Vintage Soul

 Vintage Soul

I love this quote because yes, vintage does make me happy. It makes my soul so happy. I love everything vintage and retro. I have always liked to live a bit in the past, wearing those rose coloured glasses! 

When I found this quote on pinterest, there was this lovely quote too. Yes, we look through rose tinted glasses and only really see the good times. What if, people did plant more roses to make more goodness? Love it! 

I do have a yearning for revisiting the wonderful days of my childhood, when everything was more simple. And loved ones were still with us. I do have a rewind button on my brain that does take me back often. I smile as I relive memories, to myself, or with family and friends. I love meeting other old souls, like mine.

Part of my love for the past comes from my lovely childhood and amazing memories of a more carefree, simpler time. Family time and visiting older relative's houses, looking at all their antique crockery, glassware, brass and hanging plates and picture frames. And the jewellery. I'd listen to the stories behind the interesting pieces, many tucked away in those wooden cabinets with a little silver key and brought out at parties. My fascination for these things has come back to me and I love visiting antique centres and shops.

My great grandma and gran had some gorgeous cups and saucers and so many glasses. Their sherry glasses were my fave and even now, today we raise a glass, or two of sherry on Christmas day, just before dinner. Harvey's Bristol Cream. Perfect. I love these little rituals that remind me of loved ones no longer with us. I remember my great grandma's and gran's glass cabinets, absolutely full to the brim with interesting tea sets and glassware. I would love an upcycled one in my house now, like these from pinterest. They are just gorgeous.  

I remember also the many little bowls and jugs filled with nik naks and trinkets. I would sit at the table, looking through gran's costume jewellery box, trying them all on. My love of upcycled, pre loved jewellery probably stems from these wonderful times. 

I would love one more visit to my Gran and Grandad's. Such a magical, special place that I hold in my heart. So many amazing memories of stories, laughter, songs, vintage things, smiles and big hugs.

I have just shared this pinterest quote to my blog page and I love it so much. Just to have one more day with my lovely Gran. Just to sit with her and listen to her stories of the 'good old days', of when she was younger. Precious memories. 

Love this jug and flowers. We all have a 'Keep Calm' motto. Well, I love this one for me!

I really love vintage and vintage styles jewellery. I love my jewellery to be different and quirky. I love Brownfish Designs so much! This fab lady upcycled old tins and magically produces different pieces of jewellery from them. I have so many earings and a few necklaces.

I love to visit Created in Yorkshire, a handmade collective shop in Wakefield where she has a lovely display and I always buy a pair of earings. So does Cooper Gallery in Barnsley where I bought my first pair years ago. This collage is of the jewellery from Created in Yorkshire from Facebook photos.

You can get Brownfish Designs from other places but the place I want to visit is The Piece Hall in Halifax. I know I will love it at The Handmade gift shop. And Out of the Ordinary and Gingerbugs gift shop in Ingleton. These facebook photos show how gorgeously unique this jewellery is.  

I love upcycled, vintage jewellery so much. I came across this lovely, upcycled jewellery, made from pots, on the wonderful page Not on Amazon. This lady, Diana Durey makes such beautiful creations. This montage is made from her page, Diana Durey designs.

Another fave of mine is the wonderful Laura's Jewellery, on Facebook and Etsy. The jewellery is so beautiful and I love the pieces with animals, birds and flowers. 

The thing I love is that the pieces of jewellery are all vintagey and pretty, decorated with flowers, then on a closer look, they have really funny things written on them! Fabulous! 

I love the jewellery on pinterest made from old china. This is just gorgeous from the little treasures blogspot. 

I am obsessed with jewellery and no matter where I go, I always tend to come back with a pair of earings! I loved to look at my mum's and aunt's rings and used to look at my gran's rings, trying them on. I now have a few of my gorgeous gran's rings and feel close to her when I wear them. My favourite is the emerald ring. I remember my lovely grandad giving her the ruby ring at their anniversary party and the smiles on everyone's faces, but mostly my gran's. 

So, I will keep frequenting craft fairs and gift shops, jewellery stalls and finding wonderful handmade jewellery on Facebook because life is too short to not wear fab jewellery! I have found the best jewellery stall on Barnsley market, outside. It has so many beautiful, stunning, coloured gems in so many different designs. I just look forever. The owners are so lovely and know their stuff! The daughter is a gemologist and we always have a lovely chat with all three of them. I have even been inspired to buy a book about gems and their properties! Rings are a personal choice, as is each piece of jewellery. Your jewellery does say something about you. 

