As Summer Flies By

Hollywood Glamour From The 1930s

I found this small collection of cards and the photo of Bogey at the Olney Fair in July, the last of our summer fairs before a well deserved (or not depending upon your view) break before the Autumn fairs begin in September (in Stratford Town Hall on Sunday the 6th to be exact).

One Of The Stalls At The Olney Fair

When I began to write this blog yesterday it was a hopelessly miserable day, Northampton was covered in rain and severe weather warnings for the week to come ruled the airwaves. So I decided to reminisce about summer just at the moment that it begins to slip away (August is the cruellest month etc).

Vintage Gardening 1930s Style

Our home was full of sweat peas this summer, a daily procession of flowers lasting from early June to late July. I had earlier in the year been inspired by the lovely cover of Popular Gardening from the 1930s to grow some for myself and the results were great, my own little bit of re-enactment, employing traditional horticultural techniques gleaned from a 1950s Mr Cuthbert's guidebook (featured in an earlier blog). I spent quite a few hours listening to TMS picking flowers in the garden, TMS is of course Test Match Special.

Sweat peas From The Garden

They looked particularly nice when put in old jam jars, we took a few bunches along to our stall at Bicester.

'Random Makes' - One Of The Stalls At The Stratford Fair

We returned to the Town Hall in Stratford on the first Sunday in June, it was a really warm sunny day, and it seemed that everyone wanted to sit by the river (finally making their way to the fair in the late afternoon as we began to pack away). There were some lovely stalls and I particularly liked this collection of embroidery threads in their original box, thanks to Hannah from Everly Vintage for bringing them along.

Some Vintage Threads In Their Original Box

We had been looking forward to Midsummer weekend since before Christmas when we were invited to take the fair to the inaugural Flywheel Festival at Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire. It was a fantastic weekend and I really enjoyed wandering around the beautiful historic cars as they prepared to take to the track and the combined forces of the Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire Home Guard on morning patrol was very reassuring.

Summer Flowers At The Bicester Flywheel

We arrived on the Friday to set up, we find a large marquee waiting for us and were joined by some lovely motors in the picnic area on the Saturday and Sunday. Many thanks to B for bringing along some lovely flowers, I always look forward to seeing your stall. The Flywheel will be taking place again in 2016 and we will be there.

The Marquee Housed The Fair

A hop, skip and jump and we were back in Northampton for the July Jumble, stalls filled the rooms inside and formed a 'vintage village' on the lawn outside. The next Jumble will take place in Northampton at St. Matthew's on 9th January, the next Northampton fair will be taking pace on Saturday 12th September.

Some Of The Stalls On The Lawn At The July Jumble

It was a day for 'small finds' for us although I spotted quite a few pieces of furniture being squeezed into cars or hauled away into the surrounding streets.

Little Finds At The July Jumble

In early August we visited the Canal Festival at Blisworth, it has been taking place for several years, people sell from boats moored along the Grand Union, cream teas in the church as a brass band marches through the village. There are always a few gardens open along with garage sales. This year we found a box of original threads and some lovely buttons, well worth the trek down a long winding lane.

So Many Colours

I remember as a child being fascinated by the displays of coloured threads whenever we visited our long since departed local craft shop (which was once on Abington Avenue near the Kawasaki garage in the late 1970s) and I love finding things that remind me of those visits.

Vintage Military Buttons

The buttons were a great find and the set of six enamel coat buttons from France are quite old and would look nice stitched onto a modern knit.

French Enamel

The festival field was full of trade stalls, 'street food', a display by WW2 re-enacters and a small collection of lovely vintage caravans.

Spotted At The Blisworth Canal Festival 2015

A trip to London is as much about finding somewhere nice that serves nice tea and cake as anything else to me so it was not surprising that I was not included in a trip to London when the other part of Vintage in the Shires went sightseeing. I was pleased with my colourful notebooks which was my reward for not complaining, they come from the Transport Museum shop.

My Notepads From London

The two original loom ottomans were a bargain find from our local second hand shop, we call in every now and again and always seem to find something to take home. 

Two Bargain Ottomans

We love vintage textiles, especially barkcloth and linens from the 1930s through to the 1950s and tend to buy it whenever we find it. These pieces were picked up at various places during the summer, there is one curtain, a cushion cover and piece made into a nice peg bag.

 Vintage Flowers

Boxes for storing hats, clothes and linens are another favourite of ours and we found this pretty box at Blighty Bazarre when we last visited Leamington Spa.

More Pretty Vintage Florals

 Here is the poster for the Stratford Fair. The Town Hall is situated in the centre of Stratford adjacent to the Garrick Inn.

Our Next Fair - Remember It's A Sunday

The Stratford Fair will be followed by the Northampton Fair the following weekend. If the weather is good there will be plenty of stalls outside to complement the stalls inside the hall, tea and cakes will be served throughout.

Stalls Inside & Outside

We will then have a short two week break before taking the fair to the Sywell Classic for the last weekend in August, we had a great time last year and cannot wait to return. Hope to see you at a fair soon.

See You At The Sywell Classic