#silentsunday

Vintage Sparkle

I’m a big fan of vintage, especially when it comes to jewellery. Its my opinion that vintage and retro jewellery, whether costume or that made from precious metals, was made to a much higher standard then that of today.

I’ve been putting my love of all things vintage to good use. I’ve set up stalls at Battersea, pimlico, and other various locations within london and Kent and I’ve been selling everything from funky retro clothing to 1920’s rhinestone bracelets.

Whether its at craft festivals, vintage fairs or good old bootsales, I’ve discovered that I’m actually rather good at selling this stuff, which has to be down to my fine eye for vintage flare. When it comes to jewellery, I’m a natural! I’ve always been a bit of a magpie and this is of great benefit when your choosing pieces specifically to sell. I won’t lie, its required me to engage in a good bit of research… Yes, I now have a load of names of both jewellery designers and manufacturers who’s pieces are worth buying, stuck in the fore front of my mind but its great fun all the same.

Here’s some images of some of the pieces I’ve brought over the past few months.

The above is just some of what I’ve had on the stall. Brooches are probably my favourite thing to buy and sell! There really are some fantastic designs out there in need of discovering. It seems crazy how two brooches of the same age can vary so much in value purely due to its design, I’ve even had costume pieces valued to be worth more than silver pieces. But brooches and jewellery in general aren’t just something for the stall! I’ve also got a fabulous personal collection of my own. I love silver, especially old vintage silver! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of gold and own a nice collection of gold jewellery, but my silver collection is much greater. Below is a new early 1950s silver and marcasite necklace that I got this week along with another necklace and earrings I brought from eBay.

The following images were taken today. These are some of my newest pieces of vintage costume jewellery that I’ve acquired for the stall . This was all delivered today having been sent from France and I’m totally in love with the rainbow crystal necklace with Art Deco clasp that was purchased in Italy some 47 years ago. I’m also smitten with the single pearl necklace with Rhinestone clasp and stunning M&S Rhinestone necklace with matching bracelet… Stunning.

I’m currently in the process of creating a page specifically designed to showcase some of the latest items I’ve uncovered and plan on selling. Of course, everybody is free to check it out.

Thanks for reading… Clairelouise.x

Top Tips – How Too Turn a Bootfair Into A profitable Business

The sun has been shining, what a perfect excuse to load up the car and head for the bootsale.

Earning extra funds while enjoying the sun’s rays makes selling at bootfairs most enjoyable.

The spring and summer months are popular ones when it comes to bootfairs (after all no, one likes to get up and sell at 5am on a cold winters morning). Both those looking for a bargain and those hoping to make some extra money are all out in force.

For me and my close friend, selling at bootfairs during the months of spring and summer has become something of a business. Last year we started clearing our homes of unwanted items and once we had done so we moved on to buying and selling in the hope of making a profit. We have done the same this year and we are on our 5th week with plans to pitch our stall over at Battersea bootfair this coming Sunday.

I love vintage items and I’m forever picking up a bargain, of course this has become a big feature on the stall. We currently have some stunning items of vintage costume jewellery as well as modern and vintage sterling silver. This year we have also been busy crafting homemade items from homemade bath treats to handmade jewellery. I’ve also been spending lots of time refurbishing items of furniture into distressed shabby chic pieces, ones that I plan to try and sell and promote at the bootfairs we attend over the summer.

This year we also plan on selling at craft fairs and best of all… festivals. I’m planning on creating a page to share all this so please feel free to visit it once published.

So… I’ve learnt a lot surrounding bootfairs, selling and all that come’s with it. I wanted to share with you some tips to make your experience the very best, while ensuring you come home with an overflowing money belt as opposed to that of a car boot.

1) If you are selling your unwanted items as a one off, then to get the very best out of your experience, take time to checkout local papers detailing local sales and selling prices. Try to pick an established sale that already has regular visitors, the kind that come out to shop rain or shine.

Remember some bootsales require you to book to ensure a space. Call early to avoid disappointment.

2) This is a great tip for those who plan to sell on a regular basis! Before selling at new fairs, attend as a buyer and get a feel for the way things work. Don’t be shy, ask sellers if they recommend the sale, and any tips they may have for new sellers attending the bootsale.

3) Arrive early giving yourself time to set up your stall. It can be most stressful having loads of people try and rummage through your bags and boxes of goods as you unload it from the car. They are like scavengers as they see your car approaching they can be seen stood around ready to pounce on you’re stock. As for the above reasons, Its always best to set your stall up early, before that of buyers are let loose. However, its not only buyers who pounce when you arrive. Other sellers and traders are as bad with some being far worse. Be firm and tell them to back off. This is the most likely time you find you have had stuff stolen so stand your ground, chasing them off like mice if need be.

