Mistress Vintage

Folksy Crimbo Competition

2011-12-18T13:01:00.000-08:00

So Folksy are running an Xmas competition. Entries have to be comprised of items from the lovely Folksy sellers based on theme 'Christmas is Coming'. So I thought with Christmas on the way what better than to get ready with Folksy for a handmade Christmas party!

Start by sending out the invites - make sure Santa knows where to go...

Decorate and string out the lights!

Bust out the Christmas (cup)cake and drinks (although if you drink too much your vision might get a bit blurry!)

And party on with games

At the end of the night hand out your party bags & gifts and get to the washing up - although easier to do when you have a lovely hand made tea towel to do the drying up with!

Mistress Vintage sells on the lovely Folksy too - so stop by and say hi http://www.folksy.com/shops/MistressVintage

Christmas is Coming

2011-11-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

So there has been an appallingly long break in my blog but I do have fair reason. The top secret project for Mr Cal was none other than a producing job on ITV’s Susan Boyle: An Unlikely SuperStar. The director and I worked closely with Susan for a few months following her around Rome, NYC, Scotland and Shanghai. We filmed all sorts including China’s Got Talent watched by over half a billion people! Total madness. But now things are winding down and I have a chance to fully focus on Mistress Vintage and getting ready for Crimbo whoo hoo.

My director interviewing Susan on a photo shoot we covered in NYC

MV is now up and live on the Folksy website. For those of you who don’t know the website, it is site which promotes the handmade work of UK artists and is fab for those of you that want to purchase from a UK based company and support British craft. So check out Mistress Vintage on Folksy and shop local! http://www.folksy.com/shops/MistressVintage

Vintage I love you locket necklace available on Folksy

Several new collections have finally been unleashed. Stag of Swag time pieces are still ticking along (sorry) but now there is the new and fabulous Gewgaw and Gimcrack – a great mix of vintage and antique pieces and the skull collections: Skulduggery and the bracelet collection Skulls and Wonders. Items are added daily to Etsy, Asos Marketplace and Folksy so there’s something new and exciting to take a peek at every day https://marketplace.asos.com/search?q=mistressvintage - http://www.etsy.com/shop/mistressvintage

Gegaw & Gimcrack

With Christmas just round the corner MV has something for everyone from £4 stocking filler earrings to higher end pieces which would make great unique gifts. Christmas promotions and competitions will be starting from the beginning of December so keep an eye on the blog and facebook for updates as well as news about fairs and stockists! http://www.facebook.com/mistressvintagejewellery

But most importantly and more exciting than any of this is the news that a MV has been joined by a new team member...Squid. Needless to say the 2 other hairy members, Monkey and Alfie are none too impressed by being outdone by someone a couple of inches high but who can resist a face like this?

NUGGET:

Love vintage, love shopping, love fashion, love shoes than look no further than Jeffrey Campbell. It seems people can’t get enough off the Lita. Ok so they are everywhere but for good reason. They come in a whole range of amazing colours, add stacks of height and believe it or not are super comfortable. I have them in black but fully intend to get myself every pair possible. I am currently lusting after the Lita spikes – dribble!

Asos Marketplace!

2011-06-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

So big things have been happening at here at mistress vintage of late. As every family member (including me) and apparently everyone else I know has their birthday in April or May I’ve eaten more Asian meals than medically recommended and had a bloody lovely time whilst doing it! I’ve single handedly kept Selfridges in business buying presents and am knackered from endless calls for 'just one more' at 3 in the morning whilst knowing getting home, sleeping and getting to work in time is probably only possible with some kind of time warp machine.

But who's complaining. On the work front I've now crossed over to the dark side of entertainment and am working for non other than Simon cal on a 'top secret project' – more on that later.

So Mistress Vintage Jewellery has been left by the wayside I hear you say. Not so for these are exciting times! MV is now stocked by the lovely Miranda at the newly opened Atom Heart in Wales alongside Tatty Divine.Sophie at the Boutique Dressing Room has just received a new order of gold and silver charm bracelets and the Scarecrow Boutique in Crouch End is now stocking working watch cluster necklaces due to requests! Go check them all out!

