Somerset Vintage Finds

I just spent a wonderful weekend visiting my friend Amy (who has just started her own cute blog) in her newfound home - Bath. Amy has been waxing lyrical about all the gorgeous boutiques and cafes in her new city and having spent a weekend there I was totally sold on this fabulous city. Bath itself has a few vintage gems, but the real highlight for me was the small-but-perfectly-formed town of Frome, about 15 minutes drive down the road. 

I’m not sure why (answers on a postcard please!) but Frome has developed something of a vintage scene in recent years, all centered around one very steep cobbled street - Catherine Hill. It’s lined with independent boutiques and vintage sellers, and hosts its own monthly artisan market in the summer with a mix of vintage treasures, local food and handmade goods (held on the first Sunday of the month, April-October). 

Here’s my pick of the best boutiques (there’ll be more on Bath in my next post).....

Beautifully styled new boutique Holly Anna at no. 9 has to be top of the list for its gorgeous mix of vintage and vintage-inspired homewares, gifts, kids' stuff and jewellery. The owner is a graphic designer and makes his own colourful wall stickers (love the butterfly-shaped blackboard vinyls that children can draw on). I could have bought everything in there!

For vintage finds, Make and Mend is stuffed full of great vintage clothing and furniture - I loved the old-fashioned toys and found myself wistfully gazing at the vintage wedding dresses and longing to do that all over again (oh and longing for the return of my waist!). 

Crowman at no. 27 is a great little antiques shop with some gorgeous furniture, kitsch crockery and its own homemade jams.

Finally Millie Moon is a fabulous haberdashery and sewing school, with a wonderful selection of retro-inspired fabrics, buttons and ribbons in every colour, all lovingly displayed to entice you to get crafty.

Let it snow

I’m just back from a blissful two weeks in Thailand only to return to blizzards and the mad Christmas rush in London. I’m trying not to let the memories of sunshine and relaxation fade by avoiding any form of high street and opting for the much less stressful experience of Christmas shopping on Broadway Market in East London. The sight of a brass band playing carols, and all the wonderful fresh produce of the market dusted with a coating of snow was the perfect festive mood lifter.

I think its really about time I announce that there’s a Vintage Baby on the way! So you may find the blog takes a new tack as I go into nesting mode. Not surprisingly, I found myself zoning in on the gorgeously retro knitted childrenswear at the Sweetheart Knits stall - where the mini tank tops, hats, booties, cardis and socks are all hand-knitted by a crack team of 35 grannies (each tag tells you which granny knitted what). 

I also love the fabulous vintage kidswear stall next door that sells a colourful array of second hand clothes, denim, stripy jumpers and crochet blankets for the nursery. 

For vintagey christmas presents, Alice Gabb’s stall caught my eye for its kitschy vintage royal-themed mugs filled with lavender-scented candles, all lovingly displayed on old wooden shelves and drawers. 

Vintage print inspiration

As you may remember from my pre-wedding foray into wooden block printing, I’m a big fan of vintage letterpress prints. If you’re looking for a more professional finish than DIY block printing, I’d recommend East London-based letterpress studio A Two Pipe Problem, which does beautiful bespoke posters, stationery (including wedding invites and cards) and book covers. 

Everything is designed directly on the 1930s press, using nothing but old wooden blocks and metal type, some are a little worn around the edges lending the type an old-fashioned charm. 

You can also attend letterpress workshops to learn about the traditional printing process and make your very own poster. 

While on the subject of vintage-style invitations, I love this one that a colleague passed on to me - such a clever concept and so beautifully designed by the groom himself.

Vintage Vienna

I must apologise for my online absence of late - I was struck down with a winter lurgy and have since been off again overseas for work. Anyway, Vienna’s cosy cafes, cakes and hot chocolates soon perked me up - here are my favourite bits of the city:

Vintage-inspired packaging at the master confectioner’s Demel:

Modernist lighting Zeitloos and Pristine vintage treasures at Flo Vintage:

Cute and quirky haberdashery and crafting fabrics at Herzilein : 

 Art Nouveau and Secessionist design at The MAK museum:

Kitsch decorations at Vienna’s christmas markets:

And not forgetting - warm Apfelstrudel with custard (best eaten in one of the city’s grand old coffee houses such as Cafe Central):