4) Use sites like eBay to bag bargains. I’ve sold lots of items I’ve brought from eBay at bootsales, making a really nice profit too! Look for listings with words misspelt using a site like fat fingers. These items are not often discovered because of the poor spelling, which means those looking for such items miss them all together… Example, those looking for ‘Adidas’ trainers may miss a listing because the seller has listed the trainers with a typo. The word is spelt ‘Adiddas’ as opposed to that above. This is a great example as its a word often misspelt on eBay meaning I myself have bagged one or two pairs of adidas trainers at a steal.

Also check for listings placed in the wrong category. Ive bagged some lovely pieces on eBay. The seller has listed an item when they have no clue of its true value. Vintage bone china is an excellent example of this and we sell lots at both bootfairs and vintage fairs.

5) Don’t assume that just because your selling at a bootfair it means you have to practically give your items away. Seriously, what you charge for an item has a lot to do with where it is you are selling your items rather than its true value. Seller fees are normally anything from £7 upto £30 plus, with some sales being more upmarket then others. We have some truly stunning jewellery and vintage items. We also have lots of designer items, leather bags, shoes & makeup, refurbished goods such as vintage furniture and handmade items. To sell these items at just any sale would be a waste! For items such as these, you need to go to the right sale, one that is known for its high standard of goods, otherwise you may as well sell at specialised sales. As mentioned we are setting up at Battersea this Sunday and being in a london hotspot means the fees are on the higher scale. Nonetheless, its always busy, the standard of goods on offer are excellent and buyers are there to spend money. I’ve never sold here before but have visited as a buyer countless times and having spoken to regular sellers, I fell confident about doing so.

6) presentation is everything. Whether your selling at a local church or a more upmarket location presentation is key. Most bootfair goers love a rummage though some would rather trail through clothes rails. Try to keep all happy by doing a bit of both. We have a huge box with our cheaper items in allowing the buyer a good rummage. We also have a large rail with lots of different display areas. The one below was made by my friend for our stall. She used poles from an old rusty clothes rail that she extended with old bunk bed poles from my daughter bed…. Groovy arh.

7) Smile… A smile goes a long way. I hate looking on a stall that belongs to a miserable sour faced stall holder. It puts me off buying anything and I just can’t wait to walk away. I always say hi to buyers and offer them assistance if they need it. You can often spot those who love a bit of a chatter and I’m always happy to participate. Buyers need to feel comfortable buying from you, so just remember to wear your huge fat cheesy grins on sale days.

8) Take notes at the different sales attended. List what you sell and how much. This will later provide you with statistics when deciding on any regular sales you want to sell at regularly. I find that at certain bootfairs we sell lots of jewellery, yet at another we sell very little but sell more vintage bric a brac. After the second or third time selling at this particular fair I am then better able to decided what items to take. This means I’m able to take more of what sells, therefore coming home with an empty car (excluding any bargains I’ve grabbed).

9) Try not to over indulge on days that your selling. I remember one week we spent all the takings before we had packed away. Ok some of these items provided us with a lovely profit the following week but left us feeling a little gutted on the way home.

10) If you’re planning on selling regularly then establish what bootsales suit you as a seller best. Book pitches early and see if the organiser will offer reduce rates for long term pitch fees. Make sure your buyers then know your there weekly. If something doesn’t work etc… Tell them to pop along and see you next week. This is the way to build trustful relationships with your buyers which will often become regulars as a result.

10) Get yourself some business cards and If possible a website/blog. Because I’m really going for it when it comes to refurbishing furniture into shabby chic pieces I want to ensure everyone knows. I love working with chalk paints and Decopatch and plan to promote this throughout the summer. I’ve even started painting furniture that belongs to others, which often involves removal of furniture, a week to work on it, before finally returning it in its new shabby form. I’m hoping that by selling smaller items of furniture done by myself with the addition of some business cards, it will help spread the word and push me in the correct direction.

11) Get noticed… When selling, especially at festivals, we like to give costumers a focal point ensuring they can find us every time. With such success from this, we have started to use this same idea when selling at large bootfairs. My friend will attach the largest most colourful flag we have to the car to ensure we are spotted for miles. The flag will ensure we are discoverable and easy to locate on future visits. What’s more its used as an ideal meeting point between friends and you can almost always guarantee that those using our flag as a meeting point, will then often find themselves having a look about at what we have on offer while waiting for their friends and then also have a little look about. This is one simple but extremely effective idea that really does work.

