All the Fun of the Fair

I've been feeling like a child waiting for Christmas over the last few weeks, but finally the day of the Christmas Vintage and Handmade Fair arrived...and what a day it was! It's such a glorious event, with stalls bursting with vintage treasure, nostalgic music, lovely people, a wonderful atmosphere and tea and cakes aplenty, served up on vintage china.

I couldn't help but get into the festive spirit, especially when I saw all of the lovely Christmassy things on Michele's stall.

Michele's stall was also bursting with vintage toys that I could easily have given a home to!

One of the things I love most about the Fair is the chance to meet the people's whose blogs I read and whose work I admire. I was thrilled to meet Viv (who I featured in my Sewing World article all about the wonderful world of blogging). The pieces she makes are absolutely wonderful.

A trip to the Fair wouldn't be the same without Nicky's vintage bunnies. They're so adorable!

These dolls from The Little Wren House Factory made me smile. There were the most wonderful needle felted animals on this stall too...

...I thought Millie was rather wonderful (the needle felting is so clever).

As ever, Niki's stall was filled with the most wonderful array of vintage loveliness...

...from buttons and toys...

...to her gorgeous rag dolls. I admire them each and every time I see them. Perhaps one day I might have to give into temptation and give one a new home!

There's always so much treasure to look through on Sue's stall, from buckles and fabric, to gorgeous vintage pieces such as this pretty doll.

It was fabulous to see Donna at the Fair (and her mum too!) So many gorgeous fabrics to choose from!

I think the best bit of the day had to be meeting Denise (a.k.a. Mrs Bun). I was having a cup of tea before going around the fair for the third time (!), when a lovely, bubbly lady came and introduced herself! I was so thrilled she did...it was Denise, who've I've become friends with through Blogland. We were partners in her recent letter swap and enjoyed it so much, we're planning to write some more! I could have chatted to Denise (and the lovely Mr Bun) all day. It just goes to show, you never know who'll you might bump into at the Vintage and Handmade Fair!

Mr Treasure treated me to this wonderful purse by the very talented Viv. I'm so thrilled with it!

Amongst the bits and pieces I bought were these vintage shop stamps. They're so evocative of times gone by!

On the way home we popped into Cirencester and went to see the 'Cut and Fold' exhibition at the Brewery Arts Centre. It's well worth a visit if you're passing. I loved these butterflies (by Tracey Bush).

This piece is made of lots of pieces of rolled paper, in what reminds me of a window frame. It casts the most amazing shadows on the wall.

It was only when I stood back from Beatrice Coron's silhouettes, that I could see the overall effect. They were absolutely stunning and full of tiny details. They must have taken ages to create!

It's difficult to see the tiny details in this piece...it's filled with people all doing different things. These silhouettes were big and must have needed steady hands and nerves of steel to make!

It really was a fabulous Saturday. Only 6 months to go until the next Vintage and Handmade Fair. Hoorah!

Choo Choo Ch' Boogie

I've long harboured a dream that when it was my 30th birthday, I'd like to celebrate with a 1940s-themed party. Well, at the end of October, my dreams came true.

With the invitations sent out, all we had to do was find decorations, costumes, a band, lots of yummy food (we decided against spam and rationing for the evening!)...and hope that people would turn up! Here are the results...

I didn't think a 1940s party would be the same without bunting and luckily I found 60 metres of it for sale in our local post office! Balloons, propaganda posters, flags and red, white and blue crepe paper streamers finished off the look a treat.

Here are Mr Treasure and I all dressed up and ready to party! Mr Treasure was so proud of his RAF uniform, I think he would have worn it all week if the fancy dress shop hadn't needed it back! My dress is an original 1940s number, as are my shoes (which I absolutely love and came from Donna's last house sale). My tights even had a seam up the back (but were rather lacking in lycra!)

Mum and Lin painted their nails in between helping to dress the hall and waiting for everyone to arrive! (Chanel nail varnish is truly the best I've ever found and comes in a fabulous array of colours).

Everyone went to so much effort and looked wonderful in their costumes. This is my brother-in-law, Ryan, and his lovely other half, Trish. Lots of the photos here were taken by Ryan, so a very big thank you to him for being our 'official photographer'!

