing and exporting, it is now on the brink of becoming a country with lost talent, downtrodden hopes and endless pursuits. What is happening to our country? Household names and well-known businesses are struggling and closing down; we are all being forced into buying mass-produced and over-priced goods of poor quality, as apposed to products that would last a life-time in previous years.
Great Britain is not so ‘Great’ anymore and is plummeting downhill fast. Almost all of the goods we see in Britain nowadays are made with cheap labour and imported in from abroad, what used to be a country with a highly skilled workforce has turned into a country were over 2.6 million people are jobless.
Old factories and mills are left abandoned, beautiful buildings with so much history lay dormant, shops on the high street are closing down at an alarming rate, there is only a slight glint of what it used to be like to live in England, and now the future looks bleak.
People hear ‘recession’ and a mass panic breaks out, food prices rise, fuel prices rise, property prices rise and so-on, more people cannot afford high prices, so they spend less money and then other businesses go under as a result, more people lose their jobs and so the cycle continues.

So what on earth is going to happen?

I have begun to notice a trend catching on in little Britain, people are finally realising enough is enough. Why are we working endless hours for a mediocre wage? Why are we stressing ourselves out to make the big cheeses more money, so they can become richer and we can become poorer? So, slowly but surely, people are beginning to fight back and chase their dreams.
Quaint little tea-rooms and cupcakeries are opening up all over the place, new florists, independent clothing boutiques and home interior shops are popping up here and there, farmers are promoting home-grown food again, all of these offering something new and ‘different’ into the mix.
From working in the clothing industry I know that the English Heritage look is a key trend this season, everyone wants to get on there wax jackets, pull on there wellies and get stuck in, we know that we are loosing England as it was and people are pulling together to keep our country ‘Great’, and everyone wants a slice of what it used to be like to live in England when it was at it’s best.
Barbour the iconic British lifestyle brand favoured by the country bumpkin and known for it’s quilted and wax jackets, still manufactures there classic wax coat as ‘Made in England’ in their South Shields based factory today. It has received an incredible demand in the past few months as everyone wants a piece of English Heritage that will last for years to come, and I doubt that this will not be the only company who will soon realise that ‘Made in England’ is slowly on the rise again.
People are beginning to make their own clothes, making handmade furnishings for their home, cooking meals from scratch with local ingredients, it seems to me that this country has almost done a complete cycle and manufacturing will slowly return on a smaller scale, and soon there will be no need for these big companies offering us poor quality goods, because we can do a much better job ourselves thankyou!

So pull out your Singer, blow of the dust and lets make a difference, Great Britain isn’t called Great Britain for nothing you know!

Vicky’s Pretties xx

Image taken from: http://www.holoweb.net/~liam/pictures/2004-07-toronto/pages/cimg1620/

Mossley Craft Fair at Woodend Mill January 2012

2012-01-28T14:27:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

So today i bared the cold and headed on down to Woodend Mill in Mossley for their first craft fair of the year! First of all can i just say i love Mossley, the stone cottages and snow tipped hills were just beautiful!
I arrived by train at the cutest little station ever and carried my 'pretties' through the streets of Mossley to Woodend Mill (without gloves...bad idea!)
The craft show was based in two units in the old mill with regulars and newbies, and what a lovely bunch of people they all are, despite the cold i had a lovely day nattering around the stove fire!
I saw some fantastic work and was very tempted to buy lots of things!

There was a fantastic landscape artist called Paul Scragg from Liverpool who paints with watercolours, what a talent! I have not seen paintings like this for a long time, they are the sort you can stare at for hours and feel like you are actually in the picture! (Email:Pauls.art@hotmail.com for more details)

There was also another lovely lady called Sandy B, who started out doing pastel drawings of her friends pets as presents, and now she has begun a small business creating pets portraits! They were just brilliant, she has an excellent eye for detail and they were an absaloute bargain at £20.00 per picture. (Email:sjandhjbinmore@yahoo.co.uk for more details)

...And last but not least a man very passionate about making model houses, he has started his own business creating 3D photographs, he had a lovely 3D country pub with little benches outside and told me he handpaints tea leaves for the flowers in the flower boxes in the windows! The attention to detail was just amazing, he mostly works on commisions with pubs and little shops, he can also transform wedding photographs into 3D, a perfect little wedding gift. Take a look at his website: http://www.mossleymodelmaker.com/

Below are some of the photographs from my fab day at Mossley craft centre xx Enjoy! xx

And finally Penny the Pomeranian...adorable!! xx

Vicky's Pretties pick of the week: Decorative door cat and mouse

2012-01-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

This week's pick of the week is a business local to Manchester, based in the quaint little village of Mossley. Owned by a lovely man and lady, they re-create new items out of old household items and have a very good eye for woodwork, handmade clocks and candle holders. My personal favourite is this lovely decorative door cat and mouse, definitely unique and a great talking point as you walk into a room! You can buy their products online at: http://folksy.com/shops/ReFindCreations. Take a look x

An absaloute bargain at only £3.00 xx

Stockport Market Hall craft fair

2012-01-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

A bit of a dreary day in Manchester, having to dodge in and out of the doorways to avoid the random downpours!
However, today i made my way to Stockport Market hall for the first time ever since i have lived in Manchester to check out the arts and crafts fair! I came accross some lovely quaint little buildings along the way and thought i would snap some of these...i take my inspiration from everything!
The Stockport market hall is just lovely, and i love all of the old kiosks inside, i felt like i had stepped back into the Victorian era! There were also some lovely arts and crafts stalls selling everything from greeting cards to soaps and chocolates, i think i may have to get myself a stall here very soon ;-)
All in all a good day...despite the rain!
Take a look xxx