BACK TO LIFE!

January is always a bit of a slow month, but things are starting to spring into life.

Car boots are a good way of getting back into the swing of things, and also the fantastic Giant Shepton Flea is starting again as well.

 

 

Have done a huge amount of sorting out at ArtPix Towers over the last month, which included sifting through lots of new and old stock.

Have been reluctant to buy too much new stock, as I have a lot I haven't shown yet, but as always, I end up buying something!

The winter months also mean I can rarely get out into my yard and work on restoring or upcycling any furniture, but I did start on a lovely old carved wooden bookshelf that I bought recently.

Have some fantastic Mid-Century pieces that need a bit of attention as well, and will be out on sale as soon as I can work on them.

Hoping to do another Mid-Century fair this year, as I've stockpiled quite a lot of items that would look fantastic at one of these specialist fairs.

Had a great success at Bristol a couple of years ago, so I'm keen to get back into them.

Carry on following this Blog, as I'm hoping to keep it more updated this year.

Or alternatively have a peep at my Instagram page, as that has daily posts on there.

Bye for now!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Well, here we are at the start of 2025, and fingers crossed it'll be a brilliant year!!!

I'll be honest, 2024 was awful....

A series of not brilliant things, plus a family bereavement, made it a year to forget.

But onwards and upwards we go!

I'm once again hoping to update this Blog a bit more often, as looking at the stats, it get a huge amount of views.

So thank you to everyone who has a peep at this page, and takes the time to read it, much appreciated!

This is especially surprising these days when the reading Blogs is a dying art!

 

My main online activity now is just a daily post on Instagram, so if you happen to find yourself on there, have a look at my page!

I still trawl around doing vintage markets selling all sorts of vintage treasures.

My tastes often change, so it reflects in the stock I sell, but you can always find bits of Mid-Century, books, ephemera, football stuff, salvage, furniture and anything else.

 

I also restore and upcycle many vintage furniture pieces, plus with my background in graphic design, I do artwork collages and design work.

Have a few artworks on the go at the moment, so hopefully, as the weather is awful at the moment, I can finish these soon!

 

So keep in touch on here (and Instagram) and maybe see you at a market one day!!

ARTY DRIFTWOOD

Everyone who lives near the sea has a go at doing driftwood art at some point, and I'm no different!!

As I live near the southern tip of Chesil Beach in Dorset, we often get loads of wood and all sorts washed up.

I've made many a driftwood shelf, book shelf, and box.

But I also like to do something a tiny bit different as well, so here's my latest thing...

A driftwood shelf inspired by the artist Piet Mondrian.

The Dutch Abstract artist was mostly famous for his geometric shape paintings involving the colours red, blue, yellow and black and white.

Now I just need someone who gets the reference and to buy it!!!

PATIENCE!

If at first you don't succeed, and all that!!

You definitely need patience in the selling of antiques game.

Have had this brilliant handmade toy garage for ages, and finally today it sold!!!

Had been on Facebook Marketplace for about two years, and has been lugged around multiple vintage fairs as well.

There was plenty of interest, but no takers!

 

At last it has a new home!

HELLO AGAIN!

Oops, didn't keep that promise to update this Blog more frequently did I?!

 

Oh well, here I am again!!

 

Had a great time in France recently.

Went to Normandy, and went around many of the D-Day sites.

I felt like I learnt more from seeing the places, than any of the books and documentaries I'd seen. 

Especially when going to Omaha Beach, I remember looking behind me and seeing the rising cliffs and thinking, oh right, now I see why it was so awful there.

Similar feeling to seeing the WW1 Somme battlefields years ago, and walking the actual terrain where the soldiers fought. You get an immediate understanding of what happened that's impossible any other way.

I also managed to get in a bit of vintage shopping, despite being there too early in the year for any of the brocantes.

Found a few great vintage shops along the way.

You always find things that you just don't see in Blighty.

Hoping to get back there sometime and carry on our adventures.

Meanwhile, I'm super-busy getting in and sorting out some amazing vintage stock for my markets.

Best to keep in touch with the latest things I'm up to on my Instagram account, but I'll keep on trying to regularly post on here as well!!

Here are three pictures from Normandy.

An abandoned cinema in Bayeaux, the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, and Utah Beach.

AU REVOIR INNIT!

I'll be away in France for the next couple of weeks on a rare ArtPix holiday!!

Going to Normandy, and will be wandering around all the D-Day beaches, which will be amazing to do.

 

Will still be on the lookout for vintage stuff of course!

Last time I went to France, I came back with some brilliant items, including this fantastic vintage metal sign, which i definitely won't be selling!

So au revoir for the moment, but see you all again soon!

GLAD TO RECYCLE!

I'm always looking to save, renovate or recycle things.

So this simple idea to create a really nice item to brighten up a room, was made from two rescued items I've picked up along the way.

 

Using an old backing board from an antique picture frame, a bundle of which I found going for free outside a framing shop.

And a vintage sheet music cover, from a huge pile of old and very tatty sheet music that was being thrown out.

Picking out a sheet which had a strong and interesting cover, I simply stuck it to one of the old boards. Then varnished it to protect it, which actually also really enhances the colours. 

 

Hey presto, here's a nice bit of artwork, that can be put anywhere around any room!

 

Incidentally, the sheet music I used is from the 1929 film, Glad Rag Doll, which has sadly been lost, although apparently the trailer of the film survives!

And Interesting Film Fact of the Day: the star of the film Dolores Costello, was the Grandmother of actress Drew Barrymore!