12) For certain sales, especially the more upmarket, vintage type fairs, its worth pricing your best pieces at home. We use tiny string tags for jewellery detailing both the price, age and specific design details such as gold, silver, kt, stone, size, etc. We tend to price up items such as makeup a little differently, we have a number of baskets filled with makeup and beauty products, each Basket has a set price displayed for all that’s in it. We also often allow costumers to choose two items of clothing for a tiny £1-£2 fee. This is especially good when you find that you still have certain articles hanging around a month later. A push towards the bargain basket is often all it requires to sell.

13) Items with Value – Jewellery is a great example for this tip…. Its best to display jewellery in a way that makes it easier for you to keep a watchful eye over it and far less easy for thefts to target. Lots of gold or silver jewellery should be displayed be hide glass. If buyers ask for a closer look you simply unlock the potable cabinet and hand it to them. this way you have full control over items and are not distracted as others grab at jewellery. its so easy to be distracted by one buyer as another loads his pockets. of course its far harder to steal a cabinet full of jewellery without being noticed.

14) To have the best chance of selling your jewellery try to offer lots of information on the piece. If you happen to state a piece is vintage then try and back it up with a date. Research all article to unearth any online prices to gain an idea of what to sell each piece for. If the piece is available with its original box or packaging then let it be known… this can make a huge difference to some buyers, especially collectors or those who want pieces to maintain value.

15) If selling rings its defiantly worth bringing along a ring sizer. This means no buyers claiming the ring has become stuck on their finger (seriously I’ve had this happen once). If sizes are clearly displayed on ring tag then their will be no reason to remove from under glass just for fitting purposes, therefore making selling less worrisome.

Also as well as that of the above, you may want to provide potential buyers of jewellery the opportunity to see any stamps and hallmarks through a jewellers loop. A loop is a fantastic tool for anyone who buys and sells jewellery but not everyone can easily get the hang off using such a tool. For those few, provide them with the next best thing… a strong magnifying glass! Your buyer is more assured that they are buying good jewellery and will be much more inclined to visit you again when they return.

16) If items are handmade by yourself and are therefore one offs then don’t be shy to let it be known. Add small tags stating the product is unique, handmade and signed by yourself. I myself like buying items when I know that it has been made by hand. No two pieces are the same which for me makes such items more desirable. Remember to always pop a business card into the bag with the byers items they have purchased. Cards should display contact details and a site where more of your work is easily accessed.

17) If you are asked about the price of an item that your selling, Always ask higher than you would actually expect to sell it for. The buyer is always more than likely going to haggle you down to a lower price and this will then hopeful be the price that you actually wanted to take. The buyer is proud to have haggled themselves a bargain and your not left feeling a little robbed but actually pleased with the final price thats been paid.

18) Make sure you arrive with plenty of change. Its not fun when first thing in the morning buyers are waving tenners under your nose and you can’t change it. Buyers may then ask if you’ll hold the item till later on in the sale when they will return with change, however many don’t, and you’ve lost a sale, and possibly interest from other buyers as a result of holding it back. You can’t complain, I guess they intend to return but discover they no longer have funds having spent so much elsewhere or they actually totally forget. We always visit the post office/bank the day before the sale and change up at least £30 to avoid losing sales. Note, I also always unsure I have change when visiting as a buyer who attends early. I don’t want to lose out on an item due to lack of change (some sellers won’t save it but instead sell it to whoever has the right money).

19) If selling on a weekly basis its worth taking along some money to grab a few bargains for your stall. I say take some money as to avoid spending the takings, as I’ve already mentioned once or twice, this situation can become confusing and a little disheartening when discovering you’ve spent most your earnings before you’ve even packed up the car. Sellers can visit fellow stall holders before the sale is opened to the public. This allows you first refusal. I’ve grabbed some fantastic bargains this way, especially when buying from one off sellers who just want to clear their tables avoiding being left with anything once the sale has come to an end. I will then either sell the item at a later time or place it on my table right away. I then sell for a profit anything over a pound more is usually great, though I’ve often done amazingly, especially given I’ll only buy items When i have an indication of its value.

20) Remember, you will need to charge varying prices based on the location of the bootsale. We did one in Kent recently and found that at first we struggled as most buyers saw our prices as that of “London Prices” despite any value the items had. I’ve found that in outer city towns and villages, prices need to be lowered slightly.

21) If you plan to do a weekly bootsale throughout the spring and summer then be sure to get yourself a good schedule. Having a permanent pitch at one or two sales is ideal. Buyers will then visit more than once and maybe even tell their friends.

22) Share a few of the items you have for your next sale online with your friends and followers on social network sites like twitter and instagram. This gives everyone a taste of what you’ll be selling and those who can’t make it to a sale can contact you with any possible offers. You can then take payment via PayPal.

