Just recently I rescued this tiny bus, that was looking a little sorry for itself on a market stall!
And when I say tiny, I mean tiny, as it only measures 50mm in length!! Although it's missing most of its original paint, it has a fantastic charm about it.
Of course, I knew the bus was a classic Matchbox, made by Lesney, but I didn't realise it was one of their first productions. They were produced between 1954 and 1955, and as you can see, it's a No. 5, making it only the fifth model they'd made. Its model number is actually 5a, as they brought a different version a couple of years later.
Very cleverly, and rather brilliantly, they put the model number on the front and back of the bus, instead of underneath, to look like a bus number!
It was bought as stock, but my heart is telling me to keep this little gem a while longer!!!
One of my latest projects was doing a decoupage of classic copies of Beano comics on a table.
Not terribly original I know, but(!), the table I used just looked exactly right for it – a simple, but elegant one from the 1960s,
After painting the legs red and getting the PVA glue out, I got stuck in, making sure all the usual suspects were there, including Dennis & Gnasher and Roger the Dodger!
I got so carried away that I even did some tea towel holders as well!!
So if you fancy a Beano-themed kitchen, then lucky you ... As this lot will be on my stall at this Sunday's BRIDPORT VINTAGE MARKET, right in the centre of the buzzing town of Bridport in Dorset!!
I love a vintage camera, they have so much charm, and you can imagine all the many treasured photos they've taken on holidays and special occasions back in their day. I literally have a stack of them in stock at the moment, take a look below ...
In amongst this lot are classic Kodak Brownie cameras, from the 1920s through to the 50s.
And also a couple of really interesting German ones that are harder to find. A Gevabox from 1951, and an Agfa Box 50, which looks exactly like a Brownie, that was made in Münich in 1949.
I also have a few more in stock, so if you love vintage cameras, run along to the two amazing events I'm doing this weekend and find them on my stalls ...
BRIDPORT VINTAGE MARKET on 25th August.
37th ANNUAL MAMMOTH CAR BOOT SALE at Wilton House, near Salisbury on 26th August.
I have to be honest, August has been a bit of a wash-out for me ... Lots of markets and boot fairs I'd planned to do have been rained off or too windy. So I'm hoping for one last hurrah before the end of the Summer holidays, as this weekend I've got two crackers lined up ... I'll be back at the BRIDPORT VINTAGE MARKET on Sunday 25th August. I've loved doing this event this year, and it gets better and better!
And on the Bank Holiday Monday, 26th August, I'll be at the 37th ANNUAL MAMMOTH CAR BOOT SALE AT WILTON HOUSE, just outside Salisbury. An amazing event held in the grounds of the stunning Wilton House. Had a brilliant time there last year.
Even though the rain has interrupted my plans this month, I've still been out and about getting loads of new stock and new projects to do. One great bit of new stock is this skateboard made by Blind ... A really cool board ...
I'm bringing this along on Sunday if you fancy a spin around Bridport! I'll carry on blogging this week with more bits of new stock I've got lined up.
This Friday I'll be back at the brilliant Somerton Vintage Market in the heart of Somerset! I was there last month and had a great day, so I'm giving it another go. Got loads of new stock just waiting to be bought, so pop along to the lovely village of Somerton, find the beautiful Buttercross building, and have a browse!
Just one of the bits I'll be bringing is this unusual, and probably quite rare, Dutch tin ...
It has amazingly bold colours, and with the distinctive characters in traditional costume and windmill in the background, this can only be from Holland!
Not sure of the date, instinct says 1950s, but it could possibly go further back to the 40s/30s?? It would look great in a kitchen or alongside a collection of other tins. Find it at the Somerton Vintage Market this Friday!!!
As I live just around the corner from Chesil Cove on the Isle of Portland, when there are gale force winds, it's always great fun to go down there and watch the waves come crashing in!
And while I was down there yesterday, I noticed on the metal railings, along the promenade next to Quiddles café, something mysterious! No, not something odd that had been washed up by the sea, but retro Bristol City stickers!!! Someone had gone along the railings and stuck down different stickers of players!!
As a massive fan of retro football, this was brilliant, going along seeing which player would be next! Most of them seemed to be from the late 1970s, when City were riding high in the old First Divsion. Players like Tom Ritchie, Terry Cooper, Ray Cashley and the brilliantly named Paul Cheesley.
But, they weren't original ones, like the classic Panini stickers, they must have been a new set of stickers designed to look retro, COOL!! So who was this mysterious person sticking retro stickers around Portland??!! Could it be this person here ... !
I should have a set of stickers made up of my very own retro tribute to Bristol City! It could become a unique marketing campaign to get more people to buy my retro football designs!!
Tonight my absolute favourite band are playing in Ladbroke Grove's Subterania in London. And I won't be there ..... Tickets were a whopping fifty-odd quid, which I just couldn't justify spending, especially now I have to add on the petrol to get there from Dorset. But, I do have the memories of seeing them play there in 1994. One of my all-time favourite gigs ever!
Subterania is a tiny venue, and it was hotter than hot inside, but we all witnessed a very special performance from Killing Joke.
I was down the front as usual, and spent most of the evening getting crushed, and trying to avoid either being burnt alive or covered in paint by the performance artist they used to have on stage with them around that time. And I loved every second of it.
From a few grainy screen grabs from YouTube, you can see the chaos, and also you can see me!! I had very long hair in those days, but that's me down there in the melee!!
So I won't be there tonight, but I'll be remembering that gig. Honour the fire.
Looks like the weather has turned into classic British summer holiday mode – awful!!! So instead of getting battered by the wind and rain, why not run along to West Bay in Dorset, where I've stocked up my unit at The Customs House!
Just today I spent ages putting in loads of new stock, including retro football programmes, groovy ceramics, Matchbox cars, books and tonnes more ... There are also still some of my vintage-inspired driftwood signs left as well, so grab one while stocks last!
And as the weather isn't great at the moment, I'll be confined to barracks, working on all sorts of upcycling projects from bits of rescued furniture. Just this week I've done a decoupage of old copies of the Beano on a lovely Mid-Century table. It's now ready for the endless coats of varnish that these things need!
I'll keep you posted on all these projects and some of the exciting new stock I've got lined up.
Hi folks! After my recent events in Dorchester and Taunton, this week I've been back on the road hunting down exciting new bits and pieces to sell at future fairs! I've bought a lovely old set of wooden drawers, that will be a great little project for me to work on.
And a stunning old original painting of a sailing ship in full flight.
These, and loads more new stuff, will be appearing at my next events ... SOMERTON VINTAGE MARKET on 16th August. BRIDPORT VINTAGE MARKET on 25th August. And the WILTON HOUSE MAMMOTH CAR BOOT SALE on 26th August. So catch me at these dates!!
I'm making the most of the summer weather to do a few boot fairs as well, to clear some junk and a few bits of old stock. So keep an eye out for news on those.
I also had an ArtPix outing to London this week to see my first ever cricket match, Middlesex v Kent!!
I used to follow the game a bit in the 80s, but have seriously lost touch with it all. But to see a game at the very heart and soul of the sport – Lord's – was something very special.
There is certainly an aura about the place, and even though it was only a 20-over each floodlit game, it was still hugely enjoyable. It was also a chance for me to watch 'my team', as I was born in Middlesex! I'll definitely go back for another game there, and also try and get to some local non-league football matches this season as well, as Premier League football gets further and further away from my budget.