I think my love of collecting vintage crockery stems back to me being a student. I'd gone for a hike to Edale with my lovely step dad and we'd popped into the garden centre at Hope. I came across this cream and brown Carlton ware Windswept coffee set and fell in love. I knew I needed it, even though I didn't have a house, or the money! My step dad could see how much it meant to me so bought me it. Since then, I have fondly added to it and it stands proudly behind the glass doors of one of my cabinets. 

As I was looking for more Carlton ware, I came across some pieces of this Mimosa set which is so lovely. 

I also found this wonderful Hazel nut set too and have this fantastic jug and the bowl to match. I saw this in the lovely Antique shop in The Ridings in Wakefield and I loved it straight away. I have bought some lovely pieces from here, including my lovely Britvic glasses.

I do use most of my vintage crockery as I love to make a ritual out of drinking tea and coffee. I totally get that we need to not save things. But the pieces from these sets, I do save and display in my two display cabinets in my dining room. Along with this gorgeous Poole coffee set. 

I love my blog and have met so many lovely people through it. One lovely lady is my friend At home with Polly on instagram and through her, I met the gorgeous lady behind Vintage by Maria Flower. I fell in love with her vintage tea sets straight away. I love the thought and care that clearly goes into the wrapping and packaging of her lovely pieces. Here are a few from her facebook page. She is also on Instagram.

 

I do love my tea and coffee sets but I am slowly running out of room. Unless, I have to get it, then I make room! A way around this, I have found, is to buy single cups and saucers, or the trios, with a cake plate. Maria has so many of these and I bought (then hubby bought) two fab triples and a cup and saucer set as my Christmas prezzies! 

I really love her festive pieces, especially the glasses, reminding me of family gatherings in the past. I love the little, red glasses so much. Love this montage from her facebook.

Maria also sells hostess trolleys. I have always wanted one of these. Or a gin cabinet. What a gorgeous idea!

Most of my vintage crockery and jewellery finds are very local. We are so lucky where we live in South Yorkshire for all the fabulous antique centres and local shops we have. I love antique, vintage, retro hunting! I love this quote which is more American with the 'thrifting'. I love that word!

I get a thrill when I spot a tea cup and saucer or vase that is simply gorgeous and needs to be in my home with me! This next pinterest quote is so true.

When I visit antique shops, my mum seems to not be as interested in the 1960s and 1970s big prints and bright colours, like oranges and browns. She says she's already been through that era of style. She probably appreciates more modern now I suppose. This quote hit the nail on the head for this!

My mum loves this Beatles cup and saucer however, from the wonderful Cawthorne Antiques centre. I love visiting this gorgeous place so much. I walk round once, have two lovely flat whites in Hilary's cafe upstairs, then walk around again. I always leave with something and the owners and staff are so friendly. 

I love every cabinet here at Cawthorne Antiques but my faves are the ones with jewellery and crockery. One of my faves is a lovely lady called Gilly Morris. I felt quite bad on one visit as I ended up buying most of her framed painted pictures. This us a photo of her cabinet from facebook. I aim to buy the lovely Carlton ware yellow jug when they reopen! 

I then met her, restocking her cabinet on my next visit and took a few more! Such a vibrant lady. It was so lovely to meet the artist behind the lovely pictures. 

I do love to make a bit of a ritual out of making a cup of tea or coffee. I love Elevenses but then I love any excuse to make a hot drink! I love posting my different tea cups and saucers on my blog page. Today's was special as it felt very festive and it also showed my lovely Gisella Graham robin jug from the lovely Cannon Hall Garden Centre. I loved seeing this tea cup at the marvellous Elsecar Antique Centre, hiding away in the cabinet as I went to the till. But it caught my eye! A bit like when you grab a Twix at the checkout! Another gem of a place with lovely staff. Always a welcome here.

We are very lucky, in Barnsley to have such amazing antique centres. I love visiting Locked in Time in Dodworth. Such a fab place to go for coffee and cake and a visit to Tea cup Heaven up the stairs! When I first visited here, I gasped as I saw how many tea and coffee sets there were there! I have bought some fantastic pieces here. This is one of my favourites. The owner is very friendly and we always have a lovely natter. 

When we can, I look forward to sitting down for a lovely cup of coffee and piece of cake in a comfy chair, like in this photo. You can see the cabinets full of little jugs. I have a few and I love them! 

I love visiting the lovely Wentworth Antique centre too, especially for all their wonderful jewellery. Unfortunately, my fingers are not very delicate for most of the antique, vintage rings so I spend ages browsing the fantastic rings, to come away with a pair of earings that fit instead! All the different units, like the other centres are lovely and do is the cafe. The staff are very helpful and friendly too. One of my fave purchases I bought recently is these. My sister in law has these and I loved having gin and tonics in them at her house. I will have to do that again one evening!