23) If you’ve collected lots of stock then keep sales ticking over while lightening the load by selling some select items via eBay. Certain things will fetch more on eBay so be sure to select the right items to list.

24) If paying for a more expensive pitch, ensure your stock is of a higher standard. Just say your planing on selling at somewhere like pimlico or again Battersea, selling fees could be up to £30 or possibly even more, meaning you’ll need to make this sum back before you even go into profit.

25) At the type of bootsales I’ve mentioned above, I’ve made a little list of items that I’ve found sell well. Remember, sellers fees are higher but buyers pay more for good quality goods.
Vintage items – Pretty items such as crystal vases, silver tea services and vanity items…
Retro 80’s & 90’s – whether its lucky trolls or retro teapots these all do well.
Designer items – Its at these sales you can easily sell both modern and vintage designers bags, shoes and clothing.
Jewellery – both precious metals such as gold and silver are hot buys as are vintage pieces such as crystal bracelets, clip on earrings and brooches.
Handmade – unique and one offs are great sellers. These include handmade beauty products, jewellery and hand painted items
Watches – both modern and vintage watches do well. We even sell a lot of broken watches and pieces as scrap, especially those what are sought after brands
Vintage refurbishments – I always try to take some pretty refurbs with me to these sales. Good manageable items are things like chairs, side tables and bedside drawers.This also helps in drumming up interest when it comes to selling your refurbished vintage furniture online or working on other custom pieces.

26) Now this may sound some what cheap and if anything a tad trampy but watch out for free items during packing up time. So many one off sellers who only want to declutter their homes just cannot face reloading the car with items they didn’t sell. Many leave beautiful and very sellable items on the ground where their stall had once stood. They simply just speed off leaving behind their treasures. Such items could do incredible well on your next sale! I love finding old furniture and bits suitable for refurbishing. So, my advice is… If it fits in the car, then to hell with it, grab it otherwise somebody else will.

27) Make use of the resources at hand. Using the car has a display rail always gets items of clothing noticed and almost always sold.

28) Lastly… Try to sell items suited to the current climate. Selling thick jumpers and long wool coats in the summer months doesn’t usually result in high sales. Many people at bootfairs don’t even want to think about the prospect of colder whether, therefore avoiding all associated with it (regardless of style, brand and pricing).

So, that’s it! Any tips of your own worth sharing, then feel free to comment.

If your in london this coming Sunday then please pop by the Battersea bootfair and say hi. Can’t attend but Interested in any items you have seen through here, twitter, Facebook or instagram, then feel free to email me at clairelouise.tss@gmail.com where I’d be pleased to help

This Weeks Bootfair Finds

Here’s some bargains I’ve grabbed at a few bootfairs over the past couple of weeks.

Pretty vanity set (brush and mirror)

I brought the set in perfect condition but accidentally smashed the glass in the mirror so will need to get this replaced. I love the floral vintage design its so pretty and cost £3

Sweet silver heart trinket 50p

A very sweet decorative trinket that is ideal to store little bits in. Mines on my dresser and is a current home to a few rings.

Metal magazine rack

Love this. Its just my style and fits in well with other furniture I own. Plus it was a real bargain at £2

Stirling Silver Rose Pendant

One of my best buys of the week (well, few months if I’m honest)! The pendent is 925 Stirling silver and really nicely crafted into this pretty rose design. The pendant is on a black leather cord that is finished with a 925 Stirling silver clasp. Can you believe this cost me just £1.50. To be honest I don’t think the stall holder knew it was silver as she informed me it was a costume piece of her daughters.

Basque Style Jewellery Holder

I usually find that these holders that have been created to hold jewellery are usually really cheap and tacky looking (especially those with the butterflies etc)! However, this is quite the opposite. Its manufactured by a brand called Two’s Company which seems to be more known to the states. This particular holder is for necklaces and its really heavy in weight. I love the colour and detailing. The shoulder area has this stunning metal detail and the body that is this pretty pinkish gold colour has pretty detailing that is really subtle and delicate. I paid a fantastic £1.50 for this piece and was more than pleased with that.

Vintage Jar (maybe mustard/sugar jar) with silver Plated Lid

I found this rather nice glass/crystal jar with a silver plated lid. The lid is marked EPNS and although very pretty needs a little cleaning to remove tarnish. The jar was a bargain at just £1

Branded hair and beauty bargains

At another bootfair I grabbed this Toni & Guy travel selection consisting of straight and sleek shampoo, conditioner, heat defence spray and a rubber shine styling product. These haven’t been opened. They came in a tony and guy straighteners zip holder so am guessing they were once part of a straighteners gift set. I paid a reasonable £2 for the lot.