Mistress Vintage will also be at the fabulous Jumble and Pearls vintage fair in the Light Bar in Shoreditch. This lovely fair will have a great mixture of sellers, food, and awesome djs so come down and say hello! Details are here on facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189444357758798

But most of exciting of all is that Mistress Vintage is now up and running on Asos Marketplace yeh! As someone who essentially has to run her life online Asos is a godsend but Asos marketplace is a total joy. For something so mainstream to open their doors to independent designers and individuals and be so accessible is just great. There are fab new designs and vintage gens to be found on marketplace and I'm so pleased to be part of it.

But marketplace pieces have to be sold with street photography so a couple of weeks ago the lovely make up artist Sonia Allen, my bestie composer and singer extraordinaire Mel Hammond and I trooped off to east London where we subjected Mel to the freezing elements half dressed at times and snapped away. The results were better than I could have hoped for and don't worry Mel’s frostbite was held a bay with the aid of cake! The ladies were fantastic and the results are on Asos Marketplace now so please support MV and check it out.

Don't forget you can purchase items, order commissions and join in the fun at MV on etsy
And we are now up on facebook so come along and join the group for offers and the latest news. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mistress-Vintage-Jewellery/129727697092939

NUGGET:

If you’re a big fan of staying in bed but still getting breakfast you’ll know how difficult it can be to get a decent breakfast in town after having a decent lie in. But the Modern Pantry solves just this issue. Head down to Farringdon at the weekend and get a lovely Saturday or Sunday brunch in cosy surrounding. Yum!

Pretty Pretty Skulls

2011-02-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

Ok so I’ve been truly terrible in keeping up to date but it’s a new year and a new beginning – plus I’ve been busy!

Following my last blog back in July I disappeared off on a mammoth trip around Paris, NYC and Vegas filming for a National Geographic series but alas there was no time for shopping or scouring for vintage goodies. I did have a good time though, although a bit exhausting and we got to interview Mr Donald Trump himself in Trump towers.

Then my documentary series with Mr Attenborough First Life came out. It looked fantastic but less fantastic looking was the show before that accompanied it, Attenborough’s Journey featuring none other than moi looking very bossy and sweaty in the wilds of Oz and Canada!

This is us filming in Oz – and yes that is me looking rather fetching in shorts!

Now my time is taken up thinking up stories about mythical creatures and creating fantasy worlds for a project which I really hope gets off the ground and it’s got my artistic thoughts flowing once again! I also spent some time in Marrakesh and picked up some beautiful ornate solid silver coins which I’ve been using in my latest creations.

Thanks for everyone who turned up to Olympia Hotel Fair last weekend – it was like a little party in my corner! It was great. Latest news is that I hope to get up and selling on ASOS Market soon so watch this space. Sonia Allen will be doing make up for the shoot and singer Danger Mouth will be modelling my goodies. Meanwhile young budding photographer Katie Blanch will be using MV pocket watch statement pieces for a fun Alice in Wonderland shoot.

Also Atom Heart, a new shop opening up in North Wales, will soon be stocking Mistress Vintage so all you Welsh vintage lovers can get your hands on my goodies.

So time for a new leaf and a new look. I am finally going to take Mistress Vintage in the direction I’ve been wanting to go for some time. Out with the girlie and in with more vintage and an edgier feel. I will still be making my working watch and charm bracelets and the odd one off girly piece when it takes my fancy but now Mistress Vintage will be producing more vintage cluster necklaces, scrumptious multi chain bracelets and I will be now promoting my new skull collection! Skulls may have been popular for some time now but I can’t get enough of them and hopefully my customers will feel the same too!

