HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!?????!!!!!

Lets hope it's a good one ...

 

 

Let me also hope there weren't too many grammatical errors in that statement either. (Lets, let's????), (it's, its?????) ...

But after this year, who cares ...

TOMMY DOCHERTY (1928-2020)

A final kick in the wotsits from the year 2020 was the sad news of the passing of Tommy Docherty.

 

The media will lead that he was Man Utd's manager, but it was in the Swinging Sixties, down on the King's Road, that he made his name as the brilliant young manager of Chelsea.

The Doc made the club into a super-fashionable vibrant team full of young players, playing in one of the coolest kits around. 

 

One of my biggest regrets as a Blue, is not having seen that team of the 60s play.

 

The Chelsea website have an excellent write-up of his career at the Bridge.

Go HERE

FRENCH WOODEN 2CV TOY CAR BY VILAC

Got this gorgeous wooden toy car from France here ...

This unusual looking Citroën 2CV was made by the French toy makers Vilac.

They are renowned for making quirky, retro-style cars and toys in bright colours. And they have been doing so since 1911.

It has a real charm about it ... and lucky you, this is for sale!!

So get shopping on Facebook Marketplace HERE

MERRY XMAS!?

I hope you all can at least enjoy a bit of a Merry Xmas ...

DAD

Remembering my Dad today, who sadly passed away on this day three years ago.

Never forgotten ...

DENHILL No.W20 CAMERA

I've got one of these unusual 1960s cameras for sale ...

 

 

They are hard to find nowadays, and have cult status amongst photographers.

 

Initially made as a cheap-and-cheerful camera for fairgrounds and seafront gift shops, they unintentionally became iconic items.

 

Like their better known contemporaries, the Diana cameras, they can produce bizarre and strange photographs.

 

They have a habit of letting in light, which creates unexpected light effects, blurry dreamlike atmospheres and saturated colours.

 

The joy for photographers is that no two photos are the same, so there is always a surprise to see what you actually get!

Such was their uniqueness, that a whole genre has been created to categorise them, called Lomography.

The example I have for sale, includes its original box, PLUS an unused film!

 

 

Its up on the Facebook Marketplace, so have a peep HERE

 

And here is my own example of how Lomography looks ...

 

 

PIC OF THE DAY

This is my pic of the day, taken this year in Symondsbury in Dorset, on a very rare outing.

The shapes, colours and sheer age of the bricks and stones just caught my eye.

 

To be honest, inspiration is in short supply these days for my blogs, but I want to keep things going. 

 

I seem to have a loyal band of about 6 people who read them!!!!

So THANK YOU for taking the time to have a look, it is much appreciated.

 

I'm hoping for a surge of creativity in the new year, to get a few of my art projects up and running again.

VINTAGE CUP-A-SOUPS!

I'm selling these four fantastic Cup-A-Soup cups!!

 

They make a great retro display, or can be used, as they are in perfect condition.

 

Dating to the late 70s/early 80s, they come in their original cardboard box, and would make a great little Xmas pressie!!

Get shopping HERE

CUSTOMS HOUSE ON THE TELLY!

The Customs House was featured on the ITV South West News tonight, in a feature about West Bay!!!

Bev, who runs the place, was interviewed.

Unfortunately I missed it, but here is a follow-up article about it on the ITV website ... HERE

 

Pop in over this weekend, and get spending, it will help small, independent traders!!!!

VINTAGE SHOE SHINE BOX

Just one of the many things I'm selling via the Facebook Marketplace is this lovely box.

 

It was probably handmade especially to hold all the shoe shining brushes and polishes.

And has the great little inventive touch of having an angled lid at the top, making it much easier to do the polishing when you placed the shoe on it. I love that!

 

Included inside are some original brushes and bits.

One of the items is an amazing old bottle of leather cleaner.

 

All this is just a tenner!!!

 

Go HERE, and have a look on Facebook and BUY NOW!!!!

And remember, you will be helping out small, independent traders!!!

NEW COLLAGE!

Latest little creation to show you ...

Using amazing original 1930s photos.

 

 

GOOD NEWS AT LAST!

My unit at The Customs House in West Bay, Dorset will up and running again next week!!

The site will be opening again on Wednesday 2nd December at 10am ...

 

So get on down there and get shopping!!!!

 

 

I'M BACK!

Sorry haven't blogged for a while, my time has been spent on other things recently.

Like trying to earn an honest crust!!

As markets and my unit are still off limits, I'm having to delve deeper and deeper into selling online.

Although I'm not a huge fan of it, the sorting out of loads of photos, the endless chasing of people, waiting for replies, payments etc, but I have to say, the whole enterprise has been a roaring success!!!! 

I will, one day, set up my own online shop, but for now I'm just using the Facebook Marketplace.

And, in general, unlike markets, you tend to get the price you actually want for the item!!!

Apart from the odd chancer, who tries it on and wants something half-price, (seriously mate???)

So it has been a little peep into the future for me. Avoiding certain scenarios does sound appealing. Check out my monologue below about the routine of outdoors vintage markets ... 