Other items I brought from the same sale included

New- Micro Injection Lift Fusion
New- Lancôme self tan lotion
New- Mou- Hair texturizer
New- Lancôme nail polish
New- YSL Lisse Expert

All for £20

Upcycle – Vintage Inspired Crackle Butterfly Box

I’ve had this plain wooden Ivory box with drawer fitment for a while now and wasn’t to sure what to do with it. I brought it at a rummage sale for pennies and at the time thought it was fine left the way it was.

However, as the weeks have turned to months, this box has done nothing useful. Its sadly just been moved around my bedroom, longing to fit in. With this I decided that in order to make real use of the box i’ll have to put my own personal stamp on it!

Being a girl who just loves jewellery and consequently owns a lot of it, I decided to upcycle my wooden box into a vintage style jewellery box.

Here’s what I used to transform the ivory wooden box..

FolkArt Acrylic Paint (940 Coffee Bean)
Mod Podge Shimmer- Gold
Wooden Cut Out Butterfly
4mm White Crystals (flat backed)
Crackle Paint White
Square Piece Of Mirror
PVA Glue (mixed with water)

Tools
Paint brushes
Glue Brushes
Sponge Paint Applicator
Hairdryer (or heat tool)

Firstly I had to give my box a wipe to remove any dust or dirt.

Next I removed the drawer and with a sponge applicator I applied my coffee bean paint to the entire box (drawer included). I allowed them both to dry before adding a second coat.

Once the box and its drawer had dried I added a thin layer of mod podge gold shimmer adding a thicker application to the edges of my box.

I allowed a 30 minute drying time before starting on my next step…

Now… I mixed 2 parts PVA glue to 1 part water (the idea is to create a runny but tacky glue mixture).

I then applied a thin amount to the lid of my box and applied direct heat with my hairdryer. I made sure not to completely dry the mixture as I needed it to remain slightly tacky to the touch.

I then took my crackle paint in white and scooped out some mixture onto a plate. With a sponge I applied the paint over the entire lid (directly over the tacky glue mixture) making sure not to go over the same area more than once as this will ease the crackling effect.

I then did the same with both the glue mixture and the crackle paint on all other areas of my box excluding the front section that surrounds my drawer. The drawer itself also received the same treatment.

Once all areas of crackle were applied and fully dry I again applied my gold mod podge shimmer to the entire box, including the section that remained brown and not crackled.

As I allowed the box to air dry for a further 30 minutes or so, I started work on my butterfly.

To decorate my wooden butterfly for the lid of my box I used a sponge applicator to cover it in coffee bean paint on both sides. This received two coats of paint in total.

Once dry I applied mod podge gold shimmer to the entire butterfly again on both sides.

Once the butterfly was dried I applied another coat of gold shimmer to just one side of the butterfly. It was during this application that I also applied the 4mm white crystals and then placed to one-side till later.

Next I took a piece of square mirror big enough to fit neatly in the centre of the inner section of my lid, and stuck it down with super glue.

The last step was to take my crystal butterfly and again using superglue apply it to the lid of my box at a slight angle like so…

Done!

I love the crackle effect on the box. By adding the gold mod podge shimmer the box has both subtle and vibrant gold tones. However, my favourite part has to be the crystal butterfly. Its hard to capture both the sparkle from the crystals and the shimmer from the gold on a photo! The effect looks much more spectacular in life.

I’ve really enjoyed turning my plain old ivory box into my own little vintage masterpiece. Why not upcycle things around your home? I’d love some inspirational ideas for the future, so feel free to share any in the comment section of this post.

How Too Create Vintage Inspired Crackled Crystal Drawer Knobs

I love to make things that bit different by adding my own unique touch to them. As I needed some new drawer knobs for some refurbished vintage furniture. I decided I’ll hand paint my own, while trying some new techniques at the same time.

For this project I brought some plain white ceramic drawer knobs to paint. Here’s what I used…

Plain White Ceramic Knobs (Homebase but brought mine from a bootfair)

Ceramic Paint (I used Pink)

Tiny White Flat Backed Crystals (real not acrylic)

Decopatch Glossy Glue

PVA (glue)

Water (to dilute glue)

Acrilex Tinta Craquelex – Number 810 (basically a crackle paint in baby blue)

There are also some tools required…

4 Brushes (for glue/paint)

1 Sponge Applicator (small)

Jar/Bowl (to mix PVA with water)

Stick (to mix PVA and water)

Heat Tool/Hair Dryer

I wanted my drawer knobs to have a vintage, shabby chic feel about them, so they would nicely match our current furnishings that I have been refurbishing with Annie Sloan chalk paint.