Come check out Mistress Vintage on Etsy!! www.mistressvintage.etsy.com

And I am now on Facebook so sign up for alerts and discounts! http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mistress-Vintage-Jewellery/129727697092939

Mistress Vintage will be at Harpenden Fair next Sunday 20th and Clerkenwell Vintage Fair on March 13th

Hidden Treasures

2010-07-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

So it’s been a busy time here at MV. July saw Mistress Vintage visit the usual market spots of Hitchin Fair and Hammersmith fair. As always thanks for those of you who turned up to say hi and I hope you're enjoying your purchases.

Things have been super busy in my wonderful world of telly with the crew returning from filming in Papua New Guinea today. Now I’ll be completely consumed with the latest National Geographic series working in Paris and New York for 6 weeks! A bit of a pain considering we will have just have moved into our new house in North London which we are renovating and filling with vintage treasures, but definitely a good trip for inspiration for new MV ideas!

Perhaps there will be some great books to rummage through because here at Mistress Vintage we have branched out into new goodies for the first time. Now you can purchase the perfect gift in the perfect package or failing that just get yourself a treasure all of your own. MV is now doing vintage tea cups filled with a piece of jewellery of your choice, packaged in super cute polka dot cellophane and finished with a gorgeous ribbon.

For those of you among you who prefer something a little more rustic there is a great range of vintage tins from Oxo to throat pastilles which can house your purchase and can be wrapped in ribbon – a brilliant and unexpected way of delivering a gift. Or my own personal favourite: hollowed out vintage books. These books have gone down a storm. Hollowed out to hold a gift, piece of MV jewellery or just any secrets of your own you wish to hide, they are decorated inside and out with vintage images, ribbons and oddities - put together by hand over several painstaking hours... To purchase please check out the MV Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/mistressvintage or rather excitingly they will shortly be in at a brand new stockist, the lovely Dressing Room Boutique in Hitchin: http://www.dressingroomboutique.net/

Also if anyone can help please do contact me. At Hammersmith Vintage Fair this month a lady purchased several books from me and explained she was going to stock them at Jane Bourgeis or Jenson and Ballentyne – both of which rang a bell with me but when I searched for these shops I can’t find them physically or on the net. She explained they were Ladbroke Grove way – anyone know these shops? If so please contact me on mistressvintage@hotmail.com – this would be really appreciated.

NUGGET:

If like us you are looking for something unique for your house or simply love ogling vintage wonders make your way down to Kempton Race Course Sunbury Antiques. Held two Tuesdays every month we finally made our way down there, only to be overwhelmed by endless beautiful and affordable items and oddities. Such crazy and inspiring stuff – definitely worth a wander! http://www.kemptonantiques.com/

Pashing!!

2010-06-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

So it’s been a busy couple of months here at Mistress Vintage. I have finally completed a photography course so hopefully MV pics will finally do justice to the pieces! I have also started a new job and am currently producing a documentary on cannibals in Papua New Guinea.....yes you heard me right! I am also producing a series looking at the most iconic structures in the world so I will be spending September in NY – so excited! Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up lots of vintage inspiration from across the pond.

Mistress Vintage was there for the opening of Land of Pash vintage fair a really enjoyable day. Queens of Vintage, a fantastic vintage blog, wrote an article on the fair featuring a picture of an MV piece – check it out here http://www.queensofvintage.com/land-of-pash/2. Land of pash have more events coming up soon so keep an eye on their website: http://www.landofpash.co.uk/

New pieces have been sent out to the Jolly Brown shop and Qetty Bang Bang and Scarecrow in Crouch End is now the first shop to stock the MV working watch bracelets – so head on over there for unique and gorgeous pieces!

But most excitingly of all the new Stag of Swag line has really taken off and is proving pretty popular so expect more from this high end. The pieces below are, complete one offs, fresh from the stag and available to buy on Etsy! Come take a look http://www.etsy.com/shop/mistressvintage

NUGGET:

I was watching Jools Holland the other week when Bobby Mcferrin came on. Most people will know Bobby for his most recognisable tune ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’. I knew a couple of his other tracks previously but didn’t really know his material. His performance of Drive really is amazing. A performer from the early days of beat boxing Bobby’s performances, particularly when alone are fantastic and funny. Check out Drive on youtube.