 

Stacking tonnes of boxes in the lounge the night before a market, then getting up at 4am, loading up the van, driving 50 miles to a field, pay £25+, unload van, display everything, (all the while checking the sky for the inevitable rain clouds), watch as people walk straight passed your stall, explain to someone that "no that isn't overpriced that is the normal price for those", barter with someone else who wants it for less than half-price as they've seen one on Ebay, wonder how the person on the stall opposite has been selling all day, finally sell a few bits myself, starts to rain, all punters disappear, pack up everything, drive back 50 miles, unload van, relocate boxes around house so I don't trip over them, tot up the final tally and find you've made £50, minus stall money, minus petrol money, convince myself that could still technically be a profit, then remember on the way to the loo you spent £25 on something you thought you could make a profit on one day, so actually the day is big loss and, well, lets face it, a bit of a waste of time.

Hmm, gets you thinking doesn't it!!!!

YOU ARE FREE TO DO AS WE TELL YOU

Today was one of those days when you know you are going to achieve absolutely nothing.

So I bunged on some classic Acid Techno to see where my brain took me ...

Then I looked at one of the scraps of paper I have on my desk, where I'd randomly scribbled the phrase You Are Free To Do As We Tell You.

I saw it a couple of weeks ago online somewhere, and loved it, as it sounded like a great slogan or album title from an Industrial band. The cynicism and irony is perfect.

Turns out it was a quote from much-missed US comic legend Bill Hicks.

 

So here is an Acid Techno inspired collage I've done, featuring the phrase ...

 

 

BARGAIN BOOKS!

Selling off a big selection of hardbacks and paperbacks on Facebook Marketplace.

Need the space in the ArtPix Storeroom!

And I'm fed up of hauling them around boot fairs!!!

Please have a look and buy them!!

 

Paperbacks HERE

Hardbacks HERE

DARKEST DORSET

Pic of the day – taken in deepest, darkest Dorset.

 

 

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN YET?

Asked Siegfried Sassoon in his poem Aftermath.

And thankfully we haven't forgotten.

November 11th is still an important and emotional day.

Today is also the last of the Great War centenaries.

100 years ago today were the ceremonies of the burial of The Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, and also the unveiling of the permanent stone Cenotaph in Whitehall.

Below is an original 1920s photograph of the Cenotaph.

You can just make out the people around it, laying flowers and wreaths to mark their lost ones from the war that had not long finished.

It had quickly become a national focal point for people's grief.

 

 

SEEING STARS!

Got a lovely hand-painted wooden mini cabinet for sale.

Decorated with moons and stars, it has loads of drawers, to make it into your very own 'Cabinet of Curiosities'!

Check it out HERE on Facebook Marketplace.

PIC OF THE DAY

 

Longbredy in Dorset ...

At least we can still enjoy the countryside.

SO THAT'S THAT ...

The Customs House in West Bay, Dorset is now closed, so I'm afraid you can't go there spending your money in my unit for a month!

Also, vintage markets and boot fairs are shut down, so the only income for me is for sales on the Facebook Marketplace, so do please have a look at what I've got up there.

For now it will be back to renovating and upcycling projects, and sorting out and photographing stock.

Dontcha just love 2020 ...

THE LAST HURRAH!

Before the next lockdown, you still have a few days to go mad in my unit at The Customs House!!!

Based down in West Bay, Dorset, The Customs House is a fantastic old building right next to the beach.

Upstairs you'll find my unit, packed with goodies!!!

Since it reopened after the first lockdown, it has been absolutely flying, with record sales!!!

So get shopping ...

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN?

Not sure what there is to celebrate, but this is a time to be dark and spooky, which to be honest is every day for me!!

 

 

 

(I did want to put a Halloween picture here, but it won't load, so instead of sitting here all night, I won't.

Technology. Dontcha just luv it).

VINTAGE HOMEMADE TOY GARAGE

I'm selling this unique and unusual homemade item via Facebook Marketplace.

Covered in vintage stickers, it would make a great way to display of collection of old Matchbox, Dinky or Corgi cars.

Have a look HERE

ART DECO THEATRE WORLD CABINET

One of my first ever upcycling projects was taking a fairly ordinary 1930s cabinet, and turning it into an Art Deco gem!!

 

I painted it black, and decorated it with a collage of original pages from 1930s Theatre World magazines.

 

 

It features a host of stage stars of the era, including Laurence Olivier and Flora Robson.

I also lined the inside of the cupboard with more pages of the vintage magazines.

 

Now the cabinet is up for sale on the Facebook Marketplace.

Have a look HERE

 

 

WW1 ROYAL NAVY UNIFORM TRUNK

On the Facebook Marketplace I'm selling an amazing metal trunk with a load of history.

Belonging to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, who won the Distinguished Service Order medal, for his part in the sinking of a German U-Boat in 1918.

 

Read all about it HERE

78s FOR SALE!

After a successful week selling loads on the Facebook Marketplace, I've put up a small collection of 78rpm records.

They have a real charm about them, and are mostly from the 1930s and 40s, although one goes back to 1926. Loads have the classic HMV His Master's Voice label, with the dog and the gramophone!

 

There are 19 in total, and they are going for just a tenner.

Have a view on the Facebook page HERE