To start I gave the knobs two coats of pink ceramic paint (20 minutes drying time between coats).

I then took my PVA glue and added 4 big dollops to a preserving jar and mixed in some water. I added around one part more glue then water. This made a fair amount, nowhere near what I needed for this project, but given I’ve used a preserving jar, it will keep for later crafts. Remember you really don’t need to buy an expensive crackle medium as this really does do the very same thing for much less.

I then took a small tip paint brush and painted the glue over the tops of my drawer knobs, being careful to avoid drips. I was creating a total of 4 knobs so worked in groups of twos. This is so your knobs don’t have time to completely air dry.

Once your glue is applied, take either a hair dryer or heat tool and give each knob some help to dry with a blast of heat (only, don’t dry fully)! You need your glue to be almost dry (the tacky stage).

Now take your Acrilex Tinta Craquelex (aka crackle paint) and with a clean brush apply directly over the top of the glue.

IMPORTANT… Do not go over the same painted surface more than once or this will stop the crackling effect from appearing altogether.

TIP… Dab on at speed adding texture as you go for a sharper effect.

As soon as the tops of your knobs are covered again use a heat tool/hair dryer and you should start to see the cracks begin to appear before your very eyes.

Use the heat source till your knob tops are almost completely dry to touch. Then leave for 30-40 minutes to air dry.

At this stage you can work on the remaining 2 knobs in the same way.

Once the tops have dried, apply the PVA solution to the remaining areas of your knobs. Do this in the same way as before (using heat source till glue is tacky). Then again apply the crackle to the remaining areas only this time sponge it on. Don’t forget.. Never go over the same area more than once.

Once more apply the heat source to each knob to help cracks develop and speed up the drying process.

Leave to air dry as before.

Once these are dry, take your white flat back crystals, a clean small brush and some Decopatch glue.

Mod podge is to thick for this project and PVA won’t give it the protection it will require, Decopatch glossy glue seals these perfectly!

Gently apply the Decopatch glue to each knob. Only apply 1 thin layer and always go in the same direction as you started, avoiding unsightly brush marks.

One by one as you’re applying the glue, put in place your flat back crystals (a column of three down the middle).

Be sure to cover each drawer knob entirely in a thin layer of Decopatch glue, including over the top of each crystal to completely seal them in place. Be carefully you don’t leave any drips or overly wet areas before leaving to dry for at least an hour maybe even more (depends on the conditions your working in).

The effect is wonderful, the crackling gives them a very pretty vintage feel and I think the effect actually resembles that of lace a little.

The images I’ve included fail to really show the true gorgeousness of these drawer knobs. The crystals sparkle beautifully which sadly was very had to capture in a photograph.

So… What do you think?

This isn’t particularly difficult to do, yet its a technique that still manages to produce such beautiful effects.

I’ll be sure to snap a few pictures of the drawer knobs once I’ve fitted them.

Thanks again for reading.

This weeks bootfair finds

Check out this weeks bootfair finds.

I grabbed some fantastic bargains with most of it being costume jewellery with a few pieces of Stirling Silver. Some of the costume pieces are made from really good brands with some even being vintage pieces. Here’s a few snap shots of just some of the pieces I brought…

Stirling Silver and Bead bracelet

Heavy Stirling Silver Ring With Embedded Stones

Selection of Vintage and Modern costume Jewellery

Beautiful Daniel Swarovski bracelet on leather clip strap

Random Jar of Costume Jewellery

Can you believe that I got all the above plus loads more (half a carrier bag full) for just £15. Now that’s a true bargain, wouldn’t you agree?

Tutorial – Papier Mâché and Mod Podge Makeup Bag

This fabulous simmering bag has been put together by combining Papier mâché with mod podge. Its base that started as a cardboard box in Hobbycraft has received some super restyling, resulting in this handy storage bag for makeup.

Here’s what I used

Paper Mâché Box Bag (Hobbycraft)
Black acrylic paint – PoundLand
Mod podge gloss – Hobbycraft
Dark blue course glitter – Baker Ross Ltd
4 x Lace sequinned embellishments ( the type used for clothing and upholsteries)
Vintage Black bead and silver necklace
Small glass embellishments – PoundLand
2x small black bows – PoundLand
Old vintage broken brooch
Bag charm attachment (minus the charm)
Thick black lace (about 20 cms)
Extra strong glue dots (strips covered by plastic) PoundLand
4 metal bag feet with connectors (available from craft stores)
Electric blue felt -Baker Ross ltd

Additional tools needed

Paint and glue brushes
Paper plate ( to mix paint and mod podge)
Jewellery crimpers
Scissors
Large screw
Cork hammer

First take a paper plate and mix 4 parts mod podge with 8 parts black paint. You can add more paint or Mod Podge if required! You don’t want the mixture to turn grey, so it is important to add double as much black paint to that of the mod podge.