C'est Bon

2010-03-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

So excited I nearly wet myself here at MV (luckily I managed to stop myself). This April's issue of InStyle, one of my favourite magazines, ran a feature called Best of British Talent. In this article was the fabulously stylish and lovely model, Amber Le Bon, sporting none other than one of our Stage of Swag vintage pocket watch necklaces. Amber bought this lovely goodie from MV at PA vintage fair and it seems she also wore her new purchase to the MA catwalk show for London College of Fashion. The Stag of Swag line, for those of you who don't know, is MV's new high end line of unique pieces using antiques and the most special one off pieces. The Stage is proving quite a hit so check out his stylish finds.

Vintage pocket watch on Miss Le Bon's necklace

Here at Mistress Vintage we have been busy little bees and new stock has been sent to Jolly Brown - so get down there if you fancy some new vintage wonders! And more exciting news - Hurrah, Mistress Vintage will finally be opening properly on Etsy. Photography skills finally in check, courtesy of the London School of Photography, MV can now post decent photos which means you can actually see what you're getting! Lovely vintage goodies will be coming to you by the end of the week ready to satisfy all those buying urges. For those of you who have been frustrated by visiting an empty page after meeting at fairs, apologies, but now you can buy away 'til your heart's content!

Goodies available at Jolly Brown and Etsy:

For those of you who want to meet in person, Mistress Vintage will be getting stuck into a new fair this weekend in Essex. Vintage Vogue will be taking place in Brentwood this Sunday 28th from 10am-4pm. With lots of vintage sellers and the new Vintage tea rooms serving scrummy cream teas it shouldn't be missed! http://www.essexvintagefashionfair.com/

NUGGET:

MV was very excited (again) to be asked by the lovely Sonia Allen to lend some pieces for a photo shoot. Aside from being a MV fav customer, who regularly buys us out of house and home, Sonia is also a very talented, qualified makeup artist. Sonia is available to do all kinds of events and add that extra sparkle to your special day. She can be contacted on sonia.allen25@gmail.com

All Change

2010-02-28T14:51:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to all those of you who came to the Harpenden fair and who came to the usual Hammersmith event during Fashion week. It was lovely to see some familiar faces.

Now I have some changes to report. The Land of Pash Fair has put its dates back. Apparently sellers have been knocking down the door and clamouring to get involved, so due to the demand the Land of Pash have pushed back their launch to April 11th. But never fear Mistress Vintage will still be out in force but at Hitchin vintage fair on March 7th instead (follow up to the fantastic Harpenden fair) http://www.hertfordshire-vintage-fairs.com/come along and check it out at the Hitchin Town Hall - opens at 10am.

Following that, MV will be at the Hammersmith PA vintage fair on the 21st http://www.pa-antiques.co.uk/and at Vintage Vogue in Brentwood Essex at the Courage Hall on March 28th http://www.essexvintagefashionfair.com/

More exciting news; Jolly Brown has just launched the MV collection at their shop in Hitchin. This collection is slightly different to the normal time pieces with cute pistols. soaring swallows and funky skulls. Go to the website and check out the shop, they have plenty of fab vintage finds!!

NUGGET:

Stuck for style inspiration, bored with identikit outfits you see in magazines? MV heads to Facehunter. Fashion blogs are nothing new and journalists regularly turn to fab bloggers like Susie Bubble for inspiration, but Facehunter has to be my favourite. This blogspot is great because it's essentially just Rodic's visual diary of a range of outfits on everyday people in the street - the result is eccentric, inspiring and thankfully often practical outfit options!

The Stag of Swag and Fairs Galore

2010-01-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

Hooray, good news MV will be showing this weekend at Harpenden Vintage fair: http://www.hertfordshire-vintage-fairs.com/ This is the first of many Harpenden fairs to come and looks set to be a great day for all vintage lovers. So put it in your diary - this Sunday 31st 2010 and go for a drive. Get out of the city and see what bargains Harpenden has to offer that you wouldn't get in town.

