Sunday 8 January 2012

Vintage Network North West

How I achieved it I don't know! That is ... reversing into a gate-post (my Mother-in-Laws) and knocking it flat over!
Not really me ... but you get my drift!
That's how my day started so I was surprised that our very first vintage network meeting got off to such a brilliant start! It was held at Statham Lodge Country House Hotel a beautiful location in Cheshire.
The Roulette Room
Ideal for our first meeting
A nice mirror
Eighteen vintage-connected business owners met to network and do business over afternoon tea.
Vintage Network North West
A selection of cakes and pastries
I think everyone benefitted greatly from the get-together. We all have lots in common and want to promote our business services. We all agreed we don't need to spend a fortune on advertising.
Kally and Sue
Laura and Clare
We can swap products and services, helping each business promote the other.
Wayne looks on as Bethany chats with Fiona and Victoria
I made a date to do some freelance beauty work at The Festival of Vintage in York. It's with Bethany who does fabulous vintage hair and makeup from her home-based retro beauty parlour in Manchester.
Louise from Catwalk Creative Vintage with Rebecca from Polka Dots & Pearls
I'll also be working on some events with Anthony and Steph. They orgainse Vintage Nights in Preston on Friday evenings. Plus they teach everything from Charleston to Lindy Hop. Their latest venture is at Matt & Phreds in Manchester.
All in all it was a really productive day. Our next meeting is going to be held at Rose & Lee Vintage Living in Radcliffe. It'll be a fabulous location and a great opportunity to experience the wonderful surroundings.
It's good to talk!
Brooke of Brooke's Cupcakes is planning the refreshments and will hopefully give us a better insight into social networking .... she's a mind of information!
Here's a list of other attendees I haven't mentioned above:
Elizabeth's Attic
Den at Beechwood
Kalandra Jane Designs
Vintage Manchester
Old Fashioned Susie
Vibrant Vintage
Polka Dots & Pearls
Catwalk Creative Vintage
Planet Vintage Girl
Dolly Cool
There's lots in store! It'll be organised on a regular day each month to try and fit in with most people - not as easy as it sounds. What do you look for from the networking experience? It'll help me to plan events. If you own a vintage- related business and would like to find out more about networking with us please check out my website.
Can't wait for the next one!


Thursday 5 January 2012

It's a Small World

I recently joined a social network group called Vintage Network Worldwide It's a great place to look for vintage inspiration. I happened to come across some amazing images of women working in aircraft factories in WWll and loved the photographs so much I wanted to share a few of them with you.  The following photos are my favourite. They look like they could have been taken yesterday ... but they weren't! These are the real thing and I never tire of looking at them.
The lady responsible for unearthing the photos from 'the vaults' is Cristin from Austin,Texas. She's an archaeologist by trade so she finds her passion to look for and wear unique vintage artifacts is natural.
To learn more about Women at Work in WWll check out Cristin's blog
 
Her partner Adam, is a photographer and together the family run Merletto Vintage.
Cristin loves vintage Hawaiian textiles, early rayon, anything crepe, especially silks, georgette crepes, beaded and sequined garments, the plethora of lovely vintage laces that have spanned the ages, and novelty prints. She loves early plastics, and is working on a specialisation in celluloid, bakelite, and lucite!
Here is Cristin's blog, dedicated to the celebration and research of the fabulous fashions spanning the ages.
She features vintage items available in their shop, as well as items from shops around the globe, as she strongly believes that by buying vintage you are making unique quality investments in history.
Merletto Vintage specialises in 1940s swing clothing, 1940s and 1950s women’s and men’s wear from rockabilly to novelty prints, designer vintage Hawaiian dresses, vintage suits, vintage shoes, bakelite, lucite, and a selection of vintage inspired hair and wedding flowers, boutonnieres, and headpieces.
The reason I named this blog 'It's a Small World' is that we share a passion for vintage makeovers!
Cristin loves to set-up vintage inspired pin-up photo shoots for local gals looking to trade modeling to build up their portfolio for free.
In Cristin's words: "Unfortunately, and as most vintage enthusiast know, much of the clothing from this period lasted because they are painfully small. With that said, I pride myself on offering quality vintage clothing in a variety of sizes and love to shoot all sized gals in proper fitting vintage garments."
Cristin says "Remember kids, classics truly never go out of style and by buying vintage, you are recycling which means a happier world."
Cristin is a real inspiration! I can't wait to get working on my next vintage photo shoot! I'd love to reproduce some of the above images .... now there's a thought!

Monday 2 January 2012

Happy Birthday To Me

On the eve of my 47th birthday I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite birthday quotes about age. I honestly don't mind getting older. The alternative doesn't appeal to me and the very thought of being in my twenties again, well .... it's my idea of hell! Anyhow, people are always saying I don't look my age but what exactly does that mean? A new client the other week thought I was in my twenties - I thought to myself 'She can come again' and at the same time 'She should've gone to SpecSavers'. My age always seems to be a matter of discussion for some reason. I guess it hit home the other evening. We had a party at our house between Christmas and New Year. I found out I was older than the Mum of one of our guests! Shock! Horror! Here you go:
"Old age is no place for sissies" Bette Davis
 "You know you are old when 'Happy Hour' turns out to be a nap"
"All this talk about age is foolish! Every time I'm one year older, everyone else is too" Gloria Swanson
"By the time you reach middle age, you've already met so many people that every aquaintance reminds you of someone else"
 "I'd rather be over the hill than under it"
And here's one of my own: 
"Oh, to be 46 again!"

Do you worry about getting older? Let me know your thoughts x