Once you have the mixture as it should be (gloppy and black) add a generous amount off your glitter. Because the mixture is so dark making it hard to see the glitter when mixed does mean its difficult to judge how much glitter to add! I tend to only know I have enough glitter, once my mixture has formed a very gritty texture. At first your mixture may seem dull and not very shimmery. This is only because the mixture is still wet, as it dries the glitter will become much more sparkly.

Now, prepare your box for painting by removing the current paper handles. Just cut these with scissors and discard off.

With a medium size paint brush, apply the mixture directly onto the box. (excluding the inside and bottom base). Leave to dry between 30-60 minutes dependent on room temperature. You will know your box has began to dry as the glitter will start to come through and twinkle. You will need to apply two coats of the mixture to the box.

Once dry you can now decorate.

Work on one side at a time starting with the 2 biggest sides!

Take 2 of your sequinned upholstery embellishments and decided how you would like these to be placed on one side of your box. Once you are sure how you want them placed, secure them to the box with mod podge covering both the top and bottom of each embellishment.

Add some small glass embellishments at the same time and sponge over with mod podge to secure.

Once dry cover the entire design with a second coat of Mod Podge Gloss.

Once this side is complete and fully dried, you can now start on the opposite side.

Again place the remaining 2 sequinned embellishments how you want them before finally securing with mod podge as before.

Add your 2 black bows to your design and then cover these with mod podge to secure in place.

Lastly cover the entire design in a layer of Mod Podge Gloss.

When your two main sides are completely dry, its time to start work on the two small sides of the box.

Add a strip of black thick lace so that it runs long ways, down the centre of each off your two sides. You should do this by securing with Mod Podge by adding it directly to the box and over the top of the lace. You can cut any excess lace from your box once it has dried (this is easier as the lace won’t slide about)!

Now leave to dry.

While your box is drying, its time to start work on your handle.

First take the charmless bag charm attachment and your old vintage brooch. I was able to secure the old vintage brooch to the attachment as it had a metal loop attached to the back of it, allowing me to just attach it to the keyring part of the bag charm. If your charm has no loop to attach the bag charm attachment then you can either attach one using some jewellery finishings and a solder or attach to the front of the attachment with some super glue. Once done place to one side for later.

Next, take your old bead and metal necklace and carefully break this in two equal halves, ensuring you break it where the metal connectors are and not the beads.

Use some jewellery crimpers to open the metal loops of the the beaded necklace on each end of your 2 pieces.

Now place to one side with your finished bag charm. We will fit the handles as one of the last steps before finally completing the bag.

Bring forward your box which should have dried after around 30 minutes or so. With a medium size paint brush paint the entire inner section of your box in black acrylic paint. Leave to dry for 30 minutes or so.

Once dry turn upside-down and paint the bottom of the boxes base in the same black acrylic paint. Leave to dry for 20 minutes plus.

Once all paint is dry take some electric blue felt and cut slightly smaller then your base like so. Now apply to the base using ‘Tacky glue’ leave to dry for a bit before cutting another piece of the same felt to fit the inner base of your box. This will line the box and provide padding for its intended contents. This doesn’t need to be glue in place, it should just simply slot into place but before adding it, you should secure your feet in place.

To secure the feet in place I used a long nail and a cork hammer. Turning the box upside down I banged a hole in each of the bases 4 corners. You will need to apply some pressure as you need to penetrate the felt too. Now push a foot through each of the 4 prepared holes. The feet can be secured inside the box by opening the metal connectors and lying them flat against the box. Once you have done this for all 4 feet, add the blue felt you prepared for the inner section of your box so that it covers the feet connectors and provides some cushioning for your makeup.

Now take one piece of your necklace and thread the metal through one of the holes in your bag, pushing it flat against the box. Now cover the metal directly over the top with 2 strong glue dots leaving on the plastic.

Thread the remaining end through the opposite hole (like that of the original handles) and connect in the same way with the glue dots.

Do the same for the remaining necklace and the remaining 2 holes.

Now cut through the charms loop and tie this to the loop of your bags handle nearest the bags body. Tie a double knot before finally cutting off any excess thread.

Your makeup bag is now ready to fill and display!

Here’s mine in action!