And more exciting news on the fair front, Mistress Vintage has become a resident of the Land of Pash: http://www.landofpash.co.uk/ This vintage fair, or should I say country, is a new venture opening in Tower Bridge in March. MV will be marching down there and laying out our wares on March 7th so be there or miss out on some vintage wonders.

Speaking of wonders, Mistress Vintage is opening a new line. So often I would come across a stunning antique pocket watch or some other fabulous curiosity, but turn them away thinking they were too costly. The result was me in tears whilst someone else got their paws on these gorgeous items! And so the Stag of Swag has come to the rescue. Charging in and using his stylish horns to butt out all those who stand between him and stunning vintage finds, the stag is now contributing to a high end and exclusive line for Mistress Vintage. Expect to salivate over antique fob watches, luscious vintage keys and one off pieces you can't live without!

Thank you to all those who came to the regular Hammersmith fair last week, it was nice to see you all. Expect to see MV in Hammersmith for the February fair. It's fashion week so you simply can't afford to miss out darling.

NUGGET:

Getting into the spirit of fashion week my words of wisdom this week are... Tim Walker. He is my favourite fashion photographer, make that favourite photographer full stop. He takes the most fantastic, whimsical, and beautiful photos. With an amazing sense of the surreal, downright bizarre and somehow brilliant sense of British eccentricity I have never fallen in love with so many photos taken by a single photographer. Vogue has recently reported that Tim has a new exhibition coming up shortly but if you can't wait til then, do as I did and get his big book of 'Pictures'!

Mistress Vintage Goes Wild

2010-01-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

Apologies to all those who thought I was probably lying dead in a gutter somewhere. The truth behind my mysterious disappearance is that I have been travelling to some seriously remote locations with no way of communicating.....nightmare. But the exciting bit is that I've been in deepest darkest Canada and the rainforest in Australia producing a huge and exciting new series with David Attenborough. We had an incredible time flying endless choppers around the Canadian Rockies before heading all over Oz. We boiled in the outback, got soaked in the tropical rainforests of North Queensland and burnt on Heron Island, an island paradise in the middle of the Barrier Reef, but working with my incredible crew and such a legend has definitely been the highlight of my career by miles so far. This is me below with our cameraman wading out with camera equipment to Wistari Reef sandbar (excuse the sweatiness and horribly white legs). The sandbar is exposed once a day, and disappears pretty quickly. We decided to shoot on this tiny bit of sand in the middle of nowhere, where boats can barely reach and there's nothing but water and sharks for miles around!

Now that I'm back I'm pleased to report that the Craftaholics fair was a great success and loads of fun. The other sellers had some unique and beautiful offerings and we kept our spirits up by cooing over all the lovely things and consuming bucket loads of tea. Thank you to everyone who came down to see Mistress Vintage, and to my gorgeous pal Amy was a trooper on the day and kept me from crying by stuffing me with cake when I emerged from the fair to find I had a whopping great parking ticket! Another showbiz lady Anna Popplewell, Lucy from the Narnia films, has joined the ranks of MV fans when she purchased a time piece necklace. Clearly the whimsical feel I try and put into the collections appeal to the ladies in fantasy film!

For those keen to get their hands on new pieces, QettyBangBang, which has now opened its new fabulous website http://www.qettybangbang.co.uk/ and Scarecrow in Crouch End have just taken a new delivery from MV....so run along and check them out...time pieces galore....tick tock!

MV will also be expanding its horizons and joining new vintage fairs soon, so keep tuning in to find out where and when I will next be showing. Hope to see you all soon xx

NUGGET!!

I recently came across an absolute gem of a website called Queens of Vintage http://www.queensofvintage.com/. This vintagetastic website gives all kinds of tips about styling, events, interiors - everything you could possibly want to know about how to live the perfect vintage life. My favourite part is the top 100 vintage queens where people send in pictures of themselves and are judged on how fabulous they are. Also the little queen on the screen videos which show delicious old clips of the ultimate vintage divas is inspiring and if not will just make you smile. So click on and maybe you might be tempted to enter yourself as a vintage queen!