I spent most of the night doing double-takes. It's such great fun to see all your friends and family dressed completely differently to how you normally see them. Lots of people didn't recognise each other at first!

Everyone's costumes were so different and represented just about every walk of 1940's life.

The level of authenticity was superb. That's my father-in-law on the right hand end (who we've all been calling Private Godfrey ever since!)

Everyone got into the spirit of the 1940s, accessories and all. Thankfully, the beer wasn't warm (as it often was back in wartime Britian)!

It took me ages to master 'Victory Rolls' and I was terrified I wouldn't be able to manage them on the night. Luckily, I gave myself plenty of time to get ready (as well as bucketloads of hairspray and pins).

I love seeing people wearing hats. I often think it's a shame we don't still wear them as part of our everyday attire.

Parties are always a great opportunity for friends to catch up. The evening went so quickly though. It could have done with being an all day event, just so I had time to chat to everyone and still have time for dancing!

My feet just won't stay still when I hear music I love. Needless to say, Mr Treasure took me for a spin when the band started playing Glenn Miller tunes!

There was a merry hub-bub all night as people laughed and chatted amongst the bunting.

With the band playing 1940's music, the hall having a nostalgic air to it and everyone looking wonderful in their outfits, it was like stepping back in time.

Here's me with Mum (who wore an original 1940s, cardigan, belt and felt brooch) and Dad (who came as an evacuee).

There's something about a uniform that made the chaps stand up very tall and walk with a certain air of authority!

My ARP's tin helmet (which I had for Christmas many years ago, wrapped up in brown paper and tied up with string) was soon commandeered!

All of the armed forces were represented. Mr Treasure's moustache didn't last long as it kept falling in his beer!

It's Rosie the Riveter!

It really was a wonderful party and one that will remain in my memory forever. I'm just trying to think of an excuse to do it all again!

And now for something completely different...

I wanted to post this long before now, but we've been having trouble with our broadband and it was only fixed today. I didn't like being cut off from Blogland one little bit!

For all those who were wondering, The Daffodil is in Cheltenham. Do pop in if you're ever in the area!

On Monday evening, I wrote out the names of everyone who had entered my Amy Butler pattern giveaway on bits of paper, folded them up and popped them into an empty Bonne Maman jar (I'd never survive without Bonne Maman strawberry jam, it's just so yummy!) Having shaken them all up, I asked Mr Treasure to pull out two names. The winners were...drum roll and little fanfare please...Jayne and Isabelle. Congratulations and a huge thank you to everyone for entering!

A Lunchtime Treat

Every now and again I love visiting my favourite restaurant in town...The Daffodil. Mum and Dad popped over for a visit today, so we thought we'd go somewhere a bit special for lunch (unfortunately, Mr Treasure was at work and missed out on this gatronomic adventure...much to his disappointment when we told him afterwards!)

The restaurant was originally a cinema in the 1920s, but has since been turned into another great venue for entertaining. Let me show you around...

Although the outside of The Daffodil isn't terribly grand, it does have a wonderful entrance. The little windows are still there where cinema goers would have paid their money before being handed a ticket for whatever the big picture was.

As The Daffodil is rather inconspicuous, there's a bit of help up high on the side of the building.

I love this mosaic...it greets you as you step in through the double doors into the entrance lobby (which is complete with a few vintage double cinema seats from a bygone era).

The kitchen now sits where the screen once was. There's a wonderful atmosphere in this restaurant...there's a fabulous-sounding jazz night every Monday which Mr Treasure and I keep promising ourselves we'll go to.

Even the teapot had a hint of Art Deco about it and looks as if it could be travelling at speed (so typical of Art Deco designs!)

I love this sign in the ladies' 'powder room'. It makes me chuckle every time I read it!

Everywhere you turn there are glorious bursts of colour.

I've never been disappointed with anything I've eaten at The Daffodil and today was no exception! Haddock fishcakes to start...yum!

What was once the Circle is now a rather glamorous looking bar...full of Art Deco style, with a sprinkling of decadence.

There are lots of cosy corners to sit in and sip cocktails, complete with vintage posters and other nods to the building's Art Deco heritage and former life. There are even two film projectors, displayed at the top of the stairs that you glide up to reach the bar!

Go on, treat yourselves to a spot of decadence this week (and don't forget to enter the giveaway from the last post if you haven't already)!