The Emporium above is also fab too and full of gorgeous, vintage things. I love these photos from their Walk through Wednesdays on facebook. I've made the collage of them all. 

The antique shop at Wortley is fab too and I was really taken by the upcycled furniture, many painted in bright colours. This is one of my favourite posts from their facebook page. 

I do love upcycling of furniture and I fell in love with Found my Niche and instantly bonded with the owner. She has now changed her business to Forget me not. This amazing memory drawer was made as part of the Creative Freedom project for a Women's refuge charity. Such a lovely piece created. 

On the same post were these ideas from pinterest, making hearts out of  vintage buttons and costume jewellery. 

They look so lovely. I keep saying I am going to do something like this. I did make a decoupage jar once and I enjoyed making it. 

On her facebook page was this lovely quote she had shared from another page about recycling. Makes you think!

My lovely friend, The Upholsterer's Daughter, has created some beautiful work, upcycling chairs and is now working on settees. I love to see the Before and Afters. You can see the work and love that goes into each project.

My friend is such a vibrant person and this is reflected in her pieces. I love her choice of colours and patterns. 

If I could fit them in our home, I would love to have two and make a cosy reading corner. I don't think I'd ever leave my snug space though! Love the velvet on this one. Looks so comfy! I take my hat off to my friend. She is well talented! 

I love to visit little galleries and gift shops and my favourite gallery is Newburgh Gallery in Barnsley.  I am good friends with the owners who are such amazing people. Soon as you walk into the gallery, its magic takes over you. There is such an ensemble of paintings, candles, cups and saucers, vases, jugs, jewellery cards and much more. I love their special vintage weekends and have many jugs and cups and saucers from them. 

Another place to find vintage crockery is in the charity shops. I have come across many a good find! My favourite shops are the Barnsley Hospice shops, but most have closed down, to become one big shop in Dodworth. And the Wakefield hospice shops. I love these I got on my last visit. I did voluntary work in the British Heart Foundation when I was a teenager and I loved it. I always have a little chat with the lovely ladies at the tills. I love this tea set from the Barnsley Hospice shop and had tea for two today with my daughter.

I also love vintage bath and body products. My favourite is The Pretty Little Treat Company, my lovely friends' company. I love everything they produce. The packaging is so delicate and beautiful. My favourite products are the hand cream and the bath concoction. I have bought so many lovely hand creams and lip balms in organza bags for little prezzies for friends and family. 

I have been to a few craft fairs and markets where they have been and my favourite is the Wonderfully Made in Yorkshire where I get some Christmas prezzies. This photo was their magical stall last year. 

This year, I ordered two boxes for close friends who I know love their products. I added a few things of my own too. The gorgeous, personalised boxes were really appreciated and looked wonderful. 

I would love to end with vintage clothing and accessories. I love to see ladies in the vintage dresses, coats, scarves, high heels and everything. I saw a Joe Bloggs red and blue floral vintage dress a few months ago and thought, why not? Of course, I need to lose a few pounds but I am adamant I will be in it by spring! I wish I had kept my vintage, patent red and black high heels but will find some more! I will ask my friend to do my hair and hey presto! Something to look forward to! 

I loved visiting a gorgeous, little vintage clothes shop in Holmfirth called Fenellas, named after the tiger who visited there. Unfortunately, the lovely lady has stopped selling for now. Her outfits and accessories were amazing. Many had the old Littlewoods tags I remember from my grandma! 

Next door, there is now a fabulous vintage store of homemade clothes, accessories and jewellery. I love this gorgeous shop called Maud and Nora. They are on facebook and instagram. The handbags and shoes are beautiful. I am sure there will be a pair to match my dress! I posted these photos last summer after my first visit. I was so pleased and cannot wait to go again. The red handbag will match my dress!

The pointy red shoes will match too! Although I love all of them! 

This is a post from their facebook page of the shop entrance. It is like stepping back in time! 

I need to mention I love visiting vintage tearooms, if you did not know but that is another blog!

I love being surrounded by vintage, retro, quirky and handmade things. Things that pull me towards them. Things that are colourful, bright, patterned and unusual. Crockery and glasses from a bygone era where taking afternoon tea was a proper ritual. I love cherishing ornaments and jewellery from loved ones, passed down the years. Items holding so many memories. I love this quote on the facebook page of Cawthorne Antiques Centre. It does not matter if something is worn, faded, chipped and has seen better days. It has meaning and belongs in your home. Your space personal to you. Surround yourself with these things that make you happy.