Crafty Times

2009-08-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since the last post. I headed to Portugal and then a hen party in Barcelona. I picked up some lovely pieces and whilst the boyf chilled by the pool in Portugal I used the time to work on my new working watch bracelets which seem to be going down a storm!

Before heading off on holiday I did a really exciting photo shoot with the fantastic band Little Joybox. We went for a really opulent, decadent vibe and I took the opportunity to go crazy and heap tonnes of necklaces and gold onto Sara – Mr T fabulous!! Check out Little Joybox on http://www.myspace.com/littlejoybox. They have some great upcoming gigs at places like Ronnie Scotts so go along and go crazy to fab tracks such as Killer but their one minute wonders are just the best! Alan was the lovely and ever patient photographer on the day – have a look at his website: http://www.ajsh.co.uk/

But for me the most exciting news is that Mistress Vintage will be joining the fantastic crew down at Craftaholics fair this Saturday August 29th at the Old Queens Head in Angel – 44 Essex Rd Islington N18LN. It will be loads of lovely crafty fun with a whole range of products and fantastic designers. They have just added me to their blog http://craftaholics-london.blogspot.com/. I hope to see you all down there for lots of shopping and cupcakes!

NUGGET:

So many lovely things in my head at the moment that I could write about but Craftaholics has inspired this nugget. My tip for this post is the artist Daniel Hillier. Daniel does fantastical and gorgeous prints, paintings and ink drawings. They have a really dark, Victorian feel – totally gothic, fantastically creepy and irresistible. I particularly love his use of animals and emphasis on anatomy. His drawing of a stag dressed as a Victorian gentlemen was the first thing the boy and I bought for our flat – very practical I hear you say! Anyway Daniel sells at Sunday Upmarket off Brick Lane and he will be at Craftaholics this Saturday – so another reason to come check it out! http://www.danhillier.com/

Potter Jewels!!

2009-07-21T02:44:00.001-07:00

So some exciting news here at Mistress Vintage. At the last PA antiques fair in Hammersmith, Isabella Laughland, who plays Leanne in the new Harry Potter film, bought 3 necklaces. After spending quite a lot of time deciding Izzie eventually settled on a long butterfly necklace with a cute revamped 70s clip on earring, a gorgeous long gold necklace made with vintage brooch with a black stone setting and a long gold necklace with heart pendant and pearls running through one side of the chain. However, she was still torn as she fell in love with a cute little necklace with a lovely je t'aime charm on it. Seeing as how she couldn’t bear to part with it I took the charm and added it to her heart necklace. Izzie wore the necklaces grouped together Alexa Chung style to jazz up her simple white dress which she wore to the Harry Potter the Half Blood Prince premiere.

Isabella Laughland

I have to confess I am a bit of a Harry Potter fan. Every year 2 of my uni friends follow tradition and watch the latest film wherever we are in the world, so next week I’m trundling off to Brighton for some Potter fun. It’s very exciting to know that Mistress Vintage has had a small part in Potter mania! If anyone comes across any pictures of Izzie Laughland at the Potter premiere please do send to Mistress Vintage as I’d love to have a photo – mistressvintage@hotmail.com

With regards to the latest stock there has been a bit of a development here at Mistress Vintage. Most people are very keen on MV time pieces – made with recycled vintage watch parts. However lots of people have been asking me for pieces with working watch faces. The very nature of vintage means that my pieces don’t work but in response to this call for working watches I am currently working on a new range of cute beaded bracelets made with vintage oddities, bead and brooches and yup you guessed it working watches! Pictures to follow soon.

On the Etsy front thanks to the help of a director I worked with for some time and my saviour - my appallingly bad shots have been transformed with photoshop and new items will be posted next week so keep your eyes peeled!