How Too Make Your Very Own Vintage Inspired Hair Accessories

Here’s a very simple craft idea to make yourself or someone special some very pretty vintage inspired hair accessories. Any girl both big and small would look great in one of these black and white slides. You can never have enough hair accessories after all. So, here’s a way to personalise your own and add that little bit off vintage glam to your hair- drob.

What you will need…

A set of two plastic hair slides (Comb type)
Some small white faux peals
A white bow embellishment
Two pieces of different black decorative sequinned embellishments (type used for fabric)
4 tiny black flat glass gems
Mod Podge
Glue dots
Glue brush

These take minutes to make and have a real 1920s feel about them, making them perfect for any upcoming vintage festivals.

For your first slide, paint some mod podge along the top above the comb. Place the lace embellishment at an angle so that there is more of the right side covered than the left. Clue the tip of the embellishment to the left side of the comb leaving a small area beneath.

Now add 4 of the flat crystals in the space beneath leaving a small space in between.

Now with glue dots add two white faux pearls in that space.

Give the slide an entire coat of mod podge and then leave to dry.

Slide number 2.

Cover half of your slide in your remaining lace and sequin embellishment. Use glue dots for this step.

On the remaining side of your slide use a glue dot to stick down your white bow embellishment. Use half a glue dot to stick a flat black crystal in the centre of that bow.

Now use glue dots to apply a group of 3 faux pearls next to your bow.

Next step is to stick 3 faux pearls along your lace and sequin embellishment.

Lastly cover the entire slide in mod podge (excluding the brushes of course).

This Weeks Vintage Finds

Saturday I had an awesome time bargain hunting over at a newly discovered Rummage Sale that took place at “Foal Farm” located in Biggin hill Kent.

The rummage sale is a cross between a bootfair and jumble sale. There is absolutely loads of bric a brac to look through, plus toys and collectables.

Foal Farm is actually an animal rescue sanitary so they also have there own pet shop on site selling reasonably priced items.

There is both stalls inside and outside to explore. I really did found some great vintage treasure for very little money at all.

Here’s a round up of just some of the items I brought…

Stunning silver plated candle stick holder Marked “E.P Zinc Silver Plated Made in England”

Sadly I only got the one, though I’m sure I spotted two of these when I first approached the stall. I didn’t buy this right away and that’s why I probably missed out on bagging the set. However this didn’t cost much at all. At the end of the sale we were told to fill a bag for a £1… Yes £1! This was one of the many items I added to my pound bag.

Crystal tray and miniature crystal bottles…

I’m unsure if this crystal dish is meant for serving snacks etc. I however thought it would be great for my dresser. Different items of makeup or jewellery can be placed in the different dividers.

The two glass bottles I brought in my bag for a £1 bargain, where the dish cost me 70p.

Vintage Hand Mirror For Dresser…

This mirror is really pretty and I was only charged a £1 by the stall holder.

Paris Style Sweet Tin…

This cute paris style sweet tin was a steal at 30p. Its great for sewing materials or simply just storage for all them little odds and ends.

Tiny Vintage Trinket

I don’t know why but I love this very tiny little trinket. Its big enough to fit just one ring but its beautifully designed and was one of my favourite buys of the day.

Shabby Chic Oil Burner…

A very cute little oil burner that I again loaded into my a bag for a quid.

Small Crystal Decanter…

I don’t know what it is about decanters and glass bottles but I’m really ending up with a tidy collection. I think its all down to a book I own on creating Vintage gifts. One section has this great idea on using pretty decanters to store bubble baths and scented powders. Again this came in my bag for a pound stash.

Shabby Cream Box…

Not like I haven’t got enough already, I couldn’t resist this cream wooden box that I brought for 50p. The lid lifts up for storage, plus it has a spacious drawer. A perfect jewellery box painted or left as it is.

Vintage Bone China Soap Dish…

What can I say, it was 25p and its very pretty indeed. Its bone china and has all the markings on the back.

Book Plates…

I’m unsure why I brought these as I’ve been trying to downsize my book collection. I just found them really sweet. Simply full in your name and stick to the inner cover of your book. They are old, though I’m not to sure just how old. Anybody else seen these before? These were added to my bag for a pound (I actually ended up filling 3 bags for a £1, hence the reason why I can’t share all my items here today)!

Small Decorative Porcelain Perfume Bottle…

This is a miniature perfume bottle that’s really decorative and looks great on a dresser. It was just 50p and I love it! Not to sure what the last part of the markings indicate but like it all the same.

I also got a beautiful shabby chic wooden chair and a lovely little shelf unit for £4, that I plan to refurbish with some Annie Sloan chalk paint. I will be sure to share once I get started.