One of the latest additions to be added to Etsy

NUGGET!!

My nugget for today is all about food. There are few things in life that I love as much as cake. Having a little brother who is much younger afforded me with a lot of party bag opportunities in my teenage years. Nothing was quite as exciting as finding an unattended goody bag on his return from a party and sneaking out a slightly wilting piece of Thomas the tank engine sponge cake with bits of napkin stuck to it. My love of cake is definitely child like. I much prefer a cup cake to a slab of grown up chocolate cake and my feeling about sweets are the same. I love a traditional sweet shop selling flying saucers and shrimp and things with enough e numbers in them to kill a small elephant. So you can imagine my excitement when I came across Candy Cakes. The window of this shop is adorned with cakes covered in neon bright icing and topped with fantastic kiddy sweets. Raspberry and white chocolate cup cakes topped with flumps or apple cakes with bright green icing topped with jellies. All come in cute little pink printed bags or a sweet little box for gift giving.

Now if I didn’t put on weight just by looking at cake then I’m sure I would exist on a diet of little more than Victoria sponge but given my lack of control when it comes to the good stuff I generally steer clear. But after constantly walking past this shop finally I broke last week and treated myself to a fluorescent, flump topped number. I won’t lie – this isn’t the best cake I’ve ever had but for cute, quaint, quirky appeal you can’t beat it. Candy Cakes http://www.candycakes.eu/

Vintage Beginnings

2009-07-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

Starting a blog is something I have been thinking about for a while. I am a total technophobe so it wasn't something I thought I would do but now that Mistress Vintage - my own little travelling fair of vintage inspired jewellery and past treasures - is in full swing with its own small following I have decided to take the plunge.

Under Mistress Vintage I produce one off items of jewellery incorporating vintage gems. I also make a line of vintage inspired pieces. I am now selling at http://www.pa-antiques.co.uk/ one of the biggest vintage fairs in London, based in Hammersmith every month. Mistress Vintage is also stocked at Scarecrow in Crouch End (which is soon to open an online store) and Qetty Bang Bang a shop selling vintage and vintage inspired goodies in Gloucestershire. The shop is opening in September so look out for it http://www.qettybangbang.co.uk/I am also on Etsy, although updating it is a slow process at the mo! www.mistressvintage.etsy.com

But for me Mistress Vintage isn't just about the jewellery its about the history and the wonderful stories that accompany each piece. The fantastic thing about vintage is the idea that the necklace or coat or bag you're wearing has had a fabulous life all of its own. It's been to places you haven't, heard secrets you don't know and may have been around a lot longer than you.

I'm embarrassed to pull out this dreadful cliche but for me Mistress Vintage really is about a lifestyle and so I decided to write this blog not just harp on about my own jewellery but to share fantastic little nuggets I collect as I go along. Working in tv I travel a good deal and have been privileged enough to see some incredible things. Some may also say I have a touch of OCD. I have a list for everything, art galleries, restaurants, cute little shops, hidden markets, great films, beautiful photographs, books full of magazine clippings, an obsessive collection of postcards, adorable pet shops and so it goes on. I try a bring a little of what I like from each of these places into Mistress Vintage. And if this all sounds terribly pretentious basically it boils down to the fact that I love shopping, cutsie little things, English teas, striking dresses, cake, sitting in the cinema, travelling, jumping up and down to some great music at the weekend, animals including my dog Monkey, and buying stuff !!

Hope you enjoy

Monkey the loudest snorer with the cutest face:

Pieces from "Time Flies" Collection - Mistress Vintage:

NUGGET!

So for my first treasured nugget of info where else to start but at home. You must check out Sally Bourne http://www.sallybourneinteriors.co.uk/shop/. My local shop is in Crouch End London and there is another in Muswell Hill. This place sells fantastic gifts, cute bits of one off vintage and a range of homewares that will make you dribble (I bought stuff here for my house before I even had a house!) Wander around this shop and you can't fail to spy something you won't be able to live without.